Under The Microscope

My Prince Charming had to go to the hospital. He had a stroke. One of several, we found out to our surprise. And a heart attack that he does not remember.

A hole. The size of a dot made by touching an ink pen to paper, between two chambers of his heart. A blood clot. Formed by blood leaking out into the space around that hole. A clot small enough to pass through that dot of a hole fired out of his heart and landed in his brain.

Have you ever had something happen that felt like it wouldn't fit inside your head? To process what was being said to you was more than you could understand?

That was me. To look at my hero, his communication somewhat affected by that tiny blood clot, was more than my mind could understand. He is all about missiles, guided missile cruisers in the Pacific and helping to protect our country from incoming dangers. I did not know how to think anymore. I wanted to hide inside his shirt.

But nurses, doctors and florescent lights had a way of snapping me out of my self-perceived exile. Questions to answer. When it started, what were the steps that led to us coming to the hospital, what I thought of his speech, behavior and interaction with me.

We were sort of cocooned in a hospital room that became our reality. That space felt safe, in a way. I dreaded leaving it at the end of the day, but I dreaded getting up and going back the next day. It seemed that where ever I was, was where I wanted to stay.

But. Again. Time marches on and no matter how I folded up at this trauma that forced itself into our life, I still had to do things.

The good news is, he is home. He has driven his truck, interacted with his work mates, and communicated with his boss. He is marching toward normal again, and for that, I am thankful. But I don't think I will ever be the same.

Pushing Myself

I am warming up for some very extensive free-motion quilting on several projects. I have big plans and its time to set them in motion.

I sew with a Babylock Espire, and I am going to put this machine through its paces.

Turning Season

My love is home from the Pacific. Summer has given way to the fringe of fall, and he notices so many changes that I did not see. When he left, it was blistering hot, and last night we sat on the porch and there was a slight chill in the air.

Rain was scarce this summer, but I still mowed our lawn more than he did with all the travel that took up most of his summer. That makes me feel guilty, somehow. I think he needs what I call 'lawn therapy' more than I. His world is so consumed with precision and order that to see him riding aimlessly back and forth, from the river to the house, does my heart good.

The forest will be giving up its secrets soon with the falling of the leaves. And I will enjoy it all, because fall is my favorite time of year.

And it brings back a poem that I constructed from fragments of something I read a long time ago, plus my own words,  dedicated to my sons, when they were small.

   Who painted that leaf, they wanted to know,

   My sunburned boys with eyes aglow.

   Who painted that leaf, once green, instead

   And painted it bright with colours red.

   And their eyes grew wide, with wonder light,

   As I told a tale of frosty night.

   And the coming on of fall's cool haze,

   Unfamiliar to their sun-same days.

PHOTOS/POEM©pegyates2010

River Gems

So ashamed that as much as I talk, I have neglected this blog. I want to be creative, bright, smart and funny here to entertain myself, but I need to stay focused on it for more than a minute. I have more arrowheads that the river gave me, so I will post a photo. The thing that amazes me, is that another human being held these in their hands. I know where the shark's tooth was, but I have no idea the journey of these arrowheads, and that is humbling.
PHOTOS ©pegyates/2010

Shark's Tooth, Spear Points & Arrowheads

My focus of late is spear points/arrowheads and fossilized shark's teeth. I have one tooth and a few points and I watch the tide chart so I can be at the river when the tide is dropping. The nearly full moon, along with high winds is creating a muddy and violent shore today. I was on the neighbor's dock, watching the water hit the bulkhead when, as the water receded, an unbroken shark's tooth laid on top of the sand. Another wave came and bounced it around and it was dragged back into the water. If I could have made it down the steps in time, I would have went after it, even though it was high tide. I am unreasonably drawn to them, and am frustrated that it got away. These photos are of the gems I have so far. More are on the way because I scour the beach every day.
PHOTOS ©pegyates/2010

Sun Pillars

Sun Pillar: Rising or setting sun—rising here—reflecting off of high, icy clouds, creating a vertical pillar that reaches high into the sky.

Bottom photo is the sun's fireball finally breaking above the horizon. What looks like the sun behind clouds in the other two is actually its reflection.
PHOTOS ©pegyates/2010

Wool Felt

Felting. Such an interesting concept. To do the one thing to wool that should never be done. Agitate it roughly in the hottest of water. This is the beginning of mittens I make. I hope to make two pair a week for most of this year, so I have an ample supply to sell in the fall when thoughts begin turning toward the cold weather. My man buys vintage buttons—jet on this pair—so they are truly one of a kind. Or a pair of a kind. I line them with either angora or cashmere, so the inside is delicious and the outside is beautiful. Warm, felted goodness. Just what any cold day needs.

River Snow

Our first snow of the season was a beautiful and treacherous mixture. This is the view to which we woke, our first winter on the Potomac.

In two days, moisture from the south is predicted to collide with cold air from the north, and it might be more of this treacherous beauty. I think I like the change of seasons more than the actual seasons themselves, but this is turning into one amazing winter.
PHOTO ©pegyates/2010

Avenue Of The Giants

Me in the Redwood forest, more specifically, the Avenue of the Giants. This tree was so very small compared to others. It was magical, profoundly quiet, and humbling. It was alive in an ancient way, and I wanted to live there. I left part of me behind when we came out of the cool quiet and continued driving south. The road was busy and loud and other drivers were rude. I wanted to go back and live in the forest. In the second photo, the little turquoise speck at the bottom is my man standing beside the tree.
PHOTOS ©pegyates/2010

Here I Go

Never having been at a loss for words, I decided to try a blog. I had technical problems with typepad and they could not resolve them, so I am here because of Morna. I like her blog, the layout and look of it.
Let's see how much I really have to say, and can I incorporate my work and photos in a meaningful way? We'll see.