Sunday

Barrie can't pull through our driveway because she has another trailer parked there. This afternoon when she tried to back out, the trailer slid and pulled the pickup sideways down the hill. Barrie and Emily put chains on the truck, and then our neighbors got some towing straps and pulled the trailer sideways enough so she could get the truck headed back down the hill. She has the truck and trailer parked on the street in front of our house tonight.

There were kids at the mushers banquet going around asking the mushers to sign their IPSSSDR posters. Some of them asked Kasey to sign too.

I think Sam Perrino has entered the IPSSDR every year. They are from Yellowknife, NWT. Canada. This is his wife Petra and son Quinn. When I asked Quinn if he was going to be a musher, he said he was going to live in Mexico. They went on vacation there and he liked it. Peta is a very beautiful woman, and I sure took a terrible picture of her. Hope she never sees it!

Kasey enjoys the applause at events like these. They had a good dinner, live music, and a good sized crowd.

bad tempered animals

When we notice Kat "sticking" to the carpet, Barrie catches her and trims her claws with the fingernail clippers. Not only does that make her mad, Barrie holds her feet and lets Kasey pet her. She hates to be petted. She growls and snarls, but she's just making noise. She doesn't fight it at all.




The Standoff. This doe was really mad at Shorty. Wish I had been quicker with the camera. She was charging toward the fence and stomping her front feet at him.

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Three laptop computers in the house and only one is working. Mike can't fix the HP. He says the touchpad will have the be replaced. But the good news is it is still under warranty.

I did the "restore system" on the Dell laptop. I seem to have gotten rid of the popups. but now I can't get it on the Inernet. But I don't think "system restore" will removed any installed programs. So nowI am on the third laptop, the oldest of them all.

And I just had that almost happen to me on the desktop this morning. All of a sudden a little box pops up telling my my computer is not safe, or something like that. I'm sure it is meant to make you think it is your virus protection program. Then it is supposedly scanning your computer and finding all kinds of spyware and other problems. That must be the time during which it puts all these files on your computer, which pop up constantly. I did some research on this on the Internet, and this is the information I found on it.

It is a counterfeit antispyware that devastates the computer world today, and bothers us endlessly Vista Antispyware usually comes up after you installed a video codec that come with Trojan, malware and virus. Vista Antivirus generates fake and misleading system popup error messages so end-users will be tricked into purchasing it.

They call it "rogue" software.

Wednesday

No picture today. I took my computer to the senior center today and Mike took it home. Sure hope he can fix it, and quickly!!

The old laptop upstairs has really developed a problem. Somehow, a program called Vista Anti Spyware has installed itself on it. I get popup messages constantly about "stealth alert" or dangerous "trojans", "tracking software detected", and more. It won't let me type, and I get kicked off the internet. I'm over it. I could go to the computer downstairs, but I think I will just turn off the computer and quit.

Monday

My goofy Christmas cactus didn't bloom at Christmas, but now it is about to. Maybe the fact that I have watered it a few times lately made a difference. They always advise to not water them very much, but I think it should have been more than once a month.

Windy again, sunny, and boring. The Stage Stop Race starts this weekend. Keeping my fingers crossed for Barrie.

Sunday

How many of you have ever done this? Dancing on the table with a lampshade on your head!

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Bright sunny day with the wind blowing. We got just enough snow to be a nuisance but not enough to be pretty.

I think my HP laptop might still be under warranty. I have found papers on computers I don't even have any more, but not on the HP. I give up. I will just take it to Mike in Pinedale and hope he can fix it.

I had backed up the hard drive just a day or two before. Also, if I turn it on, I can still access the files on it with both this little Dell laptop and with the Desktop computer, and I can copy files from the HP to the other computers on the network.

Saturday

It's a beautiful day today. It's trying to snow, but not coming down very fast.

Kasey woke me up this morning and asked me if I wanted some breakfast. So we went to the Patio and had sausage and eggs. Kasey had a big Micky Mouse shaped pancake with hers. She ate like a horse!

Before we left, a young couple with a little boy about Kasey's age came in and sat in the booth behind us. The little boy stood next to his mother and was kicking her. Kasey's eyes sure got big! I'd like to know what was going through her mind.

Click on photos for a larger view

Not much snow, but enough to sled on. Barrie drove her snow machine up and down the hill beside our house a couple of times to pack down a trail. Then she and Kasey sledded down the "haieel" That's "hill" in Kasey speak. Sometimes she sounds like Scarlet O'Hara.

Barrie had planned to go to Jackson today to see her dad. He is in the hospital there and had a growth removed from his sinus. It looks like he will be home today, and he told Barrie not to come. Sunny is there with him, and Lane and Kelly were both there yesterday.

Friday

The other day I said I was going to finish my moose drawing or die. Well, I lied. I didn't finish the drawing, and I didn't die.

I did put the missing tire on the tractor and deepened the shadow on the ground under it. And I did read about eight chapters in the Steven King book I am trying to get finished. I don't like it, and I can't keep the characters or scenes straight in my mind, but I'm still plugging along. I have about eight new books to reward myself with if I can get through this one.

The cat is going to have a long, hard day. There is a spider on the ceiling. She won't be able to nap with that thing up there.

Wednesday

Click on images for a larger view

This is the goard my sister-in-law gave me for Christmas. It's about 7 inches tall and 9 inches wide. Alice was mean to me - she gave me a choice of about ten different goards, and it was so hard to choose.

Kasey fingerpainting.

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Thanks to those of you who offered advice and offered the use of a mouse for my computer. Actually, I've already tried that. I have an extra cordless Logitec, and the driver software installed just fine, but still no curser movement. I don't mind using a track pad and don't want to have to pack a mouse if I go somewhere, or even from room to room.

Judi gave me the name and number of the guy who keeps the computers running at Rendezvous Pointe, and I will call him.

Our painting group was fun this morning. Lots of laughter, and Vicky once again brought wonderful treats to eat.

I'm going to finish my moose drawing today or die trying! (Just kidding)

Tuesday

My laptop computer has died. Well, sort of. The touchpad has quit working. It's a little hard to use a computer if you can't move the curser around.

So I'll have to make a call tomorrow and get it repaired.

I worked on the desktop computer downstairs most of the day, reconciling two month's worth of bank statements. Why do I do that to myself? I was surprised that I was only 2 cents off. Got that done, and papers and bills filed. Then updated my iPod music files. Some of the songs were poor quality, or had a glitch in them, so I deleted them from the iPod music library. Than I looked for a manual for the HP laptop, and found manuals for everything else except the HP.

I got out my older Dell laptop which has been in the closet. I works OK, and hooks up to the Internet on my wireless network. But it sure seems slow! Also, it is a very small computer, and my old eyes have a hard time reading the screen.

I also had to install some software on it to work on some of the files I wanted to use.

Then the memory card filled up on my little camera, and I can't find the card reader that works with that card.

Heck - I'm going to just read and watch it not snow.

Old tractor

The Old Rusty Tractor

Click on image for a larger view.

I was pretty happy with the way this turned out except for the foreground. The shadow under the tractor should be darker than the near foreground. And then, of all things - and this always happens to me when I look at a painting on the computer screen - the darned tractor only has one back tire!! The grass in my photo almost completely hides the other tire, but it's there.

So I guess I will say this painting is almost finished, but not quite.

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Barrie has been putting 50 miles a day on her dogs - with the dog sled and running through a lot of dirt and rocks. That makes for long days. She is happy with the way her dogs are doing.

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Talked to my sister-in-law yesterday. They are in Salt Lake waiting for the refrigerator to be repaired in their motor home. The part will be in Monday, then hopefully they can get on the road to Mesquitte. They are parked at the RV repair place, plugged into their electricity and with the things from their freezer in the freezer in the RV office.

Talked to Tracy yesterday also. She and Paul left for Florida early this morning to spend time in their condo. Her sister, Leslie and her husband, Bobby are joining them. She says it has warmed up there and was supposed to get up around 70 today.

Friday - growing tomatoes?

I've never seen anything like this before. We were fixing hamburgers last night, and I started to slice this tomato. I about freaked out - I thought it was full of little white worms! But the seeds were sprouting and starting to grow. I think I'll leave it on the counter for a few days just to see what happens.

(Private to Judi - do we know any small child who would like to take this to school for show and tell?)

I'm not sure, but I think this person used to be on the old "Gunsmoke" shows as a sidekick to Festus. Or maybe she was in the "Beverly Hillbillies."

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The snow is melting up country. Barrie has been trying to work on the trail up there - like shoveling snow in the cattleguads. If we don't get snow soon, It is really going to hurt the Stage Stop Sled Dog Race. It's not just here - the whoe state needs snow so badly.

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The watercolor of my house bit the dust today - a total failure. I'll try again.

How to Fritter Away a Day

I am an expert at spending my day on unimportant activities. My daughters tell me that is what I am supposed to do.

I put samples of the colors in my new watercolor pencil set in my sketchbook and tried water on them to see how the colors reacted. They should be fun.


This is one of the little 2 1/2" by 3 1/2" trading cards with the Inktense watercolor pencils and pen and ink. I did the ink first before the color. I think it would have worked better if I had done it the other way around.

Judi does so many of these, and they are such fun. Judi said her grandaughter does these in her art class at school. I bet the kids really trade theirs. One of these days our group will have to do some trading, that is if we can get everyone to do them. I haven't done very many yet.

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I finally got my phones working again by taking the battery out of the base and putting it back in again. Then I found that the handset in the living room had gotten unplugged.

The cat is bugging me today. She gets up on the tables and knocks paint tubes or pencils off on the floor. They she takes the paper towels. Then she sits on the table right next to me and stares in my eyes. If I look at her, she "meows" at me. She's acting really weird.

Wednesday

Click on images for a larger view

I enjoyed painting with the Mixed Media Group yesterday. I finished this drawing of Scortch and made quite a bit of progress on the moose.

Today our watercolor group met at Rendezvouse Pointe. We had fun, as usual. Conley is working on a painting of blackbirds that is going to be awesome. I started a painting of my house, but didn't get far on it. Conley, Helen, Barbara, Vicky, Lenore, Judi and I were there. Rendezvous Pointe has a new photo printer set up in the art room. Beth and Helen printed some photos on it today.

I got some new colored pencils today. Yeah, like I needed more. These are called "Inktense" and are water soluble. I'll experiment with them this afternoon.

These books are made for walking - - - backwards?

I don't have a clue if this will work on not. I thought I would try to upload a video clip of the cat attacking her tail. I apologize.

I am going to Rendezvous Pointe tomorrow for lunch and to meet and paint with the Mixed Media Group. I am looking forward to it. I know almost all the ladies in this group, and they are a great bunch of women.

Sunday

Barrie fixed two big pans of chicken enchiladas today for some musher friends who were here for lunch . The Berges, - Allan, Tabby, and Allie from Glenrock came to pick up the two dogs Barrie got for them in Idaho. Emily and Bobbie Wade from Big Piney were here too. Nice people, nice visit, and delicious chicken enchiladas!

Click on image for a larger view.

I'm supposed to be working on other projects, but I started yet another one today. I want to do a colored pencil drawing from the moose photo I took yesterday.

I don't usually do the eyes first, but I tried it today. I don't think I got it quite right - she had such a sweet expession on her face and pretty eyes.

Yeah, I know. I am probably the only person in the world who thinks moose have pretty eyes and can have a sweet expression. But I like them! Then again, I've never been chased by one.

Colored pencils take so much patience. They don't blend well except by layering, and they don't erase. After I work with them a while, I usually am sick of them and put them away. But I always end up getting them out again.

Moose in the Yard

Click on images for a larger view

This cow and calf moose were in the back yard this morning. In fact, they are still just outside my window, lying down. Doesn't she have pretty eyes?

Barrie and Kasey came home a while ago. Barrie hadn't seen the moose and let Jarvi and Shorty in the back yard. Of course they ran barking at the moose. Shorty didn't last long, because he won't bark at something that doesn't run from him. Especially someting that big. The cow laid her ears back and it looked like she was coming over the fence after Jarvi. Barrie panicked because she knew if the cow chased her that Jarvi would run to her, and she had left Kasey in the front yard. So she went back to get Kasey in the house. When she left, Jarvi followed her, and both moose laid back down. Just a minor irritation in the life of a moose.

Wow! We're having a tropical heat wave! It is up to 20 degrees!

Thursday

Chilly - Brrr. According to my thermometer, it got down to 14 below zero last night. It is a bright sunny day and is only up to 4 degrees at 3:00 this afternoon.

Really enjoyed art group yesterday. We had a larger group than usual. Conley is back, with a knee that is good as new, I hope. I didn't do a thing in art group yesterday. I took the colored pencil drawing of Bailey and put it on the wall. I guess I just went for the pleasure of everyone's company.



I don't know if I mentioned that the horse has been named "Lucky". He's so curious, and I had a hard time getting a picture of him because he wanted to see the camera.



Barrie and Kasey headed for the corral with a bucket of water for Lucky.

The snow kid.

Tuesday

Whenever I photograph a drawing and look at it on the computer screen, I can immediately see where it needs improvement. I wasn't sure about this color paper, but it's not that bad. The area under Bailey's muzzle, on her chest, is where I need to do the most work. I have some funny colors there.

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I started a new colored pencil drawing yesterday on paper I found in my pile of assorted paper. I don't know where I got this or what kind it is, but I have torn the drawing up and started on a different paper.

Barrie is feeling much better and is getting her long training runs in up the Green. She said yesterday she saw several dead moose - wolves?

I'm feeling better too.

Monday

Here are two of the dogs Barrie got from Utah after Christmas, Tinkerbell and Cummins. I haven't seen them yet, but Barrie said they are not in good shape, very skinny and have worms. She has wormed them and is feeding them to fatten them up a bit. Sled dogs are supposed to be lean, but these guys really need some more meat on their bones.

I'm sure not getting over this cold as fast as I would like. I think I'm better, but Barrie has gone back to bed the last two days. She goes out to feed the dogs, then to bed. Kasey feels pretty good, and was happy to get back to "school" today. Wonderful day care!

Sure wish I had enough ambition to do some watercolors today. But I think I will just sit and work on the latest colored pencil dog picture.

Saturday

This is a rather comical picture. Kat appears to be a mighty hunter, all ready to pounce on that bird and kill it. Ears are back, eyes squinted, and tail is twitching. The funny thing is, Kat has never been close to a bird becauses she won't go outside. The only times she has been out, she stands on her hind feet at the door and cries to get back in.

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I don't know who to blame for this bad cold I have, but I'm miserable. I heard on "Willy's Place" on XM radio yesterday that you are supposed to have black eyed peas on New Year's Day. I don't remember where this tradition came from (sounds southern) but maybe that's why I came down with a cold. I didn't have my black eyed peas.

Also read on Judith Angell Meyers' blog that if my laundry is not caught up on New Year's Eve, it will never be caught up for the entire year. Boy, am I in trouble. No black eyed peas and a pile of dirty laundry!

I worked a whole day on the turkey carcass and made a big pot of turkey soup. It was terrible, and I convinced Barrie that it would make a good healthy addition to her dog food mixture for her sled dogs. Why don't I just quit trying to cook? Frozen pizzas and TV dinners are good.

Friday

The proof copy of the book I wrote came Wednesday. I know I am supposed to read it carefully and approve it if it is OK. There are a few typos I caught, but I have to go back and read directions to see what I am supposed to do next. I remember something about listing the book with Amazon, but that's not what I wanted to do. I really didn't intend for anyone to read it.

Kasey is about over her cold, Barrie says she is a little better, and now I have a cold. Just got e-mail from Tracy, and she and Paul both have colds. Good grief! What a germy bunch!

I am so excited for Judi and Rollie and their new Roadtrek. If you haven't seen the picture of it yet, check Judi's blog for Thursday. I even went to the Roadtrek website and looked at the floor plans of the van. Pretty neat!