Late WInter Wonderland

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!

Eola Park: Escape from the nursing home

I dont mind pigeons. some people call them trash birds. they're okay by me.


wussup shamy? i watched this fellow take his prize, a pancake, from the dumpster.


an american coot mother rushes to a trio of chicks being harassed by an ibis.


a crazy mix of birds! it was hard not to think of the magnitude of loss in the gulf while admiring them.


This was me, many years ago. God love the child of this time - she will need more strength and fortitude than ever.


magnificent.


Grateful for this time, this chair and the proximity of this amazing park.



* Edith was killed by a hawk this morning at 7:05. V watched it on the security camera. It was a very unhappy phone call to receive. i do hate it for him, for this could have happened on anybody's watch. what to do? confine them in a pen at all times? thats no life, even for a chicken. I would never hurt a hawk, or hold a grudge on a hawk. a hawk does what he does and there isnt any meaness to it. However, I am heartsick once again, for Edith, for every creature with the sad misfortune to live in the Gulf of Mexico and for all the sorrows of the world. I hope this note finds you all well. xo chickory