Monday

I am reading that some of the families of the Colorado shootig are already sueing the movie theater.  I hope their lawsuits are thrown out before they ever get to court and start costing the taxpayers money.  That's just plain wrong!

Remeber some of the big lawsuits from the families who lost someone to lung cancer and sued the tobacco companies?  Or the ones sueing MacDonalds for making them fat?  Ridiculous!

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Tracy called yesterday and asked me to send her this picture of her, Leslie, Marty and Sonny. They are holding a memorial service for Leslie, and Tracy is organizing it and giving the eulogy.  She is collecting pictures of Leslie, and I sent her this one and two other ones.

Yes, I made them matching shirts and pants.  I remember the pants were corduroy.  We lived at Ragged Mountain and I sewed on an old treadle sewing machine.

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Sunday

If Judi had been carrying her camera with her yesterday, she would have documented me doing something I rarely do - shopping at Ridleys.  She and Cadence were there.

I don't cook very often, but when I try to cook something I get frustrated because we're always out of things.  How can you cook without onions, potatoes, eggs, cheese or carrots? And it seems like the pantry, which always was stocked with about 3 jars of spaghetti sauce, cans of chile, ripe olives, and and other staples are now empty. 

Okay, the cart was heaping, it cost a bundle, and I'm ready to cook again.  Look out!

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 The frantic robins are back.  The magpies are stressing them out.  Apparently, young robins on the ground are in danger from magpies.

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I haven't watched too much of the Olympics on TV.  Guess I should find a schedule and see what is happening when.  The gymnists are always so impressive, but - - - - unless they make a mistake in their routine, they all look exactly alike.



I hope it's okay if I borrow this photo.  This was taken at the the Box R last week by a visitor.

Saturday

Don't know what to say about the opening games in London.  Maybe I'll just be polite and not say anything. (yawn)

Barrie held the camera out and took a picture of both of them.

And KC took a picture of me looking out the upstairs window. 

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Friday

The neighborgood is being spruced up!  I'm not sure anyone even lives in the little house to the south of me, but yesterday somone came in with a weedeater and lawn mower, and went to work.  I don't think the grass has been cut there for at least fifteen years.

Later in the day, a pickup with trailer pulled up at the house to the north of me, and unloaded a riding mower.  One guy had a weedeaterand the other rode the mower in that little yard.  The guy who moved in there had already done quite a bit of work on the yard.

And the new Crossfire Feed Store sign is up.  Looks good.  Now if only Wolf Dodge would clean up the junk behind their place!

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Kasey and Barrie were taking pictures of each other yesterday.  Kasey loves to use the camera, and as you can plainly see, her pictures will be better than her Mom's.  I can tell, because Barrie doesn't stick her tongue out.



Thursday

I just read that many of the victims of the Colorado shooting might have little or no medical expenses.  Warner Bros. and members of the public have donated over $2 milllion dollars, and money is being raised in other ways.

I'm not sure how I feel about this.  Yes, it was a tragedy and a horrible thing to have happen to innocent people.  But there are innocent people all over the country who have been injured through no fault of their own and have  tremdous medical expenses. What makes this event so newsworthy is the number of people involved.  And of coursre, the subsequent attention of the media.

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Got myself in trouble this morning.  I started a load of laundry and decided to do some more work on that closet I've been stuffing things in for forty years or so.  And I found two boxes full of old pictures and memorabilia.  So I know what I will be doing the rest of the day!

These two pictures were on the very top of one box.  I took these at a snow machine race at the lake.  Someone's baby is sitting on a machine named "Playmate", and Grandma (Ruth) Hardy is sitting on one named "Exciter".  I think they are humorous pictures.

Wednesday

I finished this little (5" x 7" drawing of a chickadee in art group this morning,  It's done with graphite and white charcoal on colored paper.  The camera really picked up the texture of the paper because the light was coming from the side.  It also caused the mat to cast a shadow on the drawing.

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The accused gunman in Colorado is displaying bizarre behavior, and some say he is faking it.

Did he have that orange hair when they arrested him?  If not, how did he manage to dye his hair orange in jail?  Isn't he watched closely?





Tuesday

The campaign reminds me of two little boys fighting on the playground.  Makes me wonder how much of the foolishness is really the candidates, or maybe it's a combination of the aides, campaign workers, and the media.  Politics makes me sick!

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I just got an e-mail from Pay Pal telling me they are transferring almost $300 from my Pay Pal account to my bank account.  First of all, I don't have any money in my Pay Pal account, and second, I don't have an account at the bank they named.  There was an transaction number that looked like a link, but I didn't click it.

Then at the bottom of the mail, it says "Please don't reply to this email. It'll just confuse the computer that sent it and you won't get a response."

It all looked pretty authentic until that sentence!

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A mat can make such a difference!  I matted the coffee buffalo with a tan colored oval mat, and I think it improves it. 

Monday

The birds are driving me nuts.  I have magpies and ravens both, and their "songs" are not very pleasant, just loud.  And then there's the robins.  Most of what I'm hearing out of them is their "distressed" screech, -- yes, it's a screech.  Their young are falling out of the nests and are on the ground, and the parents immediately think they see a cat, and start yelling about it.  A bunch of them were throwing a fit in the trees behind the house at dark yesterday.  Don't hear them today.  Either something got the baby, or they got him to some place safe.

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I'm beginning to think the Olympics have outlived their usefullness.  So many protests and demonstrations, and then later they will start taking medals away for drug use.  Maybe I'll enjoy it once they get started, but for now, it seems like something to ignore.

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I'm listening to the song "Must Have Had a Good Time Last Night.  Dog on the roof, car in the pool, somebody passed out in the yard, lawn chair in the fire pit, etc.  Cute song.

 

Sunday

My horoscope tells me I should be spending money only on necessities.  Oops!  Oh, I won't buy any more art "stuff" today, maybe even next week.

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How do you know who the "crazies" are?  The guy in Colorado was a clean cut, studious and intelligent young man.  The long haired "loser" who might live next door to him is probably harmless.

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Looks like the Crossfire Ranch Store might be getting a new sign today.  Which would I rather look at?  The back of a sign, or the clutter behind the nursery across the highway and the back of the Game and Fish Office?

I love photos of men working!  Have you ever noticed if there is a group of men working, one of them is always leaning on a shovel.  (Photo by Dawn Ballou)





Saturday

The County Fair has started in Big Piney.  I haven't been for years.  There was a time when I hauled cookies, pictures, rabbits, and horses over there.  And sat in the bleachers for hours for the 4H Horse Show.  I enjoyed it, but I was much younger and ambitious then.

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Barrie brought me packages from the post office yesterday with "STUFF".  I love getting new stuff.  The little battery operated eraser is wonderful.  I paid about $10 for one a couple years ago, and finally just threw it in the trash.  I can't believe the difference with the new one.  It is so easy hold and turn on, and does a super job erasing.  I can actually control it!

Received a new mechanical pencil with a super fine lead, and some new masking tape.  The proportional divider came, and I haven't messed with it very much yet.

Like a lot of things, the hardest part of it is getting it out of the packaging material.  And I had to take the eraser to Barrie to get the battery cover back on for me.

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What a cute photo!

A perfect description of Pinedale!

I was once rear ended (streets were solid ice) at an intersection.  I went to the drug store to call it in.  Win was our Chief of Police then, and I told him the address  -- intersection of Tyler and Pine, I think it was.  Win asked me more about where it was, and when I said "we're right in front of Madge's cabin, then he knew where to find me. 

If I told someone I lived on Canal Street, they didn't have a clue where that was.  But if I told them I lived directly behind King Cone, they knew.

Thursday

 

My old friend and teaching buddy, Ellen Reed, stopped by the art room at Rendezvous Pointe yesterday for a visit.  Ellen is  90, and has just returned from a trip to Ireland with her daughter and grand daughter.  She was on her way to the swimming pool.  What a lady!

Ellen and I taught first grade many years together.  Thanks for the picture, Judi!

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This young robin crashed into my window yesterday afternoon.  He lay on the lawn in a crumpled heap quite a while before he came to.  Then he looked totally confused and probably wondered what the heck happened to him.  Both parents stayed close by while he was recovering.

Why do we always refer to baby birds (and other animals) as "he"?

Wednesday

Mother Nature fooled me yesterday. I thought it was going to rain, and the clouds all disappeared without raining. I guess I could go to work for the National Weather Service! That's exactly the way their weather predictions turn out.

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I worked on the watercolor painting of elk today in art group, and made very little progress.  Too much exactness and precision.  I am working on a graphite drawing of a mare and colt.  Sure wish I had my new pencil and the electric eraser.  Maybe they're at the post office now, just waiting for me.

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I don't have any new pictures today, so will  use a couple I found on the Internet.

 Yes, big brother.  This is for you.

Tuesday

It started out as a sunny day, but I see dark clouds are moving in from the west.  Looks like it's going to be another rainy afternoon. 

I tried a buffalo in charcoal on a sheet of paper that has been toned with coffee.  I always try to loosen up in my drawings, and the combination of charcoal and the coffee coated paper makes sure I stay loose.  No way to get details on these. 

Someone asked how I got the paper this way.  I use hot press water color paper.  I mix a little water with Folgers coffee crystals, kind of strong.  Then I spatter the water all over the paper, or just toss it on with a spoon or something.  Sometimes I blot it if I have too much water, or blow on it to move it arround.  You can't predict how it will look.

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Late yesterday afternoon, a doe with twin fawns went across my back yard.  They are so tiny! The gress is almost as tall as they are.  I didn't even have time to get my camera.  So now the camera is on the table right under the window.  Maybe she'll come through again.

Monday

It's as quiet as a Monday morning following Rendezvous here (which, of course, it is!)  I wonder how many trappers have hangovers today?

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Seems like it is raining every time I turn around.  Nice!  I haven't even heard any thunder or seen any lightning.  That's the best kind of rain.

Thoughts from Calvin and Hobbes for my artist friends.

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Well maybe this isn't that funny, but you have to admit it's creative!

Sunday

Chanel 106 is having an "Andy Griffith Marathon", so my television is on .  I can watch a lot of the Andy Griffith Show, and have a book close by so I can tune out the commercials.

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Here is the finished drawing of Bogie in his Fourth of July scarf,  I can see I need to work on the bottom of the drawing and not make such an abrubt stop.  I'll extend the scarf and hair on the right side, maybe some lost edges - - - -



Saturday

The Internet was down for a long time yesterday.  By the time it was back, I was out of the mood to blog.

What a nice rain we had last night

I ordered a new footsool.  I use it at my drawing table and in front of my rocking chair, because my legs don't reach the floor.  This is what the top of the old one looked like, and one leg keeps falling off.  I know I could recover it, and some carpenters' blue would probably keep the screw in on the leg it keeps losing.  Too lazy.  The top of the new one lifts and you can store magazines, etc. in it.

This is not quite the use I had in mind when I bought the new footstool. 

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I should finish the colored pencil drawing today.  Still not the right paper, but better than the first attempt.  I hauled the big sheets of drawing paper out of the closet yesterday and sorted through what I  have.  The paper I should be using is Canson Mi Tients.  I have a pad of it, and some full sheets, in  lucious colors.  Note to self:  Use the right darned paper next time you start a drawing.



Thursday

I took the colored pencil drawing with me to art group yesterday, looked at it for a while, and ripped it in half.  I have started a new one, on a soft green paper, and so far am happy with it.  The first was on a piece of off white paper that I thought was good paper.  But maybe I got mixed up on my papers and used something that just wasn't working right with the pencils. 

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I did a little "Googling" this morning, looking for images of horse muzzles. Just as I suspected, even without any pressure on the reins, the corners of the mouth turn up a little with a bit in the mouth, and turn down a little without a bit.  My horse in the reference photo I used for the drawing had a snaffle bit in his mouth.  I didn't draw the bridle and bit, but the corner of his mouth turned up, like the bit was still in it.  Judi was the one who picked up on it.  She said "your horse looks like he's smiling."

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 Still trying trying to "unclutter" my life and cleaning out dresser drawers and closets.  It was hard to throw this old shirt out.  The kindergarten class took a field trip to the ETC shop and Carolyn Bing made them all tee shirts.   A good day in Kindergarten!

Tuesday

I've done a little cleaning this morning, and worked on the colored pencil drawing.  The drawing has not improved.  I hate the paper and am not liking how the drawing is progressing.  Maybe I won't waste any more time on it.  Find a new sheet of paper, and a new reference photo.  I can usually tell pretty soon whether or not a drawing is going to turn out okay, and this one is not!

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I got out the fan yesterday and turned it on.  I guess I better drag my portable air conditioner out of the closet and get it hooked up. 

Missing the afternoon shade of the big pine trees.

This photo has been posted on the internet a lot lately.  Cute, huh?

This is definitely my house!



Monday

Warm, lazy day today.  Temperature at the airport is 79 this afternoon.  We don't have much wind, just a nice breeze.

The fire has now consumed 64,000 acres, and is 55% contained.  Looks promising.  And I did hear that some ranchers were able to return some cattle to their grazing allotments.

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I started a new colored pencil drawing yesterday.  I don't feel good about it yet, but it's too soon to tell, I guess.

The new neighbors are making a good impression on us.  I wasn't sure about them at first, but I think I like living next to them.  Barrie went over and introduced herself to the man.  He and his fiance live there, and he  has his little girl for the summer.  She looks like she is three or maybe four. 

They have mowed, weed-eated, raked and trimmed dead stuff out of the yard.  That yard has never seen such care before!  He has hauled several loads to the dump in his pickup.

I really do this!!



Sunday

Lots of activity at the humming bird feeder this morning.  There are now two hummers, and of course they fight over the feeder.  Kat is mesmerized.  She lays on the table in front of the window and watches.

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Kasey loves playing in the yard when she gets home.



Here she is standing in the spray from the siphon.

She is enjoying the swing so much.  You can see the grass is already looking a little yellow under the swing.  There was a time, a long time ago, that the ground under the swing was bare.

She jumped out of the swing, and told me, "I can do that now that I'm five."

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Watched my new video on drawing animals yesterday.  Made my hands itch to get my pencils out!  And of course, I had to order a couple of new "gadgets" that the lady in the video used.



Friday

Beautiful fireworks, as always.  Enjoyed watching them.

The little horse I drew earlier this week now has no nose.  I erased it, and will try again to see if I can get it right.  The horse in the reference photo was wearing a bridle and had a bit in his mouth.  Maybe that is why my drawing with no bridle and bit turned out so goofy.

I did this quick sketch using charcoal yesterday.  I really like charcoal and would like to be able to draw something worthwhile with it.

The fire is now 25% contained, and it sounds like things are looking up.  I still worry about the ranchers in the area, as they have lost their summer grazing, and I think most of them have moved their cattle into irrigated meadows, which will damage their hay crop. 

These rules are for my daughter, Tracy.

Wednesday

Happy Fourth of July everyone.  Stay safe.

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I finally have a hummingbird using the feeder at my window.  There may be more than one, but I've only seen one at a time.

I finished this small drawing this morning.  And as usual, as soon as I look at a photo of a drawing on the computer screen, I can see things wrong with it.  The horse in the reference photo had a face almost like an Arabian, and somehow, the muzzle got oversized when I drew it. 

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A message to my daughter, Barrie, who doesn't like me posting pictures of her butt on my blog:  Just watch your back, girl!!!

Tuesday

Uploading a video in Blogger is like pulling teeth.  I finally gave up.

When Barrie picked KC up from kindergarten, the teacher told her they were teaching her to "pump" in a swing.  Kasey's little swing was one of those that she couldn't do much except have her mom push her.  So Barrie went to the Food Basket (Yay Food Basket) and found Kasey a "big girl" swing.  Happy kid, and Barrie likes it that she can sit in the shade and watch.

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The frogs have been very noisy lately.  Sounds like they are on the hilllside by my house.  A new hatch maybe?  The  ones in the hay field are noisy too. 

One year the girls and I found pollywogs in the puddles on our street.  We caught some, brought them home, and put them in our aquarium.  We turned them loose in the yard when their legs grew.

I know nothing about the frogs here.  I don't know how big they get, but all the ones I have seen are onlly about an inch long.  They turn up in strange places.  One time there were a dozen or more in the corner of my basement, and one time there were a bunch of them in one area of my lawn. 



 Tracy at the Waldo Canyon opertion center in Colorado Springs.  She and the other woman went there for the weekend to assist with public information operations.  she said it was a valuable experience for her, as it's possible they could face the same situation in Summit County some day, and she is the Public Information Officer for the Summit County Sheriff's Department.

The President had been there the day before, so she missed seeing him.

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  I thought this coffee background would make a good bobcat drawing, but it didn't turn out the way I wanted.  Oh well, it's just paper.  I've got more paper, more coffee, and more time.