Miracle Bandit, penises in the compost

 

 

 

As I was emailing Jan F, and reading her expressed "sorry about the little raccoon" . After more that two weeks, and suspicious coyote poo in the yard, pretty sure that Lil Stumpy was a goner, convinced  that the coyote had a Lil Stumpy  snack.  And just like that- Lil Stumpy showed up with the whole family, using his stump very well, eating kibbles as though nothing had ever happened.  Back to his old self , causing a ruckus, tipping over the bucket of water , rolling it around the deck, wrestling with his siblings.  

 

Good things always happen with Jan F. nearby. Her emails brighten the day every time- I reckon it was her sparkling energy that brought my baby racoon back to the land of the living. She's got the magic and brilliant timing.  

 

 I tried to take a photo through the window  of the  begonia - my camera can not quite "get". The color is the best pink I have ever seen but camera sees Pepto Bismol . 

The last of the boy blossoms for making Zucchini - Dennis kept them  in the fridge, just in case a girl happened to open her willing petals. Chances are no longer feasible as the temperature has dropped , the sun is lower in the sky, the girls have abandoned the deck altogether.  Perky little penises were composted.

Keeka sent a photo of Kuala Lumpur  that is quite lovely. She spent a month in Japan, the photos are A- Mazing! She stayed part time with a Japanese family there whom she had met on her travels. Kindness all around. 

She is of the generation given an iffy future. Some curl up and grumble and some are making the most of this beautiful life - getting out there spreading joy and dollars. Away from monkey business, corruption and utter insanity- smart child is our Keeka. She is a great little ambassador. 

 

As the sun was going down, a timid knock on the door- Too timid for the knocker I must say.  My first thought was "the God squad" and I didn't answer. Dennis did and there stood Luke's dad!

The little neighbor girl, showing us who she is going to be  for Halloween .  As serendipity  goes- I had a music box by the door to go to Habitat or V V that played the theme from Star Wars. She has it now . Perfect! One time she showed up as Santa and another as a teen age mutant  ninja turtle. She was keen on Spider Man for a brief period, glad that one did not last.

Leaving you with two photos-  one, of the best inventions ever invented by a man- an artist , of course, fully understanding the dilemma- a woman's urinal.  YES, must have, please, on every corner!

 

 by Alex Schweder.

And two- My collapsible wire basket - it fits against the wall , flat and out of the way until some one wants to use it for onions and  pine cones?

 

 

 

 

 

 This morning I opened the door and winter smacked me right  in the face.

Rain has come and it is 49 degrees. Probably had too many cups of tea during the day. I have run out of biscuits because two cups of tea require at least six biscuits on a day like today.

Yesterday I had to go to the post office so naturally I stopped in at the thrift store. See that wooden hand holding an orange? That was part of my splendid purchase .

This tin  box was another. The top is divided like a picnic basket , with little knobs for opening. It is roomy , a practical storage tin for ALL of the biscuits I need as winter approaches. 

There were  six Matryoshka  dolls in a bag on the things-in-bags- wall. They came home with me as well as a collapsible vintage wire shopping basket, coolest portable carrier I have ever seen. In another bag on the wall hung this Mexican angel, made by Wixarika person in the Sierra Madres. Mexican art- either you love it or you don't. At the moment I am loving it - it seems to find me  -  jumps right into my hands! I have no control over these things.

This form of art is done with tiny beads and wax, The face is a  hard mache-ish  material. Chubby cheeks- having eaten too many clouds, probably. 

Marjolene is back at Mary's for a couple of months , she arrived on Tuesday  bringing  tulip bulbs from the Netherlands, chocolate and cheese. I gave her salmon. I love when she is here.  Weather having shifted into bloody cold all of a sudden- I will take one of my Norwegian sweaters to her- the chill doesn't stand a chance. Norwegian sweaters are armor.

Yesterday the flowers were still pumping out blossoms, today not so much. Interesting to watch them react. Cosmos turn upside down shedding the rain- the sunflowers toppled to the ground where they are not so exposed. The other flowers are just bobbing around like a dance party.

 A cosmo being held up by mint... Getting a face full of rain against it's will. 

 

I will wait until  after the freeze to do anything about the deck flowers. I scooted the fuchia baskets close to the house in a corner. Sometimes they come back if winter is not too wild. Leaving you with a few of Annie's installations on her land-

Giant clam shells lining the path-

enormous nest made of branches,  housing huge eggs-

driftwood-

 Going to curl up with yet another cuppa . Cosy.

 

 

Squirrel Cafe, Danger Reef, Art CampWith Annie and Our Stella

Woman with stuffed shirt, waiting to walk onto ferry.

 ride to San Juan island on a decent day.

Another ferry, going about its daily business.  
 

 

   

Annie picked us up at the ferry landing because she lives too far away for us to have walked-  off we went to Danger Reef-Squirrel Cafe -Art Camp, to stay over night at Annie's . The best holiday I have had since London. Annie and her husband built their house on 3.5 acres, along with a large shop/studio and a vintage  cabin that her father owned. 

This the view of her front yard from the bedroom window. The large enough reef directly in view, easily watched all day every day due to  activity of sea birds, eagles, nesting birds and seals. 

Sunrise. During the night the moon rose and brightened up the island like daylight. This. is Annie's Danger Reef, all day entertainment!
 

Sat with coffee on her deck wrapped in a comfy blanket, watched as an eagle dined on eggs, somebody's children.

Gulls watched over the grown up seals on one side and the  four baby seals on the other, giving moms a break, I suppose.  

Annie's husband, Michael, died not long ago, the house has become hers entirely. 

What a grand life she lives. 

She and Stella fished together on Annie's commercial fishing vessel out of Sitka Alaska when they were young pups.  Sitka is an island community of about 8,500 people, once the capital of Russian Pacific. 

It can only be reached by sea or plane. 

Anyway, that is where they met, and worked and formed a strong bond. 

The house, now hers is pretty much an artists delight- production stations throughout.And that is where we learned , from "Annie's Art Camp". Collage and printing.

We walked her 3.5 acres finding small, interesting,  botanicals that we wanted to print on our collages. I found a feather, likely eagle plumulaceous. I made a stand alone print of it , Used it a second time in a collage, which was too busy. Editing is important in collage. 

We arted all day, learning as we went, 

Annie is a patient , effective and generous  teacher, though I came away with inchoate results, it was rewarding and  SO enjoyable. My attempts are-

         The Feminine. 

Earth marrying itself

More earthy bits- and  Red bird, wearing big boots , in neon light  .

   Sea

 

Those are the only ones I am willing to show because they are not hideous. I have several that are. For printing we used a gel plate, a brayer, and acrylic paint. To affix the lot we used loads of liquid medium. Fascinating day! Annie's world is extraordinary. There are not enough superlatives. 

Annie's stove-

with a clock built in-

Annie's onions -

 

A young Annie on her vessel catching bloody fish!

See you tomorrow!