Pause

"The less you need, the more you have."

I couldn't get out of my own way today and I had too many balls in the air. But no matter how busy the day is Paul and I always stop whatever we're doing and gather at 4:00....and pause.  When the weather permits we are on the patio....and when it's not we're inside playing games or chatting.  

Today was a beautiful late afternoon in the back yard...and we commented about how content we're going to be for a very long time just sitting and talking, watching the birds and other critters, and soaking in the light and shadows in the woods.  Life is good....and every day we're learning how little we really need. And by the way....at least two different hummingbirds have joined us every day since that first sighting at the feeder.

Some women get flowers....I get rocks....and heart rocks are the best.

And look what I found in the woods.

Pause to look, pause to listen, and sometimes.....just pause. 

Wabi Sabi Sunflowers

I've made good progress on my larger fabric stained glass tree project.....another practice piece before I start a commission.   

I'm taking my time...thinking it through using the best of what I learned making the smaller ones.  It's so hard to really tell how it's going to look until you add the black trees...but I think this might work out OK.

I'm trying to be thoughtful about my design and fabric choices adding in solid hand dyed and finding the right balance of batiks. I've never had a good selection of yellows...so the new fabrics really brighten it up. It reminds me of a morning sunrise.

I'm pausing here to think a little more about the bottom landscape and will audition some shapes and curves. The finished size of this one will be 15 by 30.  All the pieces are just lightly fused down...so I can easily make some changes before I start adding the trees.

Paul found this wabi-sabi sunflower patch on his walk yesterday and knew I would like it so it was our destination this morning.  You were right Paul....thanks!

I think this looks like a watercolor!

Coincidence?

Paul was supposed to be spending his first night at a cabin in the mountains of Colorado today.  This would have been the 10th year that he and his seminary buddies, Bill, Bill and Bob, would have gathered at the cabin....and many more years before that they've been gathering somewhere together.  But because of the pandemic....tonight they had to settle for Zoom. 

August 2012

Bob, Bill, Paul, and Bill

One of the first things that one of the Bills does when he gets to the cabin is fill the hummingbird feeders....and much to their delight it doesn't take long for the sweet little birds to come back....by the dozens.

A couple weeks ago Paul and I saw one hummingbird buzzing around the gardens at the condo.  We just got a glimpse...and he or she didn't stay long......but the next day I went right out and got a feeder hoping to attract the visitor on a regular basis. And although the sugar water seemed to be disappearing....we never saw the hummingbird again....until today.  

It is a coincidence that we watched her visit the feeder 6 or 7 times during happy hour on the very day that Paul should have been in the mountains with his buddies and the Colorado hummingbirds?  We think not.

Really Good Box

Is it hot where you are?  It's hot and humid where I was...and where I am now and I'm grateful for air conditioning.  

After a busy day Paul and I drove to Portland this afternoon...and it's just as hot here as it was in Lexington.  I'm laying low this evening and binge a little Netflix...so here's just a couple of things I had saved on my desktop that made me chuckle.  I can relate to both.....and sometimes we just have to chuckle at ourselves.

Conversation Shift

For most of the summer I've been exchanging texts with my sister-in-law Alyson where we share our favorite nature photos. Sometimes it's a bloom...or a drop of dew on a leaf...or catching a bee or bug at just the right moment.  We banter back and forth through our phones celebrating the beauty around us....and it's been a wonderful new connection.

Here's one of of Alyson's photos that I love.

But last night the conversation shifted....and turned to just plain silliness.  

It started by Alyson commenting on my most recent rainbow project and how it matched her living room rug...also in the full spectrum of colors. I noted how Mother Nature got it right with that order and I giggled as I wrote the line "each color looks good next to its neighbors and compliments their friends across the street." (referencing the color wheel)

Then the conversation shifted when Alyson sent this photo....

and I laughed out loud.  Still rainbows....new topic.

Suddenly it became a conversation and show and tell about trolls....and it was delightful. 

Her cat Stella chewed the hair off this little guy.

And this little guy is a ring.

I went to bed smiling because sometimes a conversation shift is just what we need.

Jubilant Banners

"Choose Love Not Hate."

"Make Each Day Your Masterpiece."

"Justice!"

"Black Lives Matter"  

The students in Laura Meddaugh's art class.

My friend Laura teaches art to young people.  Her students recently made fabulous banners to hang in their front yards during these turbulent and uncertain times. The first photo was the result of the first step...and the next ones are few of the end products after some embellishing and finishing touches.

https://www.facebook.com/jubilantacrylics

So impressive....and so much fun.  They will really brighten and inspire their neighborhoods! 

The colors in the banners remind me of some new batiks I just picked up to fill in some gaps in my stash. I love the textures and earthiness of batiks....probably my favorite kind of fabric. I'm about to begin a larger stained glass practice piece....and I've prepared my new fabrics so I'll be ready to hit the ground running when I get back to my studio.  I've already got a big stash prepared waiting patiently there so I'm ready to roll.

The fusible is ironed on...and once I trim them up I'll peal off the paper revealing the other side of fusible and they'll be ready to cut up into little stained glass pieces.  

The nice things about this Pellon 805 Wonder Under is that at this point you could draw a fussy pattern on the paper and cut it out before you peel the paper off.  This works well for lettering...you just have to remember to draw them backwards.  

Joan and I did just that for the lettering on a church banner you can see in this post:

https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2015/02/ask-seek-knock.html

I generally save most of my scraps...but now I'm even more mindful of skinny strips knowing I can use them in "jubilant" swirls of color.  

Jar of Sunshine

I was greeted this morning with a text from Janice with this photo of her dried calendula I mentioned a few days ago...it looks like a jar of sunshine. If that was the only joy I experienced all day....I would have been all set.

But then I found a little gem in the yard while I was working.....

...and it put the day over the top and it was only 9:00.

It was no bigger than my pinky nail.....and I almost missed it.  But looking and seeing is what I love to do....and this is just another reminder of how that can be rewarded.

We had friends over this evening for pizza in the back yard.....and it was wonderful on so many levels.  First of all I spent a good chunk of the day sprucing up the gardens....and finally cleaning the patio area....and that's something to celebrate.  But even more important was the opportunity to safely connect with people we care about trading stories...and  sharing our joys and challenges.

It was like a second jar of sunshine.  

Rainbowscape

"There is a reason the sky gets dark at night. We were not to see everything all the time. We were meant to rest and trust even in darkness."    Mogan Harper Nichols.

Is it a rainbow? a landscape? I think it's a rainbowscape.

I'm pretty happy where my little rainbow project landed....the added fibers seem to give it the texture and interest it needed.  I'm pretty sure I'll mat and frame this one...it's not very big and a white mat and black frame will finish it up nicely.  

I'm back in Lexington into early next week. Paul is back at work starting this weekend after several weeks of vacation and we will be splitting our time a little more evenly.  There's much to do at both places so this will be a good thing.  

Per usual...the first thing I did when I got back home was walk the yard....

and I'm celebrating the hydrangea....again.  How can I not!

I'm so happy there are still blooms coming on the one in front.  

Neighbors and Friends

....and an artist I admire.

A simple watercolor by Andrea Thompson that made me smile today. 

https://www.instagram.com/andreadeanethompson/

This was a part out and about day....and an "I didn't get anything done at home day"....except a nap. It's just the kind of day I needed.  

So today I'm going to celebrate the blooms I've seen at neighbors' and friends' houses in the past few days....because how can you not celebrate the beautiful blooms of summer!

Stunning clematis in my neighbor Rebecca's back yard.

And a lace capped hydrangea at Patty's.  

I'm looking forward to seeing how mine is doing when I get to Lexington tomorrow.  

I love a fading sunflower just as much if not more than a perfect one....

and this beauty was in Janice's yard.  The best thing is she said it was a volunteer.

And her window box is spectacular!

Janice had calendula drying on her counter.  

It can be used in salads and is loaded with antioxidants. 

I think I've had flowers in some of Janice's salads.

🌼🌼🌼

And these were all the stages of some zinnias in the courtyard at Margie's place.

And finally....another one of Andrea's watercolors that was part of watercolor collage series she did. I think the combination of patterns is wonderful.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B0iip5rnLFF/

Staycation

Paul and I took advantage of a beautiful day and enjoyed a little "staycation"....all just 20 minutes from home.  

We started with a delightful outdoor visit with Margie in the courtyard at her apartment complex.  It's good to be able to safely spend time together...in person.  

Then we headed to Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth for lobster rolls overlooking Casco Bay.  The park was quiet and the views of Portland Head Light were spectacular.  We're so lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the country.