Late WInter Wonderland

2.11.2011

Dog in an epic landscape
Driving to Chickory this week I thought I was going to wreck I was so distracted by the flickering light created by the long tree shadows stretching across the road. The shadows were spaced so evenly that it blasted the corner of my eye with a steady hypnotic pattern. The flickering was bright red because it picked up the blood in my eyelid and reminded my of a shock the monkey style horror video. I understand why this kind of thing triggers epileptic seizures! I like winter because you can see how the land lays but the light is cold and desaturated. Im ready to move into spring now, though I have loved this weird snowy winter.

Damn, Kitty. Sorry.
I took Trout over to Big Sky yesterday as a special treat for just her, without Koby. And she was horrible. There was a pair of Canadian Geese in the pond. Trout ran full bore and launched herself into the pond and followed them wherever they swam in the pond, paddling her heart out. I thought she would surely tire and sink. She ignored my calls to stop and the honking those geese put out was extremely loud and distressing. Later, she found some poor hapless cat to terrorize. When the kitty went up a tree that was growing out of a rock, Trout spend at least 20 minutes trying to climb up and get her, sometimes landing awkwardly and flopping into the rock so hard I could hear her "ooof" of impact. I left her and traveled along a ridge line to the Tennesee side and did not see her again until almost an hour when I was back at the pond on the way home.

Late afternoon sun warms a path of grasses
There were little patches of snow and ice on the north sides of the mountain

I love all the dried seed heads I encounter on my walk
I worked on my "folk art" and managed to get a decent rooster painting

I took the truck out for a little ride after my walk to visit some friends horses

Today I will work on a largish painting for V featuring "his dog" Kobayashi Maru. I plan to use this photograph as my guide. I have a very clear vision of how it should look in my mind's eye. The hard part of course, is getting my hands to execute it. I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!

28 comments:

  1. What a great slice of life. Will you post the picture when you're finished? I think that's a really sweet gift and Happy Early Anniversary to you and V.

    Have a great weekend. I love the flowers on the chicken/cat/etc. paintings. xoxo

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  2. Cream Soda & Chicken, mmmmmmm!

    PS: Happy Anniversary!

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  3. Beautiful pics and painting. Those geese are LOUD!

    Here are 3 more contests for you to win.

    http://www.facebook.com/Sony

    http://www.talenthouse.com/anne-klein-design-lion-logo?referral=anne_fash_frm

    http://apps.facebook.com/contestshq/contests/93858?ogn=facebook

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  4. dani: well with a subject like that, I couldnt go wrong with you, could I? SO excited about your chicks because V has said NO to more for us.

    boxer: well you cannot buy this man anything. Everything he wanted, he got for himself. The last really good gift i got him was the jeff beck issue seafoam green Stratocaster. That was when I had a rep in NYC and made decent money. arrrrgh. Hopefully, this painting will be a success. I made cream of tomato soup yesterday (and cute valentine cupcakes) with my canned tomatoes from summer. YUM! wish you could taste it because I am proud of it.

    XL; nothing tastes good with cream soda. bleeeech.
    and, thanks! hey 19 (years).

    Troll: you arent kidding! I was worried one of the residents was going to come down and bitch me out it was so loud. Im not supposed to be over there anyway as it is "gated".

    you asked last post if i looked at the contests you find for me. I do. SOme are not good fits for me, others are declared winners via votes and i dont have enough minions for that. So i look for the ones that are doable. I did the one for the wine label remember? (bombed out) I looked at the one for Jerrys artorama but i forget why i nixed it -i think you had to like a bunch of facebook pages first. so, no. but thank you for thinking of me!!!

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  5. The cat in the tree was pretty funny. As cliche as that is, you don't see it too often. Those dried seed pods are cool when the wind takes them.

    Happy anniversary. 19 is the bronze anniversary. What do you buy your husband in bronze - a valve?

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  6. buzz: well one year for Christmas i gave him a three legged bronze jackal i made at the yearly "bronze pour" that my alma matter's sculpture department hosts. Too bad that happens in the summer.

    He is getting a painting. im working on it now. thanks for the anniversary wishes!

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  7. I have a feeling that the Ivanator and Trout would have a fine romance were they ever to get together.

    Happy, happy anniversary to you two crazy kids! Your painting to V sounds wonderful.

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  8. Happy anniversary to you and V. That Koby sure is adorable ... Love to you ...

    xx

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  9. Hi there! I came across your blog through Jennerally Speaking. I love your photos! Your dogs are too cute!

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  10. I rarely can find things for Mr. Boxer, he does what V does; just buys it for himself. One year I had our shop make him dozens of acrylic DVD holders. He was in heaven!!

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  11. Glorious photos, such lovely vistas of nature you encounter on your walks.
    I hope that kitty has found its way home.
    Your painting is beautiful, so much fine detail in the feathers, Koby will be an excellent subject for a portrait.
    Happy Anniversary to you and V!

    xoxoxo ♡

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  12. Oh my goodness, I was gripped with your story......I have a vivid imagination, and could see everything so clearly in my minds eye.

    I love your artwork.....love the colours.

    Look forward to seeing future pieces.....

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  13. Fantastic post. Thank you for taking me for a walk with you.

    Love, love, love the rooster picture.

    Have a great anniversary with V. I'll be thinking of you. x

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  14. pretty, pretty pictures. i love my walks with chickory.
    i can't wait to see photos of your koby paintings!

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  15. There is something quite wonderful in reading at the begining of your post about your readiness for Spring and then towards the end we see Spring HAS sprung in your brilliant painting.

    A present of a post.

    No doubt we are all hoping your will share V's painting of Koby with the rest of us. I know I am. Happy anniversary to you each.

    In honor of Valentine's Day the Haiku Monday theme is: TACTILE

    Since I often want to reach out and touch your paintings, I anticipate great entries from you !

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  16. about time a dawg treed a cat--cats usually win the dag/ cat rows

    Happy happy Anniversary to V an' Thee

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  17. Chickory, be my Valentine!

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  18. ♥´¯`•.¸¸.• ♥ •´¯`•.¸¸.♥
    I can smell everything with my eyes!

    What can I say? What can I say? All wonderland for me! Luv' it all!

    Those epileptic causing trees, I could hug them, haha! And Trout is so...TROUT! What merry it is to see these pics for real,to walk the paths and feel the sun and greet the geese, grass and all, tho' poor kitty cat, my heart goes out to you, hehehehe!


    Just lazing back here loving in all these nature pics!

    Happy Valentine's Day!
    Happy Anniversary too!


    ♥´¯`•.¸¸.• ♥ •´¯`•.¸¸.♥
    The Lady Prism

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  19. Good afternoon Chickory,

    Well at this Point, I'm late enough to this post to say, I hope you two enjoyed your anniversary and the painting turned out the way you wanted it to.

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  20. Still languishin' in the glow?

    Hope ya had a fun, relaxed anniversary day.

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  21. I loved this post. I lust after your chicken paintings. I even blogged about them awhile back. I am wildly in love with chickens and can't wait to start a new flock this Spring! You capture them perfectly.

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  22. I was showing off your work today to one of our artists/illustrators and he was mightily impressed. Just wanted to share that!

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  23. Stop playing that birdy game and take a photo of Trout.

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  24. fantastic scenery
    &
    your rooster is gorgeous, c

    i hope you had a wonderful, romantic <3 day
    &
    wishing you an early spring

    × × ×

    /t.

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  25. concentrating flowers
    embrace of the hills
    smiling in feathers
    rainbow tipped feilds
    brushing expressions
    artfuly dreamed
    wandering far
    on sun shining beams
    intensified sounds
    pounding integrity
    uplifting hearts
    reaching the recipe
    living earths hum
    drift on the breeze
    rush round emotions
    lift and release

    ..peace..

    sorry I'm late again chickory....neil

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  26. the snow clump in the pine needles looks like an abstract version of the kitty in the tree. Well, that's the first thing I noticed, anyway!

    Love all the feather detail on your cock! Lovely colours too.

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