Lucky - 2000 to 2010

Lucky was my co-pilot

Lucky, a Pet Pals volunteer, enjoying the pool perks

Lucky waits patiently, without being leashed, for me to finish my painting.

Lucky at Christmas wearing the Santa Hat.

We have been summering at Pet Pals, Inc. of Goshen County, http://www.petpalsshelter.com/homepage.html a no-kill pet rescue. Lucky, my Border Collie, and I helped take care of the Purr Palace together where 40 wonderful cats reside all together in a superb colony. Lucky's job was to play with the kitties while I did the sweeping up. The cats have so enjoyed him and loved to crowd around him as he made their bird toys twitter and tweet.

It has been a bittersweet summer because Lucky developed lymphoma this spring after being in remission for nearly five years. Unfortunately he collapsed and succumbed to the pain on September 12th and it was my decision to free him from the final misery that very day. I wrote the following as a memorial to him. Anyone who has loved a dog, and especially a Border Collie, can probably relate.

My Lucky Dog

Dumped, abused, starved and frightened, eating ice to stay alive, coat flea infested and full of burrs, you made the hard decision to trust me that February day nine years ago. What a lucky day that was for me. I had discovered a Player of Ball par excellence. What a joy to play ball with you. How could I have known that nearly all troubles could be forgotten by playing a game of ball except that you showed me? How grand every day became as soon as our game of ball began.

You never left my side wherever we went and we were rarely separated since you were the official office dog and so well-behaved. You learned to trust and love people as the big gruff construction men tenderly made over you every day. I could always count on you to obey and be there for me. You understood so much of what I said. Even rough days were richer because of your unwavering devotion.

How I loved having you riding in my co-pilot seat. What a true companion you were who could go anywhere with me without a leash! Trustworthy Border Collie boy.

You were the only one there for me when my beloved dad was dying. Waiting patiently for me to take a break from his bedside so we could walk together in the sunshine and let the Good Lord comfort me through your kind presence. You alone were there to drive home with me from the funeral and be my comforter.

You were always there for me as we traveled and hiked. I said goodbye to you just yesterday as your spirit flew away from me. Awesome gift. I love you, Lucky. Oh to kiss that soft pink and white spot on your nose once more. I still see the graceful swish of your gorgeous tail as you sashayed proudly back to me, ball in your mouth, joy in your eyes, ready for me to throw it again.

At Christmas you patiently wore a santa hat and were my ambassador as we passed out Gospel tracts downtown. How many were willing to take and read of God's good news because of your sweet appeal? ...Many. Beloved friend. Surely the Lord will not deny us Heaven together in our mansion above? Romans 8:32 promises you to me once again.

Who will eat the ice cubes now that you are gone?

Royal Gorgeous

Teton Bugling Elk, a true monarch of the forest, Painting by Dani Ellis, that's me, the painter that is!

The Royal Gorge of Colorado is certainly a sight worth seeing. The Canyon is really rugged and beautiful. This is a shot taken down river from the famous Royal Gorge Bridge, the world's highest suspension bridge.

Just East of the bridge looking down at the Arkansas River.

The famous Royal Gorge suspension bridge which you can walk across or even drive across if you have the nerve. Not me, nuh uh! Funny how heights never used to bother me when I was a kid. Now that I'm an old lady I feel like I'm being pulled over the edge. However I have crossed suspension bridges over canyons and felt that way until I walked back and forth over them several times and that feeling of vertigo went away. I just didn't want to pay the $25 bucks to get into the park so I could walk over the bridge. Drove Joy up the other entrance too and it's a pretty drive over a very low maintenance back road that you don't want to take an RV over. Saw plenty of big RV's and big Class A motorhomes with toads coming in the main entrance without any problem and they have big rig parking at the amusement park area.

Lake Pueblo State Park, CO

Alas this painting is not of Lake Pueblo, but of Jenny Lake at Grand Teton National Park. I love to do paintings with water in them like this one.

Lake Pueblo has its own kind of rugged beauty. Joy and Whimsy, my hard pulling teamette, are parked with electrical hookups at Lake Pueblo State Park, Colorado this week. Not only is there a magnificent reservoir of vast blue water, a nice marina, but there are also some great trails to hike. You can wear yourselves and your dogs, bikes or horses out walking or riding up and down the bluffs that surround the entire lake.

I love beautiful rimrocks like these. They show so clearly where the waters of Noah's Great Flood wore at the newly pushed up mountains and land, leaving perfectly horizontal rims on all the rocks and soft sloping sediment piled around their base, as it drained away.Lest you doubt Noah's great flood occurred just as the Bible describes check this out the photos and discovery of the Ark on the mountains of Ararat: http://viewzone2.com/noahx.html Gotta love the scent of the Pinon Pines and Junipers, too. Each night the moon rises in a clear sky above these rocks as we sit by the campfire counting the stars. It is just breathtaking. The nights are balmy and relatively bug free. Sure beats TV.

Doesn't that blue water look refreshing on a hot summer day?

Capulin Volcano National Monument, NM, and Lathrop State Park, CO

What a delightful winter spent in New Mexico. First year I haven't felt frozen during the winter. Tucumcari was just right. Wanted to be on just the edge of winter so there would be no crowds but not so cold we couldn't stay cozy in our mobile cabin. However winds blew with a fury starting in April and we finally got out at the end of May when the temperatures soared to 110. Stopped for the weekend at Lake Conchas, 30 miles NW of Tucumcari. Stayed in the Corp of Engineers campground there. No hookups. Was down and dirty boondocking. Gave my solar panels their first workout. Found out there is a lot I don't know about solar and how to conserve. Still was able to run lights, watch the tube, run fans, run the computer etc.. Was lovely there right on the lake. There was a sailboat anchored in the cove below us. I was the only camper in that campground. It was very peaceful and HOT. So we pushed on to Las Vegas. Stayed in the KOA. Wanted AC as the weather was hot, then on to Ratan. East of Ratan is The Capulin Volcano National Monument which is really worth the short trip to see it and to hike around the crater and lava beds. See Pictures directly above.

Now we are further north at Lathrop State Park in Colorado. Just west of Walsenburg. Gorgeous mountain scenery here. Pictures are above the volcano pictures. Inspired me to paint again so started today. Painted "Mauve Evening" just to get back into practice. Top. It is breezy daytimes but the temperatures are mid 80's and nights probably 60's or 70. Very nice. The park has a dump, water hydrants every few campsites and 50 amp power! Very nice. My dogs enjoy watching Mom paint at the picnic table while they lay in the shade.

Interstate at Tucumcari, NM was a parking lot today

Everybody loves the Wave 8, Catalytic Heater. What a great piece of equipment it is. Who says cats and dogs don't get along?

Semis have just been parked on the interstate overpass all day. They got about a foot of moist snow here with a little drifting Thursday and it was enough to hold things up all day. Tonight trucks are still parked on the access roads however there is now some movement out on the interstate. You would think it's January!

Feathers, A Roadrunner, Pizza, and Wild Turkeys in Tucumcari

This colored pencil study of molted blackbird feathers I collected here I've entitled Ruined Finery. Hope you like it. We are having fabulous weather here in Tucumcari, NM. 60's and 70's everyday with sunshine now that the January thaw is in full swing. Have been told by transplants that the weather here is mild like this all year round. Not too hot and not too cold. Of course the natives are wearing coats and mufflers on days when it's 50's or 60's but those of us natives of the frozen north think it's warm enough for t-shirts, and shorts. Am really starting to enjoy the fulltime RV lifestyle as I become ever more comfortable with it and leave the pressures of the conventional world ever further behind. Today I happened upon a flock of wild turkeys, another roadrunner and that called for a homemade pizza. Can you beat it? Perfect relaxation helping me feel the creative juices flow once again, to work on my artwork and am already halfway through the outline for my new book! The first in my new Cracker Barrel Murder Club Mystery series? Time will tell. After the treacheries and loss of the past several years this experience has turned into an unexpected and very welcome blessing.

Beep! Beep!

22The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.
Proverbs 10:22 (King James Version)