Winter Walking
In this new year, I have found myself walking devotedly throughout the trails at Spring Bird. I try to set foot upon every inch of human trail and sometimes an accessible deer path each time I set out. I walk as quickly as I can …
Author: Anna
Elgin Mini-Fringe Solo Show at Side Street Studio Arts
I have been lucky enough to have been awarded the honor of being the Elgin Fringe Festival poster artist for 2025. While the main festival and poster isn’t arriving until September, Side Street Studio Arts in Elgin hosted a one day Mini-Fringe Festival during which …
2025 Artist Residency Accepting Applications
Calling All Artists! Writers! Musicians! and Makers!!!!! It’s time to apply to the 2025 Spring Bird’s Artist Residency Program!!! This Residency is for anyone wanting to finish that project they’ve been meaning to complete, OR for those dreaming of something new that they’d like to …
2024 Spring Bird Artist in Residence!
Patrick and I are so excited to further the connections of art, nature, and land with this year’s recipient of the Spring Bird Cottage Residency – artist Stephanie Sailer! Stephanie intends for “this project is to explore the surrounding forest and forage for small, unassuming …
The Mushrooms Are Blooming!
The Shiitake Mushrooms are BLOOMING! Get your fresh shiitake mushrooms – cultivated on oak and maple logs. Pick up from Spring Bird at your convenience. Delivery options available within 20 miles of Spring Bird. We currently have 3 or 4 lbs blooming this week with …
The Mushrooms Are Coming!
Last Spring, we inoculated 100 logs with shiitake mushroom spawn! This Spring – like – in a few weeks- these logs will begin to fruit with fresh, log grown shiitake mushrooms! We will be selling both fresh shiitake mushrooms as well as the whole logs …
Spring Bird Cottage Artist Residency!
Calling All Artists! Writers! Musicians! and Makers!!!!! It’s time to apply to the 2024 Spring Bird’s Artist Residency Program!!! This Residency is for anyone wanting to finish that project they’ve been meaning to complete, OR for those dreaming of something new that they’d like to …
Building Shiitake Mushroom Branding
I’ve been working on some branding elements for selling our log grown shiitakes. What do you think about these color schemes? More on shiitakes coming soon. . . and hopefully a resurrection of the Spring Bird Newsletter!
Deciduous Conifers Blur Lines
Did you know that there are evergreens that lose their needles – and I don’t mean your dried out, spent Christmas tree – but living deciduous conifers? I wasn’t aware of these trees until living at Spring Bird, where there are both larch trees and …
Fresh Off The Log Shiitake Mushrooms
A couple of days ago, Pat harvested this bunch of log grown shiitake mushrooms. They are our last mushroom harvest until Spring, and they tasted delicious sauteed in butter! In actuality, this Fall, we’ve had a couple of months of harvesting mushrooms from oak logs …
Primary Colors for Family Calendar
One of my favorite family traditions is creating a wall calendar together. There are four of us and twelve months. So, each of us gets our birthday month plus two more to paint, draw, collage, or illustrate in whatever way we see fit. (Feel free …
Food Forest Farm Fence Complete!
Wait a minute . . . is that a new fence at Spring Bird!? Why . . .YES! We* did recently finish the installation of the fence surrounding our once and future Food Forest Farm AKA our Multistory Agroforestry System AKA our Multifunctional Woody Polycultures. …
Desk Lamp Dinosaurs Fine Art Giclee Prints
I do so much of my work by the light of a desk lamp – well it’s actually by the light of four desk lamps. I find them beautiful and essential, and even though they have been around forever (many new technologies have come and …
New Tree Painting!
This is a new painting I made. Titled “Final Death Gripes” It’s acrylic on canvas and measures: 24″ x 36″ x 1.5″ It’s completely wired and ready to hang on your wall if you would like to own it (*wink)! I painted this tree during …
Swan, Snake and Flower
A new upcycled Jean Jacket for Fall! This one features some of my favorite animals, who have been calling to me. Swan is powerful disguised as elegant. Snake is soft and regenerative. The flower opens up to possibility. If you are interested in making this …