Russian Gulch

About four miles north of Jenner is the Russian Gulch. It is at the bottom of a long steep ravine. Many people pass it by, not even aware that it is a State Beach with a restroom and parking area.

Although to get to the beach, one has to travel through about one-quarter of a mile of jungle brush until you reach a clearing, and there it is...  the great Pacific Ocean. The beach itself is only about one hundred yards in length from one end to the other.

There is one caveat. You then have to cross a creek to get to the actual beach. This means that you will probably have to roll up your pant legs and take off your shoes to get across. This can be tricky because there are a gazillion rocks covered with green slime, that can be quite slippery. 

The beach itself also has a billion flat, round rocks that are left on the shore if the tide hasn't taken them out. These are perfect for collecting and carrying back across the gulch in a canvas bag. The creek isn't necessarily there to cross if the weather has been dry for a long time ( which it has because of the draught ). However, all it takes is one good storm, and then a river forms which makes it near impossible to cross.

Also, if you have brought a picnic lunch, don't leave it unattended. Several seagulls have shocked many tourists to find their sandwiches and potato chips strewn across the shore. A huge boulder at the north end of the beach is a pretty good spot to throw down your backpacks. You can even climb up a few crags and find a spot to sit down to watch the waves roll up and crash against the shore. You may be surprised to not see another soul on the beach depending on the day of the week and the time of day.

Now that the cat is out of the bag, go and discover this place for yourself. It is the best place I know to gather a few rocks to take home and paint.

Valentine's Day 2022

 Maybe "Groundhog Day" should be given more prominence than Valentine's Day this year. After all, the news seems to be the same. The weather here also seems to be about the same ( at least here in California ... i.e. continued draught ) and the news protocol for the masses has been all about the Covid 19 pandemic. Enough about that. Let's talk painted rocks.

Personally, I do enjoy spending my time painting rocks for the upcoming Farmer's Market every weekend. I alternate my participation in both the Calistoga and the Sebastopol markets, but this is another story. The thing that has occupied my attention lately is the materials and processes discovered in making an appearance upgrade to the recent stones.

Aside from resin casting for a more permanent protective clear coat, I've incorporated the use of a one-step craquelure that gives the rocks a very spontaneous, antique look that makes for an intriguing finish. I still use a border of glow paint as is my usual signature style, but this process has me very interested in future projects. Below is the rock of the month which is a pendant I created through the use of an old watercolor that was shrunk and adhered to a pan base.

Christmas Day 2021

 Most everyone in this area is experiencing a wild weather pattern with lots of rain and snow. My brother in Chicagoland is enjoying a nice comfortable winter's day in the mid-fifty degrees. He plays Santa Claus every year to bring joy and sparkle to everyone in from markets to businesses, residences, and clubs. 

Yesterday at our local Farmer's Market, Santa did not make an appearance but there were still a lot of last-minute shoppers who appeared selecting a few gift rocks as stocking stuffers. A keychain blacklight was given along with any purchase that claimed to be glow-in-the-dark. Lately, it seems that some of the paint will not glow unless activated for some time. Thus the blacklight which will naturally make the colors "Pop". 

Also, it seems that some folks have had concerns about the materials used on the rocks sold. The glow in the dark paint is non-toxic and will glow only when activated for a short time by outer light. ( This paint does not contain Radium™ which was used on watch faces many years ago. ) That being said, Some colors used will still glow brighter when activated than others. This does not mean that they are any more volatile.

Recently, Using just a small dot of resin as a final coat on many of the rocks has proven beneficial. This protective coat will make the rocks practically indestructible and water-proof. The shine is fantastic and when completely hardened, the resin coat is safe... yet is not advisable to have near high heat or as a decoration in an aquarium. It is best to leave the rock in an unobtrusive setting away from young children. Small kids may tend to think of it as candy. Best for children above the age of seven. Below is this week's "Rock of the Week". It was decorated with a family crest known as a mon. This was a commissioned piece, but the preference was for a blue, rather than a green background.

What you see is what you get

     Most people are pretty clear about the phosphorescent glow and how it works. It is explained in a simple way about how, if you have one of those many "glow in the dark " items, they will be activated by an exterior light source and the sustaining glow will last pretty much in direct proportion to the amount of light that gets absorbed. The light source can be direct sunlight, a regular light bulb, or most effectively by a UV blacklight. 

    Below, a meditation rock was painted with phosphorescent paint and showcased under regular light (and) a UV blacklight to show how it appears on both sides after being activated. You may notice that the glow factor won't last that long... but at least will last long enough that you should still be able to find it without a usual light source available.

You will see it activated first under the UV blacklight. After this, the rock will be turned over and with the lights turned off you can see how much of the glow is sustained.

Large Round 3-D Rock

 This rock has a lot going for it. I started working with the idea of creating 3-D rocks a while back. I think that this is my favorite rock to date. A lot of time was spent on it to really get the desired effect. The surface remained with a matt finish because it was meant to be indoors and without a resin gloss finish which normally would be used to make it waterproof.

This is what it looks like in regular light

This is the same rock under a UV light

When first completed

It was tricky finding a rock this round and smooth. The minute it was spotted, it became apparent that this rock was being called to a higher purpose. Now if only it was possible to find rocks like this every day. Yea, right.

Where is the Rock of the Week?

Somewhere. except for the fact that this blog hasn't been updated in quite a while and it doesn't serve anyone to blab on about anything. What happened to the "Rock of the week?" Well, it's still around, but chances are that you've already seen it and it is just being posted again ( sheepish smile ). This blog was started to inspire you to be productive, resourceful, etc., etc. It still is these things except that we are just slowing down a bit.

Daily Meditation practice may have taken precedence, yet aren't you still grappling with that gnawing sense of time urgency? Again, no one can be all things to all people no matter how devoted they may be. The dishes have to get done.

 Your Spirit Rocks™😁😁😁😁 initially was to be a meditation device to help those who had used one to focus on something physical, tangible, and weighty. Truthfully, most of the time they are just hanging around on windowsills or nightstands looking pretty. Occasionally, they are picked up, dusted, and wiped clean. They are not, however, PET ROCKS! Those rocks can only be described as space fillers to be tossed back into the sea. 

Your Spirit Rocks™ will serve you in pursuit of furthering your creative expression, and a device to help you focus on achieving a goal. Go make yourself one or get one from me at the Calistoga Farmer's Market. Use your brain!

Ladies and Gentlemen...

 " It's Brick Jagged and the Glowing Stones! "  I'm always trying to find clever and humorous ways of presenting my gift rocks.

     As it stands now, I like to think of these items as " Spirit Rocks ". Initially, they were meant to be used as meditation objects and can still be used in that fashion. The ornamental style appears mandala-like and is pleasant to observe when being used to focus during meditation (note the smaller rock on top.) Otherwise, I have many novelty rocks and memorial rocks that are designed for different purposes. My collection has spanned over ten years and continues to grow. Just like McDonald's™ Burgers used to advertise "Over a million sold ". The same can be said for Your Spirit Rocks!™ The glow in the dark feature is and has been the very reason they are called Spirit Rocks. Although they sometimes can be associated with a Meditation center in Fairfax, CA. they are not. The comparison is merely incidental. If anything, the name complements the fine work that is done there.

    People sometimes ask me where I get my inspiration. This question takes me back to the journey taken in my quest to find a perfect method of expression and a suitable medium used to express it. First of all, the painting comes to mind because of my training at an Art College. The rocks (as my canvas ) came after skipping them along a beach in Northern California. Smooth, Flat, and Round stones are what I have chosen to make into collectibles and other items of interest. Lastly, they became "Spirit Rocks". The making of these talismans is what has proven to be a quest and practice worth pursuing. Many fine artists have arrived at the idea that Beauty is a quality that transcends the physical object. I find this to be true for each design that emerges.

Falling Forward

 So, rather than Falling Back, let's Spring Forward since it is almost Fall. My oh my, what day is it, anyway? The summer heat hasn't waned yet, and probably won't until November. However, the sky is sorta blue today, so everything is apparently okay, right?  The boogie is still in a mess as my friend Eric used to say, so there are still lifeboats available on the Titanic. Keeping a positive attitude will always render good results. This will always happen in God's time, not ours. Yesterday, I received an email from a deacon at the church I attend that reads: 

A while back I read a story of a visiting pastor who attended a men's breakfast in the middle of a rural farming area of the country.  The group had asked an older farmer, decked out in bib overalls, to say grace for the morning breakfast.

 

"Lord, I hate buttermilk", the farmer began. The visiting pastor opened one eye to glance at the farmer and wonder where this was going.  The farmer loudly proclaimed, "Lord, I hate lard.  " Now the pastor was growing concerned.  Without missing a beat, the farmer continued, "And Lord, you know I don't much care for raw white flour".  The pastor once again opened an eye to glance around the room and saw that he wasn't the only one to feel uncomfortable.  Then the farmer added, "But Lord when you mix them all together and bake them, I do love warm fresh biscuits.  So Lord, when things come up that we don't like, when life gets hard when we don't understand what you're saying to us, help us to just relax and wait until you are done mixing.  It will probably be even better than biscuits Amen."

 

Within that prayer, there is great wisdom for all when it comes to complicated situations like we are experiencing in the world today.  Stay strong, my friends, because our LORD is mixing several things that we don't really care for, but something even better is going to come when HE is done with it. AMEN!

It's easy to default to catastrophe, but it is best to remember that "panic is the nature of the beast".It is always best to pause and breathe before reacting in a way that we may regret.

Your Spirit Rocks™ supports your well-being and good nature by reminding you that:

The light within is producing perfect results in every phase of my life now.

Everything I need is now coming to me easily and effortlessly.

This or something better is now manifesting for me in my life in totally satisfying and harmonious ways for the highest good of all concerned.

So be it, so it is.

Applying puff paint

 This is about what is necessary to indulge in rock painting using what is called puff paint. First of all, it can be said that "Painting" with puff paint ( Tulip Glow™, Slick™ Scribbles™, or Glominex™) is more like trying to control the flow and application of products like Elmer's™ glue. It will dry quickly and smear easily. Naturally, when squeezing the product through a nozzle, one must take into consideration that the nozzle will clog and has to be cleared constantly. This is done by using either a paper clip, plastic toothpick, or sewing needle.

The next thing to consider is how to hold and squeeze the container. Squeeze bottles, no matter how large or small must be treated gingerly. Press with the thumb and forefinger like you were gently pinching a cotton ball. If the paint blobs out onto your rock, you may have squeezed it too hard. If it spits out a small blob, you may have hit an air bubble. ALWAYS tap the bottle upside down on a hard surface before starting the process.

Now if you accidentally bump your hand or anything else against the paint, use a q-tip to remove the excess paint you left on the rock by "slowly rolling the tip" over the area you want to remove. This will make it easier to reapply the dot or line you want to put down. Admittedly, the lower the amount of paint left in the bottle will dictate the effectiveness of even your best skills at applying lines and dots to your finished piece. Remember to always keep the nozzle clean with a needle, and keep the paint tamped down towards the opening of the bottle. The final product ( your rock ) will look so cool with texture, color, and glow-in-the-dark features. Good luck and stay with it!