Lander Cutoff

I was looking for a photograph to represent the word "trail" for a scavenger hunt for the photo group I am a member of. I stopped to take a picture of the sign up on South Pass, but there was no "trail" in the picture. On down the road between Farson and Pinedale, I realized that there are many little two track roads out there, so stopped and photographed one I liked. Who knows, maybe it used to be one of the tracks used by the wagons? Anyway, when I loaded the photos on the computer, I combined them to show the sign AND the trail.

Click on photos to see a larger version.

The sign on the South Pass Highway

The snowy track.

The two photographs combined

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I'm listening to the Pinedale radio station this morning. I don't usually even turn it on, but was hoping to hear some news aout Garrett Bardin. Nothing new.

Signs

I love signs and am always on the lookout for interesting ones.

Click on images for larger versions.

Every fall, the School District parks a bus somewhere in town with the "help wanted" sign.

This sign makes me smile. I don't think I ever noticed the "truck route" sign until I stopped to take a picture of the big sign. I sure never knew Farson had (or needed) a truck route!

Not a tree in sight!

Click on image to enlarge it so you can read the sign.

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Still no sign of Garrett Bardin. According to the news report, many of the Rainbows are organizing groups and are helping search. I feel so badly for Bardy, Carol and Taylor.

Aarrrghhh! A New Chair

I did a job yesterday I have been putting off way too long. I have had a new chair for my studio for a long time. About a month ago, I finally took it out of the box in the basement, and hauled the pieces, a few at a time, up two flights of stairs. I finally got it put together. I hate doing jobs like this. It always ends up being more work than it should be. The piece on the bottom of the chair needed two screws in a place that was hard to reach, and I couldn't get them started. I should have used my magnetic screwdriver, but couldn't find it. Well, it is finally all together, and is too tall for me. My legs go to sleep because my feet don't reach the floor. I think I can fix that. This chair has an adjustable back, which is nice (once I figured out how to adjust it).

Click on photos to see a larger version.

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Never mess with a moose.

There used to be an artist who lived here who painted moose - lots and lots of moose, and also pigs. Her animals were whimsical and comical, but they certainly had a lot of personality. My moose would benefit from hanging out with her moose and maybe develop some character. And now that it is finished and sprayed, I notice one of the tines on his left antler crosses over the right antler. Good Grief! I don't think I can fix it.

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June 27, 2008 - A year ago today . . . .

One year ago today, the fire was burning up Horse Creek, and I took this sunset photo from my back yard.

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Click photo so see a larger version.

Mission San Juan Capistrano

The old Catholic Mission at San Juan Capistrano was a wonderful place to explore. I took a lot of pictures, but should have taken more. There were lots of artists on the grounds of the Mission with easels, painting various scenes. I wish I could visit there again someday and spend all day photographing and painting.

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Candles inside the chapel.

In the courtyard behind the four bells

The original church, which was destroyed by an earthqake. About 40 Indian worshippers were killed, and it was never rebuilt.

The pond (full of Koi), and the front of the mission, showing the arches where the four bells are located. The ruins of the old church are on the right.

June 25, 2008 - California trip

The internet was down yesterday, and by the time it was back up, I was not in the mood to post to my Blog.

Last October, Tracy and Paul took me to Newport Beach, CA. It was not my first time flying, but it was the first time I had flown in a large jet. I loved it!

Although it was smoky from the wildfires, we did a lot of sight-seeing, we had fun, and the smoke cleared out somewhat in a day or so. We ate a lot of wonderful food, went to the beach, wandered around through Blaboa Beach, Newport Pier, and other places. We spent almost a whole day at the old Mission San Juan Capistrano.

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Click on photos to view a larger image.

This is from the balcony of our rooms at the Marriott. Quite smoky,

but a pretty sunset over the oceon.

Gulls at Newport Beach.

A view of the Grand Canyon from 38,000 feet. I rode a mule to the bottom of the canyon years ago.

June 23, 2008

click images for larger version.

This was taken in the early morning and the antelope were back lit. I was hoping for a silhouette, but my camera thinks it is smarter than I am and adjusted the exposure to show more details.

I loaded the picture onto the computer and opened it in my Photoshop program. I cropped it, and made some adjustments to turn it into a silhouette.

Then I opened a photo of a sunset sky and replaced the plain sky with the sunset.

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Judi mentioned in her blog that her lilacs were going to bloom. Mine are too!! I was so surprised! I thought a couple of nights of 27 degrees would have frozen the buds. They aren't very big blooms, but at last they are there. They smell so good!

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June 22, 2008 - Two watercolors

Click on images to see a larger version.

Here are two watercolors I have done this spring. I wanted to try wood texture and rust, and was happy with the way it turned out. Lynn T. helped me with some highlights on the rust.

I wasn't at all interested in drawing or painting bears, but last fall I drove up to Moran Junction and went a ways into the Park. A grizzly sow and her three cubs were beside the road, and gave me lots of time and opportunity to photograph them. There were only six or seven people parked watching them. (That's what's nice about late fall in the Park.) She is known as Bear No. 399, and has been a popular bear with both the Park employees and the tourists. She hangs out close to the roads, which makes her popular with the tourists, and she doesn't cause any problems, which makes her popular with the Park employees. I didn't plan my painting well enough to have room to paint all three cubs.

I read in the Jackson paper that she has run her cubs off this spring, and has been seen in the company of a big male. I think her cubs are three years old. She kept them with her a long time

I said I didn't buy anything fun at WalMart, but I did buy a healthy looking Patio Tomato plant. I had one several years ago that lived in front of my south facing dining room window. It lived two years and produced a lot of tomatoes. They weren't too large, but they were not the little cherry tomatoes. I hope this one does well.

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June 21, 2008

My friends Gina and Judi have both mentioned my new blog in their sites, and included links to it. Thanks, girls!

I added links to blogs I regularly read on the side of this page. Hope it works.

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I saw several people in and around Rock Springs who looked like they might be heading for the Rainbow gathering. Of course, in the summer, I guess you can expect to see lots of people "on the road". Because of all the construction, I didn't see them on the highways. They all seemed to have either a dog or a guitar. I also passed a big schoolbus on my way home. It was old, spray painted, had broken windows, and looked like it was packed to the ceiling with boxes. If I had to guess, I would say it was headed for Big Sandy.

When I went to the liquor store last week, an older man with a little skinny grey ponytail was in there. He was wearing a bright orange tee shirt, bright yellow shorts, bright green socks, and tall boots. When I looked at him, he said "I dressed myself". Turns out he is a friend of Bubba's. I'm sure you all know who Bubba is.

When I came out of the liquor store, a young man (with a dog) was sitting there in the shade, and asked me if I could spare some money. I pretended I didn't even hear him.

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It was nice to see Cristy's blog updated with some new work. Cristy and I taught together the last year before I retired. She was such a natural with kindergarten kids, and I think we had a great partnership and I really enjoyed teaching with her. She made me a gift of a new sketchbook, pencils, and illustration board, urging me to get back into my art work. Well, it worked, Cristy! Thanks again.

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Click on photos so view a larger image.

This is what happens when I pick my chokecherries.

And this is what happens to those I can't reach.

June 20 - Shopping Day

Another Photo Edited

Click on images to see a larger version

After the Filter is applied

The original photo

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What a day!! I am exhausted. I decided today would be WalMart day, and that I would drive to Rock Springs and stock up on groceries. I hope these last a long, long time, because I'm not going back! The traffic was terrible, and lots of construction.

I thought I would give my new GPS a chance to do something besides guide me to the post office and back. So away we went. When I got to Rock Springs, it directed me to the interstate. I never use the interstate to go to WalMart, but I decided to humor it. But there was a lot of construction on the interstate, and I couldn't use the exit I was supposed to. So I had to go to the next exit and come back. Then I got on Dewar Drive ( heavy construction), and the GPS directed me to turn left. But when I turned into WalMart, it kept telling me to make a U-turn. The poor thing never did figure out where we were, and I turned it off!

I spent a lot at WalMart, and didn't really buy anything fun - just lots of cat food, toilet paper, paper towels, light bulbs, and groceries. I only got part of it put away - the stuff that needed to be put in the refrigator or freezer.

June 19, 2008 - Photo Editing

Photo Manipulation:

I really enjoy loading photos I have taken onto the computer and editing them with the Photoshop program. I have done some strange things to photos using this program. There are so many tools, actions and filters, and I have yet to learn them all.

This is a tree at the Homestead Living Center in Riverton, where my Mom lived for a while. Such a neat old tree, and I wanted to give it a "facelift". I replaced the buildings and houses with bushes, and I'm sure I did a lot of other things to it too, but here is the result.

Click on photos to view a larger version

Before

After


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Two More Quilts and Knitting

Lone Star Quilt

Trip Around the World

When I was in my "knitting phase", I knit a bunch of socks. I pretty much quit on sweaters, as I don't wear them anyway. I do have some more sweater yarn that I just look at.

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I finally started watering my lawn yesterday. It was so wet and rainy every day, then all of a sudden it got warm and dry, and my entire yard is a shameful mess. I haven't even cleaned all the old dead flower stalks out from last year yet. My yard is too big, and is on a side hill. A couple years ago, my quakies went crazy and put up hundreds of shoots. I decided to leave about the bottom third of my lawn, and quit mowing it. It is now growing a healthy looking grove of little quakie trees.

Retirement is hell! Too much to do and too little time to do it in!

June 18, 2008

Click on images to view a larger version

Another colored pencil drawing on Mylar (drafting film). This was my first drawing on Mylar, and you can see I had problems, especially with the background

Tracy and Rowdy, done in colored pencils on Stonehenge paper. My first colored pencil portrait, and a real struggle. I attempted too many layers and too much blending, and her skin ended up looking blotchy. Cats are easier than people!

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After looking at these images of some of the Rainbow Family on the Internet, I have decided I can live without seeing them in person. But I remember seeing a lot of them come through town the last time they gathered here, so will probably see some. It could be worse - I just watched a documentary on racist Skinheads, and I would rather have the Rainbow family!

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My friend Bobbi from Big Piney visited this afternoon. It was so good to see her. It has been a long time, and I don't know why we don't get together more often. Her husband teaches the ceramics class at Rendezvous Point on Wednesdays. He also teaches art in Big Piney. Bobbi and I taught kindergarten together in Pinedale, and she teaches in Big Piney now.

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I painted with the Art Group at Rendezvous Point this morning. What an enjoyable way to spend a morning! We laugh and talk a lot, but we also produce some pretty neat art work. Poor Pam was late, because she had a tree down over her road and couldn't get here until it was moved.

June 17, 2008 - new work and old photos

Click on photos to see a larger image. You may remember that I mentioned colored pencils frustrate me because they look dull, don't blend, and don't erase. I have found a surface that works for me. This a colored pencil drawing of my cat, and is done on "Mylar", which is drafting film. It is a translucent acetate surface, matte finish. It won't take many layers of pencil, but erases well, and you can draw on both the front and back. Adding colors to the back of the drawing really gives some interesting effects, and increases the intensity of the colors. Because of its transparency, it needs to be backed. You can use whatever color you want for the backing. This one has black paper.

This is a graphite drawing of a mountain lion I did last winter. I did him twice. After I had completely finished the first one, I noticed one eye was higher than the other, and his head was lopsided. So that one went to the trash

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The Marlatt Brothers baseball team, from Hawk Springs, Wyoming. This was taken in Chicago about 1929, where they had gone to play in a tournament. They are wearing unifoms loaned to them by the Chicago White Sox. My grandfather is standing at the far left, and my father is standing on the far right. Although they called themselves "brothers" two of the players were nephews.

Back in the days when I was an Indian (or related to one, anyway), the Indians were able to hunt or fish at any time on the reservation. I am leading out a pack horse loaded with an elk shot in August. This is on the reservation, and that is Steamboat Lake in the background. Boy!! Was I young then!!

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The Rainbow Family is already starting to gather up at Big Sandy. There was a photo on Pinedale online http://pinedaleonline.com/ of an old school bus with a huge white storage type thing built on the top. It looked like it contained lots of supplies.

I wonder where these people all come from, and what they do when they are not "gathering for peace". I wonder if they have jobs or live in houses. Maybe I will drive up there next month - just seeing 40,000 people in one place might be worth the drive.

June 16, 2009

Click on the photos to view a larger image.

This has got to be my favorite "out the window" shot. I took this with a telephoto lens out my bathroom window. I noticed the horse trailer down the street and two young girls with two mules. They were trying to load them into the trailer, but were having problems. The trailer was gone later, so I assume the adults in charge showed up.

A male Cassins Finch.

Deer in the snow

OK, I promise no more "out the window" pictures. This is the camera I usually use ( I have more than one body), and the lens on the camera is the telephoto zoom lens I like to use.

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My brother e-mailed me the other day. My sister-in-law is getting ready for an art show in Casper. She is a very talented sculptress, and also makes jewelry and other items. Although I own several of her bronzes, this bowl is kind of a favorite of mine. She hollows out the goards and decorates them with a woodburning tool, original pewter figures, and pewter and turqoise beads.

If you would like to see more of her work, here is a link to her web site:

http://myweb.wyoming.com/~bmarlatt/

More Photos from the Window

Click on images to see a larger version.

This buck is resting in my back yard.

Spring is a great time to take pictures out my window where I hang the bird feeder. The summer birds have come back, like this goldfinch, and they are easy to photograph, because the tree outside the window has not leafed out yet.

I have apair of doves who show up every summer. They like to sunbathe on my fence.

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I watched the movie "The Outlaw Josey Wales" last night. I have seen it before, but everything else on TV looked pretty bad. I almost always like Clint Eastwood movies, and Chief Dan George is one of my favorite actors.

I finished reading "Uncle Tom's Cabin". I'm not sure why I've never read it before. I didn't expect to find it easy reading, but I was surprised how I got into it and it held my interest.

I am now reading "People of the Silence". It is about the early tribes who lived in the cliff dwellings in the Southwest. I am going to have to go back and read the first 150 or so pages over again. The books jumps from one group of people and situation to another, and with names like "Cloud Playing", "Ironwood", "Snake Head", "Night Sun" - and so on, I am feeling kind of lost.

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Out the Windows - June 14, 2008

My upstairs room is a perfect photography blind. I have a good view of the ditchbank and my back yard, the area to the north of me, and my yard. to the south. My windows are double, and I only put screens on half of them so I can open the other side and take pictures without having to shoot through a screen

These are just a few I have taken out the window. I will post more another day.

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Another drawing from the past.

Another pencil drawing I did quite a few years ago. This one won a award of some kind at a Wyoming Artist Assocation show, and hung in the governor's office for a year. When I got it back, I never tried to sell it. It is hanging in my house. I used a black and white photo of one of the participants in the Rendezvous as reference. Sandy, the wife of this man has expressed interest in it. I really don't want to sell it, but I should look into having some prints made. I would like to give her one

The Rainbow Family is coming to the Pinedale area next month. The plan now is to camp at the Big Sandy Opening. There will be about 40,000 of them. (The entire population of Sublette County is around 5,000) They were here years ago - up in the mountains above Big Piney. I don't know that they really caused any problems, but just the fact that this many people camp in one area in our mountains is scary. They claim to believe in peace and taking care of the environment. I'm pretty sure they don't believe in taking baths or wearing shoes. They kind of resemble left-over "flower children".

It's sunny and the temperature at 1:00 this afternoon is 69 degrees. According to my little "weather station" it got down to 34 degrees last night.