6.30.2009

Flourishing


Todays Harvest: 3 green beans and one sugar snap pea pod. Plenty of lettuce growing in 2 clay pots among my flowers.

I am barely home, but I find a few moments each day to walk around the whole yard and garden to see how things are growing. You can see the lettuce in the lower right hand corner of this picture.

I was thrilled that this evening, finally, I did not have to go anywhere. I've never been more happy to be able to fold laundry. Only halfway through my laundry, I found myself heading out the door after Maya informed me her dress was too short for her band concert tomorrow night. She honestly had nothing else to wear. It's not a matter of dress code or a particularly short dress that we initially bought. It was the realization (after having been mentioned by the band director) that they will be sitting on a stage and the view from the audience could be quite revealing. I felt it was the only thing I could do to put her at ease. Ear infections in both ears and anxiety over her first performance is causing physical and emotional pain. She refuses energy healing from her own mother. The best I could do was buy her a new dress.

6.26.2009

Not Lousiana, Paris France, New York, or Rome

Yes. I am still here. I am reluctant to post without art, or at least a photo. And that hasn't been happening lately. Just got back from our second Gary Railcats game this season. It's really a lot of fun. The girls love it. Railcats won! And the added bonus of fireworks tonight. Also, a moment of silence in honor of Michael Jackson along with lots of music and video clips of Michael. I have never lived anywhere else but Northwest Indiana and it feels very strange to try to describe my global position with these references. To this day I can hardly say "Gary, Indiana" without conjuring up the image of a very small Ron Howard belting it out with a lisp along with the tune getting stuck in my head. For that was my first concept of Gary, Indiana. Driving to and arriving at the ball park is a bit surreal and I wonder what it is like to see it through the eyes of a 7 year old and 11 year old?

I wonder where all my time has gone lately.? Not so much as a small doodle to post. Two evenings this week were spent at the pee-wee ball field, as I find the "8 and under" girls' softball games a lovely way to connect with my little community. Never been much of a sports fan and now I've spent about 10 hours this week as a spectator of the "Great American Past-time."

And a whole big whopping 36-1/4 hours at the office. Almost full time this week. (Technically I think over 35 hours is full-time.) Kudos to any full-time working mom. I don't know how you do it?! And, I must say I am in complete awe of the full-time working single mom because I only worked 36 hours this week since my teacher-husband is on summer vacation.

Also, I would like to add that in my effort to "Circle Everything" I am not presently focused, balanced or rolling with it at this time. That is just a lofty goal that at some point in my life I would like to achieve.

6.11.2009

Trash to Treasure Opening

Add ImageThe Trash to Treasure Opening was tonight. Lots of people. Lots of art. Very good to see. Here is a photo of my finish Matryoshka set, as I said I would post. This photo actually taken at home before I dropped of the art. Just as I had thought, I was able to take a better photo at home than at the show.

I wanted to create something out of everyday ordinary trash - cylindrical containers - but I already had my paintings on wood planned for the show. I figured I might as well hang them there because they were hanging all around my house where no one was seeing them.


6.07.2009

Watercolor Bunny

I opened my sketchbook yesterday and found a tiny little bunny that I sketched quite a while ago. I copied it onto a 3 inch scrap of watercolor paper. Maybe I should paint a few eating strawberries. This morning I picked 10 strawberries, but had to throw out 4 that were already half eaten. Does anyone have any remedies for keeping birds and critters from the garden?


6.06.2009

Escape

I woke up very early this morning. 6:00am. Lingered in bed until 7:30. From my bed, I walked straight to the patio to greet this beautiful day. My hanging baskets and pots needed water. I proceeded to pick a few weeds. I found a toad and held him captive in this flower pot. But, he escaped before I could show him to Ellie. It's nearly 9:00am and the girls are still sleeping. The first Saturday of summer vacation.

Our first harvest of the year. By far the best strawberry I ever tasted. I had to throw one away (the one in the top of this photo). When I turned the corner to check the garden, a small bunny darted off. I think he had just taken a bite out of the strawberry. Every time I see a rabbit in the garden, I think of Beatrix Potter. As much as I love bunnies, I feel like I could be Mr. McGregor waving a hoe over my head and there could be a whole family of rabbits hidden close by having a conversation about me and my garden.

6.05.2009

Feeling Nostalgic

Here is the dress I made for Ellie a couple of weeks ago. [Editor's note: I switched out the photo because it was hard to see the dress in the other photo.] We were at the fabric store last month, and while I usually have to tell Ellie we are sticking to the list and not buying extras - she didn't even notice this fabric. I very excitedly told her "we have to buy this!" Why? Because it reminded me of when I was a kid 30 years ago. The fabric is gathered with elastic and sold by the inch. You buy as much as you need to fit around your torso and sew up one seam. I feel like I can hardly say I sewed it. I did cut some fabric off the bottom to make straps and if you make a dress, rather than a tube top, you will have to sew a hem, too. We embellished it with a couple of buttons from the button box. And here I am circa 1979.



6.01.2009

Living Well

I've run into a few people who have said "You haven't been posting. I check your blog everyday." So good to hear! Just to keep you updated - life is good. I've spent much of my time in the past 10 days gardening and exercising vigorously. (Thanks to the inspiration of Bob Greene. More on that later.) I did sew a little dress for Ellie that I want to share, but she will not put it on for a photo - yet. Other than that - a few more hours at the office and a couple of softball games. I'm loving my sun room studio even though I haven't created since the Matryoshka. Many creative thoughts are brewing in my brain.