UpHill 200lbs.of Stone and Art

It's the reservoir again today. We'll try to get a painting done before it starts to rain.  Carolyn is coming along today. You know what that means..no? We do! You see the sack in her hand? That's one of three she's bringing along to collect rocks. The rocks at the reservoir are 'legend.'  This is about 30 feet of the several hundred miles of waterline. You see those rocks? About 1in 5 are "keepers." That means that Tim and I get t'carry them back... to.... the car.
Carolyn loves rocks. I do too but I limit myself to one or two "real" keepers. The ones that are just too nice to leave behind, 'mementos' of the day.

Tim is a patient man. He locates a subject of today's plein air and opens his pastel case. He sets to work immediately transfixed in that awesome zone of creation.

He and I select about the same location. He focuses on the shelter and I the jut-outs of land along the lake. Today is an unusually bright but overcast day. A good day to get a sunburn. What is difficult? The water is reflecting all of that diffused light on the landscape bleaching out the color. But that's why we come outdoors. The challenge of pulling a rabbit out of our "arse." It's not hard to go to some great scenic place and throw together a picture-postcard. But what would we learn form that?

My subject is a small boat with tewo fishermen about three hundred yards out along the coast fishing for small bass spawning there. Thye seem to be doing alright as they are there for over an hour and a half.

Tim is complaining about the water which is 'no color' but the diffused white light from above. Even the olive-green of the water is washed out. I'm having the same problem as well. I am mixing several whites using small amounts of pewter gray,cad red, turquoise and cad yellow. I seem to be getting a feel for the day. I'm also listening to two fishermen nearby on the bank. They remind me of a radio show back in the 50's. They are outdoors, like us enjoying each other's company and doing the number 1 'nothing box' occupation for men...fishin'.

Carolyn has been bent over for the last three hours. That can mean only one thing. The rock pile is growing beyond our physical capabilities of hauling the rocks uphill 200 feet to the car a half mile away. 
Yup, that's Tim hauling the first load away to the car. I've developed a twisted ankle and am having trouble keeping up with him. Carolyn is still looking and dragging her sack behind her moaning of the weight. She wants to know why he doesn't come back and help her.
I thought Tim was going to have a heart attack the closer he got to the parking lot. I can still hear the echo in the background..., "Wait up you guys. My bag is heavier that the one you have. Come back and help me."

I'm smiling to myself. Those rocks sure looked prettier laying right where they were. It's a shame they have to go to a foster home.