Gratitude

Every morning when I toddle off to the kitchen to refill the cup my husband places at my bedside (yes, I'm spoiled, I know) as he leaves for work, I open the living room blinds to reveal what face the bay is wearing today. Today the water was ruffled and the trees at the park were waving their branches. Something about the changing weather fascinates me...


We've had a run of warm, sunny days lately, something we don't take for granted here. I admit, I do love these August summer days before the leaves begin to change. The garden bordering my deck has flourished, offering lettuce, tomatoes and the occasional strawberry for the persistent seeker.
The sunflowers planted by the birds have done well this year and Rocky hopes I remember to refill the feeders for his daily amusement. He has seen a variety of unsual visitors on the deck rail this year among the songbirds: a couple of crows, a pigeon or two and the odd seagull who dwarfed him into stillness...
Once the coffee does it's job and my journal meditation is finished, I settle at the bright red drawing table, a long ago gift from my friend, Theresa, and begin the day's adventures in art. Life is good.

Thank you for stopping by today. May you find a bit of gratitude floating through your day's meander.

A Sweet Wander

Yesterday's afternoon wander to get a coffee and do a little sketching at the park was side-tracked by the tantalizingly plump blackberries growing wild everywhere. Sweetly messy, but the clean up is fun...Beautiful, bountiful Bellingham blackberries...
These hardy plants thorns must be respected and the plants are virtually unconquerable, though the battle to deter them continues most of the year. But where else on earth can one harvest and savor the juicy fruit of noxious weeds?Yummy. Think I'll get a few more for the freezer today.

Sea Treasures

Tuesday's lowest tide of the month revealed many normally hidden surprises for me on my morning ramble. Collecting beach glass was the plan ( I did pick up a pile of it), however I happened upon other treasures along the way. Patterns etched into the sand by the retreating water sparkled...
Sea stars glistened, snuggling at the water's edge. purples and the occasional salmon pink...
Turning one over, I got my first glimpse of the wriggling, pasta-like "suction tubes" avidly seeking something to cling to. These incredibly delicate feelers adhere the stars to other rock-hard surfaces with an unbreakable tenacity.
Farther along, I came upon another kind of creation echoing the blue of the Bellingham sky.
And a couple of lost soles...




Sunburned, but soul-soothed, I hauled my backpack stuffed with beach glass up the hill toward home, grateful for another summer ramble.

Visit the Library

Did you know you could get music at the library? I picked up ten (yep, 10) moviesoundtrack cd's as well as some vintage Leo Kottke and Susan Tedeschi. Score. Also got a number of classic books on cd. Figured I could occupy the left brain while the right brain does its (her?) thing

Geometic & Organic Revisited

Here is another example...

Organic & Geometric

Sometimes my class assignments are a pleasure. For example, this week's photo assignment, Organic & Geometric, is one of those that makes me go "Ah-h-h-h..."

You Never Know...

Last summer Ed took me on a day trip that changed our life. Since he had recently installed me, my art paraphernalia, books and projects in the little-used dining area, we planned to collect ideas for my "studio" from the Whidbey Island Working Artist Studio Tour. Whidbey Island Studio Tour '09


Our first stop was a studio on Technical Drive just off Goldie in Oak Harbor where 4 artists were displaying fiber and paper creations the likes of which I had previously only seen in books and magazines. Hand-dyed textile were machine-stitched over a 4 ft. medieval gargoyle to replicate stone, a 10 ft. silk gazebo filled another corner, and a leather-looking book created from grocery bags delighted and inspired me. Ed left me drooling and exclaiming after 30 minutes to "plan out the rest of our route." Half an hour later he returned to find me discussing color in hushed tones.

After an hour and a half, my patient husband dragged me out of what I'd discovered was the Gail Harker Creative Studies Center www.gailcreativestudies.com/ offering a variety of art and textile design classes as well as Certificate Programs in Color & Design, Hand Embroidery and Machine Embroidery. Although we continued through numerous studios hat day, my heart was back at the Gail's.

I am currently at the half-way mark of a 2 year certificate program - Level 3 Studies in Art & Design. My days are made up of drawing, painting, dyeing and gallery visits to stretch my ability to see. You truly never know when a single day can change your life... for the better.