Beautiful walk this morning, a bit bitey because all the insects decided to keep me company.
Home again, here's a view down the street
And look who showed up in the wandering dude. A wandering morning glory.
And tributes to Ukraine. Here's the patio version
Wildflowers (?) in blue and yellow.
Then the new bracelet, which has two sides
In other gripping news, I read recently that goldfinches nest very late in the year and use thistledown in their nests. My thistle has dozens of flowers maturing to down now, and yesterday I saw a goldfinch in brilliant yellow mating plumage. So I guess it's true. I hope they'll find the thistledown. They do fly around the deck now and then.
Also I had a hummingbird sighting this week, so I guess it's all life in the fast lane right now.
I was reminded by Textiles and Tea about community art projects and a couple I ran back in the day.
One was the Great Birds Nest, which I organized at the annual Township Founders Day. On the field where events took place, I had the Works Department drop a truckload of brush and branches.
I also volunteered other artists to attend with clippers, and the general public happily helped build a giant nest, big enough for humans to climb in (and take pictures!).
We decorated with ribbons and various colorful items, and all ages plunged in, little kids wildly excited to be in a giant nest.
It was about 10 feet across and I kept the sides low enough for people to climb in and out. Everyone wove branches and tied brush and generally created the artwork. No pictures, it predated digital cameras.
Another was the Great Tin Quilt Caper,at the library gallery, which I spent months preparing. I cut, hammered, pierced and embossed dozens of pet food cans which I cut into 6O° angled diamond shapes, to create a tumbling blocks design. Inside tin cans there's a beautiful range of colors, it's marvelous art material.
Then I built a backing of foam core and plywood and gessoed it black.
All the pet care clients whose cans I'd used were invited to the opening/workshop. I had created the tumbling blocks center then everyone who wanted could attach the many extra readymade pieces I brought, to the outer sections. I provided hammers and panel tacks, and it was a great party. The library gallery was heaving!
We ended with a wall mounted quilt about five feet square, and displayed it for a month, with a lot of people admiring their own work (!) and their pets' contributions.
On the catalog (flyer) I acknowledged the name of every contributing pet and I was hysterical at how seriously everyone scrutinized it to make sure their Fluffy and Barnaby and Boots were included!
I've done other group events, but these were the biggest ones, open to the public.
Such larks!
Happy day everyone, just do it! You'll be glad you did.
