International Fountain in Seattle, MAYA PHOTOGRAPHY

The International Fountain: located in the middle of the campus, the fountain operates all year round. Built for the 1962 World's Fair, the fountain was built as a modernist water sculpture. With over 20 Spouts, the fountain goes through programmed cycles of shooting water patterns, accompanied by recorded world music. The music is changed every month, and chosen to coordinate with the water patterns.
For a panoramic view of the International Fountain
go here

Also, you have to go here, to Maya's blog, and read what her father had to share about being an immigrant and the Inauguration this year. Maya Photography

Cat and crow

My cat, The Puddha and I have a conversation here, and sing a bit... about the crow,
(This is the dialogue, I say, Puddy , 'did I scare the crow away', he says,' well yeah', and I say, 'I did'? and he says, 'yeah'. Seriously..) First tho he says something , not sure, but it has to do with the crow flying away, maybe it was,' where'd he go"?
Michelle, I think you'll like this especially.

The crow is jumping up to try to get to the suet, Puddy is watching and as I get close with the camera, maybe I scare the crow away, Puddy protests. I ask him a few questions and he answers me, in no uncertain terms and in different tones, and with different syllables, so it is pretty obvious this cat talks.

I love my Puddha!!! He is so precious!

He also goes by The Great Pudini, Der Pudmeister, Pudinski, Pudilicious, Puddy pants, and several others my friends have names him. He know all the neighbors, been voted friendliest cat on the block. Of course he seems like he isn't so much a cat as he is a being just like us. He is a very aware cat..

The Pudddha and The Crow, We talk about it..and sing

I know, I collect beauty, as tho it won't still be available tomorrow..

Everett, Red Umbrella, Orchids

Yesterday when I wen to see Ella, I mentioned Doris, well, Doris' daughter is Cec, and she is Ella's niece, of course, so when we met in Everett. (The larger town close by ), near the hospital, (and in one of her old neighborhoods where she lived when her children were in baby buggies). 

The place where we met is pictured here, an old deli/grocery store, now latte and sandwich spot. 

It brought back many memories for Cec. Afterwards we drove down the alley to the house where she lived, and I got the story of how the neighborhood was back then. 

Still a nice neighborhood, with huge houses that people take care to restore.
It is about a block east of the Sound, and about 15 blocks to downtown Everett.

Here are the pics: umm nice hot latte's!

And here are a few close ups of my orchids;

They were taken in the dark, so my shutter stayed open longer than I can hold still, yet, they look ok...

Gift for Ella, and my Mexican Folk Art Collection grows by one piece...

A T Shirt for Ella

Ella, get well soon!

With Card

This morning I made a quick gift to take to see Ella, she is in the hospital. Ella is 93 and proud of every day of it.

I just love Ella, Her sister Doris was one of my best friends. (and was a neighbor). I miss her very much. Doris left , well, it will be 4 years ago in March.

So this is Ella's gift from me.

( I used iron on's to decorate the shirt)

She can wear it to bed, or give it away, it doesn't matter, I just wanted to give her a gift.

She only wanted to go home at the hospital, and I couldn't blame her.

My friend Dorothy in Seattle gave me this piece of folkart she found in Seattle.

 The woman is carrying fish, and wearing cowboy boots. It is signed,  not actually from Mexico, but done by Leo Smith. (folk artist  US)

Especially good that she has wings to rise above it all.

It's perfect!! 

Thank you Dorothy.

This purple dyed critter is from MX last trip I made, been awhile, and I got the yarn art in Guadalajara from a woman making them on the street.

I love black and white, and this dog is no exception. 

He is also signed but I forget who it is made by, I'll have to look.

Dorothy provided this chicken too. It appears to be made of white kimono fabric, It's a treasure!

She also gave me the chicken book behind it a few years ago.

A Few More MX folk art pieces.

Daphne, my daughter sent these shoes for my Birthday, by Two Lips, cute, huh?

Inauguration Day,2009

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Above in Chicago............about Obama

The Dance

Slide Show here of Inaugral Ball

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Former Pres. Bush smiled, but it didn't look very heartfelt.

Cheney in his wheelchair was a surprise to me.

..and all I could think was, thank God, we didn't inherit McCain and Palin.. Thank God!

I still shudder to think anyone would have voted for them.

And I tremble in my shoes to think of her in office.. a worse disaster is hard to imagine.

This was a great day, and the whole world loves it, and he and Michelle are loved. 

I think we need Obama TV!

Thank God, we're free at last!

Murphy's where I stopped to watch the Inauguration.

I had a bloody Mary

Biden gets sworn in..

Then we have music by Yo Yo Ma, what a minute, now we have Biden as VP, but Bush is still president?

 An improvement.. but..?

Don't worry, Obama was president at 12:00 noon, regardless..

Hooray!!!

Leaving home by almost 7 AM wasn't early enough to get into Seattle proper for a celebration, so I stopped in Wallingford, here are a few pics, then after Seattle, see the space Needle shrouded in fog? 

This is home folks!

I am a nimbostratusdweller,  (C) SS 1994

I live in nimbostratusland (C) SS 1994

Collections

An angel from my Mexican folk art collection

A beautiful bowl (& gift) is made by my friend Martha ( and ceramics instructor in college).

I have more of her work. Presently she is doing fused glass a lot, and teaches at Normandale Community college in Minnesota.

Below, the b&w plate is more Mexican folk art, shown with two seashells.

The long white one in front is carried in Japanese wedding bouquets. 

Two shrimp are trapped in these for life.

hmmmm....

It's amazing, as most seashells are.

One stunning Scandinavian goblet, and a beer horn from Iittala.

 I also collect some Iittala items.

And it's my year, the year of the ox.

Another Mexican folk art plate. (green) 

It's not clay.

The book in back was my Mother's, Flash Gordon. 

My family had many of these books, but I don't know where they are.

The little clay house is by and from a friend , Marylou, from college.

She is a linguist for the NSA.

Potpourri is in an Iittala vase here, and is primarily tulips petals, and roses.

Two vases are ancient.

 And....... the painting is from Argentina, (from an old BF who traveled there).

Iichiro, thanks.



Mexican folk art links on Amazon
400 Mexican Talavera 4"x 4" ceramic tile Mix
Nevada Tile Mexican Talavera Ceramic - MC (Set of 6)
Talavera Light Switch Plate Cover - Duplex Plate
Ceramica y Cultura: The Story Of Spanish And Mexican Mayolica [VHS]
Mexican Indian Folk Designs: 200 Motifs from Textiles (Dover Pictorial Archive Series)The Ephemeral And The Eternal Of Mexican Folk Art: Two Volumes

Another Inagural Birthday.....early tonight so I can celebrate Obama tomorrow..

What a nice birthday evening I had with my friend, and look at the beautiful gifts, another kimono bunny...who could ask for more? I hope now I have a male and a female..I'll be in business.

The scarf is by a woman who is virtually famous for this work, and I have to get her name form the gallery, but it is exquisite. A real work of art for sure. More photos later...

And what a beautiful gift box in black , with red ribbon, it's enough of a gift itself! 

( From Kobo Gallery is Seattle)

There is a book of iron ons that is going to be so much fun, you might get a gift with an iron on!

I'm wearing a new Haori I got recently, isn't it luschious?

Oh what beautiful fabric.. wow.

I also got green tea soap. It smells so good, I can't wait to shower with it.

And what about this new oil lamp? Isn't it just me? From VIetnam.. and looks like something I would make in my studio.

And this tiramisu,... umm..I just died and went to heaven.

Thank you my friend...

Isn't this beautiful. The artist is from India, her name is   Neeru Kumar. It is simply too beautiful for words to describe, shimmers, and is soft, and is 100% silk.