Sunday August 24 2008

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BE BACK FROM ROUND HILL LATER TODAY

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Ponds on Horse Creek

Plein Air Oil Painting

Done at a Past Round Hill Retreat

by Lynn Thomas

Saturday August 23 2008

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WE'RE GONE TO ROUND HILL

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811 Touch of Autumn

12 x 12 plein Air Oil Painting

done at a past Round Hill Retreat

By Lynn Thomas

Friday August 22 2008

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STILL GONE PAINTIN'

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844 - Middle Piney Creek

11x14 Plein Air Oil Painting

from a past Rount Hill Painting Retreat

By Lynn Thomas

Thursday August 21 2008

GONE PAINTING'

810 Round Hill Retreat

11x14 Oil Plein Air Painting

from a past Routh Hill Painting Retreat

by Lynn Thomas

'Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain.'

Wednesday August 20 2008

812 - Approaching Storm - Muddy Canyon

11x14 Plein Air Oil Painting

by Lynn Thomas

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A small essay from about ten years ago

Friday, October 22, 1999

Sun Dance

Yesterday I went for a long bike ride with the dogs. It was a beautiful fall day when everything is warm and golden. We pedaled up Muddy Canyon, walked across Doc’s meadow to watch and listen to the creek for a while. Admittedly, I’ve been getting older, so pedaling uphill is hard. Sometimes I get off the bike and walk, pushing it along up the hills or rocky spots.

On the way home its downhill or level, and I wanted to keep pedaling without stopping to get more of a workout. I was facing West, into the lowering afternoon Sun. For some reason it looked like a pole between me and the Sun. I didn’t want to look right at the Sun to try to figure out what the pole was, because it ‘s not good for your eyes. So I just let it be there. I had the feeling of hanging from the pole, looking into the Sun, as if it were the Plains Indians’ spiritual endurance test of the Sun Dance. Of course, I wasn’t hanging for 3 or 4 days by my pierced breasts, but I did have the fascinating momentary image of my own personal Sun Dance. I did vow to try to keep my body, mind and spirit as healthy as possible and not to give up when anything in my life gets difficult.

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Today I'm making 3 doz muffins, spinach dip with bread bowl and strawberry glaze pies to take to Round Hill. Actually making the glaze and taking the rest to put together there, since I don't think the pies would travel very well over the long gravel roads Plus I didn't pack yesterday so have to do it today. I took a little walk again this morning. Looking toward the west was a heavy pall of smoke again, and by 11 am it has reached our valley, making it terribly hazy. I wonder where this fire is?

I probably won't blog for several days because there will be no interenet where we're going, But I will take the laptop just for the heck of it. And then catch up how the weekend goes when I get back. I'll get some pictures to share too. We're all really looking forward to the painting retreat and being together.

Tuesday August 19 2008

Barn on the North Platte

14x17 Pastel

by Lynn Thomas

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This was about my first pastel and I really struggled with it.

That usually shows in the finished artwork, but it's always a good lesson.

Yesterday went fine. I left about 11 and got to town in time to get a few gift certificates from the Chinese Gourmet to give to some of the people who have helped me all this time. It's really hard to choose something to give, because it doesn't even come close to how grateful I feel for all the continued help and support friends have given to us. I'll never be able to make it all up to everyone. But.... it's a little beginning and very belated.

Judi and I had a nice visit at lunch. Rollie was there too. It's the last time I'll see her until she comes back from Houston next summer. She's going to babysit her grand kids while her daughter in law goes back to college. She's planning to get an apartment there, so has to take enough stuff to set up housekeeping. The food at lunch was o.k. They've changed lately according to State rules to more fat free, salt free and sugar free preparation and taste is definitely showing that. They give you a big portion, so I shared some with the dogs.

Went next to the meeting for the Community and Art Center. We talked for almost two hours. The plan is still all preliminary, but we felt we are closer to what the art portion of the building needs. It's changed quite a bit from the last set of drawings we were shown. By the end of the meeting we were all a lot happier with what is being presented now. Even though a lot of square footage has been taken away because of the costs.

The architect had a new still-preliminary drawing of the building exterior, which is needed to do the next stage - presenting the plan publicly. It was way too contemporary to fit into the Pinedale environment. Architects have to put some creative ideal into their design - something of their creative selves -and this one had a beaver slide-like portico sailing out over the main entrance - wish I had a picture of it - anyway nobody liked it one bit. We've always indicated a preference for it to be built from local materials - timber and stone - that will fit into the western lifestyle. Not that a beaver slide (primitive hay stacker from the horse drawn haying days) isn't thoroughly western tradition and not that we couldn't see where the designer was coming from with his thinking. It was just too far out and a big stretch from our more traditional concept for something to fit into the local natural setting. O.K. I'm done with the soap box. Just wanted to explain what we had seen and discussed. I totally forgot to go in and look at the art show that was hanging in the next room that Judi had recommended.

Then walking dogs, gas (still $4.06/gal regular - at nearly 90 bucks in the tank NO I'm not saying aren't we lucky it's down more than 30 cents a gallon). Then went grocery shopping and got my prescriptions. Home by 5:30. Joe had the leftover pot roast in the oven. I was really pooped and after getting the groceries put away fell asleep sitting in the chair. Ate a pot roast sandwich later. I just got into p.j.s early and went to bed and watched Man From Snowy River and Mrs. Doubtfire. If the TV repairmen don't get here soon, I'll run out of videos.

Today is another wonderful day. No plans to do anything special. Maybe get some things together for Round Hill, because tomorrow will be getting some of the food ready ahead of time. And because I'll have to leave pretty early, will pack the car tomorrow. Yesterday when I went to buy a new picnic/water jug (the old one wouldn't seal and kept tipping over and making a mess in my car) I saw and bought a lightweight "sleeping bag" to take, because we don't want to use the bedding there and have to wash it. It's perhaps 15"x 5" rolled up, looks like microfiber blankets with a zipper all around and will work just perfectly in the cabin with my small down throw and a pillow.

Got the dogs brushed today. Sparky's not quite so fluffy now. Got hair everywhere and it was an hour before I got it all out of my mount. We took a short walk, which they loved. I made Joe German potato salad and garlic toast for dinner.

This afternoon I had to email a few photos of feeding cattle with a team in winter to be considered being placed on a real estate booklet that comes out every six months. So had to look up and edit the photos. It gives a lot of visibility to the artist and is placed all over the county for quite some time . Then the emails wouldn't go to the gals address, she had been having trouble with it and I had to do it again. What a waste of time. Haven't heard if she got them the second or third time.

Monday August 18 2008

MAGGIE GETS NEUTERED TODAY!

GET WELL SOON, SWEET MAGGIE.

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My artist friend Jackie from a wheat farm near Waitsburg WA has a new puppy. It is time for her to be neutered. Jackie tells me all the news about Maggie, and how smart and sweet she is. They lost their old Rotweiler a few months ago and chose Maggie to be a new member of their family. I know she's going to be a special girl.

Jackie has been building her own art studio on their farm. She has had some help from family and friends and workers, but she has done a lot of the work herself. She's been keeping me up to date on the progress as it's happened. The studio is nearly done and here is a picture of it. Her sister Sheri from Ritzville came last week and they did the sheetrock, mud and tape themselves, never having done it before - and it turned out just great. I'm so proud of you, Jackie, because when you first started your dream of a studio of your own, you didn't think it would happen. And there it stands, nearly ready for great artwork to be created in your own space. It's an exciting thing to get your own special space.

JACKIE'S NEW ART STUDIO

I'm going in to Pinedale today to go to the art center meeting with Jo and the artists, maybe the architect. and lunch with Judi at Rendezvous Point - chicken enchaladas today. She's leaving for Houston for the winter in about a week, so I will miss her. She's been my most loyal companion on the trips to Jackson and always fun. Then grocery shopping and drug store so need to get myself going.

Thurs - Sun. I'm going to our Mixed Media Round Hill Ranch painting retreat. We have a wonderful time together and I'm really looking forward to it. Joe's resigned. I'm getting organized for that, what art supplies to take. We all contribute to the meals so I'll have to get something planned and prepared to take along.

Yesterday I got quite a bit more of The Nevada Years section of The Book re-re-re-edited. I think I've got that section about as finalized as possible. Gloria's sending me some old family photos I don't have, so I'll share a few with you.