Glass Art and THANKS Brother!

I have wished for a crystal ball ever since the early 1960's. I thought maybe I could see visions of some sort by looking in the ball in a quiet place of solitude. Then I forgot about one until just lately when I see that photographers are using and experimenting them in their artistic works. Again I wished for one and even bookmarked a page to buy myself one but could never justify the expense. I wanted a high quality and large one! I mentioned it to my brother a couple of weeks ago because I knew both he and my nephew had made some in the past. I remember my nephew tried to take a picture outdoors on a sunny day and, as he was holding his reflective sphere, he experienced a burned thumb when trying to take a photo. My brother had designed a machine to make glass spheres in his "glassman" business. He told me he sold a lot of them.

Nephew's thumb burning

Several years ago, both of them visited an artist who lives about 30 miles from us. They came back excited and he had given them each some pieces of his glass to work with. Today a large ball, made by my brother of Christopher Ries's glass was given to me. It measures about 3.15" (approx. 80mm) and weighs 650g (about 22.93 oz.) Brother created it from one of the square blocks of optical glass. I was overwhelmed! I set it on a hard plastic dip cup and took 3 pictures. Now I need to make a velvet pouch for it's keep!

 I am thinking about finding a round clear rubber ring to help place it on things to shoot my pictures. Something soft so as not to scratch it. To learn more about Christopher Reis, click on the links below. He was just featured on our local tv station about a week ago.

Christopher Ries

Christopher-Ries
Christopher Ries on Local TV

Hungry Hummers

A week ago the feeder on the porch was accidentally broken late in the day. The next morning the Mister went to town and picked up a replacement. He tried to get one that was similar -  it is.  It was funny and yet concerning to see the little ones fly in only to be disappointed not to find their evening and early morning sweetness. They looked, and looked, then checked out every other hanging thing then flew away. As soon as I washed and filled the new one they arrived back but it did take a while for them to be comfortable and they knew something was different. The flowers were softer and the perch went all around the bottom. After just a couple of days, they were all coming (and fighting) as many as before and it was good.

At the beginning of this week I received a gift box in the mail and it contained a new hummingbird feeder to replace the broken one. Well it is beautiful! I snatched the metal hanger to use right away, but am keeping the new glass feeder for next year's arrivals. I just don't want to confuse them more this late in the season.

Guess what!  This is the very first time I have had two at the feeder, perch and drink at the same time! I take the pictures through the indoor and storm window so I can capture them better.

Did you notice the pretty hanger?

Here is what they will drink from next year!

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Give and Get

I brought a bag of buttons along on this trip to give to a fellow collector of beach glass, shark's teeth, shells, and other oddities. Another friend found them in a home she was cleaning out of all sorts of discarded stuff and thought I might like to have them. I told her, no but I knew someone who would.
She did! The picture below is one she took to show friends soon after receiving the bagful.

The other day, the recipient of the buttons brought out a chunk of green glass to show me that she had salvaged from a broken-down and decaying old hippie van. The dilapidated piece of junk had been abandoned on a piece of property belonging to her relative many years ago. It was never explored until recently. All sorts of junk was in it and this piece took her eye, though she had no idea what it was. She brought it here to show me.

I knew exactly what it was and admired its pretty color and sparkling interior minute bubbles. She then gave it to me!

The reason I knew was from discussions with my brother who was called a glass artist because he repaired and polished fine crystal and glassware at antique shows and privately. He also did the following along with creative artistry:

* Marbles ground and damage is removed.
* Stoppers are fitted into bottles. 
* Daubers are made for perfume bottles. 
* Chips are removed from the rims or bases of wine glasses, vases.
* Decanters are tumbled clean.

Isn't my slag glass chunk pretty?

Notice the size reference in my hand - photo #7.

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Beach Finds

For about 22 years, I walked the beach in front of the campground and state park for innumerable hours at different times of the year. I walked to a pier about 2 miles up the coast if the tides were not going to affect a swash where I had to cross both going and coming If it was going to be high tide during the walking time (always morning) I walked south in front of another beachfront campground and past it for about 3 miles. It didn’t matter if it was windy or cold, I found walking to be an experience in itself - a special feeling of freedom and peace.  Countless times I brought back multiple varieties of shells, rocks, dead starfish, dead horseshoe crabs, mermaid’s purses, egg cases of other mollusks, assorted other echinoderms, bivalves and gastropods, and diverse examples of marine life. 

A favorite thing to do after I returned was to wash and dry out all of my finds and then research each treasure.  I then could name my things and know all about them. The greatest part of the gathering was then to show others, whether they were friends or strangers on the beach conducting similar searches. 

I regret not taking enough good pictures of my finds, but today, I decided to preserve my shark’s teeth via camera. I haven’t decided what to do with them, yet. I may go to the pier and give them back to the sea, even though I’ve been offered $ for them by fellow beachers. They are not spectacular, but each and every one meant that I had to bend, pick up, put in my pail, bring home, wash, dry, and store them. One was brought back to PA when an expert from the Smithsonian was in this area at a fossil display and identified it as being about 1,000,000 years old! I had him write down its name and age. That is my best treasure. None of my teeth are large like some you can see in museums. but it sure was fun to find one - of any size!

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Several years ago I gave a large  glass jug of frosted beach glass pieces that I had found to a local wire and glass artist-link- who now has a booming jewelry business. In return she made a glass and driftwood mobile for me and it hangs on my porch whenever I’m here.

Beach Peace Video link