The Solemn Blue Whale

 This was the first sea animal I painted last year. Growing up, I was fascinated by whales, especially Blue Whales because of their size. M. Graham watercolor on canvas board.

Tree Hugger Satchel in Hemp and Wool

Before we headed to Montana, I had hoped to finish this large satchel to take with me on our trip. Better late than never, it finally did get done shortly after we returned home. I have found that hemp yarn isn't so abundant, and probably because it's not the softest as a raw fiber. Years ago I did find a blend of wool and hemp that once washed is not only soft, but super strong. I feel this blend from Darice is better for accessories such as bags rather than garments you would wear against your skin. 

The patch is from Cada Johnson who is an Oregon artist. I've purchased patches from her before, and her artwork is definitely something you would expect to find at an outdoor market in a liberal college town.

The body of the bag is crocheted, while the strap is knitted. It's been washed and dried on a hot cycle to help congeal the fibers. Patch is hand sewn and glued to the bad to stay secure, and a decorative stitch of yarn frames the patch. Very pleased with this new bag! 

So I went to Montana this one time...

 In February, before the pandemic took a hold of America, we booked a stay at an AirBnB outside of Whitefish Montana with the intent to explore the great wilderness of Glacier National Park. This spot in the Rockies has been #2 on my bucket list (#1 was Iceland, and that was achieved in March of 2017). I LOVE purple mountains, crystal blue waters, and rich green forests. Purple, blue and green are my three favorite colors-they even show up in my auroric photo! But, that's not the point here, we wanted a northern family vacation that involved mountains, big skies, friendly people, and an escape from the current chaos of Portland.

So the first thing I need to mention about Montana are, the FRIENDLIEST people live here! At least in the northwestern part of the state. This made our experience wonderful. The second thing I need to mention about Montana is, the COFFEE is wonderful! We bought a bag from Montana Coffee Traders, and I can hardly wait to try their Northern Lights roast. 

We left on Sunday August 16th and stayed the night in Missoula. Pretty uneventful, but Monday the 17th is when the fun began. We took a route from Missoula to the eastern side of Flathead Lake. We ooyed and ahhed at all of the beautiful log cabins, stopped at a State Park and then made our way north into Whitefish. We rented a cabin that had fine wood details from an wood artist. Staying in this cabin just south of Whitefish made our stay wonderful.

Upon entering our cabin, the first thing I noticed were the hummingbirds floating amongst the flowers outside. I knew I chose the right place. The link to this cabin is https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/3790910?source_impression_id=p3_1599008086_4Advz1I1r56prUOy It is much grander in person than these photos show.

In that last photo, there is a ladder and a pole for the loft where our teenage daughter slept (she loved it).

On Monday 8/17, we visited Whitefish Lake. LOVED IT.

Tuesday 8/18, we did the Hidden Lake hike. Our daughter wasn't digging it (last photo she's pouting pretty good), but if you can find a parking spot at Logan Pass to walk this, you are in for a treat! We couldn't venture past the overlook because bears were claiming the area around the lake. And as they should be! This is their home, we are the guests.

Wednesday we did Avalanch Lake hike. The day stayed pretty cloudy, but what a beautiful walk through the forest to see this incredible lake!

Towards the end of the day, the sun came out, and we drove to St Mary's Lake. We couldn't go to the east entrance, but St Mary's Lake was pretty amazing!

Thursday was our last full day in Montana, and we took the gravel road up to Polebridge Mercantile. Beautiful scenery, and you definitely need to get a pastry from the store. If you wish to stay somewhere remote, this is the place.

Our visit to Montana wasn't long enough, but I fell in love with this corner of the USA. We are devoted to visiting again, thank you Montana!

The art of growing food

I feel growing food is more an art than a science, but I'm also an ameteur at it. My tiny plot of suburbia is less than 5000 square feet, but I have plenty of spaces to stick herbs and tomatoes to thrive in. Although I primarily focus on growing flowers, growing food and herbs has proven to me that it is extremely rewarding. 

Now that we are in late July, my basil and cherry tomatoes are at their peak. Yes, the scents and flavors of this abundance of basil and cherry tomatoes are delightful.

Since December of this past year, I have converted to a mainly plant based diet with the occasional salmon or tuna on special dinner occasions. It's been 7 months since I've eaten any sort of poultry or mammal meat, and I feel so much better. Not just physically, but also mentally! 

With all that basil grown on my patio, I turned it into freezer pesto. Two cups of fresh basil made about 6 servings of pesto-I'm freezing five tonight.

For dinner tonight, one of those six servings will be fresh on spinach and cheese stuffed ravioli served with a side of salad. Those tomatoes in the salad are also home grown.

I won't normally post dinner photos on this blog, but the art of growing delicious food warrants a mention this time. Bon appetit!

A new start for my dad

My dad will turn 70 in a couple of weeks. He 'retired' 8 years ago, but still found himself doing odd jobs and projects for others instead of enjoying his new freedom. For many years he worked for the NC state prison system. Needless to say, this job wore on his psyche which also led to health issues. Today, he's healthy and happy because he finally found his homestead in the mountains.

This month he and his lovely wife will close on a 3 acre property in Floyd County Virginia. Here is a general idea of his view:

His new home will be in Floyd County, an area known for the arts, music and a slower pace of life. I'm very much looking forward to visiting them in their new home with their new life on the farm. He has expressed interest in raising miniature donkeys as pets. Have you seen how cute they are??

For his birthday, I painted on Arches 100% cold pressed watercolor paper with M. Graham paints an image of his 1950 Chevy truck he lovingly restored by hand. His new pet donkey is happy to also come home with him. In the background are the lush green hills of Virginia.

My dad is one of the most interesting and vibrant people I know. His new life on the farm is a culmination of his experiences of gardening, his appreciation of the simple life, and his amazing diverse talents to do and make just about anything. To see someone you love achieve their dreams is one of the best feelings (love you Dad!).

Sunset Surf in Santa Barbara-in gouache and watercolor

My oldest daughter recently requested a new painting from me, and I was honored with her request. She loves the beach, Hawaii and Santa Barbara are her favorites (she has great taste!), so naturally I was inclined to paint her a beach scene. The idea of surfing and a Willy Jeep Wagon came from an image on a vintage post card from Santa Barbara while searching online. This is a 10x12 gouache and watercolor on treated canvas board, and will soon be hanging in my daughter's apartment.

Pashima Stole in cashmere

Sometimes you just need to surround yourself in cashmere because you deserve it. For 3 months, I have knitted and purled on this beast, thankfully it was pretty mindless. It has stripes of spring and summer, and is the perfect weight for cool summer nights. The pattern is called Pashima Stripes, but should be called Pandemic Stole as it will always remind me of this pandemic we are currently in. The yarn was a mix of (in green) Flying Goat Farm Zephyrette and Lux Adorna Knits for the other 3 colors.

Now I can move on to a new project, I thought I would never finish this one!