Coming Up Roses

It has been nearly a month since I last posted. Why so long? I have been swamped first with one thing then another starting with the first week upon my return from France. In no particular order:

• eye surgery–left eye
• judging the Oregon Coastal Quilters Show in Newport
• designing a simplified version of “Z is For Zinnia, C is For Cosmos”, a pattern for American Quilter magazine followed by actually making the wall hanging for photography. So far I’ve got the appliqué and embroidery done. 
• eye surgery–right eye, three weeks after left 
• several doctor appointments for both eyes, as well as a dentist appointment
• judging the Oregon State Fair in Salem
• meeting with my real estate agent and a staging consultant. I’m putting my house on the market. Days of  “editing” followed which consisted of removing and storing furniture and packing box after box of items that are “distracting” to potential buyers. 

During all of this working and running around, I went to an artisan show featuring 30 artists at Peninsula Park, a wonderful rose garden in north Portland. The perfume of the roses on this sunny day was heavenly.

The park has a lovely fountain in the center. You can see by the number of people in the background, the show was well attended.

I really enjoy sculpture of all types. Artist Joe Warren does welded steel sculpture and garden art.

Mike was admiring a $900 fish when something else caught my eye–an old-fashioned looking bicycle, priced at only $65.00. When I asked why it was so low in comparison to other items, Joe said he was tired of hauling the bike around to shows for the past two years. He marked it way down hoping to sell it. And he did–to me! I loved it.

Joe held onto the bike while we completed the artists’ circuit. When we went back to retrieve it, he said five minutes after we bought it, someone else had wanted to buy it. She was too late.

Folded paper items caught my eye in the last booth. I wish I had taken down the artist’s name, as her work really intrigued me.