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What Has Worked;

Hut for a Blue Tractor and a Red Grass-Cutter

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     Many of these farm structures that I live around out here in Central Virginia near Lovingston are made from wood that has been recycled from earlier farm buildings.   I am almost certain that a lot if it may just go back to the early days of European settlers locating here in Schuyler.   One can just take a quick look and even without carbon-dating one can see that the wood is old and weathered by the elements.   It is very heavy older hardwood that these folks used in making their farm structures.   One can also see how the buildings were shaped for the needs of the farm at a time and then torn down but not discarded but reused again for another purpose..   The sizes of the buildings are small.   They may house one farm implement or two but they are not like those northern Atlantic barns that have lofts and large areas for animals, these buildings are built to suite a single purpose and generally aren'...
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"KIdd's Store: #3"

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I've had troubles getting the lowdown view of this isolated country store w gas and sandwiches to go, the first two paintings were just down the tubes as far as visual interest. This one is better. I took in the outter view of cushion value of distancing around the store itself, and I think I won with a better feel to this scene. The station is buffeted by some space around it and distance too. Its a little better to view when there is some breathing room around it and not jammed into a small canvas space. I like the cars a little better in this one as well as leaving some visual detect-ability of the painting methods I used in creating this version of "Kidd's Store (#3)". Hope your entertained with its intensity and spacial relief.
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Good Clear Air Today

I am back to work with regards to my oil painting. My elbow is doing much better although I can still feel a strain on it after exercising or painting for an hour. No matter, it feels well enough to put up with for now. I am beginning another Japanese Buddhist painting, one with a lot of movement of people. I'm hoping to take my time and give it the attention it deserves because after all, it will remain in this world long after I leave it. What good weather for photographing the outdoors. Although we need the rain, I can't complain about being uncomfortable in the outdoors today. With the clear sunlight, it's just perfect to photograph items and get some good pure colors to register well. This type of weather is why I like living here. Nothing like seeing the mountains as clearly as you can today, it seems like you can make out each and every leave on trees miles away on a mountainside in the clear air that we have today. I will be heading out now for a walk...
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Paint'n Belmont

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I've been work'n on the outdoor painting scenes this summer, yesterday I finished a nice small one of the local spot called "The Belmont Market" and it went well. It took about eight hours of actual painting time. But it's looking good and it only get's better the more I see it. I started out this summer with drawings then I put my brush to the canvas starting with "Spudnuts". The place is known for it's potato flour donuts which I too am an avid fan on any given morning when their flavors come wafting out of this spot. How couldn't I end up starting this summer's work of Belmont without it being first. The previous and first owner of Gibson's Groceries is now very ill. His son happened to see my painting of his local store inside Parks and Rec Dept in the City Hall Annex. His son happened to give me a call and this coming Monday I will be headed out once again to paint it. I'm looking forward to it. I've pai...
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Recovery Weekend

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Sponsorship Gathering I was at a sponsorship retreat related to my Recovery "family" of brothers from this area. It was terrific. I was able to listen and concentrate on how various speakers could relate to my life and I found a lot to identify with and I learned truth from others who live with this disease of addiction but who don't use drugs. We all stayed in the same dorm rooms and ate all meals together, we lived and shared our time with each other in a very real way. I learned more about the people I see in my daily life during my week at meetings than every before. It was good for me to enjoy those who are new to our brand of Recovery from addiction. I heard various ways to the same ends of being in touch with a spiritual force that can guide us to not use and improve our relations with ourselves, our families and the whole of society we live with on a day to day basis. We laughed at humorous anecdotes from our brothers and we cried at the memory...
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