Big Kahuna from Inside the Corral
Drift Over the Propane Tank
Happy Daylight Savings Time. This is the way I wish the time would stay permanently. Although for a while its hard to loose the hour in the morning - actually to clarify that its hard to get up any earlier. And already its nearly noon.
Yesterday I went to Pinedale for our monthly Mixed Media meeting. As usual I had a hard time leaving early despite good intentions. I got a pot roast and vegetables going in the crock pot for dinner. Fixed Joe’s breakfast, got me and my stuff ready, although most of it I’d gotten together the night before. Noticed the birds were out of seed so fed them. Loaded the coolers onto the sled and off I started on the snow machine and dogs leading the way. I didn’t realize it before I got out in it but we had a new 2 or 3” of wet heavy snow. It was then I also noticed I could hardly see a thing, very bad light for staying on the trail. So I followed the dogs as they had no trouble keeping on the packed trail - however I didn’t follow Raven taking a detour to check out the rabbit haven in the willows. The snow was deep enough off our track that she looked like she was swimming and taking great leaps like a dolphin.
By the time I got out to the truck I was wondering if I would have to ask Melita if I could spend the night with her if the storm got worse since it was predicted to snow all day. I didn’t feel like it was going to be too bad to drive in at the moment however. The road was snow covered, kind of wet and slushy. A few trucks had been through ahead of me. I slipped pretty good starting up Wheeler Hill. I decided even though the snow wasn’t deep I’d put it in 4WD to avoid ending up in the ditch and there would go my day down the tubes. On over the larger hill near Jones’ where the berms where higher than the truck, and in another mile onto the pavement which was already partly clear. It's been so warm that the paved roads have been dry, and probably even our dirt road had been mostly clear. The last time I went anywhere was February 16, although Joe’s been out 3 or 4 times.
The road the rest of the way was only wet, and not cold enough to be the least bit icy. So all of a sudden the winter driving seemed to be over with.
I stopped at the post office to mail the package of Oregon Trail reference to 3rd grader Joe in Texas for a school project. Good luck with your project, Joe. And Kathy was at the post office, which let both other PO employees Debbie and Sandy go to our meeting. So glad they got some help. By the time I got to Pinedale the storm had cleared off, and it was sunny and pleasantly warm, with the gutters running full of water.
Fifteen of us got together at the Pony Express Photo Shop, owned by our friend Josie. Its a very small room and we fill it up. Everyone else was at Josie’s ahead of me this time when I pulled up at about 10 a.m. Hauled all my stuff in and got hugs all around and got a cup of hot coffee with one of Charm’s wonderful chocolate chip cookies.
Then Debbie and I walked our dogs. Her lab Hunter had to have one of his legs amputated because of cancer, and seems to be fine and healthy. Hunter goes to work with Debbie about every day. We did an exercise in using one photo reference to do six small color schemes. By the sixth one I was pretty loosened up, my artwork not me. In a while we had a nice lunch with sandwiches, fresh fruit, and spice cake with lemon sauce. I started a watercolor of an old barn at Merna, but so far am not that happy with it. I’ll work on it a little more before I decide to trash it. My confidence with watercolor isn’t good. I might save it by putting pastel over it.
By about 3:30 everyone was ready to leave so I went on out to Ruth’s to pick up my matted and shrink wrapped prints. We had a nice visit. She said she bought two new horses. Saw Gina's new oil of her childhood homestead house there and she did a nice job with it. We picked out mats and frame to put on my new drawing of Buster and settled on burgundy and gray on it. Then we looked at possibilities for a couple other jobs she had. One large photo I hope to see when she has it finished. It should be awesome. I sure have a stock of the prints ready to be sold now. Maybe I'll have to go to a craft fair or something.
Went to the accountant’s to pick up our finished taxes. Then to Faler’s for groceries. I didn’t stock up on too much this time, and most of it fit right into the coolers which made for easy hauling - only two other small sacks. Along the way home the ice has gone off most of the streams except the East Fork out our way still had quite a bit of ice. It was a beautiful evening drive. I saw a lot of deer and they are migrating back to their spring and summer ranges. Today I saw my first goose flying north.
When I got back to our dirt road I was quite surprised to see much of the snow melted off and …..it wasn’t muddy!! First I was puzzled then I remembered the coating the county put on it last year - almost like pavement. I’ve never driven on the road in spring season before without terrible ruts, water and mud. Stretches were still partly snow covered but no problems. Got to the mailbox, transferred all my stuff to the sled and bundled it up in the tarp, and off on the trail to home just as the sun was setting. I could see the beginnings of our creek wanting to thaw and if the warm weather continues it might be a matter of days before our trail is done across the creek.
We unloaded the sled and Joe put the machine away. I was glad I had started the pot roast in the morning, it was perfectly done and very tasty. Got the dogs and cats fed too, and all the groceries put away. I bought ingredients to make stuffed peppers for dinner today, probably with pilaf. I don’t plan on doing anything major the rest of the day, perhaps work a little on my horse herding painting.
The horses seem to be enjoying the warmer weather, snoozing outside the studio window, and the dogs are asleep on the porch in the sun. Joe’s watching the basketball tournaments. All's right with the world.
