The blizzard of '14

Critique of student work including one by Charles

As seen on our back deck

Trying to keep ahead of the blizzard

Four the fourth week in a row heavy snow has descended upon the Bitterroot Valley.   On Thursday, when Charles was on campus, the snow began falling and has continued all day today.  Tomorrow the weather is going to be nasty so we're "buttoning down the hatches."

yo-yo weather

Skiers coming down the mountain on the campus

A chilly day on campus

Our day started off we have for much of the past week: more snow.  The roads this morning were slick and it was slow-going for both of us.  This evening the roads were clear the result of the first sunny skies we've had in a week.  Tomorrow we're looking at temps in the mid-40s before heading back down this weekend.

And the snow keeps coming

Charles cleared the drive Sunday afternoon, trying to keep ahead of the accumulating snowfall.  More snow came Sunday evening/Monday morning saw him back at work with the snowblower.  Another snow shower came before he left for school in the afternoon and still more came Monday night.  We estimate that we've gotten between 12-18" of snow since Friday.

The pictures show the ruler we placed in the snow on the table on our back patio Sunday afternoon.  It is completely buried this morning!

Both of us have had slow going to work/school but we've taken our time and have had no mishaps.  We wanted the drama of the weather and we've certainly gotten it!!!

A white weekend in Stevensville

 
We've had a very white weekend here in Stevensville.  It was hit and miss Friday and Saturday before beginning in earnest during the night. We've had at least seven inches today and more is expected tonight!

Wesley's week

Wesley has taken the winter weather in stride this week, storing up lots of cat-naps!  On Thursday Charles took the boy outside for a brief spell, just as the snow started up for the evening.  It was so much fun watching Wesley chase snowflakes around the yard!

Wonderful days in Stevensville

"snow" falling on the Horned Frog

Snow coming over the Bitterroot Mountains

entertainment at the senior center birthday lunch on Wednesday

Study group at the church

We've been busy this week with church, school, and work activities.  Never too busy though to enjoy this wonderful place we call home!

Seen on campus this week

It seemed as though the snow was a thing of the past with warmer weather melting much of last week's snowfall.  Thursday morning though the snow began falling and it continued much of the day and into the early morning hours on Friday.  

On Wednesday, Charles wore his Finland hockey jersey (in honor of the Finnish team playing Russia in the Olympics) to school.  As he was standing in the University Center (the 'hang out'), a young woman came up to him, excited to see something with "SUOMI" on it.  It turned out that she was from Turku, Finland, and was happy to meet another Finn-cousin in Montana!!!  It was a good omen as Finland's men beat Russia 3-1 that evening!

Charles turned in his first art projects, a pencil etching of some of his crosses and two works in his painting class.  He also had his first exam in the art history class - he was nervous going in, it was the first exam since 2003!  He thinks he did okay!

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

We celebrated our seventeenth Valentine's Day yesterday with a special dinner at the church.  The men's group put on a catered meal (from an Italian restaurant in Florence) and it was wonderful!

A warmer week!

Wesley keeps an eye out for squirrels

There's a squirrel!

All that squirrel watching is exhausting

Opera singer at UMT's charter day

A solar-powered bike

 Last week's rough weather is behind us and it was nice to be able to move about with less snow slow us down!

Thank God for a Snow-blowing Husband!

A snowy weekend

The view of the parsonage from Charles' office

The bird feeders are getting a workout

We've been getting a LOT of snow this weekend which followed last week's below zero temps.  It is certainly pretty and we're so thankful that we have been able to stay close to home!  Charles made good use of the church's snow blower this afternoon, it makes a big job so much easier!!!

Art galore @ UMT - part 3

Sarah Rockett speaks about her work.

 

Charles wrapped up his artistic Thursday by attending a lecture and gallery opening by Sarah Rockett, a visiting art professor from Colorado. 

She says on her website: "Assumed social behaviors and expectations breed divisions within the cultural womb of society, perpetuating an intimidating sense of "others" in relation to the self.  My current work explores our socially acceptable phobias of one another, and the resulting secure persistence of individual anonymity in American society by extracting forms and situations from common fears and cinema."

He found the lecture portion of the event to be "so-so."  However, he did get some useful information, which came in handy when viewing and seeking to comprehend the artwork.  The best part was the explanation of how lines are far more complex and are able to express deeper meaning than Charles had realized was possible.

In the exhibit (no pictures were allowed but can be seen on her website), this deeper meaning and expression came out - both figuratively and literally.  The work, "Resistance is Futile" flowed through lines on the wall, wire which swept out from the wall and the shadows which were woven throughout.  

Another work, "Stranger Danger,"  was a mystery.  Even with the artist's explanation fresh in his head, Charles looked and looked and couldn't see how or even why this was worthy of display.  Some art creates in the viewer a feeling of awe or inspiration, other artwork creates a puzzle that elicits a feeling of indifference.  This was the latter.

Art galore @ UMT - part 2

"Goddess"

Lea Christiansen (L) speaks to a visitor during the opening.

One of the assignments Charles has this semester was to attend several contemporary art exhibits.  Thursday was the opening of an exhibit at the University Center gallery of "Along the Path."  This exhibit displayed the work of a Bachelor of Fine Arts student, Lea Christiansen. 

According to the artist's statement on display:
"This artwork emerges as a part of my practice as a beginning spiritual seeker and one who is interested in better understanding how the mind interacts with our inner and outer worlds."

One work, in particular, stood out:  "Goddess," which depicts a deer facing the viewer.  This was on the postcard and posters announcing the exhibit.  It wasn't until Charles took a picture of the drawing that he noticed the shadow image to the deer's right.  This shadow image reminds us that we typically see what we want to see.  This is a reminder that while we see one thing, the subject might see itself in another way and, indeed, may be seen another way completely -- by other viewers.

Another aspect of Lea's works that spoke to Charles was her use of the color gold to give the expression a depth and a life that might not have been realized otherwise.  In considering how light, shadow and black/white/grey/gold are interwoven, the works convey a path that each of us are on.