When we moved into a log cabin in June 2015, this city girl stressed out over the fact that carpenter bees loved our wooden home as much as we did. They are belligerent and territorial. They poop liquid sawdust and it dribbles yellow down our red exterior. The pest guys sprayed with little effect. Then… Continue reading The other bees
This year Easter coincides with the late lake spring. It's a moment to think about starting over, regeneration, second chances. Blooms are on their way, but today we have buds and sprouts. (Click on the images below for a slide show.) CatnipOreganoQueen Anne's LaceRoseTree Peony
I went out with an extension tube on my camera lens this morning. The flowers still scarce, I like crouching down for a close-up, letting their color fill my gray-weary eyes. Glory of the SnowHyacinthGlory of the SnowHyacinthHyacinthHyacinthLast year's Queen Anne's Lacefuture Lilaclast year's Lavender
Between winter cocoon projects and outdoor summer projects, while workers buzz and grind their way through our bathroom upgrade, I putter around in the files and come upon the little stack of catalogues where Jim's stuff has been exhibited -- back in some superheated era before I arrived on the scene and Jim retreated into… Continue reading Rosetsu: Boy on Elephant
[Cont'd from here] How did I wind up here, drawing "paper dolls" to add my fabric designs to? Maybe in old age I'm simply circling back to one of my first loves -- 1950s paper dolls. Rita Hayworth. The Maguire Sisters. I could lose myself for hours dressing them and having them act out their… Continue reading “Gotta Go,” cont’d.
I'm looking hard for evidence that the dozens of bulbs I planted lakeside are sprouting. I'm trying not to look at the shifting and settling and possible disappearance of stones along our rebuilt bank. Life is change. Sometimes too slow. Sometimes too fast. The wind blows. Lake Ontario
I'm fascinated by Bullet Journals. From what I gather on YouTube, they gloriously combine calendar, note-taking, reminders, goal reviews, and art journalling in one gorgeous, playing-with-my-new-pens package. This winter, when my digital apps failed to let me lay out a week's work, I decided to go old-fashioned and use paper. But turning an organizer system… Continue reading Bullet journal, not pretty
"Visible mending" has been a thing now for a few years. I enjoy it. It's great for long evenings in front of the TV. Or when an audio book is too good to stop listening. Last week I patched the sleeve in one of Jim's favorite old shirts (above). Another shirt (below) had a forearm… Continue reading Shirt sleeve mending
During my walk I listened to a podcast about the occasional need for a break from social media. Social media is not my problem. Politics and so-called punditry is. When the Mueller Report was filed ten days ago, I decided it was time to direct my eyes and ears toward beauty. I do this now… Continue reading Punditry Break
And thus begins the longest six weeks of the year -- when it should be spring, but it won't be till the lilacs bloom and the garden stores open around Mother's Day. Lake Ontario New Englanders know this as the fifth season -- mud season. Mud season is the name given to the period between… Continue reading April 1
