Art on Sunday

I am working on a series for art note cards of dogs. Thought I would start with two very familiar breeds, Dachshunds and Weimaraners. I like the "zeroing" in part. These are quick pastels. If interested, check out my Etsy to buy them. They should be on there in a day or two. Thanks!

Where I Stand Sunday

This morning, I went for a small hike, as my DH and Weim had found some interesting animal tracks between the woods and the fields. I am standing over a definite "bigger cat" print, there were lots of them among the rabbit tracks. Gene had seen a bobcat earlier this fall coming up out of the pond slash/downed trees. After close inspection, these prints are lots bigger than ordinary house cat. There were some areas where you could see that the animal had rolled in the snow.
As I walked on, I thought I would show you the old windmill pump at the base of a non-operating windmill, adjacent to our property, which we would like to own someday.

As I walked around I noticed these kind of prints in several areas, at the end of a series of rabbit tracks. I can only imagine that this might be where it stops and surveys its travel path, or "thumps" or ??? If you have an idea, please leave me a comment!

As this year comes to an end, I look forward to the joy and luxury of more time to create art. I am headed to the studio today. Didn't sleep well early this morning because IDEAS started happening in my dreams and then my thoughts take over, wake me up and that's it, I had to get up and start on the ideas! I am working on some new Etsy designs. I love that when it happens! My muse is directing me today!

P.S. JUST FOR FUN...check out this blog. It's great!

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. If you'd like to join me by posting a photo on Sunday of places you've been on your blog/photo hosting site/website, leave a comment on this post telling me where I can find you/your photo and I'll add a link to my sidebar so others can find you and I will also let Fibra Artysta know, so she can you on her web sidebar if you'd like.

Hiking Trail

Finally finished! When I lived in Conifer, Co., I used the Jefferson County Open Space for exercise/walking/hiking. It is a lovely place! You could use the trails for the ultimate climb; walk, run or mountain bike or just a casual nature walk. The Aspen trees were my favorite! I used to live only a few minutes from here. Sometimes, I would approach the trails with a little apprehension, as 'bears' were a possible threat. One time a teaching colleague set up a 'before school starts' picnic for her students and their parents, and DID see a bear. Had to greet those arriving at the base of the park, in the parking lot and turn them around. A little hairy for 2nd graders! But, yes, I miss it and it's beauty. From the top of the trails (extremely invigorating but worth it), you can sit and look down on Aspen Park.

Meyers Ranch Park Trail, Conifer, Co.
pastel on sandpaper, 14 x 19

Christmas Remnants

In 2005 there was a video floating around the internet with Christmas lights done to the music of Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Wizards in Winter". Looking around this year, I found a video that is way better, maybe you have already seen it! It is from 2005 also, and since I am not in a big city to look at lights, and that is one of my favorite things to do...I played this several times, with volume up, as it is "The Best". Hope your Christmas was merry and lights! Check it out!

Where I Stand Sunday

Sorry- this is a little late, slept in today and got everything out of whack! As a diversion, or perhaps a good excuse to be doing art at this time of year, here I stand in my studio. With the cold, snow and ice, it seems there is nothing else to do, ha! Never thought I would be saying that! Lately I have had lots of studio time, then I see people who do a phenomenal amount of (practice and other) work and think, I am only touching the tip of the iceberg, and I am retired from a full time job! They must have no commitments other than art..no laundry, no dishes, no meals to cook, no family, nothing to do but paint or create.
I continue to experiment with different mediums. I still come back to my old favorite, pastel.
Below is another portrait of my daughter (I think I do her portrait so much because she and I look a lot alike, commensurate with time of life and age, I think about her a lot of the time). I loved this photo, as her hair was sooo long. She now has short hair with the new baby, who she says is grabbing her hair now! Doing a portrait with 'teeth' showing is difficult, I try to choose source material without teeth, but it's time to tackle the TEETH! I may have to work a little more on that part, but the size of the piece doesn't lend itself to do much more, especially because the surface - Canson paper - doesn't take much more pastel at a certain point and I don't use spray "fixative" anymore (not good for breathing, which can be difficult at times for me).

Jessica, pastel on Canson paper, 12 x 14

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. If you'd like to join me by posting a photo on Sunday of places you've been on your blog/photo hosting site/website, leave a comment on this post telling me where I can find you/your photo and I'll add a link to my sidebar so others can find you and I will also let Fibra Artysta know, so she can you on her web sidebar if you'd like.

Cousin Kay

Last Friday evening, my cousin Kay, in Florida, lost her battle with cancer. She was 64 years old. We have known that she was battling the disease for about the last two years.

Kay with her loving dog, Destiny.

I remember spending lots of time with her when I was a little girl. Her family lived in Denver for many years and our families got together weekends and holidays. She accompanied us on a few summer trips to see our grandparents and cousins in St. Louis. I was always in awe of her, she was a teenager and I was still a young girl.

Kay visiting with my mom and dad.


Kay and her husband Ed sitting on the porch at the lake.

Our family will miss her terribly. As many grandparents these days, she was raising her grandkids. She had an enormous heart! May she rest in peace.

Where I Stood Sunday

This is where I stood yesterday. You can read yesterday's post for info.



Here we are having lunch at the Paramount, waiting for graduation time. Eat, eat, eat, that's all we got done this trip, it seems like!



This is the grad with her brother.


Ready to get on with the celebration!

After dark fun in downtown Denver, in front of Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.



We celebrated at "earl's" on the 16th Street Mall. Yummy!


Back at home now, digging through snow drifts. Left the unpacking for the morning. We are all dog tired, including the dogs!

Where I Stand Sunday

Today I stood in the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver. My stepdaughter, Leslie, graduated with a Behavioral Science bachelor's degree. There were 1064 graduating - the largest in fall grad history at Metro State. BTW, that is my alma mater for BA degree in elementary ed. Felt good to be a part. My stepson's girlfriend is also attending MSC.
Will post more about this tomorrow when I get back to Middle Earth, cause this internet service at the RV park is sh***y! Can't even download my photo. Grrrr. Check back!

More Holiday Happenings

Last night was the Dec. meeting of the Palette Club. I am it's newest member. There was lots of food and (yum my favorite) chili! We had a painting exchange. Seven of us chose a number, matched to artwork, and received a cool piece of art done by another person. I received a great framed pencil drawing (a preliminary for a big painting) by Larry Z., who is a car refinisher/painter by day and artist during all the other times in his life. (Photo later) The host of the event, who owns the gallery we met in, received my horse painting. Anyway, nice peeps!!!

There was time to look at some work in progress that others brought along with them, and I enjoyed the critique time. So looking forward to being able to actively critique! Hearing what others are involved in gets me goin', like commissions, mural painting, etc. It is soooo nice to have found a group that I can affiliate with, in this small, isolated, lonely little nowhere place! Yeah! And I am looking forward to becoming a member of NCKAA, North Central Kansas Artists Association. One of my greatest memories doing art in mountains above Denver (years ago, BT, before teaching) was belonging to the Evergreen Artists Association. The networking was rewarding! Many people say that they don't need to belong to a group or organization, but as an artist, you need to take aaaalllll the help you can get.

Today, we drove to big D. My stepdaughter is graduating from college. We are here for the ceremony and will be going right back home. Had to brave the roads in the big RV in the snow and with icy roads (I think we were about the only RV out there in highway land) but did fine, and guess we got out of heavy snow at home (course my DH is an X Teamster trucker, so I NEVER worry!) There is about 5 to 6 inches on the ground here. Looking forward to dryer weather once this system passes on through the middle of the US. My daughter and her family are bracing for a Nor'Easter in Brooklyn. Hang on kids!

So far, this is like the winters I remember as a child. I also remember a lot of really mild winters and mild holidays since then. I think I like the more wintery ones, however, with a break once in awhile, like for when we go home.

Dogs get to visit a kennel tomorrow for a day and night. Oh boy!

Solid to Liquid

It's amazingly beautiful, how the sun takes care of the ice. Here are some photos of the ice as the sun penetrates it. The ice crashes or melts to the earth in one afternoon's time. Just standing there, listening, it was a sensory overload! I took soooo many pictures, saw such cool things!

Rabbit Tracks in the Milo Field


The Dazzling Sunshine through the Trees


Ice Either Cracks or Drips off the Tree Branches!

Studio Time!!

Been without internet and TV, oh no....for 24+ hours. Then as the ice starts to melt, voila!! We are back online with the world again!!

I spent most of the day in the studio (thanks A.E. for the suggestion, although I didn't see it til today, your vibes came my way!) Since I have had horses on the mind, I got out a photo of a horse that was at my dear friend Kira's ranch in the Colorado mountains. I DO enjoy painting animals the most!!

This acrylic painting will be a 'traded' gift at the Palette Club Chili Supper/Get Together that I will attend in Downs tomorrow evening. I also finished the Belgian horse pastel that was started at the Kaye Franklin class last month. I will post it later.

My stepdaughter graduates from MSC in Denver on Sunday. We are going. Back in Denver for a brief time is just what I need.


Kira's Horse 6 x 8, acrylic on RayMar board

Mega-Ice

When ice-storms are predicted here, the news media gives awareness of how one needs to get out and TCB (take care of business) before it hits. They warn against travel of any kind, remind you that even ambulance, police and fire dept. may have trouble getting down the road. We had been through one of these last year at this time (5 days without power), we know the drill.

Starting at about dark last night, it was pouring rain on top of already a couple of inches of snow and then freezing in sheets that glistened on the sidewalk outside of the door. No, those dogs wouldn't even step off the porch. The lights and power flickered on and off around 9:00, we thought for sure the power would be out this am, but luckily, we still have it. Good thing, cause it is too nasty to get the generator out and hook it up, although, I half expect us to have to do just that before it is all said and done.

Yes, I consider it beautiful! Here is a slide show of some of the photos I just completed. It is biting cold!! The wind blowing through the big tree with it's ice chinking and clinking was kinda scary.

Where I Stand Sunday

Here I stand on the porch at home, just outside the back door. I have to go out with the dogs, I literally have to PUSH them out the door, to go potty! It's 12 degrees. The cold affects them in that the weiner dogs are too low hung and get themselves a little colder on the undercarriage and our Weimeraner has a plate in his left leg from breaking it several years ago, so he can't stand it long either. So I stand and encourage, especially Chaco, the red Dachshund, he just stands and shivers.

I haven't been anywhere in 5 days, except for splailed on the road getting the mail 2 days ago, as the dogs were zooming in and out between my legs and I gathered an armfull of mail, turned, tripped and fell flat on my face, mail splattering all over the road. Luckily, there is no one near by to see the lack of grace at which I took this and the words I uttered to myself and the dogs. It was so windy, I guess you could say the wind blew me down. Ha! Ask my DH and he will tell you I am not very balanced at times. (Probably in more ways than you know!)

Anyway, he's been gone for 5 days, and is trying to get back from N.M. in the R.V. Now I wonder about his trip back home as the weather has now impacted that area as well. He's on his way.

One thing that I have been able to do, is be out in the studio, non-stop since then. It has been a gift (my birthday is coming up, that is a true gift)! There have been two other paintings, but below is the beginning (day one) of a painting of my daughter and granddaughter that I really like. It is her profile photo from her myspace, and I fell in love with it. Working in acrylic is tricky, I haven't done it for some time. It's funny, day two doesn't usually go as well, when returning to a painting for me, and sure enough, I look at it now, and I have to work hard to take it back the other direction. I wanted to call it good after the first day. But...you can imagine how it goes. It's still "about mixing paint for skin tone colors". In pastels I know what color to use. I should get them out, discover which one I would use next and then mix the color in paint. I think I will try that! I also got a hint online from a forum, that I could look at the picture in Photoshop and put the eyedropper over the color I am having trouble with and it will isolate that color for me. What a great idea! Probably I don't have the right color of cadmium red, or pthalo blue. I have a cheap set of acrylics. I am soooo art store deprived! You can imagine, how I feel like a kid in a candy store, when I go to Kansas City where there is Keith Coldsnow or New York City, where there is Pearl and Dick Blick!

Today is about unloading a few more boxes of weeded out "stuff" from our move over a year ago and probably doing some dishes. Ha! I live and look like a hermit when I am on my own!

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. If you'd like to join me by posting a photo on Sunday of places you've been on your blog/photo hosting site/website, leave a comment on this post telling me where I can find you/your photo and I'll add a link to my sidebar so others can find you and I will also let Fibra Artysta know, so she can you on her web sidebar if you'd like.

Christmas Card

I took the plunge and spent hours making my own Christmas cards this year. I made 15. Not nearly enough, yes, I have more friends and family than that, but I also didn't want to spend so much on postage.
So, this is a card for those who didn't receive a card this year. This is our second Christmas gone from where we lived for sooo many years. Still, we miss the mountains and our friends and family back in Denver/Golden. So if you see my blog, know that I am thinking of you this season! We always had such fun at parties, get-togethers and Christmas morning. It's interesting how I had the urge to write one of those one page letters to include in our cards that I sent, on the topic of "what we were up to in 2007", but then I thought, hey, that's why I keep an ongoing blog! So if you want to know about our year from May 2007 - on, you can browse through the pages and pages of Kansas living. It's been a busy year and one filled with accomplishment. We are looking forward to starting the new year with more "projects" and life fulfilling activities. Our best to you in the coming year!

Travel

Will August come any sooner, now that I have added a counter in the sidebar of this blog? As you can see there are many days that need to pass, but I am signed up and beginning to pay for a 10 day painting trip to Guatemala. I have always wanted to go on one of these "paint trips", always to France or Tuscany, but the artist that I studied with in November, is 'doing' Guatemala in August/September. So, I thought, hey, that would be a cool trip! Part of the trip involves visiting Tikal, where there are many ruins and history of the Mayan.
Honestly, I have been to Hawaii and borders of Mexico, like the kind you get to by car, so it's time to venture a bit further and while I am still physically able to climb, plein-air painting in the heat and up to the rigor of mega site-seeing and photographing. Every day is filled with activity, including sketching and painting.
I applied for my passport (never had one) and already made my plane reservations. Should be a great time, we have guides and sponsors and translators and five star hotels and meals.
I think I will brush up on my Spanish. I can always get the basic gist of what is being said, I just can't put sentences together too well. You would think that after 5 years of the language in my school days, I could do better than that. Senora Gilbreath and Senora Borman did their best!
Along the way, I have had to 'use' it, or lose it, like with kids or parents in my classes, or with the Hispanics that moved into the area to work on the TM Palaces when I worked at the liquor store. (Don't get me going on that issue, right now.) If you want to know more about that, Google "Smith Center, Kansas and TM'ers" aka Global Country of World Peace.

Winter Wonderland

No, it's not Global Warming, it's December and as it should be, it's snowing. Ha! Took the camera on an outing around the homestead, as you can see, all is still and beautiful. It's going to be in the 20's and 30's for the next several days. Out to the studio for some serious painting.

Good Health

These are my parents, as you can see they look "in good health and happy"! This was on my mom's 80th birthday. Just got word from Dad last night, that his cardio/pacemaker exam went well. He is in better health than last visit, which is very good news. This time last year, he was not feeling well at all. It's a good example of what a difference it makes when you mix excellent healthcare, with a patient who cares and tries to do the right thing for their health. I am proud and thankful that my parents take great care of their health and each other.

Today is cold and it's supposed to snow tomorrow. I am out to the studio for some more arranging and possibly beginning some new work. Also, need to go through paint that might freeze and collect it to keep inside the house for the winter. It really doesn't get to freezing in the studio with all the insulating we have done, but since materials are soooo expensive, I want to avoid ruining them at whatever it takes. Since installing the mouse (sonic sounding, high-pitch that only mice can hear) devices, NO MICE! Yeh!

Dog Baths and Dog Laundry

Today was doggie bath day and dog laundry day. Someone was pretty stinky! We went on a mile hike, then corraled Big Dog into the bathroom, he 'comes' along, but really doesn't like it. But oh, he smells so much better. Little dogs don't have much choice. You grab them and put them in the tub, and there isn't much they can do about it. All of their "pluffies" and blankets get washed to, which is about 3 loads of laundry, cause we cover up the furniture they lay on and the bed. It's almost done.

The temperature was around 60 degrees today. It's supposed to snow on Thursday. I say, "Let it snow!"

The horse carcass finally got picked up yesterday, she lay 1st in the heifer pen, then on the driveway for 4 days. Guess it was a good thing that it was cold. It's still hard for us to think about. She was a neat horse.

Magazine Storm

About a month ago, I got an offer to spend my mileage points with a credit card company, that I will never accumulate to even fly anywhere, so I got to choose magazine subscriptions. One of them is "Wired". What a neat magazine. DYK that there is a possibility of generating energy through movement of hordes in football stadiums and train stations by installing weight-responsive dynamos under the floors? (There is more information on MIT's site.) A subway system could be partially powered by the foot traffic of approximately 25,000 people - though not until the first "crowd farm" is actually built. So, what's the hold up? If you are waiting on ethanol, don't, if you are waiting on windpower, many areas are stating that it's too expensive and, of course, just like where I live, the population would be against it cause it scares them!!

Where I Stand Sunday

Today, I stand just outside our "dog pen" on the skirt of the driveway. Stayed inside most of the day, it's cold and brisk outside. Not much going on, watching TV (we don't do that usually, but like to watch USA reruns of 'Criminal Intent') and just hanging out. Finally took all the leftovers from Thanksgiving out of the fridge and threw them away. Went out to the RV in the quonset hut (the "Q") to get some cooking oil and found the olive oil that was there was frozen, so ya, it's cold.
On Wednesday night, a very cold night, when we were walking the horse, the skies were sooo clear, you could see the Milky Way. Planet Jupiter was big and bright and orange. The only other place I have been able to view the Milky Way was from a houseboat on Lake Powell.
Anyway, it's time to start Tivo'ing movies for winter entertainment and staying close to home.
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. If you'd like to join me by posting a photo on Sunday of places you've been on your blog/photo hosting site/website, leave a comment on this post telling me where I can find you/your photo and I'll add a link to my sidebar so others can find you.

It Really is ICE

Most of the time, you can count on the weather predictions here in Middle Earth. There are no mountains to change the trajectory of the storm. This one has been right on, all week. They said about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of ice, and it is! The dogs went hurriedly out the door for potty time and Bailey was 'a--holes and elbows', as they say. He doesn't get it, either, doesn't slow him down. On the other hand, Herman, our black and tan dachshund stepped carefully on the part of the sidewalk that wasn't frozen. For around noon, the prediction is 50 degrees and winds gusting to 45 mph. Oh yeah.

Before too much time goes by, I wanted to share these cool photos of a farmstead house I came upon when I returned home from Shawnee. It is about 6 miles from Aurora, Ks., just a sighting off of Highway 24, a beautiful drive BTW! They could use the scenery on that highway for their own version of "Kansas Highways" magazine. Hey, maybe that would be a neat job? Photographing Kansas! Or has someone else already beat me to it?

Anyway, as I was taking lots of pictures, here came the homestead owner in his p/u with a trailer. He opened the fence/gate and then walked over to talk to me. He was very nice. Usually, I encounter people who don't really appreciate my interest. He said you never know who you will meet, Greenpeace, PETA, or something like that, I told him, "No...I'm just an artist/photographer that likes to capture cool sights like this one." He told me about the house. As you can see, it was built in 1888. (Click on picture to enlarge.)
Their family name is "Trahan", you say it "tran". His mom and dad were down the road in the more modern home if I wanted to go talk to them about this house, "'Course dad's had a stroke, but mom can translate for him!" I really wanted to but knew I had better step it up a little, so as not to be late for the dentist. They lived in this house until about 20 years ago, so he grew up here as a boy. You can see where the house was added on to. (You can see it by enlarging photo 1 or 2 above.) He said the roof, just recently started falling off. It was sweet!


I thanked him, over and over for being so helpful and letting me linger on the photo shoot. I could poke around stuff like that, all day! I guess that is one of the perks for living here, cause this area is full of it! What is special is that you get first hand info sometimes, like this one. Lots of history still showing, where as in the city, it is either modernized, or torn down.

Also BTW, you say you are from the Smith Center area...and people talk and talk about our HS football team! They ARE a national sensation, and maybe in the wrong league!

R.I.P. - Jasmine

Yesterday, Jasmine was standing for a lot of the day. We knew that she hadn't eliminated yet, but thought maybe for some reason she was feeling better.

This morning she is gone. It's been sad to see her in pain and struggling with her plight. We went down for one last time to see her. She was sooo bloated. We feel that perhaps this could have been prevented. Of course, the last resort was surgery and that is usually only 50% effective, and a financial issue as well.

After researching online about it, because that is what I do when there are issues I don't understand, "colic" in horses is pretty prevalent. It is preventable. This situation occurred perhaps from Jasmine eating the cattle feed, which was laced with the cattle medicine and too coarse for her digestive tract. It impacted her "cecum" or maybe it 'twisted' her intestines. We felt a more aggressive treatment, maybe enema would have helped, the vet said the cecum is hard to reach from either end. Looking at the illustrations, it's so. There is lots of info and personal experiences on the internet. Some are success stories and some not so successful. Chalk this one up to "not so successful". Everyone worked so hard and way into the cold and windy nights hoping to make a difference for the horse and for the girl who owned her. And if you know me, I get way too attached to animals, this one really pulled at my heart strings, and I even did a portrait of her for granddaughter months ago, which endears her even more.

I have to get out to the studio today, in hopes it will help me 'let this event go' from my head, but keep her in my heart.

There's a 'winter storm warning' in effect this evening through tomorrow morning. They say 'ice'. Gotta get to town and get milk for us and gasoline for the generator, just in case.

Still Prayin'

Horse is still down. Very cold and windy. Went to town to do license plate and property tax business and discovered just about everyone we came in contact with was sick with something. Ugh!
Vet has not shown up today. Don't know what will happen.

Sick Horse - Part Two

When we got back to the horse, she was lying down again, so....the rest of the afternoon until 5:30 was spent walking Jasmine (oh, it was cold and windy!!), so she wouldn't lie down and roll, cause if she did that, her stomach could twist in a knot and that would be it. We had quite a group, on and off all afternoon, G. came home, the "hunters" who are lodging at my neighbors came to help and Marian and Ed (grandma and grandpa) came home from work.
Jasmine layed down when G and granddaughter were walking her at one point, while I was at the house, using the bathroom, and when I got back she was stiff legged and had her eyes closed, I thought, "OMG, she's a goner!" It was almost impossible to raise her up on her feet again, but after pulling and shoving and coaxing and pushing and pleading and the hunter's truck drove into the yard and up she came, we "got r' done"!
The vet finally showed back up and after he gave her a sedative (that was fun, trying to keep her on her feet) he put a tube down her nose and gave her a gallon of mineral oil. He said that sometimes horses just "get" this way, due to the feed as it ferments in their stomach. The horse was walked some more, a bed of straw was made for her in her pen, and she got to lay down again, finally it was OK. She seemed better. G and I left at dark. We must have walked that horse 10 or more miles today.
About an hour ago, they brought the horse around to our door, and she looked a whole bunch better! Ears perky, head up, and standing with more "gusto" as she usually does.
Yeah! I think she will make it! It's worth all the work when you are an animal lover. We are in the right place! I realized, just like "It takes a village to raise a child," it also "takes a village to keep a horse alive!"

Sick Horse

My neighbor's granddaughter owns an Arabian horse. This morning she came to our door, because the horse was lying down and wouldn't get up. Our house is between her house and the horse's area. G. was leaving for the dentist soon, but we both went down to see if we could help.
The experience I have had with horses is that my neighbor in the mountains had a mare that got colic from eating some 'weeds' that horses shouldn't and got 'down' and had to be treated very quickly by a vet.
When we got there the horse was moaning and rolling on it's back. It didn't look like it felt very good. It stood up briefly and then it's back legs collapsed and it sort of fell down again. It was very sad and disconcerting.
By that time grandma had arrived and the vet was on his way. The vet assessed the situation and we determined that the horse had gotten into the heifers food the day before. It has medicine in it for calves, but is deadly to horses. To verify this, I ran back to the house and called the Co-Op where the feed was from and sure enough the medicine was in this feed. Someone had delivered these heifers yesterday and put the horse in the wrong corral, and the horse helped itself to the cattle feed for a little while. The vet gave the horse a shot, encouraged it to get up but it wouldn't. He said the horse would have to get up and be walked for at least 1/2 hour, before he returned at noonish to see how she was. The other women and I got the horse to stand, I had to finally 'spook' the horse from the side, nothing else was working. Grandma had to get to work, I had nothing going on, so I helped granddaughter walk the horse. We walked her for about 1/2 hour, you could tell she was definitely feeling better. We put her back in the pen and she stretched out her stance and kept opening her mouth real wide, like she was trying to belch, it looked like those scenes I can remember from "Mr. Ed" the talking horse, when the horse's mouth moved around as it supposedly talked. Then, she looked as though she would lay down again, so back out we took her for some more walking. The vet came around 11:00 and listened to the horse, Jasmine's belly. He said it sounded better. She looked better and hadn't returned to the ground. Still, she is making those funny faces with the mouth open and stretching out, probably to let air pass through. So, I think she is going to be OK. We are going to check on her again about 1:30. I knew that one had to act pretty quickly on these things, good thing there is a traveling vet in the area and that he came so quickly. Granddughter thanked me over and over again. She was so afraid she was going to lose Jasmine this morning. But....time will tell. We collected the morning's eggs from the hen house, she gave them to me, and I accepted but told her "that's what neighbors are for"...to help when needed.
Colic is a scary thing, especially in horses!

Where I Stand Sunday

Today I stood on the BNSF railroad tracks that run near my parents home in Shawnee, Ks. I chose to stand there because the sound of trains stirs my memories. They are connected to many parts of my life. I recall the train that ran by my cousin's house in Missouri that I stayed at when I was just a kid. We had fun each summer, playing on the tracks, riding their horses, exploring an old abandoned grave yard, playing in the hayloft of the barn, and watching the workers in the cotton fields (usually his older siblings). There were always train whistles near my home where I grew up in Englewood. My daughter lived near the train track in Fort Collins, when she went to CSU. The many times I stayed with her, we listened to the train in the middle of the night. It reminds me of looking at a "dream house" with my husband, as we were looking at a house that was perfect, but the track was right behind the house. G. is not that fond of trains. Where I live now, I can feel the ground rumble a little and hear the whistle of the trains on the track about a mile and 1/2 away. I love to stand in the subway stations in NYC as trains roar by, swirling everything around, again as I visit my daughter. When I stay here in Shawnee, I hear them at all times of the day and night, they are about 1/2 mile from here. I read a sign near the tracks - and didn't know that some of the trains are unmanned and run by remote. I love the sound of the whistle and the wheels rumbling the earth as they roll on by. I can't imagine a world without trains or being able to hear their lonesome calls in the night.

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. If you'd like to join me by posting a photo on Sunday of places you've been on your blog/photo hosting site/website, leave a comment on this post telling me where I can find you/your photo and I'll add a link to my sidebar so others can find you and I will also let Fibra Artysta know, so she can you on her web sidebar if you'd like.

Thankful for Who We Are and What We Have

As I sit with the delicious aroma of the turkey dressing in the oven(have to cook things in shifts to leave room for the turkey), I wish you and yours a peaceful and happy Thanksgiving time! I think most of all, I am thankful for my freedom to live without worry or threat to be who I am.
Happy Thanksgiving to those who are serving our country and those who are left at home waiting for them. I am thankful for a wonderful and supportive family. On my way tomorrow to KC, for mom's 80th birthday. Happy Birthday, Mom! And Happy 65th Anniversary to my aunt and uncle in Tennessee! Family is what it is all about!

Swirling White Stuff

Today is the first day of snow here, in the exact middle of the country. It's swirling and the trees are swaying. So far, there is a light dusting on the fence and propane tank. The turkey, which I bought late, is in water in the sink defrosting. I am going back out to the studio today, it's getting a revamping and cleaning. I had to drag my big oak desk and in doing so the legs separated from the sides, so I am going to try to fix that. I like snow a lot, just don't like to travel very far in it. It's not supposed to amount to much, but I am ready for winter! Last year in December, we lost power for 4 days due to downed power lines from an ice storm, we made it just fine with the generator back-up in the RV and running to town for jugs of water to flush the toilets. Since then we bought another generator so next time we could run the water system pump, too. So we are ready - if it decides to be a powerless time this December. Let me know if it is snowing in your "neck of the woods". Leave a comment.

Where I Stand Sunday

I ran across another "artist" blogger who publishes this format each Sunday and I thought I would give it a try. Sundays, for me, are about summing up your week, and getting ready to move onto the next. This week, I planted 10 little Colorado Blue Spruce treelets that I received for a membership in National Arbor Foundation. Yes, I know they aren't the quickest growing trees, but I like them. They remind me of Colorado and mountains. So, I cleaned out the zucchini garden and planted them there. They needed water yesterday, as it is dry and balmy here. So, this morning I stand over them, to make sure that they haven't been devoured by "critters" and that they still appear to be moist.

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. If you'd like to join me by posting a photo on Sunday of places you've been on your blog/photo hosting site/website, leave a comment on this post telling me where I can find you/your photo and I'll add a link to my sidebar so others can find you and I will also let Fibra Artysta know, so she can you on her web sidebar if you'd like.

Day 4 Artwork

"Model Portrait" oil on canvas board, 11" x 14"

This is the last day's labor of love, an oil portrait. Who is it, you ask? No one in particular, just a model's photograph that displayed some good shadow and contrast. I have always had success with pastel portraits and have been ready to get going on oil portraits. It's interesting to think about all those blood veins/vessels underneath the skin, and thinking about how that effects the colors in the facial plane. I would welcome your feedback on this one. Thanks!

Day 3 Artwork

"Belgian One" pastel on sandpaper, 16" x 20"

I absolutely love working in pastel! It is my medium of choice. As I said a few blogs ago, I was going to do several works revolving around the Belgian horses viewed on a farm nearby. This is the first one. It's not quite done, but I now have some time to complete it, and will post the finished piece at a later time, so here is the "almost finished" version. You can see that the area around the horse is still in "draft" stage. As I worked, I realized the enormity of their legs and musculature. They really are a lot bigger than pleasure horses. They are a working machine! I have been interested in drawing horses since I was little. I remember using Marguerite Henry's "Album of Horses" to learn to draw my favorite animals. (So if your kids like to draw horses, this book is a great inspiration!) It's always nice to revisit horses as a subject! Thanks for looking!

More Artwork

Tonight I will post the 2nd painting I accomplished at the Kaye Franklin 4 day workshop. I am preparing to reload my oil paint box with more tubes of paint. I dig oils! Yesterday, G. redid the mailbox out on the road that was one of the last remnants of the destruction from the May storm. He repainted it, put a new roof on it and it looks like our house. Today I painted our name and house number on it. I must say it is looking good around here!

"Mirrored Lake" oil painting, 11" x 14" on canvas panel

Safe Landing

The 4 day pastel/oil workshop is over...I was ready for more. There was certainly a "learning curve" for me this time, this is the second workshop I have taken with this artist. I knew what I needed to pay attention to, and I feel I absorbed a ton of technique in a very short time. I could go on and on with the learning. I got 4 paintings done, in 4 days. That makes me a "daily painter" for this week, ha! Believe me, if I had someone to do all the other work, I would have noooo problem being one for the rest of my life. Here is day one's painting. BTW, met and networked with some really great peeps! It seems that I made some helpful and "kindred spirit" connections!

"Aunt Jane's Tomatoes" oil on canvas board, 11" x 14" For Sale in my ETSY shop.