31 August 2010

Tomatoes, tomatoes everywhere! On my kitchen counters anyway. SweetPea went out and was playing in the grass for a little bit while I was picking tomatoes before I noted the turkey vultures soaring above her. I was not sure if they were eyeing her up for a tasty snack, but I decided I had better move her a bit closer to me. So SweetPea learned how to pick red tomatoes. Granted, she was not very fast, but she only picked the red ones, then actually handed them to me. For her first time harvesting, I think she did very well.

This batch I am canning up for tomato soup for the cold days this coming this winter.
 

Afternoon Update:
A friend tipped me off to an event happening at a park, so SweetPea and I went up to see it. The Northwest Stone Sculptors Association was having a week-long event there. The folk there were very friendly and happy to talk about their art. Although very dusty, (enough to make you sneeze) it was a wonderful experience.

Photo's Below: John Fisher working for the second day on a sculpture of 3 women. John is a phenomenal artist.

If you have ever wanted to learn to learn how to carve stone, don't be intimidated by these professional artists. I asked a couple people about their craft and how long they had been doing it... and their answer was "Six days!".

Photo Left: Samantha concentrating on her piece of limestone.

William Pickerd was also very helpful in explaining answers to my questions. He was turning alabaster on a lathe and making beautiful stone and wooden bowls (yes, together) and he was one of the special guests at the event.

Not everyone used electric tools like air hammers, angle grinders or such, but also the 'classic' hammer & chisel, as well as rasps.

Both men and women work at this art. One lady said that I ought not put her on the blog as she was not as good as some of the others. But I told her that she was exactly whom I wanted on my blog, as all of us have to start somewhere sometime and those are the people I want to recognize too. They were brave enough to start something that they were interested in. Maybe they will not stay with that 'whatever-it-is-that-they-were-interested-in', they may not become reknown but the point is, that they tried out their dream...

As I was driving back home, it occurred to me about something I overheard someone say the other day... that they do not go out and do anything, as they have no money to go out and do anything. In this economy, I cannot disagree about spending money to have fun, but pretty much everything you have seen on my blog in the last couple of months other than going to the Great Big Sea concert (cost was $12.50 for a ticket at the Oregon Zoo concert series), most everything I have gone to has cost nothing. So go out and find some of these free or inexpensive things to do like this Sculptors Symposium. Most are even family friendly.