Where I Stand Sunday

Taken with my iPad - sitting in our RV.  Testing 'systems' to see if they are ready to make the maiden voyage of 2012.  Spent a few nights in the RV on the garage pad to check out the best sleeping arrangement for my 'still giant needs' when I sleep..extra pillows, a wedge for my back, motoring around in a small space with crutches,  getting up and down the steep stairs (I feel like I take along as much stuff as one does for a 'toddler'.)  For sleeping, I tried out the 'pull down couch/bed' - didn't get to sleep until 3:50 AM two nights ago, the recliner (gave that up after about an hour) and settled on the bed last night (restless sleep - I have not been able to sleep on anything but my back this whole time - due to my right shoulder dysfunction.)  If you don't know what I am talking about click HERE to read more.

"It's not easy being 'Pattie' these days"..as my DH tells me.  He says that as I now have three spider bites - got them over night and swelling up and itching at those sites.  Don't think they were brown recluse...I know what kind of spider they were, I see them often.  Let's not talk about the number of insects showing up this year..miller moths, the ticks are thick, ants, and spiders..gnats that like to fly up your nose when they swarm around your head.  This stuff doesn't usually happen this early and in this kind of populations. Heard from lots of people about the miller moths.

Staying 'in state' this trip.  Looking forward to going out of state soon!  I am going to 'plein air paint' from the huge front window (oops, more equipment - snicker), or maybe get out on the grounds with a wheelchair (oh no, not the cumbersome wheelchair?) to take 'sitting' rests in.  Taking a few steps on my own without crutches, but they don't want them to be 'gimpy' - so have to use crutches most of the time for now. 

More and more periods of time where there isn't a

'locking up' feeling or discomfort (or should I just say "pain")/swelling. 

These periods of feeling like I can do this,  

will begin to occur more often eventually - looking forward to that time. 

Physical Therapy peeps say I am doing GOOD! 

My favorite activity which I get to do twice this next week is the Therapy POOL.

Feb. 8th ~ to now ~ is a long time - there are more roads to go down -

'patience' the doctor said.  That is my middle name.

Where I Stand Wednesday

SPECIAL ADDITION - Where I Stand 

Thought I would share my excitement with you!  Legs are up on my chair..but the left one can now - more comfortably - attempt to walk -without schlogging along in the cumbersome CAM boot and I can wear my other shoe, so my hips aren't gimping along, one higher than the other.  Crutches are still in the mix...but soon to be thrown to the side.  Lots more exercises, since I have compromised my right scapula (scapula dysfunction) during all this pulling up incorrectly and crutches walking.  I can feel the load lifted a little..I can see the light again. 

Where I Stand Sunday

Yes, I am back to 'standing'!  Been out in the studio (where I sit) for a little bit every day for the last 3 days...today, storms were brewing again, so had to come in, not to be caught on the driveway in the wind and the rain..navigation goes all to hell.

Feels good to be at this stage, getting there but still a long way to go.

Able to put almost half weight on my left leg.  My arms and armpits are 'toast' with these crutches.  Didn't use the walker..it was too weird -

it didn't work the way I had envisioned it. So crutches it is!

The little dog that I painted above, (in my blog banner) Lucky, was here with her owners over

Easter.  A few days ago, back in New Mexico, she was on a hike with my sister-in-law, got into a chase of a deer herd, and didn't return as the other two dogs did.  She's missing, but she's a survivor. We are crossing our fingers that she is found..safe and alive.

Come home, Lucky!!

(Update:  Sadly - I have to report that Lucky is no longer with us.  She chased the deer so far and for so long. She was found about 20 yards from the top of the canyon on a deer trail, lying beneath a bush. 

June figured she was exhausted and dehydrated and

just couldn't make it up the deer trail out of the very steep canyon to the top of the mesa. 

We ALL will miss this sprite of a dog, full of energy and spunk. 

Her spirit inspired me.)

Where I Stand Sunday is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places I spend my life standing.
Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend our lives walking on.
There are several others who also write this on Sunday, see sidebar.

Where I Stand Saturday..

Changing it up a little - where I stood today. We have snow!  After a mild winter and many warmer than usual days, we finally have a couple of inches of white stuff and much needed moisture for crops!

Where I Stand Sunday

Grainy iPad photo, back home again and standing at my taboret (a repurposed microwave rolling cabinet with some drawers underneath it).  Bought some little loaf tins made of aluminum foil at the grocery store - 5 packs of 5 for $5.00.  Needed something to organize my oil paints so when the drawer was opened, they didn't go flying around and get extremely mixed up.  Like colors ~ in like containers, IE:  reds in pan for reds, blues in pan for blues...etc.  I keep thinking organization, so I can easily go into studio and work without stumbling around looking for things.  I need to lessen 'the stuff', as well.  Working on that in my mind, hope my body gets with the same program soon!

Blocking in a new painting today.  More later.

Where I Stand Sunday

Today and for a few days, my neighbor has been prepping ground where a machine building will be erected.

Progress was being made until this...

the Paddle Scraper got stuck and hubster was summoned to help in setting it free from it's 'highsided' precariousness.

It couldn't go forward, it couldn't back-up.  The scraper was full of dirt off the hill and it was stuck like glue.

The Versatile with the 'sheeps foot' was to guide the effort...along with

the Case tractor.

They put them in a line tied together with some heavy chain.

(Love the above photo..)

A couple of attempts were made, but the smaller of the two log chains kept breaking.

So there was a brief intermission (wait, not so brief that I didn't feel the weather change from OK to colder and brisker) .  I watched the sandhill cranes (remember I reported that I had missed their migration overhead a while back? - Well, they just were beginning after I wrote that, they are LATE this year.) 

 I took some photos of my little house on the prairie across the road.

Then the neighbor's uncle came along and offered the use of some thick cable.

Penny the pug dog came along and watched, too.

And after two tries, it came loose. 

It still amazes me how big equipment can get stuck like this, but I now know that it CAN HAPPEN. I know 'guys' like this kind of thing, but if you were there and had seen the process and the thinking, you would have enjoyed it, too!

Where I Stand Sunday is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places I spend my life standing.
Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend our lives walking on.
There are several others who also write this on Sunday, see sidebar.

Where I Stand Sunday

Soon the cooler winds of change will begin.

Since harvest is ongoing, dogs will be cold and need shelter from the wind and cold..into the night.

We are designing, engineering and building an enclosure on the backporch, using the existing skeleton of windbreak that is already there.  We put clear carbonite plastic on the sides.  The front will have a storm door, a window and a doggie door...

can you say 'sauna'??  Always needed a mud room, and with this enclosure and it's dual purpose...now we will have one!

P.S. - a few post ago, you could see the barbecue grill that was sitting just off the porch.  Since then, the wind blew it away into the yard and it is descompuesto. 

Where I Stand Sunday is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places I spend my life standing.
Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend our lives walking on.
There are several others who also write this on Sunday, see sidebar.

Where I Stand in the Rain

Lots of rain - a day for staying warm and inside.

Much needed and very welcome!

Been working mega - hours at the grain elevator during this fall harvest.  Soybeans, corn - right now and then milo, as soon as there is a hard frost.  Out to the studio for the rest of the day will fix what I need!

Where I Stand Sunday

Summer - lots to do, lots to build, lots to paint, throw a seasonal job in the mix, and we are scurrying.

Building the chicken coop has been a task and a half.  Hubster has engineered the ultimate - 3 chicken SPA!

We need to be done with this today - as....

they are growin' fast! The littlest one, or used to be littlest, is in the back...and as we have been thinking, we may have 3 roosters. (They are left to right, Queenie, Harlough and Chickenator - who has the resemblance of a hawk, I think.) 

Oh well, just look at the nice place they will be inhabiting!

Above are the panels for the run...that attaches to the coop..

made of recycled wood (we tore down an old garage this year), leftovers..and some new wood, boy that stuff is expensive!

NOTHING BUT THE BEST FOR THESE CHICKENS!
P.S. Added Monday - please keep hydrated out there if you are experiencing hot weather - I experienced 'heat exhaustion' yesterday afternoon, and it is no fun!  Dizziness, ringing in the ears, tightness in the chest, profuse sweating - I had to quit, come in, lay down in front of fans and put cold cloth on my head, which I later learned needs to go under armpits and groin...I am well read on that one now, I WAS drinking water...but I guess NOT ENOUGH - an afternoon and evening, wasted.  Be careful!

Where I Stand Sunday is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places I spend my life standing.

Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend our lives walking on.

There are several others who also write this on Sunday, see sidebar.

Where I Stand Sunday

It's Father's Day!

Being with Dad is important - made the trip to KC - seeing Mom is important too.  Sad news is she is still in the nursing home.  She was allowed to come to the Father's Day Celebration at my brother's house then we took her back to the facility.

It was good to spend the day with her and Dad and my bro and sister-in-law.

I took the opportunity to go by the art gallery in Topeka where my artwork is featured in a month long art show called the "Kansas 150".

It's up for another few weeks, if you live in that area and can get by to see it, it is a worthwhile showing of 150 pieces of ART done with Kansas in mind.

SouthWind Gallery and Framewoods of Topeka

www.SouthWindArtGallery.com

3074 SW 29th St. - Topeka, KS 66614

P 785-273-5994 - F 785-273-2191

Where I Stand Sunday is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places I spend my life standing.

Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend our lives walking on.

There are several others who also write this on Sunday, see sidebar.

Where I Stand Sunday - long ago

I just ran across this 'gem' a few days back and thought - "Hey, I never shared this set-up from my Guatemala trip a few years ago."  On Day 8 of a 12 day trip, the whole group I was with, visited a woman, Candis Krummel (X- Patriot) who lives near Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. She runs a non-profit organization for native weavers in the area..and sells to big named upscale department stores and art museums back in the states. 

It's a wonderful organization called Cojolya. 

This little girl is her grandaughter and their dog (I have more photos of this dog being rolled and taunted with - such a cool dog for a child - it didn't seem to care one bit).  The little girl was quite the sprite. She followed us all around while we were touring the settlement where the woman lived.  It was awesome.  The lady invited us to a formal original Guatemalan luncheon, complete with homemade wine.

Here she is, little Florencia...I can't believe I missed this photo to share with you!

Great memories from that painting trip - I will never forget it!

Where I Stand Sunday is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places I spend my life standing.

Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend our lives walking on.

There are several others who also write this on Sunday, see sidebar.

Where I Stand Sunday

Last week, we experienced several t-storms that brought wind and hail and lots of rain.  Most of this week, my time has been spent helping to get things back in order.  We have had thrice flooding on our land as the swollen creek which usually has a trickle in it has been unable to keep up with the downpours that slammed us. Our 'water well' power supplies were compromised and in need of replacing...we have had major 'slash'

and dirt/roadbase moving issues...in general, it has been a pain in the A#@!

One of the storms produced powerful straightline winds.  I had a beautiful, big Mexican deco terracotta pot full of my annuals decorating at the front gate. 

It was sitting atop these three cinder blocks, which got toppled as well.

Flowers are beneath the dirt...poor things.

The picnic table flew through the air, knocking all the pots (about 4 biggies) helter skelter and broke most of them.  My first 'Where I Stand' photo shows what I had to use to save the flowers that were in those pots...which were by the way - as many of you gardeners know - were near and dear to my heart, been with me for years - always were the vessels for my spring flowers.  Low gutteral "grrr" here...

This activity produced another 'just because' period in the studio this week...but more than a 'just because' - more like a 'has to be'. I will miss my beautiful Mexican deco pot and most likely I could never find a replacement for it in this part of the country.   I needed a suitable replacement or replacements! I have had several terracotta pots sitting on a shelf in the studio - half started with a design. I became so inspired, I got them down and continued painting on them. I wasn't sure where the designs were going, which was the fun part, not really a plan, more like a sketch or doodle as I went with the paintbrush. I used a book for my inspiration called "Mexicolor" and some acrylic paints.

It is full of Mexican folk art and realia from Mexican markets. 

I stuck to a general color theme,

but used the book for some inspirational ideas on the design.

To finish them I will use a terracotta sealer (if it has weathered time) - hopefully it will help to protect this one from fading with the intense sun and humidity...and be light enough that from now on, when I can help it, all flower pots will be moved to some kind of shelter from the torrential westwinds.

Where I Stand Sunday is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places I spend my life standing.

Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend our lives walking on.

There are several others who also write this on Sunday, see sidebar.

Where I Stand Sunday (actually Saturday this week)

I knew that perhaps it would be raining here today, Sunday, so I did a "Where I Stand Saturday" instead.  If it isn't raining today, it's ok.  I found something much more interesting to write about on Sat.

Always my 'awareness' happens when this guy comes around, as he is laying down some heavy-duty chemicals in the air and I heed that dogs and people need to go inside.  Figured out he was dusting way before he got to the airspace above us, so dogs went inside and I stood down on the driveway to try and capture

some close-ups as he flew over. 

(This will age me)..but I remember watching "Sky King" when I was little, and this so reminds me of that show...just the sound of the engine as he swoops down and speeds up to altitude again...

In these photos you can really see those sprayers underneath the plane...(click on a photo to enlarge)

I wonder about the job of crop dusting/aerial spraying...it would seem to me to get a bit redundant...I'm thinking you'd better be aware at all times..and not take it for granted what you are doing.  These guys do this all day, when the weather cooperates.

Where I Stand Sunday - A Day to Remember

I have been waiting for these irises to open and this morning - there they are!

To all my family, and friends...

And most importantly to MY MOM..

she gets to go home for a few hours today.

Being gone from your home with hardly any connection except the people who stay there

for five + weeks is a long time to be away at any age.

I am happy for her. Hope she soon gets to go home and stay there!

M A Y   Y O U R   D A Y   B E   T H E    B E S T ~

T O D A Y   A N D   E V E R Y   D A Y 

T H R O U G H O U T   T H E   Y E A R!

Where I Stand Sunday (and where I have been)

That stuff on the floor in front of me, it's becoming a 'blur' is all I can say.  I have been away. 

My mom had her second stomach surgery - just another component to the big 'C'. 

I have been with my dad and family while she came out of surgery last week..

and of course our taxes weren't done when I left.

Therefore I am back home trying to help get them done. 

It is excrutiating!! 

I don't enjoy it, don't know anyone who does except maybe an accountant. 

My mom has a long road to recovery ahead. 

I will be headed back that way again soon, 

to help where I can and to be with her while she regains her footing in the world. 

The doctor says 'baby steps' and I truly believe that.

She was in ICU for several days...

unaware of her surroundings. 

I find it interesting how with help, your body goes into it's healing mode. 

She will be there for many, many more days. 

We hope she can return home one day soon. 

I want her to know she is missing Spring - and she really loves Spring.  

So many pain meds, I am not sure she is aware of much.

Get well soon mom!  We need you back here with us! 

P.S. I will be taking my paints with me so

I can get some art going while we wait, I am hopeful.

Where I Stand Sunday is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places I spend my life standing.

Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend our lives walking on.

There are several others who also write this on Sunday, see sidebar.



Where I Stand Sunday

Would you expect any other photo at this time of year?? 
I was not a good gardener last fall to not take the overgrowth
out of my flower beds that hubster made me.
So that is what I have been doing today. 
These little spring bulbs couldn't see the forest for the trees..so to speak. 
Stretch up to the sun now plants and let's get some color going! 
The only problem is with my work here is, we were inundated with sandburs last fall
and they come out in bunches and go through leather gloves - OUCH!

Where I Stand Sunday is an ongoing photo essay examining the different places I spend my life standing.
Too often we take for granted the everyday places we spend our lives walking on.
There are several others who also write this on Sunday, see sidebar.