Sunday Sundries - Edition 26

Today I'm finishing a 365 with a small group of very good friends.

This group has given me inspiration and joy.

Although we've reached the end of our year,

we're going to continue sharing our images.

You just can't let a good thing slip through your fingers!

It's also the end of August Break 2014!

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.

Thank you for the encouraging comments.

It's been a fun month!

Soft

My baby dress from the 1950's.

day 30

soft

Friday Finds

You know when you find something special how you get a little rush, a little quickening of the heart, and you might gasp a little!  That is what happened to me when I spotted my first colorful FALL leaf! Leaves are already falling off the oak trees, but they're brown and not too inspiring. But, this one proclaims that fall is on the way!

This summer hasn't been like any other I remember. I've actually enjoyed most of it. Yes, me the person who hates heat and humidity has enjoyed this summer. That is based largely on the fact that this summer has been slightly cooler. We haven't even reached the 100 mark and I'm praying that we don't!  The heat index...with the high humidity, that's another story. It's been over 100 for several days. Another great thing about this summer is that a breeze always seems to blowing which certainly helps. Moving hot air feels much better than still hot air!

Mr. H has been a big part in my getting outside this summer. He makes, and I mean MAKES me walk every evening. I have to be sick to miss walking and give him a doctor's excuse. I found out real quickly that walking in the summer heat can create problems. My walking led to sweating, which led to dehydration, which led to low blood pressure, which led to dizzy spells, which led to me forcing myself to drink more water. No worries, nothing serious, problem taken care of...drinking more water is an easy solution.

Anyway, back to the fall leaf. Even though this summer was more bearable, I am looking forward to the cooler temperatures of September and finding more gorgeous fall leaves. 

Linking with Kim's Friday Finds

New Yet Old

Today's prompt had me looking for something new to me, but that's been around a while.

I recently picked up this photo album at a flea market

I want to fill it with some of my nature images.

It's old, but it's new to me.

Day 28

new

Lines

Day 27

lines 

Morning!

I feel like I should explain this image!

Today's prompt is...morning.

This is the way my north facing window looks every morning.

outside humidity + inside air conditioning = condensation

Day 26

morning

Little Things

Day 25

little things

Sunday Sundries - Edition 25

It's amazing how you can create

your own little world in the camera.

~ Trevor Dayley

Wanna Play?

"Men do not quit playing because they grow old;

they grow old because they quit playing."

~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

Friday Finds

In the summertime when the heat is bearing down and the humidity is high I find myself frequenting the flea markets more. I even went there for a photography class I was taking. The exercise was to take a photo walk somewhere you've never been before and look for the unusual. I was not about to wander around in the heat, so I went to the next town over and found a flea market to stroll through. I'll be honest it was very hard to concentrate on photography when you had all the goodies to look at. 

My heart skipped a couple of beats when I found my treasure of the day. An old school book, First Lessons In Nature Study, written by Edith M. Patch. It was written in 1926 and this copy has a 1940 copyright. This fascinating book is full of amazing facts, nature poems, and beautiful drawings by Robert J. Sim.

Curiosity always sends me go Google. I just had to know a little about Edith M. Patch. She was born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1876 and died in 1954. She was an American entomologist and writer. In 1930 she was elected president of the American Nature Study Society and became the first female president of the Entomological Society of America at a time when the society admitted few women. Fascinating woman!

Her descriptive writing flows easily and her love of nature is evident. I certainly wish my elementary science books were written so enthusiastically and by someone who loves nature!

She encourages students to not only study science, but go out and do some hands-on studying. "Perhaps, then you will know the use of this book. It is partly to tell you interesting facts about plants and animals of different kinds, and it is even more to ask you to look and find out all you can for yourself." 

You know when you have the question that asks, "if you could meet anyone from any time period, who would you like to meet?"  I think I would love to meet Edith Patch. I would love to sit with her and listen to her share her knowledge and love of nature. 

Of course, with my new/old book, I had to include some of my found nature items.  I used them to create this series of images for Kim's Be Still 52. 

Treasures

A lot of my treasures I keep in my extra bedroom. This room is decorated with many vintage Items; some I've bought, some I've been given, and some are family treasures that have been passed down to me. The things I cherish most are my grandmothers handmade quilts, my grandfather's bed frame, and the old trunk I restored about 45 years ago to use as my Hope Chest. These treasures all bring fond memories and speak of love.

Day 21

treasures

Peaceful

Day 20

peaceful

Historic Building...Contemporary Quilts

At 420 Main Street in North Little Rock, AR there stands a building that has gone from holding letters and packages to holding books. It was built in 1931-1932 as the first stand-alone post office building in the city. In 2011 the United States Postal Service announced the closure of of 3,700 post offices. In 2012, this post office was officially closed leaving this historic building vacant.

Stop for a moment and think about all of the people who entered these doors during those 79 years. Imagine the old cars lining the streets and the patrons visiting on the steps. 

I've seen this building standing empty and wondered if it would be saved. So many times there just isn't enough funds available for restoration of historic buildings. One day as I was walking down Main Street I saw caution tape blocking off the square where this building sits and several constructions workers around. A dumpster was sitting outside the front door and I could hear sounds of hammering. For a moment I was fearful they were tearing it down.  I was close enough to one of the workers to question what was going on. Much to my relief, he told me they were renovating the old post office and turning it into a library which opened in April of this year.

I went to the library recently to see their newest exhibit, The Sum of Many Parts. Quilt making has come a long way since it's early years of providing warmth. They are now considered pieces of art. I'm not saying the old quilts weren't art, they were, but they weren't usually used as decorative pieces. Quilts have been a big part of my family. My grandmother and mother were both quilters and we sleep under a quilt that I made. 

There's a revival of quilt making lately with a contemporary look and brighter colors.

The small quilt on the left, Out Of The Box, was created  in a unique shape, not the usual square or rectangle. The quilt on the right, Metamorphosis,  began as another project, but the designer was disappointed with the project. She then painted over the entire piece with black and metallic paint. The tree and moon are painted on the black cloth; the leaves are appliqued.

The quilting always amazes me.
(machine quilted above and hand quilted below)

The quilt below was my favorite. It was a large quilt. This is only the center portion. I loved the color combination. I think it really reminded me of fall which I'm so looking forward to!

It was a beautiful exhibit highlighting a range of quilting styles, techniques, and textiles. As always when I go to a quilt exhibit I come away inspired and ready to uncover the sewing machine! 

Blue

"Be like the bluebird who never is blue,

For he knows from his upbringing what singing can do."

~ Cole Porter

Sunday Sundries - Edition 24

"A library doesn't need windows.
A library is a window."
Steward Brand

(I took this window at a library that just opened in an old post office.)

Library Books

Day 16

Looking Down

Friday Finds & Randomness

In the shadow of a large tree this beautiful dragonfly found a sunny spot to rest. Such beauty! The translucent wings of a dragonfly always amaze me. Notice how frayed the two on the left are.

Linking with Kim's Friday Finds

A Little Randomness

#1

All my random images come from the same place this week. The Two Rivers walking bridge opened and I've been meaning to go check it out. Meaning to for at least three years, that's how long it's been open. It's one of those things that the time never seemed right. Finally this week I decided it was time. I envisioned a walk along the river in the cool woods. That wasn't the case.

#2

The bridge leads to a park that is at the junction of the Arkansas River and the Little Maumelle River. Below is the Arkansas River.

#3

I thought that if you named a trail The River Trail that it probably was close to the river. Not on this section it wasn't. After I crossed the bridge I walked for an hour and a half before I saw water again. Thankfully, when I got to the water there was a bench where I could rest and enjoy the peaceful Little Maumelle River before I had to walk an hour and a half back to the car!

#4

Mostly what I walked across were open fields. By the time I came to this mound, I was hot and tired and almost didn't follow the path to the top. I finally convinced myself that I needed to walk on up there in case there was a good view of the river. I didn't see the river, but I did find something unusual.

A sundial scratched in the surface where your own shadow tells the time. I was there shortly after twelve.

#5

One of the highlights of the walk were the deer. They seem comfortable with people around. They never startled, just took their time crossing the trail. My dad would be so jealous. He loves to spot deer.

It wasn't the cool, refreshing walk by the river I expected, but I did enjoy parts of it;  the deer,  birds, butterflies, dragonflies, and resting in the shade by the river. At least it's something I can cross off my "go to" list!