Sisterhood of the Traveling Alaskan Camper

Bachelorette week is over. I'm solitary today. I was actually just me yesterday too, but stayed in touch with my friend, who left in a rainstorm early Wednesday morning. We called each other, back and forth, as she traveled  back to her home in the Northern Rocky Mountains.

This is a photo of the mountains to the east of her house. I took it last summer when I visited her.

  I love cell phones. I was able to follow her drive back to Montana. What would we do without cell phones. They are the 911 where are you?, I need help!,  drive carefully, stay connected, electronic wonder of this century. I was able to follow "D" back to her home where I finally got an email saying that she had built a fire, fixed a cup of tea and tucked herself back into her wonderful place in the northern reaches of Montana.

It only took her two days to get home. She drove to the Columbia Rive,r in eastern Oregon, the first night and all the way home on Thursday. That's what I call burning rubber.
I am left with great memories of her visit and a bit of a mess to clean up before The Prospector comes home from his fishing trip because we had fun while he was gone.
Look at this.. I have until tomorrow to make room for eating food at the table again.

We shared ideas. She showed me stuff on my sewing machine that I didn't even know about. She fixed the needle on my machine. She taught me how to use a cutting board and a rotary cutting tool.
I taught her how to knit..

And how to felt the knitting... which, when accomplished, she promptly cut up and made a bag for her new Panasonic HD camcorder. 

The knitted felt (on the left) became a bag for her camcorder and the colorful felted fabric on the right was the first piece I had her do (with fleece) so she could learn the felting process, by hand, from scratch. The knitted piece was felted in the washing machine. I forgot to take a picture of the finished bag but it was really nice. It will protect her camcorder in her purse.
I had some Lion's Fisherman's Wool yarn in my stash, so we used it. I love this yarn. It's easy to knit or crochet with and comes in wonderful earthy colors. It "felts" like a dream.
"D" knitted two different colored yarns together to make a strong, beautiful piece of felt that would protect the camcorder. She cut gussets and sewed them in as side panels wrapping the main piece around and letting it overlap the bag as a flap. Then, she sewed it all together. She designed the whole thing to fit her camcorder. She even calculated the shrinkage carefully, measuring both the pre-felted knitting and the felted pieces. That's a nurse for you. She didn't want to go to all that work and not have it fit perfectly. IT DID!
I can see where the exactness comes from. She does quilting.... and her profession is Nursing.
Preciseness is her middle name. No Wabi Sabi woman is she.
Her husband, the mountain man/hunter gatherer will be wanting a vest or socks for his winter camping trips when he sees her newly learn skills.


So we spent the week knitting, talking and laughing about our lives and how differently they turned out than what we imagined when we were young.
We ate out a couple of times. I made bread pudding for dessert. She showed me how to make a meal out of a baked potato with a little bit of hamburger or... in her case, bear.. or rabbit.. or fish or whatever you can cook up on a campfire in the middle of nowhere. She adds lots of onion, tomatoes (we had plenty of these.) , cheese, sour cream and whatever you like. It's a meal all in one. Add a salad and WOW! Yummy good.

She brought this wonderful dog from Montana too. Her name is Wanda. She's an Australian Shepherd. A very, sweet and gentle dog. She's a senior citizen like us and is almost deaf. I loved this dog.
Wanda has one brown eye and one blue eye.

Wanda loves "D"...

That's a smile on Wanda's face when she looked up after being touched by "D". It's the way that "D" gets Wanda's attention. This is a very well trained dog. "D" husband hunts with Wanda and she can almost read  facial expression and maybe even lips. She's a very intelligent dog.
She also let this happen... without getting upset.

Wanda put up with Carl wanting to be in "D"s lap every time she sat down. Cutter (right) tried to usurp Carl's position but did his antsy puppy thing and didn't stay in the lap very long.
Actually, things went really well with the three dogs. Only one time did they argue over some hamburger and that was my fault. We will just leave it at that.
Suffice it to say... Wanda defended herself. Carl was his usual " I want it and no one else is going to get it.".. a typical CORGI attitude. They all got a TIME OUT.

One evening we drove to the Mokelumne River... but mostly we stayed home because I was taking care of the farm chores while The Prospector was Fishin' and we couldn't go too far away.
So we watched the Bluebirds,

worked on our projects and "D" got to meet some of the "locals"...

A baby rattler greeted us on our way back from lunch one day. The first one I have seen all summer.
How nice of it to show up for visitors.
It was very small and didn't even have rattles yet... but no less dangerous.
We got out and took some pictures, then with "D"s help (she watched from outside the car), I drove over the snake careful so I wouldn't run over it. It didn't want to move off the road and when a Rattler doesn't want to move... you don't argue with it.
This was the first day of "D"s visit ( last Friday) and the Prospector was still home. This is how the conversation went when we got up to the house.
Me: "Guess what we just saw down at the switchback in the middle of the road? A baby Rattler."
Husband: " Did you kill it?"
Me: "No. I don't like to kill them. You know that. It was just a little thing."
Husband: "Little ones grow into big ones. How far down?"
Me: "It's probably gone by now."
Husband: "Remember the prints in the dirt on the switchback? The big one probably has a den down there."
Me: "Well, it was so little and pretty. We just didn't want to kill it."
Husband: "Good grief."
Then he left with a shovel, a gun and a bag. Talk about overkill. When he got back he said it was gone. He couldn't find it anywhere.
I said, "Too bad.", but secretly I was OK about it. Even Rattlers have got to have a place in life. Besides, we have been very lucky this summer not having any Rattlesnakes around here. It would be bad Karma to kill a baby if the Mother was watching from the grass. Wouldn't it?

So "D' and her vintage Alaskan camper headed back to Montana on Wednesday morning.
Carl and Cutter are back to being as relaxed as Corgis can be and the house is kind of picked up. The weather has turned really cold at night.

"D" and I have plans to take a road trip together next summer. She has a daughter near Seattle and we're thinking maybe Vancouver Island, or British Columbia, or the Washington coast would be a good place to see.

I miss you, my friend. The miles are many but the years are going by with warp speed. We have started this summer tradition of spending time together. It's a good custom that we need to continue until we can't... until the fat lady sings... until the "Deadly Donkey falls from the sky".*
We can choose to live the way we wish to live during these remaining years and I for one want to go out enjoying the moments and making choices. We know this don't we? We have had this discussion.
Years ago I bought this card.

I've kept it because it always reminds me that living is a not just a gift handed to us by our parents, it's a path, a way of seeing... and choices.
Being aware of "The Deadly Donkey" makes us pay attention. Not "the sky is falling" kind of attention, but the kind of awareness that gives one courage and the bravery needed to continue on... in a good direction.
See you next summer...
or anytime really...
you're always welcome, here,
but definitely next summer...
A new adventure.
We will continue to dodge the donkey...
Or Grizzly bear.. depending on where we go.
Keep in touch.
*************************
*The Deadly Donkey is one of the interesting thoughts of
Edward Monkton, Oxford, UK
Copyright 2004

Wordless Wednesday: Bluebirds

No, I didn't trip and fall into the Pacific Ocean...

This is quick post to let you all know that I had a WONDERFUL time at The ART IS YOU workshop.
I want to tell you all about the wonderful long weekend of art workshops and fun but it will be a week or so before I have the time to put it all together.
My sister and I had such a great time..

This was the first night Dinner.

Some of the teachers talked about being artists and then there was a question and answer session  after dinner. They talked about the personal process of becoming an artist.... tips on overcoming your inhibitions, thinking outside the artistic box and what their own life experiences as artists were like. 

The next few days were filled with workshops, traveling to town, eating good food, walking, eating good food and DESSERTS.

Eating DESSERTS...

And looking for POTENTIAL places to eat more desserts.

There were wonderful little stores in the downtown part of Petaluma along the river.

There was a grand Flea Market that walked us almost to death.

 But for now, in this moment, I have begun another adventure.
My friend "D" from Montana is here. She drove all the way from Montana to see me and I'm so happy that she is here. There will be lots of talking, walking, photography (she is an addict like me), laughing, playing with dogs, and catching up with life.
I will post when I can. I will catch everyone up on the great workshops and show off some of my artwork.... but for now, I'm enjoying "D"s visit, her dog Wanda.... and the company of this dear friend.

Taking my Leave

I leave you with a beautiful photo of the Mokelumne River... filled to overflow and reflecting clouds in its waters. This was taken from the Middle Bar Bridge at the border of Amador and Calaveras Counties.

I'm leaving this afternoon. I will be gone until Tues or Wednesday of next week. I'm going to the ART-IS-YOU Art Retreat in Petaluma, CA. My sister and I will be there for a long weekend.... and Riki... and Diana... and lot's of other folks.

I CAN NOT WAIT.

There will be food, artists, fun and a wonderful Antique Fair too.
I'm taking a class on Altered Books and one on Nuno Felting. The classes are taught by well known artists and mine are both all day classes. Should be very exciting.

See you next week.

Tuesday, With Random Thoughts

Just a quick post about a few seemingly unrelated items of questionable interest to anyone but me.

FIRST... I think that this old ad, that showed up in my photo storage without being put there by me, is possibly the first scientific study about what donuts mean in our lives and  a "sign" ( from Aliens?)  that Donuts are really good for you.

What's a "unit"? It says that each donut is fortified with a minimum of 25 units of Vitamin B1. Because I had some time on my hands this morning... I looked up "unit". 

1. The smallest whole number greater than zero; ONE. 2. A definite amount or quantity used as a standard of measurement.

Well, that sure clears things up.

I really don't care (My old Weight Watchers lecturer would slap me) what they have in them. Do you?

Do we even WANT to know?  I like them and that Vitamin B1 really tastes good.

SECOND... Momma Turkey and her babies.

They're coming in for water and the scratch (seed mix) that we leave for them. 

I know! 

Don't feed the wildlife!

But it's tough out there right now. 

I'd like to see you forage for food in these foothills...In the summer... In this heat. 

Look at those cute adolescent babies. How could you not feed them something? They stand there and look at us when we feed the chickens. 

It's the right thing to do.

THIRD... Annibel is doing her thing.

Yes, she brought us a gopher. She was so proud. 

But it didn't want to play anymore. 

The passion for the game was just not there for the gopher. 

So... Annibel laid on the it for awhile.

Sometimes the thrill of the hunt just doesn't maintain the level of excitement that a cat needs. She got up, threw the poor creature into the air, as if to say.."Wake up. We were having fun. What's wrong with you?" and then she just stared at the gopher for a while, as if she could stare it back to life.

 Poor Gopher. They're not an endangered species and they have made our lives here impossible with their incessant burrowing. But this gopher was not going to be digging anymore tunnels here on earth. I felt sorry for the poor little thing.
I said something to her. I think it was, "Oh, Annie."
Somehow she understood the permanence of the situation and she finally walked away, leaving the remains for us to take care of. The fun was over. She was on to more exciting adventures.
Do we humans fight against our own nature? Do we tend to love something when it's enjoyable and walk away when it's boring?
Just a moment of profundity in a rather random post.

FORTH... and finally... And to end on a lighter  note, possibly the key of B1 (as in a unit... a single thing, person, or group that is a constituent of a whole. That's us... a unit of people and animals
I sing a song of summer...
of gardens, heat, fire, animals,
the coming of a new season
... life... death
and some accomplishments.

The building of a potting shed.

This is just a peek. We are in the painting phase. It will be done soon.
We may have to call it the CAT house. Annie thinks it is hers.
She thinks that she has supervised the whole project. She has been there every step of the way.
We may have to put a small door in the wall for her to come and go as she pleases... or a least a sign with her name on it.
She has approved of everything so far.

Have a decent week...

Touching the Autumn Air

"As each day comes to us refreshed

and anew,

so does my gratitude renew itself daily.

The breaking of the sun over the horizon

is my grateful heart

dawning upon a blessed world."  ~Terri Guillemets

This morning we felt the changes that come this time of the year. A window closed, a  door shut against the coolness of the early break of day. A sweater not worn since April grabbed before going outside with the dogs.
I went to water the garden. A pastime of everyday importance in our dry, hot summers here in the California Foothills. I found all the plants and containers still damp from yesterday morning's watering. Nothing needed watering. I grabbed the camera and took some photos here and there. 
When I sat down on the chaise lounge I could feel the  dampness of the night on the quilt that covered the pad. I decided that it wasn't enough to cause any permanent sogginess to my clothing. 
I laid there, feeling the coolness against my body, and thought about the changes that were coming. 
I wait for these changes with each hot breath of summer and with the smell of smokey earth that doesn't let us forget the fire that almost made this journey of ours wither into a summer memory. I love the coming of Fall and the cold heart of Winter. I have always had glacial drift within my California dreamin' soul.
Then Carl jumped up on the chaise with me. Cutter wanted to come up too. He watched Carl waiting for some wordless dog sanction... permission to jump up. He always defers to Carl unless food is involved.

 Then, as if given permission, Cutter hopped up to rest by my feet.

 He was still watching Carl but he finally put his head down and relaxed.

This was the way the morning started. 
The three of us...
sitting there together feeling Fall coming...
Feeling gratitude for this life.
It was a good way  to begin the day.

Marauders and Tricksters

OK! I'm trying to find reasons to love a couple of wild things that are visiting our backyard these warm and wonderful, summer evenings.
Maybe it's that they are so beautiful.
Maybe it's because they're so darn cute when they're babies.

And they kind of remind me of Carl and Cutter... only with tails.

I'm trying to be objective about this.
The other night I saw them through the sliding window again.
This time they just walked across the yard and under the grape arbor like they owned the place...
and disappeared behind the new potting shed.
I grabbed my camera and went out the back door and around the house.
Thought I could catch them unaware.
A few candid shots of a cute fox eating bird seed.  I wanted to get closer to them so I walked around the side of the house trying not to make any noise.
I quietly got my camera ready.
I looked behind the new shed and it appeared that they were gone.
I was looking down toward the burned area below the goat run when I noticed that something was moving down in the vegetable garden.
MY FIG TREE WAS MOVING and you'll never guess who was in the fig tree helping itself to my figs.

Can you see this?
The photo was taken about 25 to 30 feet away and them I cropped the photo for the post.
That Fox was up in the Fig tree, balancing like a tight rope walker on my already endangered fruit tree.
The goats leaned on the fence in the Spring, bending as far as they could  to eat the tasty new leaves.
Then Brownie broke into the garden and pruned the tree for me.
Then the fire we had a month ago left the poor tree with fire retardant all over it.
And to top it all off the tree has been struggling  with some kind of bark problem that we have been trying to resolve.
And now a fox decided to do a balancing act in the tree so it can reach some figs.
Look what it did.

Another branch has been broken. This fox didn't know it's own strength.
It was up there dancing around, doing a balancing act in the branches like this was some kind of amusement park ride.

"I see you... you handsome, little marauder." I said , as I walked around the other side of the shed to get a better view of him/her... it.

"You had better leave my poor Fig tree alone."
The fox jumped down and slid through the fence into the burned area below... and then he turned and looked at me.

He watched me for a few minutes and then.....

I swear.... HE LAUGHED.

****************************
The last photo is courtesy of Google Images by someone named Curlyson.
Both Baby Fox photos are courtesy of Google Images too.

Wordless Wednesday: The Monarch

"Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower."  

~Hans Christian Anderson~