i found these colorized vintage postcards of the redwood highway at the bigfoot museum. (yes, i live in bigfoot territory!) one caption reads: " These monarchs of the ages are the oldest living things on the face of the earth. They attain their perfection in the scenic region stretching northward from the Golden Gate to the Oregon border - known as the Redwood Empire."

power lines make beautiful geometries in the sky!

the view out the bedroom window early in the morning. i always think this would make a lovely print.

surfing

this morning we went surfing. i am a total beginner, and i spend most of my time standing in waist deep water, getting bashed by waves and feeling completely humbled by the pacific. today i did manage to stand up on the board for a few brief moments. some day i'd love to take a waterproof camera into the water to try to capture what it feels like to have the surf rolling towards me. its really beautiful out there, and today we shared the waves with a couple of harbor seals!

s walking the girls in on a country road near our house. when i first moved here i was very surprised to see drivers smile and wave as they passed us along the road. after so many years of city living i had gotten very used to ignoring strangers, or at least pretending to!

there are so many different kinds of wildflowers growing along the roads. now its summer and things are drier, and there are a lot of brown grasses in the mix.

veggies

one of my favorite things about living in the country is eating fresh food. we shop often at the local farmer's market and we have started a vegetable garden. in the last couple of weeks, many things in our garden have gotten big enough to harvest - today we roasted a dinner of just-picked cauliflower and carrots!

two things abound in humboldt - spider webs and moisture. a beautiful combination!

animal planet

four animals live with us: cats sally and poe, and dogs alexi and gidget. they are all very social and like to be around people. by now, thankfully, they have gotten used to each other and generally live in peace. i will often find myself surrounded by them while i work, as in this panorama taken from my sewing table in our bedroom...

the compound

sean and i live in the main house of a rural compound. the house has a huge deck and is surrounded by trees and plants. we have a neighbor who lives in a little cottage on the property, and there is a garage as well. we share a big yard, where s and i have planted a vegetable garden. it took me a little while to get used to all of the foliage - after so many years living in cities, being around so much green makes me feel like i'm camping.

the slow life

i am a textile and graphic designer and a maker of hand wrought apparel, accessories, and home products. after ten years of city living, i recently left brooklyn new york for rural humboldt county, california. raeburn west will give a glimpse of my daily life and creative projects. the scenery out here is amazing - this is the local beach!