August 22- Home!

We're home! 

 

1,730 miles.

Josephine is so happy to be back at Danya's house where it's familiar. What a relief, especially after the past 5 days in the car.

August 21 - Kingman, AZ to Bakersfield, CA

California I am in you! 353 miles closer to home, and in the same time zone!

First part of the trip through the Mojave was breathtaking, sun not yet visible, blue and pink light on mountains and valleys and rain showers (paintings are dry), and strange dusky light from the eclipse.

Then the Barstow-Bakersfield highway. So strange. First part, flat as far as one can see, hot and dry and hundreds of Joshua trees, straight heat-shimmering highway for miles and miles.

Then a climb up into golden-yellow grassy hills (again, far as one can see) covered in wind turbines and (I think?) black oak trees, twisty climb and descent, with quirky signs (an ad for a Chevron station "Eat Fruit, Get Gas" made me grin).

And finally, descent into my own personal hell, Bakersfield. Sky yellow with smoke, so many people in so many cars!

Drive overall was fine, quick, with light-enough traffic to enjoy the astonishing landscape.

Josephine has just about had it. Had to drag her out from under the bed this morning to pill her and then close her in the bathroom while I loaded the car so she couldn't get back under the bed. Tomorrow she'll be back at super-angel Danya's house with her old nemesis Lulu, whom I'm sure she'll greet with great relief. She'll have stories to tell. She's been a trooper.

August 20 - Littlefield, TX to Kingman, AZ

Easy, short, stress-free and beautiful drive today through Flagstaff to Kingman, AZ. Welcome 180 from yesterday, especially since Josephine was sacked out through most of it.

We were chasing electrical storms all day, enjoying the light show (I was, anyway) and avoiding all but a brief minor downpour, but now something wild has found us, black thunderheads and thrashing wind.

The paintings are double-tarped but at Matt's urging I went to the front desk to ask if I could park under the overhang (the only covered parking anywhere) and she very kindly agreed that I could, if it started raining. I moved it when the first drops hit, and by the time I had parked, rain was coming down in buckets. Front desk says it's a monsoon and will likely rain 3-4 inches. Glad I listened. Ahem.

When I went in to thank them again, and told them that I was going to write the nicest review ever and put it on social media, they thanked me and offered me cookies. I explained about the paintings and the 14 weeks of work and said the overhang was more than enough.

Kingman Best Western, if you're ever passing through. They'll get a terrific review from me. And maybe a postcard for the hypothetical show.

Also, where Gideon's Bible usually is, there is "The Teachings of Buddha" which made me smile.

(Later...)

A little belated Caturday for your Sunday GoT (yes, i did put the ottoman on the table so she could get on top of the armoire)

 

August 19 - Littlefield, TX to Gallup, NM

Whine alert:

Exhausting drive to Gallup, NM today. I've always respected truck drivers but man were there some jerks on I-40 today. One very close call when one pulled back onto the highway from the shoulder right as I was passing, two cut-offs at 75mph, and half-a dozen not staying in their own lane. In addition, a sudden deluge that reduced visibility to about 10' for 5 long minutes, and high gusty winds for 100 miles. And Josephine cried for 2/3 of the trip. It was a long day.

On the other hand, deluge cleaned the bug guts off the windshield, we arrived intact, and I have a margarita (and Jo has eaten dinner and used her box).

August 18 - Fredericksburg to Littlefield, TX

Fredericksburg to Littlefield, TX today, mostly on cruise control and with the highway to myself. My thought on 75mph speed limit: much better when there is a middle divider and/or more than one lane in each direction. Call me a wuss.

Once out of Hill Country Texas got flaaat again. Miles and miles of high-output farmland, huge combines, wind turbines, and oil drills (which have a really funny odor). Highlight of the day: a banana-yellow crop duster zig-zagging back-and-forth across the highway like a crazy giant dragonfly, so low I ducked by reflex.

Josephine slept for most of the trip and is inspecting the hotel room with tail up and quirked at the end, a very good sign. And the toe, I don't think it's actually broken. Achy but was fine for the drive.

This morning after breakfast with the teenagers Katherine and Randy loaded the paintings while I was packing (surprise!) and K was a terrific help in roping down the tarp so it won't flap (success). When I left, her son and his friends were building paper boats to float in the pond, and trying to blow them up; when that didn't work the .22 came out.

So gratified by spending some time with all these folks. Will miss them. Will miss a lot about the Ottmers ranch. Glad though to have first leg of trip home completed.

August 17 - Falling

To top off the trip, a broken toe (middle, on the useful-for-driving foot). It wasn't caused by any of the obvious potential perils, I just stubbed it. Okay on last trip into town this morning so should be okay to get home. Ouch.

Fortunately a bunch of teenage boys will be here this evening for pizza; hoping they'll help me unload bags of feed and load paintings. 🙂

Here's the last-for-now painting:

"Falling" 5' x 3' acrylic on canvas

Katherine's son Karsten and his friends were happy to help unload bags of feed and lift the crate into the truck. Later, after dark, they were all out on the trampoline doing flips with flashlights and hooting. Nice to see this place full of happy (and super-nice) kids. K and her daughter Aven looked at paintings and pointed out their favorites. One will get left behind. 🙂

Otherwise pretty quiet day after errands. Read and iced/elevated in the little house with Josephine. Fed the goats and geese and chickens and cats (and Wilbur, though he is MIA today) for the last time. Found a scorpion in the kitchen sink and put a cup over it to deal with tomorrow.

A little overwhelmed by getting on the road again with crated and sedated Josephine (not to mention driving with a broken toe and with my potential future riding under a tarp in the back) but I'll be on my way home from a fantastic summer journey, and there is still new territory to be covered.

August 16 - Skies

K and the kids get home tonight! Big house is clean, cookies are in the oven, Jo and I are moved back into little house. One last full day here tomorrow then time to say goodbye.

Fully expect that the next phase of life in the Bay Area will be as big an adventure as this one has been.

Second-to-last painting...

"Skies" 5' x 3' acrylic on canvas

Chuck came by this morning to get eggs and totally busted me.

One of the goats got out yesterday when dogs mobbed. I got a rope around her neck but despite pulling and pushing and cussing could not get her to budge. Rope knot pulled loose, goat ran away, did not know what to do so went home to meditate on the issue. 

Around midnight it occurred to me that the goat might want to be back with her herd so I drove down and sure enough there she was at the gate, eager to be let in.

Of course Chuck had noticed the loose goat, and also observed me down there at midnight letting her back in. *blush*

Other news from last days in beautiful Hill Country... Clover the black mare somehow injured herself badly but will be okay, vet told Randy that she got very lucky. Huge gash on the front of her near hind hock. Randy's been out every day to tend it and now she's getting shots.

Going to miss the animals. Here's Chuck's herd, blocking the road coming and going. Goodbye goats.

August 15 - Gravity

Chuck's opinion on best place to get oil changed before the drive home was Walmart, so that's where I spent an hour and a half of my life today. Truck is serviced and ready to go.

Dropped recycling off at recycling center while in town. Cute young man working there saw the gash in the truck and said "Wow! What happened, did a dinosaur bite your truck?" I was happy to tell him the story, and he was happily impressed.

On the way home found Clea by the Wickander's where I went to look for Wilbur and gave her a ride back to the goats, where I found Wilbur. Got mobbed by Max, Sky, and Smiley when I cracked the fence to move the goat food tubs and a dog party ensued (which may have cleansed my soul of Walmart). Got the big dogs back inside the fence, gave Wilbur a lift home and fed him, and ran across Chuck driving a (surely) WWII era dump truck across the pasture with Clea running behind.

Going to be a bit of a shock to be back in the Bay Area, especially with two planned alt-asshole demonstrations (of assholery) the weekend after I get home.

[Here is a picture of the "dinosaur bite" in my truck]

Today's painting

"Gravity"

5' x 3' acrylic on canvas

August 14 - River

Dinner tonight at Chuck's youngest daughter Erika's house, with her family and her friend Dawn and kids. Added an adorable chihuahua named Roxie to list of dogs befriended.

It was lovely. Erika made traditional German food (turns out I do like sauerkraut) with homemade deer sausage. They hunt deer on the property from blinds in their backyard and make the sausage themselves and it is delicious. They're sending some back to CA with me. More really nice people.

Started packing today. Back on the road with the intrepid cat Friday morning. Home a week from tomorrow.

What an adventure this has been.

Here's today's painting...

"River" 5' x 3' acrylic on canvas

Tried to post video of nightly armadillo visit but too dark. They make cute snuffling and squeaking sounds and sometimes hop. They're short-sighted so it's pretty easy to get within a foot of them without disturbing.

Also today: a very long-legged jackrabbit, a very large hawk, more goats, and a long petting session with Molly the burro. Oh and spotted a white-tail buck... first antlered white-tail I've seen.

Going to miss this place. But have to add that the raccoons, squirrels, and skunks of the Bay Area are bigger. Sorry Texas.

August 13 - Thistle

Here is Wilbur. I'm taking care of him while the Wickanders are out of town. And my buddy Clea.

  

Made salmon, green beans, and mashed potatoes (equal parts baked potato, heavy whipping cream, and butter, yerm) for Chuck here at the house, with fresh-out-of-oven homemade chocolate chip cookies for dessert. He's promised smoked ribs and squash if I make twice-baked potatoes with the leftovers.

He finally got his squirrel, explaining the pistol shots I heard today, and also explained why I was hearing gunshots all afternoon yesterday; the dogs were harassing a calf that got separated from the herd. The dogs are gun-shy, so he was shooting up in the air to scare them off.

Clea got her own piece of salmon. Chickens got chilled meaty watermelon rinds. Mosquitos got my feet, per usual.

Countdown is getting real. After tonight, only four days and four nights 'til Josephine and I are on the road again.

Here's today's painting...

"Thistle"

5' x 3' acrylic on canvas

August 12 - Interstate

Carrie and Jonas just stopped by to say goodbye and look at paintings and she gave me one of her quilts!!! Feeling blessed.

"Interstate"

5' x 3' acrylic on canvas
(This is the painting I left behind for Katherine)

Middle-of-the-night drive down to visit goats and dogs.. many doggy kisses for me, and for the bravest goats, good long scritches. Both improved my outlook.

Love over fear every day.

Except for the scorpion in the bedroom that I squished earlier today. No justice for that arthropod.