Here's the first thing. I’ve always loved buildings, spaces, places. Love the crooks of trees, attics, though no fondness for basements. The cellar I did not mind so much, though it imparted a sense of trepidation. The Poetics of Space by Gaston Bachelard pretty much explains why we generally regard basements as creepy, not to mention the horror movies whose directors probably had to read this book in art school too, thank you very much. Actually, not.

The bulk of my work is about place. Built or natural, architectural or landscape, it's about place. Nothing makes me happier than nesting—including re-decorating, scrounging garage sales for stuff for the new place, settling in, planting my own stuff out in the yard, making a space mine, and making it better than it ever was. I had a landlady--even though the lease said "no painting" --she told me to do whatever I wanted to. I rented 3 different places from her and I painted them all!

We humans are still as territorial as most of our animal cousins, we've just developed massively complicated rules and approaches to the problem of territory and shelter.

Here’s the second thing. We, as a gallery, purchased an incredibly expensive ad in a publication to come out next year. I weighed the options and it seems like a worthwhile investment. These folks called me up recently and asked if I knew about their calendar. Ha. Of course I want to do that! But it’s the same price as a page ($1300, yes, thirteen hundred). Whoa! Want to do it, but double the incredibly expensive price? When we’ve made all of $190 since we’ve been here? I asked my husband. He left the decision to me. Arguuuuh.

So I contemplated. It was really more me way wanting to be in a calendar than it's going to get us any more publicity (I had to admit that, it's like admitting you take drugs or something! That craving for noteriety) .....so I decided it was pride, and not a sound decision. I said no.

And-- here's where these two seemingly distant ideas collide.....

My husband suggested to me, and has been encouraging me to look into.....getting certified to sell real estate here. I love places and spaces. I love the potential of fixer-uppers, and would be happy dealing with that difficult market. Plus, I could probably work at it part-time. And it costs somewhat less than a calendar page to go through all the classes and the tests that it takes to become certified in this state. I can complete everything in less than a year and faster yet if I am truly motivated. It;s 3 years less time and imagine how hella cheaper than to become certified in selling real estate than it does to become an interior decorator.

I know. That gave me pause as well. You can be certified to sell real estate--no price limit--in the millions even, after one year of school. But you can't decorate a damn thing, or pick out lights and paint without a four-year degree? Go figure. Me? I think there's more money in flipping. And I know all about paint. That was my first $40,000 educational experience.

So here I am, thinking about going back to school. I believe my sister accused me, maybe 20 years ago, of being a “professional student.” That may be the only thing she’s ever been right about! (Now if that does not get her to call me she’s clearly not reading this!)

My New Kitchen Stove
Posted on July 28, 2007

I just won this baby on eBay! The perfect stove for Thanksgiving Dinner (I LOVE to make Thanksgiving dinner and have a bunch of friends over) in a place where it's really cold that time of year. Yay!!

We'll get a gas stove too, for the summer, I already have my eye on the gas/wood combo pictured below. Leonardo's good with having 2 stoves and we'll certainly have the room in the new place. If everything goes as planned we'll close next week. And, in the new place, there will be room for our very own pup. Maggie the Second, maybe!

Motorcycle Ride This Morning
Posted on July 25, 2007

That's right! The Suzuki is back on the road, at long last, after my friend took it for a ride and crashed it a year and a half ago! Yay! Leonardo took his Sporty and I on my Suzuki and we rode up to Picuris for breakfast then back down to Cordova for the mail. Motorcycle riding is glorious here! You can see the whole sky, you can smell all the trees and rain--speaking of rain we got back home just before today's downpour hit. It's cleared up out there now.

I'm going to have more fun riding here than I have anywhere, ever. It's just so incredibly awesome, and you don't have to wear a helmet here. I do of course, I would not feel right without one, but then that's me. Want to keep my head in one piece, you never know when something can happen.

The only other real news is another new "Panoramic" painting is started and looking good, and I'm going through back and forth with title company, insurance company, RE broker, etc. All that stuff you have to get done. Insurance might be a bit tricky. Appraisal happens tomorrow so we'll know what the place is actually worth soon.

Maggie's Mom

Posted on July 23, 2007

Maggie's Dog Mom and Human Mom came by today and took her home. Turns out she did live just up the road--at the cousin's place, after all. Of course I am heartbroken but the cats are joyful! Maggie's Human Mom said "well, if she follows me home..." And of course she did.

We will pick out a pup of our own but maybe we'll wait a bit until the new house is ready and there's more room for cats & dogs to co-exist. That is, of course, unless we find any other stray pups we take a shine to in the meantime ;-)

Adventures with Maggie
Posted on July 22, 2007

Removed most dog-chewable items from truck, esp. jerky & coyote jawbone. Brought plenty of water, dish, leash. Paper towels & scrub brush were in truck already (lucky, lucky.) She seemed comfortable enough on my lap driving up the road, she settled right down. Then by Ojo Sarco the SBDs started (Silent, But Deadly). Then they became regular. Just past Dixon she barfed mostly on the floor but a little bit on my lap. Oh, joy, my first puppy barf. Thank goodness for the extra water, scrub brush & paper towels!

We went on up to a spot on the Rio Grande where the rafters pull out & head back up-river. She didn't want to get out of the truck. We took her out and she was petrified and tried to get back in. So Leonardo sat with her in the back of the truck whilst I found the facilities. We sat with her there for awhile and she seemed more comfortable so we had a little walk around under the trees and by the river.

By then we'd bailed on trying to find a spot for breakfast where we could bring Maggie and decided to head home and make breakfast ourselves. When we got home, once again, it was difficult to get her out of the truck. Are you thinking what we're thinking? Yep, someone dropped her off--which is why no one answered all the ads or signs we put out. I'm just glad she found us! We'll take her out on shorter trips up toward the trailheads with a picnic for us and plenty of dog-toys and break her into road-trips gradually. I think we had bigger plans than she could handle today. Now she's happily crashed out in her chair with the yarn ball that used to belong to the cats (I don't think they mind so much, they hardly ever touched it).

We had a couple gallery visitors as we were making breakfast--no matter we're closed on Sunday, we invited them in. I'm going to get some housecleaning & laundry done today then I have to work on some narrative for the show at the museum, they need it by the end of the month and the hour draws nigh!

Back Online!
Posted on July 21, 2007

Have been offline for a day and a half--first due to a storm (in the midst of another now) and then by a Windstream "network outage." Damn! The radio just went off the air. So I called Windstream customer service and after trying all sorts of things they told me the problem was with my computer and to call Apple. Sheesh. Like calling Apple would get me anywhere if I could even get through to them. I poked around a bit and it turned out that one of my settings in preferences had disappeared, I entered my IP address and boom! Back on-line. I should know better than to bother with customer "service."

Heart Attack Moment: Yesterday afternoon Therese was here and we went for a walk down toward Tafoya's store with Maggie, the pup. When we got there there were a bunch of guys on a quad (ATV). They saw the puppy and asked me if it was the one I found. I affirmed and they said it belonged Suzette who lives across from the volunteer fire station. Sigh. So we stopped in back at the house to let Leonardo know and with heavy heart we started up to the fire station. About halfway up Therese remembered---wait! That's my cousin! She doesn't have a dog like that! And we'd seen the cousin's sister that morning who commented on "what a cute pup!" When we got to the house I recognized it as one we'd walked by weeks ago and their new pup came running out under the gate--I'd picked it up and returned it, and no, that pup didn't really look that much like Maggie. We rung the bell, no one home but Therese said she knew the sister would have said something if she'd recognized the pup. You should have seen Leonardo's face light up when we returned with Maggie.

The day before a neighbor wondered if the dog belonged to Jake Lopez-he'd heard someone brought Jake a puppy from Cordova. Therese said she'd talked with Sharon at the library and Sharon had given Jake's puppy back to him that same morning (the pup apparently took itself for a walk) so that cleared that up. I took the ad off Craig's List today and we've agreed we can take the Post Office posters down on Monday. And hope there actually is no owner who will ever show up. I mean, I had the Found Puppy sign out there for 3 days--if someone lost their puppy you'd think they'd go looking for it.

It's been a long, dry spell with the gallery visitors--three days and no one at all. Finally today we've had two and the second one promised to come back with a friend, he loved my use of color. Now it's time to get back to the canvas.

Pre-Choice
Posted on July 19, 2007

I got a list of the museum's preliminary choices of artwork for the show there later this year. They've picked more than they need from work I have already done so it's a cakewalk. Of course I want them to look at my newest work (that would be the work I'm still working on!) But they have already asked me if I'd like to do new work based on the work they've picked out. Just how bleeping awesome is that!? There are a couple they mentioned they would like--that I most definitely want in the show. "Out by Cordova" being one of my most passionate new favorites. Remember, you can see "Out by Cordova" and everything else I have on my website in my painting gallery.

Re-Living it Twice
Posted on July 19, 2007

I realize that is redundant. I say "re-living it twice" because it happened three times. Today the bank signed the contract. We were under the impression that it had happened already, then there was the counter-offer of theirs that we signed, and we thought that they'd signed that, too, and it was real, but they'd only verbally agreed (which we know means squat just about anywhere on anything) so we signed their second counter-offer and they finally, actually signed today. I'm pretty sure this is real because our RE person is all about the loan now, and can we call the insurance companies for a deck letter, etc. So. Go figure. We already drank all our champagne.

In other news, the puppy's name is Maggie Mae and she's moved into the gallery with a chair and food and water bowls, except right now she's on the couch next to Leonardo. He brought her home a collar today and I found a purse strap with clips that clips right onto her collar and is just the right length. I DID post an ad on Craig's List today with pictures, yes I did, and I still kept the signs up. We may find her owners still. But just in case we don't she and Missy aren't exactly getting along but it is not quite the nightmare I expected. Especially when Maggie is asleep, no problems at all! And at this stage that's like five or six times a day. So.

Pupster Pix!
Posted on July 19, 2007

How can you say no to this?

Pupster with my ragged blue-jean scrap chew toy. An instant favorite. We can also play fetch and tug-of-war with it.

Another Pup Update
Posted on July 18, 2007

She's a little girl. Now I've got her rag rug and pillow out under the truck canopy in the weed field behind the house. Unfortunately, it's next to the cat window but, oh well. She's got a chew stick and I've got her settled down for a sleep. I made her a chew toy out of the scraps of some old jeans.

I'm out of printer ink and it's a trip to Santa Fe to get any--in the meantime I'll take a photo (probably tomorrow) and post up on Craig's List. I'll email the photo to myself so I can go download at the library and print out a few copies to post up here and there around town tomorrow afternoon.

She's really well-behaved and smart for such a young pup. I think she's had a bit of training. Either that or she is just one sharp dog.

Pup Update
Posted on Jul 18, 2007

The pup seemed to have moved on. I took down the sign. We breathed a sigh of relief. About half an hour later I see a truck by the front wall and I hear the pup. A guy saw the pup following me to the library. So he thought it was mine. So when he saw it down the road he picked it up & brought it back. That was so sweet! Except it's not ours. He says it's an Australian Shepherd, the tail is bobbed, he thinks it is worth a lot of money. So I hope it's owners will find it. So by now, I've fed it too. Comforted it when the thunder came in. And re-filled the water. I guess we'll put up a sign in the Post Office tomorrow morning. Don't know what I'll do with it for the night, put a rag-rug out under the camp chair, I guess.

Found Puppy
Posted on July 18, 2007

Said puppy followed a friend of ours on her morning walk. When she stopped to chat, pup stayed. And stayed, and stayed. I had to walk to library this afternoon. Pup came. Pup got into schoolyard, I walked off, thinking, good, maybe some kid will recognize it. Pup heard my footsteps leaving, raced to the end of the fence, wriggled under, and came back home with me.

Missy has spiked his nose three times now, I think he gets it that he cannot come in. I put "Found Puppy" sign on fence, hope someone comes to claim him. Will walk up the road later, knowing he'll (or she'll) follow, hoping it will recognize it's home & stay. Sheesh. It's kind of cute, but honestly, we can't have a dog here, not until the new place.

My husband won't even look at it. I gave it water, it's hot out there.

Speaking of new place- we're still waiting to initial that newest batch of papers, but you knew that.

Terrific Tuesday
Posted on July 17, 2007

Here's Junior all decked out for the opening last Saturday! Isn't he a cheery fellow?

All righty, then, assets were liquidated this morning for the house. A bit sad in a way, I earned 20 percent on my investment fund over the last year! I've got to figure out a way to re-invest in that fund once we get this project off the ground (and I sell some paintings!)

As I mentioned over on Shoutpost, we're going to dinner in Taos tonight at Doc Martin's Restaurant for our third anniversary dinner. You can find their menu online, oh check out the Wild Game Prix Fixe. Does that not sound delicious? You can find pictures of the Adobe Bar too, which certainly sounds like the place to hang out if one does that sort of thing. We may have a cocktail there before dinner. Auugghh! I just checked again, they've changed the Prix Fixe menu! It's not the wild game anymore! Still--they've got plenty of things I'll love.

On Sunday we went to the Folk Art Festival in Santa Fe, which was awesome, but I could not find anything I liked that I could afford. Plenty of affordable stuff, I have the unfortunate character flaw of not liking anything under about $800 or $1200. So much for good taste.

We stopped at the Tesuque flea market on the way home and I got a brilliant string of red coral beads--which I'm about to take out right now and see what I have that might go with it. I'm thinking black onyx and silver beads for a princess or choker length necklace.

Oh, before I forget....that $10K the bank lowered the price by? It turned into $11.5K they lowered the price by. If we sit here another couple days I think they might just give that place to us.

New Art Page

Check it out at ArtSlant.

Photo Phriday
Posted on July 13, 2007

Photo Phriday is a bit thin today, but hey, Trishtown is up and running. It'll get better with time! I'll also give some thought to organizing the site and archiving entries but that wouldn't be today.

Here's that great evening glow--it's different every time, but you get the idea.

This cloud is over toward Los Alamos. Yes, it worried me too!

More Back & Forth
Posted on July 13, 2007

We got an offer back from the bank, they want to drop the price $10K (this is the SAME 10K I mentioned yesterday, but now we have it in writing). Cool. But we're getting a septic inspection (maybe he's coming out today) so we know where we're at before we sign the papers. Our RE agent expects we might all go back & forth a time or two before we actually sign the contract. But things are moving forward for us, so it's looking good, we're just not going to pop the champagne until we sign that contract! But a house and half an acre with a l.o.c.a.t.i.o.n and view to kill for for $46K? Who can argue with that? Heck, if they drop the price another 10K we can just pay cash!

Wow did we get a thunderstorm last night. And this morning. It's pouring out there, water is running down the driveway in streams. Husband will run into SF today to pick up goodies for tomorrow's opening for the new show (which is good because if he stayed home he'd only have cabin fever from the rain). I'll paint. Working on Black Horse Lake and back to the long neglected Monument Valley today. Need to get those finished up. It's later than I think! There's only about 2 months more of painting before the museum will choose their five paintings.

I communicated with the curator of the Booth Museum show....there IS a reception so it looks like we'll be in Georgia in January. The show is in Cartersville, about an hour northeast of Atlanta. Can anyone suggest any "must-sees" while we're back there? Neither one of us have ever been to Georgia.