Garden Going Crazy

My dear gardener had to leave for Vietnam all of a sudden due to a family emergency, the person who called to tell me said they'd be gone two weeks. I no longer remember which week we are in...but the Mexican primroses are coming up all over the lawn, as are the weeds...
But like Cris in Oregon's birds eggs hatching, my Lilies of the Nile are starting to hatch too...orange trumpet vines are in full swing, figs are coming out all over our huge tree; hydrangea needs water and will be pink this year...
Hope Mr. H. is able to come back soon, and hope all is well in his home. But we need him.

Tribute To Our Friend, Jim

Last Friday our dear friend of many years, Jim, died. My husband and he became friends when they met in the Union Hall in Oakland, CA. in the early 1970s. They were both in their early 20s.
They worked together in a warehouse, and Jim taught my husband to play guitar.

My dh happens to have a wonderful voice, and Jim was a musician of great talent, playing guitar, banjo, and concertina exceptionally well. It was Jim who introduced my husband to Irish music and Sea Shanties, both of which he sings to this day. They shared a flat for four years, grew a huge garden, had dogs, and were just good, good buddies.

In 1975 when I met Fred he was driving an old VW bus. The bus would break down each time he'd come up to where I lived a good hours drive away. Each time it broke down he'd call Jim, and Jim would drop whatever he was doing and drive the hour drive to hook Fred's bus to his truck and tow him back to Oakland. Jim was also a skilled mechanic and could glue the bus back together again good for the next weekend visit. Fred assures me to this day that if it weren't for Jim he and I would not be together.

We have been grieving this loss for the past week. Still sad I decided to gather photos from years past together and make something to give his wife and daughter when we visit them later this summer, hopefully timed to attend the memorial for Jim.
Here is what I created:

Jim and Fred are goofing around in this middle panel. We are at a waterfall in South Oregon.

Jim was quite the environmentalist, naturalist, knew all the names of all the wild flowers and trees in the area.
This is the bottom panel, Jim and his wife on a cruise. The only time I knew him to wear a suit. He was more comfortable in old torn jeans and t-shirt.
Jim was a fly fisherman and tied his own flies and made them for a living too.


The top panel is on tye dyed fabric denoting the times: war slogan in upper left hand corner says: "Make Love, Not War"...photos of Fred and Jim playing music and singing...the song written is called "Leaving of Liverpool"...the last photo is Jim looking at his then 2 month old baby daughter.

Jim cleaning his guitar
Jim with baby daughter (now in her 20's)
DH/Fred being goofy in a hat Jim gave him this trip

We miss you Jim.

Your passing is a great loss.

Car Art or just Gift Art?

My plan was to make up some quilted mats for gifts for the people we will be visiting this summer, little thank yous from my heart and sewing machine. The idea was to do a lot of embroidery in the car while driving long distances. However, I had to make 15 of these and that is a lot of embroidery...in fear I may not have time to get them all done while traveling I started top sewing them here at home before we leave. So they are mostly done...with a little more to do on some and room for a few embellishments while traveling. I'll take yarn and knitting needles to make grand kids their next size (5) sweaters for the coming fall season.

If you want to see what I'll be wearing to my son's wedding in August go to my Positive Eating and Exercise blog. http://lynnshealthplan.blogspot.com/

18 years ago

Happy Birthday , MikiahPhoto left to right: sister Kaeli, step mom-to-be, Jackie, and Mikiah (today).

18 yrs ago, Grandpa Fred holding baby Mikiah

...and Grandpa Fred and Grandma Lynn walking the baby with parents in the Eugene, OR
rose garden.

Eighteen years ago we went to visit our very first grandchild. His name is Mikiah. Tomorrow he will be 18! Wow. It's just hard to believe. Time flies when you are old(er). It was such a joy to welcome this little guy into our lives and world. I remember that we brought him a ton of toys and clothes. Fred and I could not stop ourselves from buying every thing we saw that called out: new baby, new baby; and someone had written a song welcoming him into the world called: Little Seal. I can hear the melody in my head as I write this. What a sweet, sweet memory. Happy Birthday, Mikiah. We love you.

Card Sale Coming Soon

Step One: I am getting cards ready to take to the art gallery for sale.

These are on nice sturdy green card stock with matching envelopes, blank inside. And in individual clear cellophane outer envelopes. They look good.
Step Two will be getting a vendors number; then possibly setting up an ETSY store from which to sell them to a wider audience. (Possibly in June/July).Coming soon to a blog near you!

;-)
The cards have names: Lily; Bee; Owl Couple; Dragonfly; Red Poppy; Rose Bud; Passion; Peach blossoms; Purple Iris; Purple Thistles; Sunflower bouquet; White Poppy; etc.

Sunday Walk around Home Neighborhood

This sign seemed to go with my walking steps! It was hot out today, but I was determined to get an outside walk in. After two days of babysitting a sick child, with lots of quiet play/sitting around, my body was crying out to move...
Not sure why this old tree caught my attention but it did. It seemed to be shedding it's bark.


Food for thought.

While walking around the neighborhood park a much younger woman kept passing me by coming the opposite direction. She was jogging and was making the circle several times to my one walking. We later met up as I was heading home in my direction and she in hers in the opposite and we stopped to chat. A perfect stranger, but willing to share some words with a neighbor never before met. Felt nice. She'd jogged five times around that park she said.

And in this heat. More power to her.

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Today I sewed "car art" in preparation for our road trip this summer.

I need something to do in the car.

So I am making "mats" (15" X 20" approx.) quilting them and leaving them plain to embroider on while sitting in the car cross country.

I'll post their "before" state later for you to see.

And the after, well after I do them.

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Today I entered another art contest.

It's called 65Plus - the art and lives of older artists

for any medium, any size, any date

12 of the works will be selected and a 2009 calendar will be printed using those images

and the images of the artists.

all participants will receive a calendar.

This is coming out of New Zealand

Want to know more?

Go to: http://virtual.tart.co.nz

check out October 2008 for details

Wednesday's Walk...Pinks, Yellows and White Flower Day

Catch a falling star and...© A kiss of pink...©
A last weeks gift from a client...Faded Rose©
And this week's gift from another client... Sunhine in my window ©
Spiraling into summer©

Isn't nature wonderful? ©
A tree full of beauties©
Wedding Whites©
This guy believes in really getting into his work!

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It's getting hot here. In the 90's today. So when I set out for my noontime walk I wasn't at all sure how far I would go. With speedy tennis shoes and wide brimmed hat I felt ready to go.


But got as far as the post office where I dropped off a card for my young cousin, Amy, in the hospital wishing her a speedy recovery, and then back to the office was all I was willing to do in this heat.


It promises to be in the low 100's tomorrow through Sunday. So treadmill may be my only recourse of exercise this week.

But there sure was a lot of pretty flowers out there to enjoy
and now you can too!

Monday's Flower Walk

Double click to enlarge photos: © ©
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My Canon Rebel Xti wanted to rebel this weekend. The automatic flash refused to rise to the occasion. Today I used a bit of fingernail force and opened it, but these were taken without the flash. I think they came out okay. Anyone else have this Canon problem and can give advice I'd be interested in listening.

C'est Andrea

A while ago I made a wonderful purchase from Andrea of C'estAndrea's blog/ETSY store and bought this beautiful print called de Palacio.

My apologies to Andrea as it has taken me a while to find a frame to fit it. The print is 16 X 11 and the closest I could find was 16 X 12. So finally she will be on a wall in our home as she richly deserves. The shells bring to mind summer to me and right in time then, as it is close approaching in our neck of the woods here in California.

It's great fun to buy the art of fellow/gal blogmates! I am proud to own these pieces.

In My Own Backyard

©PINKMexican Primroses Abound
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© This lavender trumpet vine goes over the fence...

And in the front yard too.

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