Kayaking in Southeast Minnesota

There are so many great ways to get out and enjoy the beauty all around us.  Bob and I got out for a paddle on Lake Winona this afternoon.

Photo by Bob Stuber

This was a monumental paddle for me.  Two months ago, I broke my elbow in a biking accident when Bob and I were biking to Fountain City. (More about that another time.)  Today, we were paddling a short, easy one on the lake to see if I could join him for the Mike Munson & Ben Weaver Concert on a sand bar later in the afternoon.

Here are a few of the beautiful plants on or near the water.

These look like a hibiscus.  They have a soft fragrance. And cat tails

These pretties may be swamp milkweek.

This little orchid type plant grows near the shore of the lake.

A little bud

Yellow water lilies

Oh, the water and paddling were lovely.  No sand bar concert for me today.  Another day soon.  More strength and healing on deck.

Summer Flowers and Memories

This mock orange bush in full bloom yesterday when I walked by it sent a rush of memories to me of my Grandparent's garden.  They lived in the town that I grew up in  Sleepy Eye, Minnesota and they had the largest garden.  Some things that I loved about this garden were the stepping stones that we got to hop from foot to foot to keep the fresh tilled soil ready for planting.  They also had this amazing bush, a mock orange that created a lovely fragrance.  A person needs to come up close to take in the fragrance.  It is not as fragrant as a lilac.

I'm also back in my studio and looking at things to create next. Check out the Ancestry Art Works to take a look a some old pictures  of my grandparents that I incorporated into quilts.

Here's the mock orange bush at its full height and beginning to rain down some petals.  These beauties won't be out long.  Hope you get a chance to find one in your neighborhood.
Flowers are blooming.  These next couple of pictures, I don't have an identification, but I like them all the same.

                                   This blue wild indigo grows in my yard. 

Happy exploring the neighborhoods.  Let me know what you find on your walks.

Floating Concert

The Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers played their musical magic on Lake Winona on Sunday, May 27, 2018.  This duo from Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin played and sang on a floating raft.  They had a little generator to plug in their amps and microphones.

Bob and I and a whole group of people paddled kayaks or canoes or stand up paddle boards or motorized boats or inner tubes to take in the show.  It was a very fun event to experience on a very hot Memorial Day weekend.

Nikko, Trish, Willow and Paul in their canoe.

Bob and many more

Trina and Tove

Mary Lee and more, photo credit Bob Stuber.

Feet up, boats together

Gratitude for the arts and Winona, Mary Lee.  Photo credit Bob Stuber.

Amaliya's Quilt

My daughter had her 35th birthday on Friday.  Wow, amazing and wonderful and I can't believe that time goes by so quickly.

She's been asking for a quilt, gentle suggestions or requests since she turned 30 year.  I thought this was the time to get one created for her. Its made up of colors and designs that I thought she would like and appreciate and ones that I chose for color and softness.

The size is 52" x 66".  It is called "Fly and Soar."  It is made with all cotton fabrics that I stitched together and machine quilted the three layers together.  I finished it on 3/23/2018.  She'll receive this gift of love on Sunday.

Here are the top and bottom of the quilt before it was quilted with the batting in the middle:

My studio space is rather small.  To the left off this picture is my sewing machine and to the right is the ironing board.  The lay out table has two arms to make it larger or smaller depending on need for size.  When the table is full size, I have to squeeze around the table.  My sewing machine table also has an extension table to allow for quilting larger pieces.

Some pins to hold pieces in alignment.

Sewing the tiny berries in the middle section.  I call this machine drawing.

Back of the quilt with the quilting creating a design.

 The hand embroidery was on an old dress of mine that I up-cycled for this quilt.

Lots of good work and love in creating this quilt.

 Quilt detail

Back quilting detail

I love you, Amaliya Rose.

In the Space Between, and Interactive Art Installation by Sharon Mansur

The art installation was created and enacted at WSU Watkins Gallery.  There were hours for viewing and additional hours to interact in the installation to add  or subtract to the art.  Students, children, community members came to join in the expression.

I went one afternoon after the interactive time and took a birds eye view above as Sharon led her modern dance students in a creative session.

I came back a few days later on one snowy evening, February 23.  This time I got to play too!

 The lip stick colors were very fun to draw with.

Sarah Johnson was playing at the exhibit that evening as well and decorated the elevator.  Sharon did a dance for joy in the space spinning and spinning.

Find out more about  Sharon Mansur and her upcoming events, check out her website:
http://www.mansurdance.com/

Finding Flowers in a Midwest Winter

The snowy and icy terrain of the Minnesota winter can feel a bit bleak on a colorful spirit.  What about locating some flowers to take in their beauty and fragrance to refresh and renew.  We traveled this past weekend to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen, Minnesota for their Fragrances of Spring, the Essence of Paradise show happening now through February 28th.

And a kaleidoscope of shapes.  Hmmm, let spring and warmth come to Minnesota.