Try It Too-sday: Fork and Spoon

 Here's a photo I squirreled away nine years ago because I thought I'd like to re-create it.

Photo by Sarah Clark

Well, today's the day to Try It Too!

Photo by Margaret Davaz
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#tryittoosday

"Bonehemian Rhapsody"

 This is superb. 28-Trombone Collaboration!

#musiconmonday

Heart Day A-Comin'

 I've started decorating for Valentine's Day. These pillow covers are a new purchase. I like 'em. 

A little classy, a little sweet. 

Just like me.  😉

Annie's Owl

 I finished crocheting an owl for our granddaughter Annie today! Adorable!

I followed the pattern from Repeat Crafter Me, using my own color scheme. I was unable to find a triangular button, so I embroidered Owlie's beak instead.

Just like Annie, Owlie loves to read books. Just like Annie, Owlie likes to squeeze cats. They are both learning how to handle books and cats with care.

Owlie hoots, "I can't wait to meet Annie!" But he'll need to wait a while longer before he flies off to Idaho.

In the mean time, he's hanging out with his best friend Puffball Hamster Kittie in the Studio.

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I had intended to use some Safety Eyes on Owlie, and bought some just for this purpose. I even learned how to use them (a 21/2021 goal). Unfortunately, the two layers of crochet were too thick, and the back of the safety eyes wouldn't click into place. Instead, I found these two buttons from my grandma Bertie's collection. I sewed each on with three separate strands of double thread, in hopes that if one strand breaks, the eye will stay in place with the other two strands. Trying to keep my little Annie safe from swallowing small items.

Winter Trees

Though we see signs of Spring here, most of the trees remain without leaves. Their stark branches look gorgeous against a sky of blue, partially covered in clouds -- especially with the late afternoon sun warming their trunks.

More and more, I revel in my neighborhood walks I take while listening to an audiobook. I listen to my book only while on my walk, so wanting to know "what comes next?" helps me want to get outside. 

Once out, my book isn't the only pleasure I receive.

Little Charmer

The number of jigsaw puzzles I complete has a direct correlation to the fragility of my mental health. Solving puzzles helps me feel like I'm capable of putting my life and feelings in order. It mostly works.

Today I chose an old favorite.

We've had five Flower Fairy puzzles ever since Jodie was a little girl. They're great puzzles, so we find ourselves returning to them over and over. But just because I've put this one together many times, doesn't mean it gets any easier! All that dark green and black takes patience.

Sunshine Between Storms

 It's been raining a lot this week. I found a few minutes between the raindrops to get out for a walk.

Try It Too-sday: Cuddly Critter

Who dat?

Why, it's Sunshine Tang, my Puffball Hamster Kittie! 

"What's a Puffball Hampster Kittie?" you ask. Apparently, it's a thing. I saw this post on Instagram and it made me laugh so much that I knew I needed to make a critter of my own for this week's Try It Too-sday. Here's the original:

Here's my re-creation!

Ahhh. Ain't she sweet! Who couldn't love a face like that!

#tryittoosday

Disney Puzzle: Minnie

I found three wonderful 300 piece Disney puzzles at Dollar Tree. The quality isn't great, but the images are spectacular. I put two of them together last week. They are surprisingly difficult, but so much fun to construct.

This first of Minnie Mouse is says, The New Heels Feels. Minnie is feeling pretty and groovy in her new shoes.

I love the oddball combination of color and pattern in this puzzle. It works so well!

Another Rainy Sunday

Still not feeling up to par. I'm pretty sure I need to get excited about a new project to turn my mood around. In the mean time, I put another puzzle together and caught up on a bunch of recorded Colbert episodes.

Earlier in the day, I received a text from an old friend, asking how I'm doing. I replied with a nice newsy text, and asked him the same question. He said, "I'm am MAD about most things these days." 

That's all he said. 

What? Why bother hailing me, then?

So, yeah. I'm not feeling up to par.

Guitars and Yarn

Two things I often like to play with in my down time, guitars and yarn. But I wasn't feeling so good today, so I spent the entire day putting these two old favorite jigsaw puzzles together while watching my YouTube playlist. 

I'm feeling better tonight, so I hope I can return to my honey-do list tomorrow. I had a lot planned for this weekend, but life had other ideas.

Rocky Road

This sidewalk was strewn with gravel. In the harsh afternoon light, the shadows were playing beside the bits of rock.

So I got down low to take a better look.

I took these somewhat out-of-focus pictures last Fall, but didn't edit them because I wasn't sure there was a photograph worth editing here. I'm still not sure, but I also couldn't get myself to throw them out. So I figured I might as well use them. What do you think?

Singing in the Rain

 

Primordial

 

Two Happy Sticks

Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, right? 

In 2021, I'm attempting a new activity. Here' the first in my series Try It Too-sday. 

Using an image that catches my eye, 

From Instagram user sageonascreen

I'll re-create it my way!

#tryittoosday

Tonight's Sunset

 The flock of geese made an appearance just as I was photographing the sunset from my Studio window.

Such An Honor!

One of my photos from 2020 won a spot in Nick Kelsh's TOP 50 FAN PHOTOS OF 2020!

#44. Margaret Davaz

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Nick's comments:

I so appreciated Margaret’s subject matter here.

Sparrows strike me as greatly under appreciated. (Also there are so many different kinds of sparrows. All I know about them is that the white throated sparrow says Old Tom Peabody, Peabody, Peabody.)

But sparrows are definitely among the most accomplished singers in the bird world. They are not just brown and drab. They can change the entire experience of being outside if you listen for them.

So hooray for sparrows and hooray for Margaret’s photograph.

My response?

Oh, my gosh!

I saw the email right after I awoke, before I even got out of bed. I scurried to the computer so I could look at the top photos on the big screen. I love our community so much, and was eager to see some of my favorite photos again. The caliber of images is through the roof.

I NEVER thought I’d see one of my photos in the collection this year. I only submitted a handful of photos in 2020 because, you know, 2020 meant a lot of isolation. Even more rare was to pick up my “big girl camera.” Rarer still, my telephoto lens.

In fact, this photo is from the ONLY day in 2020 that I picked up that lens. It was during the fire season here in Oregon, so the sky was a weird color from all the smoke and it was impossible to breathe outside. I was looking through the second floor window in my studio when I saw this bird in the neighbor’s tree that peeks over our fence. The birds disappeared because of the fire, but this one peeked out for a few minutes.

Thank you, Nick, for believing in me all these years. Thank you for believing my photo belongs here with the best.

And Nick replied:

Hey, Margaret, way to go and keep plugging away all these years making these photographs that jump out like this. Really sweet.

Kirk Park

Last weekend's outing with Jodie was such a pleasure, even with all the mud. The forest was serene, nestled beneath the rainclouds. 

Lots of hairy moss hung from branches.

We even found a geocache. We'll need to return to clean out the container, add some swag, and sign the log. We were without our caching gear that day.

 It is a bit weird to hike while wearing masks. But it's the safest way for us to be around each other for now.

The North Side

 Lush

Green

Moss

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The woods are lovely, dark and deep ...

Fungi

Jodie and I found these gorgeous orange "petals" deep in the forest.

It's soothing to be in the quiet among the trees, and find gems hidden there.

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And yes, we did hug some trees!