Here are pictures of the corner of our patio. The three white rocks have been gathered from our backyard. I love how bright and beautiful they are. The extremely complex, yet seemingly simple - Julia Campbell would call them "found objects." This picture does not do them justice as they actually glisten. I have found many agates, pieces of obsidian and quartz in the backyard. 
Merry Christmas everybody! 
It's the end of the day and the Christmas lights are on both in the front and backyards, and the moon is lighting up the sky, the fields and dirt roads of New Mexico. It's just past the winter solstice, but tonight and the tomorrow night are a Druid & Finnish Shaman's dream. Absolutely beautiful.
While walking late this afternoon, this was our view. It was beautiful, cold and clear. About 30 degrees, except when you add in the wind chill factor, then it's a little cooler. Brrrrrrr.
We are to have snow by nightfall, so goes our forecast. We hope we do. In light of the prediction, I thought it appropriate to uncover & unveil a couple of "Winter Witches" from times past. I hope that these little creatures inspire your curiosity and add a pinch of mysticism and magic into your day.
These two are painted with ink, watercolor and metallics onto rice paper - which acts very much like fabric. It soaks up the medium and feels like cloth.
Dan is in bed with the flu - the first of the season - and has been running a temp pretty consistently since Monday. We're hoping that this passes soon. Nikita seems to have a cold as well. We were expecting company from out of state for the holiday weekend, but had to reschedule due to his illness. So, stay well, drink lots of fluids, exercise to release tension and think plenty of positive and kind thoughts! My hope for you is to enjoy the holiday magic, quietly, peacefully and with deep gratitude. Peace, Love & Miracles.
It's snowing this morning and it's beautiful. Going out in the snow with Nikita and Dan for a nice bundled up walk!
Here is the owl and the horse. One day at a time, one critter at a time. I hope to finish this painting today. Oh yeah, this painting is 26" x 40". Most of my pieces are about this size.
I stepped away from this for a few days. We had company, our good friend & terrific singer/songwriter/producer & sound engineer - Gregg Burns - was in town for just a couple days. It was wonderful. Dan was so happy to see him, and it was so good to see Dan so grateful.
It's chilly and overcast today, so I need a good warm cup of tea prior to my walk with Nikita!
It was another incredibly beautiful and clear day today. Went to a good service, met another tremendous keyboard/guitarist/vocalist, had a great workout as well as a wonderful walk and play period outdoors with Nikita. I practiced guitar and worked on a painting that was perplexing me for a period. 
Last night we had a rather chaotic wind and rain storm. It
When the dark of winter rests her case, she then, gently ushers in springtime, light, life & the rekindling of hope.
All things take time and patience, as well as a period of gestation. This is done with metallic acrylics, watercolor, gouache & ink.
are an endangered species and they
Here is the beautiful Sandia range. They change color with the weather, time of day and time of year. Powerful, peaceful, awesome. This is our neighborhood and Nikita our Siberian is in the foreground.
Here's a little friend that was cold and hungry that came to dine over the holiday due to snow. He's a "Flicker" woodpecker.
He/she, was gorgeous and quite a character! He climbed up and down the trunk of the tree, climbing all over the bell made of suet and bird seed - and all over the bird seed house that you can't see which is located to the left. The seasons really bring to mind that change truly is a constant, and that no matter what we do, or how much we'd like things to stay the same - or - leave our mark on the the earth somehow - it just may not be. Mother nature does what she wants!
The Sandia's, the mountain range right behind our home, are of granite and are spectacular. They are just under 11,000 feet and are planted or driven into the ground 6 miles deep! The granite is so heavy that it actually sinks the mountains. It is said that if they were all above ground, they'd rival Mt. Everest. On a fault block rift, they are one of 5 of its' kind in the world. This whole alluvial valley called Albuquerque, was once ocean. There are all kinds of ancient marine fossils that are lodged in the Sandia's. The ocean level has risen and fallen a great many times over millions of years here, leaving the topography extremely powerful and mystical.
Who knew? We're just blessed to have the beautiful mountain range in our backyard...........
