Dark morning.

Good thing I havent put all the sweaters away. Its dreadfully cold...even some minor whispers of SNOW on the horizon...Cold, grey spring morning. Need to make some lists and then get to the store to make two desserts, a side dish and Barbara's torta for the dinner for 14 tomorrow night. I am making some ginger squares using a whole cup of crystallized ginger and a very dense chocolate cake (using up lots of things from the larder). Who needs boxes upon boxes of crystallized ginger in the pantry? I don't anymore! Lets hope it  tastes like something. 

We have a full house with Gloria, my sister-in-law coming in today from Los Angeles for a week. We also have Mr. Blackburn visiting and working with the Museum. Alex is delighted as its far more social and there are people who have opinions and knowledge about things that thrill him...including cars and driving. Much gathering chez Camp.

Today is also the revisited Snow Ball as the original Snow Ball (a winter party at the High School) was snowed out. So Snow has become Spring and the party renamed, Spring Fling. We have all sorts of planning around what to where and who to hang out with. It's Kitty's last one, so I hope its extra fun for her this year. She will be wearing her "Princess Unicorn" shoes (gold with a ruffle with a unicorn's horn for the heel). Can you say "over the top"? And there is the gold dress from Trader K'sMore on Trader K's>>

Barb was making foccacia using the clothes drier as a rising box...which really worked. I am going to try that this weekend. I love it that Barb uses any household tool in the house to move the cooking along. She will make pumpkin pie on the grill, or in this case, the drier for bread rising. Inspired.

I have been asked to create an image for the Mothers Day for Peace concert being held on Mothers' Day at the Rongo. This is a good idea shepherded by Heather Christ to celebrate the idea of the original victorian Mothers Day which was to raise consciousness about peace during the Civil War. So, Heather is doing the same--recruiting women musicians, musician mothers to play for this event. Heather has big plans...but I need to focus on the poster once she has more content/names to add to the piece. I think I am going fraktur ladies with this one. A central mother with two daughters...The Virgin Mary is the perfect Mother for this piece on Peace but it might not strike the right chords with everyone.

I am busy looking at the Milton Glaser book, Art is Work (which I agree wholehearted in the message and delight in every moment of it). His reach and flexibilty along with his visual problem-solving strikes a deep chord with me--goading me to try new styles and approaches and not to be shy, but bold. Have humor and yet have reverence. He is an amazing artist, designer and illustrator combined with skill and brains that rarely come together in such an inspired package. I am also bee-ing...thinking about their hardwired (Kitty's word) dna to communicate, congregate and work. The apiary life indeed should be held sacred for all of us....(and as a feminist side, its run and operated by GIRLS).

Ah well. There is ginger to grind and chocolate to measure....and treasure.

Flax Barn Sale this week. For more information>> (check the tab called Barn Sale at the top of the site).