GONE SKIING, etc, snow country..BBL

Swans in The Skagit Valley

You have to enlarge these to see them, not great, anyway, but encouraging if you have a desire to go to see them..

 My best attempt to photograph illusive swans in the Skagit Valley with a wimpy camera...

Guess whose coming to dinner?

Friends are coming to dinner

I don't get it, but my whole house is slowly turning  R E D.

It's warm, and sensual, and a color that lately I gravitate to , more and more.. I have walls to paint and hmm, will I paint them reds.. May be!

Prior I only used reds in accents, rugs, and a few items in a room for a punch, but lately, wow, I love red!

Who'd have guessed?

Ok, I found the tablecloth; candles, votives, and oil lamps,

All I need now is a Japanese restaurant that delivers bento boxes..

you don't think I'm gonna do sushi myself do you? 

I have 2 more tables to decorate, and I bet tulips will be available  for flowers...today

Which Kimono should I wear?

 I have a black Obi, maybe I'll wear the  pale yellow Kimono with tye dye (shibori look)...

Think I should wear a black wig and paint my face white?

That may be going too far!

So, will I remember to take pictures? 

Probably not...only so many things a girl can do during a dinner party.

I'll have three tables, all different in 2 rooms. 

These parties are always fun...dinner is tonight...

I'm celebrating....life, because...

With all it's tragedies, and pain,  suffering and misery, 

as well as disappointments, still, ALL of it, is exquisite.

I'm grateful I have been given life.

_()_

Grateful for all of us.

If only we'd learn to let go of what we think we don't have, and see what we do have.

Close up of Kimono, and an oil lamp from Vietnam

A close up of the Kimono on a post below, but it still doesn't give it it's due, it is so beautiful.

The oil lamp was purchased from  (Capitol Hill)  a small locally owned shop that sells rugs, and jewelry, and blankets from many countries. It was a gift.

The kimono, I purchased myself.

Christiansons Nursery, LaConner, WA

If you live near Seattle, be sure to go  north to see The swans, and remember; coming soon are the snow geese, and daffodils, and then the tulip festival.

It is all too amazing to pass up.

This is one of the place I go when I visit LaConner, Christiansons Nursery.

I'd like to work here instead of for Corp America.

(pulls hair out)

I actually have a background in plants (among other things)

and I enjoy the earthy smell of, well, yeah, earth! lol..and the plants themselves give off many aromas.

The colors are so unbelieveable.

Be sure to stop at Snow Goose Produce, and get a huge 3.00 ice cream cone, and I recommend their wild flower honey,, umm..

Parakeet

Orchids

Gardenia, this lives in my bathroom now..

Green Pots

Ferns

and

Fountains

Exotics

Pots

The Conservatory, I would love to have my own conservatory.

 Tree hybiscus from Canada, 99.00

Amaryllis

Begonia

Tables and stuff (in lieu of swans), Rant about Corporate Greed

Thinking of Karen in Kentucky with this plate with dragon fly's. The dragon fly plates are from Vietnam,  and the brown plates and bowls are from Japan.

 I have my own personal views about buying from CHINA...

 I Don't!

They are ruining the environment, and I  Boycott  their goods.

What better time than now when money is scare, even 'vanishing'?

These plate holders are from Indonesia. 

Most of my home furnishings are hand made, I have rattan, and wicker. I value hand made work.

Some of my furniture is from Denmark, manufactured, but it is designer furniture from Eilerson, and I believe it to be superior, and with more of a handmade touch.

 I buy carpets from Iran, handmade (and usually old).

 Imagine anyway, 2 to 300 knots per square inch, tied by hand.

These rugs represent, to me, peoples lives, stories, joys, suffering, gain and loss, 

but most of all the quality of working with ones hands.

Not that manufacturing doesn't, but most manufacturing these days, 

omits the human element, just as corporate America does.

Corporate America wants to see us as machines, money making machines, money for their higher ups, CEO'S.

It's so sad, because a quality of life is possible for all.

Harmony is a beautiful thing.

Work by a Canadian Artist...

Does anybody want to talk about Corporate greed?

(probably not..lol)

Talk about how poor employees are paid and how tightly controlled they are?

But, it seems most  feel as they have no choice.

We do have a few choices.

Both adults in a household don't have to work, or could take turns, of course that would mean giving up retirement, etc.

But whose to say you'll get it anyway? Or social security?

I admit I have taken on a P/T job working for a Corporation, 

and I can tell you, they squeeze 40 hours out of me in 16 or 20.

But it is a learning experience, one I doubt I'll stay in for long.

We also reap what we sow.

 Oh, if only Corp America could insert a chip in us, and make us do their bidding 24 /7. 

These control freaks would be in hog heaven. I mean that literally.

(yeah, maybe I think they're pigs)

Go for it Corporate America, cause what you, sow, you also reap.

BUY HAND MADE

By the way I'll be teaching a ceramics class soon, on Fridays,

 so if you have always wanted to get your hands in clay, e-mail me.

Aren't these dishes beautiful, take a closer looks, the four large plates are of two distinct patterns, one pattern is like the small bowl.

The Japanese fascinate me, what refined taste they have.

Daffodils in season , soon to open in Skagit valley

That vase with daffs is an old piece of mine from college..

Notice how all the Japanese things, like Persian rugs, work together beautifully.

The small green bowls are also Japanese.

Of course, who is that famous designer who designed the daffodils?

Kimono called  Wilted Chrysanthmums. 

I'll photograph my other kimonos and Haori  (jacket) later.

Kimono bunnies

(the white thing behind them is an oil lamp, from Vietnam)

I was back in Laconner taking photographs of swans, and my battery went dead on my camera..

The swans BTW are lovely to see over hear rather than 747's..go out to the Skagit valley and take a look before they take off for the year.

Let it Snow...

My cousin visited recently from France. I forgot to take photos. It's been soo long since I had contact with any family of origin, I just plain forgot to think of anything but being there with him. He lives in the South of France, where he and his wife who died a few years ago lived for many years after leaving Morocco. They were and he is a missionary. A very kind man, warm, and caring.
I have three cousins, he and his brother and sister remaining to my family of origin. It had been 49 years since I last saw him.

Darla, his wife, invited me to France before she became ill. I didn't go. But felt I knew her. When my cousin came, I bought these white tulips, and I know she whispered to me to include her that day in this way. He was very touched as well.

So here are the tulips, white were all they had at he store, white for immortality..
........ and the snow falling on red maple..

Amaryllis Study

Seattle Nature photos (mine) for sale

Tea...time, again

My cousin,  Jerry, (one of only three members left of my family of origin) visited today.

 He lives In Provence.

I hadn't seen him since I was 10 years old.

We had lunch at Ivars in Mukilteo. 

He is staying in Tacoma with  two friends  from France,  (he'll be leaving Wed. to see his sister and my cousin who is my same age and lives in Florida). 

Then back to France.

 And can you believe I forgot my camera?

Well, I not only forgot it, but even when we came home for coffee and dessert here,

 I forgot to take a picture.

I was enjoying being with family again so much.

 It has been a long long time since I had any contact with any family of origin.

 (since I was 35 years old)

...............

And I forget to take a photo!!!

But it was charming, and my cousins friends were really wonderful folks that I know I'll see again.

So this is why I posted tea photos...because I didn't have the real photos to post. 

 Darn it.

I 'm happy to have had a chance to be with family for awhile, I can't tell you how nice it was, and maybe Monday I  will see him and his friends again. (fingers crossed)..if so surely I'll  remember to  take photos.