New Stars

Balloon flowers at dusk

I noticed they have opened in the last day or so
this evening a small constellation floated in a corner of the garden.
slow, origami, shooting, stars

I am waiting for the kadydids to begin singing...
I haven't heard any so far this summer
that sound marks the change in season to my heart, to the late summer ripening.
I'll keep listening for it

Buzzz

BuzzzzzzzzZip

today I took pictures.
I hunted hummingbirds
The new feeder is attracting a competing pair who chase each other around.
they are the epitome of small but fierce a combination of qualities that makes me smile.
The garden needs attention
so I spent time looking at it

one of the less overgrown beds

I went to Lar's gig last night so I am tired today and I want to just wander about and ponder stuff
I've started to nibble at "The Language of the Goddess"-Marija Gimbutas
I bought it used with someone else's voice inscribed in it
A textbook I think....

follow the notes?

weaving the nest

7/28/17- On Thursday I picked up my CSA basket so Friday night was a cooking night: refrigerator pickles, roasted salsa, white beans and roasted broccoli w/ Dijon dressing, and zucchini bread. Keeping up with so much produce means a lot more cooking and much better food.
No pictures were taken
No other work was done

7/29/17- Today has been a whirl of chores and errands and appointments with still more to come and a night out to see Lar's band play to top it off.

Feb 2017

These two are in full on summer shed, and after 2 days tumbleweeds of fur gather in the corners of the house.
No pictures were taken
No other work has been done

Tomorrow I hope to take pictures
and spend some time in the garden

the foot soldier of birminham

found on the internet, I don't know who took it, but I like it

Who gets to tell the story that is known?
this Malcolm Gladwell  Revisionist History pod-ep has some things to say that I found interesting.
to think about how we have passed stories down through the ages.
whose stories and how?
who was the audience?
what tales were remembered and what stories were forgotten?
this looks intriguing
I've got questions that haven't been answered adequately by the voices that I've heard
I'm looking harder for voices I haven't heard

words

I've heard people say that the English language has too many words in it,
I could not disagree more!
I love words.
I remember vocabulary list assignments in school would take me 3x  what it could have because I would start reading the dictionary...
bamboozle, firefly, scintillate, humidor and so on...
I love swear words too they are blunt instruments in language, they get the emotions out there and I find that useful sometimes... they don't really offend me, but they can be misused and can get really ugly.
I found this podcast on the c-word really interesting especially its prehistoric origins.  
(your mileage may vary, don't bother if you really don't want to hear people swearing)

words in play 

Pat Schneider on writers' voices

Voice has been on my mind for a long time now so this is an interesting idea

I notice that it is a triad.

Symbols/icons are also on my mind

maiden mother crone

Making Do

My Grandma Myrtle was a good cook, she could get a pretty nice meal out of what was on hand, and what was leftover. She made do and I think she liked the challenge too.
I aspire to this.

swiss chard, maple syrup, garlic, cabbage

4 years ago we joined a local CSA*
we buy shares in a local farm and each week we get a basket with whatever came ripe that week plus some eggs and and a loaf of bread. Its a chunk of cash up front and a bit of a gamble and some times it presents a bit of a challenge, last week it was swiss chard. Neither of us are very fond of the taste, sort of earthy like beets. Tonight my quest was to find a way to cook it that we like because I fear we will get more this week.
Here is what I made:
oven 360
cabbage wedges tossed in EVOO, maple syrup, Salt&Pepper
roasted for 30 min, flip after 15-20

swiss chard stems tossed in EVOO, maple syrup, Salt&Pepper and 1-2 cloves chopped garlic
roasted for 15 min
combined with prepared couscous

swiss chard leaves tossed in EVOO, Balsamic vinegar, and 1-2 cloves chopped garlic
roasted for 10-15 min til crispy
chopped and added to a dressed salad of lettuce fresh basil and tomatoes.

The consensus was to save the "recipe"

....roasted nuts would be a nice addition to the couscous

*Community Supported Agriculture,  

With what is at hand

3 sisters

Today I have a headache, too much wine last night and a full 6 hours at the dye table yesterday.
We have been a whirlwind of activity around here lately, chores and upgrades.
Trying to work with what is on hand, we are making the most of what we have, and releasing what we don't need, prepping for whatever is next.

a form of nesting
I am doing it in most aspects of my life
Macro (belief system)
to
Micro (wardrobe)

The tricky bit is that I'm doing it all simultaneously
The other tricky bit is how to share it

A line from yesterdays quote has me thinking
"when fences of enclosure overshadow the last scrap of commons..."
that is important
that fear of losing your sense of place/connection
that fear is primal
that reaches across the political divide into so many issues, pollution, immigration, policing, freedom, lack of employment, globalization, monopolies, addiction
There is an overwhelming sense of loss of control of our lives.
That'll make you fight HARD
I suppose the question there is can we find a common definition of the commons

What art can be used for

"When the tread is thinnest...when we sense the tragedy of endings...when life and grace is threatened by deafness and ugliness...when tenderness is bullied...when fences of enclosure overshadow the last scrap of commons...then, which is now, comes a ferocity on the side of life, to protect, to cherish and to envoice what cannot speak in human language." Jay Griffiths, 


From Myth&Moor