Springtime has arrived, because of its delay I have even more appreciation for all of that beautiful light and warmth.  The garden is coming to life and colors are glowing

The greenhouse has many new plants and as we restore the older garden we will use them in the renewed beds.  The blackberries can take over a yard in just a few seasons.  They are fierce and aggressive but the berries are so sweet and make excellent desserts.  They are usually ready at the beginning of August.



The Pocketbook Project is coming along very nicely.  The earliest subscribers have
just recieved their January, February and March prints, and the response has been  very positive.

I have really enjoyed working on the textures that these purses possess.  The carving has taken a longer time than anticipated, but I really like the challenge of interpreting the characteristics of the patterns that occur in nature or by design.

 Here they are together, January 'Beginning',  February 'Lagardo' and March 'Roundabout'.


April will be a snake skin purse, which can mean prosperity in some cultures.  May's design will be a subtle pattern with an interesting technique, and June is a straw handbag, just in time for Summer, with small embroidered straw flowers.

Here is a little closer look at the first two, and then the second and third together.

I celebrated the first Earth Day(1970) by helping to organize a student rally for the cause.  At that time there were a lot of problems, chemical spills, ddt, and prevelent here in the Pacific Northwest, clear cutting of old growth timber.  I am glad the 'green' revolution is finally catching on.  I am planting some trees this year to celebrate --( though we try to plant trees any time we can)and look forward to watching them mature.