Christmas Pageant

Today was Sophia's Christmas Pageant.  She was one of the angels at the birth of Jesus.  These children did a tremendous job in their portrayal.  Thought you might enjoy seeing our little angel.

Spam!

I wanted to let you all know that a post was placed in my blog yesterday entitled 'Nice Day'.  It was not posted by me.  This was spam and was somehow posted to my blog.  I have do not recommend any of the stuff in the posting and have never heard of this before.  Please do not attempt to go to the site since I am certain it will cause problems for you.  I was able to delete the post from my site, but it remains in the list of posts.  I don't seem to be able to remove it from there.  I am so sorry this has happened and I really wish these people would stop interfering with others personal information.

Finished!

Sophia is finished and ready to frame.  While I still see things I think should be altered, it's time to stop.  I really admire all the wonderful portraiture artists out there who can whip these things out without stopping. I have found this painting to be challenging.  While I do believe I captured the essence of Sophia, it certainly is not a dead ringer for her, she is much more beautiful.

Today warmed up and we lost all our hard earned snow.  It has been raining off and on.  Our next few days are supposed to stay warmer.

It Snowed!

Well, it isn't much but it's a start.  Enough to get the Christmas Spirit going.  Here's our wee little Christmas Tree...

Here's the Weeping Birch Tree outside my window (the one Sophia is sitting against in her portrait).  I love the way it's weeping branches look in the winter.

 See the bit of snow on the branches????

This is the "weeping" part of the tree.

Sophia's trusty steed was left out in the snow last night.

So, as I gaze upon my 'winter wonderland' (didn't I tell you I'm creative?) I feel the joys of this wonderous season.  The warmth of my family's love and the countless blessings I sometimes overlook. 

 Merry Christmas to you all.

Sophia WIP 3...

Still no snow, but I did find some time to work on Sophia's painting.  This is not the final.  There are still some shadows to put in and I'm not happy with the tree yet.  Thought I would give you all a chance to comment before I go any further.  The one part of the painting that I thought was going to be so simple (the tree) has proven to be the most challenging.  I did it with detail and liked it but it detracted from Sophia.  Then I wiped it out and didn't like that.  Now I'm putting more detail in, but not as much as at first.  I will have to finish soon since I hope to have this finished for Christmas.

The weather forecasters are predicting snow for us by Tuesday so my fingers are crossed.

Dreaming of a White Christmas...

I had to go back to last year's photographs, the ones my son sent to me while complaining about the 'tons of snow' he was having to shovel.  Well, it's nearly Christmas and we have no snow.  I'm a believer in a White Christmas, so I think it's time we all concentrate and see if we can't conjure of some of the white stuff.  Your help is appreciated.

Snowing on my Blog...

Thanks to Bonnie at Original Art Studio, who provided the directions on how to do this, I now have a snow storm on my blog!  This is to celebrate the winter season, which I love.  I am sorry to have been missing from my blog for so long.  I have been battling a bad case of bronchitis.  I am on the mend and will be back to painting and posting beginning today.

Cold Sunday...

It's blustery and COLD here today.  The temperatures are to drop to 4 degrees tonight and we live in a motorhome!!

Actually, we are doing fairly well so far.  My husband thinks I'm daft for wanting to winter in the Northwest, but here we are and here we stay since there is no way to move now.  He mentions Florida, Hawaii, Arizona and Texas with a far away look in his eyes...as if trying to tell me something.  What a great sport he is.  Down side is that I have bronchitis and am trying to get well again.  Up side is our son is cooking dinner for us tonight so I will get to see the grandkids (that's Ben and Sophia) and will have no dishes to do.  Hee Hee.

I made my Iowa version of Tiramasu from a wonderful English shortbread, homemade vanilla custard and bananas.  Guess there will have to be whipped cream as well.  Can't wait 'til dinner.  Hope you are all having wonderful weekends, that you dream of sugar plums tonight and that the coming week is prosperous for one and all.  In the meantime, I thought I would share a bit of my writing with you.  This is an opening to a short story that I will be trying to publish.  I hope you enjoy it and feel free to give me your feedback.

 (Copyrighted Material.  Duplication or Unauthorized use of the following material strictly prohibited under law.)

(Excerpt from)

The Bulls & The Blood

By

C Hummel Kornell

                        The body was heavy, almost too heavy.  A final shove propelled it forward across the fence and into the pen.  Bulls scattered from the unexpected intrusion.  Shadows concealed the hurried retreat to a car hidden nearby.  The ignition switch and interior lights had been disabled to allow undetected entry.  In minutes this place would be far behind.  Pulling a handkerchief from a jacket pocket to wipe away the victim’s blood before opening the car door, the fallen lighter went undetected.

            The crowd roared approval as Bill displayed the dismount he was famous for, landing on his feet and bowing to the audience.  Muscular with a stubborn set to his jaw which accentuated his dimples and dancing green eyes, he was a vision of raw strength packaged in a pair of well-fitting Wranglers.  He was a cowboy, a World Champion Bull Rider.  The powerful Brahma trotted toward the catch pen as Bill reached to retrieve his hat, waving it at the spectators and bringing a renewed cheer.  Grinning in appreciation he neared the chutes.  Two burly Sheriff’s deputies stepped forward, cuffed him and began—

            “You have the right to remain silent…”

            “I don’t understand what I’m doing here, Sheriff,” his head pounded from the lack of sleep and food.  Last night had been a nightmare and now this—

            “You’re a suspect in a murder case, cowboy.  Where were you last night between midnight and 6:00 a.m.?”  The overweight Sheriff swallowed the last bite of donut, wiping sticky fingers on his pants.

            “I’ve already told you, I was asleep in my truck at the rodeo grounds.”  He caught the Sheriff’s smile at the loud sound of his stomach growling.

            “Hungry, boy; want a donut?  Tell you what, you come clean with us and I’ll see to it you get fed.  You keep up with this innocent act and I’ll keep you here ‘til you’re old and grey.”  A loud belch accentuated his statement causing the deputy to snicker.

            He’d had enough, he needed to sleep and he was done playing around with these clowns.  “No thanks, Sheriff, I don’t want to look like you.  I could use an attorney and a phone call right about now.”

            The tone in the room changed to one of controlled rage as the Sheriff ordered him taken to a holding cell until the call and an attorney could be arranged.

            Through a sleepy haze she reached for the phone, coming wide-awake when she heard the frantic voice on the other end.

            “Hey, Angel, I need you.  I’ve got some trouble here, can you come?”

            She’d never heard Bill sound like this before.  “What’s happened, where are you?”  The bright lamplight hurt her eyes as she searched for a pen and paper. 

            “Babe, I don’t have long, I’m in jail in Santa Fe.  Get all the money together you can and get here, quick.  They’re cutting me off, I love…” the phone went dead.

‘World Champion Cowboy held for murder of jealous husband’, the USA Today headlines glared from the newsstand.  Quickly she rented a car, got directions to the county jail and minutes later stood facing a Sheriff’s Deputy across a cluttered counter.

            “What do you mean I can’t see him?”  Emotions boiled while she fought not to lose control and cry.  “I’m his fiancé, he asked me to come.”

            “Sorry, little lady, I don’t care if you’re Queen of England, if you ain’t his attorney or his priest, you ain't going in, Sheriff’s orders.”

            She lost the battle.  A tear spilled slowly down her cheek as a tall man wearing a fringed jacket, boots, cowboy hat and huge silver buckle stepped to the counter beside her.  His features were Native American but his eyes were crystal blue, creating a mesmerizing face.  He gently patted her shoulder while flashing credentials at the Deputy whose expression changed to one of disbelief. 

            The newcomer’s south Texas drawl resonated through the waiting area, “We’ll see the young man in question, now.”

            “Uh, yes sir.  Just a minute, please, I’ve got to get the Sheriff,” the deputy disappeared through a door.

            The Sheriff appeared somewhat flustered as he approached.  “Mr. Whitman, what can we…”

            “First, we want to see my client.  Next I want to see all the files pertaining to his arrest.  When is the arraignment scheduled?” 

            The Sheriff barked orders for the prisoner to be brought to a private interview room returning his attention to the man he’d called Mr. Whitman.

            “Prisoner’s not to have visitors.  This is a murder, you know.”

            “I’m Mr. Cornell’s attorney, Sheriff; I assume his rights are not being challenged here?  He’s allowed to have an attorney isn’t he, due process and all?   I’d like to discuss the matter of his questioning without counsel present. I assume transcripts of that questioning will be with the papers you are quickly compiling for me?”

            Some of the air had been let out of the Sheriff, but he made one further attempt to take charge, “You’re the attorney, who’s she?”

            “She’s my assistant.  I always have an assistant present when I speak with clients.  Any problem, Sheriff?”

            The Sheriff made a futile gesture with his hands, “Give him what he wants, boys.  I’ll be at the house having dinner.” 

            They were ushered into a room where the files were already displayed on a conference table.  Bill stood shackled and waiting. 

            “Is this really necessary, boys?”  Whitman began shuffling through the files, “I’d like to have those removed.  I’ll take full responsibility.”  The deputies removed the handcuffs and ankle chains.

            “Thanks, boys.  You can leave us now.  I’ll give a holler if we need anything.”

            His hand thrust forward toward Bill who took it in greeting.  “Howdy, son, I’m a big fan.  In case you don’t already know me, I’m Chance Whitman.  You might have heard of me from my rodeo career, but I’m a fair attorney as well.  I’m here to represent you.  I know your name, son, but who is this lovely young lady?  From the trouble she was having out front I assume you two are old friends.”  He flashed a smile.

            “Yes, sir, I know who you are, on both accounts.  It’s a real honor to meet you.  This here’s Angela, most everyone calls her Angel.  I’m not sure we have enough money to pay for your help.” 

            Chance laughed at the last remark, “No, son, I don’t suppose you do.  For right now let’s just say I’m one cowboy helping out another.  We can get into more details on why I’m here later; right now we need to figure out what’s happened.  I’m assuming you didn’t really murder this guy.”  Angel drew in her breath and both men smiled at her.

            “No, sir, I didn’t.  All I did was offer him some sound advice in front of about a hundred eye witnesses.” 

            There was that laugh again, “Well, hell, son, I thought we were going to have a tough time convincing a jury you were innocent.  If we only have to prove to a hundred eye witnesses that what they thought they saw or heard was really not what happened, we’ve got it made.  Should be done by tomorrow at the latest.  Now, kiss the girl, pull up a chair and start at the beginning.”

    

Sophia WIP 2...

After many distractions, I have finally found time to try and work on Sophia.  This is not the final, but I hope I am getting close.  Wanted your comments.  I still need to pull grass up around birch tree and perhaps darken the shadow beneath Sophia.  Perhaps a bit of work on her hair as well.  Thanks in advance for helping me.

Hope you are all having a wonderful December.

Family Tradition...

The true meaning, to me, behind Thanksgiving is giving thanks for the long-ago hospitality shown to our ancestors by the Native Americans.  Without their assistance it's questionable if any of us would be here today.  Over the years as our family traditions evolved so have our Thanksgiving dishes.  I thought it would be interesting to see how many different dishes are served as a family tradition at this time of year.  I'll start.

My Mother and Grandmother always made their version of Waldorf Salad.  Our version includes apples, dates, grapes, celery and walnuts.  The dressing was simple, mayo with sugar (honey if you prefer) and a splash of milk if needed.  If it was a really good year, the salad would be dressed with whipping cream.  It's simple and always reminds me of the special family times shared with loved ones.

Okay, your turn, what dishes mean "holidays" to you and your family?

This was my last kitchen before we became full time RVers.  I painted the skirt on the island that my husband made for me.  The top was a solid piece of Larch that he cut down years before in Montana.  The skirt was patterned after the canister that my son, Chris, gave me.  I really do miss the kitchen and the home we had.

 

Happy Thanksgiving...

Life has been so hectic lately that I've fallen behind in my posts.

I wanted everyone to know that I wish them Peace, Happiness and a Full Plate this wonderful Thanksgiving.  Please remember that Blessings are counted in those we have close to us (friends, family, loved ones) not in what we have monetarily.

Happy Thanksgiving and I will be back next week with more postings.  Enjoy that pumpkin pie!

Creatividad e imaginación fotos de José Ramón: Entre pitas ( Among pitas )

Creatividad e imaginación fotos de José Ramón: Entre pitas ( Among pitas )

Beautiful work!

WIP of Sophia Watercolor...

I am attempting my very first watercolor portrait (with a FACE).  The painting is of my granddaughter, Sophia.  She was sitting, leaning against a larger birch tree outside my window, strumming oner her guitar. I had to take some photos and now I'm painting her.  I'm enjoying the process and have much left to do, but thought you all might like to get a look at what is done so far.  As always, I welcome your suggestions.  The background will be the birch tree, sky and grass.  Should be muted so not to compete with my 'little princess'.  Oh, her shoes aren't finished yet.

Alaskan Memories...

With my husband's flying I have been fortunate to have spent quite a bit of time in Alaska.  One of the things that most amazes me is the family ties that exist between bear sows and their cubs.  They are so gentle and caring with the little ones, but there are times when a smack occurs or a growling scold.  One must keep the little ones in line and teach them proper manners.  Here are a few of my photos of Moms teaching their cubs to fish.

Mom No. 1.  Notice the intent look on the little guy's face.  He's really trying to grasp her instructions.

Mom No. 2.  Her lessons have been learned, now watch closely, he's about to hit pay dirt...

Once caught, he took his Salmon to the shore so he
might enjoy the fruits of his labors.  This is such an
important time of year.  They must put on weight to
carry them through the long hibernation period.

Mom No. 3.  They aren't fishing, but I thought they were too cute not to post.  This little guy was so inquisitive and was about to get into all kinds of mischief.  This Mom had her hands full.

Should you ever have the opportunity to visit Alaska, by all means do so.  It is a wonderful place.

A Blue Day...

This is it, I'm done, not another touch of paint is going onto this one!  Of course, I may change my mind, but for now, I'm calling it FINISHED!  Sorry the photo is not so great, the sun has disappeared and flash simply doesn't work with artwork.  Anyway, you get the general idea.  Actually, I kind of like it.  Who knew.

A Rose By Any Other Name...

Here is installment three.  I thought it might be the final, but after running it past my critique group have decided to keep messing with the flower.  Just in case I ruin the painting, thought I'd post what would have been the final.  Why am I never satisfied?  As before, I would like to have your comments and I hope you are not tiring of my revisiting my paintings.

I have just sketched my next painting which will be of our little Angle, Sophia.  She is growing and changing so fast, I thought I had best try and catch her before she's all grown up.  I'm not a portrait painter so this will prove to be a real challenge for me.  If it turns out, I will present it to her parents for Christmas.

I'll try and photograph the sketch and post it later.  I am also sketching out the two cows and a calf that the Nikon Sniper posted recently.  He has been good enough to allow me to paint from his photo...of course I will be obtaining a Nikon Sniper tattoo in return.  If you haven't checked out Stephen's blog, please do.  He is a wonderful and prolific photographer who posts some really remarkable work.  You will find his blog listed in my followers.  Tell him I said "Hi" if you stop by.

Rose Watercolor Continued...

Earlier I posted a WIP of a Rose watercolor I was working on.  I have received several comments from my watercolor mentors on Watercolor Workshop and am in the process of taking some of their advice.  Here is the next offering of my painting with some yellow added an additional rose bud (that was my idea) in the lower left hand corner and darker background around the left side of the rose.  Still not happy with the result, so my next step is to add more darks into the background surrounding the entire rose.  While they are not there (there is an extreme light coming from the left) I believe artistic license is needed to make this an acceptable painting.

I would love to hear what you all think.

From Mother to Grandmother...

This week has been so busy.  I am filling in for Mom and Dad and caring for my grandchildren.  I now know, without reservation, why young people have children.  I raised two sons while working full time and still had time for a life outside the responsibilities.  Well, let me tell you that I now find it difficult to get through the entire day without a nap.  One goes to pre-school and one to school.  They are delivered and picked up at various times.  There are animals to care for and the house to keep up.  Forgot how many things children have.  It's a full time job just keeping all sorted.  Then there is the laundry that is generated.  Our little Princess changes her outfits no less than three times per day!  Yesterday I forgot to send a lunch to school with Benjamin who never wants to eat school lunches.  The guilt was terrible!  He was wonderful and said it was no big deal, but Grandma made sure he had his lunch today.  Anyway, this is why I have been missing in action.  I promise to be back next week, if I'm still functional.

Fall Has Arrived...

For some reason I cannot wait for fall to arrive with its vivid colors.  Once here, however, I begin to dread the coming loss of all that beauty.  I suppose I am a contradiction since I love winter as much as fall.  Perhaps it's the end that I find disheartening even though a new beginning follows close behind.  At any rate, yesterday was a cloudy, rainy day and the Weeping Birch tree outside our window was muted even though the colors were still vivid.  I had to photograph them, fearing that the heavy rain was going to beat them from the tree.  Today, however, the sun is out and the leaves remain.  Isn't Nature wonderful?  She hung around to greet me another day.  Hope you enjoy my view.

Watercolor Rose...

I am in the process of painting a watercolor rose.  Thought I would post the WIP so you can follow along with me.  The leaves and stems are not complete and the depth of the rose is still being worked on.  There is a strong sunlight coming from the left side of the painting.  Please let me know what you think.

Thanks to all of you who follow along with me.  It's so nice to have a "family" around the world.  I value each and every one of you.

Birthdays are the Sweetest Things...

Especially if you are turning four, really believe you are a Princess and have other little girlfriends who believe as well!  Yesterday we finally got to celebrate Sophia's fourth birthday.  (Her real birthday was last weekend, but it had to be postponed due to the plague we all had.)  The celebration was planned as a "tea party," which thrilled Sophia.  She has a brother, Benjamin who is five years older.  Since he is the big brother, they tend to play more of the games he wants...war, star wars, video games, etc.  One day Ben had company (Sophia was only 3 at the time) and everyone was busy playing war games (including Sophia).  They were running around with their guns.  Sophia was saying "bang, bang, your dead".  She quickly disposed of every last one of them, dropped her toy gun on the floor and then sweetly announced, "Okay, now we have a tea party!"  Aren't girls great?!  Here's Mom and Dad (after the party), Sophia (as the party begins) and a few of the little Princesses making bracelets and necklaces for their regal gowns.

Curses, foiled again...

My apologies to the masses who not only attended the ball, but also stopped by my humble abode. While preparations were being made and decorations were being hung, I fear I came down with the plague! Serious as it is, I felt I must apologize to all you wonderful souls. I do so regret the terrible timing of this affliction! Please grant me your leave to attend next years fantastic function. Willow, your gown, shoes, jewels and your men are all decadent! I fear our tastes run along the same lines.

Brrrr......

We are currently traveling to the Northwest.  Our granddaughter is turning 4 on Sunday and we will be there.  I am so looking forward to it.  Of course, winter has arrived just in time for our trip.  It is to be 24 tonight here in Oregon as we park for the night.  Hopefully nothing will freeze up in the motorhome.  The sky looks ominous and the air feels frosty.  I'm covered in a warm blanket with my handmade Alaska Moose slippers on so I'm cozy.  Just wanted everyone to know where I've gone off to since I haven't posted in a few days.  I promise I will get back into the groove soon.  In the meantime, to all my internet friends, please have a safe and happy weekend.

Thought I'd share a photo of my granddaughter from last winter.  Of course she is wearing the felted wool hat that Grandma made for her!  What a gal.

Preliminary Watercolor Sketch...

Since I haven't used my watercolors for a while, I thought I'd make a preliminary sketch of a painting I'd like to do.  As I'm underway, I certainly wish Susan was closer to give me pointers on the desert landscape.  She does such a wonderful job with them.  The rusting out truck is more my speed.  I'm playing with colors I might use in the final painting.  May change the greens to blues, not sure yet.  At any rate, I am painting and that's what counts.

Since I was only doing a sketch, I didn't block
my paper so it's not flat and is more difficult to
photograph.  You get the idea.  There will be some weeds growing up through the truck bed and around the tires.  Also will have sand drifted against the tires more.  Not sure I'm happy with the layout, but will study it and decide whether to continue or not.  There are those times when my mind's eye fails to produce a useable design.  This may be one of those times.

Fall is here for certain.  Hubby and I went bike riding yesterday at Eagle Lake and were greeted with ice along the shoreline and a brisk wind blowing across the water.  It was really cold and I must admit that I wimped out after only four miles of riding.  Next time I will dress properly.  My reward for being a 'good sport' was a lovely cup of hot chocolate at Starbucks.  On the way home we stopped at the last Farmer's Market and bought some of their final harvest.  We are really going to miss the markets.  Being from Iowa, I simply could not pass up the Green Tomatoes!  It's true, we do fry and eat them.  It's not just a title for a movie.  My Mother used the fried green tomatoes in the fall in place of meat and we were more than happy to have them.  Here's the simple way we make them:

Wash and Slice Green Tomatoes (approximately 1/4" thick)
Place slices on paper towel to absorb excess moisture.
Beat whole egg (preferably free range farm eggs)
Heat real butter (substitutes don't work) in heavy fry pan (cast iron works best)
Dip slices into egg and turn in flour.
Shake off excess flour and place in hot butter.  (Be sure butter is not smoking.  You want it hot enough to fry, but not too hot.)
Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper.  (We use a good quality sea salt since we like a bit more salt than most)
Brown on both sides.
Remove from pan and place on paper towel to absorb excess butter.
Serve hot with bread and butter (preferably homemade sour dough, but whatever you like will do)

Yum!  Now I'm hungry.

Turned out to be a grand day.

More on My Father...

Many of you responded about my Father so I thought you might like to get to know him a little better.   Before modern-day refrigeration was discovered, ice was actually cut out of frozen rivers during the winter months, transported to ice houses where they were stored (surrounded by straw) underground.  This ice was delivered by wagons to homes that were fortunate enough to have 'ice boxes'.  My Father worked for Schull Hardware in Riverton, Iowa at the time (in the very late 1920's and early 1930's).   This is one of their crews cutting the ice from the Missouri River (my Father is in the foreground). As I said before, his life was filled with disappointment and hard labor.  Throughout it all he remained always able to smile.

The ice tongs he is using to lift the blocks of ice I still have.  While they are old and rusted, I couldn't let them go.  My youngest son, Chris, has them and will hand them down to his son, Benjamin.

After working for Schull's, my Father went to work as a heavy equipment operator for Fremont County, Iowa.  He built culverts and roadways and over the years the engineers remarked that he could lay out a roadway without the assistance of the surveyors and they would be perfect.  He was proud of his abilities.  Remarkably, he worked this job for fifty-seven years, just imagine doing that today.  In the winter months when he couldn't build roads he worked with his catapiller at the county quarry.  There he would break out rock and shale for building road bases the next year.  While working at the quarry he unearthed the remains of Mammoth Elephants and Sabre Tooth Tigers among other prehistoric relics.  These remains were placed in museums in Nebraska and Iowa.

Above is the mainstreet of Riverton, Iowa.  One of the vehicles from that era.  If you look closely you will see that it is actually a school bus.  My how things have changed.  The top photos show my Father on his catapiller (laying out a road) and one of the county crews he worked on.  He is standing a bit to the right of the center, I believe he is 7th from the left.

Well, that's enough for today.  There's so much more to tell, but I'll save it for another time.

Nostalgia, Old Photos & Memories...

Several of the blogs I follow have been posting old family photos and memorabilia.  I must admit I enjoy following the lives of those who came before us.  So, I thought I would share a bit of my family today.

The first is of my Mother and me.  She was of Welsh, English and American Indian descent, with very black eyes, dark complexion and dark hair.  I always thought of her as very beautiful.  This came not only from her appearance but also from her heart.  Of course, that's me with her.  In case you can't tell, my father was Austrian and both my brother and I were blessed with blonde hair, blue eyes and fair skin.  So much for the darker genes being dominant.

This one is of my Brother, Mother and me.  The broken leg was compliments of my green broke mare.  Did I mention I grew up in Sidney, Iowa?  At that time it was home of the third largest outdoor rodeo in the U.S.  Horses were a big part of my life.  The little black dog at our feet was my Cocoa.  She was such a faithful dog.  Our town was the county seat of Fremont County and the courthouse sat in the center of the town square.  The library was in the basement of the courthouse and there were doors at both ends of the building.  One day I walked uptown and went to the library.  Later that night we couldn't find Cocoa.  We searched the neighborhood and everyone was upset.  Finally my brother went up town and found her waiting at the courthouse door in the dark.  I had gone in one door and out the other.  She was not going to leave until I came out.  That's dedication!

This is my Father, John Sober Hummel.  He is a story for another time.  He was a kind, honest and decent man.  He worked hard, took care of his family and was someone people were honored to have as a friend.  Most of who I am was imparted by my Father and his simple lessons in life.  He taught me the Psalms although he didn't attend church.  He loved poetry, especially Robert Frost.  He insisted on responsibility in his children, 'If you make your bed, you will lie in it' is one of the many lessons that remain with me to this day.  He worked hard and complained very little.

Below is his christening photo.  He was born in 1912.

This is my Great Grandfather and Grandmother (no, I don't know their given names).  The younger man is one of my Grandfather's brothers with his wife and child.  I recall the story told by my Father about one of the babies being pricked by a needle that was tucked into its mother's lapel.  The baby contracted an infection from the prick and died.  I don't know if this is the baby he referred to or not.  A sad story.

Finally, this is my Mother's Mother, Sylvia Grey Pierson.  She was a wonderful person who was a big part of my growing up years.  The little lapel watch she has on I have.  It's the only thing I have to remember her by except for all the wonderful things she did for me as a child.

Well, that's it for today.  There are so many more, but I don't want to bore you.  I was blessed with a wonderful family that, I'm sure, by today's standards would be deemed to be flawed.  My Grandmother Pierson and my Great Grandmother Grey were both divorced.  Back then that wasn't something that happened too often.  Guess I come from a gene pool of strong-willed women.  My Grandmother raised eight children on her own without any assistance from their father.  And today, we females feel put upon because we have to work outside the home.  Just imagine, making a home for eight kids while you worked in cafes and took in laundry to put food on the table and to clothe them.  No public assistance back then!

Lily is Finally Done...

There never seems to be a good definition of "final" for me...I usually complete a painting and then place it where I will be able to view it.  Over days, weeks or even months I keep looking at it to determine if I am or am not happy with the result.  In some cases, I may tweak it or I may leave it alone.  So much for explanations, here is what I now determine to be my "final" on the Lily.  The medium is oil and it is painted on a wrapped canvas which does not require framing.  I think I'll call her 'Blaze'.  Your comments are appreciated.

I promised to post photos of the giant pine cones we picked up on our last hike.  Here they are next to a size 11 insole (creative, heh?).  These are beautiful cones and, although the ones I picked up were alongside a road and are damaged from falling onto the pavement, should make some awesome holiday decorations.  Don't we live in a wonderful world?

Finally, while I was outside taking the photos, I noticed that our chives are blooming.  We maintain small herb gardens (in pots) so that I have fresh herbs available for cooking.  When we are traveling, the little guys go into our basements and pop out when we set up camp again.  Strangely enough they seem to flourish.

These are the Chives in bloom.  They reseed themselves and depending on where we are, can maintain year-round.

This pot contains basil, a Tai hot pepper and oregano.  Tasty additions to many of our evening meals.  They are beginning to fade with the chilly fall nights.  I will harvest and dry them soon.

Another Beautiful Day...Come Walk with Me

I begin with last night's sunset.  As always, the camera failed to pick up the colors as I saw them, but still thought you might enjoy the view.

This morning began cool and cloudy.  We lingered over our coffee and then headed out for a morning of  exploration.  We headed up Highway 139 to Eagle Lake and then traveled A-1 down the backside of the lake, through quaint little communities to a hiking/biking trail that runs alongside the lake.  I wanted you all to see the beautiful country and some of the wonderful birds we encountered along the way.

My husband running along the trail.  I was busy taking photos.  Fall is coming and it's so beautiful.

Boaters spotted the beautiful lake and the fishing seemed to be going well.  We saw several large trout landed during our excursion.  Would have loved having one for dinner.  We vowed to get our fishing stuff in order and come back soon.  The following boat had a spotter out in front (see small terrior).  He was taking his job very seriously.  We watched them go for quite a ways and he remained in his lookout position.  How cute.

I shot several photos of the Pelicans who were fishing near the shoreline.  There were so many birds, ducks and geese that it was difficult to choose my subject.

The trees were really beautiful.  This area has a very diverse forest.  There were all sorts of pine trees, fir trees, cedar and many that I did not know.  One species of ordinary looking pine trees grow huge pinecones.  I will post a picture of one of the cones compared with an ordinary pine cone later.  For now, here's my husband standing beside one of the forest trees.

I was even fortunate enough to catch a Downy Woodpecker as he searched for bugs in the bark of a tree.  Lighting wasn't good, but I'm posting it anyway.

Early Mornings from the Past...

Carol posted some lovely photos of her skies today and it reminded me of these offerings.  It's been about four years since they were taken, but I love the weather that was moving across the skies.  The photos were taken early in the morning so the lighting is not as good as it could be.  They are taken from our patio at our home in the mountains above Rio Rico, AZ.  I hope you enjoy them.  Oh, just so you know, I have also posted a photo of a snow we had that same year.  My husband shot this one while I was away visiting children.  It does snow in southern Arizona.  Okay, so I had to include a sunset...

Glorious Day...

I had the most wonderful day yesterday.  We set out to explore our new surroundings and found so many awesome things.

First we attended the Farmer's Market in Susanville where we found  home-grown veggies and farm-fresh eggs.  Next we hiked the Biss Johnston Trail and encountered many curious squirrels and one hyperactive lizard.  From there we took a road trip through some of the most beautiful mountainous area to the west of Susanville and ended up in a lovely little, artistic town called Quincy.  We enjoyed coffee in a unique little coffee house located in the alley behind one of the galleries.

Our return trip took us up the backside of Lake Almanor and through another quaint little town, Chester, CA.  It was such a wonderful trip we didn't even mind the two delays we had due to road construction.

Look closely through the trees and you will see Mt. Lassen, an inactive volcano.  We have to save the trip to see it up close and personal for another day.  There is a great diversity to this area.

While I photographed some of the gorgeous landscapes, I am sorry to say I failed to record the wonderful little towns.  This means I have to go back!

To finish our wonderful day, a bit of weather blew in and we got a little lightening and a few rain drops.  We really need rain, it's extremely dry here and fire danger is very high.

Finally, our flock of geese is growing as more seem to be arriving daily.  I had to threaten to ground them if they didn't pay closer attention to their curfew...after all, I can't stay up all night worrying about when they will return home!  As with any good children, they refuse to listen.

Today...

I wanted to take a moment to remember all the victims, their families, friends and strangers in our great country on this the anniversary of our coming of age.  It was on this date that we learned we were vulnerable to the same atrocities that befall other countries of the world.  American citizens have faced many challenges throughout our short history and are, in fact, facing another as I write this.  What I know of the citizens of this great country is that we are made of strong fiber.  America the Free, America the Brave.  We will survive.  God Bless America!

Aaarrgh!!!!!

There are times when my artist spirit takes a hike!  Yesterday was one of those days.  Try as I might, everything I did to my painting was wrong.  I am now facing how to correct my lovely little accidents.  Considering whether to scrape the project altogether or try and fix it.  I really like the composition and the colors, but my blending was unsuccessful.  Perhaps a glaze might help.  Anyway, so you know, I don't mind sharing less than perfect work.  Here is today's offering.  Let me know if you are getting tired of seeing the same old thing and would prefer I post something new.

In the meantime, the geese are still flying out every morning and back each evening.  Mom (me) got worried last night as they were long after dark before they returned.  My husband laughed and said they had found a really good feeding place so weren't in any hurry to leave it.  They finally did come home so that was nice.  My Mother used to sing me a song about the wild goose so I suppose my attraction to these wonderful fowls began at a very young age.  I'll try and get more photos of them.

Nearing Completion...

We recently lost a lovely soul from the artist community.  Her name was Cia (Cecelia) Price and she was a watercolorist.  Her selfless efforts to teach and assist all artists to better their skills remains as part of her legacy.  Cia will be greatly missed by so many.

Yesterday, after baking bread and a spice cake, I finally put my attention back onto my lily painting.  I am posting the result of this session.  The highlights are coming now and the colors are beginning to snap.  With luck I hope to finish the project today and move onto my next floral.  I actually have two jumping around in my head wanting out, so we shall see what happens.  To this point, I am happy with the lily.

For those of you who have followed my blog, now that we are set up to stay put for a while, I will be getting back to work on my stained glass window of one of my husband's bull rides.  If you want to see that project, scroll down my postings and you will find it.

A New Location...

We are now in Susanville, CA.  It is a beautiful place.  I am listening to Canadian Geese fly overhead as I type this.  Our RV park is very quiet and well kept.  Each of us have our own little grass lawn, patio and outside lamp.

I am looking forward to getting back to painting and hope to finish the lily before the end of the week.  Here are some photos of the park (my husband is on the bike!) and sunrise with my flying friends.  Since I grew up in southwest Iowa (a major flyway for the Canadian Geese) I love the sound of their conversations in flight.  It brings back memories of growing up and early memories of my first marriage.  My husband was an avid hunter and as a new wife I was taken along to hunt geese.  The early morning and late afternoons were the times to hunt, although the geese were so thick at times that you could simply stand in your yard and shoot into the air and have dinner.  I am not a hunter since I find more beauty and fulfillment in looking at animals and waterfowl than in eating them.  One day after my husband bagged his goose and we were walking back toward the farmhouse, we were followed by a low flying goose whose call was very different from the calls of the flock in flight.  The goose circled low overhead all the way to the house.  When I commented on it, my husband told me that Canadian Geese mate for life and that he must have just killed this one's mate.  I have not cooked or eaten a goose since that day.  This memory is bittersweet.  Over the years I think about that lone goose and regret my part in that day.

Oops...Forgot you haven't met Chris

Sorry I didn't include a photo of son number two. Here he is with his son. Sure do love my family!

Fall Magic...

I have two wonderful sons. One, you already met through my last post. He is the oldest. He began competing in bicycle races when he was 15. To this day, he still enjoys the sport.

My second son, two years younger, suffers from the artistic spirit. He is so very creative but not simply with paints and pencils. Chris is an outstanding chef. His culinary creations rival any five star establishment. He has wanted to learn to can for some time now so yesterday we did it. We put up 91 pints of peaches. As with his art and his cooking, he is a natural. He even saved the peach syrup and once the last canner was off the stove we made it and a few extra peaches into jam! I'm sharing a photo of a few of our jars.

Chris is venturing full throttle into the preserving world. He has made his list of 'foods to put up for winter'. I know my Mother and Grandmothers would be as proud of him as I am.

Hope you are all taking time to share good times with family and friends. This is the most important part of living, I believe.

Mt Baker, WA

This is absolutely one of the most beautiful areas in Washington State. Yesterday we visited Nooksack Waterfall. I'm posting photos. The views are spectacular. There are remnants of giant trees cut down sometime around the turn of the century.

From Nooksack we drove to the top of Mt Baker (photos of snow covered top) to a place called 'Artist's Point'. There simply are no words for the grandeur of this area. My son and husband are avid sportsmen...so, they decided to ride their bikes!!! I am posting photos so you can see how much they enjoyed their 22 mile ride. I was white knuckled all the way, especially since my husband failed to wear his helmet (sometimers, he says). Had to photograph his hair that was standing straight up after a few miles of the wind blowing through it.

All in all it was a wonderful day. Wish you all could be here. We head home tomorrow.

Off on an Adventure...

I won't be blogging for a few days. I'm off to Glacier, WA to visit friends. It's a beautiful place with lots of photo opportunities, so I hope to have some great things to post when I return. I'm told that there is no internet or phone service there, so I will not be able to check in. Be back soon.

Inspiration...

I have been following Stephen Baird's blog. Stephen is a wonderful, prolific photographer who seems to travel a LOT. His photos are inspiring. If you have time, take a look at his site.

In the meantime, I thought I'd post a some of my Oregon shots. What a beautiful country. The diversity of this state is unbelievable. Anyone who can, should visit Oregon. I'm posting an ocean scene sunset, a lighthouse shot, a shot taken in the Redwoods on the southern most tip of the Oregon Coast (my husband is in the one shot) and a shot of a conch tree we found. It was covered from top to bottom with conchs. Some of the shots were taken in the fog. (There is a lot of mist and fog in this area of Oregon.)

Lily's Next Step...

I finally put away my canning supplies and pulled out my 'work in progress'. The lily is coming along. I have included the first photo which shows the starting stage of the painting. The underpainting is now completed and I am in the process of laying on the color variations. So far I'm happy with what's happening, but as with all paintings you never know what's going to happen until it's totally done.

Remodel in an RV...

Thought you might enjoy seeing a project I did in our RV. You all know that my husband is past World Champion Bull Rider, so we really enjoy western decor and leather. Our bedroom had a wall of mirrors behind our bed. One of Bill's trophies from winning a title was a Winchester rifle that I wanted to display. My sister and I came up with the idea of a leather headboard where we could mount the rifle. After visiting our local Tandy Leather Company we purchased a leather side and began our creation.

We measured, cut and padded a plywood board, covered with leather, drilled and fastened silver conchos to hold everything in place. To add interest, we created the central concho and leather decoration and finally utilized rusted barbed wire to hang the Winchester. We choose to do this so that the rifle was readily available and not fastened into the headboard. We completed the project at midnight and felt pretty good about it. Would love to hear what you think.

Home Sweet Home...

A while back, Jo (Majority of Two) wrote that she was interested in motorhomes. I was tempted, but perhaps too embarrassed to respond. Following my recent days of learning that it is we who create our 'home' and not the home that creates us, I am now ready to confess.

I have always been a person who put roots down deep. This began early during my growing up years in Iowa. While I enjoyed traveling, I always loved coming 'home'. Well, our lives have changed during the past few years and we now find ourselves living full-time in an RV! In the beginning I didn't want to tell anyone that our home on wheels was our 'home' period. My husband was more comfortable with the situation and willingly told new friends that we were 'homeless'. It's been a year and a half now, so I guess it's time to accept our situation. We live full-time in an RV and are blessed.

We have met so many wonderful people who are living life in their RV's as well. The American Spirit is alive and well and, yes, some of us are living in recreational vehicles!

Another Wonderful Day...

Well, it's been a great day, again. My bread takes two days to bake, but it just came out of the oven and I thought I'd share it and the pot of homemade vegetable soup that I've made for dinner with the kids. The bread recipe made two loaves. The soup took a new spin. My family recipe calls for white potatoes, but my husband (always the health nut) wanted me to try sweet potatoes. I did and the result is a soup that has a natural sweet taste to it. Since I was photographing the bread, Bill thought I should also take a picture of one of the hand painted tiles I do. You are all invited to our simple dinner, please join us.

Another Fall Day...

Just finished baking our Cherry/Almond Scones, which my husband says "turned out great." Since he has eaten a half dozen of them, I guess they must be acceptable. The freezer is beginning to bulge, so will have to share more with friends. Next project is a really healthy French Boule (Bread) that has a lot of seeds and whole grains in it. One thing is for sure, the house smells really great, which seems to bring people inside for a taste. Don't you just love baking? Tomorrow's project will be homemade cheese. Picked up all the needed ingredients today. Can't wait. I have an overflowing herb garden (all grown in pots outside), some of which will become part of the cheese.

Just got a call from a friend who is at Greenbluff (our small farming community where we buy our fresh produce). She is looking for the farms where Bill shopped yesterday. Who says we don't influence others by our actions? We are already planning to can peaches together, but that will be another whole story.

A Fall Day in the Northwest...

Yesterday we awoke to cooler temps here in Spokane. It had rained during the night and everything was beautiful. Greens are so much greener following a rain.

Fall weather always makes me want to cook and it didn't take long to get into action. I pulled out my Grandmothers donut and cinnamon roll recipe and mixed it up. I used it to create a cinnamon raisen bread. Once the dough was set to raise I couldn't contain myself. I had picked up some horseradish root the day before so I grated it (had to turn on all the fans and open all the windows!). Once all the sinuses in the neighborhood had been cleared, I mixed the grated horseradish with vinegar, salt and sugar and sealed it. It's so beautiful. Homemade horseradish is much whiter than the brands you can buy in the store. Whenever I need a smoother horseradish to serve I simply mix my homemade with a bit of real mayo and it's done. It's also great in cocktail sauce served with shrimp.

My husband went back to Greenbluff (our little family farming area) and picked up three flats of raspberries, a flat of blackberries, ten pounds of cherries and various veggies. He helped me bag and freeze most of the berries, saving out some for our enjoyment. I will be able to make jams, smoothies, pies, whatever from the frozen as we move into winter. As for what we didn't freeze, I have been requested to make up Cherry/Almond Scones and Raspberry Crumble today.

Once I had the bread baking I painted a background for the second floral painting I am doing. Then we took on our grandkids so their parents could celebrate their wedding anniversary. All in all, it was a wonderful day. I slept a bit late today, but then that's the reward for being productive.

Finally, Something Artistic...

Yesterday my husband dug through our motorhome basements and located my oil paint box. With a little help from one of my artist friends, Jackie Claflin, I put together sufficient materials to commence a new project. I am painting from one of my own photographs. This is the beginning. I'm happy with the background and have commenced laying down the under painting of the lily. It feels good to be creating again. Now I have to make time in our busy schedule to get this done. Already have sketched it's partner for the next painting. Both florals are taken in the rain and therefore I will be putting droplets of water in the finished product.

We are taking off for our favorite place, Greenbluff. This is a small farming area where all the produce is grown and sold at the farms. Today we are going for raspberries and blueberries. There will be some kind of goodie baked tonight!

Interesting Bed...

Thought you might enjoy seeing a Mesquite bed we found chained to a tree in Tumacacori, Arizona. It was in front of a lovely little shop brimming with wonderful, artistic finds. The bed was an advertisement for a line of custom made furniture. I believe the beds are made (by hand) in Texas. The headboard, alone, weighed over 800 pounds. The shop owner could not get it inside her shop, which accounts for why it's chained to the tree. She said she had sold several to people who were building their homes. Seems that the bed has to be placed in the room and the room constructed around it! There are strings of small white lights wrapped around the posts and rails to light it at night. I love wandering around, you find the neatest things.

Saddened...

I received notification from my brother (who is highly computer literate) that my photography and artwork could be taken off my blog without any difficulty at all. Since copyrights are so hard to protect and since I make a living from my art, I chose to remove certain pieces of my blog. I apologize to those of you who enjoyed viewing them. I will continue blogging, but may concentrate on more general topics. Please stick with me. I would like to hear whether you have had any similar difficulties and if there is a way to protect our copyrighted materials.

Mother Nature's Heart

Another of my favorite "Mother Nature" photos. I found this heart while hiking in the Redwoods of Northern California. Of course, being a romantic, I just had to take this photo. My husband laughs at me a lot. By the way, I know it's out of focus...I actually meant to do it this way to attempt to add a bit of softness to it. I regret that I did not take a shot in focus, but at the time I was excited about what I perceived as my artistic license!

Saturday Fun

I've had a great evening organizing my iPhoto and sorting many of my thousands of photos. Some I keep for professional use and others just because I like them. While living on the Oregon Coast we were lucky enough to attend a kite flying meet. Now these were not your ordinary kite flyers...these guys made multiple kites fly in sync. It was an amazing afternoon and I was able to snap a few photos. Mostly I just watched in awe of such talents. I thought you might enjoy. It's one man flying all of these kites!

My Heritage...

Being born and raised in the Midwestern United States, I was blessed with a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who started my cooking lessons at a very young age. The grandmothers never used written recipes and while my Mom once in a while pulled out a bit of paper she had made notes on, her normal routine came from within her wonderful mind. Whenever I feel a bit down, I revert to my upbringing and cook something. I thought I might share one of the results...a fresh lemon pie. The lemons came from the tree of a friend and the recipe is from my past. The secret of our merange is to add a bit of flour (this stops the eggs from separating). My husband says it tasted even better than it looks! Wish you were here to share a cup of green tea and a bite of pie.

Harry Potter

We attended an early viewing of Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince and was thoroughly pleased with the results. I have to admit that I am one of the 'adult' Harry Potter fans. I believe the genius of J.K. Rowling is one of the greatest things to happen to this generation. Her ability to create an alternate world complete down to the tiniest detail is amazing. She has been likened to J.R.R. Tolkien, who wrote the Lord of the Rings series, however I believe her abilities surpass his. I highly recommend everyone who can to see this latest offering. Final note, the movies never completely depict the written word, so by all means, please read the book.

Help!

There are days when simple technology seems to boggle my mind. I have attempted to show the blogs I follow on my blog, but only part of them appear. Do any of you know what I might be doing wrong? I have more than 20 additional blogs that I enjoy following and would like to have listed so I can get a quick peek each day but they are not cooperating.

Also, some of you have an old email address for me. If you are emailing me and have not received an answer or seen your comment posted, please send it again. My email is updated on my blog now so things should work better.

This morning it was above 100 degrees when we headed out for our 45 minute walk...I survived, but hope the mornings cool down a bit soon. It's supposed to reach 112 this weekend. The resulting lightening and thunder storms that arrive in the evening are really a spectacular experience. They remind me of growing up in Iowa.

The cactus love the heat. Here are a couple I thought you might like to see. They are blooming. The desert does have it's beautiful side.

Tucson Monsoon

The photo appears blurry, but it's actually the wind and torrential downpour causing a serious focus problem. This storm (last night) blew roofs off; lightening strikes caught fire to a home, buildings and trees around town and flooding was predicted for downtown Tucson. Arizona summers are challenging at best.

Never Satisfied...

Okay, perhaps it's because I am an artist or perhaps it's because I'm a Pisces...I never seem to be satisfied to leave things as they are. That said, I just had to change my blog. The old one, while I enjoyed making it, seemed to be growing stale. I suppose I'm a person who is continually evolving thus everything around me must evolve also. Whatever it is, I hope you enjoy the new "look".

Sketch for Brother's Birthday

Growing up my brother was, and still is, a very important part of my life. He is four years older than I am, thus I have spent my entire life looking up to him. In this simple sketch I wanted to depict the feeling of a younger sibling who is in awe of her older brother. I don't profess to be a great artist (especially with drawings) but I felt this media would allow me to simplify the mood of my offering to him. As always, I will set it up and keep looking at it to see where improvements need to be made. The drawing did not photograph well, but I will share it anyway. I attempted many shots but could not quite get the clarity of the original. You get the idea. As always, your comments are welcome.

Brother's Birthday

I am busy working on a secret gift for my brother's upcoming birthday. It amazes me how the feelings from our childhood remain strong, even after we are grown and matured. My brother was always my protector. He is four years older than I am and when you are young, that's a lot. Somehow I always thought of him as knowing everything and being able to fix anything. He didn't always approve of me, but he did always tolerate me and never failed to make sure, that if it was within his power, no one ever hurt me. For his love throughout the years I am truly grateful. Hopefully my birthday project will turn out well and I will be able to share it with you on his birthday, July 10th.

More exciting news, I am picking up my watercolors again and will be creating some new works during the coming month. I will be without my scanner, but will attempt to share them with you by taking photos as I work...suffering loves company!

Favorite Times of Year...

I love this time of year. The strawberries are coming on and it's time to make jam. I can't think of anything more rewarding than canning and preserving fresh produce, grown by farmers who use the organic approach. Things taste so much better and are so much better for us. At the end of canning season I love to stand back and look at my accomplishments, which I believe is a form of art.

Performing this age-old processing of foods brings back recollections of my Grandmothers and Mother who worked together to "put up" all the wonderful goodies that would take our families through the winter months. They baked together every week, producing the breads for the upcoming week. They also created unbelievable pies and angel food cakes to delight the senses of a small child. My Mother whipped up the most amazing fudge (by hand, no electric mixer or Marshmellow Creme), filled with home gathered, dried and cracked black walnuts. I regret she died too young, before I had the opportunity to write down all the family recipes she kept neatly stored away in her mind. (The painting I posted months ago depicts me as a young girl accompanying my family on one of the walnut gathering expeditions. How I would love to take a trip back in time and have the opportunity to once again partake of those family outings.)

Bear Grass Experience

As an artist, I have seen many photos and paintings of the elusive Bear Grass. While I've always thought it beautiful, I had never actually seen it in bloom (up close and personal). Recently I visited the Lake Summit area of Montana and was rewarded with an unbelievable display of the beautiful plant in various stages of bloom. Some prolific areas seemed to go on for miles, decorated in the awe-inspiring display. I lost track of time as I photographed the blooms, trying to find just the right lighting and displays. I'm sharing one of my photos and hope you enjoy it. I might add that nearly half of the blooms had already been eaten (by local bear, I assume).

As always, Montana is an exciting state and I hope to visit there again real soon.

Where Does The Time Go?

It's been a while since my last post. I have been busy enjoying this beautiful time of the year. We had a thunderstorm the other evening and I just had to take some photos. Thought you might like to see. Skies always bring a feeling of awe to me. Perhaps it's my artist soul or simply a reminder of my childhood when my parents gave me an awareness of all things beautiful. Whatever, I hope you like the pictures.

On Our Way North...

Both my sons and all my grandchildren (4) flew to Tucson to drive north with me.  What a time we are having.  Hope you enjoy the pictures of my family.  

Help!

I have  been trying to upload a movie I made from my Apple account at gallery.me.  Each time it says upload unsuccessful.  Does anyone know any way around this?  I have not had any success with creating a flicker slide show.  Do the technologies not interface?  I'm frustrated!!

AZ Fixer

With the economic crunch, we were searching for a little something we could afford.  We found this quaint little "fixer" in southern Arizona.  Bill's researching how to make adobe bricks, but from the sounds of the original recipes, I think we'll keep looking!  Actually, as I take these photos I can't help but think of the adventuresome souls who toughed the elements to create this great and wonderful land we all call home.  

Longhorn Bar & Grill

I'm always intrigued with the wonderful creativity of people.  This is actually a really great place to get a meal and from the sounds of merriment coming from the bar, a great little place to have a Marguerita!  Bill and I had dinner here and really enjoyed it.  We would highly recommend you stop by if you ever find yourself in Amado, AZ (south of Tucson and Green Valley just off I-19).  People are really nice and again, very creative.  Hope you enjoy the wonderful, realistic version of a longhorn skull, we did.

Florida Trip

I just returned from a trip to Florida.  What a beautiful part of the world.  I was especially thrilled over the small village of Apalachicola.  While it's difficult, perhaps, to pronounce, it is filled with wonderfully quaint little shops and extremely nice people.  The town is a successful project of historic preservation for which its residents should be proud.  I would recommend anyone planning a visit to Florida to take the time to travel to and enjoy the experience that is Apalachicola.

New Year's Resolutions...

Okay, so the New Year brought a lot of positive feelings and anticipation of healthy pursuits.  Now the reality sets in...my muscles hurt, I have pain where I didn't even know I had parts!  The early mornings are no longer met with a leisurely cup of coffee but with a "get your hiking shoes on, we have to go" from my husband.  (I'm not so sure I like him anymore.)  I'm sure I had an old army injury (although I was never in the military) cause it really does bother me now.  My back hurts, I have blisters on my feet, bruises on my legs and I tend to smell more like a men's gym bag than a sexy, middle-aged lady.  I didn't even know I had sweat glands.  Somehow I always thought I was born without any.  There aren't enough showers in a day to counteract the effects of the workouts the old boy puts me through.  Did I mention that he's beginning to resemble Simon Cowell from American Idol...never satisfied with the effort expended, always wants more.  Well, I was just checking in, it's my free day so I'm going back to bed.  If I survive I'll try to post more later this week.  For now my fingers still work, but I'm sure he will think of some exercise that will take care of that.

Happy New Year...

As I watched the sun come up this morning, it came to mind how time flies. Another year is gone. It's time to reflect on all the things still left for us to do. So much comes to mind. I have, however, chosen to take a moment to reflect on times past -- to think about all the wonderful New Years which have gone by. I am so thankful for all my family, friends and blessings. So, today is a day to say "Thank You" to all the people who have made my life so very happy. You know who you are. And to all my new found friends, "I am looking forward to sharing my life with you". Happy New Year!

Resolutions for this year:

Eat Healthy - Exercise - Share Time With Loved Ones - Count Blessings

Merry Christmas To All

I wanted to Wish Everyone A Very Merry Christmas. May Your Holidays be filled with Love, Family, Friends and Peace.

Family

As the Holidays draw nearer, I can't help but remember the days of my childhood. Growing up in Iowa was wonderful through the eyes of a little girl. Our family was poor but my brother and I were fed, kept warm and loved (unconditionally by our Mother). I remember wearing hand-me-downs as I grew up. Not a bad thing, except I only had one sibling, a brother who was four years older than me. Like all little girls I idolized him, something that remains in my heart even today. He was always patient and tolerant of me even though many of the other older children of the neighborhood (mostly boys) were not. He was my protector. Although there wasn't much in the way of activities we found great adventures in our neighborhood. Our Dad had built us a swing in a tree in the front yard and summers were spent sharing it with the neighborhood. Winters were a bit more challenging. The winter storms back then seemed to be more severe than they do today. Staying warm was a full-time job. Our baths were taken in a round galvanized tub by the stove in the living room. Funny what memories remain with you as you grow older.

Christmas was not a luxory our family could afford. We knew the story of Mary and Baby Jesus and understood it was His birthday that was celebrated at Christmas. It wasn't until I started kindergarten and the other children shared their stories of their Christmas celebrations with me that I began to comprehend the meaning of being poor. I was in the first grade when my brother took matters into his own hands. He would have been 9 or 10 at the time. He insisted that there be a Christmas tree that year. I remember going into the country with him and Dad and cutting a small tree. Anyone who is not from Iowa may not appreciate the meaning of that. The evergreen trees that grow there are not like the ones in the Northwest. They are nothing but stickers! If you get near them you have these stickers attached painfully to you. No matter, Dad cut the tree and he and my brother pulled it through the snow to the car where it was loaded and taken home. That is the first Christmas we observed. I remember the gifts of a coloring book and crayons (The Cisco Kid & Poncho) and a small plastic bank shaped like the spaceship of Flash Gordon. Television was just becoming popular and these were the popular shows of the times. I'm sure our parents had a difficult time providing these gifts for us and I still love my brother for his efforts to see that his baby sister had Christmas.

I suppose in times such as our country is facing now many of us can reflect back on more difficult times. It seems to me that as long as you have family and friends you will always be rich. I grew out of poverty and have lived what is considered a prosperous life. It's still these growing up years that I recall the most vividly. I doubt that I could ever possess anything more valuable than the love (of parents and especially my brother) that saw me through those years of my growing up.

One of My Favorite Personal Photos

This is my husband, Bill and "guess who," standing on a cliff above the Pacific Ocean on the Oregon Coast. The photo was taken by our son, Shaun. I really love the ambiance of it.

Another Ride...

I received several requests for more pictures of my husband's rodeo career.

Bill is the one sitting "in" the barrell. (Anyplace for a rest.) This was taken at the National Finals Rodeo

In case I failed to mention it, Bill was a pretty good bareback rider too. He didn't pursue the All-Around Title, but could have. Ah, the ignorance of our youth. Hope you enjoy. The pictures were taken by Rodeo Photographer, Ferral Butler.

Sophia's Hat

Here it is!  Grandma finished Sophia's Hat.  Now all we have to do is see if Ms. Sophia likes it--wish me luck.  I must say, I admire all the felters who are out there.  It is a challenging, albeit fun, craft.  I heartily recommend it to all brave souls who don't mind a few needle holes in their fingers.  I especially like the Spiderman bandaids!

Missing Alaska

For those of you who have never experienced Alaska, I'd like to share a few of my favorite spots.  Homer, Alaska is located at the end of the Kenai Peninsula.  It is renowned for the 'Homer Spit', but that's a story for another time.  On the way to the infamous Spit you will pass by a wonderful little garden and feed store.  A great place to buy vegetable plants in the spring, or...

I just had to photograph their wonderful sign--hopefully you will enjoy it as much as we did.

New Day...

I located replacement felting needles at a wonderful needlecraft store in Kingman, AZ.  The name of the store is "Spinster" and to be honest is better stocked and more accommodating than ones I have found in much larger cities.  I will be placing a link to them on my blog.  At any rate, I am back to work on my granddaughter's Christmas hat and hope to be able to show it to you in a few days.  In the meantime, here's a photo of Sophia at age 2.  Notice, she loves hats and is a bit of a fashion diva!  Hope she likes grandma's special hat once it's finished.

My blog is enjoyable, but I am seeking a way to create two posting columns.  That way I will be able to post my artwork and keep it together and put our photos and everyday mutterings in another location.  So far, I'm still learning, so bear with me.  

My Husband

It's that time of year again.  The National Finals Rodeo is underway in Las Vegas.  As our close friends and family all know, Bill is a past World Champion Bull Rider.  Although he no longer competes, he still has many friends involved in the sport.  It's a great time to catch up with what's going on.  I thought you might like to see one of Bill's rides.  This photo was taken by Ferrel Butler at Sidney, Iowa (my hometown).  By the way, he was really GOOD!

Bella's Christmas Hat

The Christmas Holiday is my sister's favorite time of year.  To say she goes overboard...well, I counted no less than 10 differently decorated trees in her home during my recent visit.  She likes to pretend to be Scrooge, but we all know it's an act.  I couldn't help but photograph Ms. Bella (Sis's two year old Cocker) in her Christmas Hat.  Yes, she has her own stocking, too!  As you can see in one of the photos, she tired of having her picture taken.

Sophia's Christmas Hat

I have ventured into unknown territory. I am attempting to felt a hat for my granddaughter. Creating the felted panels weren't all that difficult (although a bit time consuming). It's amazing how wonderfully the wool nestles together to create the fabric once the boiling water is added. Now I have to fit the sections together. Being me, I tackled my first project without the aid of instructions, I'm an artist after all so I should be able to create something lovely without much trouble! Well, perhaps with a bit a trouble...

At any rate, wanted to let you all know what I'm up to. Hopefully in a day or so when I finish said project I'll post a photo. How many days 'til Christmas???

Stained Glass Window - "Bull Rider"

I have experienced a lot of difficulty in uploading my photos through the Posting window so am attempting to do this post via email. Hopefully it will work out.

This is the stained glass project I currently have underway. For a bit of background, my husband, Bill Kornell is a past World Champion Bull Rider. I have quite a lot of experience and reference materials available to me to make sure that the rodeo authenticity is adhered to in my renderings. It is so great to have a husband who takes an interest in my projects and assists me with fine tuning.

I also have an oil painting underway of Big Horn Sheep and Bill has been invaluable to me with it. He corrects small confirmation issues which will make the difference between an adequate painting and what I hope will be an exceptional one. (Can you tell I like the guy?)

Let me know what you think about the window. Since the Holidays are approaching I will not be doing much more on it this year, but will be back with a vengeance in January. Also, if this posting method works I hope to get more of my work online for you to see.

November 30, 2008

This is my first attempt with a blog. While I've never thought I have much of an interesting life, my friends and family disagree. So, I will share some of my experiences and see what you think.

Some background first. My husband, Bill Kornell, and I met when we were 16 and 17. We shared a very special relationship for three years and then, as so many relationships go, we drifted on to separate lives. I married and raised two wonderful sons. Then, some 36 years after we parted Bill and I were reunited through the efforts of a friend. Needless to say, the ensuing seven years has been truly wonderful. Do I believe in 'soul mates'? YES!

My early years were spent experimenting with art in an awkward, self-taught manner. Upon graduation from high school I was offered a full scholarship to study with Norman Rockwell. Ah, the stupidity of youth...I chose instead to go to work as a secretary. Following marriage I entered into the realm of law, taking a position as secretary to a county sheriff in the State of Iowa. This entailed all the general office duties, but included also taking depositions (in shorthand). Later I relocated to Spokane, Washington and went to work as a legal secretary. Working my way up, I became a paralegal and finally a legal administrator. I retired from the legal profession following 26 years and worked parttime for a school district. I enjoyed the children very much. My next move was to the northeastern most county in Washington State (Pend Oreille) where I worked for the State of Washington and Pend Oreille County developing The North Pend Oreille Scenic Byway. In my capacity as Byway Coordinator, I was awarded the 'Richard J. "Dick" Clifton Award" for leadership and was recognized nationally by the National Scenic Byways for my success in developing a grass roots driven project. During this time I set on the board of The Cutter Theatre as well as being a full member in the North Pend Oreille Lions Club. To all my friends and associates from this period of my life I would like to say, 'I miss you all'.

Throughout my life I have pursued my art. Now, Bill insists that I actively pursue it. I am posting some of my projects and would love hearing from you as to what you think. Be kind, I'm a gentle soul.

I believe I am blessed in this life. I cherish my sons, their wives and their families (3 extraordinary grandsons and one fiery, independent granddaughter). My husband, of course, is the light of my life and my friends are the cornerstones of my being.