Kaibab Squirrel

I was telling my mom about this squirrel, whose habitat is confined to the mixed Ponderosa pine forest of the Grand Canyon's north rim and the surrounding Kaibab forest. A couple of them actually ran across my campsite one morning, but I wasn't quick enough to catch them on the camera, so this is a scan of a postcard...my mom wanted to see them, so I thought I'd post it too...their white tail is very obvious when you see them live.

Reflecting

Getting reorganized after the trip... I did the math. The day I left Max's odometer read 79,206. Just went out and checked it and it now reads 85,768. So with all of my side trips and excursions, Max, Theo and I covered 6,562 miles! Yowser.

This shot of Theo lolling in the grass with the mountains in the background was taken from the Utah Lake State Park. Nice campsite right on the lake with mountains on all sides. Also saw lots of little warblers, a Western Tanager and there were several California Quail flirting in the campground.

Dulce Domum

Its good to be home. My mom had fresh crabmeat and a cold Bass ale waiting for me - she'd even tied roses to the gate to welcome me and Theo. Even Max seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as we pulled in the drive - like he was heading to his stable... it was full spring when I left just over a month ago, and now its full summer... Deep lush greens. Still I feel like I left a part of me out west, I'll have to head back out there...what's next, a road trip to the west coast? Time will tell.

I like this shot I took tonight - its almost dreamy with the hydrangeas in bloom and Theo fuzzy to the left as he lolls in the grass... that hound traveled thousands of miles with me (I'll figure up the mileage tomorrow, I'm curious)... let's hear his thoughts...


Theo: "Oh man, I was just getting comfortable splayed out on this big mattress all to myself...ok, well, I have to admit I never thought I'd see my yard again. I had so much ground to cover when I got home - nobody with a decent nose would've known it was mine! They will now though. I got kinda used to Max, but when she headed out there again tonight I stayed well behind. Not getting me back in that van tonight, no sir. I'm comfortable right here...zzzzzzz"

He's out. I'm not far behind. What a great trip! Now I have to get prepped to go to Philadelphia next week for the Rittenhouse Square show - woo hoo!

Last stop

Here I am again...

...I've covered a few miles, young'uns, and here I am back at the first campground where I stopped my first night out from home. I had planned to be home today, but a little hiccup with Max delayed me a bit. Somehow it feels good to be in this cool, rainy spot tonight. I'm at the Camp Creek State Park in West Virginia, this shot was snapped at their falls.

Theo's konked out - has nothing to say after a couple of days of long drives. He'll be happy to get back to his own yard tomorrow...

Today marks a year since Jim died. I still find it hard to believe he's gone. He had such a vibrancy to him, that you just can't believe it.. He's been on my mind today, remembering our travels together and the good times we shared. I'm grateful for the time we had together.

What more can you say? These things are so totally out of our control...

Painting on the rim..

More on the Canyon...

Got some more photos off the other camera... so after starting out at the rim of the canyon, it got hot...first Theo found shade - dug himself a nice little hole to snooze in under a bush... after I finished the watercolor I moved to the same bush to work on a canvas in the shade. The light is intense. Didn't get the canvas finished, but made a good start. Will try to finish it from photos but I know that's not the same. Still if I do it while the trip is still fresh I hope to catch some of that spirit.

Its ironic that the wider the expanse you want to try to paint, the smaller each part has to be to fit... for example, if I wanted to just focus on one rock outcropping, then that could take up the entire canvas... but if I wanted to show the whole view in front of me, that same rock outcropping would have to be a small part...its one reason I like to paint big...

Watercolor on the rim...