Summer Stuff

The tepee living has been awesome this year. Although it is very hot during the day the nights are cool and breezy up on the mountain. I have two sides pulled up and the door open. Thank God we don't have mosquitoes here. We have had some flies. They start buzzing about 6:30, but I am getting up that early to ride anyway before it gets too hot. I'm sweating allot less and I think Miami appreciates it also.

This is me trotting on Nadine, a lesson horse during a riding lesson. Things were not going well. She was not cooperating and my stirrups were too long.

My grand daughter Terra practicing her bareback riding on her horse Missy. I started her out with a neck rope to hold on to. I did not want her balancing on the reins. She never used it and developed great balance quickly.

As far as work goes I'm still in portrait world and hope to finish up in the next day or two and get back to painting.

As the Wind Blows

On this mountain the wind blows allot. It is usually cool at night and breezy which makes for nice sleeping in the tepee.

Last night the winds were very strong and gusty. Tonka and I headed up to the tepee in the cool north wind. It felt like a storm was moving in but the stars were shining brightly in a clear sky. We get in the tepee and are greeted by a lone firefly. I catch it and let it go outside.

Inside it is cool but the wind is blocked. I start a small fire. It lights up the interior of the tepee and makes it very cozy. Tonka has been sleeping between the tepee and the liner but decides to sleep on the bed with me. I am glad as it is definately a one dog night. It'll be cold by daylight.

I lay in bed and listen to the gusts of wind. The tepee is very stable but neither quiet or still. It rocks and flaps as the wind rolls around it. The stronger gusts even rock the bed. It feels like I am in an ocean of air. The poles creak and where the liner meets by the door keeps blowing back. I set a chair in front of it, it stills it and keeps the wind from coming in.

As the fire dies down Tonka stretches out beside me. I hear a whinny in the distance.

I fall asleep and dream of horses on the plains.

Quiet Santuary, Not Yet

I move into the tepee while continuing to make adjustments, additions and learning as I go along. I prepare to spend my first night in my new summer home.

The door and the stakes still need adjustments.

After measuring the interior I made an ozan. This is a partial ceiling that sends the rain behind the liner. I really had to wing it here as I had very little info and no instructions, but it works.



This is the bottom of the ozan where it meets the liner. It had just stopped raining and you can see the drips down the back of the liner. Note the pockets I put in the liner.
This is a double bed and a twin cot. You can get some idea of how spacious the 18' tepee really is.

The pups are right at home. Tonka is sure getting big.

As evening fell I started a nice little fire in the fire pit. The tepee glowed up on the hill that night. The roundness and the night sky though the poles had such a cozy and nurturing feel. Sounds of the crackling fire filled the air. It lit up the whole tepee. There was no need for candles. I went to sleep as the fire died down.

Early the next morning I woke to the sound of voices followed by an explosion.

I didn't panic but I was irritated. It was the seismic testing that was going on in the pasture. I thought they had finished, but no. I had strategically placed the tepee to get quiet and morning shade. However the oil company has strategically placed the dynamite on one side and the gas pipeline on the other. It'll settle down soon but oh the irony of it all.

Putting Up the Tepee part 2

Dreams Of Flying

SOLD

The decision had been made and the wind had started picking up. We had the tepee down in minutes. After more careful measurements for the tripod and where to place the ties the tripod goes back up. With all the men folk that had wandered in all the poles were in place very quickly. It was already looking better.

Bundling the tepee to the riser pole.

Tying off the rope.



The riser pole goes back up. We untie it and stretch it around the poles. After lacing it up it looks amazing! I am so thankful to my friends and family for all their help.



And here it is up on the hill.
All in all it took me more time to figure out how to put that "Buy Now" button on my blog than to raise the tepee. So y'all use and stay tuned for more of the saga and photos of the interior.

Painting My Tepee

I have spent the last week painting my tepee. It has been a huge undertaking. I had no idea it would take so much time and paint. It was tricky finding a dry enough time and a poop-free zone to spread it out. Gosh it looks huge. See the tiny little horses. I used a tent stake, string and a charcoal pencil to draw the circular bands on the tipi. I had to work quickly before the chickens came to help with the decoration.

Back in the studio I had more helpers. I spread a section on my table and painted it using watered down Golden Liquid Acrylics. When I painted the liner I could use painters tape on the straight edges, but this was all at so much of a curve I free handed it. The top section is a gold ochre followed by suns which are traditional for Kiowa tepee's. I used a stamp for this I bought on clearance. The next small band is metallic copper.

Then there are the hummingbirds, lots and lots of them. My Indian name is Little Hummingbird.

The blue row is phases of the moon. The bottom row is wolf tracks. In between will go the horses which will be 3'x4'. I will do them after the tepee is up.

The poles are 24' long and there are 17 of them. I am still working on sanding and sealing them in between spring rains.

The plan is to have it up by mid April. I am so excited!