Festivities

 I was up plenty early due to the cat deciding to drag race through the house. I am hoping that means he's chasing vermin! It still doesn't mean he hasn't found every single thing to knock off every single table but so far only one really scary centipede.

I made my coffee packed for chili weather, which means I overdressed and lo and behold they're in the Painted Desert Visitor Center  parking lot was a gigantic truck filled with Christmas tree.

I arrived plenty early as the festivities weren't scheduled until 9:00 but luckily I got there just as the organizers said they wanted the ornament that was given to the truck driver (mine) last night to hang on the tree... that red space there at the very very back has clear windows and you can see a lot of the ornaments that have been given as special treats. I do believe the bulk of the ornaments beat the trailer to Washington DC. Because I goofed and left my phone in the car all I had was my camera which I can't upload from when I'm on the road but I did get a picture of me handing it to the representative.

(Seriously forgive me as I had to take the photograph from the screen of the camera which was what I handed to the gentleman who is their official photographer. See I told you I overdressed and I'm sorry you can't really see the ornament that well 😯. I have other pictures that I can post later. This is just what I can do with my cell phone.)

Aside from the free hot chocolate (which I vigorously enjoyed, having just escaped the hundreds and now into the high 90°s in Phoenix) there was a presentation which included an honor guard. And a nice little walk-through display from six Rivers National Forest including this gigantic slab from the bottom of the tree in the Box showing how old it was. Apparently it's one year older than I am.

I had plans to come and get fry bread on my way back in the evening but that was before I realized that I had slightly low tire pressure. From 100° to 39°. I believe that would account for it but it might be a better idea to check in Holbrook on my way out.

I spent the rest of the day doing the sort of things you would hope to do on a single solitary day in a single solitary place. I made myself drive out to the teepees and sit. Half an hour to 45 minutes in one spot just watching the clouds play on the badlands. And then I walked up to Puerto Pueblo and actually spent some time looking at it. I had already gotten some petroglyph pictures on a previous joint but this time I was more careful I didn't devour them hungrily I took photographs put down my camera and then watch them with my own eyes. As usual Ravens were doing their thing everywhere! And I think when Ravens show the rest of the animals are a little bit more shy.

I will tell you right now that one of the good things about this trip was I specifically tried to not take as many photographs I tried my best to experience so y'all are out the massive quantity of photo references I usually have, but I will say there are a few that are the memory evokers ...basically, casita experiences. Cats in the windows and sunsets....

Of course it's early on Wednesday and I'm going to have to clean up the Casita and pack stop in Holbrook and check my tires drop off my keys and mystery items provided to me so I could be identified as one of us in the park. A raven just flew past my window and I did not check for spelling errors... But so I can begin my day I'm going to just publish it and edit it when I get home I hope you all enjoyed this little adventure of mine. I do so love the Petrified Forest.

...A Post Script:  I just found if you still have Facebook... 

The US Capitol Christmas Tree Page

Back to the Hell of the City

Not much pretty to post, but as it is only my second full day here, I have a couple of updates.

My computer only malfunctions at home.

On my short day back home mid-May, I must have spent a couple of hours frustratingly trying to get my desktop to not boot, run and turn itself off and on again after about 3-10 minutes.
I blew it with my hair dryer (hot off), I took a very soft brush and tried to find hidden dust bunnies.  The interior fan was known to literally stick.  I opened the side and gave it some help so I assumed old parts, dust and oncoming heat might be part of it.  I finally gave up.
When I got home on Thursday, I had no stamina.  I called ABC computer repair in Tempe.  They took it in and of course it ran like a TOP!  Two days and I asked them to replace the sticky fan ($15 and the $40 one obligatory hour fee seemed great!)  Data Drs. cost something like $200+ and it did the SAME thing and they replaced NOTHING.  I know it was hardware, they kept checking software.

Well, I got it home yesterday and it did it again.  3 times!  We all seem to think it must have something to do with the house, but I have never figured why everything else in the house works consistently but not the computer.... MONTHS at a time and then it hates me.

MY opinion was still monster dust bunnies.
And this time I think I saw one blow INTO the power source.
They say it is not reasonable to pull the power unit  apart to clean.  I do understand why, but I think the bunny is JAMMING, not burning out the fan.  Moving it to the shop would jostle it out and bringing it home, it may migrate back... ok, it is the stuff of dreams but....
So when it failed again, I called.  It was Friday and I could not tolerate one more day on the tiny computer.  As you can tell, my thoughts flow freely when the keyboard is willing!

At any rate...my solution was a small fan.  It was to keep it cool and circulating.  For some odd reason, after about 14 hours now, it is still working....
So.....

I hope to go into the blog and edit my typos, expand on things and possibly even add some better photos that I could not edit from the tiny laptop.

Both of us are NOT happy.
I have been doing paperwork and balancing budgets and such so it is depressing but, I believe I am nearly done. That means I should actually unpack the car and bring the cat's cage in.... I want to run off with him, but the trip ANYWHERE is so hot, I should stay home and regroup.

As far as the Park is concerned and my participation in the blog.. More to come!
As I am no longer a public commodity, as part of the park itself, I can swivel my thoughts to making a bit more money off of all this inspiration in my head .. and camera!

Route 66 Days in Holbrook has a table for PEFO and I am going to firm up my participation by Monday so Kip can plan on me!  I will be trying like mad to do a few more animals from the actual park and maybe some 66 sights... not sure how,. but it will be fun, and make more rock transfers.
I have a wealth of legal scrap rocks here.  There is a tiny cache I got on the road to Holbrook that will be labeled as such, but t is setting up the office, the digital editing programs, scanning finished art etc to get started for a bunch of goodies by next weekend.
I will update you on the donation to the park as well.
There is nothing very beautiful around here to photograph, so I will try to send progress shots as I go....
Your PEFO AIR!
dj*

One more Sunrise - Redux

I got most of the cleaning and washing out of the way yesterday in the storm.
It was a kind of a sad day. I thought I'd have to leave today. But when I asked I was allowed to head off early in the morning tomorrow so I would have the sun at my back all the way down. If I leave when I say I will. I should pretty well make it way before noon.
So today is a "waste not want not" day!
I actually ran into the archaeologist, a gentleman that I had somehow managed not to bump into the whole trip. He was there with three other of the research types taking a crew of newbies around the park. I asked him where the best place would be to find pot shards on the ground. He told me I had been there. It was among the petroglyphs that I found. I was given permission to wander among them.....

It was amateur archaeologist died and gone to heaven!


I have to do all my reading again, but I believe I have culture spanning modern to archaic. I have all colors all shapes all sizes. And each one evoked an audible gasp!

The day was so perfect for it! Overcast threatening rain And cool. I was able to hike
along, oblivious to time, and spent about two and a half hours looking down, all by myself.

Exciting thing number one about not stealing the rocks: Taking pictures is not heavy at all!

I must say I was surprised to find I had taken less than 200 shots!

Not so exciting thing number one about not stealing the rocks:  Bending over in the dry weather with a few too many aspirin in your bloodstream can cause a nosebleed!

I had to pinch my nose and kick things with my feet.  Photo was to see what needed cleaning before going into public.

Undaunted I continued, although there is a small pile of potsherds with a little bit of bloody drips next to it... I ventured on.

The above cache was so amazingly diverse, ridiculously beautiful and laid out so as to produce heart-attacks to novices, I almost wondered if the archaeologists sort of mess with the new kids and do this now and then to blow their minds.  It certainly worked for me. THIS IS EXACTLY how I found them!  I started watching for beautiful, small colorful petrified wood flakes.  Not naturally occurring, and when I saw a LOT, almost without fail, there was pottery.
MY THEORY is that the manufacturing spots of points and such near petroglyphs were traditional and folks either used the same spot as dumps for the broken pots or the guys broke their dishwear at an unusually rapid rate!


I had originally thought of taking a walk from the teepees to Blue Mesa, but the sun has come out so it is warming up and the cat and I have had a very nice little snooze. His reward for being such a good guy was a little jaunt on the patio to scare off the birds who are nesting above us. I got to watch a cat who has no clue what outside is freaked out that the wind is blowing his fur.
It's midday, I have to go gas up the car because the plan is to go via the South Route tomorrow morning. That will let me have one long run through the park and out past some of those rocks that I coveted outside the park.
I seem to have bread, pickle relish and a can of tuna fish to pretty much show for all that's left of my groceries. Perfect timing and less to haul home.
 I'm going to post this now so I get something up today and tomorrow I will post from home 😖.
Things will be updated when I have a little more free Wi-Fi, but I have tried my best to keep you informed as I go.

Memorial Day

I gave up on making art!  I was coaxed into a necessary hike to say I had been here.
I made it to sleep about 9:30 and when kitty said sun up, I got up.
I looked through the stacks of hikes that were in the room and Martha's Butte was short enough, daring just a bit and qualified as an adventure so I hit the trail just about park opening.
En route I saw my ONE AND ONLY BOBCAT!!!  Camera was not ready but it was very dramatic.
I looked ahead to see a pronghorn racing to my left and noticed a brown boxy shape, seriously like a massive THINGY, dark brown, no neck, ears flat, racing across a gully to some eroded rocks.  Size color shape... this was IT!  No face, but some things are just for the memories.
The pronghorn was a handsome guy who stood in the typical Pronghorn-stare until I left.  Nice with the sun behind him.

Down the road a bit, his girlfriend was looking stunning and doing a fashion  shoot with me!  Look at those gams!

She went off into the beautiful scenery and then decided she would not be intimidated by me, so she just crossed the road, right in front of me, for better scenery, me snapping all the way!

The map was a topo map and I KNOW what it all means, but one of the very cool aspects of the park is that going off the beaten track is encouraged, but you are OFF the track.  It is for people who have a respect for the fun of hiking and off spring of.. and actual boy-scouts etc!

I was all alone out there and I knew if I were to trip and die, I would be found very soon, the footprints were dense... and it was fun looking at the animal trails too!

This is that amazing spiral (sipapu as I used to call it.. I think) that people flock to for solstices.  It is rather solitaire, making it very noble and unique.  Only a couple of glyphs nearby so it is a very important spot. (EDITED when I got home.... sad to say, my feeble body did not make the full walk around.  THIS LINK to someone else's trek is GREAT and shows what another 20 minutes of stamina can find!)

Once arrived, I did my 10 second selfie:

I guess it was about an hour.  Normal folk might do it faster or longer with more side trips but I was so proud!

I got back to my car and there was something on the hood.....

It looked like a mylar balloon had tangled in my windshield wipers...

On closer inspection, I found a gift from Dennis (who, with his wife JoLynn, had entertained us last Wednesday in great style!) of a specific LEGAL "souvenir" I was looking for as a gift for someone else.  There is was.  The ENTIRE empty park and he drove by and dropped it off for me.

Two more days.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Back to my report...

As I drove to the bottom of the park looking for Dennis who apparently turned around and came back or something... missed him.... I headed out to Holbrook. I  needed to replace a few items for the next visitor in the casita and was completely out of any food.  I could be tided over at the $$ Store, so I went off looking for rocks again, but did not stop and come back.  I found a little outcrop of yellow and red, much more interesting stones and brought them back too.

Took a full hour nap upon my return and ache and am way stiffer than I wish I was.  But I did it!

Needed  few photo copies to make my reproductions.  I ran out of Eagles, pronghorn, roadrunner, and bobcats!  Of course everything in the park is shut down.  People with the power are off and working and those left behind are below pay-grade!

So, I will make my tuna sandwiches, prep things for tomorrow and have everything set for an early scouting mission... short walk again, trip up here to get copies and then TWO episodes of demos at the PDI.  I am tired in such a good way today!

Holiday Weekend Pt 2

EXHAUSTION.
Woke up with mysterious belly ailment.  I did not feel bad, but spent the day (happily unsurprised) waiting for a second explosion!
But I had worked so hard on a few duplicates and was ready with a new one and it did not work.  I forgot the demo... why?? I do this all the time!?!?!
I took forever drawing a new head to paint from scratch.
It was old 43 the ram, again.
I always say, don't demo unless you KNOW how it will turn out. I try to look like a genius in front of people, and do all my experiments at home.  Although this actually was the fourth try, one first day demo, the original big one, the sketch I left at home, then this, I always feel like I will fall on my face.  It was a little slower but actually there was a lot more spontaneity in the piece!
It happened.  It was good, but have very little to show for it.  I was talking a lot and meeting people.
I think I will look at the cars parking at the PDI and see if it gets busy.  I am not a 7 hour a day worker any more...

Just loading in tonight to keep myself on track.  I don't remember even taking photos... so you have none!... (well this:

If I cheer up, I may spend a little time tomorrow seeing if I forgot anything...
OH...Not only did  I meet the guy from Central City last weekend, TODAY I met a guy from Catalina! Another place nobody can possibly be from!!!
So that was cool...

Science Experiments

Having plenty of enthusiasm for finishing #43, I tried a seemingly elegant way to stabilize my sandstone from parts up and down route 66 and 180, Dismal failure.. so I spent the AM scrubbing off the "transparent" surface, and went for a simple fixative to see what would happen.  I prepped some up to demo my transfer method during the long weekend.  

Then went hunting reference for paintings... rocks or paper?  My hyper kicked in... Below are the rocks in progress and my experiment on paper for a painting... ONE of hundreds I have in mind.  NEVER make a dent in 6 days.

I have a beautiful idea for the scene of the four deer I caught on camera last week from the casita.  The stripes are the first round of dawn out here.  Very often cloudless and there is an amazing transfer of color from dark at the top and gold at the bottom.  So that is coming...
Here is a drawing for the big piece I think may wait, as the experiment above is so perfect for another, more intimate but similar piece...

As a reward for all the work... and how I felt I had wasted a really BEAUTIFUL day, I walked across to find the WiFi working like a champ at PDI!  

While typing, four more unfinished projects hit me.... back across and hopefully, to the PDVC to get a couple of prints made for my rocks of the ground squirrel and ram....

I can paint when I get home, but I really sort of hate it when my brain goes into overdrive here!  I can paint in the dark... the scene from the patio is perfect!  The weather is PERFECT...

Does NO ONE want to adopt a permanent Artist In Residence to live and work for them?  Somewhere that you can open your windows from June through September???

*****

Forgot this... Up way too late, nearly counted on tomorrow, the first experiment was successful.

DAWN! And Why You Should NOT Be Happy To Sleep In.

I figured it out.
Last night I was so exhausted that I pretty much shoved anything smaller than a boot into a closet.  I tried to sleep about 8, as I was falling asleep listening to podcasts and had a really good 7 or more hours of drawing in public to put toward my "debt" to the Park for this gift.
So, when 3:30 came around and the stars were still up, I threw some food at the cat and all was well.
What was odd was that there was no 4:30 wake up.
I saw the sky dark blue and lightening at the bottom through the window and took a few photos of the low clouds that were actually starting a sunrise.

As I called out, no answer from the cat.
Of course he would not have dropped dead but this was really wrong! He depends on trying to wake me up for his entertainment.  When I am up, and there is sun on the bed... he can sleep again.





So... I track him down.

He is transfixed at the door window panes.  He normally looks up and to the left to see the next of my House Finches, but this was the other direction.

Over the wall I see some brown moving and think it may be a coyote or something so I turned around and grabbed the camera.




Nope.

It was a gang of young elegant Mule Deer!!



The first shots were before the sun was up but I counted first two, then three and I got about 170 photos, but this was the shot of the morning.  Here they are with the young family from the nest above the door, so it is three of the deer and two birdies!

RIGHT over the wall around the patio.  That is the roof of the casita and I did not dare go out for fear of disturbing them.

This is how close.
Yeah, I had to shoot through the screen, but you can see the corner of the fridge out the north kitchen window:

I watched until they disappeared in the direction of the road with a panorama of the Painted Desert with 15 minutes of sunrise twilight.

NOW the magic happens.
NOW I wake up when he says to!

I took my run into Holbrook and it is a bit before 11 at the beautiful patio of my tolerant McDonalds, with reliable wifi and the ability to reload podcasts and even listening to some tv on the headset!

LIFE IS SO PERFECT HERE!!!

Zombie Returns to Where She Belongs... for now.

I did an awful lot in what seemed like absolutely no time! From the Park, the trip home was not a waste:

I brought my own sheets so the loaners were cleaned and folded for the next tenant.  Took the rugs (Thing had some furball issues... and they were obviously not part of the general clean up) to destroy my home washer... and indeed they tried!  So the floor looks all pretty.

I had a hard time rounding things up to leave, as the cat still woke me for sunrise but I was running on 4 hours sleep today.  Only forgot the laundry soap and never got the RUBBER CEMENT so my my birdie will be finished when I get home.

I just kept throwing things in the car.

I traded out most of my paper art samples and brought a few more of my rock repros.  (Like I said... there is still Yellow Horse...)

But when I hit the road about 8, I was physically running on empty.

Nearly got dozey on 377, the last third of the trip and my favorite part of the drive. High chapparral, lots of shrubs and flat.  I started smiling again as I turned on 40 out of Holbrook.

I have a grocery list I gave up on.  I rolled in, and wanted nothing but to sleep.  It felt like a wave of peace and energy poured over me

I am going to try to be more visible.   

I had talked to a weaver and bead stringer named Jane who was up for me doing her portrait.  She was in PDI today, so I made myself walk over with camera and got a couple of good shots.

I determined to pull out my newly tidied-up pastels and see if I can remember how they work.   I am pretty sure I do not... 

I sat on the patio, put the thing in the cage and enjoyed the COOLNESS.  No wind, and just brisk enough to NOT be Phoenix!! I drew and dozed.  

Here is my start on Jane.  I am planning to see if I can do a watercolor under pastel.  I have not done it for a portrait for years.  I also know I will kick myself with the amazing necklace she was wearing.

My boyfriend says he is ready to see more art and less travelogues.  We shall try!!

66.....Me and the Road.

The cat talked me into getting up to watch the sunrise.  Good idea.

After a night-time rain the sky was dark and shimmery and full of streaks and fog.  

We dinked around and I scrambled up some eggs, cleaned up and hit the road at opening.  Jorge said he saw HIS first snake a few days ago, but me? Still not much more than a ground squirrel that did not wait for me to get my camera.... so I go hit a different aspect of the park.  

I am on the road (literally in McD's in Gallup as I type) doing a senior coffee in honor of my birthday, on the road that has the same numbers!

Just going to snap away and see what I find....

You will note the obligatory keys on a rope, my new (traded the green monster shirt for a slightly smaller brighter one and a jacket for the chilly morning.  

It is a morning full of New Mexico skies.  They have dark flat bottoms and roll back like the bottom sides of sheep in the stratosphere.  I had to pull off a few times.

First stop was the Ortega shop.  you know it looked almost exactly like it did when I came by on car trips with the family!  I was told Gilbert and the whole Ortega clan was from the area.


 No gas in the pumps and an odd trio parked in the side lot...

JUST before New Mexico is the breathtaking cliffs.  With no cat as a copilot, I pulled off the road and found a modern hogan with about 6 tethered pups under the spectacular view!!!

Barely out of view, I pulled off to assess the booty of flakes of sandstone and possible rock art... and more photos.

A little later I made it into town and located my very favorite green chili place. Jerry's.
Of course I took no pictures....... oh no I did!!! CELL PHONE SNAP!  It was the tiniest little table I've ever sat at.

The Green Chili was recommended to me last year on the trip through.  It is microscopic and I decided to eat, instead of only to-go.  This is my enchilada with rice and beans smothered in the green chili!  I am amazed I am still awake.  I stuffed myself...soooo good!

I spent most of my time in Gallup taking pictures of rather said places, not the most exciting neon, lots of run-down stuff. But it was Route 66!

It was my trip home that was fun and games!

I got lost at one point which is par for the course, but I did manage to see a little Shepherd and her Grandpa no doubt as they brought the Sheep home with the aid of two cute little dogs with curly tails. 

And I managed to pull off and find the obligatory Chief Yellow Horse curio shop.

If you've ever traveled from Arizona to Gallup, you have seen the most beautiful Cliff face with the wackiest catchiest most bizarre curio shops at the bottom there are horses on the cliffs and cardboard animals and painted yellow horses and cement teepees... It is the ultimate Indian tourist shops. Almost got killed by a semi, but made my way in and all the way down the road to the second one which is Chief yellow horse. 

Apparently his son now runs the place,  His icons of 66 are a bit off, but in our family, Corvairs were ACTUALLY the means of transport so it is perfect!

Behind this bizarre little yard if you look carefully under the overhang you can see two little cliff dwelling remnants. If you know me you know it drove me crazy. I made friends with the owner. He said he might sell my rocks! This was an opportunity I definitely must mull over.

I came home and decided to get a dipped cone in the new creamery in the basement of PDI.  The dip stuff was not up to snuff, and Kip,  my boss decided to wish me a happy B-Day with a treat!  Got a Cookies and Cream cone.  Perfect topper to a 66 of a day!
Tiny note at the end: I am trying to post this between my phone and horrifying Wi-Fi. I do have a brief respite tomorrow where in I should have actual computer and actual Broadband. Look back and see if things changed, as I hope to edit a little.

Making Plans

I had thought of a really fast up and down to town today, but I got a sinus headache and thought about a possible income opportunity so I opted for Friday....
But when I woke, the sky was so amazing!  Contrails here are beautiful:

Waking up early is such a different way of life. I spend what seemed like a long time at my little desk, cleaning my pastels, as I am nearly ready for a try at them...

 And I had organized a lot of photos for subjects, thought about some more ideas and am going to be looking at Route 66 stuff. 

Went across the street to see my buddy Dennis. (HE is the guy who has never steered me wrong!  He knows where everything is and isn't) and he suggested a couple of spots in the park where the pavement still exists.

I must stay, it made me sad.  I can only imagine myself in a corvette (OF COURSE!) driving past the stunning view from this pile of torn up asphalt!

An afternoon of pretty windy weather, got me sitting on the patio in a break reading about  my possible BIRTHDAY celebration tomorrow as a jaunt to Gallup and a photo spree of great neon signage and remnants of the highway.  

As I sat, I realized I was upsetting my neighbors.

Two house finches (I am told... Or I think I was..) have built  lovely nest above my doorway.   They sat on various twigs and trees all around, waiting for me to vacate!

So I did.


Seems like Dad had a little look back as he went on a second run but mom's tail can be seen peeking out! I know these guys.  They are an honest to gosh couple.  They work as a team, looking for food, and they greet me with a loud WHOOOOSH when I go outside.  I can find them looking from the tops of the trees the whole time I am out.  They are pretty inspiring.  

He is happy to see me indoors.

Painted Late and Slept in

I actually tried to got to sleep when the cat jumped on the bed as if to tell me "lights out" at like 10!  Much later than my usual bed call.  Of course that did not last long.  BUT somehow, the day was just gray enough and I got to cut zzzz's until 7! (after locking him in...)
I had to get the PDI out of my system, so I worked way to long on this 5x7" mini, to show for my stay.  I finished it this morning... this is not the FINAL piece but good enough.

I am posting a bit prematurely today, as I did another hour long 20 minute drive to the south end of the park.  With excellent wifi, I just could not pass up a chance.

I have it in my head I MAY actually do a real live landscape.  The badlands call me but they are like a movie, that is not a single still shot.  You cannot do it justice without the addition of the taime and motion that being here adds!

I will update it when I decide whether or not to stop by tonight and check in up north.

I actually feel like I own it.  The Park is becoming my personal domain.  I am trying to memorize every mile of the 28 and a couple of loops.  When people keep telling me to go walk, I have managed over two weeks and am not NEARLY full of what I see pulling over at the designated stops!  Nothing but wonder.

I had another set of visitors last night.  Their conversation from the casita next door actually was what woke me.  I saw them load suitcases and talk on the phone. I swear, they did not look happy.  How could anyone not be so sad to leave a place like this!  Either tears of sadness or joy, but not just the usual pack and move on.... I have no idea how I will leave....

I could not resist, however, and got my first seriously tourist purchase.
It is a bit too big, but I got a PEFO long sleeved shirt.


Thingy was unimpressed...