Retreat Adventure

This is what it takes to go on retreat! It does not contain the kitchen sink, but close to it...

The time away went by quickly--but was a great break away. Even though the predictions had been for terrible weather this weekend, it actually was full of sun breaks & very little rain; what a treat!
The retreat is sponsored by the island quilt guild & has many of the same faces from time to time, but each gathering is a little different as the players change. This time we were 24 strong & seemed like more fun even than our usual (only shortcoming: my usual "roomie" Kate didn't come this time. She was home receiving her new long-arm quilting machine off the truck--how exciting!).

We go to Warm Beach--which is in Stanwood, the last 'town' before you drive onto Camano Island. Camano is the 'other' part of Island County--you can see it just over yonder, but it takes about an hour & a half to get there. The facility is owned by the Methodist Church; many acres of grounds with grass, woods, trails, plenty of wildlife & often many other groups 'retreating' like us. (There are often zillions of junior high or high school kids there when we are--which can be quite entertaining. Last time one little guy about 8 yr old held a sign up to the window that said: 'how many sweaters do you have to make before they let you out?') There are many buildings & lodging facilities on the grounds, so the only time we have to cross paths with other groups is at mealtime. We all eat together in one or two large dining rooms overlooking the tide flats & looking west towards Camano & Whidbey. It's just lovely. Otherwise--we're all together in our own living space--a big work room together, with a wing of dorm-type rooms off to one side. For a very reasonable price they prepare three hearty meals a day, offer help if we need it, or otherwise leave us alone.
To get to/from Warm Beach you have a very pleasant 'back roads' drive through the Skagit flats--much of which is along the water, through some of the richest farm land, and with many picturesque sites along the way. I love both the spring & fall adventure over there--for different reasons. Spring gives that feeling of hope for life & summer coming: the acres & acres of daffodils are just being harvested (meaning that the yellow hasn't quite become obvious to all of us, but the buds are fat & anxious!), the farmers are busy with machinery & activities, the Snow Goose Market has reopened by now--a farmer's market off the beaten path, but well known to the locals. And my favorite part: the snow geese flocks are 'in'.

If you've never seen the snow geese, here's a little description: you're driving along through the farmlands, and you notice what looks like a few plastic grocery sacks on the field. Then you notice so many that you think that the farmers must be putting some sort of covering on the newly planted starts or something. Then--if you're lucky--you round the next corner or two, and there is nothing but white as far as you can see across the next field or two--and you realize: it's all birds. Great big, beautiful, white geese with black painted faces and feet. If you open the window or actually are able to find a place to stop safely--the chorus of sound is overwhelming. I've often tried to guess as a number at any given time--but this weekend I heard a radio spot stating that during this peak time there are between 10-60,000 birds on any given day. If you're REALLY gifted, you might be heading through just as they begin to take flight (although there are many small groups on the wing at any time)--a truly awesome sight; overwhelming more accurately. They are never in the same place from day to day--one day you may see only a few groups of several hundred, vs the next day when you see more than you ever remember seeing before! It's spectacular!

Salute to Leap Year

Despite the fact of having a 29th of February this year, it's not a 'free day' of all play and no work. I, however, am gonna try to take that mental approach: I leave today for my semi-annual quilting retreat to Warm Beach with good friends, good food, good laughs & lots of quilting! (Sleeping, however, is optional!)
Here's to anyone with a birthday tomorrow--do you think that one every four years make them more celebratory?!
Wishing you all a great end of the month & weekend--especially to Joe & Amy off to the film festival!
There will be another post soon with a retreat update!

Helpers

Working away at all hours of the day & night is pretty much a solitary task. There are several things that happen for the old gray matter during those times. Much time is spent just thinking through the task at hand--what are the next steps, what will I do to solve that problem up ahead, etc. But there's this other whole flight of ideas--what to make for dinner, is that load of laundry finished yet, wonder who that was on the phone I heard Jim answer, I wonder if the intended receiver of this project will like it, what else did I leave unfinished at work, on & on...
There are many 'mindless' moments that don't require much brain power, too, just need to finish this phase before moving on to the next. I don't work long in silence, having long since become accustomed to 'background' noise / entertainment while I work. Not necessarily something to be proud of, but surely started with those ancient bad habits of doing homework with the TV or radio on. It's still the case today--although now I think of it as 'multi-tasking'! It's the primary way I catch up on movies, both old favorites and new adventures, and the news/current events of the day. I often marvel at how much of the story you can follow without actually viewing everything--but certainly some productions don't lend themselves well to more listening/less watching. (Those become obvious quickly--I find myself mesmerized with the story and not moving on with the work at hand! Dang! Make note to myself: don't watch this one as a repeat next time!)
Not long after I got situated in my new space, I did have to come to terms with the fact that I'm not as solitary in my work as initially thought. I quickly realized that I had not adequately planned ahead for my four-legged companions. I always thought they were in my work-space before as it was in my bedroom, and they sleep there. Turns out--they go where I go! I corrected my planning oversight and 'we three' now do fairly well.
Milo (the cat) always announces his arrival--he's getting so loud & talkative in his elder years! He most likes the space between my back and the back of the chair--the smaller the better. Weird! We go through this little ritual each time: come in yakking (and we're talking LOUD--you can't hear much over the cat-conversation), wander around the room, stand next to the chair while turning up the volume, and finally jump up to said space on chair. That works as long as I'm sitting at the sewing machine. However, the first need to vacate the chair makes me a loser-out: the overgrown old boy takes over the entire seat. I let him be for awhile--but pretty soon it's time to tip him out. At this point, we either begin the ritual cycle again, or he finally wanders off to his bed--which has been added to the work room, out of the way but nearby.

Cassie (the dog) isn't so pushy on her arrival--but no question she's here now! Cheerful greeting--panting, sitting patiently at attention, an occasional lick of friendship. Then cruise around the room, as something must have been added or moved since that LAST time around--nose in every open container, under foot, checking out the smells of the current project. Finally into the bathroom for a drink--and then crash out on the floor. Nap time can be brief--and then off to another adventure somewhere in the house--or lengthy, with many permutations of sleeping positions.
If Milo is already present, the dog's arrival may--or may not--cause the chair ritual to start again, or--if it's a particularly grumpy day--be a good reason to prove the old adage wrong: do not let a sleeping dog lie. The alpha feline may just circle the oblivious dog a few times and move on, or--on a generally bad hair day--give a little bite on the most readily available ear. This might just cause Cassie to reposition and go back to sleep, or it might cause a jump up from slumber (I'm sure thinking: "WTF?!") and a renewed cruise around the room, checking for added or moved objects once again. If the latter occurs, the ultimate outcome is usually the cat taking over the just-vacated space of the dog--as if to say 'don't even THINK about coming back to bed'.
All tiffs aside, though, we're generally most like children: orbiting one another in our parallel play, but finding some comfort in one another's warmth and companionship. Like a quiet smile (minus the bite, of course!). If I get more formal about my 'business' I guess I'll have to provide a disclaimer about pets (and their related hair!)--I certainly don't foresee a time that they would be banned from 'helping now'.

February UFO's

As promised (or maybe it should be threatened ...?), as I complete my projects, I'll bring them by for a quick look.

Here are three heading to tomorrow night's meeting.

Winter Star 50" x 56"

A nice size for curling up on the couch.

The large open spaces make good pallettes to show off the quilting.

Amish Bricks This is a mini (about 14" x 16")
(who's colors don't come through

so well on my pictures; the bright peach looks orange in the photos...).

Traditional Amish designs are notable for three main features: black (or very dark) backgrounds, very simple but most often dramatic design elements, and almost always plain colors (no prints).

Whidbey Water
You might remember this from it's early November debut during the discussion of the working wall.

Actually these two sketches were the start--and the only paper planning done.

There were several iterations on the working wall, until it was completed this week (65" x 80")--

in time to take to our friends,Tom & Pam, as a house warming present. They have the coolest new house they planned & just moved into, on 2 1/2 acres in the Freeland area.

Well, that's it for now. (3 down, 38 to go...right?)

8-)

Happy Valentines Day--the day after...

Had great intentions of posting this last evening, but didn't do so well trying to add a link--wanted to share a site I visit from time to time that currently has a little valentine video that gives a flavor of what they're into: PostSecrets
(Go to the second item on 2/11 and click on the "watch the new PostSecret Valentine Video on MySpace" link.) Besides that, wander through the site--there has been a fair amount written & talked about this project; it's a pretty simple but humbling collection.

But meanwhile today dawned in the most non-valentines way with yet another school shooting...truly a heartbreaker. So senseless. So vulnerable. What secrets are in the hearts of those with the triggers? What would they have written on the postcard? Why don't they write those secrets instead of what they choose to do? What can possibly help the survivors--or the next group that will be at risk? I think Joe is right: you feel concerned about too much focus or media coverage; giving too much credence for the next potential shooter...but how can you not mourn?


Here's to finding some peace for those hearts that are surely breaking tonight...

Is The Fat Lady Singing?

Wow...looking at the (incomplete) returns from the 'Potomic primary' today, and seems like this really might be it. Not even Valentine's Day & the frenzy is pretty much behind us. I'm having a bit of a hard time believing it...but I guess I can live with it. There will be plenty of time to debrief & analyze all of it, but for now--I still want to take a little time & do the 'wow--how did that happen, exactly?'

Meanwhile:
congratulations to Devin--a delegate to the County Caucus in April (elected at the Caucus on Saturday...).
Pats on the back to Nick for rejoining us with much welcomed pictures today (go, Nick!) Zack, welcome home soon!
And here's to hoping that all of the infirm workers of the world heal & return to their rightful location!

In case you've missed some of the recent blogs highlighted, check these three silly ones out: http://photowebs.blogspot.com/ (not sure why the too cutesy kid/dogs are there today--but I've really enjoyed their previous topics...)
http://foundinpockets.blogspot.com/ (not even sure why I like it...maybe from years of doing laundry?)
http://wichone.blogspot.com/ (in honor of Joe & Tom; took me a little while to figure out the site--then they made it easy once they became 'famous' and posted an explanation!)

(and PS on an unrelated topic--the fat lady was signing at the Grammy's the other night; now I LOVE Aretha, but come on: not the best apprearance in a gold strapless gown...!)

The Morning After

The nation is reflecting my tentative hope--and also my ambivalence!

Can I really dare to believe that someone I have some confidence in, faith in, likemindedness with, will actually make it out in November?

Is it possible that the 'other guys' are really gonna take back the party and step away from the fundamental, moralistic rhetoric? Almost too good to be true--except this is the morning after & it seems to be in-the-news and not just in my dreams.

For so long it's felt like we've been on this little island (almost falling off into the ocean) that is part of the disappearing thread of blue on either side of the country. That I'm on a bus that I have no similarity with my companion riders--and (worse yet!) with a crazed bus driver from a surrealistic world that I can't understand. But today it's starting to feel like there are little blue outcroppings all over the country--screaming to be heard. And there are many red outcroppings saying 'no more'. It's not quite a Tsunami--but it's enough for me today. I can keep going for a little while longer to see if the little sprout of hope actually takes root.

And it might be just in time--or even too late. Just heard a Terry Gross interview that chilled my blood (that was just starting to warm...). The newly unveiled Bush-Cheney budget has the largest military spending package since WWII--without including the 'extra' spending of the current war (just a small footnote, right?). We're talking in trillions of dollars here. Now I know that the 'proposed' budget is never what truly comes to pass, but we have ten more months to get through, and the 'legacy builders' most certainly will do their best to finish what they've started while we're all distracted with the November build up.

Today, though, I'm going to revel in Devin's (and his growing cohort's) heart-felt enthusiasm for just a little while longer--and feel encouraged. I will hope for the mobilization of every one of us that have felt paralyzed, or hopeless, or so isolated in our tiny blue worlds that we've stopped dreaming. I'm hoping for many more 'mornings after' like this one...it's a place to start.

Six More Weeks...

Groundhog Day has come & gone (also known as Cassie's birthday--10 this year!). Accordingly to the furry prognostigators that likely reside in our little corner of Puget Sound, we are most definitely up for 6 more weeks of winter cuz--don't ya know--the mountains were out in rare (clear) form yesterday. Beautiful! That also translates to still very burr-berries--especially after the sun goes down on these still-too-short days. Can't feel too sorry for ourselves, though, when I read about winter in Chicago for Joe this year. (Hang in there, buddie!)

Fat Tuesday is upon us--this year, greatly over-shadowed by Super Tuesday. Getting nervous at the voting prospects staring us all in the face, and thinking that there will be much to discuss/reflect on after that fateful day has come & gone. May the force be with us all...

UFO's

Wow, so much for committing to more frequent posts--don't know quite how I've made it to the 29th day of the new year with no posts to show for it! OK, today is the first day of recommitting ... so here goes.

What, you may ask, do unidentified flying objects have to do with my journey? Nothing really--except maybe for those items thrown in exasperation over an error just committed or perhaps at a pet that's getting too up-close-&-personal with a special project.

No--in my world UFO's are otherwise known as unfinished objects. Any of you artists--real or wanna-be's--know exactly what I'm talking about. These are projects that are past the dream state and have entered into being. They can be just started, stuck at a critical juncture, left as-is for something more urgent, or nearly finished but not quite (with no good explanation).

By my calculations, the brain is capable of creating an exponential number of 'new/better ideas' while busily working away on the current project-de-jour. I'm sure if I asked Devin, he could come up with a relativity-like formula that could tell me just how many said good ideas are developed for each hour of work-in-progress! Fortunately, as a fifty-something human, I can easily forget a good idea before I have time to write it down in my journal of good ideas (more about that at a different time...) or I would simply overwhelm myself!

One of the pitfalls of the 'new/better idea' development is finding yourself actually stopping what you're working on (which is actually the 'new/better idea' from several months ago) as you've become so mentally engrossed in the prospects of this great new concept. You not only have to get it written down--but also start through the stash of raw materials, pulling the items you've remembered that would be just perfect. Then why not take just a few more minutes to wade into the books & magazines on the shelf to find 'that one article' you remember that would be helpful, etc. But then, oops, here are a few more articles you come across that you've totally forgotten about. And aren't those cool ideas...let's see, where are the stickies so I can mark that page & come back to it later...now what was it I was looking for? Oh yeah....

You get the idea. I don't know alot about the speed of light, and kilecalories expended with activity, but I've got a pretty good experiential understanding of the development of the 'new/better idea' as a ratio to current works underway. But I digress...UFO's.

My quilting guild came up with a great new-year's idea: members that are interested could make a list of their current UFO's and bring them to the January 2008 meeting (along with your contributions for the 'big, big prize'). Throughout the year, for every item on the list that you complete, bring to a meeting for show-and-tell, and get checked off your list--your name gets entered into the pot for the end-of-year drawing for the 'big, big prize'.

Great idea! Good incentive!

In a spare 1/2 hour on a January weekend I made my list of UFO's. I had mentally tallied them & thought about fifteen--give or take. Then I actually got after it: went through all of the drawers, project boxes, etc. and kept adding items.

Gotta guess?! Forty-one. Even I was surprised. But--OK, now I know the extent of the challenge and I have my list posted on my bulletin board--it will help me stay focused and allocate my spare hours accordingly. I felt invigorated! Organized!

Then I went to the January meeting list in hand. Felt a little like the first day of a new term. Many of us were turning in our lists at the break & signing up for the UFO extravaganza--mutual support & appreciation abounding. However, I forgot to factor in that basic human element that is--shall we say--competitive? When asked, I admitted my 'forty-one' to one or two friends over the punch bowl. Big mistake! Good thing there's a month between meetings as I'm banking on the short-term-memory problems of my fifty-something cohort kicking in before we all come together again--I had become something of the evening's party joke!

I'm certainly more humble now that when I went in with my list in hand--but I still think it's helpful incentive. I'm fairly realistic that some items will remain unfinished by year-end--that's OK by me. I still feel more focused & more motivated than I did before the list appeared--and that's a good thing. I'll try not to get hung up on the 3.5 items per month that need to be completed to 'pass'--'cause that's not what it's all about, right?!

Meanwhile, I'll share the UFO's as they become FO's throughout the year--big & small, simple & complicated! It's all a journey that's more fun in the process, rather than the arrival. Wish me luck.

(Oh by the way, did I say what the 'big, big prize' is? Tons of 1/2 yds of fabric! If ever there was a hotbed of 'new/better ideas' it's virgin fabric waiting to be used...)