Kyrgyzstan

I had the privilege of being invited to Kyrgyzstan to curate an exhibition of American quilts and Kyrgyz patchwork. I also got to travel around the country giving lectures and meeting artists. It is an experience I will never forget. The window which is Russian architecture is from the home of a couple who create traditional felt hats in Osh. The balbal, stone memorials to the honored dead, was found outside of Bishkek. I was truly fascinated by them. Balbal supposedly comes a  Turkish word meaning "ancestor." They were neat the Burana Tower which I climbed in healed clogs because I thought we were going to homes to meet artists. Great memories.

Knots of roots



Janice Paine-Dawes - Copyright 2010



The aged roots form knots along the riverbank as they grasp for a foothold. 

Kyoto kimono

I think all of us who love fabric are fascinated by the traditional Japanese kimono. The girls in the first photo were dressed up as performers at a fancy dinner at our hotel but the others were just walking around on the street in Kyoto, oblivious to the gawking and picture-taking tourists.

Considering the temperature was in the 90s and the humidity was almost off the scale, this was quite a feat! Lots of men, too, wore lightweight cotton kimono and wooden sandals on the street, but they seemed much cooler, with bare feet and legs.

We were told that the city, valuing its tourist trade, encourages people to wear traditional dress on the streets through surprise incentives. For instance, you might show up at the movies one night and discover that you get in free because you wore kimono.

K is for knitting

Letter - K

The prompt for the rest of November is the Letter K.

Here is a collection of Knights I put together in my early 20's (before I got my own knight and got to live in his country!) you will laugh. I did manipulate the photo...to rub out the cobwebs. LOL I haven't got time to sort them today as I am being observed at teaching in college tonight.

When you post, select the label K to go with your photo.

I am getting to the end of the colours. Next month I will have a theme sort of colour, but starting in January we will do shapes. It might be a bit harder!

If you have an idea for a series of prompts, let me know! We might find shapes are a bit too much. :)