Saturday

I took the colored pencil drawing I did of Barrie's dog Kimble (done on drafting film) and erased on it today. I really didn't like the wood texture I did of the dog house. It distracts too much from the dog. And I erased one eye and her nose to do do over.

And I started a new drawing of two sled dog pups.

And that's the extent of what I've accomplished today - Nothing!

My sister-in-law called me yesterday just as they were getting home from the south. They have spent the winter being snowbirds in their motor home. They had doctor appointments in Salt Lake City on their way through. Sounds like they had good health reports, and had a good winter. Glad You're Back!

No new pictures, again, so I am posting one I took of an antelope doe and her fawn up at Fremont Lake a year or two ago. This was taken in the fall, so the fawns are almost as big as she is.

Friday

We had a ittle skiff of snow sometime during the night. I don't even know how cold it got. I never check the temperature any more.

I got things organized yesterday to reconcile two months' worth of bank statements. Didn't I just do that last month? Anyway, I categorize all the charges on my credit card, which sometimes takes a while. Why do I do this you ask? I don't have any idea. I guess I like to see where I am spending my money and how much, but I have no intention of changing my spending habits or making a budget. I guess I do it because my mother tried to teach me to itemize and categorize things. She would be proud.









I've got a tiny 3" x 4" watercolor notebook, and I'm trying to do a sketch every day. I'm supposed to be going out and do plein air painting with this little set. Maybe after it gets warm outside and before the bugs begin.

Thursday

Finally got the last details finished on both my income tax return and Barrie's, and got them e-filed this morning. We both are getting money back this year. Hmmm, let's see. What shall I spend it on?

Barrie says the first thing she is going to do is get her last four male sled dogs neutered. I'm not sure how many males she has, but all but four are neutered. She likes female dogs better.

I had a strange thing happen at the post office yesterday. When I picked up my mail, I had about 7 or 8 items that had been forwarded to someone at my box number. When they checked on it, the girl in the post office said the box was still in my name, and she has no idea who the person is using it as a forwarding address. There was an official looking letter from the USPS to the person, at my address, so someone has given this person my box number. The girl promised they would get right on it and figure out what was happening.

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Does anyone remember when the hillside gave away and the ditch washed out behind Nick Stadler's house? The hill slid clear across the highway. It didn't get Nick's house, but it took out his garage and buried two of his trucks. What an exciting day! The ditch goes through a big culvert in that location now.

I think the hillside is pretty stable at my house. Lots of tree roots holding the soil in place. I have water standing in my back yard every summer, but for some strange reason, the water does not get in my basement. It's going downhill too fast, I guess. I know people down on the flat between here and the creek have to use sump pumps in their basements every summer.

Wednesday

There is still some wind today, but it seems calm after yesterday. My house was creaking yesterday.

There were only five of us at art group today. Judi brought her computer, and I helped her get a "hit counter" on her Blog page. It's kind of interesting to see how many people look at your blog every day.

We are all working on the same picture of a big log house with stonework. It's kind of an "assignment" from Pam. I ruined my first attempt and gave the paper to Dee's grandson to paint on. I haven't made much progress on my new one yet. I's a difficult subject.

And I got three new books from Amazon today. That's not good.

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Another summer picture, because I don't have anything new. This is Dan. She is one of the kittens who was left in my driveway a few years ago. I had her spayed. I have only seen her once in about the last year. She came home for a few days, came in the house, and rubbed on all the furniture. I really thinks she must have another home somewhere. She is very round and fat.

Tuesday

Whooo! As Jimmy Buffet sings in one of his songs, "The weather is here, wish you were beautiful."

A good day to stay home.

I don't pay much attention to any news about Tiger Woods. But a Facebook friend posted something that I thought was humorous.

Were I Tiger Woods, I'd go full porn right now. Great liability to asset conversion. And he's already got that name.

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How can the first snowfall in the fall be so beautiful, and late storms in the spring are not? I took this photo in the town park a couple of years ago. you can see Harmony Crossing in the back.

Monday

Barrie took Kasey to see "How to Train Your Dragon" yesterday, her first movie. Kasey was so wound up! She can't say "theater", so she told me she watched TV in a BIG house. Then she chattered about the dragon's tail, and Hiccup. And she told me Mom ate the pine cones all up. She meant popcorn. I think her mouth was going faster than her brain.

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I don't have any new pictures, so am posting one I took in the summer time. This trailer was parked down the street in the back part of the old Z's Inn lot. There were two mules, and two young girls. This girl worked and worked to get the mule loaded, and he was stubborn. The horse trailer had been unhitched and no adults were around.

When I looked out the window some time later, the trailer, mules and girls were all gone. I presumed the parents had come back.

Something interesting going on down at B&B Yamaha. Someone is cleaning up around the place! They've hauled off several big trailer loads of "stuff" from behind the building. I've never seen it cleaned up before. I wonder if someone bought it.

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Yes, I know everyone hates the snow. But it sure is pretty out there.

Happy Easter

Two More Sled Dog Portraits

This is Mustang.

Kimble's nose is crooked. I think it's a matter of the shading, or maybe the placement of her nostrils. Also, one eye is higher than the other.

This drawing was done with coloed pencils on Mylar, which is drafting film. It is a matte, translucent acetate/nylon surface. It takes colored pencil beautifully, it is erasable, and you can draw on the back. The wood tone on Kimble's house was done with brown tones, then I put orange on the back.

Saturday

Another typical Easter in Pinedale. Snowboots and coats required.

The Easter Bunny tracked our little front yard up early this morning, and left lots of eggs in the snow. Funniest thing, the tracks resembled Barrie's Sorel boots. He also hid some in the house.

Kasey really got into it this year, looking for eggs. So excited!

I was up at 4:00 this morning. Don't have a clue why I couldn't sleep. Maybe the Easter Bunny woke me up.

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Barrrie took Kasey to the Easter Egg Hunt at the Park. She said there were two cops there, and wondered why. Do they need crowd control at Easter Egg hunts like they do at kids' soccer games? Like, do the parents fight if their kid gets an egg grabbed from right under his nose?

Friday

Ah, a productive day. I finished income tax for both Barrie and me this morning, using Turbo Tax. I wanted to do them at the same time so we could do some "what ifs" regarding filing status, dependents, etc. We both came out really well.

Barrie hasn't seen hers yet. She will be happy.

And because I am getting some money back, I feel better about having the matting and framing done on my paintings. And to celebrate, I purchased four new songs from iTunes, and ordered some new books from Amazon. Oh yes, and new watercolor paint.

Life is good!



This is a photo a took a year or two ago up the Green. For some reason, this picture really appeals to me.

From way back. This is my Uncle Bill, my Mom's brother, and a pastel portrait I did of him.

April Fool?

A few days ago, the National Weather Service issued a dire winter storm warning. - 90% chance of 5 to 10 inches of snow by Wednesday morning. Then they cancelled it the next day. So today it is snowing. Do you think this is an April Fool joke?

I got two more paintings matted and framed this week. Hmmm. Seems all three of them are old cabins.

I think I'll have to take some things off the walls to make room for these.

Everyone in the art group is working from the same photo to see how many different interpreations we have of the same subject.

I started on it with paper I have never used before, and using "Inktense" watercolor pencils, which I have never used either. I put some masking tape on the surface to protect the roof line of the house, and when I took it off, the surface of the paper tore. So much for my first attempt.

My friend Dee C. came in at the end of class to visit. She had her little 3 year old grandson with her. I gave him the ruined painting, my watercolors, and a brush. He painted a masterpiece while Dee and I visited. Wish I had thought to take a picture of him. He loves to paint.