Snowy Peaks

Snowy Peaks

Oil on canvas, 10x10 

On Saturday, I painted at 8,000 feet! I could feel it, too. I wasn't dizzy (well, no dizzier than usual), but it took effort to get a full, deep breath. 

And it felt like I was up high. The trees were different - pines and birches. The sun burned me quickly through the thin air. The wind was very cold, though the day was warm. 

I was in the San Francisco Peaks, and had arrived there after leaving the Grand Canyon early that morning. After I did this painting, I drove up higher, to the base of the Arizona Snowbowl, at about 9,000 feet. Though there was no real snow to speak of, they'd made snow and there were lots of people skiing.

Seeing the place transported me. When I was younger, I skied a lot. Our family skied, and my dad and I, in particular, skied together. We were both good skiers but didn't like to go too fast, so we were a good pair. I thought for a moment about calling Dad and Paula and seeing if they wanted to come for one more run together, but I backed out. The thought of it was probably better than the skiing would have been. 

Here's my painting in the landscape.

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See? I really WAS up that high!

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 This tiny church, Chapel of the Holy Dove, is on the road in Kendrick Park. Click here to see photos of the inside - and a wedding! 

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 I fell in love with the town of Kendrick Park, high up in the San Francisco mountains. I couldn't find a spot to pull off the road safely to paint, but I took lots of photos, and am so looking forward to doing some paintings of this little mountain town. 

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A pretty sight on the way. 

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Dog of the Day

This guy was up for adoption at the Tubac Arts Festival. People from the local Humane Society walked adoptable dogs around the festival, and some of them found new homes. This guy was a real cutie. Imagine him with a wash, a little brushing, a little love, and a trim between the eyes. He'll make some human very, very happy. And I bet it will go the other way, too.