I’m having a bit of a problem finding the right colour mix for my present carving project. A Paiute Cutthroat Trout indigenous to north western part of California in the Silver King Creek basin. So I have set the fish itself aside & am continuing on with the carving & painting of the rocks & grasses as well as taken on a new project.

There’s a number of artists these day using the Tagua nut for a Japanese art called Netsuke. I have had some tagua nuts in my materials box for a while now & the other day I came up with an idea for carving one. The nuts when finished & buffed up take on the exact whiteness of ivory. While not as hard as ivory it is hard enough to require the use of my mini-drem & needle files to shape. My main subjects in most of my work are freshwater fish & habitat & local animals & this time is no different.

The project I have decided to work with the Tagua on is a ‘Jack’ fish (aka Northern Pike) pendant …

This link will you give an idea of the what the nut looks like finished;

http://www.osipovnetsuke.com/2005/cormorant_in.html

Well that’s all for now folks ….

Sàinte mhor a h-uile duine                                                                                                            Best to you all!

—

“Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamp-post how it feels about dogs.”

Last night ‘Prentiss got her last set of puppy shots. Fortunately there’s is a person up here that does the puppy inoculations for the Animal Rescue group so we won’t have to go down to the vet in PA. That saves us over 5 hours of driving … & a lost day.

For those of you looking for a new animal companion look no further. The La Ronge, SK Northern Animal Rescue group always has a wonderful selection of dogs & cats.

Speaking of the NAR here’s a little fellow who just moved in next door. He came over with his owners for a visit recently & met our dogs. Here’s  Molly is giving him the rules of the house .

Well that’s all for now folks ….

Sàinte mhor a h-uile duine                                                                                                            Best to you all!

—

“Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamp-post how it feels about dogs.”

At Christmas each year I give Pam a Santa or a reasonable replica. Sometimes they’re store bought but mostly they’re something I’ve hand-carved myself.  Here’s a few of them.

Pam's Santa collection

Since Santa Claus, also known as Saint Nicholas, Sinterklaas, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle  has been depicted in many forms. The 1881 illustration by Thomas Nast  to the Haddon Sundblom’s  have created the most widely known depiction of the jolly old fellow.  I’ve decided to start researching this years Santa right away.  … good thing I’m starting early.

Well that’s all for now folks ….

Sàinte mhor a h-uile duine                                                                                                            Best to you all!

—

“Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamp-post how it feels about dogs.”

On Boxing Day I had the chance to go out onto Lac La Ronge in a ½-ton. The weather that day was -27ºC (-16.6ºF), partially cloudy and calm. There was very little snowfall before the lake iced over so the ice at that time was approx. 2 feet thick & quite safe for driving on. I’m told this is an unusual occurance…

Lac La Ronge is approx. 546 sq1 mi. in size & dotted with hundreds of little islands some of which have cabins / cottages built on them. I took over 320 photos that day but I will only be posting a couple here.
The first is a view of downtown LA from out on the lake. We’re 1½km or so  from shore facing to the north.

A beautiful day to be on the water ...

The next photo is of the old outpost of the last remaining building of the Hudson Bay Fur Trading Co. in LA. They are now located on the main street of La Ronge. When you go in the trading post now there’s usually all sorts of fur lying around getting sorted. We shop for our fresh veggies & fish & meat there.

The last building standing ...

Well that’s all for now folks ….

Sàinte mhor a h-uile duine                                                                                                            Best to you all!

—

“Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamp-post how it feels about dogs.”

Well here I am again … slacking off on my writing. Tha mi dulich a h-uile duine! ~  Sorry folks!

Now down to the task …
It’s a beautiful day out here in La Ronge  quite a bit warmer than New Years day which hit balmy -39ºC {-35ºF ) at one point but leveled off to -33ºC. A tough day for the dogs but we have worked out a way to make it more comfortable for them.
Speaking of the dogs, ‘Prentiss is now 3 mos. & 29 days old. Growing like a weed & is a holy terror & has taken over most of the house. Well she thinks has anyway but Molly hasn’t been convinced yet!  While she is forever annoying the other 2 & always wanting to play!  Quite entertaining to see her get those other ‘couch potatoes’ up & playing again ….

‘Prentiss has proved many times over that she will be a great help to me down the down when Molly retires. No sign of that happening any time soon so we’ve got lots of time to train her. She’s very quick at understanding what I want her to do & is very curious when Molly does something for me. For the most part we have been doing basic obedience training with her & introducing her to the other commands through play.  If has a problem anywhere I would say it’s her enthusasism for visitors. Jumping up on them. Not just annoying & definitely a bad behavior … not a habit that we allow with our dogs! As usual ‘Prentiss is improving here too.

She is a very inquisitive little lady & most definitely a treasure !

Not much get's by our girl 'Prentiss ....

Sàinte mhor a h-uile duine                                                                                                            Best to you all!

—

“Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamp-post how it feels about dogs.”

Thought you might enjoy a few pictures of Molly’s new apprentice. She’s a Miniature Fox Terrier who be probably be about 13lbs when full grown … just a little bigger than Molly.

‘Prentiss @ 6weeks WEE GIRL-4.jpg

The plan is to train her to be my next workin’ gal.  Molly & I are going to train her to perform some tasks to help me in my daily routines. As you can see I’m not looking for a sled-dog to pull me along, open doors & such. Molly (& one day ‘Prentiss) helps me with jackets shirts, etc., brings my chair back to me when it rolls out of reach, gets my wife when I need some help & am unable to reach her any other way, picks anything that I accidently drop or I point out to her. Or any other tasks I might need then  … … just like Molly presently does now. Molly plans to retire, lay back & get a tan & sip Mint Juleps & read.

“Are you talking to me! … Are you talking to me!”

Molly’s_Prentiss.jpg

The new pup’s Offical name is going to be ” Betchel’s Molly’s ‘Prentiss”

Thought you might enjoy a few pictures of Molly’s new apprentice. She’s a Miniature Fox Terrier who be probably be about 13lbs when full grown … just a little bigger than Molly.

'Prentiss @ 6weeks

The plan is to train her to be my next workin’ gal.  Molly & I are going to train her, along with the help of a Professional Dog Trainer to perform some tasks to help me in my daily routines. As you can see I’m not looking for a sled-dog to pull me along, open doors & such. Molly (& one day ‘Prentiss) helps me with jackets shirts, etc., brings my chair back to me when it rolls out of reach, gets my wife when I need some help & am unable to reach her any other way, picks anything that I accidently drop or I point out to her. Or any other tasks I might need then  … … just like Molly presently does now. Molly plans to retire, lay back & get a tan & sip Mint Juleps & read.

"Are you talking to me! ... Are you talking to me!"

The new pup’s Offical name is going to be ” Betchel’s Molly’s ‘Prentiss” .  Keep watching for updates.

Slàinte mhòr a h-uile duine

—

“Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamp-post how it feels about dogs.”

Wow! It’s been a busy, busy, busy summer!

We’ve been busy getting the yard the way we like it. Pruning, fixing a few of the logs, as well as other problems caused by lack of maintenance. Most of the debris & dead branches, shrubs & stuff were cleaned up. Have build some sort ramp or other access to the lower level of the yard so that it can be finished. Too late now … maybe next year.

Wow! It’s been a busy, busy, busy summer!

We’ve been busy getting the yard the way we like it. Pruning, fixing a few of the logs, as well as other problems caused by lack of maintenance. Most of the debris & dead branches, shrubs & stuff were cleaned up. Have build some sort ramp or other access to the lower level of the yard so that it can be finished. Too late now … maybe next year.

The mess in the backyard ... little or no maintenance in the past while

We also wandered over to Alberta & then on to Prince George to visit nephews. From there we went down & wandered around Barkerville – “Gold Rush Town”. An amazing wheelchair friendly place as well very interesting to actually see a real gold rush town.

... going through the street of Barkerville's Chinatown

After that we travelled down to Williams Lake to put our feet up & relax at a friend’s log cabin in the BC interior. When we pried ourselves away from that wonderful place on the lake we then travelled over to the Yellowhead Rd & up the Rockies to Jasper over the Columbia Icefields & then onto Rock Mountain House and on to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, AB. Then back home to northern Saskatchewan. Not much time to write but I did take lots of photos … almost 5000! Fortunately for the rest of the world I’m still sorting them. So no long & boring slide shows when you visit here …

a view of Lake Abraham as we travelled thru the Columbia Icefield Area

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, AB has got to be the most awesome place on earth!! One way you can the Rockies & looking east you can see forever … well to PEI at least. LOL

A view from the top of Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, AB

I  just started the Advanced Gaelic course from the Atlantic Gaelic Academy so don’t be surprised to come across some different words in future postings.  I’ll try & remember to put the translation there … maybe??

Suas leis a’ Ghàidhlig!!

Sàinte mhor a h-uile duine

Best to you all!

—

“Asking a working writer what he thinks about critics is like asking a lamp-post how it feels about dogs.”

So it was the first day of spring & it was showing it’s beautiful head!

And even though I thought I’d never see anything as beautiful as an icicle … icicles are starting to appear. They may be small but they are a sight to behold after such a cold winter. It gets much too cold up here for them … lots of others too!

Because of the setting sun the icicles are too bright white to photograph clearly but it is an icicle. I counted 3 on the whole roof! WoW!! Spring just might be here …

‘S e an t-earrach a th’ ann!                                                                                          It’s spring!

It’s Friday evening … nobody here but us dogs … the cute young fur-kids & this ugly old dog {me}. While Pam is heading off for a weekend writer’s brainstorming weekend a few hours away in the south. Here’s a picture of the writer putting on her creative ‘face’ … bet some interesting story developments will happen for her & others. Have fun folks!

 

So Molly, Chesney & I have decided to eat fatty snack foods, play a lot of fetch & play really loud Gàidhlig radio, music & storytelling… glè mhath!

-=-=-=-=-=-= 

Bu mhath an sgàthan sùil caraid.

[A friend's eye is a good looking-glass.]

Here’s a photo of what it’s like here in LA … well near it anyway.

 

The actual shot is of the road about 90 kms from La Ronge. As you can see  the road is quite clear but if this web camera shows the road is snow covered we stay put even if the weather is fine here. And the report for Prince Albert is sunny & clear. Seems that this is where the worst of the weather hits … & planned trips south for veterinary visit, groceries, bottled beer (only canned available in LA),  etc. is postponed.  

Have to keep an eye on the camera this weekend as Pam will be away at a writer’s weekend in the south & we’re supposed to get a “weather event”.  And there’ll just be m’self & the fur-kids at home. Molly sez she wants to party … eat lots of fatty snacks & play fetch! :-)

Oh well …  at least it’s going to be a warm day!  Only -9º 

-=-=-=-=-=-= 

Bu mhath an sgàthan sùil caraid.

[A friend's eye is a good looking-glass.]