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...a glimpse into life on Vancouver Island, needle felting, photography, food, gardening, etcetera...etcetera
"Happiness always looks small when you hold it in your hands, but let it go, and at once you learn how big and precious it is."
Maxim Gorky

Friday, November 29, 2013

Song for Friday...still happening...

Well, refreshingly enough there's still some amazing
young talent out there being influenced by our modern musical ancestors.
Namely Bob Dylan...the early years.
This young lad was on Graham Norton the other night and
I am quite smitten with him.
He's Jake Bugg from the UK, 19 and chock full of talent.
So enjoy this and Happy American Thanksgiving to our neighbours!
Have a great one everyone!
Stay warm, stay safe.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

So it goes...

Sometimes I feel that I don't write in this space as often as I used to.
My reasoning for this lately is basically that I've been Very Busy!
You see my boss at the flower shop has opened another shop. The flower shop is still open as well
with this one focusing on a more 'boutique' style with emphasis
on the local arts and crafts scene, featuring some of the creative talent in these parts.
The shop is called 'Inspire' and we've worked hard in the last few weeks getting it looking
like the kind of shop we'd like to spend some time (and money!) in...
One of my co-workers Tricia is an event planner and makes the most elegant settings...
Shes also making these beautiful little birds and purses by hand...
My friend Irma from Geewillowkers is also part of the creative collective
with her stunning box lamps made with layers of specialty paper and real pressed leaves...
Also in the line-up is Dee from The Vintage Shed who
does great work re purposing and up cycling furniture...
...by the way those are Trish's handmade Christmas stockings hanging up below...
She's also always keeping an eye out for fun vintage items like these suitcases...
 Candice from Jordan River Soapworks makes lovely beauty products
totally natural and handcrafted just up the road...
I've contributed some of my fuzzy felted things as well...
Fingerless gloves and mitts, wet felted with silk merino...
 
Some for the fellas as well...
As well as a few needle felted sculptures...
Chillin' with my Gnomies...
So there you go...come on by if you're in the hood...
Right next door to Sooke's finest coffee slurping joint where
the beans are roasted right here at The Stick in the Mud.
(if you wish to inquire about prices and availability on these items just
email me for further info)
 
 
 
 
 

Sunday, November 24, 2013

High rise...

I saw it in the bare grove of small alders a few weeks back
and put it down to an old robins nest.
Last week I looked a little closer at it and 
my curiosity got the better of me.
Ever so gently I bent the skinny tree down so I 
could reach for it.
And there it was...this beautiful, dry, stacked pile of tiny twigs.
A winter treasure.
A birds nest.
I tucked it in my arms and gingerly carried it home
to gaze upon its magnificent structure...
As far as I could research in my books of birds nests,
it's probably a Black headed Grosbeaks...
It's about 7" high and there is no mud or moisture used...
It was sitting in the fork of the tree, perched ever so carefully.
The bottom 6 and a half inches is made of the more coarse
twigs and then in the cup of the nest it's lined with
delicate roots and grasses...
When collecting a nest I only do it in the winter and knowing that almost
all songbirds make new nests in the spring as part of the mating ritual.
These old nests are not used again in the spring nesting season.
Some may make several before they decide on the perfect one.
Larger birds like crows, ravens, jays and birds of prey,
use the same nest for several years and also use them to teach
young birds how its done.
Crows and ravens spend 2 or 3 years learning before they go off on their own.
So I sit and marvel at the ingenuity and engineering that
goes into the making of a nest...
 ...and all done with just a beak and tiny feet.
Amazing!