Sunday 29 September 2013

And When September Goes

Trick Riding #1

The good news is that I'm busy. Between working (part-time, for the moment), a visit from friends from the U.S., and finding my voice again in the world of art, I've been lax in dealing with the blog. There's just so much that's been happening....

Mutton Busting #2

Mes amis des États-Unis wanted to see live rodeo, so we went out to Cochrane on Labour Day, where I took the first three pictures in this entry. There are the same events as the Stampede, but with young up-and-comers in the sport, as well as events like mutton-busting (above), trick riding (top), and girls roping calves.

As a spectator, you also get the opportunity to be much closer to the action, and it's really more fun, to be honest. We all had a great time, and I finally got to have a wonderfully hot bag of mini-donuts there -- and converted my friends to them as well.

Saddle Bronc

And then there's been the blossoming of the art side of my life: Wild at Heart, the piece that was part of Boxed In! earlier this year in Newfoundland, spent this weekend in Lethbridge, AB at the Galt Museum and Archives, as part of their 3D Sculpture show for Alberta Culture Days.

I've also developed an entire show proposal based on creating new work that expands on the concept of a universe-in-a-container concept, which was very exciting to write up. That's the first time in more that 30 months that I've done something like that which I've been pleased about. Fingers crossed.

Trees at Lake Louise #2

As well as the rodeo, I took them out to the mountains: first to Lake Louise, where we walked around the lakeshore path and cruised the lobby at the Chateau, then drove up to Moraine Lake and climbed to the top of the viewpoint. It's been a long time since I had been at either, and while some of the memories were difficult, they weren't horrible either.

Our Hero

And after they left, I went to see the last stage of the Tour of Alberta, a classic week-long, UCI-sanctioned stage race that finished here in Calgary.

We had stars -- Cadel Evans, last year's winner of le Tour de France; Peter Sagan, this year's winner of the points jersey in le Tour; and Ryder Hesjedal, a fine Canadian from Victoria, BC (above), last year's winner of the Giro d'Italia -- and the big mountain stage was washed out because of the flood in June, but it was still pretty darned exciting at the finish.

Books for Sale

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