Pu'u O Hoku Ranch Animals, Molokai

          Last month I visited Pu’u O Hoku Ranch to photograph animals. After bumping down a dirt road toward the ocean we stopped in a wide field. Slowly a hundred cows, their calves and a giant bull ambled over, stood in a circle and stared at us. Herds of herbivores have a calming effect on the soul. I swear an hour in a pasture is therapeutic. Granted it could be a throwback to caveman DNA, which would make it the modern equivalent of perusing a well-stocked grocery store. Lacking a spear I took several hundred pictures. The cows and calves were healthy and content. I’ve painted cows before, but I keep going back to pictures I’ve taken at this ranch because the animals seem to be having a better time. I don’t know if they care about the view, but it was stunning. I wished I could stay longer, like forever, since it is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Niue is too, but it’s a little harder to get there.

     Pu’u O Hoku Ranch has charming guest houses and so much more. If you have ever had the desire to visit Molokai check it out. It is a beautiful, peaceful place to stay, hike, swim or my favorite, stand around with cows.  

                                            puuohoku.com  

 

ocean front pasture

one lucky bull with offspring and harem

flirty cow

Mommy

the girls,  talkin' about it

no one would believe it if I painted this one

the sweetest cow ever

perfection

chickens crossing the road

boss rooster

           

hen house

Paintings (so far)

Phil Glashoff's Sculpture Ranch Party

      Phillip Glashoff hosted several thousand art lovers over the weekend at his California ranch, although if I were the event photographer my efforts to capture it would be unpardonable. Phillip along with his son, daughter and a select group of artists displayed their work at the Glashoff Sculpture Ranch invitational VIP party, a special event for enthusiastic art lovers. While editing my photos it became painfully clear that I missed the point. There isn't one shot of the smoking BBQ's with lines of people snaking through the sculptures or the live music with people dancing or the clusters of fabulous art booths (my sister's included!). I didn't even take pictures of friends who I was thrilled to see. Instead I took several hundred pictures of cows and a zebra. I must have waited for people to get out of the way so it would look like I was the sole survivor on the planet. Lost in a few backgrounds are an occasional fuzzy art patron or people that happened to be near a cow, but in no way did I capture the Glashoff's following or their all day line at the sales table or the light-hearted fun. Scottish Highland cows and bulls complimented the monumental sculpture. 
For more information check the web site at;  http://www.phillipglashoff.com/     

this cow means business

lonely road of sculptures with the party raging in the background

the elements of composition

slightly less permanent sculpture

artist's orchard

the zebra is super animated compared to the cows

it's also kind of a jerk and not very bright to be chasing a baby around in front of a mother with horns

inner city cow

apparently chain saw bears don't thrive in captivity

wind vane

cows appreciating art for its full shade producing value

baby Scottish Highland cow under Mom's tail

cow, cross bred with a teddy bear

the zebra with braying best friend

sporting the finest horns in any field

this could be a California art text book cover

Phil's palette

some of the few people I managed to capture

donkey photo bombing the zebra

close up of a person

 hoards of people are having fun around here, honest!

and here

the cows are pets, the sculpture is for sale

 The event continued on Sunday. Since Mernie was returning to sell her paintings I asked her to take pictures with the people I somehow managed to avoid. I swear, introverts should not be trusted to photograph parties. Thanks for inviting me and for the following photos:    

 

My sister's work (BTW congratulations for doing so well!)

                     Phil Glashoff            Mernie Buchanan