Lavender, Lavender, Lavender

Shonnah and Mana, friends in Grass Valley, California asked Tom to design and create a sign for Shonnah's lavender garden. Margaret and Tom installed the Mystic Mine Lavender Hill sign last week.

I think it is very pretty.

Tom, Shonnah and Nolemana

Greenhouse at Mystic Mine Lavender Hill

Shonnah's roses at Mystic Mine Lavender Hill

Local friends Steve and Vicki also commissioned Tom to design and create a custom steel shelf for their

Mosier Valley Lavender products. Lavender oil, sachets, candles and soaps full of lavender fragrance can be purchased at the 'Mosier Survival Garden' up the valley on State Road. Bunches of fresh lavender will be available during harvest.

Tom and Steve check the dimensions of the raw steel shelf unit to make sure that the lavender products will fit well. The mesh top allows morning sun to light up the top shelves. Hidden hooks below the bottom shelf will hold fresh bundles of lavender.

Custom steel shelf inserted into window

with fused glass by Linda Steider

'Survival Garden' store in Mosier Valley

My nap time with Tom

Junior's nap with ornamental grass. When Steve harvests his lavender, I'll give Junior a bundle.

I think he will like that, too.

BOB

GARDEN TRELLISES

ANGEL TRELLIS

Tom created the ANGEL TRELLIS for Margaret for her 'Nelly Moser' clematis and honeysuckle vines. When the honeysuckle blooms, the entire east garden is full of delicious, sweet fragrance. I thought you might like to see some of the trellises Tom has made for clients and Margaret over the past 15 years. 

Master Gardener friends contributed old, broken and discarded garden tools to Tom's project. They form the internal structure of the 16 foot-long, four-panel
ANGEL TRELLIS.

Junior likes to climb on the trellises, especially the one in front of the porch. From the trellis, he can jump to the roof and run all over the house.

He thinks he is really funny when he does that.

Margaret creates private spaces in the garden with her trellises. When these vertical walls of greenery are in full bloom, new textures and color fill the gardens. Several varieties of clematis as well as honeysuckle, wisteria, grapes, trumpet vines, raspberries, sugar pod peas, beans and cucumbers climb structures of different shapes and sizes in our gardens. Many of Tom's trellises also include colorful fused glass pieces created by local glass artists. The glass provides interest and color especially during the winter months when most of the vegetation is dormant and brown (see blog of 12.29.2010 for Tom's ASIAN TRELLIS in snow).

ASIAN TRELLIS in Spring

WOOD AND REMESH TRELLIS 

for Clematis

CUSTOM GATES AND TRELLIS
commissioned by friends Janet and Tom

Z-TRELLIS for Kirsten

GRAPE TRELLIS for a home in Washington

Tom finishing a few welds on MIMI'S TRELLIS on site

The Easter Bunny came today!

Time for a nap with Junior. 

BOB

HOOCHIE COOCHIE MAN



In February 2010, Tom created HOOCHIE COOCHIE MAN as a birthday gift for his friend Dan.Willie Dixon's Hoochie Coochie Man has become Dan's signature song. It is often requested when he plays with local groups in the Gorge. 'The Septres', Dan's junior high school band, reunited for Dan and Cal's 60th birthday celebration and Tom unveiled
HOOCHIE COOCHIE MAN at the party.

                                               

'The Sceptres'

Singing Hoochie Coochie Man

                                          

   Fused glass eyeballs transplanted for this year's birthday.

"Amazing Grace....was blind but now I see!"

Hope you enjoyed this blog.

Time for a nap with Junior.

BOB



art2

ART SQUARED

Art Show Opening and Public Reception

Friday, February 4th, 6-8 pm

Columbia River Art Gallery

Hood River, Oregon

An evening with Columbia Gorge Artists

who have created special pieces for this show 

centered around the theme 'SQUARE'.

sculpture    ceramics    glass    paintings

Tom created a sculpture entitled "Square Roots".

My 'Junior Associate' and me and our version of Art2.

We call it a "Square Meal".

SQUARE ROOTS

As they say, "Be there or be square!"

BOB

End of the Year

Our Little House in the Snow

My 'Junior Associate', a.k.a. Junior, had his first encounter with snow this month. Initially, he didn't like the cold white stuff but he got used to it and still found lots of mice and voles.

HULA SISTAH

She wasn't able to hula that day because
of all of the snow!

FISH STICKS

Tom had fun making some cool gifts for friends this year. A drummer friend received FISH STICKS, a big steel trout with hickory drum sticks to hold his, and his wife's, fly fishing waders, vests and hats.

KATY, THE SWEET ADELINE and
FRITO BANDITO

Another friend wanted Tom to make something for his wife who used to sing in 'Sweet Adelines'. Tom made 

KATY, THE SWEET ADELINE as well as a likeness of her husband Rob who plays bass guitar.

LEICA MAN
On Christmas Eve, Tom and Margaret joined friends up the valley for their annual "The Night Tree" celebration. Tom's LEICA MAN was all dressed up for the holiday.

DINNER IS SERVED
Our red squirrel enjoying lunch on Christmas Day.

ASIAN TRELLIS

Tom's trellis in our backyard glows in the snow because of Jess Caudill's fused glass.

Tom made Margaret a steel necklace rack for Christmas and Santa gave her lots of books but

Santa gave us the best gift of all...albacore tuna!

 In the afternoon, I like to sleep on the sofa.

Sometimes Junior comes to sleep next to me.

On Christmas Day I let him stay.

Bob

Snail Mail

Several years ago, Uncle Greg asked Tom to create a new inside flap for their home mail box in Minneapolis. It had broken and needed to be replaced.While visiting recently, Margaret took photos of SNAIL MAIL.

Me and my buddy Uncle Greg.
BOB