There and Back Again

Riki's Studio and Friend Chester

To Seattle and San Juan Island and back.....what a fantastic adventure I had. First to visit with my dear son for a week in Seattle where I was welcomed like royalty and treated to so many "treats"....ice cream, gelato, frozen custard, and on and on. It's a good thing I walked a lot each day or I may have returned home a few pounds heavier. One of the highlights of my visit to Seattle was seeing the broadway play "Wicked"....it was wickedly wonderful. If you haven't seen it yet and have an opportunity, I would highly recommend that you treat yourself. Every day was so very special just being able to be with my son as I only see him a few times a year. Every moment was precious!

Yummy lunch prepared by Riki and all of us having too much fun!

After Seattle, it was a beautiful ferry ride to San Juan Island to visit my dear friend, Riki Schumacher and her hubby. I love staying with Riki in her cabin in the woods....so peaceful, quiet and relaxing. Riki and I spent time walking, walking and walking; playing in her great studio, eating, shopping, whale watching and brainstorming about the next class we will be teaching together.

But oh yes, you are probably wondering what these photos are of above...Riki and I taught another "Feathered Friends" class to a small group of very lovely women. We had a great day. We almost had an extra guest for lunch. When I was setting the table on the deck, a large deer grazed on the nearby salal berries. There is something about surrounding yourself in nature...it is so very rejuvenating and allows one to return to their center. That's how I feel when I come to this island. "All is a miracle. The stupendous order of nature, the revolution of a hundred million of worlds round a million of stars, the activity of light, the life of all animals, all are grand and perpetual miracles." ~Voltaire

Riki, Fred and Me

One of our adventures on the island was sunset at Roche Harbor where lowering the "colors" every evening is a ritual. Riki and Fred insisted I experience this and dinner on the deck of a historic hotel overlooking the harbor. Fall colors abound in the Pacific Northwest which was so very beautiful and the colors at sunset that evening were amazingly beautiful. How many evenings do we take the time to watch a sunset?? If you are like me, not many. All of the beauty we miss out on. I, for one, am going to watch more sunsets from now on.

When tweaking these photos in Picnik for this post, I just couldn't resist playing with the special halloween features....what fun. Can you spot the ghosts in these photos?

Since my return to California, I have had another photo shoot for Robin Kaplan's Spring 2010 Collection and have been preparing for my Soldered Elements workshop to be held in my studio next week. Hopefully, I will have photos of Robin's spring 2010 collection for you soon.

Thank you all for coming to visit once again. Hoping you are enjoying these joyous days of fall....my absolutely favorite season!

Tootles
Diana