Rowena's story by Mary Lou Holman otherwise known as Moma or Galou will be published here soon.

Rowena is almost complete...stay turned!!

46 hours into Rowena ....we are on the downhill side of finishing her. Today we applied the first part of her varnish and it gives her a "wet" look. The look is great for a mermaid.

Gracey pulled her first tooth on September 24, 2006. The tooth fairy came and left $5.00 and she bought some FLOAM with her money. An updated picture will soon follow with more detailed look at her mouth....

The new mosaic for the Webster's new backyard garden. Gracey and Anna helped with some of the glueing.

Harlequin female and Boston merle female sleeping. 17 days old. Born Sept. 5, 2006

Don'f forget we have adorable puppies for sale...

Go to our website at www.weather4dfamily.com and view them as they grow.... and Boy!, do they grow.

36 hours of Rowena.... Stay tuned and see the finished product. Rowena has been updated to a more PG-13 version from her original R rated version so all can view her with no worries...

Rowena's profile with her hair down.

36 hours...

36 hours of Rowena....

33 hours Rowena is starting to get a fin and tail...

Rowena after 30 hours of work.

26 hours of carving....

21 1/2 hours of carving of Rowena. Cover your eyes if you are too young to see...

After 17 hours....Rowena is getting a figure!!!

Rowena's profile after 12 hours. The bark is her hair hanging down by her face.

After ten hours of carving...

Seven hours of work and her face begins to emerge.

The tree stump at the river. Not Dake, but to the right where the ladder is leaning.

Soon the mermaid's face began to peep through. At this moment I thought I would name her Eve. I was my first creation so to speak. She was looking more like an Indian princess to me than a mermaid. I was considering leaning toward and Indian until the owner expressed they really wanted a mermaid...so a mermaid it is.
Phillip and I discussed how it would be neat if there was a legend about this mermaid. It would be intriguing if we even got a true story of sorts and intertwined them. I researched the internet and read many articles that could have applied but I felt like it was exposing someone's loved one and it just wasn't right. So we decide we would have to make up our own legend. I knew immediately who would be great for the job. I called mom and told her what we wanted and she was ready for the challenge. I gave her the same courtesy I had been given...free reign. Soon Eve transpired into "Rowena".
Her legend will soon be published for you to read..

This all started like a scene out of "Steel Magnolias". My mom is in the beauty shop (La Dage Artistry in Athens) and heard the client of the neighboring hairdresser say she needed a wood carver. Mom kept silent in the moment but came home to phone and tell me about what she had heard. She said, this woman needed a wood carver for a 8 foot tree stump. The tree had to be cut down and they wanted some ornamental sculpture to decorate the river bank at their home. Mom did not know if I would be interested but informed me all the same.

I sat on the idea for several days. The only thing I ever carved was a bar of soap. But I soon decided, "what the heck", at least go talk to her and what it looked like.... I could always,"no".
Thus begins the adventure.
I felt so ill prepared because I honestly could not find my pictures of artwork that I had photographed. I thought she will not hire me with out any validation. I left the house thinking you can always say no if you feel totally inadequate. (Which at the moment I was totally feeling...)
I went out to a setting every artist would die for, here stood this studio of nature. The riverbank with passing boats and the breeze alone would make me say yes. I talked with the owner of the house and tree stump. She gave me free reign to do whatever I wanted....(Every artist dream). She suggest a fish or tree and her husband said a mermaid... Oddly, as I was looking at the tree and mermaid came to my mind...Partly, because I tend to lean toward the human body in my works and I could envision her as the lady told me her ideas. We discussed I had never done anything like this before and she was totally fine. She told me to have fun and go with it. She said if I messed up they could always sand it down and start again. WOW! What more could one as for. The last statement gave me the security I needed and I accepted the challenge.

David acted like he knew I could do it, he just knew I would throw everything into it and he wanted me to give a time limit...(which he is totally right, I usually disappear during art projects) Seeing, as I had never done this sort of thing before it was hard to give an answer. Alittle discord lied ahead, but the challenge must be met in my eyes.

The next day I was off to Harbor Frieght with my dad and we chose an array of chisels, saws and sanders to get me started.

I mentally prepared myself for the challenge. I researched every mermaid and scaly like substance on the internet. I knew this mermaid was deep inside and I had to free her... I had trouble trying to figure out how I was going to get on a ladder and not enter my personal "twilight zone" of concentration and work a chainsaw safely. Usually, when I work on ladders and such I find it difficult to remember I am on a ladder or sturcture when I get into that "artist mode". I can soon find myself on the ground or in this case in the river. Experience has thought me to plan for this one because not only was I looking at the eight foot height issue I was working on an incline, as well.
I asked David if he would come and help me "block out" my mermaid with the chainsaw?
He said he would but our schedules were not working out to get to the task at hand done. I was itching to get to it. I soon decide to go get an electric chainsaw and work with a smaller saw.
I went to Lowe's with Phillip and Dake and bought an electric handsaw....Perfect! I thought it is light enough that I can handle it with one hand in case I need to hang on with the other one.
Phillip and Dake asked to go with me this day so off we went. I begin working on this massive tree stump. Soon Phillip asked if he could do some? I agreed. I believe it was the enticement of the power tools. Anyway he began a process of helping me block out each part of my mermaid. He has been working side by side since. He has really saving me time and strength in his help. He gets the big chunks out and lays the foundation where I can cut in the details. We have formed a great team.
Ahead are the pictures in chronological order of what we have so far....

Mona Lisa

Announcing ...The New Arrivial of Mona Lisa's Puppies.

The puppies were born on Sept. 5, 2006

12 born and 10 surviving

5 boys and 5 girls