The quiet whispering of nature

February 22 - Feb. 28/2013 Illustration Friday's topic is: "Whisper" Suggested by Diana Toledano

While hiking a number of years ago, up a winding trail leading up to the base of Mount Rundle, stands a tree quietly standing for all to see.

I stopped, took a picture recording the peaceful and serene gift of nature. From this photo  I painted the acrylic scenic below.

Serene, an acrylic painting, painted by Sandra Santa Lucia, 1983

"All of nature begins to whisper its secrets to us through its sounds. Sounds that were previously incomprehensible to our soul now become the meaningful language of nature." 

Quote by Rudolf Steiner 

Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/whisper.html#VdXJKdfLMKxdDKrz.99 

Mountain goats - dressed in a WOOLLY white double coat

This week's  Illustation Friday's topic for February 15 - Thursday, February 21st is — "Wool" as suggested by Claudea A. Larrauri

Mountain Goat pen and ink line illustration by Sandra Santa Lucia

Facts about this animal: Both male and female mountain goats have beards, short tails, and long black horns, 15-28 cm in length, which contain yearly growth rings. They are protected from the elements by their WOOLLY white double coats. The fine, dense wool of their undercoats is covered by an outer layer of longer, hollow hairs. In warmer seasons, mountain goats molt by rubbing against rocks and trees, with the adult billies (males) shedding their extra wool first and the pregnant nannies (females) shedding last. In the winter, their coats help them to withstand temperatures as low as -50 Fahrenheit (-46 Celsius) and winds of up to 100 mph (161 km/h). 
A billy stands about 1 meter at the shoulder and weighs about 90 kg. It has longer horns and a longer beard than the nanny. Adult males typically weigh between 45 and 100 kg, while females are usually 10-30% lighter. The mountain goat's feet are well-suited for climbing steep, rocky slopes, sometimes with pitches of 60 degrees or more, with inner pads that provide traction and cloven hooves that can spread apart as needed. Dewclaws on the back of their feet also help to keep them from slipping. 

 This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Mountain Goat". 
Did you know? that by inhabiting this extreme and remote habitat mountain goats limit competition from other ungulates and predation risk? 
Factsheet: Class: MAMMALIA; Order: ARTIODACTYLA; Suborder: RUMINANTIA; Family: BOVIDAE; Name: (Scientific) Oreamnos americanus; Name (English): Mountain goat; Name (French): Chèvre de Montagne; Name (German): Schneeziege, Bergziege; Name (Spanish): Cabra de la montaña, Cabra de las Rocosas. http://www.waza.org/en/zoo/pick-a-picture/oreamnos-americanus

…on stormy winter day Snoopy ran the race

February 8 - 14/13 Illustration Friday's topic of the week is "storm" as submitted by Karen B Jones

" Snoppy would only run pulling the sled if she was chase Dorts…" 

from Wagging Tales book illustration a ink drawing by sandra santa lucia/published 2009

This "storm" illustration is from Wagging Tales by Dorts Stafford, a delightful book about one of Banff's families through the stories of many four-legged friends. This particular illustration of mine portrays Dorts Stafford and Snoopy in the Banff Winter Dog Race down Banff Avenue. The sled which Snoopy pulled was built by Barrie, Dort's young son.