Knock Kneed Owl

A black walnut tree in the alley.  When I first gather them they're a beautiful lime green.  However within a few days they dry up and look like prunes.  An then there are the "skeletons"  the insides left by the squirrels.  I do not know how they get them open, they're tougher than me. 

That's the base for this little guy.  I know owls don't have legs but this one does, and he has knees, too.  Tiny oak leaves form his wings.  I had fun making him.  He would sit there looking at me for a while waiting for the rest of him to develop.  He's going to be a Christmas gift for a dear neighbor who loves owls.                                      Diane

Nature's Beauty.............

Not everyone shares my appreciation of some of nature's beauty for that I thank you for reading this anyway.

Old wasp nests are, to me, perfect masterpieces.  They don't hold the danger anymore so I can really look at the beautiful architecture.  They're kind of like a honeycomb but a little sloppier.  There are so many kinds of wasps nests ranging from this kind to the papery concoction they form (usually in trees) that end up kind of coneshaped.  All of nature's creations are beautiful in the eye of the beholder.

I hope you're having a good Memorial Day and remember the people who have fought to protect our country so that we might have this beautiful country.

Journaling....................

Winter months are great for journaling - most of the time.  Sometimes it get's so dreary that all you can do is read a book.  There doesn't seem to be any inspiration.  But I try really hard to not get to that point.  I get such joy from journaling.  This page is based on a jar of jelly I received and the little spoon on the ribbon was tied around the jelly jar.  There's inspiration there, you just have to be watching for it.             Diane

Art show....................

An artist who was teaching at the college came to my house last spring to see my art stuff.  She fell in love with my journals as well as these boxes I have on my wall (assemblages) and asked me to be in an art show as the featured artist.  I still don't believe it.  The art show was held and many of my friends came and my daughter, Catherine came down from Billings to be with me.  

My journals have always been private but she asked me to bring a bunch of them and I could let people read them if I wanted but I didn't have to.  They loved looking at them and commenting on the illustrations and it felt so good to remove the stigma of somebody reading them and be able to share.  It was a very heady experience.  Now I look at my art in a completely different way.  
                                                                  Diane

                                                         

Picking up again............

I know it's been so long and I had closed this out but in looking for something on it I realized what a pretty and inspiring blog this is.  

So I'm back.  

I will rework it and begin posting again.  

Welcome, friends.  I hope I didn't lose you completely.                  Diane