yellowstone diary...and beyond

Basic information about Than and his injured his knee.  On Monday evening, Than stood up too quickly, (imagine that!) tripped over his feet and fell, managing to take out two rockers near him as he did dance moves to avoid falling, but alas, did fall.  Tuesday morning, Christmas Eve, he wakes up with a swollen knee causing too much pain to actually walk on it.  Ice, Tylenol, rest and no real relief but with the aid of a wheelchair left over from Steve, he could get around but not any stairs. Thursday, 12/26, he saw his primary care doctor who recommended orthopedic care.  Friday morning, Than saw the orthopedic physician assistant who drained 125ml of fluid from his knee, put him in a full leg restraint, ordered xray where the bone  looked fractured (maybe tibia plateau fracture?) but was proven wrong  by the CAT scan.  He will see the Orthopedist on Tuesday. Details to follow. As if today, Monday, he is able to get around with the walker, but it exhausts him. He will try the steps ton

My Yellowstone buddy, Brenda is back at YNP for the winter season. Within the first few days, she and friends saw a wolf herd.  Brenda, quick with the camera was able to get a few seconds of video. Thanks. Brenda.  By the way, she will start posting to her blog about YNP very soon.  The address once again is: ynpfever2019.blogspot.com .  Leave a comment of encouragement and amazement if you could, please.  Unfortunately, I cannot load the video to this blog, so you'll have to wait until Brenda uploads it or until Clara comes over and shows me how to do it. Since the last post, my art class ended.  Joan and I are signed up for the February class.  I've added a few pictures that I painted.  Some are good, some aren't but it's the thought that  counts, right?   I painted a few yellowstone  pictures for four of my Yellowstone friends.  They all saw the original painting I did at YNP, so they will know how far I have come.  Happy holidays to one and all.  Today is a goo

I am trying to be very funny with giving myself the artist title.  I am enjoying this new-found interest of watercolor painting.  I will never be great, but who cares?  I am and will be satisfied with my results.  So there!! lol. We are in week 5 of 6 in watercolor class.  I have learned so much between Jane, who is a wonderful instructor, more like a guiding spirit, and YouTube, that has tons and tons of information.  Knowing how I can get involved in something and leave everything else behind, I force myself to shine my kitchen sink, aka straighten up the kitchen, before I sit and watch and paint.  Not a bad life, I'll tell you. Enjoy the  refrigerator art.  Thanks.... This is one study we did in class, applying some new techniques Just pictures.  The one with the moon is salt added to the wet paint for the sky to give it a neat look Cute snow creature with practice pad colors on the edge I was just messing around with snowmen and they came out kind of cute,

Life sometimes gets hectic and I just don't get around to blogging with you. I will eventually. Better late than never???? Anyway, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, as is my birthday, although that is much more personal.  Celebrating Thanksgiving starts with a dinner on T-Day that I lovingly call our Lost Souls Dinner.  This year Than and I had 15 people sharing food with us.  Everyone brought at least one side dish or bottle of something and dinner was great.  For the past few years, I have been cooking the turkey on Wednesday and just reheating it on Thursday.  It is so simple, easy to carve when its cool and everyone agreed that it tasted freshly cooked, but then again, they were guests in MY home.  what else could they say.  You may have noticed I said nothing about our family members.  That's because they show up for left-overs on Friday.  We call it 2nd Day Thanksgiving.  Of course, Steve was only there in spirit, but we still enjoyed the day and are grateful for wha

gorgeous sunset taken by Flora who especially liked the juxtaposition of the Amish hay mounds and the electric wires.    This blog starts off with a picture just to get your attention. Flora was quick on the camera button, once again. I'm having issues thinking of different names for the blog title. I seem to be in a rut. but then again, perhaps I am. The art classes are great.  As much as I enjoyed watercolor at Yellowstone. it was only a tiny taste of how satisfying it is.  Joan and I are both surprised and quite pleased with the results we have. We both feel like we discovered something important to us, to our souls, or our spirits.  Anyway, all the pictures are mine, but you get to meet Joan and Jane and a glimpse of Susan. I have some descriptions on each one to let you get the feel of it.  I wish I could explain the  joy painting these pictures gives me.  I had no idea I could actually do something like this, but then again -- it is a skill that almost anyone can lea

Good Morning, I wanted to post a few more watercolors before today's class.  I will never be Grandma Moses, but I will be pleased with my efforts.  As Jane, my teacher, explains and demonstrates more techniques, the more I want to try them.  I went through my YNP photos thinking I would choose a few for painting inspiration.  I ended up with 78, and that is no people or places.  And then of course, I have a river at my feet, both figuratively and literally.  Here are the latest ones.  I'm going to start dating them, too. Flowers from U Tube.  Not as easy as the artist say they are.  Practice, practice, practice.