Monday miscellany

in which our plucky heroine perseveres and observes...

In the Before Times, my life was one of constraint and privilege combined. I well recognised the privilege of having a roof over my head, having experienced the alternative in my late twenties, and I am beginning to realise the other privileges I never noticed, like color and language, and my mostly functional body. The constraints of age and gender were a familiar harness, while the lack of intimate companions was a familiar grief... I'd built a life that (despite my best efforts to connect with people) had just barely enough contact with others of my species to maintain my equilibrium, and then the plague arrived. With a sudden snap closed, all my occasional informal interactions were gone, not to mention all the long awaited annual occurrences that structured to my year... Even now that I am vaccinated, my life will not immediately spring back to its former shape, maybe never. 

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beauty in the time of isolation:

European Black Elderflower is just covered with clusters of pale pink blossoms. Planted in the parking strip, it is a wonderful contrast to the lime green leaves of the persimmon tree, and it echoes the dark red leaves of the ornamental plum trees in the front yard. Originally planted in 2016, it is now much taller than I am.

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yard and garden news: so much to do, and always more tasks than I have stamina. My current efforts are to create end caps for the beautiful wire cloches I was gifted, that will fit perfectly atop the plant trays on the salad table. Once those are in place, the trays will have fresh potting soil added, and new seeds and seedlings will have a convenient home on the front porch.

It is also time to thin the apples (and remember this year to use the footie barriers!) and to cut back the rampant growth on feral grapevine. Maybe this year I'll put up some grape leaves for future dolmas...The lawn has gone berserk with first the warm weather, and now more rain, and is much too shaggy for my hand mower. Need to remember next year to try and stay on top of cutting back the grass. I hate lawns. I may try the string trimmer if my poor sore shoulders are able to handle it.

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~ creativity challenge ~

Last week I had the delightful opportunity to take "Drawing from the Deep", a workshop with Ray Troll sponsored by the Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History. Not only was it a chance to watch and learn from a renowned artist, and to also find out a bit of paleontological history of the Giant Spike Tooth Salmon, but was also a chance for me to play with some art media I never tried before. The Neocolor II crayons are a lot of fun, and I look forward to some more experiments with saturated color on black Bristol board.

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May SMART goals (x=extra)

#	THINGS MADE	THINGS FIXED	THINGS GONE
1	teal knit tee for Nandina	repotted artichokes	taxes done
2	teal knit skirt for Nandina	computer zone shelf	yard waste bin
3	red/grey top for Nandina	cardboard back gate zone	recycle bin
4	red/print skirt for Nandina	pruned forsythia	-
5	setting for red Laurel	started cucumbers	-
6	samara earrings	backyard mowed	x
7	three baby baprons	Nandina's legs	x
8	two more baprons	woodchip back gate zone	x
9	teal/Mod top for Nandina	repot tiny tomato	x
10	striped knit dress for Nandina	repot strawberries	x
11	4 more Nandina clothes	repot peppers	x
12	Nandina schoolgirl pinafore	paracord loops for plants	x
13	tiny red rucksack	x	x
14	x	x	x
15	x	x	x

today's gratitude - art supplies... I have all kinds of random bits and bobs stashed here at home, and will be using them to create postcards to send to my Mom. I found a bundle of blank post cards of heavy water color paper, and my hope is that getting frequent intermittent mail will add a bit of enrichment to her very boring current life. (I meant to take a photo, but headed off on my bike to the mailbox before remembering to do so) Our plucky heroine keeps trying to come up with ideas to ease in whatever way possible the very sad and untenable parental situation.