Lizard in Tennis Shoes

Because of our new puppy Sasha (she loves shoes...unfortunately) I've been throwing some pairs of shoes in the bathtub in a room off of our patio so they are quick to put on. These are my grubby, outdoor shoes...which were a favorite pair of tennis shoes at one time.

Last night I was going to reach for these shoes to go out to my backyard. I almost always look at the inside of my shoes before I put them on, since there are things like scorpions and black widows to beware of. Well this time the subject was a little bigger, but not as deadly. Peeking up out of one of my shoes was this lovely lizard.

It must have been laying on the insole of the shoe since his skin color and pattern was similar to the insole and was actually striped! After this picture it jumped out of the shoe and went scampering away. So, I have no idea where it is at the moment. Tail and all it is about four inches long.

Pittock Mansion Portland Oregon

The Pittock Mansion was home to Portland pioneers Henry and Georgiana Pittock from 1914 to 1919. During the late 1800s and the early 1900s, their lives and work paralleled the growth of Portland from a small Northwest town site to a thriving city with a quarter million population.


They began planning and designing their new home in 1909. The mansion was completed in 1914, replete with stunningly progressive features including a central vacuum system, intercoms, and indirect lighting. The house also creatively incorporated Turkish, English, and French designs. In keeping with their loyalty to their home state, the Pittocks hired Oregon craftsmen and artisans, and used Northwest materials to build the house. The final estate included the mansion, a three-car garage, a greenhouse, and the Italianate gate lodge servants’ residence, all situated on 46 acres of land almost 1,000 feet above downtown Portland.

Hello

Staircase to the upper floor.

Art exhibit on the lower level, some very interesting pieces.

Interesting shower installations. The second one looks a bit scary...

Ornate sewing table

We visited the mansion last fall while we were in Portland. What a beautiful place and splendid views! Coming from Phoenix it was such a joy to see all of the green and gardens. This home transports you back to a time that you only read about in history books.

If you want more information about this historical home, visit Pittock Mansion. When you visit Portland you should make a stop here and walk around. It's about a half day diversion.

Puppy Play Time

Everyone playing on a sunny day! No, we didn't get two more dogs....that's Rylie and Frannie with their spring hair cuts....

Featured on Poppytalk Invention Series

Thanks so much for featuring one of my invention series designs. Lovely surprise and much appreciated!

The Wedding Planner

by: Hoganfe


by: Yann Pendaries Photographe


by: Stein-Schmuck Design


by: Kissa Design

From a few members of the Artisan Gallery Team

The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire

March 25, 1911
Within 18 minutes 146 people (mostly women) dead
A "fireproof" building that was 9 stories

I happened to catch this special on PBS* the other night. If you have an interest in knowing about sweatshops in the US and the exploitation of women in the early 1900s you should definitely watch this special. But be warned, it's not for the faint-of-heart. The fire and its outcome is also what lead to the beginning of the labor union movement. This was a factory that employed women (even girls as young as 15) to sew hundreds of Shirtwaists for pennies. Books such as Theodore Drieser's, An American Tragedy, includes a glimpse into the life of women in sewing factories. Sometimes there are small mentions in history books. But until I saw this special I had never heard of this fire. Each time I come across something like this I think that this is just one example of things lost as time passes. Important lessons that brought about change that affected our lives. I didn't even know there was a coalition created to create a memorial to these workers until I began researching this story more.

The Triangle Fire is what brought about some of the labor laws that protected factory workers regarding health, disability and fire prevention. The division of Fire prevention was created because of this fire as well. This resulted in laws that included: all doors in must open outwards, no doors are to be locked during business hours, sprinkler systems must be installed if a business employs more then 25 people above the ground floor, and fire drills are mandatory if a building doesn't have a sprinkler system.* Unfortunate that so many lives had to be lost in order to protect human life.

What a horrible tragedy especially considering that this building was fireproof. One family, the husband had to collect the remains of his wife and two daughters, he was left without a family in just minutes.

Even though the building was fireproof the workers weren't protected from someone who had actually locked a door that could have been used for escape! Why was it locked? No one admits to locking it or knowing why it was locked. The only excuse that was ever given was the fear of theft and that the owners of the factory had no idea that it had been locked. A list* of other fire hazards that were present:

• Locked door to the stair well
• Rusty fire escape that collapsed
• Cluttered work spaces
• Short ladders only reached 6th floor
• Not enough water pressure
• Long wooden tables became obstacles
• Wicker baskets full of scraps
• Oily floors spread the fire quickly
• Fire nets failed to catch jumpers
• No sprinkler system, only pails of water
• Flammable barrel of oil
• Boxes crowding the exit
• Lack of a required third staircase

PBS produced a program that isn't for the squeamish. It is a special though that brings to life the working conditions for many immigrants and poorer people in the early 1900s. It shows that while many of us now sew for the love of doing so, there are many people in the past and even now who labor for a meager wage in unpleasant conditions to support their family.

As I turn on my sewing machine with its computer brain, that can just about sew on its own, I will think about these women who lost their life as they sat bent over their machines creating garments just to feed their family.

Triangle Fire Centennial Commemoration from Ruth Sergel on Vimeo.

sources: History Buff: The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire
Cornell University: The Triangle Factory Fire
Remember the Triangle Fire Coalition

Javelina Arizona and Art

Javelina run wild in Arizona and are dangerous. This one however won't hurt you. Unless it's a very warm (115) day and you touch it...then it might burn.

Javelina run in packs of from two to twenty, are most active during the day and the best thing to do if you run into them is to get away fast. They are a member of the peccary family, weigh about 40lbs and originated in S. America. A video for your pleasure...