FIRE At The Mill!

Posted on May 23, 2013 by foresterartist

We weren’t expecting to have a fire threaten the mill. The photos below tell the story.

Firefighters in pencil.

I added this sketch of the firefighters after “Z” at Zeebra Designs called for folks to draw in her post Time Out For Art – YOU CAN DO THIS. Here you go Z!

The rain has been replaced by wind and dry conditions once again. Fire returned, only this time instead of in the woods, it was at the mill. With winds blowing 25 to 30 mph a fire broke out at the mill next door and was being blown right at our site.

fire, mill, photography, wildfire, firefighters

The fire started next door.

It was all hands on deck. The crew poured in from all over the plant site to fight the fire.

Everybody pitch in.

Hoses were laid and water was flowing onto the fire. Soon, the regular fire crews arrived on scene.

This firefighter is patrolling for spot fires.

We were afraid the fire would spread into the pole stacks, or God forbid, the chip pile.

fire, mill, photography, wildfire, firefighters, fireline

Clearing fireline.

Our dozer was building a fireline in case the fire tried to jump the canal.

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The logging trucks had to stop while the fire was being fought.

The air tanker arrived ready to drop fire retardant.

Air tanker

The effort continued on the ground and we held the fire at the edge of our mill site.

Eating smoke.

Then the Helicopter arrived with the Bambi Bucket.

Air support.

The helicopter was scooping water from the Sacramento River to dump onto the fire.

fire, mill, photography, wildfire, firefighters, logging truck, helipoter

Making the drop.

With the spread of the fire was stopped, mop up operations began.

Mop up operations.

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Mopping up is putting out all the smoldering embers.

Our crew moved fast to get water on the fire and the fire department responded quickly. Together we were able to stop the fire before it could get into our yard. As a result of everyone’s quick action this wasn’t a big problem for us. I’m not certain how the neighbors fared, but I think they did okay also.

The crew at the other mill were busy battling the fire in their chip pile.

This is just another reminder that we are in for a long fire season this year.

The Return of the Sandhill Cranes

Posted on April 30, 2013 by foresterartist

Sandhill Crane

The Sandhill Cranes returned to Northeastern California late this Winter. I have been fortunate enough to see them on several occasions.

A lone crane feeding at Poison Lake.

Sandhill Cranes

Poison Lake

Cranes with friends.

Which way do we go?

Solitude

Ruffled feathers

I think Big Bird must have been a crane.

Poison Lake

Sandhill Cranes of Ash Creek Wildlife Area.

Loadin’ Logs

Posted on April 22, 2013 by foresterartist

Every logging operation needs a log loader and there are all types of them. This pen and ink is of a Barnhart log loader from back in the railroad logging days. It was a big steam-powered loader for loading big logs.

Barnhart Log Loader, Loader, Barnhart, Pen and Ink, logging, art

The Barnhart Log Loader

Here are some of today’s loaders.

loader, logging, heel-boom, shovel, loggers

The heel-boom loader is today’s log loading staple. It is also referred to as a shovel by the loggers.

Front-end loader, loader, logging, logger, photography

The front-end loader was the standard for years, but is still common in the woods.

log dolly, Front-end loader, loader, logging, logger, photographyy

The logging truck hauls the trailer, also known as a log dolly, in a piggy-back configuration. Here the front-end loader unloads the log dolly.

Self-loading logging truck, loader, logging, logger, photography

The self-loading logging truck has its own loader built-in.

I thought it was odd that the operator lowered the hood when he loaded his truck. I assumed it may be running hot. However, when he finished loading the truck, he went over to the engine compartment and pulled out a stick, which caused the engine to throttle down. He had wedged the stick into the throttle to keep the engine revved up while he was running the loader. He then put the stick in the tool box and said, “I gotta put it up here or the dog will run off with it!” Good thing I left Blitz in the truck.

Loading log truck, loader, loader, logging, logger, photography

In this picture, they used a front-end loader to assist the self-loader. Normally they use the self-loaders when another loader isn’t available.

This old green beast of a front-end loader was barely running, which is why they were using the self-loader. These were two weary old machines.

Blitz is seriously wanting the throttle stick right now.

Bucking Logs – The Donation A WIP

Posted on February 7, 2013 by foresterartist

I have an impending deadline. I am creating this watercolor painting as a donation to the Sierra Cascade Logging Conference, Education Day live auction. It is a 1930’s era logger bucking logs with a crosscut saw, also known as a “misery whip”. I sketched it the night before last. I stretched my paper yesterday morning. Last night I started putting paint to paper. Tonight I have to finish it. Tomorrow I will need to cut the mat and frame it so that tomorrow night it goes to auction. whewww! I’m ready for a nap, unfortunately that will have to wait until Sunday.

This part is for any Conference attendees. I’m posting this to the Conference facebook page in case there are any attendees going to the Education Day Dinner and happen to look online. We want you to show up with your check books because it’s fundraising time. You can bid on this if you like it, or bid on something else if you don’t, but bid!

It is a WIP. This is where I stopped last night, but now I’m back at it. Updates will be forthcoming.

watercolor, watercolour, logging, bucking, logs, painting, saw, crosscut saw, misery whip, line art, sketch

In the beginning, the line art.

watercolor, watercolour, logging, bucking, logs, painting, saw, crosscut saw, misery whip

The background washes and starting to find some detail.

Completed intial washes and adding some background detail.

You may be asking, why did he wait so long to start this? An excellent question and one to which I have a good answer. However, I can’t go into that now, because I just don’t have time. That will be another blog. Stay tuned.

Wolverine Mother and Kits

Posted on December 7, 2012 by foresterartist

Wolverine, kits, cubs, animal babies, drawing, sketch, pencil, art

Wolverine kits nursing on their mother.

A Gift Of Art

Posted on November 23, 2012 by foresterartist

I’m reblogging a post today from our blogger friend Divya. Her blog is http://divyaadusumilli.wordpress.com and I encourage you to go visit. It is a wonderful blog. Last week she contacted me and my wife, Mary, http://thebackdoorartist.com/ about drawing a picture from a photo I took of two of our golden retrievers. This is her post of our dogs. Thank you Divya, we love the picture. What a beautiful gift you have given us. Blaze and Hunter were the dogs that appeared in the original post, https://theforesterartist.com/2012/08/25/blaze/.

Divya's Art Blog

Drawing Surface: The Boutique AT Paper Mill Shop, Luxury Artist Pad a4 (Made in the English Lake District)

Some of you might recognize these innocent faces in a photo taken by The Forester Artist. This is an attempt to replicate in my drawing book the pets of the Livingstons, The Forester Artist and The Backdoor Artist, who have kindly given me the permission to sketch and post publicly. I am very inspired by how real life images are the subject matter of Tim and Mary‘s illustrations, and you can find some in FireStorm in the Forest by Red Tail Publishing. They are very helpful and I am greatly delighted to have them as blogger friends (and the first ones on WordPress).

As I gathered, on the left is Blaze and on the right is Hunter…and caught in a wonderful moment by Tim. The sketch will do half…

View original post 19 more words

Black Bird Fly

Posted on November 16, 2012 by foresterartist

black bird, pen and ink, photo, photography, logs, salvage, forestry, timber

Black birds feast.

The black birds hop from log to log. All the while, tilting their heads to and fro. Then after a brief pause they reach into the bark, and with surgical precision, pluck out a squirming grub. Then with heads thrown back they swallow the grub with the ease of an Olympic gymnast dismounting from a balance beam.

black birds, logs, logging, grubs, photo, photography

Hunting grubs on the burned logs.

This goes on all day in our log yard. As the logs from the fire salvage operations pour into the yard, so do the black birds. The swarm the logs for this feast of opportunity. Sometimes they engage in black bird battles for dominion over some particularly grub infested log. I think these birds get fatter every day. Soon they may not be able to fly.

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Burned logs delivered to the log yard.

Salvage logging continues at break neck speed. The beetles invading the logs are an indicator of the oncoming decay. Next will be stain, splitting and then rot. Time and decay are our enemies. The black birds are a constant reminder of the ticking clock.

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Ponderosa burn fire salvage. Where have all the squirrels gone?

Another Year Goes By

Posted on November 4, 2012 by foresterartist

Today is my birthday. My wife, Mary Livingston – The Backdoor Artist blogged a nice birthday post to me, and I want to say Thank you to her. So, thanks honey. Just for fun and for a little self-inflicted birthday humiliation I’ve attached a self portrait that I drew about 33 years ago. This was part of my early beginning into serious art. Well, you’ve got to start somewhere. This was about a year before I met her on a blind date, don’t ask. Back then I still had hair, a lot of blond hair. I miss that hair. Thinking back I can almost hear the disco music playing.