Grace is not my middle name

In the shadow world, I look tall. I am struggling to be at peace with the need to have surgical investigation, and my terror of deep anaesthesia. G wrote an amazing essay, ".....Waiting Patiently - a dog's tale"; I read it with tears running down my face, and remembered that Her Own Darling Self is waiting and watching out for me on the otherside, and that gives me an anchor, should they send me into the scarey dark alone, which is likely.

Today I began to wonder how much of my fear is being attached to being scared; while I do not have the happy confident faith in a benign reality that some do, it does seem like it could possible to surrender to necessity with a modicum of grace. I'll always be an information-gathering, suspicious/aware kind of gal, resistant to being pushed; yet somewhere somehow is a pathway to be found. (no way around this but through) This is not the road I looked for, but it is the one I am on. You'd think, after all these decades I'd have made peace with that as well, since that is, in a way, the yang to the yin of my choosing to build a life that makes sense to me, rather than the one that was prescribed....

≈ : ♥ : ≈

In more exterior news, some progress has been happening around the homeplace.

Meeting with the hand surgeon today, and my recovery has progressed far enough to allow a return to my former regularly scheduled work; this is a happy thing indeed, for all that I will miss the freedom to be social at will. Soon there will be time in the workroom, and time with the torch and the kiln, and sketches on the table (not to mention all the other jobs that were left undone these months both here and in other peoples houses) This is coming just in time, as the year turns towards wintertime, and the air gets colder both outdoors and inside, having some income again will be welcome indeed. Not to mention sewing and knitting and garden work in what some folks know as free time...

Sunday last, a trip to the King Farmer's Market, almost the last one for the year of the local markets. Not a lot came home with me, but a few pounds of local cornmeal, destined for Sister Gigi's Sweet Corn Cakes now and again, and a bag of tomatillos, destined to be turned into salsa verde and canned in small jars, to go with said corn cakes...

Tired I am of the mismatched and scant; there will be new curtains for the living room this winter. Ikea yielded up three indigo bedspreads, that are thicker than the current linen, with a textured almost handwoven look. When cut and hemmed to size, will be a much better choice. Not sure if there is fabric here suitable to line them with, but should some turn up at some point, 'twill be easy enough to add.

≈ : ♥ : ≈

/^-.-^\___}}
dog is uneasy,
looking at the door

in memoriam

i have not forgotten you.
i have not stopped loving you, or remembering that i love you.
listen,
if i never touch you again,
i will always be touching your absence.
did you think i had forgotten that?

~ Karen Lindsey
(excerpt from "straight poem", Falling Off The Roof, 1975)

not bored + M3 - day 15

For the last two weeks, writing daily here, but only about my clothing. Really there is a whole additional life that continues on, and since I'm writing here anyway, mayhap a daily comment as well as a daily costume...

Today was a work cleaning house day, re-scheduled since there were plumbing issues at C's house earlier. Discovered by asking that lapis is indeed metamorphic. Once work was done I scampered across town to the library, an hour late to the Rites of Passage art workshop. Missed all the lecturing, but had an hour of cut and paste and paint. Earlier today, I made a photomontage, for the background of this piece.

A bit of cut paper (inspired by the work of Rob Ryan, the British papercut god artist), and some white acrylic paint; it seemed the germ of an idea. Once home, a bit more time and the original montage was combined with parts of the quick collage. Each time I play with Photoshop, I discover more things that I can do with it. I may print this one out on good paper...

(click to embiggen)

≈ : ♥ : ≈

paisley cotton voile blouse grey chambray jumper

One thing I've noticed from taking photos of my outfits is how very much more interesting they look when I add an accessory, like a shawl, or some jewelry. I'm definitely trying to remember to wear a necklace or something everyday.

Right now I am on a roll of sewing summer dresses, having dreamed for years about having a weeksworth of popover dresses, or as I'm now thinking of them "Kiki dresses" Soon enough t'will be triple digit temperatures and any layers more than one will be too many. I've scrabbled out of the fabric piles enough to make at least five more: dk blue ikat, cornflower blue ikat, blue houndstooth linen, black chambray, and twotone blue stripey...

Thursday evening I was obviously channeling Fjorlief the Forgetful, since I left my spiffy new sunhat at potluck. Well it was nighttime by then, and the lovely E was giving me a lift home, and N had just gifted me with a huge bunch of fresh rhubarb from her garden, and well... I forgot. Since it will be a while before the wayward hat comes home, and the sun will keep on shining nonetheless, I made another one:

This grey sunhat is made from home-dec cotton fabric in an oriental lattice weave. Decided that more than one summer hat was a Good Thing, grey not indigo, and not all fluffy/flowery. The eyelet twill tape gives it a vaguely steampunk look, and now I can coordinate my clothing and my hats!

a close up of the hatband

Interesting eyeletted twill tape from Bolt, sold as an undyed cotton, and overdyed as part of my experiments earlier this year, trying to get "silvery grey". Initially intended as jumper trim, it makes a great hatband.

From start to finish a hat like this takes between two to three hours to complete, from cutting out the fabric, to wearing it in the backyard. Most of the sewing is done by machine, with some handwork to finish the inner hatband and attach the decorative outer hatband. I assemble the hat quite differently than the pattern instructions suggest, since I add a bias bound outer edge, and finish the inner edge in a way that is more similar to how this child's hat is constructed

echos of a dream

I went north this past weekend, and on the way to Seattle I stayed overnight with my friends who live at Mud Bay, where I once lived.

.

Early early in the morning on Sunday, before anyone else awoke, I walked the (almost)familiar roads... Though some trees I remembered were gone, and the conifer woods where I once found a whole clearing full of red-capped aminitas was now the bulldozed backyard of an extraordinarily ugly house, the beauty that so lifted my heart the whole time I lived there was still visible.
At dawn, fog still layers the pastures all down the Delphi Valley, and there are still open fields, with the less visible but still present happy romping eager ghost of a young Akita.
Smokey came to that house as a tiny puppy, and there are no roads I can walk, there at the confluence of Old Highway 410 and Perry Creek and one of the very very far ends of Puget Sound, that she didn't walk with me. Every bridge over the various waters she would rear up, place her forepaws on the railing, and peer over the top at whatever was moving below. Long ago I said, "scatter my ashes in the tidal waters of Perry Creek"; what is drifting there, amid the layers of empty wornout salmon, are the dreams and hopes of my younger self.

.

I've moved on. I don't live there any more, in the place I hoped to live for always. I have a different home now, and a different life...

...my photographs here, trying to show/remember the aspects that were so very important to me, the beauty of the Place. When I first came to the Northwest long years ago, and was a student at Evergreen, my friends and I would sometimes drive down the Delphi Valley and imagine living there. Actually living there was the first and only times I have lived somewhere that there was Vista, that you could look for distance and see the shifting light. That beauty fed me in a way that nothing else does/did; leaving there, which I did not once but twice, was painful for that reason (disregarding anything else that was also happening at the time). Having lived there was a Gift.

Not to say that I do not see the beauty of place wherever I am, that being something always sought, but usually only found in the Small, or in the Sky. For me I wonder if it is a function of growing up in suburbia, of mostly living in places where the horizon is bounded by the houses across the street. Even when I lived in Idaho, it was in the middle of woods; there was no expanse to send eyes/mind/heart across. The first time I left Mud Bay was the first time I realised the specific Aspect that was so very precious...

journey in peace...

To my beloved Smokey, faithful and best companion for the last 14½ years ~

You have always been the best of dogs, from the day Bill and I brought you home as a wee puppy. You were always quick to learn, and quick to forgive my awkwardness; you are the first dog I ever bonded with. You were the most cute puppy, all black and grey plushy fur, with floppy ears and a curly tail, You would carry sticks on our walks to the bakery and back. You brought us so much joy and laughter. One of your two baths ever came after you plunged into Mud Bay after some waterfowl. You grew and grew and grew. Making all other dogs seem lesser beings to me. Your head is the perfect height for petting. I loved when you would jump up on the bridge railing over Mud Bay and watch the water and the fish and birds.

You came to live with me after the unfortunate Chicken Incident. That was not your fault, and your life with me was the best thing that ever happened to me. You were a boon companion throughout my three moves, until we came to rest here at Acorn Cottage. Everywhere we went you were a wonderful canine ambassador. There are so many folks who love you; your manners and sweet quiet nature are so good. Your only "fault" was being protective of me and of our spaces, and that is not a fault, that is actually your job, and you did it well. I failed at understanding sometimes, while I felt at other times that I could tell what you wanted or needed, like we were almost telepathic.

We had many many walks at night, I always felt safe with you at my side, and I think that you enjoyed the cool evening air and scents. I regret that there were so few times that you could run free. We did go to the beach that one time, and here at Acorn Cottage there were snowy days when you could run in the yard. May you run freely in the afterworld, untethered and with strong tireless legs.

You were always forgiving of my shortcomings, that I had to leave you here in the house while I went out to work. You have been the least destructive dog I have ever heard of, chewing only your toys and leaving the human monkey things alone. I regret that there has not been enough social time here in Portland for you, that being a pack of two was just not enough. I see how much you love company, your delight in guests, and your sweet friendliness. In the next world, may there be good companions and enough for you to feel the comfort of the Pack around you. May you not be lonely, ever.

You were my friend; you listened to my fears and tears and were there. You taught me to love. With you I felt safe, always. I was proud of your extraordinary beauty; people would stop on the street just to tell me how beautiful you were. What they did not know was that you were even more beautiful in spirit. I did my best to be the person you wanted and needed me to be, I know that you forgive my failings.

I promised you that I would always come back, that I would not leave you. I will keep that promise. You must leave me now, to go where I am not ready to follow you just yet… But if you are waiting for me later, know that I will come when I can. You have my love, now, and in all the myriad worlds. Journey in peace, dog of my heart, your work here is done…

This is the end, beautiful friend

This will be Smokeys last week. I am going to buy her the special raw ground dog meat from New Seasons, and do what I can to make her comfortable. I am getting help with digging the grave, which is good. (I have fallen badly twice in the last week and am pretty banged up in the knee and arm)

Some of my friends suggested having a vet make a house call, but I have decided that I will take her to Dove Lewis. I think that would actually be less stressful for her than having someone she did not know come to our home. Smokey has never had issues about going to the vet, probably because it has happened so very few times in her long life. She has only needed veterinary care twice, in over 14 years, aside from her regular inoculations. In addition, the person I spoke to at Dove Lewis told me that they provide this service at no charge, which is a kindness to me. (I have been dreading going into debt to allow me to ease her transition.) They have a homelike room set aside for this, and also have a Pet Loss Support Group, and Memorial Art Workshops. While I am thankful that I have never needed to avail myself of their emergency services, they are an amazing resource here in our city.

Ridgewalker

Long long ago, in the time of purple bellbottoms and paisley headbands, my first self-taken name was Ridgewalker. Not for the mountains that lived only in my dreams, but chosen for the edges between. Between child and woman, between night and day, between joy and sorrow. Those between places are where artists walk, along with all the others that are more at home there. I have other names now, both chosen and given, but each is a facet. This ridge I'm on now with my dear companion is not one I ever thought to walk. Sharp as obsidian and light and dark together.

This is not easy. I am filled not only with grief and sorrow, but with doubts and confusion. "When is it time?", is the question. I pet her beautiful head, and try to look into her endless brown eyes, and she turns away. Is she asking for more time, that I wait longer, or is she already looking beyond, towards the path that lies before her, the one I cannot travel yet? How many shards must my heart become? I don't want her to be scared and helpless, unable to stand or walk. She is not there yet. She sometimes lies with her head up, her soft ears seeming alert. but mostly more often just stretched out on the concrete. She looks at me, with her head flat on the ground, with no tail-wag, no push back against my hand.

On the bus coming home from work today, I saw the first 4th of July firework stand, and I thought it would be good to let her go sooner. She did not grow up with a whole night of explosions, not till we moved here to the city when she was already an old dog. She hates the fireworks, scared by the constant noise, despite my calm presence.

Tonight I did some more digging on her gravesite. Right now it looks oddly like an earthen ofuro, as I have left a small step in the packed earth to ease actually getting down to be able to dig further. I cannot imagine digging six feet down, and fortunately that is not necessary in this case.

I am hoping for need more help digging, in the next few days.

I am thinking that Friday we will make that hard trip over the river to Dove Lewis Hospital; I do not know how I can bear to let her go, but I cannot bear for her to end in indignity and confusion.

In which our heroine fails miserabley at being a Now-ist

My heart is cracking to pieces. I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing.

I ran out of dog food today, and took two buses to a shop that carries the good dog food. Walking around in the store looking for the food, I started to cry again. I don't know if this will be the last bag of food for her.

All my best-beloveds have been Now-ists of one stripe or another, though all save Smokey have lost patience with me. Dogs live always in the Now. I try, sometimes come close, but my jittering mind jumps to the what-is-to-come and back to the if-only-I'd-done. Maybe it is faith in the future, that she will live long enough to eat a 35lb bag of food, a bag that usually lasts several months. Maybe it is denial on my part.

I cry randomly - grieving in advance - while she is still alive, still recognises me, can still move. She is happy for another bowl of food, then lies down again near the computer desk where I am. When I am not home, she lies on the concrete in the workroom, choosing the cool floor that is comforting* against the endocrine storm that is eating her strong body...

She is a bit wobbly, but still managing to notice the outer world, still looking out the front window occasionally, still curious about what I am doing in the kitchen, but slowly, slowly, all that is becoming more effort for her.

Let me accept what I cannot change.

None of us get out of this life alive.

~ : ♥ : ~

*I didn't make this up, on one of the websites about Cushings Disease they mentioned that the dogs will seek out cooler places to lie down for just this reason.

Tuesday newsday

The great worm bin experiment is working, though not exactly as simply as the way I had hoped it would. I built a "flow-through" worm bin for my kitchen a while back; I've really enjoyed having the convenience of the organic dispose-all right there in the kitchen, and unless I tell folks what it is, they think it is a rather unusual looking waste basket. No smells, and not messy.

I recently tried to harvest the worm castings from the bottom of the device, and that part had gotten quite dried out and kind of solid (the top area where the worms live is still quite moist). Also, not all the torn newspaper was eaten by the worms, there were large dried out clumps mixed in with the castings. Not a problem, I can simply re-moisten the paper and add it to the top of the bin. A visitor this winter, who is a Master Composter, suggested that I lay a damp cloth atop the inside of the worm habitat, to help stabilise the moisture and also that would keep down any fruit fly population. (In the winter, at 55F interior temperature here at Acorn Cottage it is far too cold for fruit flies to be an issue, but last summer when it was 85F+ inside the house they were quite a nuisance.)

I think that I may need to harvest the castings a bit more often. I'm also thinking about maybe making a new worm-bag, one that is not quite so long, so that the end of the bag is not as close to the ground (easier access for harvesting. That might require making a shelf to hold the drip catcher, but since there has been little or no excess moisture, it needn't be very stoutly built.

~ : ♥ : ~

I have also fixed a few small things that have been minor annoyances here at Acorn Cottage. After finding a long piece of ball chain on the sidewalk, I got a two connectors and made long extensions for the speed and light switch for the ceiling fan in the bedroom. Now I can turn it on and off without clambering atop the bed. Much more functional.

I also finally Did Something about the side chair in the bedroom. A long ago as-is purchase from Ikea, it had torn black wool upholstery on the back and seat cushions. I had a length of woven upholstery tapestry stuff just draped across it, for the last two years. It took not quite two hours to cut and staple a piece to the seat cushion, and to sew up a "pillowcase" in the shape of the back cushion and hand stitch the bottom edge closed. Much better now, much less like a dorm room. Eventually I'd like to paint the wood frame of the chair, but that is not a 2 hour project...

~ : ♥ : ~

Now if I lost ten pounds that would be a good thing, (I've been working on that) but my beloved Smokey has been looking a bit "different" to me... Her Own Darling Self has indeed been losing weight. I took her to the vet's office to use their scale and she has lost ten pounds since her last vet visit. When you only weigh 95 pounds to begin with ten pounds is a lot {{ worry}} Collarbones are not a good look on an Akita.

1PM - update on Smokey
I just got back from the Vet's office and the tentative diagnosis is Cushings Disease. He said that she is not in pain, and that given her age and my finances, that I should feed her somewhat more and love her a lot, she is as old as a human of 108 years. He said that there is no way to know how the disease will progress. I was crying as I walked home. This is hard.

~ : ♥ : ~

sometimes you the windshield, sometimes you the bug

I just figured out how to take pictures at dusk. My favorite time of day. I keep finding things that my camera can do. Haven't figured out the tripod thing yet, but I rested the camera on Nimblefoot's* roof, hence the nifty reflected-in-water look of the picture of my neighbors house. Isn't that just a great Maxfield Parrish sky.

~ :♥: ~

There is no way I can get all the things done I had hoped to before my mom arrives. Oh well. Most vital to me is the gardening, that is actively time-bound. I may have missed the deadline on some things, but will be playing catch-up none the less. My baby potatoes need to go in the ground NOW. This weekend I will be picking up heirloom pepper and tomato starts from some local folks a few miles west of here. Tomorrow early I will be borrowing a little pickup truck from my kitty-corner neighbors, and getting a load or two of leaf compost for the garden. I've also just finished reading up about chicken tractors (mobile hen housing) and am thinking about constructing a small "summerhouse" for Henny Penny, 'specially since I just scored two double baby gates at the ReBuilding Center, which will make nice strong walls. Rois and Chance may send over one of their older hens to keep HennyPenny company. Hens are really social, she is not happy being a lonely chicken...

~ :♥: ~

Smokey the Compact Akita is done with her first round of antibiotics - yay! She seems much somewhat perkier, (given her advanced age). She is still having "plumbing" problems though, and there are a few slightly worrisome things that showed up in her urine test. Need to do another test next week...The vet wants to put her on a secondary medication in addition to the estrogen, to see if that will take care of the piddling. (if that doesn't help, other, scarier possible diagnoses are kidney failure or diabetes, I so don't want to even think about that) - sigh

~ :♥: ~

My thrifting foo is strong this last week. My local Goodwill presented me with a large square shawl, paisley wool in nice dark rich colors perfect for winter, when I need something to keep my shoulders and neck warm. Found another tea mug, white with blue birds and nests and branches, which will be useful at next Sundays Tea Party. My best find was a small steel cabinet with glass sides, door, and shelves, kind of like a cross between a medical and curio cabinet. That one was heavy, I needed to go home and get my wheelie cart, and rolled it back down the street to Acorn Cottage. Not quite sure where it will end up living, but it was too nifty to not bring home

~ :♥: ~

Today when Stacy and I stopped at Home Despot (she needed some hardware, and I wanted to use the opportunity to bring home the final piece of copper pipe for living room curtain rods) I noticed that one of the pieces of pipe was somewhat shorter than the others. Upon asking the clerk about it, not only was it 50% off, since it was not a full length, but also, at 8 1/2 ft long (rather than 10) was exactly the length I needed - double yay!

~ :♥: ~

My mom is arriving in a week and a half, on the 15th. There will be a Craft Tea Party here at Acorn Cottage on Sunday the 17th of May; come and say hello to my most early art and craft teacher and inspiration, my mom. She taught me to knit, and sew, and encouraged my artistic adventures all while I was growing up. Tea party is the usual time - noon to fiveish, tasty snacks, friendly chats and handicraft projects welcomed...

~ :♥: ~

* Nimblefoot is a Saturn station wagon, fifteen years old with over 200,000 miles on the odometer. I ride my bike, walk, and take public transit.

just for fun... house numerology

I unwind by reading design and house-repair blogs. Found a post on one about the concept of numerology as applied to houses. Take your house number, and add up the digits, then add up those digits, till it is reduced to a single digit. By this method I came up with "3" for Acorn Cottage

House Number 3

This house is one of the happiest ones with a welcome sign on the door. This is the social house. It is a house that is very creative and suites creative tenants. With its unusual design it is the perfect house for entertaining both indoors and outdoors.If you like quiet, do not live next to a three house. For this is a house filled with noise, laughter and extravagant expression. People who live in a three house like to invest within the decorating causing a cluttered and odd style within it's interior. Positive Colour Suggestions: Mauve, Lilac, calming blues and violets.

I found this result to be delightfully silly and strange, since compared to all the other possible digits, this is actually the best match for my house.

~ :♥: ~

Smokey is showing some small signs of improvement. This morning she came over to greet me when she could tell I was awake, well actually just barely awake, but the sensation of large dog head and wet dog nose on my outstretched hand was something that had been missing for far too long. (She does the morning and bedtime greeting thing, where she comes over to the bed and either rests her head on the edge, or nudges your outstretched hand) And when I gave a big yawn and stretch before getting up, she responded with the classic canine play bow. We're not out of the woods yet, she is still having "plumbing problems" but it is great to see her acting less geriatric.

~ :♥: ~

Must go outside and get some more of the yard hacked back, now that I've figured out how to add more string to the weed wacker. You apparently wind it on just like a sewing machine bobbin made large...

a great moderate relief

Smokey and I walked to the animal hospital this morning before breakfast, I all a-worry and she simply un-eager to walk so far. By the end of our visit the results were that she currently has quite the bladder infection. (The technician let me look through the binocular microscope at the slide with all the bacteria rods, which reminded me of high school science lab) The good news is that she does not have diabetes, and that her spine and legs seem to be in very good shape, with no apparent neurological problems. This veterinarian did not yell at me for not cleaning her teeth, while he mentioned that she does have quite a bit of tartar, he also told me that her mouth and gums are healthy, with no signs of periodiontal issues. So we now have two prescriptions, one for antibiotics and one for an estrogen supplement. Apparently old spayed female dogs can get estrogen deficient (who knew?) which can make bladder troubles more likely. The small lump on her "breast #6" the vet said is 95% likely to be a cyst, and suggested we wait to deal with that until after the infection is under control. So, it looks like Her Own Darling Self will be around for a while yet, and hopefully will be feeling a bit perkier in a day or two. Yay!

worried

My beloved Smokey has been slowing down, and I had been attributing it to her advanced age, 14 being old for Akitas. Yesterday it seemed really obvious that she wasn't just sleeping more 'cos of getting older; she wasn't particularly enthusiastic about saying hello to Rois and Sol who are usually some of her favorite Portland peoples. She is pretty unenthusiastic about going for walks the last few days, every house or two she would stop and look back at Acorn Cottage. She has started drinking more water and sometimes peeing while asleep. And this afternoon when I was petting her, I found a small lump in her belly. I've made an appointment for her on Tuesday at the animal hospital (the one around the corner, so I can walk her there and home again). I'm worried that she is sick, or worse... and (as awful as it sounds) I'm also worried about how I'll find the money to pay her vet bills, if this is not something simple.

bits of news, mostly good

I didn't get sick at 12th Night. This is a first, every other Hotel 12th Night I've gone to I have ended up ill with respiratory crap. Bringing the Brita filter meant that I had plenty of water to drink that tasted okay. Bringing the wee crockpot meant that I had a hot supper. (I used some of the boil-in-bag Indian food, and pre-cooked rice-in-bag from the emergency food shelf, and just hotted them up in the almost boiling water, it worked great. The other thing that worked well was the small chalkboard for the merchant table, I'll definitely add this to my event list, as a great way to leave useful messages: ie "Art Show in Room 146 tonight" or "shop closed for Laurel Meeting, re-open at 11AM"

~ :♥: ~

There is definitely something here at Acorn Cottage that I am allergic to. Bedtime is the start of massive sneezing and congestion. Not restful. I'm guessing that it is in the carpet, and hoping that it is not my featherbed, feather pillows, and down puff. Sometime this spring, with help, the bedroom carpet will go away.

~ :♥: ~

The good people at Friends of Trees called me again this week, the last week to order trees. I'd given up on the idea, since there just was not enough money in the piggy bank right now... My neighborhood coordinator, when I told her that, said that there was a bit of subsidy funding, if I could pay a portion of the cost. Whoo hoo. I will be getting a semi-dwarf Bartlett pear (as a yard tree). I'm thinking to put it in the backyard, near the apple tree babies. I'll want to get another variety of pear, or maybe learn to graft, pears do better with more than one kind of pollen.

~ :♥: ~

And, for your amusement, I present yet another picture of Smokey the Compact Akita in her role as the Bolster of furry softness...

I'm down, I'm grounded safe and sound

That two hour drive from there to here has never seemed so alarmingly long. Remind me not to do that again on five hours of sleep...

The event went very smoothly, thoughtful gifts were exchanged, and seeing my many friends was the best part. The "Art Show" in the hotel room Saturday night turned into my favorite kind of party, not all drunken and raucous, but plenty of good storytelling. It was fun to disguise all the standard hotel things into a gallery-space. I was particularly pleased with turning the TV cabinet into an illuminated cabinet of coppery sculptural goodness, though sadly I forgot to take a picture, being already very tired at that point. Also, turning the ironing board into a console table to display my jewelry and trinkets and Rafney's needlefeltings worked quite well.

Many thanks to Elfreda for minding the merchant space while I went to the Laurel's meeting Saturday morning, One of the hardest things about events is being "trapped" in the marketplace, while important or interesting things are happening everywhere else, there were many folks I'd have liked to connect with that I never saw, they were busy with meetings, not shoppings. Smokey did her bit as an Akita ambassador both on Saturday night at the Art Show, and during the two hours between hotel checkout and merchant teardown (when she got to come and hang out in the marketplace) Also a special thank-you to the various musicians who came and played in the marketplace, it added a pleasant ambiance to the half empty room

I can't stop yawning, I'm going to bed now, the rest of the unpacking and laundry can wait till tomorrow...

Thursday thoughts

Under the down puff I sleep warm, and Smokey has her own thick fur; this morning my house heat came on, by itself, for the first time this year (I keep it set at 55). One of those year-milestones... I think winter is here.

~:~

In the morning while dogwalking: with a sudden thud, a squirrel fell from the sky. Well from atop a large tree, directly in front of me and her own darling self. Not sure who was more startled. Happily, it scampered off and up the next tree before we had a squirrel squeaky toy incident.

~:~

The gods of small thrifting have been kind to me lately: A nice older Revereware saucepan to replace the one that died. I can tell it is older, as tis heavier and the handle is attached more solidly... A vintage clear glass Anchor Hocking covered refrigerator dish,perfect for storing leftovers, which I'd been wishing for something like... Then an 18" tall oak jewelry organiser with spaces for 60 pairs of earrings and six necklace pegs, all mounted on a "lazy susan" base. This will be perfect for display; I think the universe is telling me to make earrings to sell, since I certainly don't own sixty pairs of earrings!

~:~

Which reminds me... we will be having a holiday sale after all, the Many Hands of the Last Minute Show on Friday December 19th from 11 to 7, and Saturday December 20th from 10 to 4 at the home of the lovely Rafny. So there will be wonderful locally handmade artistic delights for whatever (seasonal holiday of choice) you celebrate.

And that Sunday will be a Solstice tea party here, so mark your calendars for a busy weekend

~:~

Sunday the 7th is "houseyversary-3", I've been living here at Acorn Cottage for three years now. The traditional gifts for a third anniversary are leather or crystal. Hmmm nothing really comes to mind immediately that I can look for as a housey-gift...

~:~

housewifely ramblings...

Good dinner tonight, and I used about half the bunch of lacinato kale, steamed along with a sweet potato cut into chunks, which combination I'm inclined to repeat

~:~

Everything takes more time than I think it will. I've been working out the class schedule for the first quarter of 2009. Once the word processing is completed I can make copies, which needs to happen before Friday evening. This might be faster if I had a proper desktop publishing program, but then again, it might not, it might just be me...

Cloisonne Enameling

- January 23 - 25, February 20 - 22, March 20 - 22

Painted Enameling

- February 6 - 8 (a fun option for Valentine gifties)

Stamped Champleve

- March 6 - 8

Decorative Stamping and Cold Connections

- April 3 - 5 (taught by Bill as guest instructor)

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Smokey seems to be feeling better, yesterdays "wommiting" was a rare aberration, fortunately, and I've added rice to her food today. She thinks that if I only added some raw fish it would make great dog sushi!, I saw her eyeing my little piece of salmon with hungry eyes.

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Sometime in the next two weeks I need to get some garden time in to prep a bed and plant garlic, or next year will be very very sad... I've got a lead on a source for rabbit poop mixed with hay bedding, a person who does bunny rescue who is even willing to deliver some at regular intervals, since they don't live very far away. This could be a good thing for the future garden bed refurbishment.

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In just a few weeks it will be Acorn Cottage's "housiversary" Hmmm... I'll need to think of what might be an appropriate housey-gift in honor of our third year together.

Sunday snippets

Humph! I hates it when I'm carelessly clumsy. While reaching for dishes to wash I dumped the whole tin of sunflower seeds over, most of them ended up on the floor, or amongst the dirty dishes. And why pray tell was the sunnie tin there, because I'd forgotten to put it back in the pantry after breakfast! Ah well, the hens will have a nice morning treat tomorrow. And they could use one, they're moulting Guess who decided that the swept up sunnies made a nice snack while I was typing...

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Day #2

A bit of work today on my 2009 calendar images. The theme for the year will be alphabetical: animal and botanical. I'd been wondering about formatting the calendar long vertically, but 'twill be a bit more economical to print as stubby rectangles like I've done before. And I just worked out how to include a digital "watermark" on my images, for when posting them online. And I think it will be a better plan to awaken earlier in the day, and spend early time doing artwork before doing the out-of-home tasks.

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I love fractals, especially tasty fractal food. This lovely thing came home with me from the farmers market yesterday, and will be part of dinner tonight. Mmm steamed alien food!

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I've still quite a bit to do to get ready for the engraving class this coming weekend, and still need to attach the chalkboards to the wall. Instead of wrestling with that task, I spent the afternoon on the Max out to Ikea and back, where I acquired 4 small worklights for the student workbench. Step by step, I make slow progress.

stupid dog!!

Just got back inside from feeding the hens, and Smokey had managed to eat a good sized chunk of the cake I baked last night for the tea party! Me mad...she hasn't eaten stuff off the countertops since she has a puppy. Me worried...cake was a chocolate cake. Quick, call friend who was formerly vet-tech...she isn't home. Oh yeah, the internet...google dog chocolate toxicity...

sweet cocoa---------0.3 oz per lb of body weight
baking chocolate----0.1 oz per lb of body weight

Quickly do the math, 1/2 c cocoa in cake, she ate about a sixth of the cake, therefore about 1 1/2 Tablespoons, therefore about a little more than 0.5 oz. Smokey weighs 95 pounds. Whew! she is probably not in danger of chocolate poisoning.

Me frazzled...I have no cake for my guests. Must go clean up the kitchen and start more baking. And there I was so organised, getting the baking done last night...Sigh

Tea party later today

midweek maunderings + enamel classes

I've finished the two biggest current projects: the coronet I posted about a while ago, and here's some pictures of the ermine-edged caps that I'd been working on for many many hours...
Starting out, with many pieces for the caps, and the embroidery just begun

Here is one of the caps, and how it ended up

Re-cutting and sewing the ermine skins into ermine edging was trickier that I'd have expected. Still, there came a moment in the process when the edging started to look real

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Thirdly, a busy weekend just finished, well, a few days ago anyhow. Bill and Jen came down from Olympia; Sunday was my afternoon Art in The Pearl demo day, and Bill had all day Monday. This is the second year that I've had a chance to participate, and I spent four hours talking to folks about enameling. My original intent was to actually demo the process, and after bringing all the travelling gear down to the North Park Blocks, it turned out that being next to the blacksmiths was not actually a good thing for enameling. Too much soot from the forge. The next day we discovered an additional wall on the E Z UP that might have offered enough protection, but even without the actual process going on, I still had all the supplies and equipment to use as "visual aids", and chatted with many many people. I also passed out a number of flyers for the classes I have scheduled for the next few months (more on this momentarily) Monday, after the demo, we had our second trip to eat sushi so were rather late getting back to Acorn Cottage. In the interim Smokey the Compact Akita found her way into the guest room, where the futonbed and down puff were waaay too cozy. She really didn't want to move at all, just rolled her eyes up at us...

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I have a schedule for the classes I'll be teaching and hosting at the Artisanry:
Each workshop will be Friday evening 7:30 - 9:30, and all day Saturday and Sunday 10 - 5, and all supplies are included

Cloisonne Enameling - $175

In this workshop you will learn the entire process of creating cloisonné, with delicate lines of precious metal delineating patterns and images. Create a suitable design, bend and apply the cloisonné wires, apply multiple layers of enamel and fuse them in the kiln, and grind and flash-fire the finished enamel. You will be provided with materials, and complete at least one
piece that can be worn as a pendant.
September 26th - 28th or November 14th - 16th or December 12th - 14th

Painted Enameling - $175
In this workshop, you will learn a straightforward way to add fine details to your enamels. The use of painting enamels began in medieval France, (which is why this technique is sometimes referred to as "Limoges" enameling), but is perfectly appropriate for contemporary designs. Painting enamels are mixed with lavender oil and applied to a previously enameled surface. You will be provided with two silver blanks, and you will complete at least one small piece that can be worn as a pendant. (Note: for this class you must not be allergic to lavender)
November 28th - 30th

Engraving for Enamels - $195 + 30 engraving toolkit fee
This special workshop will cover two traditional arts: On the first day, you will learn a simple engraving technique that will add depth and brilliant sparkle to your enamels. Once your graver is fitted to the size of your hand, after ample opportunity for practice, you will engrave a pattern into a piece of fine silver. On the second day you will learn the process of cloisonné, and your engraved disc will become a base for a simple cloisonné pattern using transparent and opaque enamels. You will be provided with all materials to complete one small piece that can be worn as a pendant. The graver kit, required in addition to the class fee, enables you to continue engraving at home or in future classes.
November 7th - 9th

Bill Dawson will be a Visiting Instructor this quarter. He is a very accomplished metalsmith and an experienced teacher. He will be teaching the engraving portion of the Engraving For Enamels class; don't miss this special opportunity. For examples of his work, see www.billdawsonmetalsmith.com

Minimum registration for each class is 2, maximum is 4; small classes allow individual attention and encouragement to every student