Thursday, June 24, 2010

Sixth day at Lillian Smith Center

I'm going to try blogo again for this post... but I'll also copy and paste elsewhere so that I don't lose all the incredibly important things I'm going to write, like I did last night!

Really my writing in the blog is about nothing in particular except a few comments I make about the photos I'm collecting on my walks. I'm working in part of each day on the task of writing for which I have a deadline. The rest of the day is spent with editing at my cottage and later, going to the Common Room to get back online to see if I've had other correspondence about the paper. I'll post more about what I'm working on in the early fall after it's all completed and the presentation made. I'll just say that, to me, it's a very exciting and intriguing topic--and it's about weaving images.

The sampling for my Penland class has moved from pick and pick to clasped wefts. This afternoon I made a quick sketch of the pattern of shadows across the walk that leads away from my cottage--and I'm using that as the inspiration for the clasped weft sampler. Clasped weft is an interesting method to use although I haven't worked with it very much. Maybe, as I begin the sample, I can take a few photos to post to describe what I'm doing.

So... enough rambling on--here are a few of today's photos:

I have to start with the red door photo. I was out later in the morning today... I think it was around 9 a.m. when I started the walk so the sun was higher in the sky today when I photographed the door. Later in the morning I DID hear someone, maybe Robert, drive up and stop at the door, open it and go in. So tomorrow morning I'll see if everything is as it was today.
I hear dogs in the woods right now... do they have the scent of the bear family? The young one I saw the other day is apparently one of three... a mother and two cubs, one quite small and the other one larger. The larger of the cubs was who came through the yard the other day, I'm sure.

Most of today's photos were of small details--and not only of natural forms. Here's today's "what is it?" challenge, in fact:
Other interesting snippets of the world--at least interesting to my eye:



There are so many colorful small mushrooms around here. Sometimes I totally overlook them, I know. I absolutely don't know anything about mushrooms so I don't have a clue what I'm seeing... just enjoy them.
Maybe this fellow is related to the one that was on my porch earlier in the week. I tried and tried to find a spot from which to photograph him/her... the tiny tree the snail was on was on the bank next to the roadside. I couldn't find a spot to stand and hold the camera steady--or one that I didn't have the snail in the shadow of the camera. This is the best I could do! He/she was patient, however, and didn't retract into the shell. Of course, hanging vertically maybe that wasn't possible... retract might have meant drop to the ground!


4 comments:

  1. My favorite picture today: the red door. You could write a whole paper about that picture!!!!

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  2. The secret triangular doorway (picture # 6) is so intriguing. There's really no indication of scale, but I prefer to think of it as tiny. Perhaps the entrance to the home of a forest spirit? Love your ramblings with camera.

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  3. Hi Tommye!

    How exciting to finally get caught up on my blog reading & see you are on retreat!!! And to know that I no longer have to feel envious of you since I have my own retreat coming up in a few months... but, I do have to say your mentioning that you had to run errands to get this & that once you arrived & discovered you needed them makes me a little nervous. The nearest town is 1 & 1/2 hours away from the North Rim where I'll be. Guess I better get serious about the "things to bring" list I have started!

    I know I will enjoy reading about your time there & I hope it continues to be wonderful & inspiring for you!

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  4. i don't remember ever hearing about clasped wefts before, can you describe or share somewhat?
    and i also really like the tiny triangle passageway, very intriguing...k.

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