"We Are At Zero...."

Declarative statement made today, meant as an achievement, on the local radio station.  "We are at zero...."  If I think about it too much, I go down paths I'd rather avoid just now.  So suffice it to say at least it jogged a little "something" so I'd start a new post here on my poor neglected blog.

Zero is a temperature reading--everyone knows that much.  Well zero is also my current dog quotient as, I'm very sad to report, Dakota has departed.  She went over the Rainbow Bridge in late September and I'm still feeling the loss.  She was a good companion and was my last living link to my dad.  So in classic Karen fashion, I buried myself in new work (a pattern I have finally figured out I've been doing for decades now, to cope with heavy losses.)  If I'm immersed in a new project, new work, a new series, I don't brood...quite as much.....

Dakota, Summer, 2013

So the back story is this.  After I posted the post below, Dakota continued to slowly, very slowly, fail all summer.  A few times, I thought "this is it, she's giving up now," but I'd manage to coax her back.  She got a terrible infection that was very challenging to heal (although I did learn to fit her with a T-shirt to keep her off the wound--a very nice alternative to "the cone of shame.")  I resorted to buying fresh roasted chicken for her, to bribing a friend to cook beef for her, anything I could dream up to keep her eating.

But it was getting harder, she was having trouble navigating the area, the step up into the camper, the deck--her eyes and her balance were failing.  We all finally realized it was time, and her wonderful doctor helped me help her to a peaceful ending.  I have her ashes here.  I mean to scatter them around the farm and the campground, and on my dad's grave.  When the weather improves, I'll take care of this.

So around this same time, the end of the summer, I was contacted by the Haystack School of Art to learn that there was a cancellation in their faculty retreat in early October, and that my name had been drawn to fill the spot..."Are you able to come to Maine?"  I basically moved heaven and earth to get there...I needed that proverbial "shot in the art" that only comes through a group of artists acting like kids.  And I had a mission, too...I wanted to get back into that metals studio on campus there to see "what's next?"  In my mind, I wanted to experiment with vitreous enamels....and what this has also come to include is working more directly with metal, too.  Copper in particular, but silver might be good too.

It was wonderful to be at Haystack again, to see old friends and meet new ones.  I postponed grieving for Dakota for a couple of weeks....it hit me when I returned to the campground and realized she wasn't sharing my camper anymore...most of you know this drill....the profound sense of loss.....

So my tried and true coping mechanism?  Besides keeping all the "regular things going"  I dove into making stuff.  And somehow, a whole new body of work began and has continued to evolve, in fits and starts, since October.  You can see some of it here Metalwork Pins & Pendants  Since I didn't have the luxury of staying quite as focused as I'd like, it's been slow--I did manage to close down the campground and move back to town during this time....and I did get through a pretty good Christmas season, too.  But when I can get some spare time, I just keep making more of these new pieces....and I give all the credit to Dakota.  It's not rational, there's no direct or obvious link, it's just the way things came together the past 6 or 7 months.  I miss her.  Her absence is noted now that I'm back in town now, too.  But I'm trying to start writing again.  And looks like I just took my first couple of steps!

Little Critters Everywhere!

So many animals call WillOaks Farm and Campground home.  They are mostly charming and I really, really try to be tolerant....but....

There are a lot of cute little chipmunks that have extended "clans" all through the farm.  They are adorable...really...yet so destructive sometimes.  There are some planters and planted areas in the campground that I've "replanted" 3 times now--just over the past few weeks.  Come to find out that chipmunks have a lot of fun clipping petunias off at ground level - really radical pruning I guess.  And when that gets boring, they randomly dig up plants.  This happens both to plantings directly in the ground and to plantings in pots and planters.  I haven't given up....yet.  Petunias are replaced with geraniums and marigolds...surely I'll find something they will ignore, eventually.....

One of the worst hits, unfortunately, was a whole double row of snap peas that had sprouted and were starting to grow strong in our new communal vegetable garden.  I guess the chipmunks had a feast because there are perhaps 3 seedlings left.  We're debating about trying peas again a bit later in the summer to see if we can get a fall crop....maybe....

So I've relented about letting Red Kitty and Mariah out of the camper.  That's right, I'm trying to sic my cats on those destructive chipmunks.....Not sure how effective they will be as hunters....but they sure are happy to be outdoors again!

The raccoons are really active here this summer.  I try to warn tenters to lock up their food, especially at night when the coons are on the move.  These little bandits have taken down and emptied my bird feeders, they have made off with bags of chips, and I have a feeling I've met one or more of them (or their relatives?) a couple of years ago....because they are even trying to figure out how to get into our covered dumpster, again.

Witness all the footprints on the lid?  A couple of years ago, when the wind blew open the lid, I found a youngster sitting at the bottom of the dumpster amidst a bag of trash that was all torn up.  But the poor guy was stuck in there-steep slick metal walls are pretty hard to climb back up.  So I went and got a long board, put it into the "big metal box" for a ramp, and politely looked away while the little guy scampered up and out.  So when I saw the fresh new footprints on the lid a couple of days ago, I realized I'd better keep an eye on this as the summer goes on.  I have a feeling that Ma Coon teaches her cubs "dumpster diving."

And don't get me started on squirrels--they are amazing acrobats and I'm in a constant game to protect a couple of bird feeders here.  Yet when a couple of campers showed up with a "pet" squirrel last weekend, a baby that had been hand raised and bottle fed, I realized that it was probably neat that the little guy was "coming home" to the country woods....though I was a tad surprised when I learned that as the weekend progressed, they decided to let the little guy go.

So I guess he lives here now, too, but briefly, it was pretty cute to see him up close as the woman held him like a kitten and carried him around in a cage.  I'll be curious to hear if he decides to visit with other campers here this summer--he did seem to have a fondness for humans!

Finally, on the totally relaxed and mellow side, Dakota is happy to be the campground dog mascot again, and to sleep on the deck or in the shade or where ever it's a bit cooler.  Because these northern breeds are always too warm in the summer, notice the hair cut she's got?  Hope it helps keep her cooler because it's about to go into the 90's here over the coming weekend!  Push comes to shove, we can always turn on the air conditioning here in the camper.  Because Dakota is 17 years old this summer we're treating her like the grand dame she truly is!

Have a great weekend and enjoy your own local critters!

 

Droughts and Heat Advisories

I can't believe I'm still struggling to pack and move in this heat, but yes, I am.  In fits and starts; in bits and pieces.  A few hours a day but I'm becoming hopeful that it's beginning to add up.  My goal is to have both Dad's house and my rented sculpture studio emptied by the end of July--two weeks to go.  And once everything is under my "new roof" then the process of making sense of it all will begin, but hoping without so much pressure or heat....

So my blog has been neglected and I'm chagrined to admit that I was just de-listed by Project Wonderful so going forward, no one can post those ads here anymore.  I took the PW windows down as they seemed to be emptily mocking me.  Somewhere down the road, when I'm operating on all cylinders once again, maybe I can rev up my blog, it's traffic, and it's Project Wonderful spot.  But for now, I'm not very focused here as there are simply too few of me and too few hours in any given day....

But I've got some interesting photos to share here.  I found a couple of gems in the midst of this not too attractive heat wave and drought we continue to endure.

 The ephemeral pond on the farm is the new home this year for a pair of Sandhill Cranes and their new youngster.

Here's a closer look-so glad this water didn't evaporate yet!

Grass is mostly brown and dormant BUT the weeds hang on.  I've never seen a Canadian Thistle this small, put out only one blossom, but it has popped up during our break from mowing.

We still get together for food and weekend family fun, but are very careful about campfires these days.

And Dakota really, really likes the food her cousin Bella gets...and really likes the visit, too!

Stay cool!

Wordless Wednesday, Dakota

Just an ode to my old dog Dakota. Poor girl is losing her hearing and her sight this summer but still has plenty of spunk and spirit.

And then? Flora and Fauna....

So yes, one can flounder after a life changing event, like losing a parent, a sibling, a loved one. Dad passed about 4 weeks ago. I just haven't had too much to say and so, poor blog, sits here on a long pause. I think it's the first "blog pause" I've had for such a long time. I'm sorry if you missed me, ha ha!
I don't have much to say, but I do have some interesting photos to share. Images of Spring in the Midwest, starting with the return of the Sandhill Cranes, which are easier to hear than to see around here. But I did catch a flock resting in a nearby field when they began to move in this Spring.

Rite of Spring - Mariah climbs a tree.

Other signs of Spring including flowers trying to grow, and getting smacked down by late snowfalls and frosts.

I channeled my dad the first week of April and planted onion sets, some cool weather seeds, pea pods, radishes. My dad and mom raised us all to work in their gardens and I do have very early memories of different tasks. So it felt good to dig in the dirt when the weather was friendly...lately, it's not friendly. Very cold and wet....

That's OK. I'm finally catching up on indoor studio work: back orders, commitments, creativity. It's all in there, somewhere, I just have to dig for it a bit. Campground will reopen in just about a week....Happy Easter Weekend to all.

Animal Tails

To build a little more on my Falling, Falling, Falling Fall post of yesterday, here is a collage of the Great Blue Heron right outside my window that I was photographing. He/she hunts/fishes at the pond here almost daily yet is always a thrill to spy. He/she landed in my camper front yard for this series and sauntered down the bank, pretty as a picture. So this put me into a good position to capture the falling leaves, and one other special thing.

You see, this tiny clip of Dakota as she greets me and then sashays away, tail waving, may be the last time I see her tail looking this good. The next time I spotted her, perhaps 30 minutes later, she had had a major MAJOR encounter with a big ripe burdock (cockleburr) bush....what a disaster.

I spent a couple of hours picking out burrs that I could get free from her long, double coat. I was able to remove several hands full, but her tail will just have to be shaved. Initially, the burrs served as a sort of velcro, holding the curve of her tail firmly to her back so she couldn't even wag it until I freed that up. But there is simply no way we will ever get the mass of burrs firmly embedded in all her tail fur free.

Problem is, not sure if this is a job for the vet or for the groomer? She was a fairly good sport, intermittently, as I teased burrs free from her fur...then began to growl and to snap an me....not a good thing. I'm wondering if she'll need to be put under a general anesthesia to be cleaned up? All the fur on her rear end is also firmly tangled with burrs...where in the heck did she go and find all of these?? I haven't figured it out yet, but it's truly a huge mess and next week, I will have to find someone who can help us. So, enjoy her sweet swingy tail here because it's history for now! Poor old girl....

Moving into Summer Mode

So I cannot remember when I took such a long break from writing a new post, tending to be that ultra responsible once a day blogger for many months now....but hey, life got in the way!! So I can't be wordless this Wednesday, I want to share tales of the move and transition now in progress, from "winter studio" to "summer studio."

Normally this time of year, I would just be packing some things up and moving to the campground...but part of the reason for my absence from my blog here is I was just overwhelmed by Mother's Day orders the past several days....29 pieces made to fill about 16 orders in just two weeks...which might seem pretty doable in "winter mode" but starting May 1, the WillOaks Campground reopened for 2010--it was a lot all at once!

Last summer, I made a lot of progress in turning one end of my camper into an "art studio." The whole floor had been damaged by winter water and in the process of removing and replacing it, I discovered all this new space...by leaving out this sort of couchy-folding bed thingy, which was basically very uncomfortable anyway. I haven't quite figured out the right work table or bench for this end of the camper, but I'm looking!! And I'm hoping that as weather permits, I'll figure out some kind of system to sit on my new deck, in the shade, to work on some things, too.


Mind you, this is all only possible during the slow days...often, the place is hopping and when my last couple of packages are posted tomorrow, I plan to turn my attention to setting up all our different paper systems out there: registration, reservations, cash box, car tags, etc. and getting myself, Dakota and probably the Purrmeister all settled in.


This weekend, I was delighted to see some of the full time campers move in for summer...some brand new, some regulars.....and to greet a number of our 'fans' who showed up opening day because our fishing pond really rocks, if you're into sport fishing....but I've been feeling pretty scattered and so this week, before the weekend crowd gets here, I hope to be more into the summer mode.....

I realized when talking to some folks the other day that this year is the 30th anniversary of our campground!! Back in 1980, while I was starting grad school, my dad was building this little corner of paradise as a retirement project. It has matured into a lovely little park with a lively tent and camper population for almost 6 months of the year. And it's sort of fallen to me to keep things going as my dad began to fail about 7 years ago....and now, excuse me while I go finish some packing here....and I'll check back within a few days!! Thanks so much for stopping by and happy Wednesday!!

Magnolias at the Speed of Light...and a Treasury

These are among the prettiest flowers that grace the gardens here.

Right now, their fragrance wafts over the yard and with the heat wave,

...they are opening quickly and then they don't last very long.

Dakota doesn't like the heat either, and will soon get her "summer shear job!" But here, her white coat coordinates well with the blooming magnolia.

And then, a Treasury in shades of white!

Tell me the story.....a few of my favorites

Lovely serendipity, with Magnolias on my mind, to learn tonight that my pearl and peridot necklace was included in this Etsy treasury of shades of white! It was curated by Friendly Fairies who has a multi person shop with delicate head pieces and hand carved wooden toys and objects--take a look! And if you'd like a closer look at the treasury (and to leave a comment!) please pop over here.

Wet, Wetter, Wettest

Gloomy, cloudy, gray and wet. Yukky weather to have to leave the house, for sure. Not the best for drying the corn, either, but there's still time before the harvest. Ironically, in the photos, the overall wetness makes color look so rich and the "open shadow" (overcast & even) lighting, doesn't really translate into the generally weepy, gloomy quality all day.

Poor Dakota is trying to get around on 3 legs instead of 4, but at least nothing is broken. The vet speculates that she's sprained something, maybe her shoulder or elbow. It's hard to say because nothing shows up on a couple of x-rays, but she's obviously impaired right now. After way too big a vet bill (sigh, I didn't budget for this little incident) she has a bottle of "pain pills" and will travel with me today after all. I'm actually very happy for her company because it's about a 7 hour drive. And she's supposed to take it easy so being confined to the passenger seat will make that mandatory.

I hope to post from the road over the next few days, if a connection is available--otherwise, a happy weekend to all!

The Sky is Burning

We watched an amazing sunset unfolding as we were finishing our work. I scurried home to get my camera and it had faded to dying embers by the time I was ready to try to capture it. Early Friday morning, I'll be on the road to Missouri and will keep the camera close at hand because road trips are often good for a few new images, depending on weather.

Dakota is supposed to travel with me but will be at the vet as early as they will take us this morning. She's not putting any weight on her right front foot and I can't see anything wrong, externally, so I have no idea what the problem is. Perhaps she'll be spending a few days at the vet instead of on a road trip? To be continued....

Down for the Count

I've been down with a bug of some kind, mostly intestinal--I actually stayed away from my computer all day yesterday, no writing, dropping, etc. Wow, I didn't know I could do that! But seriously, I've been sleeping. I just hate being sick and I'm thankful to be feeling more normal today. So no photography happening, etc.

But I had this photo of Dakota that I made a week ago, while she was at the campground (where she must be on a leash) and as you can see, her winter coat is really getting thick and long! I wish I could grow hair like this lady because it's barely 3 months ago when she got a buzz cut! But this dog loves winter, thrives in the cold, wallows in the snow.

The campground was still quite active over the weekend, despite the cold and rainy weather. I had a friend pitch hit for me Friday and Saturday because I didn't know if I was contagious or not and didn't want to risk it. It's the first weekend I haven't worked there since we opened May 1 for the season.

Two weeks from tomorrow we will be closed for the season. There's a lot to do to button up and winterize things, but then, when that's all under control, I should be back in my studio full time! And for that, I'm very grateful!!

Dakota and Buddha

More studies in white and green in the gardens. Dakota is an older rescue dog who has adapted pretty well to the WillOaks' life. She's not usually calm enough for a photo. Buddha sits on this log under the Linden tree all year 'round. The multitude of early bulbs are now mostly overshadowed by hostas.