news from the Hilltop

It's the busy season, but aren't they all?

2011-11-21T20:11:00.003-07:00

Salt & Pepper Pattie Pan oil on panel 6" X 6" $125.00

James has continued painting a little paintings nearly every day. They are all on his Facebook page at McDowells Hilltop Gallery.
He has a show of some at Kingfisher Used Books here in Creston until the end of the year.
We also are part of a show at Centre 64 in Kimberly starting Nov 29, with an opening on the afternoon of Dec 4. and running until Dec 22.

James is showing 60 of his daily paintings plus some of his larger work and I am showing birdhouses, Tea cozies, and pendants I have been making using tiny images of James' paintings mounted behind a glass tile.
Our friend, Sandy Kunze will be showing raku fired clay and another friend, Bea van Allmon, will be showing here wonderful clay birds.

Coffee Grinder 8 X 10 acrylic on panel $125.00

As life goes on I notice one of my treasures "missing" and then, low and behold, there it is in the daily painting.

Ye Olde Coffee Pot 6 X 6 acrylic on panel $125.00

Can't have the coffee grinder without the pot.

Back when Ironing was still Fun 6 X 6 oil on panel $125.00

I believe he misnamed that one!
My mom had one of these and she hated it. It hissed, ran on gas, was a real fire hazard. Wash and wear was such an advance!

James and I will also be at the Creston Arts Council Craft Fair at the Rec Center this Sat, Nov 26, from 9:00 - 5:00
and at
the Wynndel Craft Fair on
Sat, Dec 3,
at the Wynndel Hall from 9:00 - 3:00.

We will be selling calendars of James' work.

James' daily paintings calendar. $25.00
and

"The Manly Calendar" $25.00

We will also have cards made from photos of his paintings and pendants I have been making of miniatures of his paintings mounted behind a glass tile.

I started these using commercial bails but have since moved to a wire work bail I make myself.

Here's a back view. They are finished with an Oriental origami paper before I attach the bail.
The pendants sell for $20.00.

Here are couple of my tea cozies which sell for $35.00.

James' painting a day continues

2011-10-03T21:26:00.000-07:00

"Dragonflies," 6"x6", acrylic on panel, $125.

"Avocado For Lunch",6"x6",acrylic,$125.

"Coffee after the Harvest ", 8"x8" , acrylic on panel , $125.

"Grapes in Waiting ", 6"x8", acrylic on panel ,$125.

"Mom and the kids," 7" x 8", acrylic on panel, $125.00.

"Quiet Times ",7"x8",acrylic on panel,$125.

Oh my but time goes swiftly

2011-10-03T20:59:00.000-07:00

On Aug 13 we had a wonderful wedding at our place. Our son, Larry McDowell, married his fiance, Lisa Benschop.

The wedding took place on a ridge by the closest field.

We should have had more sons. It was an absolute joy. A number of Larry and Lisa's friends came early and stayed in our unrented mobile home. They spent the last few days knocking the place into shape, putting up tents, mowing grass, clearing the covered deck, and one young lady spent 3 days baking pies. Another friend cooked all the meat for the "do" and numbers of folks made salads for their picnic themed reception. Lisa's mom and a friend spent a whole day arranging the lovely loose summer bouquets that dotted tables and blankets all around.

The party went late and then it was all done but the cleanup.

Less than a month until the wedding!

2011-07-17T12:20:00.001-07:00

Our son and his fiance are getting married this summer. Last week, on Lisa's birthday, I realized it is less than a month until the wedding. In that it is taking place here on the farm we still have things to whip into shape.

James has been continuing his painting a day and I need to post a few he has finished since my last post:

" Three Garlic " 14"x7" , acrylic on panel $125.00

" Strawberries and Cream," 8"x8", Acrylic on panel ,$125.00

‎"Study in Green," 8 x 8, acrylic on panel, $100.00

"Iris and Poppies," 7"x 8", oil on panel, $125.00

"Chik-a-dee," 8"x 8", acrylic on panel ,$125.00, SOLD

" One Old Chair," 5" x 7" , oil on panel , $125.00

We are still ever so busy with not only Saturday's Farmers' Market, but also Wednesday afternoons from 3:30 - 6:30. This week's Wed was kindly cooler. Saturday we had about everything but snow at the market: chilly breezes, rain, heat ... you name it!

James has begun harvesting his garlic, hence the painting. We've been selling fresh at the market, along with my baking, tea cozies, cards of James' paintings, and on ....

Hope you are enjoying your summer too.

Blissfully a little cooler

2011-07-10T21:32:00.001-07:00

I don't want to be a wimp but I'm so pleased it has cooled down a wee bit.

We had a great market yesterday. Tourists are starting to move around and, after our very slow start this spring, it was nearly like a normal Farmers Market day.

Here are some more of James McDowell's paintings:

"Squash", 6" x 7", oil on canvas. $100.00.
I think it's a Buttercup Squash looking good enough to eat.

This is last summer's squash: this year's are still wee tiny, those that have even blossomed. This is such a slow gardening year.

"Cranbrook Appaloosa," 12 x14, acrylic on canvas, $125.00. SOLD

This little horse was often seen at the first rest area east of Cranbrook, heading to Alberta. James just had to paint him.

Busy days: even busy nights

2011-07-08T21:55:00.001-07:00

James calls this painting "Strawberry Harvest." It is oil on panel, 7" x 8", and priced at $100.00. SOLD

James has been inspired by a group of "Daily Painters" who try to paint one small painting every day. It's a challenge with all the other summer chores of gardens, Farmers Markets, and the like.

This is today's painting:

"Tomatoes for Lunch" is acrylic on panel, 8" x 8", acrylic on panel, and also priced at $100.00. SOLD

Oh my how the time does fly.

2011-06-17T12:01:00.000-07:00

This weekend marks the openings of our 16th Annual ArtWalk.

This is the 10th year I have been coordinating it and Frank Goodsir has worked with it even longer. Right now, frankly, I am tired.

Our long cold wet spring has continued and gardening between rain storms has been a challenge. James' potatoes were nearly climbing out of the box but they got planted this week.

I still hope to get the yard knocked in shape for our son's wedding this summer and here are a few pictures of "promise."

The answer is "Yes."

2011-04-02T17:57:00.001-07:00

Last month I quoted from Percy Bysshe Shelley's "Ode to the West Wind,"
"O wind, if winter comes, can spring be far behind."
Apparently it can be. It snowed all morning on April 2 and it is still on the ground! I don't know if the sun and warmth on Thursday or this snowy nastiness is the "trick"
James has continued labouring long in the shop and has finished his mandolin/mandola/ bazooki - beautiful 8 stringed instrument (4 sets of strings) and it plays beautifully.

This has been James' project to chase away the winter blues. He figures he has about 350 hours in it.
Earlier this winter James built himself a 16 inch band saw from wood.

He used his band saw to cut parts for his mandolin. The top is made from part of a cedar block a friend brought him from up the Pend O'riele. The wood was very old and the tree was rotted out in the middle. The grain is very fine.
James cut it, hand planed it, and book-ended the pieces.

James "milled" the fret board from a piece of Brazilian Walnut another friend had given him. The back is milled from a the beautiful mahogany of an old door jamb and the sides and neck are from a mystery wood James had.

James carved and stained The Twa Corbies.
All in all this has been quite a project. Now he is ready to get back to painting for the summer's shows and for a show in December at Center 64 in Kimberly.

O Wind, If Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?

2011-02-27T21:48:00.000-07:00

Well, when last I wrote I was heralding the onset of spring, blah, blah, blah. A little setback here. We have had snow and really cold weather, and brutal winds, and tonight it has warmed a bit and it is snowing again. Spring will come It must, but we are a ever anxious for its face.
Friday evening we were treated to watching a doe and last summer's twin fawns lapping up the sunflower seeds James has been scattering for the birds. All three look in lovely sleek shape.

The opening of the show at the Temp was a huge success. James' piece sold almost immediately and will find a good home with the couple who bought it. A number of other large pieces sold that evening: a mixed media collage by Brandy Dyer called "My Life" which will hang in the offices of Mental Health here locally, a number of wonderful stone carvings and more smaller works. The show was a great success for the week it lasted. It was classy all the way. The lions share of the show's organization was done by Maggie Leal-Valias with the expert assistance of Sandy Kunze in arranging and hanging it.
I have finished redoing the forms for this year's ArtWalk and we will be stuffing envelopes this weekend.
This week in our Self Employment class we will be studying Quick Books. The young would say "Kill me now."
I have also signed up for another class at Beadazzled making a bangle bracelet and that will be my reward.

2011-02-15T20:18:00.002-07:00

James has just finished this sculpture for the Contemporary Sculpture Show at the Temp Gallery on Canyon St in Creston. The show opens Friday night at 7:00 pm and will continue from 11 am - 7:00 pm Feb 18 - 24.

Detail of sculpture by James McDowell.

The sculpture is 25 in X 25 in X 5 in and is for sale.

I am putting in an arrangement of crocheted flowers and tea cozies in an installation I'm calling it "All the Flowers in my Garden."

Down here in Creston's sunny south (I haven't seen the sun in a few.) spring really is on its way. Most of our snow is well on its way to gone. James has seen red winged black birds, the robins are out, and a friend tells me she smelled the unmistakable odour of skunk the other morning; the sure sign of spring.

With winter waning I'm looking at the yard and thinking of our son and his fiance's wedding this summer. Much to do. Much to do.

My class continues. This is week 6 of 12. It is a huge commitment of time at the time of year when we should be getting ready for this summer's sales but as I hammer away at a business plan things in my mind are clarifying.

I have decided I will not bake for the Farmer's Market this summer.

I love making people happy but it takes 3 hard days of baking - without air conditioning, I might add! - and then another day at the market and then it takes the other 3 to recuperate to start baking again. I would rather make birdhouses, or jewellery, or cards, or tea cozies and when I'm baking I have no energy to do those other things.

We do plan to do the market but will be selling cards and jewellery, birdhouses and tea cozies, and some of James' lovely garden produce.
Today in the mail I just received 3 wonderful books from www.amazon.ca on jewellery making: Steam punk, Soldering, and Cold Joins. I am more than thrilled. Last week I took an evening's class on wire wrapping and I think I am in love!

I think the summer will be busy enough.

Pine Grosbeaks

2011-02-06T15:56:00.000-07:00

This winter we have not been using the regular bird feeder since the bear came by and bent its pole in half last summer. This is not an altogether happy thought: neither the bear, nor the lack of the feeder.
We have been throwing seeds out under the bushes and on the lawn and getting whole flocks of Juncos, lots of chickadees, various finches and today we were blessed by a Pine Grosbeak. I borrowed the picture. He is a bit bigger than the finches and with a heavy grosbeak beak.
We've never seen one here before. I've seen them across the valley in West Creston and my girlfriend about a mile down the road had some earlier this year but here on our hilltop, this is the first we've seen.
Winter progresses. Ours has been milder than many years and open for the most part. Even though we've had it easy we are very ready for spring and planting things. I was SO very tempted to pull the grass off the spot my snow drops grow the other day but fortunately caution prevailed as it has gone back to freezing hard again. Usually the snowdrops are under a big drift of snow off the roof but this year we don't have that.
James has been keeping busy in the shop and studio. He has built himself a 16 inch band saw, mostly of wood, inspired by a YouTube video.
This week he was creating a wooden sculpture for the Contemporary Sculpture Show that will run at the Temp Gallery on Main street from Feb 18 through the next week as part of our month long Spirit Fest.
I plan to show a grouping of my tea cozies.
My class progresses and I am getting more of a handle on our business but sitting "thinking" from 9:00 - 3:30 5 days a week is a big change after all these years. It takes a different kind of stamina than working with ones hands.
James and I are celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary today by watching the Super Bowl. I like both teams that are playing and it should be a good game.

Waiting for winter to leave

2011-01-22T14:36:00.000-07:00

We have actually had a brighter winter than most but I am so ready for it to be over. The week before last we got about 16 inches of snow spread over 2 days and then it rained and turned to ice on the driveway and in the parking lots. We had a pretty treacherous few days. Last night we got about 3 inches and now it is melting again. We noticed in the night a deer had discovered where James threw seeds for the birdies and some wheat for the pheasant. Given the choice, Mr Pheasant seemed to enjoy the more expensive spread.

Here's a picture of our friend Victoria wearing a fun hat I made to compliment her dreads, and here is Mr Pheasant himself.

All the flowers from my garden

2011-01-11T22:24:00.001-07:00

The new year is galloping by already. I am taking a 12 week class at KES for people over 50 wanting to start their own business. I am hoping to put James and my art work on more of a business-like footing.
I'm also still looking at things to create other than birdhouses. I plan to experiment in jewelry but meantime here are some of the tea cozies I've been knitting. The body is knit on a round loom, and the flowers are crocheted. They are in acrylic and are hand washable: dry flat.

Dusty rose rose on avocado and pale green cozy. Fits 4 - 6 cup pot. $25.00 + shipping and handling. Teapot not included.

Royal blue w variegated blue tea cozy with daffodil. Fits 4 - 6 cup pot. $25.00 + shipping and handling. Teapot not included.


Teal blue w turquoise and a coral rose. Fits 4 - 6 cup pot. $25.00 + shipping and handling. Teapot not included. SOLD

Light green w variegated beige cozy, burnt orange rose. Fits 4 - 6 cup pot. $25.00 + shipping and handling. Teapot not included.

Variegated beige and pale avocado tea cozy with daffodil. Fits 4 - 6 cup pot. $25.00 + shipping and handling. Teapot not included.

2011 already! Where did 2010 go?

2011-01-02T20:30:00.002-07:00

Best wishes for the year ahead.

So far we've had a fairly open winter with sun and crispness.

Last time I wrote I had a nasty cold type of thing which hung on tightly for 8 weeks and I am still coughing but life continued.

James has had a show hanging at Kingfisher Used Books since early November and it will soon be coming down.

James and I did the regular craft fairs: one in Wynndel and one sponsored by the Creston Arts Council here in town, as well as James having been asked to show his work at the Images Art Show & Sale in Nov.

On the weekends where there were sales and Farmers Markets James and I did the "divide and conquer" and drove ourselves around the bend but we did it!

The poppy painting in the upper left corner is James' and sold as soon as someone saw the invitation.

In mid-Sept the Farmers Market moved from its outside venue at Millennium Park to inside Morris Flowers Garden Center where we continued until Dec 18.

I feel like I have been baking forever, We also sold James cards made from his paintings, mine made from post cards my grand parents exchanged in the early 1900's, my knit hats, Raku fired pendants James made, lathe turned candle holders James made, and tea cozies I have begun making. By the end of the market we took 2 tables. We will surely continue to need as much space as James also plans to plant a market garden for this coming year.

Our son and his fiance plan to marry in August so we won't be lacking things to do.

Here are a few of the tea cozies I'm making. The body is knit and the flower is crocheted. These are for a 4 - 6 cup tea pot and sell for $25.00 + Shipping and Handling, tea pot not included.

January can be an enjoyably slow month but I have eliminated that opportunity and will be beginning a 12 week course at Kootenay Employment Services for people over 50 who want to start their own business.

I am thinking of new endeavors other than birdhouses and need to get on a better business footing. I also need to learn how people sell on line.

James is relishing the thought of his "12 weeks of solitude."

He has been keeping himself busy building a 16 inch band saw from wood, a project he saw on You Tube, but rather than order the pattern he has been designing it himself, and it is quite the beauty.

James has an ongoing show of his work at the Coffee Creek Cafe here in Creston. The restaurant has been recently sold but the new owner wishes to continue showing James' work and that is good for us too. The cafe will be reopening this week with a similar menu, keeping the great Borscht we all expect, but the new owner plans to be open in the evening also.

Falling into Fall

2010-09-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

I am not good at identifying little brown birds.
Today one smacked into the slider and I went out and provided a hospice for it before it did a little shudder and passed away. My guess is it was some sort of flycatcher but it was small. Poor wee thing but at least the cats didn't get it.

Not to gross anyone out. There is a beauty. Such a perfect little creature and gone so swiftly. Now I would like to know whose fading life I held in my hands. Please note the underside of the little bird is mostly white but mottled in the upper parts like a young robin. The back and wings are all a lovely reddish brown with no banding on the wings.
Fall is upon us. We have begun to see Praying Mantis and Cedar Bugs and the birds are gathering to go south.
Labour Day Weekend the Wynndel Mudders put on another Rutabaga show at the Mudder's Studio and the Wynndel Hall. They made a big variety of thrown and glazed soup bowls and sold them, with soup and a bun, for $10.00. It was a great success and sold out quite early. I dug out my knit hats for the first time since last winter and will have them for sale at the greenhouse, as well as birdhouses, James' cards, and my baking.
James and Sandy Kunze held a Pallet Show in Ann's garden this week displaying a few years of colourful pallets in the jungle. It was great and folks came for wine and goodies and some nice visiting.
The Farmers Market is moving from the outside lot at Millennium Park to inside Morris Flowers Garden Center this weekend and will continue on until Dec 18. The hours now change to 10:00 am - 2:00 pm.
I will not make the market this week. I have a nasty cold that seems to be making the rounds.
James and my Fall Paintout will be held on Sunday, Oct 18 this year as we will be doing the markets on Saturday.
James has a show coming up at Kingfisher Used Books and is a guest at the Images show this Nov 27.
It should be a busy fall.

There is a change in the air....

2010-08-14T19:45:00.000-07:00

James McDowell - Pears
22 x 14 - oil on canvas - $200.00

Another great market day and sold all but one of the 39 loaves and all but a few cookies and muffins which seem to get consumed in between. I thought I had retired from the Farmers Market but we do enjoy the people. It means I am baking 3 days a week and cooler weather will only be a treat.
Fall is in the air. I hate to have to break this bit of news.
The dragon flies are dancing all along the road from our place to Hwy 21 and the starlings, who were split up and raising families earlier are now flocking together.
There were over a dozen swallows swooping along in front of us this evening as we drove home and lining up along the wires.
We need a nice l-o-n-g fall to give things in the garden, stunted by our long cold spring, a chance to mature.
Some unsettling news is that there has been the problem of grizzlies digging big holes into our local dump. The refuse is buried nightly but then the critters were digging caves into it so "they" have fenced the dump - and the airport because the elk were getting on the runway.
Our property buts up against the golf course and across the road from it is the dump so it isn't very far away as the bear ambles.
Earlier this summer we had a bear amble through a couple nights and it bent the pipe my bird feeder was on down at a 45 degree angle. Now "they" have closed all the hiking trails near the Airport and dump because of grizzly bear activity: there is a large sow with her nearly adult sized cubs. This is not happy news.
I would like her to take her young-uns back up in the mountains away from us on the valley floor. Unfortunately, because the dump activity went on for a couple years, these bears are habituated to human food.

Twenty years

2010-07-02T16:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Canada Day and we celebrated by going to the annual pancake breakfast in Canyon Park and then James reminded me that it was, to the day, 20 years ago we came "home": I, after 20 years of living in the States, James as an immigrant, and our son Larry, who was 13 at the time, as a Canadian because I am his mother.
A lot has gone on and changed in 20 years. Sometimes it feels like a day and sometimes a very long time. Mostly I am amazed how quickly the years go galloping by.
We came home to Creston because my father died in the fall of 1989 and we wanted my mom to be able to stay on the farm and we wanted to be closer to her. I have never regretted it.
I have always been so grateful we could move our son to Canada at the young age of 13. I was never comfortable with American right wing politics and I was so thankful Larry could be surrounded with Canadian values, imperfect though they may be.

When James and I first came to this land I was raised on there was only my mother's mobile home on the ridge here and I remember us walking out in the morning to decide where we situate our house.

We chose this present location as it was far enough from my mom's for her to have her privacy and close enough to be in hollering distance. We built closer to the top of the hill but have chosen to leave the very top, where my sister and I played as children, wild.

For many years my dad pastured cattle here. For the past 20 years they have not been on this part of the hill and we see the bushes coming back and the trees: poplars like weeds on the east facing slope and evergreens which were not here when we were children.
In about 1934 a very hot forest fire burned through here so the growth was young when we were children in the 50's. Nature had to even replenish the soil and here, on the top of the hill, there is very little top soil at all. If things like clay we can supply that!

It is in the trees I see the most change in the last twenty years, and in my heart I know the many more subjective changes also.
James and I and Larry are 20 years older. Last fall my mother passed away. By that time she was in town in Swan Valley Lodge, but she had 17 more years in her home on the hill.
The flowering shrubs you see in the distance in this picture are Mock Orange, but it is past its prime, and most of the shrubs are Ocean Spray which is just coming into full bloom (and "pollination!")

Where James spent most of his time farming when we first came we now lease out the fields and he paints or does other artistic endeavors. Farming always did afford a winter to spend more time in the studio if it wasn't too snowy and the battle just to keep the road plowed wasn't too great.

I have built birdhouse for 16 years. In recent years I've cut back in production because of hand problems but this year my hands are doing better.

I used to have birdhouses for sale all over the Kootenays and as far away as Calgary, and Northern Idaho, but now my "speed" is to sell them from our own McDowell's Hilltop Gallery.

My birdhouses sell for $65.00.

I'm also still busy coordinating the Creston Valley & Eastshore ArtWalk.

James sells work from the Gallery and has his work in several venues in town and has a couple shows a year.

Tomorrow James will give a "live" painting demonstration at Black Bear Books as part of this years ArtWalk.

And a good time was had by all.

Today James is building an easel sturdy enough to support a large panel when he's painting outside.

Who knows, some of these garden photos by James may be the seed of a new work of art.

Last weekend had us jumping

2010-06-25T23:02:00.000-07:00

Last weekend really had us jumping with ArtWalk Openings in Creston and Riondel.
Friday night, June 18 was the Creston Opening at Amanda Miller's Coffee Creek Cafe'.

At the same time as our ArtWalk Opening Brandy Dyer's "Bite Me'' show of lovely bright fruits done in pastels was opening at Buffalo Trails just up the street. We had had such a very long spell of wet and cold weather and last Friday evening was lovely and folks had a great time walking back and forth on the street between the two shows.

I made Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake for both openings and the real, intensely chocolate "scratch cakes" were enjoyed by all.

James had hung new work at Coffee Creek and Peter Bodley entertained us with his wonderful classical guitar.

Sunday, June 20, was the Eastshore Opening at Bob's Bar & Grill in Riondel. The Riondel Art Club is again showing their work at Bob's this summer and we were entertained by East Wind, the wind section of the community band.
Riondel seems such a nice little community and we enjoy seeing the things they accomplish. The opening was well attended mostly by the ladies as the men were occupied with their annual Father's Day Golf Game.

And what would an ArtWalk Opening be without a speech? I call it "Brains on Paper" because my mind goes pretty well completely blank without the paper.

The Creston Valley & Eastshore ArtWalk runs from June 18 - Sept 6 and goes from Yahk, BC through the Creston Valley and along Kootenay Lake to Crawford Bay, Kootenay Bay, and Riondel.

Brochures listing venues and with a map of the route are available at the Chamber of Commerce Visitor's Center in Creston and at the many venues along the way.

James and I will need to be staying closer to home as for regular gallery hours as well as for those who don't read when the hours are and arrive anyway. Today we had a brother and sister arrive and she will be taking one of my birdhouses home with her to Ottawa, Ontario.

That I should be so well traveled....

I think it's summer!

2010-06-25T21:14:00.000-07:00

After our ever so long cold and wet spring dare we hope it's summer!

The world is in bloom, at least ours is here on the Hilltop. The Ocean Spray which can be seen beyond the wagon is about to pop any day now. All the roses are quite pleased with themselves and coming into bloom and we are pleased with them too. These, in the foreground, are Grootendorst, which have a small blossom with frilly edges. The bush is prickly to the point of being vicious but sometimes that is what is needed to outwit the deer.

The Mock Orange grow wild on our hill, as do the Ocean spray, and we have encouraged them to stay where we want them. The Mock Orange bloom about the 20th of June every year which was my folks wedding anniversary and my mom said she had Mock Orange in her bouquet.
The spirea we have had to plant but theyu are a hardy little bush and do well here and I see where some are self seeding themselves which is only a bonus!

This was a sunny/ shady day and I took the picture of the big pink mountain of roses and the gazebo at a shady moment, it would seem. I do not know what this rose is as I came in a box with a quite different picture of a little red splashed with white picotee hybrid tea on it. Obviously this is not that rose! It is gradually taking over the front garden and I love it so much I will just move the things it overshadows. I see my peony peeking out from it's branches. It probably needs to be moved.

Here is the pink rose from another angle. I still would like to wrest the garden back from the grass to some extent but my grandmother's garden was one of pretty flowers among the grass and I see how that can happen.

This last red rose is a Winnipeg Parks.
The Canadian Department of Agriculture maintained a research station in Morden, MB where they developed the many Hardy Explorer and Parkland roses.
This rose blooms most prolifically in early summer but will rebloom. I try to be sure to leave lots of spent blossoms on as it has such lovely rose hips which we enjoy for the show as they slowly disappear with the deer all winter.
My red Weigela is in full bloom. Usually the Bishops Cape is in bloom at the same time with it's lacy bunches of tiny flowers and variegated leaves but it has been set back by James' filling in the pond. We were just discussing that it is finally dry enough to consider bringing the tractor up to level things again.

ArtWalk Openings, PaintOuts,memorials, and more

2010-06-14T20:54:00.002-07:00

Well, it is a mystery why sometimes this program wants to underline everything and then, for some unknown reason it decides to quit.

This has been a very busy month. Next are the ArtWalk Openings.

The Creston Opening is this Friday, June 18 from 7:00 - 9:00 pm at the Coffee Creek Cafe in Creston with light refreshments and with classical guitar by Peter Bodley.

The Eastshore Opening is Sunday, June 20, from 2:00 - 4:00 pm at Bob's Bar & Grill in Riondel, again with refreshments, and with music by the East Winds.

Last Saturday was our annual Spring PaintOut and it was the first truly hot and sunny day we've had. We gave the new gazebo a real work out. At one point there were 13 or 14 of us inside eating lunch with folks spilling out onto the lawn. It was a great time, very well attended with at least 20 people and several of our artist friends have come back the last few mornings to continue on their works.

This poppy painting is James accomplishment from that day and the next.

The gazebo is well on its way to being done. It still needs roofing and some paint and plantings and ...... it doesn't end, but we are sure to enjoy it. Because it has the little cupola the hot air rises and escapes and it stays cool and breezy.

We're so glad Ann didn't want it any more.

James numbered all the parts and resurrected it here and it has a new roof of

1 x 5 cedar in a quilty pattern.

A week ago we held a time of remembrance for my mom in the pavilion and gardens behind Morris Flowers Garden Center.

Last fall, when she passed on, we were not ready for another service having just lost a close friends mother, father, and aunt so we said "In the spring, when the flowers are blooming."

In between we lost another close friend's mom and a very dear auntie. It is a time of losses and we are becoming the "older generation."

The tea for our mother was just lovely, very informal with lots of folks visiting and our cousin Jean had made my sister and I each a memory book of pictures of our mom's life starting in early childhood and we were able to bring those along for folks to enjoy also.
My sister and her husband and all my mother's grandchildren and her future grand daughter-in-law were able to come.

The last picture here is of my mom as a little girl.

After this weekend I've an art show to put up in the library for ArtWalk and then I can get back to blithering softly in my own garden.

The wonderful news ... there's a wedding next summer!

Mothers Day 2010

2010-05-10T15:32:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was Mother's Day and the first Mother's Day without my mother.
For years we had spent Mothers Day making it special for my mother and entertaining her, especially since my husband I moved back here after my father's death in 1989, and there were times I longed to just let me be the mother and be made "special" by my family. Well, now I am the mother. It is a bitter sweet achievement.
James and I went out for dinner Saturday night. We are a very small family as it is just us with our son living far away. We enjoyed sharing a meal at the Broaster House : the old people portion - one meal, 2 plates. My mother would have loved it.

Oh my, oh my, how the time does fly!

2010-05-08T16:05:00.001-07:00

Sometimes one finds the greatest "junk." This little birdhouse is looking for a bluebird or swallow to set up housekeeping.
The gazebo project continues as well as planning for flower beds. As you see the rafters are up. This is a challenging project as nothing is as straight as it should be. The cats think it is a jungle gym but may not be as enthused when James puts up screen.
More little tomatoes have found a home in the greenhouse.
I have a flat of petunias and pansies waiting for me to plant them out, and it will happen.
I went to a friend's funeral this morning. I did not know her well but knew her from all the coffee shops and places round where we would see each other.
Her name was Paule Falardeau and cancer caught her at far too young an age - 52. Paule had a hard life but was always cheerful. She came here from Quebec and began work tree planting and then worked at nearly every restaurant in town, but she wanted to work at the grocery store so she went back to school and finished her grade 12 and got the job she really wanted.
When she became ill she went back to Quebec and her family cared for her until the end but her ashes will rest hear by her son who was taken tragically at a very young age. Her family all came for the funeral. To them it was a closure here in this valley she loved but to us it was a closure too to be able to tell them we cared.
The was an Art Quilters meeting this afternoon but after the funeral I was exhausted so have come home and puttered and dug a bit in the yard.

I walked up on the hill yesterday and everything continues to bloom early this year even with the chilly weather we have had. The wild hyacinths are about to open. Usually they would bloom at the other end of May.
Work on ArtWalk continues.

Where did the springtime go?

2010-05-04T21:22:00.001-07:00

Spring seems to have suffered a set back. We had a wicked wind and rain storm blow through yesterday. We were fortunate not to have damage.
I had to run out in the middle of it to turn the bird feeder so the wind didn't tear the lid off.
I see on Facebook a friend was greeted by a downed tree at her gate as she went home last night.
James had actually bolted the rafters to the uprights of the gazebo but they weren't secure and given the weather warning, thankfully he went out and took them down. There will be another day to work on the gazebo.
We caught Skeeter perched on top of one of the gazebo uprights the other day. She surely is a little monkey.
The second picture is of my cousins and James pretending to have a tea party in the gazebo. Note the parkas and hoods and cups firmly grasped so they don't blow away.
James does not lack things to keep him busy. He is doing finishing touches on the Creston Arts Council's faces project from a couple years back. The 4' x 8' panels have been cut down to a more manageable size and he has been framing each and then "the powers that be" can find them homes. Whew! Finished with that!
I am sincerely wishing for some weather warm enough to go out and knock a little order into the yard.
Preparation for ArtWalk continues.

Further progress

2010-04-29T20:08:00.001-07:00

I don't understand this blog. It doesn't let me write where I choose.
Nevertheless ....
Progress continues on the gazebo between rain showers. There is fresh snow on the mountains but that is better than Calgary's snow.
I met today with Harry Miller who is doing a lot of the work on ArtWalk this year. It always helps to sit down and spread everything out on the table and see where we are. We have some work these next 2 weeks but we'll get it done and off the Brandy at Imagine Ink where she will apply her magic to the brochure.
June 5 my sister and I will host a tea celebrating our mother's life (she passed away last Oct 10) and we are holding it in the pavilion and the gardens behind Morris Flowers Greenhouse. I haven't a clue how many will come but if we keep it simple it will be easy enough and "expandable" for more or less.
May will be a very busy month.

Going off madly in all directions

2010-04-29T19:51:00.001-07:00

We have a friend who had a lovely old fashioned gazebo in her too small front yard so James numbered it, dismantled it, brought it home, and piled it in our yard.
Now James gets to put his puzzle back together.
These pictures are from the first day here.
We are putting the gazebo just to the NE of the house where it won't block views from the house. It is a 12 foot octagon so, once screened, it should give us lots of room to enjoy the days without wasps and evenings without mosquitoes.

The day of reckoning

2010-04-24T14:07:00.002-07:00

Well, I don't know if this new system is any kind of improvement.
The day finally came when we had pulled as much old plastic and tarps and water bed liners and old blankets used to cushion things out of the pond as we could.

James took 160 kgs to the dump and that did not include the hay tarp we thought we could repurpose, then came the "tractoring." I don't think James heard any audible sobs as thyme and lovely rocks and you name it went into the hole.
It filled up faster than we'd hoped.

There is a feeling of "lightness" in not having to worry about dogs or small boys in the pond. We will soon have seating and the plants will be restored.
Bandy was not worried at all about the bashing and grundging but I finally tricked him into the house as he was just too very trusting.

It is a long sad story

2010-04-06T19:51:00.002-07:00

Once upon a time I had a lovely garden pond and flowers bloomed and little birds took showers in the water dripping down the rocks but then those naughty little deer walked into it and their little pointy hooves made little holes in the liner and it never was the same again.
So now, for numbers of years we have had this unsightly black hole which we have to explain "used to be a pond" but we never seem to come up with the sizable sum it would cost to line it with proper EPDM liner that the deer could not puncture. And we do love our deer.We put water out for the momma who brings her babies to drink and we are thankful to give them a safe place not out in the fields with the harvesting.
We finally decided we are never going to line that ugly hole so today James poked holes in the bottom of the liner so the last of the water could drain away and we rolled the rocks off the edges of the liner and tomorrow James will come with the tractor and yard the liner out and we'll take all the assorted foam we had as cushioning to the dump and fill in the hole.

This is what remains and once it is gone we will fill in the hole and make a level seating area in the yard so the legs on people's lawn chairs are less likely to buckle and send them rolling down the hill. I am looking forward to having flower beds I can get at from both sides
And another sad story:

The "stemmy" plant in the middle is my Japanese Knot Weed in it's dead late winter phase. It dies to the ground every year and through most of the winter hangs on to it's beautiful dried burnt sienna coloured leaves. Every summer it grows to be a wonderful 6 foot bush with large green leaves and little white flowers.
Now, sadly, "they" are listing it as a noxious weed so it goes too, sniff. I'll have such a nice open space to create in!
And so goes the battle ......

Birdhouses are us ........ 2, which of course will precede #1.

2010-04-05T19:50:00.000-07:00

Birdhouse #4

Birdhouse #5

Birdhouse #6

Birdhouses are us ........

2010-04-05T19:41:00.002-07:00

Birdhouse # 1.

These are all sized for bluebirds and swallows
One of our neighbours saw 5 bluebirds on the fence line the other day.

On our property they seem to like to nest further back, by the fields, as they like the open spaces.

Here, near the house (and on the house) we have more luck attracting swallows which are great little bug catchers and lovely to watch swooping and diving.

I think I may have heard a bluebird the other morning. They have a sweet mournful voice.

Birdhouse # 2.

Birdhouse #3

The birdies in the tree tops

2010-04-05T19:22:00.000-07:00

Spring should surely soon be upon us. We have many signs of its coming: tiny wee white Babies' Breath, and teeny blue flowers that bloom in the early spring. The Wild Parsnips are still blooming but with them there is now a similarly shaped blossom with bright yellow blooms and little strappy shaped green leaves.
Yesterday as I was walking I found a wild Morel growing in a bowl of rock which could explain its early appearance.
Today was cold and by late afternoon there appeared to be snow showers scurrying down the mountains. James lit a nice warm fire in the wood stove and I made chili for supper.
This is a painting of an oriole by James McDowell. It is 24" X 32", acrylic on hardboard, and priced at $350.00 plus S&H.

The bushes are now alive with more and more spring birds. We have a number of these lovely little Rufus Sided Towhees about this spring. Hopefully they will keep their wits about themselves and watch out for the cats.
This painting by James McDowell is also 24" X 32", acrylic on hardboard, and priced at $350.00 plus S&H. .

It's Seedy Saturday!!!!!

2010-03-13T16:59:00.002-07:00

This is James' most recent creation made for a friend from her father's old golf clubs. I'm sorry that the table lets off such a glare. It doesn't do the painting justice. Below is a print of the table top - which is a painting.

Busy day, sunshine, James pruning the blackberries......
Coffee in town with the Eckersleys.
This is our monthly ArtQuilters' meeting. I'll have to report I've still been knitting but I got some great ideas from the latest Cloth, Paper, Scissors and I actually have moved my sewing machine out of the corner and onto a desk!
It's Seedy Saturday today. There's a lecture at one (talk?) which I will miss because of the aforementioned Art Quilters' meeting and then the seed exchange from 2:00 - 4:00 at New Life Church just over (east) of the high school. Non-GMO and non-hybridized seeds.

My day has been "fun, fun, fun."
Anyway we quilters met, shared ideas and projects, and then we went for coffee. I went to Seedy Saturday and brought home a bunch of free seeds for James. I only bought one package and that was of a large, very tasty black tomato.
We had friends who grew a deep purple tomato that would be about 1 inch - 1 1/2 inches across last year. They were the yummiest tomatoes I've ever had - utterly sweet and flavourful. I have since seen them called "chocolate tomatoes" and that would be a good description.
I also got some "shelling beans," Rhubarb chard, Italian parsley and parsley root, a couple other kinds of tomato, and several kinds of squash.

I am now home, beat, and ready to watch paralympic sledge hockey.

The flowers that bloom in the spring, tra la .... and more of James' recent work

2010-03-10T16:34:00.004-07:00

I went wandering up on the hill this afternoon to see what signs of spring I could find and there was the Large Fruited Desert Parsley blooming. It is a short little plant that hugs the ground and is easy to miss among the rocks and lichen.
Bandy accompanied me and did his best to cast his shadow on the picture and trip me as he wound around my legs. He is such a pretty boy and so mellow we forgive many transgressions.

These little fellows are blooming in the lawn. They are supposed to spread but aren't doing so very quickly. The thyme is another story, a happy one, but this is not its season.
Here are a few more of James' recent paintings:

This is inspired by a visit to Kuskanook Harbour. The painting is 32 X 24 inches.

Pears on canvas - 13 1/2 in X 21 in.

Plant with alium - 24 in X 32 in.

Machinery with pliers - 32 in X 24 in.

Machinery 2 - 32 X 24 in.

James' work is for sale and available by contacting us by email or phone.

James' show

2010-03-09T21:17:00.006-07:00

Signature piece for show - 24 in X 32 in.

Circles and squares 1 - 24 in X 32 in.

Circles and squares 2 - 24 in x 32 in.

More paintings from James' show

2010-03-09T21:09:00.005-07:00

Circles and squares 3 - 24 in X 32 in.

Circles and squares 4 - 30 in X 40 in.

Circles and squares 5 - 16 in X 16 in.

Great time at the opening and on with life.

2010-03-09T20:18:00.007-07:00

James' opening last Saturday was a great success: lots of folks and lots of good eats if I do say so myself.
The show will continue to hang at Kingfisher Used Books until April 30.
Another great show, this of photography by Peter McLennan, is on at our library.Our weather is typical March: sun and wind, rain, and a chill, and snow squalls blowing across the valley but not amounting to anything.
My snow drops are still just awfully pleased with themselves and I have a few crocuses popping into bloom.
Tomorrow I go and meet with a young fellow at the library to see if we can figure why no one can see the art work on our web page nor can I get in there to add anything new or change any of the "blather." I live in hope.

New show by James

2010-03-02T21:26:00.007-07:00

Well, January and February have fled. Of course February was graced with 2 weeks of Olympics - what joy and what a great excuse to sit and knit! Now on with life.
Here it is March already, my oldest cousin turned 70 today, and James has a new show going in to Kingfisher Used Books on Friday with an opening on Sat. The show will hang until the end of April.
We really must whack the studio/gallery into order out here as he has much more and varied new work to show. This show is to an un-named theme.
Meanwhile there are hints that James will help me by cutting some parts for me and taking apart a drawer pull display that I have had quite the time with. If he can do that I may even get some bird houses done for this spring. We shall see. I've always done all the parts cutting but I'm so short the dust is always in my face and I hate that particular part. I don't intend to have houses all over the Kootenays but some on hand here and a couple local spots would be OK. I always give one to the local Rotary Auction. They do a lot of good both here and away.
Yesterday the sun shone and the snow drops were alive with honey bees, as were the compost piles and, as we get the old coffee grounds from Joe, at Kingfisher Used Books, last night I bet there were a whole bunch of bees on a caffeine high.
Yesterday I bought the most beautiful book I have ever seen.
It is "Landsdowne's Birds of the Forest" with paintings by JF Landsdowne and text by John A Livingston.
I bought it at Kingfisher. I had it set aside while I decided which books of mine to sell to help pay for it. It was $32.00, but new would have been much, much more expensive. While some books are referred to as coffee table books this is a desk or big table book: too big to hold in your lap and look at. It is the combining of Landsdowne's "Eastern Woodland Birds" and "Northern Woodland Birds" and would have been easier read in it's 2 parts but I so love it. For each bird there is a page with preliminary pencil sketches of it, then the next 2 facing pages are the writing and a lovely colour painting. The sketches are more exciting to me from an artistic perspective than the finished illustrations.
James acquainted me with a lovely blog full of inspiration the other night.
It is: http://donnawatsonart.blogspot.com/2010/01/inner-stillness.html#links
Tomorrow I meet with a young fellow at the Creston Public Library to help me see where our web page has fallen off the rails. As it sits tonight no one, including me, can get at it to see the art work and I would also like to change some of its features and "blather."
I am still knitting many, many toques. I had to stop last year when I developed a trigger thumb and had to have surgery but now I am using softer yarns for some things and have taught myself to loom knit left handed - gotta get all those sparks firing in the brain.
I read that the huge Chilean earthquake has actually caused the earth to shift about 3 inches on its axis and shortened the day by a couple nano seconds. I don't really think I need a shorter day.
Mailings are going out for this year's ArtWalk: our 15th. Harry Miller has come on board and will be doing a lot of the foot work. He has coordinated the Christmas Craft Fairs for the Arts Council these last few years and done a very good job and this seems a fit for him. I think I can't retire from it yet as I'm still the "computer person."
This was a grayer day. We will see what kind of spring we get.

Was this January?

2010-01-25T21:47:00.002-07:00

Farewell to January in our very odd winter. We have had so little snow James has not had to plow once. Since the start of the year we had maybe an inch or two one day and a few tiny skiffs but the ground is bare except for some ice on the driveway. Even the ice out through the grass is disappearing. I don't know what this bodes for farming but I hope we get a good kill on the wasps. They have been unreal the last few summers.
The chickadees are singing a new more melodic song: not their "springs coming" song yet but it is coming.
James has been painting in the studio. He has a show opening at Kingfisher Used Books in early March.
I have been knitting on the round looms again, many hats in different combinations of yarns, and I am teaching myself to knit left handed.
This past year I have been seriously transitioning out of building birdhouses. I can't say I'll never make another, but they are taking a back roll and I am doing cleaner things that aren't as hard on my hands. Having knit right handed enough to have to have surgery for a trigger thumb last spring I am realizing that in everything I do I need to watch for repetitive stress or it will bight me!
This Thursday is a memorial service for everyone who has passed away at the Lodge since last October. My sister is coming, she and I and two of our close friends have all lost parents (our last parents) in thiese past few months.

Farewell to 2009

2009-12-31T12:37:00.003-07:00

As you can see Skeeter is still hopeful. This was taken Dec 26 I believe. We had more snow earlier and then it melted and "wore away" in the cold. Now we again have an inch or so, not much but enough to cover some of the dry remains of last summer.
James and I had a very quiet Christmas with a wonderful roast lamb for dinner at our friend Betty's. Her daughter-in-law is French and French Canadian and this is a part of her French heritage, her grandfather coming from France with Moroccan heritage. Dinner was delicious.

November

2009-11-17T22:34:00.010-07:00

James has been taking pictures through the slider. This little fellow, a Downy Woodpecker, spent some time peeking in all the cracks on the deck looking for lunch.

We have more birds and more variety of birds at the feeder than in previous years.

This wee fellow is a chickadee of which we've had lots in the past but this year we are being visited by the various finches, most just stripy browns at this time of year but we also have the rosy headed House Finches and I'm sure I saw a Red Poll yesterday. His whole body was rosy and he had the little red stripes on his head; such a bright little fellow.
Sadly James was not lurking about with the camera when he appeared.
We have decided to discourage the cats at the feeder, after all, it is a bird feeder, not a cat feeder! James caught Skeeter sitting on top the other day. It would be a pretty foolish bird who would fly in to that welcome.
Today James added another 20 inches height to the pipe the feeder is mounted on. Take that cats!

Changes

2009-10-22T10:31:00.003-07:00

Tuesday I put my sister on the bus to return to Kelowna. There was a finality to it.
Nearly 3 weeks ago she'd come to visit our mom and celebrate our 60th birthday on October 5. We'd had a couple really nice visits with our mom and then on the 6th she had a massive stroke from which she never regained any consciousness or reflex or anything. She slipped peacefully away in the the very early morning of October 10.
On the Sunday was the funeral of our very close friend's dad. Her mom had passed away 5 months earlier. It has been a time of goodbyes.
In the spring when the wild flowers are blooming we will have a celebration of life for our mom.
I am giving myself some time to breathe deep and reorder.
One is never really ready for these things.

Musings

2009-05-31T21:22:00.006-07:00

I have been building birdhouses for 15 years now but have built very few these past few years as I've been having numbers of hand surgeries however, having had a surgery this spring as a result of too enthusiastic knitting I think I can return to birdhouses, but on a lesser scale. The secret, no doubt, is in learning to pace oneself.
Instead of trying to sell my houses all over the Kootenays and Northern Idaho I plan to only build and sell a limited number from our own gallery here at home, and that will also give me time to work more in fabric. I am planning on taking a couple classes this summer.
Also, The College of the Rockies Creston campus is again offering classes this summer in the arts. James will be teaching his Exploring Experimental Approaches to working with Acrylics.
This year the classes are of a 3 day duration, most on weekends.
I will teach a class on Building a Functional Art Birdhouse, showing people how to build a birdhouse that is playful and decorative, but also a safe healthy home for the birds.
The brochure is poorly done this year but I am glad to send people details myself.
The college can be reached at 1.866.740.2687 or 250.428.5332 or emailed at creston@cotr.bc.ca . The brochure lists my class as "Birdhouses" and gives no indication of the rustic, funky houses I build.

Here's Skeeter perched on Garth Huscroft's panther,

and trying to look innocent like she doesn't hear any baby birds!

And here is Bandy doing his Yin & Yang thing with the panther.

My how the times do fly .......

2009-05-30T18:52:00.006-07:00

So, somewhere the last month and a half has flown by. When last I wrote Arts and Culture Week was just on and it seemed very soon after my most recent hand surgery. During that week there was an afternoon workshop and presentation by Don Maybe on Artist Trading Cards and this is a photo of the cards I made that afternoon. They are primarily fabric though there's a bit of detritus from the back lot made its way in too. The glue I used is an excellent heavy bodied glue called "Yes."

This picture was actually taken May 8 just after a lovely heavy shower. The forsythia, which I had threatened to hack down because it had bloomed so poorly for years rewarded my good pruning last year with a wonderful show of blooms this year.
We have a little chestnut tree my sister brought as a seedling and it has "lived" and grown imperceptibly for about 15 years but this year it is putting on new growth and has rewarded us with a blossom. Never give up!
For Arts and Culture Week the show at the Blue Awning was called Forty and on and was honoring this, the 40th year Creston has had a Community Arts Council. On that theme I displayed my knitted touques in groupings of 10, from infant, to child's, to youth, and to adult , with the highest grouping representing all ages and the future.

And then there were two.....

2009-04-19T16:14:00.006-07:00

I do think it is spring this time. The chickadees are singing "Spring's coming" from the bushes. There's a large older magnolia tree ( the kind with white blossoms) on the way to the mall that is just coming into bloom and many bushes and trees are just waiting to pop their leaves.

Went driving north toward Sirdar. The banks are covered with dog toothed violets (avalanche lilies) We decided to drive out on the dike: lots of ducks, geese, coots, Black Necked Stilts, a couple swans, a blue heron, swallows, and a mamma black bear with her two last year's cubs!

The Black Necked Stilt is fairly rare here in the Creston Valley. They have wonderful "formal attire" and were quite close to shore so we could stop and see them well.
They have bright orange legs. They are quite showy little birds.
It was one of those days when I again think "Why don't I just put a pair of binoculars in the jeep?"
The binos were at home on the table because that is where the best bird watching starts.
Friday evening we had a pair of vultures soaring and swooping right close to us - so utterly wonderful!
Mamma bear and babies were across the channel from us far enough away that we weren't making her nervous, nor she us.
This week will be Arts and Culture Week across the province. Here in Creston we are again renting "The Blue Awning Gallery" across from the government agent's office on Canyon (main) Street. We have a show opening tonight in the west side and going on for the week with different activities in the east side of the building.
Next Saturday James will be helping Sandy Kunze raky behind Kingfisher Used Books and I will be attending an Artist Trading Card lecture and session at the Painted Turtle Gallery.
James and I are going to the opening of Arts and Culture Week tonight. James is showing the 2 pieces of metal sculpture shown at the top of the post. They are made to hang and are about 4 feet tall.
I have created an installation from some of the many, many toques I knit from Jan through March. The show's theme is Forty Forward, celebrating the 40 years of the existence of the Arts Council here in Creston and looking top the future.
My installation has large picture frames (4 of them) hung vertically and strung with wire like clothes lines and at the bottom I hung, using brightly coloured clothes pins, 10 infant hats for the very years, then, above that, 10 toddler hats, for a bit older, then 10 adolescent hats, and then 10 large adult hats.
In the top frame I have hung many hats of all sizes and colours representing the future.
I'll try to get a picture. James tried but it wasn't until we got home we realized his picture only showed the bottom 3 frames.

Promises of spring

2009-04-14T18:46:00.008-07:00

Now that the Wynndel Ats Center is "virtually finished" James has had a chance to do some art himself. This is his metal sculpture from last weekend which he will show in the Art Show celebrating Arts and Culture Week at the "Blue Awning Gallery."
I need to evaluate who we've heard from and who we need to be contacting for this summer's ArtWalk.

Meanwhile, my frantic and joyful round-loom knitting has paid off. I have many, many touques to show as an installation at the Blue Awning and to sell this next fall and have had to have another hand surgery for a very badly triggering thumb. I am swanning about while James does the cooking and dishes. Stitches come out Friday -yea!!!!
Spring progresses slowly without me. The daffodils by the front door are nearly open and the little purple violets are blooming with abandon. These are "better behaved" than some and spreading slowly but my hope is for some more inclined to "take over".

I went up on the hill today to see what new wildflowers are about. These teeny, tiny blue flowers will soon carpet the ground but now they are still few and far between.

This is a slow spring. Down in the Lower Mainland, in the farming communities east and south of Vancouver the strawberry growers say their crops will be later than usual and sparser.
I've suggested to James we plant some of our own strawberries in the chicken pen where the deer can't get them. We had them in a raised bed where the deer ate the berries and James mulched them for one winter so well they composted, poor things.
Yesterday we bought our seed potatoes. At Straight from Earth Natural Food Store in town I see a sign saying they are selling the last of the local carrots and I need to buy some before they are all gone. I'm anxious to see things planted but I am a spectator at this time and it's still pretty cold to expect things to grow.

A whole day of sunshine! and a job well done.

2009-04-05T16:35:00.008-07:00

Whee! Spring feels really here. I saw 2 towhees in the bushes, the honey bees are out again, the little tortoise shell kitty is seeking shade, and everything feels ready to pop.
James has been redoing his greenhouse, getting ready for tomatoes, and the project for the Wynndel Mudders is essentially finished!

James and Bruce Johnson renovated (rebuilt?) the old changing rooms from the former Wynndel Pool and made them into a really nice open 700 square foot clay studio.
Wednesday we threw a surprise party to honour James and Bruce for all their hard work.
Above, James and Dirk Kunze are philosophizing.
Sadly, we don't have any "before" pictures of the warren of toilet stalls and shower rooms and walls rotting off at the bottom.
James and Bruce tore out all that and with some help from several of the women pulling nails, cleaning, and painting they've made a real silk purse out of a sow's ear.

The outer walls and ceiling are all natural wood and the men post and beamed the room so it could be open concept.

In case one fears there's nothing left to do the outside of the building will need some help and there needs to be a bit of landscaping but for the time being both James and Bruce need to do their spring work at home. This being such a late spring they got a bit of a reprieve.
In November I posted pictures of James and Bruce working on the concrete which formed the floor for this large storage room (about 1/2 shown) which runs the width of the north wall.

Still springing

2009-03-28T20:26:00.006-07:00

The little hat with the flower is in gray with periwinkle flower and a variegated periwinkle, gray green yarn knit with the gray.
The flower and leaves are crocheted.
I'm sort of resting my hands which, after just 3 months, are loudly complaining and growing lumps. Oh to have strong hands and wrists!
Anyway, I found a pattern for tendrils, as seen in the picture below, and I'm back to teaching myself real, two needle-type knitting and doing a bit of crochet which I know already.
I've been watching all the World's in figure skating but they are done tonight unless there is a gala. I may have pushed it as far as I can in that we do share the TV and figure skating is not James' thing.
I hope I've enough "grace" saved up to watch Midsomer Murders when it comes on!
This morning as we were dropping off the recycling we saw the first Kill Deer of the season. They are a real sign of spring. Robins may just overwinter somewhere else in the valley but the kill deer actually fly away and then return and it's a joy to see them in their jaunty little formal wear. It's amazing how well they blend with the side of the road when they have such a bright white and black collar.
The swans are also back.
As I drove down Devon Road the other day I saw a large white thing floating down to the flats, and my mind was going "Kite?", "Hang glider?", and then realized I was looking at a swan settling onto a big puddle with about 12 of his buddies. I drove down the little side road to get nearer but the binoculars would have really helped. This time of year they come in and rest at the channel on the south end of Kootenay Lake. A friend from Sirdar watched them flying over for more than 1/2 an hour. They don't stay long and then they are on their way north.
James and Bruce are nearly done the big remodel job for the Wynndel Mudders. After many, many hours of volunteer work I think they are glad to see the end nearing.
I'll try to get some more pictures. They took out walls and post and beamed the roof so it is basically one big room and an added on store room.
James decided he did not want to do the chicken-sitting this summer so we will have both pens to use as fenced, deer proof gardens.
I have just received a first draft of the Barraclough family history. My maternal grandmother was a Barraclough and my second cousin has been assembling this. It should be interesting.

Swans

2009-03-25T22:22:00.005-07:00

Today, as I was driving home from town I saw a large white object floating across the flats and was going "plane?', "kite?" , "Big bird!" and when I saw it land I followed the road and there in a very large puddle were about a dozen swans!
This time of year they come in on Kootenay Lake at the south end, and this morning a friend who lives on Duck Lake, just south of Kootenay, said they were flying over for at least 1/2 an hour - hundreds of them!
This was a true March day we had every kind of weather including sleet and rain. This evening James went out on the porch and heard spring's first little frog.
After all the snow along the mountains and sleet here in the valley today, the sky is clear and starry tonight.
These little crocuses bloom between the walk and the porch. I took the pictures 2 days ago and it's been so gray ever since they've clasped their little petals tight shut.
I've decided I need to put a deer safe bulb garden just to the west of pond where the bedrock is very near the surface and the snow goes off earlier than everywhere else.
Winter is having quite the time letting go this year.
Meanwhile entries are coming in for ArtWalk. The Nelson & District Credit Union, Eastshore Branch is again supporting us with a small add in our brochure, which helps immensely. After March 30th comes the job of calling everyone we haven't heard from and getting their entries (or not.)
I've been "under the weather," "out of commission," etc. for the past couple weeks but am improving so that is good. Before I finally went to the doctor I was to point of going to sleep every time I sat down because I was so run down. One morning James brought me my coffee and fortunately I let it cool a bit before drinking it because I went to sleep drinking it and poured it down the sleeve of my bathrobe. After that I decided maybe this was going a little too far.

Taking Winter Away

2009-03-08T14:50:00.003-07:00

James had a wonderful opening yesterday; lots of friends, good munchies and wine, classical guitar by Peter Bodley, all in all a very nice afternoon but boy am I tired today. This is another painting from his show. This body of work is a little smaller than some of his other work and more of a return to realism.
Yesterday was a typical March day: blowing snow, sunshine, more snow, more sun, etc., etc. It was a good day for a happy gathering as we are all so done with winter.
Last night I got home, put things away, watched Midsomer Murders, a British murder mystery show that lasts a lovely 2 hours, and knit 2 more little toques.
It is amazing there is still any one left living in Midsomer as they manage to "off" at least 2 or 3 unlucky folks each week!
This morning I bought my mom tulips from the grocery store. They just aren't even "up" here yet! and I "took winter away" from her room. She has a little collection of fuzzy, dancing snowmen my cousins add to every year. We had them in her window at Swan Valley Lodge over Christmas and the New Year, but it was time for them to go!
I love tulips but have pretty much given up on them for myself. The deer have even pulled the bulbs right out of the ground and eaten them! Daffodils are icky to deer so I have (or will have when the snow leaves) lots of them. I have been meditating on where I can plant some spring bulbs where the snow will go early and I'm thinking out by the old, needs to be replaced, pond because the bedrock is very near the surface and I see soil earlier out there. I do need flowers. I have oodles of grape hyacinths and I thought the deer didn't like those, but these deer seem to so I get to see fewer and fewer.
James and I went to the dollar store for St. Paddie's Day cards and bought some very, very cheap flower seeds, but James longs, annually, for "Heavenly Blue" morning glories and that's the colour I like too.
I also bought some Shirley Poppies, and California Poppies, and sweet peas as I dream of sweet peas along the porch rail out to the east of the house.
For years I sent St Patrick's cards that I wrote "pray for the peace of Ireland" in, and then for a while it seemed that prayer was answered, and then yesterday, there they were, killing British soldiers again. More prayer needed there.

It's a Kootenay Sunrise

2009-03-06T17:41:00.003-07:00

I went to Straight from Earth organic store and coffee shop today and found some beautiful locally grown carrots. Yum!
I'm so excited. I've been mourning us not having chickens but today I learned of a friend of a friend who is going away for 4 months and would like someone to take her chickens for that time. There are only 20 and they will go home before James has to lug water and such in the winter. I like them even just to look at. The eggs will be nice too.
Tomorrow is James' show opening at Kingfisher Used Books and I now need to go cut up veggies and make hummus so I'm not snowed under in the morning.

Hope & Determination

2009-03-04T16:12:00.004-07:00

Here they are, peeking out from the snow bank.
There are getting to be real signs of spring. Hooray!!!!
A week or so ago we began hearing the red winged black birds. Because black birds nest near water they don't nest right close here but in early spring they come around.
There are now flocks of little birds flying about in little swooping clouds.
The flock of cedar waxwings who have been hanging out in a tree near the elevators in town was greatly diminished today and I wonder if they are beginning to pair up and go off on their own.
James' show at Kingfisher Used Books opens on Saturday and I've been buying crackers and veggies. I need to make some of my sister Eileen's good hummus and maybe a black been dip too.
Very sadly, when I went in to Sharla Truscott's Straight from Earth organic store today I learned that Wayne and Denise Harris' locally produced Kootenay Alpine Cheese is completely sold out until early summer. Boo Hoo!!! I can't eat commercially made cows milk cheese anymore but this is made of unpasteurized milk and hasn't suffered the indignities of the commercial cheeses and I can eat it. Spring's coming and summer will too.
I am still happily knitting many, many hats and thinking of yarn as "paint" - all the wonderful colours!
Today as I was in one of the local shops I was talking to a young woman in the yarn department and she is about to go out of town to a specialist to see if her problems are Fibro Myalgia. I was able to tell her there is hope and one can lead a good life with it.
I have for many years.
And then, having gone to a number of banks and potential ArtWalk venues, distributing entry forms, I was too tired to finish the last few things on my list so they will be seed for tomorrow.
Now, having opened the windows and doors to the fresh spring air it's probably time to close them and stir up the fire again.

Space Station McDowell

2009-02-25T20:52:00.003-07:00

I just realized I referred to "Space Station McDowell" in my previous post but hadn't explained what it was. This now also sports a small windmill and an air velocity meter. This picture was taken in early December before it snowed.
What we are referring to as "Space Station McDowell" is actually a wireless internet relay station which our friend, Robert Lawson, of Kootenay Wireless, is field testing on our hill before it gets flown by helicopter to the other side (West) of Kootenay Lake where it will provide high speed internet to people on the East Shore of Kootenay Lake.
We are also a hub for a number of people in our area. Robert has provided this much needed service to people here in valley in areas Telus has chosen not to cover.

New work by James McDowell

2009-02-25T20:09:00.010-07:00

I got the posters for James' show finished. Of course he is still painting away, happily.
Our friend and local musician, Peter Bodley, has agreed to play for us. He plays wonderful classical guitar.
Tomorrow my co conspirators come out and we will stuff envelopes and mail entries for ArtWalk. Another step done. I feel like I'm playing catch up and it's only just begun.
The wind has been blowing for the past 3 days. The other night it blew over "Space Station McDowell" and Robert and James had to lift it up again and hold it down better with guy wires. I am very glad it is temporary because even though it is only a little windmill it makes a steady whistling noise that is bothersome and the cats don't like it, nor do I.
I went to my knitting class and the instructor didn't like my yarn because it was variegated, didn't like the size of my needles, and didn't like my pattern She said it was "a very bad pattern."
I had assumed that she would be teaching the Continental method of knitting. Assume nothing. She said you always held the yarn in your right hand, which is not true for Continental.
I had taken Robaxacet for back spasms before I went and my mind was dull and I lacked what it took to stand up for myself and I couldn't even think straight or count to cast on. It wasn't fun.
So Saturday I will go to the class with my new not variegated yarn, new knitting needles, and a new pattern, and if she doesn't like these well, Saturday is the last class.
Here's a video on Continental knitting and after it, one on casting on, Continental.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuRLFl36tDY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjpLK8w2rkM

Escape to the Outdoors

2009-02-19T18:28:00.009-07:00

Well, I left the house today for the first time in 9 days. That must be some kind of record! I am still weak but gradually getting better. Still knitting....
The top hat calls itself a medium. Depending on the yarn they would fit a youth or average adult. If you have a fat head like me you would probably like it made on the large loom.
These are only some of the hats I've been knitting using the Nifty Nitters. The little baby hats are such a hoot. Saturday I'm looking forward to the first of two classes on "real" knitting and today I ventured out for needles and came back with more yarn Shhhh
James has a new show of his paintings coming up at Kingfisher Used Books at the end of the month. The opening will be on Saturday the 7th of March. We're still firming up our entertainment and then I'll be making posters, emailing folks, and the like.
Meanwhile it's time to do forms for this summers ArtWalk so we can mail them out.

Signs of spring

2009-02-18T16:57:00.007-07:00

This 2nd picture is of Skeeter when she first came to us 1 1/2 years ago. She looks like a poor little malnourished kitten. Malnourished she definitely was, but no kitten. Our vet says she was a year old! Poor baby!
And the first is Skeeter now, well loved and fed, but destined to be a nervous little cat with ADD, we suspect, possibly from malnutrition in her youth. She has a very hard time settling. But, she is much treasured and loved not just by us, but by Bandy too, who actually first brought her to the house. I find her very hard to photograph not only because she is a cat and not wont to cooperate but also because she is so very dark in many lights. I would say she is an orange cat brushed with black but there'd be a good argument that she is just the reverse.Good eating and raw eggs have brightened her coat considerably.
The signs of spring, lest you feel I've been leading you on - two wasps in the slider window. I'm not sure where they come from or how but this time of year they start appearing. If we can keep the population down at this end of the year there should be less at the end of summer when they begin to believe they own the farm!
This has been a sad and thoughtful day. This time of year a herd of elk makes a daily migration: at dusk, down from the 80 acres of woodlands at the back of our place through the neighbour's fields and across the road to the river and in the morning just as it is coming light they reverse their trek. This morning James spotted a full grown adult with most likely a broken front leg. It could only hobble 3 paces, and then rest and then start out again. It was a painful sight.
I called the game warden who couldn't come right out and unless it is fairly close to the road they can't do anything as it would be a mile of deep frozen snow. If he can come out and harvest it the meat would go to the food bank. I would like to see it out of its misery. Nature is not always kind, in fact it's pretty brutal. We don't know if it was hit by a car or injured some other way..

I think I will live!

2009-02-17T11:26:00.007-07:00

Here are Bandy and James communing. There's something about a nice warm cat in winter.
I finally think I'll live. First James got the nasty cold/flu and then I did and it sure takes its time to shake off.
Skeeter is such a nice round little cat, so very different from when she came to us, all scrawny and emaciated. Mind you, she is spoiled rotten! but such a good little hunter. She has been regularly bringing great big voles up to eat on the deck, or under it. She may be getting them under the chicken houses. She'd like to bring them inside but we draw the line at that!
Yesterday was lovely and sunny and so bright with the frozen snow. On a bright sunny day there actually is a lot of colour to be found. My big rose bush is quite attractive with its red arching vines.

A friend was bemoaning her lack of snowdrops yesterday. Obviously she's on another timetable than winter in the Kootenays. We can hope for them in March, I fear, this year as they are under that heavy frozen berm of snow where James shoveled off the porch roof.
But summer will come and in the next 2 weeks I need to make up and get the forms for ArtWalk printed and then we'll have a big day addressing envelopes to mail out the entries. Time also to mail out funding requests.
There was good news on the morning news! Another coffee study has found non-smoking nurses who drink 4 or more cups of coffee a day have a 43% lower risk of stroke. That's a good enough figure one could take it up, if they weren't already a coffee drinker!
I'm thawing a flat zip lock bag of tomato sauce from last summer's tomatoes. I find the flat bags more space efficient and if you have a large freezer, which we do, freezing tomatoes as they ripen, and then, at your leisure thawing and making them into sauce (to freeze again) is an easy way to go.
This morning on Martha Stewart she and her guests were talking about what one should have in one's pantry. Well, maybe city people live with nothing on hand but I can't imagine not having their list of foods on hand and then some! It was obvious things like pasta and rice and chick peas and canned tomatoes, mustard and olive olive oil and bread crumbs: the kind of things one needs every day if one cooks, but then many people don't cook from "scratch" or at all, so this is the new money saving tip - cook!
I've still been knitting touques on the round loom (more pictures next time) and this weekend and next am taking a class on "real" knitting.

Frostier, and frostier

2009-02-04T10:37:00.007-07:00

We have even more frost today than yesterday and if you can imagine a mountain behind the wagon and frosty trees you can see we are still socked in to a lacy lovely world - but c-c-c-cold - -6 degrees Celsius (21 F).
This is Japanese knot weed which some would argue really is a weed and others would class it as "noxious". It's all where you grow it. Mine is planted in a 5 gallon bucket in a trench between bedrock slabs. It has been here many years and never escaped. We're also so dry up here on the hill that few things wander, the challenge is for them to grow and live! I love the fact it holds it's lovely dry burnt sienna leaves in winter and the little stemmy business left from the flowers are lacy in themselves. In late summer when it blooms it is alive with paper wasps.
And this, the mock orange, is just so very lacy! I moved it from further down the hill. Here they are wild and wonderful in June,
So today James has "stolen" my beautiful big orange squash that I've been saving since fall and probably should think about baking before it turns to compost. James is seeing if it will star in a painting - and then I'll cook it!
I love the fact that winter squash will last and last without the need to can or freeze. Mortals shouldn't even consider canning them. They need to be pressure canned as they are low acid but even in the pressure canner it takes 90 minutes. Letting them sit on a cool shelf makes so much more sense, and then freezing the leftovers as, if we're talking of a big hubbard squash, there will be leftovers.
Your gardening - food preservation tip of the day: if you wipe things you've harvested from the garden, like winter squash, with a 10% bleach solution it will get rid of some of the organisms which would cause them to spoil. If you consider chlorine bleach to be toxic waste try using vinegar. It should work equally well.
Zucchini, which is not a winter squash, will keep a long time if allowed to get big and over ripe and to develop a tough skin. At this time it is good in soups or zucchini bread.
Besides the obvious "squash as a vegetable" serving suggestions winter squash is equally wonderful in soups and works as a rich filler. Winter squash also makes an even better pie than pumpkin. If you buy canned pumpkin in the store (and who would?) what you really get is canned winter squash.
And then, on a totally other subject, sweet potatoes or yams can be substituted for pumpkin and make a lovely smooth pie filling.

What an absolute trial!!!!

2009-02-03T13:36:00.002-07:00

The next 2 posts actually run in reverse order.
Blogger did not want the second post (which runs first!) because I had copied from a Word document and I had to delete numbers, and numbers, and numbers of Html commands! What a fiasco!

If at first you fail, try, try, again....

2009-02-03T13:13:00.007-07:00

This was taken this morning looking to the north east. The fog is rising along the Goat River and we have hoar frost on everything. The bird feeder is one of the many I built when I was building bird houses. You are actually looking at the back of the feeder. Sadly, the birds don't like this location except in spring and fall. I think here, on the north of the house is too dark for them.

So Blogger didn't like the number of photos first and then it didn't like the html which it had written itself! so we'll try this again. It actually is part 2 of Cozy heads, but given the computer's mind of its own.
This second picture is facing the north west and the fog is rising off the large flats which are a flood plain, now diked, of the Kootenay River. Some mornings with the fog it looks like a huge lake.

This third photo is facing North looking at Goat Mountain which is supposed to be a long extinct volcano and is a much smaller and less impressive mountain than the others surrounding us. The old wagon was used to haul logs out of the bush. It used to be in the poplars down below but we moved it up here to try to "save" it longer in dry location. Time is causing the wood to drop out of the rims of the wheels. "Time waits for no man", or woman either. We have been back here 19 years. The time has gone quickly.

Because James and I only heat with wood we don't go off on overnight jaunts in the winter and if it's REALLY cold we don't leave the house for more than a few hours as one has to feed the fires. Now we have settled into a more comfortable winter pace. The cats were not amused to see it snowing yesterday morning. I think they thought I had "fixed" that! However, we only got around 2 inches which was very slick in the morning and melted by the afternoon, except on the driveway. In that we have a good 1/4 mile of driveway and it was all ice, the snow was actually an improvement.
James and a fellow artist friend have been painting the bathroom in the library to look like an aquarium. There are nearly life sized seals and all manner of fish and sea gulls and..... In that one wall is curved it only adds to the look.
I go along and sit in a nice wooden rocker and knit. I have been knitting toques on round looms. I started doing adult sizes but the last few have been little kid sized and they are just too much fun! I put pictures on Facebook of the adult ones and one child's. Most of these are done with a double yarn so by varying yarns and adding novelty yarns one can get some really fun hats. I have spent WAY TOO MUCH MONEY on yarn but I think I'll be able to sell them. The different colours and textures are quite fun!
For 15 years I built and sold rustic, arty, functional birdhouses but with the problems I have had with my hands the doctor and I decided that building the birdhouses was making me need more hand surgeries earlier. It has taken me a year and a half to be able to say "I quit." and the thought still goes flitting through my brain as it was a significant part of our income.
However, "I quit."
A year and a half ago my girl friend and I organized our 40 year high school reunion, I had two hand surgeries and had had multiple ones the previous 2 summers, was still trying to bake for the farmers' market and build bird houses, and we mostly emptied my mother's mobile home so it could be rented out. However we ended up storing more than we should have and I hit grid lock, mentally and physically.
I wouldn't call it a depression, and I did continue coordinating ArtWalk with all the shows and openings that entailed, and doing openings for James' shows but I've spent an awful lot of time sitting in a comfortable chair. I am hoping to crawl my way out and actually making something again feels good. I still aspire to finding another medium closer to art than craft but this is fun just now.
I'm also trying little by little to get through some of the physical gridlock, so that has been my life. It is a time of losses for us all. Our parents, those of us still lucky enough to have them, are not as they were nor are we.
This Christmas I bought myself Dragon Naturally Speaking so I can get my grandmother's diaries in print form on the computer so they can be shared with her other grandchildren. Grid lock and procrastination being close bed fellows I haven't loaded it on the computer yet.

Keeping wee heads cozy.

2009-02-03T11:38:00.013-07:00

This was taken looking east from our porch. In summer the huge mounding rose is a riot of pink blossoms. It was one of the sort you buy in a box and it is very definitely NOT what the box said it was. I recently read Claire Fenton's answers to one of those internet quizzes and the she had listed 25 things about herself, one of which was "I once grew 4000 roses." Well, I did too, but they were all on this bush!
This little rose does not distinguish itself by its many blooms. It is a messy little thing called Winnipeg Parks and it has the most beautiful rose hips. As you may note very few are left. They are not only beautiful but a tasty treat to the deer. Last summer we had a doe with twin fawns hanging around. We kept water in our leaky pond for the little family and they could have pretty much whatever they wanted.

I've been continuing to knit toques and the last few have been for little folk, to keep their wee heads warm. This is a small child's hat - not a tiny baby. These are just far too much fun to do but I need to be careful not to set myself up for some other repetitive stress disorder with my hands. I am right handed but have been practicing doing these left handed. I have always been fairly close to ambidextrous so it's sort of fun challenging myself.

Another January done gone.

2009-01-31T19:15:00.005-07:00

Bandy is showing all the enthusiasm I have had this month.
I spent about 3 weeks off my feed and by the end I couldn't tell if it was me being sick or the anti-biotics making me miserable. One is so wretched I have to cut it in half and put it in a gelatin capsule to choke it down. Well, that bout is finished and I'm almost back to eating like a human.
Both James and I find January a lazy month. A few years ago I officially gave myself permission to have Januaries off, in that I don't get anything accomplished anyway.
James has had some reprieve from plowing snow and digging it off the low roofs of the porch and studio. The studio got so bad that the gutters filled and started creating ice dams back onto the roof and James ended up tearing off all the gutters and chopping ice. We will have to find another approach next summer as we do want to save water. My part in this was to ply him with Banana Bread and Sweet Potato Loaf.
I've baked very little in the past couple years since I was having hand surgeries but it is now nearly a year and a half since the last. I still can't open doors with my left hand and have to be careful not to drop things.
Every surgery would mean that that entire palm would peel so I now have no calluses left and a lot of the padding in the palms of my hands is gone. It leaves one feeling very vulnerable, especially when my hands were fairly strong for their small size. I had to realize I was doing things with the tips pf my fingers that others did with more of their finger and therefor it was not such a strain. I finger a drill "creatively" as I can't reach the control with my index finger. I use the middle one.

James painted this this fall. It is one of a series he has been working on. He has a show at Kingfisher Used Books in April and one in Nelson, BC this summer.
Our son and his girlfriend are moving from Victoria back to Calgary. I believe it will be a positive move for them as that is where they have many connections in the arts community. I've a feeling Victoria has been a lonely winter and not their common idyllic weather either. They had snow and the whole nine yards! Larry is preceding and Lisa will follow when her current job is done.
I've continued knitting on the Nifty Nitters but have signed up for some real knitting classes later this month. I can't imagine it would be as fast. I can make a toque in an evening. It remains to be seen where this will lead.
I want to find places to give some away to cold folks but I also am toying with whether I could make enough selling them, in which case those may need to be embellished.
"Heartbeat" is about to come on the TV. I mustn't miss that!

It's a new year.

2009-01-14T20:19:00.004-07:00

Sometimes life is a mystery.
For some unknown reason the computer gremlin decides to underline everything - in blue! - from time to time.
As you can see it's still winter but we have had a week without new snow which is reason enough for hope. The weather here has moderated while everywhere east of the Rocky Mountains is locked in a relentless deep freeze - minus 40 degrees some places!!! Brrrr.
For Christmas I bought myself a set of circular looms (Nifty Nitters) which work on the same principle as the spool knitting we did as children. I've been making touques for my husband and I and a few left over.
Last fall my sister bought me a kit with eye lash yarn to crochet a shawl but I could not see to stitch it. Knitting with a strand of worsted yarn and a strand on eyelash on the loom I can see! and I can figure how I'll do the shawl. The eyelash was red with black and I used black worsted and made a really soft and fuzzy hat. I have a "fat head" and most commercial hats are too tight. I've finished 3 touques and then dug out a lap robe I started 10 years ago and finished it. It is crocheted in blues in a lacy ripple pattern.
Right now I'm making a soft hat of an very irregular novelty yarn in pinks and mauves, along with a Federalist Blue worsted, then I may go back to the shawl.
The cats very much approve of the thaw. What was over 2 feet of snow has sunk down to from 8 inches to a foot of hard frozen snow which supports their weight and yesterday they both had to go out and scoot up the electric pole just because it was there.
This time of year, and with as deep snow as we've had, they begin suffering from Cabin Fever and taking up various naughty habits. Skeeter has decided she likes the sound of pencils played with on the floor. She's found the cup I keep them in on a buffet and has been choosing her own. She also is tearing little bits off the newspapers we start the fire with and eating my plants. A nice romp over the snow is good for her!
James saw the elk in the neighbour's field last night - barely, as it was after dark, but the field is white and the elk aren't.
Now that it isn't 15 below Celsius anymore James and Bruce have started working on the conversion of the changing rooms from the old pool at the Wynndel Hall. They are removing walls and making them into a place for the Wynndel Mudders to work in clay and not have to put tables away each time.

Winter persists!

2008-12-27T16:44:00.005-07:00

Christmas is over! I'm ready for spring.
These pictures were taken yesterday and we even had a bit of blue sky but now it is snowing again, and snowing, and snowing, and snowing.

The picture above is of Goat Mountain, looking north from our deck. The rule is you can take as many pictures as you can without putting boots on!
This Thompson Mtn where the fire lookout is. It's to the east of us and following the ridge south is the Skimmerhorn.
The picture below is the Skimmerhorn. It was taken Dec 10, before it started to snow down at our level.

A Merry Christmas to All

2008-12-25T03:50:00.006-07:00

When morning comes our trees and bushes will still be robed in snow, but this is a winter scene James painted a couple years back.
I have been carefully turning the Christmas lights out over night because of power concerns but tonight they are tinting the steadily falling snow - very peaceful from our vantage point but a real problem for travelers and others at this time. I just read Greyhound has suspended bus service from Vancouver until it is safe to continue. I sympathize with folks stuck in a terminal somewhere not getting home for Christmas.
Later today James and I plan to go have dinner with my mom at Swan Valley Lodge. It's not the sort of weather to take frail elderly out in.
I bought myself a set of Nifty Nitters (circular looms that do large spool knitting) and am making a few toques for this winter. It doesn't seem at this point that it ever develops a smooth rhythm like crochet or regular knitting. I do enjoy crocheting but haven't mastered knitting. I got the Nifty Knitters specifically to use with a red and black eyelash yarn my sister gave me to make a shawl. The pattern called for crochet but I could not see the stitches and I plan to use the circular looms and knit a black yarn with the eyelash and hope I can see that. Another of the joys of aging.
Saturday is Creston's Christmas bird count. I had said I would watch our feeder and hoped to have one on the other side of the house. I have not seen any birds at the feeder in a long time. They like it in spring and fall but really don't like this location in winter. Maybe next year.
Poor James got to celebrate Christmas Eve by plumbing as the sink faucet decided to spring a good leak. Unfortunately "progress" has changed the parts available and they no longer make 1/2 inch supply hoses. They don't even make fittings to go from the 1/2 inch supply valve to the hose so it will mean more parts and a more involved job. There's no cold water in the kitchen until at least Saturday when the parts stores open again.
Well, now it is 4:16 am and maybe I should try sleeping again. You would think I was waiting for Santa!

Little flakes, big flakes, little flakes, big flakes........

2008-12-21T14:19:00.004-07:00

It's snowing tiny flakes just now and at 2:30 pm it feels like night. Dec 21st - the shortest day of the year and James always looks forward to it with anticipation as tomorrow the days start getting longer. Yeh!!!!
I think we are almost safely into our quiet, reclusive Christmas. I got up this morning with grand intentions of going in to town to find an elusive gift for my mom to put under the tree at Swan Valley Lodge.It's so hard to shop for someone who doesn't need (or want) anything. I buy her cut flowers because if I bring a plant she promptly gives it away, lest it die! When you're 87 you deserve fresh flowers all the time. My resolve melted with the falling snow and we're just staying warm.
James has been racking wine. We will have lovely berry wine on the deck next summer. I should be baking something (she said unenthusiastically). The lasitude of the season is upon us. I want biscotti but I need to bake something softer for James first.
My sister visited recently and brought eyelash yarn for a shawl but I can't see the stitches when I crochet it. It is the joy of growing old!

The cats are not happy about our weather. Bandy sits at the door with his ears at an irritated angle and if I open the slider for him he looks insulted. Little Skeeter is such a faithful hunter that she has to go out for a bit every day but she's not impressed either.
Well, back to the football game! That's what this weather is good for.

The seasons change

2008-12-14T12:28:00.005-07:00

The picture above was taken this morning. It was -17 Celsius which works out to 1 degree Fahrenheit - very cold, especially with a wind.
The picture below was taken last Tues. We've had a very long and open fall - quite lovely.
This is our little town. Today it is lacking one of it's historic buildings, built in the early 40's, Sunset Seed (known to old timers as "The Pea Shed" because at one time Creston grew many, many peas) burned to the ground on Thurs night.
http://www.crestondaily.com/news.html
I'm told my grandfather may have been the contractor for it. Grandpa Good was a fine carpenter and built a number of buildings and homes around Creston.
The last 2 weekends James and I were busy at craft fairs, one, the Creston Arts Council Christmas Craft Fair and one, the Wynndel Christmas Craft Fair.
I make calendars and cards from photos of James' paintings and we sell them. It's been a busy time.
Now it's so cold I can't think and the lower photo may portray my aspirations more closely.
Larry and Lisa will be in Victoria this Christmas and we anticipate a quiet time at home.

Another Thanksgiving

2008-11-20T23:42:00.007-07:00

The truth be known, the leaves have mostly fallen off the trees and it's frosty mornings and ice on the puddles and any day could bring snow. Tomorrow is our son Larry's birthday. I remember when....
Next week will be American Thanksgiving which falls on James' birthday this year and the anniversary of the day we met 39 years ago, can it be so long?!
Sat the 29th is the Christmas Craft Fair and the next Saturday is the Wynndel Craft Fair and then we may get a chance to rest a wee bit.
Right now we are very busy with calendars. Every year I make calendars of James' paintings which we sell, along with cards, at the craft fairs. James likes this better than when he had to help lug in my bird houses to sell.
Sadly, because of the recurring problems with my hands I have had to give up building bird houses.
My hero has been a friend of ours, Ted Diakew, who said "I'm retiring" from doing spectacular pottery, and on a given day, he invited all his friends, threw a retirement party, and quit. I have had to ease into it, but I now can say "I don't build bird houses any more." It is still hard.

This is James bull floating concrete, while our friends Sandy Kunze and Bruce Johnston help, as they pour the floor for the storage room for the Wynndel Mudders' "Mud Hut."

The Wynndel Mudders are a group of us who work in clay and we are retrofitting the old changing rooms at the Wynndel Hall into a place to use for our work.
I think they just squeaked in under the wire on pouring the concrete before the freezing begins.
As we were cleaning up and finishing up from the "pour" yesterday we looked up to see 3 eagles soaring by. I have never seen more than one at a time before and even one I receive as a blessing.
When we were growing up in the 50's and 60's we never saw an eagle but happily their numbers are getting pretty healthy.
The other day as I was heading out for town I looked up in one of our bare poplars and there sat a fat little pygmy owl. He looked like a little ball with a tail. He was probably looking for little brown birds, but even the little owls have to eat.

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving

2008-10-13T11:48:00.005-07:00

My mom's brother, David, and his son came to visit my mom for Thanksgiving. We were able to bring her out to our place for a turkey dinner Sat night and then Sunday my uncle and I joined her for turkey dinner at the lodge. We are well turkyed.
Other than seeing my mom this holiday for my uncle's visit was sort of a wash as people are out of town or busy with their own family dinners.

Poor Uncle David, not only are people occupied or out of town this time but he is 88 and hasn't lived here since the early 50's and there are less and less people he remembers from his past still living. I guess that's why we need to live in the present.

So, in that we did the turkey dinner on Saturday, the "not picked clean" carcass is simmering along on it's way to lots of turkey soup.I'm not sure which is the best part of the turkey: the cranberries and stuffing or the soup!We're thankful for both.And many little packages of sliced turkey for sandwiches, with more cranberries.
There's also some left over sweet potato pie, so we can still celebrate on the actual day.
Uncle David and Bruce left on their way home as there wasn't enough excitement and "Dad doesn't like to sit around." Some of us wish we had time to sit around a little more.
James and our friend, Garth Huscroft, made the annual pilgrimage to the back to pick apples off the "secret tree" but this year there was not apple one. It's a bit late so the deer and elk and bears and ravens may have got a few but apples have a good and bad year and last year was very good so we were prepared for less this year. Well, maybe not this much less!

ScotiaBank Nuit Blanche 2008

2008-10-08T16:23:00.008-07:00

This is a recent painting of James currently being shown in his show at the Creston Public Library.

Our son, Larry, was invited to take part in the ScotiaBank Nuit Blanche art show in Toronto last weekend. Here are some sites concerning his piece. Nuit Blanche is a grand occasion, taking place outside at sites around Toronto from 7:00 pm Oct 4 to 7:00 am Oct 5. Larry's piece is a combination of installation and performance.

http://www.scotiabanknuitblanche.ca/exhibition.aspx?zone=B&mapID=9

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/509942 Note # 7

http://www.azuremagazine.com/newsviews/blog_content.php?id=1119 Note: Artist to meet.

http://flickr.com/search/?q=nuit%20blanche%20corvidae&w=all&s=int

Here, fall approaches and our Canadian Thanksgiving is this coming Monday. James has been clearing up the yard and gardens getting ready for winter, while we carefully move praying mantids so not to squash them in the process.

An egg case, as promised

2008-10-01T17:12:00.007-07:00

This is what the egg case of a praying mantis looks like. It is about 1 - 1 1/2 inches long, made of a funny dried bubbly stuff. This one would have hundreds and hundreds of babies in it but once they hatch, and eat each other in the first days, there will be many less.
Fortunately, the shovel handle this is on is not from the only shovel we own. We will keep it safe until the little ones hatch out - next spring, I presume.
I contacted the Royal BC Museum as no praying mantids were listed as having been found here so I am sending them a couple specimens.
No frost yet.
I had a call from the gentleman who is studying badgers. They would like to set aside appropriate crown land as badger habitat but there really isn't any in our valley so I hope the private land owners encourage the wildlife.

That fallish time of year

2008-09-29T19:20:00.005-07:00

The day before fall officially began our weather turned cool and rainy and fall was here.
Not many trees have turned colour yet but even on warm days there is a coolness and as soon as the sun sets, which is earlier every day (at 6:00 pm this evening), there is a chill in the air.
As we're getting ready for winter we look forward to a killing frost, not because we wish an end to the growing season or to the of the flowers in the garden, but we look forward to less wasps. They are a plague this year. Their nests are in every nook and cranny and this weather has them very grumpy. On cool days they are not so evident, but these sunny warm days they are really busy and really cranky.
We have praying mantis this year.
Today we found 5 praying mantis on the side of one of our raised beds.
Praying mantis are new to our area, but if you want something to expand it's territory this is a good candidate as they eat many, many unwanted insects and do no harm. Besides, they are truly wonderful, being up to 4 or more inches in length at maturity.
Here's an article about how they are expanding their territory in British Columbia and a history of how they even came to North America.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4139/is_200712/ai_n21279234

Praying mantis change colour depending on what they are on and we've seen them anywhere from a pale fawn wheat colour, to bright green, to dark green, and to a rich brown. Their egg cases are a pale brown dried bubbly looking affair that can be found stuck on a board or other object. It is sort of oval shaped. If we find one we can photograph I'll add the picture later.

This was a nature weekend. On our way home from town on Saturday afternoon James and I were in separate vehicles and a minute or so apart, and we both saw a badger cross the road going from left to right at the foot of the rise before our gate. We think it was likely two separate animals, but even one is wonderful. They are red listed in our area and they too are a very beneficial sort of wildlife.

Badgers will dig out the burrows of gophers and stay until their job is finished before moving on.

James has seen geese flying south. The white tailed deer who only weeks ago were a lovely red have turned to their grayer fall and winter coat.

It is hunting season. We do not hunt nor do we let anyone hunt on our land and I always am cheering for the wildlife. We know that people poach and we have no interest confronting someone who may well have been drinking, and we know they have a gun. It affects our ability to enjoy our wild land as not all hunters are careful. Soon enough, though, the season will be over.

Afternoon Excursions

2008-09-19T19:50:00.004-07:00

James and I took an excursion today to Nelson - a flying one as James was helping paint the tourist kiosk this morning - so we left at 1:00 and were back by 5:45.

Our friends Lyn and Eric Johnson have a daughter Laura who is about Larry's age. She has opened a chocolate desert restaurant in Nelson called the Cocoa Nut Lounge.

We did indulge! I had a great piece of very cinnamon's apple pie - one where the apples are cut very fine and stacked with not a lot of "goo" between and not a lot of sugar - a "best" choice for a diabetic.

James had bitter chocolate cake with about 3 kinds of chocolate and heavy, very chocolaty icing. He felt as if he overdid it. It would have been better shared.

Laura needs some art work for December so we went to see the venue and agreed to "participate."

We also wanted to check out the Craft Connection where I sold many, many birdhouses over the years. The Craft Connection is the best run artist owned co-op I know of - always well run, very professional, and very high quality crafts. They have bought their own building and it has an art gallery in the basement so it was necessary to scope that out too.

We entertained ourselves by noting all the pieces to the "new wardrobe" we saw along the pass. Some poor menopausal woman must have gone before us as first there was a black, quilted jacket, and then a red sweatshirt, and still further on a pink T-shirt, and at the top of the pass all discretion had gone to the wind and there were TWO (you never see two!) gloves on the road!

We also saw about 8 mountain sheep who were so unconcerned I could have reached out the window and patted them. Fortunately everyone slowed down for the silly creatures.

The little red bushes and Mountain Ashe berries at the top of Kootenay Pass are brilliant! There is still Indian Paintbrush blooming at the summit along with Pearly Everlastings and Asters. A very pretty day.

We got back to town in time to call our friend, Betty, and meet her for dinner at DQ.

After our very rich desert at the Cocoa Nut Lounge simple fare seemed quite attractive.

Fall approaches

2008-09-15T20:04:00.005-07:00

As you see, James has another show of his new work at the Creston Public Library.
James has 13 new paintings in the meeting room and will have several other pieces of work in the main library.
We had an enjoyable opening Friday night and then all adjourned to the Snoring Sasquatch Hostel and Music Venue for the CD launch of Elena Yeung's CD "The Gravedigger's Daughter." That girl can sing!
Elena has taught herself banjo and the songs on the album are ones she has written herself and are truly great work. She has former Juno nominee, Mark Koenig, accompanying her on guitar, Karl Sommerfeld on fiddle, Gary Snow on standup bass, as well as a number of other very talented musicians. Our neighbour, Peter McLennan, did the cover photography and the photos are of the old house I was raised in.
Earlier, actually in May, our friend Mark Koenig released his CD ," "Livin' this Life," for which James provided the cover (and inside) artwork. James painted a loose portrait of Mark holding a lovely rooster for the cover and Mark used several of James' tractor, and old car pictures inside.
With ArtWalk over for another year this was the day James and I travelled up to Riondel to pick up his paintings from Bob's Bar and Grill. It was a lovely sunny fall day, clear as clear could be. We visited with a couple local artists at Bob's and then thought we'd take a brief detour to Nelson.
No such luck! As we approached the ferry landing the boat was just pulling away. We decided not to wait the hour and a half for the next ferry crossing but to pop into Fairy Treats for a snack (they always have good home style baking) and meander our way back home along the east shore of Kootenay Lake.
Stopping at Lockhart Beach we took our annual end of summer stroll and as it was such a sunny day we wandered longer than many other times. Often this late in the summer there is a cold wind coming down off the mountains across the lake to the west. Not this year. It was just great.
We found 20 or more bright orange little butterflies having a drink in some damp sand and warming their wings. I'm not sure what they are. They are shaped like a Mourning Cloak with dark outer wings but the insides are bright orange and spotted. I will have to look them up.
We also found a number of lovely little miniature villages someone (or ones) had built, some all of tiny stones and one with battlements of tiny 4 or 6 inch driftwood twigs and with rows of "trees" of fir tree cones.
We stopped and talked with several of the folks who were enjoying the sunshine and then continued our way home.
Too soon the nice warm weather will be done.

It's been quite the summer!

2008-08-25T22:00:00.008-07:00

It has been a while!!!

The summer has gone briskly by while we seemed to be spinning at times.

After our trip to Calgary and the launches of ArtWalk in Creston and Riondel I took the time to go on a brief Greyhound Bus trip with my sister to Duncan, BC to visit an ailing auntie and my cousins nearby.

Auntie Lorine fell and broke her hip earlier and was hospitalized and then in a seniors facility. First there was the hope she could go home eventually but it became apparent more care was needed. At the time we visited she was in a "transition bed" and, the day we arrived, her family (and many other families) had been informed the facility was closing in a month (an illegal government maneuver which is being appealed) and the 100 residents would either go to the new 50 bed unit that was opening, and already had a 100 person waiting list, or perhaps hover in the air!!!

There has been much brew haw haw since and the BC Ombudsman has just recently said there will be an inquiry into the bed situation and closings of beds and moving around our elderly and separations of families.

At one point, when it was pointed out that moving fragile elderly could cause an attrition (read death rate) of 25% the man in charge had the gall to say he could live with those figures.

Obviously, it wasn't his mother!!!

Fortunately, at this time my aunt is stronger than when we saw her and has been moved to a more permanent situation for her, but it was flash backs to getting my mother into adequate care.

The day after I arrived home, even before I could get a shower!!!, the pump on the well went out. We had a week of hauling water, begging showers, and bucket flushing.

I grew up without a well and my dad hauled water in barrels which was transferred into a barrel by the door and bucketed into the house, but we had an outhouse, and the lack of one was not handy, and James was hauling water for 2 households as our son and his girl friend have spent the summer in the guest house.

So, the pond did not get its liner. The new pump and PVC pipe came to very near $3000.00, but when we remember the former pump lasted for 20 years the cost is not so bad. Also, a very special blessing is that, in getting rid of the old galvanized pipe, we got rid of our rusty water problem!!!

James taught his week long class in acrylic painting at the college again this summer and we helped organize and put on a summer long show of artist's hand pulled prints at the library.

It has been a slow tourist year but nice to see those we have.

James and I got fishing licences for the first time in years and, though I've only made it once, James has gone a few times and brought home a tasty meal.

My computer had serious problems and was in the shop on and off for nearly 2 weeks - not quite as long as Skeeter had to be at the vets. Poor wee tweep, we don't know what she did but she very badly cut the top of a back foot and the inside of that thigh.

The doctor bandaged her foot and stitched her leg and kept her in so she'd be quiet and heal, and a week later when she should have been able to come home she pulled out all her stitches and had to be restitched and more extensively bandaged and didn't get to come home for another 2 weeks!

Skeeter is home now and up to her old tricks, spending some of her nights out, and generally loving "out" so much more than "in." She came home favoring that leg but is improving quickly.

Larry and Lisa are in the process of moving to Victoria where Lisa will work as a nanny to her sister's little ones while her sister writes her master's thesis.

I'm feeling like summer will be over and I haven't done any of the work I had planned. With car sharing, and running too and fro, I haven't worked on any art myself. Also, I absolutely melt in hot weather and end up just sitting in front of the fan. I have great plans for reordering rooms as it is absolute gridlock of my and my mother's stuff since last summer. I want to move the woodworking out of the room it is in and make that room into expanded gallery and a place to work in fabric. That part of the house, the shop, is 4 steps lower than house and on a concrete floor and cooler!!! in the summer.

A friend of ours has just "retired" from pottery. He has for many years been a master potter but felt it "was time."

I have not had such success in "retiring" from birdhouses. I actually finished 3 recently and as one went as a wedding gift, and one sold, I'll need to finish a couple more. I did inform all the businesses that had carried them over the years that I wouldn't be able to supply them but I believe I can still make them for our own gallery and sell a few on line - at least until I've found another medium to work in.

The joy has been not having hand surgery this summer - the first in 3 years - and that is the incentive NOT to build too many birdhouses as it aggravated the condition of my hands.

Wasn't That a Party!!!

2008-06-06T13:50:00.008-07:00

Well, we did the Calgary Show in our friends Mark and Lynn's private home and it was a wonderful success and a great time to boot! Mutual friends, Linda and Ed from Creston, travelled up too and of course there were all our hosts' friends and business associates. It was a lovely evening and great hospitality, and then a different group on Saturday morning/early afternoon.

Now we're back in Creston and James is busily painting up another storm for the ArtWalk opening in Creston, on June 13 at 7:00 pm at The Coffee Creek Cafe (formerly Annette's) and in Riondel on Sat June 14 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm at Bob's Bar & Grill. The brochure has been proofed for the last time and is at the printers and we have posters to distribute around town.

On Wed James and I went up the lake putting up posters. Just a moderate number of deer on that trip.

Coming back from Calgary last Sat night there were numbers upon numbers of deer and elk.

Only once did we see the truck, towing a trailer, in front of us have to swerve to miss an elk but we all drove judiciously.

This week we've been trying to untangle the phone company's snafus.

Larry and his girlfriend are here in the mobile home for the summer and the phone company began by disconnecting our phone and connecting his number to our place. Then they disconnected Larry's phone from our place and connected our number to his place.

Are you confused yet?

Then this morning (All of this takes days. It has been going on for a week.) our phone was ringing at Larry's and Larry's phone was ringing at our place.

This was the day we were to see a human. He phoned this morning and I explained everything and he "fixed" it and called me and Larry at our proper numbers and mine does seem to be fixed but Larry's is disconnected again.

Tomorrow is the PaintOut and we are hoping for good weather. It is not what we've been having and it is not what is predicted but we can hope.

The Oriental Poppies are just delighted with themselves and the Irises are in full bloom.

I haven't been back on the hill to see what's blooming there with all the rain and cold.

There was fresh snow on the tops of the mountains this morning. It's an unwelcome sight but not totally unheard of. I took a picture last June with the roses in full bloom and fresh snow way down the Skimmerhorn.

This morning, when opening the old, brittle hummingbird feeder it broke irreparably and I dug around and found the lovely pale green one I bought last year. Last summer they wouldn't even look at it but maybe because I had them well established coming to the red one I broke they are accepting its' replacement. Yippee!

With the success of James' show we plan to bight the bullet and spring for the real pond liner as the tarp has not been successful. I have the flowers for one planter and will get more.

We need a new frost free hydrant as the handles on two of ours have broken. One broke when a tree fell on it during a huge wind storm last summer and one just seized so tight James broke it trying to open it. There is no end of things to spend money on and to fix!