Thursday, August 31, 2017

Where Oh Where Is That Leak

It may rain tonight so I borrowed a ladder from the park and this morning attacked the passenger side slide out.


The upper right hand corner had a huge messy build up of silicone so I went up, cut it and pealed it off.  Then, after dropping the silicone gun three times, I finally got a nice clean bead, well, sort of, on that corner and top.  Then went around and checked windows and edges that looked like they needed sealing. After accomplishing that I got the silicone spray and sprayed the awning areas that moved. Weather tightens the gears and they scream as you open and close them if they aren't lubricated. That then concluded my maintenance for the day. After I lugged the ladder back up to Pete, one of the camp hosts, I came back to sit and have another cup of coffee. I'm hoping that I finally, yet once again, found the leak.


Lola and Sammy wanted to take our afternoon walk about 3:30 P.M. so off we went . Roger and Ozzie left early this morning to go to the Kancamagus Highway to take photos so it was just the three of us today. Lola knows "wait" so when Sammy became slow or the leads were getting tangled or I was being dragged a bit too much, that's what she heard and stopped.  We wandered to the apple orchard and on the ground I found this beauty. It's a Red Delicious, small since they just are wild right now and haven't been given any nutrients, but still have their flavor.  I was thrilled that Lola walked over it. It was mine!!!


This afternoon I decided to stay inside with the kids and work on this piece.  Tomorrow I should be able to finish it, putting in the fur and paws, Love how it's coming out!


I started this yesterday and now I plan on working a bit longer tonight to see where it goes. Lola is asking for her dinner, a bit loudly, so I may get that ready and then paint in silence. Ha!

Have a great evening. Thinking, as you are too, of the people of Texas and what they are experiencing.  Prayers.

See you tomorrow.
Warmly,
Sheila




Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Yikes, Time Flies And I've Been Busy

It's been crazy busy with friends and family coming to visit, brushes flying and my trip to Boston.  Where do I start?









Yes, I've been busy. Lola has become my Muse and she has kept me busy inspiring me while we walk out on the field by our campground. Each watercolor and gouache is 9" x 6" overall with the image being 8.5" x 5.5". I plan on going back to my spot on Daily Paintworks where I can display them for all to see much easier than the Facebook shop that I went to. It was free and convenient, except no one could find it but me. I'll take good photos of the images tomorrow then get it back up and going.

Along with these pieces I've been doing commission work and the brushes have really been flying. I don't think I have been this prolific in years. Guess I'm happy being "home".

This past Saturday I drove down to Boston with my oldest granddaughter, Morgan, to see our youngest granddaughter performing with the Boston Community Dance Project.  She danced with young adults and teens in a flowing production called Humanize. Oh the talent that was on that stage. Needless to say I was totally blown away.


Our granddaughter Morgan, then the youngest and the amazing dancer, Kelsey and my daughter Erin.

Before the show we ate at a restaurant across from the Boston University Dance Auditorium.


I grew up about 20 minutes west of right here where we were eating and so many memories came flooding in. From the 4th grade I rode the "T" everyday to school. Right through high school and then art school in downtown Boston. I had to get a photo but back then they were big orange cars with one pole that attached to the electric wire overhead. Oh, and brown padded seats that were torn and worn from all their years of duty. (bet you thought I was going to say something about how the horse and buggy picked me up at the corner and got me there..LOL..)


Eclipse day. I sat outside and listened to a lonely cricket for a bit, then it stopped. The stillness and quiet was really noticeable and I loved it. I wasn't sure how I would experience the moment so I took my Muse and walked to the field.



Yes she needs grooming but this was Lola at the moment of the totality which we only got about 75% of. The light dimmed and I had to get her photo. A woman was driving by and yelled if I'd
 like to see the eclipse and that she had glasses. She jumped out of her car and pointed me to the sun since the glasses were totally black to look through. Amazing. One of the workers here had a cereal box viewer so I also got to peek through that too, but not as great as the glasses. 

Almost time for dinner, the kids are circling me as I write...

Tomorrow is the last day of August and then there is 15 days left.  Tomorrow I am trying to find, yet one more time, where the leak is on our driver side slide out. We now really have to repair the wall but will wait til we get to California. My plan is to remove the old piled on silicone and replace with new. Wish me luck and pray it's not raining. Roger is heading back up to the mountains to get pictures with Ozzie. The last time his camera failed so hopefully it all goes well for him too.

Ok, chat ...tomorrow? If I conquer the slide I'll do a show and tell, but since I'll be on a ladder and may just be a tell!!!

Have a great night...
Warmly,
Sheila





Monday, August 14, 2017

Where Have I Been?

Finding my other roots. I grew up in Boston but spent my early adulthood in New Hampshire. My daughter and son grew up there and my daughter and her children are still there. (here)


One day I'll do a tour of Dover and Portsmouth and do the show and tell of where we lived but today these are pics at the ocean between Rye and Hampton.  A perfect day, so clear, you can see all the way to the Isle of Shoals. I could even take a photo with my iphone. 


The famous horse ranch. 





We stopped along the way to "smell" the ocean.  Sounds crazy but there really is a different scent to the northern ocean as compared to the Florida ocean. Probably due to the rocks, seaweed and shallow pools of water along the coast. It definitely smelled like home.


Interesting house, Sheila. Well, it is. Crazy bit of info, Farrah Fawcett once spent time at this house and was spotted nude sunbathing on the top porch. Poor woman had no peace.

We drove around for a bit then, of course, stopped for ice cream.  Doesn't everyone? The rest of the week became a bit crazed. My goal was to get more work finished but Lola had other plans for me. The following morning I took her out for her walk and she squatted, and went, but then squatted 7 more times, not producing any urine. As soon as we got back to the coach I called the local vet and got an appointment right away for her. We were away from our favorite vet so I was nervous. The vet here was really kind and gentle to her, (I thought he was just out of high school he looked so young, or I'm getting that old. 😔) He took a clean sample of urine and the next morning I received the paper work. I had no idea what it meant so I started Googling everything and did see she had an elevated white blood count. The vet called and said to keep an eye on her but two days later, the squatting started again. Google won, (I research everything)  so I called back and asked for a prescription for an antibiotic. Having 2 dogs that went through cancer, our Sammy eating a corn cob and having emergency surgery and, oh yes, two children, one gets to realize that Lola needs meds. We are on our second day and she's doing great and I even remembered that if I stick the pill into a glob of peanut butter she gollops it right down.

Today I started a new watercolor. My sister and her husband are on their way here for a visit so I'm not getting into anything too much. Tomorrow back on schedule!


So, yesterday, (yes, Lola had me worried) Roger and I discovered yet another fun ice cream place. The Bloomin Cow in Newmarket. Fresh made ice cream right there in the old mill. I love mills. When I lived in Dover I had a remodeled apartment in the old Sawyers Mill. It was on the river side right by the falls and in the Spring the water rushed so strong down between the buildings, the whole place shook. A friend had a basement apartment and the water was so furious it came up over his window and flooded his place. 

There was an exit bridge way on the bottom floor that you could take to get to the corner store. It was always cold going through that area. There were many people who said it was haunted and I swear I could feel a presence as I ran through. It was inside but I don't think I ever just strolled through that passageway. 



And here she is!! Lola Bear!! Feeling so much better!! 

Have a great night all and see you tomorrow. (lobster, (lobstah) tonight!! Ohhhh fun!!)

Warmly,
Sheila
Loving being "home"






Monday, August 7, 2017

I Think I Need A Nap

I've had my brushes flying from morning til after we take the kids out for their walk around 4:00 P.M. I am getting a lot accomplished so it's not a bad thing right now.



I need to do a bit more then I will be happy. A little too dark in the right hand corner, and I need Lola to pop.




We have been sitting outside more now at night with a nice fire. We bring the kids out and Lola gets panic attacks. I bought her an extra large gel cooling mat from Amazon and put it outside for her. She walked over it as she barked and bemoaned her situation until Mum got a bit perturbed. Lola, DOWN. She did, pouted, but laid down with just a bit of herself on the mat. Today she actually got on the entire mat. I tried using it for her bedtime mat but that did not go over well. Seriously, she is so human at times. She wouldn't even come into the room until I replaced the nice pink gel cooling mat with her torn and stinky blanket.  She was happy at last.


No, not trick photography but what everyone sees when they pass by our coach. Ozzie in the window. 



Two of my latest pieces going to their new homes. Yes, I love what I do!


My friend Alan brings fresh flowers for his rig every week and they look so beautiful in his window. Color and life. The only way to live isn't it. He left today and I am lucky to be able to enjoy these beauties for the week. Hmm, painting?? 

Ok, glass of wine, kick back on the couch and have some dinner in a bit.  Have a great night all and see you tomorrow! It may rain and that means, yes!, I get to wear my rain boots again. (OK Sheila, you are really strange about these rain boots..)  Ya but they are really comfy and sturdy enough that my hip doesn't hurt when I strut around with them on. (and they are just FUN!!)

Warmly,
Sheila

Friday, August 4, 2017

Back In The Groove

I'm finally back in my groove of working which is very exciting. I'm working outdoors to get my oil painting work done then in the afternoon, coming back in to work on watercolors. Brushes are flying here!!


My outdoor studio. As long as I know that it won't rain I can leave my paints out and bring the artwork in. The people behind us have a fire every night and I could just imagine flecks of ash all over my work.  Dog hair? Acceptable, ash, no.



The finished product. The other day and my adventure to Michael's I found a package of pre cut 6' x 9' 140lb watercolor paper. 25 sheets and I even got a discount because the plastic had been torn open.  I tape it on a board I have for cutting and voila', I'm all set. I am totally in love with my new watercolors. Finding a color that I want to put down on the paper, I know that when it dries, it will be that same intensity. Then I layer and finish with some gouache and color for added "stuff".

So, today was Lola's bath day. Roger and I went out, soaked her down, soaped her up and washed her off. Next came the conditioner so we could work on mats. She decided to sit a few times in the dirt, sigh, but what can we say? She is the Queen and what Lola wants, Lola gets. She was good for about an hour then said, ok guys, enough is enough..or was it our backs saying that?  I went out of the coach wearing freshly washed jean capris and came back in with muddy, soaked jeans. But..Lola is clean and fluffy!


It's a lot of work being beautiful!!

Well time to take the Queen out for her afternoon stroll. Then probably have to redo the laundry. Roger turned off the water to the coach by mistake when he was turning off the water to the extra hose. I'm thinking the towels went through the whole cycle exactly like I put them in , dry and stinky. sigh. Oh well!  It's all part of the RV adventure.

Have a great night and see you tomorrow. More painting and my second attempt to ride my bike up the field pathway. Why? I don't know, just to see if I can I guess. Let you know!!! 😎

Warmly,
Sheila


Wednesday, August 2, 2017

Sunflowers, Sheep And An Art Store

Yesterday we went to the Coppal Farm Sunflower Festival. Acres of sunflowers that they will harvest probably next week to make sunflower oil. A working farm with chickens, horses and sheep. We arrived there about 4:30 P.M. and checked in. I couldn't find my hat so I was toast by the end of our hike out to the area that they were growing but thankfully we bought water in the barn before we started out.


It was broiling hot and I was melting. The walkway in was a dirt path that was of course very uneven so by the time we actually got to the fields of flowers, I was uncomfortable and exhausted. (I totally believe if I can strengthen the muscles around my hip and stretch, I'll be ok for a few more years before a new hip is necessary. The surgeon I saw in Florida's first thought was surgery was the only option..yes, I'm suborn, and people here say they hardly see me limp so I'm doing good!) Back to the sunflowers.



Bees were pretty much in every flower. Busy busy bees not bothering with us even as we went in between stalks. Whew, because they were big busy bees!

Then we went to see the sheep. I have to say this was the highlight for me. They were all gathered together by the shed until the rooster crowed. I know, it sounds like the sound of a novel. The rooster crowed and all of a sudden they started moving towards us. First there were three together, then four following until the entire flock came along getting closer and closer. (Thinking Stephen King)



They would stop for a bit and chew the grass then suddenly, they all started to move quickly to the left. 


They came up close to the wire fence where we stood until something made then all run to the right like it was a blue light special at Kmart.  Not just moving quickly, but running. Was that blade of grass over there calling to them? I'll have to google to find out about sheep eating patterns. Just strange things I like to find out about. lol

I'm sure this guy may be a painting!!


I did think this may be an interesting composition at some time.


Roger and I went to Hampton to pick up my bike. It had a spa week getting new gears and polished and now it's home. Driving through the towns was refreshing and I just needed to take this photo as we went by. Maybe in Stratham.


And finally we stopped at Tractor Supply to get our bag of dog food and stop at Market Basket and me, Michael's. Danger, Danger!!! I go into an art store and I hear angelic voices..and I found a sale! Michael's always carried Grumbacher paints but I noticed they have switched to Gamblin. My brand of choice, but these Grumbacher paints were on sale! 13.00 paints for 3.99 and two were over 20.00 and I got them for 6.49. Yes, I bought more things, watercolor sheets and a few more brushes. 



Finally, we spent a few hours working on Lola's mats and trimming her paws! I was nervous that I'd mess her up but after trimming her chest fur and her legs and paws , she looks stunning. Bath to come and a bit more trimming but for now perfect!

So, have a great night and see you tomorrow!
Warmly,
Sheila

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Monday And I took The Weekend Off

I did! Yesterday though I did play with my watercolors a bit. As I have stated before, I love the field just above the campground. It's where Lola and I take our strolls and I usually end up taking many photos with my phone. Yesterday I painted this and today it went to a new home! Very exciting.


Amazon delivered a new set of Qor (core) watercolors today, a set of 24, and I'm ready to go. Tonight the sky was amazing so, yes, more photos.  Maybe a series of "field" paintings will be coming. Here are a few of the photos.




Just look at that sky!!

I was talking with the owner, Pat, today and she said she enjoys watching us cross over the field. Lola's tail illuminates in the light swaying back and forth.


The road leading out of the campground and to the field.  I loved the way the light filtered through the trees and rested on the roadway.


Oh, I almost forgot, here's the pizza Roger made us the other night.!!

And now it's Tuesday! 

Roger made our first fire in the fire pit and I tried to finish the blog but, alas, it became dark! 


Just a small one for starters. Sammy laid down and was content while Ozzie decided to tunnel under the picnic table so he could have a dirt hole to lay in instead of on top of rocks. This morning my job was to clean up the area and refill the hole.  Lola, she wanted to go inside, then once in, to come back out again then to go back in. (Shades of my kids when they were younger).  Yes, I do find myself saying the same things to the dogs as I said to them.."Either in or out, I'm not opening that door one more time." She stayed out. She drooled non stop, rubbing her head against me because, dear lord, it was her bedtime and we were out in the dark in front of FIRE! Tonight we will do it again and hopefully by the time we roll out to our next adventure she will be a seasoned campfire girl! 


Just down the road from us here is a small farm where this guy lives. I stayed in the car with the window up, oh I have lived in Florida for too long, and took his photo.  I'm so loving it here.


These were a surprise! At the end of the entrance road to the field Lola and I met a man named Alan. He has a really tidy area and just comes on weekends and as we go by we chat. Lola barked once at him but then decided he was ok and laid down by me to wait til I finished gabbing. Later that day Roger took the boys to the field and when he returned he was carrying the flowers in their cool plastic, purple vase.  First surprised that Roger found flowers in the cool, purple vase out walking in the campground then surprised to hear that Alan gave him the flowers for me. They were meant for someone else, oh, second hand flowers, lol, but he wasn't seeing the person and was about to leave the grounds. I was thrilled.  He did leave before I could thank him but hopefully he will be back this weekend! 

Time to do some laundry, painting and sweep the sand out of the coach. 😮 This afternoon we are going to the sunflower festival. We drove by yesterday and the flowers have filled out even more. I'll post tonight or definitely tomorrow. So very excited to go walk through them!

Have a great day and see you again soon!

Warmly,
Sheila