DRIVEN TO ABSTRACTION

We've had another week of frigid temps with alternating snow and ice storms, in this winter that will never end. Hopefully, having more daylight at the end of the day will make it seem more like spring. I hear we should reach the 50's every day next week. Hurray!
On the upside, rotten weather means more time indoors and a jump start for my creative mojo. Earlier in the week, I was seized by the urge to fling some paint around, followed quickly by a desire to play with fabric. Here's how that turned out.

Collaged paper and acrylic, with charcoal on canvas board.

Printed this on white cotton, and then gave it the fabric treatment. You might say, I was driven to "abstraction." 

Mostly fabric and a bit of paper on linen. Nearly all the fabric is from a very old quilt I bought at auction. I'll be really sad when this one is used up. It had the most interesting bits of fabric and almost no repeats. I don't mind that it's in really rough shape. I love every little faded, stained scrap of it.

Haven't decided whether to add text. I am open to suggestion.
Also made some time for dog pics. My little Scout is growing up and was very cooperative with the props. 

After last night's snowfall, Abby was convinced that horse-eating snow goblins were waiting for her outside the barn. 

She made very sure it was safe before going out and making snow angels.

Mother Nature apologized for yesterday's excess and offered this. The Full Worm or Sap Moon.

Have a wonderful weekend, blog friends. Don't forget to spring forward. XO.

AUTUMN AND ANIMALS

Made an early start on Monday. I was going to sit with my MIL who is recuperating from surgery, but I only got to the end of the driveway before I was stopped by loud meowing. I was thinking I had shut Fitz in the truck while loading up, he's always getting into vehicles, but there was no cat in the back seat and I realized that the sound was coming from somewhere underneath the hood. Terrified of what I might find when I opened the hood, I was relieved to see an unharmed calico kitten tucked in beneath my engine. I had no idea how to get it out.

I ran back up to the house to grab a cat carrier, cat food, gloves, a towel, and in the meantime a neighbor stopped. We tried unsuccessfully to reach little kitty, so she went home to fetch her husband, hoping longer arms might do the trick. He succeeded in shooing it to the back of the truck where it perched over my spare tire, so of course, we had to take the spare tire down. We almost caught her then, but she leaped over to the gas tank where she was once again, just out of reach. Meanwhile, more neighbors stop, time is ticking, I have a casserole in the car, and I'm an hour late.

Finally, with three of us belly-up beneath my truck, we grabbed the kitten but couldn't hold her, so she bolted and unbelievably, sought shelter up under the engine of the neighbor's car. Same problem, different vehicle. I hated to leave, but couldn't run the risk that she would run back to my truck, so I left my neighbors to deal. Who knew that a little scrap of cat could cause so much trouble? The kitten eventually climbed down from the car, but now we can't find her. I am leaving food out and hoping I'll spot her again. Poor thing. I know we frightened her. 

I can't believe a week of October has flown by already. I am getting the dogs ready for Bark In The Park. This year, Talbot Humane is trying to set a record for the most dogs in a costume parade. Scout is all set.

I bought the fabric for Nigel's costume yesterday.

I can't tell you what he's going to be. He wants to keep it a secret.

Abby isn't going to the parade. So far, no one is sponsoring a "Neigh In The Park," but you know I had to decorate her anyway.

She was surprisingly cooperative, considering she's in season and it was a very blustery day. The first crisp fall days, with wind, are generally an invitation for shenanigans. 

Took a few shots of the full moon last night, but it was very cloudy.

The sky was clearing by morning, so I got up early to watch the eclipse. Not really happy with the pics, it was extremely windy, so even with my tripod they're a little shaky, but it was a beautiful thing to see.

Going to try again tonight to get some shots over the barn.

Check your vehicles for stowaway kitties, blog friends. XO.

TWEAKING THE FLOWER MOON

May's full moon is the Flower Moon. I took a few photos a couple of nights ago, and while they were nothing special (I was on a bike without my tripod), I've had a lot of fun editing them. Take a look.

From these boring shots...

I got these...

Can't wait to convert them to paper and fabric, and continue the tweaking.

Nature is a powerful source of inspiration. Don't you think?

XO.

PERFECTLY HOT

After weeks of lower than normal spring temps, yesterday was HOT! And humid. Ninety degrees hot, a perfect day for the air conditioning to conk out, and a perfect day to give someone a spring bath.

Abby drying.

Of course I kept her inside to dry in front of the fan. No way was I going to let her out to roll and undo my hard work. So satisfying to see her summer coat shining in the sun.

This weather is also perfect for gardens, and brings a new bloom nearly everyday.

Rhododendron.

Iris

Anticipating an explosion of roses.

So many rosebuds!

After dinner, the temperature dropped and the wind came up, lovely to be outside and relish the cooler air. I am storing the memory to sustain me through the relentless heat of summer.
Mathilda watched me from the tack room window, her favorite perch when birds are nesting under the eaves.

 Scoutie watched for rabbits through the pasture fence.

I grabbed my bike for a pedal round the neighborhood to see what else was blooming.

Crept up on a neighbor's pond to see if the turtles were still out. They were not. So wily, those turtles. I see them from the road, but can never get a pic. They always know I'm coming.
I head down to the river to check on the osprey nest, and catch a few more blooms along the way.

The sun is setting, time to wander home.

Hope you had a chance to stop and smell the flowers at your place today. I'm going to tuck my pony in and go to bed.
Good night, moon. XO.

Good night, moon.

JANUARY

Sinclair Lewis said, "Winter is not a season, it's an occupation." So true for me at present.  I am occupied with mud. Wiping it from paws, picking it out of hooves, brushing it from horse hair. Trying to keep it from taking over the house. Abby rolls in it every time I take her blanket off, then I have to brush it out before I can blanket her again. I find myself looking forward to the bitter cold days that freeze the ground and offer a respite.                                                         
Last week our girl visited. She brought young Gus, and a rotten cold, and we were delighted to have her. A bright spot in a dull month. We rambled around with our cameras, revisiting some favorite spots, and even venturing back out at night to catch the full moon and the lighthouse in the fog.

Mud wrestlers.

View from the dock at Old Trinity Church.

This one is definitely going to become a mixed-media piece.

Heron at Blackwater.

I love how clear the river water becomes in winter.

Wolf moon.

Hope you're finding some bright spots in your January. 

XO