bucket
of poison ivy
Yesterday
was tree maintenance day. And by that I mean I pulled up the
sprouted trees that could be pulled up, I dug up the ones that would
not be pulled up, and I pruned below ground level the ones that would
not even be dug up. Several hundred pecans, hackberrys, raintrees,
yews, oaks, tallows. While I was at it I pulled up all the sprouted
poison ivy as well though I had to wear a glove for that.
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she
was not cooperating for her photo shoot (or I hadn't had my coffee
yet)
Big
Mama with her posse
This
morning I noticed that Big Mama was out of the pond and then later I
saw she was back in it. I have yet to see her go up the ramp but I'm
really glad that she has figured that out as we are still gone to the
city three days of the week and I was worried about her getting out
while we are gone. The ground is hard as a rock since it hasn't
rained lately so I don't guess she's having much luck digging a hole
for eggs. Not that I think they would hatch even if she did get a
deep enough hole dug. Even though they will stay fertile for a
number of years after mating, it's been over six years since we
provided her with a male. She runs them all off after a while.
--------------------
the
finished Winston panel
We
are on the second to last commission that came in last fall and again
in January. That's typically how it goes. We get months of work in
a relatively short period of time and then we work our way through
them. Unfortunately, the ones who come in at the end have to wait
the longest. If the timing works out to our best advantage, we get a
couple of months respite before it begins all over again. If it
begins all over again. That's the rub of being self employed in
general but as an artist the uncertainty factor goes way up. You
never know exactly what to expect. So either you get used to it and
stick with it or you stick with it until you get used to it and
eventually you become basically unemployable. Not because you are
incapable of doing anything different but because the way people are
hired now is so different. I'm sure I would find it very difficult
to get hired for anything other than minimum wage somewhere even
though I have a lot of excellent skills. Anyway, there are a lot of
perks for self employment even with the built in uncertainty that
justify our choices in life. Right now, I do have work and we are
doing the fabrication for the Leadership Wall, 4 wall mounted
portraits with quotes of men the client admires.
--------------------
Today
I work at the antique store. The
economic climate for the businesses on the square has not improved.
It doesn't help that Wharton residents don't really support the local
shops. Unless it's the Walmart. In an effort to help the owner
because the store is not currently supporting itself we have started
to close an hour earlier since no one really comes in in the last
hour anyway. She talks about closing it altogether sometimes.
--------------------
By
the way, my husband says that if I want to blog about how magnificent
he is I have his permission. He asks me almost nightly if he's told
me lately how lucky I am to have such a fine fellow like him.
I love the stuff from your head. And the art from your hands.
ReplyDeleteMy husband has poison ivy all over his arms. He wore gloves but obviously, that was not sufficient to the job. I hope you survive unscathed.
love thhe winston panel.I hate the ivy ,but would be extremly cautious pulling it.
ReplyDeleteBig Mama is my kind of girl! Lucky to have all of that gold around her, too. I wouldn't be able to identify poison ivy, I don't think I have ever seen it! I live in a bubble. I understand about the antique shop- things here are slow as well, but with everyone being aware of recycling and quality made goods antiques stand a better chance of purchase up here. It's a save the earth sort of deal and really one can not get a better deal than old cool stuff. I would love to visit your shop!
ReplyDeletere: your husband. Having personally met the gentleman, I'd say he's just telling it like it is.
ReplyDeletesorry about the antique shop not getting business. but i tend to look but not buy at those places, too.
ReplyDeletethe winston is great. :) yuck on poison ivy!
Pretty smart turtle!
ReplyDeleteLove your art.
Peninsula, the village in my township, is touted as the most art centric place between the Mississippi and the Atlantic. Baloney. One shop has been here the 25 years I've been here; he is a national porcelain artist. The other artists and galleries come and go. When they tried to get us to set up shop in the village I wouldn't. 1) there is little overhead with a studio at your home; 2) (the one no one understood), you are never a prophet in your own land. The locals are sooooo glad you're here; they shop elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteYou are doing excellent work; everything you touch turns out well, even the gardening and big Mama.
ReplyDeleteAs for husband, of course he’s turned out well; look who married him.
big Mama is so cool. I love seeing photos of her.
ReplyDeleteThe same is true of the local economy here. It really is so sad to see so many local business just dry up and be gone.
And as for husbands.....I love it when they know they can get away with the self agrandizement and we just chuckle. It's a game us old marrieds participate in. He's lucky to have you as well. Oma Linda
stay away from Poysun I-vee..
ReplyDeletebeautiful Churchhill artwork.
I hate that small stores have such a hard time. I had a small hardware/lumber store for a few years.. The most fun and rewarding work i have ever done...but a real job came along,,whadda ya do?
Yes, tell all kinds of story about "you Boss",, I have one.. lol
The panel looks great! I hope the antique store doesn't close. I'm sure it's hard for any business to make it these days, but antiques -- which are pretty much a luxury, let's face it -- must be an especially tough line of work.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to see that M has a superior sense of self - he'd probably have to or he wouldn't last any longer around you than the male turtles do around Big Mama (said in the most loving tongue in cheek way - ha!).
ReplyDeleteWe just mow our tree-lets. Or leave them be to see what happens :)