Bookish meme

Iliana posted this: "Dorothy W. just posted this wonderful meme and I couldn't pass up on it. Check it out and I bet you’ll want to give it a go too.
Using only books you have read this year (2009), answer these questions. Try not to repeat a book title. It’s a lot harder than you think!"
Her answers were wonderful. I decide to join in bu couldn't just include the 2009 books because they were not that numerous and did not fit as answers to those questions, so I included the 2008 as well. I hope you do it too.
Describe yourself: The Likeness (Tana French)
How do you feel: Nightmares and Fairy Tales: 1140 Rue Royale (Serana Valentino, a graphic novel)
Describe where you currently live: In the Woods (Tana French)
If you could go anywhere, where would you go? Brooklyn (Colm Toibin)
Your favorite form of transportation: The Memorist (M J Rose)
Your best friend is: The Messenger of Truth (Jaqueline Winspear)
You and your friends are: The Yiddish Policeman's Union (Michael Chabon)
What’s the weather like: A Prodigal Summer (Barbara Kingsolver)
You fear: The Behavior of Moths (Poppy Adams)
What is the best advice you have to give: Snoop: What your stuff says about you ( Sam Gosling)
How I would like to die: The Woman in White (Wilkie Collins)
My soul’s present condition: The Reader (Bernhard Schlink) and The interpreter of Maladies (Jumpha Lahiri)

Glow-ry, Glow-ry, Glow-ry Alleluia !!!

Since I turned 50!

I feel it already! Middle age is it? Hope so, unlikely though as I don't anticipate to live to be a 100. As it turns out I am not sure that I can afford to live another 30 years. Thanks to a wavering economy. But that is another matter.
Since my last post things have been happening in our neck of the woods. Melanie and David arrived at the end of July and stayed a couple of days before touring Alaska on their bikes, Bunny and Nancy were arriving on the 4th at one hour difference so I went to the airport to greet them and take them home. My Sister Carol and Brother-in-Law Jean-Pierre arrived on my BD (the 5th). We had a bit of celebration for few days afterthat. First with my friends for a luncheon organized by Terry. They had some fun making fun of my advancing age!!!! They were all giving me advices and what to look forward to... they are all older than me. ahahah. But I am honored to be in such wise company. Curt outdid himself by making a party to remember at our house on the 7th. About 40+ of my favorite people in the world, the only missing were my Mom, Emily and my french family. I did think about them a lot and wish they could have been here with us. Instead of a traditional cake I had a fabulous "Tarte Tatin" for dessert. Paris Bakery and Cafe catered the event. We had some great fun.
The weather had been rainy with just few hours of respite for the party. Yeah!!!
Since then we have gone to Homer for three days. Melanie and David who had started a bike tour on their own in Calgary then went on to Sitka and Anchorage had completed a nice loop around Alaska met us in Homer and drove back with us. Melanie has a special spot in my heart. One of those person that just happens in your life as a gift of fresh air. Thinking of that I have to tell that I got many wonderful presents from my friends but Bunny and Mimi did a surprising thing: Bunny arrived with one suitcase that she asked to open as soon as we were in the car. She extracted from it a huge handle gift bag filled with..... 50 presents!!!! all wrapped with beautiful papers and colorful silk ribbons... That was pretty amazing! I still can't believe the amount of time it took for them to gather those, wrap them and then carry them. I had a lot of fun opening them with Carol later on. I must say that I am very lucky to have friends that go out of their ways to make me feel loved and appreciated. So a big thank you for all of my friends that are vital parts of my life. I could not do it without you.
Where was I??? Oh yeah, Homer. The fireweeds are still going on strong in Kenai. We even saw giant ones by the Orthodox Church in Ninilchik!!! About 7 feet tall. We stayed at the Jenny Lane Cottage. I love that place. So conveniently located on the bluff. Few steps down and you are on the beach. Few steps on the road and you are at the Bunnell Gallery, the Fringe and Two Sister's Bakery. The weather was beautiful. Of course Fat Olives was on the Menu, then Boardwalk Fish and Chips, The Salty Dog Saloon for a drink, Jars of Clay for ceramic purchasing.
A new thing that I did was to take a walk in the back pier on the spit where old rusty ships are anchored. I had fun taking pictures of those silent colorful giants. I wanted to move and live in one of them. Install my studio and start working amongst the rust. Must be because of my new advanced age!!! Live where you belong... But it is true that it is a great waste of great space.
We also drove down East end Road in the Russian neighborhood, a real adventure with superb vista of the glaciers on the other side of Kachemak Bay.
Can you tell that I love Homer???
So now back in Anchorage and saying goodbye to Melanie and David this morning. They are off to Hawai to a wedding. They are so courageous to have tacked so many miles already on their bikes with all their gears. What great memories for them.
Carol and Jean Pierre are on their way to Talkeetna as I write this note.
Life is about to change for us. I guess it happens to everyone but let's say that we are a bit more aware of it then others at the moment. Turning 50 will not go unnoticed for me. It is engraved in my memory. I am scarred and excited at the same time of what is ahead. I am ready for it. I am going to pledge to age but not to get old. I want to keep my spirit how it is: a bit immature, continuing to nourish it with learning and add some depth to it as it experiences new things.

Complaints, Marching Trees and the Zoo

It's been a different two weeks weather wise with rain, grey and more wet stuff in between. Can't say I like having to wear fleece at the end of July when the rest of the World is sweating in the shade wearing their beach outfit or less...

Well enough complaining because I have been semi productive in the studio. Nothing to show yet. Got to be patient in that domain. But I was reminiscing on a series of tree pictures that I had taken in Arizona and Colorado. They were forked trees that if looking upside down would look like torsos with legs! (See this tree's abs!!!) Well I had forgotten to shares those with you guys. So here are some examples. (this one is in a hurry) I really like that pair.

I also had the chance to go to the Zoo about two weeks ago for a fund raising event. Chef Al was cooking Italian under the tent the music was fun (notice the beaded guitar strap) and the very creative cake!!! was actually not bad to eat it had a lemon filling. We (Curt and I) went on a little tour of the zoo with champagne on hand. I won't put the zillion pictures that I came home with but only the odd ones of course. You might want to guess what you are looking at. Note that "our" zoo contains only animals that can sustain our climate. Many of them are rescue animals. I need to point out that the wolves were the most active that night and even howled at us as we departed.

More to talk about...

Well I have left out one thing on yesterday's post: I purchased a quilt at the auction. I have been watching Della Dircks make beautiful handmade pieces for years. Her applique is really exquisite, but this year I fell in love with that little happy quilt of hers. I spotted it right away and it made me smile and I knew that it would be an instant shot of well being in the dark months to come if I had it in my studio. It was meant to be because I won it and when I looked in the back for it's title I was so delighted to see that it is called: "The Blue Bird of Happiness". Just what I saw in it. So there!

It is now in position just in front of my working table. I only have to raise my gaze and I'm happy.

Then I wanted to share a little piece that I am getting ready to bead. I have drawn this little sketch on a piece of bark. I had done another one like that for "Collage Mania" last year. This time it is a bit larger and not so somber I think.
I worked on two other small quilts during Bear Paw. The first one has been an ongoing beading project that I take out once in a while. It is morphing on it's own and has now wings and I would not be surprise if it gets a perch pretty soon as well as bird legs to accommodate it's need. The colors are a bit off on that picture. It is more subdued.
The other one was started at retreat in April and has been patiently waiting for it's beads. I have selected vintage yellow minute little things that require a #13 needle. I only had 11's with me so I got really frustrated trying to find few that would allow such a "huge" needle. I had to abandon very soon but it gave me the look that I wanted so I will get that #13 needle tomorrow and continue with that project. I kind of like the bell at the bottom and the red dot bone rectangular bead. I also tried lavender color silica at the bottom but I will stick to the yellow and bear with my frustration as I am suspicious that even a #13 will not be small enough for them. Yikes!

Bear Paw Festival 2009

We have had a nice sunny weather for the entire Bear Paw Festival in Eagle River. That made our little community very happy indeed. The Chugach Mountain Quilt Guild puts up a Quilt Show for the occasion. The location varies but this year it was at the Elk's Lodge.

The Guild has a small area for show quilts, one for vendors, one area for demonstrations and then one for the Auction quilts. Visitors and members of the Guild get to vote on their favorite quilts.

See two of my favorite volunteers setting up the "Tass" (The Applique Society booth)

Jan and Diana had made the ribbons.

Diana stole the show winning first viewer's choice and second member's choice for her Auction Quilt and overall best quilter. She is an amazing quilter, friend and member of our community so it was a well deserved award.

Her quilt also generated the most money.
She had the excellent idea to use "cheater's" cloth of various sources cut out elements of interests and constructed the perfect Alaskan Scenery from those.

Becki Ezell got first member's and viewer's choice for her very colorful Show Quilt. This quilt was the result of a class organised by the guild.

This one got two ribbons also second and third place for Show Quilt. Made by Kathy Benson this quilt was executed in the Caree Gulati class the Guild had organized. It's Title is

"3D's Explosion"

This one by Stacey Horn got second place in the Quilt Auction

A beautiful Sashiko piece with marbled fabric butterflies took second and third place in the Show Quilt. I believe it was made by Bonnie Lopez

Nathalie won third place viewer's choice for the Auction Quilts. Her quilt is a design by Barbara Lavallee who is very popular for her whimsical Alaskan paintings.

Oh and my little quilt got first place viewer's choice for the Auction Quilts. Other than that we offered a Mystery Class (Saturday Night) one night that went into the night, a Love Patches session (Friday Night) where we made quilts for the children who are removed from their homes for various reasons.