I
woke up yesterday morning is a decidedly good mood. Not that I've
been waking in bad moods but the previous day the blue jay feather
and the sunflower came out of the kiln and I was very happy with them
and then yesterday dawned with an even amount of blue sky to clouds
and today it is completely clear. I'm amazed at how happy that makes
me, even if the sun is shining right in my eyes as I type.
I'm
working on the last two molds starting yesterday (I'll be glad to be
done with this phase of the work as I've got a tiny piece of glass
embedded in two fingers) and hope I get them done before the weather
pattern changes again so I can get some work done out in the yard. As
much as I want to get out there, this work has priority and the
ground needs a day or so of sun to be dry enough to dig. Gardeners
will know what I mean. If it's too wet, you'll squeeze all the air
out of the soil.
As
mentioned I'm very happy with the last two castings. These pics are
straight out of the kiln, washed, and will require very little finish
work, mostly just on the edges. Both pieces are 6.25” x 6.25”.
The blue jay feather will go on one of the boxes but I'm going to have
a stand made for the sunflower.
I
have two full boxes of pecans and so I took a bucketful down to the
pecan place that buys, sells, and cracks.
The cracking machines were going and the rhythms they make are so
cool. They will synchronize for a few beats and then veer off into
different patterns and then come around and synchronize again.
Let the shelling begin!
The
cosmos are blooming prettily and I've seen more bees on them than
I've seen in the yard all year, and butterflies too as they migrate
through.
All
right, now I need to get to work.
Oh my gosh! The feather and the sunflower are gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteAnd it is a beautiful day here and August just left and oh, how I need to get in the yard but a book just arrived that a friend of mine wrote about his adventures in life and music and cooking and, well...
It's a beautiful day to read too.
I finally couldn't resist, afraid the good weather wouldn't hold til I finished the last mold so I got out there yesterday morning and started reclaiming one of the flower beds.
DeleteWell those are just fabulous! I don't blame you for being pleased with them. We've had rain the last two days - makes me want to burrow in & do nothing. Which suits my nature pretty well. Ha!
ReplyDeleterain does that to me too. consequently I haven't accomplished much for the past 6 - 8 weeks.
DeleteThe blue jay feather is particularly beautiful. Your cosmos are an interesting color -- so different from ours, which are all in the pink and purple range. (At least from what I've seen in the stores.) It's amazing what a difference sunshine can make!
ReplyDeletewe have the pinky purple ones too, just not me.
DeleteFeather and flower so beautiful! I totlly GET the blue sky and sunshine thing!!1 I did not fully realize how zapped I have been up here in the dark, until we went to Palm Springs! I did not know I could feel so great!
ReplyDeleteI could never live in the PNW. got to have sunshine.
DeleteThat orange cosmos is the first plant we seem to have in common, in our two different climates.
ReplyDeleteIt's still flowering here and definitely self seeding every year again.
I love the feather. And only now realised your occupational hazard, ie the embedded glass splinters.
mine will flower basically until we get a freeze and it constantly reseeds. there is also have a pinky purple version though no in my yard.
DeleteWow! That feather is perfect! I know what you mean - should we ever get more than 5 minutes of sun, I'm sure I will feel perkier.
ReplyDeletethanks. I'm really glad I decided to dump it out and re-do it.
DeleteI managed to get out for a bit this weekend, and I completely agree that a little sunshine can make a huge difference in outlook. I wasn't even feeling particularly 'down,' but I certainly became more chipper after being outdoors.
ReplyDeleteThose two pieces are gorgeous. The bluejay feather is appealing, but I'm flabbergasted by that sunflower. I'd buy that thing in a minute if I had some disposable income. I can't bring myself to pick flowers, but that would make one fine substitute!
thanks. I tried to make it look like light was emanating from it as it does from the sun.
DeleteThank you so much for the beauty you continue to create and share here with your art and your garden. The blue jay feather and the sunflower say what needs to be said in response to the voices of hatred. I've been distracted and meaning to let you know what kind of colored pencil I am using for my mandalas. Faber-Castell Polychromos.
ReplyDeleteFull-spectrum light bulbs keep my spirits bright in this part of the world (Pacific Northwest) where we so often live under a heavy cloud cover. Full-spectrum light is also superb for letting me see the true colors as I work on my mandalas. Last winter I was dismayed to find myself sinking into a deep depression after switching all my lightbulbs from the full-spectrum ones that I had been using for years to basic LED. Until last winter, all my bulbs were full-spectrum. All it took was returning to full-spectrum bulbs where I read in bed, where I work on my mandalas and where I sit at my laptop to restore me to a feeling of well-being. The investment in full-spectrum bulbs is worth it to me.
thanks. I've been using Prismacolor pencils when I do my little drawings though since I started on the models and filling the molds I haven't done any. the colors on your mandalas are so rich. I don't think I could live in the PNW even with full spectrum light bulbs but I'm really glad you have them. I need the blue skies and to feel the sun on my skin.
DeleteBeautiful feather and sunflower!
ReplyDelete