Kristen Frantzen Orr

The Forgotten Blog

2011-08-17T17:01:00.000-07:00

The weather has been lovely, and I've been spending as much time outdoors as I can. I've posted new pictures on Facebook, but the blog has been a bit neglected. There's a lot (about 4 months worth) to catch up on!

Daffodils

2011-04-07T10:16:00.000-07:00

It's the way of this place:
every Spring,
the foolish daffodils open...
and then it snows.
Daffodils 2010
Daffodils 2009

Ocean View

2011-03-19T17:35:00.000-07:00

I taught back to back workshops at M & D Designs in Chinook, Washington, March 10-13. This is one of my favorite glass studios, right on the Pacific Coast.
My motel room was only about a block from the ocean. Below is the view out my window. Having lived all my life in desert regions, I was ill-equipped for the 4 a.m. phone call advising evacuation to higher ground because of a possible tsunami. It was all a bit surreal for me!

It turned out there was little threat to our area, and after the early wake-up call, I ended up teaching my class which didn't start until 10 a.m. Here's a view of the ocean on the day I left to return home.

I have taught twice in Japan, and made many friends there. Most of my Japanese friends are not in the area where the earthquake and tsunami hit, but the news from Japan is heartbreaking. The impact from these disasters will last many years. Please consider supporting emergency relief efforts Assistance for Japan

Goodbye to Missy Minx

2011-02-09T12:46:00.000-08:00

We just had a great, long group howl here...2 corgis, a beagle, and labrador retriever...to say goodbye to our friend Ann's kitty Minx as she passed into the next dimension. Check the sky tonight for a new star.

Pogonip for Christmas!

2010-12-25T11:57:00.000-08:00

Pogonip (ice fog) only forms when the humidity is close to 100% as the air temperature drops to well below freezing (0 °C or 32 °F), allowing ice crystals to form in the air. The ice crystals will then settle onto surfaces. The last two images are pogonip on chicken wire at the base of a tree.

Winter Wonderland

2010-12-16T11:29:00.001-08:00

Winter's Nap

2010-12-15T17:55:00.001-08:00

Hermes thinks Saffron makes a great pillow!

Late Fall, Lamoille Canyon

2010-11-05T19:08:00.001-07:00

Weather has been lovely this week. There is still a remnant of fall color in the lower part of Lamoille Canyon.

As you reach the top, the trees have shed their leaves and there is a bit of snow.
Snow and splashing water in Lamoille Creek offered interesting contrasts.

By this time next week, if predictions are correct, the leaves will be gone and everything will be wrapped in white.

Wild Women Artists

2010-10-19T16:39:00.000-07:00

Shown on this Reno 2010 Wild Women Artists invitation are the works by (top to bottom, left to right)Gretchen Ericson, knotted baskets; Gail Rappa, jewelry; Sidne Teske, plein air pastel paintings; Karel Hendee, hand-dyed silk wall hangings and apparel; Barbara Glynn Prodaniuk, clay sculpture and functional objects; Jimmie Benedict, quilted, pieced and embroidered clothing; Pat Wallis, oil paintings; Barbara Uriu, jewelry; Claudia Knous, hand-felted sculpture and apparel; Susan Church, metal sculpture from found objects; Ann Berg, assemblages; Kristen Frantzen Orr, handmade glass beads in jewelry collaborations with Gail Rappa; and Kathleen Durham, stories and sculptures from "Underwood." All 13 of the Wild Women Artists will be on hand this weekend at Wilbur May Museum in Reno for our annual exhibit and sale.

Beagle Bliss

2010-09-12T11:13:00.001-07:00

Kofa's on a ground squirrel hunt!

Who Wants to Play?

2010-09-03T18:14:00.001-07:00

Here's Hermes

2010-07-16T12:49:00.000-07:00

Here's our new puppy Hermes. He's one of the Black in the Box kids from Patty Gailey (Triad Corgis) and we are really glad she let him come to live with us!

The next photo is an attempt to capture three moving objects in one photo frame. Kofa is the beagle, and SpeedBump and Hermes are the corgis.

Here's a family portrait of all the puppies at Patty's house. There's Penelope, Pandora, Rockette, Homer, Athena, Echo, Hermes and Argus.

Hamburg, Germany - Students

2010-06-15T17:30:00.000-07:00

I'm home from teaching in Hamburg, Germany, and having fun sorting through the over 300 photos that I took.

Here are my students at GlasDesign where I taught 2 two-day classes. There were 8 students in my first class, and 9 in the second. The students were incredible...good skill levels, and enthusiastic!

After I finished teaching, Russ and I stayed on a few extra days in Hamburg. We walked 4+ miles every day and visited all the wonderful landmarks and also did some birdwatching.

Below, students from the first class pose in the studio garden where we had incredible mid-day meals prepared by studio owner Evamarie. L to R are Kathrin, Angela, Andrea, Evamarie, Andrea, Elke, Beatrice, Claire, Sabine, and Kristen. We had great weather for the most part while I was there.

Sonja and Julia

Heike and Sabine

Dinner at a beer garden on the beach. L to R are Margarete, Anne, Brigitte, Sylvia, Katharina and Kristen.

A walk along the shore. L to R are Katharina, Kristen, Brigitte, Sylvia and Anne.

A Most Exciting Day

2010-05-27T17:13:00.000-07:00

This beautiful Rose Breasted Grosbeak kept us mesmerized for over two hours today at Melody's house. A bird not normally found in this area, he caused quite a stir. Photo by Ann Haglund.

Cottontail

2010-05-26T10:46:00.001-07:00

It's our first warm day in a while, 52 degrees, and a cottontail rabbit is enjoying a nibble of grass. This is the one we call "the front yard bunny." There are backyard bunnies, too, but they generally won't pose for photographs.

Oriole in the Snow

2010-05-11T10:23:00.000-07:00

Poor cold little bird, I hope you didn't return too soon! I saw you yesterday in the sun, and put out a nectar feeder. Today, it's snowing like crazy and the feeder is frozen solid.

On the Cover

2010-04-27T16:57:00.001-07:00

Maggie Roschyk's necklace designed around one of my handmade glass beads is on the cover of the June issue of Bead and Button magazine, and it's shown again in the cover story, "Framed." My friend in town said her copy arrived in today's mail. Maggie and I are excited!!! I haven't seen the actual magazine yet, but here are some photos that my son took of the necklace.

Rites of Spring Auction

2010-04-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

My bead is up for grabs in the International Society of Glass Beadmakers "Rites of Spring" ebay auction. This a fundraiser for ISGB. It looks like bids are opening at about 50% of retail. There are some lovely pieces available, including some finished jewelry.

To place bids CLICK HERE

Silly Daffodils

2010-04-05T10:52:00.000-07:00

Silly daffodils with your heads covered in snow, where do you think you live?!?

Don't you remember last year?

Snow for Andrea G

2010-03-13T11:23:00.000-08:00

When I mentioned fresh snow on Facebook, Andrea G said she wanted some. As you can see, we have plenty! Andrea...this snow's for you :-)

Washington Coast

2010-03-11T14:24:00.001-08:00

I was just in the state of Washington to take a class at M & D Designs in Chinook. The Washington coast is so different from our high desert mountains! Here are a couple of views. The first photo looks like a black and white, but it was just a gray day. I loved all the tumbled pebbles on this beach.
Both of the places I stayed had great paths leading to sandy beaches. I especially enjoyed the "wildness" of the Washington coast.

Winter Visitors

2010-01-07T16:41:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of our neighbors who stopped by for a winter's afternoon visit.

Holidays

2010-01-06T19:57:00.000-08:00

Did 2009 seem shorter than a usual year? They seem to fly by faster and faster. Here are a couple of shots of our holiday visits with kids.

Dim sum on Christmas day with Karen, Meo, Katia, Kris, Russ, Geoff and Mavis.
Dave, Amanda, and Kennedy

Winter Solstice

2009-12-21T10:15:00.001-08:00

Frosty Morning

2009-12-19T12:28:00.000-08:00

We woke up this morning to a frozen fog, what our local Indian tribes call "pogonip." It covers everything with ice crystals. There's not much sun out yet to make the crystals sparkle, but I took a few pictures anyway.

Tomatoes in Winter

2009-12-10T11:14:00.000-08:00

Our tomatoes have been living in the family room since the nights got too cold for them in August. They are getting pretty "leggy" but they're still setting fruit. They seem to enjoy the morning sun. I had to take a picture of the tiny one. It was so small, but it tasted great! Our low Wed. morning was -22F. Today was below zero again at -17F. It's supposed to warm up and snow over the weekend.

Wild Women Artists Show in Reno

2009-10-30T18:56:00.000-07:00

click on the image for a full screen view

Wild Women Reno 2009

The Wilbur D. May Center
at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park
1595 North Sierra Street, Reno, Nevada

The Main Event Show Hours:

Friday, November 6, 12-8 p.m.
Saturday, November 7, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sunday, November 8, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Artists' Reception:

Friday, November 6, 5 - 8 p.m.
(please use Sierra Street entrance)

Underwood Story Hour:

Saturday, November 7, 11 a.m.

Details:

775-785-5961

Exhibiting this year are:

Jimmie Benedict - quilted, pieced and embroidered clothing

Susan Church - metal sculpture

Kathleen Durham - stories in cloth and clay

Gretchen Ericson - baskets

Claudia Knous - felt sculptures, vessels and scarves

Kristen Frantzen Orr - art glass beads

Barbara Glynn Prodaniuk - clay

Gail Rappa - jewelry

Sidne Teske - soft pastel paintings

Barbara Uriu - jewelry

Pat Wallis - paintings

Guest Artists:

Ann Berg - woven collage assemblages

Joe Donohue - turned wood vessels

Karel Hendee - silk paintings,

Fall with Hints of Winter

2009-10-14T10:43:00.000-07:00

Ruby Mountain Fall

2009-10-06T11:19:00.000-07:00

It's fall here in our Ruby Mountains in Northeastern Nevada. This is definitely my favorite season. The colors are incredible!

Rabbit brush in the foreground and quaking aspen up the mountainside in Lamoille Canyon:
Another shot in Lamoille Canyon with snow on the mountain tops and white sky which means there's more snow on the way:

Wild plum tree in our backyard....I love the purple next to the orange and green:

Poor Neglected Blog

2009-10-05T07:20:00.000-07:00

Poor, neglected blog! It's been a whole month. The old computer was on its last legs, and the transition to a new one has not exactly been smooth. I still need to re-install Photoshop, and then there should be some new fall pix.

Moth

2009-08-28T17:40:00.001-07:00

I wonder if this big guy is related to the green caterpillar that I blogged about on July 31.

Beaver Dam in Lamoille Canyon

2009-08-07T17:30:00.001-07:00

We hiked a bit in Lamoille Canyon when Dave and Amanda were here on Monday. The beaver dams are so pretty this time of year.

Can you spot Dave and Amanda in the second picture? (click either image for a larger view)

Caterpillar!

2009-07-31T14:17:00.000-07:00

It's a good thing this guy's so well camouflauged. He would probably make a tasty morsel for the right bird.

Old As Dirt

2009-07-31T13:44:00.000-07:00

We celebrated a friend's monumental birthday (that would be any birthday ending in a zero or a five) with an Old As Dirt Party at Lois' house. I fall near the middle with three of the group older than me and five younger. Left to right, back row, Carolyn, Colleen, Lois, Kristen, Gretchen, Melody; front row, Mayzee the hound, Ann the birthday girl, Robyn, Delynn.

Sleepy Deer

2009-07-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

This guy was caught napping out under our crab apple tree. Click to enlarge the first photo and check out his blissful look.

Geoff and Mavis

2009-07-04T16:14:00.000-07:00

I had a fun visit with Geoff and Mavis when I was in Washington. They live in Issaquah, near Seattle. Their new puppy, Tucson, is so smart, and Geoff is doing a super job with puppy training!
Mavis's sister, Karen, is here from Hong Kong to attend college.
Tucson already knows how to "sit," "down," and "shake hands."

Spirit Bundles

2009-06-25T19:58:00.000-07:00

Here are two more collaborative pendants combining my lampworked glass with the metalwork and stone carving of Gail Rappa. There are pictures of some of the first ones on my May 3 blog. My very favorite one has not been photographed yet.
Rising
Reflection
(photos by David Orr)

More Mushrooms

2009-06-24T11:31:00.001-07:00

It's been fun to see mushrooms after all the rains. Here are a few more shots. I think the weather is supposed to be transitioning back to summer this week.

Mushroom

2009-06-23T19:32:00.001-07:00

With all the afternoon rains, we've got mushrooms popping up all over. There are several different kinds. This is one of the larger ones underneath a spruce tree.

Fresh Snow on the Mountain

2009-06-20T09:50:00.001-07:00

We had lots of rain last night and this morning, and there's fresh snow on the mountain top.

Wild Rose

2009-06-17T14:42:00.000-07:00

Unusual Weather

2009-06-14T17:23:00.000-07:00

We've been having afternoon thunderstorms with rain and hail for the past two weeks...unusual weather for this time of year; lots of rainbows (the top photo has a rainbow over the top of a second rainbow); even mushrooms springing up.

Wild Camas Lilies

2009-06-02T11:52:00.001-07:00

We have lots of camas in bloom on the wild parts of our property. They are called Deathcamas because they contain a poisonous alkaloid.

Memorial Day

2009-05-24T16:55:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, Memorial Day was kind of fun. The ranch cousins would come in, mothers would decorate graves, kids would run and play. Sometimes there was a picnic. I didn't like the gun salutes. Most of those mothers are dead now. So are some of the cousins. The last years of my mom's life, I took her to decorate the graves. She told me not to walk over the dead people, and impatient, I said hello, we're in the cemetary! She said there would be no one to carry one after she died, but I promised I would. And now it's my turn to remember the ones I never knew, the ones who died too young, the ones who fought in wars, the one who drowned, the one who had polio. I like arranging the flowers, and the cemetary is a good place to watch birds. But it makes me feel sad, too...all that forgotten history; all the ads on TV for Memorial Day mattress sales.

Daddy

Mama
My Mom's Family Plot
Grandpa
Grandma
Russell
Maureen
Wilbert
Horace

John, Allene, and Robert

Spring Bulbs

2009-05-17T17:45:00.001-07:00

Spring bulbs,
we are so glad to see you!

Kingbirds Return

2009-05-15T14:37:00.001-07:00

The Western Kingbirds are back. They have nested in our yard every year since we have been here.

Bead Invitational

2009-05-03T16:07:00.000-07:00

The fourth annual Bead Invitational at PISMO Fine Art Glass in Denver http://pismoglass.com/ opened May 1 and continues throughout the month. The show celebrates the art of the bead and its place in glass art, encompassing individual beads, jewelry and sculpted work made with beads. Fifty-three bead artists are represented. The main floor of the gallery will be devoted to beads all month while the rest of PISMO’s fine art glass will be on view on the second floor of the gallery. My work this year includes collaborations with metalsmith Gail Rappa and beadweaver Maggie Roschyk.

"Ancient Echo," collaboration with Gail Rappa

"Samarkand" collaboration with Maggie Roschyk

"Aethereal" collaboration with Gail Rappa

"Rhodochrosite" collaboration with Maggie Roschyk.

Spring Birds

2009-05-03T08:52:00.000-07:00

We've had some incredible birds passing through. The best spot to find them seems to be Michael and Melody's backyard in town; and of course, Lois always gets the best photos. Here's Lois' photo of a lazuli bunting in Melody's backyard.

See Lois' blog for more bird photos
http://lports.blogspot.com/
Be sure to scroll all the way down the page so you can see the indigo bunting photos taken by Mark Ports and the summer tanager photos by Chuck Shultz.

Nests

2009-04-20T16:42:00.001-07:00

You'll want to click on these images to see them in a larger size!

I found this interesting nest underneath a tree in the front yard. (Yes, most of our snow has melted.) The nest is made of string, dried plant matter, some odd plastic strips, and even a bit of screen wire!
This next "nest" is Francis Bacon's studio as shown in the book,"7 Reece Mews, Francis Bacon's Studio." My studio does tend toward clutter, but Bacon definitely has me beat! After he died in 1992, the whole mess was packed up and moved to the High Lane Municipal Gallery of Modern Art in Dublin. See the book for more images.
ISBN 0-500-51034-2

And More Snow

2009-04-16T17:16:00.000-07:00

We thought we had a lot of snow with the 12 inches yesterday. But we got six more inches overnight. That makes 18 inches of snow in the middle of April! Where are all the daffodils?!?

Black Rosy Finches

2009-04-16T17:11:00.000-07:00

The snow storm brought in the black rosy finches. They are really getting colorful. I think the gray-crowned rosies have already migrated.

April Showers

2009-04-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

Rusty Blackbird

2009-04-01T22:21:00.001-07:00

Ann, Lois, Carolyn, Melody and I made a day of it in search of the Rusty Blackbird in Winnemucca. Lois has the camera with the long lens, and these are her photos.

See Lois' blog for more photos from our day of birding.
http://lports.blogspot.com/

And Then It Snows Again

2009-03-23T15:32:00.001-07:00

It happens every year. The buttercups pop up. Then the daffodils think it's time to bloom. And then it snows again.

More Buttercups Herald the First Day of Spring

2009-03-20T15:12:00.000-07:00

What The Dogs Are Barking At

2009-03-13T19:09:00.000-07:00

These are best if you click them up to full size.

Of course, they didn't hold still for photo taking, especially with all the dog help. We don't really want them in the yard. They can be pretty destructive.

Check out those ears! No wonder they are called mule deer.

First Buttercup

2009-03-12T11:43:00.000-07:00

I found a brave little sagebrush buttercup this morning. In a few more weeks we will be carpeted in yellow.

White Winged Crossbills

2009-02-22T17:07:00.000-08:00

(photo by Lois Ports)
This first shot, which looks like a lot of spruce cones, actually shows both a male and a female White Winged Crossbill. Click the photo up to full size and see if you can locate them. This is about how easy they were to spot!
Zooming way in on the photo, here's the male,

and the female.

It all started with this post on the Nevada Bird Report:
To: NVBIRDS@LIST.AUDUBON.ORG
Date: Saturday, February 21, 2009, 7:28 AM
Today, February 21st I found at least one male and one female WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL at the Cemetery in Elko. The cemetery is located off 8th street between Cedar St. and Elm St. The birds were feeding in the double row of spruce pines lining an entrance road into the cemetery. They were feeding with a mixed flock of House Finch, Pine Siskins, and Mountain Chickadees. I obtained some very nice photos for documentation. This is the first confirmed/documented record for the state of Nevada. I will post some photos to my flickr site later this evening. The birds were very responsive to pishing and came right down for good photos. If anyone is thinking of chasing these birds bring lots of warm clothes because it is brutally cold...about 17 degrees.
--Greg Scyphers; Sparks, NV
Here's a link to Greg Scypher's flickr site
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nvbirdr/

We spent a good part of the day yesterday looking for these birds and didn't find them, although we did have nice views of Red Breasted Nuthatches and Mountain Chickadees.

Lois called this morning to say the birds had been seen again. Lois, Ann, Carolyn and I finally were rewarded with views of a male, a female, and first year male. See Lois' blog for more photos
http://lports.blogspot.com/

Icicle Season

2009-02-19T14:26:00.001-08:00

Click this one up and view it full size.

Crisp Winter Day

2009-02-17T11:34:00.000-08:00

Rosy Finches, A Closer View

2009-02-12T09:21:00.001-08:00

It's cold this morning...about six degrees when I got up. The rosy finches are really hungry. They've already gone through three gallons of black sunflower seed.

Rosy Finches Arriving for Breakfast

2009-02-11T10:10:00.000-08:00

I got home from Tucson yesterday evening to over a foot of fresh snow. When there is snow on the ground, the rosy finches come into the feeder in huge numbers. The traffic at the Tucson shows was down this year. News reports said attendance was only at about 40% of normal. After my bead show ended, I went birding at Florida Wash, near Madera Canyon in Arizona, where I was lucky enough to see a pair of rare birds, red-capped warblers, that are seldom seen in the U.S.

Wild Women Artists

2009-01-29T16:58:00.000-08:00

Click each image below to see the bigger picture, or follow the link at right to go the Wild Women Artists website. Our Elko show is Friday and Saturday. Right after that, I pack up for the Best Bead Show in Tucson.

Undercover

2009-01-25T21:23:00.000-08:00

Performed or happening in secret.
Employed or engaged in spying or secret investigation

Mountains in Winter

2009-01-23T10:21:00.001-08:00

Here's a zoomed shot of the Ruby Mountains from my back porch, and some comments on winter from someone who knows...

"There's a point where you can give up on winter--when temptation can enter your soul, prying its way in like cold air through the cracks in your cabin--around January sixteenth or so, and this can make you realize that February's coming, and beyond February, March.

See, I don't yet realize that March will be the hardest month. Early February's the coldest, and often the snowiest, but March, strange, silent March, will be the hardest.

The danger in yielding to thoughts of spring--green grass, hikes, bare feet, lakes, fly-fishing, rivers, and sun, hot sun--is that once these thoughts enter your mind, you cant get them out.

Love the winter. Don't betray it. Be loyal.

When the spring gets here, love it too--and then the summer.

But be loyal to the winter, all the way through--all the way, and with sincerity--or you'll find yourself high and dry, longing for a spring that's a long way off, and winter will have abandoned you, and in her place you'll have cabin fever, the worst.

The colder it gets, the more you've got to love it."

--Winter : Notes from Montana by Rick Bass and Elizabeth Hughes

Sharp-shinned Hawk

2009-01-04T11:46:00.000-08:00

When there aren't any birds at the feeder, you can usually spot a sharp-shinned hawk someplace nearby.

When Mayzee Came to Lunch

2009-01-03T17:51:00.000-08:00

(photos by Lois K. Ports)

Mayzee, the basset hound, came for a lunch visit this afternoon, along with Mark and Lois Ports and Ann Haglund. After the initial "meet and greet," the dogs had quite a romp in the snow!

Kofa and Mayzee:

Mayzee and Speedbump:

Let the wild rumpus begin:

Ears were flapping:

That Mayzee can fly:

See more of Lois' photos on her blog http://lports.blogspot.com/

New Snow

2009-01-03T09:37:00.001-08:00

Anything Orange

2009-01-01T13:54:00.001-08:00

I seem to be captivated by anything in the orange color family. These are some fungi at the Wild Animal Park in Escondido.

Pelican

2009-01-01T12:56:00.001-08:00

We were in the San Diego area for Christmas. A visit to the Wild Animal Park provided opportunities for trying out a new camera with greater zoom capabilities than I had with my other camera. This pelican, a big slow moving bird, gave me some time to zoom in and focus. Smaller and faster moving birds proved that there is to be a bit of a learning curve!

Sucker Hole

2008-12-21T09:09:00.001-08:00

"Sucker Hole" is a term used by both sailors and pilots to describe an opening in the clouds that falsely suggests a break in the weather. It "suckers" the sailor or pilot into taking off towards fair skies, only to be swallowed up by bad weather.

Looking Out My Window

2008-12-19T09:21:00.001-08:00

Garden in Winter

2008-12-10T11:26:00.001-08:00

Last Look at Fall

2008-11-25T19:14:00.001-08:00

Here are more photos I took a few weeks ago in Lamoille Canyon. The sky was that intense color we natives call "Nevada blue" and the leaves and berries were spectacular.

Beaver Pond

2008-11-20T13:33:00.000-08:00

This past month has really flown by, and I haven't gotten back to the blog to post the rest of my autumn shots. Lamoille Canyon is full of wonderful terraced beaver ponds. I thought I had taken more photos, but this is the only one I can find.

Retreat to the Marshes

2008-10-21T18:27:00.000-07:00

Four of us made our annual visit to the Ruby Marshes.

Here are a couple of views from one of the dikes.

We drove out through Halleck and Secret Pass and back through Harrison Pass.

We spotted some sandhill cranes along the way.

More birds that cooperated for photos were a scrub jay

eared grebe

red-naped sapsucker

american pipit

white crowned sparrow

The rose hips were really abundant and very pretty. All the shrubs and trees that bear fruit are loaded this year. If the old tales prove true, this portends a severe winter.

Leaves Falling on Water: Lamoille Creek

2008-10-14T10:25:00.001-07:00

Red Aspen Leaves

2008-10-10T14:12:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, my friend Ann and I went up Lamoille Canyon in the Ruby Mountains for one last glimpse of fall. (We are supposed to have snow this weekend, and the morning temp today was 21.)

This year, we both agreed, there are way more red leaves than we usually see. Our quaking aspens are usually golden to orange, with red being the exception.

For a great explanation of why leaves turn red, see
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/nreos/forest/topics/leafco~1.html

"Fall weather conditions favoring formation of brilliant red autumn color are warm sunny days followed by cool nights. Much sugar is made in the leaves during the daytime, but cool nights prevent movement of sugar from the leaves. From the sugars trapped in the leaves the red pigment called anthocyanin is formed."

"The most vivid colors appear after a warm dry summer and early autumn rains which prevent early leaf fall. Drought conditions also favor red pigment formation."

We already have a dusting of snow on the mountain tops.

I took over 200 photos, so there will be more fall foliage images in the next few days.

Aspens in Lamoille Canyon

2008-09-30T15:29:00.001-07:00

I went with a few friends this morning to check out the fall color in Lamoille Canyon. The aspens are spectacular. The last leaf is not an aspen, but it had a nice Halloween feel with two ghostly eyes.

A New Catface Spider

2008-09-24T13:50:00.001-07:00

A new catface spider appeared today. This one is quite small, and it's coloring reminds me of the tortoise shell calico cat that I grew up with.

A Pretty Day

2008-09-18T17:59:00.001-07:00

It was a pretty day with some great cloud formations. It looks like fall is heading down the mountains. (Click image to see a larger size and better color.)

Natural Pest Control?

2008-09-16T13:59:00.000-07:00

The catface spider has eaten so many moths, she looks like a hamburger with legs!

Meanwhile, a black widow has stationed herself right next to a wasps nest. I guess this is like living in walking distance from the grocery store.

First Frost

2008-09-03T13:01:00.001-07:00

Russ covered the tomatoes and provided an electric light bulb for warmth, but they still froze. The zucchini were nipped back, too.

Tempest International Invitational Exhibition of Glass Beads

2008-08-22T20:49:00.000-07:00

photo by Lucy Hunt for the Tempest Exhibition

My bead for the Tempest exhibit in Stourbridge responds to words spoken by Ariel after he is set free by Prospero:
Where the bee sucks, there suck I;
In a cowslip's bell I lie;
There I couch when owls do cry.
On the bat's back I do fly
After summer merrily.
Merrily, merrily shall I live now
Under the blossom that hangs on the bough.
-- William Shakespeare

See photos of the entire exhibit at
http://www.tempestglassbeadexhibition.org/

The exhibit runs Aug. 21 - Sept. 28

Glass Beads

2008-08-02T16:58:00.001-07:00

I'm off to Oakland for the International Society of Glass Beadmakers annual conference. I'll be teaching a workshop this year and also doing a demo.

On other fronts in the glass world, here is the pendant that I donated to the National Liberty Museum's "Glass Now" auction.

http://www.auction.libertymuseum.org/

Favorite Door Knobs

2008-07-28T11:44:00.000-07:00

Cat Face Spider

2008-07-26T21:06:00.000-07:00

We have another cat face spider this year. This orb weaver gets its name from the markings on its back that resemble a cat's face, complete with bumps that look like ears. However, this photo is of its belly.
Here's an old shot that was on my blog on August 23, 2006. You can really see the cat image from this angle.

Wasps and Bat

2008-07-19T22:14:00.000-07:00

I couldn't get a good photo with the little camera in the dark, but we have an odd juxtaposition of a bat hanging out next to a paper wasp nest. The angle is a bit odd, too. I'm actually looking straight up.

More Old Door Knobs

2008-07-16T10:49:00.001-07:00

More treasures. They range from very humble and beat up to highly ornate with fine patinas.

My favorites, which I believe are Eastlake Aesthetic style, are cast in bronze and even the backs are decorative.

Gallardia with Green Bee

2008-07-13T10:35:00.000-07:00

Old Door Knobs

2008-06-30T18:31:00.000-07:00

I'm looking for old (as in antique) door knobs. I want to use them in place of handles on my kitchen cupboards. The white porcelain ones seem to be the most plentiful. I think I have enough white, so now I'm looking for bronze, glass, etc.

The Poppies Are Popping!

2008-06-29T11:12:00.000-07:00

Meadow Rue

2008-06-23T12:45:00.001-07:00

Meadow Rue is kind of a weird plant. It has pale yellow and purple flowers all on the same plant. The stems are dark purple.
The flowers are just stamens. They don't have any petals.

First Poppy

2008-06-22T14:13:00.001-07:00

The first poppy has opened, heralding the beginning of summer.
There are lots more buds. They should be spectacular.

Starting New Each Day

2008-06-21T09:38:00.000-07:00

Every morning the blue flax is covered with blossoms. By mid-afternoon all the petals drop to the ground. The next day it starts over again.

Border Patrol

2008-06-14T11:56:00.000-07:00

Speedbump has been busy keeping intruders out of the yard. Good fences make good neighbors, but a good dog really helps.

One Happy Beagle

2008-05-30T17:04:00.001-07:00

Kofa is really glad that the ground has finally thawed.

Sandhill Cranes

2008-05-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

Russ and I took a drive past a few local ranches on Mother's Day with Lois and Mark Ports and Ann Haglund. The sandhill cranes are pairing up for breeding season. I think our total bird count for the day was around 46 different species. My favorites were the cranes and the willets. These photos were taken by Lois. She has the camera with the long lens.

Two Shows in Japan

2008-05-08T09:43:00.000-07:00

My work has arrived safely in Japan for two upcoming shows. I wish I could have traveled with it!
May 15 ~ 25----ART BOX Gallery, Toyonaka-City, Osaka
May 29 ~ June 4----Gallery HANA, Kasugai-City, Aichi

A Warm Day!

2008-05-05T16:24:00.001-07:00

A welcome warm day...68 degrees, and the first leaves are peeking out.