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Archive for the ‘My neighborhood’ Category

Neighborhood Color

Saturday, May 2nd, 2009

Before we take the neighborhood tour, some fiber talk. I finished quilting my 12 X 12 identity piece.  I have to finish off the corners of the satin stitching and photograph it and I can check it off my list of things to do before Kansas City. I also finished the scrap piece that I started when Mia was here on Thursday. This is Scrap 050209.

scrap050309

These are only about 3″ by 5″. This one has scraps of an old silk dress of mine and a blouse that belonged to Sue Benner’s mother.

Today when we took Maggie for a walk, I took my camera along. You know it is spring and the end of the semester, when Reed College puts up signs telling us we can’t come on campus until next Monday and things like this spring up on the lawn. The event starts with a parade of seniors, through a throng of students accompanied by exuberant music, as they turn in their senior theses.

reedrenfair09

This was parked on the street with some weirdly dressed folks coming and going.

busonbus1

busonbus2

It was a beautiful morning. We had lots of rain later in the day, but with plenty of sun breaks. I took som photos of some of the beautiful color. All of the photos can be seen in my Eastmoreland Neighborhood Flickr Set.

RED: Japanese Maples and chairs

neighborhoodred

FUCHSIA: Azaleas

neighborhoodfuchsia

PURPLE: Ajuga

neighborhoodpurple

YELLOW:

neighborhoodyellow

PINK: Dogwood in our backyard

neighborhoodpink

GREEN: Our front yard

ourneighborhoodgreen

Mr C and I went out for dinner and now we are watching the first season of The Tudors. The costumes and sets are just incredible. Being Episcopalian, this story was part of our theology class last year. I love seeing the different ways this story has been told. This one is quite spectacular. I must say, I have never seen such an attractive Henry, before.

Sunday in the Park with Maggie

Sunday, April 19th, 2009

rhodiespringcolor

What a beautiful day it was. Yesterday, Mia called us with a class assignment. She had to ask 5 adults what their favorite place in Portland is and why. I told her it was the Rhodie Garden because it is such a beautiful place and practically in our backyard. I can go every day, year round and find beauty and peace.

Today, Maggie and I joined the throngs who were enjoying the beauty on a late afternoon of incredible warmth and light from the sun. I have probably taken photos like these every year, but I never tire of the lovely spring colors.

blossomextravaganza

rhodieblossomview_

japanesemaples

rhodiefleurcloseup

rhodiebirdroost

One section of the garden is being renovate. They are doing some major stone work. Here are some of the supplies.

constructionsupplies

I love the look of the construction fence snaking through the vegetation. You can see all of today’s photos on my Flickr set.

rhodieconstructionfence

I have some pretty things in my yard, too. I planted bulbs last fall and I love these tulips and daffies.

tulips

tulipsdaffoodils

A few weeks ago, the raspberries were just sticks in the ground. Now, look at them.

raspberryprogress

Good Things

Friday, March 6th, 2009

Thanks for the commiseration over my recent state of mind. Today was much better (even though I turned myself into WW and was up 4 pounds!! eek!!), and I think it proves the old adage that sharing our misery helps to dilute it.

I spent an hour with a charming Comcast tech who straightened out our connections so that our phone, Internet and TV will all operate more efficiently. He fell in love with Maggie and might have absconded with her if I had allowed it.

M and M arrived early afternoon (no school). We took a walk in the Rhodie Garden and fed the ducks. There were many signs of spring.

onetwothree

springdress

helibores

milescrossingwater

redcoat2

The mail came very late today, but it had two large envelopes that made me very happy.  Early in February, I won a pressie when I commented on Regina’s Mostly Turquoise blog. Regina is a talented artist who lives on the Dutch West Indies island of St. Martins (Sint Maartin). My gift arrived today and it is so much more than I expected. It is a beautiful art quilt with some hand painted fabric and of course, some turquoise.

reginaquilt

And some more Regina Art:

reginaart

Thank you so much, Regina!

The other envelope was the acceptance of two of my quilts into the Sacred Threads exhibit. This happens every two years, in June, in Ohio. The two quilts are the Galilee Sunrise and the Wailing wall with the Dome of the Rock, both of which were in my show and sold. The new owners have graciously agreed to let them travel. They can be seen on my Flickr set, Holy Land Pilgrimage, A Quilter’s Journey.

M and M brought some much needed energy and fun to my life.

Ho, Ho, Ho

Thursday, December 25th, 2008

Hope your Christmas was as merry and happy as mine. We gathered for Christmas soup, cookies and gift opening. Steve and I attended Mid-night mass. It was so beautiful and enjoyable because the normal horde of folks did not brave the elements. Our Rector called us the die hards. I received some wonderful gifts which I will share over the next few days. We are about to head over to Steph’s for her wonderful homemade pecan rolls and other goodies and to see what Santa brought.

For now, here are a few pics from yesterday. You can see all of them on my Flickr Stream.

Wilfredo dressed for a walk with Lisa, Maggie and I.

wilfredoboots

We took a walk to the Rhodie Garden, but the gates were locked so we took photos through the fence.

rhodiesnow2

Having fun at Christmas Eve supper.

mialisamiles

miawilfredo2

Miles and the tree. He loves to check out the ornaments. He LOVED his gifts from us – lots of Lego stuff and a book of Lego constructions and a Klutz card castle kit.

milesandtree

The temps are up, the snow is melting, things are looking up! Hope you are having a great day with family and friends.

This and That

Tuesday, July 1st, 2008

Where did Monday go? I did the washout on my remaining fabric from the workshop. I hobbled around the house and the neighborhood like an invalid. (More later) I spiffed up the house, went shopping and put together some appetizers for later. By 3 pm, I had to shower and get ready to greet our friends from Schenectady, where we used to live. They were visiting Bill’s sister in Beaverton and he and his wife, Joy, came by to spend the late afternoon and evening with them. We gave them a tour of the Rhodie garden, which they proclaimed as the best back yard they had ever seen! We came back to the house for drinks and snacks before walking over to Reed College for a picnic on the lawn and a concert of all Schubert music — it was divine. Throughout this, the tile guy laid the bathroom floor; it looks great – photos later. And, we discovered that Maggie had a very swollen cheek:

Now, on to the good stuff. Here is the cotton piece that I stamped the potato dextrin with a net and a plastic grid and over-painted with dark turquoise. You can click the detail to see the wonderful. subtle  netting.

Next, is the yellow/green silk scarf that needed help. I used combed potato dextrin and over-painted with dark turquoise dye.

This piece was pfd cotton. I  screenprinted corn dextrin using a thermofax of a hand drawn circle and stamped with bubblewrap. I rolled on chocolate brown dye.

This is silk organza that was stamped with chocolate brown dye (no resist) using a round sponge. I then squiggled it with black dye.

This habotai silk was painted with dye in the primary colors and generously squiggled with black dye (I have to learn how to control that syringe!).

The last piece is silk organza, painted with left over dyes that I  mixed. It was the last piece and I did not want to mix up more dye.


I just love doing this thickened dye work. I have plans for some more good stuff!!

Back to the goings on here at home. It seems that I have piriformis syndrome causing sciatica pain in my left hip. I couldn’t get physical therapy until July 22 and I am going to be at the Coupeville Art Center  then. So, I did an internet search and found some exercises and other things to do for this. It seems that women who walk or run a lot are more prone to this. I am doing the exercises and icing and I am feeling better. It is worse in the middle of the night when I need to get up or when I have been sitting for some time. Lots of ibuprofen, too.

Maggie went to see her Doctor this morning and she had to have 2 abscessed  teeth removed. She will be out of it for awhile and eating soft foods, but hopefully, she returns to her normal joyful self. I gotta run; I have a communications committee meeting at the cathedral.