A Tale of Two Artists:

The Starr sisters, Genaveve and Judy, have combined their talents and their media to create some special and unique art. This blog will highlight these art pieces and each of the artists will provide a paragraph to discuss their contribution and its relationship to the whole piece.
Judy: It all began with Genaveve’s husband, Karl. He is an avid garage sale attendee and found a treasure which he brought home to her. Genaveve has spent a lifetime perfecting her talents with calligraphy and handmade tools used for painting. Karl thought she might be able to use them.
My hobby of about seven years is tatting and I enjoy creating new patterns. I had a new book with ideas for using photo folders to display tatting. Genaveve was willing to share her treasure and out came the box of photo folders. Not only that, but she wanted to have some pieces of tatting threads, the purpose, was unclear to me.
After Genaveve got her creative juices flowing, some special paper arrived for me to ponder. What fun I had with the choosing of the appropriate tatting embellishment.
Genaveve: Judith showed me the colored threads she uses for tatting and asked me to help her compose a design that would work in the photo folder. Since I know nothing about tatting, except that it is a skill that is very difficult to master, I wasn’t able to visualize any compositions. I researched patterns on the internet, but still wasn’t able to draw a design. Then I got the idea to create backgrounds that Judith could use as inspiration for designing patterns herself. I asked her to send me samples of her colored threads. I mixed watercolor paint to match colors of the threads and using wooden tools painted strokes on watercolor paper, leaving space for the tatting. My only motivation was to provide her with an element she could have fun playing with.

Continue reading A Tale of Two Artists:

I Feel a Blog Coming On:

You hear that phrase around our household whenever I have done something particularly exciting, or something particularly stupid. Monday it was the latter. No details will be included, just to say we spent a large portion of Monday in the Emergency ward of St. Vincent’s in Beaverton. The good news is; I will heal completely. The other news is; it will be several weeks before I will be playing the guitar again. Meanwhile my left hand will “stick out like a sore thumb.” Continue reading I Feel a Blog Coming On:

Railroading in Stub Stewart

Our time as volunteers in the Oregon State Parks is rapidly drawing to a close. We are getting a last few dental and doctor appointments taken care of and then we will be following the geese south for the winter.
Last year about this time my son, Glen, introduced me to a game. It is a railroad simulation game and it is actually quite good. It is a beast to learn, however, but this week I realized the vision I had last December. That is to re-create the United Railroad from Burlington Oregon all the way to Vernonia, which is very close to Stub Stewart State Park. Indeed the Banks to Vernonia State Trail is a rail to trail conversion of the United Railway right-of-way. Continue reading Railroading in Stub Stewart

Company Comin’:

It is August and we are in our last month as Camp Hosts at Yamhill State Heritage Site this year. Several of our friends have already stopped by on their way back from the annual Church Campout. Everything went very well. We had just enough parking space for their RV’s and everyone got to tour the archeological digs that are going on. A couple of friends have over-nighted on our couch, and friends with RV’s can over night at the Spirit Mountain Casino. Of course you are on your own with your new Coyote Card. Continue reading Company Comin’:

Life is a Journey