up from the ashes

change, forced

I get pretty preoccupied with this tiny little garden in the spring. It's the only spot on our heavily shaded property that gets full sun all day.  Looking at this picture I'm wondering if I put on this show so folks won't look down the driveway at the mess I call Tobacco Road.  There's not a whole lot of gardening skill going on here. Over the years I've learned which plants flourish here with the least effort on my part, plus the contributions of the dogs in the neighborhood.

For any of you with even a nodding acquaintance with the Tarot will recognize the implied message of the Tower.

 I pulled this one in a one card draw, looked at it, shuddered and ducked the card. One more 'food for thought' that day and I might have choked and barfed. Not that anyone can avoid some situations, but taking the long look, the lessons in the moment are something to be considered.

I asked Colin to take the picture at the top of this post because the peonies were peaking..ready to explode, and a heavy thunderstorm was coming. Less than a half hour later, a small car beat the thunderstorm to the garden most thoroughly. I'm only glad that no one was hurt and a new garden (and perspective) is underway

Clutch your heart! a textile related post

 This morning Colin asked me "Where is the big staple gun?". In the studio, of course.

For once I knew just where to put my hands on a tool, but after hefting that bad boy and getting the evil eye from "Fierce" on the opposite wall, I reached down and pulled "Firmament" out of the "someday maybe" bin which is full to overflowing.

I thought about the stapler and the 36" square canvas that has been taking up space in my life for over ten years. Something will be happening.


Jack said "What are you trying to hide?"

Which is my slick way of introducing one of the main characters in the novel I am writing,  but also one of the questions I am not asking myself.

mother's day all year long

Jimmy and I were both blessed with strong, capable women for mothers. This made them the perfect mother-in-laws too.

Rosie and Eleanor just stood back and let us have at it. There was little to no advice from either of them; they let us think we invented married life and raising kids. I will be forever grateful to both of them. We had it our way and it was just grand.
Thanks, Ladies.

and of course, there's this

denim blues

Remember this?
Well, without my Goodman to rein in the insanity, I spent the rest of the afternoon, paving over an entire queen-size poly mattress protector with chunks of  his worn out blue jeans.

It always seemed like a sin to throw out good denim so I have stacks of them in the closet.

He would have stopped me and said "Doncha think this is gonna be a little bit heavy when you're done?"

I should have noticed that when I was horsing it around under the sewing machine needle.

I took it outside to hang over the deck railing for pictures and it nearly took me over with it. Ten, fifteen pounds? There are eight pairs of jeans here.

So, I just got finished with a quick and dirty dismemberment. Lament not! I'm just going to find a different way to make it happen with maybe a little planning and forethought instead of just plain passion.

Meanwhile, up at the mailbox garden, the peonies have finally started to pop. I hate that this is happening in the face of two thunderstormy days...the flowers will get beat down if the rain is heavy. I may wind up cutting a lot of them and bringing them inside if I can take the aroma. The two different colors have distinctly different fragrances, but both are heavy, spicy and sweet.