Hello,
It has been a quiet week here. I spent one day working on curtains for my daughter’s camper and then I delivered them to her. She was delighted. I had two Zoom meetings, one with the Retired Art Teachers and the other was with the Pixies. Both were fun and enjoyable.   I did a little yard work one day as the weather is so delightful.

Progress Report Lap Quilt # 8 This quilt has lots of my altered fabric in it. I especially enjoyed making the reconstructed screen printing with the petro glyph type images on it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poppy Fields I feel I am now finished with the tree in this piece. The leaves really fill it out. I now need to tackle the grasses and steams of the poppies.

 

Shattered I have finished the quilting on this piece and now I am working on the facings. It is a 3X3 piece.

 

Coral Reef This work keeps growing. Not a lot this week as there were only two meetings, But each stitch helps it along.

 

 

Crows I drew two more crow  this week.   The stenciled birds I did to add to the first two,   were to strong to work with the drawn ones.  The one on the left is only about half done. I like to build the dark’s up slowly so they are exactly where I want them to be with the intensity I am shooting for .

New Work- Oak Leaves This is my new venture for the week.   The base is a curvy cut .   As always it is changing under my fingers I envisioned it a lot closer to the drawing from last week. But I don’t have many browns and orange organizes.

 

 

 

Daily Practice This work is moving along with it’s daily attention. I am sure I will move onto a new base some time soon.

Childhood Memories- Travel 1962 Florida

Our Christmas trip in 1962 was to Florida. We went to the Atlantic shore first. The ocean was very active and a bit cold , but we did swim anyway. We then drove across the state and viewed the Gulf. It seemed much calmer as I remember it. Where we were  along the coast, I am not sure, but it was a lot less developed and there were lots of different plants. One really had to stay on the trail as the vegetation was thick and there were lots of sharp leaves, twisting roots and grasses. Then we went a bit inland and north to Wiki Watchie Springs. I recall loving the performance of the mermaids with all the wonderful color and movement. When Eric and I took Wendy in 1974, it felt like it was much modernized and slick.. There was new seating too.   The family  continued north and visited a restored historical Southern Mansion. We did the guided tour. The rooms were large with lots of doors with lots of details, making us aware of the wealth it represented. I think I liked the Spanish Moss hanging from the trees that lined the drive the most though. The next part of the trip was a study in contrast as we drove north. Dad liked to take side roads and we came across a poll Church in one remote corner. There were no walls and logs for benches. Across at the front of the seating was a log cross. The roof was supported by cut saplings that were “Y”ed at the top to support cross saplings and on top  of them it was  covered by more leaved branches  lying a contrasting directions  to provide shade and protection form rain. Dad said it was better then nothing, but not by  much in my mind.
We continued driving and come upon an abandoned sand stone swimming complex. There was a front bath house of sorts and behind was a beautiful sand stone swimming pool. It was spring fed so it was still full of fresh water. There were leaves in the water too as well as tad polls . One could see the remains of diving boards that we stayed away from. The swim that we took that afternoon was lots of fun.        As we continued north we saw many farms with soil so poor that the only crop they could count on was more rocks . Dad called them Rock Farms. The houses looked very run down even to my eyes.   When we went arrived at a bigger city we went to the grocery to stock up. Mom discreetly pointed out the beautiful print flour sacks along one wall. In the car she explained that folks would wash out the sacks when they were empty and make clothing from them.
Mom always joked that one day she would write a book about the Restrooms she had visited and this trip provided a memorable one. At  a gas station in the middle of what seemed like nowhere to me, we asked to use the bathroom. “That’s be out back.” the attendant said. “ Don’t mind the cats.”   Around behind the station was a gray weathered wooden out house, with cats all about it. The door would not really close and there was no “paper” of any kind. The door handle was a knotted rope thought he door with a loop on both ends.  The building just sat on flat ground without a pit below the whole. There was no evidence that it had ever been used before we entered. In a day or so the evidence that Mom and I had stopped would vanish too. Dad talked about how it was not that long ago that most folks lived like what we had seen those last few days. Those experiences really made me grateful for living in the time and place were I did live.

Stay safe  and enjoy Spring

Carol