Fiberactions Posted Today

Secret to Longevity:  Fruits & Vegetables

Secret to Longevity/detail

Continuing my 'secrets' series which includes zippers revealing little secrets, I have just posted my latest contribution to Fiberactions Challenge 9, using three or more colors found in your kitchen.   I hope you check it out and leave a comment...oh, leave a comment here too.  I love comments.

Deadlines Loom

There's one thing you can count on when returning from a holiday...there will be much to do when you arrive.  In my case....deadlines were the most pressing issue...and there were plenty of them.

Today I crossed one of them off my list.  Yeah!  My SAQA 12" Square for the Annual Benefit Auction is d-o-n-e!

One down several more to go....(deadlines, not Auction Squares...only allowed to submit one, thankfully).....more tomorrow.

Hatsue's Origami Lesson

I have just posted on Viewpoints 9 blog my contribution to the 'tradition' Challenge.  Two weeks late, yikes!  But it's up.  I hope you will read it and comment there...or here too.  I love comments...;^)

9500 Miles in 60 Days

Judy Ross' Local Color

Home again!  As much as we enjoyed our trek to the West Coast and back, we are so glad to be home.  And, it's not just our comfy beds...we slept in a lot of comfy beds.  It's 'the girls' and getting back to our familiar routine.

Before we actually arrived home in Guilford, we stayed our last night in New York so we could be handy to the Western State Connecticut University in Danbury and the opening reception for SAQA/CT's Local Color.

Margaret Phillips and Mayanne Weinburg were the intrepid volunteers to chair the exhibit and then follow it with captaining the first venue.  Pictured here they are relaying their approach and sharing cautions to the following venue chairs.  Everyone was so appreciative of their work.

Our traveling exhibit is officially launched!  With color catalogue!  It is selling very well from the SAQA shop.  Kate Themel, trusty sidekick, worked with Betty Warner to produce a gorgeous catalogue that really shows off the pieces.  It has been selling very well at the SAQA Store and will be available at all the venues.

Courageous Exhibit Chairs and Venue Captains Margaret Phillips and Mayanne Weinburg

Fran Phillips, one of the jurors, informative talk about her approach

Also at the meeting Carol Eaton brought some of her fabulous fabric to share

Reception 

Aurelle Locke and Barb Adams problem solving

Janine Anderson-Bays admiring work of Chris Blais, Sandy From an and Roz Spann

Jeanne Marklin, who drove down from MA, Betty Warner, editor of the fabulous Local Color Catalogue and moi

Canyon de Chelly: Just photos

Canyon artist with piece I bought as a remembrance

Canyon with fields, orchards in base still home to traditional Navajos

Cliff dwelling from Anasazi Indians

On the Road: Two Days at Vermilion Cliffs

The weather improved as we drove to slightly lower elevations east of Zion.  Except for the unrelenting winds!  

We spent two days in Vermilion Cliffs...just two miles from Marble Canyon.  I think there are probably 100 residents, combined.  Marble Canyon has a Post Office though.

We were lucky in that when I rang to make reservations (the only time I made reservations ahead, deciding with a place that small and SO far from anywhere else it might be prudent)...the receptionist advised that there was only one road into the area.  The road from Page AZ had washed out.

Lees Ferry...down the road from Marble Canyon...was a ferry service across the Colorado River, first established by three Mormon families around 1870.  Most of their homesteads, orchards and some equipment is still there.

Despite the unforgiving wind we hiked and explored this gorgeous (think I'm overusing this word on this trip) landscape...lots of photos to share.

One photo that didn't get taken.  Soaring over the Colorado we saw a California Condor!!!!  But I couldn't get my camera to focus before he/she was just a speck.  Vermilion Cliffs is also one of the spots that they have been released and they return here in the spring.  There is also a local non-profit trying to get hunters to use non-lead bullets in this area.  Apparently lead poisoning from the food that the giant birds scavenge is one of their biggest threats.

Colorado River just below Lees Ferry...now starting point for rafting

Our room at the Lees Ferry Lodge in Vermilion Cliffs

On the Road: Zion National Park

Our day and night in Zion was wonderful.  It is a beautiful place...even the little we were able to see.

 The elevation is 4000' at the floor and as soon as we set out we encountered limited visibility.At over 6000 feet we were in the weather.  Our luck.  The weather was SNOW. 

Lighted deer alert