"Fancy Stirrups"

A pair of decorative stirrups from a collection...

Well, Good "rest in peace" Monday Morning, all bodies.

I found out yesterday, at Gus's, that a friend of mine passed away last Wednesday. Even though the last time I saw him, which was about three months ago, he commented that he looked better than he felt, his mood seemed a bit dejected. 

I was doing a demo painting at the local coffeehouse and he was awaiting a good friend's arrival, so I didn't want to interfere. It was about one year since I had last seen him, accidentally, at another restaurant. When I asked him how come I hadn't seen him here for a breakfast or two, he told me that his creative time was late at night and had a hard time getting up in the morning.

For a while, we'd get together at his home which wasn't too far from my home, to talk and listen to him philosophize as he picked out new tunes on his old Gibson. When my wife became ill, I kinda curtailed those extracurricular activities hoping to catch up with him and the many sea going tales he loved to tell at lunch sometime.

Even though I had my breakfast at Gus's, I decided that I'd put off the day to drink coffee and think about our good times. The sketch is from a collection of saddle stirrups on display at Giddy-Up in downtown Folsom. Because of a rather large thunderstorm, that lasted over one hour, I decided, thankfully captured as I was, that I use the time to my best advantage and dedicate my grief to Tony. Of course, to my knowledge, that "salty dawg" from Grand Isle, never owned a horse... or a stirrup!

Copyright 2019/Ben Bensen III

"Broken On Through To The Other Side"

A forty minute sketch with a Sharpie...

Good Sunday Morning, y'all.

Here's a sketch I finished a few mornings ago. I guess I was a bit too enthusiastic attempting to break on through to the other side.

What is it that gets said about gates? "No man is excluded from calling upon God, the gate of salvation is set open unto all men." And cliches about "starting gates" and "knocking a little louder" and, you know "hidden gates" to eternity or financial freedom, or to new exciting roads of adventure, and such.

Well, this gate held none of those promises. This gate was rebuilt about fifteen years ago to assist me in keeping the fence line free from unwanted trees, foliage, and brush. Unfortunately, the fence boards were treated but the framework was not.

At one time, we'd use the gate to go next door to feed the thoroughbreds apples and carrots. But that was three owners ago. Nowadays, that place has fallen into the same state of disrepair as my gate is. Rebuilding it again with all treated wood is a possibility. It sure would look great again and would be in keeping with the rest of the fencing, but rebuilding it is not something I'm willing to do... again!

So, a stock metal gate to fit that hole in the fence is probably the best option for me, now.

I'm thinking, maybe, I'll leave it up in this current state of disrepair long enough to capture its romantic, idyllic, and picturesque setting in paint...

Ha, first cup!