ONE YEAR AS A BLOGGER

Happy New Year

from Flutemaker and Cloudhands

I started blogging a year ago yesterday. What an interesting experience. The best part is all the agreeable folks who have been kind enough to say hello and add interesting comments in response to my words and pictures. Thank you so much.

I began after much encouragement from my daughter Aisling at The Quiet Country House. She and her brother John were blogging and they thought I would enjoy it as well.

Having dabbled at writing years ago in a newspaper column, filling a space with words was not totally unfamiliar. Now to be perfectly clear, this was not big time newspaper work. The Tri-City Times was a weekly paper and so I wrote weekly in a column I called The Partyline. I wrote a local happenings spot where after telling club, church, school and personal interest stories I was allowed to finish out the 1500 words with whatever struck my fancy.

The most recurring theme here at 'Uncarved Block' has been the Sunday Stroll in response to Aisling and the feature she started and encouraged her blog friends to participate with her. I think I only missed a few Sundays. I begin the new year with a clearer understanding that this is something I enjoy and my intention to write more about Tai Chi and the Taoist thoughts indicated by my name Cloudhands and the Uncarved Block header have not really been realized. I hope to correct this in the coming months.

I think the next most visited theme in my life has been my sharing of my love of quilting.

Being out in nature may actually trump that because of the Sunday Strolls.

Live simply.

Love generously.

Care deeply.

Speak kindly.

Leave the rest to God.

Ronald Reagan

SUNDAY STROLL - AWAY FROM THE MADDENING CROWD

Come with me to a place apart. The sort of place we are told from many sources to visit often to restore ourselves mentally, physically and spiritually. We live in a home that is in a setting of peace and quiet, but we have built a little cabin down away from our busy house and hobby shop so that we can actually move to that other place that is apart.
We will stroll a short distance down to the bluff at the creek.

Come in with me. Perhaps we can sit a spell and listen to the wind in the trees and catch the song of the waterfalls.

It's never locked.

This is a wonderful place to pray, meditate and contemplate. Perhaps you would enjoy the sweet scent of sage to create an atmosphere of cleansing.

We even have a bedroll for you should you choose to spend the night.

The porch is an excellent place to look and listen to nature.

Does the sound of moving water lull you into serenity?

Do glimpses of the sky take you on flights of imagination and inspiration?

Perhaps you would enjoy a slow meander around the Labyrinth to open the doorway into your soul and your hearts delight.

Whenever you take time to 'come ye apart' you are giving yourself a gift of solitude laced with the comfort and joy that we sing about during the Christmas season. Where do you go for that sweet refreshment of time and reflection?

Do you want to continue strolling? Aisling's is the place to go.

JOYOUS NOEL

The birth of a child ... the miracle of Christmas

Out of the silence ... music

Out of the darkness ... light

Out of the uncertainty ... promise

Hope was born that night.

May you always hear the music

May you always be guided by the light

May you live the promise

And be led by the hope of peace and goodwill

to all men.

2009 MYSTERY QUILT

Last January Verda passed out 'Clue One' of our Mystery Quilt to be worked on for the '09' year of quilting within our Quilt Club. Each month she passed out another clue that we could follow the instructions to discover our suspect of the month. Eventually as the months passed we began to see patterns and possibilities to answer the mystery of what kind of quilt we were creating. The first month we were instructed how much fabric to purchase or gather from our 'stash'. We quilters are inclined to have shelves full of fabric (our stash) that appealed to our taste in color and possibility of quilts without knowing how we might end up using any of it in a project. This first picture shows how I followed my first clue and ended up with suspect 'A'

This process was followed each month until the experienced eye began to see likely patterns and potential. Finally we were given the final clue that showed how all the suspects lined up to create the whole picture of the finished quilt. The aHa! and 'But, of course' were realized and we could begin to sew it all together and solve the mystery.

Here I am at our Christmas party where we brought our quilts to be viewed during our Show and Tell portion of our get-together. This is a favorite and fun time to ooh and ahh and admire each others work. The choices of colors was as varied and special as each gal that had chosen them. We had learned that the pattern was called "Twisted Cables".

Come January of 2010 we will once again embark on the solving of the newest mystery that we will be presented with month by month. And so it begins as Sherlock would say. "Come, Watson, come. The game is afoot"

AN ECHO OF ANGELS ON HIGH

At last I had an opportunity to photograph clouds called 'mare's tails' at least that is what my Dad always called them. But wait...

as I looked around I was enthralled by an interesting possibility. What to my wondering eyes should I behold, but a gathering of angel whispers that grew


and grew until I thrilled at the possibility of an echo of

angels proclaiming the Wonder and Glory of God.

Oh, my!

Decking the hall

Slowly but surely I bring out the decorations, a little each week. Here I wanted to fill the corner of the dinning room with a little whimsy. The tree limb needed more than just a cartridge as decoration, at least in my eyes.

May your days be merry and bright as we celebrate the wonders of a loving God.

SUNDAY STROLL - LET IT SNOW!

This is a very short stroll out the back door for pictures and then a quick step out the front door for the final snapshot. We hurried home Friday evening from Uncle Clarence's funeral in Alabama. The casual conversations had centered around football and the weather forecast of lots of snow for Alabama as well as Tennessee. We had an easy ride home and on Saturday we awoke to our first snow of the season and it was a doozy. Experience told us the highways would be dangerous and we were content to snuggle down and get comfortable with plans to watch the big championship football game between Alabama and Florida. When I say we won you must read Alabama as interchangeable with we.

cozy in the house we could happily sing------

Oh, the weather outside is frightful

But, the fire is so delightful

And, since we have no place to go

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

I never felt inspired to head out to my Quilt Studio, but liked the idea that no shoveling would be required. The patio stones, like cement and asphalt roads hold heat well into winter and melted the snow quite nicely for a quick run to the hobby shop should I have been so inspired.

The snow was heavy on the evergreens and heaped up on the deck. Not the best time for a cook out for awhile.

I took a short cut through the house and stepped out the front door to be greeting by my little mascots on the front porch. I really think it's time to move the boy and his dog inside to a more pleasant room.

The snow doesn't last forever and a day later as we went to church this morning the roads were clear and the snow slowly fading into the good earth. I love to watch it snow and when the sun shines it sparkles so outrageously, when the wind blows it swirls and dances so grandly. When the sun gives of her warmth the snow quietly dissipates into it's natural element of water nourishing the earth once more.

Wonder what the weather and strolls are like elsewhere. Go to Aisling's Quiet Country House and see who else made a stroll today.

FROSTY MORNING

Hoar Frost

What dream of beauty ever equalled this!

What bands from Faeryland have sallied forth,

With snowy foliage from the 'abundant North,

With imagery from the realms of bliss!

What visions of my boyhood do I miss

That here are not restored! All splendours pure,

All loveliness, all graces that allure,

Shapes that amaze; a paradise that is,-----

Yet was not, --will not in few moments be:

Glory from nakedness, that playfully

Mimics with passing life each summer boon,

Clothing the ground - replenishing the tree,

Weaving arch, bower, and delicate festoon;

Still as a dream, - and like a dream to flee!

William Howitt

THANKSGIVING

May your day be blessed with loving kindness

enough to eat

plenty of laughter

friends and family

and

Thanksgiving.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

If the only prayer you ever say

in your whole life is

"Thank You"

that would suffice.

Meister Eckhart

SUNDAY STROLL - BITS AND PIECES

I present for your consideration, Oreo Cows.

We delight in passing this field inside the city limits of Cookeville where quite often these colorful cows can be seen grazing. Flutemaker put 'Orea Cows' in Google and learned they are called Dutch Belt or Belted Galloway. Don't know if these are Dutch or Scotish.

Now--- on to the stroll for the day.

We have a Japanese Maple by the front porch and although the summer leaves are just plain green the fall display is this delightful pink orange.

The fallen leaves are so dainty.

Here is a bush that has let the leaves scatter to the wind, but there seems to be a bit of random flower bloom.
I suspect a little rebellion here. I think these flowers spaced around the shrub didn't want to wait until spring and be just faces in the crowd of a bush full of flowers.

We have a wildflower patch out by the hobby shop and it has truly gone wild here at the end of the season, but there are still small groupings of flowers here and there among the grasses and fallen leaves.

We had lots of brush and fallen and pruned branches that added a little fragrance and a time of smoke draped woods. The pail is filled with water, didn't need it, the wind was tame.

With the lose of leaves the Sweet Shrub revealed three pods hanging on. This is the first year I have seen these. I'll let two of them winter over and see if we get some little Sweet Shrubs. I couldn't resist and opened one of the little sacks.

Magic seeds?
Thank you for walking along with me.

Check The Quiet Country House to see what other strollers are sharing with us.

SUNDAY STROLL - ART PROWL

Welcome, I'm so glad you are along to check out this years ART PROWL in Cookeville, Tn. There is a wonderful artist community here in middle Tennessee. For nine years now they have shared their love of their individual crafts. The artists open their studios, homes and gather in public spaces to demonstrate and exhibit their wares.

The area know as the West End is noted for the 1940's dairy Cream City sign still shining over the building which now houses a Bakery rather than the Creamery. From here you can walk to a number of places which are filled with art and hospitality.

This year the welcome center is here and Art Prowl galleries are designated by a decorated bike in front. We picked up our walking tour map with notes of destinations to be found after a short car ride. (bike, if you choose) All venues have a hospitality table and we were careful not to offend by not partaking of their refreshments. The welcome center not only has art and unique jewelry, there is the Cocoa Ladies and their wonderful store full of chocolate candies. We found a good friend Sarah Arp greeting and sharing her paintings in the gallery area.

Heading out the back door, we made our way to SWEET SALLY'S BAKERY and the two artists who found space to display their work.

We, couldn't resist the lure of Sausage and cheese muffins and Cappuccino for Flutemaker and an Iced Hazelnut coffee for me.

While we were waiting for our drinks, stoneware maker Laura Clemons took our pictures at just the right angle to show off the felt items behind us. You can find Laura's pottery work at Simply Functional Stoneware and the Feltgood fibers you see are made by Breanna Rockstad-Kincaid
I watched Breanna demonstrate felting and it is quite a process. Her work is delightful, hope you check it out.

Now we are at Marilee Hall Ceramics where she is sharing her studio with Arlene Dubo who paints and you see one painting here, as well as another mud artist Debi Wichman and her Claywork.

Here is a mural from Marilee that lives at our house and tells our story of quilting, aviation, labyrinth building with a creek flowing though our little piece of the world. Oh, the stairway to the star is her tribute to our spiritual aspirations. For a close up just double click on the picture.

I have also started a collection of Debi's Claywork with this little cat lidded pot.

Leaving the studio we pause to admire another landmark in this part of town. The old Train Depot is a loving example of 'function that can please the eye', it is now a Railroad Museum with several train cars and an old engine off to the right of picture.

Follow me down street to an empty store front filled now with artists anxious to show us their treatment of their favorite art medium.

Here is Joel Holmes guarding the hospitality table and standing in front of some of his photography. He favors landscapes and architecture and trains. The man loves trains.

He was also willing to trade his craft for a flute from Flutemaker and so barter is still alive and I've noted doing very well among artist. Our Mural from Marilee was a trade on my part of quilting.

We left the West End and the Art Prowl filled with visions of beauty and skillfully creative people. What a joy and a pleasure to meet them and listen to their stories.

I wonder who else is strolling let's check in at Aisling's home.