Thursday

Now playing on XM "Highway" - Sara Evans "As If"



We used to have an old metal cupboard by the front door. I kept a rug on it because Midnight liked to sleep there. The picture wasn't posed. I bought a "Beware of Dog" sign for the front gate, and hadn't gotten it put up yet. It was a "Kodak Moment."


Another picture I found in an old photo album. Barrie, Tonya Nelson and Brenda Montgomery in first grade. I didn't teach Barrie in first grade, so don't know what she was doing there. But it looks like she is bossing Tonya and Brenda around!

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Looks like another beautiful day. It got up to 100 F on my little front porch, facing west.

Can't find the cat, but I can hear her. I'm sure she has something she shouldn't. This morning, early, she was playing on top of me on the bed with one of my putty erasers which I thought I had hidden from her.

Still haven't finished the old car watercolor, but this morning I have the urge to get something going with colored pencils.

Tuesday

It's pretty bad when the most exciting thing that happens here all week was my cat catching a mouse.

Cindy called to tell me I had never signed one of the paintings I sold at the silent auction. A senior moment.

I'm going downstairs to make something with chile and hot dogs. It has a biscuit dough crust. I bet KC will help me make the dough.

Go, Kat, Go

Late last night I looked down and Kat had laid a mouse on my feet. She looked so proud. But the damned thing was very much alive. She began to torture it some more, and I chased her downstairs.

This morning I started on a dead mouse search downstairs. I looked everywhere and couldn't find it. Then I looked around and Kat was sitting on the stairs with her dead mouse in her mouth.

Good Kat!

This is a watercolor by Conley that I bought at the silent auction at Rendezvous Pointe. It's quite small, about 6" x 8".

Saturday

The Chef in My Kitchen

When I started the biscuits the other night, KC wanted to help. Barrie came in and set her up with her spoon, a big bowl, some water, and some flour. I gave her the salt and pepper shaker to add some. Then I cut some chives, and let her take the scissors and cut them off into her "pancakes".

Barrie remembers standing on a chair in Grandma Myrtle's kitchen and washing dishes.

More from the Dresser Drawers

Now playing on my iPod - Tom Lehr, "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park"

Another item stuck in the bottom of a dresser drawer - a hand tooled belt I wore when I used to have a 21 inch waist! Tracy's Dad made this for me, and tooled his brand on the end. I made the belt buckle.

And these two old hanky's were in there. They are entirely hand made, even the hem, or edging. Such intricate work! I have no idea who made them, but it was an aunt, grandmother, or maybe great grandmother. Alice, do you remember these? Know anything about them?

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I have had three cups of coffee this morning, and none of them were hot. I pour a cup, then forget it until it gets cold.

The meat loaf I fixed yesterday was good, after you peeled the black crust off the top. The biscuits were good, and Lenore's apple butter was delicious.

Today I am finishing the Stephen King book, and then am going to paint. The Stephen King book is not one of his novels - it's a book he wrote about writing. It's pretty good, and certainly gives a different view of the man.

Thursday

Now playing on XM radio - Brad Paisley "Waitin' on a Woman.



This morning I cleaned out two dresser drawers in the big dresser in my downstairs bedroom. Making a little more room for KC's things and getting rid of some of my old junk. In the bottom of one of the drawers, I found these swizzle sticks. Two are from the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, one from the Fremont, and one from the Sand's Bar in Rock Springs. Boy, are these from way in the past! I think I made my first trip to Vegas in about 1960.

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Come on Mom, smile.

A pair of new Wranglers for KC.

And something else new. A dancing dress maybe?

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Lenore borrowed my canning stuff yesterday. Today she brought me a jar of apple butter she made from the crab apples in her yard. Should be good on the biscuits I'm planning on making tonight.

Wednesday

XM Radio is cutting out - lots of interference, so iPod is playing a Johnny Cash playlist.

Okay, I asked Kasey if she wanted Kat and she did. So I told her I was giving Kat to her. She decided she was going to teach "her cat" to be petted. Well, we'll see.

I worked on the painting of an old rusty car today. I haven't ruined it so far, but it is sure going slow.

Barrie went to Kristi's house yesterday. She had clothes to give away that her little girl had outgrown. Good grief! Barrie came home with four large bags of clothes. Cute clothes and nice clothes. When she came in the door, Kasey called upstairs to me, "Grandma, you have to clean your closet!"

Tuesday

Kasey fed Jarvi, Shorty and Maddy at the dog lot.

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I think I lost a day. Don't know how it is already Tuesday.

Kasey just came upstairs and asked me where her Momma was. She said she finished her nap, but I doubt she really went to sleep. Barrie was in the garage cutting up meat.

Monday

Now playing on XM Radio, Margaritaville Channel: Jimmy Buffett "Jolly Mon"

The Mystery Jar

Maddy brought this jar to Barrie. She dug it up somewhere in the yard. Looks mysterious, doesn't it? I don't remember where it was buried, but I know exactly what's in it. It's a dead parakeet, wrapped in a piece of white fabric. One of what Tracy calls "our disposable pets" that died many years ago. I doubt if I'll take the lid off, and it's probably rusted on anyway.

I cut my chives back to the dirt a week ago. It's growing fast.

Judi got such a good photo of the old house out on the Horse Creek Road. This is the best one I was able to get! I'll have Judi tell me more about the place when I see her.

Some lights were on downstairs at 4:30 this morning, so I assume Barrie went out to run dogs. When I got up at 9:00, she and Emily were in the kitchen making oatmeal. I thought they were going to grind meat in our garage, but they did that yesterday. I'm going to have to get up earlier to keep up around here.

Sunday

I'm sure you've heard "Singing in the Rain." I call this "Singing in the Dirt."

Busy morning. I put my fan away in the closet. I sprayed my watercolor paints. I looked at Facebook. Now I have to decided which book to read.
Just so much to do. (I love it)

I have been fighting with Blogger all morning trying to upload a video. It's there when I edit the post, but I don't see it when I view the post. The movie is not loaded. Whatever!

Saturday

We started our day with breakfast at the Patio. Nice, and then Chauncy bought our breakfast for us, so that made it especially nice.

Ted Reinwald and Tally Manning were moving some cows down the Soda Lake Road. I don't think we did too much damage driving through the herd with three dogs barking in the back. Maybe caused a few cows to find their calves, which is good.

Kasey entertains herself at the dog lot while her mom feeds the sled dogs. Then Kasey waters and feeds Jarvi, Shorty, and Maddy.

Some really nice dirt at the dog lot.

Water and dirt make a nice mixture.

Friday

Stuck in Traffic

A neighbor and former student of mine posted this photo on Facebook. Isn't this a great shot?

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We were just having a discussion in art group the other day about how much money is spent on studies, polls, experts, consultants, research, etc. on silly unimportant things.

Today I heard on the radio that a study shows that people with money are happier than those without.

And that in general, people are happier on weekends.

We needed a study for that?? Really!

Thursday

New Bed

A pink princess bed.

Kasey had to gather up all her "friends" to put in her bed.

Barrie and KC are such good shoppers. A stop at the Food Basket this afternoon netted this prize. Barrie didn't even see it - Kasey found it. She's been ready for a bed for a while, but this one is special. So much better than something like a regular bed.

Wednesday

Now playing on iPod, Creedance Clearwater - "Bad Moon Rising"

Chives

Judi has some chives in her yard and asked about cutting them back. I have grown the same pot of chives in my kitchen window for years. I even left the pot outside one winter, and brought it back in. I have to cut mine back. This is what I did to it today. I'll try to remember to take a picture of it next week to see how fast it grows.

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We were all pleasantly surprised at art group this morning. There are lots of bids of the artwork we put up for the silent auction. The auction ends Friday.

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John and Michelle Overgaag were at the Senior Center for lunch today. Jenny was with them. So good to see my old students! Well, they're not old, but I am!

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Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but she did it backwards and in high heels."

Monday

Now playing on my iPod, Mark Chestnut - "Bubba Shot the Jukebox Last Night."

Nasty

I have washed the bathroom rugs and mopped the floor. There was a poor little dead mouse lying on the floor in my studio room yesterday. My bathroom was the crime scene. Kat must have tortured the poor thing in there a long time. I think it died from loss of blood.

Kasey blowing up a balloon on the pontoon boat.

Fall trees at Half Moon Lake a few years ago.

Grand Canyon from 38,000 feet up. I rode a mule down to the river once. I just had a little cheap camera, and the only pictures I have are two I took of the wranglers.

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I have about a dozen magpies hanging around my yard today. Don't know why they're here. Maybe Barrie dropped a couple of meat scraps down by the carport.

I also have two doves who are finding something good in the hard dirt of my driveway.

Sunday

Now playing on my iPod - Miranda Lambert, "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend"

About 8:00 last night, I looked out the window and decided I had to try to get a picture of the moon and the sky. I was happy with the way it turned out.


Koda and Tulip in lead. They look like Mutt and Jeff. It was Koda's first time in lead, and he looks like he has a big smile on his face.

Going into Willow Lake

A water break.

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I didn't have any pictures, so stole some Barrie took yesterday on her training run. She said it was 21 degrees.

Two items I read on the news yesterday:

New York City is suffering a bedbug infestation.

The town of Dublin, Georgia, is putting saggy, baggy pants in the category of indecent exposure, with violators facing fines of up to $200. "We've gotten several complaints from citizens saying the folks with britches down below their buttocks was offensive, and wasn't there something we could do about it," Dublin Mayor Best said.

Saturday

Lazy day today. I have done a load of laundry, but haven't made my bed yet. I guess I'll navigate downstairs to get another cup of coffee.

I've been struggling with a watercolor painting of Fremont Lake. Just can't get it. I'm putting it away for a while - might finish it someday or might not.

I transferred a drawing of an old rusty car to a new sheet of paper and think I will start on that today. I'm in the mood, after seeing the painting Vicky had matted and framed.

View up towards the Flying A.

St. Hubert Church in Bondurant.

The fake moose in the Hoback.

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The pictures are some I took a year or two ago. I took a drive through Bondurant and the Hoback looking for fall colors.

Thursday

The wind is blowing so hard that you can hardly see across town for the dust. Can't even make out the hills on the Mesa. And a few little raindrops sprinkled on my windows. It must be vicious out on the flats. The wind is coming from a different direction than it usually does - it's mostly coming in from the South. I'm surprised I haven't had some trees blow down on the ditchbank.

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Kasey on the pontoon boat with her balloon.

Another one on the pontoon boat.

Kasey packing wood for the fire pit. She remembered helping Uncle Paul build a fire there last year.

Oatmeal for breakfast from a coffee cup.

Setting up Silent Auction Art

We spent about 2 hours hanging artwork for the silent auction this morning. I think it looks great, and we have a lot of work!

Nancy, Judi, Conley, Lenore and I posed for a photo when we were finished. Vicky is missing. Maybe she had left by this time.

Conley, Vicky and Cindy arranging some of the easels.

One easel and the wall between the big room and the dining room.

Monday

Barrie and KC and 3 dogs camped at the lake Saturday night. Windy, but they had fun. Grandma stayed home with a good book.

These are the cairns Judi built for Kasey.

This is the stick house Judi built. I'm afraid when the dogs found it, they played chase with the sticks.

KC and her pony in bed in the tent.



"She who sleeps with dogs."

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Plein Air Painting

On Sunday, Barrie and KC joined some friends on the pontoon boat and spent the day cruising Fremont.

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Got up this morning, and Barrie served me a plate of sausage and eggs. Life doesn't get much better than that!

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For my friends who, like me, think Duct Tape and WD 40 will fix anything:

http://www.wikihow.com/Use-Duct-Tape

30 things to do with duct tape

Sunday

Now playing on my iPod - Chris LeDoux, "Cowboy Up".

Seems I lost a day somewhere. Haven't posted since Thursday!

Barrie and KC went camping at the lake last night. Still haven't seen them today. The dogs are back in the yard, so I'm sure she was here. The dogs act like they didn't get any sleep last night. They have slept in a pile all afternoon.

Barrie and KC probably went out to take care of the sled dogs. And they might have gone back up to the lake.

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Had a special treat yesterday. Barrie bought portabella mushrooms last time she went to Ridley's She makes this delicious dish with them - tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni - under the broiler. Yummy.