The very beginning of sunset tonight - I was charmed by the lacy clouds in the western sky. It was a lovely day today, and later the sunset kind of fizzled, but I love the sky in all of it's different views.

 One more from yesterday - Jon, Cory and me, having a quiet dinner out at China City, on Jon's last night with us! Although he's only moving to Seattle, I will miss having him around!

 Today it became sunny and warm, after the torrential downpours of the previous few days. The culvert under the road was jammed with flotsom, so Cory had to break it apart to restore free flow. Usually the rainfall isn't that hard, and the culverts have flowed well all winter.

Right before he got there, I saw two pairs of wood ducks in the pond! Wonder if they intend to nest nearby?

 I found this book, Earthen Pigments, by Sandy Webster,  and thought it sounded like fun to collect colored earth from places I visit, as well as around my home. Who doesn't like to play in the mud?? Below you see some of my samples drying, and above is one that already dried, and I have started sifting it. It went through the larger screen first, then on the paper is what has passed through the finer screen. I'll add some type of medium to the powder to create watercolor paint - can't wait to see how it turns out.

 These samples I found on my recent trip to La Push - on Third Beach there was a recent landslide, and all of these different colors were there.

On another note, the apartment over my garage is done, and we have renters ready to move in at the end of May. It will be nice to have someone here, both financially and personally. And the apartment just feels good! Looks very cute, too!

 The garden is coming to life - the sword ferns are unfurling as you watch, and the wisteria has lots of fat buds! Even a bit of blue sky up there!

 Well, we're finally getting the scrap steel picked up and recycled! This is the first of many dumpsters, I fear. But things are moving along.

Well, I have been missing from these pages for months, now, and I really don't have any good excuses. I kept thinking I would catch up, but I didn't, and I just let it go. Week after week. I have had some grand adventures, with plenty to share, but still I didn't come back to my blog.

Maybe I needed the break. Maybe I was just being lazy. Lately I have really begun to miss it, and also miss the daily documentation of my life and the wondrous life around me.

So, I am back! I am not sure if I will continue with posting photos every day, so we'll just see what happens.

I will try to backtrack and post photos from my travels in Italy, Sequim, Tonga Ridge, Ohio, Oregon, La Push, and, of course, my own little 10-acre woods.

Today was a meeting of our little art group - it has been many weeks since I was able to come, and it is highly unusual for all of us to be there at the same time anyhow, so I was pleased to document this momentous occasion. Even if some of us (ahem) are being slightly goofy! Natalie, Jamie, Danielle, me, Carol and Janet - love you all!