24 July 2013

Soldier's Mountain

18" x 12" watercolor on Arches © 140lb cold pressed July 2013
The Farm, Arizona:

I fell in love with one of the horses and came to find he joined the farm by traveling from the other side of this mountain, leaving behind a situation of neglect akin to abandonment.  His owner was eventually located and gave him freely to the farm forever where he is happy to be at peace with the retired Pot Belly Pigs, free range chickens, a lovely female of his own species, four dogs, five cats, three chipmunks and the Watusi herd who visit every evening to catch up on the latest farm doings.

I was stunned. What a story!

Imagine this beautiful guy soldiering on in triple digit temperatures, over the cliffs and peaks with all the dangers the southwest desert environment presents?  To see him now in his current location, you'd see him well fed and well watered, hanging out with his girlfriend, kicking up the dirt in joy and surrounded by love, constant attention, shade from the elements and lots of space to play. The layout of the farm is simply one huge yard with the humans' dwelling in the center, so you will often wake up in the morning with Soldier looking in your window.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Incredible story,
Incredible watercolor.
Another favorite.
Something about the beauty in the desert.
Love to you
Scrap

“Men come and go, cities rise and fall, whole civilizations appear and disappear-the earth remains, slightly modified. The earth remains, and the heartbreaking beauty where there are no hearts to break....I sometimes choose to think, no doubt perversely, that man is a dream, thought an illusion, and only rock is real. Rock and sun.”
― Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire: A Season in the Wilderness

gregg said...

what a beautiful portrait, nina. i love when stories have happy endings, or at least good outcomes for a stretch of time.

john said...

What a lovely painting Nina! beautiful plants, beautiful mountain, beautiful sky. I particularly like the hint of blue on the side of the mountain.

Hope you are ok there Nina, and that you're managing to negotiate the turbulent waters of these strange times. All the best to you.

chickory said...

really beautiful, Nina.