Oak and Pond I :: Float

I squealed a little when I unwrapped this one. Two oak leaves wrapped in cotton and left in the pond for about 7 weeks. It is my most successful act of patience and fabric to date. The darkest areas are the marks of sediment settled directly onto the fabric. The oak leaves rolled around themselves and the fabric made a repeat of vertebrae - a spine stretched out. The pond as dye pot made this - all the little life that lives there making an impression, with the help of a couple of oak leaves. There is nothing I can stitch on this to make me like it more.

A favorite thing of summer for my family has been floating on the pond. When I float I am looking up at the sky, my back and spine long and straight, my arms are stretched out and in the water. I move arms over my head and then back down to my sides to propel, slowly. I am symmetry and balance - centered. There is a raft under me - arms and hands in the water - dragonflies land on my knees and toes. The fish, insects, animals, the water and life within it are supporting me, holding me up and I wonder what it all looks like from below - the concentric circle ripples where I touch the surface of the water. The music - along with the birds singing and hot buzz of insects - is this...



All of these together are this summer to me - the floating, the pond, the music and the oak and pond print - are forever related in my mind. They are this amazing summer we have had - that is not over yet. This pond has swept us off our feet. From my 7-year-old son, "I wish we could take our pond wherever we go."



My pond and oak leaf print was inspired by the techniques I have read in India Flint's wonderful book - Eco Colour: Botanical Dyes for Beautiful Textiles.

A Feather Story

I wanted to say something about Jude's Feather Project. I haven't made my feathers to send to her yet - but I am working on it. Please go on over to Spirit Cloth and have a look and read about what she has planned for the feathers.

and... the front porch basket of our pond place has a little bird nest inside. Brett found the nest and gave it to me in March? and we have also been sticking feathers into the nest as we find them on walks - there were maybe three small feathers and one big turkey feather in there so far.



Recently I heard and then saw a wren singing on the porch rail - then saw him flying off a few times. The small feathers from the basket went missing. Birds are collectors too - it's fine if he needed them - I was so curious why he would take them. One evening right before we all went to bed it started raining. Rain has been a rare occurrence so we all went out to feel the rain cooling the air and there he was. Snuggled right into the nest - head tucked under his body out of sight but his little wren tail was sticking straight out. He slept through all the gasping, photo flashing, boys being lifted to see and all the excitement. He was gone in the morning, but I like to think he? will be the nighttime guardian of our doorway for awhile...

Still Looking For It

I cannot find my photo card reader - and so I created this image with photos already on my computer. I have had an extension of ideas and a combination of images simmering. I have taken photos of inspiration and of things I/we have made to move things forward - and the things that got things started - but can't get to the photos right now. Grrrr. It is not unusual for me to misplace my card reader often - but it usually shows up in a few days. May just have to get another one this time...

Realizing how much I depend on the photos and look forward to "showing" what has been done. Interesting.

Line Growing

There is something growing from this - or through it.