In the Studio

I am taking cautious steps into the changes coming up. My morning walks, good friends and family have helped me get it all sorted in my mind. New places and new adventures are ahead and all I have to do is keep clearing out my space here.

These two pictures are from the Riverwalk the last couple of days. It is shorter to get to and because of meetings and phone calls I have not made it to the dam for awhile. Tomorrow for sure.

And the drawing continues! We used to have several people come for Christmas dinner and the adults usually got a small travel bottle of liquor acting as a place card setting. I found Lee’s and mine in a cupboard that needs packing and decided to draw some. Next I intend to drink them all up!

And then this from a friend I have lunch with occasionally. She gave me this perfect gift of probably the most beautiful leaf I have ever seen.

It took a few hours to draw but was so much fun to do. And this morning…

These are Japanese combs that I have bought over the years from Wafu Works near Hobart, Tasmania. It is one of my most favorite places to have a look. The good thing is that almost everything in the shop tucks in nicely.

The last few days I have also been finishing up another short story. It should be posted on my website under “short stories” within a day or so.

Many of us are followers of the Inspector Gamache series by Louise Penny and the latest one arrived yesterday. Once I start it is hard to put down. I always hope that the old poet, Ruth, makes several appearances. I so relate to that character and her duck that expresses the poet’s opinion with a single word.

Since I am down in the studio while the cleaning lady works upstairs I will go out and pick a bunch of rosemary for those lovely cocktails I have on the group calls. Tonight we all catch up with one another.

I am back to wearing my mask to the stores because so many in the rural south will not get the vaccine. Our single hospital for the area is full and dealing with the ignorance and selfishness of the area. I hope the health providers can continue until this comes to an end, and not leave in disgust. No mask mandate in the schools will keep the virus affecting everyone. When you live in a Republican leaning community you can expect the least amount of effort put into caring for the population as a whole. Integrity has dwindled to a new low in that political party.

Til later….

Since I did this journal entry four days ago there has been no time to get back to it.

After our early morning walks alternating between the river and the dam……

it has been sorting out my studio closet! What a mess! I collected so much thinking I might just use it one day. The first thing to pack up was all the pigment processing equipment and the collected colors from all over. Once I separated what I would take with me, the rest was boxed up for an enthusiastic student who has gone on to gain a reputation for processing and painting with earth pigments. I am so happy to have her grateful acceptance of so many travels, colors and materials.

Next to come out of there was everything related to sewing. What I will keep with me is in this antique shoe makers trunk filled to the brim.

When emptying out this trunk I found these.

Remember those Friendship Coverlets where everyone in the weaving guild wove a square with the idea being they would all be pieced into a coverlet. Well, thirty years later and they were still waiting. My daughter will get these now and hopefully will enjoy putting them together onto a backing fabric.

All of my prints from printmaking have been corralled into boxes and I will try to sell my Richardson Etching Press. I have a small tabletop X Cut to do whatever I need in the future.

Now the only thing to come out of that closet is the large flat file, three heavy duty shelf cases that will work out well in the new garage, and a work table for the drill press, etc.

I have lots of paper to go through and dispose of. Some will stay in the flat file to be taken by the fellow who is getting the board shear, some I will give to a friend who has been helping me do this and some I may keep.

So far today three more bags have been added to this lot of five headed for the garbage.

Also found in the back on a top shelf was a box of artist book sculptures. One I will keep, one goes home with my helper and two were tossed. This one was never exhibited. It was a found book about being a good preacher, an advice book of sorts that was quite anti gay. I shredded each page keeping them connected to the covers and spine to make this very large nest. The “egg” in the nest of misery is a book written by Joan Biaz in the days of love and acceptance. The red ribbon book mark is for the pain and loss through bigotry.

Why did I think I needed so much! One bag and one carton ready for a weaving friend to pick up and about three cubic feet of “possibles” for the friends from St Louis coming next month.

Marla who has hauled and helped me get moving on this project will be heading home with a carload.

I have taught her how to do white line printmaking and today she seems hooked. We are going upstairs to have a bit of libation before starting again tomorrow.

Til later

You would think mornings like this would encourage you to make changes, do something different, make a fresh start, something!

But I remain as still as these ducks on the river.

I called a developer of a retirement community in the area.

Me: “Do all your houses have to be lined up close together?”

Him: “Yes, that is the ordinance. But there is twenty feet between them.”

From where I am sitting, that is across the room.

Me: “Couldn’t you put one house away from the others?”

Him” No, that can’t be done.”

Me: “Can a person change the floor plans you offer?”

Him: “Not by much.”

Me: “Are people happy there?”

Him: “Happiness just depends.”

I thank him for his time and call the Senior Assistance Center to talk with a woman who apparently knows quite a lot about the area and senior’s needs.

Me: Hi, it is me again. What do you know about senior communities in the area.”

Her: “There aren’t many. Actually other than the one you talked to this morning I can’t think of any. Let me ask around the office.”

Me: Waiting.

Her: “Well there is a place in a town not far from here that rents cabins with a view. They are just two bedrooms and cost close to $3,000 per month. It is a religion affiliated community.”

Me: “Do I have to be religious?”

Her: “Maybe.”

I am passing on the idea of finding anything local. It was just a thought that I could keep all my doctors of near thirty years and still downsize. I will reconsider that. I did look at the website of the local senior housing development to see that someone from Florida was moving into their new house and saw how excited that made another resident. Florida has one of the highest percentages of those refusing to be vaccinated and takes pride in their support for putting imbeciles in office. I will still go down to Greenville SC and see what is there in possibilities.

And I would miss this:

Eight new adolescent turkeys in this group and four in another that come by later.

I walked the dam this morning before the humidity set in.

And photographed this folding Queen Anne’s Lace to draw later today.

This kudzu vine ended up on the latest page.

And I could not resist the latest condition of the bergamot.

I need to spend the day cleaning up my sewing area from making clothes for a friend. The tiny linen scraps will go into new bits of thread work for the journal.

Nothing else going on here. Too much thinking at times. Missing someone to bounce ideas off of. Talking to myself and asking questions does no good as we share the same opinions. I might need to get out more but now putting the mask back on and staying away from people is looking the wiser choice.

Til later….