cabinart | Cabin Art

Computer Cat

We are down to three kittens, having settled KitCarson and Bigger Orange/Gilligan/Lentz/Tigger into their new homes. This leaves us with Jackson (boy gray), Georgia (girl gray), and Pippin (smaller orange boy). Of these, Jackson now is showing himself to be the most eager for human interaction.

Clearly, my concentration and productivity has suffered. But who cares? Not I. (Never mind that we just spent $196 getting Scout “fixed” so that her parts will no longer work.)

Pink Peek

Say what? “Pink Peek” is a weird title, but it gives you a glimpse into the sorts of things I notice. Recently I realized that although summer is here and the spring flower lollapalooza has ended, there are quite a few pink flowers in my yard. They are highly visible, just a dab of pink here and there.

A deer stepped on this hollyhock, but I propped it up for a picture. (Next, the deer will probably eat it.)

Haha, deer, you haven’t stepped on this one yet or eaten it either.

Enjoy it while it is blooming and uneaten.

Last summer I pilfered a few clippings from someone’s yard in another town, and they are growing and blooming. I wonder if a deer will eat this.

This dianthus is probably more red than pink, but it is thrilling to have one return from last year when the other 23 died. (or got eaten)

I don’t remember when I planted this or what it is, but the deer haven’t eaten it. (yet?)

In real life it might be a bit more lavender than pink, but colors aren’t always true with my PHD camera.

This is in the true geranium family, this one called “lemon geranium”; it smells wonderful and is supposed to repel mosquitoes. Maybe I am supposed to roll around in it for it to be effective. It isn’t repelling the deer, but they haven’t eaten it yet.

When we moved here 20 years ago, the previous owners had cages around all their roses. We dug up many and gave them to the previous owners’ children; the deer ate the remaining ones, except this one, which blooms about 10 feet above the ground. Haha, deer.

This climbing pink rose is fabulous and sometimes blooms in the winter which is lovely, especially for the deer who like pink snacks.

Enjoy it while it is blooming, before the deer discover it.

A Little Painting

English is confusing. “A little painting” could mean I painted a little bit or that I painted a small painting. What if in this case it means I painted a little bit on 3 small paintings? And I painted a little bit on a (for me) huge painting?

Then you’d have today’s title and today’s post, that’s what.

This Oak Grove Bridge number umpty eleven needed a few more touches on the sides. Then I realized that it was going to be very difficult to photograph, so I started experimenting with settings on my PHD* camera. (Why did I give away my tripod? Because I didn’t anticipate needing it after 30 years without using it. Why did I give away my large camera? Because the lens ceased to be reliable.)

Two paintings of the same Mineral King scene, a 6×6″ and an 8×8″ will probably sell at an upcoming show at the Silver City Store. (June 29, thanks for asking).

Oops. I forgot to take photos of the stages of painting. If you are a regular reader, you’ve seen that before.

I also took some photos of the kittens, three of which remain at our address. KitCarson is settled very happily in his new home, where he will be loved beyond his wildest expectations, and Tigger, formerly known as Gilligan, is very happily settled in his new home, where he plans on becoming the boss of his people.

Alas, my PHD camera wasn’t up to the task of close up photos of these active little creatures.

*PHD = Press Here, Dummy

Mineral King oil paintings

Oak Grove Bridge Umpty-Eleven

After our road trip, I had a large family responsibility that kept me from painting. This had the effect of causing intense focus on the day that I was able to return to the easel. Have a look.

The painting was waiting on the easel with a note from my neighbor beneath it.

What is necessary?? Everything needs recoating and detailing.

The list was just a compilation of obvious tasks, but by having it in increments, I was able to be systematic and keep going, section by section. It was just a way of keeping my feet planted in front of the easel, because this was the only day I knew that would be available for painting in the foreseeable future.

The bridge, water, and “growies” on the right remain.

Hey! Are you Jackson or are you Georgia? (Remember, I went to Georgia via Jacksonville in April).

Gilligan and Ginger are both males, and now their names are Pippin and Lentz. It is still difficult to tell them apart.

Hey Central Calif. artist, stop playing with the kittens and get the bridge finished.

Stick a fork in it – it is done! Maybe. I might continue finding things to polish.

Oak Grove Bridge

Road Trip, Day Four

On Day Four, we were READY TO BE HOME. We looked over the maps, picked a route, finished emptying the UHaul, returned it, and hit the road with the intention of driving until just before we got sick of it. It is easier with two drivers, so you can switch off.

This time I was a passenger and could take photos of saguaro, but there were no purple prickly pear.

We went through a severe thunderstorm, with hail that we thought might crack the windshield.

This was one of the oddest cloud situations I’ve ever seen.

We wanted to be home pretty badly to brave that storm and 545 miles in one day. I have kittens to play with and a painting to finish. Sister-in-law is settling into her new surroundings, and We Are Home!

Road Trip, Day Three

Day Three wasn’t as pretty. I’m not fond of desert scenery. We drove very far. We were tired of driving. We were not looking forward to unloading the UHaul. There aren’t many photos. (Our destination was a town outside of Phoenix, in case you were wondering.)

Yep. Arizona. Did you know the speed limit there is the same for passenger cars as for big rigs? It certainly makes for easier driving.

I missed many interesting shots, including saguaro, so I took advantage of the one across the street from the sister’s new home. I also passed up the most interesting cactus I’ve ever seen: it was prickly pear (the kind with paddle-like things) but it was PURPLE!

Road Trip, Day Two

Day Two began with finishing the UHaul load, and then leaving Tahoe, headed toward Barstow. (I know, “WHY??”) The drive was gorgeous. We went over two mountain passes, heading toward 395. We don’t often get to see the Sierra from the east side.

Stopped somewhere near Monitor Pass for road work.

Good thing the traffic was light with all this distraction and multi-tasking. NO, it isn’t because I have a cell phone now – I used to do this with a camera, so there. It takes many attempts to get a decent photo without looking at the screen.

So many missed shots because I was driving. I think we need to return to this part of the world, preferably with these clouds and all this snow.

We gave up in Ridgecrest and had to eat the motel reservations in Barstow. That made for a very long Day three, but sometimes a man’s got to do what a man’s got to do. Women too. We had to stop. Had. To. Stop.

Road Trip, Day One

California is a HUGE state. We began our trip by driving to Tahoe. Trail Guy’s sister needed help moving and we were chosen.

There is a rest stop in Central Calif. on Highway 99 that has incorporated blue glass shards in its sidewalk, something I find puzzling and delightful.

See the trees ahead in the median? On the south side is a palm and on the north is a (barely visible) pine. These trees mark the center of California from north to south. They are on 99, not too far north of Fresno.

These next photos are my version of a drive-by shooting. I think I could do some paintings of oaks on golden hills (minus the phone lines and road signs).

I took a brief walk and discovered a new-to-me wildflower.

Trail Guy is a brilliant packer and loader of trucks, cars and vans. He is excellent at putting all the odd pieces together to maximize the space.

What a day to leave Tahoe! Trail Guy drove the UHaul, I drove our pick-em-up truck, and Sister drove her car.

Since we only have one cell phone among the three of us, it made sense to have the highly visible UHaul in front. Trail Guy and I had walkie-talkies, which was helpful, since I was the navigator but not driving in the lead.

I believe that UHaul is a highly necessary, convenient business model. Whoever thought that up was a genius, right there with the dudes who invented Post-It Notes, W-D40, and Hidden Valley Ranch dressing.