If I don't start doing some artwork or
sculpture soon I might just as well change the description of my
blog, you know, the part about being an artist working in glass, to
one about gardening. I got out there again today after my day off to
take advantage of this gorgeous weather before the heat and humidity
descends on us because once it does it won't go away for nearly six
months. Weeded the last flower bed and got the rudbeckia in which
basically took me all day, moving slow as I was. I did get the dog
bathed and we went on the long walk and got the tomato plants and
blueberries watered. Remember when I was trying not to complain about
all the rain? It's fucking feast or famine around here. I never
thought I'd say this so freaking soon but...I wish it would rain.
The yellow iris opened. I was
expecting this...
what I got was this.
So pretty, don't you think, pale and
frilly and faintly green in the center.
The maroon japanese iris opened too.
And the pecans trees, always the last
to bud out, are sending out their blooms.
The previous owners of the country
house planted a little dogwood tree which I understand never bloomed
for them and also never bloomed for us until about 3 years ago when
we lost a big branch from the pecan tree that shades the buddha
garden and it started getting a little more sun which surprised me as
I thought dogwoods were understory trees. We never get more than a
handful of blooms but at least it's trying.
The other morning we had a standoff
going on between the dog and the cat. One wanted in and the other wanted
out and neither was giving way. The dog eventually pushed her way
past the cat.
Steve from Shadows & Light asked
about the cleaver or stickyweed wondering if it was the same as what
they call cleaver. Well, here it is. Every part of this weed sticks
to you...leaves, stems, seeds.
My new readers that I was so excited
about that I got at the Evil Empire turned out to be crap China shit
(I swear, Walmart is just one step above the Dollar Store for
quality) because while the lenses are good and the frames hard
plastic, the fabrication has a lot to be desired. The left temple
fell off a couple of days ago and not because a tiny screw came out
but because a piece of metal broke out of it's slot. Tried glueing it
back. Twice. With two different glues. Then just wrapped it with
masking tape which tore in no time. Finally had to go full on geek
with duct tape.
There's a frog somewhere close to the
back door. The other day a woodpecker was doing it's rat-a-tat-tat to
attract a mate and the silly frog thought it was another frog and
would sing back to it. This isn't that frog but one I saw earlier
today on one of the wrought iron fence sections I have put up on the
property line between me and the bat shit crazy neighbor.
I think I mentioned that I am being
included in a new book on pate de verre and it taking me all freaking
day one day to edit and rewrite the verbiage. Now I have to pick one
image that I think represents my work. One. How is that even
possible? So I posted 5 images that I selected on various glass
related pages on FB and asked for feedback. I've narrowed it down to
these two and I have to make my choice soon. As in yesterday. One
last survey which I may or may not ignore.
Iris = Memorial Day for me. That's when they bloom, in NE Ohio. It is spring break again up here, and it's good to know the weather is still beautiful way down in Texas.
ReplyDeleteNow, if it counts, I vote for the white flower. I knew it's title once, and think I could find it on your web page, but, you know it and it's my bedtime. Let us know which one you do select, and why.
I like the bee in the flower. :)
ReplyDeleteI really love the pale iris, the way all her lines are visible.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the book inclusion. I like both choices, but the color contrast in the last one captures my eye.
That iris is a sort of perfection.
ReplyDeleteOur pecans are starting to leaf as well. And we have sticky weed. It's nasty stuff but at least it doesn't sting. I've got an entire area that is full of it and I need to get in there and DO something about it. My poor yard. It's just slowly being taken over by so many unwanted things. We got rain last night unless I dreamed it. Which is possible.
When he was young, my brother broke the bridge of his glasses so many times that my dad quit paying to get it fixed. We have a picture of Joe with his very fashionable duct-taped glasses - ha! LOVE the pale yellow iris! So pretty! I might need to add irises to our yard somewhere...
ReplyDeleteOnce again I can't decide on which picture you should use. I guess if I HAD to pick, it would be the moonflower because it has both of the features of your work that I like - the completed glass and the look of the wax mold (which I think is so lovely).
Wow, tough choice. I do like them both!! I pay for expensive glasses, but my eyes wear out before they do.
ReplyDeleteThat sticky weed is bed straw a very invasive species. Probably came from hay brought by early settlers who made a mattress out of it
ReplyDeleteI'd opt for the bee! More colorful, more representative of the color varieties you can (and often do) use. At least you're getting lots of differing opinions on this!
ReplyDeleteYes, that's our cleaver -- or goosegrass, as it's also called.
The iris is beautiful! So interesting that it turned out different from what you expected. Flowers are often a gamble, in a fun way!
the rhizome for the iris came from someone who I can't remember who, possibly someone from the garden club who just called it a yellow iris. I assumed it was the common yellow.
DeleteI go for the bee, definitely.
ReplyDeleteAlso, you need to do something with that frilly pale iris.
My mother had the most beautiful iris garden with blue bonnets mixed in. I think I'll be doing that soon. get a small iris and blue bonnet garden around the mailbox. That area gets perfect sunlight. I need to find a few new places to move my climbing roses and bougainvilleas. They aren't getting enough sun. I saw the comment about your heart palpitations on my blog. I guess it's part of getting old and part of my lupus problem. I did some digging and found palps are just part of the deal. Right now, Wednesday, I'm feeling pretty good, no heart palps at all. I had a wonderful nights sleep for the first time in months. I wonder if the heart palps were just from anxiety and my depression.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I forgot to tell you the like the bee but the moon flower is gorgeous. Go with the moon flower picture.
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