Sunday May 27 2007

Boulter Family Visits the Old Homestead

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Sunday morning. An anniversary of sorts - I've been writing the blog for about three months now, and have certainly enjoyed the experience.

Joe wanted to leave early for the cemetery in Pinedale to put flowers on his brother Jim's grave, so he cooked his own breakfast and is on his way. The dogs are sitting in the yard howling. Raven is learning how to sing instead of just bark.

The Boulter family will be here about noon or one o'clock. John Boulter didn't call until yesterday, so I didn't do anything ahead for refreshments. But will make some cookies this morning and have lemonade. I'll have to do some housecleaning too. He said there are about 20 of them. Doesn't look like the visit will be rained out. I might write a little more later to tell you about the experience after they have been here.

I'm back, it's 2:30, and the Boulter family left a little while ago. They did get here about noon, and there were 25 of them - lots of little kids. Basically I think there were four (maybe five?) brothers and their families. Their grand and great grandparents homesteaded here, and the family was visiting their roots. They looked around while I tried as best I could to describe where the original buildings were, and where the old one-room school was down by the gate. The kids of course were more interested in the horses and fed them bits of hand pulled grass and then I gave them small alfalfa cubes to give Bobbi and Nube. They marveled at the old well pump, the original outhouse and wagon, and the layout of the original ranch fields and buildings. They all visited the Art Show in the Barn, since it was up. We had cookies and lemonade. It was a lot of fun having them here. Joe laid under the truck the whole time.

Yesterday I looked up information to make our hotel reservation in Idaho Falls next week, ordered Joe's prescriptions from the VA, got more paperwork done, bills paid and made the deposit on a "booth space" for the Green River Rendezvous Street Art and Craft Fair. I have quite a lot of my matted and shrink wrapped prints to sell. Sally Hayward is going to share the space with me. She has jewelery she wants to sell. Sally is my friend Gina's sister and they live in Arizona in the winter and also have a house in Pinedale. Isn't the Internet great! That is how we have met, so in a few weeks we will meet in person. I know I like her already though. We may have been introduced once before. I had been procrastinating and may not have actually gotten the booth if Sally hadn't said she was interested too, as sitting on the street selling my wares isn't one of my favorite things. I got started with updating the print price list, divided the total prints into the total cost and came up with the cost each. Now have to figure out what each of the sizes will cost - my mathematically challenged left brain wants nothing to do with it, however it's necessary to make a little profit.

The drawing for the Commander of the National Search and Rescue portrait is on the buckskin. I accomplished that yesterday and will let you know how it goes. Maybe we can do a series of photos on the blog as it progresses.

Interesting Turn of Events - This is the gallery where our WAOW show will be in next November.

Chicago police are searching for a couple who walked into a private gallery and stole a 17th-century Rembrandt etching from the wall. The etching, called Adam and Eve, shows Adam holding out an apple to Eve in the Garden of Eden while a serpent looks on. The couple, described as middle-aged, spent about five minutes in the Hilligoss Gallery Sunday afternoon before disappearing. After they had left the gallery, the etching by Rembrandt van Rijn was discovered to be missing. Gallery owner Tom Hilligoss estimates the value of the etching at $60,000 US. He was selling the etching on consignment as part of an estate sale. The thieves, who had been seen before in the gallery, may have targeted the etching after finding a buyer, he said. "They went straight for it," Hilligoss said of the thieves, who were not caught on security cameras. With files from the Associated Press

Saturday May 26 2007

Tom's Hay

Yesterday afternoon we left about 4 p.m. to go Pinedale and get more truck parts. It was about when we got there we realized we both had forgotten to bring any checkbook or money! But I had "the card". We were a little early so went to the Stockman's - Joe had a cup of coffee and I had some welcome ice tea. Then over to Tom and Joanne's in Bargerville. They have a nice log house there and a pretty good hayfield. Joe ran out and needed a little extra hay for Bobbi. We got there just about 6 p.m. after Tom got home from work. He's the saddle maker in town. Tom and Joe hefted a tall load into the pickup. Tom's hay is really nice. How come I didn't think to take pictures of them loading or with the truck piled sky high I don't know.

Joanne and I stood and talked about cats and horses and other important things. She is the one who gave me my two sister cats maybe four years ago now. They invited us to stay to dinner and Joanne had made the best chili out of local beef and bundt cake for dessert. I don't know if she had planned to ask us ahead or not, but we sure weren't expecting to get such a nice dinner. I was really glad not to have to go home late and fix anything. We had a good chance to visit. They are coming to our house for dinner in a few weeks. They had been invited all last fall and we never did set a date, so before we left we said it would be the 17th.

Joe said if any hay fell off I'd have to pick it up. I had been doing the driving, with the two dogs laying on my shifting arm. I told Joe no more of the two big dogs riding with us both in the front seat of the truck. It's too dangerous. I don't like them in the bed of the pickup either in case they fell out. So they may have to stay at home next time. They have had to stay home alone maybe twice in their lives.

We started home and the road in to their place is bumpy so had to take it slow, but when I turned onto the highway there was not a vehicle in sight to worry about all the way to Boulder. Angels had gone ahead and cleared the way. The evening was really pretty for a slower than normal drive through the ranch country. We stopped at the top of the hill at Irish Canyon and Joe tightened up the ropes. Then slowly again onto our dirt roads. There was a young moose right in the road as we drove along Muddy Creek. He was very gangly but gracefully jumped over the fence and crossed the creek. Picked up our mail out of the mailbox. A nice t-shirt I had ordered had come. I managed to avoid most all the bumps and potholes in our road. We got to the yard with the load intact about 9 p.m.

The drive brought back memories of all the many times I had loaded up the old Chevy pickup with hay by myself and drove it up to the lodge for hunting camp every fall. For many years I hauled most all the hay for the hunting horses, but was lots younger and stronger then too. And never lost a bale either. So this driving on nearly level roads was pretty easy. In later years when we had more help, the wranglers hauled a lot of the hay then.

This morning Joe was out at the crack of dawn unloading the hay into the barn. By the time I got up and got out there, he was about done, but I did get a few snapshots. The dogs are his helpers.

This has been a lazy day. Made Joe some buttermilk pancakes. Betty called this morning and we had our Saturday visit. Sounds like things are going fine at her place. She's been getting lots of improvements done in her yard. It's still partly cloudy, cool and breezy but warmer than it has been for a while. I've got a zucchini, mushroom, hot Italian sausage casserole made and baking in a slow oven for dinner. Will make some rice pilaf with it.

Friday May 25 2007

Barn on Horse Creek Road

8x10 Study/Sketch - Mixed Media

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This little painting was finished and framed recently. When they are not a major piece, I call these small pieces studies or sketches. It started with watercolor, and I added pastel and colored pencil to finish it up. Am taking my prints out to the barn for the art show. And hope some destructive rodents don't get in there. I'm trusting my cats to take care of them. Now I will also need to revise the price list of the prints to reflect the nicely done matting and shrink wrapping. That will involve some computer work and getting a list printed up. I'm thinking of taking the prints to the Green River Rendezvous 2007 Street Art and Craft Fair. You have to rent your "booth space". So a decision will need to made about that soon. I don't much like doing that kind of thing, but now I have all these prints (investment) and need to sell them. My weak point is business/marketing.

It is a dark and dreary morning, with a stiff breeze blowing. Years ago, it would have been raining with this kind of weather, but its iffy whether we'll get any moisture or not. The forecast doesn't call for more than 20% chance of rain all week and supposed to get warmer.

So far all that is planned for today is the usual routine, plus 3 loads of laundry, changing the bed, and later this afternoon we're both going to get some more hay from Tom for Bobbi, so she can be kept in the corral. i.e. I'll drive. Tom lives in Bargerville, between Pinedale and Boulder. The propane man came this morning to fill our tank. Then Joe went out irrigating. I've got my occasional miserable "allergy attack" for lack of a better description.

This is the weekend the Boulter family (see the March 25 entry) is supposed to come to spend a few hours here during their family reunion. The Boulter's were the ones who homesteaded our place in the early years of the 20th century. John Boulter said he would call me to finalize the visit but I haven't heard from him. I had planned to have some refreshments for them, but don't know whether to do that or not, and would need to be working on it tomorrow. I need to look up his letter and see if there is a phone number and maybe call, although they probably would not be there. Maybe they'll just show up. ??

Joe agreed to have a horseshoer come to trim Bobbi and Nube's feet. I need to find a good one and make the arrangements. Joe has always done it all.

Yes we did get some sprinkles of rain.

Thursday May 24 2007

Corral at Sunset

All went well today for our writer's group business meeting, Sublette County Artists Guild. I got got the cake made and everything finished up in time for our meeting. Charm came a little early and helped me finish up. She, Kay and Barbara also helped serve, I'm very grateful for their help. I'm always a little sorry at times like these that I don't have a large table to serve a bunch, however we managed fine with TV trays and holding our plates in our laps. Thirteen of us attended. We had a good meeting and got all the items on the agenda discussed. It took longer than I thought it might, but we had a very productive meeting. I'm proud of the group for all the community service things we are taking on and the way many are volunteering. After the fact, I wish I had taken a picture of the group, but was pretty occupied. We'll have another chance for that. It was so good to see everyone again. Oh yes, nearly forgot to tell you that I'm president of the group again. We all just kept our positions again for the year.

It's been very overcast and chilly all day. Bobbi got herself out of the corral into the yard this evening and we had to catch her and put her back. Fortunately she didn't get into the field or the job would have been a lot more difficult. At least she didn't go wild and try to escape or get to running around the yard or jump the fence. The dogs had to stay in the house so they wouldn't stir her up in the yard to where we couldn't catch her. So that got Sparky bent all out of shape. He was very indignant for quite a while. He thinks he's in charge of everything - the dominant dog. So not much else went on to talk about. I heated up leftover corned beef and cabbage with salad and store bought rolls for our dinner. And we have some of the strawberry cake roll for dessert. I'm ready to put my pjs on.

Wednesday May 23 2007

Tipis at the Museum of the Mountain Man

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We left for Pinedale about 9 a.m. this morning. It was very frosty early and breezy. Stopped first at the post office and was able to say hi for a few minutes to Debbie.

Took Joe right up to the clinic for his blood test but they didn't have any vials? so were getting some from Big Piney and said to come back in the afternoon. We got parts for Joe and this took several stops. His big truck emergency brake drum was sent off to Salt Lake City to be relined. Got gas. Then went to Falers for a few groceries, mostly fresh things. Mushrooms and zucchini looked extra good and I make a casserole we like with those. It has hot Italian sausage in it. I saw Charm in the store. While I was in there I ordered flowers for Mary Caroline.

By then we were just in time for lunch at Rendezvous Pointe - roast beef and scalloped potatoes carrots and homemade rolls. We sat with the Myers and Kellys and I really enjoyed the visiting. Judi had a great opportunity to get some books at a garage sale and I was able to pick a bunch of mostly art books. She will bring them out tomorrow. I can't wait to see them all.

At one we went back to the clinic, but then the blood pressure machine was broken? and he has to wait some more. He didn't get out of the clinic until 2:20 and hardly anyone else (patients) was there. I took the dogs for a nice walk near the Museum and liked the way the tipis looked so took some photos. Went back to get Joe and he was still sitting right where I left him. So I went and emptied the recycling stuff. He was done when I went back the second time. The drive home was pretty. The temperature dropped from 65 on the bank's termperature sign to 47 by the time we got home. It was nearly 4 p.m. when we got here, put groceries away, got a nice phone call from Sheral and Noleen.

Not surprisingly I wasn't feeling ambitious enough to do anything for tomorrow's SCAG business meeting. I never got the cake made yesterday, but I did get the agenda and the new meeting schedule typed up. Since we had such a big dinner at lunch, I made us a french dip sandwich. I worked a little more on my tipi pastel painting and its certainly changed or evolved from when I started it. It may be a keeper. I went out to feed the cats about sunset and took some more sunset photos.

TuesdayMay 22 2007

After The Rain - West

After the Rain - East

Finally.....we had a wonderful rain yesterday that lasted all day long. At 5 p.m. it began a blizzard with snow or freezing rain and wind and that lasted about an hour. Then it began to clear up. It got below freezing last night (have to check that lilac bush), the moisture on the grass was frozen with the drops flashing rainbow colors in the sunrise and all the ponds on the field were frozen. This morning doesn't look like we will get any more, but the forecast is still for rain and snow. Bobbi's corral is a muddy mess.

Snow Yesterday Afternoon - Nube - 5 p.m.

Yesterday I was able to shop online for some more pastel colors - I got all the unison greens and all the lights. And a couple of brushes from Dick Blick. So guess I'm in the pastel painting business for serious. I'll go ahead gradually and get the other colors too. When I did the quick draw at WAA it took a whole $5 stick of white to cover the painting. That was an eye opener.

Oh, I found that file of lost photos. They automatically went into a file I never made called digital photos - sometimes things do make sense. So added a few more down below to go with the messages I took them for. It's a little heavy on pictures, but that's o.k. If you check down through as far as Wednesday the 16th you will see them.

And thank goodness I finally figured out a way not to struggle with the spacing in the blog by searching for the answer. Probably everyone else already knows this, but it is <> with a p in between them ("it" won't let it stay in there to show you) begin paragraph; and < / p > end paragraph (letters with no spaces) and ta-daa everything comes out perfectly. A lot of extra time has been wasted trying over and over to get the photos, paragraphs and spacing to be uniform. Drove me nuts! I have to conform to "it". Though it may not be obeying me and coming out just as I'd like it, at least it will be neater.

Monday May 21 2007

Antelope

This is a painting I did from many years ago

and gave it to Debbie,

maybe for her high school graduation.

Came across it while working on sizing

photos of paintings for my website.

It doesn't actually have the red this strong in the painting.

It's very overcast, 38 degrees and is supposed to be 50% chance of rain and probably snow in the mountains today and tomorrow. Made Joe waffles and ham for breakfast. I have to get a shower and wash my hair. Today I'll get the bills paid online. I even actually enjoy that. Have to call the florists in Pinedale and Green River to get flowers ordered for Memorial Day.

Housecleaning....eehhhh. Cooking....eehhhh. And I'll work on my painting. The clinic is supposed to call with Joe's ekg appointment. I'll have more days away or busy in the next two weeks. Thursday is our first Sublette County Artists Guild business meeting of the year. I'm president and in charge of planning the meeting. Its going to be here and will be at about 2 p.m. My fresh strawberries and cream cake roll sounded like a good plan to have for the dessert and coffee. So in the next couple of days will need to go to the store for some fresh things. It's been a while since I went to the store - May 9 to be exact. Sunday Joe will go to Pinedale to put flowers on his brother's grave there. Then Monday we will go to Green River to the cemetery to put the flowers on Joe's family's graves and maybe see some of his friends. That will probably be a chance for shopping at Walmart. Maybe I can get my bedding flowers there for my pots. Thursday next week I go back to Pinedale for a haircut. Rambling on, aren't I. But I'm drawing a blank for writing anything today. Maybe later there will be something more interesting to talk about.

YESSSS!!!! At 8:50 a.m. its raining. I can hear the rain on my studio roof. Wonderful. Hope it will last a while, we need puddles. Days and days would be good.

It rained steady all day. By 5 p.m. it turned into a blizzard and snowed and blew for nearly an hour then began to let up. It was about 30 degrees by then and breezy.