Why do most people feel like that have to have some kind of noise going on around them all the time. 

I have become increasingly aware of this. 

First of all, I live in a noisy house.

Take one husband who functions with a 25% of normal hearing.  To see what that is like, get some earplugs, those squishy foam kind and put them in your ears.  Wait for the foam to reform to your ear canal all the while listening as the sound gets cut off.  That's about 25% hearing.  Now go watch tv.  You have to turn up the volume?  Only if you want to hear it.  Mike is not hyped on closed captioning.  He doesn't want to read, he wants to watch.

Try the radio.  Same problem.  If you take a guy who grew up with Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, and tell him to turn down the music, he's not going to be a happy camper.  Headphones help, but to be honest, I can hear the music just fine across the room even through the headphones.

Next, add in a bunch of teenagers.  Enough said.  If the actual decibel levels don't get you, the floor joists vibrating will.

I notice when people put on the radio or tv, "for background noise", piped in tunes at the grocery store, being put on hold.

What is so awful about being alone with your thoughts.  Why are people so afraid of themselves?

I love quiet.  Whenever anyone asks me what my favorite radio station is I always say my favorite is when the radio is off.

My favorite time of day is at night as I'm going to bed.  I'm usually the last one up, so the last beats of the latest song has faded away, the tv's are cooling down, the dog has quit chasing the cat and it's quiet.

q-u-i-e-t

When I lay in bed I love to just listen.  To hear the creaks in the settling house. To hear the gentle sound of the trees rustling in the backyard swaying in the breeze.  I love to hear rain falling.  If I turn my ear in to the pillow I can hear the whoosh, whoosh, whoosh of the blood pulsing through my own veins.  When I plug my ears and listen I can hear my own breathing, my own rhythm. And only when I am that quiet can I really hear my own thoughts. 

Only then can I really get to know my self.

A group of college graduates, well established in their careers, were

talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university

professor, now retired. During their conversation it turned

to complaints about stress in their work and lives. Offering his guests

hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a

large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups - porcelain,

glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite -

telling them to help themselves to the hot chocolate.

When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor said:

'Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving

behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only

the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. The

cup that you're drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot

chocolate. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what

we drink. What all of you  really wanted was hot chocolate, not the cup; but

you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each

other's cups. Now consider this: Life is the hot chocolate; your job, money and

position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life.

The cup you have does not define, nor change the quality of life you have.

Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot

chocolate The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They

just make the best of everything that they have.

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. And

enjoy your hot chocolate!

My project is due tomorrow.  I'm not finished with it yet.  In fact I probably have about 5-6 more hours to paint on it, so of course I thought I would sit here and write a blog.

In case you missed the assignment explanation, we had to bring in a photo, blown up to the size of our pressed board.  Using oil paints we are painting exactly what we see on the photo.  Here's the progress so far.

    Pressed board on the left.

     Gesso prepared board on the right.

    Photo on the left.

     The beginning.  Transfer lines are visible  and the pot has been started.

   Roughed in.

       A close up view of the trunk.  I started at the bottom of the left trunk and worked my way up. You can see how far I got.

    This is as far as I am right now. 

     It's now 4 PM.  Time is getting short, so I guess I'll go play ping pong with my son.

     Then maybe I might paint.

Today was Winterfest.  I had to sneak over and take a few pictures. 

A snowball war....

What a Cutie.  I have no idea who he is, but he was so sweet in his winter wear.

Snow Sculpture. 

Our snow is so packed and hard this guy used his chain saw to cut out walls, build his fort and stand on top of it!

The sledding hill.....

And for the grand finale there was a polar bear swim.  The water was 38 degrees.  Yes, that's ice floating in there.

The first group to go was the crazy Hawaiian family.  This is Mike's boss's family.  They are first every year.

They wasted no time scrambling to the far end and climbing out.  There was a nice hot tub waiting for them.

These guys are standing in line waiting for their turn.

This guy looks a little cold.  He's probably wondering how the heck his friends talked him into this.

I hope you are all cozy and warm wherever you may be.  Cheers and have a great weekend.

Texans really love their football.  If I had any doubt of that before my trip there I am totally convinced now.  Texans LOVE football.

Last Sunday afternoon I found myself sitting in the waiting area next to the gate at the airport.  There was a TV turned on to a playoff game.  The area was pretty filled up with fans all craning their necks to view the small screen over their heads.  Other travelers walking briskly down the corridors would hurriedly pop over to check out the score or to see why our little congregated group was cheering.  I found the whole scene hilarious.

I began to realize just how serious this football crazed people were, though after they started calling for our flight to board.

"We know there is a game on, but it is time for flight 2137 to Jackson Hole Wyoming to begin boarding.  We promise we'll keep you apprised of the score."

No one moved.

"Now boarding first class, priority,  blah blah blah"

All eyes remained glued to the screen.

"We WILL shut the door and leave without you, people!"

A few people chuckled and shifted around, but no one made a beeline to the gate.

"All right, ANYONE who wants to board can do it now."

Finally she got a response.  I joined a few "non-football fans" and got on the plane.

I'm not sure if all the fans were able to tear themselves away or not.

Maybe they DID shut the door and leave without them.

From the first we were entirely comfortable with each other, Joisey and I.  I think she felt like she talked a little bit more than she usually does.  I didn't notice.  It was so great to just hear her voice.  We immediately started laughing over things we've shared in the cyber world.  There was no awkwardness.  I didn't feel any need to "make a good impression".  The impressions were made long ago.  It continued to amaze me throughout the entire visit how comfortable everything felt. 

How can I describe Joisey?  She is exactly how she seems on line.  She is a big-hearted sweetheart.  Her stories of caring for those in need around her are accurate descriptions of her persona. 

Two examples:  

When we left a store we passed a group of girl scouts selling cookies.  Joisey stopped and bought 4 boxes.  She doesn't ever eat anything sweet!  She said it was her good deed for the day.

A couple of guys showed up at her door one evening to talk to her son.  She immediately asked them all about their families and showed great concern over some setbacks which they've had.  She told those boys to come over for a meal anytime and they gratefully accepted her offer.  The thing that touched me the most happened after they left.  My sweet friend started to cry.  She felt so deeply for their misfortunes that she was upset for quite a while.  What a tender soul she has.

I'm so glad that we decided to spend our time at her home.  I was able to meet and get to know her family. And when her son, Buff Boy, calls me "Idaho" it makes me smile.  Her boys are like my boys.  I was able to see her in her element. I feel like they are family.

I can't wait for her to come here and get to know mine.

Our weekend ended all too quickly.  We sat at the kitchen table on Sunday afternoon having a heart to heart talk, trying to  keep our eyes off the large clock that was moving way too fast. 

The time to leave for the airport came way too soon.  Our time was coming to a close.

For now.

At the motel I started to worry a bit about getting to the airport on time.  The weather was still bad, the airport was a bit of a drive away, I had to be there early, .....and I like to sleep in.

I set the alarm clock in the room and then for added measure set my cell phone alarm clock for 5:30. I went to bed early.  Well, it was early for me.  I turned out the lights at 11:00.  I was so nervous about oversleeping and missing my flight that I woke up every hour all night long.  At 5:30 my cell phone alarm woke me right up.  It's a good thing I set it because the other one never went off.

I hurried and dressed and got ready for the drive.  It took almost 25 minutes to drive the 9 miles to the airport.  It was snowing, blowing and still dark outside.  Visibility was poor, and the roads were slick.  I pulled into the airport parking lot right at 6:25.  Joisey texted me right then to see if I was at the airport.  She knows my propensity for sleeping late and was probably as worried as I was that I would miss the flight. I quickly found a spot to park in the long-term parking lot and then hustled into the terminal to check in.  I was really surprised at the number of people inside.  Friday morning must have been the end of a lot of vacations and everyone wanting to get home for the weekend.

Jackson Hole Airport is not very big.  There is one gate for all departures.  I checked in with the self check-in and then stood in line for the security check.  It was then that I noticed the little sign posted in the middle of the walkway.  "Long Term Parking - Pay Fees Here" 

Shoot.  I wasn't the only one to hurriedly grab an envelope, fill it out, place the right amount of cash inside and drop it through the slot as the security line moved along.  The guy in front of me didn't have the right change and had to pay almost double with a $50 bill.  Sneaky way to bring in money if you ask me.

I made it through the checkpoint without a problem and then waited at the gate to board. There were two flights leaving at almost the same time.  Both airplanes were parked just outside the door. There was no jet-way.  You boarded by exiting the building and walking to the plane and up the stairs.  They called for the other flight to board first.  Within 5 minutes they called for boarding for the flight to Dallas/Fort Worth.  As I headed out the door into the bitter cold the agent pointed to the airplane on the right and said, "That's your plane there.  Don't get on the other one or your vacation won't be over." 

After I found my seat I kept waiting and waiting for the plane to taxi.   It seemed a long time before we moved. As the plane finally started to roll the captain came on the PA system and told us they had a "slight mechanical problem" that was now fixed, and that we would be on our way as soon as they "de-iced".

The plane then backed into a spot where we sat for a good 20 minutes more. I watched as a man in a lift used a hose to spray liquid all over the entire plane melting off the snow and ice.  Just as he finished the captain came on again and told us they needed to do it one more time spraying a heavy liquid anti-freezing agent on that would prevent the snow from sticking to the plane.  Finally, an hour late we were cleared to take off.

Once in the air I looked out the window at the steadily falling snow and started to think about just what I was getting into.  I had never done anything like this before.  I don't make friends very easily.  I have a lot of acquaintances, but other than my daughters, no one I would really feel comfortable just "hanging out" with.  And here I was flying off to Texas to spend 3 days with someone I'd never laid eyes on.  It was a leap of faith.  I knew in my heart that it would be a good visit.  I felt peaceful and warm about it, confirmation to my soul that I was making the right decision, but it was still a little bit unnerving.

When the plane landed I made my way into the terminal.  There were many many people there and for a second I wondered if I would have a hard time finding someone I'd only seen in pictures.  I heard my name and just stopped where I was.  I turned in time to see Joisey walking towards me with her arms outstretched. It was like being welcomed home.

This morning the temperature at my house was negative 24.

School - Canceled

Work - Not

Abby took a picture of the window sill inside our house.

I had the chance to go to Texas this weekend to get to know my good friend, Joisey.  The plan was to fly out of Jackson Hole, Wyoming on Friday morning at 7:30.  All day Thursday I was getting so anxious.  It just kept snowing and snowing.  Jackson Hole is just what the name implies.  It is a nice little town in a hole surrounded by mountains.  In order to get there you have to drive OVER a very steep mountain pass.  It is very common for the pass to be closed in the winter due to storms.  I was afraid the trip that normally takes me a little over an hour in the summer would take me 3 hours or more.  Finally I just decided to go to Jackson on Thursday afternoon and stay overnight.  I left in a hurry.  And I'm so glad I did.  It did take me about 3 hours to get there. 

As I was driving through the town of Jackson I was enchanted by the city park.  Every tree was lit up with white twinkling lights.  There is an antler arch over the entry to the park on all four corners.  These arches were lit up also.  It was so magical.  As soon as I checked into the motel I grabbed my camera and headed for the park. 

The park was only a block and a half away so I was going to walk, but when I stepped outside and breathed in through my nose I knew I shouldn't.  I could tell the temperature was hovering around zero.

How do I describe those kind of cold temperatures to someone who hasn't experienced it? When you step out into it your face instantly feels like it's on fire and your nose, ears and lips feels like they're burning. Kind of ironic.  If you breathe in through your nose the inside of it freezes instantly, essentially freezing your nostrils shut.  It is dangerous to be out for very long without proper attire.  I decided I would drive to the park and do my walking there.

I parked my Explorer, pulled on a hat and ski gloves and went for a walk. 

After a quick walk through the park I went back to my car.  I pushed the button to unlock the door, but didn't hear it work.  I thought maybe the cold was affecting the lock.  I tried the key in the door, but it didn't go in.  That was weird.

Then I took a little bit closer look at the White Explorer I was trying to enter.  Oops!  Not mine.  I looked around in a hurry to see if I was caught trying to break and enter.  Too cold.  No one was there.   I found my car two spaces away and went back to the motel to sleep.

My laundry is caught up.  My suitcase is half full.  It's snowing harder, but still gentle flakes drifting down.  It would be serene and relaxing if I didn't know I had to drive in it soon, over a mountain pass.  Or take the long way around but no pass. That's one of the prices you have to pay when you don't live close to the airport.

I've been painting on my project just a little.  I need to do as much as I can today.  I won't be able to touch it again until Monday.

    We first took a piece of pressed board and prepped it with gesso, many light coats.

Then we transferred some of the main lines to the board and started blocking in color.  Oil takes a long time to dry so I have plenty of time to go do laundry or play with my grandson. 

The photo I'm copying is on the left.

........I'm going to 50 degree weather.  It'll feel like summer to me! *smile*

The assignment:  Bring in a photo of a still life, 7 x 10.  You will be making a painted reproduction of it.

Yesterday I took in my snowflower photo and this one.  The professor immediately grabbed this one and couldn't say enough good things about why this would be so great for the assignment.  Hard and soft edges, interesting negative spaces, textures, Etc.

So, as much as I liked the flower I know this is the one that will get me the higher grade, ha ha.

We are painting on a 9 x 12 inch piece of pressed board using oil glazing.  I will post my progress on it as we go.  This project will take a minimum of 2 weeks class time and about 60 of my hours. 

I needed to take some photo references for my class.  I thought I would share one of them with you.

*Smile*    I get to start another class on Wednesday.  I'm taking "Media Experimentation" which will be time-intensive, scary, and FUN!!!  I will post some of my assignments so that you can see what kind of things we will be doing.  I know we're starting with oil paint and then will move through watercolors, gouache, charcoal, and who knows what else.  It will be great.

*Frown*   This is one of 3 weeks a year that I put in way more hours at work than I really want.  I have to attend classes to explain the online component of each class, and they begin at 7:45 and then I will be working late trying to help all the professors get everything done for a smooth beginning to all their classes.  If today was any indication I will be working about 3 hours longer per day than I am used to.  Not fun.

*Smile*  I've been having a lot of fun with my new camera.  It takes such great pictures.

*Frown*  It's snowing again.  Good for the area, but I am the lucky soul who gets to trek down to the weather station every day to take all the weather readings to submit to NOAA (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration).  I have to stomp through about a foot of snow to the middle of a park.  I don't have boots, so I get a little bit frosty on my legs. 

*Smile*  We are having a department farewell dinner on Friday night to say goodbye to one of our retiring faculty members, and we're having HALIBUT!!! My favorite. Yummy.   And I don't have to cook it OR pay for it.

I guess the smiles outweigh the frowns.  It must be a good week after all.

Mike was playing around with the camera and got this shot.  Pretty good for a novice. **smile**

We had a heat wave.  Temps were actually above freezing.  The wind was blowing at a pretty good clip, but the snow was melting, the sun was shining and I decided to take my new camera out for a walk.  I headed over to the nature park. 

The little pond looked pretty frosty.  Parts were starting to melt.  A frosty bench along the path did not look too inviting, so I walked the path.

A patch of ragged cattails were a reminder of past warm summer days.  Tracks in the snow told a story of passersby.

My fascination with trees does not dampen in the cold of winter.  Without leaves to hide I can appreciate the lines and patterns of the branches even more.

I'm not the only one at the park today.  Two ice fishermen were trying their luck.  I watched as one of them used the auger to create a new hole.  A while later I heard whooping and cheering signaling success.

The local duck population nestled down facing the sun.  You could almost hear their contentment with the warmth of the sunny day after surviving below zero temperatures for a week.

The sun was sinking and the dripping water froze into cycles hanging from the eaves of a shelter.  I decided it was time for me to head home.

Good Night, and God bless.