An Invitation:

How can we show enough appreciation to volunteers?
Yesterday Buzz and Madonna came into town. Between the newsletter organization from Madonna, Buzz and Roger carrying huge tables out to the porch and boxes to storage this place is starting to really hop! Roy put up the picket fence and more, Don donated a tarp for the tent. You are angels. Thank you.
The opinion poll says we are on the right track with our re-organization of the shop. A larger area has been given to making artwork right in the middle of the first gallery room (have you been there yet?). Our window dressing will be oriented towards display of large artwork visible to passersby. This is an invitation for YOU to come on in and enjoy the view!
More classes and nature club activites will be held at HQ. Gearing up for September takes a good solid month and change in days.
The newsletter is almost ready to send out (soon) and articles for the next issue are being written. This is progress.
Thank you all, love,
Chela

Poetry in Motion

Here's a letter from one of our members. Notice the language shift and pitch the voice as the blog moves along. As impassioned supporters of our Wild Mustangs, we find the recent ruling makes it more difficult for outrage to be heard in the White House. I asked for a few enlightening paragraphs written on the wild horse cause..."with no blood or guts". This is the best effort received. Can you imagine what would have been written if I hadn't asked? Next time the gloves come off.
-Chela

Dear President Obama,

I first want to say I know you have a lot on your plate, but this must be said and now. I can’t sleep worrying and thinking about the plight of OUR WILD MUSTANGS! Beats me with all the Protesters we can't stop this mess!

My anger about the mismanagement of Mr. Salazar and the BLM, taking our Mustangs from their home where they were perfectly happy and healthy, to have the Crap scared out of them to the point of miscarriages and death, the poor little foals having to be put to death. Taken from the wild and crammed into corrals with no protection from the elements to end up getting sick with this Pigeon Fever. This is Bull. One Veterinarian to care for thousands of horses. What the HELL is going on. This is a massacre that people are getting a pay check to administer. With TAX PAYERS MONEY! Put them back and stop this MASSACRE of our horses NOW, only you can do this. I have faith you have a heart, I voted for you, I believe in you.

I could go on, but you are a busy man with much on your plate so PLEASE help our wildlife and save tax payers money. This is all about wildlife getting in the way of Cattle Ranchers and Sheep Herders and nothing more, my personal opinion This sounds like the BLM and or Salazar are getting kick backs . . .money in the pocket.

One more thing; I want a law against FENCING WATER FROM THE HORSES ON PUBLIC LANDS!!!

THANK YOU FOR READING MY LETTER NOW PLEASE DO SOMETHING!

J.Snyder

FUEL!
Check out this trailer on the new Sundance Films winner!

http://www.youtube.com/thefuelfilm

First there was "An Inconvenient Truth"
now there's a solution. I like it!

Can it work? Yes. It can work if we do it. How do I do it? Let me get back to you or you can get back to us... I'm going to go ask Roy.

Love,
Chela

Mountain Lions need our help...

Here's a good link to Joette Snyders blog. She'll tell you all about the people trying to help our Wild Cats. Here is one of here latest works entitled: Watching

http://drawing-wild-things.joettesgallery.com/drawing/

It's amazing to think of these huge cats roaming the countryside. When you get over the fear and realize that WE are at the top of the food chain they are all the more awesome. Am I crazy? I wouldn't seek them out, but I have seen an adult cross the river in front of our ranch, and one time I had a rare siting of a youngster as it left its investigation of our home... and last winter the biggest paw prints were seen crossing our empty pasture... thankfully the horses were in the barn.
I suspect it's common for the horses to see the big cats as our cluster of old Pinion Pines had one hanging out among its limbs when we first moved in. They live here too, I guess. And here I thought it was only bobcats and coyotes and bunnies... lots and lots of bunnies. They are the featured attraction on the wildlife menu. We raise'em here.

If you want to see a youngster (rare) and watch it grow up... and help out the people raising it you can go to the California Living Museum outside of Bakersfield CA where they just received an abandoned cub named Willow. She is gorgeous... I'm painting her portrait for you!

love,
Chela

Time passes so quickly...

Here's the Lockwood Gorge watercolor.... created in spring of 2010

Mt.Pinos Native Plant Garden

http://www.turnto23.com/video/21716755/index.html



this is what became of today November 24th, 2009!!!
-Welcome, I am Michelle Nosco, Founder and Director of ARTS FOR EARTH FOUNDATION.
With the International Climate Summit starting soon in Copenhagen we are inviting the public to join in and make a difference in our local quality of life. FAMILIES and INDIVIDUALS are invited to PARTNER with Arts For Earth and the Forest Service to build: Mike Fosters Native Plants Garden and Amphitheatre right here. This is one solid way we can make a good, positive impact on our quality of life.
This FUN education center is called the FOSTER BOTANICAL CENTER. But we lovingly call it Mike Fosters Garden.
-This Native Plants Garden is a memorial to MIKE FOSTER, the FOREST BOTANIST who LOVED and studied the unique NATIVE PLANTS growing here from 5 surrounding eco-regions,
-The Mike Foster Botanical Center will be a GATEWAY to Forest Life and recreation in the Mt.PINOS District of the Los Padres National Forest.
-Come here first to plan your visit to the forest.
-Volunteers and Donations to ARTS FOR EARTH.org for the Foster Botanical Center will create:
1. a native plants garden : with
a. wheel chair accessible trail and
b. An able bodied hiking trail that links to hundreds of miles of hiking, equine and Off Road trails.
2. Forest Interpretive Center ART GALLERY
3. an outdoor amphitheatre with concerts, workshops and lectures on forest life.
4. Located in Lockwood Valley at the Mt.Pinos Ranger headquarters of the Los Padres National Forest
5. Sections of Garden will display native plants that are UNIQUELY ADAPTED to growing here in the mountains. Some of these plants are normally found in:
a. Mojave Desert b. Sierra Nevada Mountains
b. C. Central Valley d. Central and e. South Coast
Mike Foster’s LEGACY is his love of our unique FOREST PLANTS and ANIMALS.
Arts For Earth Foundation is bringing together many partners in the mountain community and surrounding areas, to continue Mike Fosters legacy ,
Including the National Forest Association-Los Padres, Los Padres Bear Aware, Tejon Tribe, Bakersfield Tribe, Chumash Tribe, California Native Plant Society, EarthSkills, Condor Group of Sierra Club, the Tejon Ranch
-Come to Mike Fosters Botanical Center first to plan your visit to the forest.
-Volunteer with Arts For Earth, Learn to grow native plants,
meet every 2nd Sunday of the month, 2pm in Forest Ranger Station. See artsforearth.org or call 661-245-1523
To Donate much needed funds and for more information see www.ArtsForEarth.org

-Visit our Arts For Earth Nature Center Gift and Art Gallery:
3408 Mt.Pinos Way in FP to buy maps, t-shirts, books, gifts, art gallery show.
Come See Paintings of Area Landscapes, Plants, and Animals
-Proceeds help fund Foster Botanical Center.
-We offer the arts of mountain animals, plants, landscapes. First Show includes work by:
Abbe Gore, David Beigle, Susan Ssjoberg, Phyllis Oliver, Alan Holland and Michelle Nosco
-We offer Forest Talks and Walks by Docents, Forest Service Rangers, EarthSkills, California Native Plant Society, Sierra Club and Audubon Society.
-Our Forest Service Junior Ranger program starting in the new year will include programs with various Nature Groups .. such as : CA Native Plants, Sierra Club, Audubon Society and EarthSkills and Arts For Earth.
-Grand Opening Dec.5th Holiday Festival

-After our Grand Opening on Saturday December 5th, We are open Wednesday – Sunday 11-5pm.
-Arts For Earth Foundation is in partnership with the Forest Service. We design interpretive displays with paintings, sculptures and photographs of life in these mountains.

Los Padres National Forest

Los Padres National Forest