Drips and Strips

You don't have to do everything. Just do the next thing.

My votive rain gauge was full this morning....so that means almost 3 inches on day one of this nor-easter. 

It's been drizzling/raining on and off all day today....so I enjoyed another indoor day. I've come up with a strategy for my new puzzle challenge....more on that another day when there's more visible progress.

I can see my Stewartia tree is from my kitchen window....it's one of my favorite fall transitions to watch.

The changing leaves are especially lovely with the raindrops (drips).

While I was puttering in the studio...I made another tag using punched gelli print squares. They were pretty bright...so I toned them down with a little zinc white paint. 

I added skinny strips of text and a crow as a focal point and I think it flows well from that last tag. 

I couldn't take it to the backyard to photograph in the natural light....so I had to walk around the condo until I found the right light. It was a dark and gloomy day....which I kind of liked. 

I used a piece of striped tissue for the back. I toned it down with white paint and added more skinny text strips.

You can also see that I added a little black and white circle on the last tag for interest and balance. 

Time to transition to a new color scheme. I'll have to find the right inspiration paper or image. 

Rainy Day Activities

Some of you have probably heard about the nor'easter. We get them now and again here on the east coast with strong winds and heavy rain or snow. We're just getting the edge of it here in Maine so not really a dangerous storm here....but just a bit further south it's a whole different story. 

It rained on and off all day...and we desperately need it. It's also been a bit windy so I was happy tucked inside all day. As I write this...the rain is coming down pretty hard. 

Rainy days are good for puttering around the house. I added a few of my favorite Halloween things to my puzzle table...the little trick or treaters make me smile.

And I've always been fond of the shadow box my sister made with photos of my boys in their childhood costumes.

I got the border together on my newest puzzle...and puttered a bit in the studio. 

Perfect rainy day activities.

You know how I feel about butterflies so this one caught my eye. And the fact that they were in a sort of rainbow order sealed the deal. It's going to be a challenge....but I'm up for it! It will take as long as it takes.

I'm starting with the orange butterflies from North America....and so far it's s-l-o-w going on this rainy Sunday.

Focal Point

My days seem to fly by filled with this and that....and I've not made much time for art and projects. But the studio will be there when the time is right....and I know there will be plenty of quiet winter days for making art.  

But I need to make a little tag every once in a while....just to get some glue and paper in my hands. I decided to stick with text for flow and continued with similar soft colors. Once I saw the first photo....I decided it needed a focal point so I added the tissue swirl (it's a little too subtle) and a woodpecker. 

The woodpeckers must have been vacationing with the bluebirds because they disappeared for a while too. But they're back now pecking away at the suet....and that makes me happy.  

I used just magazine text on the back....with a bit of filling in with colored pencil and marker. 

I added little pumpkin as a focal point in the corner garden at the end of our street. It's not my personal garden...but I'm the one who mostly takes care of it. It was robust and beautiful during the summer...but like most gardens it's winding down. The purple verbena and scaevola have been gorgeous and are still doing well...and I love the purple and orange together. There were pops of color with day lilies, daisies, coreopsis, and black-eye Susan throughout the season...most of which have been cut back. And now that the grass is blooming and there's a pumpkin focal point...it feels like and infusion of fall.

Wondering Flowers

It's not a typo...The Wandering Flowers are also known as The Wondering Flowers. 

Did you know it was Dolly Parton Day! It's a playful nod to her hit movie 9 to 5! Get it? Today is 9/25. Patty bought a flag to fly today for the occasion. And I join her hoping this will become a nationally  recognized day of music, service, generosity, and kindness....just part of Dolly's legacy. 

And you know how much I love butterflies! Thanks Patty! I love that I can see your Dolly flag from my driveway! 

Sam joined us for dinner and we ordered pizza...look what they wrote on the inside cover. How fun that Eddies Market is celebrating Dolly Day!    

I had to laugh while Cherie and I were chatting about this new flower journey through email. She suggested the name Wondering Flowers. I was pretty sure she meant Wandering Flowers...and I was right. We probably both made the typo another time or two in our exchanges and today they are actually The Wondering Flowers.....wondering where they will end up.

Cherie and Dale are back at home in Western Pennsylvania....and the flowers will be boxed up soon and start the last leg of the journey via the postal service. Stay tuned. 

Don't they look great with Cherie and Dale's green door! 

Paul came home from the library one day with this puzzle. We both love our bluebirds....and he was sure I would love it.

The bluebirds had disappeared for the second half of the summer. I kept putting dried mealworms out every few days...and other birds would eventually eat them....but JUST YESTERDAY....a few bluebirds have came back. I'm so pleased.

I'll admit I wasn't overly excited about this one at first. I started it when Paul was in Colorado and finished it just a few days ago. Even though it was only 550 pieces...it still was a challenge....a lot of green...and a lot of red. It was only when I sorted the pieces by color AND shape...did I start to enjoy it. I worked loyally from top to bottom (Linda would be proud) and like many puzzles...the joy ended up surprising me. I'm sorting the next one....and it's going to be a doozy!

Speaking of wondering flowers....Janice brought me flowers from her yard when she came the other night....and I'm still enjoying them on the coffee table.

This is the evening sky right now....a splashy finish to Dolly Day! 

Pixelated

Subtitle: Extra Special Curls

Happy Birthday Becky! You caught up with me again!

Sometimes I only need to stand wherever I am to be blessed. Mary Oliver

I was surprised to find this perfect dandelion seed head on my walk this morning...and I held it up against a tree that had just a touch of fall color. When I uploaded the photo....I was smitten with my camera's pixelated interpretation of the tree. The seed head is awesome....but it's the pixelated fall background that stole my heart.

Sometimes we need to just stand where we are....and be awestruck! 

The only thing better than a good stem....is a good stem with extra special curls! 

It has joined the others on the fence...and is my infusion of fall today.

Especially Special

Jay and Janice are coming for dinner....so that has been my focus today. The menu is seafood chowder and apple crisp....which sounded a little bit like fall! It's always a good thing to tend to the condo and prepare a meal for especially special people.

Adding some festive gourds to my centerpiece was my infusion of fall for today.

This one was unique with a great stem. 

But this stem was especially special.

I love the fall findings on my table!

The Wandering Flowers made a stop in New Albany, Indiana where Cherie and Dale had lunch at The Lady Tron's Diner. They were greeted by Lady Tron, and R2D2.

Cherie said the diner was tiny....with just 10 stools. 

This Guest check reminded Cherie of the doodles her dad used to do on napkins and anything he could get his hands on and leave at restaurants. He seems to leave a trail of creativity behind him everywhere he goes.

If you remember one of Chuck's doodles was featured on the first page in Cherie's joy journal. Such an especially special Chuck moment in the Lady Tron's Diner.

I forgot to plot the St. Louis Flower stop yesterday....so there are two stops today. Next up...the final push for home. Cherie and Dale have been on their adventure since the beginning of August....I'm sure it will feel good to be home. 

Sun Clock

I love the change in the seasons....especially summer to fall. And I'm quite fond of the fall equinox when the light is balanced. It's a moment of alignment.....a turning point...a seasonal shift. It represents a pivotal time in the harvest...and a time of gathering and release. 

A month or so I stumbled on this Sun Clock through an artist's feed. This is a screen shot at 6:23...and the equinox is at 8:05 here in the Eastern Time Zone. 

I'm such a visual person....so I was quite taken with it. When you go to the online site...you can move your curser around and get information about the current light and darkness is live time....in your time zone. 

Did you know there was a morning and an evening golden hour? And there are three phases of morning and evening twilight.

Check it out!  https://sunclock.net/

In preparation for fall....I took a field trip to one of my favorite local garden stores yesterday and shopped for stems pumpkins and gourds. I'm going to take a little time each day to infuse a little autumn into my yard and home....and I'll share some of it here because it brings me joy.

I want my entrance to feel welcoming and seasonally festive.

I knew I wanted this tall skinny pumpkin. Because tall and skinny is fun....but just look at that fabulous stem! The women at the checkout counter totally understood.

Cherie, Dale, and the Wandering Flowers made their way to the St. Louis Zoo...which, by the way is totally free for everyone.

It is next to Forest Park, which is bigger than Central Park in New York. It's also free....and the home of an art, history, and science museum. 

Here are The Wandering Flowers...at the entrance to the zoo. 

Thank goodness Cherie and Dale made the right call to take them back to the car....they were much to heavy to tour around the zoo and park.

The companion flowers were handed off to Ryan and Chase and joined other Chuck flowers at their new home.

So now The Wandering Flowers were on their own in the back seat for the rest of their journey. 

I loved this behind the scenes snapshot Cherie sent with all the other important stuff: snacks, paper towels, and car projects! 

Kansas....

....and Alaska! I love the connections I've made through Joyful Puttering. 

It's the last day of summer....and I could have used light gloves and earmuffs on my early morning walk. I actually adore these crisp mornings.....and I absolutely adore fall....so bring it on! 

This photo is from Lily...who lives on the southern coast of Alaska! 

Isn't it just stunning! Perfect end of summer photo!

I love both mushrooms and rocks....so when Cherie shared her photos from Mushroom Rock State Park in the middle of Kansas farmland....I was a little jealous! I've driven through Kansas several times....so I kind of chuckled with the first line on the sign that said "Mushroom Rock State Park is one of the truly amazing wonders of Kansas." 

I know every state is beautiful in its own way....but "amazing wonders" does not leap to mind when I think of Kansas. 

I will be the first to admit that these incredible 66+ million year old mushroom rock formations are a wonder to behold. Thanks Cherie and Dale!

Moments

It's Janice's Birthday today....and this golden oldie window box display continues to be one of my favorite Janice moments. But things have changed. Janice and Jay have a brand new garage....with a brand new window. 

And whether or not there is a new window box, I can always be certain that every time I visit....there will be some sort of a colorful and fabulous Janice moment. And I celebrate that she is just ten minutes away.

Happy Birthday Janice! 

I had a wonderful visit with Patty today...and I keep celebrating that she's right down the street. Yesterday I had breakfast with Marita and tomorrow I'll connect with Jane. I got a couple update emails today from Cherie (more on that tomorrow)....and texts and calls from other friends in the past several days. I'm so grateful for so many joy-filled moments with my circle of women friends.

It was a treat to have breakfast at Marita's yesterday....and I was smitten with her collection of found nature objects on his kitchen bar counter. 

The whole was as beautiful as all the individual parts.

So may sweet moments.