Apifera Farm - where art, story, animals & woman merge. Home to artist Katherine Dunn

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©Katherine Dunn.





Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Pino's Apron Gallery now online!


Get on over to the Apron Gallery and make the donkey happy...buy an apron and all proceeds go into his money bucket for his upcoming Hospice Celebration Day, the charity pie party we'll be hosting here at Apifera complete with fresh pie, donkey hugs and good vibrations.

Thank, than you, thank you....can't say it enough. This apron gig is turning into something. I might need an apron secretary soon...hmmm, there's always Lucia.

And apron donators, watch your mail boxes in late July for those donkey thank you's.

Don't forget...

...that it's Tuesday Sale Day.

The lavender harvest has begun. The dirt farmer and I are working triple time. Details of our field escapes, learning curves, band aid solutions and more to follow this month.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Help for Hospice from Georgia


Wanda C. from Georgia sent us some embellished fabric squares to help with our August charity pie party for Hospice Caretakers. She wrote a nice noting saying her sewing wasn't great, but I assured it it looked darn good, especially since I sew raggedy style.

Thank you, Wanda!!

Learn more about the Hospice event and how you can help here.

Pino's Seattle girl friends write him


Pino received a heartwarming package from his Seattle friends Ganjana and Nuansi, and Holly. These three made a special visit to the farm to meet Pino [and Ward Schumacher the rooster], and the visit helped Nuansi that day with hearing issues.

They sent little drawings and a special lavender bracelet and handmade apron/pie cards. Plus a little cash to purchase an apron.

It's nice a little donkey inspires such love. Thank you, ladies!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

Five day old heartbreaker






























I haven't had a real day off in...can't remember, so after working in the studio all morning, I took some time for myself. I had an open invitation to head up the road a couple miles and visit with Pino's [and Lucia's] new baby brother.He was born on Father's Day, which also happened to be Pino's Pie Party, so I like to think that somehow it was a thumbs up to Pino.

This little fellow doesn't have a name yet, and he is full of peas and vinegar, let me tell you. At this age you can pick them up and carry them around and hold them in your lap. They make mini donkey sounds and their hair is still soft. I always tell people they are like giant bunnies at this stage. As you can see, he has a wonderful home to get life started in, with views of the range and old growth Oaks to shade himself with.

The weather was perfect. About 78 and breezy. Not a sound about except the occasional truck. I like to hang out with Angelo too, Pino's father. Pino has so much of his old dad in him, personality wise, and heart. Angelo is lonely, since he can't be in with the girls. I sat with him and made him a raggedy daisy necklace. I sang some songs to him. When it got too warm, he and I went and sat in his outdoor shade hut, with views of the mountains and hills. The wind kept us cool, I rubbed under his eyes and he took a stand-up-nap.

I remembered days when I was very little and I'd hang out for hours in my natural sumac forts. I felt like that same creature, just in a different setting and time.

Thank you, Angelo. The pleasure of your company made my day off quite perfect.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Favored child moves on


I was pleased, in a bittersweet way, that this painting sold yesterday. It is off to California to take on a life of it's own, as it should. Where it will travel over the next 100+ years, well, I'll never know. But like a child birthed and reared, I did my best with it and now it gets it's own life.

I don't really have a problem selling originals. I know some artists have a hard time with that. Once it's out of me I'm pretty much done with it. But sometimes you do a piece and really like it. And you want the income, but you secretly hope it stays around awhile longer. I almost didn't put this one in the recent show, but opted to. And I guess it was meant that I do that.

I am working on a a new piece about a blue egg...I have some paintings in me ready to come out now that Pie Day is behind me.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Phew...all Pie Day pics are online

OK, now you can just bake a pie, sit down and look through the last umpteen posts on all the wonderful pictures from Pie Day 2009. They are also posted at Donkey Dreams.

I'll be posting aprons onto the Pino Apron Gallery in the next couple weeks. Plus we had some late letters and packages to Pino that arrived after Pie Day, and they are special, so I need to post about them this week or next.

For now, I can only say, thank thank you to all who helped, came, ate pie, sent aprons, took pictures and wrote letters and donated.

And especially, thank you Pino, Lucia and Paco for the gentle conversations you had with so many. You are truly loved.

Phew...all Pie Day pics are online

OK, now you can just bake a pie, sit down and look through the last umpteen posts on all the wonderful pictures from Pie Day 2009.

I'll be posting aprons onto the Pino Apron Gallery in the next couple weeks. Plus we had some late letters and packages to Pino that arrived after Pie Day, and they are special, so I need to post about them this week or next.

I considered keeping her for myself...




More Post Pie Day Picture Plethora....

Introducing, Collette, aka Coco. She speaks in English babble, head and hand gestures, smiles, and a dash of french. We were so happy to meet Mlle. Coco, the first born of a Kailla, friend and colleague of Martyn's [who also made this wonderful apron for Pie Day].

Another neat story - Kailla brought her father, her step mom, and her sister. Martyn and I actually stayed in her father's wonderful Bend home for a weekend after we were first married, so it was fun to meet him. And her step mom knocked me off my feet when she said, "And I am one of your father's biggest fans." I had no idea, but she knew my father from the Craft Gallery in Portland where my father volunteered before he became ill. She said nice things about him, we chatted about him for a time. I thought that was really cool, that it was father's day and all, and out of the blue, this giant message appeared from the universe, via a living soul...

Now, back to Coco. Unbeknownst to Kai, I contemplated taking little Coco and putting her in a stall, or the chicken coop, out of site. Then I could just keep her a little while. But, I remembered taking a neighbor's bike when I was five, and hiding it, and even though I had the bike, I couldn't take it anywhere....so, I stopped myself. Besides, Kailla is meant to be Coco's teacher in this world, it's quite clear.

Oh, and then there was Henry

Stay tuned all week for more Post Pie Day Plethora of Pics...

Lucy Clementine also brought her little brother Henry. Henry prefered the stand still and watch approach. Or take the upper view on Dad's lap.


"How to meet a donkey" by Lucy Clementine

Stay tuned all week for more Post Pie Day Plethora of Pics...

Lucy Clementine came to pie day with her artist mom and super duper dad. She demonstrates so wonderfully a very good technique for making introductions to a donkey.

First step: Like any creature, it's best to wait for the right moment to say hello. Shyness can be overcome with acceptance and understanding.

Step two: A brief smile to show the donkey, "I am open to love."

Step three: Examine the new friend, showing him you care about what he is made of, and helping him scratch itches he can't reach.


Step 4: Share some of you best jokes, donkey love jokes.


Step five: Kiss the donkey.


You are now friends with your donkey!!!!

She smiled all day, and cried when she left


Stay tuned all week for more Post Pie Day Plethora of Pics...

This little gem was pretty darn adorable. She lived in a nearby town and came with her mom, and grandparents. As you can see, her angelic ways were only enhanced when she was around donkey love. She also found the perfect handmade apron just for her, and when I told her to check out the cool round pockets, she did, and yet another smile was released.



What is so fun to watch is how these children [and adults] slowly watch and inspect the donkeys, and the donkeys them. The donkeys are so calm, and allow alot of commotion with becoming overcome by it [within reason, of course]. All the children were well behaved, but I do believe that not only is that from the good parenting they have, but also, I feel the calmness of the animals transfers on them.

When she had to leave, tears ensued. Now these were not tantrum tears, they were genuine disappointment tears of having to leave her new friends. I ensured her that Pino and gang would be expecting her next summer for Pie Day, and this was met with a soft smile.

I know how hard it is to leave the donkeys to go to the house, so leaving them for an entire year would make me cry too. It was just a pleasure to have her here on Pie Day.

Been a hard day's pie party


Paco relaxes with my niece after a long day of pie partying...

I considered keeping her for myself...




More Post Pie Day Picture Plethora....

Introducing, Collette, aka Coco. She speaks in English babble, head and hand gestures, smiles, and a dash of french. We were so happy to meet Mlle. Coco, the first born of a Kailla, friend and colleague of Martyn's [who also made this wonderful apron for Pie Day].

Another neat story - Kailla brought her father, her step mom, and her sister. Martyn and I actually stayed in her father's wonderful Bend home for a weekend after we were first married, so it was fun to meet him. And her step mom knocked me off my feet when she said, "And I am one of your father's biggest fans." I had no idea, but she knew my father from the Craft Gallery in Portland where my father volunteered before he became ill. She said nice things about him, we chatted about him for a time. I thought that was really cool, that it was father's day and all, and out of the blue, this giant message appeared from the universe, via a living soul...

Now, back to Coco. Unbeknownst to Kai, I contemplated taking little Coco and putting her in a stall, or the chicken coop, out of site. Then I could just keep her a little while. But, I remembered taking a neighbor's bike when I was five, and hiding it, and even though I had the bike, I couldn't take it anywhere....so, I stopped myself. Besides, Kailla is meant to be Coco's teacher in this world, it's quite clear.

Oh, and then there was Henry

Stay tuned all week for more Post Pie Day Plethora of Pics...

Lucy Clementine also brought her little brother Henry. Henry prefered the stand still and watch approach. Or take the upper view on Dad's lap.


"How to meet a donkey" by Lucy Clementine

Stay tuned all week for more Post Pie Day Plethora of Pics...

Lucy Clementine came to pie day with her artist mom and super duper dad. She demonstrates so wonderfully a very good technique for making introductions to a donkey.

First step: Like any creature, it's best to wait for the right moment to say hello. Shyness can be overcome with acceptance and understanding.

Step two: A brief smile to show the donkey, "I am open to love."

Step three: Examine the new friend, showing him you care about what he is made of, and helping him scratch itches he can't reach.


Step 4: Share some of you best jokes, donkey love jokes.


Step five: Kiss the donkey.


You are now friends with your donkey!!!!

She smiled all day, and cried when she left


This little gem was pretty darn adorable. She lived in a nearby town and came with her mom, and grandparents. As you can see, her angelic ways were only enhanced when she was around donkey love. She also found the perfect handmade apron just for her, and when I told her to check out the cool round pockets, she did, and yet another smile was released.



What is so fun to watch is how these children [and adults] slowly watch and inspect the donkeys, and the donkeys them. The donkeys are so calm, and allow alot of commotion with becoming overcome by it [within reason, of course]. All the children were well behaved, but I do believe that not only is that from the good parenting they have, but also, I feel the calmness of the animals transfers on them.

When she had to leave, tears ensued. Now these were not tantrum tears, they were genuine disappointment tears of having to leave her new friends. I ensured her that Pino and gang would be expecting her next summer for Pie Day, and this was met with a soft smile.

I know how hard it is to leave the donkeys to go to the house, so leaving them for an entire year would make me cry too. It was just a pleasure to have her here on Pie Day.

Aprons in the wind




Stay tuned all week for more Post Pie Day Plethora of Pics...

Many wonderful aprons came in this year....handmade by grandmothers, 5 year olds, 9 year olds, 50+ year olds. We had some packages of sweet little vintage numbers that would look wonderful on Grace Kelly as she appeared in Rear Window. We had an apron made from seed bags. They came from all over the country [90% were from east of the Rockies].

This year I hung a portion of the aprons on a line in the garden area. I was worried about rain so didn't dare hang them all. But they were all out in baskets. And I had the mannequin out too. It was as big an apron buying crowd as last year, but many were purchased. I want everyone who sent aprons to know they will all go online at Pino's 2009 Apron Gallery in the next couple weeks, so they can be admired, and purchased. Any sale will help with the Hospice event in August.

One really sweet apron story. Remember the apron from Great Grandmother Kate? It was sent in by her great grand daughter who had found it while helping her mother clean up their farm for their 100 year farm anniversary. Well, their farm was in Eastern Oregon/Bend area. And a young woman came to Pie Day, and she had grown up in Bend, and she loved the apron. I told her the story of Great Grandmother Kate, and she ended up buying the apron [She's the one in the first picture]. We thought that was so perfect. That apron has been around for over 60 years I guess, and now it will have a new life, with a new young woman. I will write a note to Great Grandmother Kate's grand daughter.

So stay tuned for the Pino Apron Gallery '09. And all you apron senders, remember, donkeys move slowly, so when you least expect it, you'll get a little thank you from Pino.

Monday, June 22, 2009

The art of pie eating

As performed by a future flower arranger/poet Dalton who resides at Mossback Farm. Stay tuned all week for more Post Pie Day Plethora of Pics.




The art of pie eating

As performed by a future flower arranger/poet Dalton who resides at Mossback Farm. Stay tuned all week for more Post Pie Day Plethora of Pics.




Daisy chain for the lady

Lucia's ears just called out for the proper accessory,and my nieces crafted a chain of petite English daisies. Stay tuned all week for more Post Pie Day Plethora of Pics.