First pieces of gear!

It's official! I've begun ordering gear for my hike and the first couple things arrived in the mail today.

I know it's backpacking gear and I know it's supposed to be small and lightweight, but when I opened the box today and saw how small my sleeping pad is all deflated and folded up I had a moment of "really?" I mean it's the same size as my Nalgene bottle and only weighs 16 oz.

And my trekking poles. All folded up they are about two feet long. The pair only weighs 14 oz.

I think I could get used to this. Blowing it up may take some getting used to. And staying in the middle of the pad since I tend to move around a lot when I'm trying to fall asleep, but then again, the whole trip may take some getting used to. You know, hiking upwards of 15 miles a day. Hopefully.

Now I'll have to start keeping track of what gear I have, what I need and what gear I can do without. I also need to find somewhere to store everything until I go on my practice hike this fall. I also need to do something about food...

(I've written this whole post on my phone. I'm hoping to keep everyone updated while I'm on the trail and I'll have to manage blogging with nothing more than my phone and a solar charger. Should be interesting. Or frustrating. I guess we'll see.)

Bachelor Buttons in the Rain

Last night it started to rain. It was a gentle rain even though later it would become a storm. Which is ok too. I headed out to check on my chickens and put them to bed. I have no problem with wandering around in a soft rain, especially after being out in the heat of the day for an art show. (Here are pictures of my booth from the art show.)

My pot of bachelor buttons this morning.

As I was crossing the deck I glanced at my pot of bachelor buttons that I started from seed and have been waiting all summer for them to bloom. I was surprised and pleased to discover one had opened during the day and was now shimmering with raindrops. I immediately crossed the deck to stand and admire the flower in the rain.

I smiled there, on the deck, with the rain coming down and having noticed this one flower had opened up, so bright blue and delicate. I turned my face into the rain and just took a moment to appreciate this one little simple joy.

I put the chickens to bed and then, yes, I went back out in the rain to take a picture of that one flower. Two others opened up over night and there are several more buds getting some color, so hopefully I'll have a whole pot of bachelor buttons soon.

One of the other flowers that opened over night.

I love bachelor buttons.

Catching Up... again.

I'm having a hard time keeping up with this blogging thing right now. I don't feel like my life in between adventures is all that exciting and I don't know why anyone would really be interested in most of it.

So since the Energy Fair I haven't gone anywhere. In fact I've mostly only traveled for business in the last month. I have done two art shows with another one this Saturday. The one show I got my first ribbon in three years, I received an Honorable Mention ribbon for, the judges said, my new work and display. This is the only exciting thing I have to share with you from the last month.

My Honorable Mention ribbon and display of my new work.

On a different and completely unrelated subject, about a month ago, we had to send one of our cats over the rainbow bridge. Neptune was my buddy, always cuddling, and he had the loudest purr. We got him and his sister, Saturn, 18 years ago when they were just babies. We all miss him and Saturn has started to adjust to not having him around at night. Sort of. She still wakes us up yowling for him.

Probably my favorite picture of Neptune from the 18 years he was with us.

About five days ago I put a note on my personal Facebook page asking for help from my backpacking and hiking friends for advice on what gear to get, what brands are the favorites, most comfortable, best of what they have used. At first there was no response, but then people started sharing either things to remember to have or what they preferred. And then I got two separate responses from my friends of two different people I should contact because they had experience with hiking and backpacking. I spent one evening messaging with one woman about her gear and made loose plans to meet up this summer to discuss gear and possible further into the future plans to do a practice hike together. So that will be helpful. I also got several messages from a friend listing her gear and things that she has found good for her and luckily some of the gear she mentioned crossed over some of what I had already heard. I may actually start buying gear soon instead of just thinking about it and forever debating what to get.

A serving bowl covered with a tree design.

I have been busy getting pottery made. I have done a few firings now of my new work and I am really enjoying it. I have also started getting things made with the Renaissance Faire in mind. I have several dragon whistles made and I have a new idea I made a prototype for that I'm fairly excited about.

One of my new dragon whistles.

Things have been happening around here, and I'll try to share more often. I just don't know how many times you want to hear about how I fired a kiln two days ago and I fired another one today. (Here are the pictures on my Facebook page from the firing I did two days ago.) My whole life becomes consumed with keeping my inventory stocked, now at three stores (Artistree Gallery in Land O' Lakes, Chocolates and More in Minocqua, and the Three Lakes Center For the Arts) plus my inventory for shows. July is my busiest month with three shows, then in August I have two and September is the one four-day Renaissance Faire. And I am trying to keep up with my show coming in the next week, but also I'm trying to get new work made for the shows next month and the specialty things for the Renaissance Faire and trying to anticipate what is going to sell so I can maybe make some ahead of time. Like mugs, I always have mugs going in some stage of the process because they always take just a little longer to get from start to finish. 

Anyway, enough rambling for now. Hope everyone is making the best of whatever weather you are having and having a great summer.

Peace

I don't like to voice my opinions. I don't like to cause a stir and become the target for any kind of debate, whether someone decides to argue with me or against me. But I'm tired. And I'm sad.

I'm tired of the hate and violence. I'm tired of racism and people using their race as an excuse for their actions. I'm tired of people using other people's race as a reason for their actions. I'm tired of the attacks on religions and the attacks of a radical few who cause a whole group of people to be defined as terrorists. I'm tired of the ignorance and the division of this country and the world. I'm tired of the slander and disgrace caused by events in this country.

I'm sad the hate continues. I'm sad that the killings continue. I'm sad that unfortunately I can't see an end to it any time soon. I'm sad that the world has so much hate and violence and that there are people who celebrate that hate. I'm sad that there are those who have no respect for others, that the differences between us become weapons to use instead of chances for learning. I'm sad that we only hear one side of the story, or are only given a skewed version of events to make us hate one person or group more than another. I'm sad that I feel small and powerless in these matters.

I wish there was an end in sight. I wish there was peace on the horizon. I wish we could accept others, respect others, treat everyone with grace and understanding in every part of life and in every type of discussion. I wish we could offer support instead of just crying in outrage in times of hardship. I wish I could turn on the news or log in to Facebook and see all the good in the world instead of all the bad. I wish we could learn from each others diversity and see the beauty in our differences.

I hope that one day we won't have to worry about our friends and neighbors when they leave our presence. I hope that we can accept each other and understand that we have differences of opinion in life and that those differences are no reason to murder anyone for any "cause" or belief. I hope we can find peace within ourselves, that does not include causing harm to anyone, and that that peace will multiply and spread and become the new subject for discussion.

I hope and wish this for the whole world. No exceptions.