The ugh part.

And replaced it with this:

The ahh part.

Boy, it felt good to miss that storm!

I am happy to report that I have finally found . . . → Read More: The Move, Part 4 – from Ugh…to Ahh]]> This post really doesn’t need any words. We were ENORMOUSLY happy to hear that we had dodged our first (3-foot) snowstorm in Colorado!

The ugh part.

And replaced it with this:

The ahh part.

Boy, it felt good to miss that storm!

I am happy to report that I have finally found my paints, my brushes & knives, and a canvas to play around on!!!!!

All I need now is a bit of TIME to spend on painting. Does anyone else have that problem?

We had the easy part – not to be confused with easy…or comfortable. After all, we had to spend the first few days without heat or hot water. Or furniture. All we had was that inflatable bed. And a pile . . . → Read More: The Move, Part 3 – Settling In]]> I should start with a big OMG! Now I know why people hate moving.

We had the easy part – not to be confused with easy…or comfortable. After all, we had to spend the first few days without heat or hot water. Or furniture. All we had was that inflatable bed. And a pile of afghans and coats.

Ahh, the inflatable bed again.

We borrowed a heater from the neighbors and awaited the moving truck in a couple of days. He arrived exactly on schedule!

That driver was good!!!

I’ve heard so many people say the words, “We just moved.”

So? Someone moved. Big deal. So what. That’s nice. I’ll put your new information in my address book.

But I finally understand what the words actually mean!!! OMG! I am so grateful that I put my foot down and INSISTED we have the movers pack for us.

Mind you, we’re pretty tidy people; we don’t accumulate clutter (exclude my studio from that statement). There is a place for everything, and yada yada. But, here’s the big but…

My advice to anyone getting ready for a big move, out of state: I DON’T CARE IF YOU HAVE TO MORTGAGE YOUR HOUSE, SELL YOUR FIRST CHILD, anything they want – DO IT!!! It was worth every penny…and my husband and daughter finally agreed with me, once they saw what an ordeal it was and how many billions of boxes we ended up with.

Where to start???

Like I say, we had the easy part. And I am happy to say that with everything I unwrapped, I was happy to see it (i.e. we didn’t move any clutter)!

Go to FlyLady.net for some excellent tips and guidelines for moving.  Very, very helpful.

I followed my husband the whole way. Maybe it was just my car that actually looked . . . → Read More: The Move, Part 2 – On the Road]]> Here are images from the trip down to Arizona. I heard banjo music in my head the whole way – the theme song from The Beverly Hillbillies. Kind of makes me smile every time I hear that song.

I followed my husband the whole way. Maybe it was just my car that actually looked like the Clampetts! His was neatly contained (but I knew what it looked like inside).

Arizona or Bust!

Let’s hear it for tinted windows!!

Pasha and I kept each other company the whole way. I petted her cute little head when she felt neglected.

Are we there yet?

How do you explain to your dog that only YOU get the milkshake? It’s not my fault they don’t make liquid dog treats (remember, you heard the idea here first!).

My poor plants were huddled inside the trailer for 2 whole nights in the freezing cold…and then we saw the sign:

We'd made it!

Yee haw! Dagnabbit, we’d done made it to Arizona, by golly! (Okay, I’ll stop with the hillbilly stuff.)

That’s when Pasha finally perked up.

Hey, we're not in Kansas anymore.

The first red rocks. Now Pasha was REALLY interested.

Next up, MOVE-IN DAY!  Stay tuned for the continuing saga…

Colorado dished up a glorious sunset for our last night there.

. . . → Read More: The Move, Part 1 – Saying Good-bye]]> Well, now that I’m almost settled into our new home, I can take a little time to crank out some blog posts. However, I will do them mostly with pictures, lest I find myself getting too sentimental and teary…if you get my drift.

Colorado dished up a glorious sunset for our last night there.

Our last sunset at our Colorado house

At our daughter’s urging, we decided to spend one last night in (or shall I say, with) our empty house. Excellent suggestion. Closure, you know.

Luckily, while doing all the packing, we had found our long-lost inflatable bed and created a makeshift bedroom. It did not occur to us, however, that we would need blankets. Oops, those were on their way to Arizona. We somehow managed to scrounge up a couple of afghans and sheets and warm coats from our cars, which would have to do.

Our makeshift bedroom.

Another thing we hadn’t planned for was that when you fill an airbed with cold air, you freeze all night! Have you ever tried sleeping on ice cubes – in the winter? Shivering does not begin to describe it.

Steve, thinking that I was warm and toasty all night (I was trying to do the “mind over matter” thing to pretend that I was warm…and asleep) wandered through the house in the middle of the night and discovered some blankets on our sofa sleeper, which was still in the garage. At least he was semi-warm that night.

But there was a good side to that little oversight: I was awake to see the magnificent sunrise!

Last sunrise in our Colorado house.

After deflating the bed and eating breakfast, and looking around and seeing all the STUFF we still needed to cram into our cars, I insisted that we rent a trailer to take my 3 huge plants with us. AND my biggest paintings, which would never fit in our cars unless we took out the seats!

Steve, bless his heart, went out and rented an 8-foot trailer. The only problem, then, was that my plants would have to spend 2 nights in freezing temps. So I got in the trailer with them and tried to insulate them as best I could with blankets and cardboard.

After wrestling with them in that tight space for a very long time (to an outsider, it must have looked like a bear was trapped in there – with all the grunting and plant shaking that was going on), I emerged victorious!

A little Bad Hair never hurt anyone.

Voila!

How I ever fit in there, I’ll never know. But where there’s a will, there’s a way! All my babies, safely tucked in.

Time for one last look around to make sure we hadn’t left anything.

Good-bye studio.

I couldn’t help notice that my studio looked a whole lot better without all my art crap in there! Again, how I ever fit it in there, I’ll never know. One of those World Wonders, I guess.

Stay tuned for The Move, Part 2 – On the Road. I must hurry and get out of this post before I turn to mush!!!

I recently sold this painting from my show in Evergreen. I’ve always loved it – it makes me happy. It feels fresh and spontaneous. It is colorful and lively.

Silly as it may sound, it’s everything I feel about our move to Arizona. I’ll be starting the New Year there and will . . . → Read More: A Moving We Will Go]]>

Poppies!

I recently sold this painting from my show in Evergreen. I’ve always loved it – it makes me happy. It feels fresh and spontaneous. It is colorful and lively.

Silly as it may sound, it’s everything I feel about our move to Arizona. I’ll be starting the New Year there and will finally have time for all the things I’ve put on hold for 3 years!!! Maybe.

So, even though I think that New Year’s “resolutions” are dumb (I’d rather call them “intentions”), I’ll hope that I’ll have time for these:

New Year’s Intention # 1:  PAINT, PAINT, PAINT!!!

New Year’s Intention #2:  Blog about what I paint. Oh, heck – blog regularly, period.

New Year’s Intention #3:  Update my website frequently (ahem) and add PRICES. See, I listen to your suggestions?

New Year’s Intention #4:  Get on Facebook every so often to keep tabs on what friends are up to. Stay in touch.

BUT FIRST………Finish up with our move! To Arizona. From our 7300′ of elevation in Colorado.

Good-bye House

I will miss our house terribly – and our lack of heating or air conditioning bills for 28 years.

I will miss the wildlife!

Elk on Patio

Summer Hummer

I will miss the wildflowers.

Pentstemons!

I will miss the AMAZING weather-watching!

Fog Creeping in from Denver

Does this look like a sales brochure? Hey, we’re taking offers.

But, there are a few things I will not miss.

Winter, are you listening? I like the change of seasons, but I want less of you.

Snow, are you listening? You’re pretty, but I want less of you.

Cold, are you listening? I have warm coats and hats, but I want less of you.

Tell me about your best moving story(ies) – the good, the bad, and the ugly!

Now, back to the packing. Onward and artward!

Setting up: . . . → Read More: My Show at Evergreen Design Center]]> My show went up in time for Evergreen’s “Last Friday” gallery night on September 30, and now it will come down either on Halloween OR before the snow that is expected for this Wednesday. No snow, please. I want to fly off (meaning escape) to Arizona before the snow flies here!

Setting up: My paintings "Badlands Sage" and "Tempest"

Pictures from my opening night:

With friends Brian, Petra, and Terrey

Showing my 2012 calendar cover to store owner Kay La Montagne and fellow artist Carolyn Alexander

Caught in a spazz moment with Linda and Jeff.

With daughter Hillary & husband TJ and friends Gary & Eileen

Many thanks to Mountain Home in the Evergreen Design Center for the fabulous opening night. Peggy made the smoked salmon, which was amazing – all of the food looked like art and tasted as good as it looked!!

But…I also will not dwell on it every year.

I remember my mother calling me that morning, telling me to turn on the TV. I really don’t want to go back and relive the . . . → Read More: Time To Move On]]> Yes, it’s the 10th anniversary of 9/11. No, I will never forget that day. Yes, I will always remember it.

But…I also will not dwell on it every year.

I remember my mother calling me that morning, telling me to turn on the TV. I really don’t want to go back and relive the horror of that day.

My mother has since passed away, but I don’t dwell on the day she passed on, either. I prefer to celebrate her birth every year.

So, if I dwell on anything on 9/11 every year it will be the re-birth of our nation and how we all came together, as one.

United. For once.

No Democrats. No Republicans. Just us. United. Fiercely loving our country.

Amen.

That was my calendar entry a month ago – the day of my daughter’s wedding.

At our house.

With a hundred guests.

For some wild reason, I forgot to look at my calendar that day.

I was actually cruising along beautifully…until the first people started to arrive at about . . . → Read More: Breathe, Smile, Have Fun!]]> Breathe, smile, have fun!

That was my calendar entry a month ago – the day of my daughter’s wedding.

At our house.

With a hundred guests.

For some wild reason, I forgot to look at my calendar that day.

I was actually cruising along beautifully…until the first people started to arrive at about 3:30 p.m.

Then my life sort of flashed before my eyes and I didn’t know if I was going to pass out or lose my lunch.

Oh, wait. I’d had no lunch!. Pass out it was.

To make a very long story VERY short, the people all came, it was very hot, the ceremony was beautiful, and my daughter and her new husband have been in total wedded bliss ever since.

I had discovered a 3rd option that day. I simply checked out for a few hours until it was all over. As I kept telling people, “Denise has left the building. Don’t ask me any questions, because my brain has stopped communicating with my mouth.”

The last thing I remember was getting to bed at 5:30 the next morning! It was starting to get light; the birds were starting to sing; and I fell into a delicious, blissful sleep.

What I’d like to know is have any of YOU been successful at getting your kids to take the money…and elope instead?!

Next, I’ll let you know what I’ve been up to with my art for the last month.

My immediate second thought was, “It will snow any day now” (together with, “They’d look a lot prettier if I cleaned up my garden…”).

Sure enough, it snowed today.

As sure as the sky is . . . → Read More: Bring on the Snow…and the Butterflies!]]> My first daffodil finally bloomed this week! My first thought was one of pure ecstasy: “Spring is here!!!!!!”

My immediate second thought was, “It will snow any day now” (together with, “They’d look a lot prettier if I cleaned up my garden…”).

Sure enough, it snowed today.

As sure as the sky is blue, my daffodils will always end up with snow on them. But fear not; they are hardy little buggers! I’ve seen a foot of snow crush them, only to have them spring back as soon as the snow melted away.

And in light of the recent Colorado fires we are thrilled to have the moisture, so bring on the snow!

For an Artist Date this week, my son went with me to the Butterfly Pavilion in NW Denver. The last time we were there was probably 10 years ago, back when I was homeschooling my kids and we were volunteers there.

My fondest memories were of the quiet mornings in the atrium (picture harp music here), before the crowds arrived (now you hear birds singing), when we would have the whole place to ourselves, all the while with butterflies floating around and landing on us (more harp music). Ahh…

Time to burst that bubble. Stop the harps. We couldn’t have timed our arrival more perfectly, for just as we pulled in…so did 3 SCHOOL BUS-LOADS of children! Not one, not two, but THREE! I am happy to report that they were all very nice kids, and I could see over all their heads.

My son’s memory of our volunteer stint was a bit less romantic. He remembers collecting caterpillars. I don’t remember that at all. Why, you ask, wouldn’t they want caterpillars? Caterpillars become butterflies, don’t they? Well, it’s because CATERPILLARS ARE EATING MACHINES! If you want all the exotic plants and flowers, then NO caterpillars. Only pupa. Which travel well in the mail.

Good thing I had my son with me to point out all the other cool things. Like this turtle doing isometrics:

I think he was stretching his leg out for a race. Then there was the anole hiding in the shadows. Cute little guy.

All in all, we had a wonderful trip down memory lane. On the way out we were reminded to:

Oops, found one on my coat:

Since I’m too lazy to do it for you, you can check here to identify the butterflies. Then you can tell me what you found. Do you have a favorite butterfly? Mine is the Tiger Swallowtail.

My friend Nanci Hersh illustrated a book called Butterfly Kisses and Wishes on Wings, which I think is the most beautiful book title I’ve ever heard! I think butterfly kisses win out over Tiger Swallowtails.

Full Moon Rise over Denver

I’ve been back in town for almost 3 weeks now, after being gone for 3 weeks, and am just now getting my groove back. My groovy groove.

I am happy to report that I finished my Moo . . . → Read More: No Mo’ Moo]]> Did you see that magnificent HUGE full moon last week? Wow!!!

Full Moon Rise over Denver

I’ve been back in town for almost 3 weeks now, after being gone for 3 weeks, and am just now getting my groove back. My groovy groove.

I am happy to report that I finished my Moo redo last week. I was also going to varnish my Moo painting for the owners last week. But it’s been SO windy lately that I had to wait until this weekend. Done.

Here’s the blow-by-blow of me creating the new painting:

First things first. After toning the canvas, I started to draw.

Then I started to slap on some paint. This is when I realized that it was going to take me way longer than I had planned, because I was trying to make it look like the original – same colors, same spacing, etc.

Getting pretty close.

Voila! The hardest part, well, no, just ONE hard part, was making sure I put the paint on the new painting and not the old one!

Now we wait to see what the new owner will select for the title of HER cow painting. Here were the suggestions:

Moo Redo

Moo2

Moo Too

New Moo – or would that be Noo Moo?

Moo Anew

More Moo

You moo me

Moo Two

More Ado About Moo

Mooooving Along Little Doggies

Moe Moo

Moo Too

Or:  Eenie Meenie Miney Moo

It’s time for your 2 cents. Let’s take a vote and submit the results to the new owner! What’s your choice?