Great Blue heron on limestone

On Ancient Stone, Ancient Wings

Great Blue Heron on Limestone $60 11 1/2" x 8" x 2"

The Great Blue Heron"s ancient ancestors date back to the middle Miocene years, roughly 5 or up to possibly 23 million years ago.

The modern species of the Great Blue Heron in our area of central Pennsylvania, Ardia herodias, has existed in its current form for 1.5 million years. Fossils have been found indicating they were here during the Pleistocene Epoch.  They have lived along the Big Spring and Yellow Breeches in Cumberland County since long before humans settled along their banks. 

My first proximity to great blue herons was when I moved into my little fishing cabin along the Yellow Breeches in Mechanicsburg, PA. One took up residence across from my art studio window and caused endless, yet very welcome,  distractions. You can't see him in this photograph but you can see the one of the areas where he hunted in the window on the right. He had a very sophisticated and diverse palate, enjoying fish, as expected, and also snakes, frogs, crayfish, small mammals, and dragon flies, damsel flies and other insects, 

My artist's studio along the Yellow Breeches 
I lived there for eleven wonderful years.
​Sadly, my home was destroyed in a flood in April of 2011.

The herons are being threatened by a shortage of water. In our community, the Big Spring Creek is facing from danger from a warehouse. In many areas,  data centers - operating 24 hours a day - seven days a week - use literally millions of gallons of water daily for cooling. Our planet is literally on fire. The entire earth is burning so more and more water will be needed to put out fires. This is because of a disregard for the warnings we have had about climate change. Water is becoming a more precious commodity for all of these reasons.

People, plants and animals have survived for millions of years without data centers, yet they have not, and will not, survive without water. When our water pressure is gone - as it is in some communities - or when water is so contaminated that it can’t used for drinking, cooking, bathing and laundry - we may finally understand and it will be too late.

Please consider getting becoming educated and getting involved in your community. If we work togther, we may be able to prevent further devastation. 

A few sketches from my illustrated journal pages.
I've always been intrigued with totems and symbolic associations. 

Creekside Creations - Stories Hidden in Stone

Creekside Creations inspired by the Big Spring in Newville, PA. Stories Hidden in Stone is an umbrella for everything I'm creating under my Roots, Wings and Water collection - fish, dragonflies, luna moths, wildflowers, raptors, herbs.