Tracy and Paul are on their way from Colorado and will be here this afternoon. She'll probably call as they go through on the way to the lake. They will want to get their camp set up and boat in the water.

Tracy always brings a ton of food, but I've got some steaks to take up.

Not much food here - I thought I would go to Ridley's, but Barrie truck is parked behind me. Yes, I'll use any excuse to keep from going grocery shopping. The problem is, Barrie doesn't have time to go.

Three more drawings from my old sketchbooks. One year when I taught half time, I drew portraits of all the kids in my class. These must have been practice, because I know every kid took theirs home with them.

Barrie removed the dew claws from the new pups last night. Poor little squeakers!

Wednesday

Awww.

Nothing cuter than a little girl in her pajamas cuddling new born puppies. The one with color is a male. The two white ones are females. Kimble and pups are in a kennel in my basement. She seems settled in.

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Street work is a mess. Some kind person put up temporary cardboard signs showing how to get to Rendezvous Pointe. The street didn't look open to me, but I got there.

Two of Judi's grandaughters, Kathleen and Cadence, joined us this morning after their swimming lessons. What nice girls! They got out paper and pencils and drew with us.

Conley is back from his fishing trip to North Dakota, with pictures of some of the fish he caught and a certificate for "The North Dakota Whoppers."

Monday

Barrie came in from her dog lot this morning all smiles. Seems Kimble had a surprise for her.

Kimble had gotten loose some time ago, and Barrie has been watching her closely, and didn't think she was pregnant. Kimble had three puppies this morning!

They are in a dog box in the pickup down in the carport now. I haven't seen them yet. Sled dog puppies are so cute!

Sunday

Barrie took Kasey camping at Willow Lake yesterday. The weather was perfect, and they had a great time. Kasey loves camping.

Kasey in my tent. I only used this tent once. I'm not sleeping on the ground any more. I guess it's Kasey's tent now.

Being goofy.

The campsite.

Awesome Buck

This beautiful guy was behind my house yesterday. He's all slicked off, and his antlers are going to be big! Now if only he stays off the highway, and stays in my yard during bow season!

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The old sketchbooks are inspiring me, and I've started a new watercolor. Maybe I'll even finish this one.

Friday

More old things from the sketchbooks. The only pen I had in those days were ball point pens, so that's what I drew with. Now I have a fancy set of Rapideograph pens with India ink, and don't do too much with them.

And old house that was down around Laramie somewhere. Done with ball point pen.

My sketchbooks all have kids' drawings in them. This little horse was drawn by Kelly. Her first name is Robin, so she signed her drawings "R Kelly R."

Old, old drawing I did of Grandpa Hardy with a pen. not one of my best attempts. This must have been a practice piece, because it's still in the sketch book, and I think I did one on better paper for someone. Bob and Maylene maybe?

Rainy Thursday

I dug out my old sketch books yesterday and looked through them. It jolts me how much better I could draw a long time ago then I do now. I don't spend enough time at it now.

The corner of this one was chewed by my pet rats.

Obviously, I did take this one along, a lot. Good old duct tape holds it together.

Pencil drawing of an old house. I drew a lot from life back then, but I think probably the reference photo from this was from a magazine.

I used this sketch for a watercolor painting once. I should try it again.

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Kasey hasn't been sleeping, and Barrie isn't getting much sleep between Kasey and the house across the street that starts up their diesel truck at 4:30 in the morning. She finally got up last night and put Kasey in my downstairs bedroom. Don't know how much sleep either of them got. I blissfully slept through it all, even the truck.

Kasey stood on the front porch just out of the rain this morning, singing "I'm a Wildflower" at the top of her lungs.

Wednesday

The new TV came today. Barrie got it unpacked and set up in about 15 minutes. Now she has to struggle to get the old one (pregnant elephant, weighs about 500 lbs.)down the steps and get it to the dump.

I don't watch enough TV to bother with it, but I am tempted to replace the upsairs TV (another pregnant elephant) with a new one just like it.

I'm sure the last TV I bought (at Falers) was over $600 for a 32 inch flat screen. This one is the LG brand, 32 inch, and cost half as much.




Charm forwarded some cute pictures to me. It's supposed to be baby porcupine, but I think it's a hedgehog. Cute!

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Enjoyed art group this morning, once I finally got there. The streets are all torn up, and I finally stopped an asked two of the workers how to get to Rendezvous Pointe.

I've had a cold (or allergies) lately, and it sure saps my energy. Feel better today, so far. At least I don't feel like scratching my eyes out.

These two quakie tress are on the side of a hill at Meadow Lake. I've used them for a model for many of my drawings and paintings that include quakies. I took this with an old twin lens Rolleiflex camera, roll film, 2 inch negatives, and I had to carry a light meter and set everthing by hand. Nothing autotmatic about it, but it sure took good pictures.

Lat time I checked on EBay, these cameras were going for anywhere from $200 to $700. Mine has been delegated to a shelf in my studio for decoration.

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I have a couple of old sketch books on the shelves, hard cover. For some reason, I've never used them very much. I think the fact they are hard cover indtimidates me.

Two old drawings

Sunday

This is one of my old first grade students, Freddy Farnsworth. He is working on a movie set in Valetta, Malta. He's shaking hands with Brad Pitt in this picture.

Freddy's dad was chief of police when I taught him. Years later, I was sitting on the outside gym steps on the playground of the old, old elemetary school, chaperoning a summer outdoor dance. Freddy came over and sat down with me. He was home on leave from the Marines. He talked a long time about the Marines. He loved it.

Now Freddy lives in California. He has worked as a stunt man in movies, and has been involved in a lot of films about the military as a consultant, and has also had parts in several.

You've come a long way from Pinedale, Freddy!

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Beautiful wet, green day today. Rain on the roof. And the frogs are singing in the hay field across the road.

Saturday

Absolutely nothing happening here today. Nice sunny day, but the forecast was for rain this afternoon. But then who believes the forecasts?

When Heidi and I taught kindergarten together, we used to take our morning class on a field trip out to Dru and Tawny's and Louie's and Lisa's to feed. They used two teams and wagons, loaded them with bales of hay, and put the kids on top. What a fun time.
Got in trouble with a couple of mothers who were perpetually late. When they arrived at school, we were gone, and their kids missed out. Funny thing, but those moms got better about getting their kids to school on time. An angry five year old could convince them better than the teacher that it's important to be on time.

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Some words of wisdom for the day.

Never take a laxative and a sleeping pill on the same night.
Life is what happens when you're making other plans.
One good turn gets most of the blankets.

Blogger is sometimes so frustrating! I tried to upload a video today, and it won't take it. I uploaded the same video to Facebook with no problem.

Kasey's daycare is closed today. She went to feed at the doglot with her Mom, and then hung out with me. We read books, and I let her paint. I showed her how to mix red and and blue to make purple, and blue and yellow to make green.

So, no video of KC painting. I am posting a photo my friend Pam forwarded to me of a bobcat on a saguaro cactus. Why on earth did it climb up there to start with, and how did it get down?

No comment

attemp

This is what my laptop computer screen looks like with the book "The Poisonwood Bible" open on the Adobe Reader. Very easy reading on the computer screen, and the type size is adjustable.
I had trouble getting books loaded from the library system, but reinstalled the reader, downloaded the books again, and it is working now.
Charm told me this book was good. I have enjoyed Barbara Kinsolver books, but the last one I tried I didn't like. "Animal Dreams"

Let's see what is in the news today - Weiner is resigning, Casey Anthony cried at her trial, Schwarzenegger's mistress is talking, Al Quada has a new leader, a ferret ate a baby's fingers . . . . . . Maybe I'll just watch a movie instead.

Wednesday

I took this painting to art group today. I was going to just throw it away, but started trying different sized mats on it. I found a smaller mat that would cover up the bad part of the painting. So I cropped it, and saved the snowy tree.

This is for Judi. How many times have we heard "He started it." I'm sure parents hear it too. Gee, I should have taken my kindergartners to the principal to handle the situation.

I actually went to Ridley's after art group, and got some groceries.

I bought a cantelope. Have no idea if it will be good or not. I tried thumping it and pretended to smell it, just so I would give the impression I knew what I was doing, which I didn't.

Where do all these extra spaces come from in Blogger?

Tuesday

Tried and tried to upload a video today, and it won't upload. Makes me mad. I'm not spending any more time on blogger today.

Monday

The sun is trying to shine, but I don't think it has much of a chance. It's going to be another cool rainy day.


This guy and two others were in my driveway this morning. I keep my "big gun" ready to go upstairs. (My camera with the telephoto lens). He got nervous and left because I kept having to push the cat out of my way to take a picture. Too much motion and activity.

Last night for some reason, I was trying to remember a song I used to play for the kids in kindergarten. It had to do with traveling in the car with a baby, and being stopped by a wicked witch, a giant, etc. who theaten to eat everyone up. All I could remember was that the baby said "Goo Goo Ga Ga" and the family was allowed to drive on.

You gotta love Google. I typed "Goo goo ga ga children's song" in the search bar, and found it. It is on an album named "Traffic Jams" by Joe Scruggs. I think Kasey needs some Joe Scruggs music!

Sunday

Now playing on my iPod, Johnny Cash "A Boy Named Sue".

These aren't new. I found them in my print rack, and matted them to hang in the art room at Rendezvous Pointe.

The top one is a small pencil drawing
The bottom one is colored pencil on mylar (drafting film).

I'm workin on another one of three chickadees on mylar.

In case you don't have anything planned for next weekend, you might be interested in the Heritage Duct Tape Festival: June 17-19, Avon, Oh.

This sticky celebration, now in its eighth year, takes places in the "Duct Tape Capital of the World." Duct tape enthusiasts will see dozens of displays made from this household staple, including fashion-forward clothing and sports memorabilia. On the last day of the festival, Miss America will marshal a parade from the top of a float made from the grey tape. General admission is free of charge.

Gophers

Barrie found two baby gophers in her dog lot. No mother in sight. The mother was probably a snack for one of the dogs. They were laying out on the ground in a snowstorm.

Kasey loved them!

Kasey said, "Momma, can we keep them? Barrie said "We already did.

The littlest one died last night, and I think the other one is dead this morning. They got warmed up, and they were eating. But I think they were just out in the cold weather too long.

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A couple of years ago, Barrie brought me the little scrawny orphan kitten (Kat, which I still have)

Last year, she brought home the mustang she recued from the wolves from up the Green. Then she brought home a Burnese Mountain Dog that needed a home. What's next?

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Why is it so hard to put page numbers on a document in Word? It's easy to do, but not when you don't want the pages numbered from the beginning page. I want to start on the fifth page. I know it has something to do with sections. So if a new section starts on page 5, I should be able to start the numbering there. I found a detailed list of instructions last night and printed it out. Maybe my mind is fresher this morning.

Thursday

I gave up this morning and turned my heat on. I know it's June 9th. Shouldnd't need the heat on, and that white stuff falling down from the sky shouldn't be there.
I wonder if the U.S. Weather Service knows about this?

Barrie found two baby gophers in her dog lot this morning, and brought them home. Don't know if they eat on their own yet. Gophers must be really dumb critters. Why would a Momma gopher try to raise her babies in a place full of sled dogs?

Can't wait until Kasey sees them.

Wednesday

Sitting here listening to thunder, and watching how dark it's getting outside. The rain is moving across The Mesa and the hills are obscured. I love watching the rain move across the hills. It will be here soon.


Years ago, I took a photography class at Teton Science School. I stayed in our pickup camper at the GrosVentre campground, and we went out and took pictures every day. The insructor took us up to the top of Signal Mounain, and this rain storm came over the Tetons and the lake. We all took pictures like crazy, but this is the only lightning strike I got on film.
Our instructor was taking pictures and yelling at us not to sue him if we got struck by lightning

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We had a pretty large group for art today. Nancy is back - so good to see her. Her husband had a stroke, and just got out of the hospital last week. She sounded so positive and upbeat.

Charmian asked how I was coming on the book "Gone With the Wind". My Kindle doesn't show the page numbers for this book, but it says I am at 3%. Not too impressive!

Tuesday

I was trying to fit some more books on the bookshelves and found a CD labeled "fonts". This photo was on the CD. I remember taking this in Colorado on my way to Tracy's a few years ago. It think it was somewhere in the vicinity of Kremmling.

And here are three of the fonts that were on the CD. The top one is called Minipics Red Rock. It's based on petroglypths.

The next one is called Minipics Little Critters.

And the bottom one is finger spelling.

I used these fonts back in the days I wrote school news letters and stuff like that. Don't know what I would use them for now, but I installed them anyway.

Monday

This swallow and his mate were busy checking out the hollow iron pipe on the top of the swing set. There's usually a pair looking at the pipe every year, but very few birds use it. I would think it would be hot enough inside the pipe to fry their little eggs.

Barrie's lawn. Gorgeous.

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Finishing one watercolor today. I'm either going to finish it or throw it away.

My latest reading project - probably only about 40 million pages. I've seen the movie, of course, but never read the book "Gone With the Wind". I started it last night.

Sunday

I saw this article in the Casper paper yesterday:

JACKSON — The cub of a female grizzly bear that became known for raising her offspring in view of delighted crowds in Grand Teton National Park has grown up and is raising two cubs of her own. And she seems to be following in her mother's footsteps.

Grizzly 610 — a number given by researchers — has been seen with her cubs near Signal Mountain, Signal Mountain Lodge and the Potholes area, often in plain view of the road.

Park spokeswoman Jackie Skaggs says the momma bear seems comfortable near park roads and relaxed with the cubs.

Beginning in 2006, grizzly 399 — 610's mother — raised three cubs in the park. Thousands of visitors witnessed the bear family looking for food along the roadside until the mother weaned her offspring in May 2008.

One of the cubs in this picture is Bear No. 610 and raising her cubs close to the road. The cubs were yearlings when I took these pictures near Moran Junction.

I think this is the Momma bear.

The park was closed, but you could go in the entrance and drive up to the dam. A perfect time to be there. Very few cars.

The elk were just starting to come on the feedground. I thought this made an interesting shot.