yellowstone diary...and beyond

Monday is the day Joan and I go to art lessons in Sunbury.  I am so glad I was curious one day at Yellowstone and decided to take a watercolor class.  It opened me to a whole new world-a different way of seeing things.  My instructor is a woman named Jane Albin, interesting enough in herself, even if she weren't teaching me some really neat technique. My favorite is birch trees, as you will see in the following pictures.  I still didn't get photos of any of Joan's, or even her.  Next week for sure. Enjoy the rest of your day.

Anyone who lives in this section of Pennsylvania is well aware of the deer population and are on the lookout for deer while driving. Especially bad this time of year because of rutting season. We are all told to be very careful. We probably all have neat pictures, or at least thought of what would have been neat if we actually had a camera handy.  My friend recently took these pictures, allowing me to post them here.  Enjoy. they look like they are posing Just watching the world go by... We are told to watch out for rutting deer, No one ever thought to say watch out for deer rutting.

    One of the many things I did while living in Yellowstone was take a few watercolor painting classes. I really enjoyed the instructor Jesse, and the projects were short and sweet.  We discussed a little technique and basically how to get paint on paper, using craft grade materials.  But that was enough to whet my appetite.  When I came home, my buddy Joan and I signed up for a watercolor painting class at The Art Center  {of the Greater Susquehanna Valley} in Sunbury, a town less than 10 miles away.  I'll chart my progress on this blog.  This is sort of like my refrigerator where I can pin up my art work. If Joan agrees, I'll include hers.      Joan is known to be somewhat loud sometimes, I think she speaks perfectly.  We laugh that the hearing/loudness thing is why were friends.  Actually, I met Joan in the late 80’s when we both worked at the Bloomsburg hospital laboratory; drifted apart for about 10-15 years and...

During my Halloween camping weekend, Trish and Kirk arranged for the whole group to go on a train ride on a 1/12 scale track through Art D's land in Shermans Dale.  Art D is an 84 year old gentleman who started this project when he was 62.  It's like a hobby on steroids gone wild.  He has miles and miles of  tracks through his land.  He built trestle bridges, tunnels, covered bridges, standard bridges and more. He also adorned the trees with various outdoor themed characters. The train itself consists of two engines, the conductors car, three passenger cars, each holding two or three people straddling a center bench, two cute cars, a tanker and a yellow caboose, and the last car, the presidents car, that held Marina and her dad, Ben, used for a fun journey. Art was not the conductor.  The ride took about 30 minutes and cover a little over 1 - 1/2 miles of track.  I thought this trip was unique enough to warrant its own blog, not sharing it with any...

Over the past few years, friends have invited Than and me to a Halloween Party that is a weekend event.   I mentioned Wonderland in a previous blog.  Than has gone once or twice, but has opted out the last few years. This year, as serendipity  has it, Pam's SO had to work so we shared her camper. By my sleeping in the bed that is usually a table, we discovered a roof leak Saturday night during a storm.  I woke up to 2 or 3 square feet of wet mattress, corner of the wonderful down comforter Pam provided, and half of my pillow, but I digress.  The party itself is also a birthday celebration of one of the land owners, Kirk. So much fun. About 30-40 overnight campers including about 15 "kids" (16 to 25 or so) who camped in or near the huge teepee close by the fire pit and the campers surrounding it including 3 buses turned campers. Mike, one of the other guests, was marveling at the bubble we were in, how so many folks from so many different backgrounds can co...

Not only is writing a blog fun, yet challenging at times, it is contagious.  Brenda is going back to YNP for the winter season and is doing a blog about it.  the blog is   ynpfever2019.blogspot.com  She is still in Florida, but on her way by December 1. There are a lot of pictures and maps. She's good at this blogger thing.  I hope she has better luck than I did, but she does have Verizon  and that is the only tower even close.  T-mobile was complaining about how much roaming time I used. Oh well. Speaking of roaming, I am going camping with Pam F this weekend. There is a Halloween party Saturday and a bunch of us are going to Wonderland, the location of the party. on Friday. Than doesn't want to go and Pam's SO Bobby can't make it, so Pam and I are sharing her camper. Wondererland is a piece of land (75 acres) that Trish and Kirk own and have made a great area for camping.  Their last name is sort of close to Alice, therefore it is Alice's...

yesterday, Friday, I had a phone date with Brenda. We chatted for about 45 minutes, catching up and comparing notes.  Right now she is in northern Florida, about 5 hours north of home base, but there is a big storm coming in so she is staying put for now.  She is off until December 1st and expects to be taken into the park by snowcoach as no vehicles are permitted in most of the park. I can't wait to hear about it. it would be cool to visit, but no way would I consider staying and working there.Brenda really likes Betty Boop so I sent her these pictures. I have the doll sitting on a form that taxidermist would use for an otter model.  They sit on a small wooden table at the bottom of the steps, so every time I come down the steps, I can't help but see it.  It makes me smile.  Especially Betty's expression! Christine is still at Yellowstone until early November, 4 weeks off and returning on December.  Christine works in the EDR, employee dining ro...