A Farrier Competition

We recently attended a farrier competition sponsored by the Virginia Horseshoer's Association.  We went to the contest to support our friend, Steve Walthall.  To put it simply, every farrier had an hour to make a shoe for a horse and then another specialized shoe.  It was quite an endeavor, and we were so proud to be able to watch Steve work.   It is something special, indeed!  From a photography standpoint, I've been thinking about trying out black and white for blacksmithing photography because I've grown curious as to what would appear once the most obvious element of the fire was removed.  I like the results.

Black-Eyed Susans

The other day, I had a few minutes to spend at the American Horticultural Society.  Not much time, but time enough for a few photos.  

Stayed Centered, Staying Inspired

Some of the things that keep me thinking creatively:

A brand-new subject -- it's good to get out of my comfort zone creatively and learn about something like cold-press soap-making (it's now on my list of things to try!): 

My vegetable garden, which means my August kitchen looks like this (below) with lots of canning & freezing going on: 

My pets, who continually surprise me: 

Yoga -- I practice from home, thanks to good audio classes and DVDs from my primary teacher, Baron Baptiste.  I was thrilled this summer to "attend" a live class he taught from Africa.

Nature walks with my kids: 

Light -- I realized that I was becoming a better artist when I started noticing light:

Kind Words about Jeff's Recent Demo

We recently received the nicest note from the organizer of Jeff's last demo.  We love to teach and inspire, and it is wonderful when we get feedback that shows that we've possibly met those goals:

  Jeff:

I'm sorry I have not written to you sooner, but I have felt gratitude to you every day since you agreed to handle the blacksmith demonstration.

I have heard nothing but amazing feedback regarding your appearance at the park (in that capacity), and among my regrets is that I could not be there personally to see you do all that you did for the kids (and so many adults).

Thank you for enriching our summer experience. Your participation is nothing short of wonderful. Certainly I hope you feel good about your involvement and your demonstration -- as you are most likely to get the call again.

Sincerely,

James

Demo at Mount Vernon Park

Last week, Jeff demo'd at Mount Vernon Park.  He had a great time demonstrating how to create his leaf hooks. Many thanks to Angela for sending us this photo!

We are currently planning our fall demo and teaching schedule so please let us know if you are interested.  

Scenes from the July Market Fair at Claude Moore Colonial Farm

Many thanks to a friend for sending the photo at the top and to our older son for the photo of me taken before the fair.  We had a wonderful time!  And, we want to thank Matt for coming out to forge with Jeff on Sunday!

Jeff Checks out the Farrier Aspect of Blacksmithing

Jeff and our good friend Steve had a great time the other day.  Steve is a farrier and was working at a local stable, so we went to visit him.  Jeff had a great time working in Steve's forge and hanging out!  

Baby Birds

This week has been hard.  One of our friends has died, leaving a wife and two young children. When times are rough, I've learned to carry my camera and look around, because a message is usually waiting.  Life suddenly appears, like a rainbow in the midst of a flood.

A Hungry Snake

Not my usual photographic subject, but at least the camera distracted me while my kids watched this snake try to eat its meal!

"Autumn Reflections" On View at Meadowlark Gardens

One of my photos, "Autumn Reflections" is currently displayed in a show at Meadowlark Gardens now through August 20th because it placed 1st in the Garden Views category for the 2012 Washington Gardener magazine. Enjoy! 

*** Please note that this photo was taken by someone affiliated with the Washington Gardener magazine.  Thanks!

  

More Photos and Video from Jeff at Claude Moore

Many thanks to Tom for sending these on and we hope to see you during the 3rd weekend in July at Claude Moore for another demo! 

What's Wrong With This Picture?

The blacksmith goes camping but forgets all his iron tools to manage the fire!  :-)

Enjoying the Lavender at Calico Fields

We recently spent an afternoon at Calico Fields on the Eastern Shore in Maryland.  Calico Fields is a small family farm and it was a treat to meet the farmers at the Wye Colonial Fair in May.  We also love their products (especially their lavender and peppermint soap!). One of the blessings about doing demos is getting to meet wonderful people and experiencing new things; learning about Calico Fields is a perfect example of why we love getting out and about, both teaching and learning!

Blacksmithing Classes

Jeff has been doing a lot of teaching this year.  For adults, he's done an intro class and a tool-making class and had a great time with both.  He's also found great delight in teaching older children in semi-private class sessions, with prior interviews and parental involvement.  These photos are examples of students' work -- they haven good reason to be proud of their accomplishments! It's a great match of Jeff's skills, since he has long been an educator and communciator in his other jobs so he is able to make blacksmithing accessible to students.  If you are interested in taking a class with Jeff, please let us know.  We'd be happy to chat with you and see if it might be a good fit.