Zion National Park

October 15, 2009

In Zion, the campsites are located right in the park, on the floor of the canyon itself and the view all around you is one of magnificent cliffs that soar straight up for thousands of feet.

Fortunately the canyon floor is not a narrow one so the campsites are quite sunny and cheerful with the Virgin River that cut the canyon (and still cuts it) running through the length of the park. There are many black poplars that grow throughout the canyon floor, irrigated by drainage ditches and pump systems, providing shade. It is a busy campground but worth it to be in the heart of the matter. A fantastic backdrop to our campsite in Zion is the picture I painted here of "The Watchman". This is a huge chunk of sandstone, the highest elevation point being 4419 feet. At sunset it would catch the golden rays and look very majestic.

To get a quick idea of what Zion National Park is like, check out this link which has a good representation of views you would see in any area of the park.

Camping

October 13, 2009

Infected root canals are a miserable business, a miserable business indeed. You can't concentrate on anything but the woe that is your mouth. Who cares if it is sunny, or the leaves are changing when it feels like your jaw is going to split in two. Things to be grateful for: dentists and antibiotics. I can't imagine living in a time without them. People in the day died from this kind of infections and here I am, happy as a clam getting back to the business of painting and other enjoyable past-times.

Here's a watercolour of my brother's tent in the Ponderosa pines. This was in Utah but at an elevation of about 9500 feet, so there were many pines and aspens and things looked all lovely and green. It was chilly at night but we had a crackling campfire to sit around.

Aspen

September 25, 2009

Another favourite tree of mine, next to maples and birches, are aspens. You don't see too many around these here local parts (too warm and wet) but it is sure a treat to come across some as we did when we were in Utah and traveled high in elevation between campsites. It was a neat thing to be driving along at a low elevation in desert sand and slickrock and then gradually the trees got bigger and bigger the higher up we went, until at about 9500 feet, we were surrounded by Ponderosa pine and aspens. Our campsite was next to a lovely babbling brook. It was something out of Tolkien.

Good-bye Raichle Hiking Boots

September 21, 2009

It was a really grand two weeks, full of sand, heat, fantastic scenery and even a scorpion! My most comfortable hiking boots, that have been with me for the past eight years, did not make it back. The rubber soles came off again (in the past the soles have been completely replaced and then a second time glued), but this time they came off so far up the boot in a decomposing kind of way, there was no way a cobbler could replace it. Naturally they came apart the day before an eight hour hike was scheduled. (Sigh.) It must have been trying to push the SUV out of the sand dunes that did it I reckon. ( Another story.)

Moonlight And Water

August 28, 2009

This was actually painted in the early part of the month, when the moon was actually full. I believe now it is on the wax again and I thought I saw a half moon through the cloud haze tonight. I learned a neat reminder for remembering if the moon is waning or waxing. You must say to yourself, "Dog comes, cat goes." If the moon has a "D" shape it is getting bigger like a big dog. If the moon shape looks like a "C", then it is waning, like a cat running away.

It sounds weird but it works. If you go here and look at the phases, you will see how it the letter shape, grows and diminishes as the belly of the moon grows and diminishes.

I am off to the Moab desert for two weeks camping. First time ever for me, so it will be quite a treat! Take care y'all and catch up with you later.

Bull Kelp

August 25, 2009

Of all the lovely things to find at the beach, I think the prettiest by far, even prettier than shells, are sheets of transparent green seaweed. Like living panes of glass, one feels that if one could see through them, one could see right into the heart of the ocean.

Rain on the Mountains

August 13, 2009

We had quite the little exciting lightning and thunder storm this morning, which is a rare thing in these parts. There was a snap of lightning quite close to the house and my husband said it made his foot tingle. Eep.

Rainy Lane

August 11, 2009

Ah rain. Mist, drizzle, downpour, I care not what so long as it is quenching the ground. I know I'm not cut out for this kind of heat and sunshine when I get happy about rain. No squinting, no tickle trickle of sweat, no consuming vast goldfish bowls of water and still remaining parched. No sir.
I say this now, but wait until the end of November when I'm shuffling from room to room looking for one day of sun. Fickle human...fickle as the weather itself. Touché, weather, touché.

So, an after dinner walk was quite pleasant and refreshing with lanes and back alleys all dripping and freshly washed. The sun fought towards the end and things brightened and a hint of pink was to be seen on the clouds, everything pearly grey, lavender and soothing.

Another Fine End

August 2, 2009

Daisies

July 30, 2009

Being so hot, I've done very little in the way of outdoor stuff but sketch and paint in the shade. These daisies are from my garden and seem quite invincible to drought and neglect. Rock on daisies...rock on.