Experimenting ... or ... I Am Being Pulled Out of My Safe Zone

Some experimenting going on!
This is a LONG way from finished. And I know I will be doing many more renditions of this wonderful dog. I have about thirty photos of her, all different, all full of life and humor. Her owner recently requested a commission of Miss P., and I accepted with great enthusiasm. This Westie has such personality, such character, it is amazing! She and her owner [a watercolor painter and teacher]  both seize life, and savor every morsel. I find I am being pulled out of my usual approach to painting, exploring ways to express this joy in living.

This is another painting I started late last week. I thought I would re-visit one of my earlier paintings [below] but this is as far as I got. Miss P. is so much more compelling.

I believe I am going through another growth phase, always hard, but the results are great. With painting, I am being pulled out my usual ways, trying to really express some strong emotion in my work.

With riding, I have also taken some steps forward. I have always preferred at least a bit of control. As a result, I have done almost all my riding in the ring. But Sunday, two of my neighbors made me an offer I couldn't refuse. They saw me heading home from a walk with Maggie, and said - go home, change, throw a saddle on Bruno - we're going in the park. So I did! Thanks to their wonderful companionship, I was so comfortable riding him into the "unknown". Yesterday, I took him out on the trails solo! And I got the feeling from Bruno that he loved it, and wanted to keep on going. 

A very strange thing happened yesterday. I woke up, went into the kitchen, and found the chinchilla cage OPEN! ... and one was missing. I quickly shut the window [if he got out, he was a goner], put the cat in the bedroom, and Maggie outside. Maggie had been lying, staring at one of the sofas, so I was fairly sure the chin was under it. After a rousing, merry chase, I caught him, and put him safely back in the cage. The question is - how did the cage door open? I now have a large safety clip on the door. Never a dull moment!!!

Thank you so much for visiting!

Cat-Proofing Your Computer ... and Other Animal Stories ...

This is how I cat-proof my computer. Miss P. had developed a love of lying on the keyboard; she  [temporarily] deleted a few programs. So now when I leave for more than an hour, I put the keyboard out of reach of curious paws.

She also did this to the bathroom wall a few weeks  ago. Missy now has a scratch pad on which to vent her cattish frustrations. Up until two years ago, I would let the chinchillas loose for some time out of the cage. They DEMOLISHED the bathroom; I had to have it re-finished. So now free time for them is never unattended! They also did some decorative nibbling on my saddle. It was one I wasn't using at the time, and I couldn't bear to look at it after they did their handiwork. They are like a miniature army, chewing and nibbling their way through everything.
But, enough of the "useless mouths", as a friend calls them ...

I think I am done with this iris. I'm not wild about the colors, but it's done.

Buddy, in his Van Gogh look.

And dear Buddy is moving along slowly.

And Now a Word from Our Sponsor ... Chinchillin

These are the chins, and they are "chinchillin'"

OK, bad joke, but it's late, and I'm tired.

That is Fat Bastard on the left, with Baby snuggled on the right.

The geese of Chu Lin are waddling on ...

And I am going for Buddy the VII.
This was the one on which I was working, but somehow it was looking too smooth, too even, not "real".

I decided a different format would bring more focus to his left eye.
Also, more texture in the background was an improvement.  

So here I am, on B VII ...


As ever and always, your comments are most welcome!

FROM ALL OF US TO ALL OF YOU ...

From Big Guy [aka. Fat Bastard] and Baby ...

From Pumpkin ...

From Bruno ...

From Lucy and Desi ...

From Betty ...

A good dose of humor ... always ...

And from me, of course ..


We all wish you a most healthy, Happy and Prosperous New Year !!!                                                                          

Escaped ... again!

The chin, Baby, eating Shakespeare.

Baby, hiding behind sweatshirt

I don't know what possessed me this morning. I suppose it was that they are so cute and playful early in the day. That, and my congenital belief that all living things have souls, and a desire to be happy. So, I set up their playpen, and let Baby inside. He ran, and rolled in his bath dust,and ... disappeared. I just caught a glimpse of  grey fluff streaking toward the bedroom. I'm doomed!!! He was there, making merry ... scampering around at close to light speed, stopping only for the occasional chew on books, paper, furniture, walls. I can't catch him in a large area; my only option is to let him in the bathroom, and shut the door behind me. Then he's easier to catch. I've read that one can train chins to come to you for a treat, but I think it must be an urban myth. Well, at least he got his dose of culture today!

Seriously contemplating chewing the wall

Playpen, with toys and cornstarch "bath"

Bungee cords and plank to keep the little bugger in

A Word Concerning "Chins"

Baby, wondering how he can escape, and take over the world

Baby, in my work area 

   This morning's amblings were inspired by Baby's escapade today. I have, living in a huge cage on the kitchen counter, two male chinchillas. They were acquired from my sister, Steph, when her otherwise tolerant husband said they had to go. She called me almost in tears, so I told her to bring them out here. I have since found out IN SPADES why John wanted them out of the house.
   Chins are cute, incredibly soft, and chew everything they can get their teeth onto. They are a bit larger than a guinea pig. They move like stink ... running, scurrying, and jumping.
   Since they have moved out here to the country, [not that they'd notice, living indoors in a cage] the fuzzy little bastards have managed to chew my dressage saddle, a bridle and set of hand-made braided reins, and a bathroom! That was the primary damage; there was a lot of gnawing done on furniture, baseboards, and anything within reach of their teeth.
   Chinchillas must gnaw, as like so many rodents, their teeth are continually erupting from the jaw. In watching them, I have also come to think that they use their teeth and mouths to explore their environment.So it is quite natural, BUT .....
   Anyway, to give them time out of the cage, and time for a cornstarch bath [really, it's grooming] I bought a large playpen. This I set up in the kitchen, put in their bath, some toys, and cover with an old blanket which I batten down with bungee cords and a plank. One of the chins, Baby, is a master of escape. This morning, I didn't even know he was out till I saw him zip around the bedroom. He also looked wet. When I checked the bathroom , the floor near the toilet was wet. He had jumped up and fallen in. But how did the little bugger get out? Anyway, he had his romp, allowed himself to be relatively easily caught, and placed back in the cage.
   The other chin, Fat Bastard, is not as keen on being out of the cage. His quirk is  sprawling on his back for hours ... a most un-chinchilla-like posture. He also has a serious raisin addiction. Both chins like raisins, but he will do anything and go anywhere to get one.

Inspecting my bridle

Fat on left, Baby on right

   So, that's a little bit of my life with chins.