Tuesday 1:25 PM

This is a note from Judi:
Lynn has been having severe abdominal pain and early this morning she called Bonnie to come get her and take her to Pinedale where I met them and brought Lynn on up to Jackson. Bonnie was planning to come all the way up, but I had to come up for an appointment anyway, so I brought Lynn to the hospital & Bonnie might come tomorrow. I know Lynn thanks you and loves you very much Bonnie. Me too.

Lynn is now in the hands of the oncology staff & is lying down until her MRI at 2pm. The doctor has been called & when I came out to get my laptop, the nurses were finding Lynn some pain killer. I will blog again as soon as I know something.

BTW: Betty: when did you visit Lynn? That was when the abdominal pain started (nothing to do with you!). 4 weeks ago?

Lynn sends LOVE to all of you and asks for your prayers.

Judi

Monday July 27 2009

We've had some rain showers this morning, and its nice and cool today. Mostly cloudy, with a small breeze. This morning Adrianne called me back about the grasshoppers after I'd left a message last week at the weed and pest. Yesterday I saw the spray plane fly over - she said that would have been for mosquitoes - the first time I've known that they've sprayed for them clear down here. Seems like pretty much a waste of a lot of money since their season is nearly over by now. Bonnie said they had sprayed in their neighborhood earlier.

Did I say Beverly is going to come for over a week at Labor Day and the Betty will come about mid-September. Nancy might come with her again too.

Today Jackie said she and her husband might want to take a trip over this way at the end of August, and that would be so wonderful to see them after all these years. She may mean they would come on their motorcycle.

Bonnie stopped by this morning and took a water sample from our well in to Green River. She was going shopping down there. So now we will know for sure if the well has any contamination or not. Thank you Dear Bonnie, for that and all you do to help us.

James called this morning. He has asked if I would donate a piece of artwork to their Kendall Valley Fire Department Auction. There will be a BBQ and the auction up there on the way to Green River Lakes on August 15 but neither of us want to drive all that way and sit on a hard bench most of the day.

I upped the pain medicine to one every 8 hours and it is working so much better now. Just that I don't want to have to do that. Have been taking a nap in the day and am feeling better from more sleep. Anyway I dozed off the other afternoon and drastically burned up our carrots for dinner. Was looking forward to honey butter carrots with the meatloaf. Took days for the stench to go away. I haven't even had the ambition to put a battery in my studio clock, but after a good nap woke up yesterday and got the battery in, so I know the right time now. I made a couple of loaves of banana bread. Guess I just need to stop buying bananas because neither one of us is eating them. Then I feel obligated to use them instead of throwing them in the garbage.

TODAY IS BUGS BUNNY'S BIRTHDAY. I LOVE BUGS BUNNY! It was on this day in 1940 that Bugs Bunny made his official debut in an animated film short called A Wild Hare. Even though a slightly different version of the rabbit had been around in some earlier films, A Wild Hare is considered the first official Bugs Bunny film because it's the first one that used his trademark voice and the first time he asked Elmer Fudd, "What's up, Doc?" Bugs Bunny was modeled on Groucho Marx.

Sunday July 26 2009

Lois, Melita, Ruth and Holland.

Ruth working.

The road in

I've still been gleaning through some more of the pictures from last week, there are still some nice ones, and easy to use. Here also is a picture of Nube and Bob working cows. I wasn't sure Nube would ever be a cow horse but here she is after he roped a calf and is holding it and paying attention. I copied this from Gina's blog, I don't think she will mind me showing you.

Very sunny, calm and warm this morning, so this might be one of our hottest days. Yesterday we had a few rain showers. Sure wish it would just wet everything down good. Meant to tell you that my pioneer yellow rose Melita gave me several years ago bloomed this year for the first time.

A herd of cattle came in from the mailbox this morning. Not sure whose or where they ended up. We might have to close the front gate again. Or maybe they closed it for us. Joe mowed the back yard today, and the front yesterday. This is the nicest its ever looked. No special plans for today. Got about half the house cleaned. Will pay the few bills I have later today. It would be nice if DISH (or other tv companies) would let you just pick out and subscribe to the channels you like to watch instead of having 3/4 of them being unending paid advertisements, spanish, or all the stuff you never watch choking up your tv. It would probably be like opening a can of worms for them to keep everyone happy. There is a way to have the guide show only what you want to watch. Maybe I should try that.

Nancy in Nebraska wrote with her news - she doesn't do computer - and sent a picture of one of her cats. He's a orange striped cat named Rusty and looks just like my Rusty. I was glad to hear Nancy is feeling a little better because she's sure had some bad times in the last few years. Joslyn called the other day and invited us to come watch the family in the horse events at the fair, but neither of us wanted to go over there and sit on a hard bench in the heat. Hope they all have good luck this weekend.

I'm finding that if I take more pain medicine it will get to where I don't feel too bad (from the worsening stomach pain). Don't like to take it, but guess I have to. When I see the difference, it makes me wish I'd up'd it weeks ago.

It's the birthday of Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw,born in Dublin (1856). He's the author of dozens of plays, Shaw won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1925 and an Oscar in 1938 for his film Pygmalion. He's the only person in history to receive both the Nobel and an Oscar.

Saturday July 25 2009

Melita's daughter Leslie and her granddaughter Kendall were visiting from their home in Florida and came to the painting retreat with us. Kendall got to ride a gentle mare she named Oreo. "Whitey" came along to keep her company. Kendall is four but she has always seemed a couple of years older. She seemed to have a great time there. I got quite a few cute pictures of them.

This morning was overcast and cool, and very still. Not a breath of air was moving and it was sooooo quiet. I love that quietness Joe mowed the lawn. I haven't done much of anything yet, but think I'll paint this afternoon. No news so far.

Friday Jult 24 2009

Remembering Rowdy

Rowdy - Jackie's Pug - The bottom one is with her grandson Brandon.

Jackie wrote this morning and yesterday she lost her little pug dog Rowdy, who has been having seizures lately. I was so sorry to hear that. Jackie and her family live on a wheat farm in eastern Washington.

Today is Utah's Pioneer Days, in fact it is celebrated in several states. It always used to be a big weekend at the lodge for people from Utah to come up for a long weekend.

Sorry not to have blogged much lately, and now it's catchup again. But I've just been recuperating from our days at Round Hill and getting caught up here at the ranch. I haven't felt the greatest and that is partly why I haven't written too. Nothing has really happening to report. Have gotten the photos downloaded and will just put some of them in with captions to share the times there at the painting retreat and not try to catch up what went on each day. I seem not inclined to spend that much time on the blog right now. Then go forward from here.

We have hoards of tiny grasshoppers again. I saw the first ones over a week ago and told Joe we should call the Weed and Pest control. Since I've been back and see how many there are now I called them to report this morning. They can do a lot of damage in a short time. I noticed on the way home the other day that several of the ranches near Boulder have started haying, and our irrigation water is off now so the hay will be ready for cutting soon. We had a thundershower in the afternoon.

SCROLL ON DOWN FOR A PHOTO ESSAY OF OUR FIVE DAYS AT THE PAINTING RETREAT LAST WEEK.

Thursday July 23 2009

Joe is putting new tarp cover on the coal shed to keep it from getting wet.

Cranesbill.

Bonnie came over this afternoon and dug up took about a half a pickup bed full of plants and flowers, all perennials, for her yard. She also took two big bags of tiger lily tubers. I kept two bags to take to the Pinedale house. It was nice to visit with her. Gradually the flower or plant beds are getting phased out and will return to grass which can be mowed and not have to be weeded - a little less maintenance. All the large established plants will pretty much stay so there will still be some landscaping. I also got phone calls from Bev, Deb, Sheral and Betty, and seemed like about 20 calls all in a flurry about different things. The phone visits were on a good day because I didn't feel like doing much else. It's my stomach being upset and its gradually getting better now. Mainly Judi and I got appointments coordinated and set up for each of us to go to Jackson next Wednesday. Judi will drive. I'll get my next scan. Judi also arranged for a lady going to Jackson this Friday to pick up my contrast drink and she will bring it when we go. Glad to have plans for that done and out of the way. Did get a little bit of housework and laundry done so the day wasn't entirely wasted. Made bacon and tomato sandwiches for dinner.

Tuesday drove home from the retreat. On the way in Pinedale I got my protime test, bought groceries and went up to Arrowhead and watered the plants, which are still doing very good. Was tired that night.

PHOTO ESSAY OF OUR FIVE DAY PAINTING RETREAT

This young snowshoe hare gave us such a lot of laughs. He seemed to be living or sheltering under one of the porches, and would go through such antics playing and leaping and flipping around in the air.

Some of the ranch's horses and mules.

The painting I worked on at the retreat - a 24x36 oil. I left the pond only blocked in to dry so I could put the details over the top of the underpainting. I also did another small painting which I got nearly finished.

Debbie.

Flowers

More flowers and aspens

Clouds before the thundershower.

Buck Deer

Early one morning and another afternoon we had nice rain showers. They didn't cause us a bit of problem, just gave the trees and flowers a nice watering.

Melita, - because of her and Hank we are able to come here and enjoy such a wonderful spot.

Melita, Lois and Judi

Cow and Calf Moose - They came every day on their rounds, and probably watererd from the horse trough. We think this is the same mother moose we've seen with calves other years.

The three photos above are of Ruth repairing the torn painting. The top one is spreading Miracle Muck (glue for this purpose) onto a gatorboard backing. Then the canvas is pressed onto the backing. It came out wonderfully, and I will next paint over the repair after which you should never be able to see any damage.

Some of the cooks (or ... Too Many Cooks?) As usual the meals were all delicious. For the dinners there were teams of two that made the meal.

Cabin. Very nice accomodations.

There were millions ... MILLIONS of gophers.

Hillsides of Sunflowers, and many other varieties, turning whole areas pink or lavender.

Part of the Group and the table we share to work on. Ten attended.

This is Kay. A few people painted outside, but not for long because the bugs were so bad. Everyone got bitten, and their favorite remedy was to swab the bites with vinegar.

Some of the Mountain Scenery in the Wyoming Range. - 4 above

Deer. One day she was clear up on the front porch looking in the picture windows at everyone sitting at the table working.