Peter Beard/Isak Dinesen/Ernest Hemingway/What do they have in common?

I have the book that Peter Beard did of his daily art journal. It is amazing.

If you have the chance take a look at it. I have had this for years and years

I am sure it is no longer in print.

This link will show some of his graphic work journals and photography

He was a  friend to Isak Dinesen. That in itself is interesting.

Hemingway wrote about Mt. Kilimanjaro. of course.

His widow was with Peter Beard at the opening of a photography show.

I love Isak Dinesen. She was a true heroin living her life in Kenya.

I am such a romantic. Of course I am, it is my Danish blood.

Below you will see another volcano that is iconic for me.

Mt. Kilimanjaro and Peter Beard being interviewed.

Mt Kilimanjaro

wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Kilimanjaro_3D.gif

Video of  a conversation with Robert Vavra and his book Inside Africa. 

In this gorgeous book are stories and photographs

of these artists and many more.

On The Table

Hand embroidery is on the table for the weekend.

I hope you have a blessed day!

It is rainy here. But so so fall and beautiful.

It Is All About Light

Really and truly, this is a true story. . .

And a very short story. . .

I saw this.

I did.

The End

Rough Draft

You know, I have been thinking about how to tell a story about an event with just the available knowledge at hand. Let us suppose that when you tell a story you conceive it  with no knowledge at all. Then, you proceed as you please. What if you wrote it on, let's say a clay tablet? You can only tell what you have seen or heard with your own eyes or ears. Unless, of course, you might be like me, you just make it all up from your imagination.
So then, like me, you just forget about it and go on to something else. In the meantime, someone  finds your story on a clay tablet and just tosses it in the trash bin, that gets dumped into the garbage truck (that is if you have garbage service, which we do not have living on top of a mountain in the wilderness)
OK, so at the dump it gets dumped.
Some sort of natural disaster happens and everyone moves to another place like the Anasazi did, perhaps?
So left in this dump is the clay tablet.
Many many years go by maybe hundreds of years go by and everything except Twinkies, Plastic Coke bottles, and Ceramic vessels disintegrate back into the land,  and not your clay tablet.
You said that a terrible thing happened.
The scientists in the future go to the ice caps of the polar regions and take ice cores back to the laboratories and discover that what you said was not true.
So then, a writer writes a story about whether or not your story actually happened.
The End

Maps and Weathervanes

Sometimes I know not from where the wind blows?

Stories torn/cut to pieces

follow wherever I lead.

These were really stupid stories.

They are still stupid stories.

I am thinking about scratching my photographs with an exacto knife

Playing on the pages.

Wow Talk about trouble

Finally, I got it to work, the new SketchBook Page.

Starting today I will post the pages not on this home page but on the SKETCHBOOK PAGE at the top of this page. Just click on it.

Also, if you click on the pictures you can see a larger view.

There are thousands of people involved in the project. It might even be coming to your city. I have the link to it on the Sketchbook Page just in case you are interested in joining in. This is through The Art House Coop in Brooklyn, NY

Sketchbook project

This morning I am working on the sketchbook.

I will start posting on the new page tomorrow.

Magnolia Triangular Over the Shoulder Cowl

Remember a few months ago I did the Magnolia Squiggle Shawl?
Well, that time I used Kid Silk Haze and Magnolia Art Yarn.
I have done a new design using the simple form of the triangle, again.
This time I used the new Merino/Silk fine yarn dyed to the same colorway
as this art yarn instead of kid silk haze and I love it.
This is a very simple thing to do.
I used size 13 circular needles and the Debby New squiggle technique, again.
It is a denser triangle, this time.
I started out with casting on three stitches
and added a stitch right after the first and another
 just before the last stitch on each purl row going back with the silk/merino yarn.
Then I pick up the art yarn and knit a row then purl a row then drop this yarn
to pick up the merino and silk, and so on.
Do this until the ball of art yarn is almost gone.
Bind off using the thinner yarn.
(see Debby New's Book for her technique)

This shows it finished with the closure.

Here you see it is just a triangle.

Another view of the triangle.

Fold it in half long wise, the long side goes over one of your shoulders.

The short side is the neck. You can use a stick or a chop stick or pin to close this, as you see

above.

It fits perfectly and is a wonderful way to wear the art yarn! I can hardly wait for cold weather.

This particular ball was 55 yards long.

I am knitting another article with the thinner merino/tussah silk yarn that was

 left (approx. 1100 yards - 55 yards) which

I will share in a couple of weeks.

When I Can't Sleep I think of this

Dreamer
gouache on paper
digitally manipulated 

I should be sleeping but. . .

Forever young, inside my heart is what I be.

My grandmother was in the hospital having cancer treatment,

before she did that,

she had a tiny house built for us to stay,

this is where I discovered my love of nature.

Chico was the birds name which she loved dearly

My aunty brought the cage outside so Chico might enjoy

the soft breeze and beauty of that day,

I opened the cage and he flew away.

I may have told you this story before?

I fell on my knees to pray

that God would send him back to his home

sitting just outside our little vacation cottage.

HE did and he did come back.

That was the summer I found out about pure faith.

Did I tell you that I found her diamond, just the stone,

at my house, in the bathtub, not a ring, just the stone?

I remind me of my mother, she tells the same stories over and over.

I listen, over and over. 

I read an article in a magazine at the doctor's office the other day about Angie Harmon sp? Anyway, I love what she said about falling on her knees to pray for the safety of her children or whatever is important to her. Now, I do not think of myself as a particularly religious person but this struck a cord inside my heart.

I think of her as in Law and Order. She has a spirit that matters to me.

I Simply MUST Tell You

I lay awake at night, thinking about life, thinking about art, thinking about my friends, thinking about my family.

I have been setting goals, lately.

I ask myself, what IS IT? What do I yearn to do, the most?

I bury sadness and disappointment.

But, you know what happens. . .

That is what pops out, in truly strange ways!

I ask myself, what will motivate me?

The funny thing is. . .

it is the sharing and appreciation of what I see in the world.

It is all of that wonderful energy I see on the blogs I read every chance I get.

You are what motivates me to keep trying to be the best I can be.

YOU ALL lift me up in the darkest hours of the night.

And these children I teach. . .they lift me up, 

when I try to lift them up

out of a world that could be better.

I see so much to do. . .

with love in my heart.

Thank You!

Hanging By A Thread

Spider hanging by a thread has a bee captured.

She found me/my new friend/Never is her name

A Game of Go?

No thanks, said she.

I left my prints

for you to see.

There is a rhythm

do you agree?

I found you today, said She

Never is my name.

The path was winding

but I am here now.

To remind: To thine own self be true.

She is mine, now. She will Never leave.

Connection/Touchtone

Thinking about something that resonates as sublime

like the first time you ever heard "Bridge Over Troubled Waters"

or

a starry night on top of the mountain in Sequoia National Park

or

the most perfect slice of lemon meringue pie

when the experience is so perfect

that you pause

to wonder

this is what I am talking about. . .

This is how I felt when I did this first piece of thread painting.

I realized that this is what I want to do. This is my personal touchstone.

It speaks only to me, though.

It is the hovering of color in a space created

 with thread. For me it vibrates.

A touchstone is used to verify whether or not a stone is gold.

This is my touchstone. I compare everything I do to this.

This does not happen, very often.

The video of Episode 2 1978 Connections is interesting to me in that

I come back to this over and over in my thinking but each time

I see it with new eyes and compare it to what is happening in our world

today with all of our technology.

What is your touchstone?

All About Hands?

I am supposed to be showing hands this week?

I have been focused (ha) on heels, actually. A couple of days ago,

Mom was sitting in her room at 6:00 a.m. with the lights on 

completely dressed? What is up with that?

She was waiting for us to wake and take her to the emergency room.

She couldn't walk.

This could be a long story. But, not today.

She has Achilles Heel.

Just a while ago she asked me if I could hear a gospel choir singing?

It is a good thing that I can set some of what I do to be done automatically if I am not around. 

Like do a post?

I am wondering about us, these days.

Yesterday I did make it to the school and we had a wonderful class.

But, to tell you the truth, I do no know what will be happening in a minute or two.

Oh well, I guess that in reality that is all we ever know, this minute, right?

So, I am knitting a squiggle shawl with the yarn I bought last week.

I thought that would be something I could do for the hands photo assignment.

Gosh, my hands are really aging. I did the wrinkle remover filter thingy. I need to get real here.

I was in a few calendars a long time ago and one of the shots was of my hands while working.

It was in black and white and it was a lovely photograph. The photographer had his own take on what he wanted to do. I love what he did.

Ok, You all know how much I love Georgia O'Keeffe. I have a wonderful book around here someplace with black and white photographs of her. I just do not remember where I put it and so, trust me on this,

the memory of them inspires me to do one of my own hand. It shows all of the wrinkles. But, hey, you know what? I have lived a long life and my hands have had a lot of fun.

So, see what I am doing between running through hoops this week.

Are you getting used to my silly sense of humor?

Oh yes, I am baking bread in five minutes a day, again. It is really chilly outside.

There are no gospel choirs in this house, either. 

Hope you all have a nice weekend!

THE BEAR

The Bear

The first bear I saw was in Mesa Verde National Park. A magical experience, almost, when I happened to glance in my rear view mirror, there it was running toward the car, faster than I was driving at the time.

Stunned, I was absolutely speechless, dumfounded, all of these words work very well. I wanted my mom and my cousin to see this bear. What did I do? I stopped the car and put it into reverse and was on a collision course with this bear. I was unable to say, “Turn around and look.” But, the stopping and reversing of course brought this to their attention! Just then the bear changed course and bounded off the edge of this mountain back to the natural territory it was used to being alive.

Later in the day, I sat and waited for my mom to catch-up to where I have hiked looking at the cliff dwelling. Sitting next to me was a character of sorts. He wore a cowboy hat and around his neck was a strand of silver, turquoise, and bear claws. I noticed this and ask him to tell me about his neck piece. This is when I discovered the bear claws. I related my earlier experience of the day to him. He insisted that I take one of the claws, which I did not do. He said this encounter was a message for me. It was up to me to figure out what it all means. I am still thinking about this so many years later. 

A couple of weeks ago I saw another baby bear on my gravel road near my house. I know that where there is a babe that mom is not far away. I have not seen the bears, again, yet. Others that live on this mountain have. They saw the baby under an apple tree laying on its back eating apples.

A couple of years ago a bear came here and marked a tree and then walked along the back side of my house across the land to the chicken house where it stood on it’s hind legs and put his paw on the corner of the house. It was empty at the time this chicken house. So the bear kept going. I was speechless that day, too.

I think I am beginning to understand the meaning of the bear, now. It is like the feather is to some, it has meaning to me. I think I will continue to see what comes of this.  See, the only time I am speechless these days is when I am in the presence of a bear.

Afternoon Delight Laughy Taffy?

Once I sit down at the desk and try to plan the day things

get a little more into focus. I sit and look at the wall above,

try to center, try to be a better person. I think of my mom

sitting across the other room eating her breakfast and drinking 

coffee. We listen to the news. I daydream a little, then it is time.

I write a little and then maybe blog or answer my mail. It is off to

the studio which is in the bottom floor of the house. I have lots of

room in which to work and every possible thing I could want to use.

Way too much, actually, and that is why I like to bring students here.

I give them the materials they might like to use and any help they ask me

to give.

This is totally separate from my classes at school. It is the most rewarding

thing to see teenagers who have that creative spirit work, it helps me.

I usually am working on twenty two things at once. It is crazy to see.

But, it makes perfect sense to my art spirit.

What is happening today, is that two projects have collided, They are both

bouncing off of each other and the process is amazing. It happens serendipitously, 

Is that a word? Anyways, I am in the process of it all and I thought you might like

to see a bit. I am in the midst of couching some cord onto the silk indigo dyed shibori

that I pleated last year and dyed this year. There are hand stitches going onto the

cloth, as well. I have recycled some old silk which I am adding as layers.

This is enjoyable to work on as I am giving my body a chance to regenerate.

I have a tendency to go non-stop and the last time I did that I ended up with

Pneumonia. Which I am close to right now. It is a glorious day outside. I will pop out

to enjoy the warmth of this September day.

I have been looking through the LACIS site this morning trying to find a certain type of thread.

I used to hang out there a lot when I lived near there. It is hard not to be able to hop into the car

and be there in person. If you ever are in Berkeley, California, you simply must drop in to see all

of the fiber wonder.

Jude Hill talks about a certain kind of thread that she likes to use and I thought maybe

they might have it there. Do you know about the magic feather project? Google it.

Stuck at home Memories of Asheville +

Revisited Doctor today 

Yuk

More Antibiotics and Steroids

Rest

Yuk

La De Da in Roanoke Downtown Historical District

My favorite place to shop for clothing and shoes

Shopping and gallery hopping in Asheville, NC

There were six babies in that stroller.

Mom in front heading for 

Ad Lib a cute shop for clothing

bought a super cute dress

and a sweater.

Favorite Bead Store in Asheville window

Earth Guild Window 

So many wonderful 

Fiber related supplies 

dye

yarn

basket supplies

spinning wheels

looms. . . 

Needless to say, we came home with a car full of wonderful things to use this winter and fall.

Still no cochineal, though.

Huge mountain passes between here and there.

Glorious views of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

On The Table

In the works on the kitchen table 

Wool and silk ready to be  wound into a ball 

Still in the works stuck in indecision 

My Dad and Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima, and 9/11

Before my father passed away, I spent the last few weeks of his life with him at first in the hospital and then in a care center. He knew he was dying, he wanted to talk.
When I was a child, he had the habit of crossing his arms in a gesture of slicing the air and would say, "Alright, enough."  He did not want to hear what I or others might want to say.
So that is what I did, almost my whole life. I kept whatever I wanted to say, to myself. Sometime after that, his passing, I mean, the dam broke and out comes all of this stuff.
First of all, I need to tell you that my dad was an amazing man. He ended being an engineer and designed things like the tiles on the Space Shuttle. This in itself is amazing, especially when you consider what happened as a result of the tiles. Especially when you consider the background that he had. Which is a very long story.
My dad was just outside the harbor at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed and his ship did survive, but, he spent five years on board ships fighting the Japanese in the Pacific Front. He was a captain of a large large gun group. He never thought he would make it out of the war. In a way he left a lot of himself there.
He was ordered into Hiroshima after we dropped the bomb to help clean-up. He spent a lot of time telling me all about that when he was dying. No one should have to see what he saw. Not ever again.
9/ll is today's 10th anniversary and of course that is on my mind. This is one thing that has changed the life we all live in the entire globe. This is what no one should have to see, not ever again.
This morning I moved furniture and cleaned and then worked on the thread painting. I guess this feeling of sadness is not going to go anywhere. I can not escape.
I am reading Isabel Allende, again. That works, a bit.
My mom is very sick with a chest infection and I am worried about her. I have it as well, but I am not as old as she.
Today the sun is out shining it's big bald head, the sky is that perfect blue, white white clouds are floating by every now and then. Much like that same September day ten years ago.
I say a prayer into the universe that all creatures great and small will feel blessed on this day for many good reasons.
I will spend the afternoon cutting up a story into strips to photograph for my sketchbook project.
I hope you have a blessed day.

xoxoxo

Reflections, Is Every Little Thing Going To Be Alright

Like the little girl who sings about the three little birds, then she wags her finger, to say, "Don't Worry

Every Little Thing Is Going To Be Alright,"  to her little friends, I take a subject that I find interesting to

give me a start for a story. Usually there is a little girl in there somewhere. What goes through the mind

of a child can amaze us. I hear things all the time. I think about this, too.

I wish I would have had proper training to be a parent. What about you?

This is what I think about when I am busy doing other things. 

I think about how we treat our elderly, too.

I have many friends and acquaintances who are doing this, too.

We are caring for our mothers or our fathers.

None of this is easy.

What do we do?

We just do whatever it takes, the very best that we can.

Scrumptious Stuff

One of my wishes came true!

You know how much I love Magnolia Handspun Yarn, well I secretly wished that Camilla

would include a thinner yarn in the color genius of her line. Over the summer that is exactly what she did.

It has been listed just a couple of weeks and I decided what I wanted to do, so I ordered some.

This is the kind of yarn that you just want to leave in a basket to look at everyday for a cheer-me-up. It is so soft and delicate.

However, I have plans for this yarn which I will share later on down the line.

Meanwhile, I just knew you would like to see.

I am very busy, right now, with getting my classes going at the school. I have a new crop of children to inspire.

I am working on some thread paintings when I find the time.

Please bear with me here if I am not able to answer properly to the comments I receive.

I am running between situations as I speak.

Hope you have a good day!

Story

bYE bYE