A Logger Blog

This weekend I took a couple of days off to help my husband log. We rent a house on 16 steep acres, very pretty and very neglected. The former inhabitants didn't do much to the yard or property except throw trash over the landing and into the woods. We found a wood cookstove, two bicycles, all colors of electrical wire, glass bottles, tires, truck canopies, beer cans, foam and more foam, plastic bags, there was a shed that crumbled, and it was filled with trash bin garbage! (Just 'cause there 16 acres with nothing but deer and a bobcat, doesn't mean it's a trash bin!) Our landlady is thrilled....and so are we to have wood for the fireplace to offset our heating bill.

So after trash clean up Michael got to work felling the dead trees. When he got 20 (!!) or so down, he called me out to help him yard them out. He pulled "green chain" (he actually pulled climbing rope) I commandeered the yarder/slash pickup truck. We took everything real slow, didn't want any crushed anything, with the dogs supervising from the safety of the back of the van. And lo and behold, after a bit of sweat and muscle, we gotta pile of logs. A HUGE PILE!!!! Perfect timing to get them in and covered before the rainy weekend ahead. A very satisfying, squirreling away for the winter.

Cutting out the deadwood is a good metaphor for me this week inspiring me to making more space to think and work. In a painting...taking out the excess, leaving only what is alive and thriving. A challenge for me since I love filling space with an overabundance of color and pattern. In my thinking...making room for new ideas or just letting in a little more air and light. Sorting through the old stuff, old ideas, old paint, doing some dump runs, and yarding up my new found treasures into a satisfying pile to fuel my creativity for the winter months ahead!

Now, onto my closets. Oh, how I love fall!

www.tasmanstudio.com update!

My web site is updated and ready to be viewed. There are a few technical issues to be resolved...just little formatting, link issues that I will work out as I see them. Please let me kow if you see anything...or if there is something you want to see that is not there. I will publish some of my older galleries in the near future.

Here is a new painting that is in my painting gallery of Winn, a dog class mate of Tully's when he was in training. Winn is a very delicate looking border collie, but she is all smarts. I may have to paint her again....I love her face.

I also have published some commissions that haven't been seen yet. I will let the page speak for itself. Have fun browsing. Tell me if you're inspired to order a dog painting of your own...my calendar is filling up for the 2006-07 winter painting year!