Jan 29, 2011 thru Jan 31, 2011

Saturday night in Tuba City, AZ, January 29, 2011
Well Wow! Who would think that I'd make it to Tuba City??? And nary a tuba in sight!

 

There is a Navajo dance, but I'm all hooked up and it's dark out there (almost) so I can't go...native... in my red leather dress. Wouldn't want to insult anyone, anyway. The gold boots would just be too TOO far out there.

I've seen a few of these:

and probably should have taken pictures of the yellow diamond signs with cow, horse, mountain lion, elk, man but can't always snap photos while driving!  Bad habit.

I managed 3 pen/ink/watercolor sketches today,

Grand Canyon... squint real hard...

gotta rotate the monitor and squint again



 They all look the same. 





a nap, a short hike, lots of photos, and a stop at most of the pull-outs heading east along the south rim of the canyon. I decided to move along since I found the idea of painting unpleasant, to say the least. Too complicated, too big, too touristy, too windy, too challenging. Usually I'm up for challenges, but I'm FINALLY "on vacation" and I just didn't feel like it. So there! :0b

Got a picture of the local KFC with a JAMMED parkinglot! and a LINE of cars in the take-away lane! Haven't seen a scene like that since Vallejo!

I'm heading for Monument Valley.

 I'll definitely paint there. But here in Tuba City (heh heh ... the name just makes me laugh) I pulled into a motel RV park for less than $30 for the night and feel safe and have water and electricity. The heater is a great blessing; I'll put on the hot water heater and have a shower in the morning. Gotta haul all the stuff out that's being stored in the shower area like a box of dishes, more clothes, folding chair, window screens, stuff like that. The light works!!! So I'll be able to see myself! hahahahaha! [never did do that shower]

Too bad there's no WiFi tonight, but I'll use this evening time to organize my gas receipts, figure out mileage, etc. Just paid the most for gas in Cameron... $3.11/gal at a Shell station and Indian store, post office and motel. Otherwise it was Conoco @ $3.18. Not sure yet where the next stop will be, but I feel good, like I'm having an adventure, like I'm safe here, rather than out there in the red rock Indian reservation flats with no trees to hide behind and where anyone might just drive up and check me out. Not a good plan. This is bettah.
SaturdaY NIGHT IN TUBA CITY! Hahahahaha! And I just took pictures of myself as I dressed for my new lifestyle. Tights, gold boots, denim skirt, BELT, versatile camisole, sweater or other top, topped with my denim smock... or the white one. I didn't wear the denim in Michael's class, so this is a completely different personna from the student I left behind in Sedona.
With my cowboy hat kinda modified to look less cowboy and more Indiana Jones... and some tasteful jewelry... but fun stuff.... What do you think? Be honest, now, please...

Well, you can't see the boots... but I ended up wearing my Uggs and not the gold cowboy boots. 

I might have blundered Friday night at the Canyon with the first hasty gestural pastel [but I'm keeping it under glassine but unpacked so I can keep looking at it veiled] but hahahaha the people looking were all Japanese tourists except that one woman, and I probably felt I'd never see any of them ever again so SO WHAT? Something is better than nothing, isn't it?
As I embark on the inspired artist personnae [brrrrr... cooling down now almost 9:00 p.m. on Saturday night in TUBA CITY, AZ! And the heater just kicked on!!! fum pa pum pum pum ... :0)] I feel like Whimsy Walls is coming back. Gosh! Have I decided already? Take my murals on the road?
WhimsyWalls on Wheels. Maybe that pastel is the start of my CARTOONS!!!!!

I just realized this is the first time I've been utterly alone. Nobody knows me, I'm a bazillion miles from ANYONE I KNOW! Wow. What an experience THAT is!!!

And I can sleep till whenever and do anything I want to do! What FREEDOM! I can't believe it! It's AMAZING! WOW! Yippee! Woohoo!!! Gosh! I can stop and paint somewhere beautiful and spend as many hours there as I want with no demands and no deadlines and aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh. I can relax.
So I guess I'll go do something instead of sitting here spilling my thoughts into the DELL bfn.

I lit a couple of tea candles, I burned some Nag Chamfa, made a cup of tea, and I redecorated myself! What fun I'm finally having!
Morning. New day. Beautiful sunrise in the trailer park!

 I'm up, had 2 soft boiled eggs, back to my nest for my computer update, with hot pressed coffee, and I'm cozy. Since I'm heading EAST, I thought it might be good to let the sun come up higher than the horizon before I set out. I can empty the bilge and scrub up before I re-pack the hose and the big black electrical cord and hit the road.
The more I think of mobile murals... WhimsyWalls on Wheels is a pretty good idea. I'll see (when I find WiFi) if that's available for a website!
Monument Valley was incredible.

 But I was disappointed that the pictures you see of M.V. are the ONLY monuments there! I would have thought the first ones were appetizers, but, alas, that was it.

They were awesome, for sure, and I did one quick pastel

and a watercolor.
Love this feeling of not having "responsibility" just now. Opened a bottle of wine and got out the rice crackers. I'll wash my face with a hot washcloth (I have propane!!! so will heat water in a pot) and slather on the lotion because it's so dry out here, and crawl into the sack for a few hours of reading and then sleep...Oh oh... I hear a car. O please keep going.... oh ok it did. whew. deep breath.
OK. enough rice crackers. Talk about boring! Yikes. I guess I was hungry when I bought these. Not even any wasabi peas thrown into this mix for variety!

Last night I sauted some chicken breast and have that for protein this evening, with the other half tomato I got in Sedona. It's a delicious tomato. I'm happy, comfy, and satisfied. The east window is uncovered so the dawn will fill my CoCo with light and maybe I'll be able to do some morning painting from not too far from here. There are mesa's around but I (here comes another vehicle... kept going) had to pass them up to find a level place to park for the night. Sure hope it's ok to stay here. If it'snot, I'm sure someone will let me know. Fear not. WASP spray is close at hand to fend off the Protestants!


Sunday Evening, January 30, 2011
No WiFi all day.

Bumfudge AZ on 191, heading to Canyon de Cheilly.
Oh glorious day, callou callay! I'm chortling! I painted Mexican Hat


and hung out near the San Juan river there for a few hours this afternoon, saw a coyote running along a ridge; considered staying over, but got bored, I guess, waiting for the light to change, and left around 4 and it is now 6:14 and I'm stopped on a school bus road, it's almost pitch black dark; lots of clouds with a little sky peeking out (or it was before dark) so I don't know if it'll rain tonight or not and I didn't want to be on a road where I might get stuck, like where I wanted to be in the Valley of the Gods.

OMG What a beautiful place. I couldn't go down the road because the sign said IMPASSABLE WHEN WET and there was a small creek



crossing the road about 6' wide and danged if I didn't wish for my all -wheel-drive vehicle. This ain't it... so I had to take whatever photos I could from the highway. A very beautiful looking place, from what I could see, and it would be a fabulous place to hang out for a few days, but since I'd heard it "might" snow tonight in Grand Canyon and I'm not THAT far afield, I thought I'd better not risk getting bogged in for weeks on end! :0b

It seems like I've come a long way from Tuba City, but I guess it's not because I still have a half tank of gas. I've been driving about 45 mph most of the day, pulling over for the few people who are also on the road and who needed to pass me. It's been quite deserted. I've seen 2 cab-over-type truck campers, and no other rv rigs on the road at all. When i started my journey, I was tallying roadkill. After 2 days of that (coyote, rabbit, raccoon, birds, skunk, etc) I decided to look for LIVE animals and have seen many birds of prey, mostly hawks. and the eagle... and I've been looking for California Condors but have only seen some ravens. I'll put up pictures of this one wiseacre Raven who hung out at one of the view points to the Canyon. Funny bird. Someone would drive up and he'd hop along the stone wall about lined up near the driver's window. The AZ ravens make really different sounds from the CA Mendocino ravens... no clicking or popping sounds, and their CAW sounds like someone shreiking in pain. Not pleasant. No wonder people shoot 'em out here!

Enough for now. End of 2 weeks on the road. Happy, healthy, holding same weight, feeling great. Excited to be on the road. You can text me... 707 367-3985 (DOPE YUK) but no phone calls unless it's emergency. Thanks. Texting is 1/2 a unit, rather than TWO units/1 (everything is ROAMING out here).
Be good!
xoxo suzi

Monday, Jan 31, 2011  It was snowing all the way from my side-road stop last night until Gallop, and I started to slide out and pulled over while on my way to Hwy 191. A nice Navajo ranger stopped immediately to help and followed me 10 miles to the 191 turnoff.  Then it REALLY started to snow and I got all the way to Gallup and decided to stay over here.  Of course, now that I paid the KOA my $38 to stay 24 hours, it has stopped snowing.  I'm resting.  It's good.  I can swim in the LaQuinta pool next door.  I'll go to Albuquerque tomorrow.  Couldn't get to Canyon de Chelly because of the snow.  I tried. 

Sorry if some of the above is messed up.    nap time! zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

GRAND Canyon Jan 29, 2011

Friday evening, January 28, 2011
I left Sedona right at 3 p.m. after class, a quick stop at the Art Center (Karen, I saw Shirley and she said to say HI); a zip across the highway for a bit of fur for my seatbelt neck-protector-to-be, and here are some of the sights on the road:

On the way, I saw some crows by the side of the road and wasn't much impressed until I zoomed by and saw a BALD EAGLE with the smallish (compared to Mendocino Ravens) black birds. I was chuggin' at about 60 so couldn't get a picture, and there wasn't any place to pull off or turn around just then, so I have the visual in my mind. Maybe I'll see more on my journey. I hope so.

My time with Karen Ely was just what I needed for my soul. ***Karen and her friend Pat who dropped by last night to say HI***
A little mothering meant I got clothes washed and had a comfy place to sleep, a bubble bath, breakfast on the table every morning, and a friend to talk to about my life. She was also there to back me up with the rv issues, and I'm so grateful for the rides to and from my painting class with Michael Chesley Johnson in Sedona. Karen's business, A Woman's Way, is really popular and getting more so all the time; she's off to Esalon for a retreat next week. I wish her huge success and much gratification in her work.

I headed to Sedona for my final day of classes with Michael Chesley Johnson.

I saw this on the way:

and caught the photo while driving by!!!

My last session was really great.

This isn't quite finished in this photo.  But it's pretty good so far!

The Stone apple barn in Sedona

Michael Chesley Johnson and his appreciative student!

I feel that after my lesson with Michael today, and my shopping spree, that I'm re-starting my trip. I feel great, the rv works, I have new skills, and I'm ready for some fun and beautiful sights. If I do this again, it might be nice to have company... girlfriend? man friend? dog? cat? turtle?

and

GRAND CANYON! I made it! I had all of about 10 minutes of light before the whole place went pitch black, and I whipped out my easel and set up my pastels in about 25 seconds, put some colors on a 9x12 and laughed at myself for my impetuousness and result. A woman came up behind me and expounded on how BEAUTIFUL my painting was. I'd put pastel to board for about 2 minutes. I laughed. 


The rv is working GREAT... I'm all plugged in at the Grand Canyon, lights on, heater roarin', water hooked up, and I'm thinking about what to put in my salad for dinner. I bought lots of goodies at the health-food market in Sedona before I left, so I really don't ever need to eat at a restaurant!
Karen encouraged me to go into Utah and over to 4 corners and down thru NM; I'm at the mercy of the weather. I also found out I can camp outside the park here (got my Senior Pass) on US Forest roads, 1/4 mile off the main road, anywhere! That's great news, and I'll probably do that tomorrow night, or maybe stay here 2 nights. We'll see. Wonder how much painting I'll do... or if I'll just rest. My right arm still aches but not as much; I hope to find a place WITHOUT furriners to paint the Canyon. Is there such a place? an Artist's Hide-out? I don't dare climb down the wall and sit on a ledge... or do I? We'll see what I can discover in the morning.

This photo I took last night, and I'll paint it when I return.  It's BEAUTIFUL!!!  I'll do a big version:

Saturday morning, January 29, 2011 7:00 a.m. from Hopi Point on the south rim of the Grand Canyon. I arrived here about 45 minutes ago after spending a quiet night in a campground where I drove in and out without having to register. Thanks for that. This morning, I woke up around 4 a.m. and made some coffee, returned to the warmth of my heating pad and pillow to read awhile, and then got dressed and drove out about 6.
     I wanted to be sure to have a spot on the rim somewhere so I could catch the first rays of the sun. Right now the east horizon is past red to an orange and yellow with the ever-lightening sky a blue-green to indigo above. I can now wee into the canyon but I'm waiting for the first sun's rays to highlight some of the points.
     Last night, the sun set WAY too fast to capture a "live" pastel. I tried, but failed beautifully! Ha! I realize the best way to paint the light is to sketch out a map of the high and low points, and then one magical moment of shadow and highlights. Once the marks are on the paper, since everything changes so quickly, I would be able to see the shadow color and paint it where I'd drawn the shadow edge; not what was happening "in the moment". It's like taking a picture of the moon in transit across the sky with my little camera... the shutter speed is too slow to capture that exact moment and the result is a blur. Same with trying to paint what one sees. The shadows move too fast to capture.
     AK! Alas. Another rv has pulled up into my secluded parking lot. I hear voices and the solitude is lost. I'll grab my camera and see if there's enough light to get a photo.

First Light from Hopi Point

So beautiful.  Yes, that's SNOW!

See this rock I'm standing on?

I sat down and hung my feet over the edge

that little rock up there on the right is where I was standing.  While I was out there, I suddenly flashed on the rock letting go and falling... and I lightly stepped back to the relative safety of the trail.  Nobody else was around.  It was a beautiful meditative morning.

Meditating Raven on the mule fence. No mule ride for me!  3 hrs for $100+... I already had my morning hike-about!

ok... time to hit the road.  I'm taking 40 to NM!

Thursday, January 27, 2011 Sedona, AZ

Mauve... the color of the houses, roofs, carpeting, floor, sidewalks, you name it, of Sedona and Cottonwood.  More than this tan color, dusty rose or salmony pink... maybe this color today.  I painted rocks, rocks and more rocks, preparing for the Grand Canyon where I'm heading tomorrow afternoon around 3 or 4.  I have done ZERO shopping and that's a good or not good thing, depending.

The RV is FIXED... and the price didn't kill me, less than $200.  Of course I heard a great song/dance routine... 6-1/2 hours but I'm only charging you for THREE hours and I'm losing my shirt over this, blah blah blah, so if you're ever in Cottonwood with a bum RV, go to Camelot.  They stole my stash, but they fixed my electrical problems.  Guess I can't complain too much!  :0b

Here's yesterday's paintings

and one from today:

and the first one from today I left with my instructor.  This one actually works in this format!!!  There was a bridge that I left out; a deep chasm just north of Sedona.

Tomorrow we go to an Historic park in the center of town and I'll possibly paint a building or barn with some rocks in the background. 

I'm learning about value.  It's like pulling teeth.  I'm so grateful to Karen Budan for giving me a wonderful metal case with foam dividers to hold individual pastels.  It's very helpful to me in organizing my colors by value.  Thanks, Karen.  You did me a big favor, you Wild Woman, you!  :0)

Karen Ely has been an enormous help, running me to and from my class with the rv in the shop for over 24 hours.  She's so busy with her business A Woman's Way and it's wonderfully successful.  She's off to Esalon next week for a weekend seminar and is on a phoneathon tonight.  What a great friend and wonderful woman.  Great house, comfortable and cozy.  I'm so happy to be here safe and cared for.  Lucky me!!!

So tomorrow afternoon I embark on a great adventure... alone into the world with no commitment until 2/10 when I'm due in the Hill Country of TX.  I'm not making any real plans except to spend a few days and frigid nights (thanks for the heater) near the Grand Canyon, hopefully painting from the warm inside of my cozy little CoCo. 

Thanks for checking on me!!!  Love and all good wishes 2 u!
xoxo suzi

Jan 25-6 2011 from Sedona, AZ

Well, actually, I'm in Cornville.  No corn anywhere in sight, so I'm guessing that whoever named this place had problems with their feet.  It's incredibly beautiful here, not a cloud anywhere and that's WONDERFUL!!!  It was about 46 Wednesday morning when we set out near Sedona, and didn't warm up too much, so tried to paint in the sun and still be sheltered from the wind. 

 I'm the only student in this session of classes with Michael Chesley Johnson, so I'm trying to absorb everything I can from this talented and intelligent artist.  I'm learning about value, most of all and probably most difficult, and shape relationships (the color of this next to that, warm vs. cool, etc.).

Today, Thursday, is day 3 of 4, and a "long" day, class from 9-3.  I have dwindled my supply load to a backpack plus easel and it's much easier getting to interesting painting locations without dragging a wheelie cart.  That means I have a relatively NEW fishing tackle box for sale, shoulder strap, canvas, and will post a photo as soon as I replace the batteries in my camera.

We went to Office Max yesterday afternoon and looked at cart-things but none had off-road wheels.  WallyWorld didn't have anything like that (surprisingly) so maybe I'll just have to design one.  The usual wheeled carts or even luggage, has little hard wheels that are difficult to drag through gravelly areas and in the case of pastels, offer no cushioning to the load.  Hmmmm.... cogitating....

Last night Karen and I went to Picazza for a gluten-free vegan pizza.  Fabulous.  My first pizza in 2 years, since I was here in August of '09 and could hardly wait to return!  Mendocino needs a gluten-free pizza.  Frankie's, are you listening?

Enough late-night rambling.  More pictures soon................ 

xoxo suzi

Jan 25 Sedona

It's kinda chilly here, but it's beautiful and clear.  I drove in from Cottonwood, or Cornville, actually, and was a few minutes late for my 9 a.m. class.  Michael and his wife Trina were there and we talked about the business of art for a bit before I loaded my all-too-cumbersome supplies into his Subaru and we headed out to paint this:

from this.

It's a 9x12.  I also spent about an hour and 10 minutes on another piece but didn't remember to take any photos of it.  Oak Creek, some red rocks, you'll have to see it in my gallery next month, I guess! 

Then we went back to Michael Chesley Johnson's Pumphouse Studio in the Creekside Plaza building where I'd parked off the paved lot in a gravelly spot under a big cottonwood tree.  I'd placed a large rock under my front tire to prevent rolling, and had noticed another rock when I pulled in.  After our painting day was finished, I returned to CoCo and moved the big rock, and the smaller rock was sort of between the two left rear tires and I figured I'd just roll over it and be off.

Well, just my luck, this rock STUCK between the two tires, and when I rolled onto the paved lot, I though I might have gotten a flat THUD THUD THUD so I stopped, saw the rock firmly wedged between the two tires and called AAA.  Sheesh.  About an hour later this guy came in this truck and got this rock out by first trying to pry it out and being unsuccessful, then letting the air out of the outside tire, moving the rock, then filling up the tire again with the correct pressure of air.  I suggested he do that when he first arrived.  :0b

Then I had to go spend a bundle at the art supply store because I was unable to find the second bundle of six 9x12 canvases that I had prepared before I left home.  They must be still in my house or office or up in the studio.  So, at least I'll have them when I return!  I have work to do now... have to cut the new pages to 9x12, can get 4 to a sheet, and then affix them to the 9x12 matboard backing boards I also bought at the art supply store.  It's getting dark.  My hostess with the mostest is out at a meeting so I'll make a big salad for our dinner.

Hope tomorrow I can paint a really great piece to show on my blog here!  Thanks for reading!  All for now! xoxo suzi

Monday 1/24/11 Scottsdale

Went to the Scottsdale Celebration for the Arts yesterday and think I might like to try to do this next year.  It's a 3-MONTH show and the artist is expected to be there every day WORKING!, but the buyers and opportunities are incredible.  John Hanes knows all about this, and I actually met one of his friends who had just spoken to John about having a sale in Boonville, so maybe the economy IS picking up.  I'd like to hear about a sale from MY gallery too!

I'm staying with Karen Budan and her husband Bob in their beautiful home in NW Scottsdale.  Karen is the president of the AZ Pastel Society and isn't "retired" at all!  We met when I was in Sedona a year ago and stayed in touch.  What a wonderful still-life artist she is and a great friend!  I'm happy to be with these nice people.

Off to Sedona in a few hours.  I look forward to the beautiful drive and will check the weather report so I'll be dressed for the temperature, and not say, jump out of CoCo in a sleeveless top and no socks when it's 40 degrees!  Might be the Mendocino style, but hey, I like to be comfy!

Tumacacori

Linda and Dan Foss' welcome mat.   

My new friend Leigh from Tubac

Orah likes masks so here's one for you!

More soon!

Church at Tumocacari

  unfinished.

catchup Jan 18-22 from Tubac, AZ

Tuesday evening, January 18, 2011 Tubac, AZ.
No WIFI in this place, the Trailer Tether. I crept slowly in with Mozart around 7:30 p.m. in the dark, and didn't see much on the way except a clear darkening sky and a huge full or just-about-full moon up 45 degrees when I got my first glimpse.
I'll start with yesterday; up and on the road at 6 a.m. and drove to Needles for gas at $3.38 and a 1/2 mile out of town it was $2.89. Doesn't that just make you wanna scream? Well, I did. Loud and long. AAARRRGGGHHH! so now I look for the truckstop gas LOVE'S (isn't that a great name? like the bread) and TRW or something.
I was ridin' on fumes by the time I neared my Sun City Grande destination, and had to pull in for another fill-up. I'm having doubts about Texas because of the distance and because of major electrical issues with my rv; and because of the cost of gas. Mainly because of non-confidence with the rv. I pulled into Dan and Linda Foss' beautiful homestead and had no interior lights. New battery, remember? Bummer. Dan checked it out this morning but it was beyond his expertise. He has a 200' rv (I'm exaggerating a little) and I didn't even want to see it because I'd have RV ENVY and Linda said even THEY have RV envy! Everybody gets it! Hahaha! Well, I really really like my little rig, but I want to have confidence in it that it will do what it's supposed to do.
My propane was just above half this morning. I started with a full tank. Where did it go? Then the refer was on, but now that it's turned to elec, it's not very cold... maybe it's just slow.
Anyway I spent a lovely night in a beautiful house with a "spool" [spa/pool] and a 3-hole putting course in the back yard on the lake on a golf course. I didn't like the tall metal fence, but sure enjoyed sitting by the firepit and having a glass of wine with them and their neighbor. Linda made a fantastic delicious chile relleno for dinner. It was really terrific. Dan told me she makes several at once and freezes them. Here's her great idea... she cooks with the rubbery pans, freezes the casseroles, the pops them out into plastic bags for storage in the freezer; then pulls one out, puts it into the rubbery pan for cooking. One pan, lots of different casseroles. Brilliant idea. Super great for motorhome travel when one has a freezer on board! I have a Playmate by igloo. Not quite the same.
Their front doormat cracked me up! I took a photo of it. Here:
So it's like summer here. I brought exactly ONE pair of shorts and I'm going to wear them every day until I'm back on the coast, I think. I brought a swimsuit, too, but haven't uncovered it yet.
I left Dan and Linda and headed toward Phoenix around 10 or 11 this morning, thinking I'd have lots of time to get to Tubac before dark. My friend Alan is visiting a ladyfriend in Tucson, so I called him to see if he could look at my electrical problem. He told me where to meet him and it just happened to be THE SAFEWAY where the shootings were last week! OMG. There were shrines everywhere and piles of flowers on the corner and I only took one photo of the front of the store from a great distance as I was too embarrassed to get closer and gawk. Horrible tragedy and there I was, right where it happened!
Alan checked out the new battery, connections, and the wiring, replace one fuse inside, but we couldn't tell what that one had done, and he felt bad because he couldn't fix it and I had to get going.
I left him and phoned another friend of mine with an rv in Tucson and he gave me directions to his place and said he was near an rv repair shop so I hurried over but when I got there at 4 he was tied up on the phone with business for almost an hour and I was chomping at the bit and my skin was starting to crawl and he finally looked at more fuses, burned out 1 or 2, traced some others, and voila! I have light, but I still don't have power to my power panel!
I'm now hooked up to shore power, have water coming in and I'll be ok here for the next 3 days. Then I'll return to Tucson and deal with the problem before I continue with my trip... Scottsdale to Sedona to ? Since the weather is nice now, I really really REALLY want to go to the Grand Canyon to paint for a day or two. Then to Albuquerque and maybe Santa Fe. Texas? Oh so far, so much ga$ and I'm waffling today on that.
It wasn't the happiest day; I'm better now, more relaxed, safe for tonight and when I stopped at Trader Joe's this morning, I was able to stock up on lunch food for the next 3 class days. So I'm ok for now. I'll post this as soon as I get a connection. Until then, be happy!
Wednesday eve, January 19, 2011
ok today was the first class. 8 students that include the coordinator, Kathy, and her sister Helen, Lee who is picking me up in a few minutes to go to a WOMEN AND WINE party that takes place the 2nd Weds of every month, or 3rd or whatever this one is; and I got a ride back to CoCo for my gold boots, blue lapis, blue pants, print shirt, red jacket and hot curling ironed hair and fresh red lipstick! This place is fabulous. Casitas everywhere just outside the town/village; not time yet to browse or shop, or anything since we spent the whole day at the State Park and painted. I'll put up the picture; mine was about 4th best in the class, so I don't feel smug or left out or however one feels at one end or t'other of the art ability spectrum. It's good, all women except for Michael Chesley Johnson, who is quite married and knows Maeve Croghan!
We had an oil demo this morning; only one other student is pastels, so tomorrow will be a pastel demo at a golf club where there are some old farm buildings, silo, grainery, etc. Should be fun; Lee will pick me up. Her husband is out on the coast; they're from LA and he misses the ocean. Can't say I blame him at all. I'm looking for water... heard there was a lake at the golf club... not my idea of water, but reflections, trees, etc. might make it ok. Running water is pretty scarce here, except for the Colorado and I picked up a jug-full to help flush out the potty.
I'm hooked up to the water here now, and tonight when I return I'll light the hot water heater so in the morning I can shower. There is a shower available, but I'd rather get used to my own rig. I'm concerned about the refer; it runs on gas, but I don't want to use up my gas while I'm sittin' here, but then I don't want to ruin my food, either. I will need ice tomorrow and might just want a cold beer when I return after painting all day. it's a veyr long day; 9 until 4. We were invited to Cathryn's casita (bigger than a casita I can assure you) for wine this evening, and I caught a ride with her, had a glass of red, looked around; beautiful, close to neighbors, nicely decorated, lovely. here's my ride. tata.
So... a party of women drinking wine, eating fingerfood that everyone was supposed to bring in addition to a bottle of wine each. I think I'll start doing this in Mendocino.
The best was jicama with chili powder and lime and a spicy dip; then Lee, the lovely woman who took me there, had brought a chile relleno casserole and it was fabulous. There were a couple of other dips and chips and some cheese and a cheese platter and then some salami with cheese and gluten free crackers came. It was nice. full moon. I loved being in this bveautiful empty home with strangers... fun to talk to a few and might even have made an art connection as well as connecting with someone who visits the north Calif. coast on occasion.
So I get back to Coco and there's NO ELECTRICITY! I don't get it. I was there earlier, plugged in the curling iron, turned on the lights, turned everything off when I left, and zap............ nada. Thank goodness I have the battery lantern to get me through the night. It's 7:40. I really don't want to go to bed quite yet. What do I do?
I walked down to the deli touse their wifi.. they're closed and I can't get logged on so I'm writing this in my journal and will send it whenever I get a connection. Not happy about this, but very happy to be here in this cute town, I guess... no shopping time yet... and will paint at the golf club tomorrow.
Feeling angst about the rv electrical problem and don't think I want to head out into TX with the situation the way it is now. We'll see. Maybe Tom Higgins can fix it on Saturday. Bummah.
Friday morning January 21 and it looks like my computer clock is on CA time less 22 minutes because it says 5:50 and it's 8:12 here. Another beautiful sunny day here; I had heat last night and lights, so I sweated until about 1:30 when i finally got up and turned OFF the heater control and then slept so hard because I was under down and it got pretty cold and you know how you sleep hard when it's cold? well, I didn't wake up until about 7:30.
I thought stream of consciousness writing would be more fun than dragging the Dell down to the Deli (always adore alliteration, especially when it's not planned) to get online. I'll send this out tonight with pictures.
Anyway, I got up and cleaned up and boiled the eggs I'd bought at Trader Joe's in Sun City Grande before they all floated (one did) and smelled something funny and realized my eggs weren't the only things cookin' when I noticed an orange glow on the edge of my small paper plate. Ok good sign. I'm startin' this day out by puttin' out fires so that means I'll have a really good day painting. We're going to a mission. My new friend Leigh is picking me up. She's great hauling me and my stuff, and boy you should see my stuff... WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY over the top as far as stuff goes. Then there's Katherine from Creed and originally from Arkansas, and she's got me talkin' lak her already! Can you tell? Well, sounds just lak thaaat!
I'm inspired to write about my experiences here or on this trip and hope I find a way to copy the blog for the times when I type live and in living color! For now, I gotta get going! Almost 8:30 and class is at 9. Leigh is picking me up in 10. tata!
Friday night. The group went to a Greek-Mexican restaurant for dinner! After a riproaring game of pool in the very old 18890's bar next door, we tucked into a dinner of moussaka or chile rellenos, tilapia or spanakopita or whatever. It was fun talking to everyone to find out how they happened to get to Tubac. I was the only outsider and might like to return next year around this same time. I like it here! I really like these women! One just had reconstruction surgery for advanced breast cancer surgery and was actually the coordinator of this group. She had 6 sisters and a brother growing up, and has 4 of her sisters here! Pretty amazing. I think her brother is nearby, also.
It was a beautiful day; started out a little chilly, but warmed up nicely and I was able to complete (almost) 2 pieces at the Tumacacori National Park mission grounds. I painted the door to the mission and an archway with a hanging terra cotta fluted pot. Makes me want to do pottery again!
I have much unpacking of art stuff, and packing of other stuff so I can head out in the morning and meet Leigh at 10 for her to show me her jewelry at Kyle's gallery here in Tubac. And it's "ack" not "ock", btw.
It's late. 8:20 p.m. Last night I was sawing logs at this time and I'm finally finished re-packing the rv for quick escape in the morning. $24 plus tax to stay here 4 nighte... about $107. Not bad. But it's a dump. I'll try to remember to take some pictures in the morning on my way to the shower. I haven't put on the waterheater in the rv since I didn't know if I'd have gas, or lights or anything at any given time/day. It's taxing.

Saturday morning 1/22/11 in the Tubac Deli for quiche and WiFi.  Good coffee, several regulars.  Great quiche with a paper-thin crust that's easy to peel off! 

I'll meet Leigh for a tour of the galleries that show her paintings and jewelry, want to spend at LEAST 30 minutes shopping! And then head for Tucson and probably a new converter for CoCo.  Had a very comfy night last night and thought of something funny but can't remember what it was this morning!  Maybe THAT's what's funny!  suzi on Saturday.
　

Jan 20, 2011 from Tubac, AZ

Very beautiful here, almost a valley.  mountains in the morning, mountains in the evening, full moon, mostly clear skies, so I'm looking forward to a stunning sunset while I'm here in the SW.  Maybe tonight since I can see some clouds from the deli where I'm sitting.  I have to walk a good looooooooong block to get to this place since the Trailer Dump er Tether where Coco not rests has no WiFi and the nice little inn next door won't give me their password!  I came by here last night but their system was down so I was s.o.l. 

My instructor Michael Chesley Johnson is a very good teacher and a very fine artist.  He's nice, too, and the other 7 students are all really great women.  From all over; most all live here all the time or divide their time between here and Creed, Colorado.  Nice place to retire, here, golf carts abound, and I just heard that the cute Mexican-y things are mostly made in China.  How's that for global industrialization?  Sheesh.

I'm too tired and feeling pressured to get pictures online right now.  Sorry... gotta wait.  I have 3 paintings so far... happy with one; two need a little more work.  All saleable need buyers!  All for now!

Day 2 running into Day 3

Sunday evening, January 16, 2011
The Tehachapi Moose Lodge welcomed me with open beer bottles at about 5:30 when I buzzed the door to ask if I might park in their lot for the night! They ran an extension cord out the back door "by the garbage bin" and I backed into the slot and hooked up.
So here I sit at 6:00 p.m., with the heater blowing at my feet, and plenty of light. I had hoped to make it farther today but didn't leave Fresno until around 2:00 p.m. Dan took it upon himself to check all the battery connections and make sure they were working and clean before he checked the battery charge (about 11.4) so we went to Pep Boys and got a new battery for the box, compliments of my darling friend BJ, who is very generous with her recent inheritance! She didn't tell me until yesterday that her mother had passed away on Christmas Day.
It has been overcast all day, a rather still wintery day with some fog sitting on the roadway along Hwy 58 from north Bakersfield heading to Barstow. Since I was in Tehachapi in October 2010, I remembered a fabulous Mediterranean cafe and had hoped they would be open, but since it's a family establishment, I rather expected they'd be closed. So that's ok. There's a Mexican place not far from here. I'm not sure if I should go into the Moose Lodge and have a beer with the locals or not... it would probably be fun... pool tables, etc., but I'm more introspective and after a visit with the Kramers, I feel more like holding my own counsel. I gave the Moose bartender $10 donation to stay here. They were so nice.
BJ gave me an ice cream dessert last night that I ate with my fingers and utter delight! It was green tea MOCHI, a Japanese treat. Mochi is a rice-flour confection and we nearly died laughing when she said it was like an ice-cream filled scrotum! BWAA HA HA HA... and if you haven't eaten this oral sensation, you'll probably (especially if you're a man) not be laughing! I'm still chuckling.... alot!
Living in such a safe place as Mendocino has lowered my guard in so many ways. Traffic for one. Big trucks, speeders, tailgaiters, etc. On the way to Bakersfield a very noisy motorcycle passed me so close to the rear-view mirror on the driver's side I though his head or shoulder would bump it, and he came from nowhere and was VERY loud and unnerving. Got my adrenalin pumpin' for sure! Actually just about scared the crap outta me! No other problems, though.
The morbid thing I've started to do is tally roadkill... 2 housecats today, several raptors in these two days, 2 coyotes, 2 skunks and 2 raccoons and a few UFO's Unidentified Flattened Objects.
I'm not able to get online from here, so have written this in a WordPad document and will put photos into Picasa now so they'll be there tomorrow night. A Moose patron said to allow 8 hours to get to Sun City! Long day's drive. But at least I'll head out in the morning!
My state of mind: calmer, needing greens, feeling great, happy to be on an adventure, reconnecting with the pre-2003 me!!!, glad I have so many incredibly wonderful friends!
---------------

I finally arrived in Sun City with Linda and Dan Foss, techies from Livermore Lab and Linda is a family friend from babyhood, so we have a few things in common, like her sister, for example!  Their house in Sun City is luxurious and on the golfcourse and they were able to acquire it with the sale of their Clayton (Concord area) house a few years ago.  They are avid RV'ers who have gon all around the country in a HUGE bus-like rv... laughed when they saw me comin' with my tail draggin.  I'm exhausted after driving from Tehachapi, CA to Sun City.  The last time I got gas was over $50.  I doubt at this point that I'll be continuing on to TX to visit friends since that's the only reason to go there, and a valid one it is, but it's ridiculously expensive.  The CoCo Van is giving me issues with ... electricity.  I did have heat last night, but no refrigerator which I'll need in Tubac tomorrow and for the next 3 days; and water.  The main panel isn't working so I can't check battery power, but the lights work great inside, and since there's a brand new batter, well, great.  

I'm going to take a shower ................... yes, it's about time... and then sink into the luxurious bed they have for their guests!!! and let Dan show me HIS rv in the morning and send me on my way to Tubac with a new map, directions, and hope for a fun trip. 

I do like doing this.  Don't get me wrong... just need to work out a few kinks! 

Response for M

CoCo is boobie trapped!  I have the wasp spray in a rack facing just inside the door where I can very easily reach the top of the can to quickly release the safety and squirt any intruder.  The pepper spray is w/me.  Thanks for any concern. 

Day 1

I'm tired.  Lotta driving.
SMAAAAAAAAAAAAll gas tank!  Filled up before I left; filled up again in Vallejo; filled up again in Madera.  Staying over in Fresno with Goddaughter's parents.  These people know me and my history, so it's good for me to stop feeling the responsibilities of running the gallery and my life in Mendocino and relax into the loving home my old friends, the Kramers, who knew me when!

I was WhimsyWalls.  I wore red from tip to toe.  BJ Kramer just gave me some bright red Levis.  My mind went flying back to the me I was prior to 9/11.  You'll have to get the book for the rest of the story!

What I discovered today on my first day of driving, is that
1.  Mendocino is farther from anywhere than anywhere else;
2.  Gas has gone UP in price!
3.  I'm starting to relax, the farther away from home I get.
4.  I realize what a big load I've been carrying;
5.  the rv, CoCo, is presenting its own set of weights, starting with the "box" battery dying the minute I turned off the motor after arriving safely in Fresno.  Good thing Dan Kramer can troubleshoot and fix anything, especially pinball machines and Hudsons.

Driving was easy in the rv; the bungee system I set up worked beautifully; there were no close calls, no problems on the road, except lots of potholes, on the eastern Carquinez Bridge and down 680.  I found 580 in pretty good shape.  I remember it when.  My dad always pointed out the railroad tracks and crossing over the track, and then about 1/4 mile later, going under the arch trestle, same track. 

I left the sun behind in Vallejo and had high overcast the rest of the way with fog in Fresno.  It's fun.  I like the idea of going somewhere and taking an incredible amount of stuff with me!  Art, music, gifts, food, tools, got it all!  Pictures to follow!

D Day - DEPARTURE

Green for GO!  All packed, all ready!  Off to Fresno!!!  Whoopee!!!

2 days to departure!!!

OMG!  I have piles of clothing in my living space; most of the paperwork is finished; Coco is ready for me to load stuff in; tomorrow is supposed to be sunny, and all systems are GO!  I'm VERY excited and looking forward to all the adventure.  I have audio books up the wazoo thanks to Walt and Cynthia and Janine and my Trakphone is charged and ready; the snacks are all lined up; water is bottled and gas was WHAT?  $3.23/gallon today.  Mileage was 52222.  Good place to start.  a 4 in numerology.  What's a 4?

 Here's the driver side of CoCoVan.  The name comes from the French for PIG which is Couchon.  See the dent in the driver door?  Well, I got T-boned by a gigantic porker running wild across the highway in Yorkville on the way home the night after I purchased this rig, at 4:00 a.m. and I couldn't pop out the dent so...

I took my

sharpee and drew a little piggy in the dent.  I guess it's kinda like the RAF planes... so if I

ever hit anything else, I'll put a picture of it on the side!  hahahaha!  Please.. no no no...

There is a turquoise and yellow tablecloth pinned to the sofa bed where I'm sitting.  The netting is a great catch-all and I have two of these from my Subaru.  Above my head is the thermostat and above that is a small 5x7 frame with my Love Boats print, a homey touch.  More pictures soon.!!!