Beautiful Thanksgiving Morning

it was magical this morning
as the frost was everywhere
it stood up on the ground
and hung on in the air

the light was strong this morning
the sun was sitting low
it casts its shadows long
full of colors pale and dull

but then the sun would catch
at an angle, just so
and at once the world would burst
into yellow, orange and gold

happy thanksgiving









click on the pictures to view them large

Jackson

Happy Late Birthday Jackson!
he is three years old
acts like he is three days old
and man is he cute.

This is what I want to do.

These images are from John Pawson Architecture and he does what I want to do. He makes all sorts of beautiful things. First off he designs buildings inside and out which is sort of an architect but more like an architect, interior designer, and artistic director all rolled into one. His website is amazing so please check it out.

Then he designs things like concrete benches, salad servers, wooden beds, candle holders, and probably whatever item he feels could just use some good design.

Oh and also does some installation type architecture. It is definitely inspiring and I'm hanging on to this example so I can say, "oh sure, it can still be done."

Sunrise This Morning

Annah's Cowboy Bag

For a while now, I have been promising our friend Annah that I will send her a new bag. A few years ago I made her one of my first ever Cowboy Bags. She completely wore it out and so the new one was going to be a present; first a Christmas present, then a birthday present, then a happy summer present but it never quite happened. I really have no idea how long it has truly been but today was the day.

the original cowboy shirt

the inside fabric

Annah's Cowboy Bag complete with fold-over pearl snap closure (a new feature) and a sweet pattern if I do say so myself.

It has been a while since I have made a bag and it was great fun. My friend Lori and I are talking about doing a joint art show and I think I will make a few for the exhibition.

Fall Art Walk

Tonight from 6-10 at ExplorationWorks: stop by if you can.

Bikers Beware

We were walking around NW Portland last night and saw this fantastic road sign. I also saw three yes, three custom bike shops in the area. I was like a kid in the candy store window dreaming up my own shop with colorful parts hanging from the ceiling, small bits in glass jars on homemade shelves, and a few beautiful frames just waiting to be taken home.

We are touring Lewis and Clark College this morning and then heading up to Seattle directly in hopes of seeing one of the Seattle schools too. We'll stay the night with Sara's aunt and uncle then get up and drive home tomorrow. Hope everyone is well.

780 Miles

Helena, Montana to Springfield, Oregon: 780 Miles

a truck carrying a bunch of tubes

a bridge on the columbia river and a fog-strung mountain

Alyx

Daniel, Lindsay, and Sara at the newly purchased house of
Danny and Lindsay Ramirez in Springfield, Oregon

Quintus the cat with his toy mouse

My alarm rang at 4:53 am. It was the beginning of a road trip, a visit to old friends and a new step into premature adulthood: our first college tour trip as chaperones. Alyx R, one of our good friends, is a senior in high school and looking at college options for next year. As I drove and Sara slept, Alyx read. The fog drew in close to the road as we climbed passes and crossed state lines and Alyx slept while Sara read. We listened to music and radio shows all day long pulling in to Springfield about 5:30 to stay the night with Danny and Lindsay. The Ramirez' recently bought a beautiful house in Oregon and I was very excited to meet Quintus their cat who I like very much (that is saying alot because I am definitely not a cat person). While attending school in Oregon at Willamette University I met at both Danny and Lindsay. We will stay with them today and tommorrow while touring both the University of Oregon in Eugene and Willamette University in Salem.

Yes We Can

A great day! I talked to Anders in Uppsala and he stayed up most of the night watching the election results. He said something like 90% of the Swedes were pro-Obama and so it was pretty nice celebration there too.
Everybody I talked to (including myself) seems relieved, excited and as Phil said (in an Australian accent which only makes it better), "a little pumpkin-headed".
Cheers

VOTE!

Go Obama!

Hay Bales

There aren't many things finer than driving down the road, looking out and seeing a field peppered with hay bales. I saw these beauties near the wheat montana farm and stopped to take a few photos.
(click on the photos to view larger)

1968

Colleen Roberts, age 7

While cleaning out Sara's Grandma's basement, I found a few old rolls of film that her grandpa shot in 1968. They were labeled "Colleen". In fact, there was only one picture of Colleen, but it is a great shot.

I also had some medium format film that I shot last year scanned in and here is one of my favorites with the negative edge peaking out at the top.

They are incredibly grainy and nice, go to flickr to see em.

Happy Halloween!