Getting Ready for the Studio Tour

We hung all the art I have framed in the stairwell then decided that I might as well thumb-tack the remaining art there rather than try to come up with another way for people to browse through all of them.

I'd forgotten how much stuff I have!

Scottie was my first "visitor" - obviously quite taken with the abundant display. Either that or he's just wacky.

Still to do: cleaning, lots of it; cards to put in sets; display for cards to create; display for prints to create;
signs to make for parking; more business cards to print;
prices to mark for paintings. . . I'm sure I'm forgetting
something. Want to come help?

Bits and Pieces

Bits and Pieces was the name of my last art show - - in 2005!

That show was at the museum in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, and was a one-person show. After that, life got nuts with moving, everything in storage, building a house, etc., and I thought I'd forgotten how to paint.

So, I'm back painting. Yeah!!!!!

One would think that being in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada I'd be painting big, dramatic scenes. And, I "wanted" to be painting a bit abstractly. But, my art seems to have a mind of its own.

And, what I've done seems to be a funny return to my Illinois farm girl roots. I'm managing to find farm/ranch scenes. Granted we are just outside the "Great Central Valley" of California; and granted, it's the largest farming economy anywhere - but wouldn't you think I'd paint mountains???

Ah well, the Studio Tour is coming up 3/29 and 3/30; and I have a very special introduction to make at it - no hints. After that, I'm determined to paint something abstract.

The top painting here is my recent favorite, Lunch Beneath the Sycamore. The bottom is Scottie's favorite, Yokohl Valley Watering Hole.

Yep, farm scenes.

Friends and Flowers

We took a little walk recently with good friend Dick Burns, 80'ish, former naturalist at Sequoia National Park for 20+ years. It's like going for a walk with a treatise on natural history! Mr. B knows every plant, every bird, and he's just a treat to be with.

So here he is with Scottie - two guys who carry their age better would be impossible to find.





This is sedum growing around a big rock outcropping. (I can't pretend I knew that without asking Mr. B.) The plants are tiny, tiny. Must be that the water that gathers at the base of the rocks nourishes the plants.









And this is popcorn flower. It provide the white to offset all the California Poppy bright orange/yellow that fills the hillsides right now.




It's rainy and gray, so we will be off to run errands today.

Getting ready for the studio tour the end of this month, painting, getting prints made, etc.

Life is good!

Conjugating Verbs

It's that time of year, and all around me flowers spring up everywhere. These are double daffodils, so does that make them twice as daffy?



These are planted on the berm in front of Scottie's shed, 'cuz yellow is his favorite flower color.














And, the miniature grape hyacinths are up - tiny, tiny little guys, and they are right at the top of the steep bank where the sun hits them.









Planted near the daffies is my lavender.

Don't those colors look good together.


Oh, the wood thingies are to keep dogs from tromping on my flowers.








And, Early Blooming Something (I can't remember the name) which I got as a start from a neighbor also sprang into action and grew.


This baby grows in the shade so it's on the north side of the house.







And Scottie sprang into action with the weed whacker to get the weeds, and unfortunately the wildflowers, knocked down.

Of course, I think his brain sprung a leak. (See, I did it: spring, sprang, sprung, right?)

The man is a maniac!





Just so you can see what he's been dealing with, here's a section with clipped stuff and un-clipped stuff. There's still at least a quarter acre to trim!







So, Scottie worked; I worked - cutting new steps into a bank with a shovel (hard work), watering plants (easy), trimming things (easier than the shovel job). . .


And Buck relaxed. That boy has it tough.

Oh, the old wooden wheels are ones I bought in New Mexico and finally got Scottie to put up by the front door.


Next week we'll talk about nouns.

Spring is almost here!

Gosh I love this time of year! I know my blog sometimes reads like a weather report, but sometimes it's just too good not to report.

It's wildflower season, and the California Poppies are having their best year in decades. Our friend, Dick Burns, who is 90'ish, worked as a Naturalist in Sequoia National Park for years and years, and has been here over 50 years tells us he's never seen the poppies blooming like this year. That should be a harbinger of great blooms from other wildflowers to follow.

And, the river is running!


We've already gotten a mailer from the guy who is the local river guide extolling how great it's supposed be this year. So, if you want an exciting ride - including Class V rapids - I'd say plan your trip for April, This is the start of the chute just below the Gateway.





Spring also means tons of birds! Constant refilling of the feeders threatens to bankrupt us. But, who can give up the sound and sight of birds?

It also means my little fountain comes back into action. We've had pine siskins and goldfinches using this for both a water fountain and a shower, but every time I get out the camera for that close-up they skedaddle.




And, Spring means visitors.








We've been graced by Bob the Mad Juggler, aka Corvette Bob. He and Scottie are out doing the back roads in the bright yellow 500 hp (you read that right) Corvette. If I need to gather bail money, some of you will receive phone calls.









And, house guests mean dinner parties, right? We had a hand-full of neighbors in to celebrate Bob's visit. Neighbors Yerko and Scott, to Scottie's right in the photo; Yerko's sister on the far left; Judy who lives across the road, and of course, Bob. So far as I know they all ate my cooking and lived to tell about it.









And, all good dogs must have baths and new neck scarves for Spring.




Spring for them seems to mean lazy days in the sun. Not a bad life these dogs of mine have!




For those who didn't know: check out my web site at www.artbyeddie.net. Be sure to use .net, not .com.

Later.

The web site is up & the Studio Tour is coming

Finally, I DID IT. My website - www.artbyeddie.net - is up and running. Check it out. Buy something even.

And, yesterday was the Artists' Pre-Tour for those of us participating in the upcoming Three Rivers Art Studio Tour. Don't miss it. There is some fabulous art to be seen. Check that website too: www.threeriversartstudiotour.com

I will be very busy the next 6 weeks painting, painting, painting.

I've looked at Clouds from both sides now. . . .

It's all in how you look at it.

This is looking up canyon on a wonderful morning with low clouds hanging everywhere.


It's taken from right off the living room.







Same view taken from the little balcony off our bedroom.



I really wish I could capture the grandeur of this place, especially when weather settles in; but it would take a much better camera than I own.


Anyway, today is going to be a day of painting. Not walls, silly. Painting as in paintings. Gotta start getting ready for the upcoming studio tour. And, I'm working on a web page. Stay tuned.

Snow in Three Rivers!!!!

So, Thursday morning, Scottie wakes me before it's light out to ask if I've seen what's going on outside. Now, that's a dangerous thing to do. I'm not someone who wakes up cheerfully, and the obvious answer to his question is, "well, I'd have to be upright and have my eyes open." But, I did get up, and it was worth it!

Snow, really, at our elevation (1500 feet), wet, heavy, beautiful snow. This is my cute little bench and rock wall with snow.



Once the world got light enough for me to see and my camera to work well, the snow views were incredible. It's not often that the snow level gets down this low.


We decided to take Buck and Cocoa for an off-leash walk and let them play in the snow. They had a ball! They'd take off and head up or down the hills, but surprisingly they came back each time. Many of you may recall that Buck has a history of running away. He's gotten much better at knowing that he actually lives with us.


On our street - Hammond - we ran into a tree that had fallen down across the road. The problem with wet, heavy snow, beautiful as it is, is that it can be quite damaging to trees. We saw several more down around the area and found out at the coffee shop that much of South Fork had no power, so much of South Fork had elected to show up at The Buckeroo for breakfast.






My Buckeroo, alias Baby Buck, alias Dumb S--t dog, took the lead on this part of the walk, but Cocoa wasn't far behind.


By mid-afternoon the snow was gone at our elevation, but still there in the hills and mountains above us.

Much as I wish it would have hung around a bit longer, maybe it's the fact that it doesn't that allows me to like it so much.

Those winters in Illinois, with fanny deep snow, were not so well loved. Nope.

How pretty it's been!

Pheeling Philosophical

OK, why does Ph sound like F? Why not just use F?

I've been reading online news, wondering what is going on with our country, our people, the world at large. . . .

First, Tatiana the Tiger escapes her cage, kills one, and mauls 2 more. Let me first say that the intelligence of Tatiana is amazing. She didn't injure anyone other than the 3 involved in the taunting, two of whom she apparently had to track down. Methinks we underestimate the rest of the animal world, species-centric beings that we humans are. So, we have 3 young men drinking and stoned who decide on Christmas day to go to the zoo and taunt a large predator. Could we just call it felony stupid and move on? Then could we also admit that putting large predators in enclosures that are designed more for the viewing public, read that as "paying" public, than for the safety of the animal and the public is the same kind of stupid. Obviously the zoo is going to be sued & will pay major bucks. That seems to be the only way corporate America learns anything, and yes I see these large zoos as little more than money-generating corporations. So they will get to pay their penalty in the only realm that really matters to them. And the 3 young men have learned a lesson one would hope, well actually 2 may have learned a lesson, one just died for his stupidity. And Tatiana was executed. Everybody gets punished in the way most poetically suited to them. Such is the law of the jungle.

We seem to have this mistaken idea that we are at the top of the food chain. It takes very little to prove just how untrue that is. Life ain't a video game, and as the old story goes it's not so much that we need help holding on to the tiger - we may need help letting go.

Then we have the current political campaign show. It's not much different. On the Republican side, Rudy is finding out that character matters. Romney thinks he has enough money to buy the presidency - and given that the country is heavily in debt while he's loaded, maybe he does. Huckabee wants to make "God's law" - his version that is - the law of the land & has Chuck Norris as his personal enforcer. Fred thinks he can try out for the part but the writers' strike must be hurting him. And McCain is hampered by history. For the Dems, Edwards seems to be having trouble with jury selection. Obama can't sell a "let's just get along" view. And Hillary. . . well, much of her "experience" is in accepting the unacceptable.

I may write in Buckeroo. He likes most everybody, but provoke him at your peril. He will protect the borders of his territory quite well, and he knows who the "bad guys" are (in his case it's coyotes). He recognizes when he's at a disadvantage, i.e., on leash, and is especially careful then. He's got way more going for him than most of our so-called leaders.

This world of ours is very contradictory. On one hand we have very porous borders what with air travel, internet, global trade, etc. On the other hand, at times we revert to the primitive with Bin Laden able to hide out for years in the mountains of Afghanistan/Pakistan and all our technology unable to bring him in. The old ways and old ideas don't fit the modern reality; yet we forget our natures, our animal natures, only at great cost. It's a time of transition. Some of the questions that will face the leaders we will elect have no present answers and will call for creativity and a huge leap of faith. I long for leaders, statesmen/women if you will, not politicians. I don't want sound bites, focus groups, and canned rhetoric. Character, Courage, Creativity.

And, while I might wish to dig in and hide, I'll take the viewpoint about this election that my favorite uncle took about the Catholic Church: The show's been playing for centuries and the costumes are great. So, I'll go - to the poll on February 5th, not church - and play my little bit part. The thing is that without the bit players the big show makes no sense.

Question of the Week: How much worse can I feel?

FF definitely has the upper hand right now and I'm not likin' it. I tried napping on the day bed today with Buck and Cocoa, but I barely got us all 3 settled when the phone rang. Gave it up.

So, seen any nice pregnant onions lately?


I got this little lady a year or so ago at the native plant society, but I'm pretty sure it isn't a native. Actually, I don't know what it's really called - just a pregnant onion, so called for the little "babies" she produces off her main bulb. Once the babies get a little bigger they can be separated from the main bulb and planted to start a new plant. Cool, huh?









And we have some of my epiphytes planted in river rock in an old, old dough bowl I bought in New Mexico. They live next to an orchid, also an epiphyte.

There are a couple more orchids hanging out in the downstairs bath awaiting their next bloom time.

Like those epiphytes.






You see, the deal is that I try to distract myself wen I feel this bad. Dogs, cats, plants. I even tried reading some more of the History of the World, but I can't really concentrate today. Guess it's hot bath time. Some times that helps. Not often.

Tough Week

Some days you're the windshield; some days you're the bug!

Seems that much of this week, I've been the bug. My little part time job has been difficult - something it just normally is NOT. Relationships have been tested to say the least.
Weather has been up and down, which always means my allergies go haywire.
And, just to add to the fun, my fibromyalgia has gone into a major flare, no, not just a flare, really a major flare. Seems that stress sets it off much, much more than anything physical does. So, it's been pain city for me.

Scottie got back from San Diego, and I have been pretty much a slug. We did manage to get to a movie today - The Bucket List. How can any movie with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman be anything other than good? It was. But, I have yet to cook a meal since he got home. Tomorrow. I've promised.

As always, my critters are a comfort. Check this out:



Of course I know that many people would find this anything but comforting. I was relaxing on the day bed in my studio, checking movie listings on the laptop, when Lucy Cat decided to join me. She's the one who always knows when I feel really awful. Then Cocoa joined us. Time was that it was totally impossible to have Lucy and Cocoa this close. Now they even touch noses! Then Buck felt left out and invited himself up. Fortunately I'd already found out when and where the movie was - love fandango.com - before they all decided to "help" me.

Tomorrow I cook. And I do laundry. Doubt if I clean though.

Sofa Art

There is a local art show that is very tongue-in-cheek called Sofa Art. I'm told it originated after some nasty critic referred to an artist's work as nothing more than sofa art - to fill wall space above a sofa. So, for the past 13 years there has been a Sofa Art show in which all entries have to feature a sofa or chair, etc., and conform to the theme for the year. The show is not juried; the only prize is the People's Choice Award; and the whole thing is just for fun.

So, I've done a goofy, almost cartoonish painting that I was originally going to call Party 'Till The Cows Come Home - as we used to say in the mid-West. Once I learned that no one in this area has ever heard that expression and it is meaningless, I had a terrible time coming up with a title.

So, here's the painting:

And, it's title is, drumroll please,

"...and all you've done is stare at that heifer's udder all night."


OK, I know it's goofy, but it is a just for fun show!

Wet weekend

What a great couple of days we've had! Over 2 1/2 inches of rain since Friday night. River is running great & there's snow in the high Sierra, portending a good Spring rafting season. Everything is green and wet and healthy looking.



Saturday evening saw a break in the rain and a beautiful sunset. You can tell from the low, dark clouds that we aren't done with the rain though. And, sometime during the night I heard it start again.










This morning we have snow down lower than yesterday. This looks up toward Moro Rock, which is hidden in clouds, and is taken from our balcony.










We also have low clouds all the way down into our major valley (the main fork of the Kaweah River).










I may have done a bit too much yesterday. Got up this morning and tried to make the espresso for my morning latte with beans - forgot to grind them. So, the plan for the day is not to get too caught up in how dirty the house is. I'm back to working on my book, and I have a painting to finish for the Sofa Art Show. More about that when I'm ready to post a photo of the painting. For now, enjoy your day, that's what I'm going to do!

Shed is up

Scottie had me outside and working at first light yesterday! We wanted/needed to get the shed under roof before the big storm hit. . . .




Wierd though it may be, I love power tools! So, there we were putting up the rafters, very much a two-person job, so that Scottie could get the rest done before leaving for San Diego.
When you have X amount to spend on a shed and limited real construction experience, the best way seems to be a kit. Scottie, ever the perfectionist, has strengthened it every step of the way. It's got screws, not nails; it's got stiffening between the floor joists; it's got the "optional" floor that I personally don't see how you could do without unless you wanted to pour concrete.



So he continued working, working, working and got the rest of it put together. We still have to shingle the roof and attach the two doors, but that can wait until he gets back from San Diego. For now, it's under roof and safe in the elements. (Spots on this photo are rain drops on the camera lens; it's started and supposed to go on and on and on.)

After finishing all this, Scottie faced about a 6 hour drive, arriving SD last night about 10 PM. I swear he's 69 going on 12. That man has energy enough for 2 or 3 people. I'll rest while he's gone.

A busy beginning to 2008

After taking down all the Christmas decorations, I couldn't bring myself to put everything back on the mantle and shelves. So, we have a bit of a pared down look to show off the new windows. I'm really lovin' them!


Practically killed myself today helping Scottie with the shed construction. In case you didn't know, my secret santa got me a terrific garden shed to replace the one that blew up in the storm. We elected to get a kit type and build ourselves. Quite the experience so far.



Just coming up with a level space was quite the challenge on our hillside lot. But, that was finally managed. Then came assembling the floor up on the level parking area and moving down to place on the concrete piers. Not fun.

We did finally get it in place, level and square. No easy trick. All that's been done over the past couple of days. Then came today. . .



By the end of a very long day we'd assembled both gable ends, complete with siding and the cut out for the door, and assembled the structure for the 2 side walls, got them in place and attached to one-another, got the side walls toe-nailed (one of those technical terms) to the floor, and have the whole thing braced in case we get a wind tonight.






Scottie is still smilin', posin' for the camera and generally being a major goof.








On the other hand, I can barely stand up.



And, just for the record, the next person who gets me one of these tops with a pocket in front (cute though they may be), will be officially disowned. I am tired of looking pregnant in photos & I think I have 3 of these, all received as gifts!

Dogs were walked this morning and supervised construction the rest of the day. They are already asleep, and I won't be far behind, but first. . .


it's off for pizza we go!

Merry Christmas

Let's start with our Christmas Eve reality:

Tis the night before Christmas

and all through this place

there's no heat a flowin',

not even a trace.

The furnace has stopped, and

now it won't go.

The temp is a fallin'

though so far it's slow.

A party we've planned

for tomorrow afternoon,

but if the heat won't start up

folks will leave here real soon.

On Christmas eve

just who do you call?

The builder who's usually

no help at all?

And who was the sub

who put in the furnace?

Of that piece of info

we can't find a trace.

This story will start

again with the dawn.

We'll either have heat

or we'll soon be gone.

To be continued. . . .

Scottie got up of course

as the loudest and first.

Feeling cold air, I

suspected the worst.

Alas it was true,

no heat would there be,

and my heart filled with fear

for a ruined Christmas party.

I got up quite grumpy,

feeling cold and depressed

Yet I managed to pull on a robe,

not ready to get dressed.

While I lit up the oven

and mixed up the scones

Scottie got busy with a

job of his own.

He cut up some wood,

though damp it might be,

and built a nice fire

to warm up little me.

By the time we ripped open

the gifts we'd received

My heart had lightened;

I was feeling relieved.

It might be a bit cold here

and the fire makes for grit,

but I suspect in the long run

it won't matter a bit.

We've found Christmas gladness,

I'd even say cheer, and

All I could wish is that

You all were here!

So, that's the way it has gone. We had a nice Christmas morning with fresh scones and a fire. Thanks to some low clouds we didn't get the really cold weather that can come with very clear weather. The fireplace kept the downstairs nicely warm. Check out Scottie - with part of the uniform for the racing team he's been invited to join - AND with the bike horn, which turns out to be a great dog discipline tactic!

We had way, way too many deserts, but the folks who showed up really seemed to enjoy them. We'll have deserts to contribute to the upcoming New Year's Eve and New Year's Day parties.

The table looked really nice with all the Christmas trees. Friend Yvonne sent me a tree that she has had for years. It's really crazy how many things she and I have shared in common for all these years without even knowing it. Y also sent Scottie the bike horn and got a big laugh from both of us.

Our tree will get the decorations pulled off soon so we can plant it. Have to come up with a name though. . . .



Oh, we'll also need to get the heating contractor here!



Well I'm tired. It's 7:30, and I'm already in bed!

Would you eat the cookin' from this kitchen?

OK, it could be Julius Child. . . .

Or the Mad Scientist. . . .

Maybe Bertie Crocker. . . .

All I know for sure is that many ingredients in the hands of this one man made a HUGE mess!

I'm not tellin' what all got wiped with that towel, and certainly not all the words used, but he did manage to come up with something edible.

We named them Scottie's Sinfully Sugary Sensations. And, they're all gone. Maybe he'll make more.

Visitors both 2 and 4 legged

We've been a busy locale lately. We've had the coyote clan moving through in the middle of the night several times. That always means that Cocoa and Buck start howling an eerie, mournful sound and won't quit until the coyotes are out of range.

Than we've had Oso the Bear who has finally discovered our garbage cans. For some time we'd seemed immune to Mr. Bear, but he's now found us. We'll need to come up with a system to thwart him if this continues.



Then the 2 - leggeds:

Ron, on the left in the photo, whose father was a friend of Scottie's decades ago, and Victor, who we've known for 10 or 15 years, came to visit for a "boys" trip. This is just before they headed up the mountain, and yes, Ron did have long pants in the van.

I could listen to Victor all day. He has a beautiful accent and a most interesting life story from fleeing Lithuania at 3 or so in a hay wagon, through growing up in Columbia, to MIT and onward even including an arranged marriage to the daughter of a friend of his mother. Plus, he's a kind man. When he got the old family estate in Lithuania back a few years ago, he deeded to house and some acreage to the long-term caretakers. I like that in a human.

Always fun to have good friends visit. Wen are YOU coming?

Christmas is gettin' closer! I already got presents.

First let me correct a mis-perception: NONE of our 4 kids are joining us for Christmas. Apparently my prior post made it sound like they are. Monica and family will be in Charlotte; Jeff and family will be in Atlanta; Sarah, grandpa Hughie and family will be in San Diego; and Amanda and kids will be in . . . . Nicaragua.

Now, about those presents:

First, we have snow in the high country. This is Moro Rock taken from our balcony. Won't last, but it looks cool in the meantime.








Then, my Christmas gift from Scottie. We went to Bakersfield Saturday & had a bit of a rocky day. I didn't feel well; store wasn't where it was supposed to be; Scottie didn't want me to listen to Willie Nelson (well, I think it's good), but it ended well.

Scottie let me pick two little stained glass windows for my Christmas gift. I've always thought that "someday" I'd get a couple to go in the small windows on either side of the fireplace. Well, someday arrived!

The windows, being far from energy efficient, are installed to hang in the opening, but leaving the real windows in place behind.

Looks pretty pleased with himself doesn't he?




Of course putting the Christmas greenery back up in front of the windows takes something from it, but it will be way cool on an ongoing basis!



If you click on the photo below, you can see how it looks for now up close and personal.






Of course, this means there will be nothing in my Christmas stocking on Christmas day!


Unless YOU send me something that is. Want my list?