Inside and Outside

Shiro Nakane of Nakane and Associates.

The preeminent landscape architect of our time. He and his family have renovated or restored the majority of the oldest and largest Zen gardens in Japan including Ryoan-ji, Kinkaku-ji, and Saiho-ji. They've also designed and built a number of contemporary Tea Gardens, Temple and Shrine Gardens and Karesnasui (dry landscape) Gardens.

The possessor must be the best designer... he sees his situation in all seasons, he observes a thousand hints that must escape a person who in a few days sketches out a pretty picture.
- Horace Walpole

Remembrance

Pia, again.

She's fantastic, as ever:

The people at The Daily newspaper asked me to draw the models at London fashion week. I enjoyed drawing and drinking champagne and feeling plump and badly dressed.

Kalle Kataila

KK, from Finland.

And the world that changes a little every day (The mountains seem ever more like mountains, the sea like the sea)

I love that her people always have their backs to the viewer.

Moccasins III

Beading's complete, and the left liner (fashioned in stroud) and moccasin are together.

This particular home-tanned moose hide moccasin is a pattern designed by the Northern Tutchone First Nations, as was the pattern for the duffle mittens posted in October.

In the top image (circa 1900. Glenbow Museum Archives. Calgary, Alberta, Canada): three Stoney women from the Morley Reserve in Alberta are shown scraping a hide. The hide would be stretched on the ground and worked with an ulu, an axe-like fleshing tool made from elk antler or wood, to remove the hair and thin the skin.

A fairly well-explained pattern for side-fold moccasins similar to those worn by many of the North American Plains Tribes is available here.

Amir Toos

Apologies, for it's so tiny:

The History of Hindostan by Firishtah Muhammad Qasim Hindu Shah Astarabadi

Translated from the Persian by Alexander Dow
First published 1770-1772

Featuring tales of Amir Toos, a General in the government of the Persian district of Badwird who was defeated by the Turkmans.

And below, another, younger Amir Toos in NYC (wearing a fine example of the hunting jackets Woolrich made in the 1940's).

LB

Louise and Laurie (Bourgeois and Brown)

Two women who continue to put things into the world that please me greatly: redolent, turbulent objects and deviceful, delightful music & stories.

You can listen to LB (the Canadian) every night from 10 to midnight.

Moccasins II

beading has begun.

Making Moccasins

Another class with Shelby Blackjack, started last night.

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And a very special Happy Birthday to SESAME STREET!
They're 40 today.

The Tweedlebugs, Grover and John John.
And the op family.

Duffle Mittens V

They're all done!

on tuesday afternoon

we walk in the snow.

b l u e & r e d

today.

A mountain ash just outside this little blue downtown house ...heavy-laden with its gorgeous red berries, waiting for the birds to come feast.