Windmill Video

Second Wind Ranch

Douglas, WY

May 10, 2011

We have been out of touch by modern communication, however we have been in touch with much history and geography. We left Nebraska City on May 6 and headed for the Sandhills of Nebraska. On the southern edge of the Sandhills is the town of Comstock (population 106) where we found what we were looking for: The Second Wind Ranch. On a hill outside of town Henry Nuxoll has begun collecting windmills. He has 50 up and running and 40 more ready to go. He is the originator of "Comstock" a trilogy of summer concerts with country, rock and roll and Christian venues. Each is a 3 day "Woodstock" like venue that draws 10,000 people a day. He invited us to park our RV and spend the night under his windmills. We accepted, and also joined him for steaks at the restaurant he's fashioned in a 100 year old house that he had moved to the property. After dinner we had the place to ourselves.

Our next stop was Valentine, Nebraska and the Niobrara River. Yesterday we canoed 15 miles of the river. We had it and its headwinds all to ourselves, too! It was a tough canoe, and we came off the river tired, sore, and thrilled by this gentle, winding waterway. All along the banks geese nested, white tail deer ran in and out of the trees, and mallards swam beside us. The river was flowing about 5 miles an hour, but the headwind sometimes stalled us and put us in neutral. Our paddles often hit sand or rock because the river is only about 3 or 4 feet deep.

Today we drove through more of the Sandhills, a place that is good for ranchers and cattle but tough on women and horses. I am attached to the wide open landscape that is married to the equally full sky, and so I love this terrain. It is a place that keeps its secrets in the detail. I am calm in this space.

Northwest Nebraska introduced us to the buttes and high plains of Wyoming. After Gordon, Nebraska (Marie Sandoz country) we began to see blue outlines above the horizon. We tried to imagine what it must have been like to be in a covered wagon and see the blue mountains ahead and ask: can we get to them? how will we cross them? and beyond that? then what? will we be all right?

Stay tuned. I have lots of photos to post.

Good Night!

Brown Paper Back Country

April 29, 2011

Nebraska City

Earlier this week I woke up one morning and said, "brown." The landscape is all brown, flat brown, red brown, black brown, rich brown, light brown, and umber. I went to the store and tried to buy brown paper bags. The owner gave them to me, smiled, and then gave me a few more in case I made mistakes. I said, "or in case I make a masterpiece."

They are hanging on a line in my studio and I think I'd like to exhibit them that way. These brown paper bags are made of heavy paper and I really like it because I can fold it, and glue it so it is in bas or low relief. Directional light casts shadows for added dimension.

Corn and Prairies

April 29, 2001

Nebraska City and Red Cloud

These are recent photos from the local grain elevator and from a road trip to the prairies of Willa Cather in Red Cloud, NE. The prairie grassland around Red Cloud is some of the most beautiful, harsh and open landscape I have seen. I wanted to walk in it and never return.

Northern Cardinal

April 23, 2011

Nebraska City

A mated pair of cardinals often visit the telephone wires in the alley beyond my studio or the flowering tree outside my bedroom window. The male is a magnificent red, and the female, too, has a few spots of that vibrant color.

Here is a web site that has better photos than I can take and if you scroll down to "typical voice" you can hear them sing like I do most mornings and evenings. It is a beautiful song, and not one we hear in the Pacific NW.

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/northern_cardinal/id

Studio and New Work

April 22, 2011

Nebraska City

My week in the studio:

new collages - partially completed

ditto

ditto

My journal or wall of words

my studio

Drive By Shootings

This is how I like my landscape.

A working Kregel windmill

One that's been abandoned.

My foolish tracks

Another drive by

The black Chrysler in front of an abandoned building

The farmers are just getting into the fields.

Surrounding Nebraska City

April 16, 2011

Nebraska City

I rented a car today. I met Clarence downtown in front of the insurance agency at 9AM. It was 37 degrees and very windy. He was waiting for me in a black Chrysler 300, four door with darkened windows and the engine was running. When I came up to the car the passenger side window opened automatically, and Clarence turned and said, “It’s cold out there. Get in and we can do the paperwork in here.” I think he was wearing a toupee because there was an unnatural mound on the top of his head, but I didn’t want to stare. I signed the agreement, and he drove me two blocks to a parking lot. He got out and said, “That orange light is on to tell you that your tires are low, but I checked them and they ain’t. Bring the car back here tomorrow, leave the keys under the mat and the door unlocked. If you want it for an extra day, call me.” The seat and steering wheel adjustments just didn’t work for me so I stopped by the art center, grabbed a bed pillow, stuffed it under my behind, and drove away.

I caught the tail end of an auction in Peru and found roller coaster like roads off the main highway. When I saw a piece of landscape that I liked I pushed the button to open the windows, aimed my camera at the hole and took a picture. Sometimes I got out, but I brought in an awful lot of mud when I did, and it was damn cold and windy until noon. Drive by shooting was a good idea this morning, and then I got stuck in the mud.

Even if I am driving a barge of a car I know better than to drive on a wet, muddy road where a “Road Not Maintained” sign greets me. I just wanted to turn around. One car length into the road and the wheels were spinning and throwing mud. I heard my father’s famous saying that God protects drunks and fools. Reckon I was the latter.

Then I heard him say, “Kid, if you punch that accelerator one more time you‘ll be sorry.” I stopped, thought it through, and said, “This is like snow and ice, better rock this boat back and forth until I hit the gravel behind me.” I’m proud to say it worked, and I was on my way.

I went as far south as Brownville that is a thriving arts community with a population of 128! For someone who doesn't like to drive I sure did enjoy myself today.