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! 

 

 

 

art at the art shop, Stella's lunch, and a spooky yard

Morning dew on the deck and a stray cat that has been coming around lately. She is skittish and anti social, thin and hungry. Glad she likes raccoon kibbles, I would love to make her a pet but that is not going to be possible. She is a wild thing. Good thing, too. Coyote , having eaten Lil Stumpy, is sure to be a threat. 

I went into town to day to buy some art product for Annie of the island. Stella and i are going over to Friday Harbor early Monday morning, spending the night and be back late Tuesday. While at the art store  I wen to the exhibit in their gallery. I know these artists and though they have similar styles , joyful, they are quite different. I prefer one over the others but love each one tremendously. 

 

A little over a yard long shelf, wooden figures cut into the wood by Fishboy, R.Clark. I would have that in my house if not for the price. 

Another that I love is the crow in a wooden board- by Frank Frazee. His use of found bits intrigues me. He is in my old studio, the big one with no windows. I so miss the group of artists up there in the building that smelled of gull poos. I miss not having a place to go to be alone and to fool around with stuff. 

The other artist has long been one of my faves, mostly because she is one of my favorite people. Her art is whimsy , with a touch of "dark". She is a skilled puppet master and doll maker, Christian Anne Smith .

Fishboy held my attention throughout the exhibit. His work makes me feel that there may be more to this life than  the usual expectation.

"Pipe dreams"- looks like the art that I loved so much in "The House Of Dreams" , East Dulwich, my last rip to London. 

Blue apples and Big Leg Larry- part of the "'shelf"  Big Leg Larry stole my heart. 

Dennis went to his 69th High School Reunion  last week.  It is getting whittled down to a modest and  mostly unwell 15 people. Dennis, the fittest of the lot. Genetic longevity and clean living- he will outlive us all, I have stated this before.

On my way out I bought a card that is so BELLINGHAM! You probably have to be familiar with the town to appreciated the colors and what they represent.    Clever.

There was so much more to my day- after the art I went to Stella's , had a glorious lunch -  from scratch lasagna  and tea. We played with her papers and made a few collages to take to Annie's on the island for printing on, am not sure what that will involve . I have  five  more to make today, as well as packing for the trip. C-pap has to go with me, hassle!  Other things must accompany the machine- distilled water in a bottle and surgical tape to tape my mouth shut, a clip to gather hair out of the way and maybe my pillow which has adapted to the hose. At least it is not an iron lung . So, for only two days and one night leaving home is more complex than just throwing on a pair of levis , a jacket with a toothbrush in the pocket and enough money to buy lunch. 

On my way to Stella's I stopped at  Underpants Jesus House, where they are setting up for the season. 

I will take you there another time .Theresa with  recycled creation( her yard is full)- she uses a lot of insulation foam and free bits from industrial  salvage area. We chatted for about 30minutes, heard life story and general philosophy of this woman whom  I have been curious about for YEARS!~ simpatico-  great fun.  

See y'all when I return from our adventure! The best sort with Stella!

Got a ferry to catch!Got a few collages to complete- what will become of this mess - I have no idea. Annie will surprise us!