The Final Haul

It's funny how dire weather warnings tend to coincide with the busiest travel times of the year. West Virginia is cool and crisp as we check tire pressure, charge phone batteries, and mentally prepare ourselves to drive into the predicted maelstrom of the rest of the country. Sleet in the Midwest, snow in the Rockies, high winds, floods, and general chaos await us on the long haul west. Bring it on!

The past week at Knutty Acres has been delightfully relaxing. There were several days where we didn't step foot inside a moving vehicle (besides the utility vehicle for retrieving the mail and doing some West Virginia dog walking).

There were plenty of four-footed friends to keep us company. L-R: PeeWee, me, Sparky, and Elmo.

Once Ed and Nancy, Carl's parents, returned from Colorado, Nancy was able to give me a crash course in watercolor painting. It's been a really long time since I've painted anything besides a Forest Service sign, and I just couldn't help but fiddle with it. It's so hard to leave well enough alone.

We did a study of a light house, working from a painting Nancy had already done. Mine came out pretty well; definitely worthy of posting on the fridge.

Bubba doesn't know we're throwing him back in the truck tomorrow but he'll figure it out pretty quick. Wish us luck as we head to Spokane to join my nutty family for Thanksgiving!