Solar Eclipse 2012

We ran around for two hours trying to find the best way to view the solar eclipse--binoculars for a double effect, then a monocular--the dappled sunlight through the trees casts multiple crescent suns, enough to make you dizzy and feel the magic of the moment.  We took our tea to windy cove where the moon eyed monster ate the sun--not totally, just partially. 

Making a Stencil

I made this sketch awhile ago, you may recognize the design from the Shrinky Dink necklace I had made for my granddaughter.  My intention was to make a stencil with this design.  The day had come.  I shaded in the areas to cut out, this changed the design--it got a little too complicated (I tend to do that), so I had to simplify a bit. 
I cut a piece from an old tinted roll of plastic or acetate, that I had held onto, (I tend to do that), I suppose it once blocked the sun for a  large picture window?  I taped my sketch over the plastic and cut it out with an exacto knife.
To have the stencil temporarily stick to the wall, I bought a can of repositional spray adhesive to spray on the back side--I'd never used this adhesive before, but it helps to achieve crisp lines, (after spraying the adhesive, you do need to let it sit for a few minutes before using the stencil)--also the sticky backing doesn't remain sticky for that long--I found I had to respray with the adhesive each time I used the stencil.

I've always like stencils--I might experiment with more or even cut this same design out in another way?
I recently watched a documentary, Exit Through the Gift Shop, where an obsessive film maker, Thierry Guetta, follows and films street artists--there's more to the movie, but I loved the stencils of "Banksy", a British street artist, who inspired me to finish my small idea with this stencil.

Bees on the Move!!

I feel pretty lucky to have this swam of bees gather in a tree right outside my door!  I stepped out and heard this loud, continuous buzz, I saw quite a few bees, but thought, no, the buzz is probably from machinery being used some where in the near distance, but no--how amazing!  My tree was buzzing, the bees were just starting to form this hanging mass!

Moments later, all was quiet--if I hadn't been outside while they were gathering, I never would have known they were there.  Somewhere in the middle being protected was the queen.  Now the scouts were looking for a new home.  About an hour or so later, I was dumping my compost and heard the buzz once again.  The bees were moving!  They flew pretty low--I ducked, but then ran to follow and saw them flying into the distance, holding together in an undulating shape--a bee bubble--they flew off toward a group of eucalyptus trees--where they all rose together and disappeared.  Wow--I saw this happen!

Kite Festival

Check out the legs kite in the background!

There was a booth where you could make your own kite for free--they flew very easily.

We had a kite festival here in Morro Bay, a few weekends ago.  The wind gradually picked up enough for the big balloon kites to be airborne, but it was fun for the little kids to chase after and tug on those big purple feet, while the kite was deciding whether or not to fly.  

Another Fairy Gift

My granddaughter asked  the fairy to make a small pair of wings.  The fairy told us they were made from a pine needle, moss, mica and glued together with pine sap.

Quail

I quickly grabbed my camera and took these pictures through the window and screen.  This male quail surprised me, he was the first thing I saw as I sat down at the table and looked out the window--so big!
At first I wasn't even sure what I was looking at.

A White Iris

I don't think we've ever had a white iris come up since we've lived here, which is about 17 years.  We've always had a small patch of light purple irises, never a white.  My granddaughter says the fairies have been working on our flowers and I think she's right!

A Crown of Roses (No Thorns)

At an earth day festival, we made this rose crown.  My granddaughter braided long lengths of rattan, then wove the rose stems into the braiding.  Not surprisingly, she chose all roses. 

Pots of Pebbles

I took my finished pots to Montana De Oro, to a little beach that I've renamed amber cove.  Shiny hard pebbles of amber are all over the beach--in all shades from almost clear to very very dark.  I filled two pots of amber, then the others with what colors I could find: small white sandstones, hard black stones, soft orange sandstones, smoothed and rounded deep blue pieces of muscle shells, white sea-glass, and green (which was the hardest color to find) I used a combination of hard stones and sea-glass and still couldn't fill the container with green.
Somehow I felt that filling the pots with colorful beach stones would complete the making of them, even though I'll most likely empty them.  And sorting through the small treasures in the warm sand is such a pleasure, I felt I just had to do this!  

Looking Glass Easter

Happy Easter!

More Pots

I'm having fun making more of these little pots from eucalyptus seed pods.  The colors are rubbed in using sour grass flowers for yellow, grass and miner's lettuce for green, nasturtium flowers for orange and for the purple lid I used a combination of ceanothus and a few plum leaves.  A vice holds the pods steady while I cut the tops off--this gives the pots a wider opening, then I scrape, file and sand them smooth--this takes awhile.  What also takes awhile is setting in the toothpick tightly and finding beads that also fit tightly onto the pick for the closing.  My closing design is not that great, since I'm the only one here who can close them--(they work well for me, so maybe they'll all be mine!)
My granddaughter and I collected little rocks, washed glass, amber and shells at a beach.  Now, my desire is to collect more little treasures from the beach and assign a pot to hold whites, glass, blacks, greens, ambers...I need more pots!