Another view of winter here...

More of winter's beauty . . .

Let it SNOW,

First snow of 2016 in Vancouver,

Awhile back during my previous blogging days, I had a wonderful pen pal from France.  I really enjoyed her posts, emails, lettes and things she sent me for three years. I loved writing to her.  THEN,  I got busy with a charity for which  I made neck scarves to give away free in cold weather  and  I stopped blogging AND writing to my special friend. I regret that now  I pray that she and her family are safe after the recent bombings in Paris.  They are in my prayers.  Take care.

I hope to get back to blogging with photos soon.

Paulie

Well, here I am , trying to see if I can post again.  THUS, no photo this time but if it works, hopefully next time.  I am probably talking to myself since I have been inactive ehre for a couple years.  Maybe one day, I will re-connect with "old" friends again.

Paulie

I think I found them . . .

I remember I saved red ones for the Christmas distribution so I think these are different photos from what I posted already.  I will continue to look for any I might have missed.  I took photos of them in different ways to see them better.  Once more, thanks to the three ladies, quilting friends of Kathy who donated yarn for me to complete the project.

Another note:

I have been searching through my photo chips for the rest of the neck scarves I made.  Been unsuccessful so far.  I know I took photos so until I find the rest, I will not blog again.  SIGH  I owe it to my contributors to show them all the scarves, not just a few as I have so far.  Once found, I can then feel comfortable blogging again on a regular basis.  (I still don't have the problems fixed for those who visit.  I am sorry!  Maybe I am just too old to learn what to do.  I am not giving up just yet tho as I need to show the  remaining  neck scarves photos in thanks to those who helped me procure yarn for them. Please bear with me. . . thanks!

Paulie

Scarf for tomatoes. . . three views of one

Yes, this fellow resident had access to a little garden and brought me many red mini tomatoes AND some yellow pear shaped ones too!  They were sooooooooooooooooo good that I told him I would make  him a neck scarf (which he had admired when I was making for my project).  I told him if he bought the yarn, I would make him a scarf and I got to keep the leftover yarn for my project.  He readily concurred.  I would never have thought of putting purple with black. . . but that was his choice.

I am still looking for the rest of the photos of my scarf project I did for the give a way. . . hope to share them soon.

Latest one made for friend. . .

My friend couldn't decide which color she wanted for a scarf but said black or white so I made her a zebra one -- the middle strip was done with both colors crocheted together.and is probably warmer.  She loved it!  I bought the yarn after church one Sunday afternoon  I finished it that same night!  It is the first one I made sicne my project and I found that I don't hate doing it.  I may do the project again but  not make quite so many this time as I want to do other things too.

I have to find my photo card for the rest of the scarves I made for "the project."  I am trying to find them. . . will soon, I hope.  I am still trying to get my blog straightened out also. . . THEN I will visit other blogs I enjoy again on a regular basis.

More scarves bring smiles to my heart . . . and warmth elsewhere.

 I like to spread the scarfs out so they can be seen better and haven't decided just which is best -- over a dark "plastic" couch in the mail room or over a large table in the former dining room . . . so you get some of both.

 As far as I can remember, these all are different tho -- just placed differently or taken from different view.

 Doesn't really matter the color IF it keeps one warm . . . but it is nice to have a choice.  THANKS again to those people who helped my project by donating new skeins of yarn for me to work with for this.

 All sizes for kids and adults -- some just like to wrap around neck and put end into coat so they are short/for kids sizes; others like to wear them long for decoration and warmth. . .

 

Varied sizes for sure!

Many different colors also. . . but all to help keep people warm!  You can enlarge by clicking on photo.

THANKS again to those who helped me accomplish this project by donating skeins of yarn.  I will show more when I find them on my other photo card.

Some of my hair pin lace scarves

 When I began this give-a -way project, I had no idea how much work it would be.

 

I just knew that I wanted to do something for our community and I enjoy making things from hair pin lace crochet.

 

This gave me plenty of experience. . . some frustrating and some joyful but in the end, all wonderful!

 

I knew my project would keep a few people just a little warmer this winter and we have had some cold weather recently in the 20's and a few teasings of light snow too!

 

So, this is a sampling of some of the scarves I made for people that came for the free dinner at Chronis Restaurant for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I will  show you more of them on my blog later/

WITHOUT the yarn donations of several of Kathy's  quilting friends from Washington and Idaho, I would have had to pay for all the yarn myself.  These wonderful ladies sent me several boxes of beautiful yearn to make the scarves.  THANK YOU!

(More another day. . . )

Yes, it's me!

Hi.  Don't faint. . . I am finally back!  This is just a test to make sure I can post since I changed Internet Providers a year ago and then went back to my old one.  If this works, I am in business, thanks to a lot of help from Kathy.

 I missed blogging but made a choice to put  my scarf project first so just read a few blogs and didn't post.  My first order of business is to thank Kathy and her quilting friends who sent me some yarnto add to what I had and bought in order  to accomplish my goal for my SCARF project for this past Thanksgiving and Christmas give a ways.  I made 212 scarfs in 11 months but gave two away to special friends, gave 10 away for a different friends project to help families of men in prison and the rest went to the restaurant that provided a free meal on both holidays to anyone who showed up. 

I will try to locate some photos of the scarfs and post them next.

I sure have missed blogging and hope to get back into it on a regular basis again.  I hope all my internet friends will return.  I hope to visit blogs soon.

Paulie

Happy Easter!

May your Easter celebration be one of happy memories and great joy!

First Friday Art Walk in April . . .

     They had a contest of high school students art projects and we got to vote for them.  I had 4 other art places to visit so didn't stay for the results.  This one was made like a staircase with the evolution of a tree. . .  I like how it progresses from an acorn to a small plant to a small tree and then a full grown tree stump.                Step by step!

     I listened to the musical selections these two men provided on the Sax and Keyboard.  I got to hear 4 selections while finishing my art walk in the studio and having refreshments.  They were great!  It was well worth the time I spent there Friday night.

This owl caught my eye as I entered the art studio. . . 

The portrayal of ADDICTION is so vivid -- it grabs you!

This one was called "Singing in the rain . . . "

     An artist named Ron Jones got me interested in doing the First Friday Art Walk.  This is one of his      pieces.  It took him over 400 hours to draw it he told me Friday night  . . .  the drawing is so detailed  -- click on it to see it better.  (Sorry about the light reflections my camera caught photographing it.).  He came to our apartment building almost 4 years ago and showed us some of his his work and how he did it  after  friend (who has  since passed on) and I visited his art gallery on our first, First Friday Art Walk.  

     This bear art has been at many First Friday art walks. . . but this is the first time I got a chance to take a photo of it without people standing in front of it.  I think it is so realistic!

     I will end with this one of our flag. . . never get tired of seeing that flag and being reminded of what it stands for. . .

     I forgot to re-charge my camera battery or take an extra one so my camera died on me before I got to the last three galleries but the above should show you a sampling of the art we try to appreciate here in Vancouver.  Thanks for joining me on part of my Art Walk!

Very appropriate. . . for us in Vancouver. . .

     Our town appreciates art forms of a variety of kinds. . . and tonight, I saw these umbrellas placed on a corner downtown as art.  Very appropriate, even tho it almost looks like the sky is a shade of blue with some white fluffy clouds at the time.  Actually, the umbrella wasn't needed for the first time today in a very long time. . . but the RAIN is returning for Easter.  Some egg hunts cancelled because of the sogginess of grassy areas from recent rains/downpours.

     Earlier Friday, the sky looked ominous andI thought I saw a tornado appearing but the news never mentioned it so maybe it was just a bad rainstorm in the north of our county. . .

                 This is what it looked like out my 8th floor apartment window this morning. . .

     I guess we were lucky and missed a bad storm or a tornado here.

    That was wonderful since the first Friday Art Walk was tonight and it was very pleasant temperatures with NO RAIN.  Tomorrow, I will show you some artwork I enjoyed before my camera battery wore out . . .  SIGH

Snow Art

Ok, so I saved a few snow photos for one more posting. . . Can you blame me?

Can you see the face sculpture that seems to be talking to the ballerina snow fairy sitting on a twig?

Look at this happy snow fella. . . I think it is smiling for me because it knows how much I love snow!

Can you see the Scotty dog jumping for joy -- It couldn't quite make it as high as the plant beside it but it doesn't care. . . it is snowing and that makes Paulie happy!

YES, I give this Spring snowfall an A  for achieving the record of snow in Spring in Vancouver!  Give yourself an "A" IF you saw these things as I did. . . or if you saw something I missed -- I would love to hear about it.  Isn't it wonderful how the wind can break little boughs of trees off and they get covered with snow and become something else wonderful, not just a useless broken branch!

Spring Snow Memory

This is the  last part of my snow journey Thursday.  The snow is all gone now but memories will last forever of our Spring Snow in 2012!

The snow frosting on the branches seem to be in an Artist contest!

Branches bear the snowy load in artistic form!

The Parks and Rec have cleared the snow on this part of the trail.

Another view on my journey in the snow.

The owners of this horse are caring.  They brought it a blanket to keep warm and some hay to eat.

Looking in yet another direction on my walk.

 Found these logs an interesting subject with their snow frosting.

Almost looks like little ice cream cones!

 This plant is saying, "Let me out!  What happened to SPRING?"

 The Discovery Trail along Burnt Bridge Creek goes much further but Main Street is close to my home and I have a meeting to attend in 45 minutes so don't dare go further. . . time to catch the bus back.

This may be the end of the first part of the trail and my journey in the Spring snow. . . but I have the memories!  Hope you enjoyed them also!

Snow Walk . . .

Our Spring snow fall was quickly disappearing in town so I decided to walk one of the trails that is  in a part of the forrest and enjoyed the snow for a little bit longer. . .

I walked part of the trail (just over three miles) after a city bus ride to this starting point.

Although it wasn't lots of snow, it was enough to enjoy IF you like snow as I do!

The ground foliage makes an interesting snow cover. . .

The moss has a covering of snow icing!

Even the bare branches look wonderful with their winter clothes!

Bushes having a WINTER IN SPRING  fashion show -- after all, it doesn't snow every Spring here!

A  view from a part of the trail that has been cleared.

Looking off to another side of the trail. . .

Another direction. . . this trail is built between the power lines.  There are homes on the hills on both sides of the trail and thus all the power lines.  The entire trail was built in this corridor for convenience to get there and use the space wisely.

In the distance, a lone horse looking for something to eat under the snow cover. . .

This bench is a welcome respite in warmer weather. . . Several benches are placed all along the city wide trail.  It looks kinda lonely in this snowfall.

Bridge across Burnt Bridge Creek looks like many hikers passed over the light snowfall.  Come back tomorrow for the rest of my journey in the  SPRING snow of 2012. . .