Wednesday, May 21, 2008

When someone comes to call in Alaska

There are two types of visitors that come to call in Alaska. The locals and then the out-of-staters... I will explain. Sunday we had both of those coming. The first one came just across from my house. We will call her Mrs Moose because being called a Cow doesn't sound as nice even if you are one... Junior was in the bushes not far from Mom but out of my lens allowance. Our neighborhood doesn't get Moose very often. Twice a year in the Spring and in the Fall they will migrate through but never too long.

The second one came in the form of 42 women from New Zealand. Half way around the World from us. The island of the Kiwi close to Australia. So when JoAnn Grueber sent the word out that they were coming through our neighborhood I was sure I was going to be there for welcoming them properly. They were on a cruise from Vancouver to Seward and on their way to Denali and Fairbanks. The usual tourist corridor. After getting lost in Eagle River for 45mn... the bus containing the precious quilters from on the side of down under finally parked in front of Dina's Cozy Cabin quilt shop and the fun began. Such a site to see the shop fill up with smiling happy ladies with gorgeous British accent marveling at the fabric, their prices, the books etc. There was a nice cake and refreshments for everyone. Our guild had made a nice appearance with about 20 of us. So nice. The editor of the New Zealand Quilters Magazine presented our Librarian with copies to add to our Library. We had a little show and tell. So overall it was a very well spent time. Quilting has no frontier.
Sometimes locals blend with out-of-towners...Tonight was "Wed. at Pat's". A gathering of artists at Pat Sims' house. An event that happens every six weeks year round. Always inspiring. You never know who will show up. We enjoy each other's company by sharing food, beverage and conversation, then, a Show and Tell. Tonight was no exception and we had some really tasty food. A blend of vegetarian dishes, homemade almond ice cream, rice pudding and mango sauce for dessert. Fran Reed was there as well as George Taylor who brought a friend visiting from Virginia, Stevii Graves, who had just helped juried quilts for the APNQ show in Seattle. See Jack Dalton fly. He presented his new Raven costume and brought a friend that collaborated on a political art presentation. Deb Hardmann was there showing her fun felted quilts. I had nothing to show and very little to tell. I have not worked since December. Toooooo long...! Anyway it was a very pleasant evening. Linda Weatherwax (what a fabulous name, especially when you do batik...) showed a wonderful reupholstered chair with her own batik fabric. George showed us his very extensive fast pace collection of work he has accumulated from a class he is taking from Gail Harker in Oak Harbor, WA. Nancy who is a weaver asked about ways to reach out to new venues for her yardage pieces that she is working on right now. Janie Smith showed us her new visor(Cincinatti Reds) that she covered with the traditional red, black and white colors of the Haida blankets. She is planning on wearing it to Juneau where a large concentration of Alaskan native communities are coming for a festival. She can wear it proudly.

Friday, May 16, 2008

It's back at home

I went to the Anchorage Museum to pick up "Outside With Francis Bacon" which had been traveling for a year with the "Earth, Fire, Fibre" exhibit. I was glad that it didn't sale like the other two ("Bee Charmer" and "Jean Dans la Lune") because it is part of a serie that I hope to show all together sometime, somewhere, where it is appropriate. Anyway here it is in all it's splendor...tee hee hee. I might as well show the others that accompany the number one... By the way it is not suppose to be pretty. It is a weird, shocking and crazy serie that makes a lot of raising of the eyebrow. I am proud of it though... There is a number four but is not finished. Then there will be a number 5 that is not even in the making yet. That is all for now!

Monday, May 12, 2008

This and That

After being back for a twelve days I was still looking for my bearings. Slowly, things got back to normal. I was catching up at home. Seeing my good friends. Making little dinners. Tass our Applique Society group in Eagle River invited the members of the Anchorage group to have a Cinqo de Mayo celebration and a Show and Tell. Lots of talent in both group. I went back to Yoga classes on Tuesday night. I even went on a hike around the Westchester's lagoon. Few events happened in Anchorage: First Friday with a show at Terra Bella of Kathy Harte's Quilts. Z Denise Gallup showing at the Laughing Lotus Yoga Studio. Then the All Alaska Juried Exhibition opened at the Museum as well as Michael Joo's exhibit. Then we had a Bead Show where I found little treasures and was introduced to Vintaj This company has reproduced vintage filigrees and has interesting ways to combine them with stones and beads. Very fun and exiting. What else... Oh the weather of course. It has been pretty nice. The proof is in the mosquitoes community... healthy and hungry... On the 7th my Dad would have turned 80 years old. The leaves are pocking out but not yet unfolding. I even had lunch outside one day on the Balcony. We went to our regular Brunch at the Captain Cook for Mother's Day and Paul and Emily called me.I have spent some time in my Studio putting things away. I have eaten fresh cherries, raspberries, strawberries as big as Popsicles. I got as a present two beautiful bouquets of Tulips. I went to the Women's Show in Eagle River and won a full bag of tools just for women. I enrolled in the Alaska Club. Today I got to have lunch with Lorraine and her son Collin. We had some fun times talking and laughing and then Collin fell asleep on my arm. That's happiness! So it might have taken me 12 days to get there but I am finally home.

Friday, May 2, 2008

Home is where it is cold....

Do I sound like I am complaining...? Well somewhat I am. Here it is May 2nd and we are still having some snow patch on the ground. We arrived two days ago. (Nancy's Birthday, Happy Birthday Nancy!!!) and it was nice to be in my bed. Getting my space back. I had a great and special time for six weeks with my wonderful family and the best of friends. Some marvelous memories and those are going to be highlights in my darkest days. So even though the temperatures are still under 50 degrees F. and I am far from putting any flowers in the planters it is nice to be home. I am ready to work!!!I do have to talk about our last hike in Sedona. It was such a good ending for my trip. We went back to Cathedral Trail. Curt needed to experience this. So we stopped and got some wine, cheese, fruit, bread... The essentials for a religious experience a top a magical mountain at .... Sunset!.
We were a bit concerned about getting down from the steep hill in the dark so we had to time it right. Just after the sun disappeared behind the mountain and the sky turned all pink we went down. We arrived at the bottom by the car when we were just in darkness with a gorgeous indigo sky with one single star showing us the way we had been. The sound of a frog saying goodbye for now was chanting in the background. The earth was still warm and sweet smelling and all was at peace. I will remember that.