Turquoise Cow Skull

This week, I painted a cow skull using my turquoise painting technique. This was a fun challenge. Painting a 3 dimensional object, like a real bone animal skull, is a lot different than painting a flat canvas. There are so many nooks and crannies on a cow skull.

Tom found a box of skulls that had been stored away for years.  This is Colorado, after all, and I assume everyone has cow skull and deer skulls in their storage units. What to do with them? I suggested pitching them. Tom decided to give them a good cleaning, then asked me if I would paint them.

The first one I painted was a massive cow skull. First, I gave it a good coating of gesso on all the surfaces I could reach. This step ensures that the turquoise paint will adhere and gave me a white background just like my canvas paintings. Then I used my professional grade, artist acrylics to create the turquoise look.  This cow skull turned out so nice, that we decided to post it for sale in Tom's Etsy store, Tom's Critters.

I think it would look great in a western or southwestern decor. For more photos and info, see this turquoise cow skull and more for sale at Tom's Critters

Long, Long Winters and Cooking Experiments

My Family is getting bored being couped up all winter. Experimental cooking has become the thing to do at our house. Last night we had Stir-fry Hot Dogs, with vegetables and rice. A real taste treat for sure. "Don't worry honey" my Fiance says, "I'll make it better next time." Next time !?!

Before that, my daughter made fried eggs with American cheese sandwiched between two blueberry waffles. There is just something about blueberries and American cheese that do not go together.

Oh, and then there was the sausage gravy and homemade biscuits. Coming from the South, I love good old fashioned, sausage gravy and biscuits, and was thrilled to hear that this was on the dinner menu. Was I in for a surprise. The biscuits had been sweetened with French Vanilla creamer, and the sausage used was maple flavored. I swear I heard the Confederate Army roll over in their graves that night.

I start to think of quick excuses, whenever anyone volunteers to cook dinner.

Learning to Use The Wood Stove

My house came with a cute little wood burning stove.
Being the middle of summer I didn’t give it much thought. Coming from Florida, all I know about is air conditioning. But burning wood for heat? That means buying firewood, getting it home, cutting it up, and then stacking it. It means sweeping and cleaning ashes, and the figuring out what to do with the ashes. I needed to collect newspaper and kindling, and learn how to light a fire. Oh yes, and then there is the essential sweeping of the chimney.
My pioneer skills are poor at best. But, I am determined to make friends with my stove.

Tale of Two Gimmers

First we have the Full Gimmer, this is what it is called when you wear you pants legs fully tucked into your boots. Then there is the Half Gimmer, this is where you only tuck the inside part of your pants leg into your boots. I still have not figured out which Gimmer is the correct Gimmer for the fashion conscious woman of the West. I don’t want to make a fashion faux-pas, so I try not to tuck my pant legs into my boots at all. I am now on the look out for Gimmers. I hope no one is just pulling my (pants) leg.

Foot Note: Yesterday, I was wearing my jeans rolled up above my boot tops, and was told I had a Modified Gimmer. What do you mean a Modified Gimmer? I thought there were only 2 Gimmers? Now, I am even more suspicious that this whole Gimmer thing is being made up for my benefit. Still, I don’t want to take any chances.

Snow Chains?

The only kind of chains I know about are the ones that are gold and sparkley. Chains for my tires? Who thought of that one? Probably a man, and one with no girlfriend.

OK, tire chains are jewelry for your car. I can get into that. Hum… Let’s see, I would like something striking, yet sophisticated. Maybe something in silver… yes, silver would be nice. Chains that would be wearable for any occasion. Now, where does one buy these lovely chains for their car?

I Miss the Shopping

We city girls are spoiled. Shopping is just so easy. Get in the car, drive to Miami, and shop till you drop.

But living in the wilds of Colorado is a different story. I live 20 miles from the nearest town. And they don’t even have a Wal-Mart. The largest city is an hours drive away. How did I think I could survive in the mountains without shopping malls?

Thank goodness I have the internet. I can still shoe shop, till I’m blue in the face. But, I miss trying them on and scrutinizing them in the shoe store mirrors. I miss fighting for the perfect parking spot. I miss the rush of adrenaline at finding that unbelievable bargain. But, that is the sacrifice I make to live with of all this peace and beauty.

My Poor Florida Truck

My truck does not like this cold weather. I have to agree. It was born and raised in the tropics. It was modified to not overheat while pulling boats or sitting in traffic with the air conditioning going full blast. The 12 volt battery has given me the most trouble. The truck has had 3 new batteries since the weather turned cold, 2 months ago. And the heater, which has never seen use, does not put out heat. It seems I need a different thermostat, one for cold temperatures. And my coolant hoses are routed incorrectly for cold weather. My radiator is oversized, with no easy way to block the cold incoming air. But at least I have good tires. I still love my truck

Sawing Your Own Lumber

I sat in the little bit of shade that the pickup truck provided. Wearing my boyfriend’s hat and getting the seat of my pants wet from the rain soaked log I was pearched on. I watched in amazement as Tom took logs and turn them into 2x4’s. They do that here, in Colorado.

Where I come from, if you need some lumber, you make a trip to Home Depot. You pick out the prettiest boards, pay the cashier, and load them into your truck. But, you don’t get to watch your man, all muscles and sweat, playing Paul Bunyan. My goodness! Let me see you do that again, Honey.

Do Deer Lift Their Legs to Pee?

Got up one morning to see three female mule deer in my front yard. Ran to get my camera. Just then, one of the girls squatted on her hind legs to pee. I had no idea that female deer squatted. Later that morning, I was at a friend’s house for my ritual morning cup of coffee and gab. I relayed what I had seen, and asked her, “Do you suppose that male deer lift their hind leg to pee like a dog?” This is a question that we decided needed to be posed to someone with deer knowledge.

"Speedy"Contemporary Art Sculpture, Winner!

My contemporary art sculpture, Speedy, won the People's Choice award, at the SPACe Gallery, Mixed Media Show. I am so excited! What a fun evening, meeting everyone.
3 of my paintings and my Speedy sculpture can be at the SPACe Gallery, in La Veta, Colorado, till June.

Here is the link to the show: SPACe Gallery - Mixed Media Show.

Details of Speedy, can be seen on my website: In Art Studio - Speedy Sculpture

Fashion and Proper Winter Footwear

Being a city girl, I love pretty shoes. I have many pairs, and shoe shopping is a favorite sport of mine. Winters in Colorado are cold, and I needed to find proper winter boots. So of course, I am more than happy to go shoe shopping. I buy a pair of cute red lace up granny boots, with black fur trim and 3 inch heels. Stunning, but not very warm. OK, how about a pair of pretty pink suede muck-luks? They look cute with jeans, but have a sole about as thick as a pair of flip flops. Not comfortable for walking on gravel. Turns out my bedroom slippers are the warmest winter footwear I own. I tend to wear them everywhere. Not much of a fashion statement. But they don't look all that bad with my de rigueur "Nanook of the North" winter attire.

The Burn Barrel - Life in Colorado

Like the city girl that I am, I inquired about garbage days. The Grimwoods provided me with an old blackened oil drum, calling it the “burn barrel.” Coming from South Florida, were burning anything, gets you immediate attention from the local authorities, I was a bit perplexed. “Just throw your garbage in there and light it”, I was told. “But, what about plastics and spray cans?” I inquired. “Just toss ‘em in, they’ll burn just fine.” So I try, like the good tenant, to do as instructed. I light a kitchen match, toss it into the barrel, and run. Problem is it does not want to light. So I try adding newspaper. That does the trick. Soon there are clouds of black, toxic smoke billowing out of the can and wafting towards my kitchen door. I wonder if I should buy gas masks for everyone. There is something just so wrong about this whole concept. I really miss my garbage men.

Learning to Drive in the Colorado Snow

I have, what I thought, to be the perfect vehicle for Colorado. It is a 4-wheel drive, Chevy Silverado Pickup. Never mind that it has lived in Florida all of it’s life, and I have not crossed anything higher than a channel bridge in 15 years. This snow thing should be a piece of cake. Foolish me. The first time I had to drive on a snowy road, cured me of my over-confidence. I slid left, I slid right, and I scared myself silly. Then I remembered the 4-wheel drive. I did a little better, but I am still an inexperienced Low Lander. I need a lot more practice.

Of Owls and Pussycats or The Great Owl Paranoia

The Owl and the Pussycat went to sea in a beautiful pea green boat. But not in Colorado!“Watch out for the owls, they will eat your cats.” What? My cats are big, fat, spoiled house cats. I doubt an owl could even pick one up, let alone fly away with it. But these owls, I am told, are huge. I can hear them hooting in the trees at night. So the Great Owl Paranoia begins. My cats get their Nine Lives dinner at 4PM and they are not allowed out afterwards, no matter how much they beg at the door. I still have not seen one of these monstrous, feline eating owls. But, I am sure they are lurking in wait, for a tasty kitty snack.