Local Women Returns a Warrior Despite Mud, Rain, and Obstacles

On Sunday, July 17th, this writer participated in the Warrior Dash in North Bend, a muddy romp of sports madness. To read all about the misadventures good times, click HERE to see it on Gritty City Woman!

Button, Button

When I was a child my mother kept a jar of buttons. I thought it was fascinating. The buttons were all sizes, colors and textures. Mother had saved them from clothing that had worn out and could tell you about the pieces the salvaged buttons had come from. They told stories of clothing my parent had owned before I was born in much the same way my grandmother’s quilts did of an even earlier time. If a button was lost from one of my father’s white shirts that he wore to work at the Boeing Company, out came the buttons for the search for another. My parents were raised during the Great Depression and didn’t throw away much.

I don’t think buttons have ever been inexpensive. Go to Joann Fabrics and price buttons now and you won’t want to pay $5 for a card of four buttons just to replace one on a cuff or front placket. Even now it’s good to have a jar of buttons on hands. I save several. Besides saving them from our family’s worn-out clothing I’ve purchased them, but not on expensive cards at a retail store. Obviously my mother and I are not the only old ladies with jars of buttons. Other old women pass away and their families don’t realize the treasure they’ve been left in those jars and the jars end up at barn sales and thrift stores.

My most recent acquisitions came from my ex-mother-in-law. When Mom C passed away and Dad C went to live in assisted living my children and grandchildren were invited to come to the house and take whatever they wanted. My then six-year-old grandson Gabriel wanted his Great-Grandma’s buttons. They sat untouched in his room for a year until his mother decided that space being at a premium, the buttons would have to make way for action figures and puzzles. Because Gabriel was saving money for a personal DVD player I offered to buy them from him and he readily accepted.
Mom C’s collection of buttons was huge and fascinating. And too good to keep to myself. While sorting through the vast collection, sorting them by color, I found some so unusual that I knew that there was a future for them beyond the possibility of my children sending them to the thrift store sometime in the future. I have a friend whom I’ve known since high school who is an artist. Marlys sews what she terms wearable art from fabric she finds in thrift stores and since many pieces are shirts running the gamut from mid-century pop to the exotically beautiful. Some of the buttons were so small I could not see how they could be anything but decoration and I knew that Marlys would know what to do with them as well as some sets of unusual buttons that were just screaming her name. I popped them into the mail for what Marlys declared was Christmas in July.

My buttons don’t just sit on a closet shelf waiting for some clothing malfunction. To me they are art. The jar with the red and green ones comes out at Christmas to nestle amongst vintage ornaments on the breakfront in my kitchen. The purple ones sit in a jar with my amethyst glassware in an antique kitchen cupboard. I have oranges and yellows for fall and jars of white, blue, black and pink. I know that people sell vintage buttons in shops and on eBay and since I will be getting a pay cut come fall, I might try my hand at it.

Equines Subject of Annual Art Show at Auburn's Emerald Downs

For years the popular track at Emerald Downs in Auburn has provided a fitting backdrop for an annual summer juried show of art specifically devoted to all things equine.

The Equine Art Show was originally envisioned by hosts as a vehicle to introduce and hopefully to successfully sell the merits of the then brand new and beautiful facility for audiences unfamiliar or heretofore disinterested or indifferent to the venue.

It is sponsored by the Washington Thoroughbred Foundation, Washington Thoroughbred Breeders Association and Emerald Downs and is celebrating its twelveth consecutive year at the facility. Since those very early days not only was the primary goal soundly met - but the competition has on its own built a delightfully strong and loyal following of its own.

Above: Equine Art Show attendee Mary Ehlis admires this superlative carved horse head.

Viewers of all ages enjoyed last night the opportunity to examine work in a bevy of artistic styles, techniques and perspectives including equines depicted through such diverse mediums as: oil, watercolor, pen, pencil, acrylic, charcoal and pastel. Entrants employed skills from the worlds of collage, sculpture, woodcarving, metalwork, black/white and digital color photography, quilting and papier mache. This year $5,000 in prize money was awarded. And children and teen entrants shared a pot totaling $750.00.

Above: This detailed work sprung brilliantly forth via the visionary mind and busy hands of a veteran quilter.

Above: Pieces ranged from pocket sized jewelry to life-sized models. Photos copyright 2011 by Mizu Sugimura.

You've Read It Here: "Divorce Party" - A Good Summer Read

At the first take, Laura Dave's 2008 book The Divorce Party (Penguin Books) hardly seems like a perfect summer read - but mere titles can be deceiving. It's tight and easily written which fills one seasonal requirement. The other is that yes - Dave's tome is quite satisfying, so much so that it's just as possible the story will actually leave you better than before. After finishing it this morning, I can personally testify that it had just this same effect upon me.

Dave's novel follows the thread of two women one whom is about to be married and going to the groom's childhood home to meet his parents for the first time and a woman whose thirty-something year marriage has gone south. Everything comes to a head at a divorce party, which is planned by the elder to commemorate the last social event which will be held during a storm in the beautiful old Victorian family house in the Hamptons.

Having observed the closing of a similar life chapter in far more humble circumstances than Dave's characters in real time, I'll happily vouch for it's timeliness, depth and charm. Lastly, any author with such an able command of all three is worthy of a crisp salute and well worth an effort to explore. A+.

Taiko Drums, Dancing, Summer Foods Burst Into Bloom at 65th Tacoma Buddhist Temple Bon Odori

Above: Colorful yukata such as these modeled by these lovely young ladies shown in a snapshot here provided by organizers of the 2011 Tacoma Buddhist Temple Bon Odori may become a part of your own summer Bon Odori Memories.

Our lives in the South Sound are often busy and action packed, so we are especially lucky to enjoy such splendid scenic outdoor venues close at hand to savor a few moments of the quiet, serene and beautiful. You're in luck because the best of both worlds can be on your plate on Saturday, July 30, from 5:00 p.m – 9:00 pm at the annual Tacoma Buddhist Temple Bon Odori Dance and Food Festival.

For decades festival organizers have warmly extended a welcome to members of the public and persons outside the temple who might want to attend. It's a much-looked forward summer treat and bonding experience on my family's summer calendar for a number of years. Take friends, your family or even a neighbor to enjoy traditional Japanese festival dancing, music, memorial candle lighting, taiko drum demonstrations and plenty of delicious Japanese edibles.

The Bon Odori (or O-Bon) has it's roots in tradition with a much loved custom in the more leisurely days of summer in old country to set aside a special time each year to enjoy, connect, remember, celebrate and honor friends, family and fellow townsfolk in our lives who have since died or come before us.

Locally the Bon Odori has been ably hosted by Tacoma Buddhist Temple for sixty-five years and has played a rich part in the hearts and memories of many area citizens beyond its original following in the Japanese-American community over a half-century ago.

A brand new feature of this year's festival will mark the opening of beer garden offering adults and their guests an opportunity to sit back and enjoy sake or local beer. Tacoma Buddhist Temple is located three blocks west of the UW Tacoma campus at 1717 Fawcett Street. Mark your calendars and plan to attend! For more information about the Tacoma Buddhist Temple and the upcoming Bon Odori click here.

Living The Truth

Today, in the Roman Catholic Church we remember proudly Jesus' cousin, John the Baptist. Here is a reflection from Living With Christ, "..daily companion for praying and living the Eucharist:"John the Baptist is like a first draft for Jesus. They were alike in some ways: they were cousins, almost the same age; both came from the desert, urging people to a different way of life..."

I am proud to know John the Baptist because he knew his strengths and limitations, that he was called to tell the truth to his community and that he was willing to die for that truth.

He is one of those wonderful human beings who move me to speak and act respectfully, with intergrity, and compassion every day. I would prefer to hide in a corner and, watch other folks trying to love themselves, others, and life. Today I shall try to be a little more compassionate.

What do you think of folks like John the Baptist?

Sunny Summer Afternoon

School is over. Teachers getting their grades in. Students who are choosing to clear and clean and attend to various parts of the school during the summer take time on this sunny day to eat and talk.

Lots of life happening here this quiet day.

Teachers will be getting ready for next year. Young folks will be working and, hopefully, enjoying friends and families.

Summer school will be starting soon.