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 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

July 17

Wow, chickens are afraid of thunder, too. 5 of them just about galloped across the lawn for cover at that last rumble.

Thunder has been terrific today, long and loud and dramatic. Humidity is visible. No rain.

The dogs: Sky, Smiley, Max