Manito

Manito Park

I'm up, I'm off, I'm on my way.
I'm in my tennis shoes,
I'm heading straight to Manito
to chase away the blues.

The back packs full of this and that
to make it an event,
I think I thought of everything,
just left out the tent.

Jalapeno quesadillas
wrapped up in a paper towel,
roasted peanuts and fig newtons
I can hear my stomach growl.

Big thermos of alpine cider,
use two packets, make it strong.
picnic blanket, book and glasses,
lifting spirits with a song.

Loaded with my pack and lawn chair,
I'm headed out for fun,
if it weren't so cumbersome
I could break out in a run.

My pond it is so beautiful,
with ducks swimming about.
Manito is mine today,
a whisper is a shout.

Open my chair and settle in,
with cider in my mug,
sitting here on such a day,
is like a big God hug.

An ever-young comes walking up
with helper at her side.
She loves the ducks and makes them fly,
her joy she can not hide.

This is not the Grand Canal
or the Pantheon in Rome,
but it's just as beautiful
and just think-we call it home!

Vinyl!

Oh what fun, what a delight, the studio was messy with fabric tonight!

I bought this bit of red vinyl at the fabric store a month ago, and have been waiting to finish the walkers to break out the sewing machine. To be truthful, the other bag was supposed to be the lining, but was way too big, and I just liked it too much to hide it inside a bag.

The only things recycled on the red bag are the button that I bought at a flea market in Paris, and the very thick black thread. It is a very old spool of Lyseth thread that I rescued from Grandmothers sewing box. Now the other bag is all up-cycled from upholstery samples, and a bit of our wonderful vinyl.

I might do a couple more bags before I start painting Giuseppe.

Happy spring friends, Jill

Paris Stroll

This was a very fun painting to paint!
So happy to be breaking in the new studio.

open today

Hello my artsie fartsie friends. The studio is open today, come on over with your supplies, and play! Give me a call. Jill

Too many ideas

I wonder if you ever have so many good ideas wandering about your head, that you just can't get to any of them. There are so many interesting, creative things to get involved in, where does a person start? Oh, if there was someone to actually pursue my ideas, we would have a much more colorful world!

About the poems

These poems are from my journal that I wrote on my journey this fall. I wrote an email home most every day for five weeks to 75 friends that couldn't go with me. Along with some of the emails, I wrote small poems to give more of a flavor of what I was going through. These are some of the poems that I sent home. They are in reverse order, so it is probably better to read them from the end to the beginning. Not sure how to fix that. Have a great ramble..
Ps, if you just want to read the poems, click on the right side under "trip poems" It will leave out all the other artsy stuff.

going home poem

Home poem

My bra's all worn out,
my sox have gone crusty
my great new black coat,
at the least, it is musty.

My eyebrows, their bushy,
my mustach is thick,
and my lone chin hair,
long as half a toothpick.

But oh the pictures,
that go through my head,
when tonight in Spokane,
my head hits the bed.

Of kayaks and alleys,
from Venice to France.
Of shutters of green,
the Jewish round dance.

Of my dear camel,
she carried me around,
of my daily falaffel,
of sweet organ sound.

Of tears that flowed freely,
at the wailing wall,
of climbing monk hill,
I treasure it all.

So Is it all worth it,
this wandering about?
The metros, the hostles,
my back about out?

My life's more alive,
I'll enjoy the small things,
I'll laugh when life laughs,
and sing when life sings.

Oh yes it's all worth it,
it's worth every dime.
Thank you for reading,
we had a great time!