Gliding into the National Day of Service

We lost our parachuters but gained ...

... Gliders and, no, the contrail is not from the glider.


Saturday January 17 and Sharyn did an amazing thing. She organized an event for the National Day of Service. The event had two purposes. Food for the local Creswell Food Pantry and Warm socks and school supplies for Creslane Elementary school.


We brought the Musemobile and the Mini-Musemobile to serve as HQ for the event. Rays Food Place and Bi-Mart allowed volunteers to hand out flyers to customers at their entrances. We had great support from both stores and ...

... support from the Creswell Food Pantry and Creslane's Principal. We got the receptacles ready and set up on this very cold overcast day.


Sharyn made some last minute checks of her todo list and we were ready to start.


Our neighbor Sharon and our other friend Carol were the first to show up.


I made them pose for a shot before the work began.


Two great volunteers from Eugene then showed up with donations and giving our spirits a boost. Darlene and Myrna were both a delight to meet as were Jay and Marta who took turns doing the flyers at Bi-Mart while Sharon and Carol took over at Ray's Food Place with the help of Elizabeth a young lady I believe from the high school.

After dropping off their donations Myrna and Darleen took off across the parking lot to Bi-Mart and Sharon and Carol took off to Ray's.


The Musemobile was the place to warm up and share some smiles. Darleen and Myrna warmed up while Jay and Marta passed out the flyers.


Carol dropped back in to warm up just as Helen (Owner, Editor-in-Chief of the Creswell Chronicle) dropped in to get the event information for our local newspaper. Helen had earlier published a great article written by Carol in the paper to help publicize the event. Even our campaign buddy Ted dropped off some donations at the Musemobile HQ and stayed to say hi.

Sharyn and all the folks who took part in the event had a great time despite the cold (by the way as we closed up the sun did come out) and the results were great.

Five to Six hundred pounds of food and personal items were collected according to Patti from the Pantry. A a huge box full of Socks, Scarves, Gloves and School supplies from a small town of a little over four thousand people.

I for one am very proud of Sharyn, the volunteers and the citizens of Creswell, Oregon.


OH! We did have one other visitor it was a Red Tailed Hawk that watched over the entire effort and left just before we took off to drop off the donations.


Yes! I do have my artsy picture of the day. This one was taken in the Berkshires of Massachusetts some time in 2002. My how things from the past brighten the present.

No Scrabble Tonight.

Quote of the Day

"If you can't feed a hundred people, then just feed one." Mother Teresa quotes

Entwined at Maude Kerns Art Center

It's January 9th and a new show at the Maude Kerns Art Center.

Entwined: Baskets & Fiber
Running from January 9 through February 6
The exhibit features the work of seven basket artists, Donna Sakamoto Crispin, Deb Curtis, Patricia Montoya-Donohue, Lei McCornack, Mariana Mace, Kree Kree Snyder, and Sheila Marie Collins Tasker, as well as fiber wall hangings by Philomath artist Babette Grunwald. Inspired by nature, each artist uses natural materials to create works which reflect a fascination with form, texture, and pattern.

This wonderful piece by Donna Sakamoto Crispin is titled "Natural Woman" and was created from Northwest sedge, Banana fiber, Beargrass, Iris and Daylily leaves. The wonderful face bead was created by Dana Swisher.

Another of Donna's pieces titled "Shamaness" displayed a beautiful weave and color.


Patricia Donohue created "Hombre de la Tierra IV" from Northwest sweetgrass, Copper, Birch and Stones. I really liked the creativity as well as the weave.


Lei McCornack created "Waves" from Seagrass and Shells...


... the shells were tiny so here is a close-up - beautiful work.

Lei also created this beautiful and delicate piece that reminds me of Easter (which is way too far away) and the old baskets from when I was a child but this one shows a great deal more creativity and skill.

I should have looked closer but I'd swear this one was made from seaweed and shells and made me long for a trip to the Pacific.


This all looks very creative a group of three items by Deb Curtis but the best part of this art is that its wearable.

Deb was kind enough to model her hat, tie and gloves. A sweet person with a very sweet story. The gloves were hers at confirmation or communion (I can't remember sacraments very well) and she turned them into this very clever "Personal Attire." Thank you Deb I like your style and smile.

The image on the right is "Bird Roost" by Patricia Donohue created from Willow, Red Osier, Cherry bark, Birch and Leather. On the right Mariana Mace presented one of the more intriguing pieces that so much reminded me of the old days in the Pacific Northwest sorry I missed the title.

Sabrina and Kelly, who are an integral part of the staff, were wearing black in honor of my two pictures not selling at the members show. These young ladies always have a smile for visitors and help make Maude Kerns visits by anyone a treat.

I got to meet Babette Grunwald thanks to an introduction by Karen (also wearing black) the Center director. I really liked her work with fibers so I've grouped them all together. She is a Philomath artist a few miles north and west of Eugene and does lovely work. It was a pleasure to view her work and also say hi.

This piece is "Untitled" by Babette.


This piece is "Bark" created by Babette as a mixed media and fiber piece.


"Chaos" is the title of one of my favorite pieces in the show another of Babette's eye candy with substance.


This is another of Babette Grunwald's pieces. What a magnificent piece.

Babette titles this piece "Moss Bark with Leaves" and made me realise the limitations in producing small photographic images from very intricate work that really should be experienced in person.

Sheila Marie Collins Tasker created "Willow Bodice" from various willows. I liked this basket for the shape and the colors throughout. It reminds me of swirls of a tornado rising to the sky.


Yes, the staff WAS wearing black but like this picture of Kelly and Karen they all were shining and smiling for the New Year


I went by the Karin Clarke Gallery which was closed but I had wanted to see what artist was scheduled this month and found it is Christopher Perry.


After looking in the windows I am impressed and will get by there when I can to get a better look.


Perugino Cafe is across the street from the Karin Clarke gallery. It's a great coffee cafe with free WiFi and it's a great place in the downtown area.

Finally a couple of happy souls were walking along Willamette and asked about my camera, (a Sony Alpha) the young lady is a Canon person like my son. They looked so nice together I took this picture and handed off my card inviting them to check out the blog. If you get here I hope you like the shot.

No Scrabble game tonight But!!! The Contender won yesterday.

Quote of the Day

"We all have our own life to pursue, Our own kind of dream to be weaving... And we all have the power To make wishes come true, As long as we keep believing." ~ Louisa May Alcott quotes (American Author known for her children's books, especially the classic Little Women. 1832-1888)

Up Up and Away

01/05/2009


Monday was a nice day and we took off for another day at Putters but we stopped first at Mucho Gusto a really good Mexican Cafe in Oakway Plaza shopping center. Looking over the buildings you can see where the name came from - some beautiful giant Oak trees.


Mucho Gusto is a nice place to eat when on the run and they have a great selection of food. You can see the fresh veggies while waiting to order at the counter.


This isn't the right time of year for outdoor dining so we ate inside but it is a great fresh air experience when the sun is shining.


Well we did get to Putters Family Entertainment center again where we bowled, golfed and played games. Ansley even won 250 tickets on one game. We all got a hole in one except for Sharyn who won the round with consistent putting.


Back home we had fish tacos at home. Sharyn planned the meal and created the ingredients including a Rubio's white sauce.


The fish tacos went over very well and even got a thumbs up from the grands who are pretty picky eaters.


They just loved the tacos made with Costco breaded and frozen Talipia.

01/06/2009

It was time to take Matt and the girls to their hotel near the Portland Airport (PDX) and since it was lunchtime we stopped in Eugene at Hawaii Time BBQ.


Matt waited at the door for everyone to walk in while I took some pictures.


Hawaii Time is a very colorful place and the food is great. I had the pulled pork and the other got beef or chicken.


Of course there was plenty of surfing memorabilia ...


Sierra and I had a whale of a good time.


The waitress also got into the act (or caught in my photography trap) and stopped for one shot.


I liked this surfboard poster that displayed many different surfboard styles including one of Duke Kahanamoku

Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku (August 24, 1890 – January 22, 1968), is generally regarded as the person who popularized the modern sport of surfing. He was also an Olympic champion in swimming.

Duke Kahanamoku was the first person to be inducted into both the Swimming Hall of Fame and the Surfing Hall of Fame. The Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championships are named in his honor. He is a member of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.

I'm sure the girls were bored when we stopped by the bank to make sure Matt was listed on the access to our safety deposit box so I took a picture of them in the back seat while Sharyn and Matt went into the bank.


On the drive to Portland we stopped at a filling station where I got a long distance shot of a coffee drive through for inclusion in my poster suggested by our friend Doreen.


Well it was time for dinner in Portland and we stopped at Sweet Tomatoes for a salad and some soup plus a few other goodies.


As Sharyn and the girls walked into Sweet Tomatoes with Matt (not shown here) it started to sink in that our precious son and grandchildren would be leaving again. It's been two years and seeing them all was wonderful. The girls are becoming older and after being with them they are wiser. I am so proud of their poise and ability.

I can't say enough about Matt a very loving and generous father. He has excelled at his job overseas as a father I couldn't ask for a better son.

You will be missed.

No Scrabble

Quote of the Day

"And ever has it been known that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation." ~ Kahlil Gibran (Lebanese born American philosophical Essayist, Novelist and Poet. 1883-1931)