July 30, 2021 -- We're on Wildfire Evacuation Notice Today

There’s a lightning storm heading for Southern Oregon. We’ve been warned to pack our bags and be prepared to evacuate on a moment’s notice. Ashland is 99% trees, and a fire here would be devastating. We’ve got a few changes of clothing, food for the dogs, a couple of laptops and backup drives, some important documents, and that it.

I look around the house and see that everything we’re leaving behind is replaceable. I’m hoping that luck is with us— all of use in town — and that we’ll be able to relax later tonight after the storm passes and enjoy some TV.

Later, gator.

Chore Day, Feb 15, 2020 -- Looking Eastward

Chore day is traditionally filled with thoughts of food, from shopping for food, to cooking food, and to eating food. Today I went to the co-op as usual, and cooked my furry boys’ food, as usual, and baked some cookies, as usual. What I did not do was cook a big batch of meals for the next week. I just didn’t feel like spending all day in the kitchen. I’ll bake the veggie loaf and Brussels sprouts (with pecans) tomorrow.

When I had a few moments I made a quick sketch of the view from my kitchen window using a plain old pencil.

Duck and Cover -- Worst Air Polution in the United States

Sometimes the real world interrupts my dreamy, idealistic life as an artist. Every year we have a fire season that runs from July to October. Last night smoke from the first fire of the summer poured into the Rogue Valley, which is a little basin in the earth with high mountains on all sides. It’s perfectly designed to hold the smoke from wildfires burning in Southern Oregon and Northern California.

When the smoke settles in, it’s hazardous to go for a walk, or even leave windows open. Everyone wears a protective dust mask. The stars are wiped from the sky. The full moon is snuffed out, and the Al Fresco Art club cancels its Sunday outings. It’s hard to think about Art when simply breathing is hazardous.

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Despite the ugly weather, art happens. Here’s my most recent Vitamin D Club 15-minute sketch. Actually, it took 3 x 15 minutes to do this one.

Crape Myrtle tree with irrigation buckets