A Little Accordion Music

When in need of a smile, listen to a little accordion music. 

That should do the trick. Well, emphasis on "a little". 

Linear Autumn

A bit of linear Autumn color found in Shelton, WA. 

Sending thanks to all the cities and towns 

that plant deciduous trees along roadsides. 

Community gifts they are.

I'm Having Fun

I'm having fun and loving it. 

A little vacation 

is just what the spirit needed.
This shot was taken in October in Sumner, WA 
at the shop "Today's Country Store". It is a great 
place to enjoy a merging of the past 
with a few touches of, yep, Today!
The gals that own Today's Country Store 
make a visit a true treat with their display skills. 
See for yourself on Main Street in Sumner.

Still Life

A bit of a still life. Taken in a favorite stop in Sequim, WA.

Nearshore Sailing

Nearshore sailing; a gift for those of us watching from a distance.

Garden Visitor

In celebration of some vacation time, I'm playing with photos and filters again. This shot was taken in a local antique mall. A white statue stood in front of an old floral painting. She appeared to be a garden visitor, so she is!

Blue Goose

When fall arrives in the Northwest, Canadian Geese appear in greater numbers during their migration. Some remain in the area most of the year, while others are here just long enough to rest wings, feast and move on. Regardless the length of touch down, they are lovely to see, in mass or alone. Of course I have taken liberty here and given this fellow a blue turn.

Exploring

Exploring light, shadow and simplicity. 

A Good Old Truck

In the Eastern WA farm lands there are periodic stands of trees, lined up like soldiers in a narrow wing formation. They are pretty striking in the middle of vast open space. I imagine that is the point, all that open space and nothing to slow winds and fire. Fire breaks. At least that's my take for now. This wonderful old truck was nestled into the base of them earlier this spring. The working, wood panel sided truck, in Real Life, is deep green. 

Wedding Flowers

An outdoor wedding, dressed tables and some "other world" lilacs. 

My world, though not my wedding of course. 

It was fun to attend.

Returning Places

There are places we return to in our lives, over and over again. Carmel Mission is one of those returning places for me. Father Serra's room remains in it's simplicity. The architecture of this time period always feels familiar and safe to me. I like to revisit old places; in person, in memory, in photo.

Fantasy Fields

Fantasy fields. 
An altered version of what the camera captured, 

but close to what my minds eye saw that day. 

South East WA felt alive in the most electric of ways. 

The Eastern Side

The Eastern side of the State.

Oops!

A post process version of a Roy, WA barn.

Looks like I've brought you winter 

on the first day of spring. 

Oops!

The Seattle Space Needle and Lake Washington, taken recently through the car window. Another photo shot while moving so a bit blurry. Transitioned from useless into something more interesting in Photoshop Elements.

The Bead Call

There's nothing quite as soothing to me as having my hands, mind and senses engaged in something creative. It's true for millions of us. Thankfully there are endless things to choose from for immersion. And as I mentioned here a couple of posts ago, beads were calling to me for the first time in quite a few years.

So...the last couple of weekends I carved out a bit of time and jumped back into the shapes, colors and textures of beads that I've tucked here and there, knowing I would get to them when the time was right. Many were carted home after visits to New Mexico, a place that firmly holds my heart. As I knew it would be, once the beads were introduced to each other, when wearing them I am reminded of moments, places and people we love.

The path I take in "making" is finding my way without a map. With beading, I gather together the beads that look like good companions and begin developing patterns. They aren't fancy but fun to do since there are no expectations. My imagination freezes up with expectation. Frustrating, that.

A new job was the catalyst for these pieces. In my previous office, with a desk by a wall of hardly sealed windows, I usually layered and used neck scarves to add warmth. They also served to pull all the colors I was wearing together. This is Washington after all, the land of layers! Rainy, sunny, cloudy, foggy, snowing, sunny, rainy, etc; you get the picture.

Now I'm working in an office building with consistent temps. Shock. So it seemed like a good time to return to pulling layers together with beads. As you can see, I made some longer to wrap two or three times around depending on the need, and some shorter.

It really was soothing to get back into "making". This year I've done almost nothing in that regard and have missed it. The few things I started, I haven't finished. Just couldn't focus. Hopefully this was my kick start. There are some pretty impatient boxes of fabrics, fibers, yarns, paints and such frantically waving at me every time I walk by.

What are you working away on in your neck of the woods?

I'd love to hear.

Stepping Back to Autumn in the Ohop Valley

Entering the New Year

by stepping back to Autumn in the Ohop Valley.

Taken in October 09' and transitioned

into what you see in Photoshop Elements.

Hope 2010 fuels your creativity and mine.

Hugs to all, Chris