resurrection fern

dependency

I find interesting things in unexpected places. Last evening while I was waiting for my daughter's soccer game to begin I took a very short walk off the fields into a little wooded area and I found a beautiful young pair of 

Monotropa uniflora better known as Indian pipe or ghost plant. 

This is one of a number of plants having no chlorophyl and thus no ability for photosynthesis as a source of energy. It really reminded me of a mother and child in this coupling and like a child dependent on it's mother for food, shelter and clothing this plant is completely dependent on a root fungi ( mycorrhizal fungi) for its energy and the fungi in turn is dependent on the roots of photosynthetic trees. 

But what I really wanted to share with you was the similarity of pose in my photograph with these famous paintings of mother and child.

The painters are Sassoferrato, Picasso and one of my favorites Klimt.

If you ever have the opportunity to see the Klimt paintings in the flesh please do. I was utterly amazed at their magnificence in size and colorful richness when I wandered the museums of Vienna. Reproductions or pictures in books do not do them justice. 

everything goes with green

Green really is the new black. Obviously nature new that long before the "eco" movement. It is the perfect complementary color for all the others. If you don't believe me just look at these flower photographs I took last weekend. 

I had a little visitor following me around as I was taking pictures at 6 am. Can you spot him :)

I think his name was Peter.

Have a colorful day!!

after the rains

It has been oh so very wet the last few weeks. When we have this sort of warm moist weather the spores in the forest begin to come to life and I see an abundance of different varieties of mushrooms and fungi. I stopped in the woods after work yesterday to photograph my rose petal version of bench monday and was delighted to see some old friends.

Oh how I love fungi :)

Reminder:  etsy shop update Monday, July 13 at 4 pm EST.

aromatherapy

A little of this weekend was spent learning to love again. Learning to love roses that is. I have had a secret (to all but my closest family) dislike of roses ever since my very first job in a flower shop at the age of 15.  Once a week in the shop we would receive huge shipments of long stem roses and it was my job to remove the thorns from the lower half of the stem with a sharp little knife. As time passed whenever I would see a rose I would only remember the stems, the thorns and recall the pain inflicted upon my then very soft and delicate fingers.  In my garden I have many different flowers but no roses.

I was away the weekend, spending some wonderful time with family but the weather was really unpleasant and so unseasonable. I must say it was getting me down. Early saturday morning, while the everyone was nestled in bed I went to rose gardens and was imbued with the scent. I collected some of the petals that had fallen after the rain in a little sac I always carry in my satchel. I opened it up later that day and the rose essence awakened my senses. In modern aromatherapy it is used to ease nervous tension and stress, and lifts the heart.

Can you smell the roses??

ETSY SHOP UPDATE ANNOUNCEMENT!!!! I will be updating the shop with crochet covered stones, merfish, a few necklaces and some new prints on Monday, July 13th at 4 pm Eastern Standard Time. I have a few more stones to complete, some pictures to take and then I hope to have a preview up here an on flickr in a few days. This will be the only big update of the summer since I really need to focus on other things. I am considering putting a limit on the number of stones purchased so more of you will have a chance to own one. I would love to hear your thoughts on that idea. 

Finding Nature in Neglected Places

I was invited to do a  little interview about "favorite places" by Minna of the European Etsy Team. Searching my heart and mind about my favorite places got me thinking that the place that I live, although beautiful in very many ways is far from idyllic. I don't want to create a false impression that I live in the middle of a nature preserve or protected lands. The truth is that I live in a fair sized town very close to the longest street in the world ( and one of the busiest) spanning the distance between Lake Ontario and Lake Simcoe. I work in a different smaller community in a plaza with pavement, storage portables and dumpsters behind it.  The truth is nature is really truly all around us. We only need to step out and open our eyes really wide and then we will see it. I had a few minutes to spare one day at work so I grabbed my camera and headed into the back parking lot. I took a picture on the asphalt and dumpster just incase anyone thought I was making this all up and then I walked , observed and snapped a few pictures to prove my point. I was pretending that this was my first walk through that area between the parking lot and the road. Kind of like putting "your eyes" in place of mine.

I would love to hear about your favorite places in the world or on the other hand your secret neglected spots you have explored and what you might have discovered there.

Fern has the globe out and is dreaming of his next journey. Maybe he is hoping to not spend next winter in a potted plant tucked in the corner of the second floor bathroom. Looks to me like he is eyeing Mexico or Cuba :)

Have a wonderful weekend!!

sleeping stones in the forest

Sleep, that knits up the ravell'd slave of care, The death of each day's life, sore labour's bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course, Chief nourisher in life's feast.

- William Shakespeare

Sleep ... peace of the soul, who put-test care to flight.

- Ovid

A well-spent day brings happy sleep.

- Leonardo da Vinci

 

And happy sleep brings the promise of another well spent day .  I hope you all slept well last night, I know I slept like a covered stone in the forest. I was up late last night working on some new covered stones for the long promised etsy shop update. A few more late nights and I think I might be ready. I will announce the date and time very soon.

It's been so long since I showed you the art installation in a secret location

This was a picture I shared with you back in the spring.

Yes , that would be snow. We still had snow in April and even a little surprise flurries in May this year.  I have been back to visit the installation at least once a week and have been somewhat disappointed at the lack of dramatic change from week to week but when I look back on the earlier photographs I guess it really has been dramatic after all.

Wildflowers have come and gone and how it is the lush greenery of the trees, bushes and the slower growing mosses, grasses and sedges that dominate the visitors view. 

I love how that tiny little maple leaf unfolded just in time for Canada Day!!

The art show has been visited by a few special creatures.

I saved the best for last.

Imagine my delight when I came and saw that little fellow enjoying the lace and moss.

The Stone Diaries: Part XI

This wonderful parcel , the subject of the 11th stone diary installment came as a total surprise. The note inside read "Thank you so much for the gift of your beautiful website! I've included: holey rocks, finger rocks, coin rocks and a surprise or two..."

Well I can tell you I was so so surprised!! You definitely can 't judge a gift by its box. It was packaged in a box labeled "steaks" from Idaho I think. Inside was filled with little parcels wrapped in newspaper from the 1800's, ribbons, vintage trim and even some of the tiniest perfect little starfish I have ever seen.

You must read Jen's explanation for how this parcel was put together. I found it just a short while ago while trying to find her blog. I just love the name of it : Dances with Flowers. 

Inside the wrappings were more little exquisitely wrapped packages with beautiful hand stamped tags. It took me forever to unwrap each and every stone . They looked so much like salt water taffy that I have since had a huge craving for one of those summertime candies.

I am in love with each and every stone and treasure in this parcel. I wish you could all feel how smooth and silky those finger stones are. I am marveling over the "holey" stones, natural pendants. Barb ( green wellies) says ," I'm all jittery. These are such incredible holey stones. What an amazing addition to your stone diaries. We used to find holey rocks along the shore of Lake Ontario, only they were very small versions of Jen's treasures. I was told that the shamans used to look through them when on a vision quest. One day, as I was walking the beach, there was a very elderly lady looking out over the water through the tiniest hole. She said she was trying to improve her eyesight!" 

 
A funny thing is the title of the vintage newsprint page I used to line the display tray.  I went to see the very funny and charming movie " the proposal" with my daughter on friday and guess where the couple go to spend the weekend? Sitka, Alaska of course !!!

To continue the circle of thankfulness I made this little ephemeral art for Jen. You brought me such joy this weekend. 

The stones are dancing with the flowers :) and the snails of course ( wink )

a beach and an almost forgotten screen print

Today was the perfect day to head north to a beautiful beach on the south shore of Lake Huron. It was sunny, temperatures in the mid 20's and there was an ever constant north westerly breeze. 

I noticed tiny little parasols already placed perfectly in the sand for those little gnomes working on their summer glow. Must be a result of the very wet spring we had.

Last weekend while my daughter's and I were libertizing our wardrobes I came across a project I started in the winter and had just about forgotten about. Remember this silkscreen print I made at bookhou.

I silkscreened it on some very loose weave natural linen as well and was planning to turn it into a beach cover up. I had attached some picot edge trim and crocheted a border in some tactile heavenly fiber ( bamboo/silk). 

I threaded some natural linen ribbon through ( thank's Pat) and le voila.

It can also be worn as a skirt.

I started a new project at the beach with soft brown linen, embroidery thread and torn strips of liberty tana lawn fabric. Curious??

Enjoy the remainder of your weekend.

weekends mean fresh flowers on the porch

The first heat spell of summer came right on cue this year.  Because it followed a very wet few days it has lead to a exponential growth of the meadow and roadside grasses and flowers. I really noticed that yesterday when I took a road less travelled home from the office yesterday. Next week the municipal workers will be out cutting the curbside grasses for road safety so I decided to gather as many as my arms could carry to shave them from this demise.  I gathered daisies, buttercups, wild sweet peas, fleabane, cinquefoil, goat's beard and wild columbine. 

Come on over, sit, relax and remember the good things in life really are free!!!