THE TORCH

Lord, let me be the torch that springs to light

And lives its life in one exultant flame,

One leap of living fire against the night,

Dropping to darkness even as it came.

For i have watched the smouldering of a soul

Choked in the ashes that itself hath made,

Waiting the slow destruction of the whole,

And turned from it, bewildered and afraid.

Light me with love-with hate-with all desire

For that I may not reach, but let me burn

My little moment inpulsating fire

Ere yet into the darkness I return;

Be it for guard, or menace, peace or sword,

Make me thy torch to burn out swiftly, Lord.

Theodosia Garrison

Sunrise over Erwing Reservoir

 

Photograph by Ranie Patridis

Camera Coolpix 8800 

Art in ATC size

 

I love frogs, I don't know why either. I love to collect them as figurines for the house or outside. It isn't strange for me to try to capture the likeness of a frog either. Here is one of my attempts. 

ATD ~ Artist Trading Dolls

ATD are artist trading dolls. These are art dolls made from paper that are either the size of a 2.5 x 3.5 card size or they can be larger but need to fold up to an 2.5 x 3.5 card size. These cards I am sharing with you are not my ordinary art doll cards that I would make. The young lady holding flowers is a nice card a collage now me personally I would not call this an art doll, but in the Paper Doll world it is consider an art doll. 

 

Now this young lady below or man it looks more mannish than an lady the boots fold up keeping this an artist trading card size. Personally, I like to make art dolls larger than fold up into an artist trading card size.

 

LITTLE ROADS TO HAPPINESS

The little roads to happiness, they are not hard to find;
They do not lead to great success-but to a quiet mind.
They do not lead to mighty power, nor to substantial wealth.
They bring one to a book, a flower, a song of cheer and health.
The little roads to happiness are free to everyone;
They lead one to the wind's caress, to kiss of friendly sun.
These little roads are shining white, for all the world to see;
Their sign-boards, pointing left and right, are loved and sympathy.
The little roads of happiness have the most charming way;
No matter how they may digress throughout the busy day;
No matter where they twist and wind through fields of rich delight,
They're always of the self same mind to lead us home at night.
~Wilhelmina Stitch

Art with a bit of Sparkle

 

These Artist trading cards were made for a swap I enter in at ATCsforALL. The medium I use is watercolor paint and a bit of sparkle to it. There were hand drawn then painted.  

THE SCULPTOR

I took a piece of plastic clay

And idly fashioned it one day,

And as my fingers pressed it, still

It bent and yielded to my will.

I came again, when days were passed,

The bit of clay was hard at last,

The form I gave it, still it bore,

But I could change that form no more.

Then I took a piece of living clay

And gently formed it, day by day

And molded with my power and art,

A young child's soft and yielding heart.

I cam again when years were gone,

It was a man I looked upon.

He still that early impress bore,

And I could change it, nevermore.

Author Unknown

LEARN TO WAIT

Learn to wait-life's hardest lesson

Conned, perchance, through blinding tears;

While the heart throubs sadly echo

To the tread of passing years.

Learn to wait-hope's slow fruition;

Faint not, though the way seems long;

There is joy in each condition;

Hearts through suffering may grow strong.

Thus a soul untouched by sorrow

Aims not at a higher state;

Joy seeks not a brighter morrow;

Only sad hearts learn to wait.

Author Unknown

Trinity Fires....

We got some awesome shots of the Water Tank Helicopters getting water from Erwing Reservoir. They would fly in hover over the reservoir putting that hose into the water filling up their tanks. Here are a couple of pictures that my husband took with our Coolpix P4 camera. This is a beautiful view of our reservoir. There is a trail that you can walk all around this reservoir. As you can see that in the evening when the helicopters are filling up with water. Locals are here taking pictures along with me. There were 2 helicopters that were constantly filling up with water and dumping it over the fires surrounding Hayfork.

Going to be interesting to see how the surrounding forest will look like so much of it has burn. My heart goes out to all the wild animals that has been dislocated or gave their lives trying to escape the flames. At the same time thankful we have men and women who are willing to fight these fires.

Fires in Trinity County continue.....

This helicopter is amazing. I'm not sure what they called it. It is BIG. This one is carrying a bucket underneath it. The bucket holds 2,000 gallons of water in it. It will go, makes it dump, then come back to the air port, the ground grew would re-fill the bucket up.

 

See the Red Bucket below, this helicopter is on its way back to the fair grounds.

  

Now he is lowering the bucket down to the airport notice the difference in the sky color. That is heavy dark blue grey smoke in the background. 

You can not see the bucket here just the long cable that holds the bucket. The bucket is now on the ground.

 

As you can see now that helicopter is coming on down to land. This was amazing to watch!

  

LANDED 

Fires in Trinity County continue.....

We were delighted that we were able to get these pictures right now as I am writing this it is so smoky it looks like fog.

 

How cool is that? I can't believe that we are getting shots like this from that little tiny camera my Coolpix P4  This is call a Water Tanker Helicopter also know has a Logging Helicopter too.

See the smoke is coming back into Hayfork. It is so dark and dreary when that smoke is upon us.

  

Here is a beautiful shot of a helicopter with the sunset behind the smoke causing it to look this red.

Tomorrow I will share more pictures of this Helicopter. 

Fires in Trinity County

Back in June around the first week of June we had a dry lightening storm that cause havoc with Trinity County and other surrounding counties too. In Trinity County we had 79 fires burning. Our little community turn into a war zone so to speak. We have firemen here from all over, helicopters flying here n there. We are thankful to have them here fighting the fires. We have been in heavy smoke for over a month now, then suddenly Friday afternoon a nice breeze blew, blowing all the smoke out. Boy was that a blessing the smoke was really getting to us. That day we choose to go into town these are the pictures we came back with.

 

As we came into Hayfork, on one side it was clear blue skies the other side was dark n dreary with heavy smoke. We have been in this smoke for days some days we could barely see down our drive way. 

 

I was so excited getting a shot of this helicopter with my little Coolpix P4 camera while at the bank I did not even notice the pine tree with the cross on top. Cool! I wonder what the pilot thought?

  

Mike took this picture as the helicopter was lifting from the air port here in Hayfork. 

More pictures tomorrow to share with you.

Old Fashion Silhouettes

 

Old Fashioned Silhouettes size 2.5 x 3.5

  

Made for the Old Fashioned Silhouette Swap over at ATCsforALL 

WHERE DO RED-HEADED BABIES COME FROM

 
After their baby was born, the panicked father went to see the Obstetrician. "Doctor," the man said, "I don't mind telling you, but I'm a little upset because my daughter has red hair.  She can't possibly be mine!!"

"Nonsense," the doctor said".

"Even though you and your wife both have black hair, one of your ancestors may have contributed red hair to the gene pool."


"It isn't possible," the man insisted."????? ?"This can't be, our families on both sides had jet-black hair for generations."


"Well," said the doctor, "let me ask you this. How often do you have sex??? "
The man seemed a bit ashamed . "I've been working very hard for the past year. We only made love once or twice every few months."


"Well, there you have it!" The doctor said confidently.

 

 
"It's rust." 

my redheaded sister in-law sent this to me!

GOD BLESS YOU

I seek in prayerful words, dear friend,

My heart's true wish to send you,

That you may know that, far or near,

My loving thoughts attend you.

I cannot find a truer word,

Nor better to address you;

Nor song, nor poem have I heard

Is sweeter than God bless you!

God bless you! So I've wished you all

Of brightness life possesses;

For can there any joy at all

be yours unless God Blesses?

Gold bless you! So I breathe a charm

lest grief's dark night oppress you,

For how can sorrow bring you harm

If 'tis God's way to bless you?

And so, 'through all thy days

May shadows touch thee never_"

But this alone-God bless thee-

Then art though safe forever.

~Author Unknown

Mr. Confuse

This is one of my adorable ZettiCrow family.



I want you to meet Mr. Confuse ZettizCrow he is looking trying to figure out where did he lay that down at. Now if I could just remember what it was that I'm looking for.



Sometimes I feel just like that.



This drawing is a watercolor painting on watercolor paper.

THE PESSIMIST

Nothing to do by work,

Nothing to eat but food;

Nothing to wear but clothes

To keep one from going nude.

Nothing to breathe but air,

Quick as a flash 'tis gone;

Nowhere to fall but off,

Nowhere to stand but on.

Nothing to comb but hair,

Nowhere to sleep but in bed;

Nothing to weep but tears,

Nothing to bury but dead.

Nothing to sing but songs;

Ah, well, alas! alack!

Nowhere to go but out,

Nowhere to come but back.

Nothing to see but sights,

Nothing to quench but thirst;

Nothing to have but what we've got;

Thus thro' life we are cursed.

Nothing to strike but a gait;

Everything moves that goes.

Nothing at all but common sense

Can ever withstand these woes.

~Ben King

Draw-a-Thon

Oh dear I need to learn to count. I ended up drawing 9 cards for the Draw-a-Thon , but if I add the card that I traded with Stillatthetop that would be 10 now wouldn't it, then I trade another card out of my gallery oh my it is now 11 all on this Draw-a-Thon weekend. How wonderful is that.

This little Baker fairy is a collage that I had done. The background is original then layered with designer paper and clip art then sealed and antique. I traded this to Kylie over in Australia.

This card here finally went home to Stillatthetop this card is what you call a Zentangle drawing back in the days it was called doodling...giggle...this is really it is a way to relax letting the flow of the lines interpret its own design. I always have fun making these up.

Draw-a-Thon

I know it is the 3rd day now on this same subject. I really did have fun drawing and trading my cards. It was odd we were suppose to draw a card then post it, well, I just couldn't keep up with everyone. So Saturday night around 11:00 p.m. I posted a few pictures then I stayed up past 1:00 a.m. drawing a couple more pictures. By then I was run drum. I was thinking to myself oh my, what happen if they don't trade. I'm proud to say I traded every one of them plus a few that were already in my gallery. It was a whole lot of fun. Here are the last 4 drawings, well, should I say, no there drawings just different styles. You figure it out.

 

I am wishing you all a wonderful day may it be special and full of joy! 

Draw-a-Thon

Well here are a couple of more from the Draw-a-Thon this last weekend.

These three butterflies are done in Watercolor Paints on Watercolor Paper.