Goodbye November

Welcome dear viewers. Thank you for dropping in.

Last night as I prepared for bed, I took a peek outside and took a rare flash photo of the scene out front: the pretty snow falling. There are still a few of the old warm light streetlights around but we've got one of the cold new ones, halogen I'm guessing. You can guess what I'd prefer. Ah well- progress.

By morning, the rain was doing a good job at melting the snow away, but even a little bit of snow is a welcome sight, layering the landscape with freshness.

You can still see some of our kale in the foreground, still surprisingly tender.

Yesterday I went a little bit nuts coffee staining papers, 2 at a time in a 350F oven. The smell of roasting coffee was intoxicating.

I still have very little control over what happens. Coffee grounds, for instance, don't leave a mark.

But look what happened to this ledger paper when I faced it down on the baking paper that I lined the lasagna dishes with!

These are very thin paper doilies from the dollar store that I found even cheaper

at a second hand store. I put only a thin wash of coffee on them.

Muji slept throughout this photo shoot.

I don't know if you've noticed how rarely Babu has been making it into my posts these days.

That's because my little guy is almost always on the move - when he's awake.

He is a sweet and loving cat and wants cuddles and playtime

And here's what came of that doodle I showed you last time.

Little Miss Dolly.

the second week of november

At 6:22 a.m. EST on Monday, the moon will be at its closest orbital approach to Earth by about 30,000 miles than it will for another 18 years. Tonight's our best chance to see a supermoon for a long time. Good luck with cloud cover!

Last week I wandered out into the garden a few days after Wally cleaned up the old tomatoes and cucumbers, leaving this bit of stalky broccoli and kale.

Even though the Broccoli has gone to flower, we still use it in our juicing.

Suddenly some ducks flew by heading Southwest.

The hydrangea take on their fall wardrobe

The Lavender still blooming

a few days later we had a morning vistor

Then two

a blurry flutter into the little apple tree

for a bit of a perch

the other on the ground

turning a corner

cocking its head

pecking for grubs

and a final pose

later in the day, the long afternoon shadows with a bit of golden colour left

Wally managed to scrape together a 4 day long weekend around the provincial holiday of Remembrance Day and began by culling the last of our multi-coloured carrots. Muji did inspection.

Poor Muji had a rough week with alkaline crystals in his urine after a one and half year reprieve.

I blame myself for allowing him access to the Dracaena plant we brought in as well as an overzealous dosing for a week of cilantro based on Babu's symptoms. Sheesh! This kitty just can't do greens. I'm sorry I made a guinea pig of him in my assumption that if one cat has something, the other does. Big mistake. But Muji is back on track, and so is Babu for that matter. Thankfully. We live and learn.

Remembrance Day brought a storm front in from the west

But as ominous as it looked, we only had a brief shower

Muji gives a high five

and finally, an embroidered patch in pinks and pale blues

I was on a roll through September and October.  November has had other distractions including colds for both Wally and me. Hopefully I'll get back on track soon as my head is bubbling with ideas.

peace on earth

1+1=love

A happy first day of December.  I woke to our second day of snow, it being our second round as the snow of 2 weeks ago has since melted.  This one may go too if the forecast of rain has anything to do with it.



An early morning shot casts a pink glow over the new snow.

Doesn't the tool shed look  quaint and romantic in this winter wonderland.

I'm pleased to show you this latest effort with photo transfer and embroidery on the chocolately wool felt I made from a jacket that was meant to be used for a teddy bear- still to come...  It's so rare to find such a charming  photo to use,  the baby so intense,  and the little pig, too,  with tail held high.  You can find this piece that I've title  "1+1=love"  in my shop this evening.

The weekend is soon upon us and December will fly by I know.  After my first internet sale last week(thanks to you-know-who-you-are),  I am feeling more optimistic and eager to dive into new ideas. I hope to have something to show you next week.  In the meantime, thank you to Lorraine Young Pottery for coming on board as my latest "follower".

Til next time, I wish you a peace in your heart that spreads out to the whole world.









X O X an ornamental tag

A wonderful Monday morning to you as it is here.  The sun is shining, for which I'm so grateful as I've been housebound for the last week -  and through the weekend -  putting finishing touches on the re-opening of my etsy shop.   It is exciting to go public again as I've gained so many of my followers through etsy.  Welcome to new follower Lori !  I'm always thrilled by this medium and the way one can connect with people from all over the world.  I suppose those of you who visit here are already well-steeped in the miraculousness of cyberspace, but for me it's almost as wild as ESP that I should be able to share my thoughts and pictures with you, and find you, in turn.

Today I put the finishing touches on this ornamental tag that I have put into my shop.

The photo transferred with some irregularities, which I feel added to the piece;  perfectly imperfect.

let us all go through the day with compassion and forgiveness for we are all

perfectly imperfect

Song of the East

We are into it now- the richness of summer. The leaves on the trees are lush, the blossoms have fallen from the blackberry and raspberry bushes as their green hulls incubate their berry goodness.  Our cultivated flowers are sparse having made lovely appetizers for our deer visitors, but the wildflowers abound.

I have returned to an earlier piece you can see  below in my June 20th post entitled On the Edge of Solstice in its beginning stage, and have pronounced it finished!   It is a piece that makes me infinitely happier than my last attempt, and so it has gone directly into my etsy shop to which I invite you for a more detailed account and closer detail shots.

Song of the East

I can hear thunder rumbling in the distance even though it is sunny and warm here.

I will leave you with my wish for joy in your heart and peace in your thoughts.

on the edge of the solstice

The last few nights have been so bright, without a cloud in the sky.  The moon is waning gibbous meaning it is growing smaller, but because of the tilt of the earth it still appears quite large.

One really feels this longest day/shortest night of the year.  The Solstice literally means the sun stands still. This is the turning point when  the days begin to shorten again and the nights to lengthen, in the northern hemisphere that is.  In the southern hemisphere, of course, it is the opposite.

Traditionally, the waning moon can be used for banishing and rejecting those things that influence us in a negative way.  Negative emotions, diseases, ailments, and bad habits can all be let go. Today the moon is in Aquarius which means we tend to take refuge in thoughts or a philosophy of an ideal world...

detail of  Queen of Hearts mixed media

Now please don't be shy.  Today until midnight your time is the last chance to leave your comment and automaticly be entered to win this mixed media piece that you can see in its entirety on my May 3lst post  (2 posts down)  as a celebratory gift in honour of my first anniversary blogging.   I love to hear from my viewers anyway, but please make the most of this opportunity and give us both a thrill!

 

I continue to work on my latest piece allowing it to evolve intuitively.

I have no title for it yet as the story is still unfolding but I think it is taking on an Oriental feeling in the old sense of the word which is anything east of Constantinople ie. India, Turkey, even Russia.



Working these little stitches is such a joy for me.

With thoughts of an ideal world, I wish you peace.