Out of the Hen House and into the Chicken Coop

   I will finally have my own, private studio to do my painting.  Well, "studio" is a big word:  It's actually an old chicken coop that someone was going to tear down, and I offered to take it off their hands and move it to my property.  Of course, I had no idea what this meant, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.  Ever heard of the Darwin Awards?  They are granted to those individuals who kill themselves through sheer stupidity, and thus ensure the safety of our communal gene pool.  My three friends and I came close to becoming candidates when we nearly rolled the trailer with the shed strapped on as I backed out of the yard;  the wheels on one side of the trailer were actually off the ground due to the angle, but we quickly threw some bricks under the wheels on the downward side to level it out, and it worked.  We got it back to my house, then I hired a crane to come pick it up, lift it over the power lines that come into the house, then set it down on the bricks I'd prepared for that purpose.  The chicken / studio sits with the front windows facing the trees, and because it's a Colorado chicken coop it was already insulated.  Once I get all the chicken poo and feathers cleaned out, it should make a nice (little) studio.  I'm psyched!

Lifting the shed over the wires: this guy knew what he was doing!

I officiated (?) my niece's Rebekah's wedding last Saturday - my first.  Colorado has about the most liberal marriage licensing laws I've ever heard of:  you don't have to be married by a pastor, justice of peace or anyone in an official capacity.  In fact , you can just decide to marry yourself.  All you have to do is sign the papers, and you're hitched.

The wedding was held in Gold Hill, CO, a tiny historic mining town in the mountains above Boulder.  The Bluebird Inn is a historic landmark, and the wedding was held outdoors in the yard next to the inn - in 90 degree heat and under a beautiful hot blue sky and blazing sun.  I don't think I spoke more than 15 minutes, and the whole ceremony lasted less than 30... as I was very conscious of the small crowd sitting there shielding their eyes from the sun.  The rest of the afternoon was given to fine dining and fine dancing, compliments of an outstanding Cajun washboard band - click on the image above for a sample of the music.