20~ Saturday Morning Cat-Toons

Not cartoons, but just as riveting, much funnier, and Saturday morning regulars... Mister Washburn Foo and his Boop, Neo Cairo Nepenthes. I just love the Saturday morning show, all the kitties, put on, and the luxury of enjoying the time to catch a few extra episodes.

With Infinity More Monkeys, a picture a day.

19~ Crochet Rows

Lunch hour crochet lessons... that's what I've been up to, on Fridays, sometimes Monday's too. As word spreads, the class has been growing, and that's sweet. In the beginning, Mrs. B and I were teaching Morea, India, and Maria... my favorite part to observe is that when new students show up and want to "try," one of the original three girls, happily, steps in to begin the lessons, with finger crocheting. This peer to peer teaching is what I've learned to encourage through experiences in our make club... Benevolent Order of Makers. Teaching builds confidence and reinforces our understanding of subjects that we are sharing; its not necessary to be 'older,' and you don't have to be absolutely 'authoritative' to be a dependable and helpful mentor. It might have been a daunting thing to welcome new students every week, starting over with every beginner, but we are adding as many teachers as students, and everyone is adding and building skills. This hour has become one of my favorite of the week... sitting in a (growing) circle together, exchanging ideas and skills, observing and praising each participant's progress, even feeling at ease and amused about frogging! I love how calming it is to be in that room, surrounded by thoughtful, kind, curious, and enthused crochet-ers, who set such a comfortable and encouraging tone.

And! Maria "made a thing!" I love that she loves what she made. It's not that she doesn't see the inconsistencies, the gradual slope, it's that she is thrilled with the prospect of getting better! She is delighted with the texture, the feel of those double crocheted rows that she made, herself. She has decided on a practical use for it, and she's started practicing the shell stitches for crocheting a shawl. And... ohmygosh, I just love her harvest gold square!

This reminds me of a funny thing about making... if I buy something from a store, I expect it to be square, or hold water, to be uniform and "perfect." But I love the affection, the almost romantic thrill of holding something homemade, our own, so that no matter that it tips, or leaks, or is lopsided, or not-quite-perfect, we love it, adore it, keep it for always. I love that Benevolent Order of Makers celebrates tinkering, creating, failing, trying again, success, sharing, cooperating, teaching and learning, across ages, across disciplines. We don't have to be "perfect," we only have to want to keep trying to reach our goals, and be thrilled with the journey. Inch by inch, row by row... this is how we learn and grow.

With Infinity More Monkeys, a picture a day.

18~ Fresh Air

With considerably less grace than a pale swallowtail, I flitted all over the yard following this beautiful butterfly. And of course, I had my phone on hand, which thrilled me, because when it did land, I got to take pictures, along with a slow, appreciative and reverent look. See the feathery texture, admire the iridescent colors, the way the blue looks like pointillism. It was the most promising beginning to a day that was very good, outside.

The picture went straight to Instagram, and my head went straight to The Butterfly Song...

Butterfly – glad to see you back again
Come and rest your wings my friend
I promise not to pin you down
Or even frown
If you have to fly away
Into someone else's dream

Our hollyhocks are back... the ones I planted four years ago, that bloomed last year. Somehow, I totally failed to collect seeds, and I had been so eager to do that, to share them with friends. Alright, this year. This year I will collect seeds, and share them. And if I fail to follow through, then I hope someone will barge in and intervene, because it's ridiculous how muddled I've become. It's useless to let pride get in the way... I need shaking up.

(The fresh air and time digging around in the garden may be doing me some bit of good. Isn't admitting there's a problem the first step in solving the problem? Let's hope so.)

More evidence of my muddled head... I've finally planted all of the seedlings we bought from two plant sales. That was... what? Maybe two weeks ago. Three? I called everyone outside, to join me, and to lift heavy things. Happily, everyone was obliging. Alex and Max moved soil bags. Maria planted the tomatoes. The chickens.... the chickens kept us amused, and so did the cats, and the goats.

How long did it take me to find this bit of whimsical art planted in the garden bed? Answer: Too long! Bambi made it from found and salvaged bits. I'm glad it watches over this distressed watermelon sprout... I think it will help it rally and thrive.

At least some things in the garden, and my life, are managing under my less than graceful care... the Spoon tomatoes we planted last year, moved from the garden bed, over a fence and beneath the old apricot tree, where they are lush and thriving, again. The wee tomatoes are almost annoyingly small... cute, and tasty, but not too easy to harvest from their overgrown, jungle vines. Our fingers are crossed for the Berkeley Tie-Dyed, the Blue Beauty, and Juliet tomatoes.

With Infinity More Monkeys, a picture a day.

17~ One Cat, One Window, Two Views

With Infinity More Monkeys, a picture a day.

16~ Friend and the Fairy House

With Infinity More Monkeys, a picture a day.

15~ Chicken Inspiration

Maria and I love Mako, who is by far our mildest and friendliest hen. She loves to be pet, to be held, to be admired and sheltered. She's not exactly at the bottom of the pecking order, but those Silver-laced Wyandotte hens are way too much, and Mako has a rough go. Sit with us, Mako. We will make sure you get a share of the treats, and loads of loving.

Does anyone remember when I made it Year of the Shelf, here at the Bird House? My factory had a temporary shut-down, when Frankenrouter broke down, but that's over now. Geoff manufactured new parts for our homemade CnC mill, and he rebuilt the computer... it's all been quite an undertaking. At last, Frankenrouter is humming again. Geoff wasted no time putting the mill to work, and he cut and rough sanded 35 of my shelves. Thirty-five! I've never known Geoff to do anything in a small way... he is generous, all the way!

Now, I am fine-sanding the pieces, preparing them for gluing and painting. And lo! I do have my work cut out for me... literally! It's happy work, and as you can see, I have happy company! The chickens, both inspiration and distraction, were fascinated by my busy activity. If I can read their wee minds, I believe they were astonished that so much effort produced no edible treats!

Also, Lady Thompson wanted me to observe that she ought to be the model for my next design, and rightly so. My first effort looks plain and silly compared with her noble visage.

Sanding shelves, with Maria by my side, talking about school today, and summer, next month. Finishing the rough edges, smoothing the burrs, with all of my dear chicas milling about... it was a good pastime.

This is Thompson, or Thomson, or Tamsyn. The pretty Cuckoos all look alike.


With Infinity More Monkeys, a picture a day.

14~ Mother's Day

I'm home, surrounded by love and comforts, and it is a very good place to be. But a wish is in my heart and thoughts, and it goes like this... I would love to be in Oregon, with my mom, and her mom. I would be holding my grandmother's beautiful hand. My heart and sentiments are there, along with my prayers. And I am feeling full of the love, grace, strength, and wisdom, that generations of mothers have blessed on me, that I hope to bless on my own children.

Happy Mother's Day.

With Infinity More Monkeys, a picture a day.