It snowed and looked beautiful but then, within a day or so, it warmed just enough so that any falling moisture became ice. Pretty, yes, but when ice forms on everything else, especially tree branches and electrical wires, it’s bad.

The extra weight on electrical wires is too much and they break and fall. If that doesn’t do it, then the weight on the tree branches breaks them off and they fall onto the wires and brings them down.

Any which way it happens the outcome is that we lose our electricity.

Day one I spent reading, hat on and under piles of blankets. Day two I wandered into my studio. I had been in the middle of hand basting bias tubes in place. No electricity for my sewing machine? No problem. Hand work needs no power. I moved my machine aside and set up in front of the windows. With long johns, fingerless gloves and several sweaters, I could work. It was not too bad.

Until later in the day when the light started to fade and I couldn’t see.

What to do? My trusty magnetic flashlight! I attached it to my task light. That plus a little LED lantern did the trick.

It worked! I could see to finish basting the strips onto the back of the jacket. Pretty cool!

Thankfully! Later that second evening we were back on line. Whew. For me, only two days total. Compared to so many who have had it so much worse, I was very fortunate.

I woke up this morning and there was snow outside. Although Portland does get snow, it just doesn’t happen very often. When it comes, it stops everything because we don’t know how to operate in the snow. We have a few snow plows, but not enough. Most everything closes. We have had no mail or newspaper deliveries. Kids find their sleds and slide down the empty streets. It’s tricky to go out for a walk because we expect that it will melt soon so don’t bother to shovel our sidewalks. Mostly, we are inside.

It feels like I am on a vacation. I think to myself, nothing is happening, I can do whatever I want because there is snow on the ground.

I can post a random groups of photographs, that don’t have a lot to do with each other except that they are interesting or beautiful or strange. Because there is snow on the ground and I can’t go anywhere.

For example, a picture of an amaryllis. I had bought the bulb late in the season and wondered if it would do anything at all. But it did! A huge beautiful bloom in the dark days of January.

The other day, I glanced out my window and saw this beautiful sky. A deep dark teal blue, my camera phone didn’t capture the amazing color that had caught my eye. Instead, maybe better, the camera saw something different, this gorgeous picture.

On another day, I glanced out the same window and saw this guy up in one of my neighbors trees.

High, high up in the branches dangling by ropes, pruning.

Below, another glorious sky. This one from a walk only a week or so ago.

Mother Nature reminding us who does it best.

I had visited this cabin back in June, when it was sunny and warm and pretty in a different way. This time, it was cold January, but cozy in the warm cabin.

Later that day, a covid cautious winter dinner, outside, with blankets, parkas, mittens, hats and a lovely fire. Not too bad.

I may feel stuck, but not as much as this fire hydrant. How long did it take to get to this point?

Have you seen any Playing for Change videos? There are lots of them. I haven’t seen one that isn’t inspiring and up-lifting. Stuck inside on a snowy day, you can get lost watching one after another.

Check out this one, it’s such a sweet bit of happy.

I’m having trouble linking to youtube, so instead, to see it, please copy and paste this url into your browser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g4UWvcZn5U&feature=youtu.be

So good. It’s from the national arts education program, Turnaround Arts.

And many wishes for a Very Happy Valentines Day!

We’re all different sizes and shapes. Which is good! If we were all the same, how boring would that be? My job is to make sure I have enough variety, so that everyone, no matter their size, has something that will fit them. Recently my size large pieces were gone and I needed to add in some new ones.

Do you remember this new shape? My car coat, comfortable, easy to wear and looks good on. A new one, just finished in this oh so cool and beautiful tsumugi double ikat. Double ikat means that before it was woven, the threads used for this kimono silk were dyed. First they dyed the warp and weft threads and then they wove them.

Amazing, yes?

Tsumugi, is a tightly woven crisp fabric. It’s loved not only because it is beautiful, but also because the tight weave is good for warmth.

A new trench, sewn from a beautiful navy chirimen kimono silk. Chirimen is a kind of heavy crepe. The design on this one is a lattice covered with wisteria and other flowers. Scattered through are phoenix birds.

The phoenix is a mythological creature that is a symbol for long life, the sun, rebirth and renewal. It is said to die in flames and is reborn from the ashes of its predecessor. Can you see it? It’s red with a flowing tail.

And a black and white ‘lotus’ top, a tunic length hitoe. It’s an unlined top, somewhere between a blouse and a jacket. My tunic length version has flattering princess seams and side slits at the hem. This one is sewn from a bold, abstracted, very cool, cherry blossom design. The facing is a black and white confetti print design. The black sleeves and the back are a woven, basket weave kimono silk.

A close up detail to show the little bits of red in the flower centers and the beautiful confetti print inside the collar.

I’ve just added these three pieces to my shopping page. More photos of each are there, check them out here!