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!