Crafting Through Smokey Days

Looking out from the back patio on September 9, 2020, I saw this ominous cloud of smoke!  Wildfires broke out in a number of areas in Oregon, USA.  At one time I heard on the news that 38 areas in the state were fighting wildfires.

Around September 12, 2020, officials advised the public to stay inside with the windows closed if at all possible. We were told we had the worst air quality in the world...can I just say that being told that did not encourage my breathing!

Then one morning we had a blessed downpouring of rain so that by the afternoon of September 18, 2020, the air cleared.  I rushed outside to take this photo and celebrate...Thank you, Lord!!!

My plants survived my neglect during the smokey days when I did not water them and I was so excited when the Morning Glory vines began to bloom!

One day I crafted with woodless colored pencils on this coloring book page. I also used a yellow highlighter pen on the lettering.

The intense colors pleased me...maybe especially because they were such glorious contrast to the drab worrisome gray-brown smoke!

On this little coloring card, I experimented with fine point ink pens.  Although I had 20 colors to choose from I was not able to blend or shade what I colored effectively...but still enjoyed coloring!

192  handmade baby blankets and  50 hats were gathered at our church! Yesterday the project founder and her husband delivered them to a local hospital. The hospital volunteer coordinator was thrilled with the contributions!  She said that especially during this time of COVID-19 precautions patients are feeling isolated from family and friends while in hospital and it is wonderful to be able to offer them homemade blankets and hats for their babies.

 This morning I was one of four ladies who gathered...sitting six feet apart... to knit and crochet baby blankets. Two of the ladies brought in these blankets they had already completed.

While our nearby wildfires are under control,  many in the state are suffering much loss.

Our skies are hazier today due to smoke from California wildfires. In the early hours Monday morning, I woke up...prayed a bit, and when I could not go back to sleep I checked the weather app on my iPad and saw a report that some folks in the Santa Rosa area north of San Fransisco California had to evacuate due to the threat of wildfires.  I texted some family members and friends to see how they were affected.  They are all safe, but my nephew and his wife had to evacuate from their home in Calistoga, California, on a road that had a fire on both sides which my nephew typed was "very scary!"  They believe their home is okay but are not sure when they can return. 

My nephew has a little Orthodox Christian bookstore, Not of This World, online and in Santa Rosa, California, and he is able to work at the store in spite of the wildfires in the nearby area. 

This morning the Scripture readings I read for this date were from  1Corinthians 16:13-24 and Matthew 24:42-47. I have been especially thinking about parts of the verses today...

"Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.  Let all you do be done with love...Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming...O Lord, come!...the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you..."

Some of the original Christ-followers expected Jesus to return to earth and take them to heaven in their lifetime. They prayed that He would!  But while they watched and waited for Him they encouraged each other to stand fast in the faith, be brave and strong and let all they did be done in love. I want to follow their example.

What are you crafting in your days?

Gracie xx

  

Wildfire Weather

Hi!  Thanks for coming to visit : )  It is good to greet you from home, although I had a great time traveling. With pretty cotton yarn Betsy gave me awhile ago, I even got two dishcloths knit while I wasn't driving.

When we heard that there were some wildfires in northern California we decided to take the coastal route [always my favorite anyway : )] to try to avoid driving through smokey areas...a plan that did not entirely work.

While driving through Crescent City, CA we stopped at Brother Jonathan Point where I took this zoomed in view of St. George lighthouse which is seven miles from shore and difficult to see in the foggy mist that day.

Then looking to the south I took this less zoomed in view of the Crescent City lighthouse which I enjoyed touring many years ago when we lived in Crescent City.

South of Crescent City there was a huge herd of elk in a park protected area on both sides of the road.  Aren't those antlers amazing?

Then, not many miles south we started running into smoke from a wildfire east of Eureka, CA.  Typically this is the time of year when lightning strikes start wildfires and the on going drought in the West has made this year particularly vulnerable to fire and the loss of many homes and a few lives so far, too, as you may have heard through the news.

As we continued driving south, the smoke lessened and we enjoyed driving through a redwood forrest CA state park.

My youngest son, Tim, and I stopped in the northern San Francisco Bay area to pick up three family members to continue the drive to Burbank, CA, and the 50th wedding celebration for my older sister and my bother-in-law.  We saw many orchards along route I-5, and were very curious to know what was growing in them because we could not see as we sped down the road, and we wished the farmers had put out signs to inform us : )

Many sections of the southern freeways have oleander bushes growing in the median strips, which I think is a lovely choice.

My nieces planned a wonderful party and helped us make wonderful memories as we celebrated.

My oldest niece's sister-in-law made this amazing cake which made me think of Anne's wonderful sugar craft work. 

After several days of visiting we drove north and my family dropped me off to visit with my friend of forty years, Paula, and her husband Lee in San Jose, CA.  Paula and I met at the church we attended, and Lee told my husband, Louis, that IBM was hiring for a position he was interested in getting and did get.

Paula is an animal lover and has a beautiful little flock of chickens in her backyard.

This feathery girl seems to be thinking..."Did I really lay that!?!"  : )

My pictures don't do justice to this pretty and productive flock!

Paula drove me up into the San Jose foothills and this is a view of the southern Bay Area and some of the golden hills of CA.

While there are few trees in the foothills, the eucalyptus and old oak trees are especially beautiful, I think.

We enjoyed seeing this small herd of horses, also.

There are so many vineyards up and down CA, it always impresses me as I drive by them.

This thought provoking message on the mount impressed me as well.

The modern windmills springing from more and more locations pose a pretty and practical presence to me although some protest their worth.

The diminished snow cover on Mt. Shasta in northern CA while normal for this time of year also reminds us of our increased drought conditions.

But in spite of the drought, our household has been given or picked up fruit and vegetables which are being processed.

Various family members are canning and freezing the results and we are having yummy fresh produce meals as well.  A Fisherman Friend has given us delicious fresh salmon to enjoy several times, also.

The wildfires have made some of our sunsets especially colorful.

But it has been concerning to not be able to see Mt. Hood very well because of the smokey haze, as in this view several blocks from our home that I have often shared with you on clearer days.  Can you see Mt. Hood?  It is a bit of a shadow in the upper right of the photo...honest!

While I was traveling,  my youngest daughter attended the county fair and sent me this delightful Smiling Sheep photo which is the last image I will leave with you in this post.

Wildfire weather is a time of tragic loss for some and great concern for others.  Forestry experts explain that forrest fires positively contribute to the growth cycle of forests,  but we still mourn the loss of lives and property they bring.

Today marks the six year anniversary of the death of my husband of 38 years.  While I am celebrating with those around me who are marking 50 years of marriage, I am saddened and jealous that I can not celebrate 50 years of marriage or more with my husband.  Yet I celebrate the positive time we shared, particularly our shared faith: that pleasures on earth will be followed by the incredible pleasures of eternal life through Christ.

Months ago I added a page to my sidebar but did not bring your attention to it.  It is entitled "Louis."  In it I describe my view of my time spent with Louis on earth.  Adventures!  I invite you to read about them if you are curious : )

Since coming home during our stretch of wildfire weather, I have been picking sun gold cherry tomatoes, knitting, swimming, attending church, having luncheons with friends, planning to restring some cobalt blue glass beads I have been collecting along with those Teresa gave me, writing a poem, drawing, painting a watercolor picture, and planning a business link to this blog...my adventures continue!

Please tell me about your adventures whatever your weather may be.  I am eager to know!

Gracie xx