MONDAY, MARCH 19, 2012

Photos of my baskets, the 'Stilted Totemic' and the 'Star Pillow'. 

 With some kitty commentary.

 After clean-up at Retreat, I stopped by Sue's house - she lives between the camp and the ferry, and I had not been there. I was so glad to be able to spend the afternoon with her, and we had a really good time. She showed me some of the special places on her property - these photos are of an old burn-out snag. It is huge, and is dry inside, where it feels like a different world. Sounds are hushed, and the old cedar seems to hug you.

 The charred inside is also home to mosses and lichens.

SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 2012

My class today was with Cass Schorsch, and we made 'Stilted Totemic' baskets with birch bark and basswood legs. Mine is the one on the right, another student's on the left, and Cass's sample if we wanted to make a hanging basket instead of legs.

 The evening's big event is the live auction, and George was a wonderful auctioneer. Sheila was his lovely assistant. Here he is drawing the winning ticket for the raffle basket, which Sheila is holding. Massy is our Guild president, and also the chair of the Retreat committee. Below is a fabulous quilt made by someone's friend and donated to the Guild. There was quite a bidding war going on for this!

 It snowed all morning, but by afternoon turned to rain and melted. But it was lovely while it lasted! Behind Sheila is Madsen Lodge.

 This is the cabin I stayed in. We walked between the cabins and the lodges - on the left is South Lodge, where the Gallery is, and several of the classes are held.

 A view of Lake Flora from South Lodge.

 The other big event was the planting of a tree in memory of Mary Irvine, who died last December. She was very beloved, and put countless hours into the Guild, and was a wealth of knowledge. The Camp allowed us to plant a Yellow Cedar by the Labyrinth.

 Massy dug the hole, and I had donated the tree - it was one that Sue, Ginnie and I had gathered while berry picking one year, and I had had it in a pot for a few years, so it was very good to find a home for it.

Amazingly, the sun came out while we were there.

FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012

 The big event on Fridays is the Gallery Gala! This year is our 30th anniversary, and there was cake and ice cream. We also get to see a wonderful display of the work of all our members - we are continually amazed at how talented we are!

 Ginnie in front, and Miriam and her cousin Lynn standing by Ginnie's jewelry display during the market. Ginnie only came for today, and she was very pleased with her sales!

 Ginnie, Miriam and me at the Gala.

 Earlier, my class with Jackie Abrams. We were making a Star Pillow basket with strips of watercolor paper that Jackie had painted.

 Some of my classmates hard at work.

 And, they're still working on the cedar hats. A few will work late into the night and get theirs done, while the others will take them home and finish there.

We had a pleasant sun break in the late afternoon, and Ginnie and I sat out by the lake for a while.

THURSDAY, MARCH 15, 2012

 It has been raining all day here, and I finally just had to get outside for awhile! It was only dripping, but everything was very wet. The lake is a little high, although it has been much higher in the past.

 The main lodge, Madsen, where we eat and have our meetings, programs and auction. You can see the bag auction set up on the shelves at the right.

 My roommates Mary Anne and Noreen in a class with Jackie Abrams.

 Kathey Ervin's class is making NW native cedar rain hats. They will be at it for two days, and still won't be finished!

 My friend Miriam working on her Jackie Abrams basket.

Another class, Rae Hunter's students making 'Wild Lamps' with pussy willow stakes and all kinds of natural weavers. They will put a light fixture inside - they are really fun!

 The program was Mary Lou Slaughter talking about her life growing up Indian at a time when it was not a good thing. She had to overcome a lot, and eventually taught herself and took lessons to learn her tribe's basketry techniques. She made 16 of these capes and vests of pounded cedar bark for the tribe's dancers, and many many baskets. She is a great-something granddaughter of Chief Seattle, of the Duwamish tribe.

Today I am off to my basketry Retreat, and won't be back until Sunday! Whoo-hoo! Lots of fun photos to come.

 We had a short evening class tonight, and made Copper Cuffs. Mine is above, and one of the other student's is below. We could design our own patterns for the twill weave, so everyone's was different.

Apollo says, OK - let me in already! The wind is blowing my tail all around . . .

while Tooks grooms in the sunlight.