August is a Blurrrr rrrrr .....

Time seems so very short for me lately.  My best intentions to blog regularly are falling short so I am taking my lead from  Dana over at the Red Barn Co. blog to just give some highlights of some of the happenings that have been going on these past few weeks.   My start for these Bloggy bullets are being posted for my own sanity and journal. 

Met up with Mom in Glens Falls at the Hyde Collection for a Georgia O'Keefe exhibit.  NICE!
The exhibit consisted mainly of her works created when she lived in the Lake George area with the Stieglitz family. The series of Jack-in-the-pulpit really showed her development and interest as an artist.

My favorites were the Chestnut Grey, 1924

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and

 



          Starlight Night, Lake George, 1922                    

 

 

One of Mom's favorites was the Trees in Autumn, 1920-1921.

 

 

Many family gatherings have happened with siblings and cousins.  Our annual picnic was hosted by Doug, my brother and his girlfriend, Lyn.  Thanks so much you two, it was fun gathering especially with all the cousins and most of our siblings and their families in attendance.    But there were others gatherings and connections happening for a couple of weeks.  With Mom staying here,some came by to visit have a bite or relax in the pool.  Pizza parties at another sister's home and gathering at the camp on Lake Champlain with campfires and water sports.

Then the Dale Chihuly exhibit at Montreal's Museum for Fine Art was utterly spectacular.  Mom and I finally were able to go last week after a couple of failed attempts.  Flu, museum closed for example, etc....    Would you believe I didn't take my camera!   These photos of images I took at home via news clippings and post cards.  If you are interested I can give you their names and  forward the credits but just don't have time for all that now.  My regrets.




Le soleil / The Sun
 



Plafond persan d'Oklahoma / Oklahoma Persian Ceiling



Lustre du Mercato del Pesce di Rialto / Mercato del Pesce de Rialto Chandelier
aka; Orange Hornet Chandelier





Mille Fiori / One thousand Flowers

Mom the green black striped stylized leaf that you loved are on the left just behind those red columns.
This picture does not do it justice. These glass lengths were 7 to 18 feet tall.

Many pieces were shown and each seemingly more intriguing than the next. 



Barques de Flotters et d'Ikebana / Float and Ikebana Boats

  

My favorite was the boats with floats.

A more detailed glimpse of it.  I would love to make a wall hanging depicting this memory using batiks. 

 

We'll see......

 

 

Creativity wise some bits have been completed.

 

1. The 10 minute quilt top is a flimsy, I'll be using a brown minkee dot fabric for the backing.   
2. I picked up a vanilla colored minkee backing at Joann's in Vt when we went to Shelburne Museum for the Velda Newman Exhibit.  The minkee is for the camper quilt which only has one border more to go.   Need to commit to how this will be bordered so it's on the fence but will be done for the quilt show in October 2013!
3. The Serpentine bracelet from a class I took with Trudy in August is completed.
4. The 2  smaller  "Happy Birthday" 10 minute runners are done and just in time for lil' miss turning 8 on the 10th.
5. Another 2 Kumihimo bracelets have been finished.  One matte black with amber and metallic bits and the other one is a medium matte green with Magatama iridescent glass beads.    It's another attempt of mine at playing with the orientation and textures, sizes and colors with in these bracelets.  Can you tell I find braiding them fun?
6. Lil' Miss also finished another project of hers.  The 10 minute table runner in fabrics that look lovely with that quilt I made for her earlier this year.  This was the first project she started when she joined in the cupcake kids sewing circle.  The first two dates they met we were away camping.  The second project was this advent calendar panel where she had to fold, press and stitch to create the pockets.  I'll be doing the quilting and attach the binding but she will be hand sewing it on.  The photo to the right is of the circle while they worked on this project.
7. She and I also finished her name tag which a guild member kindly and selflessly embroidered per the childrens' orders from her cupcake kids sewing circle.
 















Kumihimo with Magatama glass



Kumihimo



Serpentine bracelet















 

Mom was staying here for a couple of weeks at the beginning of the month and I enjoyed having her visit.  She continues to amaze me with how much she gets done but I realize she just keeps keepin at it until it's done.  I am more fluctuating with other family members goings on and will allow myself to be put on the bottom of my list.  I am correcting that and realize I have many years to compensate for it.  I even told Mom I need about 6 months to myself just to catch my breath and catch up with my interests.   As if that will ever happen!  I can only imagine that if or when it does, I probably won't like it and will feel like everyone is ignoring me and will be lonely!  Ah balance that's what I'll cultivate and meditate on. 

 

Speaking of that, a friend and I were able to attend 4 nightly lectures for Intuitive Tools brought locally by Dr. Gail Myers in a 5 week time frame.  Despite all that was happening on my home front at the time, the time I took for this was my solace and a quiet time to appreciate all the blessings I have.  Very comforting and surreal in it's affect.  Can you say Synchronistic!

 

Our daugher gave birth to a kidney stone and had to have emergency surgery this past Friday.  Brought her to the ER Thursday night and was there until 2:30am when the ER admitted her.  The stone 7mm x 4mm x 5mm was lasered then  removed since it was too large for her to pass on her own. 

The grand children were here and I helped out with any transportation needed since her significant other doesn't have a license yet.  Hopefully in August 2014 that will be changed so she and I will get some help in that department.  With DH not driving because of his health and RJ not driving because of poor judgement on his behalf many years ago, any errands, appointments and such fall to the females of the family.  Since she was out of commission from surgery all the errands fell to me.  Luckily the good Lord blessed me with adaptability without being to biotchy!   LOL  And I am trying to be humble here too.

 

 

Our gardens continue to bloom and we are grateful.

Rose Mallow, Hibiscus

Purple morning glory, another one is blue!

 

Some of the lilies and other perennials

 

Burgundy Bee balms and dwarf cotton candy pink bee balm, the bright red ones I didn't capture in their peak.

Delphinium and hollyhock finally survived a winter and bloomed.  Yippee!!!
The secret, they don't like mulch around their feet, who knew!

 

I'm trying to pull at least 50 weeds everyday and it's keeping the gardens in order.  Typically, I'll do that when I place the kettle on first thing in the morning.  It's a great way to greet the day and also gets it done while it's still cool. 

We just picked up a few new plants to get in the garden, some Hydrangeas another ecchinachia. 

 

Lastly, I'll share some shots I took from post cards of the Velda Newman exhibit currently on display at Shelburne museum.  DH and I were able to have a picnic lunch in Vt before attending Velda's exhibit this past weekend.

 

 

It was on my lists of things to do with Mom but she really wanted to reconnect with another sister of mine who was able to get the day off on the planned for day, I gladly accepted to decline the outing which DH and I did this past Sunday.  Because of a banks' grant, Shelburne Museum was an all day free admission.  Figured the crowds would be heavy since it also was the dedication of the Pizzagalli Gallery opening, but thankfully it seemed fine and we thoroughly enjoyed the visit. 

 

 

Sorry just wanted to get some of these bits entered and realize it's heavy on the photos. 

You can see by some of the date time stamps some of the photos were from July 31st

and would you believe there is more I could share, that's how much has been going on.  

Oh well, enough for now and thanks for stopping by

 

 

Jane. 

 

PS:     So much for Bullets!! 

This was quite long and wordy!