Gentle Lola

Just finished this piece this afternoon! I've been working on this painting of Lola for a while. I would have been done way sooner but I got that Switch in February that had me thoroughly distracted for like two months haha :'v Glad to be done though! I really need to work on my technique for flowers but it was time for me to move on from this piece. I'm sure I'll paint the doves again before too long but next I think I'll try to do another reasonably large landscape. (Which reminds me...I don't think I ever posted my last landscape here. I should because it's as of yet my favorite painting I've done! SOON.)


Lola has come such a long way since I brought her home in August. For months she was very suspicious and resented when we tried to touch her. She didn't even trust eating from our hands for the longest time, she would just kind of scoot away while looking super uncomfortable. Eric was super patient with her though and would talk to her nicely while just putting his hand near her without trying to touch her. The noticeable change came at the end of March, when she finally started letting us pick her up and give her treats. (Before we could pick her up if we were very slow and bribed her with safflower but we only did it when truly necessary.) It was like a switch had flipped, and she suddenly became super tolerant and seemed excited by her own bravery in interacting with us! When we hold her she does this excited, fast-stepping little dance that she only ever does while being held, and will even allow us to pet her gently. She'll fly to my shoulder when I make her lunch and she'll even go to sleep in my hand, something even Ollie won't do. (And it is seriously the sweetest thing, omg. :'u) She still very much likes to have her personal space respected, which means we never try to touch her while she's in the cage unless she's on the perch by the door. I've never seen a bird look so obviously offended as Lola does if this rule is violated lol. It took a while but now that we all understand each other we get along swimmingly. :'> It's awesome to see how different hers and Ollie's personalities are, and I just cannot overstate how big a fan of ringneck doves I am lol.


**ALSO SIDENOTE I've been meaning to make a journal about this but the babies finally got adopted out to a good home. It only took a solid four months. x_x I'd love to let Ollie and Lola breed from time to time if I could be sure of finding good homes for the kids but after this experience I do not see that happening again haha.