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.

A Pastel Portrait - Finished

"The Red Toybox"

11" x 14"

pastel on aubergine Art Spectrum sanded paper

This one was so much fun!  Long ago, I used to do long 6" x 12" of children's names surrounded by the then popular 'Care Bears'. Doing these stuffed animals reminded me of that time, although these are not 'care bears' - there may be one in the mix somewhere.  My daughter kept most of her stuffed animals from HER childhood in the attic - to give to her children at later time.  Notice the MS. PacMan pillow - oh my!  I denoted a little "PP"  tag showing down deep in there, I know that was a 'Pound Puppy'.  This toybox sits under the open stairway at the home Scarlett now lives...it is  often cordoned off with a blanket - to make it a fort or a house or anything you can imagine.  What fun! 

A Pastel Portrait of Scarlett Day 1

Scarlett is my grandaughter who lives Fort Collins, Colorado with her mom (my daughter) and dad.  I have this great photo of her, which shows her sweet character and playfulness which reminds me of when my daughter was that age.  What child doesn't love crawling in their toybox and playing with their toys? 

I am working from the photo below..

I took artistic license to move the animals around a little and make a few changes to make certain all the pieces read right for this pastel piece.  I am working on Art Spectrum sanded pastel surface in Aubergine color - LOVE IT!!!  I bought three pieces in KC and I am treating it like GOLD!

Please check back for the progress on this one from the heart - we think Scarlett is the smartest, sweetest and the cutest little button around!

An Acrylic Painting of Chickens in a Coop

"What Pecking Order?"

6" x 8"

acrylic on Raymar canvasboard

Another use of a photo from the Critter Farm, thanks Danni. The effect came out very 'wash' like - as in watercolor...

another watermedia I would like more time with.

People ask me if I named my chickens?  I answer,"Who doesn't?"  Danni can tell you the name of these chickens, better yet, you can go to her blog and find them if you like...

(click here) Critter Farm.

An Acrylic Painting of Goats

"Paired Association"

6" x 6"

acrylic on Raymar canvasboard

Pete and Reggie are a pair of goats that live in Oregon on the Critter Farm.

I think goats are such unique animals.  This pair is always up to something on the farm.  They dance down the road when their owner, Danni, takes them for a walk.  They share a wonderful place with other animals and seem to all get along smashingly (that's a goat word for certain...)!

A quick update on the chickens - aren't they growing??

Their official names are from left to right: Harlough, Chickenator and Queenie.

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.