Finding All is Well

My friend "C" is home. She went to a hospital in Sacramento, a week ago, and had a knee replacement. I drove down to see her yesterday. It was so good to see that she is recovering well .., and to just give her a hug. She is doing really great. It's amazing what they can do these days. I had relatives back in the day who didn't have this choice and lived with damaged knees and hips. They were in pain until they left this world. I'm so glad we live in a time when they can replace parts of us that are injured and worn. I remember the Bionic Woman on television years and years ago. It was, then, kind of "science fiction" and everyone watched it with amazement. Now we have become a bionic society and the science fiction is a reality. It's wonderful. "C" will not be in pain for the rest of her life and this operation is going to give her a strong knee that will keep her ticking for a long time to come.

She didn't want any photos. Can't imagine why..., so I took one of her cat, Max, the guard cat. He was outside when I got there but finally he arrived and graced us with his presence. He's a very handsome cat..., and I think he knows it.
"C"s daughter is here for a while to take care of her Mom. I'm so glad that she could do this. She's not only glad to be here for her mother.., but "Darn", she's missing all the horrible weather back in Cleveland, Ohio. The warm sunshine yesterday was a nice change for her. Our California winters can't be beat.

On my way home I stopped at TraderJoe's and bought some bread and a few other things. This bread was so beautiful that I had to take a picture of it. Look at the shape. It's just a culinary work of art. We don't have a Trader Joe's up where we live so I always stop and pick up some things, in Elk Grove, on my way home.

Today we are having one of those gorgeous, early Spring days. It's so beautiful, and warm, that it nearly takes your breath away. The daffodils are blooming and my perennials are starting to bloom too. It's as if the SUN is growing inside of everything.
...,excuse me while I go outside again and just walk around the yard. There is a small dog out there who needs some attention and wants to play. How can I say "No"....

Oh!..., Happy Birthday Red Dirt Woman. I hope you're having a wonderful day.

Beading the Gourd and Knowing When to Stop.

Today was our monthly Gourd Meeting. Our vice-president Sylvia, who is now the President of the California Gourd Association, received a big chocolate cake to share with everyone. She is our # 1 Celebrity. We are so happy for her. We are hoping that she will still get to our meetings, every month, because she is going to be very busy taking care of all the "patches" in California.
Today Sylvia gave a workshop on beading. This is a time consuming technique that was done by the American Indians to decorate their gourds. You start by making a design around the gourd bowl or vase using precise measurements, then drill evenly spaced small holes where the sinew( string) will be connected to the gourd and strung with beads as you pull the string though, over and over, until you circle the bowl. Sylvia did a great job of showing all of us how to do this. I took more photos that I did stringing. Tomorrow I will show you more of the finished pieces that were on display.

This gourd is my "work in progress" Do you remember?..., The gourd that isn't talking to me. I've been very frustrated with it. I finally decided that I would just start doing something and maybe the gourd would finally do some talking.
These are three photos from the clean dried gourd on the left, to the leather dyed finish that I worked on two weeks ago, to the nightlight/vase that you see on the right side.
I decided to cut the top off and clean the interior, drill a hole in the bottom and glue a battery candle in it. Then I drilled and sanded three holes, on the surface, over which I put transparent sea glass, shells and agates. The light will shine through the holes and produce a glow at night. The vase can also hold dried flowers. I'm not done yet. There are more shells to attach and I may paint the inside which would only be for aesthetics. This vase will not hold water. I drilled the "pine needle" lines and added small shells at each tip to look like tiny pine cones.
When I show the unfinished piece to everyone today during our "gallery" time, they said it looked great and it looked.., "Done". I'm not so sure. It's hard to know when to stop. I tend to keep adding things and sometimes I end up taking things back off later. I'm pleased with the results so far but I'm not sure it's "finished". I will let it sit for awhile and see if it starts talking to me. I haven't given it a name yet, but I'm thinking about "Without Opinion", or "The Silent Shard"..., or "Pulling Teeth". I'm not so sure about this idea of the gourd telling you what it wants to be. This one surely didn't and it's been like pulling teeth trying to create a piece of art with it. Maybe I'm trying too hard. Maybe I'm not listening..., maybe this one is, perhaps..., "The Gourd Whisperer".

And for all of you who think that I'm taking this too seriously... One of the woman in our group brought this little guy to "gallery".
Not only did she make the head out of a gourd, but she also made the whole body out of fabric that she wove herself. Now that's what I call talented. Thought you would enjoy a bit of whimsy. Isn't he just the cutest? She said that she made it for her grandchild. Very cool.
Have a Gourdelicious Day!!

Wordless Wednesday: Jackson, Ca. with a few directions.

Corner of Main St and Water St.

Looking East on Water St.

Catholic Church on (of course) Church St. and Court St.

Reflections in the Puddles of My Mind.

I woke up this morning and it was raining. Not the heavy sound of a deluge, as it was last night.., but a quiet, windless rain that comes in a serious manner and brings substance with it. I like this kind of rain. It's almost like snow only it can still be heard. It's the rain that fills our reservoirs and rivers. The intrinsic flow of life that makes this land more livable for us, and the wildlife, in the hot, dry days of summer.

I ate my favorite breakfast and took some pictures inside the house...

I had to deal with a cranky, couped up Corgi that has a wild look and a "puppy worm" in him. I let him out, at one point, and he sat on the porch looking at the rain. Then he wanted in. I think that even the dogs are tired of the gloomy days. I figure that as long as we have a few beautiful days of sunshine in between the days of rain that we are fine.
California is so wonderful in the Winter.., at least here, where we live. It's never the same weather for days on end and you never know what you're going to wake up to every morning. Carl will just have to deal with the inactivity. This afternoon the sun is suppose to shine. Then he can run through the garden at top speed and bark at the goats..., who, by the way, are in their house complaining again.., especially Brownie.

So I went to the computer and I'm writing this post about very little... as you can tell.

One very good thing...
My friend, "C", is suppose to come home today. Her daughter said that her knee is doing really well and that she seems in good spirits. She was sipping broth when I called. A good clear soup and Morphine are always a good combination. Maybe she needs Carl by her side, on the bed, to give her a warm cuddle too. On the other hand, the pupster would probably be barking at everyone in the hospital ..,so maybe that's not such a good idea.

OK, I need to give this post some redeeming value. One of the Blogs I follow is called Beyond Vagabond. The author is a modern day gypsy who has a very interesting attitude toward life and I love reading what she has to say. Her motto is "All who wander are not lost". That's a Tolkien quote. Take a look at her post today. These wagons make my heart beat faster. My desires for simplicity, beauty and sometimes wanderlust , prompted my comment:
"Oh to live and travel in one of these wagons for a while..., I would herd sheep, heat my own water and do without the trappings of our materialistic lives to live in one . That first wagon is a work of art. I suppose they are terribly expensive and then you need horses..."

I feel , inside, like I would love this solitary life, on a vast expanses of land, in the middle of a thousand sheep, or goats. There is a part of me that longs for a life of complete autonomy and NO "luggage", but I think it is an idea that looks more appealing in theory that in reality. Oh well.., just some thoughts on a rainy morning..., reflections in the puddles of my mind.

Spring is Slowly Coming..., Have Hope.

This post is for all of you out there that are wishing for sunshine and warm weather. Have hope......

There will be blue sky and flowers.
The sun will shine again and the snow will melt. Have hope....

.., and for my dear friend "C" who lives in Sacramento, CA. who is on her 4th. day in the hospital after a knee replacement. I wish you all the hope and love that I can send from all of us at Three Dog Farm.
Your daughter has come to feed and comfort you. Your home awaits and your sweet kitty, Max, is patiently waiting your return.
I know that you will recover fast because you are a survivor and a "tough old lady". This operation will make such a difference.
I will see you soon. Until then, I send my love and a little bit of Spring.