For me this is the sunset season. We don’t get a lot of the climate conditions in the Summer for spectacular sunsets, unless we have smoke in the skies from wildfire. Over the Winter we get spectacular sunsets, which I enjoy as I drive home from the woods. I get home after dark, but while I drive I watch the sky as it changes. Last night was stunning.
When I say “lost art”, I don’t mean a lost skill. I really mean lost artwork.
Pen and ink of the Battery Point Lighthouse at Crescent City, CA around 1981. Preserved in a photo.
Have you ever lost track of your artworks. After decades of doing art, there were some pieces I had entirely forgotten about. Mary used to take pictures of my art. It is the only record I have of some of my work. After all these years I don’t remember where or to whom some of it went. I never kept track of things in a serious manner, since art was never my first career. Between selling art, giving pieces away, moving again and again, and years of living life, things fade in memory. Then, out of the blue I come across a photograph of some lost and forgotten art. It’s a bit of bliss to me. All because Mary, of Sneaking Bliss purveyor of bliss, had to forethought to record my art.
The 120MM Anti-Aircraft artillery
There has been a magazine for everything. I was able to scan this one because a dear friend and World War II US Army vet provided it to me. Walter helped operate these big cannons in the Pacific during the war. He saved this magazine cover from that time, because this was his gun. The AAA or anti-aircraft artillery operated in a four gun configuration with all guns wired into a targeting computer. Walter ran the range finder for the operation, which determined how long the fuses were set to burn. Once the fuses were set and a targeting solution was set in the computer the guns moved in unison to find their target.
Seeing this meant a lot to me, because my Dad did the same job on the 90 MM version of this cannon. He was in a Marine defense battalion in the Pacific during WWII.
So today thank a vet for his or her service. I want to remember my Dad and say thank you to Walter, my uncles, my sons, my nephew and all the other veterans who fought to protect our freedom. To so many we owe so much.
This gallery contains 12 photos.
Fall has hit its peak in the high country. We were in the mountains for the weekend. The leaves have turned and were dropping enthusiastically, but Sunday was the day. Sunday was the day that Mother Nature performed her striptease … Continue reading
So why is Blitz laughing, because she is a naughty girl, that’s why! I think she has a very disturbed sense of humor, but what would you expect from someone who says hello by sniffing butts. Boy, was she pleased with herself or what.
“Don’t you make that face at me Blitz…you are a bad girl!”
Do you remember this flower from my previous post. What a unique and beautiful orange flower. I had never seen one like this before. It must be truly rare. Worthy of a National Geographic magazine cover no doubt, and I found it! This flower was probably the only habitat for the equally rare three spotted pygmy jumping spider too. A potential biological grand slam. All I need is the perfect shot and fame was going to be mine!
Lovely, wasn’t it. The stigma and stamens look kind of like the Pillsbury dough boy.
I got one nice picture, then I carefully, so carefully, framed the next shot. This was going to be The Money Shot. “Snap” went the camera and “what the heck” went the photographer. All I got was a bunch of blurry furry!
It’s a golden retriever Tsunami!
Blitz performed a, 9.5 deserving, Roll of Joy right on top of the rare and beautiful, National Geographic cover worthy, previously undiscovered orange flower, instantaneously crushing it in a blitz of red dog fur. I could almost hear the members of the Native Plant Society weeping for this tiny bit of tossed salad.
Does this dog look remorseful to you?
Maybe is was just an unfortunately timed Roll of Joy that all golden retrievers are want to do. Perhaps she was trying to add that extra action or interest needed for an award-winning photograph. Maybe a cry for help (doubt it). Whatever the reason, I’ll never know, and she isn’t talking. Blitz….no doggy biscuits for you!
Mary aka, Sneaking Bliss, loves writing about bliss. Today she is celebrating a birthday and a big one at that. Some birthday bliss is just what she deserves.
Thinking about the day that she entered the world makes me reflect on the bliss she has brought me and so many others. It is difficult to sum up all the experiences we have shared together. Sometimes the journey has been like a bullet train moving way to fast leaving us wondering where the time went. Other times it was like a wagon train head West, a difficult journey, but full of spectacular sights and hope for the future. I’ve loved the journey with her.
Mary digging for gold.
It is your birthday today Mary, but I feel like the one who has been given a great gift. Thank you for being my bliss. Happy Birthday and I love you.
“If they gave me a fortune my pleasure would be small. I could lose it all tomorrow and never mind at all, but if I should lose your love dear I don’t know what I’d do. For I know I’ll never find another you.”
The Seekers – Tom Springfield
I’ll Never Find Another You
This weekend we had the good fortune to attend the 66th Annual Lumberjack Fiesta. It was pure Americana like a Norman Rockwell painting. The Fiesta takes place at Hoo Hoo Park in McCloud, California. I posted a few iphone photos when we were at the event. Those pictures didn’t really tell the whole story. Let me show you around.
Great form at the axe throw.
Hoo Hoo Park in McCloud.
The Lil Lumberjack competition. This boy lets one fly!
Nice throw young man!
Mt Shasta provides the perfect backdrop. The softball tournament went all weekend.
There was even a horseshoe tournament.
We were signing books for Red Tail Publishing.
This was the Red Tail Publishing gang on Saturday. Mary Livingston, The Backdoor Artist, Tim Livingston (me) and Ivy Smith, were there signing books. Phil all around good guy helps us out a bunch!
Mary visits with a guest who admires a cuddly turkey vulture toy.
Venders were there with food, art, clothes and all kinds of interesting stuff.
What picnic would be complete without a watermelon eating contest! The big boys had to sit on their hands.
Blitz and Teka came too. There were lots of dogs in attendance.
Blitz gets a “little” love.
The ladies axe throw. The timber sports events were for anyone who wanted to participate.
Spectators enjoy the men’s double buck competition.
What better souvenir then a chainsaw carved bear!
The men’s double buck competition. These guys are cutting like “a house afire!”
TIME!
A special thank you to Linda Martin Andersen for having me as her guest blogger last week on A Writer’s Playground. Go check out her awesome site!
We are at the 66th Annual Lumberjack Fiesta in McCloud, CA today.
There’s an axe throw bullseye, right in the beer can. No, that isn’t me.
Mary arranging the booth. We are representing Red Tail Publishing today. It’s a beautiful day in McCloud!
That’s me and Buddy The Wayward Wolverine.
Bald Eagle resting in a pine tree along the Trinity River.
“I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.”
James Madison
Have you ever done pro bono artwork. It is an excellent way to get positive exposure. As artists we have all done artwork for friends or family as gifts. Try taking it one step further and do some artwork for your community, church or charitable organizations.
A steam traction engine hauling lumber.
The pen and ink shown above was done to aid the Shingletown Historical Society, a small community historical society that works to preserve their community legacy. They are a small organization with dedicated volunteer members. They have more enthusiasm than money. At the time, Red Tail Publishing still did book manufacturing for other independent publishers, a service that has been discontinued. The historical society hired Red Tail to do a reprinted edition of Way Back When, a book about the local history, written by Myrtle McNamar over fifty years ago. The original cover art was lost long ago and the previous reprints of the cover were reprints of reprints. At one point the only copy of the cover art was on a tee-shirt that had been produced for a fund-raiser. The cover art had become so degraded that an acceptable copy could not be produced. Mary, of Red Tail Publishing, asked if I would like to create a new piece of cover art for the project, and I agreed. We used an old photo provided by the historical society as a basis. I flipped it around and changed the background to make it work for the cover, and you can see the results below. The Shingletown Historical Society, at no charge, got permission to use my illustration for their book, but I kept all rights to the art.
I have done other art donations, such as illustrations for our church newsletter, and donations of artwork and commission work for local non-profits. Being an artist has not been my primary career, so I have been able to do this simply because I want to. It is a gratifying way to give back and a nice thing to support local organizations that in turn are trying to help others. It is also a great way to get your art seen by folks and to build good will. Who knows, you might even get published.
Here is a link to the Shingletown Historical Society, also here.
THE FORESTER ARTIST 