Saturday July 21 2007

First was a nearly uniform purple wash over the entire canvas. You can see some of it in the top left corner. Second Layer is the Under Painting, beginning to develop the foreground.

Third stage wiped some trunks back out.

Fourth, starting to go back first with white then forming the trunks.

Fifth Decided I didn't like those criss crossing in the center, so changed their position. Will also change one or the other of the "X's" right of top center. Began to develop more detals. Total time so far maybe 2 hours or so. Left it to dry Thursday and Friday.

Sixth stage, working on grass and tree trunks. . Now the work begins. Thinking it may need a deer?

Got up early, straightened up the studio, then showered and washed my hair. Joe went right out to pick up bales early and is making a stack near the yard for Sandra. Last night I took the utility room rugs out to the car to go to the second hand store, since Joe said they were getting too old, in not quite those words. And this morning first thing got the big one out from under the table and mopped the floors. The rugs would probably be fine if I cleaned them, but that seems to be lower on the list of priorities. So this is an opportunity to get new ones, and a change will be nice. They are nylon braided country style, and have just worn like iron. I sprayed oven cleaner in the oven, and will wipe that out later. Then got Joe's breakfast when he came in.

Last night Nube knocked down a wire hog panel Joe has across between the shed and the corral so the horses can't come into the yard. She pulled it over and evidence showed that she must have then walked on it and got her hooves caught in the holes. I would have liked to have seen what happened, but didn't. It's very lucky she didn't get hurt. The panel was bent about 90 degrees so there had to be a struggle. I got it back up and put her where she belonged. Lucky she didn't get in the hayfield because that would have been a lot harder to catch her. Then Joe and I had a little discussion about the way he's got so much ticky tacky wire and things strung up in places to keep the horses out. I might have the go ahead to have someone come and do a few things to make it better. I would really like to make the yard a lot nicer in several places, and the yard fence is getting to where it needs to be replaced again. I thought when we built it, it would last the rest of our lives, and it could just keep deteriorating, but a new one with a little different configuration would be nice too.

Sandy Brewer is coming over to paint and visit today and will be here soon.