The Snake

Finished another study of my brother Mark and his daughter, Hazel:



I was really happy with this one, but I am not sure my reference is good enough to do a painting. It was fun to paint with Mark smirking at me the whole time. This is a typical expression for Mark.

Finished the study and let my cats out for an evening stroll and saw a snake. The snake had it's head down a ground squirrel hole, so I didn't know how big it was or if it was alive. I don't think it had a rattle, but I wasn't going to look too close. I can deal with coyotes, bobcats, spiders, and mice, but I draw the line at snakes. I'm scared of snakes. So, I get the cats inside, no cat dinner for you, Mr. Snake. Then I try to throw rocks at the snake from a safe distance to see if it is alive, or make it go away, or make it's tail rattle, but I am a really terrible shot, I can shoot a soccer ball into a goal with either foot, but I cannot throw a rock within 2 feet of a snake while only standing 10 feet away. Why didn't I have Dad show me how to use his rifle before he left? So later I check and the snake half has moved, so it is alive, and then later I check and it is gone.

It's getting dark, and Dad is out, so I make dinner and watch "The Road," because Dad did not want to watch it again. By the time the movie is over it's really dark, it's a new moon, and I have to walk from the main house to the studio, so I turn on all the outdoor lights and that's not enough, so I get a flashlight to light up any snakes in my way. What I end up lighting up is a bobcat racing from the door of the studio across the yard and down the driveway. She stops and looks back at me and I light her furry bobcat ears up with the flashlight and then she's gone. I don't think the bobcat is interested in my cats, but has acquired a taste for cat food because she's been eating the ferile cat's food in the garage.

Then I try to sleep. Why did I watch that movie! I went to sleep thinking about snakes and Armageddon and wondering at how many stars I can see in the sky out here on a moonless night.

Today I am attacking cobwebs and spiders, I am not afraid of spiders, so I can get some of my power back.