The time is drawing near

This is our spring aspens...can't wait for fall

Just sitting here this morning looking out at the mountain. The sun is peaking over the crest. The aspens are starting their fall change and I am so excited about getting some great photos to paint this winter.
When we return to our lake cabin and the weather starts to cool down I retreat to my easel and begin to paint all the wonderful pictures that I have stored in my thumb drive. 
The reason we are staying so long this year is so I can get some pictures of all the color on the mountains. This will give me so much to paint while I hibernate in my studio in Texas. It is too cold to work outside and my poor joints wont take the cold temps. I have to stay tucked away by the fire place to stay warm and let my brushes do their thing.
I think if I had the means I would stay in Colorado all year just to experience the changes in season. You know in Texas we go from summer to winter overnight. We really do not have a fall and not much of a spring. Up here you witness all the changes from one season to the next. 
I am thankful that we have had the opportunity to come up here every summer and enjoy the cool temps and the wonderful scenery that Colorado has to offer. There is so much to see and do here. Everywhere you look there is a photo opportunity. 
I have had the experience of painting on site which is the most gratifying thing I have done. This will all come to an end soon...

Somewhere in Time    

Completed my second Commissioned painting

Small Cabin outside of Silverton Colorado

My next door neighbor asked me to do this panting for his sister. It is an old cabin just outside of Silverton Colorado. It was about a weeks worth of work but well worth the time spent on it. I hope to have a sale when I get back to Texas. Maybe one day I will be famous...not! LOL

We are counting the days until we are going to depart...

Somewhere in Time 

Kris is back at school

Kris started back to school last week and so did I. We are learning so much and Kris is doing much better than I am understanding all the subjects! I have been studding harder than he has and he still has to help me understand what is going on. Could it be that I am a slow learner or that he is exceptional?
We are closing in on our last few weeks here in God's country. I hate to leave but all good things must come to an end. This end will be a hot one. It is still in the upper 90's in Texas and I don't operate very well in that type of weather. It is in the 40's here in the mornings and upper 70's in the afternoon. Now this is going to be a big change for me when I cross the border back into Texas...


Somewhere in Time 

Finished my first commissioned painting

Crystal Mill 

I had never been commissioned to do a painting until the other day. A neighbor of ours brought by a picture of the Crystal Mill just north of Marble Colorado. He wanted to know if I could paint it and I said I would give it my best shot. 
Started to work on it a few days latter and when it was finished he came to look at it and was very pleased. 
I was relieved to have satisfied him and his wife. Like I said I had never done one like this and was really worried that it would not be that good. They loved it!
OK now I have the confidence to paint for others. Most all my paintings I sell to people who like what they see. It is a different deal when you paint a picture they give you. 
Well I am happy to have done this and plan on doing some more for those in the park that would like one...

Somewhere in Time 

Finished Jen's painting

Obama Care you can't leave home with it.

This will be Jen's Painting

Yes...we just found out that our Obama Care insurance will not work out of state. Well that is a sweet deal for the insurance company but not so sweet for us poor folks. I can't believe that you can only use your insurance in the state you live in? What kind of deal is that? Can you imagine if they sold car insurance that way? You would never leave your state. 
Enough said about that...

We went to Alamosa yesterday and bought out Wally World and then headed to Safeway and bought them out. We should be able to get by for the next month. Our freezer is crammed pack with food! 
While at Wally World I had some pictures made into prints. I now have a lot of future paintings. Today I am starting my daughters picture she picked out. The day is clear and I will have good light to paint by. If you need me I will be on my patio doing what I have come to love...

Somewhere in Time   

The sky is falling

Wayne, my neighbor, and I headed off into the mountains last night to see the asteroid shower. This time of year we always have a shower of "falling stars". Having lights from the town shinning in the sky obscures your line of sight. This is why we always drive up in the mountains where there is no light from the towns below. 
We got to our destination a little after 10:00 pm and found the sky clear and brilliant with millions of stars! The Milky Way was visible from horizon to horizon. It was a beautiful sight to behold. Soon after arriving the asteroids began to show up. We had quite the show for over an hour when we decided it was getting late. The drive back was a little hair raising! Wayne is not the best driver in the dark and the road was a little steep to say the least. We did make it back safely even though we did get a little turned around every once in a while...

Somewhere in Time 

It is 49 degrees this morning

Got up this morning and fixed my coffee...glanced over at the outdoor thermometer and noticed the outside temp was 49 degrees. I guess I will just stay inside until the sun warms up.
The park here had a baby shower for the previous owner. I made some of my salsa and took some chips. We had a good time visiting with all our neighbors.
We have had a bear come through several nights here in the park. I have to take the bird feeders in at night so there is no sweet smell that might entice the bears to stay around. They can smell sweet things for some distance. Well every morning while I am drinking my coffee I have a little visitor come to my window and hover there until I take the bird feeders back out. He or she is very persuasive so until I take them out the bird will not leave me alone.
Today is Sunday and I have plans on doing nothing. I may take my walk but that will be just about it. I may start another painting. My daughter put in her order for a painting so I might just get it underway...

Somewhere in Time   

Everywhere I go there is a painting

Rock formations everhwhere

Beautiful creeks with interesting features 

Sitting beside these flowing waters relaxes the soul

Everywhere I go I see something worth painting. I don't find this when I am home...I guess I see the same old things and don't notice the beauty. I really need to start paying closer attention to my surroundings at home.
We take trips at least once a week up here to investigate a new place. In doing so we find great places to re-visit but then we always want to find a new one. You know you don't want to go to the same place over and over again. The thing about up here is you are able to find a new place you have not been to. There is so much to see and do I don't think you would ever run out of places to go.
One place we go to over and over again is Wally World. We seem to get by there at least two to three times a month...whether we are here are back in Texas. Just can't seem to avoid that place when we are...

Somewhere in Time 

Looking back

These are some of our first sites at Alpen Ridge

This was the first site 

Just looked back in my post over the years at some of our first sites we had here at the park. 

We love the one we are in now. They say it is the best in the park!

I guess we will keep it...

Somewhere in Time 

Internet back on

Beaver Creek

Two Happy Campers

We have had spotty Internet here for some time. I don't know what is going on but we can't carry on our usual morning thing without the Internet.
This morning we have a good connection so I will try to post a short entry here. Not that I have much to say. We went to the drive-in movie last night and saw Mission Impossible. I was really tired when the movie was over. All the chases and fights just wore me out. I slept until 7:00 am so I knew I was really give out.
I will finish my coffee this morning and then head out for my walk. I will do my exercises and then I think I will finish my latest painting. 
We are planning a trip to Alamosa Friday morning to get some things from the Wally World there. Maybe catch breakfast at the cafe there. 
I got another re-call on the truck which I need to check up on. I have had so many I don't know if this one has been done or not?
I have plenty to keep me busy here...

Somewhere in Time