Playing with fire...

Just playing around with the woodburner a bit as a markmaking tool... It smells terrible when it burns paint, but it's fun...

Cozy...

Well, we didn't get the snow that was predicted for today. In fact, once the clouds and drizzle moved on, it was a really beautiful, if cold, sunny day. It's been a while since I've seen the squirrels in their tree, and sometimes there are as many as four where you see two here. That maple tree makes a great home for their families. And the woodstove is a fine surrogate warm mommy for Sundew. She's the fist of the cats to think of getting up under it, and I wonder if she'll still squeeze in when she gets bigger....

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's a beautiful day here. A nice day to reflect on the many things I am thankful for in this very moment. I am blessed with so many wonderful friends, healthy, happy family, a safe, warm home, three crazy cats and the amazing good luck to be aware of so much beauty in the world. There was a lot of time in my life when I wasn't as lucky, and the contrast is amazing. To appreciate the simple things in life is such a gift. The squirrel that was sitting a few feet away from me yesterday morning, chewing on a mushroom, while Canada geese, honking, flew south overhead, obscured by the morning fog; the way the sun shines sideways into my studio all afternoon this time of year; the aroma of decaying leaves and hemlock needles, lifting from the duff; the rooster's crow in the distance; the swaying trees, even appearing self-conscious without their foliage; the sounds of squirrels' teeth scraping nuts; the rustle of the brown leaves, still clinging to branches, in the breeze; wordless walks with friends through the woods; and the anticipation of good times with friends over thanksgiving dinner.

Misty morning...

Sorry it's been a while. Busy with show and visiting family in warmer climes. I rose early this morning, before the roosters, and when the sun finally got 'round to rising, it was lovely in the mist.

The Artist's Path

Good friend, great poet-artist, fellow dreamer, and ongoing source of inspiration to me, Laurence Holden, now has a blog up and running, where you can see some of the wonderful poems he read at our recent gathering/show in Atlanta. He will also be reading next Friday up in Franklin at the Wilderness Society. I hope you can join us if you live nearby!

Here are the details for next week:

Up and down...

What I meant...

What I meant when I said orange days, was that this weekend and into this week, I wake up and look outside, and pretty much all I see is shades of orange. It's been truly magical. These are not particularly interesting photos, but I felt like sharing the mood of the woods around me. I hope you like the orange!




Right now, here in northeast Georgia, the Hickory trees (mine are Mockernut Hickory) are a remarkable deep golden orange. The Dogwood trees range from murky red to sharp, dark red, and I'm sorry I don't have any good Sourwood examples here - I have seen some amazing crimson Sourwoods this week and they've left me stunned. I know I have never seen them quite that color before.