My opening in absentia and a rainbow walk

Here are some photos from my art opening in Louisville that I couldn't attend because (1) my flights were canceled due to the storm and (2) I'm STILL sick with a miserable cold and didn't want to spread it.

My sister Terry, above left, with the other guest artist, Charlotte, said the opening was like a big party and that we have already sold one piece each!

These are some of my photo/fabric collages in the show, at the PYRO Gallery. That's Charlotte again in the black dress. Below you can see the snow! I can't believe I had to miss the show after working for a year and a half to get ready for it.

Now onto a rainbow of plants that I spotted on yesterday's slow stroll through the neighborhood. I'll take you through in rainbow order: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple.

Lantana

Oranges

Globe mallow

Barrel cactus fruit

Not sure what these flowers are

Saguaro cactus

Agave

Lantana berries

Purple lantana in my front yard

Have a colorful day

Reflections in the desert

I'm still getting over the cold I picked up in Spokane, but I got out yesterday for a short hike including a long sit on the bank of a wash. You can see what I'm looking at in my sunglasses' reflection.

I wandered downstream away from the trail so I could sit in peace and listen to the water.

Our recent rains filled the normally dry wash, and I spent a good hour looking at and photographing reflections of saguaros in the water. Possible inspiration for some art, but definitely food for the soul.

The shot above shows straight saguaros in placid water, then a dog crossed upstream and sent out ripples that ruffled the image. Like magic!

The rain also produced thick carpets of lush, green grass. Yes, this IS the desert!

Poppies are just beginning to bloom here and there.

The rain has made the saguaros fat and happy. You can see them bulging with moisture, their vertical folds expanding to hold onto that precious water for when the hot summer comes.

Have a colorful day

Utah skies

 

I always get a window seat when I fly so I can take pictures, especially when we're taking off and landing. I shot these last week when we took off from the Salt Lake City airport on a cloudy afternoon.

The landscape was surreal, with water and clouds merging into layers of gray and pale washes of peach.

Not much else to report on. I came down with a nasty cold when I returned home a few days ago, so I've just been hunkering down in my pajamas glued to the political and winter storm news.

Have a colorful day

All things Juniper!

I just got back from a week in Spokane visiting Juniper, where we celebrated her 2nd birthday with a Unicorn Party.

There were unicorn cupcakes, unicorn decorations, stuffed unicorns, blowup unicorns, unicorn books, a unicorn costume, and everyone got unicorn temporary tattoos. (Although mine has lasted through several showers and scrubbing. I hope it's really temporary!)

After the cupcakes were all eaten we decided to make a chocolate cake, with Juniper helping, of course. My daughter is so patient with her. She gave Juniper her own little bowl and cake pan and she mixed her own ingredients for a play cake while Mom made the real thing.

Another day we made chocolate chip cookies and set Juniper up to lick the spoon while watching a Grateful Dead video. We're raising that kid right!

She's a whirlwind of energy that left me exhausted! Here she is washing her animals, which she does numerous times a day. That girl must know the names of at least 50 animals! Another day we rode the carousel downtown.

I didn't get any hikes (or even walks) in because it was so cold and damp and gloomy. This was the view all week from the living room, which was brightened by my daughter's dried orange slice garlands. But Juniper's smiles and hugs made up for the lack of sun.

This was my view flying out of Spokane at sunset on my way home.

Have a colorful day

Lifelines in heavy times

As our democracy is in free fall, when it all feels too heavy to process and I wake up in the middle of the night with anxiety, I have three lifelines that tether me to some semblance of normalcy: my art, my hiking, and my granddaughter. 

How are the rest of you coping? Chime in with a comment or email me at sherriequilt@yahoo.com. Let's help each other get through this.

COLOR, COLOR, JOYFUL COLOR!

I've been making more quote collages, with the intention of joining them vertically and hanging them around the house. I've packed some in my travel sewing kit to work on during an upcoming trip to Spokane. Sometimes, when I'm watching the news and feel like I've been sucker punched, I get up and look at the piles of colorful fabric on my work table and it staves off a panic attack. (Although panic attacks are perfectly justified in these times.)

Blogging also pulls me back from the edge, with its color and creativity.

My plan to go on 70 hikes for being 70 years old this year also helps. Getting fresh air in nature feels so good, especially when you go with a friend and get your muscles pumping.

Barb and I went on our 10th hike yesterday, about four miles in pretty steep, rocky terrain under a fabulous blue sky only half a mile from my house. I tried to circle my little neighborhood in orange so you can see how close I live to the Pusch Ridge Wilderness, but something went wrong lol. Maybe you can make it out on the lower right.

Instead of taking a shortcut down the middle of the Linda Vista Loop like we usually do, we did the full loop with an added extra leg. We're getting stronger with each hike!

The brittlebush is blooming after our recent rains, and I've read that we're in for a big wildflower season this spring in Tucson!

And then there's my Juniper lifeline. I look at photos of her throughout the day and that grounds me. My daughter gave her paints for her second birthday and she created this masterpiece! (And her face was also covered with purple.)

Finally, RIP Bobby Weir, youngest member of the Grateful Dead who passed away last week at age 78. It was a shock because he's known for his healthy lifestyle. He died from an underlying lung issue after a brief battle with cancer. This joyful picture was on social media, but I don't know who the artist is to give credit. It was a black and white sketch, but my brother added color with an app and my son shortened Bobby's shorts, because he was known for his short shorts in his younger days.

I've been a Deadhead for more than 50 years, and we always look for the JOY.

Have a colorful day