Puppy Dreams (pet portrait-cocker spaniel)

As I lay on my pillow

I dream and wonder what will be

I know there’s something wonderful

That life has in store for me

There are so many needy people

And I have so much love to give

I would change their life completely

And show them how to live

I would be their protector

Keep children from any harm

I know they would learn to love me

I would be their good luck charm

One day a family will see me

In my kennel safe and warm

I’ll flash my big brown eyes

Jump around and even perform

I think I see someone coming

With a warm a friendly hand

I’ll give her lots of kisses

Then she will understand

I waited for this day so long

With many dreams I planned

Now to have a family to love

Life will be just perfect and grand

Author: Pauline Libutti

Size: 8 x 12 canvas (not framed)
This item sells for $175.00

Pauline Libutti, RiverRock Critters



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You Lookin At Me

You lookin at me

I was quiet as I could be

In the flower garden of color

I notice you are so much taller

I love to roam and romp

Cheese is what I love to chomp

Have you seen any around

There is none I have found

We could be great friends

Let’s look around at this end

I’m not sure what you eat

But sharing would be a treat

So if your up to helping me my friend

I know we will be buddies till the end

Oh you say you like to eat bread

Well, Ok lets forge ahead

If cheese is found I’ll share

I eat bread too that’s only fair

Sounds like we could have a feast

Cheese, bread, at the very least

We truly are an unlikely pair

A mouse, a duck that want to share

Author: Pauline Libutti

Size: 8 x 12 canvas (not framed)
This item sells for $175.00

Pauline Libutti, RiverRock Critters



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New Friends

I’m in the barn with sister Lu

We like to romp and play

We find lots of things to do

And sometimes trouble finds its way

As we roll and tumble and roughly sway

A vision of mysterious shapes come our way

New friends that might want to play

I’m not sure what these are upon the hay

They seem so small but I wish they would stay

We stared for quite awhile as they strolled by

But what really caught my eye was a sound I never heard

A bark that seemed to be slurred

As we chased them to and fro

A flurry and chatter they bestowed

Our new friends seemed to be nervous

And but for a moment slowed

So Me and Lu with nothing else to do

Watched as they scurried down their path

In wonder if they would soon come back

Author: Pauline Libutti

Size: 8 x 10 canvas (not framed)
This item sells for $200.00

Pauline Libutti, RiverRock Critters

Focus(hawk)

Hawks are predatory birds with remarkably sharp claws (talons) and whose size greatly varies within the 250 species. Female hawks are usually larger than the males. These raptors hunt during the day employing the use of their fierce talons to tear apart their prey.

Most hawks live in prairies, marshlands, forests, or open savannas. In these habitats they use their acute vision to hunt their food and raise their offspring. Hawks are fearless birds who will even face off with poisonous snakes if necessary.

Hawks piercing shriek tears through the air. In its shrill cry lies an important message which represents illumination. Hawk teaches us to scope out the situation and focus on our talents, trying to draw them out. Hawk learns to see the big picture in order to understand the past, present, and future. Hawk asks us to be observant of surroundings so we won't get distracted from our path by others. It also reminds us not to get caught up in minor annoyances so we can maintain our inner balance.

Pauline Libutti, RiverRock Critters

Goddess of Wisdom

Drink a Cup from Cerridwins Caldron
The Holy Grail of Immortality

A Cup to the Wise, the Poet, the Bard
So the words be not Forgotten

Hail to thee Great One
Who stirs the Caldron of Death and Rebirth

Brother Wolf trots at thy Heel
To sing thee his Mournful Song

The Seasons Change with thy Hand
The Corn ripens with thy Smile

Both Ends of Fate are thy Domain
Both Life and Death feel thy Hand

The Garden Path knows thy Tread
Mother , in Natures Green Dress

The Alchemist Deep in his Lair
Knows too your Loving Kiss

Great Mistress of the Hearth of Life
We Hail to Thee this Night

May We Drink ever Deep
Of Thy bounty of Wondrous Light

Size: 8 x 10 canvas (not framed)
This item sells for $200.00

Pauline Libutti, RiverRock Critters

Wise

Newly crowned national bird, the Hoopoe, may not be kosher or particularly hygienic, but it is fit for a king. The Hoopoe is Israel's national bird.

Due to its association with King Solomon, the bird is traditionally viewed in a positive light. According to Jewish folklore (as well as the Koran), the hoopoe helped lead King Solomon to the Queen of Sheba. Unsure about the queen's purity and motives, Solomon confided in the bird and trusted its advice. The king also praised the hoopoe's observation techniques and called it "wise."

If you noticed an orange/pink, unusual looking bird with a striking crest on its head you had probably been lucky to have seen the Hoopoe, a stunning migratory visitor. The Hoopoe is quite an unmistakable bird, it has bright orange plumage, and it flies rather like a woodpecker and has a striking orange crest, black and white markings along with a long, slender and pointed beak.

The Hoopoe can generally be seen on garden lawns strutting comically, searching for worms and other small insects which are its favorite food. The Hoopoe is a relative of the kingfisher family and is a frequent summer visitor to the Mediterranean, migrating to the tropics in winter.
The Hoopoe's bright colors, sweeping flight pattern and orange crest makes it a striking feature.

The Hoopoe's crest can be raised when the bird is alerted and makes for an unusual spectacle during the spring and summer months when they are more visible.

The Hoopoe's call is what has given the bird its name, as it makes a "Hoo - poo" sound and the Hoopoe's call symbolizes the arrival of spring. Curiously, even the Chinese regard the bird as being a messenger of springtime. In Islam the Hoopoe has close links with King Solomon, who reputedly spoke with animals and the French call ignorant, unintelligent people "Hoopoes" as they consider the bird to be slightly stupid.

Size: 5 x 7 canvas (not framed)
This item sells for $75.00

Pauline Libutti, RiverRock

Freedom Flight

Throughout history and across many cultures, Eagle has been seen as a symbol of strength, ferocity, vision and endurance. Mythology abounds with tales of Eagle, from the Native American's Thunderbird to Eagle which tore at the liver of Greek Prometheus. The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), our national bird, is the only eagle unique to North America. The bald eagle's scientific name signifies a sea (halo) eagle (aeetos) with a white (leukos) head. At one time, the word "bald" meant "white," not hairless. This great bird has also come to be the symbol of several nations, such as the Double-Headed Eagle of Poland and the American eagle. (Over the objections of Ben Franklin, who supported the Turkey as the national bird.)

Eagles are renowned for their superior vision. The wedge tailed eagle can see twice as well as a human. The rods and cones of their eyes are concentrated in the top portion of their eyes, so that their best vision is from above, looking down. They must actually turn their heads upside down to view the sky above. As with other raptors, a protective shelf above their eyes helps to shadow their vision from the sun.

Attacking in a swift dive, which can reach speeds of up to 100 M.P.H., eagles grasp their prey in long talons. Bald eagles subsist mainly on fish and waterfowl, while the golden eagle's diet tends toward rabbits and other rodents. Generally their prey is smaller than they, however a South American harpy eagle was seen carrying a 13 lb sloth, and a bald eagle was once recorded as carrying a mule 15 lb mule deer fawn. Bald eagles will also steal food from ospreys and other birds.

Eagles are not social animals, and the main family group is generally the breeding pair. They build nests high in trees or on the edges of cliffs. Bald eagles return to the same nest every year, adding sticks each time. The largest recorded nest was 9.5 ft wide, 20 ft deep and weighed over 2.9 tons. Although eagles usually lay a clutch of 2 or 3 eggs, often only one is raised. Hatching over a couple days time, the smaller, younger chicks often starve, or are killed by their larger nest mates. Because of this, eagle populations are slow to grow, and slow to bounce back from ecological threats.

Many species of eagles are presently considered threatened or endangered. The bald eagle population was nearly wiped out (down to 700 known breeding pairs in 1974 in the contiguous 48 states). Since the ban of various pesticides including DDT, and severe laws concerning poaching and nest disturbance, they have climbed to a present number of 4,500 breeding pairs. Presently the Harpy Eagle of South America and the Philippines eagle are considered extremely endangered as well.

Size: 5 x 7 wooden plaque

The item sells for $45.00

Pauline Libutti, RiverRock

Look Out

The Toco toucan is at home in South America's tropical forests but recognized everywhere. The toucan's oversized, colorful bill has made it one of the worlds most popular birds.

The 7.5-inch-long (19-centimeter-long) bill may be seen as a desirable mating trait, but if so, it is one that both male and female toucans possess. In fact, both sexes use their bills to catch tasty morsels and pitch them to one another during a mating ritual fruit toss.

As a weapon, the bill is a bit more show than substance. It is a honeycomb of bone that actually contains a lot of air. While its size may deter predators, it is of little use in combating them.

But the toucan's bill is useful as a feeding tool. The birds use them to reach fruit on branches that are too small to support their weight, and also to skin their pickings. In addition to fruit, Toco toucans eat insects and, sometimes, young birds, eggs, or lizards.

Toco toucans live in small flocks of about six birds. Their bright colors actually provide good camouflage in the dappled light of the rain forest canopy. However, the birds commonly keep up a racket of vocalization, which suggests that they are not trying to remain hidden.

Toucans nest in tree holes. They usually have two to four eggs each year, which both parents care for. Young toucans do not have a large bill at birth”it grows as they develop and does not become full size for several months.

These iconic birds are very popular pets, and many are captured to supply demand for this trade. They are also familiar commercial mascots known for hawking stout, cereal, and other products. Indigenous peoples regard the bird with a more sacred eye; they are traditionally seen as conduits between the worlds of the living and the spirit.

Size: 5 x 7 wooden plaque

The item sells for $45.00

Pauline Libutti, RiverRock

Time Out

The white-tailed deer is an herbivore—it eats plants. Deer graze on tree leaves, broadleaved herbs, and berries in the summer and acorns, grass, and herbs during the fall. During the winter, deer munch on white cedar, twigs, nuts, fruits, and corn and in the spring deer eat grass, wheat, and alfalfa. Deer have a four-chambered stomach that allows them to digest these plant foods. They gobble up their food quickly and hardly even chew. Later as they are resting, they cough up their food and re-chew it—so much for table manners.

In the wild, white-tails, particularly the young, are preyed upon by bobcats, mountain lions, and coyotes. They use speed and agility to outrun predators, sprinting up to 30 miles (48 kilometers) per hour and leaping as high as 10 feet (3 meters) and as far as 30 feet (9 meters) in a single bound.

Size: 5 x 7

The item sells for $45.00

Pauline Libutti, RiverRock

Me First, Meee First

Here’s a cute pair hand painted on a wood plaque that measure 5 x 7. This is another of the RiverRock Critters miniature series. This is $45.00 .Hope you enjoy it!

The Squirrel is the sentinel of the home. He will watch each member of the family and warn them if there is a problem within the family.

The squirrel is energetic in its work and play, and always ensures the future is well prepared for. The squirrel is a symbol of trust and is one of the few animals that will eat out of a person's hand. Learn from the squirrel to establish trust where you find it lacking.

There are over 365 species of squirrel's or squirrel like mammals through out the world. These are divided into seven families. The three most common squirrel families are the ground squirrel, the flying squirrel and the tree squirrel. The Gray squirrel is probably the most common of the tree squirrels. They inhabit most of the northern hemisphere.

Squirrels belong to the order "Rodentia", with 1650 species; it is the largest group of living mammals. It also comprises forty percent of all present day mammal species.

Squirrels are the most active in late winter, when the mating season begins. The males will chase females, as well as, chase off other suitors. This ritual of chasing occurs through the trees at top speed. While they perform some of the most breathtaking acrobatics imaginable.

Squirrels are usually born in the early spring. The average litter consists of four. This varies with climate and location. A second litter can occur in mid summer, if there is an adequate food supply.

The tree squirrel is a very special animal. It is one of very few wild animals that have adapted to humans and learned to coexist with man. It can live on both natural foods and hand outs. The squirrel is an acrobatic wonder to young and old. Its large tail makes it the most recognized mammal on Earth. It amazes us with daring high wire acts, as it races through the tree branches. Its determination to find a way to get seeds from a so called "squirrel proof" bird feeder is a delight to watch.

A baby squirrel weighs approximately one ounce at birth, and is about one inch long. They do not have hair or teeth, and are virtually blind for the first six to eight weeks.

An adult squirrel normally lives alone. But will, in severe cold, share its nest with other squirrels to conserve body heat. Once the temperature rises, the guests will be on their way.

Pauline Libutti, RiverRock Critters.com

Totems In Your Garden

The Animal Kingdom is a diverse and magical world. When we open our hearts to the Oneness of all life, we see that every species has the potential to be a brother, a sister, an ally or a significant teacher. For this reason, there is considerable power at play when animals appear in Dreamtime. The encounter itself has the capacity to manifest change, deep within our psyche. Animal totems can impart a potent vibratory impact on our energy field. So we need to be more attentive as we brave the journey across our spiritual path. In fact, the simple presence of an animal totem reminds us that we have the innate ability to navigate new territory, to absorb complex and challenging lessons, and to realize wisdom and inner peace when important cycles of change unfold in our personal lives. When we implement the ways of an animal totem, we absorb the insight of its inherent medicine. The goal is to watch ever so carefully as we observe the animals that reveal their presence in our dream and waking worlds. Once again, being in awareness is the key while the inter-play is all about creating deeper healing on a soul level.

Rabbit:

The rabbit totem is an instrument of magic and good luck. Her gifts are spontaneity, alacrity and agility. Likewise, her path guides us to go forward with positive anticipation, for rabbit brings success to all endeavors. Rabbit is also a symbol of reproduction and abundance. The lesson is to create joy and faithfulness within our friendships. Finally, rabbit teaches us to overcome our fears as we take a conscious leap into new territory.

Lizard:

They have keen sense of vibrations from the ground, excellent hearing and sharp eyesight enables them to detect the slightest movement. One fascinating ability lizards have, is being able to break off their tails to escape predators. As their tail is writhing, it distracts the predator so the lizard can make its escape. Unfortunately, a lizard can only do this once because the tail grows back cartilage instead of vertebrae.

In myths and lore, Lizard is associated with dreaming. Dreams awaken our unconscious mind and make us aware of issues we haven't been ready to face in our conscious lives. Lizard appears when we need to analyze our present reality and brings the message for immediate change in some area or areas of our life. This change can represent letting go of old ideas or negative behaviors which endanger our growth.

Pauline Libutti, RiverRock Critters.com
Copyright 2008 CraftyCritters Newsletter

Animal Spirit Guides and Guardians

Worldly Wisdom Can be Achieved

Native American medicine features animal guides such as bear, butterfly, coyote, dog, eagle, hawk, horse, snake, spider, and wolf as elements in healing and self-knowledge.

Wisdom traditions teach that worldly wisdom can only be achieved when you first learn to know thyself. One of the most popular elements of Native American symbolism is the role of animal spirit guides-animals that represent parts of ourselves and can teach us to integrate, heal and develop both our weaknesses and our strengths.

What is an Animal Guide?

Most Native American tribes believe that our ancestors watch over us and guide us. Our grandparents and great-grandparents act as spirit guides, lending wisdom, support and spiritual protection when we need it - or when we remember to ask.

In addition to the ancestors and other sprit guides, everyone is born with a connection to one or more animal guides.

Animal guides are spirit guides that are animals. They may be animals we have known in life (such as a deceased pet) or they may be personal symbols that represent the qualities of an animal. The characteristics of our animal guides are qualities that we possess or that we need to learn from in our lives.

How Can I find My Animal Guide or Guides?

What's your favorite animal? Most people’s guides include animals they are drawn to and care about. Your favorite animal is usually the one to which you have the strongest connection.

Other animal totems may be animals that you resemble or that you are particularly drawn to. An animal bites you, in a dream or in real life, it is said to be one of your most important animal guide teachers.

Meditation, guided visualizations, and astral travel can all be good ways to meet your animal guides. Some shamans and healers who work with animal medicine guides may be able to "see" or sense some of your guides, and point you in the right direction to learn more.

Nine Animal Guides in Action

Bear -- is the part of the self that needs to retreat into its own space.

Butterfly -- stands for our ability to accept the beauty of growth and change in our lives

Coyote -- is the trickster totem. He created confusion, self-sabotage, humor, and that delightful sensation when you aren’t sure if you've gone crazy.

Eagle -- represents wisdom and power on a spiritual dimension.

Hawk -- is the messenger and represents perspective.

Horse -- represents power, personal power and permission to be oneself.

Snake -- is a powerful guide for healers. The snake enables shamans to transmute poisons of the body and mind.

Spider -- is the creative totem of artists, crafter, writers and painters.

Wolf -- is the animal guide of true teachers. They are also connected to the moon and feminine energy.

Pauline Libutti, RiverRock Critters.com
Copyright 2008 CraftyCritters Newsletter

Dogs Are Our Best Friends and with Good Reason

Dogs and Their Faithful Companionship

Why are there so many dog lovers out there? Dogs share our lives in a way that most other animals can't, and they're so commonplace that it's easy to take their faithful companionship for granted.

Dogs are friendly and they love human companionship. Whose ego would not be gratified at the sight of a happy dog that can't wait to greet you at the end of a hard day? Your dog waits for you by the door, face smiling, mouth open and tail wagging, ready to dote on you, his best friend in the world.

Dogs are loyal and, as pack animals, they respond to the presence of a leader - you! Dogs are eager to please you in any way they can. When you're feeling blue your dog will remain by your side silently comforting you. When you're happy and excited, your dog will leap about you and share in your joy.

Dogs are playful. They love physical activity such as going for walks, fetching sticks, leaping into ponds, and racing wildly to and fro. Dogs will join you for a jog or for a day in the park or even for an exuberant game of frisbee. Yet dogs can also be soft and cuddly and ready at anytime for a loving pat and a reassuring hug. They're affectionate and they're soothing to stroke.

Dogs can be trained so that they can easily cohabitate with us in our human-built dwellings. They can also be trusted to act appropriately around other people and in public. Dogs can learn to save nature's call for outdoor walks, to walk on a leash when on public roads where cars lurk, and to sit and to stay whenever and wherever necessary.

The family dog is as much a part of daily life within a home as is any human household member. Our dogs are always there for us, day and night, sharing in every activity from breakfast time through a cozy evening spent watching TV. They can share both our indoor and many of our local outdoor activities, but that's not all. Dogs also play a big part in family life even when the family isn't at home. They can readily go places with us in cars, everywhere from a romp in the local park to a family vacation. Because they can travel with us, they can be a part of our lives in a way that most other companion animals can't. As dogs can participate in many of our most unusual experiences and outdoor adventures, they become forever associated with many of our most treasured memories.

Dogs, in all of their various shapes and sizes, are also beautiful animals to admire and to look at. From their big beautiful eyes and lovely faces, to their soft, sleek, shiny coats, to the tips of their joyfully wagging tails, dogs are a pleasure to behold. With so many different breeds to choose from, everyone can choose the dog whose appearance most appeals to them, whether large or small, short or long-muzzled, short-haired or long-haired or curly or straight-haired, with a muscular build or a slim build, with an elegant face or a comical face, and in any number of colors.

Dogs give us the best of themselves: their love, loyalty, unconditional acceptance and affection, playfulness and companionship. In return, we owe them our best and the best care that we can give them.

Above all else, dogs deserve gentle handling and an abundance of our time and attention. Love can make a dog's world go round as much as love makes our world go round. When we give our love freely to our dogs, we receive their love in return. Dogs can truly be man's and woman's and children's best friends, and we should feel honored to be theirs, as well.

Author: becker

Pauline Libutti, RiverRock Critters.com
Copyright 2008 CraftyCritters Newsletter

How to Enjoy Nature through Art

I have always appreciated nature, my surroundings, and all the animals that I share this world with. Unfortunately, I didn’t stop and take time to just enjoy the beauty that surrounds me in my everyday life. Work, family, responsibilities, kept me on the move and somehow you just get wrapped up in this ongoing process for survival. I’m sure you can relate.

We do need to step back every now and then and just give ourselves me time. Time to relax, to enjoy what we have accomplished, and plan for future events that will give us satisfaction and self worth. Enjoy the beauty of Nature through books, your surroundings or a lovely painting.

I started painting because I loved to look at other artist paintings and admire their creativity and images that they so skillfully put down on canvass. I felt I was missing something by not taking the time to see if I to could bring out this magic in myself. Art is one of mankind’s healthiest inclinations, and one of our greatest attributes. Unfortunately, it is tucked away in our inner being and at times we hold it prisoner instead of letting the beauty around us unfold and come alive. I think there is an artist in everyone but we just don’t take the time to show our talents. Yes, having financial well being is a necessity but to really feel accomplished you need to find a satisfying outlet to bring out the real you. Don’t wait until you no longer have to worry about the mundane day to day projects. Take time now to nourish your inner self so when all the family is gone, work is no longer your main objective you will be ready to expand on all the me things you set aside.

I have been painting for less than a year and at one time stick people were a challenge. I found if I took the time to learn the art of painting I could find my niche. My creativity just seemed to flow. I have a long way to go since I’m self taught but everyday is a new learning experience. I live in Arizona and needless to say since it is all desert I am totally surrounded by mountains and rocks. A far cry from the California life I once had.

Mother Nature was so kind to give me the opportunity to see the canvasses she laid before me, and voila, I started painting on rock forms. River rock is the canvass I use to express my love for animals and nature. Everything can be painted in one form or another but I chose rocks since it is truly in abundance here. The picture of the Cougar Cub is a true reflection of how I feel about art and nature. I feel I have captured his innocence and beauty in the world that surrounds him. He is a gift of balance power, intention, strength and grace.

No matter what path you choose take time to relax, meditate, and engulf the beauty around you. It could be a book, it could be a vacation, or just that beautiful painting you just purchased. After all, there is truly an artist in everyone if we just take the time to smell the roses.

Pauline Libutti

Artist & Writer

http://www.RiverRockCritters.com/

Why is your Cat Your Best Friend?

Ancient Egyptian Goddesses

Cats: the mere word conjures up images of mystery and beauty, of ancient Egyptian goddesses, of Halloween night and witches on broomsticks. What other animals are so associated with occult imagery, while also being commonplace companions in our daily lives? Wolves may share a spine-tingling association with ancient legends, from the werewolf to the big bad wolf of fairy tale fame. Dogs may share our lives and can be found in most suburban backyards. Yet only cats move silently and comfortably between the two worlds of the mystic and the mundane. Why do cats fascinate us and why do we love cats so?

Cats are beautiful. Cat lovers and non-cat lovers alike must admit to the beauty of their large, soulful eyes and lovely faces, their elegant silhouettes, their dainty noses and paws, and their metronomic tails. Cats may have shimmering green eyes, cool blue eyes or surprising yellow eyes. Their fur may be long or short, smooth or bushy, uniformly colored or patterned like tigers or calicos, and come in many shades of orange, yellow, brown, grey, black, and white, or some combination of the above.

Cats are fascinating to watch. We're amused by the comical antics of lively kittens playing, leaping, bounding, and rolling about the floor, sometimes reacting to things that we mere humans can't even perceive. We're entranced by the graceful movements of adult cats, their ability to move silently and stealthily, the ease with which they can leap and climb and walk along sloped surfaces or narrow ledges that only a trained human acrobat would attempt.

Cats and Their Mysterious Ways
Some people admire cats for their mysterious ways and associations with the night and with past ages when magic seemed more possible. Some respect them for their reputation of being aloof loners. Dog people claim that cats, being too independent, view humans with disdain. Cat lovers say that being loved by your cat means much more than being loved by your dog because, while a dog is a social animal that needs a master or pack leader to slavishly follow, the cat is by nature solitary. If a cat craves your companionship it is because they has chosen you and because you have earned their love, trust, respect and affection.

Pauline Libutti, RiverRock Critters.com
Copyright 2007 CraftyCritters Newsletter