where did summer go?

Mrs. Kravitz

In the blink of an eye, summer has flown by. There's lots to catch up on!  


After a lovely spring, the gardens endured record heat, winds, drought and buckets of tropical rains.  Our roses have grown leggy, the lawn is spare, our chrysanthemums have flopped and the asters are blooming 6 weeks early.  What's going on?  

Roo and Little Putt

Sadly, we lost more cherished chickens; gone are Roo the Rooster and Little Putt.  They succumbed to the same illness as Chickina.


New to the flock are Cagney and Loretta, both bantam Rhode Island Reds and two bantie Americaunas, Wilma and Bettie.  Thanks go out to Kira and Bryn for letting me know about Jen of Huckleberry Farm in Foster.  She breeds such beautiful birds!

Cagney, Loretta's in the strawberries

Wilma and Bettie

Johanna and Baby

Taking advantage of Mrs. Kravitz and Johanna's seasonal broodiness, they each hatched one of Loretta's eggs.  The "Babies" are now 8 weeks old and as cute as can be.  We are back to eight chickens, which is a good number for our coop.  

It has also been time filled with travel.  For the first time in a long long time, I took three weeks away to visit friends and family in Europe. London, Brussels and Paris!  It was great to reconnect and explore.  

yellow, 2

The annual parade of yellow is now unfurling! 

From pale primroses to bold daffodils, fresh leaves and flowers are emerging through crusty patches of last year's leaves and pine bark mulch.

Up in the air, the fragrant bells of Corylopsis are just starting to dangle like fancy earrings.  

In drizzle and fog, yellow glows.  

yellow

Mahonia bealei has burst into bloom attracting all sorts of pollinating insects.

Wasps, bees, moths and butterflies are bellying up to the glossy Pacific Northwest native for a sip and a dusting.  


Honey bees are in profusion!

It is unusually warm for March, but, being Saturday, I'll gladly take it.

winter weary?

Very soon, 
the garden
will awaken. 

tinkerings

What began as a winter past time has evolved into a down-right passion; jewelry making.  It's really fun!  Who knew? Many, it turns out.


It is a world of learning, dreaming, creating and improving.  And wearing!  


Stringing, knotting, metalsmithing; it is a new language in a new territory.  It also sings to the hunter-gatherer in me. There is nothing more exciting than tracking down the materials to build a piece suspended in my mind's eye.


The creative possibilities are endless, the components are portable and I can work with design in miniature wherever I am.  


Through my personal filter, it naturally echos the garden. As I allow the garden to come into my jewelry work, the jewelry work flows back to the garden, inspiring new ideas. 


The materials can be precious, semi-precious or mixed media.  Mixed media invites anything to come to the party. Brass, copper, steel; the costs can be kept low, yet the results can truly be stunning.  


In this necklace, the old brass escutcheon begins the story. A heart shaped garnet can be seen through the keyhole, a brass watch key and rose quartz briolette are draped above while a baroque freshwater pearl and another garnet dangles below.  The length of vintage milk glass rosary chain can be adjusted wherever the brass hook is placed.  It is finished with some brass chain and a few more charms of garnet, milk glass, rose quartz, a brass love knot and another key.   


Simple.  Fun!

2039-60

Seafoam Green is a paint that Benjamin Moore produces, style number 2039-60. I find it easy on the eye and love to paint it on benches that can be placed around the garden.


It glows in shade and offers depth, lengthening shorter perspectives.  


It is a cheerful color that brightens gray winter days and looks fabulous garnished with fluffy snow.  (I didn't have the heart to post a pretty snowy picture today...I have had enough!)


It integrates foliage like no other color I can think of, from fresh spring greens through to the russet tones of autumn.  


Plants sporting glaucus tones; blue-silver-purple all at once are happy company; Cerinthe major var purpurescens and Rosa glauca are two that come to mind.  Plummy purple Cotinus atropurpurea, blackened Sambuscus nigra, creamy variegated Weigela florida variegata and all the chartreusey Euphorbias offer striking companionship.  

Seafoam green is green leaning more towards blue, but not quite.  I think that is why it looks stunning in all settings, in all seasons.  It's its own color, yet lifts the garden to another dimension.  

finding the words

I have been struggling to find the words to convey the loss of our dear Chickina.  She passed away last week, in the care of a very thoughtful team of veterinary specialists. She was kept comfortable while being administered medicines that we had hoped would turn her around.


Her closed eye was the window into a deeper problem.  It is believed that she succumbed to Marek's Disease, a virus that travels via wild birds.  Some birds have a stronger tolerance to it than others.


Monday, the remaining members of the flock were moved into individual dog crates and the coop was steam cleaned. The chickens went to the vet's for a check-up and preventative meds.  Roo, the rooster got a pedicure.  He's very pleased.    


It is one thing to loose a pet to illness, remembering her in conversation.  But to share it, with you my friends, in writing is new to me.  Please forgive my silence.  I had not intended to be away from my newly created blog for so long.