HO, HO, HO, It's Soooo Cold!

Our winter break started Friday and as much as I’d like to blow off the next couple of weeks and just ski, I’ve forced myself to stay somewhat focused and not neglect my customers. I photographed several pieces that are still available at Katie’s Gallery and have been answering e-mails and doing Facebook postings, helping customers with their artful shopping. This is not to say I’ve been all work and no play but the -5 degree temps have for sure kept Gus and I off the Mountain. And what do Gus and I do when it’s too cold to ski? Dress up the dogs of course! Since Daddy-O is firmly against any humiliation of our pets we had to do this while he was skiing yesterday. Armed with a handful of Yummy Chummie dog treats

(their favorite), Gus baited while I shot. The weird thing was Nimbus (our Giant Schnauzer on the left) didn’t even move or try and take off his antlers –it’s his first season with us and Tauzer knew better, she held out for more treats before she held still!

We went to the crazy, fun Alyeska Ski School (now called the Mountain Learning Center) employee party last night at the Silvertip Bar and Grill. There was a silly hat contest that Derek and Gus got a lot of votes for, but Derek's friend Steve won with his authentic trapper style hat. I think people have been thinking "warmth!"

Steve is on the right with Derek. Of course there was a runway style “hats-off” applause vote between the other guy wearing a furry hat but Steve won! The other guy’s hat was so funny because it was a one-piece knitted brown pullover hat complete with mustache and wrap around beard. What a great pattern!!

Yesterday Gus and I skipped skiing and went to the warm library for books and movies instead. On the way I couldn’t help but walk the path to Glacier Creek and take a few pictures of the incredible quiet scenery. The sun barely peaks over Max’s Mountain this time of year and casts a peachy alpine glow on the northern range. The cold temps gave the valley a surreal look in blues and frosty whites. There were all kinds of animal tracks in the snow leading to the water –which kind of spooked me. It was hard to capture the real colors with my little digital camera but I just had to share with you our little corner of the world!

Nimbus vs. Mt. Alyeska

Normally Girdwood is where hangovers are created, but this weekend Gird is where my hangover was nursed. Yes, my class reunion Friday night mixer was sooooo good that I wasn’t up to making the Saturday night reunion dinner. Kristen was in town for a day and between wanting to spend what little time we had with her and nursing my aching head from Snow Goose’s kick azz Vodka Cranberries…well you get the picture. There were almost 200 Dimond High School Class of 80' classmates (out of a class of over 450) who disco danced, laughed and dusted off the ol’ memory banks, a good time was had by most –including Daddy-O and I! Wow, am I out of shape –my forearms are still aching from dancing under the mirrored ball, my throat is sore from shouting and laughing and my poor tummy from all that

Cranberry juice… The small group picture is those of us who had gone to school together since our Willow Crest Elementary days –huge group that's still around, considering Alaska is a very transient state. The other picture is of Mike A., one of the reunion organizers, and I who have been friends since 5^th grade. Daddy-O was my chaperone and noted that as the evening wore on, my cheeks became the color of my Cranberry cocktails...

The USCGC Healy ended NASA’S Arctic Voyage 2010 in Seward and Kristen spent a couple days with us before heading up North to UAF Saturday night. What a fantastic and fascinating voyage she was able to experience, here is a link to the Icescape Blog that a fellow scientist from Stanford University kept. It was a treat to be able to see her during a break from her busy, busy summer.

Daddy-O took the amazing Nimbus up to the top of Mt. Alyeska this weekend then down the new Northface trail. He had planned to ride the tram down but it was LOADED with tourists and the smell of a big, wet dog didn’t seem fair to permeate the enclosed tram ride for visiting, out of state old folks. The rainy, cool and wet weekend had Gus, Tauzer and I choose to stay at the cabin and just relax with movies, books and hot food. I'll be hard at art making this afternoon though –lot’s of fun pieces to wrap up and new ones to make for Saturday’s Spenard Farmers Market. Sorry, I missed this Saturday's Market as a vendor, I promise we'll be there this coming Saturday. I’m refreshed and recharged and glad to have uncorked and gone a little wild –though it was a bit of the “Hot Tub Time Machine” having our daughter drive us to the reunion party Friday night shouting for us to “make good choices, don’t stay out too late and call me when you need a ride home!”

I Wanna

Spoiler alert- I’m (not) complaining. Are any of you finding it hard to make the time to follow all the Blogs you normally do in the winter? How can it be JULY

ALREADY?! I miss my slower winter routine, I miss reading all of the Clay Blogs and even a couple of cranky-chicky-complainer Blogs I secretly follow. I want to make more time for clay, encaustics, lounging on the deck reading trashy chick-lit, hiking up Mt. Alyeska, fly fishing, or even going to a mid-day movie with Gus…waaah, waah, waa. There are so many fun things we’re packing into our summer days that it leaves little time for me to do my other routine fun stuff! We finally got the fabric screened and cut for the cool, new Raven Garden Flag project I’ve been

collaborating with Jana at The Quilted Raven! Wow, this has been more of a project than both of us anticipated. The goal is to have kits at her quilt shop and finished sets for sale at my Spenard Farmers Market booth. The very talented Judy Walyer sewed up a fantastic sample set for the quilt shop and now I need to design the full color insert for the retail kits. My summer schedule has left very little time for being at my computer and combine that with the fact that my graphic designer brain has been on hiatus, this project is what I needed for a good kick-start.

Nimbus has been adjusting beautifully to his new home and schedule –though it’s meant some MAJOR changes in our family routine. More exercise for Daddy-O and I, a new jog-bra for me(!) and keeping the Bunny in his cage more… Bunny

Foo-Foo used to free-range in the studio but for his sake, no more unlimited free-ranging. This is working out good for everyone including bunny. He has started to get a little kooky in his senior moments and has been doing weird things so a little more kennel time is good. Our crazy rabbit is over 11 years old, which is considered geriatric by bunny standards and he’s still going strong. Derek says it’s because of all the organic veggies I feed him… We’re just saying his new arrangement is like spending more time safely in “his retirement condo.” When we run Nimbus outside, Bunny Foo-Foo gets his inside exercise too, I’ve just had to make myself a little reminder that the rabbit bait is loose in the studio before Nimbus heads inside…

From Portland to Alaska With Love

Hard to believe there aren’t any sparks in my shop with 4^th of July here! I actually unplugged this week –well if you don’t count the electric griddle and Encaustic pan that Katie had set up for us to do some art making! Wow, what fun mixing it up a bit this week with creating. I’ve needed to get re-inspired to work on a couple of new sculptures and had to take a breather from my heavy production

schedule. I felt the burn-out flame wisps nipping at my butt… not good. So, when I went over to Katie’s for a little chick visit she was heavily into an Encaustic series for a Show she has opening tonight at her Studio for First Friday. I’d never done Encaustic’s before and after a quick primer I dove right in and made a couple of pieces. It’s much harder than it looks but I’ve always loved and admired the medium. For my birthday last year, Daddy-O bought me a large, Sheary Clough Suiter Encaustic work that the whole family loves. After painting with encaustics at Katie’s, I do look at Sheary’s work with additional appreciation now! Here is a link where Sheary gives a good demonstration of the medium and process.

OK, the BIG NEWS is on Wednesday I got to fly down to Portlan

d (and back that night) to pick up the newest member of our family! Meet “Nimbus” the 6 year old, male, Giant Schnauzer. For the last year or so we had been waiting on the placement list with Valley of the Sun Giant Schnauzer Rescue looking for another Giant -and a couple of weeks ago I got the call! “Nimbus” comes to us from a very loving couple in Oregon who faced with a serious illness, had to make the most difficult decision to re-home him. We are grateful to all of the loving and dedicated volunteers who make rescue, placement and adoption possible! “Nimbus” is adjusting better than we could have hoped for and seems to enjoy the “wilds” of Anchorage so far. At just over 100 pounds he makes our “Tauzer” seem even more petite but they are bonding and she has no problem showing him the great outdoors of Alaska. While the dogs and I continue to adjust, our Holiday plans include being at our booth at the Spenard Farmers Market tomorrow from 10-3, then Daddy-O and Gus are going to get some fishing in at a friends lodge. Have a safe and happy 4^th of July!