To Lasting Friendship

Here are my delightful luncheon companions from this afternoon. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch at the Belmont Hotel and sat on the deck overlooking the beach. The sun was out, it was maybe 70 degrees, the winds were calm, the birds calling to each other and the ferry came and went several times. It was our farewell - see you next summer - lunch with Keith.





This is my long time friend, Keith who now lives on an island just off the coast of Panama. He is the reason I have my shops in the James & Hastings building in Port Townsend. Just over 15 years ago, he invited me to be a tenant in his building, he owned it at the time, and I said yes, on one condition. I would be there in a flash if he promised that we would not have rats. You see, a little secret about my original shop space is that it was over run with rats and pigeons! When I began to date Phil, I asked him to crawl in the muck under my building, the totally unrestored Lewis building, and place out rat poison. When he agreed, i knew I should keep him around!



I will miss my friend and it will seem an eternity until his visit next summer but time will pass and soon we will be sharing a year's worth of stories, gossip, adventure and inspiration.

Ah, friendship. Truly one of life's pleasures!

A New Piece

This is a vintage piece from Paris that was once probably a brooch. I bought it from a friend at Bead & Button for my altar at work. The image is a nun holding a cross. She will make an excellent addition to the little altar I have behind my desk at the shop. I could not be more pleased with the piece. The altar reminds me to " keep the faith " and is non denominational. I have Christ, nuns, angels, Buddhas, the Madonna, Ganeesh,crosses, live action Jesus, chickens and of course, a cat or two. Everything that I need to look at from time to time to have faith. With blessings.....

Solstice!

The longest day of the year! We can expect more than 17 hours of daylight this first day of summer. It is now just a few minutes before 7 in the evening my time, and finally, the sun is out, birds are singing and the light breeze that is gently wafting through the open door is scented with the promise of summer. Happy Solstice! Happy summer! Happy day to be creative!

p.s. This is Stonehenge as the sun rose on the Solstice. Doesn't it look magical?

Pictures of my Dad

It is Father's Day and although I am sitting here with Phil, who is an excellent father and Jacob, our youngest child, my thoughts turn to my dad.

We had a complicated relationship, not always what I wanted it to be and I think it was a rough time for me growing up until we learned to ignore each other. As a teenager and in college, we barely spoke although Monday through Friday, we religiously ate dinner as a family every evening at 5:30. As soon as possible, I bolted from home and began a life. He got sick, stayed sick. Way too early he left us and I never got the chance to know him as I became an adult. I wonder how our relationship would have changed?




Still we remain father and daughter. I have only one wish today; that he could see my sons. How brilliant and wonderful they are. I would want them to spend time together. I would want for him to teach them things, to talk about his father, to tell them the way it was when he was a boy growing up on a farm while his daddy worked the coal mines. So many things I wished my boys knew.

Still my fondest memory, the one that still brings me to a total mess of tears and feelings; is the one of him sleeping in a chair, his arms folded on the edge of my bed, his head resting on those arms, as I woke up from an appendectomy when I was 7 years old. That was my dad. That is the man I miss.

Happy Father's day to all the dads out there and those of you still lucky enough to have a dad in your life? You need to hold and hug them extra tight today.

A Brooch for Summer

I had these metal brooch parts arrive at the shop and finally, took some home to play with. They have a mesh screen on them so I used a fine wire and wrapped, strung, twisted and loaded the beads on. I think it looks like the budding of a garden, multiple colors, lots of texture, intriguing buds and blooms. The pin was very inexpensive but add the beads and KaBLaMMMM, a beautiful piece. I am feeling very pleased with it!

Little Sprites - a new drawing

As soon as I returned home; I hit the studio and began painting and drawing.



Lots of color - makes me want to fall into great pools of it.


I have a severe fondness for spirals. It is my mark,part of my interior, holistic journey.


Spirals, color and texture will continue to be a focus in my work.

No Sadness

No sadness and with those words the dancing image of my mom left my dreams early this morning. I have been missing her a lot lately. Really missing her, the sound of her voice, her ability to just listen to me without offering advice at every other word. I want to tell her that I continue to be hurt by a friend, that Jacob is growing tall and smart, that I am making new things everyday. What I wouldn't give to - just even for a brief, brief moment - hear her voice again, see her face, touch her hands. It did not come as a surprise to me, at the end of this vivid dream that she would leave me with a short message to comfort me; no sadness. She has no sadness and I shouldn't either.

I will take it to heart, holding the thought,the words of parting wisdom close to my breast but I will still miss her; more than I ever thought possible.