No photo today, so I'll paint a verbal picture.
The natural world has decided spring is here. Trees are filling with pink or white blossoms. The gentle breeze sifts petals softly, spreading the sweet scent. Spring bulbs are bursting through the soft soil, opening their bright yellow and purple petals to the bright sky. At night, the tree frogs' chorus fills the dark spaces between the trees. When the sun rises, the birds take over, readying themselves for the coming season of nesting and raising their young.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2010

More orange slime on wood - this is tiny little pieces on some old decking.

 

Grey, cloudy spitting rain day. Bits of the sky hover over the forest. 

 

The Iron Worker in David's shop - love the graphic shapes and colors! 

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2010

Got a couple of new clients this week - one of them is a small addition to the back of this house. They had a really nice covered porch and open deck, with garden beds around them, complete with a pond. Very cute!

 

 

Sunny again today, but change is coming. Some high clouds off and on, a bit of a breeze, cooler temps . . . you know the drill! Rain tomorrow. But these past few warm sunny days had their effect on the trees and flowers - lots of blooming going on. Here is my decorative plum tree in pretty pink.

Since it was so gorgeous again today, I hiked the Ebey's Landing bluff trail. The view was incredible - this is looking west at the Olympic Peninsula and Mountains. Just a bit of fog for a few unlucky folks!

This is looking south toward the parking area at the bend in the road. You can see all the hikers, and on the road was a long line of very loud motorcycles touring the back roads.

 

This is looking east across the prairie farmland to Mount Baker, shining in the sun. I like the way the barn echoes the shape of the mountain.

Once you have climbed up the bluff, the trail follows along the top. The trees are sculpted by the wind, and the raptors soar overhead. Over 30 years ago, my sister Cris and I hiked along here, and saw a falcon. We were so excited! As I watched this bird approach, I thought of that sighting, only to learn from my bird book that this is a red-tailed hawk. I was thrilled to see it anyway, along with several eagles.

Another gorgeous day - it's more like April than February - clear, sunny, highs almost to 60! I had a really nice ramble in the Putney Woods. I was surprised to have the place to myself - there were a couple of horse trailers in the parking lot, but I didn't see them on the trails. The sun coming through the trees lit up a small dead tree covered with lichens.

And another lichen-covered shrub next to a narrower trail.














The trails are all different - this one must have been a logging road, and over time has become covered with moss, and more recently, a bunch of small fallen alders.

Clear sunny skies mean frosty nights, and in the morning the melting frost glistens in drops, both on the trees, and dripping into water.

Absolutely beautiful sunny day - rather unusual for February, but this has been a very mild winter. Found the top of a birch tree on the ground, growing a variety of fungus, including this moth-eaten (mouse-chewed?) shelf bracken.

At Thursday Art day, Andy brought this basketry-covered bottle her husband found in an attic. It is gorgeous, and very old. It was likely made by a Northwest Native American group, possibly Nootka or Makah, who covered bottles and other objects for trading with white settlers. The spokes are cedar bark, and are completely covered with a wrapped twining weave, possibly done with spruce root. The colors are both dyed and natural materials. I have a friend who will be able to tell me for sure.

Yay! Sun today - and a clear blue sky. Even with chilly air temperatures, the sun warmed the soul. In the woods, a miniature forest grows on ancient logs in the swamp.

The moss-covered logs are lying half in the water.

We have one huge pine tree, noticeable by the cones on the forest floor, tipped with white sappy stuff. Something sat on this log and pulled the cones apart, nibbling on whatever tasty bits are there.

 

 Very wet again today, so what else can I take photos of? Well, you guessed it: drops! The pussy willow catkins collect the drops, which cling to the hairs until enough gather and finally fall off.

I didn't get out until late - it was wet, dark and dreary most of the day, and this drop reflects the weather.

 

My sweetie made heart-shaped french toast with strawberry/huckleberry sauce, and fresh fruit. YUM!

I have no idea where the time went! I completely missed getting any shots yesterday - the day just flew by without even thinking about the camera! Sorry about that!

I finished my Neolithic Braid basket that we started at last night's Guild meeting. It's a fun little basket, and I actually quite liked the technique. It will be fun to see how I can use it . . .

Tonight was our monthly Northwest Basket Weavers Guild meeting, and the program was weaving a small basket in the Neolithic Braid technique. I had tried to learn it once before, but never 'got' it, so I was glad to have good teachers who helped us all figure it out!
Members are concentrating on working the braid.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2010

I wanted to try and get a shot of the brilliant stars tonight, but between the time I came into the house after looking at them, and the time I got the camera and tripod organized, it fogged over a bit, and hardly any stars were still visible!So I got a shot of the rubber stamp I just carved. It's sitting on a little book I made for Letterboxing, and Geocaching. My 'name' is Willowline, so the stamp is a willow twig. It was quick and easy, but I like how it came out. So now I guess it's time to get out there and find some caches!

The eagle likes to sit in this tree near Freeland Park. Today it was also full of pairs of red-winged blackbirds and crows, all busily chatting amongst themselves.
And, yet another drip photo!

This is a series of jewelry pieces I've been working on, I'm calling them Flow. Above is #3.

#2

And the first one. They are woven with very fine colored wire, twined over heavier copper spokes.

The crescent moon was still in the sky at sunrise, joined by a jet with it's accompanying contrail.
No, wait, three jets leaving trails . . .

A hopeful seagull drops his purloined clam to the beach in front of a lowering sun, anticipating a cracked shell . . .

. . . now it's time to eat!

Absolutely spectacular sunrise this morning!

Looking to be a pretty day.

Whidbey Weaver's Guild meeting today - Michele Wipplinger of Earth Hues was the speaker, delivering a slide show about her travels along the Silk Road in Asia. She brought many samples of indigenous weavings. Above, she is talking with Anita Luvera Mayer.

Here she is showing a plaid silk used by the men to wrap into a turban for their heads. There are several more on the table, and she has one draped over her shoulder.

Guild members examine the table full of woven and embroidered pieces.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CRIS!!

My sister Cris had a birthday today - best wishes to you!

I'm working on photos for the "Orange" journal. This is a marker for the underground telephone line.