Storms come and go

 

 

Some assume that a desert means always sunshine. Well, it does a lot; but there are some surprises, which can be frustrating to those planning a golfing and swimming vacation. Oh, you can still do both, if you are a hearty soul. There are many sunny days... just hope they happen when you have scheduled your visit.

 

This winter has been cooler and wetter than many I've experienced down here. Some days had highs in the 50s (or lower) with nights hovering just above or at freezing. The desert has also enjoyed the benefits of rainy days with us measuring from 3/4" down to maybe less than a tenth. It used to be that most rain was expected during the monsoons, but they have had less rain some years than falls during the winter. More frosty nights are due later this week.

There have been some thunderstorms that livened up the night with the banging and flash of the lightning, this time between the clouds, not landing on earth.

There is a lot to do in Tucson even with storms from nice restaurants to museums. Or plan your walks or bike rides between storms. Today is quite sunny but yesterday we got rain most of the day. It is chilly either way with warmer weather due maybe in a week, but even that not remotely hot. Still, when you consider weather in other parts of the country, this can still be an improvement. It does lead to some great sunsets with those clouds.

And for those inclined to snow sports, like skiing, the mountains above Tucson have snow at the heights, and I think the ski lifts are working up there-- at least when the road isn't closed due to ice. It's pretty when driving way below to see the white on the hills.

For desert rats, like us, this winter has been welcome, but for tourists maybe not so much *s* All photos taken from our home here.

August and some nice storms

 August 12th

This Sturgeon moon is the considered to be fourth supermoon in a row after the Buck moon in July, Strawberry moon in June and Flower moon in May.

 

I haven't had a lot to say lately as our world has been very quiet. Ranch Boss had cataracts removed from both eyes and that takes some time to arrange and then the healing and repeated doctor visits to be sure it's all fine. He is quite happy with the results and now has 20/20 vision in both eyes and no more astigmatism. 

We had a little concern about the process since it does involve an anesthetic, but they don't put the patient to sleep, but just to relax so they can do the work. He found the process fascinating for  how they remove the cataract and the old lens before replacing it with the new one.

The patient has a choice of how far they want to see, and he chose distance with using reading glasses for up close and the computer. He also had a choice on using a laser and paying for that as the basic cataract surgery is covered by Medicare for someone with as bad of vision as he had in the one eye and fuzzy in the other.

Otherwise, not much. I have been wrestling with low blood sugar and may have found a way to help which involves protein bars in the late afternoon. Fingers crossed. (turns out that wasn't the solution. More research needed).

 The monsoons in our area have been mixed for how much rain is involved. we bought a rain gauge and the other night, we had three storms come through, with some scary thunder in one of them and 3/4" fell between the three. 

 We and the cactus are hoping for more rain, but you really never know and often the storms hit places other than us.

 

 

 

settling in

by Rain Trueax

To be honest, I don't have much to say. Lots going on politically, but I prefer not writing about that-- bad enough to think about. So, where I am out of words, how about some pictures of life here in Tucson. 

Our first project is figuring out a change in our carport (it's deteriorating) due to weather, some mistakes in building it-- and termites.

We also are seriously looking at getting a fifth-wheel trailer after our experience driving south in December. The big trucks caused the trailer to sway, making the drive less than pleasant. I guess fifth wheels handle that better. 

Supposedly in California trucks should go the same speed as anyone pulling a trailer of any sort. Think they do that? Not so much...

Anyway, while my brain recuperates from the travel and some other things we are trying to work out, these are photos from our home, land here where we are enjoying the quail, javelina and birds as we try to settle in for a few months.

A painting could sell a ranch : A fantasy that emerged as I overcame painter's block

 
Initially I overcame inertia  by just mixing colors and painting without a plan. I decided  I did not have to paint a meaningful painting. Some vague notion of landscape would be a starting point. I didn't know what kind of landscape I would make -  maybe a seascape, alpine meadows, water reflections or near non-objective abstract.  Internal or external type was not decided. As I brushed on the acrylic paint covering about two thirds of the canvas,  new thoughts of possible meanings flashed across my mind.

When the four foot by five foot canvas was almost completely covered,  I thought it was good. The painting was a nice backdrop to holiday clutter being  decorative and calming.   But if it was done in just three hours, it was void of a possible ricer involvement. So I took courage ignoring fears of spoiling the painting.

New directions 

My paintings are a pictorial journal of my life with some even becoming solutions to problems I have encountered. Time to paint when changes are near. The beautiful wood lot and ranch in back of our property is going to be subdivided. The view will be gone forever, but I will have a sentimental memory painting. For awhile I thought I would paint a deer jumping over the foreground fence out at the viewer, which shortly occurred to me was merely an exercise to see how good I was as a painter - a short lived shallow reward for me.

Once a painting solved a problem I had. I used to sign my maiden name to my paintings in hopes that I would find a long lost cousin when all the usual means of searching failed for a decade. A painting of a common ancestor published on a blog did result in one child of the lost cousin calling me.  Then I  visitited the cousins I never knew as a child.

Though it is a long stretch, maybe a want to be ranching family will read this blog and  buy all 13 acres and continue ranching while rearing their children like my painting reminisces.

The flow was strong with purpose for a couple of weeks



 

After blocking in  the atmosphere and colors, each day I added a small pictures of my heart warming memories like the house decorated with Christmas wreath, along with the barn and horse arena. I have more memories that could be added like the chipmunks, rabbits, humming birds, robins, peacocks  and steers. There were quail, China pheasant, owls, raccoon, coyote and skunk, shrews, mice and rats, hawks, woodpeckers and more. My husband giving a neighborly assistance in the falling of trees, and cutting wood, the tractor added too. The small family farm opens up the continuation of fundamental values upon which our greatness as a nation was built - neighborly caring for each other sharing our labors and bounty with one another. Urbanization of most of us is at the heart of our loss of empathy. saving this life style is important.

 Because in this season I was overwhelmed by adding so much, I placed the painting with the front to the wall in my studio out of sight until next year.

 The  view outdoors had changed from being autumn to wintry frost.  I was mesmerized by the pastels as the sun started to melt away the whites. When the sun set behind the trees at 3:30 PM, the purples and greens died in my painting, only coming back to excite me in the early mornings when the sun glow peeped through the window.

 What is slowing the flow now? Wanting to paint a winter scene?  Indecision? Would more additions  take away from the pony ride?  Or have the holidays called me to do some baking and shopping that I have been avoiding? Time to put it away until next year. I am too close to it to make a decision.

 

I have successfully kept a flow going but not the holiday preparations.  Enough is enough. Time to hide the painting away until next year when with fresh eyes I will determine if it is complete. Time for undivided time with family. Next year I will be ready to do more paintings of the neighboring ranch.

I hope my Jewish friends are concluding their last day of a happy Hanukkah celebration and to my Christian friends a Merry meaningful Christmas with hope for peace for all faiths and beliefs in 2018.

I Have Painter’s Block - What I Am Doing To Get In The Flow

I have not painted for several weeks resulting in being restless, worried, and out of sorts. I need some creative excitement like painting. But I kept finding something to do other than painting. Realizing I had painter's block, I took the following steps for preparing to paint again.

1) Checked my photos for my favorites of this year like the sky with clouds before the storm.

2) Took a few minutes to organize and make space to paint in my studio.

3) Borrowed  “From Generation to Generation” an acrylic and oil painting from Barbara Levine who has similar interests as mine but has an entirely distinctive style of her own. In the past we borrowed each other's paintings before exhibiting together. Last time we got together we both didn't know what we would do with our new art work. Like Barbara I have reproduced my grandchildren's art in my paintings, I have not done one with the sense that my creative journey is passing as my heirs are about to blossom and take flight.

4) Checked where I was running low on supplies and ordered some on line. Took advantage of Michaiel's Black Friday 70% off all canvases and purchased a 4 foot by 6 foot canvas and three 3 foot by 2 foot ones.

I hope soon I will be in the swing of painting something meaningful to me. Whammy! OH Oh! I am putting a terribly difficult demand on myself. I don't need to make every painting meaningful. That pressure is part of why I have painter's block.

So a couple of days later I had a whole day free to do the underpainting. I loved mixing the colors and how drum tight the canvases are.

the skies

by Rain Trueax

 Great Fountain Geyser reaching to the clouds.. or trying.

From the waters, the skies seemed logically to be next. Yellowstone is high country and that often makes for spectacular skies. This time, we were  fortunate to be there at a time when thunderheads built up several afternoons. Off and on, we'd hear the crack of thunder and some rain would fall. Awesome time in the geyser basin and the Lamar.

 

In the high country, the light is ever changing and presents constantly shifting opportunities to get that one photo that speaks beyond the images to the energy. 

There are many things that draw people to Yellowstone, but the light is one that shouldn't be discounted as to why it feels so magical when there. That light draws photographers, painters, writers, and millions of people to this super volcano that someday may erupt and change the whole United States for centuries to come. I hope it never happens as knowing Yellowstone is there is one of those things that brings joy to those who have been there or shared its beauty with others. It's there even when we can't be...