Undone

 ~~~~~

I finally opened the bundle. I was only mildly please with it. Not really enough interesting marks or color. I could rewrap it again, but I didn't...I just made a couple of new ones.

The real win for me was standing out in the warm sunshine, talking back to a crow. while fiddling with cloth and rusty bits.

I have a plan for the dyed string.

I like the itty bit of green. 

However these come out, is fine by me.

Just seeing these expiring flowers in the sun fills me!

Beautiful, right?!

Go take a peek at the twitter posting below. That's how I've felt lately...surrounded by friends. What could feel better than that?!

Friends to the Rescue

Clear skies!

A friend read this aloud to me the other day. I loved it. I think you will too!

A Hat for Mrs. Goldman

And I've watched two episodes of the show below and enjoyed that too.

New viewing: Forces of Nature

~~~~~~

❤️    ❤️

May you  stand still with the sun on your neck

May you play in flowers

May you feel the love that surrounds you

xo

Photographs by NAE ©2023

What to Show?

The Lunch Car

💭     💬      💭

 Like others (Liz)...

I have had posts in my head. Short stories formed and never typed. Beautiful prose constructed.

More thoughts than the telling.

No cloth. No fiber. No stitching. No weaving.

Just day-to-day life.

Work, commute, eat, sleep...

and carving out (undistracted) time to be with J. or do a little me time.

Do you see it?

The tiny rainbow

Even when there is a lot of 'crap' - there is beauty, you just have to look

(I think I keep saying this!)

All last week I was in the parking lot for lunches.

New views. New ponderings. New discoveries. New lines to see!

It took until Friday for me to notice a nest in the Lunch Tree, and probably only because I saw a bird in that tree. A blackbird, so I thought. Then it flew off and nope, crow. That's when I noticed the nest.

Do you see the crow above? Rather camouflaged, I think.

I spent a lot of my lunches watching the leaves fall. Try as I might, I could not align the click of the camera with the falling leaves. I was so focused on those golden, fluttering leaves that...again, finally on Friday I noticed there were still a few green ones hanging on.

There were shadow lines and contrasting lines, the gray of cement against the brilliant green of moss. There were the silhouettes of power polls and power lines in the morning sun and evening light.

And again today, there was the appreciated, needed pink line, shouting NEGATIVE - for however much we trust that truth.

Yesterday evening there was a fire in a strip mall fairly close to home. Thankfully it was put out quickly! Whatever burnt put out a very strong odor. Building materials perhaps? Wild.

Last night the news held a crazy car chase with speeds over 150 MPH, right on the streets where I drive each day. It was rather surreal.

Today it is beautiful and warm, but very, very windy and I'm staying out of that wind! 

💭     💬      💭

May your days be filled with the extraordinary ordinary 

May you be safe, May you be well

May you be content

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2022

Winds

 

Haven't felt much like posting this week.

I'm having a hard time with the fact that this is even a close election.

I am super grateful things look better, for now.

I just don't want to get my hopes up (2016 PTSD), only to have them dashed.

I do think Democracy will prevail.

But, this slow going is rough. 

Old Postcard

 This is an old postcard of my son's.  Zip your lip! IHe thought it was funny. I think it is hysterical! Maybe that's the adult perspective vs a kid :)

I (we) haven't been watching too much news, til today.

Have been watching and doing other stuff. Nothing thrilling, though we did watch "Oh Brother, Where Fore Art Thou"...and our British Murder Shows, of course.

Morning Sun

While, I Have been loving all the light & shadow in here recently. However, all things being said, I miss the trees for the cooling shade they provided.  It is still mostly warm here, although it Has cooled of. Our place just stays warm at about 80 degrees. The trees would be nice about now. Right now, a bit cooler, so we opened the door to the strong breeze. I'm loving that! There is a new 100 acre fire in Riverside County, too far to disturb our breathing and being held pretty well for now. Yay!

History

 

 

This lovely little sweatshirt is off in the mail to our sweet Laila!

I made this for my young daughter eons ago, another lifetime ago.

It was made with that dissolving cross stitch fabric that I couldn't make work 

this go around, try as I might.

Isn't this just a pink ballet dream?!

I am happy to pass it on to this little girl.

Most used pattern

Another style choice

After so, so much trial and error, brainstorming and problem solving,

I settled on a different cross stitch sized, lightly tea dyed fabric (11 rather than 14) and the same old letter pattern I've used on over 100 stockings. Man, what a difference it made to just give in! The size 11 allowed my old eyes to SEE, the familiar pattern allowed me to move through with muscle memory. With his little four letter name, I was so tempted to try out a bigger letter pattern, do something new, something different.

I've really been struggling with creative juices, but am so glad the name is finally done!

His name will sit on that corduroy.

I've also pulled out some different fabrics for the toe and heel piecces.

My plan is this one is all about texture, something his hands can feel year after year.

It will not have any of the "cute" patches that I usually do, but it may have a crocheted 'snowflake' for him to feel before heading out into the real stuff! So far, at 6 months, he doesn't quite know what to think of snow, but I'm confident that will change!

Anywhere Door

As commented on over at Hazel's,

this is the Anywhere Door ATC Card I made all of those years ago. The little door opened to reveal a rainbow grid print fabric. I printed out the tag/back of the card on card stock. There have been many days in the past months that I would have really loved having an Anywhere Door! I would say, "Anywhere Door, Morro Bay!" and BAM, there I'd be!

May you Continue to find ways to get get through

May your old ways, embrace new days

May you remember that you are among friends.

xo

Photographs by NAE ©2020

New Year's Day Walk - Not a Sunday!

New Year's Day was a beautiful sunny day for taking a hike.

With football looming in his viewing future, we opted for a short hike at

William S. Hart Park & Museum.

I have gone to this park for various events and adventures for close to 30 years.

I've been there 12 out of the past 13 years for our local pow wow, a favorite for me.

I took my children & grandson there to see the animals and the old train and houses of Heritage Junction.  In fact, many years ago, when my children were in grade school, we happened to visit the park on a day when workers were busy making some Adobe bricks to add to the ones saved from the old Mitchell schoolhouse.  I'll always fondly remember watching those men mix the Adobe with their bare feet!  What a great learning experience that was!

If you want to learn more about William S. Hart, you can start with this link or Google for more information.  There is even a video clip at the park with our favorite Huell Howser.

This day we went specifically to see the herd of American Bison, 

which after all these years I'd never seen!  

 Come along and walk with us...

Windmill on the path

A place to rest in the sun

There they are, feeding on the hillside!

There are 13 in the herd at this time

They're big animals!

Really big!  And golden in the sun :)

A gift from Walt Disney, because everyone gives a heard of bison as a gift!

After a long view of the magnificent animals and 

a friendly chat with the park employee feeding them, we continue 

up the hill to the "Mansion" otherwise known as the museum.

It was closed for the holiday, but there was much to explore outside around the buildings.

View

Lines and Patterns

Crows & Seagulls

~click to enlarge all photos~

 As we stood on the top of the hill, observing the view, a flock of crows going to my left...momentarily merged with a flock of seagulls heading to my right.  It was hard to get a picture before they were gone.

Comfy chairs on the porch

The artistry of porch posts

Stump

Growth

Trails

 The trail below loops around the hills, following the area the bison roam.  It is about a 5 mile hike.  We hope to do this hike soon.

One trail

Sparse

I declare 2014 the Year of Us!

 Before we head home, we stop to visit all of the animals. 

There are a variety of birds, ducks, pigs, potbelly pigs, a deer,

 the biggest cow I've ever seen and these guys!

I noticed their 'lines' this day.

The curved line on the horse's face and the beautiful black line on the little donkey.

After hanging out with Jude all these years, everything looks like stitch to me!

Hello There!

We will be going back for more hiking here.

There are a couple of other trails that lead off of the main paved one.

They look worth exploring.  And there is that loop too.

We also hope to go back soon when the museum is open.

For now, I'm glad you could come along with me!

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2014