Blog entry

Autumn Beauties - Artisan Handmade

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." — Albert Camus

I don’t know about you, but autumn is my favorite time of the year, although it’s somewhat bittersweet since winter follows.  It’s a time where the temperatures (at least here in the Desert Southwest) are moderating and thankfully, the gates of the blast furnace of Hell for this extreme heat summer have closed.  It’s a time for rethinking and replacing plants that didn’t make it through this summer.  Many people start fall gardens and farmers bring in their harvest.  Fall is part of that ongoing cycle of loss, rest, regeneration and, ultimately, regrowth.  The Autumn Equinox is a balance between light and dark, a balance between the season that happens again in the spring.  And who doesn’t love the trees and some shrubs with their gorgeous leaf displays as they prepare for their winter sleep.   

Mimosas, Bumblebees and Hummingbirds

When we first moved into the house we now own, a scraggly “weed” started growing in a shrub bed on the southeast side of the house.  Being of a mind set where a “weed is just a misplaced plant,” I often let something grow until I can identify it, I left the scraggly plant. And I’m sure glad I did!  It turned out to be a mimosa tree (Albizia julibrissin), a tree I’ve seen quite  often and admired greatly in more tropical areas,  like Florida where it can be very invasive, but never thought it would grow here in an arid desert climate.  I don't remember seeing one anywhere near the house so am not sure how the seed that ended up in the shrub bed.  Since it sprouted fairly close to an irrigation mister head, it grew fairly quickly and is now, almost 9 years later, a beautifully arching tree that attracts a wide variety of pollinators.  An added bonus is that the mimosa smells heavenly, especially in the cool of the morning.  I know sometime in the not too distant future, we'll have to cut it down because we don't want the roots to mess with the house's foundation and sidewalk.  But for now, I'll definitely enjoy it.     

New Handmade Jewelry by Shadow Dog Designs

You would seem due sheltering in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic, I’d have more time to create new jewelry and blog.  Before, my days were very structured.  Now they’re not, even though I try to structure them.  It seems I find myself saying, “I’ll do it tomorrow” . . . and then when tomorrow rolls around, it becomes “tomorrow” again.  So, this morning, I sat myself down to create a new blog showcasing the newest pieces of jewelry in my SHADOW DOG DESIGNS shop.  Fourteen handmade beauties:  nine pairs of earrings, four necklaces and one bracelet.  They are all one of a kind creations from a variety of materials including, gemstones, polymer clay, Czech glass, Swarovski crystals and a host of other things.  I hope you take the time to browse and to check out all the other jewelry in my shop.  After all, Christmas will be here before we know it - get a head start with your holiday shopping!  Enjoy.

Summer Flowers - Artisan Handmade - Three for Thursday

Summer will soon be here.  Despite the (expected) triple digit heat that has set in here in the Desert Southwest, the water wise flowers I planted last year and in the cool of this spring are blooming up a storm.  Everyone who knows me really well knows I love to work in my flower beds . . . and am ecstatic at the resulting blooms.  So my beautiful flowers are the inspiration for this week’s Three for Thursday where I feature three items from three artists.  This week the artists are:  Roxanne of watercolorsNmore;  Jacki of Christie Cottage; and me, Catherine of Shadow Dog Designs.  Enjoy the wide range of floral art.  Hopefully one or more of the items will soon be on the way to you!