Warming up

We had a couple cool days here... wore the sweat pants, sweat shirt and jacket this the morning.... later it warmed up to the 80's ..... later this week, back to the 90's ... I'm glad summer is still here. The day was so fine I took a ride around the old Franktown Road, shooting pictures on the way. Later in the afternoon I got the paints out and painted a picture looking up my driveway .... just a quick plein air sketch ... I plan to get out again this week for at least one more plein air session ... I may get the hang of this yet... who knows.
You have a good week.

oil 8x10 canvas board

Plein air trip

oil on canvas board 11x14

Last week we went to River View road in South Carson Valley.... there were so many great spots to paint it was tough picking one.... so we finally just stopped and painted. Of course, I took lots of fotos and have paint several using the foto references. This is one of them. The canyon leads uo Hwy 88 to Hope Valley ... Woodsford is just around the corner.

Today I took a 9-10 mile ride around the valley... there are so many magnificent things to paint here. Next trip around the loop I take the camera and plan a spot to get out for some plein air painting ... the ride is worth the effort.... and it's all right here in the back yard. Get out in your neighborhood...check it out

Desert side of the valley

There is always something interesting and exciting about hiking around the desert side of the valley. There are mountains on both sides... winds generally come from the West in the afternoon but the clouds may roll in from the East in the morning .... clouds may roll in from any direction  and they do. Walking around in the East valley looking West  the High Sierras hold down the horizon in shades of purple. On this day a storm was moving in which dropped lots of rain in selected areas over the next couple days..... but the sun was shining and a stroll thru the sagebrush made me feel good.

Oil 12x16 canvas pad

Up, Up and Away

Today was another great day of Summer ... took a back road tour of Carson Valley ... got some pictures of the mountains and saw some of the eastern hills from a view new to me..... also got a personal tour of Jim's hanger ...WOW ... what a place!
It was so clean you could eat off the flour ... and look at those planes he rebuilt! The small white one is a French jet.... very cool...and I got to sit in the back seat...never thot I'd ever sit in a military jet.

The other plane has 2 engines and was used in Viet Nam..... even had bullet holes in the tail ... gone now, of course .... but this plane is a little beauty. When Jim got it it was in pieces and in very rough shape ... looks like new to me now.
Always something new and exciting happening around here....y'all come back!

A geezer goes a wandering

Down the road and beyond the fence
o'r the field and past the bale
The 'ol man strolls, he's still alive
walking far o'r  hill and dale

He passed the barn all red and weathered
a nest for owls and a little rodent
stopping for a moment's rest
he kicked a stone and did his toe dent

The geezer does this valley love
the trees and hills and mountains tall
His stay with Koke he also loved
her kindness, gormet food and all


Painted from memories and fotos of my jaunts around Carson Valley while recuperating

oil canvas pad 9x12

A cheezy deal

Swiss Cheese


I never thought the moon
looked like Swiss cheese.
From Pennsylvania it’s merely
a cloudy marble brushed
with blue. But if I ever
saw a moon sandwiched between
rye and Lebanon Bologna,
I would spread sunny yellow
mustard atop
and give you a taste
of my universe.

adapted from a writing by  -Wes Ward


There are still tomatoes on the vine here.... and many more blossoms out there on the plants .... love those fresh tomatoes. Now if I'm making a sandwich a little fresh basil and some raw milk cheese makes a drooling temptation... So here is a small tomatoe sitting on top of the raw milk cheese from Trader Joes. These will end up in my salad along with a half dozen other fresh veggies.

oil on canvas board 4x6

What's for lunch?

Nothing like wholesome food right from the garden just like great grandma ate .... be sure to eat as much raw, unprocessed food as you can get.

oil on 4x6 canvas board 

Out for a hike... or a walk... or something

Today I went for a little walk and a bike ride... maybe a couple miles just around part of the valley. It's great to be back even tho it was loads of fun staying with Kay for a few weeks... she sure does serve gormet meals .... made me want to stay longer :-)
While staying over in the other valley I did get out for a few "hikes" .... more like walks or strolls but I did get out.... the pictures will take you along with me
The desert is not all white sand for endless miles .... altho there is some of that but not here locally.
The days were warm and the nights were cool .... could not ask for anything better ..... but it did get better .... Zabrina and here troups dropped by for a visit last week .... but that's for another post ....

You have a good day .... and get out there for a walk :-)

Life in them thar hills

As evening moves on the half moon floats at 2 o'clock in a refreshingly clear, pale blue sky... a warm summer breeze drifts off the High Sierras while 2 bikers pass on opposite sides of the old highway, smiling and waving the friendly greeting bikers are know for in these regions ......a couple of horses munch on the grass in a neighbor's meadow......the eastern hills are glowing with the final rays as the sun sets .......  the day is drawing to a close ... I'm out pumping up and down the slight grades thinking this is a great way to end the day ... dang, life is good

worked at the easel for a little while today..... this is one that I worked on...... 9x12 oil on canvas pad .....high in the Sierras there are always outcroppings of rocks pushing to a new height... this was up near frog lake.

Unocchio's quote for the day

"One who returns to a place see it with new eyes. Although the place may have not changed, the viewer inevitably has. For the first time things invisible before become suddenly visible" ....... Bendigo Shafter

Backyard Ventures

My back yard is not just what I see out the window..... it covers 50-60 miles along the eastern side of the High Sierras .... I love this country ... drive, walk,hike, ride my bike , anyway is fine... I never tire of the view and there always something new and exciting to see. Today's sketch was yesterday mornings effort before I took off for the NAA meeting (Nevada Art Association) in Carson City.... it is from a foto I took in the south end of CV.
You have a good day.

9x12 Acrylic on Acrylic pad

High in the High Sierras

In the past, every now and again I got up into thwe High Sierras... peaks are different up there... the whole feeling is different up there.... hopefully I will get back up there this summer and do some sketching or plain air painting

Oil on canvas board 11x14

Biking on Sunday

I've been out biking nearly everyday for a while .... get the heart racing and then cruise for a bit ..... most days it is a short run.... today, I rode north all the way to Davis Creek,
It is a beautiful day in the Valley... I'm not the only one that agrees with that... there were at least 50 other bikers up and down this ol' country road......... wonderful to be able to get out and enjoy the sunshine ... my tan is doing fine.....

Right up the road a couple miles is the historic Bowers mansion .... a big deal in it's day but surprisingly small compared to some of the "McMansions" of the current real estate folly...

This will be the next stop.... Davis Creek..... but I'm not going in because big John and his wife are stopping by this week and we are all going there together..... I can't wait....

this is the hill I see out my window every day .. every season .... every evening ... and it is a major landmark when heading south on the old highway

Typical view of the route I trave heading north

Biking south

From the old highway looking south-east there are grassy farmlands and some with natural cover

For those who have never seen a Nevada covered bridge we got'em ... ok.. so it ain't very old but I like it anyway .... old - new ... we enjoy then all ... I like old and young folks too :-)

View from Davis Creek Circle ... there just are no bad views from this neighborhood

Bike riding and walking in the Summer sun... what could be more enjoyable

Mountains and a Bear

A current study of local scenery in acylics on canvas board 11x14..... I love this neck of the woods and the High Sierras .... will try to paint it at least 100 times :-)
Tim finished the bear at one of the neighbor's ...... didn't get there to catch him in the act of finishing but here's his bear on an inground stump of a redwood tree .... redwood trees are such a masterpiece .... so fine to make use of the stump.

Ridin da Skunk Train

OK... so I'm late posting this one ..... there were probably 600 pictures to go thru... all bringing back great memories of a couple days up in California Redwood country. On the week end of 6 Jun,  Baron and I took a trip up to Fort Bragg .... camped by the sea and rode the famous Skunk Train.

Go here for their story and some historic fotos....
http://www.skunktrain.com/aboutus-history.html

This was a trip especially offered for photographic opportunities. They stopped the train often and staged shots over bridges and out of tunnels. It took a half day just to reach the half-way point where lunch was served. The first picture you see is the engine that pulled our train for that day. The train is fueled with oil  now and does not make that much smoke unless the engineer does it purposely ,,, which he did for the pleasure of the photographers. In earlier days, when wood was the fuel, the engine smoked on a regular basis. One of the first engines used on this line gave off a very pungent odor which smelled much like a skunk,,, hence the name. In those days they said you could smell it coming long before you could see it

This is a typical viewriding thru the Redwood Forest. The loggers cut down most all the original growth so what we are seeing now is only 100 years old +/-. .... there are a few trees that are much older that were left standing. Cabins and residences remain isolated amoung the redwoods which are accessable only by the Skunk Train ..... which will stop and pick up passengers standing by the tracks.... they also pick up shopping lists and bring grocery orders to those folks way back in the Redwood forest.

One of the many stops we made for foto ops.

They did a good job on picking spots... notice the tunnel

bhind the train..... we crossed the river several times on the trip..........

 The passengers were able to ride outdoors on a flat car ... standing and moving about at will ..... when tired of that there was always the option of sitting inside the historic passenger car.

Notice the small platform high on the tree... that is where a man with a big saw would stand to cut down the tree ..... it is pretty high up there .... notice in the next picture where the platform is relative to the size of the locomotive.

The Train Singer was always available to provide song and stories.... just the right man for the job... he was very good.

 One of the highlights of the trip was when they let us ride in the engine with the engineer. He stated that the temperature at the firebox door could get up to 600 degrees and that at the end of his belly it was not uncommon for it to be around 140. During cools days it was not so bad but on the really hot days that engine became quite uncomfortable. The engineer drank lots of water. He often heated his luch by the firebox door. This was a job only for the very rugged soul.

Baron enjoyed the engine ride.

This is not a straight rail line... many curves, bridges and several tunnels. The scenery was awesome. I love the redwood forest and the train ride was an excellent way to see sights that were not available anywhere else.

At the half-way point there were a number of buildings, houses, maintenance staion and side tracks to park trains and to turnaround.

Yup... there had to be one of these to get all those chores accomplished and carry the tools.

The engineer had to hang out the window to see when backing up ... no cover on that window,

The train singer was with us for both directions.

We also got to ride at the rear of the train for a different view.  Snacks were served on board in the rear car .

There's the big eight wheels that you heard about in the train songs.

This is a special holiday car ... it was parked at the Depot in Ft Bragg.

Take little side trips in life.......

Summer Fun

I love the Summer time ... I hope it lasts a long time :-)
For the past many years we have had sunflowers in the back yard and they bloomed in July... actually I think they lasted all Summer but I know they were there in July.
Here's my thoughts on the sunflower in the back yard.....
9x12 Acrylic
 ... sun's now dipping behind the High Sierras and the light is changing so I will finish this tomorrow ... probably only need the stems... we'll see

This week I did 3 sketches of Brad's back yard looking out at the lake....  and 3studies of a High Sierra Lake ... the 16x20 oil on canvas is still in process .... I keep seeing things I want to add or improve.... but I think I like it.

Every day it seems I get out for a bike ride down the lonely country road ... sure is peaceful out there.... each trip is a little longer in distance ... I'm working up to riding completely around the west side of the valley ... I'm taking my camera 'cus there will be some gorgeous sights to capture out there.... will be scouting out plein air painting locations.... I would like to get out there and paint while the summer weather is here.

Hope you are getting out in the sun a little, too.