School's out!

Last Wednesday was the last day of this session of my collage class. School's out for the summer! Just a few photographs here and a few more finished pieces.

Judy's colorful "Backward, turn backward, O Time..."

And her Sacagawea pieces...

now a series...

and all framed.

Barb's complete with finishing touches. The mystery deepens. Very impressive.

Peggy's collage, done in the flavor of Monet.

My girls, still working hard.

Busy, but time to have some fun and a few laughs.

Let's see what all we've done!

A few final decisions.

Sandy's accompanying piece for the one below.

Beautiful!

Mary Ann's, "Art is the only way..."

A transfer to finish off Linda's lovely collage.

And Teri's whirling dervish is now in place, whirling.

Time to go. See you soon!

another day

Still in limbo with my computer. Since hubby gets the Consumer Reports Magazine and they had an article about the best computers to buy, he is now researching for me. Oh dear. So, I still have lots to catch up on and share with you. This is from Calligraphy class last Monday. Walnut ink and then lettering on it with water! I love the effect! The lettering is Neuland and I love the simplicity of it.

Coming soon...update on the Doves and my class on Wednesday.

Henri's favorite game

Henri loves his purple ball. He wants to play fetch all the time until his tongue is hanging out.

and then he takes a nice nap. Zzzzzzzzzz

The Poetry Luncheon

Getting back to Tuesday's Luncheon, here is the garden all ready and waiting for us to recite.

St. Francis in back of us for support. I always need his little "push".

And look at the Herb Cottage garden, all dressed up!

Just beautiful. Wait until all those Impatients fill in!

The reading went well and the guests enjoyed some conversation and tea afterwards.

A warm day, but such a beautiful setting.

Made us want to linger.

A lovely time with summer clothes and pretty hats.

A good afternoon with good friends.

the dove family

Update on the babies! "Emily" seems to be the stronger of the two. She was flapping her wings and practicing "take off". "Eddy" seems to be wondering what she is doing.

"You better get back and stay right here", says Eddy.

"I'm going to tell Mom when she comes back!"

"Tattletale!"

"Anyway, I'm just looking."

"You're going to fall right off and then what will we do?"

Mom's back with lunch. All is forgotten.

"Yum."

wednesday

Poetry luncheon went nicely yesterday. A big thing for me to get through another public speaking event. This was the 9th year! Everything looked so beautiful in the chapel garden. I am on my son's computer again today (using that for now) and he is going to try to help me put on some pix later, so I can catch up with all that I have to tell you. Baby doves still hopping around in the window box with mommy and daddy there off and on. They must be trying to gain their independence. Today is collage class and quilting. See you later!

tuesday

Today is poetry luncheon at The Center. I must catch up later, but this week is crazy. And to add to the confusion, my hard drive gave up on me so I'm on my son's computer. It's hard to get used to a different keyboard. Sunday was nice with a "family" supper at Dan's with leftovers from his Saturday night bean bag party with friends. Monday was calligraphy class and did something new with lettering with walnut ink. Have to show you. This morning, I was worried about the baby doves, as I could only see one in the nest ...and no mommy...and the neighbor's cat was out lounging in my garden! Scat! I walked around and didn't see any sign of trauma. Now I see the two babies in the nest. I don't know where the missing one was, unless the other was tucked in below him. I don't think so though. I still have not seen mommy this morning! We are having a quilting display at the luncheon today, so I was still clipping seams on my second quilt so that it could go along. It's now in the washing machine to fluff up it's seams. And I need to concentrate on my poetry! Good grief, Jughead!

Twins again!

Well...here's "Emily" and "Eddy", Emma's babies. I just hope they will continue to fit in this windowbox until they can leave the nest.

She is a wonderful mom. Keeping them warm and then shielding them from the sun in the afternoon hours.

Remembering Uncle Joe

Memories. Lots of them. Uncle Joe was someone out of a story book. Maybe a F. Scott Fitzgerald novel. Yesterday, all the fun memories of him came flooding back as his granddaughter gave the "time of remembrance". Uncle Joe and Aunt Fran became my family when I married my husband. When planning our honeymoon, they invited us to spend a few days with them in Duluth on our way to "Memory Lodge" in Canada. Uncle Joe knew how to show a person "the good life". We had a wonderful time. As the years went on, we saw them occasionally, sometimes winter holidays, but not enough with us raising a young family, and because of the distance between us. I remember a fabulous vacation we had with them one summer, visiting them in Texas where they then lived later on. Driving over to Mexico that time, walking through all the little shops, eating authentic Mexican food in a great restaurant he frequented, taking photographs in a wonderful little church with beautiful old statues at the altar, and before going home enjoying the simplicity and evening quietness of the little old town square. Yes, Uncle Joe knew how to show a person "the good life" and he shared it with you when you were there. We experienced many happy cocktail hours and first tasted big Valdalia onions stuffed with butter, made on the grill. Mmmmm. He was colorful and flamboyant and fun! When he called on the phone, you always knew he was truly happy to talk to you and interested in what was going on in your life. He loved his family. His granddaughter's speech, yesterday, was a tribute to him, and at dinner we celebrated his life as he would have liked us to. Uncle Joe...thanks for the memories.

Timber

Timber is all tired out after his visit to the vet yesterday. Tired from x-rays, nail trim and just getting there. His growth near his heart is bigger but not impairing his breathing and he doesn't have pain, so now just a medication to help with his digestion and will be having smaller, more frequent meals. He was happy to come home.

Henri decided to take a nap with him. Pals.

Wednesday's class

One more week left to class, everyone is finishing up their pieces. Here is Linda's first-ever collage! She will finish it with a transfer of her theme next week. "You don't want to stand rigid like a tall oak that cracks and collapses inthe storm. Instead, you want to be flexible, like a reed that bends with the storm and survives." Sorry about the glare. I will get a better picture.

Elena's piece seems to carry a strong message. Powerful and absolutely beautiful!

Lots of movement in this wonderful piece by Teri S, telling the story of the whirling dervish. The figure on the right will go on as a tranfer.

And here, Teri S is finishing her warm and colorful volcano piece.

Sandy's lovely piece, incorporating some of her own floral artwork. "I shut my eyes in order to see." Paul Gauguin And on the right, a smaller accompanying piece.

Judy's collage is filled with repeated patterns of all the things she loves. "Backward, turn backward, O Time, in your flight, Make me a child again just for tonight!"

Marge has done a lovely and serene abstract landscape. We will be anxious to see what quote she has chosen.

Denise surely did her homework, creating 8 collages using papers she had leftover from other pieces.

She had taped the borders on all of them and removed them on Thursday, leaving this wonderful "matted" effect.

Each one an individual.

Each one interesting.

Mary Ann changed this piece that she had been working on a while back to fit a quote that she wanted to express. "Art is the only way to run away without leaving home." by Twyla Tharp

Barb's choice of colors work perfectly with this piece. Mysterious black with those wonderful gold accents. "The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery." Francis Bacon

Bernie has done a lovely job of portraying the "Serenity Prayer". Very calming.

I love Denise's "Jabberwocky"! "Beware the Jabberwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun The frumious Bandersnatch!"

Good job to all!