Mermaid Dreams

I want to hold tomorrow,

To know that it will be,

That everything I've dreamed of,

Is waiting there for me.

I want to know you love me,

And by me you will stand,

Pulling me closer,

Holding tight my hand.

I want to know you hear this,

To know that, I love you,

It's not just a thing I say,

But in everything I do.

I want to know you feel me,

Because I feel you,

Loves pulling on my heartstrings,

It's music’s pure and true.

I love you in the morning,

I love you still at noon.

I love you in the evening,

And under the bright moon.

Even in the twilight,

When the sun slips out of sight,

My love for you has starry eyes,

That guides my love through night.

And when the moonbeams kiss you,

Dancing on your face,

Remember that tomorrows dreams,

Are not an endless chase.

Author unknown

Size: 8 x 10 canvas (not framed)
This item sells for $300.00

Pauline Libutti, RiverRock Critters

Wizard of the Night

Far up in the treachery of the thundering black sky,
there stands a tower above the mountains oh so high.

The tower of a powered man with magic of great might,
the spells he casts in shining blasts in the mystics of the night.

The wizard stands in his chanting room with potions all around,
he pours them in a giant cauldron brewing magic’s of light and sound.

His staff he swings while conjuring the start of the perfect spell, and he works alone as the moonlight shone on the ringing midnight bell.

He searches through his book of magic,
avoiding any spells of tragic.

His fingers raise with a glowing blaze and energy flickers out,
the glowing gas forms a blue lit mass that is an orb without a doubt.

It spin and spun with shining beams,
he next adds power in flashing gleams.

His tower gives off an eerie glow,
across the night sky the magic shall flow.

Now he stands in his tower so strong,
the spell was complete and to him it shall belong.

Now for those who shall wish it, may be immortal,
as the great spell will be held in the eternal porthole.

Free Spirit

Peaceful is the valley
where the Indian maiden walks.
In morning skies above her
a Raven soars and squawks.

The village of her people
lies quiet and serene
as her moccasins trudge narrow paths
through meadows lush and green.

She knows ancestral spirits
will protect her and will guide
as the trail leads her much higher
along the mountainside.

Gathering roots and berries
to preserve through winter’s cold,
the maiden sings of ancient wars,
of young men brave and bold.

She rests by flowing waters
as sunlight streaks her hair,
with fingers dipping in the brook,
wild creatures gather there.

The fox, the deer, the Antelope
join her without sound,
fearing not the Indian girl
sitting soft upon the ground.

The mighty oak she leans against
is losing leaves but strong,
and she feels at one with nature
while summer is now gone.

Size: 8 x 10 canvas (not framed)
This item sells for $300.00

Pauline Libutti, RiverRock

Grizzly

The grizzly bear is a North American subspecies of the brown bear.

These awe-inspiring giants tend to be solitary animals—with the exception of females and their cubs—but at times they do congregate. Dramatic gatherings of grizzly bears can be seen at prime Alaskan fishing spots when the salmon run upstream for summer spawning. In this season, dozens of bears may gather to feast on the fish, craving fats that will sustain them through the long winter ahead.

Brown bears dig dens for winter hibernation, often holing up in a suitable-looking hillside. Females give birth during this winter rest and their offspring are often twins.

Grizzly bears are powerful, top-of-the-food-chain predators, yet much of their diet consists of nuts, berries, fruit, leaves, and roots. Bears also eat other animals, from rodents to moose.

Grizzlies are typically brown, though their fur can appear to be white-tipped, or grizzled, lending them their traditional name.

Despite their impressive size, grizzlies are quite fast and have been clocked at 30 miles (48 kilometers) an hour. They can be dangerous to humans, particularly if surprised or if humans come between a mother and her cubs.

Grizzlies once lived in much of western North America and even roamed the Great Plains. European settlement gradually eliminated the bears from much of this range, and today only about 1,000 grizzlies remain in the continental U.S., where they are protected by law. Many grizzlies still roam the wilds of Canada and Alaska, where hunters pursue them as big game trophies.

Size: 6 x 8 canvas (not framed)
This item sells for $65.00

Pauline Libutti, RiverRock

Water Bird

In the wetlands of East Africa, lives the crane, which is often called crested crane. Several species exist, but the crested crane -sometimes referred to as the Uganda crane- is the most common. It is mostly found in tall grasses and cultivated areas, but breeds mainly in wet areas such as marshes. The crane is widespread in Uganda's numerous swamps and estuaries and is indeed the national symbol.

Despite sitting on Uganda's court of arms, the elegant crested crane is considered endangered. In most parts of East Africa, suitable breeding habitats are increasingly being converted to agricultural use and the crane is now confined to very few areas. In addition, the crane has a most peculiar social behavior, which in some way further jeopardizes its long-term survival. Cranes practice true and perhaps absolute monogamy. Often, they are found in pairs and share strong bonds that are never broken, even unto death. When one of a pair dies, the other never pairs up again for the rest of its life.

Size: 8 x 10 canvas (not framed)
This item sells for $75.00

Pauline Libutti, RiverRock

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

White Thunder

Of all the things I've ever seen,
Of all the dreams I've ever dreamed,
The finest sight that's come to me,
White horses wild beside the sea
They ran across the trackless sand
In that remote, forgotten land,
And in their running they were free
Beside the boundless, unchained sea.

They raced the first light of the day
And surged across a shallow bay
To feed at ease in grassy plains
With wind alone to groom their manes.

No barn or stable was their home.
No one could govern where they roamed.
They galloped on the fenceless tracts
With no ones burden on their backs.

And each swift horse was nature's child
At home on land forever wild,
And each wild horse was meant to be
At home on land forever free.

(author unknown)

Size: 8 x 10 canvas (no frame)
The item sells for $250.00

Pauline Libutti, RiverRock