YouTube Bingeing

 Until now I have successfully avoided binge watching any particular YouTube content provider. But then I found Matt's Off Road Recovery. I have tasted the sweet nectar of 4x4 off roading in Colorado many moons ago and I liked it. However, I didn't like risking our family vehicle just for fun, so I stopped. I've been interested in the use of line and pulleys to gain mechanical advantage to move heavy objects. I love watching mechanics build vehicles to meet specific performance objectives. I love wilderness scenery and appreciate good cinematography and videos of real people in real off road work. Thus I hit pay dirt when I found this YouTube family. 

Matt's heavy wrecker is a work of practical art and I love watching it do its' thing. Their home base is southwest Utah, high desert country. However, they will just about drive anywhere in the western US to retrieve stuck or broken vehicles. He claims this is the worlds largest off road wrecker and that now job is impossible. Maybe hubris but I haven't found him wrong yet.

I snapped a picture from the TV to work from. This wrecker never stands still for long. I also departed from my ink-only approach and did some light pencil layout to be a little less wonky. Then on with permanent markers and watercolor pencil/waterbrush. 

Maintenance Work

 Finally took time to sketch. The pasture cedars are more visible now since the grass/hay hasn't greened up yet. They keep on living, even though they are stunted from being mowed all the time. I pulled one here to get some satisfaction and noticed the intricate root work and decided I needed to sketch it.

The railroad spike is from our Landon Trail. Seems impossible to pick them ALL up. They're sneaky. When I do find them, I carry them out so bicyclists and horse riders don't get hurt.

Now I need to bind my next sketch journal. This sketch is just on a sheet of drawing paper. We'll see if my binding notes are good enough to do it again. It's been quite a while.

New At Last!

I love my bicycle! Haven't changed my opinion since childhood. This summer I haven't ridden near enough, but I love it when I do. Big miles are enjoyable. Cycling gloves seem to last forever, but given enough years they do wear out. That makes me happy. Worn out gloves are proof that the rider has put in the miles. Can't fake that. Mine finally started pulling apart, so I had my excuse to go out and buy a new pair, guilt-free.

This is my first pair to have the gel padding, and they were the most comfortable. Not cheap, but cost per mile isn't bad. I went for a ride on our rail-to-trail near our house. To go toward Topeka the trail has the proper limestone screenings (fine gravel), but away from Topeka and I quickly run into the original granite ballast. This stuff is rough and loose, and easy to loose control and wreck if you don't focus. I made it to the trail's end and then jumped up on the asphalt road to circle back home. This was my first time to do it, and it felt good. I belong to the organization that's building the trail and we plan on laying down limestone screenings this year or next.

In a couple weeks a local bike store has organized an overnight bike ride, with camping at a local lake's campground. I hope to pack some sketch gear and have something to report later.

Ditch Burning Time

It's Springtime! We like to burn the tall dead grass in our steep ditch to clean it up and prepare it for new growth. This always is a spontaneous decision. We need a time when we have the time, and the wind is low, and the grass hasn't grown much yet, and it's not too dry and not too wet. It's like an ah-ha moment and we scramble to get it done.

In Shawnee County we are required to have a Burn Permit and we need to "call in" the burn before we start it. This year the Fire Station was empty (out on a call) when I went there, and the "ah ha" moment was upon us. The conditions were perfect so we went ahead and did the burn. No close calls.

There is just something about burning grasses. The smoke, the flame, the sounds, the physical activity needed to follow it with tools and water to keep it tamed. I've always liked it, even though at times the outcome isn't good. I HATE talking to firemen as they put out our uncontrolled fire. Not an issue this year.

With this post I also celebrate 10 YEARS OF BLOGGING HERE! Can't believe it. Maybe I haven't been consistent but I've posted each of those years. The climate has changed in the blogging world. Few if any visitors. Few if any comments. The social media options for keeping a web presence has eclipsed this old style blog, but I still prefer this format. I miss the old days when I had back-and-forth dialog with viewers. I may decide to pull the plug at some time on this blog but, for now, I'll still post. It's a process that feeds a need.

A Cold One

The middle of the continent has been cold today, and for another couple days to come. Nothing like what the east coast has had lately, but cold, nonetheless. I haven't managed to keep the woodpile restocked. So, it was time tonight to restock. That takes the wheelbarrow and a lot of cloths.

Last winter I was finally tired of getting cold while shoveling the driveway, so I bought my first pair of insulated bib overalls. I've always wanted a pair, but I'd look and the high price and just keep walking. After the past few cold snow shoveling workouts I had my justification.

 Tonight was the first time to use them, and they performed marvelously! The outside temperature was 5 degrees F and with a 17 mph wind the wind chill was -14 degrees. With my biking balaclava and a hood pullover, heavy expedition-style gloves and heavy coat, I was comfy. I always like the challenge of getting the layers right for the temperature at hand. No need for a base layer since I'd be working and could just go inside if I get cold.

I love the cold, as long as you can dress for it. I took a 4 mile hike on the Landon Trail this past weekend, right after the snow hit. Trudged through 4" of snow to get to the Wakarusa River bridge. 20 degrees F. It was a nice time to be hiking.

Boots, Blades & Bobcat

It's Springtime! Things are coming alive and I can get outdoors more. Recent rains have set consecutive days of rain records. I need to hike in a local wetland and finally have an excuse to buy these waterproof boots. The wetlands are REALLY wet and my Goretex-lined hiking boots just aren't up for walking through standing water for a few hours. These boots do the trick.

Then it's time to mow. After changing the oil, the oil filter and air filters and lubed the Zerc fittings, I started the beast. My little zero-turn is 12 years old now, and I had plenty of oil-burning smoke until it heated up some. That will take some work, but not today. These are the old blades that I'll take in to be sharpened. With two sets of blades, there is no hurry for these do be sharpened, which helps the shop in their busy season. I mowed the first cut. The war has begun.

It's time to plant a few geocaches in the Topeka area. My next one will be on Burnett's Mound, which is in Skyline Park in the city boundary. Recent rains have made the hiking trail very muddy. Luckily an old road is fine and I can hike to the top, but I study the hiking trail for tracks. BINGO! Tracks of a young bobcat are plain as day for about 20 yards. I've only seen one of these little cats in my life but I've seen the tracks much more often. They are evasive but living with us.

PS  I heard my first Northern Mockingbird this past weekend. I've seen a Killdeer in Topeka but not here on our land. They've nested here the past four years and we're looking forward to their migration return.

Beats a Chainsaw

The rancher across the road from us is doing some fence maintenance. He's taking over the operation of his parent's cattle ranch and the fences haven't been maintained properly for several years. One particular stretch, probably a half mile, is overgrown with hedge trees (osage orange) to the point where you can't even get to the fence posts sufficiently to fix the barbed wire. In my younger days this would just mean breaking out the chainsaw and most of the family members and clearing out trees, one at a time. It takes weeks. Not today (if you have the money).

One day a bulldozer and an excavator show up. In the course of about three days the half mile of osage orange trees has been taken out and stacked for burn. They haven't rebuilt the fence row yet, but the worst is over, and it looks sharp. They've already reworked the fence along the road with nice 5-strand tight barbed wire. He knows how to do it right.

When the tree-clearing was finished the dozer was taken to its next job, but the excavator is still there. Last night was a warm night (for March) and I had some time after supper to walk over and sketch this beast.

Business Trip to TX

I don't fly out often on business, but it happens. This week contained a 1.5 day meeting of a regional engineering committee I'm on. We met in San Antonio, TX, which is a favorite of mine with their River Walk. I have no proficiency for flying. There are little things that should be looked at before you fly, and I'm rusty. Little things like making sure there is no crazy long layover (like the 3 hour layover I have in Dallas going home) and knowing what ground transportation your using when you land (completely forgot). But life has a way of progressing, anyway, whether it's planned out our not. And it did. Nothing profound happened, but it was a little clumsy.

Getting time for sketch time on the River Walk is a challenge. I need a combination of daylight, time away from the meeting (which is paying my salary), and a spot to sit. The real estate is crammed with restaurants and stores. I'm sure it's all expensive, too expensive for green spaces to sit and relax. When there is the occasional bench, if you sit you may get approached by the street people that are killing time. However, our meeting was over 30 minutes early and I had a window of time before my flight. I found a mexican restaurant for lunch that overlooked the walk. I could sketch and eat. Being a popular restaurant, though, I didn't feel I could relax too long and take the space from another paying customer. So I did order a dessert, which I normally don't, to have more sketch time. A real sacrifice (ha!). This was the trip for pen and ink.

Back On Task

It's happened more than once in my creative pursuits. First: brainstorm a new big project. Second: plan all the details and get in an excited pitch. Third: get a great start. Then: hit a brick wall and everything stops. Then I set there, like the morning after a night of heavy drinking (so I've been told) and ask myself - what just happened? Why can't I move?

Project: a family memory journal for my mom (dad is deceased). My three siblings will help. I bound the journal from scratch. I made it through about half of the illustrating of our childhood. When I'm done I'll rotate it to my siblings and they can write in details and memories of childhood through our day of marriage. But I came to a stop. Dead in the water! Don't know why. I sabotaged myself. It's been on the "To Do" list for a few months now. BUT I'M BACK ON IT NOW!

What I want to know is how does this happen?! It makes now sense. I love my mom and I WANT my mom to have this. My siblings are all on board and my sister will even help with some illustrations. My mom's not getting younger. I know she'll love it. So how does such a project come to a halt? This is illogical! I've run into this in my other hobbies, too. I've heard woodcarvers complain of it. Wilma's quilting projects can get this way, too. If anyone can explain it please do!

Oct. Lawrence Sketch Crawl

This month's sketch crawl gave me an excuse to explore a Lawrence park we've never been to. Wells Overlook Park. Gail organized it. Attendance was small, with just Gail, John and I, but it was a beautiful day for it.
It's a small park with just an observation tower and a covered picnic shelter, but such a view! I couldn't sketch the 360 degree panoramic, but I could handle smaller parts. A sketch crawl in a city park lends itself to drawing maps, too.

I did the map last night, before the crawl. Recently bought the book "How to Draw Fantasy Art & RPG Maps, Step by Step Cartography". I have a thing for cartography and it's on my "To Learn" list. When I saw the book I HAD to buy it, and it's a good one. I used a few of the concepts. To do it right would take HOURS of work, so I did a sketchbook short cut version.

While I was sketching, I struck a conversation with the father of a family out to walk around the park. The family dog was a Great Pyrenees, and she was beautiful! Once the ice was broken she was a push-over and ate up all the petting I could give her. The dad said the park has a trail system, too, so I need to get back to check it out.

Tyler Bend

Ozark country! I have two routes to choose from to get down to Little Rock and one routes through Branson and over the Buffalo River. The Tyler Bend Visitors Center is on that path. I like to stop by and take a break. Feel the water. Talk to any staff if the Center is open. This time is no different.

Recent rains and snows of flooded the watershed. The springs are running high so the Buffalo is running high.The forest floor duff has absorbed the water and spreads a clear scent in the air that makes we want to just settle down here and forget about life anywhere else. Throw in the pine scent and I just had to stay a while longer in the parking lot and sketch the Center. 

A light windless rain was falling, too, and some would spill in the open doors and windows of the car. I sat in the middle so the sketchbook didn't get wet. If I had rain gear it would have made great hiking weather. I waited until I got home to add the color and text. Didn't have THAT much time. Wish I could have bottled up the clean air.