Cool Spring

Not a running brook from a natural spring, just cool weather into May I expect. The rain has been regular and gentle compared with last year torrents. We are still not out of the storm season, just beginning. Ohio, Indians, Oklahoma, and Kansas have had some tornadoes
and the south seems to get it worse. Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, and Georgia. Weather patterns seem to be still shifting. Never know what to expect.

 At least my large friends have some turf to turn over with their hoofs and munch on.

 The earth in all her spring colors.

 

 

Surrender Never.

I just deleted all of the information I had accumulated on the perfidy of George W. Bush. That he is free to paint his toes, dogs, and scenery after the murder of thousands has galled me. If his successor will not strike out against his outrages and crimes, my voice seems to just be shouting into a void, where there is not even an echo. History will be the judge, but it seems that history is just a series of fables we use to gloss over our open wounds. The country has fallen in to a dysfunctional malaise, that seems to benefit those with money that now equals speech. Money has always had its way in politics, but now the open flood gates are sweeping away anything resembling a democratic system. We are now truly in the hands of the .07% and they don't seem to like anything but their own security. How does this fit in with Merry Christmas. Well the NY Times had and editorial that asks for the investigation of the torturers above, and even the German Human Rights watch want a piece of Bush and Cheney.  Cheney has canceled a trip to Switzerland just because he might be arrested. That is closing in on them

Winter hibernation

Back in the pool today. The cold has had me underground and unwilling to dunk into even the heated pool at the community center. Going to take the plunge today.

Picking Up the Pencils Again.

Dry spells some times exist outside the arid lands. Cloud bursts can come out of a winter sky. I reach for the tin of colored pencils and work on projects left by the side of the road forward while trekking off the berm and into the forest. Back on the road what will appear on the page?

What breed?

 

The question asked most among dog owners and the generally curious is: "What breed is that?" We have had Portuguese water dogs for about 25 years now, and we did not even know what the breed was when we adopted what was advertised as a "lab mix" in a small Dogs for Free ad, in the Baltimore Sun.

 So by accident we joined owners of a rare breed. Twenty five years ago there were less than 3,000 in the world. In the middle of the Portuguese Civil War in the 1970's their population dropped to a low of 27.  Today in America, Portugal, Australia, and Brazil they are a thriving breed no longer on the brink of extinction. If you watch Crofts show in England or any of the American major shows you will see them competing in the working dog group.

 

My story today is really not about rare pure bread dogs. My blog today started with a comment from our veterinarian on our last visit with two adopted mix breed pups.

We were having a general conversation about the treatment of animals and got on to the subject of horses at some point. His face dropped into a sad frown.

  

Fudge our Portuguese Water Dog Sire being pursued by our two latest mix breed adopted pups.

He told us that the market for horses had hit hard times and people who owned them were not giving them the care they required.  If the horse was a $200 buy it had very little chance of good care, but if the horse was a $2,000 buy or better it would probably get care.

The animals were being stratified by their economic status. Both horses could be ridden the same distance, would establish the same connection with a caring owner, yet because of their apparent dollar value they would have much different lives when it came to medical care.

We have had the same veterinarian for fourteen years now and we have the responsibility for 10 dogs.  There care and feeding rivals our mortgage payment. There has been changes in the membership of our pack over the years. New Portuguese Water Dogs and new Found Dogs have made up the mix of our ten.

 

Sebastian found us this past July. We think he is part Bernese Mountain Dog since he loves to lie and roll in the snow..

He needed an operation for some damage that had been done to his hip in a fight or accident before we added him to our group,

 

Dr. B. Paid us a compliment during the visit we just had with our two new mix-breed pups.

He observed over the years we had worked with him that we gave the same attention and care to all of our pack, pure bread or mix breed.  I had never given a moments thought before to treating a dog we had just spent a small fortune (to us) for, any different than Sebastian a mix breed who arrived in our neighbors yard, all bones and covered in burrs, lost and hungry.

 

When I think about his comment, it made me reflect about the 5 going on 6 year conflict on Health Care in the United States.  If you are pure bread with a nice thick wallet for a coat, the best of care is available to you. If you are a skinny stray who had had the misfortune of becoming lost in our economic survival of the fittest jungle, chance are you will have a short miserable life, and medical care will be a luxury you just will not be able to take advantage of.

 

We treat Americans our own citizens just like the horse owners have done. We care for the rich and the poor have a second class place at the medical dining room.

 

So as you read this, think---are you one of the well off with unlimited access to the best care or are you just able to access care on an emergency basis.  Will the next medical event in your life be with out more than the normal amount of worry or will it wipe out all you have worked for in your lifetime? 

 

Both situations are the American Way!

 

Pure Bred or Mix-Breed

 

Door to the Left or Door to the Right

Best of Care or Left to Chance

 

 

 

What is bound will break free.

We often do not know what binds us....

The moon cut loose of its moorings

Is the monster real?

Come a little closer now and see that I am really

there.

With thrashing arms it wills it self toward freedom.

Fabric shreds and I am free.

No Structure those Abstract Nuts- Its in the Details

My halting start into blogdom has had me working on projects long neglected. The room I wanted for a gallery and studio got taken over by other uses. Well I have captured some of the space back again.  The art collection has lingered in hiding and has expanded over the years; my work and the collection of mine and my wife's interests. So here is a venture into abstract structure.

 

Perhaps a meaningless mass of colors

 

 

A little closer and a world begins to spin and move forward.

 



Closer still and the world escapes the canvas edge.

 

 

 



Just stand back for a while.

 

 

Now is there some demon within trying to break out?

 

 

What sins have bound, what bands bind, what pain?

 

 

 

Is there any thought of healing, forgiveness, hope?

 

Or just one more wound, after wound?

 

 

"Now that's Structure"

Is it abstract enough?

Not by me. Billy was the son and brother of a family close to me.

This was an exercise he completed on his way to being an architect.

Quite a bit younger than me, he is gone several years now, but his buildings

are standing in Europe and Asia. He was always on the move.



Is it just a bad exposure?

 



Could they be in this painting?

 

 



Dressed for the ball but where is the carriage?

(three above from the same acrylic collage)

 

 

 

This corner is for another day.

 

The structure is just the sum of minute details

 

Good Night