It's that time again.....

Amongst all the other ka-zillion things we did Labor Day weekend........

we visited...

Hatch, New Mexico.....

famous for .....

and their Hatch Chile Festival....

hoping you can smell it too....

(no big crowds here either....)

Traveling with 'others'....

Traveling with others sometimes takes one to places they would not imagine going alone........
or even going to at all......

and that last 'Oh so full' weekend of August took me to such a place.......

SPACEPORT AMERICA

is coming along nicely if not quietly....in the middle of nowhere New Mexico.....

this region is soon to be a bustling hub of activity.....

It was a stunning reminder of how many 'far seers' exist in this world......

and also quite an eye opener to hear that 529 souls have already signed up to be hurled into space...

from here.

I was surprised to see the economy of this operation.....which seems understated at the moment.

Turquoise Moon..........

On the eve of the most recent Blue Moon.........

my friends and I gathered at White Sands National Monument for a night time tour of the dunes........

There are pretty much no words to describe the peace we found there.....

watching the moon rise.....

as the sun set to our west...at the same time

walking......

then resting on the sand as white as snow....

in the quiet....soft.....warm breeze....

New meets Old...........

Wuddaweek............

a week ago Tuesday found me on plane for a last minute visit to Toronto to finish up some

old business........

the weather was stunning.........the temperature gentle on my skin....and the low end of the summer light invited me to take a walk on the last evening of my two day trip there.........

I used to live in Toronto........

  my favorite path begins just to the west of the Royal Ontario Museum (the ROM)....and continues through the University of Toronto....south to Queen Street where....once upon a time I had a studio, near the Art Gallery of Ontario (the AGO)

 and that is where I walked this day.....

  past many examples of stunning Architecture linking new buildings to old.....

  my favorite is this one

Frank Gehry's amazing addition to this place....

is a wonder....

which makes this

 a magical place 

to BE...

A little Cross.....

It's not like me to be feeling a little 'cross'....but today I am

so I will focus on the beauty that surrounds me...

 Clear Blue Sky, and Fluffy White Clouds, Amazing Sunsets....

and

these.....

the Mystery of Light......

Scientists are learning....

That the Light we experience today....

is still from the big bang of the birth of the ever expanding

Universe.

And I am learning....

 that each one of us is a microcosm of this expanding Universe 

and each one of us....

the same as..

the Universe.

Unique

and

Ever Expanding

and filled with

Light.

Taking a break.......with Talya Baharal

Last week I had the amazing good fortune to be able to work at Meltdown Studios in Albuquerque.  Jewelry Artist, Lauren Tobey, had the vision to generously offer a fully equiped small metals studio to those of us who don't, for whatever reason, have our own haven to work in.  This suited me so well this week......as I was staying in town and had lots of little 'bits' to make for eventual assemblage.

Whilst taking a break from hammering and drilling.........

I perused Lauren's abundant supply of periodicals for inspiration and amusement..........and much to my happy suprise.......the magazine I picked up featured the work of Talya Baharal.  Talya, although she won't remember me, was in a class (handmade paper and construction techniques) with me at Haystack many years ago........she offered me a special kindness......

and a small token.....

 it's orign is still a mystery to us......

found in the counrtryside near where she lives in upstate New York........

she and I shared a connection......and I found her to be, in addition to kind, beautiful and generous... amazingingly grounded and talented in her work.......with an aesthetic that deeply resonates.......

Here is a slide show of her work, including my favorite Jewelry Pieces from her Urban Landscape collection........(the music is a bit intense....you can mute it by pushing the icon)

and a nice video of the inception of this collection....

From a fellow 'picker'

Thank You Talya....

I am inspired.