Pinecone

Light and pattern.

Small in scale.

Infinite too.

Nature just tosses these little miracles in your path, but it is up to us to notice them.

Strange Creature

This one amuses me.

It looks as though it could be taken for a walk.

Bigger Feet

I've gotta get more pine needles tomorrow so I can finish this one up. I enjoyed the feet in yesterday's so I thought it would be fun to do another.

Crumpled

I collected these pretty little Japanese maple seeds this weekend.


I didn't expect them to wrinkle up so much as they sat in my studio
I've gotten more since, and they are being dried pressed flat...
but what to do with all of these?


I decided that they wouldn't make a flat texture but they would make a more 3-d texture
I pierced a card so they can stand on end and show off their crumpled forms


the little stems make feet for it to walk on.

Roadside Finds

I spotted these the other day on my walk.
Today I went back with a container to gather them up, the guy mowing his lawn across the street was wondering what I was up to, I just waved and went about my business.
I like the little rosettes all lined up like this.

Random Texture

No time to go collecting tonight so I tried a little square of random bits of oak leaves*.

I had thought to press it into a flat mat at first but got kind of interested in its 3-D ness

shaggy and unkempt.

so it will stay as is...

I may have to try something more orderly next.

* (what? you DON'T have a shopping bag of dead leaves sitting around the house?)

Found in the Cracks

Been resisting these for awhile. I notice them on the ground as I walk gathering in the cracks of the pavement. I like the texture of them. The similarity/individuality they have.

So I broke down and gathered them up.

Arranged as if they were fish scales, rhythm imposed.

Looking close, the texture magnified and transparency is noticed.

Going Along

Tonight as I was stitching my thread snapped. I noticed that it left "messy bits" on the front of my stone rather than the back...
I paused before picking them out and thought about how I usually try to conceal the messy bits, hide them away on the back. I decided to highlight them instead.
They are interesting after all,
They speak to the process, exploration and misjudgements that go into even the smallest things we do.

Connecting

The Art of the Scritch

It was gorgeous out today so the majority of my day was spent gardening.

Tasks accomplished:

cleaned/trimmed edges, and weeded all beds, the biggest job.

Transplanted the "Josephs Coat" rose, probably sacrificed the early blossoms but I suspect if

it does well in its new spot I will see some late in the season.

Replaced all the cheapo solar "lights" that got smashed up during last winters snow shoveling. (Note to self just take em inside for the winter.)

Treated the two shrubs that were suffering from some sort of parasitic infection.

It looked like white fungus and seeemed to suck the very essence out of the leaves leaving little dried husks. I think its a bug. I saved them last year by squirting on a noxious chemical.

These two plants may just be too tender to keep. I will have to evaluate.

Planted 3 small pots of annuals for color. I don't do too well with annuals, they seem to want me to water them, that just doesn't happen very often. I am the mistress of benign neglect

Transplanted more chunks of moss phlox and coriopsis into empty spots in the beds and weeded out a decorative grass that has consistantly failed to thrive no matter where I put it in the gardens.

One of peonies has buds and some of the weglias are in bloom.

This year I may put in another bed at the very top of the driveway... I have entered the negotiation stage with Lar. He has veto power on all new beds. Sometimes it takes me years to wear him down and let me do what I want.

For the time being though I am letting everything grow and get strong. I have had so many years of transplanting and right now the gardens seem to be in pretty good shape.

I like many of the plant mixtures I have in the beds. Things seem to be doing better than last year. I will have to thin them as some of the plants mature but that will take awhile.

For now I observe, occasionally adjust, and enjoy.

When I was done outdoors I spent some time with the bird Elvis (named for Elvis Costello).

He is having a hell of a molt right now and just loves a good scritch

He seems to think my hands are birds. I curl up my fingers and he clucks at me and ducks his head down to invite me to groom his feathers.

Then he lets me scratch out all of the new feather sheathes. Before I had a bird I had no idea that feathers emerge in a hard shell. It breaks apart and the fluffy part is inside. Voila new feather. Its gotta be like growing fingernails all over your body

He really seems to like it. I think growing new feathers itches.

Still stitchin

Quiet Moment

This was a busy day. Some time sensitive projects at work, hosting a small gathering at my house, and all the usual demands made it hectic.
Not necessarily a bad thing.
All of it got done and I was left with a little time to work on a project at the end of the night.
There are still many things left undone but I think it is a good time to let that go and pick up the thread again tomorrow.

The Messy Bits

I was told before that the back of a piece should be as perfect as the front.

I never seem to achieve it, and I'm not completely sure that I buy that idea.

In drawing and painting classes there was a certain appreciation for being able to see the artist's search for the chosen mark or stroke to convey the form.

The back of most of my pieces seems to conceal a multitude false starts, errors and patches.

A bit of a mess.

Another trail I've left behind.

also I love this

Expanding the Rythym

Playing with varying the spacing of the beads on this one...

Stumbling

I'm not holding it as together as I would like lately. I keep staggering along in tiny incremental steps.
Maybe I should call them stepping stones.

Yellows for Mom

Mom's favorite color is yellow/orange so I took a few pictures thinking of her today...

Love ya Mom!

Fabulous Beast

Still feeling a disconnect from the artwork, just an inability to sustain the activity for long.

At the moment the care and feeding of my physical body is just a higher priority.

It ranges from the fundamental to the frivolous.

On the fundamental end:

I'm moving more, walking further and faster as well as increasing my yoga practice, and maintaining karate practice.

Trying to drop a few pounds by watching what I eat and making a few better choices

Beginning to develop a rudimentary meditation practice

On the frivolous end:

Buying new clothes and trying to present myself a little better on a day to day basis.

Getting massages as regularily as possible.

Giving myself pedicures.

I still struggle with the frivolous stuff, makes me feel as though I'm acting "spoiled"a personal hot button, however if I'm gonna get through the tougher stuff it helps to make some parts of this process pleasurable.

This evening I had the thought that doing all of this for myself is sort of like caring for an exotic pet. Something strange and rare that requires my care to survive and that if cared for lovingly might transform into something even more fabulous.

Just Listening

Not much to say.
Just listening to the sounds of the night as I work.
Outside my window there are frogs peeping, the wind rustling the new leaves, Canadian geese on the pond giving voice to their worries, and a tiny glissando of a windchime.
Inside I can hear the dog licking her paws (surprisingly loud) and the hockey game on the TV in the other room.
Time for a cup of tea and bed.

Small

small
so small
that even when the focus isn't anywhere to be found
I can still manage it

Trying a Different Angle

Timing

Last night the dog had trouble sleeping. It was hot and humid and she panted all night long. I wake up when she pants because that is how she lets one know that she is in discomfort or needs to go out. All in all it wasn't very restful and around 5:00 AM we all gave up and got up.

I found myself with extra time before I had to leave for work so I got to spend a little time with this piece and finally work out how to attach the beads.

It makes me think that I might do better working on projects first thing in the morning rather than in the evening. I did do that for awhile this past winter but it is difficult to do, I like to sleep. I think I have a talent for it!

Not working as well as I thought...

Used Up

Yoga, carpet cleaning, regular cleaning, errands, dog walking... my day got all used up!
I did manage a little work on this one though...