Getting Better ...

Maggie and her new best friend, Flossie, enjoying the squeaky toys my landlady bought for them today.

Maggie, posing by the pool.
Maggie is a Mexican rescue that I rescued from being euthanized last weekend. The clinic that brought her here despaired of finding the right home for her. I think mine is it :) 

Bruno, off on the other side of the pond, having a munch - what else???

Don't know if I'll bother doing more here. It's not making me gasp with visual pleasure as it is, and I have others I would rather do.

This is from two years ago or so. I decided to re-work it. 

The purples and violets of the background are not quite like this - more greyed. But overall, I think I made some improvements by lifting some leaves and intensifying the shadows of the petals. Perhaps a bit more lifting yet.

I am starting to feel more like myself - dizziness gone, mood swings less acute and less frequent - emotionally stronger.  I had been seriously out of it for the past 6 weeks, coming off anti-depressants. I have found large doses of vitamin D help, as well as meditating and being more focussed. Finally I think I can approach that Rio painting with more confidence, and start some paintings with more definitive planning and fore-thought. Here's hoping ...

Thank you for dropping by! 

Frazzled, but Still Painting ...

This is part of my frazzle. Bruno has come out in hives again. They first popped up over 2 weeks ago. I called my vert, and picked up some dexamethasone, and dosed him for about a week. As soon as I stopped [last night], they came out again. I took this photo this morning to send to my trainer for advice. There is no reason I can think of that would cause the hives - same hay, same diet, a bit more exercise. He may have found some new and noxious weeds out in the field. That's the only thing I can think that might cause these bumps.  

I thought to take my mind off worries a bit by starting new paintings - something soothing, yet requiring concentration. A friend had some fabulous photos of koi, and he gave me permission to use them as reference.

You can hardly tell they are fish yet. I've been working exclusively on the background.

And my aunt is back in the hospital, this time with pneumonia and a fluid-filled lung. I feel upset, frustrated and angry with the slowness of our medical system.

Anyway, I am glad you have dropped by for a visit - thank you!

The Dog Days of Summer

Bruno following me. I guess I look more interesting than the horse next door; their screaming match was what brought me outside.

The hay guy delivered today ... 

One of the spare stalls is stacked floor to ceiling with 2nd cut local hay.

I had to postpone the delivery for a week because of the swallows. I wanted to wait till the babies were flying, so they  and their parents could get in and out of their nest.

I was out in the near dark last night, trying to re-set the gate. It was originally put up in such a haphazard way that the hinges are out of alignment.

I couldn't find my set of wrenches, so I called Andy, and asked if he could bring some.

And then he fixed the gate! :)

Andy, the hay guy, came today, and stacked 108 bales of hay in a spare stall. That should do Bruno for a year. I think Andy thought I was a bit mad, asking him to wait for a week till the swallows could all fly. I HAD to - they bring me so much joy when I am out there in the summer - swooping, soaring, and chirping and singing. They started flying on Tuesday, and today they are pros.
And a bit of information about the term "dog days of summer". Apparently it predates the Romans, but they named it. At this time of year, Sirius, the "dog star", in the constellation Canis Major, rises and sets with the sun. It was believed its presence added to the heat of the sun during the summer days. The Romans gave the time between July 23 to August 23 the name of "dog days". The Farmers Almanac lists the dog days as those from July 3 to August 11.
I absolutely love this time of year. We have glorious hot weather now - up in the low 30's C. And it's predicted to last for a few weeks, so my open studio/show/whatever should be lovely weather-wise.

As always, your comments are most welcome!

Life Is GOOD

Bruno having a munch on the lower end of the yard, after a ride.

Gorgeous weather. Fruit trees in bloom.

Before

After. I did paint in a "ground" then the rest of the background looked really off. So I darkened a bit in the fall of leaves, and brought the grass green up higher, so the front of the goose would show more. These colors are off - still don't have photoshop. Otherwise I think The Mad Conductor is done.

I did a quick sketch of this last night.

This morning, I got it on wc. paper, and started a soft background w/w wash with aureolin, quin. gold and phthalo green.

This is a very rough color sketch I've done of the Burrard Bridge.

This is a more detailed sketch I've done for the painting. I'm doing a smaller one - about 10 x 17 in. - if and before I move to a larger format.

This is another sketch, from a very old photo, when the bridge was just completed in the mid-1930's. I like the more thrusting angle of this sketch. I may do both.


I finally have some time to myself for the next few days. The Boxer Girls were picked up by my sister on Saturday. We went for a 2 hour walk, then sat and had tea, and chatted. I love the two dogs, but they are very needy. My sister has no children and these are her surrogates. They usually stop eating, or eat very little when Denise is away. Mind you, at home they are very picky, too, and she hand-feeds them. Um ... NO!
Bruno and I have had some very good rides. He is g r a d u a l l y becoming more supple. As for me, I can feel my "riding muscles" starting to come back ... the core muscles, and the ones that enable you to crack walnuts with your thighs!! KIDDING! But sometimes it feels like it.
I'm back to work on Wednesday, and Friday and Saturday. I'm not sure how the dentist's arm is doing; it might be another two to three weeks of really working for a living. And I'll probably surprise myself, and find I'm missing the work when it's cut back again.
or not! :)

An "Almost Done" and a "What Possessed Me to Start This?"

Reference

I am here.

Reference

Almost there - yellows are actually more intense in real life.


I desperately want to start riding again, but the weather is against me; it's still very wet and bone-chillingly cold.  My fingers almost froze cleaning the paddock today, so sitting in the saddle, holding the reins was definitely out. I did spend a good [and happy] hour grooming the lad though. We both enjoyed it. Then he had his backyard grass time, surrounded by a small flock of mallards.
Anyway, as always, please feel welcome to leave your comments. I love them.  ;)

An Unexpected Day Off

Smoke from my fire

Lucy, one of my barn "helpers"

Pumpkin, not much of a helper, but here she is

My aunt, who drove 50 miles to "play with fire"

Bruno, self-designated Fire Marshall, and me

Not too interested in having his picture taken

Ahhh ... that's better



I was expecting to work today, but the receptionist called yesterday to let me know I was only booked on Friday. So I decided to take advantage of the good weather, and burn off all the old and moldy hay, blackberry bush cuttings and other garden- type waste. Out here, you are still able to burn outdoors in October and April, if you purchase a burning permit from the township. I KNOW it's environmentally a big NO-NO [and I'm so good in most other environmental aspects], but there is something atavistically appealing in burning a large pile of stuff outside. When I was a child, home owners in Vancouver were permitted to burn all the leaves raked from their property. I loved raking and playing in the leaves, and then burning the piles early in the evening in the gloaming.
I started collecting and piling garden clippings, then got to work inside the barn. I had so much hay I hadn't had a chance to get rid of, from previous years. And this last winter there was so much that His Imperial Self refused to eat, though I did manage to give away 30 bales to my farrier [who also owns a boarding barn, and can always use extra hay].
Anyway, there we all were in the relatively warm sunshine, having a good time. My aunt and I worked for 5 fun-filled hours
 I just realized, you probably have never seen me before this. Please do not let yourselves be overwhelmed by my chic attire! I am a high-fashion "barn grunt", and proud of it!!  :)

Moving Along Nicely ... and the Old Car, Too

I'm pleased with how it is developing, and very happy on the decision to "go old".

One I painted about 8 years ago [and sold ... yay]
I will probably do a similar background.

Himself, several weeks ago.


I thank all of you for your questions about Bruno. He had "good drugs" - corticosteroid and hyaluronic acid - injected directly into the arthritic joints of both hind legs. The results have been phenomenal. Physically, he is supple, more fluid and powerful in his movement, and has lost the severe, protective muscle tightness. Emotionally, he is one happy guy - keen and eager to be ridden, and not balky and sulky when under saddle. He really and truly feels like a new horse! We both are quite happy right now.
I also have 2 boarders here for at least the next 6 weeks. One of my sisters had a major flood in her home [poorly done plumbing]. It was so damaging that she and her husband had to move out for the repairs to be done, and the place they are renting for the duration does not accept dogs. So I have the Boxer girls. They are both sweet and well-behaved, but are high maintenance dogs. The cat is tolerating them ... barely. And Bruno can't stand them! He is so very possessive of me, that he charges and chases them if they are in his space, and will put on a show of force - rearing, bucking, galloping, and generally letting the dogs know that he means business! My dear little 3/4 ton green-eyed monster!!! So it goes, here on the farm.  

Bruno's Gardening Day ... or ... Yes, I Pamper My Horse

Munching at the top of the rise

Looking down to Bruno's paddock/ring & to field beyond

Standing by a spot where I grow lupines, lilies, irises, calendula and others

Really getting into his work

Some serious trimming at the fence-line

Taking a short, thoughtful break

   Brunz has had 3 or 4 days of good, solid work; our riding sessions have been short and sweet, [pretty much] and he has been attentive. As I like to say, he's been wearing his "listening ears"! So I thought a bit of grazing on the back lawn would be nice - the grass IS greener on the other side of the fence.  

Another Farmish Moment ...

The very well camoflaged egg

Dancing up a storm to distract me
I can't even see her head

She was also very vocal

They actually look quite pretty when they do this

Temporary barricade

And Bruno couldn't care less

When I was hand-walking BrunZ around the ring yesterday, preparatory to riding [to let him get the saddle "feel", and tighten the girth] a killdeer became most upset and vocal. She was in one corner of the ring, and obviously had a nest there. 

   While I rode, she was extremely brave in her attempts to warn us away. At one point, I glanced below my inside leg/boot, and she was almost directly under us. Several times she swooped around Bruno, almost right under his nose. Thankfully, Bruno could not give a damn, and just kept evenly going on.

   After I finished riding, and took care of BrunZ, I went to the corner to see if I could find her nest. There was nothing yesterday, but today, while cleaning the ring, I found her nest with one egg. She will probably lay two or three more, and then it will be a few weeks till they hatch. We had a similar situation last year, when they decided to nest on top of the manure pile. I would get  scolded every morning by "mom" about not disturbing the kids.