A Head :: Eighty Five

Today's picture was looking me in the face. She's Alex's wood carving, and painted creation; like one of his paintings coming off the canvas, and onto the dining table. The straps are to secure her head to her neck while the glue is drying.

With Infinity More Monkeys, a picture a day.

Explorers :: Eighty Four

William and Alex in the Black Smith Barn. Our first visit: Vista Gas & Steam Engine Museum. We can't wait to get back... festivals, classes, exploring. It's a makers' wonderland.

With Infinity More Monkeys, a picture a day.

Watercolors :: Eighty Three

Emily Dickinson

Maria's first painting lesson with (old ancient watercolors.) She made several pencil sketches first, and this is the first painting. Alex gave her a lot of helpful tips and insights about working with these paints, and Maria is looking forward to doing more.

With Infinity More Monkeys, a picture a day.

Sew Foo :: Eighty Two

Still sewing... in spite of the help.

With Infinity More Monkeys, a picture a day.

A Sofa Selfie :: Eighty One

It's me, and the velvet green, wood carved sofa I fell in crush with. I sat on it, and was pleased. I sat across from it and was even more enamored. I can't explain. We're just meant to be, but not. We are star-crossed. It's nothing to do with Mister Foo being a fur artist, or with us not needing a sofa, or them wanting money for it... it's something more romantic, more fateful. It's a poignant tragedy, for the ages. Another life. What may have been. Alas. Sigh. Swoon.

With Infinity More Monkeys, a picture a day.

Words Fail Me :: Eighty

Since reading articles on "crutch words" and other weak writing tendencies, I am hesitant to write anything. Evidently commonly overused words include: breath, heart, smile, step, all, have, walk, there is, there are, feel, gaze, look, stand, across, think, believe, sigh,every, sudden, need. Funnily, those might be just the ones I would assemble to say something about our spring evening. Something like... I could feel my heart smile, as I walked across the yard, then stood in the garden to breath, gazing at all we have. Then again, I might simply, sigh, because words rarely do say enough, the right way. And it's all just really very lovely, to think, to believe, that we can try and say what our hearts know in a glance, that we have everything we need.

With Infinity More Monkeys, a picture a day.

Spring Friends

There is a lot you can say about friendship... I like this one:

A friend is one who
Overlooks your broken fence
And admires the flowers
In your garden~
I would like to be growing rockrose in our garden. We planted lots of it when we were Jolly Green Ranchers. The flowers are bold and delicate, both at once. And the shrub has a warm, almost evergreen fragrance that I love.

Funny thing about spring... I never feel as keenly eager for this season as I do for autumn, or winter. But when it does arrive, when spring blossoms show, and trees bud, when thoughts turn to summer plans, and we think of lingering outdoors, then I am thankful. Thankful for spring, for beginnings and do-overs, for fresh starts, and pastoral romantic sentiments. Tea parties, picnic banquets, kittens, corsages, poetry, light bed sheets, open windows, dewy mornings, longer days, and skirts that twirl.

Simplicity 1816, makes for satisfyingly twirly spring skirts. I've made two, and have plans to sew more. I've been surprised that I feel like sewing, because this cold has knocked me down hard, but evidently I have a sewing bug... and for the record: I am ridiculously amused with my little pun.

Puns amuse, and bird prints delight me. And having two successful and successive sewing sessions thrills me.

Maria already chose another print for a third skirt. And I am already looking at all the scraps and thinking how "easy" it would be to make a patchwork quilt. {Honestly, I am not medicated, but maybe it's the fever that is giving me grand notions!}

Here's what Foo thinks I need when I am feverish and delirious: Hugs. Isn't this adorable? {Not really. Not if you know him. It's more like he's pinned me in a death grip wrestling match, and my discomfort and awkward position are nothing to him. I will be still. I will be warm, and comforting. Resistance is futile. But, yeah... he's totally adorable.}

When I couldn't sleep, I decided to imagine a spring party... the very spring party I intended to host today. I closed my eyes, and planned every bit of it. It was less fun than having a garden full of friends, baking quiches, roasting potatoes, whipping cream to top fresh strawberries. But the clean-up was a breeze! There would have been table cloths, tea cups, and lemon bars. I think we would have done some crafting, maybe play at printmaking. I keep adding gardening... would you have minded very much if we asked for help making a pumpkin bed? I liked imagining that part.

Happy spring, friends! I am looking forward to visits, and playdates, to seeing you here, and there. It will be nice to hear good things from you, to celebrate some special days that are coming soon.

Over our broken fence... it's really only just a bit wobbly, never mind... you can see we have some flowers, and more, in our garden.

Cardiff By The Sea :: Seventy Nine

Happy Spring!

With Infinity More Monkeys, a picture a day.