Walloping Wednesday!

Featured Painting:

Mule Deer Cubism?

Acrylic painting on 5"x 7" quality canvas panel -- $49

This is one of my "painting-a-day" compositions. He actually came out in almost a cubism style but I really like his nose. It looks wet, as if he just licked it. And with the red brown of his coat, he obviously isn't into winter! (Their coats turn a soft grey when it gets cold, to more easily camoflauge.)

Today was an exciting day. I am attending the Verde Valley Area Leadership Program (VVAL) which is a marvelous opportunity to teach individuals HOW to lead, "network" with some really terrific people and push ourselves outside our comfort zones. We have a certain number of "field trips" we are supposed to attend. I attended one today, which was a ride-a-long with a police officer from a local or neighboring department. The Commander I rode with is an excellent officer, someone I've known for several years. He has participated in all fields of police work including drug details, detectives division, patrol etc. A really neat individual. Well, if you ask any officer or firefighter, etc., what happens on days they have ride-a-longs, they'll typically tell you "nothing". "Absolutely nuthin'." Outside individuals participating in ride-a-longs are often called "anchors" because, for some unique reason, very little happens when you have a "ride-a-long" on your shift.

Today was a little different. After riding along in the Commander's patrol car for a while, I noticed it was only 30 minutes until I had to be back at the office. Just as I noticed this, emergency tones came over the Commander's radio alerting emergency personnel ... there was a plane crash! Woo hoo! Code three, lights come on and we sped to the general area of the report. The land here is covered with shrubbery, tumbleweeds and mesquite trees. Impossible to see any downed plane. We looked for smoke in the area and there was none. Finally the two witnesses gave more specific details. We looked across some undeveloped land and saw a glint of silver. With that, all the officers that had gathered begin climbing the barb wire fence and heading out. One female officer was holding the fence down and I quickly asked, "Can I come?" "If you hurry!" she said. So I lept over the fence, immediately caught my new black jeans on a barb and rrrriiiip! But I got going after them! All this in danged 3" boot heels! What was I thinking! After a 1/2 mile of going up and down and up and down and up rocky ravines, I made it to where the officers were. And thank heavens, the pilot was fine. He was about 90 years old (really!) standing beside the craft which was in bad shape. The single prop looked like shredded paper, the nose was caved in on the bottom and the tip of one wing was removed. BUT he didn't receive a scratch. I was having visions of a family on a day trip 'cause it is Spring Break where I live. I was so happy (and so out of breath and so hot) that there were no injuries. Needless to say, the officers indicated if I can keep all my ride-a-longs that exciting I can come back anytime!