Late Winter Thoughts

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I still have my Christmas tree up, decorations and lights and all. Perhaps it's partly to make up for completely missing Christmas last year due to traveling out of state to help an ailing family member.  I am not ready to pack the lights away.  The Christmas corner always seems so dark once emptied of it's sparkle and shine...  

But with the hours of daylight lengthening, it is time to prepare for spring, whether it be one, two or three months down the road.   Viewing art exhibits at my nearby Alma Mater has brightened the cold white months.  I took these pictures on one such jaunt.

Searching for a quilt shop took me off the beaten path into a little town tucked away by a lake.  This abandoned storefront caught my eye.  I wonder if it used to be a diner?  I would have named it "The Brass Peacock" for its metal filigree panel across the front window.

Besides making collage postcards and gelatin plate prints, I am starting to experiment with watercolors, and want to become more comfortable using stencils as well.  Upcoming Art Journaling workshops ought to jump start my creativity, yes?  One can hope...

Considering Lilies

This lily, purchased at a summer festival and planted late, decided to bloom as the weather turned cold.  Rather than see it literally "nipped in the bud," I cut a stalk and brought it in.  The color seems to vary according to the level of light and camera angle.

The remaining stalk was still loaded with buds, so a week later I snipped that also.  This newly opened bud reminds me of a white rose unfurling.

How lovely, the ornamental lilies in their simple elegance.

More Autumn Musings...

The tamaracs are golden

Against the woodlands dark

As Autumn steals their splendor

And geese to instincts hark.

HHC

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Trees

stripped of all their glory and pretense

laid bare

arms lifted, writhing,

plead with the wind for mercy.

Tattered garments flutter down

and lie in ragged heaps

about their feet.

HHC

Seasonal Transitions...

Bunches of lovely flowers from the gracious summer gardens...

Summer's end is rather nostalgic.  I went with sis's kids to the nearby ice cream shop more often than I care to admit, but I didn't sit out on the back deck at dusk enough times, listening to the croaking bullfrogs and peeping birds readying for nightfall.

Tree trunks, dark with autumn's rain

cling to leaves which spin and strain

wearing fiery colors bright-

Crimson, orange and gold delight! 

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Strong and stronger, winds now blow

teasing us with threats of snow.

Like confetti, leaves swirl down,

form discarded brocade gown.

HHC

Put The Metal To The Paper?

A recent MMSA group swap, Black & Metallica, caught my imagination.  I had a lot of fun assembling these 3-D post cards. With special packaging perhaps they will reach my swap partners intact.

Strips of Food Container Foil & Antique Paper Fastener

Magic Mesh In The Background & Antique Paper Fastener

Magic Mesh and Washi Tape Accents & Antique Paper Fastener

Metallic Ribbon & Antique Paper Fastener

  

Darling Delightful Dahlias

I was so pleased to watch 

these flowering plants grow 

tall along the fence.  

Today's cool raindrops 

accentuated 

their lovely petals.

Small Wonders At Dusk

As I stood in the gentle breezes of nightfall,

a stark white light to the west

peeked down from behind a leafy bower:

the sickle moon, and it was upright-

not cupped like a cereal bowl as in times past.

Had the earth righted itself since last I noticed?

An axis is a curious thing.

Two fireflies hailed each other

within the sparsely fruited branches

of the ancient crab apple tree.

To the south, a large white cloud bank

steadily and swiftly rose

against the darkening canopy.

Among its layers
played opposing bursts of sheet lightening.

With so much to watch, 

I didn't know which direction to face.

I wanted to drink it all in at once.

So seldom I stand silent and still,

eyes and ears attuned
to the natural world around me.

Anticipating the storm,

no twinkling stars dared grace the skies

this night.

And then- the mosquitoes began to land.

08/01/14