Hittin' the Oregon Trail - Goodbye Arizona!

We are headed back to my old stompin' grounds! So excited to be moving back in a place with seasons, friends and the way of life we love and respect!

Matt interviewed for a great job with Pacificorp as a lineman and was unanimously offered the job the very same day! The job is based in the small town of Arlington, Oregon right on the Columbia River. A unique and interesting area, it's mostly wheat farming and wind farming, but there's much more going for it as far as we are concerned. Plus, the move comes just in time for me to attend the Weaver cow working and ranch roping clinic in Fossil, OR! Wooohoo!

The pros...
1. We have friends in the area and lots of riding opportunities!!
2. Seasons!! Need we say more?
3. Much more interesting and challenging position for Matt
4. He gets to work out of the house! Yippee! (no bosses on a daily basis either!!)
5. He gets a 4-wheeler....Poppy is already commandeering that and has dibs on "shotgun" until the end of time.
6. No more weeks of 110 degree weather!
7. No more tarantulas!
8. No MORE PRICKLY PLANTS!!

So I am quickly sorting through our belongings between Zumba classes and painting sessions and getting us ready for a big move. Need to find a house still, but I know that will fall into place somehow! I am feeling optimistic! If God gave us this amazing opportunity, then he will be there to help us figure out the transition as well.

Here are my two latest paintings. I did a sunset from a photo I took here in Arizona. This will help us remember all our friends here and remind us of the lovely parts of Arizona. The other one is a 2nd and much larger painting of Poppy! Enjoy and I will continue to update you on our journey!

Helen

Exercising and Art

So, for the last few months my focus has been on getting healthy and fit again after my fractured ankle and foot (July 2010). As I come up to the anniversary of the riding accident that caused my broken ankle and subsequent surgery, I am amazed at how I have been able to not only recuperate 100%, but also to get fitter than I have been in a long time. What a difference a year makes! I just spent the morning teaching a Zumba class and came home to practice a couple new songs for my new playlist. It takes a lot of repetition, research and creativity to choreograph a new song. I usually just use the standard Zumba songs and choreo that is sent to me every other month from Zumba, but I like to throw in a song nobody else is using and so I tend to troll around iTunes and find awesome Latin songs that are fun, upbeat and make you want to shake it! My latest endeavor is a Merengue! Super fast and lots of fun moves. Can't wait to incorporate it into my play list.






















I have also taken up oil painting as you know. This was to tap into my creative side, but to also give me a brain teaser that wasn't as physical as horseback riding and Zumba. It has proven to be an amazing outlet for my creative side, plus it offers an almost zen like experience every time I sit at the easel to paint. It feels like I am meditating while I work and sometimes I snap out of it 2 or 3 hours later without having felt any time pass at all. I am far from a great painter, but I am really enjoying the process and love each piece I do, even if I don't like it! I am finding that while I used to adore making my drawings look like a photograph, now I am all about COLOR and I could care less how realistic the painting comes out. The less perfect, the more I like it...I think you will see what I mean!


Here are my latest 3 paintings. The apple was an exercise I was assigned. I am not crazy about it, but I did get to explore using a brush a little more, even though I prefer using knives. The 2nd one is of my little mare, Mini. She is a little tubby from her time off and reared up the other day in play. I think I captured the feel...my whole goal! The last one is of my beloved Poppy! She's obviously not colored like that, but I think I was able to portray her spirit and love of life! You tell me? Should I quit or keep going?

Thanks for the visit! More to come!