Morning Walk

This morning I went out for a while. The morning was beautiful. Cool and it had rained some in the night. I tossed a stick for Gizmo and then just walked around the yard. Supposed to walk more each day for exercise. I watched the horses graze for a while, then a small movement caught my eye. Not ten feet from me was a young rabbit. As I watched he didn't seem all that concerned and I noticed that the branch he was "behind" had a leaf that was close to his face, so he just hoovered it right down while I watched.

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Since he wasn't concerned about me I moved a little closer. He didn't move while I was looking at him, but beat feet behind the tree when I turned my back. I watched for a while and decided since he wasn't bothered with me I'd go in, get my camera, and come back. And he was still there. I started taking pictures. Than didn't bother him, so went in for the "kill" and walked right close. So this is the result of my morning walk.

A Hair Cut

Hello ... Well, a lot has been keeping me busy and away from the computer. So this will be a couple of entries to catch you up. After 40 years with long hair, I finally decided to cut it. I'm not sure why, but it has been on my mind to do something with it since I broke my wrist in 2002, and was helpless to do anything with it with one hand. My daughter would have to come over and wash, comb and braid it for me. Very frustrating for a person used to, "I'll do it myself," thank you very much. There was 25" to send to the cancer society to make wigs out of. I hope it makes someone out there happy.

This then is the results. It isn't a marvelous picture, but you can sure get the idea. I was looking in the bathroom mirror while holding the camera at arms length to take the picture. So, actually it isn't all that bad! I had it cut on August 21st, just before my surgery on August 26th. It did make hospital care easier to be sure.

Sigh .....

WIP - Cougar - Number FINISHED!!

Well, hello all. I can't believe it took another five days to complete this "little" painting. But I do think I have it done and done. If you see something glaring at you, please do let me know. At this point I'm not seeing anything but "done."

We have had some really good rains. More today even. It is so muggy. Like Hans would say, there an awful lot of hum-dity in the air. We are not at all used to it here, but I'll tell you what, we need the wet so bad I don't think you will find one person in Colorado who will complain. In this kind of weather, I've always been glad I had straight hair anyway.

I ended up having to have a birthday the other day. I can usually sneak by it, but not this year. In the first place, I had to renew my driver's license. I really hope that additional year doesn't show up in the picture. They are so horrible anyway. I think everyone I knew around here sang to me this year. I have messages on my phone from my daughter and two grandsons desperately trying to get me to pick up and phone. They sang even when I wasn't there. When they called I was having brunch with friends who took me out for my birthday. (They didn't, however, sing!) Trudy not only sang, but she called friends and told them to call me and sing. Fritz sang on a message the day before, so I stopped by his place to get a current version, and got a tap dance to boot! Hans sent a text and an I love you.

I got an email from a friend that was quite a hoot! I'm going to share it with you. She probably won't appreciate that, but here goes anyway:

"Today is your birthday? How long has that been going on? Lordy!

OK, counting on all fingers and toes, dividing by the pinkie and multiplying by two thumbs (carry the four), I still come up with you're older than me!

I hope you do something outrageous, even it is only enjoy a long, leisurelysuper-hot bubble bath! OK, if you want to go to the bar and chase men,that's an option too...but be careful. They are a lot slower than they used to be, and you might catch one.

Have you noticed how gravity is so much stronger than when we were kids?Try jumping up and down a few times and tell me if you don't think that is true.

On the plus side, they have really improved bras, and a dang good thing (see gravity information above). We can follow ourselves around all day long,with the right bra on.

Still waiting for the Depends folks to come out with the thong version.There's a challenge for them! Their regular style isn't even as good as the pull-ups kids wear, and with a whole bunch of Baby Boomers headed their way,they better do something about style!

Now that you're all cheered up, see paragraph 2 again, and get after the outrageous whatever-you-want-to-do action. And I don't want to hear about hot milk and early to bed! At the least, a dirty book?"

See what all I have to put up with!!! Had a great day!

G'nite for now...

All art, poetry and writings are copyright & cannot be reproduced in any form without written permission from Judith Angell Meyer

WIP - Cougar Update 7

Yeah! The whole 35 square inches have been covered. Doesn't sound like much does it. This does not yet mean that this little painting is finished, but it is close. I'll be taking tomorrow away from it, then will come back and "pick" at it. I have to soften the outline of the cougar more still, and have to see if the rocks need tinkering with. Some are too rough yet I believe and need some softening, while others need the value deepened. Won't know until Thursday sometime when I sit down with it again.

Let me know if you see something that doesn't look right.

Today only reached 91 degrees. One more day to the record. 24 now. But tonight is very cool, and tomorrow is supposed to be in the mid to upper 80's. Looking forward to breakfast with a friend in the morning.

You all have a good day Wednesday.

All art, poetry and writings are copyright & cannot be reproduced in any form without written permission from Judith Angell Meyer

WIP - Cougar update 6

Okay, time for today's update. Worked on this a long time today. I'm thinking I can finish the empty space tomorrow, then take a day off, or two, and go back and work the details. Smooth the rocks where they are too rough, or visa versa. Be sure the cougar is in its space properly. Then sign it and make a final scan for the show entry. I'll be glad to have this one off, and I have to get the small drawing that is going to the Annual show off and there like between the 15th and the 30th of August. I think. Will have to take a look. So much to keep on this old brain!

This should be the last of the over 90 degree days making the new record 25 days from the old 18. I'll certainly be glad to have the temperature go down some.

We shall see.

Good night all.

All art, poetry and writings are copyright & cannot be reproduced in any form without written permission from Judith Angell Meyer

Good morning

Just a quick note this morning. Last night we had a bit of rain. It didn't last long, but it was long enough to make the ground wet and even better, cool off the air. It is almost 9:00 now and it is still only about 70 degrees. The miracle is that when the sun come up and I was looking out on the yard everything sparkled. Not with dew, but the light was hitting little green blades of grass. The dry brown crunchy yard, after only a hint of rain, was perceptibly greener.

It will be another 90 degree plus day today, but that will be easy because I was granted this mornings joy with a little cool, and a hint of emerald green.

WIP - Cougar update 5

Okay, another day of rocks. Did go back and anchor the cougar to the ground and darkened him enough to put him behind the rocks. At the very end I'll be putting in a few weeds, and some whiskers, but until then it will be rocks, and more rocks.

Today was another hot, 101 degree day, and 23 days in a row over 90. When I hear the temperatures south of here, or Mohave way, I have to say that I guess we don't have it so bad here. It did rain for just long enough to take the ground temperature down, and the breeze through the wet cooled the air this afternoon. For this I am very grateful.

Hopefully another update tomorrow, but won't promise. I'm going to have to get some other things done too! (I'm running out of clean dishes, and I don't have a dishwasher!)

All art, poetry and writings are copyright & cannot be reproduced in any form without written permission from Judith Angell Meyer

WIP - Cougar Update IV

Okay, right off I know this is a bad scan, but you'll get the idea and I'm too tired to go back and scan it again. Also, I know that I should have waited until the last to do the tree and sky to surprise you with the color, but I gotta tell you, I was starved to do something of color and that took different brush strokes. So here you are. Enjoy and good night!!

All art, poetry and writings are copyright & cannot be reproduced in any form without written permission from Judith Angell Meyer

A couple of days past

When I opened my blog just now, at 4:49 p.m., the temperature gauge read 103 degrees. Our record for consecutive days over 90 degrees was 18. And that record was set 107 years ago. Today is day 20 of the new record. Now what should I do with this child; urge it on, or shoot it down?
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Enough of that.
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Since I haven't posted an update on the cougar in a couple of days, I thought I'd just give a day to day accounting. I should be posting the cougar again tomorrow.
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A while back we had a wind storm that while it was furious, was not the micro-burst wind that I told you about earlier when the side of the neighbor's barn was peeled off by the wind. But this one was out of the west north west, and it was kicking up all the loose dirt in its path. I noticed it at first because of the yellowish light out the window, something you look for with tornado conditions. The picture shows the dirt in the air so thick that it blocks the sun to the degree you can look at it. Like most of nature, on one hand, beautiful, and on the other, frightening.
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.Then just Wednesday I was attracted by a Robin outside of the bedroom window. It was making these very melodious tones, and as I watched, the bird was preening itself, and sounded very like it was experiencing an extreme pleasure. Just as I was feeling I was intruding, this fairly large object sailed right past me and smashed into my bedroom window. I mean he really did a nasty header into the glass. This one is a Flicker. Beautiful larger bird, but very stunned. Its beak was open and head turned sideways and he would try to shake "it" off from time to time. But every time he took a step, it was wobbly. I took a couple of pictures through the window, then went out and to photo him. That was when I knew for sure he had really addled his brain. It took quite a while, but he walked farther and farther, little by little, and finally he was gone. Really glad he recovered before the cats spotted him!
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Today the winter hay arrived. I have a barn full of the sweet smelling alfalfa. The horses were lounging by the barn gate the whole time, talking to me with soft nickers hoping to get a bite of new season hay. The trailer left quite a bit behind on the ground, so I shoveled some treats their way. Trouble is, they are typical kids. Today a treat, and tomorrow they will be at the gate expecting more, and this time it most likely won't be soft nickers.
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Have a good day. Stay cool. And don't complain any more than you have to.
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See you tomorrow. (Late!)

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WIP - Cougar 3rd Update

Update #3 on the Cougar.

The rocks are looking pretty solid now and am moving on to ...

more rocks.

All art, poetry and writings are copyright & cannot be reproduced in any form without written permission from Judith Angell Meyer