Winged Cougars and Thanksgiving Feast

Here are photos of my lovely surprise Thanksgiving dinner. I tend to hide out on holidays to make art as I mentioned before...My neighbor had me over at the last minute. I arrived to an amazing feast complete with my own place setting-a china plate with a cougar on it! They did not know that I had just finished posting my photos and story about my first art doll that I made on Thanksgiving Day 3 years ago-a winged cougar. So appropriate.

Did I mention that the cougar painting and doll were inspired by nighttime visits by a cougar on the roof of my 300 square foot cottage that I lived in during my first year in Colorado? The first visit took place late one warm summer night. Frenchy was in the back tiny yard barking. I ran out to get him and heard a loud hissing sound above me in the tree. A week later, I read in the newspaper about a cougar sighting a block from my house. He came back for many midnight visits throughout the year. I would lay in bed and hear his heavy footsteps on the roof. I felt connected to him rather than afraid.

On the last visit, he was trying to get in through the skylight. By this time, I was so fascinated, I wanted to see him. I stood on my (swivel) office chair trying to get a glimpse of him. All I could see was his shadow passing back and forth over the glass and large paw scratching at the edges of the window. I carry his power inside of me still...and I'm grateful that he did not eat Frenchy.

We had a wonderful time at dinner and no one minded or found it strange that I wanted to take the turkey bones home with me to make more art...most people prefer leftovers! Thanks Anne!