Little Bro and Ham walking to one of Alex's favorite fishing spots on Crooked River. Those rock formations on the top remind me of the Easter Island Moa sculptures!We had a terrific time in Bend for Thanksgiving this year. Great food, great company, great scenery and great fun! We gorged ourselves silly, of course, and spent the rest of the week carousin'. We wedged in a shopping trip to Trader Joe's, much to our delight! Why Boise doesn't have a Trader Joe's is beyond me. We came this close to getting one until the economy tanked out. I am bitter. BITTER. So we got some (now) Three-Buck Chuck and other tasty culinary curiosities we can't find in Boise, like their wonderful cult-status Harvest Grains Blend. The car was loaded up!
Then on Saturday, Little Bro took Ham and me to Crooked River for some fly fishing and hiking. Apparently Crooked River has been a site for the US Fly Fishing Championships, and it's easy to see why. Absolutely beautiful and lots of it! So our day was awesome...gorgeous, crisp and loaded with Fall colors. It started out overcast in the morning, but then the brilliant blue sky came out later in the day. But I tell ya -- when that sun goes down, it gets cold! There were patches of snow and ice clinging to the vegetation even mid-day. And as soon as area went into shadow, ice began to form on the puddles! I also was able to get lots of good shots of rocks, lichen and moss for a base sculpting article I plan to write for The Boat. Anyhoo, you can see more from our trip here, but here are some selected shots of our day at Crooked River right now:
Then on Saturday, Little Bro took Ham and me to Crooked River for some fly fishing and hiking. Apparently Crooked River has been a site for the US Fly Fishing Championships, and it's easy to see why. Absolutely beautiful and lots of it! So our day was awesome...gorgeous, crisp and loaded with Fall colors. It started out overcast in the morning, but then the brilliant blue sky came out later in the day. But I tell ya -- when that sun goes down, it gets cold! There were patches of snow and ice clinging to the vegetation even mid-day. And as soon as area went into shadow, ice began to form on the puddles! I also was able to get lots of good shots of rocks, lichen and moss for a base sculpting article I plan to write for The Boat. Anyhoo, you can see more from our trip here, but here are some selected shots of our day at Crooked River right now:
A shot looking down on Crooked River from the road.
Little Bro casting off at the first spot.
The third spot had these wonderful juniper trees that had tufts -- kinda like mini Truffulla trees!
The rock formations in the Crooked River Canyon were amazing! Look at that!
A delicate desert succulent still tickled by the morning's frozen dew.
Gorgeous Fall colors!
Crooked River in Fall
I don't know what they are, but I loved the structural quality of these spent pods. I think they'd make a super border accent to a tile.
Crooked River at the first fishing spot.
I liked the plant growth on the cliff face, and on these two cute boulders. A pretty picture I think. Everywhere you looked was a painter's dream for canvas!
The view on the road coming home. You see Mt. Bachelor, Three Sisters and more. What a sight!Anyhoo...as you're preparing for Christmas, here are some gift-buying tips for your kids. Good gravy! And speaking of it "feels like Christmas," look what arrived for me today! My new slab roller!
Hooray! It's here! There's my new slab roller with the shims, canvases and roller sleeve, all assembled and ready to rock 'n' roll! I've named him "Derby" (wink).
Now I can roll out clay slabs of perfect uniform thicknesses with an easy crank of a handle -- joy to my world! I'm all gung-ho to start my tile work for 2010! But first I have things to finish -- like Ms. Haffie and Mr. Blue Boy, and I have to get the 2009 RESS Finishwork Exhibition finished and distributed. Back to work for me!
"There are moments on most days when I feel a deep and sincere gratitude, when I sit at the open window and there is a blue sky or moving clouds." ~ Kathe Kollwitz
Hooray! It's here! There's my new slab roller with the shims, canvases and roller sleeve, all assembled and ready to rock 'n' roll! I've named him "Derby" (wink).Now I can roll out clay slabs of perfect uniform thicknesses with an easy crank of a handle -- joy to my world! I'm all gung-ho to start my tile work for 2010! But first I have things to finish -- like Ms. Haffie and Mr. Blue Boy, and I have to get the 2009 RESS Finishwork Exhibition finished and distributed. Back to work for me!
"There are moments on most days when I feel a deep and sincere gratitude, when I sit at the open window and there is a blue sky or moving clouds." ~ Kathe Kollwitz