Road Trips

I love road trips with my dogs. This was shot after their annual trip to have their certifications done for eyes and one for her heart clearance. It is a two hour drive and the day was beautiful with a kaleidoscope of colours around me as autumn sets in. The drive gives me time for reflection but also inspiration and planning. The drive through the city is not pleasant but I am rewarded with the drive through the landscapes that detox me on the way home. Here is hoping you can find a little detox space for your spirit this week too.

Selfies

I've been listening to some great podcasts this week while creating glass landscapes. Today was an interesting one about stepping out of one's comfort zone and taking a selfie to help express who I am as an artist and how and why I create.
 I don't like 99% of the photos of myself, let alone a selfie, so doing this first exercise like she suggested was a first step out of my comfort zone. It was however, what I spent hours looking at today...my very own hand in this position, creating art work I am constantly rethinking as my career moves forward this year.

Dependent

 I was fortunate to watch an excellent film this week on HBO about the life and work of Temple Grandin, a professor who has changed the way we handle animals, especially prior to slaughter. She emphasizes that if we are going to take the life of an animal we at least owe it the respect of treating it better while it is in our care.

 Every week, I shuffle the sheep to another pen so we can bring a new big round bale in to encase in netting for them to feed off. They stand eagerly waiting for the gate to open to enjoy more hay..same hay quality as the day before but new to them....but they get so excited all the same! These creatures depend on me to keep doing this, and I am happy to make them happy

Puppy Activity Centre

It is very important to stimulate puppies and expose them to lots of things visually and physically to make them well adjusted adult dogs. One of our approaches is the new puppy play center. Some of the objects make noise, some are shiny, some have texture, some are visually exciting. The puppies love playing with the variety of objects!

Rocky Studio Tour 2013

The final push is on before the annual studio tour next weekend.  I have lots of new things to show, demonstrate and show for this year. This week the studio looks like a hurricane hit it but by next weekend all will be in place to welcome new and returning guests into my studio and gallery spaces. I love the chance to show people what is possible with glass and even have a new painting  of the horses in the northern lights available this year. The map is available on the website at www.rockystudiotour.com or at the local tourist information booth. It runs July 19,20,21 and goes from 10 am-6pm each day and is a free self guided tour.

Dog Harness Alert

I don't usually post items like this on my blog, but I was shocked by the results of the testing of dog harnesses that are used to restrain dogs in vehicles. However, perhaps now more product development testing will be done to make them safer to use.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2013/05/22/consumerwatch-tests-on-dog-harnesses-show-100-percent-failure-rate/#.UaZMXYh1M-Z.facebook

Lambing Time!

Well, the lambs have started to arrive and I am so very grateful for the incredible weather this week that has helped all these little ones get off to a good start. They are pretty sleepy in the heat of the day or when their mom's are busy pigging out at the trough, but they are starting to spring about the pen at lightening speed and leaping off anything. It is taking longer to do chores these days as you can't help but spend more time checking, watching and just enjoying their unbridled delight in being alive.
This picture only shows a fraction of the lambs as we are already at 31 lambs in just a week!