May

13

A Bit of Water….

Filed Under Carrie Lewis | Leave a Comment

I have often mentioned the low water bridge on Tawakoni Road east and north of Wichita, Kansas. This is the first low water bridge I had ever seen and I was utterly amazed to think that Kansans considered a slab of cement with holes through it so water could pass a suitable bridge.

I also learned that first year in Kansas that fords are also completely acceptable, especially in the Flint Hills.

Most of the time, this bridge is almost dry with just a little bit of water running across at the north end.

But I have seen the river running almost hill top to hill top at flood stage. A truly awesome sight!

The weather has been changeable of late. Lots of wind all day on Saturday (and if a Kansan says it’s windy, it usually means wind gusts of 35 to 40 mph!). We had just a little bit of rain on Saturday, but rained more to the south.

Neal and I had an errand to run to Andover, Kansas, east of Wichita, so I suggested we check out the low water bridge on Tawakoni. It had been quite a while since our last visit. When I made the suggestion, the thought did occur to me that if the water in fields around Wichita was any indication, the bridge would be impassable, but we went anyway.

The river had been high, you have only to see the wet marks across the bridge in the first image, but it was down quite a bit from that peak stage.

In the first shots, I am standing at the ‘water-line’ on the hill that descends to the river from the south. Judging by the mud on both sides of the bridge, I estimated the peak flood stage was 6 to 8-feet higher than what is showing in these photos. The highest I have ever seen that river is probably another 6 to 10-feet higher.

In the second image, I was on the bridge itself, kneeling and shooting straight across. Look at all that water! Awesome!

There is about a four-foot drop on the east side of the bridge and the water was churning white over that.

But there were guys and gals fishing and catching fish!

The amazing thing about the river this afternoon was that if you looked to the west, this is what you saw.

A surface so still there is not even the least bit of ripple.

Mirror-like reflections.

Utter peace and tranquility visually.

It is almost lake-like in appearance. With the sunlight streaming in between close-growing trees up river, it was a very appealing scene. It still is! I would love to sink my artistic teeth into it one of these days just to see if I can do it!

But you can hear the sound of rushing water and when you turn 180 degrees and look to the east, this is what you see!

Rapids. Downed trees. A water scarred bank (to the right). Evidence of how furious God’s creation can be.

The difference is that slab of cement that connects the north side of Tawakoni Road to the south side of Tawakoni Road over this otherwise calm and peaceful water way.

By the way, we didn’t cross over. We turned around and proceeded west all the way to I-135 and back home. I noticed while we visited with those fishing that an SUV (looked like a Jeep, but I couldn’t be sure) approached from the north, then turned around and retreated. I say! If a Jeep can’t make it, a Buick probably isn’t going to fare very well, either!

But I am glad we went. On a weekend that left me looking for a new painting project, this short, impromptu trip was definitely productive. Cool water shoots, great light and did I mention seeing horses? Lots of them and up close and personal!

©Copyright 2008 by Carrie Lewis. See original post here.

May

13

Pasture Privileges

Filed Under Bethany Caskey | Leave a Comment

The early May morning sky was cloudless and bright blue. A late frost sparkled on the green grass and a cool haze floated in the valleys and creek beds. The sun had just appeared in an answer to the coaxing of the singing birds.
The night before, we had let the fillies out of the round corral and into the three acre pasture. They had earned their pasture privileges. I was up early that morning to see how they had done through the night.
As I topped the lane, I could see both fillies at the bottom of the hill. I opened the gate, slipped through and started to walk down the hill to see if they would come when I called. As I got within sight, Hope looked up and nickered. I could now see that Dulci had somehow managed to scoot under the electric wire and was on the other side of the fence in the pasture with Jim’s horses and the mule. I walked on down the hill. I had not brought a rope or even a piece of twine. Dulci let me catch her but wasted no time in letting me know that the fence would bite. Getting her back through the tape was not going to work. I walked back up the hill to get a rope and lead her to a gate. The nearest gate was the infamous mud trap and the other gate meant passing through the other herd. As I neared the top of the hill, Dulci whinnied to me. Her whinny drew the attention of the other horses on the next hill and I saw Legend snap to attention. Throwing his head high, he trotted down the hill in a straight line to Dulci. The next thing I saw was a copper colored streak with a white blaze streaking in front of Legend’s thundering hooves and outstretched neck. They made two loops before I lost sight of them.
I quickly gathered my rope and headed down the hill. Legend had trotted back to his herd with a “took care of that” attitude and I could see no sign of Dulci. I continued down the hill and called. No sign still. I feared she had been run into the soft marshy soil at the bottom and had been trampled by Legend’s oncoming blast.
I crossed the fence and kept looking. As I passed a small grove of trees, I heard a slight nicker, and Dulci poked her head out of her hiding place. I slipped the rope on her and we headed for the gate. In the cool morning air, waves of heat rose from her chestnut sides and made an aura around her. When I stopped, she would press up beside me. I decided the muddy gate was our best bet. I carefully walked across the dry spots and opened the gate. I could stand now on the solid side and ask her with the rope to come through the gate.
As we walked back up the hill to the corral, Hope trotted up behind us. Dulci saw movement behind her and bolted forward until she realized the oncoming shape was that of her friend.
While the fillies ate their morning oats, I did some adjustments on the electric tape that had been placed horse high, but too high in a low spot for small fillies that could slip under.
Since that morning, the fillies have stayed in their pasture and Legend’s “herd” has stayed in theirs. I have been fighting the effects of lice on Dulci and she looks like a patchwork horse with hair patches and bald patches. I also started her on a series of antibiotics to help get over this hump in her recovery.

©Copyright 2008 by Bethany Caskey. See original post here.

May

13

May 11 - Between Georgia Workshops

Filed Under Elin Pendleton | Leave a Comment

Here’s an acrylic demonstration piece I did, 9 x 12 inches showing a cow in evening light. A quick study with lots of loose brushwork, this was done in the first Color Boot Camp last week.

I’ve been enjoying my stay in Georgia for the past ten days, and have begun the second Color Boot Camp for “repeat offenders”–another group of folks with a passion for getting color right, right from the start, using the Color System. I’ve done some demonstration paintings, and will share them with you here.

Georgia is full of gorgeous scenery, not the least of which is the Amicalola River in the Dawson County Forest. This is not far from where we are holding the workshop–and I’m holding Sparky as he looks at the enticing water movement! Bringing him along on the plane trip and having him as my shadow/companion has been a pure joy. Many painting subjects abound in the area, and I can hardly keep my brushes still! I’ve done eight paintings so far, and in the morning I’m taking the class down to this river again for an on-location lesson at 7 a.m.

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©Copyright 2008 by Elin Pendleton. See original post here.