On the Way to Thirty Mile Campground, Creede, Colorado

On the Way to Thirty Mile

8X10 Oil on Stretched Canvas $125

Includes Shipping and Insurance

All the views on the way to Thirty Mile Camp are wonderful, and this one is actually along Highway 149 going from Creede to the turn-off to the camp. I have been told that July and August is monsoon season in Colorado. It has come fairly late this year and has been sporadic in some areas. Fortunately most of the fires are out now, though, and Thirty Mile was never threatened – I am guessing that is partly because the trees are not nearly as devastated by beetle damage as is so much of the rest of Colorado.

Over the past 12 years we have watched the Colorado forests gradually turn brown and dead – starting mostly in the north. And we (and everyone who lives there) have known that it is just a matter of time before the forests go up like matches. My heart breaks for the loss of life, property and habitat that all the recent fires has caused. Please keep Colorado in your prayers. AND keep visiting the state! While the fires have been numerous, there are still LOTS of gorgeous places to visit and COOL OFF!

Isaiah 10:19
And the remaining trees of his forests will be so few that a child could write them down.

If you are interested in this painting, click here to send me an email. I accept checks and Paypal. I can also arrange LAYAWAY. To view my latest paintings on Daily Painters go HERE. To view larger paintings, go to my Website HERE. To view a wealth of OTHER Texas Artists, enjoy THIS site!

On The Way to the Rio Grande Reservoir - Thirty Mile Campground

On The Way To the Reservoir

8X10 Oil on Stretched Canvas $125

Includes Shipping and Insurance

The mountains in the background harbor the birthplace of the Rio Grande, and this is what we see as we drive above Thirty Mile to the Reservoir where we really enjoy fly fishing. It’s a quite a climb down from the road to the lake’s dam, and it truly tested our lungs the first day. I had to stop twice on the climb up and out. But by the end of our stay, we had acclimatized and could make the climb without stopping.

The fourth day of our stay we decided to see if we could follow the Wemenuche Trail and make it to the Continental Divide. Several years ago we had tried unsuccessfully to make the pass and failed. Too old and fat and out of shape. This year, however, we started out loaded with plenty water, thick socks, snacks, little camera, ponchos and Georgia. About 2 hours into the trek, I was sure Mike was ready to turn back, but we trudged on – past the rock slide, through the brief thunderstorms, over Wemenuche Bridge and upward. A caravan of pack horses and mules passed us – hauling supplies up to workers who were repairing trails. I briefly wished I could hitch a ride, but the narrow steep trail was scary enough on foot, much less 6 feet in the air!

Around noon we made it to the pass – marked only by a hand-carved pole stuck in the ground. We were on top of the world and the views both up and down were fabulous. The round trip took about seven and one-half hours (and about 10 miles). We arrived back in camp exhausted, sore-footed and hungry. Georgia couldn’t run up the RV steps the following day – choosing instead to climb them one-at-a-time. Mike and I weren’t in much better shape, but proud that we had bettered our last hike! 

Isaiah 30:30
The LORD will cause men to hear his majestic voice and will make them see his arm coming down with raging anger and consuming fire, with cloudburst, thunderstorm and hail.

If you are interested in this painting, click here to send me an email. I accept checks and Paypal. I can also arrange LAYAWAY. To view my latest paintings on Daily Painters go HERE. To view larger paintings, go to my Website HERE. To view a wealth of OTHER Texas Artists, enjoy THIS site!

Don't Fence Me In

Don’t Fence Me In

8X10 Oil on Masonite Panel $125

Includes Shipping and Insurance

For the past three weeks we’ve been in Colorado on our yearly escape from the Texas heat, and I am happy to announce that I have been painting again – and I HOPE to continue it now that we are back.

As usual, I took my minimum paints, brushes, solvents and canvases/boards. I neglected, however, to pack my wet canvas carriers! I paint with traditional oils, and they take a LONG time to dry – so the camper ended up with little cut-off box bottoms holding individual wet canvases. Fortunately most fit in the space over the cabinets – kinda out of the way - but still a concern during travel. All survived, and I will be sharing my favorites over the course of the next couple weeks. (This painting has a bit of Colorado stuck in the paint, but it will be removed once I get it home! - OR you may just wish to leave it there for interest!)

This first one is a scene we see as we leave Road Canyon Lake, heading away from Thirty Mile Campground, near Creede, Colorado. I added the horse and decided that he, like many of us, resent fences and rules, but we do the best we can within the confines we are given.

The fishing at Road Canyon Lake was great, as usual. I ate fish every one of the 11 days we were at Thirty Mile Camp – some caught in the Reservoir on the Rio Grande above the campground and some caught in the Lake below. I even hooked a very nice Brown Trout in the Rio Grande where it runs through River Hill Campground, just below Thirty Mile. I expect the gills I grew while there will come in handy when we visit Merideth and Garrett who have recently moved to Bay City!

Exodus 13:21
By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.

If you are interested in this painting, click here to send me an email. I accept checks and Paypal. I can also arrange LAYAWAY. To view my latest paintings on Daily Painters go HERE. To view larger paintings, go to my Website HERE. To view a wealth of OTHER Texas Artists, enjoy THIS site!