FLOWERS & PLANS GONE SIDEWAYS

I had plans today, to make more Mega Blossoms, photograph them, and also fix a certain recipe out-of-doors and blog the recipe. My plans were on track until I realized I needed more glue.

When I started the car, the radio came on, and for the first time in my experience the Emergency Broadcast System was playing something other than a it's-all-right-we're-just-testing-the-equipment announcement. Big storm coming. Get indoors. Stay away from the windows. Expect rain, wind, lightning, and hail the size of quarters. Wowza. I took a look at the sky, decided I had time to make it to the store and back, and headed out, calling Mama on the way, to tell her about the warning.

By the time I had my glue in hand, the wind was whipping the trees around, rain was beginning to pelt and spatter, and small tree limbs were littering the ground. I called Bob, and asked him to help me get all the glass under cover.

That was the end of my Mega building for today, and the demise of any plan to cook outside.

However, I did have my camera out today. The roses had caught my attention. First I took the sort of photo I usually would take:

Apricot Glory

Then the dying blossoms caught my eye. How could something so clearly on the edge of the grave be so lovely, and interesting as well? They were, though.

After the rose arbor came the front yard. I'd been tying up the heavy heads of the peonies. But before I got to them, there was that new and wonderful euphorbia. I think I could fill beds and beds with different euphorbias, there's so much variety! And no flowers, just spectacular leaves, or more specifically, bracts.





Finally, the peonies, a favorite of mine since childhood, when they bloomed between the house and the orchard, just yards from my bedroom window.





Well, maybe those Mega Blossoms will get made tomorrow. As Burns said, "The best laid plans o' mice and men gang aft agley". (You may know that axiom as, "The best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray" but I do enjoy the dialect it was written in.)

By the way, my horoscope for this week explained the term, "quincunx", a term used in astrology to denote "creative tension". The writer said to imagine, for example, an Italian woman and an American man meeting, and feeling a strange affinity and attraction to each other, even though they could barely communicate. It seems, according to this astrologist, that we Capricorns are currently in a state of quincunx with the entire world. Oh, goody.



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SOMEWHERE OVER THE WEEKEND

I had two shows and a class reunion over the weekend. The first show was kind of a bust--one small sale. I did have a very nice time getting to know my tent-mate. We'd met on a number of occasions, but never had a chance to really visit. A s-l-o-o-o-w Saturday sale gave us time to talk, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, finding Mary has had a very interesting and varied life.



We packed up fairly early, and I went to that class reunion, our (holy cow) forty-first. It was sweet, and I wish I had photos, but my camera battery died. Got the camera out, aimed it, and got the message "Battery Depleted". sigh.

The class reunion was supposed to be over at 7:30. None of us wanted to leave, the banquet room hadn't been reserved, and the staff didn't seem to have a problem with cleaning up around us, so we stayed. It was going on nine when I got home.

Up early, then, for the Sunday show. That was a much better kettle of fish, for me, at least. It was a garden tour combined with an art/craft/plant show, and I did well. Actually, it appeared to me that anyone who was selling plants or garden art did.

Biggest thrill: Two vendors over was a woman I recognized, but couldn't place. Lucky for me, she knew who I was! I nannied her two children twelve years ago. It was so lovely to reconnect, see pictures of Joni''s daughter, now a lovely young teen, and get to re-meet her son, seventeen, and probably close to six feet tall. The amazing thing was, except for the fact that he was greatly elongated, he still looked just like his five-year-old self! He didn't remember me at all, but that was okay. I remembered him.

Biggest mistakes: I forgot to bring the little tub I put cool water in when it's hot, to stand in. If I can keep my feet cool, I'm usually all right. Otherwise, I have an alarming tendency to first swell up, especially my hands and feet, and then pass out. Got that from my Mom. I did the only thing I could think of, pouring small amounts of water over my feet on a small square of carpet. That averted heat stroke.

Other BIG mistake: I didn't notice that one of the credit card slips I ran got shuffled under the slider, and when I tried to run the card today, I saw there was no way on earth to read the number. No number, no money. I called the buyer, and am praying she returns my call and doesn't have a problem with reading me the number over the phone. Otherwise, I just ate $110. Ouch.

Well, live and learn. I don't usually make the same mistake twice, but I sure hate making them the first time!
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MORE BLOSSOMS, & A NEW LANDSCAPE

I have been working my everlovin' butt off (you should pardon the expression), but to good effect. DH has, too. There's something oddly cozy about knowing we're both toiling away, both at home, albeit in different locations, me out front, and Bob in the central yard. (Should I explain that? Our "back" yard is actually shared by four homes, so we think of it as the central yard.)

Bob has been wanting to level the yard ever since we bought this place, nine years ago. It's lumpy, and has a downward slope from west to east. He decided this was the year to finally undertake the project.

He started by building a low wall, and putting in a sort of entry, comprised of two pedestals. He's ready now to till up the existing grass, put in fill dirt, and then sod the lawn. Turns out sodding it will not be nearly as expensive as we'd expected, and his past experience with seeding a new lawn has left him reluctant to go that route again--whole lotta weeds, and a splatter of spindly, sickly grass seems to have been the result of that effort.

Pictures of the project in process:





In the meantime, I've been making Mega- and China- Blossoms in the carport out front. It started out looking like this:

Of course, making the Blossoms actually entails bringing out every single piece of glass I've collected over the weeks and months, because as simple as they appear to be, each of them seems to require more experimentation and arranging than you'd ever imagine, especially with the Mega Blossoms. With those, proportion is as much in play as color, or even more so, and while I might think I have exactly the right piece to go with another one, more often than not, it doesn't look quite right and I have to try something else.



But oh, I do love that moment when I look at a glass composition and it's Perfect, so perfect that nothing else even comes close.

Below are a few of the China Blossoms I got done, or almost done, anyway. I still have to do the back pieces for them. Trip to the hardware store tomorrow, to buy a coil of copper, then.




I'm a little surprised not to have photos in the camera of the new Mega Blossoms. That's another task for tomorrow.

In the recent past, as in over the weekend: Two shows, and a class reunion. I was so tired last night, I hit the mattress at the unheard of hour of 7:30, and didn't get up until nearly twelve hours later!
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FRIDAY FENCE POST 18

I've often thought that well-kept, tidy, new, clean fences were not as interesting as decrepit, dilapidated fences draped in the dishabille of age. (Sorry. The alliteration was just there, and I couldn't resist its Herculean force.)

Today's fences are the "exceptions that prove the rule", whatever the heck that means.



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LUMIN GOES "ON VACATION"

It's been a while since I sent a Coffee Pot Person on vacation. This seemed like a good day to send Lumin somewhere, but where?

Here!

Lumin & the Westport Lighthouse

And as long as I was working with my little vacationers, I reworked Harold Angel:

Harold, watching over highway construction

I also, today, unloaded the utility trailer, which was full of old wooden pallets, some broken, some whole. I had to promise, Scout's honor, to wear gloves, and be very careful, and quit instantly if I cut myself.

Why would I want to? Because it needed doing, I like physical labor, and with muscles, it's use 'em or lose 'em. Statistically speaking, people lose about 10% of their muscle mass each decade after thirty. That is an "eventuality" I have no intention of fulfilling! And why should I, when there's plenty of good clean work to build muscle doing? I have absolutely no intention of ever becoming the proverbial 95 pound weakling. Besides, it really does feel good. Or is that just the tomboy in me speaking?

Also today, I weeded the bed next to our house, did a smattering of housework, had a nice visit with the neighbor, watched Dad's memorial video several times, and planted

A nice big cluster of daisies
A euphorbia griffithti
A couple of liatris
A lovely primrose I got for Mother's Day
A low-growing, spreading form of oregano
A nice, bushy agapanthus (bear's breeches)
And eight geraniums, including one called "Happy Thoughts"

Thinking about a flower called "Happy Thoughts" is my happy thought to go to sleep on!

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FLOYD, AMBER ARACHNOID & OLLIE

First one is Floyd, an old biker dude. You should see him with candle stubs in his eye sockets--talk about having a "certain light in his eyes"! He's a pretty gnarly looking fellow, but has that proverbial heart of gold. One thing, though, riding that Hog all the time has given him a sailor's wavy regard for the ground.

Floyd's head shot



Floyd Full length


Next one is Amber Arachnoid, also known as Miss Muffet's Nemesis. Now why would Miss Muffet have been frightened of her? See seems harmless enough. Her mouth does open quite wide, though. I do hope that's just so you can hide your house key in it.


Amber Arachnoid


Today's last one is Ollie. You may recognize him from his starring role in the series, "The Cookie Jar Mysteries", although it's been some time since he was cast in anything. These days, he spends a lot of time at the casino. He plays a lot of pai gow, a card game he prefers because of the unusual odds--the chances of winning are so good, the casino charges a dollar per hand, to make sure they actually make some money.


Ollie

ALBERTA ART HOP--PHOTOS AND....

Saturday was the 10th annual Alberta Art Hop, here in Portland, Oregon, and my first time participating. And a glorious day it was! I'm not going to spend a lot of time talking about it. Instead, I'll just put the photos up, and let them speak for themselves, with the occasional comment.

My booth




The booth next door




I really liked her work!




A lull in the action brought music




While "next door" a massage relaxed and soothed




Sunny & hot




Vendors found their own shelter




Creating on the spot




Finished work on the flipside




Canvas is where you find it. Same artist as above




My Mega Blossoms, mere shadows of themselves




Shadow play




Members of March Forth! Marching Band









Definitely not your traditional, garden variety marchers!


It was a great day. More fun than profit, but, as I told my husband later, it was definitely more money than I'd have made sitting home. Looking forward to doing it again next year, when (I hope!) the economy has picked up!