perfect summer day

Today Deezel and I walked to the end of New Road and home. It's a total of 4 miles. When I got home I finished prepping the last closet to paint tomorrow. Then I took time to relax; I did my nails -toes and fingers. Had to do something, I'm going to an opening at ARTSOURCE in Rochester this evening with my friend, Ila, and sister, Anne and my nails looked pretty bad.

Finally,I did a couple pencil drawings in ART JOURNAL: July- Dec. One is of my passing sunflowers (from Barker's Farm Stand) and another the tiger lilies from my garden.

Yesterday, I used a tag shaped punch. I made 36 tags of light green card stock to do work on each day in August. It inspired the solution for what to put in the pockets of "Scroll #2".

I'm making tags of buckram. I'll stitch two layers of fabric together and position the tails of thread to be handles and be able to take out each tag. I'm planning to write catchy, meaningful words or phrases on each tag.





DAILY HAIKU 2009

I had to replace several plants in pots. They had rotted away. A trip to Wentworth Greenhouses inspired this landscape. I used an expired coupon for the hills, and gold backed, brown paper with a scrap of white stamped with the barcode, now grass, stamp. The frame is a simple, seam-like line of dots made with a marker. I wrote the text along the horizon line with a purple gel pen. This is a time for my crooked writing talent to shine.

new healthy plants to
replace those ravaged by rains,
their little roots rot

leaving time and energy for creating

July certainly is like what one expects of July today - intense sun, warm even in the shade, hair dries quickly after a swim, mosquitoes are voracious, and watering plants takes a toll. The swallows were floating around catching bugs. The spider in the vegetable garden (today it[the garden] needed 4 watering cans and two five gallon buckets) looks very plump. A cicada occasionally whines its call.
On the walk through the woods we saw a flock of wild turkeys - two adults and several smallish chicks. There was no distracting the dog and no way to avoid them. He gave chase and they disbanded. It's amazing to see those birds take off. Saturday we'll say goodbye to what has been a hot, dry uneventful month.

I finished my chores as early as possible. It's been frustrating that by the time I finish, I'm too tired to muster up enough energy to make something creative. Usually, I work in the studio first thing in the morning, but in the summer, I have to do outside work and walk before it gets too hot. When I finally do come in to work, it takes extra long to get into the creative flow and past the tiredness. I try to leave something ready for the next step, so I don't have too much thinking to do, just get right to the work.

Late yesterday afternoon I added detail on "Scroll #2". I did a blanket stitch, by machine, along the top and bottom. I'm happy with the way it looks, and rolls. I still haven't determined what will go in the pockets. Nor have I resolved what, if any, writing will be on whatever is in the pockets. I'm sure a solution will present itself -probably when I'm working on something else.

After I finish here, I am dedicating time to ART JOURNAL -July - Dec. And I think I'll make 31 small, cardstock tags for art work this coming month. Then I'll make an accordion book or glue them into my ART JOURNAL. Of course, I'll be in school on the 26th so will most likely be there getting ready several days ahead of that.

DAILY HAIKU 2009

I'm sure last year's work for a Haiku a day fit into my other work...
walking, weeding and
stitching new curtains, another
non-eventful day
By this deep into the daily exercise, I had accumulated a large collection of mini scraps as well as tricks to get to the work without needing tons of time or energy. The flip-flop and sun stamps in addition to the dog paw tissue were hurdles already jumped. Sometimes it was the text I had to search and work the hardest to capture. I created "bamboo" on the right hand side using my "bar code " stamp and some drawn leaves. The curtain I made for the bathroom had bamboo on it.

great and small beauties

Deezel and I went to Adam's Point this morning for a change of pace. He got nervous the first time we went there- too new, I guess. This time he was okay for the most part. He walked along the rocky shore with me, sniffed a dead horseshoe crab, and trotted every where he went sniffing.

The path near the water follows the shape of the point. We start and end at the same place, but make the whole trip around the point. A lovely Great Blue Heron posed for me along the water's edge.

On the return path there was an abandoned box near the path. Deezel balked. He wouldn't go past it. He did bark at it. I kept walking and left him behind. At one point, I looked back, he had a sad, a pathetically sad face. I continued on and repeatedly called him. Finally, he worked up his courage and came running up the path.

I gathered some marvelous stones. It still amazes me that the stones along the coast could be so geometric, so angular. Of course, the beach here doesn't have the wave action of an exposed beach. It's on Great Bay near Jackson Estuarine Lab in Durham NH.

I have two more nature shots to share. Yesterday afternoon we had a dragonfly floating in the pool. Roger brought it in and I photographed it. It's about 5" long and has beautiful blue highlights.They are incredible creatures and they eat mosquitoes !! I'm sorry he died, but I do have a lovely specimen to share with my students since our theme is "Our Big Backyard".

The other photo is of a sphinx moth on the bee balm. They look like tiny hummingbirds. One today looked about the same size as a bumblebee.

DAILY HAIKU 2009

July 28

This entry records a trip to Lowell to the Quilt Museum with Jacque. I went to see friends and the exhibit.

For this image, I tore a section of a leftover card I had made with "Trip Around The World" quilt pattern. I had used the pattern in my quilt "Cobblestones and Cornerstones" about Lowell. The sun stamp shows that we at least had an occasional summer-like day.

I still get a fond feeling when I make that trip south on Rte. 495 through Massachusetts and drive through Tewksbury into Lowell with its attractive architecture.

often traveled path

brings memories, sights and sounds

sweetly patched in time

missed posts 7/24, 25, 26 and 27

We have had some lovely weather the past few days. I guess that's why I'm behind again. I sat down yesterday to catch up and we had no power. It was back about an hour later, but by then Roger was home and we were lounging on the back deck. We were joined by our neighbor Lorraine.

Today is another lovely day, warm sunny and breezy. The breezes are not as strong as yesterday's. I watered the shade garden this morning as well as the vegetable garden. We have several little cucumbers, beans and a grand colorful spider, still enjoying the abundance of bugs. I am very careful to always know where she is before I put my hands into the garden.

Last night was cool, near 60 degrees. Maybe fall will be two weeks early like everything else this summer. I have photos of a sphinx moth and "Scroll 2" to post later this week.

DAILY HAIKU 2009

This is a nice grouping of days for their text, imagery and memories of the summer of rain, '09.

The collages of the the 26 & 27 have a simplicity with strips of paper, and some basic free hand drawings. I particularly like the gold paper that is brown on the other side - nice torn edges. July had a variety of happenings from thunderstorms to ghost pipes, parties and rain.

July 27

sun followed the rain

steamy heat followed by those

noisy thunderstorms

July 26

chlorophyll free plants

pure white pushes up brown leaves

ghost pipes appear

July 25
family party
food swimming and memories
together again

July 26
steady rain, muffled
by closed windows beats on all -
leaves, stems, roots and earth

Deezel and I walked 4 miles today, I thought it wasn't as hot as it had been so we could make up for yesterday. He was totally panting and I was totally sweating by the time we got home. Totally panting means his tongue was hanging out of the side of his mouth nearly its whole length.

We stopped at the roadside pond so he could get a drink. By drink I mean go out to his ankles in mud and stick his face several times into the mud/water and bring up stuff, brown stuff. As this happens frogs of all sizes make funny squeaking noises and hop at great speed to escape the monster. This, of course, totally distracts Deezel from his thirst. He pulls hard to go after them. I'm laughing, swatting bugs and holding on although I prefer to not go in the pond/swamp myself.

Oh joy... here's a recent picture. Picture that face and those paws with muck on them. By the way, dog ankles are just above the paws

I got fresh summer squash and cucumbers from a neighbor. We tromped through the deep grass to get there. Luckily I had applied bug repellant. I had collected other treasures, but left the bag of interesting wood scraps and some rusty metal by the road to collect when I'm driving by.
We both did nothing for quite a while after returning except drink water and lounge. My swim was particularly refreshing.

ART JOURNAL: JULY - DEC

I'm working differently on this journal. I'm going through the pages and preparing them for later art work. I've glued some together, attached plain paper to a couple. This morning I cut three different size frames. I'm going to edge them with ink before I glue them together.

DAILY HAIKU 2009

July 22

A simple vine around the edge shows the cucumber vines. I used a LePlume pen for the green.

My flip flop stamp shows that I walked with Deezel that morning.

everyday trivia

Well, we're having another day in the mid 80's and humid. I did some errands, stopped at school to fax papers, and touched base with several friends there who are teaching summer school programs. I guess I'm getting ready to think about school again. I was nice to see the kids. They were all having a pretty good time.

On the way home I got delicious gazpacho at the Loaf 'N Ladle in Exeter ---yummy with their homemade bread --- for lunch. And a loaf of sesame wheat bread for breakfasts.

Then I stopped at Barker's in Stratham for fresh, local vegetables. I was tempted by the lily stems, but chose a small bunch of mini sunflowers to adorn the studio and be a subject for some art work. I've never had any luck with any kind of sunflowers.

I did leave my phone number as being interested in a kitten. Roger mentioned a while ago that a new kitten would be fun. We enjoy Buck Wheat so much with his antics and great personality. He loves Deezel. At least, I assume all the attention he gives to Deezel implies that he loves him.

Since it's fairly cool inside, I'm dedicating the afternoon to "Scroll #2". First I'll write my "story" on the buckram. I posted a picture a couple days ago of my mockup. (It's about my love of fabrics and why I need to create another scroll.) Then I'll attach the narrow piece of buckram to the wide piece. The stitching pattern will create pockets. I'm going to have to stitch the buckram to the fabric exterior and stitches will show. I'll use a variegated rayon in the bobbin and the top.

photos tomorrow...

As I post work from DAILY HAIKU, I realize how different this summer is than last summer was; this is something like day 25 of 80 and above temperatures....

DAILY HAIKU 2009

This entry has three layers of transparent papers. The top has the Haiku on it, printed on computer. Under that is an irregularly shaped piece of tracing paper. Under that is a piece of printed parchment with the text printed several times. The red is ink using a dauber. I wrote additional text around th edge to frame the imagery/text. I used the number of Haiku and the date as part of the text. They look like they are "related", but there is not any numerical relationship. I think I'll use the same set of numbers in my ART JOURNAL. Somehow they'll go with the sunflowers....

rhubrum lilies, mani/pedi and mosquitoes

After our walk (3 miles), I took a dip to cool off and gave myself a manicure and pedicure. I'm thinking of trying French tips on my toes ! It's not easy doing one's own toenails.

I took some pictures of my rhubrum lilies. They're pretty nice. I couldn't get clear closeups - I was being attacked by mosquitoes. I think the very nice Arbonne scrub I used was attracting them. I had to dash back to the deck and into the house. I'm hoping the sun, if it comes through the clouds, will drive them back to wherever they hide.

Art work began early this morning and I'm returning to it shortly. I put finishing touches on my ART JOURNAL: JAN -JULY with a Table of Contents at the beginning and numbering the right hand pages. The balanced variety of techniques is particularly successful. As is the repetition of selected strategies and imagery. I'm writing reflections at the end- what worked, favorite pages, what to do differently, etc. Part of the writing will include my thoughts about "Scroll 2" - why, why fabric... and the very last page will have photos of "Scroll #1" on vellum creating a pocket with odds and ends of ephemera behind the photo. ART JOURNAL : JULY - DEC is beginning with rhubrum photos and "Scroll#2" connections.

DAILY HAIKU 2009

A year ago today, Paula, Dawn, and I got togther to do art. I had materials to make paper bag books. We had such a great time; we met two more times during the summer and met for "art shares" on a regularly schedule through the school year.

pets, play and rest

We are lucky to have slightly cooler temperatures today. It was overcast most of the morning. In fact, I thought it might rain before Deezel and I got back from our walk earlier, but so far no rain.
I haven't mentioned her in a long time, but we do enjoy our older, adopted kitty, Zeek. She was just rubbing against my legs. Now she's playing with one of the toy mice that Buck Wheat also likes. I am sure she has retired upstirs to the bed. Of course, her playtime only lasts a few minutes.
My play time only lasts a short time some days. I'm feeling like it's nap time.

DAILY HAIKU 2009
We were at my brother, Richard's house for a backyard party.

inside looking out (not from snow, but heat)

Yesterday, I missed a great opportunity to use numbers in my art work. It was 7/17/10.I love how it looks, as well as the concept that the month and year add up to the day's date. Did anyone make art about yesterday's numerals?
Also, last night's half moon, low in the west around 10:00pm should have inspired some work. I need to find another "daily" art making project. Some days I work in my Art Journal, (I'll add some photos taken recently of the last pages in my Jan.-July Art Journal after the Daily Haiku picture)but it's not a record of each day's special qualities or events.
Today, without numerical relationships, 7/18/10, no walk, no outside chores to record. The morning's heat and poor air has trapped us inside, although it is National Ice Cream Day. We (Ila & I)decided an early morning trip to Wright's is on the agenda.
When I get back, I'll photograph the rhubrum lilies and the first tiger lily to open. They are from seeds from lilies at my childhood home that I've had for years. Due to the "redbugs", it's the first time we've had blossoms on them for several summers. I treated all the Asiatic lilies early and the red bugs and their ugly offspring have disappeared. I'll definitely add them- the tiger and rhubrum lilies, not the bugs -to my watercolor flower book - August's plans.
I stopped at the vegetable stand in Stratham this past week, Barker's. They had Asiatic lilies that were gold with red blotches, just stunning. I think bee balm and more lilies are on the plans for Garden # 1 next year. I'll get a stem or two this week to draw, paint and enjoy.
But my garden plans have to move to the front yard. Garden # 6 is next to be weeded for several mornings this coming week. I love that my daily schedule includes which garden to weed and sketch. When can I get my writing done?


DAILY HAIKU 2009

This play of puppies refers to the play group I took Deezel to at the SPCA. He was a little too old and very much bigger than all the others. We watched him closely to not let him get rough. He was clumsy and couldn't keep up with the more agile little dogs.
It says we didn't have AC in the bedroom, but I think I meant the living room. Since last summer, we only used the one upstairs.

ART JOURNAL: JAN- JULY 2009
The photo on the right is one side of the spirals with tracing paper as a background.The photo on the left shows the reverse of this page and the next. I stamped my spiral stam on envelopes, cut them out and glued them to the green and blue papers. They represent the beautiful earth and the spirals depict the entanglement of the ugly oil as it spreads.

WOW the heat IS on....

I made a quick trip to Michael's in Newington this morning. I needed a new art journal. I didn't find the one like the one Paula gave me with the nice smooth paper, but it's similar and the pages are not perforated. Now I have to "finish" the one for Jan- July with some writing.

The prompt will attempt to answer why I'm making a second scroll and why I'm using fabrics. I've been reading Whole Cloth by Mildred Constantine and that has given me the inspiration I needed. It addresses some of my personal, long held attractions for fabric, beyond its tactile and visual appeal. This book was quoted in the latest issue of "Surface Design Journal"in an excellent article titled "Cloth: In The Presence of Silence" by Belinda von Mengersen. I devour each issue, but this issue, as exemplified by this article, I found particularly rich.

Once I've written the responses to the questions, I'll write about its construction. Then I'll write this "essay" on the large piece of buckram, attach the narrower piece by machine creating pockets. In each pocket I'll write phrases from my writing. These photos show my mock-up.

The stitching adds a little color and holds special words. I will have to use a permanent ink, you can see the Flair pen bled.

The two layers of gauze create an illusion similar to the surface of taffeta which adds a mysterious, elegant look.

Obviously, I've found a book form I can explore. Already, I have a mental image for the next one. Perhaps "Scroll 3" will deal with the oil well disaster. How does one illustrate greedy,callousness of big business and the relationship with politics?

It's a contrast with the implied security, comfort and intimacy of cloth.

DAILY HAIKU 2009

This entry celebrates my love of fabrics and quilts. I went to the opening at the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, MA. This exhibit gathered several quilts from the documentation project in Massachusetts. The book is Massachusetts Quilts Our Common Wealth. The pieces included in the exhibit were not the usual beauties. Their fabrics covered a long span and they represented the utilititarian nature of quiltmaking.

The Lowell Quilt Festival is in August every year. For more information check out http://www.nequiltmuseum.org/
One of the last quilts I made was for "Lowell:Inside Out". I worked at the Museum for 6 years and loved that job and the people I met. I still feel like I'm going home when I drive to Lowell.

The references to the bricks is obvious. The "path" is a traditional block pieced in the top border and appliqued in the lower left, and upper right. I handpieced the center, "Chimneys and Cornerstones" using dupioni silk. One of the quilts I remember still was a log cabin in silk with half inch logs. The background triangles are photos of the "slat room" in the Quilt Museum printed on silk. The triangles of the lower border represent the multcultural dimensions of the city. The narrow strip of fabric across thos triangles has small stones held on with tulle. It honors the first show I helped hang with the work of Elizabeth Talford Scott.

short entry

A year ago today, my sister, Anne, and I went to Portsmouth to see fabric art at Portsmouth Fabric and samplers at the John Paul Jones house. I used the postcard for my art workand added some lines, and wrote at the bottom, "rendered on this day by Merrilyn San Soucie".

Today, I'm glad to be inside where it's pretty cool and out of the sun. It heated up when I was doing errands. Earlier this morning, Deezel and I went to Adams' Point in Durham.

It's a lovely walk, around the point into Great Bay, cooler than the road for Deezel. It was new for him and he was a little skittery. But he stayed close to me. I saw a monarch and we scared a blue heron from his perch. He(or she) squawked at us and flew to another tree.

I weeded garden #1 more, edged it and supplemented the bark mulch layer. Our tomatoes do not look very good, but we have beans blossoming as well as cucumbers.

sun and heat return

Deezel and took our usual walk. It was steamy. We were both panting by the time we got home.
Amazingly, he's gotten very good about letting me cut his nails. When I first tried last year, he tried to bite me. My persistent patience has paid off.
It was a good morning to appreciate the ordinary as extraordinary. I saw a goldfinch perched on a chickory stem. These roadside plants have cornflower blue blossoms. The many amazing ,dense spiderwebs on the ground looked like something from outer space. Delicately beaded ones suspended in grasses looked like the finest of crocheted necklaces. A pileated woodpecker, who looks like a pteradactyl, chattered and flew over us. It's these ordinary observations that are the beginning part of the text for "Scroll #2".

DAILY HAIKU 2009

This entry reminds me that my purpose in creating work every day was not one of creating fine art. The purpose was to make even a tiny moment for using my creative side. If a piece was successful artistically, all the better.

Well this image looks incomplete to me as I look at it today. I must have been in a hurry.

Scroll # 2 takes shape.

We're getting rain today. So, I did some house chores instead of gardening. Then I met my long time good friend, Paula for lunch at our usual place.

I've made the next step in "Scroll# 2" with buckram (stiff, loosely woven material used for interfacing) in strips - one at 3 3/4" and another at 2 3/4" to be the pages for the scroll. I'll write a complete text all over the wider of the two. I'll stitch the narrow piece onto the wider, and create pockets. Portions of the narrative will be on tissue/tracing paper and slid into the pockets. The difficulty is, I'm still not sure what the text will be.Maybe it should be about every day adventures since "Scroll#1" is about a life-changing, shake-you-in-your-boots , glad-to-be-alive experience.

I should make a mock up (Mark's voice). This photo shows some of the fabrics.

I stitched them together at each place where two met. On one side, I used a decorative zig-zag.

On what will be the outside of the scroll, I attached a scrap of fabric with a straight stitch, which shows on the inside next to the zig-zag.I used a variegated rayon thread.

The fabric strip is 108" long. The buckram is 45" wide so I have to do some adjusting.

DAILY HAIKU 2009

It seems like the chores took most of my energy - even the image is simplified.

summer's mixed blessings

I'm looking out my studio windows. It looks like not a leaf is moving. We'll probably get a shower like we did yesterday afternoon. Quick, noisey and not as much rain as we could use.

I weeded garden # 1 until beads of sweat felt like a waterfall, my hands were filthy and I had bark mulch pieces in my shoes, nails and hair. Ahhh, gardening in July. All the plants I've transplanted from garden # brought their weeds. Oh, joy.

Deezel finally stopped running around and layed down on the cement floor of the screenhouse veranda . When he gets hot, he acts like a little kid. He can't relax; he wanders and paces and tries to stay near me. Sometimes, I have to put him inside to just relax. Yesterday, he wandered around with his hat, finally burying it. (Note the firewood...yes it will be cool again.)

The weeding was followed by a couple quickdips. The pool cooled off slightly with the rain.The second dip really gets me cool enough to work inside without the aggravation of sweaty eyeballs.

The air seemed too heavy to sit outside and read, or write or sketch. "Scroll #2" was calling.

I got the fabrics cut and bonded together in a long strip. I need to stitch at each joint to keep them together. I found a piece of stiff interfacing the may work for the writting area. Now, what to write about...

DAILY HAIKU 2009

Deep pink hollyhocks

open one at a time,

tower above.

I changed the noun and verb to match.

flowers for my sketchbook

Today is a good day to photograph some of my daylilies. When I was picking a

bouquet for a friend yesterday,I noticed one with four blossoms on one stem. Of course, today they've gone by.

Also, I saw a lovely viceroy butterfly on the veronica. I'm hoping he'll return today, and I'll be ready with my camera.

Until then, here's a shot of the first rhubrum. Its stem is the tallest in the garden.

Deezel and I walked our almost 3 miles. He was panting and I was sweating when we got back. The pool always feels great after a walk and house chores.

I'm still struggling with some details for "Scroll #2". I'm going to cut the strips of fabrics and adhere them to each other. Although I'll need the iron, today's not quite as hot as it will be the next few days.

DAILY HAIKU 2009

Yes, these few that I did all at once because I was behind( for unknown reasons) look a lot alike.

The Japanese Irises have long gone this summer. everything has been about 2weeks earlier than usual.

pure white Japanese

irises float awaiting

hot pink hollyhocks

brief relief from the heat

We got much needed rain yesterday, without the violence usually associated with summer rain storms. We didn't have the 2 or 3 inches an hour that they did in suburbs of Boston, thankfully.

Our water service was back on-line by early afternoon.



DAILY HAIKU 2009, July 11
This group of entries has a sameness, I assume because I did several all at once. Why I got behind I don't know. The only reference I find is that outside work was calling and using up considerable time and energy.
The sun stamp, the puppy paw paper, and tissue appear in several. This has a tag stamp for some interest.

Perfect sunny day
blue sky, summer warmth
gardening thriving.

As I write this verse now, I'm not sure if I like the verb "gardening" having a verb "thriving".
However, I do like the vague impression it adds to the specific sky and warmth.

waiting for rain and lower humidity

This morningI did a quick walk with Deezel . We went through the woods and down the boat ramp toward the river. It was low tide, hot, and the cormorants were just sitting on the rocks. When I got home, I cooled off first in the pool, and then took a shower. Just in time because evidently, there's a break somewhere in the water line and the water's been turned off.

A month ago today I was leaving Shand's Hospital after most of the night in the Emergency Room, a bizarre trip through the tunnel at 2:00 am, and,finally, following an echocardiogram and lots of blood tests during the night, the verdict that I hadn't had a heart attack. It began with a severe bronchial spasm caused by exposure to the bug bomb released into the room at the hotel that had not been aired. I required oxygen to enable me to breathe. The subsequent drastic drop in blood pressure caused me to feel like the flu several times over. That was gradually relieved with an IV. My opinion is that's what caused the enzyme levels to look like a heart attack in the first blood test. Now, after two more visits to my doctor and a stress test, other than all the inconvenience, stress and annoyance the situation caused, I'm healthy.

DAILY HAIKU 2009

A year ago today, I saw "Up" with Mary Z. and, a few days later, I wrote

Thanks for the dreams

of adventure and thanks

for each day's adventure.

I guess I was thinking about the balloons when I stamped and used the puppy paw print tissue.

seacoast clouds keep us a little cooler

When I watered earlier, I saw that we have more cucumber blossoms. They are similar to squash blossoms, only smaller. They are a near-cheddar color.

Outside work, followed by a couple of quick cooling dips, followed by some reading or writing at the picnic table outside has become a heat wave routine. As the day heats up, I come inside to work on blog and art work in the studio.

While sitting outside, I worked on sketches for "Scroll #2". I'm replicating the paper one with fabric - it'll be six sections of 18" fabric fused to six other sections with "Heat'N Bond". It'll have two dowels and most likely roll from one end to the other as "Scroll #1" does.
I'm stuck for the content, however. That will also decide what I'll use to write on. I had thought of using gauze stitched to the scroll by machine and holding text behind it. But, do I want the stitching to show on the outside? About now Mark would say, "Make a mock-up."
That's not my style. Usually, I think through each step several times until I have a clear picture of it in my mind. I use drawings to help, also. Then I work through the construction and what the sequence of construction will have to be. Of course this leads to doing and un-doing sometimes, or not having something operate as smoothly as I'd like. Maybe a mock up will help me determine the content...
DAILY HAIKU 2009

I like this collage. The flip flop stamp fades with each successive application and works well with the "puppy paws" tissue. The sun, breaking through at last, is part of the sun stamp I made.
Again the text is written on vellum which has been inked on the back with a stamp pad. The writing is with a Sharpie pen for the blue color.
The border has some light writing about breakfast with Linda Foote and that Roger was crabby looking for something.
In the evening, Mary Z. and I went to a poetry reading at the coffee shop in town, "Crackskulls".
The "old friends" phrase has nothing to do with their age !!!

numbers

Today's numbers are 07, 08, 10. Last year they were 07, 08,09.
Today's numbers are also 90 degrees at 10:30 and 3 dips in the pool to be able to do some outside work and some art outside. At least, with the heat, I can be out somewhat. The pool, despite its smallness, certainly keeps me at a temperature for working.
Earlier, Deezel and I managed a quick loop though the woods. I watered the vegetables ( there's one blossom on a cucumber plant) and my ligularia and other two unknown plants. Then I layered some bark mulch around each of the latter to, hopefully, keep the moisture in the soil a little longer.
This is our 5th day in the heat. We haven't had rain for several weeks. I'm inside through the hottest part of the day to journal and finish window coverings.
Acorns and nuts fall.
A cicada's call rises,
morning's haze clearing.

DAILY HAIKU 2009
I used the numerical sequence lightly around the card for a border, stamped with grey on the sun stamp and one red. The tracing paper has pencil to darken the edges. The section with text has been edged with a black ink pad.
The card has rain written on it and a grey spiral stamped in varying degrees of intensity.













The sun hides as the
rains soak, soak, and soak again.
Shine away the clouds.

"3 air conditioners and new shades" HOT

Thankfully, yesterday's stress test is over - due to my Florida incident, the doctor there and my doctor recommended it - to see if there is some reason for the "elevated enzymes" following the respiratory distress incident. I'm probably one of very few people who have never used a treadmill. It was too hot when I came out of the hospital ( car thermometer read 101) for a stop at the hardware store for expandable rods.

I'm assembling shades to help keep the heat out of the kitchen and living room. I have a small piece of muslin and a leftover from a long-ago project to make them for the kitchen. One has enough length to make up for the shortness of the other.

You know it's unusually hot when we're covering windows ! Last year, we didn't even use the window AC in the living room. It looks like we'll be putting one in the studio this afternoon.

This morning,I even used the sprinkler on gardens 1 & 2. The plants in garden 2 were the worst- brown ferns and wilted bloodroot. I have three plants there that I can never remember the names of, but they wilt due to heat and/or dryness. And the jack-in-the-pulpits were wilted.

Then I hand watered the veggies. Last year we had slugs who enjoyed the lettuce. This year, we're watering twice a day. We use water from our system that collects water from the roof into 10 barrels under the deck. Even that is down about half.

Of course the rain will come in a thunder storm and will be torrential or short-lived and we could lose power.

After a morning dip and before I came in to escape the heat, I did some sketching in my new sketchbook with brown paper. Later I"ll read. The summer 2010 issue of "Surface Design Journal" has fabulous articles.

DAILY HAIKU 2009

July 6

I studied my gardens . The giant host leaves made a frame for the birdhouse.

The sun was trying to break through - I used the spiral stamp over a grey ink pad. I cut a photo for the other elements.

July 7

a single word says

it all - rain - seems constant - rain

soaking the smallest

I used tissue scraps with ink on them. They represent the colors that were in the gardens despite the rain.

heat and more heat...

July 5 2010 will be remembered as one of our hottest days in a long time. We read 92 at 2:00. It's too hot for me to be outside. I'm stitching muslin panels to cover the kitchen skylights since the heat is projected to last through the week. It makes a difference to block out that direct summer sun, although our days are getting shorter.

I'm taking a cue from Buck Wheat - just lounge around, do nothing, eat occasionally and have plenty of water.

Since it's too hot to be outside, I'll add photos of the scroll I made at the Institute last week. The outside is "paste papers" on white and metallic paper. There are six strips of 18" paper together.I butted the ends and glued them with tracing paper. The handles are 3 chopsticks glued together and painted. The tie is a cord strung through the left side. I added two glass beads made by my friend Linda Foote.





They add just the weight it needed to hold the bone closure under the cord.

The inside is a map of Florida with white paste/paint over its surface, cut it into strips, butted it together and glued it to the paste papers. I used Tech pens of two sizes to create the EKG lines and hand wrote the text to look like doctors' notations. It's a nice object opened and closed. Thanks to Mark and all the people in the class who were supportive and inspirational.




DAILY HAIKU 2009

Last year, I enjoyed reclining in the sun after a morning in the garden followed by a refreshing dip.


Reach deep in my
aching soul and tired body.
Warm the deepest needs.