Six Months in the Southwest

  In front of Sun Gallery, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

My last blog post was in August, when I had just returned from a four-month West Coast solo RV trip.  I commented at the end that I was going to return to my routine, but couldn't remember what that was anymore .

Sometimes it's good not to remember an old story and to start a new one.  That's basically what I've been up to lately.

  Intuition Is My Compass, Mixed-Media on Canvas, 12 x 12 in.

I spent a few weeks just getting reacquainted with Truth or Consequences...hanging out in coffee shops, seeing friends, spending lots of time with Steve.  I also started making some new friends, since I'm now old enough to eat lunch and participate in other activities at the Senior Center.

 Jeff, John, Beverly and Joel enjoying lunch at the Senior Center

 
Something that has come up in my thinking many times over the years since I started spending time in TorC is the possibility of having my own art studio, art gallery, book store, antique store, or any combination thereof.  I began exploring this possibility in my talks with friends.

Desert Eden Mandala, acrylic on canvas, 12 x 12 in.

About mid-September, I decided not to partner up with anyone and to start my own folk art and antiques gallery.  The vision I've had for this type of business for many years has been to be open only part-time.  I've seen this model work in small towns where business isn't heavy enough to justify being open full-time.  TorC has a Second Saturday Art Hop, and I decided to have my new Sun Gallery open each month during the Art Hop weekend.

 Front window of Sun Gallery

 
I found a workable commercial space in the very busiest part of downtown TorC.  I'm in a block that is a beehive of small businesses, one of the hoppingest places in town.  After renting the space, I worked very hard to get it filled up.  I picked up my paintings, sculpture, mixed-media work, etc.,  from other galleries in town except RioBravoFineArt where I will continue to show my work.   

One of dozens of carloads of antiques that I have found for the gallery

 
I also bought many, many antiques in travels to Las Cruces, where I have a great working relationship with a woman who rebuilds, refinishes and even repurposes old furniture.  I also got to buy some great primitives from a local pecan farm where an old house was cleared out. Besides Las Cruces, I've had some fun shopping excursions throughout the Southwest this fall and winter.  

 Me on flute, Gina on djembe, Rich on keyboards, Bob on drums and Mario on guitar at one of our Second Saturday Art Hop openings at Sun Gallery

I opened the gallery in October and have worked pretty hard at it throughout the fall.  I was open for the Art Hop weekend in October, then headed to Arizona to do some antique buying and camping.  Most of November and December, I was open each weekend so I could garner the holiday sales.  Then it was back to just one weekend per month in January.

 A series of four large acrylic paintings about the Elements (Fire, Water, Air and Earth) that I painted after returning from my 2015 travels

 
This schedule is great.  It allows me to travel and make art in between gallery openings.  After my January opening, I had a full four weeks off before the upcoming February opening!  So I've been able to spend a nice long time relaxing at our place in Why, Arizona. 

 Local arts critic James Durham's first review of my new gallery

Just yesterday, I returned to Why from a quick buying trip to Palm Springs!  There is no better place for thrift store shopping than the Coachella Valley.  Driving along Highway 111, the loop through all of those connected desert resort towns, I was able to hit about 20 thrift shops in two days.  There were probably another 10 that I could have shopped if I'd had the stamina.  

 Desert Hot Springs wind farm

 
I had hoped to include some sightseeing in my Palm Springs trip--maybe a couple of nights up at Joshua Tree National Park or a side trip along the Salton Sea to Yuma on my way home--but we got the big winds this past weekend that hit the entire Southwest.  With 25 to 35 mph winds with gusts up to hurricane speeds, it wasn't a good time to drive my little Dolphin on I-10.  So I holed up for a few nights at Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, which has a nice big lot for free RV parking.  

 The heavy winds that kept me sitting in one place for several days

 
Yesterday on my way back to Why, I stopped in Quartzsite to lunch with some of my Solo Wild-Women RVer sisters.  And today it's great to be back here in the quiet Senoran Desert!  I have a few days to relax, then it's back to TorC for the February Art Hop weekend opening.  I have a few new paintings to exhibit in February that I painted here in Arizona this past month, and I've also been able to start doing some mosaic again now that I have space to work in and a nifty new compound tile nipper that doesn't make my arthritic hands hurt. 

 Back to doing mosaic after a few years' abstinence

 
I'll be going back and forth between our New Mexico and Arizona camps for the next few months.  Then I have some big travel plans for the spring (New York City!) and summer (RVing up the Mississippi to the Midwest).  Stay tuned!  I'll try not to get too busy to blog.

For those interested in visiting my gallery, please visit my Sun Gallery Facebook page.
     

An interior view of Sun Gallery

 

Why, AZ, to Cottonwood, and Back Again

 Leaving Why on Monday morning

Well, going a little ways north and then back to Why wasn't exactly the plan.  

We left our primitive campground home in Why, AZ, on Monday so I could get a tooth pulled in Casa Grande.  That went extremely well.  By the next day, I was feeling fine and needed no more pain meds than the Arthritis Strength Tylenol that I take regularly, anyway.  We stayed Monday night at the Casa Grande Motel 6, which was just fine.  

After that we headed north and stayed Tuesday night at a motel and RV park in Cordes Lake, then drove up to Prescott on Wednesday morning.  I was delighted to do some shopping at Trader Joe's.  We also stopped for some new hardware for the bathroom.  Prescott gets bigger and more citified every time I go there.  I was glad to find a bookstore and an AA meeting and then head back out of town.  

From Prescott, we headed to Jerome, a place I'd always wanted to visit.  I had heard it was built on a cliff and that there is a very scenic road from Prescott to Jerome, but I had no idea it would be such a challenging drive over a mountain, with lots of switchbacks.  We had to stop for a while on the way down the other side of the mountain, because the brakes were getting really hot.

Coming down Mingus Mountain, from Prescott to Jerome

Jerome was a busy mining town for decades, then the mine closed and it became almost a ghost town.  In the 1970s, hippies came and rejuvenated the town as a tourist attraction, and it is definitely a fun place to see.  We went to the very small Jerome Historical Society museum on the main street and to a gift shop or two.  But we didn't stay long, because we had reservations to spend the night at Dead Horse Ranch State Park in nearby Cottonwood.

Another rider on the Verde Canyon train took this picture of a happy Steve and me

We camped one night at Dead Horse, which was nice, but more expensive ($25 plus a $5 reservation fee) than what I usually spend.  It was also a pleasant place to spend a relaxed Thursday morning before heading back towards Clarkdale to take the 1:00 p.m. Verde Canyon wilderness train tour.  And we needed the rest!  I hadn't realized that going to both Prescott and Jerome in one day was going to be so taxing on us.  We didn't drive all that far, but the roads were mountainous and unfamiliar, and we made lots of stops.  We'd pushed ourselves a little too hard.

Verde Canyon Railroad's motto is something about it being the journey, not the destination, which is good, because there really isn't a destination.  You just go 18 miles down into some canyons, past lots of beautiful mountains and red cliffs, looking down on the Verde River Valley.  Then they put the engines on the other end of the train and you go back.  Pretty uneventful, just watching gorgeous nature go by, while the PA system occasionally gave us some information about what we were seeing, in between train-related songs in lots of genres--folk, blues, country, etc.  There were snacks available for purchase in our coach car, and we had an attached car for outdoor seating.  The train never goes more than about 15 mph, and it was a warm, sunny day, so we spent most of the four hours outside.  I'd give this train ride a thumbs up for just about anybody.  The coup de grace was this sappy PA announcement at the end of the tour where we were told how much the owner of the railroad loves America, and dang if a bald eagle didn't come and soar right over us, as if on cue.  Disney couldn't have planned it better.

The view out the back of the RV at Camp Verde RV Resort

Our plan after taking the train trip was to just chill out for about three nights at an RV resort in Camp Verde.  We got a nice spot right on the bank of the Verde River, and we had laundry, showers, a hot tub, etc., all available.  Friday, we drove back into Cottonwood to have the brakes looked at, since they'd gotten so hot on Mingus Mountain, and they were fine.

When we got back to Camp Verde on Friday afternoon, Steve and I had a long, serious discussion about the trip, and I learned that it had not been working out well for him.  He's had foot and leg pain for a while, and we had doctor's appointments and lab tests before leaving Why.  We were called with the lab results after we were already on the road, and Steve's tests indicated he might have gout.  We did some reading online and found out that gout can be controlled with medication and diet.  Steve decided that, feeling the way he did, traveling in a mini-motorhome was not pleasant for him.  He wanted to go home and get his medical problems addressed.

I can totally understand this.  These past several years, my own need for a total knee replacement really threw the monkey wrench into being able to travel and have fun.  Mostly we have gone back and forth between Why, AZ, and Truth or Consequences, NM, just keeping it very simple.  It was disappointing that now, when my mobility is better, that Steve's is worse, but such is life.  

So yesterday, Steve and I drove back to Why, and he will stay here and get the treatment he needs, which will probably mean seeing a specialist in Tucson and getting on some medication.  Once he's on a course of treatment, he'll head back over to Truth or Consequences and spend the summer staying in the Beluga, my Class A motorhome that's parked in a nice little RV park.  

And I will continue on the Left Coast Adventure unless Steve's health problems are more serious than we think, in which case I'll skedaddle back and give him whatever help he needs.  God knows I owe him for all of the great care he has given me.  

It was kind of a shock and disappointment to realize I'll be making this West Coast trip by myself.  But now I've had a couple of days to process this information, and I'm okay with it.  Traveling solo is fun.  Back in 2011, when I was traveling in my first Toyota Dolphin, I had to get off the road and stay parked for a while because I needed a sense of community.  I needed someplace I could come home to.  Well, I have that now, so this is just a trip this time, and I'll come home to be with Steve, as well as see my friends in TorC and Why, in a matter of months.  

Also, Steve and I are thinking that once I get up to Seattle, which is my main goal on this trip, I'll want to be there for a while to see my son and many friends.  So perhaps by then, he'll be feeling better and can fly up to join me for the part where we stay in one place.  

Boondocking on BLM lands near Ajo, AZ

So, right now, I am camped out on BLM lands and enjoying a little time for reorganization before heading out towards the north tomorrow.  I've looked at my road atlas and the Internet and have found various BLM and Forest Service campgrounds all the way up to I-40, and I will probably meander slowly.  I'd like to get back up into the higher elevations within a couple of days, because the temps are rising down here near the Border.  

Sonja is heading to Seattle with me, of course

 

Remobilized, Re-Dolphinized, and Other Happy News

 Solveig ("House of the Sun"), my new-to-me 1985 Toyota Dolphin

I can hardly believe it's been six months since I last wrote a blog post.  Ever since I got back to Truth or Consequences, NM, in September 2014, I've been on the run.  Well, no, since my total knee replacement about nine months ago, it's more like I'm walking a little more briskly every day.  

I'm feeling so much better now.  I can walk a few miles, do some outdoor chores, go out and enjoy beautiful sights, and have more fun.  

Consequently, I am back to traveling, and I've made some decisions. 

 The Beluga, my Class A moho, and my HHR in its carport, on a snowy day

I love the Beluga, my Class A motorhome, as a home, but not so much as an RV.  It's so big!  I know a lot of people who enjoy their big motorhomes, but neither Steve nor I have ever become very comfortable driving a 35-foot bus.  

So, when I moved the Beluga to a very nice little RV park, the Launching Pad, in TorC this past fall, I decided I'll keep the big RV there year-round.  Now she is parked in a nice site with a carport and yard, and I have had a little shed built which I'm using as an art studio.  

I'm enjoying having a home in TorC, where I like to spend some time every year.  I have friends here, and many opportunities to show my artwork.  I get some of the benefits of home ownership without the headaches of big repairs, paying property taxes, etc.  I have great neighbors and the RV park owners are really nice folks.  And the park is in town, close to everything I enjoy--restaurants, galleries, grocery store, hot springs spas, etc.

So, now that I've beached the Beluga, what should I use for travel?  I thought about the possibilities--a tiny trailer that I could pull with my Chevy HHR stationwagon?  Maybe another motorhome?  

I was checking Craigslist throughout the Southwest.  Remembering how cramped it was living in my old Guppy, I test-drove some larger Class C's.  Nothing felt right.  

Then I ran across a Craigslist ad for a 1985 Toyota Dolphin, the same size as the Guppy (22 ft), but with a much nicer floorplan and in better condition.  For the past five years, it had belonged to an acquaintance who I knew had taken excellent care of it.  This one resonated, and I bought it.  So, I am happily re-Dolphinized, and thank you, John Rogers, for coining that word. 

The fabulous rear dinette floorplan with nice big windows

I can't find adequate words to express the joy I feel in having a small rig again.  I felt like I would never be able to become independent driving the Class A.  But with the new little Dolphin (which I've named Solveig, a Scandinavian name meaning "house of the sun" or "path of the sun," and pronounced Sol-vee with a nearly silent G), I can go anywhere, anytime, by myself or with Steve, or with a friend or my son, or whatever the situation may be.  I am delighting in every camping experience, whether I camp alone or with friends.  Since I bought her about five months ago, I've been to Tucson to get her registered, Elephant Butte State Park (twice), Leasburg Dam State Park, Caballo Lake State Park (three times), and back home to Why, Arizona for Christmas.  Solveig has solar, so I can camp anywhere, with or without electrical hookups.  

 "God As Explained By a Four-Year-Old," a large acrylic painting 

from my Faces of God show

I've spent a happy fall and winter mostly in New Mexico, where I had several solo and group art shows.  The most significant was a solo show I called "Faces of God," which ran for a couple of months at RioBravoFineArt Gallery.  I explored ways of looking at one's Higher Power.  It was a lot of fun and a great growing experience for me personally and artistically.  

 Steve and me, traveling by rickshaw to a delicious lunch in a Chinese family's home 

in the hutongs of Beijing

I have just recently returned from a whirlwind tour of eastern China.  Steve and I ran across an unbeatable deal on TravelZoo and took the plunge.  We are not tour people, by nature, being too independent and slow-moving to be herded here and there by bus.  But we had a wonderful time, anyway, seeing things we had never thought to see in this lifetime and meeting lovely people in our tour group whom we hope to get to know better in our upcoming travels.

I would like to share pictures of everything I've addressed here, but then my blog would be many pages long, so I've only inserted a few.  I will start writing more often, starting with our upcoming travels.  On Sunday we head west in Solveig for a trip of indefinite length, up to six months perhaps, up the West Coast, with plans for another roadtrip to Florida in the late fall.  Stay posted.

My cat Sonja has about 15,000 miles of travel experience and will gain 

perhaps another 6,000 to 10,000 in 2015.

I Was Interviewed for the eBay Scavengers Podcast!

A few days ago, I had a really nice time talking on the phone with Jay and Ryanne Dedman, the eBay Scavengers.  They are really nice folks who moved to a rural area where living was cheaper, and they make their living by selling stuff they find at auctions, yard sales and thrift stores.  They also grow some of their food and make things, and they're friends with my friends Wendy and Mikey of Holy Scrap and Good Life Lab fame.

Our phone call was recorded and edited and became the Scavengers' latest blog and podcast post (#91).  For about two years, the Scavengers have been blogging about all different aspects of eBay selling--where to find inventory, how to sell, how to pack and ship, etc. A lot of their blogs and podcasts are about the eBay selling lifestyle, and they've featured Wendy and Mikey in several.  For easy reference, there's an topical index.  

Jay, Ryanne and I specifically talked about my eBay business, operated out of the Beluga, a 35-foot Class A motorhome.  They wanted to know where I find my inventory, how I decided to concentrate on selling vintage scarves, how I ship while I'm on the road, etc.  The podcast lasts about 20 minutes and I hope anyone who is considering selling on eBay while traveling will find it helpful.  (I'm also working on a book, but it is not finished--you will definitely be able to read all about it here when it is published!)  To activate the podcast, just click on the "Play" triangle button that's under the photo of my RV. 



   

Like a Bad Country Western Song

Last week I was planning to take the tow bar that my friend Brian had given me to the mechanic, have him install it, and then I figured I'd zip off to Arizona within a few days.  But it didn't go exactly like that.  

"There was a hitch in my travel plans, and I'm chained to the place I am."

Twang-twang!  Sing it, Sister!

It's all gonna be fine, though.  It turns out that the base plate that was already attached to my Tracker fits the Blue Ox tow bars.  So I checked into buying one of those, decided to buy a used one from an online seller, and should have it here by FedEx today...or tomorrow...or whenever.

In the meantime, Steve heard the anxiety in my voice while we were on the phone one night, and now he is here to help me with the details of getting the Beluga and Tracker road-ready, and he'll be making the trip back to Arizona with me.  Yay!  

It's a good thing he's here, too.  I seem to have a mental blank spot when it comes to adding water to my various batteries, and everything was down and problematic when he got here.

Maybe another verse?  

"I'm powerless to leave this town, because I let my battery levels get down..."

I also found out that I needed to have some wiring done in both the Tracker and on the back end of the Beluga to get the lights set up for towing.  I mentioned in my last blog entry that I was working with Travis at Pit Stop here in Truth or Consequences, NM.  He's been doing really good work for me and has helped me a lot, so here's another pitch for him and his new business.

"I'm getting wired to travel, and so is my tow,
When everything's done, I'll be ready to go..."

Friends ask me when I'm leaving, and I am glad I've learned to be comfortable in the unknowing.

Gearing Up to Tow My New Toad

I'll be leaving Truth or Consequences within the next week or so.  I'm not picking the date of departure yet.  I'm trying to get a bunch of stuff done by the end of the week, and then I can leave whichever day I feel ready to go.

On Thursday, I'll take down my solo art show that I talked about in my last blog post, and my friend Janice and I will be hanging a group show in its place.  It's an annual Postcard Show.  All of the pieces are 4 x 6 inches, but they can be any media.  It will be interesting to see what people contribute.  The prices will be moderate (nothing over $50) and the Happy Belly Deli takes a reasonable commission.  So we're all hoping that there will be some impulse holiday gift purchases  made, and that all of the artists will make some money.

 I'm punctuating this blog entry with my own postcards, which are acrylic on canvas board.  

 I don't need to stick around to take this show down--Janice will do that in January.  I also left about 10 of my own paintings at Grapes Gallery to be shown for the next couple of months.  

The biggest news for me in the past couple of weeks is that I bought a toad!  This was not something I was planning to do immediately.  I had a 1998 Ford Windstar minivan that I'd been keeping here in Truth or Consequences as my getting around vehicle, and I wanted to get it sold before I leave for Why, Arizona, for the winter.  But I did not expect to replace it so quickly with a smaller vehicle that I could tow behind the Beluga.  I figured on buying a toad in Arizona sometime over the winter.

But, lucky me!  I saw a nice 1992 Geo Tracker parked on a nearby street with a "for sale" sign on it, and I managed to get the van sold quickly to a friend.  So now when I leave for Arizona, I'll be driving this big honking Class A motorhome that I'm not yet altogether comfortable driving yet, while towing a car, which I've never done before.  Oh, boy!  

The Tracker already had a base plate, and my friend Brian gave me a tow bar which I'm having installed tomorrow morning.  I also went to buy a hitch for the back of the motorhome today.  I've met a nice mechanic here in TorC, Travis from Pit Stop on Date Street, who has been super to work with on several things lately.  (That's a recommendation to anyone who needs work done while in this area!)

I had a very nice Thanksgiving with friends, and I'm relishing my last few visits to coffee shops, thrift stores, book shops, etc., here in Truth or Consequences. 

That's all the news from me for now.  After staying in one place for nearly half a year, I'm pretty busy stowing things away and wrapping up business here.  



 

A Long and Satisfying Stay in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

 Sonja, helping me pack for our winter migration to Arizona

When I haven't blogged for a while, it kind of feels like entering the confessional.  So many reasons and excuses, or, as my friend Janice says, "Blah, blah, blah, Sparky."

I guess what it comes down to is that I haven't gone anywhere for a long time, except short trips to Las Cruces to take a friend to a medical appointment or some other errand.  I've been here in Truth or Consequences, NM, for about five months, staying at the Artesian Bath-House and Trailer Court.  Sometimes I don't think I have anything to say unless I can show you pictures of where I've been.

I've stayed busy! When I posted in August, I had just hung a Mostly Mandalas solo art show at the Happy Belly Deli.  That show was well appreciated--the walls at the Deli were freshly painted a sunny yellow and my work was all very cheerful.  Most everybody seemed to like it on the Deli's walls, though, rather than their own walls at home.  

People are showing more monetary appreciation for my latest show, though!  I spent a couple of months painting and collaging works for another Happy Belly Deli solo show that went up this month.  It is called Entree:  Mixed-Media Images About Women and Food.  In today's blog, I can show you pictures of where I've been...in my head:

 Hot Mama, Mixed Media on a Bamboo Tray

 

 Cut Out Yo-Yo Dieting

Mixed Media on a Brass Tray

 

 Home Economics

Mixed Media on a Metal Tray

 

 Kitchen Shiva

Acrylics on a Tin Tray

 

 Ranch Dressing

Acrylics on a Tin Tray

 

 You Look Marvelous, Darling!

Mixed Media on a Mirror

 

 She Asked for a Sign (with close-up)

Acrylics on a Tin Tray

 

 Three Sisters

Mixed Media on a Bamboo Tray

 

What'll It Be, Hon?

Acrylics on a Tin Tray

In between painting these pictures (among others that I didn't photograph), selling vintage designer scarves on eBay, and hunting up antiques to sell at January's, I have had a very active social life this fall.  My ambulatory Anatidaen friend Roxanne visited TorC for several months, house and cat sitting for Annie Whitney, a local salvemaker.  While Roxanne was here, there were many games of Scrabble and Quiddler to be played and much food to be eaten and many cups of coffee to be drunk at both Passion Pie Cafe and Black Cat Coffee & Books, often in the company of Janice and a new friend, Tina, who is another adventurous woman living the dream in her RV.  Sometimes we went outside, too.

Another time-sucker this autumn was finally getting the Guppy sold.  The plan to sell to an online friend did not pan out, so I listed the Guppy on eBay.  There were not very many bidders who were interested in driving to the Middle of Nowhere, New Mexico, to pick up an old RV, but I did manage to get her sold to a lady from Texas at a few hundred dollars over my rock-bottom price.  Next time I'm selling an RV, I'll drive to San Diego and get what it's worth there!

A matter that took a great deal of emotional energy this fall was my mom's death.  She was 95 years old and had needed around-the-clock care for the past nine years due to Alzheimers.  My sister Sharon was Mom's caretaker all these years and did a marvelous job of being compassionate and kind, often in difficult circumstances.  Mom finally let go in September, and my siblings and I gathered in Minneapolis for a memorial service in early November.  I didn't drive my RV up there--I thought about it, but with my various art show commitments here, it seemed smarter to fly up for just a few days. 

Now that my Entree show is hung, I am spending November getting geared up to finally leave TorC.  I'm listing lots of scarves on eBay, because this is the best time of year to sell 'em, and I'm using my new sewing machine to make fun patchwork pot holders (pics in my next blog post) to sell at January's for the holiday season.  I'm also working on getting my minivan, which I've used here in TorC for the past couple of years, sold so I can replace it with a smaller vehicle to tow behind the Beluga.  I'll get to celebrate Thanksgiving with my friends here at the home of Misha, the most fabulous choclatier you could ever hope to meet.   

I'll be heading to Why, Arizona, to spend most of the winter with Steve and his coyotes and wild burros.  As much as I enjoy my more active social life here, I'm also looking forward to the quiet.  I have committed to doing three solo art shows in 2014 and it will be good to have lots of uninterrupted time to work.   

Just in case you've always wondered where lost socks go, here is the answer, which I painted for a Space-Portal exhibit at Grapes Gallery:

The Planet of Lost Socks

Acrylic on canvas, 16 x 20 inches

Art Show, Art Show, Art Show--Geshundheit!

 

 My "Fantasy Road Sign" Series (plus a few mandalas)

hung at the Remix show at Grapes Gallery

I get busy when I stay in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.  

Steve and I returned here early last month to try to sell my old Toyota Dolphin, the Guppy.  For the first couple of weeks, I agonized about putting it on Craigslist and talking to a bunch of strangers and risking getting scammed.  

Then someone on my women's RVing online group said, "Hey, nobody's posted lately; what is everybody up to?"  So I replied that I was about to try to sell my old rig.  And it turned out that one of our RV wannabe members had been looking for something like the Guppy!  

Kate makes guaranteed crap-free soaps, lip balms, salves, bath salts, etc., in Pennsylvania.  She sells in stores and at various fairs and events.  Having an RV will expand Kate's opportunities and will definitely suit her business model.  Did I tell you that her business is called The Vagabond Tabby?  She'll be out West later this month for an event in Colorado, so she'll swing down to get the Guppy first.  

Kate was concerned about not having quite enough money to buy my rig, but then she mentioned that she'd be selling her Saturn wagon.  Oh, my!  Just the sort of car I was thinking about, to tow behind my Class A, the Beluga.  So we made a deal that should work well for both of us.  She'll leave the Saturn with me, and drive off in the Guppy.  I have no idea how we do the paperwork on that sort of transaction, but we have time to figure that out.

 Grapes Gallery on Main Street in TorC

Another great reason for coming back to TorC was that I was invited to continue showing artwork at Grapes Gallery for another two months.  We're having a "Remix" show.  I took down a bunch of pieces that I'd hung there in May, and put up my new Fantasy Road Sign series that I'd painted while we were staying in northern Arizona.  This series has been very well-received and three of the pieces were sold before the show even started!  Wow!  I've had requests that I make cards and T-shirts from these paintings, and I will. 

 

 The most recent Fantasy Road Sign painting.  "Icy Conditions May Exist."

If you look closely at the mountain, you'll see that other things may exist, too.

July's Second Saturday Art Hop was super duper fun.  I spent time at Grapes, of course, because that's where my artwork was hanging.  People wanted to talk to me about my work while they looked at it.  I also visited a couple of other galleries and it looks like I'll have a couple of solo shows coming up in Spring and Fall of 2014. 

 Here's what our local theater looked like on Art Hop night.

I went to see "The Lone Ranger" the following night and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Critics are stupid.

I already had one solo show scheduled for November at the Happy Belly Deli.  I'm working on a new series of mixed media pieces, all done on various types of serving trays.  The theme of my show is women and food.  Women are nurturers who provide nourishment for others in so many ways, and women also have lots of issues with food.  So I have many ideas for paintings and collages.  My first piece is called "Make Peace with Food," shown below.

My friend Janice and I are also going to be coordinating a group show at the Happy Belly Deli for December.  It's an annual Postcard Show, and a Call to Artists will be going out for 4x6 inch pieces in any media, priced at no more than $50.  

Make Peace with Food  

Mixed media on 11-inch tin tray

Yesterday, I had a craving for a bagel, so Steve and I went to the Happy Belly Deli in the morning.  I admired their newly repainted blank walls and asked Miranda, the owner, what artwork was going up next.  She said she didn't have an August artist, and Art Hop is coming up this Saturday.  So I volunteered to do another show.  Fortunately I have about 16 pieces ready to hang.  They are "Mostly Mandalas," which seems like a great name for a solo show.  

 

 My friend Janice in her new red car

Art isn't the only thing that keeps me busy when I'm here in Truth or Consequences.  I've also been listing a lot of scarves on eBay and taking some antiques to January's to sell on consignment.  I'm subbing for January in her shops when she needs a few hours off here and there.  And my social life is always busy here.  I get to have coffee at Passion Pie Cafe with my friend Janice at least once a week, and sometimes we get together to play Scrabble or to share a meal or run errands or whatever. 

 

 My friend Jia, one of the co-owners of the glorious

Passion Pie Cafe

 

 My friend Virginia, who invited me over for coffee

and to meet her new puppy Gus.

Ruby Sue is on the right.

Virginia is in school to be a dog trainer.

Look how well her dogs behave!

We are still staying at the Artesian Bath House and Trailer Court, and it looks like I'll be here through early December, although Steve will probably leave for his place in Why, Arizona, in September.  I'll join him there for some part of the winter, when I'll take a break from showing artwork for a few months.  (Here, anyway--I plan to participate in "The Red Show" in Ajo, Arizona, in February.)  We had a site here at the Artesian that was close to the bath house, but we just moved to a larger site on the perimeter of the property which feels more peaceful.

   

 A view of Turtleback Mountain, taken from the Artesian,

on one of our rainy July monsoon nights

Since we're back at the Artesian, where I have lived off and on for over two years, I'm letting Sonja go back outside.  She was an indoor cat for almost two months while we traveled in Arizona, and she did okay with that, but needed much more interaction with us than she does when she can go outside.  Needy kitty!  Now she goes outside and has adventures.  

 Obligatory cat picture.  What is a blog without them?