January 2010

Audrey Josephine Ellison born 1:07 PM, Thursday, January 21st.  8'10" Mother and daughter doing fine.

Here is a pix of Ethel and Iliana holding new baby.

After that, the news becomes more mundane.  I've been working on some basketry.  Ruthie from my Textile Guild gave me some yellow twig dogwood trimmings, so I made a basket using them and a little purple plum:

I plan to give it to Ruthie as a thank-you gift.  Tomorrow, I start a three day workshop on Shaw for beginning weaving.  Even though I have been weaving since the 70's, it has been over ten years since I had anything on the loom which has been in storage since we sold our house in Seattle in 2001.  The weaving class uses a table loom, but I believe the enthusiasm engendered by that class will propel me into starting a project on my 4-harness floor loom.

This month as been mild and relatively dry.  Roger has gotten lots of pruning done, including the crab apple in the courtyard and this hawthorn next to the house:This was one of those, got to do this task before this other task that I really want to get done happens.  In this case, a friend asked if I could use some willow.  Of course I said yes, but it was too branchy for basket work, so I decided to use it to replenish the wattle fence behind the kitchen garden. 

This couldn't happen until the hawthorn was pruned so that branches wouldn't hit the new fence. The wattle fence acts as a reflector of afternoon sun.  See the new green branches on top of old faded willow.
I've also been working on the living bench project near the rv.  It's looking good but I will wait with pictures until new branches make it more impressive. 

I've am grateful for the mild weather this month as I have been walking every day.  Next week will be busy with three days on Shaw and then a trip to the mainland to see our new little granddaughter.  January will be gone in a flash.

Thanksgiving and Christmas 2009

Seasons Greetings, Buon Natale, Happy New Year to All!

We have had a wonderful, family filled month of festivities this year.  It began with a large family get together at my brother Marc's on Bainbridge Island.  Everyone was able to come.  Kudos to Marc and Leigh for taking on, feeding, and entertaining 32 people.

Even my neice Bina came up from Alameda with nine month old Ovid Duke.

A good time was had by all.  The guys played music most of the afternoon and after dinner we watched a slide show of my trip to Italy narrated by my sister Jeannette.  It was fun to relive the memories.

Here is a family portrait:

 

That same weekend we visited Roger's folks in Auburn and celebrated his 54th birthday.

December was filled with Christmas parties, cookie exchanges, caroling, tree trimming, lots of visiting with friends and even a play called " Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol".  This year they could say of me "She knew how to keep Christmas well."

After spending four days in Seattle doing a lot of Christmas in the City type things, we brought Dad up to Thornbush.  Bjorn and his family joined us Christmas Eve.  Two three-year olds at Christmas time add up to a lot of fun.

Iliana

Lenora

The kids hadn't been here in awhile and there was a lot to show them, including Uncle Eric's bunnies.

But soon it was time to go and celebrate Christmas yet again at the Ellison's.  This time all the attention was on the newest member, Miles James Ellison, just three months old.

Here he is held up by proud Great-Grandfather Al. with Pappa James and Grandpa Guy alongside.

This year my Dad joined us at the Ellisons and convinced all the guys to play a game of pinochle.

Joe, Guy, Leif, Roger, Al

And the fun is not over yet.  Tomorrow is New Year's Eve and our guests are coming in on the 4:30 boat.  We plan to make merry into the next decade.

May all your 2010 dreams come true.