Friend Natalie served Lavender Shortbread cookies last week. She had tried several recipes using lavender, and declared this was the best one, first published in Sunset Magazine in the 1970's. Credit goes not only to Nat for finding it, but also to a person named M.C. from East Palo Alto, California for having it published in the magazine.
Daughter Julie's birthday is next week, so I'll be sending her some lavender cookies and some zucchini bread, along with trinkets to open. For those of you who have followed Julie's progress with her surgeries and her chemo and radiation, she is doing pretty well, all things considered. She has an aide who comes in twice a day, and great doctors. Her champion husband Jack takes her to appointments and occasionally they go to Fatz, their favorite restaurant in Rock Hill, SC.
The husband was helpful not only in putting together a large easel for this project, but also in finding appropriate scriptures for this painting journey. Each panel is 24" x 36". Three panels together equals 6 feet in width by 3 feet in height. A foot of negative space on the wall between panel will make the project 8 feet in width. All panels were painted in acrylics. "The Path" will be displayed for the autumn portion of Ordinary Times in the liturgical calendar of the church.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. (KJV) )
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.
Psalms 23:4
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Deuteronomy 2:7
The LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything. (NIV)
Isaiah 35:8
And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it.
John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (NIV)
Proverbs 4:18
The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. (NIV)
Psalms 16:11
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. (NIV)
You may recall last year on this post when the New Greenhouse was displayed.
Now here we are in August with God and Gene growing tomatoes that are producing daily, squash in abundance, and sweet corn ready to eat almost daily. Beans are almost ready to harvest. Also, our neighbors' good will is being tested by ample offerings from the hothouse and garden. Thanks to Paul down the street, he has provided excellent sweet beets to go along with our other healthy vegetables.
A side view of some yellow squash
The greenhouse holds tomato plants
Carnations
Cosmos !
Squash and corn
Warning: Two Zucchini Squash
Watch Out! They May Be Apprehended on YOUR doorstep at any time!
It has been a lovely, productive summer thus far. How is your garden growing?
Church calendars say that we are now in "Ordinary Times", that is, beginning with the first Sunday after Pentecost and going through the last Sunday before Advent.
Creating some art work for the church for the fall season in Ordinary Times led to begin painting a triptych in acrylics.
Each canvas is 2 feet wide by 3 feet in height. The canvases will be spread out with twelve inches between each, creating a larger object for the church sanctuary. Upon completion, the mathematical calculations end up with the triptych being 8 feet wide by 3 feet high.
The husband first made this large easel so that all three canvases could be worked on simultaneously. He spent a couple of hours making it, and so far, it is doing the job of holding the canvas frames. Just have to be careful of the wind coming up as it is on the outside covered patio. So far, I've been hit in the foot by one falling canvas. A small bruise was the result of the canvas escaping from the easel. What one won't do for art, right?
These pictures gathered from Pinterest and the internet gave pause for thought and inspiration.
(Most of the saved images are on my iPad, so I just took pictures of the pictures through the film screen saver, but you get the idea.)
Here are the canvases in process:
The picture above shows the bottom of the middle and the end canvases. Both need shadowing and more details. A light at the end of where the trees meet up will be painted in, along with a person and perhaps a dog at the end of the path. I have an idea of what this triptych will represent to me, but I would be very interested in what you might think about when viewing these canvases.
For even more inspiration, you might like to listen to this magnificent rendition of an old hymn.
Nine different colors of wool are knitted into the pattern
Each of the nine colors is from a different type of sheep that are raised on the Shetland islands
Learned how to knit in the traditional Fair Isle style this summer in Scotland
I bought the kit while visiting Jamieson & Smith Wool Brokers over the summer in Lerwick
It was so much fun to knit that I finished it in ten days
Although I made only one sweater, each of our dogs can wear it. In order to lessen their jealous streaks, I'll be making a second sweater. There is plenty of yarn left over in the kit.
Some modifications were made because our dogs are a bit smaller than the size given.
Our models:
Libby Sweatpea has her ears back and looks embarrassed, doesn't she?
Mercy has attitude, right? She thought it was a bit warm to be modeling this coat in August, but what is a girl to do when she is being featured on the runway?
