Hiatus

Been a while since I've written. It's been a busy time at work and I've been a bit too tired to do any stained glass work...now, that's busy!

The first mowing of the lawn was completed today. A bit on the cold and windy side at a mere 38 degrees. But with the abundance of rain last week, the lawn was looking a little shabby. I just love the smell of freshly cut grass. And also don't mind one bit doing that chore. Gives me a good hour and a half to two hours to think about nothing in particular and to be away from hearing the phone ring. Kind of like being in another world...sacred time.

The other day it was so windy the swing set tipped over! It's been quite the spring here in northeastern Wisconsin. In fact, I just took a look at the thermometer and it reads 27 degrees! Good thing it's too early for any plants to be put into the gardens...they'd freeze tonight!

The hiatus from blog entries this past week will probably be accompanied by another several days away from writing. 12 hours from now I'll be heading to Florida to spend a few days with my friend. Am so looking forward to seeing her most of all and spending time at the beach. Seems my mind has been pulled in many different directions of late and my spirit feels so unsettled. A good dose of ocean beach is sure to clarify and refresh. The mid 80 degree weather can't hurt either!

Returning Tenants

Had the day off but spent part of it in the dentist's chair. Alas, the last two original fillings had to be replaced. I wonder...now do we start over replacing fillings for the second time??? Perish the thought!

I had mentioned in an earlier post that the Eastern bluebirds had been spotted in our yard. Seemed they were here one day and then gone again until...today. Lo and behold, a familiar pair stopped by this afternoon, took a look around, and decided to once again, for the third year in a row, occupy the white birdhouse that Simon and Dan built. Soon to be mother bird was busy bringing new grass and straw into the house as she begins to build her nest.
The picture isn't the greatest as she was rather shy and after several attempts to snap one outside, I was able to snap one from quickly from the bedroom window as she rested oh so very briefly on the perch of the birdhouse before going inside. You have to look closely but...there she is! It will be great fun watching the pair complete their nest and then keeping a check on the tiny blue eggs until and after they hatch. The first year she laid two eggs, last year it was three. We do have a second birdhouse, but the tree swallows seem interested in that one - that will be good to keep the mosquito population under some control...

Spring and New Life

The week has been busy - work, meetings, etc. But I did find time to do a couple of stained glass pieces (included in the updated slideshow). Actually, other than working at crafting, the week has been quite draining - physically, emotionally, spiritually. Spring weather is not the kindest for those of us with RA, and we have been having lots of rainy days here in Wisconsin. Spring is also the time of year when it seems we get the most cloudy days in a row...not exactly a mood lifter. Thank goodness I do immerse myself in working on stained glass because that lessens the time I notice the lack of sunshine.

Yesterday I got the news that my great aunt Grace died. She was the last of her generation in the family. There is something that smacks one right in the face when the realization comes that the younger generations just got older... Grace was my grandmother's younger sister. She had been widowed for many years and she had no children of her own. Two memories of her stick out right now. When I was a kid and visiting grandma and grandpa, sometimes we'd go over to see Grace and her husband, Immanuel. Grace had a huge garden (well to a kid it looked huge) and she always sent rhubarb home with us. The other memory was the smell of her house. It was neither sweet or unpleasant - just distinct. Grace is now reunited with her family - all together once again. Transformed into new life.

Saturday Musing and Update

Well, I finished the rectangular hummingbird and flower piece and it's included in the slideshow. I sure wish the sun would shine - it's been cloudy and rainy (except for snow today) for the past few days. Sure would make the colors on the glass pieces much more vivid. I do have another project in mind (coming soon: Tulips in the round) but will probably not start on it right away. Other things need to be attended to this afternoon. Besides, I'm running out of solder...again!

Since the weather is less than wonderful and it's so cold outside, this would be a good day to reorganize my glass supply, do the laundry, and attend to class work. Sounds like a busy afternoon to me!

What's New

Been sort of lazy days. The weather has much to do with that. It's been so cloudy and rainy over the past few days - enough to get anybody down...or at least lazy. There's even snow in the forecast for tomorrow...that's April in Wisconsin; never know what we're going to get. At any rate, it's been really nice to have had time to myself - time to renew and re-energize my spirit. Oh, there have been many work-related phone calls even though I have been off work since Tuesday. Took some of those accumulated comp days off this week. Those calls were annoying at first, but quite necessary in the long run.

I've been working on a new rectangular stained glass piece - a hummingbird and bright orange flower. Think it's turning out pretty well but it's been slow going. Managed to get five new cuts on my hands and fingers in the process...but nothing serious. I hope to finish the piece at some point tomorrow and then will add it to the picture album and slideshow. Stopped at the glass studio this morning to pick up another roll of copper foil (should have picked up more solder too so there may be yet another trip into town very soon). Ended up purchasing another pattern book too. There's a really cute bluebird in the round pattern in it that I want to make. Lots of other interesting patterns too. So there will be much to keep me occupied for quite some time. Working on these projects is definitely my sacred time.

Busy week ahead so it was a good thing to have these days off. Lots of meetings coming up but only one is an evening meeting, so that's good. The more time goes on, the less I want to be away from home in the evening. I'd much rather be here working on stained glass. But, alas, those evening meetings are part of my job... And I do seem to find pretty much time for crafting no matter how busy work can get.

Directions

Yet another one of those sleepless sort of nights. Seems I've become a night owl once again. Know the alarm will go off way too early for me but...I do need to get to work early.

Began another stained glass piece this evening. Think it will be a gift for my friend's birthday - the friend I will be visiting in Florida at the end of the month. We'll see how it turns out.

I have a lot of comp time accumulated, so after tomorrow I'll be intending to take the rest of the week off. There will be lots of time for crafting. But I'll also have to attend to class work. I have hinted about school - that I'm taking classes again (or yet). Seems I've been in one school or another for the past eight years. First finishing my bachelor's degree, then getting my Master's degree. And now I'm in the middle of a formation program to become a spiritual director. This is something that I had not intended to do. But over the past several years some people at work have been urging me to pursue this tract saying that they think I'd be good at it. After trying to dismiss the idea many times over without success, I decided this was something I was being called to engage in. And am I ever glad I applied and was accepted. The coursework is wonderfully enriching and engaging. The people I have met and the instructors are absolutely fantastic. And the best part is that I'm transforming in a good way. Yet another pattern emerging in the life that is Brenda.

Blessed be!

Craft Update

Guess I decided on something a little bigger after all. Started and finished the "Flower in the Round" (included in the slideshow) yesterday afternoon!!!

Made a stop at the glass studio today while I was in town. I even had a list - only three items I was running low on. But...as I've found out with each trip there, I just cannot go home without purchasing another piece or two or three or more of glass. I "got away" with only two new pieces today. They will be used in an Eastern bluebird piece - have the pattern copied and cut out already. Not sure when I'll get to working on it because even though it's the weekend, I have to work for a while tomorrow. AND most importantly...Simon is here for the weekend.

Those smaller sun catchers for the bazaar will just have to wait for a while. But that's OK since the bazaar isn't until November. I imagine I'll have quite a collection by then...

Project Complete!

I just finished the rectangle piece, Cat Nap, and it is included in the picture slideshow. Must say, for my first straight-edge project, I think it turned out pretty well; not perfect (or purr-fect), but pretty well all the same. It's finished off with black patina - I really like how that enhances the look of the piece. The glass I used for the cat is a light grey and depending on the lighting outside, it changes color. In bright sunlight the cat looks white and as the sun goes down, it gets more and more grey. Amazing!

Now it's on to deciding what to work on next. I'm still thinking about doing a few smaller pieces but will decide for sure once I take a good look at the new patterns I got this week.

New Projects etc.

Been working on a mid sized rectangular stained glass piece. It's the first I've attempted with straight edges and it's slow going learning how to make sure those edges are even so that the framing channel fits well. So far three sides are a-okay but the fourth side is giving me problems. So I decided to let it sit for today and return to it tomorrow (besides I had two meetings to attend today - one this afternoon and one this evening - and no spare time to work on it anyway). There's no point in working on a project when frustrated because somehow the glass seems to know frustration and things just don't go well when that happens. This is a technique I will have to perfect before working on a window.

Today I got my first order to make a piece for someone. It will be a cardinal - perhaps one of a different design from the one in the slideshow. I emailed several pattern options to this person to choose from. I have my favorite but we'll see what is ultimately chosen. I also delivered Simon's "order" - the second Northern Sunrise, the soccer ball, and the red airplane.

Meanwhile, if and when I get the current piece finished, I have my eye on a few smaller sun catchers to add to my collection and/or save for the bazaar and/or give as gifts. I certainly have a wide variety of glass here to choose from for those items and a rather large assortment of new patterns to try out.

Now that I've made my flight reservations for a return trip to Florida at the end of April, I find it difficult to wait even four weeks to go. There's a sense of peacefulness and perspective I find when there that I cannot seem to find anywhere else. Perhaps it's the geographical distance, perhaps it's because it's so different than Wisconsin (weather, climate, scenery), but mostly it's being able to connect in person with my dear friend - a friend with whom I email nearly every day and sometimes more than once a day. Though we first met the summer of 2003, I feel as if I've known her for many years. I truly believe we were led by divine intervention to meet - blessed be!

New Month; New Stained Glass Piece

Though this piece is already in the slideshow, I just had to include a picture of it here separately. I finished this sunrise scene, put together with copper foil and finished off with a black patina, last evening. I think it's my favorite one so far because it reminds me of all those wonderful barefoot walks on the beach during my trips to Florida. And...this piece will surely keep me "company" until I make a return trip to Florida to visit my friend at the end of this month.