Sidetracked Charley

A very noisy sky I arrived home yesterday to total and absolute chaos into which I had to unload the car and create even more chaos. I had spent two days in Taos doing art demo at CFT Decor and Gifts  which carries some of my smaller works in painting and photography. It was fun but such endeavors always take more stuff than you thought it would. And it takes away from the projects left at home. As I tried to find places to put down that which went out two days ago my first reaction is to wonder who had been in my house and studio messing with stuff. Just me. I went looking for the book of lists hoping it would help me center on what needed to be done. It was under the gardening journal. Clearly, however, I need another list. Well, two. Projects to Complete and Continuing Projects . I am not a person who can sit by idly and wait for paint to dry. Too often I start another painting or beading or gardening project. I have currently eight items on the Projects to Complet...

Dawn watch from the deck I began pet sitting quite a few years ago when a friend who had a pet/ property care business asked me to join her so she could take on more clients. Also she was not a plant person so I handled the properties with the most plants. When she left the valley we were not on the best of terms and she recommended her clients use someone other than me. I checked pet sitting off as an interesting diversion. People would call and ask if I still cared for pets in their homes and slowly I gathered my own clients. Especially care for cats and plants. Never wanted to be as busy as my former boss. And walking dogs three times a day cut into my studio business. The cash was nice with a slowing economy. Not sure when I first entertained the idea of having dogs in my home.  I had seen an episode of Midsommer Murders where the coroner's sister cared for dogs in her home. I had just lost my standard poodle at 17 and Magique, my labradoodle, missed her buddy. The fir...

One of my favorite lines from Pirates of the Caribbean. And very good advice for anyone, but especially for those living close to nature and far from emergency help. Or vacationing here. Between my father with his survival training, training as a pilot, and living and working in an area surrounded by mountains and forests I am probably more alert to my surroundings than the average. And that is before adding the photographer part. All that is probably also why I have never bonded with my cell phone, which is an antiquated flip phone with no bells and whistles. And I cannot see me ever getting a smart phone. Frankly, they are dumb, because if you are zoned in on taking that selfie you are unaware of the cliff behind you. Or the smoke filling the horizon, or the massive thunderhead building uphill on the trail you are following. Setting off for a slot canyon hike south of Kodachrome State Park in Utah my sister and I were busy strapping on camera bags and clipping on water b...

Noisy sky is a term in landscape photography. It makes a landscape more interesting. And is especially helpful in black and white depictions. A clear or quiet sky is often minimized in a landscape. Obviously 2/3rds of the photo in just an awesome turquoise is not optimal and so framing of the image should include less of the quiet sky. Though there are exceptions to all rules. But I digress. The subject of this Dark Times Journal edition is a noisy mind. Not a noisy sky. This is about stress and not the perfect landscape. And how to achieve a quiet mind. Photography or painting used to achieve that for me. But I seem to have problems of focusing on either because of the noise and the stress. I can blame the noise on the situation Trump has created, the necessity I feel to resist his goals, a busy summer schedule, my addiction to multi-tasking, etc. Or simply that I have forgotten how to clear my mind and breathe. Friends have advised to watch less news, but that is not a vi...

I am forever writing lists. Things to do Books to read Movies to watch. Groceries and shopping lists. I am forever losing lists. Leaving them home When off to the store Wondering why I ever started that. I am forever using lists as bookmarks filling the back side with another list Making them a spread sheet. And so at last I began a book A book of lists Some done Some to be done. I am forever adding  to my book of lists. Long or short. Today I felt inspired to begin another to be done list which included things long not done. It seemed I finally had a plan for finishing that project. And so I did not lose that list I also began my book of lists. Or at least officially Christened it. Lying around on the coffee table was a journal never begun to which I had entered photos to be printed, and  on another page movies friends recommended, and below that books to read. Such an idea. One place to look for all tho...