Martinez Design Project

Leslie Martinez was introduced to me by my old room mate Caroline.  They studied together at Cooper Union in NYC.

Leslie graduated last spring and lucky for us she has gotten her web site up and running

She does a lot of these intricate folk art-ish pen drawings that are so beautifully detailed.  I wish I could have her talk me through each of them and what it all means.

Now she's making these rad hand painted tote bags too - you can check em out on her site

Deep Thoughts for a Thursday Night

I just started reading Grapes of Wrath.

"...but it's our land. We measured it and broke it up. We were born on it, and we got killed on it, died on it. Even if it's no good it's still ours. That's what makes it ours-being born on it, working it, dying on it. That makes ownership, not a paper with numbers on it.

We're sorry. It's not us. It's the monster. The bank is not like a man.

Yes, but the bank is only made of men.

No, your wrong there - quite wrong there. The bank is something else than men. It happens that every man in a bank hates what the bank does, and yet the bank does it. The bank is something more than men, I tell you. It's the monster. Men made it, but they can't control it."

Just wanted to change the view for possible passers by . . . don't want to scare no one.

Old Color Photography

The Library of Congress has a flicker sight where they have an album of color images from rural America in the 1930's & 40's.  I think they're so beautiful.

Homesteader in Montana

Railroad in New Mexico

Farm near the Catskill Mountains in rural New York

Railroad in outside of Santa Fe

Bikrim

***I'm pretty sure the first time I saw this image I felt kind of weezy - so I won't blame you if you don't make it through this post.

I stole the pic from Mandy, which is only fair since I stole the concept from her too. Mandy went on about the magical "Bikrim" yoga while I was in Boulder so I thought I'd try it out myself. Having done it I have a whole new respect for Mandy and this creepy lady. That 110 degree heat doing yoga stuff is tough! I seriously thought I would pass out and that my heart would pound completely out of my chest - but then it didn't, and then I kind of liked it. Anyone in SLC should come join cause now I want more!

pS turns out tons of hot ski guys are into this if that's any insentive (and some amazing hard body chicks too, they're my idols)

Economic Down Turn

I just lost my first client due to the economic hard times to come.

"We love the work you have done, but we just aren't in a position to invest anymore into our home right now" - said client

I'm not afraid of living simply, I welcome it really - but unfortunately I invested in this little thing called MYSELF by going to expensive school. For the first time I'm starting to feel scared about what's to come. Eeek.

Ich liebe die Wüste

Sure wish I took this picture, but I didn't. I googled it instead since I didn't bring my camera. I was in the desert for the first time since I left for New York 2 years ago - well the Utah desert anyway and it was phenomenal.
This pic is from Snow Canyon where I attempted to watch Laura run her half marathon over the weekend. I met a German guy who volunteers for the forest service there and gets to park his RV for free because of it. Him and his wife will spend the winter at Snow Canyon and then "travel to Yellow Stone or some wheres in Montana". They live the life - can't wait till I live in an RV in a foreign country. One day, one day.

Noooooooo

Lindsay was telling me about all of these epic pieces of land that have recently opened up for drilling in Utah so i looked it up and it's true. Parts of the San Rafele Swell, a section just outside of canyon lands, parts of land that are along the Green River.
All places that I (and I'm sure many of you) would not want to sacrifice to the oil and gas companies - especially since it's seeming like pay offs to the companies that have supported Bush just a month before he is leaving office.
So sad, sure wish this was stuff I knew about BEFORE it was too late. These places are up for sale to lease in less than a month - not that I would know what to do anyway, but still I'm sad.
I just think - just because it MAY reduce gas prices now ( which I'd rather not be dependent on anyway) it will not solve our problems in the long run.
Should I turn into one of those crazies that camps out on the land hugging the trees until they get ripped off by some digging machine. i just may.
Read more here

Altonah

Today I rode up to my Grandpa's farm in Altonah, Utah with him and his friend Chris. 4 days out of the 5 day work week my grandpa (twice retired) goes into his law office in his suit and tie - ready to do who knows what, law stuff I suppose - but at least one day in his work week he heads 3 hours east to Altonah to work out at the farm with his buddies. A break from the computer, and phone calls for me as well - I decided to tag along and see what it is they do all day up there.
Looking towards the Uintas to the north - I don't know if it looks as cold as it was, but just think cold thoughts and you'll get it. Those snowy peaks in the distance lead to the King's Peak beyond.

So after our 3 hour drive (45 min break at the Daniel's Summit for breakfast) we meet up with Butch and start the day out in the kitchen of the old broken down house that sits on the property for "Coffee Break". This is held at precisely 10:30 a.m. any day they are working - whether at the farm or cabin. That orange "All-Pro" torch blower kept us toasty.

Grandpa and Butch discuss the order of business for the day. Turns out digging holes is the first item of business.
Looks easy, except to dig these holes you have to get out the giant bolders that are cemented into the clay earth. This is done with a 7' tall iron rod that you jamb down there. Butch is the king of breaking up these big boulders.
If you look very closely you can see the rain gutter that we also put up today. Old men teetering on ladders is a scary/comical sight. Finally they let me up there to finish it.


This is the barn built out of the wood saved from the original barn my grandpa used to have out in Draper before Draper turned into neighborhood ville.

End of the day - another coffee doughnut break.
Oops, cut Chris's head off on this one. He is a retired landscaper/engineer for Utah Power & Light - where he met my grandpa - where he spent the bulk of his career as a corporate lawyer for Utah Power & Light.
Chris is from a town I had never heard of west of Salt Lake near where the airport is now. He grew up out there, joined the national guard at 18 because "if he was going to be drafted he wanted it to be with people that he knew". One week later he was on a train to Oklahoma to start training. He later spent a whole year stomping around in the mountains of Korea. These are the conversations that make me want to hang out with these guys. They are pure gold.

Good bye farm. Time to go home.

Change

"I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors."

-Thomas Jefferson

Favorite quote picked up at Denver Museum:

"Things ain't what they used to be and probably never was."

-Will Rogers

Ain't that the truth.

Tag-ged

I've been tagged by my cousin Ashley!!
[This is a little complicated, so pay attention]

The instructions:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Here come the RaNdoMS:

1. If given the opportunity I can sleep for around 13 hours any given night

2. I work on construction sites often - and i love it. Today I watched these dudes installing windows and doors, and even though I didn't gawk out loud, I secretly was. Ya, take that.

3. I think this election is giving me anxiety. I feel bad for everyone involved and I wish people could just treat each other like people and were more respectful and positive about others that have a different opinion or different experience than them. Why always picking sides and being mean?

4. My room and work areas are so messy I despise myself for it - but despite this it's been like that for months - very pathetic.

5. My dog Max is for sure the my most dependable loyal friend I've ever had. I may be sending out a Christmas card with us on it this year. Watch for it.

6. My dream situation would be to live in a cool town/city near the nature and surrounded by friends and family that wanted to play all of the time and we could bike and hike and ski - and go to galleries, and go on road trips and . . . and . . . even if we were old and married and had kids we would still do it. That's all.


TAG-now you're it:
1. NEIL
2. Mandy
3. Sarah
4. Nanners
5. Lauren
6. Paige