Kathrin Burleson

2011-12-04T20:11:00.000-08:00

Frank Hlebakos
March 4, 1920- December 1, 2011

Sitting in Starbucks, this sunny morning in Monterey.

My tea is finished, but I am not leaving just yet.

I have internet access here

and I am logged onto the online family album

looking at the photo of my dad taken around 1942.

He looks so confident and handsome in his sailor suit,

his whole life ahead of him, destined for great things.

This was just before he was shipped off to the Aleutian Islands

where he served as an airplane mechanic during the war.

He also had a still which he and his buddy, Dan the Mexican, tended.

From what I understand, they generously shared their moonshine up there in that cold, barren place,

which made them quite popular with the other sailors.

As tough and scary as it was, I think it was one of the best times of his life.

Dad died yesterday at the age of 91.

The last ten years or so, he was someone I didn’t really know.

Regret and resentment took their toll.

Anger and hatred popped up in unexpected places

and there was so little joy or happiness.

I never could completely understand it,

and came to accept that it only made sense

in the dark closet of his memories.

Interesting that he seems to be here with me now

just hanging out in this coffee shop--

the dad that I loved and admired when I was growing up,

the one for whom anything was possible.

And now, finally, that may very well be true.

No longer imprisoned by what might have been,

he is free to live in the eternal now,

content and at peace with what is.

Blob revisited

2011-11-23T15:20:00.000-08:00

Judy, shown here with her award winning dog, Chip, is one of my agility teachers. She recently received an IPad from her very generous and thoughtful daughter so has renewed interest in the internet. Judy is a really good teacher and employs the same positive reinforcement with us as she encourages us to use with our dogs. Operant training. Emphasize the positive, ignore the negative (to the extent that is possible and practical).
With the onset of the rain season, practicing has become a little challenging. However the raccoons which have been terrorizing our place lately seem undaunted by the weather. Every night they tear out my tulip bulbs and throw them all over the yard and I often hear them stomping and cavorting on the deck. A couple of nights ago, they were lined up outside the French doors staring at us as we ate dinner. It is as if we are being invaded by Orcs and frankly, it is a little unnerving. We have tried the cayenne pepper mixture, the Scarecrow (motion activated sprinkler). Nothing seems to work. In desperation I have sent my smaller tulip pots off to a friend's for the time being, but I would like to solve this as I fear they will go for the koi in the pond next, if they haven't already, and I have to be really careful about letting my fearless corgis outside after dark (I keep them on a leash so they won't go after them which could be really dangerous) I welcome any thoughts or suggestions any of you may have.

Wynonna

2011-11-16T12:28:00.000-08:00

Last night Wynonna Judd was at Humboldt State and Mike and I went to hear her. Quite honestly, I had never listened to much of her music, and didn't know that much about her. She was part of the Judds, the other part being her mother Naomi, another gorgeous redhead. Years ago I was seated in an airplane and a man sat next to me and started to chat. He very proudly said that he was with the Judds, to which I replied, who are the Judds? He couldn't believe that someone hadn't heard of the Judds, but there I was. He told me they were the hottest thing in country music, and now that I have heard more of their music I can understand why. But back to Wynonna, the music was great (too loud, but great---we were glad we had our custom earplugs with us), and she is, well, she's a trip. She came out glorious in black velvet with sparkles everywhere. She was a vision, and frankly, it made me want to get some of that stuff and sparkle a bit myself, but it's not really my style. She is a down-to-earth, right there kind of performer and was genuinely effusive as she expressed her gratitude for all of us turning out for the show. And she can really belt out a tune. I think the most moving moment was when she asked the audience to sing the refrain back to her, and they did. Many of those there knew the words and had obviously been singing along to her recordings so they sounded great--it was like a chorus of angels singing the refrain---"Love can build a bridge between your heart and mine. Don't you think it's time?". She just closed her eyes and let it wash over her. So did I. It was a great evening and she was inspiring in many ways. Thanks, Wynonna!

Vets, Conventions and Corgis

2011-11-14T20:33:00.000-08:00

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This past weekend was full. In fact, I don't think I have ever had such disparate activities back to back. I'll work backwards. No, I'll start with Friday which was Veterans Day when I attended the
event at the Municipal Hall in Eureka, which is presented by the Rotary Club of Southwest Eureka. Stu Russell organizes that each year, and it is always a moving tribute to our veterans. This year, Steve Colwell was the keynote speaker and he spoke about his experiences in Viet Nam, and the deep connection that veterans have with one another. He is now involved with several worthwhile organizations, and many there were especially moved and inspired by his work with Wounded Warriors. My hunch is that Humboldt County will be doing something with that organization and if you are interested, please contact me or Stu and we will put you in touch with Steve. They do great work. I am pleased to say that we had quite a few of our Honor Flight vets there as well and it was great to see that sea of WWII Veteran caps and royal blue shirts. It was a honor to have the opportunity to say a few words about North Coast Honor Flight.

My car was already packed so as soon as that finished, I drove to Redding to show my work at the Diocesan Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California. I was showing work that was featured on the cover of Forward Day by Day this past year, as well as other contemplative work, and introducing new digital prints. As always, it was good to see folks from around the Diocese that I only see every year or so. When that wrapped up (earlier than expected), I loaded up the car and headed to Dixon (near Sacramento) to show my work at the Corgi Faire. Now that was quite an experience. Imagine a very large room full of corgis. I never would have believed that corgis, who can be a little snarky, would get along so well together. It was a visual delight. Activities included races, where they tied little jockeys and cowboys on the backs of the dogs (I am including a photo so you know I am not making this up), as well as a costume competition with various categories. Proud to be an American (three corgis decked out in flags) fit right in with the patriotic theme of the weekend, and the three little pigs was pretty cute.
They also had booths with information on proper care of corgis, and I hope lots of people paid attention. There were way too many overweight corgis there (see above) as they LOVE to eat, and it takes real effort and restraint to keep them healthy and in good shape.

So, if this post seems a little disjointed, that is how life has been lately. Good, but really scattered. Now that those events are behind me, I am looking forward to studio immersion and making and posting artwork. I have some very interesting commissions and am very excited about getting back to work.

TDAA Tournament

2011-11-07T10:51:00.000-08:00

Agilit

Dogs as Body Warmers

2011-11-07T10:46:00.004-08:00

This is Lisa, my neighbor and mentor at Del Valle a couple of weeks ago. Please note Simon, who spends a lot of time in her jacket, as shown. She makes and sells custom dog collars and leashes, and my two corgis are quite dashing in their new Celtic look.

Two Months!

2011-11-07T09:20:00.000-08:00

How can this be? The past two months have been very busy with Honor Flight (more on that later when I figure out how to post a slideshow), when our hub took 100 WWII vets to Washington DC to see their memorial. It was a great trip. We had 50 guardians---volunteers who each paid for the privilege of helping these American heroes. But, as I said, more on that later.

I am going to do a little catch up here, working back in time. Yesterday was the Teacup Dog Agility Association (TDAA) Tournament in Grants Pass. The last event I attended was back in September, shortly before I fell out of sight on these pages. There was a heat wave at the time (keep in mind that Grants Pass is not known for cool summer weather without a heat wave). It was over 100 degrees. We were in a horse barn that was fine for us and the dogs, but heaven for the millions of flies that were covering everything, including us and the dogs. The misters that were blowing cooling water into the barn were turning the sawdust/dirt into mud, so it all added up to a memorable experience. This time, the temperature was notable in that it never reached 50 degrees, and hovered around 40. Same open barn, only this time it was rain that was turning the sawdust/dirt into mud. We were freezing. Now, please know that I am not complaining, just noting that one of the advantages to running agility is that it puts you in situations in which you normally wouldn't find yourself after a certain age and there is something to be said for that.

There is also something to be said for small dogs, as you can use them as little body warmers, as shown in these photos. Okay, some of them are just wrapped in quilts or cute little outfits, but the chihuahuas are often inside someone's jacket with just their heads poking out. My corgis are not the kind of dogs that wear clothes or could fit inside my jacket so we just toughed it out. The cold had a less than positive effect on their performance however. They were invigorated, and inspired to design their own course so that they could run really fast and work up some body heat. But the upshot of it was that we didn't do very well. Emma did place and qualify twice, and Raleigh once, so it wasn't a total bust. And even though we left a day early, it was great to see all of those little dogs and their owners, and really appreciate all of the work that goes into making an event like that happen.

2011-09-13T20:47:00.000-07:00

Please check out the comment on the post from Mensona. This is the first one I have ever had that has a recipe, but considering that Lee (the mystery poster) and I have such a great food connection, it shouldn't surprise me. He is a great cook and has so many tricks up his sleeve, so if we are really lucky, he'll continue to share his wonderful recipes and food tips in this blog.

2011-09-09T09:21:00.000-07:00

Dori and Ed

2011-09-09T08:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Midori Fulk, a Trinidad woman, and I visitied Ed Smith. Dori is sponsoring Ed on his Honor Flight, which is coming up October 4. Her mother is Japanese, so Dori has very deep feelings regarding the Pacific theatre of WWII . Ed was on Wake Island and was a POW for four years. In Dori's own words:
"I was raised to remember to make a difference in people's lives when I could, and when I first heard Kathrin Burleson mention the Honor Flight Program, I realized that this was a way I could make a difference to someone in a way that meant something personal to myself as well. This opportunity is so important to me for many reasons, generationally and culturally. I am very much looking forward to meeting "Ed" Smith. I want him to know that I think it is important to remember what he, and all military women and men, fought for and what he lived through, to thank and honor him for that. I have heard and understand some of his story, and I will not forget it."
We sat at the kitchen table and sipped tea, as Ed shared some of his stories with us. He also expressed his sincere gratitude to Dori.
To see those two meet was one of the most beautiful experiences I have ever had. Both are fine, loving people, and great Americans.

Friends at Mensona

2011-09-03T08:46:00.000-07:00

Here is the uncropped version---Lee Klein (WWII vet whom you will recognize from prior shots of him on our deck), moi, and John and Jody Jarvis, longtime friends who have recently relocated to Sonoma County. It was such a treat to see them and have the encouragement during the rally trials. A dedicated cheering section works wonders.

Mensona

2011-08-29T20:23:00.000-07:00

Well, it was a great weekend. For those of you who have never been to a major dog show, it's really something that is worth seeking out. The Mensona Show features Conformation, Agility, and Obedience so there is lots going on. I was there wearing two hats---a vendor with my paintings, and an exhibitor with my two corgis. Both were entered in Rally Obedience, and this was Emma's first trial. Raleigh is a seasoned competitor now, and got scores of 96 and 98, earning him a second and third place, as well as a title. Emma, on the other hand, was a little overwhelmed by the experience and simply couldn't bring herself to sit on command. Consequently, since most of the stations required a sit of some sort, and the judge grew a little tired of hearing me say, "Sit, Emma" as enthusiastically as I knew how, we were excused from the ring midway through. However, on the second day, Emma rallied (no pun intended here), sat beautifully, and got an 85.
But, as most of you know, the real purpose for being there was to show my art, and it was great to meet and greet so many dog/art enthusiasts, especially the corgi lovers out there. I will be at the Corgi Fair sponsored by the Golden Gate Pembroke Welsh Corgi Fanciers Association in Dixon on November 13 (more on that later). It was so good to see friends who live in the area, and I have some photos to post, but for some reason Blogger refuses to upload anything but images of the paintings that I showed. So there you have it. Lee, Jody, Jim, and Lovie----thank you for coming by. I hope to get your pictures up once cyberspace cooperates.

Kai

2011-08-29T20:18:00.002-07:00

Kai

2011-08-29T20:18:00.000-07:00

Willie

2011-08-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

Lee's

2011-08-23T11:40:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite cookbook authors and food experts was Lee Bailey. His books are all about easy living, good food, and finding pleasure in simple things well done. Last year I had the good fortune to meet Lee Klein, a good friend of Lee Bailey's on an Honor Flight trip. Lee, shown above with a photo of him in one of Lee's books, was in the Navy for years, and of course is a WWII hero. He is also a great guy who is lots of fun and we enjoy sharing recipes and food tips. It was great to get him up here for a visit and we look forward to many more.

2011-08-23T10:59:00.000-07:00

It only seemed fair to include this video of Raleigh's clean run.

Not to brag, but . . .

2011-08-23T09:10:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at the CPE Agility Trials in Eureka hosted by Humdog. Emma and Raleigh each ran in 12 runs each which makes for a pretty active weekend. Actually, while Emma did run each course, but as you can see from the video, it wasn't always in the right direction. However, her enthusiasm and speed make up for her unpredictability. Raleigh on the other hand, was on his game. He qualified in 11 of 12 runs, and got 9 firsts. He is a solid competitor, and if I give him correct guidance, he shines. These videos were taken by 4 Legged Flix, really nice guys who do good work. While one crew was videoing our rather uneventful event on Saturday, the other crew was in Walnut Creek videoing a horse running through a dog agility course, which makes Emma running off course look very mild. As soon as that video is reposted on YouTube I'll give you a link.

L'absinthe avec des amis francais

2011-08-17T08:27:00.003-07:00

Never did I imagine that I would be sipping absinthe on a sunny Pacific afternoon, let alone with good friends from France that we haven't seen in over twenty years. But, here's the photo to prove it. We are enjoying a visit from the Petri family, wonderful people that we met many years ago when they visited relatives in Eureka. We visited them in France and have kept in touch by Christmas cards all of these years. Through those annual photos, we have watched Candice grow up to be the lovely young woman that you see here, and it is a real treat to finally meet her. She will begin an internship in engineering in Austin next month, and we are so happy that they ventured up north before starting their tour of the Western states en route to Texas. Today we will go to the Humboldt County Fair---a slice of rural America--where they plan to try their luck at the races. It's great to be with them. Bienvenue Francois, Catherine et Candice. Nous attendons la prochaine visite!

Bart

2011-08-17T08:20:00.000-07:00

Flowers for Twyla

2011-08-12T09:08:00.001-07:00

Dental Teams

2011-08-11T20:37:00.000-07:00

Today I went for a check-up with my oral surgeon to see how the gum is healing after the work described in an earlier poem on this blog. The good news is that it is progressing nicely. The better news is that I have such a good team taking care of this rather complicated procedure. Shown here is Dr. William Martey, who in addition to being an oral surgeon, is also an M. D. He is originally from Ghana, educated at Oxford and a very nice guy. Also a great surgeon. His surgical assistant is Kim, also great at what she does. I think it is sometimes too easy to take the remarkable skills of people like this for granted. Not only are they well trained, but they are so kind and helpful. Thanks you two! I'll see you in November.

2011-08-11T20:35:00.001-07:00

As promised, one of Connie's ceramic sculptures . . . pretty wonderful, isn't it?

Foxglove

2011-08-10T20:58:00.001-07:00

Salmon Dinner

2011-08-10T20:48:00.000-07:00

It had been way too long since we shared a meal and conversation with our good friends Connie Butler and Janine Volkmar, so we invited them over for a spur of the moment dinner Sunday evening. These two women grace my life and I feel so blessed to travel down the road with them.

It is also good to know that these pages have a bit of influence. After reading the post about my new camera, and seeing it in person on Sunday, Connie was so inspired that she went to Costco and got herself a Nikon Coolpix, which seems to be quite a trend these days. By the way, Connie is also a world class sculptor, so Connie, I know you will be reading this, please send an image the whale, or the mermaid or another piece so that I can post it here on the blog. Oh, she also spends time at Fire Arts and makes the most amazing ceramic pieces. Connie, please send an image of one of those as well.

Pat and Kai

2011-08-04T21:33:00.000-07:00

Pat Johnson is the owner of TNT Agility, and the central figure to much of what goes on in the dog world of Humboldt County. She is a terrific handler, wonderful teacher, and works tirelessly on behalf of dog training and education. I don't know where she gets her energy, but I think she has met her match in her new puppy, Kai.

Jan and Nina

2011-08-04T21:27:00.002-07:00

Isn't this a soulful moment?
Nina usually starts her jump about six feet in front of the hurdle, and we all hold our breath as she sails across the pole.
As I've said, I have met the nicest people (and dogs) in agility.

Impulse purchase

2011-08-04T21:15:00.000-07:00

When I was at Costco last week, I happened to be strolling through the camera section, and a little Nikon caught my eye. It is less than an inch thick, and seemed just the thing to carry in my purse at all times, since so many times I wish I had a camera on me, but my others are too big to have with me all of the time, so, I picked up this little maroon Coolpix thinking that it was quite an extravagant thing to have, and as the name implies, quite cool. Now it seems that just about everybody I mention it to already has a Nikon Coolpix. But it is a great little camera and small enough to be really handy. I had it today so that I could get these pictures of Alice and Gretta (above), and Nora and Tucker. Alice is 81 years old and a very good handler. Her husband Bob was on our Honor Flight in May and they are really an impressive couple. She tried to call him after class but he was out riding his bike so she couldn't reach him. He also swims every morning. I am not at liberty to share his age, but he's a WWII vet, so do the math. Inspirational folks. Gretta is an awesome dog, too.

Nora and Tucker are also great to watch in action. Tucker is such a classically beautiful dog---to me he's the quintessential American dog, and for all I know he is descended from a German breed, but he's like the dog next door.

Pembrat

2011-08-04T20:18:00.004-07:00

Emma also loves Beverly, who owns two corgis and those two bonded when Emma was just a puppy.

Blob

2011-08-04T20:15:00.000-07:00

Tonight at agility class, I mentioned to Judy and Mel that they had been featured on my blog yesterday and I wanted to have a photo of them. Well, here it is. As you can see, Emma adores Judy, and so do the rest of us. Mel's okay too.

Modesty Aside

2011-08-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

I hesitated to post about this, but Raleigh did pretty well at the trials---you can see his ribbons displayed in the tent behind me. By the end of the weekend, he had won six blue ribbons (and a toy for each) and one second place. Emma didn't fare quite so well, but she did get one blue ribbon (Raleigh came in second in that trial). This photo was taken by Mel Sample, one of our teachers at TNT Agility. He and his wife Judy are real naturals at the sport, as well as being patient instructors. It's been such a gift to get to know the agility community---as I've mentioned below, they are so down to earth and real. I can see why some people get on the circuit and go to a trial nearly every weekend. How can you beat running around with your dog and hanging out with great people? It's something that most of us thought we had to give up once we reached a certain age---and then we discovered agility.

Meeting a Mentor

2011-07-28T20:27:00.000-07:00

As I was setting up my canopy the afternoon before the trials started (just before the Fun Run) I heard a familiar voice out on the field. It was one of those times when something is familiar, but you know that there is also something different going on. "Quill, Quill! Come!" I thought wait a minute, that's the voice from the DVD I have been watching and learning from for the past six months. And indeed it was Sandy Rogers, a well-known and respected dog trainer from the Bay Area, here in Humboldt County to compete with her dogs. I had a chance to get acquainted with Sandy over the weekend, and to tell her how much I have learned from watching her DVD demonstrations. It seemed only right that we have a photo taken in front of Raleigh's blue ribbons (the athlete himself is in his crate just below the frame of the photo), since much of Raleigh's success is due to her long-distance training. Her DVD is called One Jump, Two Jump, and it is an inspired approach that uses only jumps to learn and practice basic, essential, agility skills. As you can see from her site, she is an accomplished competitor, and she and her partners have won many impressive titles. Plus, she is a very down to earth, friendly person. I couldn't resist asking her if I was hearing the DVD correctly when she was demonstrating playing tug with Quill, her Jack Russell Terrier, and she confirmed that "girlie butt" is in fact one of her terms of endearment with Quill (the only female dog in her family). I just love that.

AKC Agility Trials in Ferndale

2011-07-26T20:58:00.000-07:00

Happy energetic dogs, friendly people, great weather---this past weekend was the annual AKC Agility trials in Ferndale hosted by the Lost Coast Kennel Club. There were exhibitors (not salesmen, but dog runners) from all over the western United States, and a bit beyond, with their dogs, and their tents, and all of the paraphernalia that goes along with doing a trial. Within hours, a little community gets set up, and it becomes a world set apart from the things that usually occupy us. Really, it's like summer camp for adults and their dogs, and the lucky kids who get to come along.
We corgi people tend to get acquainted right away and it was a pleasure to meet Debbie and Nancy, two sisters from Modesto, California, shown above with their corgis, who, interestingly, are also sisters. Both of them are ranchers, and Nancy (on the left) also barrel races. This is not the kind of venue for sissies. These are impressive women. But I should have guessed that, since owning a corgi is not for the faint of heart.

Drawing Group

2011-07-22T20:41:00.005-07:00

Last Saturday, (how can a week go by so quickly?) five women spent the day at my studio (and in the garden) drawing. The weather cooperated so we spent most of the time outside, and it was so good to see how each of them really engaged the drawing process---the emphasis was on pure contours---and were able to sink into the experience of seeing and drawing. It's always remarkable to see how art can be such an effortless catalyst for the formation and comfort of a group. It really does bypass the barriers we all construct for one reason or another. It was the first time most of us had met, and by the end of the day, we felt like old friends. I look forward to more afternoons drawing with this fine group. Oh, and we took time for a leisurely lunch on the deck.

Glamor girls

2011-07-13T20:56:00.000-07:00

You know how some people look like their dogs? Well, Marlene doesn't really resemble her poodle, but they both have the most amazing hair (in Tia's case, fur) and I just couldn't resist posting this. Marlene is terrific at agility---note the great form that both of these fine athletes are exhibiting.
By the way, I took a few shots today and learned that photographing dogs racing through a course is a lot harder than it looks. The blurred dog gives an idea of how fast she is moving.

Agility Workshop

2011-07-13T19:49:00.001-07:00

This has been a big week for the agility community here in Humboldt County. Nancy Gyes, a world class agility figure has been leading a workshop for about 30 agility enthusiasts of all levels. I first met Nancy a little over a year ago when I attended a half-day workshop in Oregon with Emma, who was just a little over seven months old. At that time I didn't know much about her, but the folks here really encouraged me to attend. It was obvious from the start that she was not only a knowledgeable practitioner of the sport, she is also an excellent teacher---one of those rare individuals who is able to meet each student at his level, and give good constructive training and suggestions. Her emphasis on crate and circle games really took hold, and has made life much easier around here. "Emma, get to your crate!" and zoom, there she goes.

The photos are obviously of our gathering earlier today. Marlene very generously is hosting the event at her place, and with the canopies, tents, dog crates and canvas chairs it has the feel of a summer camp---a world apart from the concerns that tend to fill up our days. It is so great to be with a bunch of dog lovers, most of them women of a certain age, who are willing to do whatever is necessary to maximize a dog's performance, which more often than not involves some pretty outrageous behavior (get that toy you silly girl!), and then get out there and run around on the field trying to perfect moves that can feel a little awkward at times. Yes, it is a great sport and some wonderful athletes participate, but it takes some doing to get there, and what we go through in the process is so, well, humanizing, that it just makes for a really good community. I was an auditor today, so got to just watch the runs, and be part of the group that stood on the sidelines cheering the good runs, and come to think of it, some of the not-so-good runs as well, because support is a big part of what this is all about. It's been a great experience and I am encouraged by what I've learned this week and looking forward to practicing and developing a clear strategy for the sport.

2011-07-06T21:13:00.001-07:00

My dentist is Dr. Karen Beck, shown here with her assistant, Kendra, on the right. I feel very fortunate to have these women taking care of my dental needs (I hesitated to add this, but it is a little odd to have a team of such capable professionals who look about twelve years old). After the extraction (described on the previous post), there is a fairly lengthy healing process which requires a stay plate (euphemism for false tooth) and they have been so good about making sure that it is just right. I confess that I am nearly fanatical about dental health and hygiene so have been in a couple of times for fine tuning. Those of you who see me smile would never be able to guess which tooth isn't mine (and none of us are telling). Many thanks to these two (and the rest of the office) for all of their help!

Open Wide

2011-07-06T21:11:00.000-07:00

Last week I had oral surgery.

The process involved extracting the tooth that had cracked on what had seemed to be a harmless clump of granola.

Harmless that is until I bit down on it and heard what sounded like an explosion going off in my head.

It wasn’t painful,

but it was immediately clear

that this is what it is like to break a tooth.

It happened in an instant.

but he implications will go on for a lot longer than that--

about six months in fact.

The solution is an implant—a new tooth attached to a titanium post that the oral surgeon placed in my maxillary bone six days ago.

I opted for the local anesthetic, so was awake during the whole procedure,

and it was actually quite interesting to lie comfortably in that chair listening to the banging and drilling,

while the assistant held down the top of my head so I wouldn’t move too much as the dental surgeon yanked out what was left of my molar.

Incredibly, I felt no pain at all.

It was as if someone was doing roadwork in my mouth with a tiny but powerful jackhammer,

and I was one of those onlookers standing on the curb,

hands in pockets, just watching.

I don’t mean to brag, but both dentists complimented me on my calmness,

(which sort of baffles me as I still don’t see any other option considering the circumstances).

Quite honestly, I can’t think of any other area of my life where I might be described as calm.
But this worked out so well, that I just might give it a try the next time things don’t go as expected,

or even when they do.

All in all, it has been a good reminder that nothing lasts forever---

not a tooth, discomfort, or difficult circumstances.

And it’s a not a bad idea to make the most of every experience that comes our way,

even at the risk of feeling pain.

Back to Oregon

2011-07-06T20:04:00.000-07:00

Last night at Rally class, our teacher Sally brought her video camera and we were able to watch recordings of the TDAA runs at Grant Pass. This one of Emma (her first standard run) may be worth a watch. Pay particular attention to the chute. Three, no make that four, is the charm. Go Emma!

Celebrate Liberty!

2011-07-04T20:20:00.000-07:00

What a great day this was. It's one of my favorite holidays---when Americans gather to celebrate independence and freedom. I was torn between two events. Here in Trinidad, Janis Saunders was cutting the ribbon on at Saunders Park, a beautiful new park next to the Trinidad Museum and soon-to-be built Trinidad Library. Janis and Glenn Saunders have donated the land for all of this, as well as made very generous donations to each project. I am sure that it was a real celebration and tribute to these well-loved people who do so much for this community and I wish I could have been there.

Instead, I was in Ferndale, helping out with the Honor Flight float in the Fourth of July parade and it was a glorious event. First, what could be better than hanging out with a dozen American heroes on the Fourth of July? And it was even better since it was Ferndale---the only other town I'd want to live in besides Trinidad. It's a small dairy town, so we loaded up looking out over fields with grazing dairy cows. Then went past the horses and tractor entry as we got in line. The reception for the vets was wonderful---lots of clapping, cheering, and thank you's. This was a good warm-up for our booth at the Humboldt County Fair in Ferndale August 11-21. After the parade we enjoyed hamburgers at the barbecue put on by the Ferndale Rotary Club. Great burgers, hot dogs, potato salad, and Humboldt Creamery vanilla ice cream, plus an opportunity to visit with the locals. Ferndale Rotary has been very generous to Honor Flight---these are real patriots. All of the Rotary Clubs in the county have been generous, but Ferndale, the smallest club, really came through. Many thanks to the members of this small but active group (having been to their meeting I can also add that they are the most lively)

When we got home, it was time to . . . relax. The sun was out, there was no wind (rare here on the coast), so I, well, I just sat outside for most of the afternoon and enjoyed looking at the ocean and garden, birds, bees and soaked it all up. It may not have been fireworks and festivities, but it was a chance to appreciate how fortunate I am to live in this beautiful place in this great country. I hope that all of you Americans also had an opportunity to take the time to celebrate this important day and this great nation. Happy Fourth of July!

And the winner is . . . .

2011-07-03T13:44:00.001-07:00

Metta! Well, to be more precise, Metta and her two rescue dogs Muffin and Pepsi, who came in first and second in both of the Novice A trials that we competed in yesterday. (Raleigh and I followed with third and fourth). One of her scores was a perfect 100. Great job you guys. Congratulations!

Raleigh Really Likes Rally

2011-07-03T12:57:00.000-07:00

A Rally event in Ferndale, our first.

Because it was happening here on the North

Coast, I decided to

enter Raleigh

for both trials. I

guess that it is the natural thing for

him to do along with agility.

In fact, this is

just his cup of tea, in

keeping with his competitive spirit.

My hunch is that

nothing will replace this

oh so joyful combination of discipline and

play--the

quintessentially friendly obedience

routine of walking a course,

stopping at each placard, being sure to

take time to understand and follow instructions,

undertaking the task

very carefully

while the judge walking nearby, critically

examines and notes our every move.

Yet I am certain that she must be impressed by Raleigh’s

zenlike focus.

As you might surmise from this poem, and photograph, we had our first experience in competitive Rally this weekend. Rally is a sport that grew out of Obedience. The difference is that this is much more user friendly, or I suppose dog friendly would be more apt (no offense intended for the Obedience people out there---it's just a different approach and there is no judgment intended). In Rally, the team (dog and handler) walks a course that has 10-20 placards with instructions for various maneuvers, ranging from very simple to fairly complicated. The handler is encouraged to engage the dog the entire time-- commands, encouragement, and praise are all part of the deal. Raleigh loves it, and so does Emma. This was Raleigh's first trial and he did remarkably well--a third place with a score of 97, and a fourth with a score of 96. He has this matter of fact approach to the sport, much like agility, which quite honestly, I would not have expected from him. But it is a good example of how a challenge and purpose can bring out the best in all of us. And, for you fellow competitors out there, I am fully aware that you never know what a dog will do on any given day, and I know better than to take Raleigh's good performance for granted. In fact, one of our stellar trainers, who in this case shall remain unnamed, (but you know who you are) noted to a group of us that she had the distinction of coming in last place in two trials (and she has great dogs), which proves that it can happen to anybody. This good natured attitude is one of the things that I like best about this community.

Lighten up on the Leash

I am wondering why the dog world has recently become so important to me,

or perhaps more accurately, why it took me so long to discover it.

I’ve definitely fallen into the allure of the canine competitive

universe,

and it feels like home.

I love the friendly competition,

the esprit de corps of the participants,

the enthusiastic support that is so pleasant to give and receive.

The sport is really about competing with your own potential,

rather than trying to beat other teams.

Oh, there is the occasional competitor who may resent someone else’s success,

or worse yet, get impatient with a dog who hasn’t performed as well as he might have.

But that is the exception rather than the rule.

Most of the time both success and failure are accepted with good humor.

I think I compete pretty much the way I live my life----

running up against challenges and obstacles,

unaware of anyone else,

sometimes rushing so that I overlook the obvious,

or holding on too tight

so that I make things more difficult than they need to be.

In fact, our score of 96 in yesterday’s Rally trial pretty much sums it up.

The judge docked me one point for a tight lead,

and Raleigh lost three---for barking with joy mid-course.

In my mind, a good trade off for a nearly perfect score.

The Results

2011-06-30T10:18:00.011-07:00

It was a beautiful day in Grants Pass on Saturday. Just warm enough to feel like a real summer day, which is something that we who live in the foggy area of Humboldt County appreciate (Eureka/Trinidad are the coolest communities in the contiguous United Stated during the summer, averaging about 62 degrees). We had five runs for the day---three games and two standards. As you can see from these photos, both dogs did pretty well, qualifying in four runs each. Emma got three firsts and a second. Raleigh won a first, second and third. The thing that makes this quite remarkable is that I am not a very good handler. In fact, I am a terrible handler, and believe me this is not false modesty. There are numerous videos out there to back this up.

Teacup Dog Agility Trials

2011-06-29T20:42:00.000-07:00

We traveled to Grants Pass this past weekend for our first runs in the TDAA trials. I heard about this organization from Sally Dunn, our Rally teacher (more on that later). This is an agility group that is limited to dogs that are less than 17" at the shoulders, which of course my dogs both are. (Yes, they may be a bit longer than some of the other dogs, but their legs are short, so they do qualify). The judges and organizers, Michelle Reehl and Joan Wieckowski, are terrific women who set the stage for a stress-free, enjoyable experience. We were only able to participate on Saturday, the day that Michelle judged. How great to have a judge that has such a good time and enjoys the dogs so much. It made it all so much fun, which is what the sport of agility should be.

The event was photographed by Terry Tuttle who was there with his camera, unobtrusively capturing some pretty wonderful moments. These two of Emma and Raleigh taking jumps are his work.

Fish Festival and Vets

2011-06-20T20:23:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was the annual Trinidad Fish Festival. It was a great day with all of the usual qualities-bustling activity, lots of visitors (with and without dogs), music and crafts. The whole community gets involved setting up, cooking, serving and yes, cleaning up (no small task). Lots and lots of activity for days, and a real flurry on the actual day of the event. Speaking of flurries, we can always count on that day being one of the windiest of the year. Perhaps it is just because we are out there on the main street that goes directly to the bay which is always windy but on this day we (hundreds of us) are out there long enough to really notice. We had an Honor Flight display, and our large sun umbrella lasted about 20 minutes before the wind blew it over. Within an hour the vendors had taken down their canopies which were pulling entire displays over. Unfortunately, one potter down the way had a real catastrophe.
On a brighter note, we had lots of vets turn out for our Honor Flight booth, and good interest and support from the folks who stopped by. It is always good to get together with theses terrific veterans. Many thanks to Hugh Paz, (in the blue shirt in the left above) for this photo. He is the photographer (yes I realize he didn't actually take this shot since he is in it, but it was his camera under his directions). Hugh was a photographer during the war, and I'll bet he will share some of his photos on this blog. Watch for that in future posts.
Many thanks to all of the people who stopped by to visit, and for your donations. Watch for us at the Humboldt County Fair. If you are interested in volunteering, or getting involved in Honor Flight, please contact me. Summer is a great time for fundraisers---have your friends over for a barbecue and make it a benefit for Honor Flight. I'll bet we can get a few vets to come as your guests of Honor. Our big flight is planned for early fall.
By the way, the veteran on the front left, Kay Hartley, is the senior Marine in Humboldt County.

2011-06-17T09:45:00.000-07:00

The workshop was cut short due to some pressing needs at home, however, my time there was fruitful in unexpected ways. I learned and experienced different approaches to the model, and was reminded of how people respond in very different ways and how individual the creative process is. The emphasis was on action---active poses, rapid drawing, energetic responses. The teacher, Michael encouraged me to be more spontaneous, move my feet more and to start drawing with lots and lots of energy, which is just the opposite of my usual approach. As many of my students know, I come at it from a very different angle-----a contemplative approach of engagement. Quiet the mind, still the voice, engage, and then draw. So it was fun and challenging to try a very different strategy. I plan to give that a try in a bit and see what happens. I'll post the results in a few days.

Speaking of drawing, I plan to offer a series of drawing workshops this summer---probably one day events out here at Trinidad. I'll be sending an email out in a couple of days, but if any of you are interested please contact me and let me know what days might work best. My workshops have been on hold for quite a while and I am looking forward to teaching again.

It's a glorious day here on the coast.

Mendocino Workshop

2011-06-14T07:46:00.000-07:00

Open Studios was a great success and I thank you all for coming north to visit the studio. It's good to see old friends, and meet new people---many of whom I have "met through this blog.

I am now in Mendocino at a Life Drawing Workshop with Michael Markowitz. a San Francisco artist and instructor. This guy has some great energy and lots of information and even after one day I feel that I have been challenged and pushed. It looks to be an exciting and fruitful week.

When I travel, I use a list for my packing. There is the standard list that includes all of the basics, and the specific list that I usually make the night before I leave. I started doing this when I was a pilot many years ago in West Texas---the laminated checklist that you go over carefully each time you take off. I was even trained to touch each item with my finger so nothing was overlooked. I should have done that with my packing list as I walked off and forgot my camera. This means that posts of this experience will rely on words, rather than photos of people, places or drawings which is kind of interesting since the experience is all about leaving the verbal and concentrating on intuitive visuals. And keeping with that paradox, here are a couple of poems that I wrote this morning:

Day One---Get Your Hands Dirty

A new approach to drawing--

being present and open so that I might

capture the essence of the

divine in

each pose,

Forget

gauging proportions, I

have to go deep

inside

just to

keep from

letting

myself fall into the

naturally

occurring

pattern of

quickly

roughing out proportions.

Spirit is what this is about.

Treading in different,

uncharted

venues of drawing

without being afraid to

express

your entry into another

zone.

Here's another:

Drawing from Life

Being in an intense life drawing workshop is an interesting experience.

Ten people have gathered with like intention for one week.

Most of us enrolled simply to improve our drawing--

to learn some new approaches, or get a kick start in what we do.

It’s a focused week of drawing from the model.

This is what I notice.

When we draw, we are pulled into one body,

not that of Isaac, our lithe and expressive model,

although he is certainly the catalyst.

No, in a very mysterious way,

we become a body ourselves,

united in the common goal of making marks to express our response to what we see,

which is Isaac in some very remarkable poses that only last a minute or so.

In those moments, we go away, and the sound of compressed charcoal dragging across smooth newsprint becomes

background music to this new entity born of seeing.

Between poses, our instructor, Michael, probes the experience by asking questions that frankly are a little cloudy and enigmatic.

I think he is trying to coax us into self-awareness,

in order to help us get to a deeper level of relationship—

with ourselves, the model, the marks.

Our responses are usually questions in return,

tentative attempts to describe what just happened,

or, more commonly, how we think we fell short.

This is not territory that lends itself to verbal acuity.

Words, when chosen carefully, can crack the shell that holds old patterns,

but the tap, tap, tap, however well intentioned,

can feel so invasive.

More preview

2011-06-02T12:35:00.000-07:00

It is so good to be hearing back from so many of you regarding my Open Studios announcement! It is pretty remarkable that so far today I have heard from Maui, Jerusalem, Bulgaria, Greece, England, in addition to points all over this country. Needless to say, those from far away were regrets, but it was great to hear from all of you. And good to hear from the nearby folks who are planning to come by this weekend. Here is a bit more of what I will be showing. My trip to India a few years back inspired quite a few elephant (and other Indian animal) paintings, which were really the beginning of my current involvement with elephants and conservation. Since the trip to Africa followed shortly after that trip, I never exhibited that work, so this will be the first showing of the Indian elephant series.

Forward Day by Day

2011-06-01T14:52:00.001-07:00

Many of you have mentioned (from as far away as Jerusalem!) that you have seen my paintings on the covers of Forward Movement, Day by Day, a quarterly devotional published by the Episcopal Church. This was a great honor and it has been fun to get feed-back from around the country (the world, really). This painting is Paraclete (Holy Spirit), and is the current cover, as it refers to Pentecost which is coming up on June 12. The painting was inspired by a medieval sculpture of the Trinity that I saw in the Legion of Honor in San Francisco a few years back. I confess that my parrot, Wyckham, was the model for the Holy Spirit.

Our first Flight . . .

2011-05-31T13:54:00.000-07:00

Here's what I've been doing lately. On May 12, North Coast Honor Flight had our first trip to Washington DC with a group of 39 vets. I wish I could show all of the photos that I took, and if I were better at technology, probably could, but this gives a flavor of the experience. What an honor to accompany these heroes on this trip. Without exception they were delightful, humble, admirable---well, the list of positives could go on and on. We are working towards a flight in early fall, and have had lots of people indicate that they would like to help. Please let me know if you are interested in being part of this---there are many things that you can do, and it is a joy and privilege to be involved.

More Tulips

2011-05-08T13:10:00.001-07:00

Normally, I would save these images and post them one or two at a time, but this is going to be a very busy week since our first flight for North Coast Honor Flight is this coming weekend and there are lots of loose ends to tie up. The local Board has been a dream to work with and I marvel at what everyone has managed to accomplish while still running businesses, homes, and a ranch(!). Thad Greenson of the Times-Standard wrote a very good article in today's paper, which gives an excellent overview of what is coming up.

In the meantime, I keep painting these tulips . . . These are all acrylic on board and range from 8x10" to 18x24".

Tulips

2011-05-05T21:07:00.010-07:00

Okay, here are a couple of tulip paintings. Many of you have asked what I have been painting lately, to which I reply, tulips, I'll post some on my blog---but then have neglected to do so. I have about six, no, make that eight paintings around the studio that are just about finished, but not quite. I'll get them up in the near future. Quite honestly, the Honor Flight project has been taking lots of time, and it has been great. Still painting, but not finding time to keep up with this, and the other non-painting activities involved with art. Thanks for the nudge. More to follow in the near future.

Benefits Near and Far

2011-04-15T12:25:00.000-07:00

As evidenced by the sporadic posts, life has been pulling me away from blogging. Yet, I continue to produce art, trying new approaches and will be posting some of the new work in days, (yes days not weeks) to come. In the meantime, here my most recent poem. Since in a roundabout sort of way, Raleigh is the protagonist, I am also including a recent painting of him that I painted and donated to the local Japanese Tsunami Animal Relief efforts.

This painting is titled:

Raleigh in Front of Mt. Fuji in the Moonlight

Where Do We Go From Here?

Last night my two dogs and I attended our weekly agility class.

This is a sport where you run a course of obstacles with your dog.

The handler’s job is to clearly let the dog know what obstacle is next and the best way to take it.

From the sidelines, it looks very straightforward

and when I was merely an observer,

I used to wonder why so many people had such difficulty getting through the course,

and quite honestly,

why so many of them looked a little clumsy out there.

Then I took up the sport myself,

and now people who watch me are wondering the same thing.

How can something so simple and straightforward as a front cross

which is exactly what it says it is,

be so difficult to pull off,

not to mention with any semblance of grace?

But it is.

And I have videos of myself to prove it.

I practice on my own at home,

with and without my dog,

and think that I have it down pretty well

until I go to class, and completely blow it.

My classmates are very supportive and when I do something right

they cheer me on with shouts of encouragement.

But I know from personal experience of being on the sidelines myself,

that they are wondering how I can have such difficulty with what is essentially a change of direction.

The real tip off is when they glowingly praise my dog, Raleigh, who obediently does exactly what I direct him to do,

even though at least half of the time, the directions are wrong.

There has to be a truth in this.

Something about knowing where I stand in relation to obstacles or

accepting the fact that a good part of the time,

I don’t know as much as I think I do,

and that failure isn’t the end of the world.

But maybe the most important lesson is being modeled by Raleigh,

who doesn’t wonder about such things,

and doesn’t make a big deal about getting it right or wrong.

He simply loves to zoom through the course,

taking on whatever challenges are set in his way,

doing the best he can with imperfect guidance.

In the Beginning . . .

2011-02-07T20:15:00.000-08:00

Life has been full and busy, so much so that I haven't had time to post the work and exciting things that have been going on. First, I am pleased to say that the painting of Emma featured in the last post was accepted in The Art Show at the Dog Show and will be shipped off to Wichita in a couple of days. It inspires me to do more watercolors but lately there is only this one titled In the Beginning, which I did for the Word and Example Exhibition on ECVA.org, a wonderful site that is worth a look, (we'll see if the painting gets accepted---I'll email the entry tomorrow). Otherwise I have been working on acrylics---new techniques, different imagery. As soon as something seems to come together, I will post it.

And as is the case these days, lots of time is going to Honor Flight, and the enthusiasm and support continue to grow for our Humboldt County project. Individuals, Rotary Clubs, other service clubs, bikers, veterans groups . . . the support has been terrific.

Another reentry

2011-01-12T20:26:00.000-08:00

When I first started blogging I had good intentions of posting every day. Then it became every week. But somehow those weeks melt away and it has been months. What happened? Well, Honor Flight, the holidays, lots and lots of studio work, much of which has been experimental and not the kind of thing I want to post, however what the heck I may as well put a couple of things up later anyway.

Aside from drawing and painting, I have been doing lots of agility. Emma the 14 month old puppy has been so anxious to get started and she is absolutely ecstatic now that she is enrolled in lessons and actually doing agility instead of messing up Raleigh's runs (see video on previous post). In honor of this new phase of her life, I did the watercolor that you see above.

Speaking of honor . . . the Honor Flight Humboldt County project is off to a great start, and I thank all of you who have already donated, signed up to help, or put us in contact with veterans. We can always use more help, so please contact me if you are interested in being part of this very exciting and rewarding endeavor. Our flight is scheduled for April 15.

Honor Flight

2010-10-13T10:49:00.001-07:00

You know, I do have good intentions of posting on a regular basis, and it shouldn't be so challenging. But I get caught up on making art, and when I only have works in progress and not much to show, I drop the ball. That may not be a very good excuse, but this is. This past weekend I participated as a guardian in Honor Flight. Here is the article that I wrote for the local paper:

As we crossed the Golden Gate Bridge we looked up and saw jets streaming across the sky, looping, flying in unison, doing incredible aerial acrobatics. The Blue Angels were in San Francisco. “Charles, look! How did they know that your Honor Flight weekend was just about to start?”

This was a fitting beginning to the trip of a lifetime. El Hilligoss and I had the privilege of accompanying Charles Moon, a WWII veteran to Washington DC to participate in Honor Flight.. We had driven down from Humboldt County that day and the following morning would meet up with 24 other WWII veterans, and 14 helpers, (guardians) at the SF Airport to catch our flight. Honor Flight is a program dedicated to taking these heroes to our nation’s capitol to see the WWII Memorial. This is a completely volunteer effort and there is no cost to the veterans. It was founded in 2005 by Earl Morse, a Retired Air Force Captain, who realized that time was running out. We are losing these veterans at the rate of more than 1200 each day--the youngest vets are now 85 years old, most are closer to 90. The vast majority have never seen the monument built in their honor, and more importantly, have never received the gratitude and honor which is their due.

Upon arrival at the airport, we were all given our uniforms for the trip. We guardians wore orange tee-shirts. On the back was the motto of Honor Flight Network, a quote from Will Rogers, “We can’t all be heroes. Some of us have to stand on the curb and clap as they go by”. Vets wore yellow. On the back was written: “If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read it in English, thank a veteran.”

That is what this program is all about, thanking these men and women, who never considered themselves to be heroes. In their own words, they were just kids just doing what needed to be done. And when the war was over, they came home, and got on with their lives. But what they did saved the world from tyranny and destruction of life as we know it.

Saturday morning we boarded our bus, and set out. The first stop was the WWII Memorial. Because of all of the walking this requires, most vets were in wheelchairs. Upon arrival we gathered for a group photo and then went to the California Pillar for the flag ceremony. Hattie, ninety-two years old (and weighing probably less than her years), placed the flag on the ledge, and we had a moment of silence and remembrance, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Never have those words had more meaning to me. We spent the next hour or so at the Memorial. I took a photo of Charles at the Oklahoma Pillar, his native state. We paused at the Wall of Stars, where 4000 golden stars represent the 400,000 lives that were lost in combat. It reads, Here We Mark the Price of Freedom. Honor Flight groups from Minnesota and Tennessee were there as well and we had a chance to visit with some of them. The accents may have been different, but the joy that was on their faces was the same.

During the course of the day, we also visited other Memorials---Viet Nam, Korea, Iwo Jima (the Marine’s Memorial), Air Force, Navy, and the Lincoln Memorial. At one o’clock we watched the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Solder. As we drove through the city, we were also able to see the Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorials as well as other important sites in our nation’s capital. Not surprisingly, these guys were troopers, but I was still amazed at their energy and endurance. They are awesome. Night had fallen as we drove back to the hotel. Our leader Debby started to sing, and as she sang “God Bless America” forty voices joined in. This great country is indeed blessed in so many ways, and these fine people, these soldiers who fought to secure our freedom, are some of the greatest blessings of all. Being with them for this experience was one of the most memorable privileges of my life.

Honor Flight depends on contributions to make this possible. Time is running out and funds are needed. If you know of a WWII veteran who would like to participate, or to learn more about how you might help, please contact Honor Flight Northern California, 530-357-3380, or email them at info@honorflightnorcal.org. Or call Kathrin Burleson at 677-0490.

Back to Africa . . .

2010-09-03T20:05:00.000-07:00

if only in these pages. I work in series, usually several, sometimes up to six paintings at a time, not counting the in progress and warm-up drawings that are usually going on. It works for me to have several projects so at any one time, so that I don't get too caught up in, or invested in, any one piece. What that means is that there are usually lots of paintings around the studio, in various stages of completion. It also means that quite a bit of time can pass before something is actually completed, so there are what seem like long, dry periods, when I am actually quite productive. It can be frustrating, but also kind of satisfying when some of them start coming together, and feeling complete. This is the first of the current batch to "hatch".

Raleigh's First Trials

2010-08-27T10:16:00.000-07:00

When I started the not-in-real-time journal for Botswana (which is still not totally completed, I think that there is part of me that doesn't want for it to end), I never dreamed that I would be using that same approach for other topics as well. But somehow a cold virus that knocks you for a loop can let things pile up a bit. But the bright side is that I have had a few days to think about the experience before posting these photos and links to my new YouTube account. As you can probably surmise from this photo, Raleigh did pretty well his first time out. Most importantly, he loved the experience, and so did I. As you will see from this video (click HERE to access YouTube), Emma did as well, so much so that when she saw Raleigh out there, she could not control herself, pulled out of her collar, jumped off of Mike's lap, and onto the course. Fortunately the judges didn't disqualify me and Raleigh was able to take another go at it. Emma got a taste of the experience and is anxiously awaiting the time when she can really compete, rather than just messing up Raleigh's runs. He did go on to win a blue ribbon, (and her interference may have been a blessing in disguise since I had given him some inadequate signals and he was heading in the wrong direction anyway). But we both felt good about that second run (click HERE), and it was a great way to end the weekend. Many thanks to all of the good folks at CPE and Humdog who put in so much time and effort to make the weekend possible and give such joy to about 100 people and 150 dogs. We are looking forward to the next trials.

Pilgrimages of all sorts

2010-08-10T20:03:00.000-07:00

Since this is a blog, a work in progress, I don't hold myself to chronology (as you might have noticed), so I am back to the Benedictine Experience. This is a sketch that I did on Desert Day, the Thursday when we have the opportunity to go deeper into silence and solitude, our own personal deserts. We made up sack lunches, were given some ideas to ponder, and then were left to our own devices. I took my sketchbook and walked back into the hills where I found a bench under a live oak tree overlooking the valley. The day was really hot so the shade was welcome and necessary. My plan was to stay there until the sun moved so that it was no longer shaded and then move on. As it turned out, it was shady all day, so I sat on that bench for over three hours---painting the valley, drawing other pilgrims as they walked up the path, reading, eating my sandwich, and having a little nap. It was glorious.

Speaking of fellow pilgrims, Helena Chan was new to BenEx this year, and brought wonderful fresh energy and insights. I sat next to her during a few of the discussions and couldn't help but glance over and notice her notes. She uses the same kind of black bound sketchbook and Artpen that I often use, but the results are very different. She is an engineer, and a very neat person, which really showed in those clear, straight lines of beautiful script and perfectly organized thoughts. And she had no ink on her fingers from that pen! I was so impressed and amazed that I couldn't resist commenting, and pointing it out to others. Helena wrote a bit about the week which she posted on St. Paul Cathedral blog on August 2. She writes beautifully, in both senses of the word, and it really is worth a look.

Mix Those Media!

2010-07-26T10:34:00.000-07:00

I just returned from a three-day workshop in Mendocino. The course description looked very interesting, and just what I needed to push my edges a little bit. My approach to making art is pretty straightforward and simple, and I am probably happiest using just a pencil, or just a pen, and if I do use color I prefer a very limited palette. If there are too many colors I get overwhelmed, and even a little anxious (kind of how I feel when I look at a closet with too many choices of clothing--see conversation with Charmion below). In any case, I thought it might be good to get out of my comfort zone, which I definitely did.

The teacher Mira White is a master who creates beautiful visionary pieces using a wide range of materials. (We also discovered that we have a mutual connection to Meher Baba, but I'll save that for another time and post). My fellow students were a very compatible group of seven, with at least one thing in common---they didn't hold back. And everyone, except for me, seemed very comfortable starting with a totally abstract approach and came up with some very interesting work. I may not have created anything particularly notable, but I learned something really important about the way I work---I tend to start from something concrete and work toward the abstract. I do this in painting and in poetry. Kind of like a Lectio Divina approach to art.

Several of the projects started with spraying, pouring or smearing color on the surface and seeing what developed. So I would dutifully do that, and then just stand there and look at it, bewildered. Once I did start working, I would beat it to death until all of the interesting paint effects were covered up by a fairly mundane and lifeless drawing. Oh well. I have no doubt that some of those effects and techniques will inform my work to come, and I am interested to see how that develops. In any case, it was an enjoyable and worthwhile experience.

(The dog is Patch, John's helper)

2010-07-19T17:25:00.000-07:00

I like to carry my sketchbook with me and now include some watercolor pencils which are very handy for quick sketches. Often I think that I should draw something besides the view out over the valley, but those Sonoma Mountains are so compelling for me that at the end of the week, I have pages and pages of sketches of them in different light. I was born and raised in Petaluma, and my earliest visual memory is the view over the Petaluma valley from the front porch of our little house, seeing those violet hills. So the view from Bishop's Ranch touches me at a very deep place. Someone once said (I think that it was Camus) that an artist usually spends his whole life trying to recapture his first visual memory, and I can relate to that. That vista is irresistible to me.

Simplicity in all things

2010-07-19T16:59:00.000-07:00

I am home now, back into kind of a routine, admittedly a little disorganized and chaotic compared to last week, but I have hopes that now that I am settled back in, starting tomorrow, I will be able to incorporate some of what I learned and experienced. But before I get too involved in the quotidian, I want to share some of the highlights of this past week. I wish I could say that I had a spiritual shakedown, or meltdown, and have a much more profound relationship to God and creation, but that wouldn't be quite honest. However, I did get some tools, and had some wonderful experiences, and having the psalms and scripture swirling in my head today, has been such a gift. (What's that? Oh yes, the Song of Zechariah.) And I met some fascinating people.

The last day I had a very interesting conversation with Charmion, and in addition to having a lovely and unusual name,she had some very interesting things to share. We were talking about simplicity, and how to deal with clutter, which is a topic I love to explore, so I asked her how she dealt with having to many things, for example, clothes. She said that she owns eight of everything---pants, tops, skirts, etc,---in different colors, and each day she just wears what is on the next hanger. After she has had something for six years, she gives it away and replaces it. Now think about that for a minute. She NEVER wonders what to wear. Can you imagine how much time you would save if you never had to wonder, or worse, try things on and change your mind, and then try something else? Oh, and she never shops in stores, but buys everything online from Lands End. We did agree that both Land End and LL Bean have gone down in quality and reliability, but nevertheless, that's what she does. This was very intriguing to me, and I am inspired to come up with a similar strategy. Now, keep in mind, that this is a woman who was on Jeopardy in the early 1980's and won $5000, which she used to buy her first computer. Oh, and she sings beautifully as well. Like I said below, I am so glad that we don't have to keep silence all week.

BenEx Dogs

2010-07-17T13:43:00.001-07:00

A predictable but difficult challenge with silent retreats these days, is that hardly anyone leaves their phone at home, or even their laptop for that matter, so it tends to encroach on the sense of being away ( I mean, here I am, blogging, when the schedule says I should be resting in preparation for Lectio Divina later this afternoon). But a plus to this is that we are able to share images that people have on their IPhones, and for some reason, people feel compelled to show me their dogs. This is Henry.
There must be a greater meaning to this because the reading at lunch today had to do with, what else, a dog and how it came to be part of a Benedictine monastery. So, I'll just go with it, and post more images as I receive them.

Work

2010-07-17T09:21:00.000-07:00

One of the things that we do here during the week, in keeping with the Benedictine ethos, is to choose work that we will do in the afternoon. None of it is very complicated, mainly things like stuffing envelopes, trimming pods from the wisteria (before this, I didn’t know that they were so inclined to propagate and spread), deadhead the rose bushes, rake leaves, simple things like that. Way on the bottom of the list of choices was washing windows. Not surprisingly, no one signed up for that. I say not surprisingly, but the truth is that I love to wash windows, and have never understood why so many people don’t. That little phrase supposedly uttered by many a housekeeper “I don’t do windows” always sort of baffled me. So, I signed up, and have spent the last couple of afternoons washing the windows in the refectory and Swing Pavilion. I like it because it is solitary work, and the results are so immediate and apparent. Stepping back to see that clear, sparkling glass is so satisfying.

What has surprised me, is since I started doing the windows, one of the first things I think about when I wake up in the morning (around 5:00) is how much I am looking forward to washing windows that day. It really is kind of strange, especially when I am currently listening to a set of CDs by the wonderful poet and thinker, David Whyte, called What to Remember When Waking Up. Needless to say no where does he mention anything as mundane as washing windows. It’s especially odd in a context like this week, where I am surrounded and immersed in scripture, prayer, and chanting the psalms.

Beyond Windex

There must be something primal about washing windows,

although it couldn’t be too primal because in the large scheme of things
windows haven’t been around that long.
But regardless of that,
the deep satisfaction that I derive from this chore
goes way beyond simple housework
and touches something deep inside.
Why else would I wake early looking forward to this particular task,
especially here while here on retreat,
where I have been given such beautiful and profound thoughts to ponder?

It must be something about vision,
or clarity, or boundaries--
the false divisions that I draw between what is inside and outside,
between me and the rest of the world,
between me and God.

Maybe it’s the satisfaction of knowing that with a little time, a bit of tending,
and a little elbow grease,
I can see through a glass less darkly,
even if just for a little while.

Silent variations

2010-07-16T19:51:00.000-07:00

Whatever It Takes

I wonder if it was just a coincidence that my ears got plugged with wax last week
just before I was scheduled to start an eight day silent retreat.
The over-the-counter solution that I tried only seemed to make things worse,
and after a couple of treatments, I could hardly hear a thing.
This had never happened to me before.
The silence enclosed me like a bubble,
and it was like being on my own personal silent retreat,
surrounded by quiet wherever I went.
In a way, it was good preparation for this week,
a reminder that the chatter that normally fills my days doesn't really amount to much.
But my ears cleared up just before I left,
and I am glad to be able to hear those birds chirping in the trees,
as I settle into this mostly silent community.

A few words from the Ranch

2010-07-16T19:16:00.000-07:00

This experience is winding down, but at the same time getting richer and richer, as the community forms and the participants are no longer an amorphous group of people, but have become specific and precious individuals with whom I feel so fortunate to share this time.

After the morning presentation on various aspects of the Benedictine life (today it was Lectio Divina and balance), given by Sr. Donald, we have a short time for group discussion. During the break, we usually fit in a few private conversations. One priest participant and I discovered that we had both visited Pune, India, and compared notes of our experiences. After the usual observations about the poverty, filth and such, he thought for a while and said that after having been in India, he lost his taste for green tea. Don't you love that? I never in a million years would have expected him to say that. Some people talk about having their spiritual life opened up, or shaken, or deepened, but for him, who seems so at ease and grounded in his faith, it was green tea and he is now back to coffee. There has to be some profound spiritual insight in that. This is also the guy who today was wearing a tee shirt that had written on it in big letters, "Does "anal retentive" have a hyphen?"

This evening, I had conversation with a librarian who told me about her recent conversion experience. A nominal Episcopalian for many years, she had a series of encounters with the Divine that have brought her to an incredibly close and intimate relationship with God--a direct, clear call to her vocation. Hearing stories of such personal, and totally compelling events, is such a blessing, so I am grateful that we are not held to complete silence this week.

If we were held to complete silence, and some serious person were enforcing it, I would probably be in trouble, as after dinner tonight I couldn't help myself when it came to helping Josh take a picture of three participants in the dining room. I am afraid that I got a little bossy (very unlike me) and just grabbed his camera and started giving directions. But the picture is going to be good, and Josh even got to be in it.

Another hiatus

2010-07-15T21:16:00.000-07:00

I am now in Sonoma County at the Benedictine Experience, a week long retreat. This is my third time here for this experience at Bishop’s Ranch in Healdsburg. There are about thirty of us in community, observing the Daily Offices, keeping silence (mostly) and following the Benedictine balance of prayer, work, study, and recreation. And while it isn’t as exciting as Africa, there is something very compelling about the rhythm of the Daily Office and structured days, and it’s refreshing to be away from so much of the world. Last time I was here, I did a lot of writing and posting (see archives), but this time is different---more silence, prayer, and reflection.

I may be posting a few items from the Ranch later this week, but in the meantime, I just wanted to explain my silence (tiny bit of a play on words there).

Artists for Conservation

2010-07-08T14:32:00.000-07:00

My new site at Artists for Conservation is now up and running. Please check it out.

2010-07-07T10:39:00.001-07:00

2010-07-07T10:25:00.000-07:00

Cheetah

2010-07-07T09:38:00.012-07:00

We came upon these two brothers just as they were finishing up their afternoon meal-a late lunch of some antelope that wasn't fast enough to escape his fate that day. They took turns working on the kill, so we could see one sitting up, looking around, perhaps taking that moment to digest a bit, while only the back of the other would be visible. We could hear the crunches as he ate and tore apart the prey (best not to think about that too much). After lunch they strolled off, later taking a few minutes to clean each other off, or maybe just making sure that none of that fresh blood that was smeared over their muzzles went to waste.

2010-07-05T09:20:00.001-07:00

This beauty was sauntering across the road when we were on our way out to the bush. She stopped, turned around, and just looked at us. We turned off the engine and just looked back. I wish I could that I did this painting right there on the spot, but unfortunately I didn't have my watercolors with me. Considering how long she stood there, I probably would have had time, but I took a photo and did this in my studio.

This is not Africa . . .

2010-06-30T20:52:00.001-07:00

but it was really neat to have this kind of up close and personal experience with the giraffes at the Wild Animal Park in San Diego when we visited prior to our first trip to Africa. On the safari ride, you are given leaves to feed them and they come right up to the truck. They hate to be petted, so the guide warns visitors to not touch them because they will run away if you do. It takes lots of will power to resist stroking those beautiful, exotic animals---their muzzles look so soft. Just look at that exquisite face with those huge, soulful eyes. Aren't they miraculous creatures?

Giraffes

2010-06-28T20:56:00.014-07:00

My experience with giraffes in Africa has generally been one of mutual gazing. We'd see one or a group of them browsing on trees across the way, stop and just watch. More often than not, they would stop and do the same, just watch. If we were close enough, we could seen them bat those incredibly long eyelashes. One of our guides said that he thought they were kind of boring, because they just stood there. In my opinion, that's all that they need to do, they are so exotic and surprising and beautiful--they really are the glamor girls of the bush. Yes, yes, I know that about half of them are males, but they just seem so glamorous and feminine (except for a few notable exceptions that I will feature in a future blog).

In the first photo, it looks as if she is bending over so that she will fit in the frame of the shot, which was quite considerate since they are so tall that it is hard to get a compact composition.

Big and Small

2010-06-24T21:13:00.011-07:00

This is the same fellow that we watched several times, at the same place just outside of camp, munching away on grass, blocking the road, so that we really had no other choice but to wait and watch. One morning he sauntered off, with what seemed to be an air of self-importance, when he suddenly jumped straight up, about two feet off the ground, which is quite a sight, considering that he probably weighs over 10,000 pounds. He had been startled by an African wildcat, the wild form of our domestic tabby that he nearly stepped on. The cat jumped up in front of him and took off in the opposite direction, and it was hard to tell who was more startled, the elephant or the cat. The African Wildcat weighs probably ten pounds at the most so the contrast was priceless. Suddenly the self-important attitude of our elephant friend seemed to evaporate, and he seemed a little embarrassed. But he gathered his wits about him and went on his way, and after we quit laughing, so did we.

Quiet moments

2010-06-21T07:46:00.000-07:00

In between being chased by elephants and watching predators stalk their prey, there were quiet, magical moments spent with creatures such as this Giant Eagle Owl. As I write this, it is almost hard to believe that we sat at the foot of the tree, gazing at this beautiful bird as he calmly gazed back at us, looking for all the world as if he had nothing better to do, and was a little amused that we didn't either. He is a big bird, over two feet tall. His most distinctive feature, in my opinion anyway, are his pink eyelids. He looks like he just came from the Mac or Lancome counter in some department store, where some young makeup artist got a little carried away. It gives him an exotic, fanciful look that is mesmerizing.

Artists for Conservation

2010-06-18T17:38:00.000-07:00

Exciting news arrived in my email yesterday----I have been accepted as a Signature Member of Artists for Conservation, an international organization dedicated to the celebration and preservation of the natural world. I am looking forward to being involved with this group of artists and the work that they are doing around the world. I'll soon have a Web presence on their site, and will link to it as soon as it is ready.

Back to the Studio

2010-06-15T20:14:00.000-07:00

The past two weeks flew by. After the very busy first weekend of Open Studios, I had a visit from my friend, Mary Siebe who lives in Colorado. We have been friends for over 48 (!) years, and it is always good to see her. We pick up right where we left off and it is such a gift to share that much of life and experience with someone. We both appreciate that only time and experience can create that kind of friendship. It was also a week of surgeries for the Burleson household---Mike had a molar implant, and Emma had a hysterectomy. Both patients did very well and once they were settled a bit, it was time for the second weekend of Open Studios. This time the sun was shining and people didn't have to brave the storms to get here. It was another whirlwind couple of days of meeting people and talking about art and whatever else came up. Needless to say not a lot of work in the studio, but I'll be posting drawings that were displayed these past two weekends.

This afternoon I helped a friend get a blog going. Now, it is really something when people think that I am good at computers. I definitely am not. But I must admit I enjoy the delusion. His name is Charles Moon and he is definitely one of the most remarkable people I know and love, and an Okie to boot. More about him in other posts, but for now, please check out his blog. And tomorrow, this blog returns to Africa.

Open Studios Day One

2010-06-06T11:14:00.001-07:00

Open Studios started out on a great note! In spite of the rain, and the fact that I am the only studio open in Trinidad so far north of the rest of the action, lots of folks showed up and visited. Several groups arrived just when I opened at 11:00 and it was steady throughout the day. Many thanks for making the trek up here.

As those of you who were here, (and those who are following the blog) know, the theme these days is Africa--Botswana in particular. A percentage of all sales will be donated to conservation efforts in Africa. Wilderness Safaris is a great organization that is doing important work toward saving these animals, many of which are endangered. Their trust, Wilderness Wildlife Trust, is worth looking into, and of course supporting, which all of your purchases of my wildlife art are helping to do. Many thanks for your support, from me, the Trust, and the animals that they are helping to preserve.

Along with that, Eyes on Africa, the company that I have used for all of my Africa travels, has asked me to put together groups for trips beginning either the end of this year, (right around the corner, but doable) or in 2011. Many of you have expressed interest and signed up, but for the rest of you that may be interested in an African safari, please contact me for further information or to put your name on the list for updates.

Watercolors . . .

2010-06-03T12:29:00.000-07:00

Open Studios Preview

2010-06-02T11:23:00.001-07:00

Most of the work I've been doing lately has been done with pen and ink. Here are a few examples. Several of these will be available as cards or prints during Open Studios. Also some watercolors, and if it stops raining here so that I can get some photos of recent paintings to post, I will do so.

2010-05-31T10:26:00.000-07:00

Farewell, Bill

2010-05-28T12:06:00.001-07:00

My brother Bill was found dead in his home this morning. He was 63 years old, had struggled with addiction for most of his life, and it was actually a miracle that he lived as long as he did. He was a smart, talented, guy who had a tough go of it. He is now at peace and the struggle is over.

Across the sea,
a pale moon rises.
The ships have come,
to carry you home.

And all will turn,
to silver glass.
A light on the water.
Grey ships pass
Into the West.

(That is from Into the West, the last song in The Lord of the Rings. Here is a link to a performance by Annie Lennox.

Godspeed, Bill. My love and prayers go with you.

2010-05-26T20:32:00.000-07:00

Emerging Warthogs

2010-05-26T20:18:00.000-07:00

We were very fortunate to see a family of warthogs greeting the morning as they came out of their underground den. It was kind of like an eruption of warthogs---as soon as one would come out, another would follow, as if the earth were spitting them up. There must have been seven or more and took only a few minutes, but it seemed like it went on for a very long time. When the whole family was out, they trotted off, probably to dig up a little breakfast. They are so odd looking but pretty cute in their own way. And their energy is great---very determined and focused little guys, going about their business with resolve and determination.

A study in contrasts

2010-05-21T08:38:00.000-07:00

We saw this little Blacksmith plover several times during our rides. She had laid her eggs right in the middle of the road, and stood there protecting them, looking at us warily, as we drove by. Our guides, Bebe and Gordon, seen above, were very aware of her and careful to not disturb or damage her very vulnerable nest. We kept our fingers crossed that her little family would hatch and survive, and that she would find a more suitable spot next time.

Africa is indeed a study in contrasts. In the course of an hour we spent time with this tiny bird of a few ounces, and were chased by an elephant that weighed thousands of pounds.

New Friends

2010-05-19T21:22:00.000-07:00

On the afternoon ride, we came across this herd of elephants crossing the stream. The matriarch who was leading them decided that there was something about us that she didn't like, or perhaps she was just in a bad mood. Whatever it was, she was intent on letting us know that it was time to leave. Her trumpets and splashing didn't seem that threatening, so we continued to watch and take photos. This seemed to annoy her even more, so she ran out of the water towards us. This definitely got our attention and our guide Bebe made a fast getaway. It must have been a sight to see the Land Rover zooming down the dirt road, dust flying, with a very angry elephant in hot pursuit. As you can see , I continued to take photographs, perhaps as a possible documentation of our last moments alive. Unfortunately I didn't get Kenneth and Michael who were behind us in the back seat in the photos as their expressions were priceless. When she finally gave up her pursuit of these annoying voyeurs, she trumpeted loudly, looked a little disgusted and sauntered off to rejoin the herd. It was a great experience.

More Chitabe

2010-05-17T15:59:00.000-07:00

We had the great pleasure of meeting Michael and Kenneth on the short flight to this camp, and were really happy to share the next day and adventure with them. They live in Nova Scotia, which gets your attention right off the bat. Michael has an uncanny ability to spot animals, especially elephants, so he was a real asset. There's one! he would exclaim, and we would grab our binoculars and say, where? where? and sure enough, there would be an elephant or zebra beautifully camouflaged to all except him. The guides loved it, and so did we.

Kenneth is seen above wearing a very practical hat, something that I wish I'd had for my feet in the previous camp. Michael and I are are shown at sundowners, that very civilized bush tradition of cocktails and conversation as the sun sets. Here we are toasting 60th birthdays, which the three of us celebrate this year within a few months of one another. Looks to be a very good decade for all of us--it's off to a great start.

2010-05-08T18:37:00.000-07:00

Hiatus

2010-05-08T17:54:00.000-07:00

This is the reason that I had to take a week off from posting. As is evident from this photo, my studio was torn apart so that a new floor could be installed (this was taken a day before the work actually started). It prompted me to empty bookcases, clean out all of the storage and was a good excuse to get rid of books and art supplies that no longer are useful. I also cleaned about everything I ran across in the process so it feels really good in here now. If you look closely, you can see my cat Zoe sitting on her table (left of photo, pink table cloth) waiting for dinner. She has lived in the studio for a couple of years now, but has been upgraded to the recently vacated goat shed. Drawing and watercolors were on hold as well, and it is so good to get back to the real work at hand.

Drawings

2010-04-28T19:27:00.001-07:00

For some reason, well, I guess for obvious reasons, it took a while to start working with the images that I brought back with me---not only digitally, but in my mind, and heart. The beauty and power of Africa is almost overwhelming and can be intimidating, at least until I got started and lost all of that in the process. So, for the first week or so, thanks in part to severe jet lag, I found it difficult to do much of anything in my studio. When I finally got started, it just seemed right to stay with drawing for a while. So for the past month or so, I have been immersed in the purity of line and monotone rendering of animals. This is one of the Kalahari Black-Maned brothers, after a big meal.

2010-04-26T19:57:00.000-07:00

Back!

2010-04-26T19:45:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I have heard from quite a few of you, and I confess that I dropped the ball and have not been consistent with my posts. Nothing for over seven months. But a lot happened in that time, and I was diverted by other pressing projects. Not an excuse, mind you, just an explanation.

I started this blog over a year ago primarily to post photos, paintings, and poetry inspired by my first trip to Africa in October of 2008, but got so involved with other trips and projects that those images got put on the back burner. Well, I returned to Africa last month, and have been posting lots of new material---a not-in-real time journal of the trip, photos and soon, art inspired by it. I've been working steadily in the studio, doing lots of reflecting and drawing. Please keep checking back for results and in-progress projects.

Chitabe

2010-04-26T19:11:00.008-07:00

We stayed at Chitabe Camp for only two nights. Maybe knowing that inspired us to pack in lots and lots, but more likely, we were just fortunate to have great guides (again), good luck with sightings, and really fun people to share the experience with (more on that later). It seemed that there were elephants everywhere, and it is fitting to show this one who became a fixture in our time there. He was usually blocking the road when we set out on our drives--standing in the middle of the road, enjoying a leisurely browse. It wasn't really a problem, since we were there to see the likes of him anyway, so we happily sat and watched while he munched and then sauntered off.

Evening Boat Ride and Memories That Endure

2010-04-22T20:03:00.001-07:00

Our last evening boat ride was spectacular. We saw lots and lots of birds and I was especially happy to get to see the black egret, or umbrella bird again. He was my favorite bird from our last trip to Botswana. Unfortunately I don't have a photo of him, but they pull their wings forward rapidly from time to time, to shade the water so they can find prey. They look (not surprisingly) like a black umbrella, and they move so quickly that it makes a "fwap!" sound. There is a batman feel to the whole thing that is delightful. We stayed out a little later than intended so needed to rush back to camp. I swear that our guide Barobi can see in the dark. We were zooming through narrow channels of that water, in the dark, and he was able to maneuver perfectly. I later learned that many Botswanans have this ability, and they think it is normal. We think it is extraordinary.

Dinner that night was outdoors in the boma. It was memorable in many ways---delicious food, beautiful setting, and interesting company. What made it really stay with me however, were the sand fleas, that were feasting on my feet and ankles while I was enjoying the Botswanan barbecued beef. I have never had bites like that in my life and now kind of wish I'd taken a photo--it looked like the measles and itched like crazy for the next few days. Fortunately, the next camp supplied me with cream, and some new friends from Nova Scotia (more about them later), had some potion as well. They really saved me.

If you haven't read the Number One Ladies Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith, you really should. They are delightful books, and he manages to truly capture the personality and character of the Botswanan people. They are amazed at his insight into their country and its people. He captures the genuine kindness and integrity that we experienced with nearly everyone we met there.

Baboon Bridge

2010-04-19T19:54:00.007-07:00

The sleeping tents are reached by walking down raised walkways, and as many of you know, guests are not allowed to walk by themselves when it is dark outside. Our guide, Barobi, always escorted us with a flashlight, which came in handy when he pointed out the hyenas that were hanging around just below us.

To get to the camp, we crossed the bridge seen above. The baboons did as well, usually returning early evening, and when our jeep stalled as we left for the evening drive, forcing us to wait for a replacement, they became quite impatient. Finally, they just decided to risk it and came across anyway.

Mom's final wishes fulfilled . . .

2010-04-17T14:24:00.001-07:00

A local fisherman, John Collins, took me out on his fishing boat to an area just beyond the bluff. Afterwards friends joined me for a short memorial service, celebrated by Fr. Ron, glorious music sung by Betty Burton and the assembled. Followed by a delicious meal featuring what else? . . . Southern fried chicken, potato salad, jello salad, cole slaw, cornbread, pecan pie and run cake. Many thanks to my friends, old and new, who joined me in honoring Mom in this very special and meaningful way.

Mokoro encounter

2010-04-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

Xigera is a "water camp" surrounded by miles and miles of channels, rivers and lakes. The first night we went out on a mokoro ride. Our poler was Orbet, who was very knowledgeable and capable, which came in handy when we turned the bend and encountered the elephant shown above. He wasn't happy to be surprised, so trumpeted and charged out into the water at us. We got the message, and Orbet got us out of there in a hurry. An exciting way to begin our stay at this beautiful camp.

On to Xigera Camp

2010-04-12T20:35:00.000-07:00

After five days in the Kalahari, we took a small airplane to Xigera Camp,in the heart of the Okavango Delta. Needless to say, the landscape is drastically different and the views from the plane were spectacular. It's especially thrilling to be able to spot herds of elephants from that height. All of the bush pilots have been very competent and pleasant, but Felix here was by far the most exacting and colorful. When he learned that I was once a pilot, he very generously offered to let me take the controls, but in the interest of all, I declined. It's been way too many years.

Birthday in the Bush

2010-04-05T20:25:00.005-07:00

I balanced the camera on top of the Land Rover for this shot. We were celebrating my birthday with South African sparkling during sundowners at the end of a long and wonderful day in the bush. There are herds of springbok frolicking in the background, but they don't show up very well.