The Ferns Have Emerged

Looking up from the creek bed where I was taking some photographs, I noticed the well-worn path that I had climbed down. It criss-crosses a shaded cliff face and emerges into the light above. Energized by the view, and the hope it implied, I clambered up the rocks and continued my walk.

The creek was my second stop after visiting the wildflower garden to check on the ferns' progress. The ferns I wrote about in my previous post have passed their tender infancy and emerged as clusters of fancy fronds. Their long stalks grow closely together in tight fairy rings.

The tender green sporophytes of the Interrupted Fern have matured and darkened.

Another Fern has emerged as well. Resurrection Fern's snail friend, Fern, has come out of hibernation. Margie has returned Fern to the garden, where s/he (how can one tell?) has already made some new friends.

Fern's emergence happily coincides with my recent return to a work-in-progress. This felted covered stone, called Earth Stone, is the second in a series of stones that I have been making for Margie. Each stone is loosely inspired by one of the four earthly elements from ancient lore: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire. The first one, Air, can be seen, as photographed expertly be Margie, here. (More about the background for Air Stone in a later post.)

The stone underwent a transformation last night. (You can see my original conception in my previous post and on my Flickr photostream.) I pulled out the side stitching and added some "earth" stitching to ground the figures. I also added a mushroom with an appliqued cap. The fabric is from a vintage quilt scrap that Margie had sent me in a swap last year. Fern will soon be getting a bit of a makeover as well, to capture his/her cinnamon swirls.

I'll post more about Earth Stone and the transformative experience that inspired its makeover next week.

Have a great weekend!