This is one of the four most amazing seasons here on the mountain. And this year, in particular, the color is astounding.
With the world around me in such a contemptuous cycle of turmoil and despair, I reach back to the simple things that ground me. Like usual, at this time of year, I am frantically collecting samples of the majesty the trees are giving away. I can not stop from gleaning just one more pink, yellow, magenta, orange, red or brown hued gift for my already bulging bevy of dried autumns past. You cannot open a book in this house without a shower of dried leaves greeting each turn of the page.
I am trying a new preserving technique–we’ll see if it works. I have watered down some Modge Podge (glossy) and I am soaking the well dried specimens for several hours before hanging them to dry. My theory is that they will retain even more pliability than when the modge podge is simply painted on both sides. Evidently I have too much time on my hands.
To clarify, my current projects include, but are not limited to: producing and directing a Christmas musical production for my church group, designing doll clothes, recovering 3 upholstered chairs, developing several craft projects for Purple Cows, and most importantly, being the perfect wife to Scott and mother to my four children. Ha! My fill in the gap projects are some dabbling with ceramic bead making, knitting a cashmere lace scarf, and preserving thousands and thousands of leaves. I have definitely reached all new kinds of crazy.!.
