Roaming the Mountains

This beautiful picture was posted by California Camping.  I have spoken to several people about why the wild flowers bloomed so early and how long they will go.  The feeling is that the weather has been warmer and this has been why the flowers are going so long.  There is a possibility of a second bloom.  I will be going up in this area soon so hopefully I'll be lucky enough to get pictures like these.

Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve

I went to my teacher, Carol  Bradshaw's home in the mountains.  Her neighbor Sue, whom I met last time when I joined them for dinner told me that Rita's daughter started reading the China Study, by T. Colin Campbell, PhD and his son who is an MD, both Americans looking at the connection between diet and disease.  She already was making changes in how she ate and was pleased. She has rheumatoid arthritis. One of my friends, Barbara had this and has been able to control her disease because of the information in this book.  This book is quoted by many authors writing about diet.  "It is the most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted for diet, weight loss, and long-term health."  An absolutely fascinating book.

I saw wild cucumber vine that is smothering bushes and trees. Carol and her neighbor work to keep it under control, but it is a continuous job. I'm amazed she can do this, because it is massive!  I suppose this is great exercise.  I find looking at it overwhelming. But Carol feels it gets her out of her house.

So the plan was to take pictures and draw rocks, rivers, flowers and old buildings. We bought sandwiches at Subway and went to a local park where we got several pictures. We actually did not have time to draw, but we did get wonderful pictures. Now I've been around this area several times and I was not familiar with a lot that she pointed out. She has "the eye."  I don't.  She is so much more observant.  I also took pictures for my classmate with Carol's urging  "Get that one Rachel. Wayne would like that". When I got home, I printed them to take to class. 

We also drove around the lake which looks more like a puddle now. Evidently, this dam  was made for agriculture. So, that is where it goes. There was water in the river above the lake, but the lake does not grow with the added water. 

Lake Isabella Shrunk from the Drought and use by agriculture

We saw barns and other buildings built in the 1800's that were coming down.   They make fascinating pictures. 

Carol pointing at scenes I needed to get

There was a whole family of deer here.  Look to the left
of the tree on the right and there is one peeking at us.

Carol said "Note how these buildings
are in different directions"

Carol said "A line of mailboxes makes a good picture"

I saw a type of cactus that I said was a Yucca. Carol said it wasn't and had gone through the whole alphabet to try to come up with it. I thought I was the only one who did that!  She finally shouted out Joshua Tree!  She was right. It grows in a very small window of elevation here. When you get out of that window, it is no more. 

A  Joshua Tree

Oh, and this is a Yucca Tree.  Not
even close!

We also stopped at a country store in Onyx. It opened in 1851.  It had been closed for nine years recently, so it was very nice to see it open. No pictures allowed in the store.  It is an old fashioned store with some unique buys.  They even had old fashioned candy.

When we had class, both of us received messages that Wayne, my classmate had to finish the cupboards in his kitchen before he came back. His wife was upset with him stringing this out so long. So I hope he gets to it. He has wonderful art skills and it would be a shame if he didn't continue it.  Carol showed me further about shading rocks to give them form and texture. In addition, she showed me how to make rocks look under water, how to show the white when it is splashing around rocks.  

This is my drawing of a pile of rocks.  I attempted to
give it a feeling of water going around it.

I went to a Brush and Blush paint class held at The Fire House. I had never been there before. It had several sections with parts being family friendly. They even had a bowling alley and a room filled with billiard tables. They even offered off track betting!  I hardly ever see that!  They had full dinners and appetizers, and of course alcohol. 

This class we did a butterfly. My daughter Shelley and I joined several of our Red Hat friends.  The others there were Evelyn, Evelyn's daughter Debbie, Pamela, Judie, Marti, my daughter who is a Red Hat member Shelley and me.  Shirley who moved to the coast also joined us. It was so good to see her. I think if I did this again, I would do much better. I would extend the color out further. But, even though it could have been better, they all looked like butterflies. I also am really getting a sense of how to use acrylic paint. 

My version of the butterfly

Evelyn our leader with Shirley who moved to the coast (I miss her!)

Shelley and me

Most of us who went - Evelyn, Marti, Shirley, Me, Shelley and Pamela

Evelyn and her daughter Debbie

Marti who is showing off her work

Judie working on her painting

My teacher Carol said her students ( including me will have their art on the wall at The Bakersfield Art Center which will be up on First Friday of July which falls on July 1st. I'll remind you. If you can make it, come.  It will be a nice evening from 6 pm to 9 pm.  We will probably have 2 to 4 of each of our pictures. 

My cat Daisy gets very loving with me.  She can't seem to get close enough.  I can start to feel crowded!

So it was a good week.   We are getting together this afternoon for Easter.   I love getting together with my family. I hope you are doing well and I'll see you next Sunday.        Rachel