Bella Daze

BeBe, my very French goat on higher ground

Today's inspiration handed me a website title I can live with. It is easy to remember and suits the varied creative work I do. Furthermore, it actually was available to purchase. I now own belladaze.com (not built yet) as well as a small working site at http://belladaze.mosaicglobe.com/ so please also visit me there in the interim.

Mosaicglobe is a great service for artists, writers, photogs, actually any creative soul. Your first five pages are free so I popped right in and initiated set up for my photography images. These galleries highlight work I use for prints and greeting cards. I have an Epson large format printer that I find is amazing. Soon I will complete belladaze.com and add a shopping cart to streamline ordering.

This work helps keep my mind off the raging river that has taken over my gardens and barn. Don't worry, all live critters were safely moved out at midnight New Years Day!

What last years New Year Resolutions gave me . . .

Kira and Jeff ~ October 18, 2008

Last year, 2008, I made a short list of things I wanted to accomplish.
Here is how it read:

1. join a book club
2. join a writing class
3. write and blog more
4. hand make daughter's wedding invitations
5. expand my circle by finding new women friends who share more of my personal interests
6. volunteer more
7. focus on improving finances
8. do more photography
   

So how did I do?

#8
This one is something I do without thinking about. The Canon is usually hanging out where ever I go.

#1 & #5
The third week into January 2008, I received a call from a woman I have known for many years. Her husband and I were work friends long before their marriage. I think of Karen as a friend and extended family, yet we were never particularly close. She invited me to join her and two other women if I was interested in forming a book club. I was ecstatic. Bingo! The four of us have had a wonderful year bonding. New and expanded friendships emerged and deepened as we have done much more than explore books together.

#3, #6 & #5
I started this blog and also one for The Bridal Veil Historical Preservation Society. I got involved with BVHPS last summer working on their fund raising auction. Their goal is to move the Bridal Veil post office, which is the 2nd smallest post office in America! I designed and made 200 handmade invitations for this event. Being on the committee yielded more new women in my life that I enjoy spending time with.

#4
My lovely Kira never wants center stage so it was a huge relief when she and Jeff decided NOT to elope. First we had a summer engagement party in my little farm's garden meadow. I handmade around 100 invitations. I incorporated peacock feathers and dimensional dragonflies into the design since both hold a special place in my heart and Kira's too.

Her stunning fall wedding was ocean side and limited to immediate family. I only needed to make two dozen or so of these invites. I used yummy card stock adorned with real peacock feathers, tucked inside antique gold organza button envelopes, bundled all into pearlized outer mailing envelopes to complete each individual invitation. It was great fun when recipients called with positive comments!

This year I have not made any such list, only to expand what I accomplished last year while imposing a strict focus to gain control of #7.

By the way, #2 has jump started 2009. Yesterday I attended a women's writing group at Clackamas Community College. It has been meeting for a decade or more! Near by, free, well organized and now part of my life. #5 too. Life is good.

I hope yours is also blessed. -kt

Raging New Year

Once again Susan is outperforming me with all the great work she is creating.

To be fair to myself, I have been busy evacuating animals from the barnyard, at midnight of course. The New Year brought several inches of rain, even more snow and of course the result is epic flooding. The swollen Clackamas River raged through the meadows and into the barn but we were able to get the animals out ahead of flood stage. Bebe, the very big goat, is currently housed safe and dry in a neighbor's dog kennel and the hens are caged in the breezeway at my back door. The rooster took up post on the trellis outside my bedroom window - lovely! Certainly makes for a long day since he does not wait for first light to start his routine.

So here is a link to Susan's latest work, Vase with trellis #10668. Enjoy!
http://lemonbird.mosaicglobe.com

21st century botanicals

Susan Effenberger's latest body of work is currently displayed on-line at http://lemonbird.mosiacglobe.com/

If you are near Portland Oregon her original art is installed at the Brian Marki Gallery, 2236 NE Broadway. I urge you to stop in and see the intricate details up close. The collection is there through January 2009. In my opinion Susan e. is a very impressive talent on the digital art horizon.

Be sure to leave her a comment.

Happy holidays to all.
kt

Noisy Spring Birds have Arrived

All day long, and apparently even during sleep, I think about writing. Yesterday I awoke from a dream where I was writing an article about my own experience as a non-swimmer.

I tried to stretch and hang on to all those fluid thoughts as I gathered myself to greet the day. March is always a bit distracting when I first open my eyes. This time of year along my bedroom window sashes the birds create a big ruckus. On one exterior wall chickadees bang and pound the window glass every March, and this year the south bank of windows have also been invaded by three or four noisy sparrows. All the racket the chickadees make has brought the sparrows to the house too.

It is easy enough to sleep through their songs as they compete with the frogs and crickets. But all this chest thrusting against glass business gets too crazy during low light mornings. Perhaps connecting a timer to turn up a lamp at dawn would help. Maybe that would deter my little feathered friends from taking on their own reflections. At least until an entire flock of Ruby Kinglets swoop over the window draped evergreen clematis. Then all caution is lost out there. And don't let a curious cat round the corner. What ever is left of sleep instantly evaporates if the cat shows up too. It all makes me especially thankful for the soft mannered, no chest thumping towhees that also live here.

Yes, I love springtime at the little farm. Between appointments and rain burst's I predict I'll even get the cannas bulbs planted today, and as the day wears on I'll begin to look forward to tomorrows noisy encounters with my feathered buds!

Sharing a favorite photo

Hood River Oregon is a great small town bordering the magestic Columbia River and the gateway to bountiful orchards. I find it to be a photographers paradise! Besides offering splendid Mt. Adams views across the gorge into Washington, the hilly town also is Mt. Hood's backdoor. Wind surfers traverse the entire world just to experience water/wind thrills throughout this area. As you can imagine, I could share plenty of photo subjects from Hood River, but here is one you didn't think of . . .

Here's a smile for you . . .

RJ's humor is full of whimsy and bold scribble.