Thursday, February 06, 2020

I stopped in my tracks, did a double-take, and tiptoed toward what appeared to be a large predatory bird perched on a rock. That didn’t make sense, and of course, the rock assumption was spot-on. What had caused the bird-look on an overcast afternoon was unusual shadowing. Anyway, the vision tickled me as does the photo. This image seems an easy model to follow, to draw a bird and maybe perch it upon a rock. A marriage of potential and fantasy.

That same day after getting a neighbor’s permission, I climbed a rocky property. From its top and way into the distance a range appeared that’s likely part of the Powell Buttes.

That climb, an adventure of discovery, took me into an area full of deer hoofprints and none human but from my steps. Everywhere are rocks covered in moss and lichen, branches untrimmed and overhanging, and from on high great views.

This morning, my time is short, but lots of cool photos soon will guide more description of that little splendid hill.

Dear Friends: Every sight becomes an adventure in learning, to grab with a camera. Diana

Wednesday, February 05, 2020

As we began our quarter-mile walk home in yesterday’s late afternoon, snow was falling.

When a vehicle approaches from behind, Rosie’s turning head warns me. I move us closer to the roadside. Yesterday, insead of passing by, the driver stopped her car and said, “I love seeing your horses. If ever you need help with them, I’d love to help!”

“Pull over, let’s swap phone numbers!” She did, exited her car, and as snow became heavier, we chatted.

She explained that she used to have horses and loves them, mentioning that now she has goats. The goats rang a bell in my head. I asked, “Are they black and white?” She nodded. My next question, “Are they penned beside the canal?” Another affirmative response.

Ha! Her goats were the little black and white animals that long ago frightened my Sunni.

As Sunni pulled a cart with our passenger and me alongside the canal, we neared that pen housing my new friend’s goats. Those two goats were standing stock-still and watching us, but suddenly moved, surprising the horse. Sunni went into flight mode, swinging around her body and the cart a full 180-degrees. Almost instantly and to her credit, Sunni stopped on command. I quickly moved us away from that area and never returned.

Since then and over a couple of summers, I’ve driven Sunni almost daily. That was the single time my trusty, safe horse almost bolted. And now, the person belonging to those goats was standing on the roadside, in the snow with me and the horses, capturing my phone number. We will arrange to get together. And I’ll take Sunni to the canal to meet those goats.

Yesterday was another fine event of “horses as friend magnets”. Folks who’ve previously been around or worked with horses don’t “get over” the experience. If there’s a horse-past in the back of one’s mind, it flashes alive upon sighting a horse.

Also, in relation to yesterday’s serendipitous meeting, I happen to love goats. Have a couple of little cuties myself.

Dear Friends: My horses keep bringing this neighborhood so alive, it’s such fun! Diana

Tuesday, February 04, 2020

Today, I’m cancelling subscriptions to broadband, major newspapers, and email briefings. It’s too much, starting with this nation’s stunning escape from international climate initiatives and severing of agreements with Iran, to now, impeachment processes and the piece de resistance this morning of an “Iowa glitch”.

Please, no more of such racket, please. I’ll kill it and instead read lots of books, work on art projects, try to write poetry, search for streaming videos that may please, and ride horseback often. It feels essential to seek comfort by reducing world-noise. One may find in one’s own space pockets of comfort.

I imagine no urgent feelings to hurry home and watch, trying to absorb and understand what’s hot in the news. I’ll be happy to focus on blog topics without those stresses and fears encouraged by daily-exploding news.

Who understands really what’s happening in the larger world, internationally and nationally? My education and experience always taught it’s okay to to assume that leaders already know, or will learn quickly, how to lead effectively. These days, leadership no longer seems similar nor makes sense.

I’ve reaped rewards from the years that offered easy accesses to education, profession, and retirement. Those benefits today are less accessible and rewarding. The changes have been driven by environmental, monetary, and political decisions. Above all, we now are witness to the obvious and blatant driving by individuals for access to power, and how they conive to hold onto power.

Who’d be surprised eventually to learn that perhaps Russia is behind Iowa’s caucus glitch?

I’ve not regarded highly those who choose to drop out. But happily, it’s a choice that still exists. It facilitates turning inward and toward one’s personal zones for comfort.

Dear Friends: Historically, “bad things” have straightened-out, and still, we hope. Diana

Monday, February 03, 2020

A distasterus fungus got into my small freshwater aquarium, and before I caught on, it had wiped out several beautiful fish. My lost goldfish had been large, maybe five or six (or more!) years old, and had thrived a long while. The tragic event also slammed a couple of recently-added young catfish.

Those lost goldfish, while tiny, were destined to become “feeder fish” for others, flesh-eaters. Instead, they came to live in my watering troughs. They thrived in the horses’ drinking water for years, living on algae and mosquito larvae. During one very cold winter, a malfunctioning trough heater overheated and the resulting too-hot water nearly destroyed all the fish. I found some floating, nearly dead and struggling to breath. Happily, goldfish are tough and those I rescued survived. They recovered inside the house, living in a big fishbowl for a long time, until I installed an aquarium, air pump, and heater.

If you look closely, in this photo is a little fish. It’s on the aquarium glass and sucking algae. That’s a baby plecostomus, a catfish-type algae-eater that can grow to about 14 inches in length. I didn’t realize this until later. After three years in the tank, this pleco has grown to about six inches long. It’s been struggling through the bacterial attack, and hopefully, will survive.

Besides the pleco, this tank has one other surviving fish, a female Fantail Beta. She hasn’t seemed bothered at all by the rampant disease, has continued swimming and going after food even as nearly all the other fish shut down.

The tank has been medicated. If the two remaining fish survive, after a while it’ll be restocked. A problem with having pets is becoming attached emotionally, and so frequently their too-short lives.

Dear Friends: Who ever thought it possible to feel so highly connected to fish! Diana

Sunday, February 02, 2020

Super Bowl Day! I’m not a huge football fan but hail from Kansas City so this game interests me. Yesterday, my supervisor asked me to work today, she promised short hours. So, I’ll run to Costco, handle my routine, and hopefully, hotfoot home before the game starts.

Yesterday at work, I conducted a little survey, asking which team folks would cheer. Not surprisingly, since we’re on the West Coast and many of us from CA, the 49ers are favorites. Honestly, I won’t mind if SF wins, but will support the Chiefs’ spot in my heart.

Yesterday was supposed to be rainy but very little moisture fell. What’s weird about that day is that it was beautiful, with temperatures that rose to 60 degrees! What’s weirder is the Weather Channel’s prediction, that today in a sudden turn, the temperature will top at 35 degrees and it’ll snow.

Fortunately, on days I’m scheduled to work and wish to arrive home before daylight ends, my horses can be nearby and grazing just across the street. Even if I arrive home after darkness, it’s safe and easy to collect the equines. Later this afternoon while holed-up and watching the game, I’ll not be concerned about having to cover a big distance with daylight to bring home the horses.

Now, and making everything easier, we’ve practically no threat from vehicle traffic. This lets Pimmy loosely follow her horses as we’re traveling home.

However, there is a different kind of traffic. Yesterday the horses made me aware of this in no uncertain terms, by turning their heads in a singular direction. Nearby, a large herd of does grazed in an undeveloped spot-of-land among many trees. After I left the horses and was crossing the street to return home, those does were laying around, little concerned, resting and watching me. The group numbered about fifteen, and their lounging foreshadowed the lovely weather.

Dear Friends: Today is another “S” word, but happily about a Superbowl, not the Senate. Diana

Saturday, February 01, 2020

I’m sorry for having got myself tied up this morning with Driving Club business. Now, I haven’t enough time, before the typical (approx.) 8 a.m. deadline, to compose a good morning to reader-friends.

This is to say that all’s well here at the ranch. Today I’ll be working at Costco. If anyone happens to be there, for shopping or whatever, please find me and say hello.

Best, Diana

Friday, January 31, 2020

My friend, Janet, a talented artist, has a busy creative brain. Her eye quickly spots the elements of contrast, balance, and opportunity. Gradually, Janet’s becoming my art guru. She’s supportive and collaborative, encouraged me to think more creatively. These days, borrowing from her ideas, I attempt to find artistic possibilities in natural surroundings.

She also sews and has created costumes for Pimmy. My donkey, in full-dress, has participated and been outstanding in some big events. Stored in the wings for re-use are Pimmy’s full-body costumes for Christmas and July Fourth. Janet and I have plans to feature Ms Pimmy in a calendar.

The above header photo was taken on an overcast afternoon, as Janet observes the contrasts in natural light and darkness. She’s explaining that those elements influence vision and perception.

In essence, it simply was another comment about art as my equines grazed.

Well, I listened, and on another cloudy day pointed my lens at elements possibly worthy of drawing. At this point, I am transitioning photos to black and white, and using pencils, trying to grasp the lights, darks, and perspectives.

Ordinarily, I’d pay little attention to such as wheels, tree bark, shadows, fences, streets. But upon starting to draw, recreating these elements becomes riveting.

As we collaborated to costume Pimmy, Janet took the donkey’s measurements, played with fabrics, and sewed creatively. I’ve since been visualizing Pimmy differently. She’s become less ordinary-looking, and instead, has turned into a classy-model donkey. In the future, with new costumes adorning, Pimmy will grace pages of a monthly calendar.

Dear Friends: During very trying times, our visions and dreams may keep us free. Diana

Thursday, January 30, 2020

I’ve hoped for extra time to spend training my African Dwarf goats, they’re twins needing exercise. It would be fun to go walking with them. They’d learn to follow me around and to pull a cart. I’ve other animals that need more training, like Pimmy and the dogs. They could learn to pull!

I’m on the verge of cancelling my cable subscription after spending many brain-dead hours in front of television. Eliminating cable will free time, and as my horses graze happily on a neighbor’s pasture, I’ll focus on learning to become more creative and work with smaller animals.

This day will be great for making changes. It’s scheduled to bring sunshine and warmth for inspiration and encouragement.

Dear Friends: Today, I’ll be outside, walking on the streets with goats. Diana

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

My next drawing project will be using pencil to recreate the above photo into a black and white scene. Those interesting fence lines create perspective and balance. It’s a scene that suggests the early west, tickles a horse-person’s imagination. Yep, a powerful view.

These days the outdoor lighting has been clouded by rain. Subdued lighting alters the appearance of natural elements. Of course, camera lens are sensitive to everything that’s unusually light or dark.

This weather has changed the typical appearances of familiar scenes and elements. They look very different when reflecting more natural light. Here’s another capture during our subdued lighting.

This photo’s brightest elements are fence, signpost, and almost cloudless sky. The intersection now looks cold, but in bright natural light this is an inviting sight.

In the old days, I’d have tossed aside these two photos and sought prettier and more friendly others. Experience provides more knowledge and changes us, however, by shifting to higher levels how we see and understand. My camera is turning into a powerful teacher.

A camera, along with other creative elements, like art, words, and music. In the end, all flow together in ways that make it impossible to consider them as events separate from one another.

Dear Friends: Experience that changes perceptions carries us toward new journeys. Diana

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

My beyond-smart and sad-appearing donkey is an eye-catcher. A viewer on seeing her does a double-take before pausing to admire my equine trio. These calm easy animals are pleasant to watch and they enjoy people. Folks in the neighborhood have stories about a donkey or horses they’ve known. Perhaps they’ve cared for large animals, or simply seen them grazing, or have watched trained equines performing in an arena.

My animals and I live on the outskirts of town in an area popularly considered as country. That’s not accurate, for in reality this neighborhood is country-like, maybe resembles real country but isn’t. It has too many homes, and although on small acreages many boast large groomed areas. The bottom line is that the area hosts few farmlike animals.

The occasional horses, mules, and goats aren’t not easily apparent. One must know where to find them. When I leave my horses and donkey grazing on a neighbor’s pasture, they’re visible and draw the attention of folks hungry for a sign of real country.

Nonetheless there’s comfort, for neighborhoods like mine host lots of beautiful animals. Like deer, usually a small herd of does with a few juveniles. The deer pick and graze their way along established trails across public lands and private properties. When my dogs noisily announce that deer are coming through, I peer out in hopes of watching as the graceful leggy animals work onward to a property belonging to one or another neighbor.

Periodically during the year, male deer show up. They usually travel as singles or in small groups. As rutting seasons near, more boys appear. Many simply are magnificent.

It’s lovely to live in a pocket of almost-country. It’s where one still may keep domestic large animals, and occasionally see wild animals in open spaces. It’s fortunate that areas like this still exist, despite explosive new construction designed to accommodate bunches of folks on the move.

Dear Friends: Someday semi-rural areas will be highly developed, but now are wonderful. Diana