Can living in the ten acre woods be productive?

We live on ten acres that we call, "The Ten Acre Woods". There's no Eeyore or Piglet here, but you will find many adventures near the creeks, woods, and fields. This story provides a little different prospective on living in the woods by asking the question: "Can living in the ten acre woods be productive?" Yes it can Piglet, yes it can! 

Here's a product of our ten acre woods, our daughter, Callie. She has lived in our ten acre woods all her life. When she was young, she searched for roly-poly bugs under rocks around our house. On the back of our ten acre woods, she has waded in the little stream of Sulfur Creek, looking for crayfish and catching fish. While waking in the morning, she has heard the rat-a-tap of a red breasted woodpecker on the side of our western cedar house. 

What did the ten acre woods produce? Well, she just received a Bachelor Degree from Sewanee in Biology with a minor in Environmental Studies, Summa Cum Laude, Honors, Phi Beta Kappa, Ranked 4th in the class. You see, living in the woods can be productive, because now she will be studying the streams, woods, and fields. 

Here's the whole crew, I'm the tall one!

Remember: Life is short, get away from the big screen and get on a big stream.

Awesome Father's Day gift for the lake lover!!!

Here's the best Father's Day gift for the lake lover, a personalized vintage style map of their favorite lake, river, or bay. What a unique gift for the sportsman, lake lover, boat or lake house owner. Add those cherished photo's of that big trophy fish, fun family outing, lake house, favorite sail boat, lucky lure, or water skiing trip directly to their favorite vintage style lake map.

Folks are discovering that these personalized decor maps are wonderfully unique gifts that become family heirlooms. Oh yeah, I hid things in the lakes waters, which make the maps even more interesting. I  hide a tiny mermaid/fish in the waters of all my lake map paintings that folks love to search for. I call my maps treasured maps because most folks have that special body of water that they treasure. 

These maps make great gifts for the lake house owner, lake lover, or fisherman. I have over two hundred on my website that can be purchased right from the site, or I can do custom and personalizes lake, river or bay maps, too. 


As you can see, my maps make a great gift. To see more of my work click 
Orders are picking up during the holiday's, so order soon. Click here www.LeoLakes.com for more information.

Summer is near!

Summer is near! My daughter Sarah, just finished her freshmen year at Sewanee, The University of the South. For the summer, Sarah will be working with me at Old Field Studio (LeoLakes). Boy do I have work for her to do, lots of things that I have been putting off. Oh yeah, I've been working on a lake map for the Arkansas Tourism Department, but more about that later. Anyway, Life is short, get away from the big screen and get on a big stream!

Check-out my website at LeoLakes.com. I have many vintage style decor maps of your favorite lake that look great hanging in a lake house, home or office. 

"As I look over this lake, The most amazing scenes appears in its wake, The sun arises just above the shore, Giving grace and beauty to this place that I adore." LKO

Big Bear Lake

Here's another nice email from one of my customers. Big Bear Lake is a beautiful lake located in California. 

"Hello Larry! We received the print yesterday as promised!!  It is fantastic!!  Quality is beautiful and my daughters had a blast trying to find the mermaid!  They wanted more things to find so you left them wanting more!  :)  Can't wait to give it to my parents this weekend, I know they will love it as much as I do!!  You've been an incredible, helpful, responsive seller and I've enjoyed doing business with you!  Such a pleasure to have a totally positive buying experience on line.  Take care and have a great weekend! "

The Big Bear Lake map is painted in vintage style. I add waterfowl common to the lake flying over to give the map interest. As mentioned above, I add a tiny little mermaid for folks to search for.

This close up section gives you an idea of the detail that I include. I have many folks who purchase my maps for birthday, fathers day, Christmas, lake house warming, and wedding gifts.

All maps 16x32 size and above, come with a Certificate of Authenticity, a poem, and a sheet covering interesting facts about your LeoLakes Decor Map. 

To see if we have your lake, river, or bay, check-out my website LeoLakes.com. Enjoy

Neighbors in the woods!

We live in the "ten acre woods" and have lots of neighbors. I thought I would let you meet some of the finest neighbors in the world. They sometimes come by and visit, but like good neighbors, they don't stay too long.

Here's Racky the Raccoon, peeping in the backdoor. My wife thinks Racky is a bit of a peeping Tom. Speaking of Tom, Tom the Turkey stopped by for a snack.

Tom really strut's his stuff on most days, but this was Thanksgiving and Tom wanted to be alone for some reason?

Oh yeah, we have a house guest named Ring Neck the snake. Old Ring Neck only stayed a little while because he made the wife and teenagers nervous. I had to show Ring Neck the door after brooms were drawn. Too bad Ring Neck!

Some guests visit at night like Polly the possum. Polly was born in Tennessee and for some reason is attracted to orange. Go figure. Hmmmm... really why is this Possum on an orange blanket? Because he kicked Freckles the Feral cat, that my wife feeds, from his sleeping quarters in order to get to the food. Some guest are just like pigs. 

Ah, here's Fred the Fox. He's a little sneaky neighbor that likes to come by for a free meal. 

Last but not least, Dolly the Deer looking beautiful near the salt block.

.......and that's the end of the finest neighbors in the ten acre woods! 

If you ever need a beautiful map, then check out my website, LeoLakes.com

Vintage style Lakes Maps for the Lake House!

I often receive nice emails back from folks who have purchased one of my maps. It certainly makes one feel good when you get a comment like this one from a customer who purchased a Center Hill Lake Decor Map. 

"We received it yesterday and it is absolutely beautiful and perfect. What an artist! And I found the mermaids, finally! Thank You for an amazing work of art."

The Center Hill Lake Map has a nice vintage style look. I add waterfowl common to the lake flying over to give the map interest. I also include A few small fish and a tiny little mermaid.

I've added a close up section to give you an idea of the detail that I include. I have many folks who purchase my maps for birthday, fathers day, Christmas, lake house warming, and wedding gifts.

All maps 16x32 size and above, come with a Certificate of Authenticity, a poem, and a sheet covering interesting facts about your LeoLakes Decor Map. Here's the wonderful lake poem that my wife wrote about lakes, rivers, and bays.

"As I look over this beloved waterscape, The most amazing scenes appear in its wake, The sun arises above the shore, Giving grace and beauty to this place that I adore."  

To see if we have your lake, river, or bay, check-out my website LeoLakes.com. Enjoy

A unique wedding gift, A Wedding Map!

Interestingly, more folks are having their wedding on lakes and beaches. It makes for some great memories and picturesque wedding photos. In fact, I'm having more folks order lake or bay maps as wedding gifts. Uniquely, they place a heart and date with the couples name near the location of the wedding.  

Not long ago, I was asked to add two hearts to one of my lake decor maps. The first heart was placed near the location that the couple first met and labeled, "The Day We Met" with the date. A second heart was added to the location that they were wed, labeled "Our Wedding Date." with the date. This makes a great family heirloom! If you know someone who is getting married on or near a lake or bay, then why not give them a unique wedding gift, "A wedding map." Check-out my maps at LeoLakes.com

Venice Rookery Photos

Last week I traveled to Florida and got a chance to visit the Venice Rookery, which is located in Venice Florida. The rookery is a great place to photograph and view many birds nesting during February, March and April. Waterfowl nest on the island in the middle of the small lake. There's a gravel path that faces the island were folks set-up to take pictures and view the birds.

I arrived at 6:00 am and there was a fine mist in the air, great for photography. The island was not loaded with birds as I've seen before, but still a number of birds were nesting. 

This Great Blue Heron with the spiked hair just returned from the gulf on a fishing trip. The adults take turns fishing, feeding and protecting the chicks.

Nesting Egrets with a small chick. The birds nest on the island for security. Believe it or not here's the security guard, alligator.

  

The resident gator cruises the waters in hopes of a meal. Without the gator, raccoon's could possibly raid the island. 

If you enjoy nature, birds, and the outdoors, then you should take a trip to the Venice Rookery located in Venice Florida. Sometimes it's more fun photographing the bird watchers, watching the birds. Be careful while photographing and watch for gators.