Vix Voice

Friends and Artists

Sometimes, friends and artists are the same. I'm lucky to have a pal like fiber artist Lisa Souza. I met Lisa through her yarn, of all things. She's amazing as both a spinner and a dyer of all fibers. She featured The Bone Man on her blog, and I'll let you read what Lisa had to say. Her Tilt a Whirl blog is here. Below is the way-cool shot of The Bone Man in the California woods!

Here is some of Lisa's gorgeous work:

You can find her and her yarn and patterns at www.lisaknit.com

Now...on to the Dublin Art Tour. Yes, I'm in a frenzy getting ready for the 12th art tour and my third. I can't quite believe that, but it's true. Here are some photos that I'll be showing on the tour. But first, here's the invitation I'm sending out.
You can find more about the tour at: www.monadnockart.org
And now for some of my recent photos. I'll let them speak for themselves. Have a good one!

Another photo from the ice storm

Ice Storm - 15
Originally uploaded by Vix Photos.

It's miserable to drive, but oh, so pretty.

One More Thing...

If you want to see some marvelous photographs - and I mean ones that are really special - go to the Fitchburg Art Museum before September 10. There you'll see an exhibit of Robert Sargent Fay's work titled Kindred Spirits: Intimate Photographs by Robert Sargent Fay.

Robert's photos steal my breath away.  

Fill 'er Up

Fill 'er Up
Originally uploaded by Vix Photos.

One of my favorite photos. I took it on the road from Taos to Santa Fe. No one was around, and yet the owner had this marvelous car, the signs, and dozens of gas pumps from the olden days. Very cool. I'm hoping this year to return to that area and investigate Chaco Canyon. I hear it's quite amazing.

Of course, I'd like to tweak this image, too, in terms of tone. But I have so many images I wish to work on. Yet I cannot stop taking photographs. I think the magic is, in part, in the taking, whether they're displayed or not.

Fence

Fence
Originally uploaded by Vix Photos.

I'm trying to decide what to include in the Dublin Art Show. It's a fun show, with folks driving around to see different artists in their studios. My "studio" is our barn, and Bill will there to sign books and help out. A fun day.

This photo is a few years old, yet I still love it. I print them in limited editions, and I'm curious to see this one on a different archival paper.

On a personal note, Gracie - still in heat - is now the object of affection of Muffin, our Puerto Rican street dog. Sadly, Muffin can't do much about his urges. Yet both seem quite happy with the current, frolicsome situation. Hummm. Burt, our mature Brittany, finds the proceedings rather silly!

Nubanusit Twilight

Nubanusit Twilight
Originally uploaded by Vix Photos.

Misty Rock and Other Thoughts

Misty Rock and Other Thoughts
Originally uploaded by Vix Photos.

Above is another photo from our California trip—Misty Rock2.

I have discovered Pod casts. Now, I understand they’ve been around for a while. Okay, when I first explored them with my spiffy new iPod (thanks Blake!), I found that the ones I tested out were utterly boring. I won’t name them, but I wondered why anyone would bother wasting time and energy and money on blathering to create a stultifying Pod cast. Needless to say, I didn’t save them.

But today I explored a wee bit further and discovered: Cast On! It’s Podcast from Wales, which in itself is totally cool, hosted by Brenda Dayne. Sure, it’s about knitting, but the gal do9ing the cast plays amazing underground tunes, includes some additional great writing by others, has several sheep sounds (always a pleasant addition), and, best of all, has a wicked sense of humor and irony. I’m hooked. Here’s the Web site: www.cast-on.com. And you can, of course, get the Podcast for free from the iTunes store.

So weird, but I still love listening to ‘60s and ‘70s music. Where are today’s Mamas and Papas, Cream, and Rotary Connection?

Just got my Publisher’s Weekly review for The Grief Shop (comes out Aug 29), and – boy – did it make my day. Several days, actually. It’s on my Web site, in case you want to check it out yourself.

Just got some brand new and spiffy buffalo fiber from Buffalo Gold. Oh, yum. The stuff is gorgeous, and I plan to knit up some mitts as soon as I finish my current progress. I've also just ordered some new yarn (baby alpaca and silk) from Liza Souza, the most divine spinner and dyer in the world. And, no, I do not exaggerate.

Ms. Gracie, the dog who can’t tell the difference between doggie toys and human ones (duct tape, chair legs, shoes, used underwear) has sinned. She was sitting beatifically on the floor as I went to take my shower this a.m. I sang, per usual. Today it was Les Miz, which is what perhaps drowned out Ms. Gracie's glee.

So anyhoo – out I come, sparkling fresh and happy with cleanliness, and what do I see? Ms. Grace looking utterly content, my latest knitting project disturbingly close to her mouth. Yes, she had been investigating.

Fortunately for her and for me, she ripped nada regarding the knitting. Since I’m knitting cables, that was a huge plus.) Ah, but my lovely number six bamboo needles? Three were fine, but one had suspicious-looking teeth marks on it.

Now, I could have chewed on that needle in my sleep. Anything is possible, right? But being the smart detective that I am, I knew, with great certainty, that Ms. Grace had defiled my needle!

Tonight, I test if the needle is still in working order, meaning that the yarn slips over it like oil on a baby's bum. I sure hope so.

Nonetheless, Ms. Grace is the cutest thing in the world. And, yes, I did scold her in a solemn voice, which made her quiver. I'm not sure if it was in fear or from laughter. I suspect the latter. But then I had to kiss her. I mean, c’mon, one cannot stay angry at a basset, particularly one as adorable as Ms. Gracie. It’s an impossibility.

Twilight Pond for Maggie

Twilight Pond
Originally uploaded by Vix Photos.

I have a friend who enjoys my photos almost as much as I enjoy her art. And believe me, she is one heck of an artist. So this is for Maggie.

Writing fast and furious today, the way I like it. I can't believe that in little more than a month, THE GRIEF SHOP will appear on shelves. I'm pumped.

I'd best get back to it!

Bodega Test

Bodega Test
Originally uploaded by Vix Photos.

Today was a very odd day, in that it poured buckets this morning, and this afternoon was sunshineylovely. I spent much of the afternoon reformatting my blog to match the very cool header Blake designed for Vix Voice. Took me all afternoon. No joke.

Bill, Gracie, and I did a Walkabout the yard. (Burt and Muffin stayed inside, due to their propensity to run off on Big Adventures.) The gardens are looking gorgeous, and I saw a very large snake. For me, it was large and long and intimidating, altough it was simply a garter snake. But it was quite beautiful and sensuous.

Here's a photo of Bodega, Calif. that I've been working on. I'm not sure it's there yet, but I wanted to upload something interesting today, as I haven't much to say in my blog. Pretty place, Bodega. This was taken where they filmed the movie The Birds.

I wrote quite a bit today and it felt great. I really do love getting in the groove and writing. Odd, as I put up a million blockers so I won't write. Sounds silly, yet it's quite true.

Time to cook! Toodles!

Life on Chickadee Farm

Life on the Farm
Originally uploaded by Vix Photos.

Life is always bursting out on Chickadee Farm. This is our second batch of barn robins to hatch. The first crew was composed of two hatchlings. I thought we had three in this second crew. Nope - if you look closely, you'll see four. What a crowd! What fascinates me is that if you go anywhere near the nest, they freeze, as if they were statues and not real birds. Nature protecting her own. Amazing.

Working in the garden is incredibly nourishing. Bill and I were covered in dirt and muck by the end of yesterday. Didn't matter one bit. The Secret Garden is coming along just beautifully.