Blown glass at last

Long story short:  Last October (I think it was October) - I finally got a chance to blow glass - and it was fantastic.  Here are the three pieces I managed during my time on the hotshop floor....

Piece one - a short tumbler that I flared the edge on...check out the rank amateur punty butt and subsequent stress checking:

 

Next go - a tumbler again - this time with a raised trail detail:

And lastly, I used frit on the gather before the blow, did another raised trail detail and then added a small lip to make a beaker:

 

 

...if I ever get time to blog again, I might post more details and pics of the process...(anyone interested?)

They are not likely to let me back on the hot shop floor again, and so if I want to continue with this, Im going to need that bush block where I can build my own....what a sweet day dream!

While we are on the subject of Hotshops, Hot glass and pics of pretty things on a linty white towel....here is the paperweight I did last April (I think it was April....)

 

 

Is been a hectic year - and - it doesn't look like slowing down soon - what are you all up to?

 

But where will I find the time?

Common problem Im sure - for example - here is what my home office looks like on a good day...

Which as you can see, features two computers runnning different tasks.  LOL to the right of the photo is the outer shell of a bathrobe I started making for myself.....in August 2011!!!  In between working a part time job for someone else, I freelance at a couple different things AND try to study 10 hours a week (in a bid to build a new home business for which I need paper credentials, as opposed to just real-world ones...or what used to pass for the real world anyway.)

Im not complaining.  Im #justsayin'

Then, I found the corpses of some of my frog friends.  I dont know why these guys died, but when I found them rotting in the empty plant pot they used to shelter in during the day, well, I just couldnt leave them there.  I scooped them out and put them in a dry place in the sun for a few weeks.  The bones are so fine!  Here they are on a bed of salt before being completely covered in salt. They have been in the salt a few weeks now, I dont know how it will affect them.  When I get around to it, we will see.

And somewhere in the last few months, some stars lined up to push me back in a direction I left behind...I dont know if I even can still make beads...my hands and neck may not allow a good end result....but you know what?  I MISS MELTING GLASS and experimenting with the chemical reactions and the whole process of creation.  So what if what I end up with is an expensive mess - life has got to have some fun, right?

 

I am slowly building my kit up again, and savouring the anticipation.  I will stick with the hot head for awhile, see what comes of this - if I even have any time for it - it doesnt have to be beads - it could be something else - the transformations are still taking place - not all of them ones we would wish for - all the more reason to learn to have some fun where one can?



Spring Blooms & Hope Springs

Life has been toying with us lately. Not with a sense of fun and adventure, but more like a barn cat with the last mouse of the night. Tossing us away only to catch us up over and over again, all claws and teeth but no merciful kill. There is no malice in it, but it is indeed hard not to feel so.

And yet still - I hope! Despite thinking it foolish to do so! Hope must be one of those things that humans "cant not" do.

We are due a win, and look forward to it.
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Native rock orchid with Johnny Jump ups, in the neglected back garden yesterday.

Alternate uses for your Hi-lift Jack

The Hi Lift Jack is an important 4WD Accessory, but that shouldnt discourage you from using it in other inventive and imaginative ways.
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Quite by chance I noticed a brick falling out of the bottom of our house, and pointed it out to The Most DH. After investigating we found that the South side of the house was suffering from being wet all the time. In a drought. Go figure.

So, we need to dig a drain to deal with it. The bigger, and more immediate problem was that the concrete footing the hot water heater sits on, had been undermined. The hot water heater was attempting to pull itself free from the house. Oh, no you dont, you tricksy bugger!

The Hi Lift Jack was employed to re-level and hold the hot water tank while we excavated, and poured a new footing. A great day was had by all.

Interesting, boring, and kinda gross

That is the interesting bit above. See, I want to experiment with infra-red photography - without doing surgery on my camera.

I could spend $60 for a filter which will give near-infra-red effects...$60 bucks!...they're dreamin'! And they want about that much for the fabled 'neutral density filter' that I would use alot more, and covet hotly.

All of which explains why the other day there was the shot with the red cellophane over the lens (just held on with a rubber band), and now today: this is a combo of red and dark blue cellophane, its getting there, dont 'cha think? Curiosity may also be a mother of invention.

All that could also constitute the 'boring' content too, depending on which way you are inclined.

Whatever.

Check out the colours of the bricks and sky - no post-processing here.

And for the gore lovers out there, heres my incision. It is nearly two inches long, keyhole surgery is for wimps! Beats me why they just steri-stripped it back together instead of tying a few stiches, (probably a cost cutting measure).

Galaxy #1221Z3 meets LG U990

Long Story Short:
Cell phone contract ended
Got new phone with new contract
Added one of my beads to new phone
We all lived happily ever after
The End




Totally groovy bead Im so glad I kept for myself, I loved making Galaxy beads.

I miss making beads! Beady types will notice how dodgy the wire wrapping is. I could hardly believe how difficult such a simple thing has become with these hands of mine, even with dead soft wire. But Im pleased I got it done and can now enjoy this little fellow. (9 x 14 mm)

Totally groovy phone, totally! I would gush about it in more detail, but we arent that sort of blog. Will say this, IT ROCKS!

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I do find I spend alot of time playing with the little fishy...he swims around on the screen on his own, but if you touch the screen - he swims over to investigate. My goodness, I am too easily entertained these days.

PS: Ces- I had the macro out to shoot shells with the same day I took these shots - will have them up shortly!

Voice of the (Bunya) Nut

It had been sitting in a shady spot on the concrete porch landing. Now at the end of January, it was completely dried out, and very much lighter.

As I pick it up, a number of cockroaches run out. A disgusted, but alarm tinged "UGH!" escapes me. No doubt the roaches made similar exclamations, as I turf them out of thier beautiful home with flicking fingers.

Now at my leisure to study it, this orb of a nut felt brittle.

Then as I turned it over in my hands it made a sound!

A papery, urgent whisper...

"Drop me on the earth!"

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We had thought we might try eating some of the seeds, but after my close encounter with its former residents, the roaches, No Thank you!
But we will attempt to germinate them as per the original plan.

Grand Finale of Sun Shots

This was the best sunset ever - last shot from the series.
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Argh! There was no time today to write a thing, and I dont hold much hope for tommorrow, but fingers crossed!

Sunset Stormcloud

A shot from last December- December 1st as a matter of fact. Thats one folder culled and archived...only 34 more to go. Oh. Yeah. And whats still in the camera.

Guess I should not try a low light self portrait shoot tonight.

Oh, okay. Maybe.

Oh, ALRIGHT!!! But not untill after you cull at least three more folders!

(Aw, Geeze!)

Another hidden world under our noses

If you saw yesterdays picture, you see how these little wonders get missed. Each individual flower is tiny. Yet, stick a macro lens up to them and - Whoa! Did you ever imagine such a far out and freaky flower?

But Wait, Theres More ~
Welcome our new Alien Overlord!


Check it out! Bees love this plant, but me personally, I dont think Id stick my head in there and let it tickle my belly...it just seems - dangerous to me.

I think these were the first things I shot with the macro. It is not a top of the line lens, (Optex OVL311 Wide angle/Macro Video Lens, with the wide angle segment removed). In addition, it was meant for use on a (video) film camera, not my digital (still) Canon. But it simply screws onto the front of my Canon EF 50mm F1.8 II lens, so how could I resist having a go?

All things considered, the shots are great. But since Im the one that took them, I mostly see where they could be better. Then again, these flowers arent flat. So with this lens, getting every element in focus is, well, probably never going to happen.

Hey, I still get to have alot of fun trying while I save up the big bucks that more suitable equipment will require. And no, if the government gives me any 'economic stimulus money' I wont be using it for photo gear - it wouldnt be enough anyway!

Gigs, Glaciers, Hostages, Fiction!

Well there has been no time to see to the computer's creaking joints as yet.

As a matter of no interest to you whatsoever: on Feb lst I had 9.75 GB of photo data yet to be reviewed (culled). With files coming in and a few managing to be reviewed, as at Feb 10th I have that down to 8.32 GB. When I have finished reviewing all the files to date, then they are archived on two separate backup devices.

So officially speaking, glaciers retreat faster than I can process my photowork. Now thats a joke that was ALOT funnier before Global Warming began to get so much press.

(Here I went on for several paragraphs about how given the slightest provocation, I pick up the camera and run off to shoot. As opposed to sitting here and deciding which shots I will keep or delete. Are you sitting tensely on the edge of your seat, holding your breath, feeling your heart race, rapt in the deepest fascination you have ever experienced? Oh well, sorry! I deleted that bit already.)

Anyhow, another day abbreviated by a doctor. This time The Most DH played the part of the patient, and I the attentive spouse. Makes a change, I can tell you!

An MRI of the knee, after an Xray of the head (to check they really did get all the metal out of that eye from a shed building fiasco some years ago). Now, funny, you have to wait several days for the results - it used to be a few hours - now you must call back in a few days and see if they really are ready...THEN we can return to the specialist....well, really! I had better leave it there before I get started about Public Health (and no, I dont think Private is any better - but enough!)

I only bring it up as being captive in the waiting room allowed me some time to read a book! Yes, time to read a book! And the other amazing and unusual thing about this occurrence is, I brought fiction! FICTION! I hardly ever read fiction anymore. It was a lovely treat.

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Not content to just shoot things, lately I cant help but scan them as well. You will recognize the fronds from previous posts. Here one is newly bloomed - still regally purple, while the other has been transformed to the colour of wheat with age and the sun.

Gone to seed

The hollyhocks have gone to seed, and with plenty of summer left, are sprouting again from the base of the plant. These new spires are miniatures of the original, but anything that will blossom now is most welcome. Its long past time to plant some annuals for the autumn...Ive been so slack in the gardens these last couple years...so busy persuing other goals, like chasing my tail.

I have undertaken to re-organize the studio/office. Silly me! So much hoarded art/craft material from so many projects. Many unfinished pieces in several mediums, all celebrating anniversaries that make me feel old.

I am salvaging what I can, and giving away anything still useable. Not knowing if or when I may have an improvement to my hands makes me think its the best thing to do - divest myself of all the haunting "Someday I will ... " stuff and just get on with what I am able to do.

Now my poor computer groans under the weight of gigs and gigs of pics...I suppose it's welfare will be the next project.

Purple danced with the Roses

For me, part of the allure of the grasses is the way they give another voice to the air. The sounds grasses make with a breeze, or gale. The air and the grasses sing a duet, and they dance it as well. Iam easily entranced by thier interaction, and sorely long to join them. I dont think I belong in the suburbs. I feel smothered by the people, and cut off from the spirit of the Earth. In my front yard here in the suburbs, I dont feel free to cast off my fetters and dance with the wind and the grass. I am living in the wrong time, arent I? And speaking of time, I must run again - pity, what I had to say here could have been alot more eloquent but for the want of time.

If no one is looking, go dance with the grasses!

Pennisetum Advena Rubrum, Purple Fountain Grass

Purple Fountain Grass, Pennisetum Advena Rubrum. A fabulous specimen, and the plant that made official my love affair with grasses. I had managed to acquire a much longed for Miscanthus Zebrina last year, but its been rather dissappointing. I paid $26 for said Zebrina, and only $16 for the Purple Fountain. Get the Purple!

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Things have been so busy lately that, when I go out in the morning, Ive been meeting myself coming back. Today I have a couple hours I can spend with the computer, although they are not all strung together. So I am attempting to post via the Installment Method, a sentence here and half a paragraph there - as time and brain cells allow.

Therefore, although there may be content here, it may best suit those with short attention spans. If you find yourself confused....Oh look! A possum!

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Iam still at a loss as to what to blog about. Still have the question looming in my mind about where I am going with all of this, but Thanks to you, I no longer wonder if there is any value in doing as I have done. (MWAH!) Thats been a gift to me. Id much rather entertain than well, bore, I suppose.

So, we might have a bit of a catch up in the garden photo-wise, but while I do that I may try to write more. Or I may not. Its very hard to say right now, what with the whole spinning around chasing my tail thing shortening my attention span. (Possums?)

There are literally hundreds of shots backlogged for culling and cropping and sorting - Oh My! I will have to either stop shooting (GASP!) or get on with the rather more tedious business of housekeeping (GROAN!) ...

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At that last ellipsis moment, as I was staring at 544 shots of Honey on a Plate in the Sun, The Most DH suggested we go for a ride. It took precisely one milliseconds consideration. "I will cancel my 3 o'clock." Soon we were off.

I brought along the camera of course, but we didnt go anywhere exciting or new or see sights that merited leaving the air conditioned Rover - except one.

I am working on two different series of photos behind this blog. They are more social commentary than fine art. Well, I guess that depends on what one considers - either, really. I only mention this as the shot I did get today makes an official start to the second series. Which is exciting for me, to come out of the conception phase and into the actual work.

So, garden shots! Here is a lovely, fresh shot of my Purple Fountain Grass. Shot from below to emphasize that glorious golden summer morning sun, before it got too hot to bear being outside. I love the lens flare I got from the angle, although it is hard to see at this size.

Enjoy your day! If you are in the Northern Hemisphere, I wish you warmth! For the Southern, cool!

honey on a plate in the sun

One of 544 shots of honey - still in comb - on a plate in the sun.

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You thought she was joking, didnt you?

Seed on the wind: Mexican Butterfly Weed, Asclepias Curassavica

Ok, Ok, alright, I confess. Yesterday's blog post was a ruse. A stratagem. Some might say an artifice. Even other others: a feint. Whatever you call it, it was a deliberate attempt to delude you all into thinking that that was a fresh photo.

Why should I worry? Ive made no 'Phresh Photo Pledge' or such (yet).

I dont know, I dont know! Perhaps I am just Demented with the Power of Plausibility? After all, how would you know if I was lying to you?

Well, how? Smarty-pants.

So now that you are cooking me over an open flame to distill the essence of truth: yesterdays shot was taken on December 21st. Todays shot was taken on January 11th...but the plant is still setting seed pods and opening them as well. Ive collected a bunch of seed, and let some free to do thier thing in a bare patch nearby.

I wasnt feeling too crash hot yesterday, so I pulled a swift one on you, and then when I wasnt feeling at all better today, I realized that the jig was up and I still needed a post for today, and since I was feeling like crap on a clamshell, I just wasnt terribly inspired, so I looked at hundreds of photos waiting to be shared, and this one is the only one that speaks to me, my word, thats saying alot, there are other road trips to cover, and dont ask about the macro lens project....

Oh...well....since youre curious! I shot some honey on a plate one day - 544 pictures of honey on a plate in the sun!! Oh, Dear Reading Several, you have so much to look forward to!!!! I cant wait to ...

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Lavender has a toothache and is not reacting well to a related prescription. She will be her old blogging self again in a few days. Posts may or may not appear during this time, but if they do, she may appear taciturn in an effort to not appear surly, or insane.

The world was moving, she was floating above it, and she was...

"She was glad about it... no doubt about it
She isnt sure about where shes gone *
No time to think about what to tell them
No time to think about what shes done
And she was"

~~~~~~~~~
From the song "And she was" by David Byrne,
performed by the Talking Heads on their 1985 album "Little Creatures"
~~~~~~~~~

Am I the only one?

I have a soundtrack that plays along in my head, quite alot.

Things happen, or dont.
Events begin, end.
Feelings crest, then fall.
Often precipitously.

Regardless, I cant count the number of times a song drifts into my consciousness that fits, either literally or figuratively. Sometimes both.

Whats really telling are the ones that are there in my personal ether when I wake up in the morning. Who needs therapy?

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About the Photo:
I shot this with one of those waterproof cameras kodak makes. I bought it just for this shot, now I bet everyones doing it. Well, if they werent already.

*
Assuming I am remembering the words right.
Why dont I have this on disc yet so I can check and enjoy?!?!

melting sticky ooze

So, yesterday the sun wasnt exactly out. But still it reached 38c (sounds better than 100.4f, which sounds better than 311.15 kelvin)!

I hope I can take this shot again when the jacaranda has more blossoms out and the hollyhocks arent drooping in the opressive heat. I stayed inside, where it was only 30c, as much as possible.

Today I am being dragged off to locations unknown, I will bring valium and a camera. Fingers crossed. (If I am absent tommorrow, assume I am merely recuperating.)

Doryanthes Excelsa: Gymea or Spear Lily: Luminous Wax

BetteJo has asked for some info on the size of this thing - and so we took a pic with an object for scale - but its a pretty crap pic LOL Let me mess with it and post it next time, Ta!

Flat Chat - Mixed Grill

(Wed.) From the garden looking up - maybe maybe its starting to bloom?



(Thurs.) Making fun with King Jack!



(Fri.) On hearing the death knell for Mars: