To Your Health

It's been a long couple of weeks. I have been staying busy with my intro to silversmithing class and various starts to other projects, but mentally I have been preoccupied. Our close friend, and Chad's boss, has been quite sick. An infection in his hearts' valve turned into open heart surgery this week, combined with a bypass. It was shocking, seeing this happen to someone so active and healthy. But a good reminder nonetheless for us all to look deeper. To know that the surface is just that, there is always more brewing just beneath. It's physical, it's emotional, it applies to ourselves, our family and friends, to strangers. This was a powerful reminder of the value of what we've got, cause no matter what, it's pretty damn good.

Tree update

There is potential good news about the old tree. A second arborist took a look and has a gentler opinion. The tree has a decent sized hole from decay, and since the tree is so big the hole is a weak spot and could become an issue. The tree will only decline, but potentially could stand for years. So now it's time for a third opinion and some serious soul searching.

The first arborist made an interesting comparison between people and trees. About how if you are neglectful and don't take care one day it will become weakened and disease can just take root. Healthy trees are happy trees. Like ourselves I suppose. There is already so much chance out there for us not to give ourselves that little extra care we need. So I sign off with positive thoughts and hopes for this old tree of mine. And even bigger faith for a friend who's health was taken by surprise very recently. A person that I do not see every day (although Chad nearly does) but means a tremendous much to us both. A friend, who allowed Chad's woodworking career to bud, and although he does not know it, very often reminds me of family. Here's to getting strong and staying strong.

The Giving Tree

I found out today that I will most likely have to cut down one of the 50+ year old Silver Maples in my front yard. This news came as quite a shock, seeing as I had the arborist come over just for a tree trimming quote. I always knew there were issues with this tree, but hope and denial kept me from believing this day would ever come. After the kind man with the bad news left, I crossed the street to get a better look at my home, the one I fell in love with partly for these old trees. I tried to accept this change and imagine how it will look when that magestic tree is gone. Chad sat on the curb with me and I just sobbed. I had no idea how sad I would feel, how painful it is to choose to obliterate something so beautiful and so old. So much older than myself.

I know it's just a tree, and it is better to come down by choice than god forbid any other way. But this tree is special to me, I have a history with it. 2 1/2 years ago a drunk driver plowed through my front yard going 55+ mph and never touched his breaks. He unintentionally needled through the two closely set maples (on the left), barely missing my living room before crashing into my SUV. The driver's car ended up on my front porch and my SUV ended up in my neighbor's living room. It was a blessing that my neighbor was not in his living room and that our car was a buffer that changed the driver's course. It was also a blessing that the driver did not hit either of those trees. Afterwards the neighborhood looked on in disbelief at what had happened and how. How the trees were spared, the driver was spared, my neighbor was spared. I began to see those two trees as angelic protectors. It took a long time for that wound to heal. To sleep at night unafraid and nightmare free. Always outside my bedroom window was the memory and the protector. And now it has to go. I could not have anticipated the grief I would feel at contemplating this loss. And to have to make the decision to let it go myself. But it will be safer this way, and spring will come, and we will plant a new tree and watch it grow.

Greece Portraits

A year ago today I was in Greece. I was there for a life changing three weeks, truly a dream come true. These dreamy photos were taken once again with my trusty Diana+ camera, and perfectly capture the bliss I was feeling while there. By today we had been in Greece for a little over a week. We had ventured to Santorini and were now spending our last full day on Sifnos, a breathtaking quiet retreat after the crowds of Santorini. The weather was perfect and we were sad to leave Sifnos, but half our trip still lay ahead of us. I thought I would share some offerings from my trip throughout this month. Enjoy!

Missing polaroid

You know how some days you may really miss a special person or even a place from your life? How you can feel homesick in a way. That is how I have been feeling about Polaroid lately. The news of polaroid abandoning it's classic instant film to go digital is not new news to me. When I found out I started buying small batches the film here and there. And I hear there is a new company trying to keep instant film alive by making their own version to work with our old cameras. Maybe it's just nostalgia. I haven't cracked into my loot just yet though. I made these using Poladroid, which is a pretty satisfying substitute. But I am all about the tactility of something, the rush of excitement as the image comes into being. And in reality, for all the polaroids I've taken, where are they? Do so few actually turn out? So what to do with the remaining film before it expires? Self portraits? Favorite things? It really should go out with a bang, don't you think?

Signs Journal

I have recently gotten involved in a round robin project/circle journal with a group of ladies I met at Artfest. Some I know and others I haven't yet met. We each picked a theme, made our journal, and sent it to the next person in the rotation. Then it will be worked in and go to the next person, and the next, until ultimately it ends up back in my hands. I am so excited by this project. The chance to work with people whose work I admire, make new friends, and be challenged creatively in the process. I am itching for the first book to arrive!

A busy month

Wow, what a busy month! It feels like it barely started and now it's almost gone. There was a lot going on this month, lots of company and projects and fun to be had. First an old friend came to town, one of my husband's oldest and best friends from Texas. There was much talking and laughter and a back backing trip for the two of them gone awry due to bad weather. I feel like I got to know and understand this friend better after more than 10 years of occasional meetings, get togethers, and lives evolving. How you can be very much like someone and not even have known it.

Then there was a garden growing ripe and full of sweet tomatoes, eggplant, patty pan squash, tomatillos, and herbs. It is now overflowing and the melons and pumpkins seem to have appeared overnight. We had more visitors, Chad's mom and grandma, and shared many movies and meals together. We even ventured out to the Loveland sculpture show which ended up being far more pleasing than I expected. The show was the reason we went, but the sculpture garden was such a surprise. Grassy and green with pathways, sky reflected water and sculpture at every turn. And on a most beautiful summer day no less.

All the while I was making and working in journal for a round robin that I am a part of. At the end of all this, was a two day work shop with the inspiring Stephanie Lee. I feel like a soldering goddess now, having made my first etched and soldered box and bezels. The photo of it here is before adding collage and resin to the bezel. I will share the fully finished piece soon. So after looking back on August, I am feeling ready for September. I will be taking my first ever silversmithing class (a dream of mine for years) and concurrently working in all the lovely journals that pass through my mailbox.