Earth spirit dolls

I just finished two "Earth" spirit dolls to take up to the gallery, but if anyone wants to buy them directly from me they're $35 (including shipping). Just email me: sherriequilt@yahoo.com. They're about 14 inches tall with a hanging loop on back.

 

Here are the pieces. I used fabric that I painted and stamped awhile ago (maybe years ago!) and sticks, yarn and feathers, a big button and beady eyes.

I don't remember what the long shards of stone on the necklace are because I bought them so long ago.  Does anyone know what they might be?

Both dolls are painted in an earthy evergreen with touches of gold. These are darker colors than I normally use, but I like how warm they look, almost like a deep forest in summer or early fall when some leaves are just turning orange and sunlight glints through the tree canopy.

This came across my Instagram a few days ago, and it's exactly what I did! I bought a house in Tucson, found my people (it took awhile because it was during Covid) and watch the sunsets! I caught the one below from my front patio -- with the crescent moon high above. I'll never get tired of those Arizona sunsets.

Have a colorful day

Birds with my morning coffee

The birds are having a feast on the tall stalks that my yuccas sent up over the past month. I took these pictures while sipping my morning coffee in the front courtyard. 

The stalks are also quite striking against the sunset.

This stunning golden breasted bird is a hooded oriole. I had to get my birding friend, Sandy, to identify it.

 

I don't know what these birds are, above. Do any of you know?

But I do know hummingbirds, and we get a lot of them here all year. This little guy wasn't intimidated by my flip flop propped on the water fountain. He took his time getting a long drink.

Then he buzzed up to fight off an intruder ...

... and stayed up there until it was gone.

This cluster of birds was in the tree across the street. It's a favorite spot of birds at sunset.

Doves are everywhere here, and it seems like there's always one on my roof and my neighbors' roofs. That's the big prickly pear cactus on the corner of my house, reaching up to the roof.

Here's another type of bird: the splashy Mexican bird of paradise plant. This one is in my neighbor's yard, but they thrive all over town in the summer heat.

This last photo has nothing to do with birds, but I wanted to show you my two granddogs from Wisconsin! They were rescued at different times but they look identical, except for their sizes. Cute cute cute! And they are very pampered dogs, as you can see by their raised sunbathing mat. Their pool will be set up soon.

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Catching up and new growth

While I was in Spokane for two weeks my plants went through a growth spurt! Here's my little succulent container garden on my back patio.

The blue atoll in the front pot sent up two stalks, and its babies around the outer edges multiplied! When I bought it eight months ago it looked like this ...

 

Now it's bursting out of the pot!

The babies are called "pups" and can be cut off and replanted. I've already cut off a few, but their spots have filled in again.

In the meantime, I've hit the ground running since I got back -- groceries, laundry, gas, emissions test for the car, dentist, yard work, AC tuneup, library.

Tomorrow the company that replaced a leaking window a year ago will come back for about the fourth time to "fix" it. The frame is bowing and it's cracking the stucco near the lower corner. They've already reinstalled it twice. I just want it fixed before the monsoon rains come this summer!

Those pretty colorful pots in the succulent garden are Talavera pottery, which is made in a certain town in Mexico. I've used the pots around the backyard for color, since I mainly have desert plants out there.

 

My front yard yuccas also went crazy while I was gone, sending up giant stalks:

The birds love to perch on the top and eat the seeds. Sometimes there will be five at a time munching away on one stalk.

And finally, my bougainvillea started blooming! Every winter it gets frost damage and has to be cut back and seems to take forever to grow back. I can't protect it with a frost cloth because it's too tall and prickly.

The day after the window gets fixed, another repairman comes to fix my refrigerator. It's started making horrid noises, but is still keeping the food cold. I called the Samsung technician line and they said it sounds like the ice maker/water dispenser, which I use constantly and could not live without.

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Last day with Juniper

It's my last day with my little granddaughter, Juniper, before I have to fly home. I'm going to miss her so much. Her smiles are contagious and she's discovering new vocal sounds every day, which she practices mightily.

She's started showing interest in the cats and bunnies and books. "Goodnight Moon" is one of her favorites (and mine, too).

She loves going for walks. Here we are hiking at Palisades Park ...

... which has great views of Spokane.

 

We also went back to Manito Park and enjoyed the spring blooms for a second time this visit.

Goodbye Juniper, Julia and Jade. Goodbye Spokane and spring flowers. It's back to the desert for Grandma.

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Being Grandma in Spokane

I flew into Spokane a week ago to see my little granddaughter, Juniper. It's been four months since I last visited, and she's grown so much!

She's holding her head up high during tummy time and starting to roll! When she grabs my fingers, she holds on so tight that it's hard to escape (as if I would want to).

She came down with croup while I was here and had a rough few days, but the doctor gave her medicine that cleared her breathing tubes and now she's about over it. Charlie and Tiny kept her company.

We go on walks a couple of times a day. I took some photos of her view from the stroller of the trees overhead.

Not bad!

One of our walks was through Manito Park, where Juniper's parents were married. The Japanese Garden is always beautiful and so were the iris and lilac gardens.

The flowers here are so much bigger than mine in the desert! These next few are from their neighborhood.

Another day we walked along the Centennial Trail overlooking the Spokane River. It was a brisk, sparkling day.

 

This last photo is something I thought my crafty readers would like. A friend of Julia's made it for her out of smooth stones to look like baby footprints. Very sweet!

Have a colorful day