July

Jericoh

"Jericoh' acrylic and mixed media on canvas

My 6 months of painting pretty consistently is coming to a close. I am getting ready for a June show, here in Fredericksburg, so I've re-entered the sewing studio. 

I've been reading some poems as well..

"A little while, a little while..."

A little while, a little while,
The weary task is put away,
And I can sing and I can smile,
Alike, while I have holiday.

Why wilt thou go, my harassed heart,
What thought, what scene invites thee now?
What spot, or near or far,
Has rest for thee, my weary brow?

There is a spot, mid barren hills,
Where winter howls, and driving rain;
But if the dreary tempest chills,
There is a light that warms again.

The house is old, the trees are bare,
Moonless above bends twilight's dome;
But what on earth is half so dear,
So longed for, as the hearth of home?

The mute bird sitting on the stone,
The dank moss dripping from the wall,
The thorn-trees gaunt, the walks o'ergrown,
I love them, how I love them all!

Still, as I mused, the naked room,
The alien firelight died away,
And from the midst of cheerless gloom
I passed to bright unclouded day.

A little and a lone green lane
That opened on a common wide;
A distant, dreamy, dim blue chain
Of mountains circling every side;

A heaven so clear, an earth so calm,
So sweet, so soft, so hushed an air;
And, deepening still the dream-like charm,
Wild moor-sheep feeding everywhere.

That was the scene, I knew it well;
I knew the turfy pathway's sweep
That, winding o'er each billowy swell,
Marked out the tracks of wandering sheep.

Could I have lingered but an hour,
It well had paid a week of toil;
But Truth has banished Fancy's power:
Restraint and heavy task recoil.

Even as I stood with raptured eye,
Absorbed in bliss so deep and dear,
My hour of rest had fleeted by,
And back came labour, bondage, care. 

Emily Jane Brontë

colors of spring

Color and poet's eye.. spring at last.. knitted items available in my etsy store, sorry, the daffodils stay put in my garden..

summer thoughts

As birthday #45 approaches for me, I stumbled onto one of those long lists of things to 'live by'. By coincidence, 45 of them..I do not profess to follow all of these, but I'd like to. I think there is a little nod to Bill Cosby in there as well as Erma Bombeck. Both of whom I hold in high regard..

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio
"To celebrate growing older, I wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.
It is the most-requested column I've ever written." My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1.Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first pay check.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you no one else.
20. When it to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion, today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.Enjoy!

colors of summer

This summer is racing by like a rushing river. I can hardly believe how quickly the days are flying by. During the summer, I rise early to work in the studio. Before the phone starts ringing, before the hot, humid air drifts in. Quiet and calm.

Water colors of the pool and river and sea...


A simple 1-patch, with fabrics so beautiful not much is necessary..

To dive into when I can't get to the water, like I want to.

The colors of summer, greens, violets, turquoise..

Keep cool!

late spring

I've managed to finish this shawl: These colors really remind of the sea.. turquoise, lavender, moss greens.. I loved making this one. Two yarns, alternating, one a rayon ribbon, the other a thick and thin loose spun wool, hand dyed..

The garden has exploded in color, texture and weeds! Must. get. some. pictures.

Sweet pea..

pink roses, my all time fav..

an Asian lily.. love the color combos here..

I feel overwhelmed at the moment, school is coming to a close, the house, the new work in progress.. need to relax and take things one at a time. I'm a horrible multi-tasker. I end up doing things in halves.. one step at a time..

spring?

Good lord, it rained cats and dogs last night..I guess that gardening date will have to be postponed for a while..meanwhile, I've been busy. Some gifts for some special ladies:

The color of these iris' takes my breath away. The bloom time is so short, it seems, but I even love the faded flowers.

My bible study group is winding up for the summer. A little thank you for them..

So easy and fun to make, fabric strips sewn raw edge together, then sewn onto pre-cut cardboard. Torn paper pages, sewn in, embellish, voila!

Hopefully into the studio today..the to-do list is way long, though..

early fall

The last hot gasp of summer, fall is here at last..

late summer garden

Before the birds and deer get to it! I haven't had too much luck in the past with sunflowers, but these, my daughter planted, so she does! I adore the lime green centers.. also coneflowers that have come and gone, the finches and nuthatches love the seeds and a crepe myrtle that is in full pink-ness. Color inspiration that is steps away.. love it.

here to there

July is not the greatest month in Va, we have scorching heat and humidity. I hang out on the porch in the morning, then as the sun chases me back to the deck in the evening.. the humming birds don't seem to mind, they go go go.. still hanging in there, sweet peas, daisies and lilies..

summer garden

My garden in July and August explodes and overwhelms. The vines, flowers and plants go into overdrive and soar up, up, up. The soft roses and sweetpeas from May are long gone, and now the perenials take over. Honeysuckle, shasta daisies and gladiolus go bonkers. I just stand back (sit if I can clear a space!) and take a few pictures..

more garden

purple coneflower + visitor

I'm so pleased with the garden this year, I'm not sure what the difference is from last year, but I'll take it. I know blazing July and August are coming, when I really won't want to step out at all. I'll enjoy this for now.

small garden interlude

A little delight in the mid-June garden..before the sizzling temps of July and August..