Another Sculpting Project

This is a little project that I did as a surprise gift for a friend. It is meant to be a likeness of her TWH stallion, Pushin The Mile aka Do-Man.

Molly Dog

Our neighbors adopted Molly from a shelter but as often as she could, Molly would come and visit me. She often helped me do chores and I would take her back home before I went back in the house. Our neighbors loved Molly and had good intentions but she was indoors all day while they were at work. Their other dogs handled this fine but Molly didn't. They were unable to keep her in a crate and she did a lot of damage while loose in their house.

One Sunday afternoon in June, I got a tearful phone call from the neighbor's daughter. Molly and their Staffie, Rupert, had gotten in a fight over a toy. Rupert got the worst of it and was in surgery. Molly was scheduled to be put to sleep. They didn't want to but didn't feel like they had any choice. Would I take Molly?

After work I walked over to their house to get Molly. She was hiding under the dining room table where she'd been ever since the incident. She came right to me and I took her home.

I started taking Molly for runs with the ATV. First just a mile, then two and she just kept going. We have BLM land a couple of miles behind our house and eventually I  let her run off leash ahead of the ATV there. Molly ran and ran some more. I think there was a smile on her face the whole time. We bought a Yamaha Rhino so we could all go out together. Once she was in shape, Molly ran  20 - 40 miles a week - her choice of speed and distance. This was consistent for a year and a half. Needless to say, she's buff.

An unusually snowy, icy, cold winter this year has made it hard to get Molly out consistently for her runs but she's been ok with it. She lays on the couch and watches a lot of Animal Planet. She helps me do chores and races up and down the stacks of hay and straw bales. She looks for mice and barks at the birds in the barn.

We think Molly's the perfect dog and don't know what we would do without her now. She's good with the horses and made friends with the donkey. She likes the mini horse because she can lick her nose. She's a wonderful trail dog when I ride. She's polite when  neighborhood dogs come in our yard and when she meets strange dogs on the trail. And she loves visitors - especially if they leave their car/truck door open and she can get in and snoop around. And of course, she does a great job of taking up most of the bed at night!

Funny how the perfect dog finds you when you're not looking and don't even think you need a dog. 

Angel's Gift

One evening in November, I picked up a piece of
modeling clay that I'd had laying around forever and
started playing with it. About 2 AM I set it down and
took a picture and sent to some friends. I was amazed - I had sculpted a horse head!

I received a lot of positive feedback from my friends. Modeling clay of course never hardens so someone suggested I pick up some Sculpey which can be baked to harden it when you are done working with it. Sculpey - isnt' that the stuff used to make cutesy ornaments? I googled Sculpey and sculpting, etc and decided to give it a try. So I picked up some Super Sculpey at Hobby Lobby and went to work - this time with a real horse in mind.

Creating a likeness of a real horse was much harder than creating just a pretty horse but I enjoyed the process and it consumed me. I would lose track of time and there were a few 2 AM bedtimes. Here are pics of my first finished sculpture and my lovely model.

 

 

I think this is Angel's gift to me - at age 43,  discovering a talent for sculpting that I never knew I had.

Angel Of Sundust

When I am an old mare, I shall have a person of my own. I will train her up right with soft nickers and nuzzles.

I will go into the barn and choose only the choicest hay. I will nibble leaves off of trees and eat grass in the yard while the other horses stare in envy.

My best friend will be a donkey with long ears. I will pretend to boss her around but will let her sneak a mouthful of my grain. I will turn up my nose at meals specially prepared for me and instead steal the pony's supper.

I will race through the gate and wander around the yard. Some days I will pretend to run away and then gallop back up the driveway with my tail over my back. Just to show that I still have a mind of my own.

I will take naps in the sun and wear a purple blanket when it is cold. 

And most of all, I will enjoy every moment of every day.

Angel Of Sundust

7/22/1981 - 10/22/2009

Godspeed sweet girl. I will miss you so much.