Broken Arrowhead, July 2013.

Crying Piece: Slang in a tiny community of artifact hunters.  A broken arrowhead that would have knocked your socks off if it was whole. 

I found a crying piece the other day, the tie off of an arrowhead.  The stone is gorgeous and white, it has beautiful pressure flaking, and would have been oh so very gorgeous if it was whole. 

Really, I should just be thankful that I found a broken piece. 

Fossil Hunting in Iowa. 7-27-13

We went out adventuring. This is what was found.

1.  This blue marble was a lucky find.  I found it under a cement slab on a river bank. Here's a link that tells you the difference between an old marble and a new one.  This is an old marble.

 http://www.ebay.com/gds/6-Differences-Between-Old-and-New-Marbles/29202/g.html

2.  We were fishing and decided to take a little break and walk up a creek that runs into the river. We found all the shell fossils and the two horned coral in a little rock pile in the center of the dried up creek. 

3.  It's hard to tell how beautiful and awesome the rock next to the marble is...sigh.  It's a recently cracked open geode.  All of the crystals are still shiny and unworn...something about geodes are so magical.

Turkey Feathers and a Kind Vet.

I've been pretty bummed out this week.  My trip to central Illinois was wonderful and it was great to see my mom, brothers, and friends.  The jaunt was a nice distraction from my feelings but the weight of my childhood dog's passing and the health problems of our current dog is testing me now that I'm home again.

Mudd had another mild seizure last night and he has an ear infection.  I went to the vet at noon to pick up more medicine and the vet tech couldn't answer all my questions...it bummed me out (even though I know she isn't allowed to answer questions, that's the vet's job).

I decided to take a walk at a nearby nature preserve to calm down.  I found a turkey feather and a jawbone...and then I saw a woman in scrubs walking in the distance.  The woman in scrubs waved at me and I recognized her as my vet.  She approached me and I reintroduced myself because people out of context sometimes don't register.  I asked if it was ok if I asked her a few questions about Mudd and immediately started to tear up from stress and she touched my shoulder and said,

"Let's talk this through.  It's going to be fine."

Doc calmed my fears and we watched a deer walk across the road.  At that point I felt better and I decided to let her go on her merry way.  I was still kind of shocked by the coincidence and the kindness she showed towards me.  She is a kind person.  I walked to my car, finally content, and a spot covered baby deer crossed my path.  I hope that's good luck.

Have an excellent day.

A Trip to Central Illinois.

Fossils we found on the Mackinaw River.

If I wrote every detail down from my amazing trip we'd be here all night.  I'll just write down some highlights:  

Took Friday off work and drove to Illinois, landed in East Peoria at two and picked up Matt, ate Thai food, find two abandoned kittens and save their lives, go to Rhodell's to drink micro-brews with my amazing professor (Oscar Gillespie) and a smattering of others (we play darts, I hate darts).  Hug Juice Wallis. Go to the Mackinaw  River with friends (Steve, Jessie, Chris, Dave, Christine, Matt, and a few new friends) where we float in tepid water, look for fossils, and drink beer.  Go to Steve's house to see Rishika!  Get some nostalgic photos while we listen to music and do "other" things.  Sleep.  Wake up at 9 and have some food with Miss Elizabeth Carol.  Leave for Bloomington, IL to see my brother, Barton.  Get some food and beers while we wait for my mom to show up.  Go to the National Guard gym and see my little brother, Paul, receive three awards (he's at the top of his class, woot!).  Mom arrives and feeds the three of us at another micro-brewery.  Boys leave and mom and I get a hotel.  We buy swimming suits and beer.  We sit by the poolside and catch up, drinking beer and smoking cigs (ahhh!)...coz, we cool like that.  We watch dumb teenager poolside antics and meet a young man that was about to audition for The Voice (he wouldn't perform for us...he's gonna suck).  Mom and I get hungry and go to Stake and Shake....mmmm.  Go back to the hotel, sleep, wake up, hug mom "bye", love her so much!  Hit the road for Iowa.  The sadness from losing my Ryder-dog is heavy in my heart on the ride home.  I think about him a lot.  Think about my Ryder-Dog and what a good life we had and how it's ok to be sad for awhile.  Come home to a happy boyfriend and a happy dog.  Life is good.  I had an amazing weekend. 

In Memory.

I lost a good friend yesterday. 16 years is a long run for a dog but it's never quite long enough. I was 14 years old when my mom told me to get into the car and refused to tell me where we were going. I was not a fan of surprises at the time and I sulked the entire car ride...worried that we were about to visit one of my mother's friends. We pulled up in front of an unfamiliar house on the south side of Oak Park. My mother and I walked to the door and were greeted by a kind woman, she invited us inside. THERE WAS A LITTER OF PUPPIES INSIDE! and I picked Ryder. He was the best present I've ever received. It's been a beautiful 16 years. Ryder filled our lives with love and was a happy member of our family. Every time I came home from college, grad school, or adult life...he was waiting at the door for me. Always happy to see me. The thought of him not being there the next time I go to my mom's house is enough to break my heart but I know that if there is a heaven it's for dogs. And he'll be waiting at the gates for me.

A Painting in Progress.

a detail of the painting. mmmmm, crayfish.

19 X 19, gouache on paper. 

I'm trying something new and I'm NERVOUS. My paintings utilize a large amount of white space...this one will not. I'm trying to create flattened depth. Whoa. It'll work out. I'll pull out some of my hair and keep on keeping on.

Art and Life.

Here's a funny little drawing I've been working on for a local Pub.  The bar's logo is a peanut and they requested a "hipster peanut riding a penny farthing bicycle" for their Ragbrai t-shirt
(http://ragbrai.com/....Lance Armstrong will be riding in Ragbrai this year).

I'll post a picture of the t-shirt design after the customer gives their approval.  I gotta tell ya, it feels great to do creative things at work.  I get paid to draw...my boss even offered to buy me art supplies.  I'm ecstatic.  I make art at work and I make art when I get home from work.  Life is good.