Sunday August 12 2007

Gig and Janet with Whoopie and Nipper

Janet and Debbie in the Studio

Bev and Clay - He's 13 and a lot taller than her.


Janet and Debbie

Clay, Gig, Bev

Gig and Janet came back after a couple of days up at Big Sandy hiking around with their dogs. They stayed at the lodge. The dogs are both about 14, Whoopie is a female lab and Nipper is a male Australian Shepherd. They come here to visit every few years. Gig and his sisters and my girls had spent summers at the Lodge, and hadn't seen each other since. So they had a good time visiting and reminiscing. Gig's mother Janice is a cousin of Joe's on the Thomas side. We sat out in the yard visiting, then later had a steak dinner.

Gig worked on my computer for a long time today. It seemed he could hardly wait to find out what was wrong with it. He's very good with computers and went through everything. We did a backup, and he hooked his laptop to my supposedly broken receiver and it worked fine. So he thought the whole problem was the network or ethernet card. I can't believe how much time, energy and total frustration I've spent on this problem to have it be something that can be repaired in 20 minutes. Gig also hooked up my Christmas gift DVD player that I had never figured out, and still haven't, but I'll read the book one of these days now that it's ready to go. Clayton had one of his movies in the DVD player as they were all watching and visiting. Gig and Janet slept on air mattresses in the studio.

This morning Beverly did Clayton's laundry from his scout camp trip and washed up what they all had used here so far. I know it was a busier day than just this, but I'm not recalling it.

Saturday August 11 2007

Ruth

Kay Contemplating a Masterpiece

Saint Kay, Ruth and Melita

Melita - All the Other Photos I have of Her are Just a Blur - Joe always says she doesn't let any grass grow under her feet.

Lois doing Watercolor

Ruth, Kay Lynn, Melita

Saint Kay

Ruth Setting up a Time Lapse to Get us All In Together

Whether it looks like it from the photos or not we painted hard all day. I got about 6 new small pieces done or nearly finished, a medium one, and worked on the large aspen painting. I have quite a bit to take to Ruth S. for framing, and will make good additions for the Art Show in the Barn. The weather was mountain cool and wonderful. There's always lots of wildlife around, and we saw mostly deer and cranes. They let us sneak up on them for photos. Actually they are quite tame and used to being around the family all the time. More good meals, especially dinner for which Melita cooked a baked fish with a crusty topping.

I had to leave soon after dinner because the kids were supposed to arrive from Vegas/St. George this evening. Beverly and Debbie went as far as St. George and stayed overnight. Then they had picked Clayton up after his week at Scout Camp up at Kolob above Zion Park at about 11 a.m. in St. George and drove on from there. I told them I was staying at Round Hill for dinner so to have their dinner on the way. We calculated they would get there about the same time as I did. They called me in the late afternoon while in an hour's wait for road construction outside of Evanston where they were going to eat. My drive home that evening was wonderful. I got lots of photos of that area on the drive out and will show a few in future blogs. As I got out of the trees and looked back to the west there was more smoke from another forest fire, in fact it looked like two different fires merging into one plume of smoke. Found out later it was over the mountains near Afton.

I got home about 9:30 and instantly was worried because everyone wasn't here yet, but the kids drove in about 10 minutes later as I was unloading. I scared Joe because he didn't see or hear me come in, neither did the dogs until I opened the door and then they set up barking. We got everyone settled in their rooms and then visited for a while. It was wonderful to see my family again.

Friday August 10 2007

Road in to Round Hill. We pass through several different kinds of country before we get there.

RHR Front Gate

Back Porch showing one of the Cabins


This is the main ranch house. We sit at the big windows and have wonderful views every direction, out of the weather and wind if we want to stay in. Or go out to paint plein air in the front yard, or further afield into the back counry.

A couple of the Cabins. Besides the main ranch house there are about 7 cabins, each with two bedrooms and two bathrooms, electricity and a wonderful covered deck/porch on each one, plus a wash house and a central bathroom building. There are also corrals, a big barn and generator building. On the property there are several interesting old homestead cabins too.

Last night I got most of my "stuff" for the Mixed Media Round Hill Painting Retreat packed into the SUV. This morning I got Joe's breakfast and left early to meet the others at Kay's north of Pinedale to caravan to the Round Hill Ranch. I'm never sure if I'm on the right road or not, so it was good to follow Kay. We met at Kay's about 8:30 a.m. It is somewhat more than 100 miles from our place over there. I'm sure looking forward to the two days I can spend. I plan to come back after dinner Saturday, and Beverly, Clayton and Debbie will arrive Saturday evening for a week.

I got to Kay's a little early and soon Lois and Melita arrived. Ruth was coming from Big Piney so it was just the five of us this time. We often have up to a dozen come to the retreat but this time was a last minute opportunity and we took it. Lois got in to ride over with me, and we had a nice visit. The RHR is back into the Wyoming Range, and it feels very remote and secluded. There's a lot of big country back there. I think we had nearly 50 miles of dirt road to get in to the place. The scenery is wonderful all along the way. We got there at maybe 10:30 and unloaded the vehicles. Hank and Tom had come up to get the generator going and see that everything was open and going to work for us, then they took off back to Pinedale.

We got settled in our cabins and all the art equipment set up in the big dining room. We all agreed that we were happy just to stay in and work there for most of the weekend, and not to go out in the vehicles or do much plein air. By that time it was lunch time so we had a sandwich and then set to work. Everyone was glad to be there together and we all got serious about creating a lot of paintings. Kay had us start off with a 30 minute painting exercise by opening a magazine and we had to paint whatever was on that page. I did a small white sailboat on calm water, lots of aqua. We do have a good time together with lots of laughter.

Dinner that night was prepared by Kay who did a stir fry shrimp meal with a noodles Alfredo and big salad with fresh greens from Melita's garden. My thing to bring was fruit and I also made the avocado and butter bean salad with tomatoes and artichoke hearts. After dinner we painted a little longer, then the other four played Farkle and I continued to paint until bedtime. We went to our cabins and all slept well.

Round Hill Ranch is owned by Melita's neighbors, who very generously offer to let us come up and paint. A son-in-law and grandson were there, but we only saw them a few times. It is a privately owned fishing and hunting lodge for their friends and family. They also have a string of horses that are pastured there. We see lots of wildlife every day too. We are so very grateful for this wonderful opportunity to go to a beautiful place and work without interruptions.

Wonderful Ambiance

Thursday August 9, 2007

Petunias in Bucket, After Afternoon Rain

It's another really lovely morning. I'm a little tired from yesterday's outing. After fixing breakfast got started doing the laundry and will dust mop and get the guest rooms ready for the family to arrive Saturday. Gathering up my painting supplies to get packed into the car for tomorrow. We all tend to take too much stuff, way more than we could ever use in two or three days. Just hope I remember the really necessary things. My contribution to the meals is to bring fruit so I'll have plenty of that from what Sheral and Dick brought us. I'll also make the butter bean avocado salad that is so good to take along, since I have the ingredients for that, and some of the corn on the cob. I have to leave here by 7 a.m. in order to meet the car pool at Kay's by 8, and then we'll go out to Round Hill together. I go over in the Wyoming Range so seldom that I'm never quite sure I'm taking the right road to get in there. It's pretty isolated.

Debbie is supposed to call- she called yesterday when I was gone - but when I tried to make a couple of phone calls this morning the phone was dead again most of the day. About 3:30 it rang and it was Sheral offering to shop for me again in Pinedale. She is so thoughtful. I told her I could not put another thing into the fridge.

No sooner hung up from that and Gig called and said he and Janet and their dogs would be here in the morning to stay a few days. So I told him I'd be gone for the next two days and by Saturday the house would be full but we'd love to see them, to be sure and stop by. They are going up to the Openings for a couple of days. For months on end we've been sitting here with nothing happening, then everything happens at once.

Next I called Sandy at the phone company to make sure they knew our phone had been out, they did. Their men had been working up on Mt. Airy where the towers are. Everyone with radio phones were out. Tried to call Debbie but had to leave a message there.

I've watered the flower pots good. Breezy and clouds in the afternoon. Joe mowed the front yard this afternoon. I wish I had time to go around the house at least with the weed eater, but I don't.

Wednesday August 8 2007

Sleeping Indian Mountain Looking Across the National Elk Refuge, Jackson Hole

North End of the National Wildlife Art Museum


Looking Toward Jackson and Flat Creek across the elk refuge with Snow King Ski Area on the Hill

Today Charm and I went to Jackson. I met her at the Boulder Store at a little after 8:30 a.m. Charm drove. It was a beautiful drive, and I sure enjoyed the scenery all the way up. This was about the second time I have been away from home this year. Except for dr. appointments for each of us or trips for groceries and errands, I did go to Wyoming Artist's Association Convention the first week in May.

First we went to Kmart. I found a couple of pair of pull on pants there while Charm shopped for a new cordless phone for her parents, one grey knit and one a dark rust red twill. Then Charm took me to Staples where I was able to fax a copy of my receipt to Sony to see what they are going to come up with next on replacing the TV. I bought a package of copy paper that I needed.

By then it was about 11 a.m. and we went on out to the National Wildlife Art Museum, where Tucker Smith was giving a talk about his art at noon. While we waited for Tucker's talk to start we looked at some of the museum galleries – specifically there were a lot of Remington and Russell paintings and sculptures on loan from many other museums across the country as one of the featured exhibits. It was an excellent show. Then in to the lecture. Tucker was raised in Pinedale where his dad was the local dentist, and he and his wife live on The Rim between Pinedale and Jackson now. He discussed how he carries a painting from conception to completion, and there were three finished paintings of his with the sketches and studies he worked from. This show also includes paintings along with their studies from Bob Kuhn and Scott Christensen. They were all beautiful.

Charm and I ate lunch at the Rising Sage Café in the museum, which was very good. I had a bacon cheeseburger that was decadent. Then we shopped in the gift shop. I bought a book – Frederick Remington – The Color of Night, a whole book of his night scenes. It was regularly $90 on sale for $49.50. I also bought Carl Rungius – Artist and Sportsman, which after I got home I found I already have a copy of that one, so will take it back and trade for something else. Charm and I decided my priorities were in the right place; $100 for books and $9.99 for clothes.

After we left the museum we went to a few of the best galleries. Saw a lot more wonderful artwork, which I always sure enjoy doing. Then to Smith's and got some groceries and gassed up and headed home. I really enjoyed the day and having Charm all to myself for a while. She is such a neat person. We got back to Boulder where I'd parked my car, loaded in my bags of groceries, and I got home about 7:30. As I drove past the stackyard, I could see that Joe got the tarp on his haystack. So I suppose he's glad he has that job done. Got everything put away and ate some leftover lasagna, which had been in the fridge about too long, but it was good. Joe fended for himself today and had a burger patty and some leftovers for dinner. I think he had cereal for lunch. I brought him his favorite, doughnuts from Smith's bakery for a treat.

Tuesday August 7 2007

Ashley and Sheryl

Hmmm, as I wrote the date I just realized this was my father's birthday. If he were alive he would have been 98.

Today was a beautiful day. Thank goodness it's not getting so hot any longer.

The painting group friends were to have come this morning, but Lois called about 8 a.m. and said no one could get away early and that they would leave town about 12:30 and get here about 1:30. So I didn't cook lunch for them today. I just kept on with my housecleaning jobs, got more windows washed….. etcetera. etcetera. etcetera. (I watched The King and I last night.) Then I got a shower and washed my hair, so I could be ready to go to Jackson early in the morning. However I really scared myself about noon when I was fixing Joe's and my lunch and started wondering if Lois said they WERE coming for lunch but would be late!! - as opposed to not having lunch. I panicked for a while; then thought if that were the case, I'd make them a sandwich. I baked some cookies and pie dough cinnamon snails to have a snack with coffee. I was going to put out the watermelon and grapes but forgot it. Am I spacing too many things out? We really visited hard for a while. They checked out what was going on in the studio, and the barn, then we dug up a few plants for Melita to start in her garden. I really enjoyed the afternoon, and think they did also. They left about 4:45.

There was just enough time to make salad, chicken fried steak, rice, gravy and, what else - steamed broccoli for dinner. In a bit Sheral, Dick and their granddaughter Ashley came over to bring us some good Utah vegetables. So we got to have another visiting session. And there were even cookies for them too. Sheral will bring the clothes from her sister's closet cleanout for Beverly to try on Sunday. This reminds me, Kay was going to take the clothes I cleaned out of my closet to see if anything would fit her, and we both forgot to get them in her car. I guess I can take them over when we go to Round Hill Friday morning.

Joe kept busy too, and got his haystack finished by using the tractor front end loader. He worked more on his engines and has gotten the new one out and started up – did I say he had one he bought about 10 years ago, as well as ordering another one yesterday. He pumps water for the corral as long as the horses are in there, and during the winter, with a gasoline engine. So that's another reason why he needs the engine(s). I suppose he will phase out the one with the broken recoil spring and still have an extra. Then he mowed the back yard.

&%* & $#% @$!^ (those are bad four letter words.) Here's another thing to add to the list of broken stuff. The latch broke on the dishwasher – it won't lock the door closed, so I fiddled around with that for a while, poking a knife blade into the latch opening hoping I wouldn't get electrocuted. I got it jimmied into the on/locked position but had to do it with the door open to get to the parts. Now I can load it and turn it on with the knob, and make sure I have the wooden stool propped against the door so it doesn't fall open while the thing is running. At least I can keep using it and not have to do dishes by hand. So I will have to order a new stove AND a dishwasher now. I'm about ready for bed and looking forward to tomorrow.

Blue Delphiniums

Monday August 6 2007

Shade

It rained again 3 times in the night and early morning, but mostly sunny with more clouding up this afternoon. It's a very pleasant day, not too hot and a good breeze. Made Joe a waffle, bacon and egg for breakfast. He called and ordered a new engine out of the catalog. After lunch he took the tractor and went out to the haystack and built his bottom layers for the rest of the stack. Lucky he didn't invite me to help him again, because I'm not going there. Today I've been keeping at the housework getting ready for company and also cleaned out a few more drawers. Washed the worst of the windows. I did go through most of my clothes in the closet and tried to be ruthless discarding some of them. I still have the sweaters to go and have way too many of those that I almost never wear. By this afternoon I started feeling like I could get around better anyway. Had a night with very little sleep, and got up about 3 a.m. to take a shower and wash my hair, then later fell asleep for a while.

Lois, Melita and Kay are coming out tomorrow to have the small painting group here and see the art show. Maybe I'll get another painting or two finished up. I'll fix some lunch for us, maybe fettuccine Alfredo with tiny shrimp. I've been hungry for that. I could steam some broccoli with it and salad and sourdough bread. I haven't even paid any attention to the art show lately since the barn is packed so full of hay. I'm sure with the wind and all the dirt from the hay that the paintings are getting filthy. I'll go clean them again one of these days and clean up the floor as well. The ad should come out in the paper tomorrow.

Charm called and tentatively asked me to go to Jackson with her Wednesday. I said I would go with her and it sounds like Gina and Jody will go too. She wants to leave the Boulder Store about 8 a.m. Tucker Smith has a program at the National Wildlife Museum at noon and there is a lunch there too., along with a show of his artwork with a couple of other well known artists. Then Friday and Saturday I'll probably go to the Round Hill painting retreat, and the kids will arrive late on Saturday. That leaves Thursday to get things ready for them being here. If it's not done, that's the way it will be. Joe's going to have to fend for himself some days.

We Got Puddles Again Yesterday