Moonrise. Osage County, OK

On Sunday, the lunar eclipse lured us to lake Keystone west of Tulsa.   The equinox sunsets between Tulsa and the lake are always striking. 

Lake keystone from bear's Glen exit. I've painted from this location before, but always overlooking the dam and the other branch of the lake - the Cimmaron.  

Final Draft - looking for the light.

Good evening moon en plein air.  There was little time between moon rise and dark.

A familiar place, an okie scene, and coffee ville blues

Tulsa to KC, mo. Friday in the pm. Had a late start after sipping fully from the local cup. Yoga with sunny, massage with karen, and lunch with a dead pig. Left the paints home. Planned to follow the storm into KC, but ended up racing it instead. Tornado arrived in Paola as i was leaving. Fifteen miles of heavy rain on I-35. Felt good as i pulled up to the big fountain at 50th and main; like coming home to a familiar place.  Salad, dessert and good spirits for dinner.

The crowd at the unplaza has changed - or I'm just out of touch. Mini mugs have lost their mojo, the Terra cotta was stale, and they missed my classic glass.  So i worked all weekend and didnt get to pay myself.  Dinner and drinks at trio on friday night notwithstanding.

Wonder of wonders - marc and Angela from DC knew what they were looking for (and at) and purchased a lake keystone dusk scene. Thank you.Please write.

WIP view of Lake Keystone dusk

8" h x 10" w

Oil

The road home was a breeze, with a fast start, a single interruption (imagine a town between two states, bracketed by Potato and O Possum creeks and bisected by the union pacific rail yard) (thats mr opossum to you and me) and a dark finish.

The true highlight was a spectacular highpoint view of the prairie hills sunset. The only hint as to location is the availability, from Monday to Saturday, of a frosted mug of ice cold draft beer in a tropical setting.

Monday morning - Tulsa

Riverside of Austin visited this weekend for the third straight year for regionals. Don't know how they played Frisbee, but Saturday night was an enjoyable party.

And now its Monday morning in the rain. Time to pack for Kansas city and the unplaza art fair.

Osage County

Oil on wood panel

16" x 20"

Road Home. Near Haynes Junction.

5.5" x 10"

Thank you to Gary who purchased this painting at market on Saturday.

Maritimes palette

Add tripod, trashbag, rags, solvent, medium, umbrella and bug spray.  If you can carry a chair more power to you! This is the kit.

St John New brunswick. S of twon on old Hwy 100.

Oil on board from field sketch.

As I look through the trip pictures, I find the gettysburgh battlefield photos are the hardest to weed out and cut away.  The union held the high ground, and had a close battle even so.  Thats where the trees are planted. Near the graves.

McDonalds announced they will have cage free eggs in 10 years. . . sometimes I wish I were/was a comedian. How many chicken generations is that?

Granny bring the biscuits

 Granny. Bring the biscuits!

Fifty miles west of Knoxville, we saw mid western skies.

We drove the blue ridge parkway.

We saw the smoky mountains.

We climbed the hills.

But now we're on I-40 west of Knoxville.

Nashville, Jackson, Memphis.

 Music highway.

 Beale Street: no animals or snakes allowed.

 Tickets for your dog pissing there.

Mac's bbq on Hollywood in Jackson, Tennessee.

  A gracious host.  Friendly folks.

William Jefferson Clinton's library in Little Rock.

 No books in sight.

 Times have changed since Jefferson, Madison and Lincoln.

 We saw the unlovable children of mountain men in Asheville.

We wondered, at the unspoiled doorstep of the smoky mountains in wayneville, why main street wouldn't open the morning we were there.

 We ran the gauntlet of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge;

headed west with purpose.

We're on I-40 west of Knoxville.

Tomorrow we'll cross into Indian territory beneath a furnace Okie sky.

So granny bring the biscuits and we'll have a little pie. 

So Granny bring the biscuits, 

and we'll have a little pie.

Asheville, nc

Downtown Asheville, NC. Sculpture and sign.

 No straight roads, no level spaces along the Blue Ridge Parkway, but people here like dogs. After an hour on the streets people were greeting our gsd by name.

 We sat on a downtown street. Felt like home. Just don't know what all those other people are doing here.

Cornelius Vanderbilt home south of town. Self guided tour of 41 rooms out of 200. Visit gardens. Hike through the deer park. Visit the winery. Fifty bucks per person. Thumbs up on the day.