Winter Is Coming

Winter is coming! 

To all who view this blogsite:

A blessed Christmas.

Wishing you all PEACE, JOY, LOVE 

and good health throughout the New Year.

SNOW and SHADOWS

 

Out of practice building snowmen...

Fleeting Sunlight

24 MUFFINS

I had a baking session today, tried a new recipe:

BANANA CRANBERRY MUFFINS

A little much sweet, but yummy just the same. 

Favorite Autumn Photographs

 

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Autumn Is Here

 

By hhc - fabric collage

HAPPY AUTUMN!

Summer is gone, where did it go?  Gone with the wind, to steal a phrase... 

by hhc - threads, pressed leaves

Some of my impressions include trees decked with glowing red or orange or golden yellow adornment, glowing in the amber sunlight.   Piles of crispy leaves scattering to swirl and dance in the wind.  The restless cries of migrating birds heading for warmer climates. 

hhc - rubber stamps, jute, pressed leaf

....Occasional frosts that outlined grasses with white, colorful pumpkins, squashes and gourds arranged for sale in roadside stands...  

Photo by hhc

Cider, definitely apple cider!  Best served with cinnamon sugared doughnuts, of course.  

By hhc - pressed leaf

This is my favorite season.  I feel most comfortable in cooler, less humid weather.  Let's see if we get snow in October!!!

September 11th, We Still Remember... Updated

Civil servant putting up flag on that day...
"Hole in the Barn Door" quilt block

I remember exactly where I was, what I was doing, (sitting on the couch watching the TV after receiving a phone call...) how I felt (in shock) 20 years ago today.  My wall quilt (pictured above) was the result.

It was made for a "Men's Choice" challenge in my quilt guild, and men were supposed to select the fabric for our quilts.  I couldn't help but think that the attacks on the World Trade Center and other locations were-   Some men's choice.

The airplane charm opens up to reveal the seats inside...

We will never forget.  Prayers go out for the families and loved ones of those who died- both the victims and the first responders, and those who live on with injuries and illnesses that resulted from their unexpected proximity to the buildings' collapse, and/or from their brave response to the call of danger.

Iwo Jima charm

Fireman's hat has an "11" on it, flowered fabric for remembrance...

My dear neighbor/friend Shirley A. composed these two poems (adhered to the back) a month later.  She is now gone. 

The words and music for this song came to me right after the Twin Trade Towers were reduced to rubble: 

The heart of the Father 

grieves today.

So any of His children

were blown away.

...So much death,

senseless pain and fear.

But we are not alone,

He is here...

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and I was reminded of this verse found in 

Jeremiah Chapter 9 verse 1:

OH THAT MY HEAD WERE WATERS, AND MINE EYES A FOUNTAIN OF TEARS, THAT I MIGHT WEEP DAY AND NIGHT FOR THE SLAIN OF THE DAUGHTER OF MY PEOPLE!

...We will remember

one September...

mourning...

Contemplating An Aging Parent...

 Once upon a time I was a young adult visiting my mother.  Her favorite pastime was going to garage sales/lawn sales.  I wasn't even interested in thrift shops at that age!!!  (My, how things change...)

I remember the day I was riding in the front seat as she drove quite fervently from one sign to the next, punching the accelerator, hitting the brakes.  (Can you say "whip lash???")  

On one part of our adventure I happened to read this bumper sticker on the car ahead of us:  "LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO BE A PROBLEM TO YOUR CHILDREN."  I thought it was funny.  (Now, I don't...- in hindsight I think it should have read, "LIVE LONG ENOUGH FOR YOUR KIDS TO WORRY ABOUT YOU!!!"  Same difference???)

Through the years, she took care of us six kids (two sets of twins!!!) very sacrificially, only wanting what was best for each one of us, cheering us on.  I honestly don't know how she did it.  (Of course, being the eldest, I helped some...  And we all had assigned "chores" to do...)

Years later she told me about how some female shopper in a store had criticized my mother for using harnesses to keep track of my 2 - or 3-year-old brothers.  That was before the days of prevalent kidnappings, but hey- how was she supposed to chase both of them if they ran in opposite directions???

After following a recent medical emergency long-distance, I'm perhaps at the point of not only considering her mortality, but my own as well.

Don't get me wrong, I don't at all begrudge the visits, the bed-side vigil during various emergencies, the times I bite my tongue when she repeats repeats herself over the phone.  Or asks a question that seems irrelevant to me.  Or contradicts herself.  It is counterproductive to confront her about these occurrances.

I hope I have the wisdom to be patient with her, to not expect, or demand, perfection.  But most of all, I hope I'm mature enough to appreciate her while we still have her.  She was a blessing to our family all through the growing-up years, and she still is.

I am very fortunate to have a wonderful mother such as she is, and I am sincerely grateful for this gift.

Rusty ART

 

What do you see here???

A mail art friend in California has been using rusty items and vinegar to make interesting patterns on fabric, and now- paper.  She sent me some rust-stained paper and when I could finally bring myself to cut into it, I made some brown-on-brown post card art.  Spontaneous fun!

And a random piece or two:

What to you see???

Sometimes all you need is a prompt/background and a good supply of collage elements...  And an imagination, of course :)

Postal Art

 I had fun recently making up some Faux Postage in preparation for a group postal-themed swap.

 

Ice Cream Cone Art

 These fabric collage post cards were made for an exchange when I belonged to an International swapping group some years ago.

I've Looked At Clouds...

 Today's Clouds Du Jour were very stark white against a darkening blue sky.  The storm started with sprinkling rain from the opposite direction, then thunder and lightning.  The good thing was- it cooled down the air.  Yay!

Grab your umbrella!

Some Security Envelope Patterns Post Cards

 

Oh what fun it is to turn paper "junk" into art!!!

OLDIE BUT GOODIE RERUN

 I made this card a while ago (2006?),

 but since it's the beginning of Summer, here it is again.

 

More Post Card Art

 

Collage over Paper Napkin

Collage with Paper Napkin

Collage over Coffee Filter with rubber stamp

ink pressed through leaves stencil

Rhododendron in Full Bloom

 

June 2021 - hhc

The Master Artist sure knows what He's doing!!!

June 2021 - hhc

And The Art I Made WIth The Coffee FIlters