The Damsel

Jun22

The Damsel Fly

The little glint of blue left a faint glittering and sparkling trail as it darted over the clear water of the pool. I sat on a sun warmed rock watching, knowing what would happen shortly. It never failed and it never failed to delight me. It only lasted for a few minutes; they could not maintain it and I don’t know how they do it. Or even if they do. Could it be my imagination?  No one else has ever mentioned seeing it. There! Alighting on my outstretched palm; the Damsel, tiny, perfect, gowned in blue, smiling up at me.

 

This weeks Flash Friday I find kind of fun. I like to look at the bright side, it makes a tiny balance for the way most see this.

Quiet

Jun15

          I think I am linking to a site that posts a photo each week for you to match with a 100 word story of your own composing. I thought that sounded like fun. http://madisonwoods.wordpress.com/2012/06/13/photo-prompt-for-100-word-flash-fridayfictioneers-34/ I’m technically challenged so I don’t know if I’m doing this right but here my story  for this week.

                                                     Quiet

I was sure I saw a flicker of movement just there where the path disappears into the woods. It’s quiet, a distant bird song and the steady clicking of some courting insect is all the sound in the world.  Those two teen boys claimed to have seen Sasquatch here just two days ago. I don’t believe it but they said it left tracks in the mud near that stream about half mile into the woods. Just some boys wanting attention but I was sent  to get a picture so I’ll get a picture. Just wish is wasn’t so quiet.

Flash Friday

 

Is it June already!?

Jun14

How time flies… whether you’re having fun or not! Well, I guess I have been having a little fun. It’s getting the garden in time, doing all the chores that were neglected all winter. But I have been weaving, too. Have been inspired to try a couple new (to me) techniques on the looms. One is transparent weaving where you weave a net-like base and weave pictures with colored yarns in that base. On a “traditional” looms you weave it as you go. On the 12″ Quilt Weaver Square (what I am using) I make a large “weavie” and then weave in the picture. It has involved some interesting challenges but I think I am getting it. In some ways, doing it like this is  kind of like embroidery but yet it is still weaving.  This is destined to be a kitchen curtain. A valance, actually. The pictures come from my bread box and a couple wooden hamburger presses  that are only decorative pieces in my kitchen. I think they are 1950′ or maybe even ’40’s. Antique, vintage, or retro, take your pick! lol

The other project I have going is a colorway blanket, a rainbow affair. I’ll post photos of it once I get it a little further along. And I am working also on making up a booklet of pattern stitches. This is a more or less long term project and is going to challenge my photography skills. or lack of them, as well as my weaving skills, but I thought it might be of interest.

Real Strawberries

May26

Randy found these when he went to town. Locally grown in Happy Valley by the Vietnamese farmers who do this so well. There were vendors out a few weeks ago but they had the grown in Mexico supermarket berries, you know the kind- huge, hollow, half green, tasteless! Ugh. Only fell for that once. These are the real thing. The car smells heavenly by the time you get them home. They are smaller and red and juicy. Yummmm! So today is for strawberries and canning the chicken soup I made yesterday.

I am also weaving some new kitchen curtains. The last issue if HandWoven featured an article on Transparent weaving where you can work a picture/pattern into your weaving. I think that would be a great one for the valance at the kitchen window. I wanted to work in a hen and rooster but my first attempt was not up to my standards! lol Trying again!  If you’re on Ravelry, drop in on Looms To Go and  take a look at the curtain a member shared.  It’ll have you at your looms in no time! I hope to have something worthy to post shortly.

Meantime, I go to Medford this week to have my vision improved.  Doc says I have a cataract and he’s going to fix it. Sis just had hers done and seems to think it’s a big improvement. Hope so. Read the brochure with all the warnings and just about back out! lol So maybe when I get back my weaving will look better. Or worse! lol

Have a fun, sunny and safe memorial weekend!

Solar Eclipse

May21

We drove up to Slate Mountain to view the eclipse. Haven’t been out that way in years. Nothing much has changed except that the county has recently graded the road so it’s in pretty good shape and the trees are starting to crowd the road, making it nearly a tunnel in some places. Not dangerous so they don’t spend any money clearing them back.  It’s kind of pretty and reminds us of how soon our works would disappear if we did.

Back on subject! We had a great view of the eclipse and as we were front and center for it, we got to see the whole ‘ring of fire’ thing. Pretty neat. It got a little darker, kind of like a thickly cloudy day but forget the movie thing, you are not going to impress any natives with your magic. But we had a nice picnic and enjoyed getting out in the woods again. Don’t have the right kind of filters on our cameras so they refused to see it but have a couple of stunning sun pictures. The view from up there is great, too, in spite of the rather hazy air.

Looking back toward Bonanza King on the right and the little bump on the horizon to the left is Billy’s Peak, at the foot of which is our place. It’s not as far as it look in the photo, I’m guessing maybe 10 or 12 miles as the crow flies.

This one was taken by an internet friend in Arizona. The thick smoke from the forest fires they are suffering now acted as a filter for this eclipse. Is that looking on the bright side?! lol They were not in the right line to see the full ring but I found this effect very interesting.

So we’ve had two sky events this year already. I think that’s enough! No need for too much excitement from out of space for us. Our sky event today is the likelihood of thunder showers. I’d rather like to miss those, too. But I am making a couple of weaving videos for youtube so a bit of cloudiness is good for the lighting out on the deck. Get out your looms and weave with me!

 

 

Spring Trip

Apr23

We spent our 28th anniversary and his 60th birthday on the road. Had a great time, too. Visited Death Valley.

and Las Vegas along with many other places along the way. I have way toop many pictures to share here, tho.

We say Donnie and Marie and they were great. What energy they have for people who are no longer really young!

We walked The Strip by night, a year-round Marti Gras! But we also spent time in the desert, quiet, cool and peaceful for the most part. It started to get warm by the time we got home and the streams are up and running today with the temps in the 80’s!

This is Walker lake, the most colorful lake I ever remember seeing. We spent an afternoon and night here. You will swear this is a painting but it is not and i did not do anything to the photo, it is just as it really looked.

and here we are at Burney Falls on the way Home.

 

 

40 days & 40 nights…?

Mar29

Well, not yet.  But it’s been raining  or slushing for over a week with another week forecasted. The brighter side is that the snow level is around 4000′ which is putting down snow where it needs to be and melting it out of my yard! The daffie that had it’s shining little face pushed into the snowbank the other day is standing up brightly again out there in the rain. There’s some crocus and primroses, too, so spring is around the corner, as the saying goes.

Meanwhile, we’re using the time in the shop and on the looms. I have finished my HandWoven “Sleeveless” entries and just need to get some Natural Light to take photos. Not this week tho! lol

Hope you are seeing some springtime where you are!

Winter Beauty

Mar21

There is even beauty in the winter doldrums. This is my Port Orford cedar that we rescued from a mud slide years ago. It’s sibling didn’t survive but this one is now, I’m guessing, around 25′ tall. It has lovely lacy branches and when wet and foggy is even prettier. Next to it is the rhododendren, a little flattened by the winter snow load, but it’s perking up even now and will be blooming before we know it, big red bundles of flowers. So, forgive my sniveling. The world is still beautiful if we look for it.

The Doldrums…

Mar21

Yeah, it’s been awhile since I posted. Can’t think of anything to say these days. You don’t want to hear me whine about the weather… rain snow rain snow rain rain… you know how it goes this time of year. The sun occasionally comes out just to let us know it’s still there. I have some violets and primroses trying to add some cheer to the gloom.

But I have been working steadily in the shop and weaving a couple projects to enter into HandWoven’s contest for this year. I can’t show you those, tho. Not yet, but here’s a pic Randy took of me working at my new downdraft table. It’s done wonders for the atmosphere in the shop.

Jane Grogan will be teaching classes this summer using a 10″ square (see me sanding those looms) and also Quilting with Weaving using the Tiny Weaver set, both workshops at the Midwest Fiber and Folk Art Fair in June. She is a great teacher and talented weaver. If you are in the Wisconsin area do try to sign up for one of her classes. You won’t be sorry, tho if you wait much longer you may be too late!