My Sister, the Tree House and I....by Joyce Riley

MY SISTER, THE TREE HOUSE and I

By Joyce Riley

On our walk through the woods we happened to see
A little, old house in a very tall tree.
“A tree-house, a tree-house,” the two of us chimed.
Then, up the ladder, the two of us climbed.
The house had a porch, a window, a door
And a small rocking chair on a hard wooden floor.
Next to the chair, on a table, there sat
A tea cup, a saucer and a very small cat.
The saucer was empty, the tea cup was dry
And the little grey cat began softly to cry,
“Feed me. Feed me,” we heard it say
So, we gave it the lunch we had packed just that day.
The cat began purring when it had been fed,
Then went to sleep on a lumpy, old bed.
On a very high shelf a radio sat
So, we found some music to sooth our new cat.



Out on the porch we looked all around
Up through the tree top, down to the ground.
There were leaves on the roof and holes in the stair
And, out in the woods, a giant, brown bear.
We stood very still, started to pray
And, after awhile, the bear walked away.
We scooped up the cat, promised never to roam,
And said to our folks, “Look what followed us home.”


Post Script
We never went back trying to find
The house in the woods where, one day we climbed.
But, closer to home, in a very tall tree
Our folks built a house for Sister, and Big Cat and, of course, me.

High Tech at the Fair?....by Joyce Oroz

Let's all support our local fair and save it for future generations!

The Santa Cruz County Fair is gearing up for this years “big show.”
I have the inside scoop on the Harvest Building, the showplace for local organizations like 4H, Future Farmers of America and Scouts. The Santa Cruz Technology Team from Felton 4H has installed a hands-on slider-lights display with monitors. Be sure to drop by between September 13th and 18th, and try it out for yourself. See what our teens are up to these days.


Welcome to the 2011-2012 4-H year! This year is going to be amazing. We have tons of exciting projects to offer, like archery, crafts, rocketry, carpentry, flower arranging and much, much more. And you can't forget all our amazing animal projects, like swine, goats and chickens. This year we're planning new events, community service projects and parties throughout the year.



For people new to 4-H, it's a non-profit youth organization that offers lots of fun activities and gives kids a chance to take on leadership roles. Felton 4-H is the biggest 4-H club in Santa Cruz County, and we always are busy in events like the Santa Cruz County Fair and the Spring Fair. We hope you'll join, because we're always welcoming new members! I hope everyone has a great experience in 4-H this year!

Interview with Kay Walters.....by Joyce Oroz

Today I am talking to a lovely lady, an Aromas Hills Artisan with great artistic talent and an excellent sense of design and color.

Hello, Kay Walters. Please tell us about yourself and how you became an artisan.


I live in north Monterey County with my miniature horses, inherited dogs, and rescued cats.
I have always been interested in glass. Many years ago I was a glazier (replacing glass panels in aluminum frame windows, for new housing projects).
I was drawn to the myriad of colors of glass about ten years ago, bought my first kiln and was immediately captivated.
I started with a small kiln for jewelry and tiny bowls. Of course, that wasn't big enough so I purchased a larger kiln, and then another even larger kiln.

Now I create jewelry, table art, and wall art. I make beaded necklaces with some of my pendants. I am starting to combine other materials with my art. I will be making small table tops.

Kay, can you describe this glass obsession that has captured your heart?


It is the myriad of colors: reds, yellows, greens, cobalt blue, mauve, violet, that light up
my spirit.
It is the joyous process of combining translucents, opaques, dichroics, iridescents, frits,
and stringers, for my inspirations.
It is the magic of the glowing, flowing, fusing process. The kiln melting the glass into a
white-hot taffy-like material, the molecules connecting.
Then! After each individual artwork ever so slowly cools, it presents itself to me;
inspiration for new visions that beg to be brought into the world.
Glass Madness guides my spirit and passion of creating!
Creating glass art has brought out my lighthearted and whimsical side. I am drawn to
the clarity and color of glass and the melting and fusing process.
Each design is individually created for the discerning collector.
Once I am in my creative mind, everything in nature is inspiring, and gives me endless ideas.

Kay, where can people find your beautiful work?

My website is: KayWalters.com e-mail: kaysglassinspirations@gmail.com
phone: (831) 633-3348
I will be participating in the Carmel Craft Fair at the Valley Hills Center in Carmel Valley on Sept. 17.

Thank you, Kay. We look forward to seeing future projects.

Shaking in Her Flip Flops....coming soon....by Joyce Oroz

..... I crossed the wide cobblestone drive, unlocked my Mazda and discovered Solow still cowering under the dash. I helped my poor traumatized hound dog into his bucket seat, rounded the truck and hopped into the driver’s seat. We cruised down the mountain singing ‘Georgia on My Mind’ with our friend, Ray Charles.
Four songs later, Highway 152 finally leveled off, we made a last sharp right turn, and then the road straightened. We passed the cemetery, an apple orchard, a nursery, a couple houses and some empty fields. Solow howled as something caught my eye up ahead in the grass about five yards from the edge of the road. Something that looked like a pile of laundry with legs. I took my foot off the gas, pulled the truck over and stopped at the side of the road. Solow’s baritone howls sounded urgent.
My flip flops tramped through foot-high grass full of bugs, burrs and other prickly things which I mostly ignored as my eyes focused on the curious mound of clothing ahead of me. I tried to tell myself it was just a fallen scarecrow. Traffic was light, but Solow barked when an eighteen-wheeler shook my truck as it whooshed by. I wondered how much it would cost to put my poor dog in therapy.
“Oh, no,” I whispered as I approached a body lying face down. Had I found the dead body of a child? My heart pounded in my ears as a flash of hot fear shot through my flesh. Should I touch it to be sure? I looked around. No help in sight. I stepped closer, leaned down and touched a skinny arm with my finger. Surprisingly, the smooth, light brown skin was warm. Maybe it had been warmed by the mid-afternoon sun. I bent down to the head full of long tangled black hair.
“Help … me.”
I jumped back several feet. It was alive. I looked up and down the road for help. No one in sight. I crept back to the petite person lying in the weeds.
“Help me, por favor.” The voice was so weak I could barely make out the words. The head moved to one side. Big brown eyes looked up at me for a second and then closed. I squatted down beside the stranger.
“Open your eyes if you can hear me,” I said. The eyes opened. Solow howled. “Quiet!” I yelled. The body shivered. “Sorry, I didn’t mean you … it’s my dog.”
I sat down beside the little Jane Doe. She was definitely female even though she wore men’s baggy, rolled up Levis and a big blue T-shirt. A yellow cap lying near her foot caught my eye. She tried to roll over, so I helped her. Two cars zoomed by, but no one stopped. My mouth dropped open when I saw her face full of cuts and bruises, but the injuries would not be the only things that stunned me.

A special thanks to Evelyn

A new art gallery will be unveiled to the public with a grand-opening event on the same day as the annual Aromas Day, August 28. Aromas photographer David Coombes hangs several of his photos in the new Dragonfly Gallery in Aromas Friday.

I want to call to your attention the fact that Evelyn Pogrowski has finished her contribution to the gallery--beautiful lettering spelling out "Dragonfly Gallery" on two sides of the building.

The Dragonfly Gallery, at 380 Blohm Ave., will largely feature artwork from the Aromas Hills Artisans, who teamed up with Realtor Kathryn Aguras to turn a plain old building into a thing of beauty.

A sprawling, colorful mural adorns the outside of the building, painted by local artists Linda Bjornson, Kathy Stutz-Taylor, Jovita Hilliker, Sandra Weddell Braga, Barbara Scoles and Joyce Oroz.

“We have so many talented artists in this area,” said gallery founder Aguras. “This was a commercial building that was vacant. The opportunity just seemed to come about. A lot of people have come forward to help make this happen.”

The gallery features paintings, quilts, carved wooden Santa's, handmade jewelry, pottery, stained and fused glass, photography, signed books by local authors and much more.

The small, 1,000-square-foot building has a history in the community, having served as a gift shop, a trophy shop and a chiropractor’s office. Now brimming with artwork, it features works from painter Darlene Boyd, quilter Louise Coombes, painter Gerald A. Harness, wood sculptor Barbara Scoles, painter-writer Joyce Oroz and photographer David Coombes.

“This is the first time I’ve ever shown my work in a gallery,” David Coombes said. “Joining Aromas Hills Artisans has been a good push to get my work out there.”

Aromas Day runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday and includes hayrides, car show, yard sales, a variety of live music, shaved ice, food stands, pony rides, a petting zoo for kids, a dunk tank, a climbing wall and other entertainment. A parade will wind through town at 2 p.m.

Dragonfly Gallery will be open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
You'll find me at the shave ice stand signing ice--I mean books!

BY: TARMO HANNULA and JOYCE OROZ

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Aromas Day Surprise.... by Joyce Oroz

The Aromas Hills Artisans have teamed up with realtor, Kathryn Aguras to turn a plain old building into a thing of beauty. An AHA mural adorns the outside walls with ponds, koi fish, reeds, rocks, a tree and dragonflies galore. But that is just the beginning. Inside the building is where the real treasures can be found such as paintings, carvings, handmade jewelry, pottery, stained and fused glass, quilts, photography, weaving, prints, etchings and signed books by local authors (including mine). If the unthinkable happens and you don’t make it to Aromas Day, the gallery will be open every week, Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 to 4:00 beginning August 28th. Thank you, Kathryn, for giving us an honest to goodness gallery!

An interview with Jerry Harness.....by Joyce Oroz

Today it is my great pleasure to introduce you to Gerald Harness, a talented artist and valuable member of the Aromas Hills Artisans. He is an artist who reaches outside his comfort zone, painting new and different subjects, honing his skills as he goes, and sharing his newest projects with the AHA members.

Gerald (Jerry) was the 17th Naval District Artist (Alaska) in the navy. After serving, he spent 40 years in engineering--mostly in aerospace. He says he "stopped dabbling" in art in 1970. After Jerry’s retirement in 1993 he decided to try painting landscapes even though he had always worked in portraiture. In his words he is “still trying to improve my scribbling.” If that’s scribbling, I’m a monkey’s aunt.

So, my friends, if you’re in town on Aromas Day, August 28, be sure to visit the Dragonfly Gallery and see Jerry’s wonderful artwork for yourself.


Stay tuned for more wonderful talent from the Aromas Hills Artisans.