A Fanciful Twist

Green Leaves {+ a Question} updated

Whilst working in the garden before the sun comes up...

 

To just after sundown...

 

There is a ton of unsilent silent time.

(birds, wind rustling leaves, puppy sighs, etc.)

And so much time to think.

Mostly I think only about what I am working on...

 

The warmth and the breeze has had me having some intense long term memory trips.  Being 5, in the truck with my dad, going to a giant wooden country grocer's store.

Songs.

Barbecues and running through the sprinkler...

The time when it was just me and my mom and dad.

Before siblings.

I am having so many unexpected memories from those times, as my sore body works in the dirt.

Another thing constantly on my mind while working in the dirt, is my obsession with identifying some plants that have been growing and blooming now (biennials), from that cottage seed mix I planted last year. 

 

I have no clue what one plant in particular, is (more on that in a sec).

 

One of my best friends was here last week from Rhode Island.

I had the bestest day ever with her.

We talked and talked and hung out in the garden, and she watched Practical Magic for the first time.  It was wonderful.

However, she identified some growing things in my garden, which had me jumping for joy.

For example, I had no idea what this yellow flower was until she casually said, "look at all of your coreopsis!"  I almost fainted.  I had been trying to figure out what the multitude of tall yellow flowers were called for 2 years!

 

Although, she couldn't recall the name of the plant that I am scouring everything trying to identify.  I bet it's something totally easy.

But I am still stumped.

Do you know what it is?

(update - possibly identified in ps: section)

It has a stalk with redness at the joints, and roots like a root vegetable...

 

Last year they tiered out flat on the ground, and this spring they shot up to 2 and 3 feet, and growing.

 

They are everywhere in my garden.

In about 6 different places (even on the side of the house), and looks so pretty, but if I only knew if I could expect a flower?

I just have no clue.

It is exciting, but my curiosity is on overload after 2 years of waiting and watching....

If you know, pleeeease do tell.

I will send you a million good vibes.

I will make sure you get executive fairy status, of the highest order!

:)

(or invent a fancy schmancy name, I could go for that too)

 

I guess unless you know, I will just have to exert more of that crazy thing called patience, while watching snow peas grow...

 

Also, I am holding my breath.

The major gopher area, that I dug up and lined with wire and burlap is lush.

I bolt out of bed and run out to check it everyday.

Heart racing!

Scary stuff, I tell ya!!

;)

 

I am starting to have gopher nightmares, where they actually talk and chase me with a dagger.

I'll try to dream of pumpkin vines before I go to sleep, instead of gophers. 

 

I had a dream analysis class once, and the main thing to do, to try to dream a certain thing, is to visualize it over and over in your mind as you try to doze off.

Must try this again.

By the by, I had decided I was not going to put in a large pumpkin patch this year, but instead plant more around the gypsy garden, and here and there.

But I fell off the edge again, and put in a large pumpkin patch.

We'll see ;)

I have my work cut out for me.

Now I need to get on a proper schedule.

5 a.m. walk, water the garden, breakfast, orders, paint, evening chores.

I wonder if I can handle it?

ps:  The sunflowers shot up as it is 92'F !

I best be off while I still have some day light.  I spent 5 hours yesterday putting in a small rock path.  What a job!  So, I have to do proper garden chores with the rest of my Friday.

I saw a sign with puppies for sale today.

I called the number and left a message.

I know!

I am mad, I am, I am!

Love, V

 

 
 

ps:  Below- the stem of the plant in question, in case anyone might know?

It for certain came from the old fashioned cottage garden seed mix last year, it is huge, 3 feet tall and the leaves are 11 inches long.  It is a beautiful plant.

Possibly Found?

Trudy thinks it might be a plant known as a few names...

Mirabalis Jalapa

Four O'clocks

Marvel of Peru

See details here

Sharon and Cindy say Pokeweed.

Now I get to wait for flowers, or berries, to see for certain.

I have neither at this moment :)

I love teamwork!

You know what is funny?  I ordered lots of seeds this year from an heirloom seed shop online called Select Seeds, and I ordered two packs of four o'clocks without knowing exactly what they were (I liked the pictures of the flowers).  I just planted the seeds.

 

  

pss:  A funny tidbit - If you do not live in Southern Arizona,or if you have never been here, I think you would be floored at how dry the earth is here.  Mister Lovee says it is a whole other world from the midwest, or anywhere that gets rain.  He says anyone who lives where it rains would be amazed at what it takes to keep a garden alive here.  We only get rain a few times a year, and even that is pushing it most of the time.  It took me two days of soaking a small bowl I made in the earth, to be able to dig deep enough to plant a tree last week.  The earth is so so so so dry, and so hot here in summer, than nothing has a chance of spreading or growing, unless you plant it and diligently water it twice a day (save for a couple of wild Arizona weeds here and there).  Unless it's cactus.  It's sort of like Mars, and I don't even live in the hottest, most dry parts.  We actually have shade and huge trees.  Can you imagine that?

Truffles!

Okay so, I am tricky.  But then again, no one ever said I wasn't ;)

This post really isn't about truffles :)

But I feared that if I said, Rose Covered Paths, you might be like, isn't she over the roses yet?  Doesn't she realize how annoying she is?  I know how annoying I am.  I do.  It's just that, well, I can't help myself.  But, you can slap me in your mind, if it makes you feel better?

 

The thing is... 

We sort of fell right over the edge.

Don't worry, I am not talking in third person.

I'm not that far gone, yet ;)

I am talking about, Matty, Miles and Me.

Miles really started the whole thing.

He stuffs his face in a rose, sniffs real deep and then tears it right off, giggling as he skips way.  And truth is, he's so cute, if he loves the roses that much, by golly he should have some.

I just have to tell you about his fave game. 

Toss the roses. 

HE LOVES this game!

He wishes it could go on all day.

I toss rose petals in the air, and he catches them.

Then gently spits them out :)

You can practically hear him squealing with delight! 

After the game is over, he saunters back and forth on his path.  Acting like his kingly self.  All while Matty runs around like a madman terrorizing the birds.  I have not told him he doesn't have wings yet.  I don't think I ever will.  He jumps very high, he can pretend ;)

I think Matty and Miles are the only people who can stand me right now (did I just type people?).  I secretly think I have driven Mister Lovee absolutely bonkers.

I beg him off the porch, urging him to leave his incredibly cozy spot to join me at looking at the flowers "just right." 

I say things like, "if you stand right here, just so, and bend your knees like this, and put your head here like this, and then, put your hand over your eyes like that, you won't believe what you will see..."

And he goes -

"I see it Dove, I see it...." 

And then I say, but do you really see it?

Look look, if you make a loose fist and look through it, the way the light comes through the trees and just graces the flowers is marvelous.  You don't want to miss it.  Can you see it? 

And he goes

"Yes, oh, yes splendid, beeeaaauuutiful..."

All while he tries to escape back to his cozy seat. 

Then I look around for my partner in crime.

And I go, Miiiiiles, look at these flowers, aren't they amazing?  Do you realize we live in Arizona?  The desert?

And his ears perk up.

Why do his ears perk up, you ask?

Because he totally gets it!

No no, really, he does.

I can tell.

(humor me won't you?)

;) 
 

We begin at the super deep reds...

 

He walks around with me, acting totally interested. 

He knows there are treats at the end of this tour, haha! 

Then Mister Lovee walks over and goes, "you know Dove, your garden is looking pretty darn lovely..." 

Then I smile.

 

And continue hanging upside down, knowing that in a week or two, spring rose season will be over.  And I will be happy that I savored each moment. 

Oh and, by the way...

Tea... 

Roses... 

Rock!

Don't they? 

Thank you for coming down my path, and letting me give you eyeballs full of too many garden pictures. 

We have sooooooo many projects going, it isn't even funny.

And, we are getting close enough that I can share some soon.

I just don't like to share things/and or talk about them, until they are done, so that I don't jinx them.

Is that silly? 

We have been working ever so hard, plus I have been painting (working on several pieces at once), and a smattering of other good stuff.  Which is why I have been a little quiet here, and seemingly behind the scenes mad bonkers.

 

Off to le poste, and to my projects.

Got to do as much as we can outside before summer hits and oven temps keep us from our chores.  So, we are working over time ;)

See you super soon!

 

Springing Egglings

Hello there!

It's super duper extra springy outside, mixed with sweets and breezes and picnics at home to come.

I am peeking in to say heloooooooooo, and Happy Easter too! 

While mister is out getting a few things for meal preps, I am sneaking in to chat with you, and share what's up around our neck of the woods.

I gardened for 7 hours this morning.

(I wonder if things would be easier if I didn't grow 95% of my garden from seed?  With protecting seedlings and more.  But then again, I love the excitement in watching seeds grow)

Then got some pretty blue eggs ready for hiding. 

Finding the right spot is just the key to a successful egg hunt, me thinks.

Hiding them is almost more fun that looking for them. 

Don't you think? 

Snuggle them in, cozy as can be...

Not too hidden, but tossed naturally about, here and there... 

 Pretty blue eggs do just the trick...

Okay, so I got a little carried away... 

Miles is like, "Hey mumsers, watcha up to?"

"Got a couple of them eggers there fur me?"

 

And I am like, nope, but I have an Easter cascaron to share with you...

And he's like, "a casca what?"

But before I can explain, I have cracked it in my hands and let the tiny confetti fly about.

It's so pretty in his fur... 

 

Matty comes over and sniffs around.

But, he is sick of me for the day, and goes to nap on the chaise.  What with me forcing him to take a nice warm shower and all.  He is extra lovely when he is clean.

Miles eyeballs the eggs....

Miam miam...

But I quickly gather them up - as their human papa is expecting deviled eggs right about now!

I hope you are out scampering around somewhere lovely, enjoying a beautiful day, filled with belly laughs and deep fresh breaths of spring air!

It's springing everywhere, well almost everywhere.

In other places it's fall!  How exciting too!

And with that, I bid you adieu and also get to say, see you real sooooon!

Love, V 

 

Cutie Paper Puppet Head Printables (+Easter Egg Wraps)

I have something fun to tell, and funner to share with you today.  You see, for about a year, I have been spending much time with a whole bevy of characters...

They are a part of something very dear, that I am working on.  As I looked at some of  them the other day, I thought, why not introduce you to a little group of some of the faces I spend my days with?

Maybe even share them with you?

So, I did some redrawing magic, and turned them into little paper puppet heads... 

Then I thought, "wait, these could double as egg wrappers for Easter!"

(remember the ones from 2009?)

So, here are 6 of my littles, ever so happy to say hello to you. 

I turned them into printables, that you can use for personal use, in a wide range of crafty fun and whimsical ways. (give them several seconds to open)

 

Click Here for Printable PDF 

 

The link above will gift you a two page printable that looks like the pages below.  You can print as many as you'd like.

  

 

If you would like to use these as egg wraps, simply cut them out, wrap them around your egg, and tape the ends together in the back.

Easy.

We always have brown, light green or spotted eggs in our house, but I conjured up some white eggs so you could see how even a very plain white egg looks cute wrapped up as such.  Of course, you can also dye your eggs, but if you have not the time or energy for such a thing, then simply print these, cut them out, and wrap your eggs up ;)

But wait, I am so rude.

I didn't properly introduce you to the litttle cuties.

Please do meet...

Lotti

Humphrey... 

 

Tilly...

Cricket... 

Lionel... 

And, sweet Sam ;) 

In our family we like to use plastic eggs that can be opened to reveal a treat, or coins.  So, for a plastic egg, you can still use an egg wrap, or even doll your eggs up a bit with tissue and a ribbon, and place your egg wrap on the outside... 

Or.... 

If you can procure some large chocolate eggs (such as these large French chocolate eggs Mombie gave me a few weeks ago) then you can most easily, use your egg wraps the same way...

I myself am using my little paper puppet heads to put around vases, and all sorts of things around my house...

I even wrapped some around sticks and made lil' puppets for playing with. 

Mister Lovee suggested I wear one, but he had not noticed that I already had one around my wrist.  I held my arm up and we both laughed.

 

I hope you enjoy these, and that you liked meeting a few of the characters that are part of my days.  It's so lovely to get to share them.

I must go cut a few sets...

Have a beautiful & scrumdilyumptious spring week!!

See you soooon ;)

 

A Rose & A Tale...

I was going to attempt to contain myself...

You know, show some form of restraint. 

 

Prove that my enough button is not in fact, dysfunctional.

But it is, so why lie?

Actually, I don't even think I have an enough button.

Do you?

Is less really more?

I suppose in many cases it is.

But, in the case of a rose... 

 

Or many roses, and them springing up in our garden -

Then, I really don't think less is more.

Am I wrong? 

Every single year, since the first year I found myself here, I have asked friends to come see the 30+ year old rose bushes.  Rarely does anyone get to see them blooming.  Yesterday my neighbor came over, and I sent her home with the bundles in the first photo.  I am so delighted to share them.

She oohed and aaaahed with me.

You see...

They took my breath away, these roses-

on a weekend, ten years ago, a week from yesterday.

I followed a map given to me by a man.

A man I would come to know as Mister Lovee.

A map that took me to a place, that unbeknownst to me at the time, was where my heart would find its nest...

And, stay.

I made a path of coral color roses that last weekend in April 10 years ago.

Mister Lovee gave me a basket, and I filled it.

So many roses.

Enough to toss up in the air...

Coral roses made paths, and the frosting pink ones filled vases...

We hiked up to the petroglyphs.

We went swimming in water holes.

He invited me to stay for dinner.

We grilled salmon and made mango salsa...

I played with the roses.

I felt so free, I was 25. 

Just bursting with happiness.

My heart felt like a cloud bobbing in air.

(come to think of it, I still feel that way)

 

As I tumbled...

Into... 
 
 

Love.

 

I was enchanted with a manboy who was fun and interesting and artistic.

I loved him for his wisdom.

His music, his soul.

His entire self.

We had an incredibly charming "getting to know each other" time.

It was exciting and wondrous.

Soo many tales.

I loved his plot of earth, and how cozy and safe it felt.

And the roses, oh the roses...

 

He had (has) such charisma.

And oh, his wacky sense of humour!

His ability to have a childlike outlook.

He's even a little like Peter Pan...

 

Don't get me wrong.

He is rotten too.

But then again, so is the girl typing.

So, we are even.

 

When I set foot on this property, I felt like I had found a missing void in my being. 

 

As though I was intended to find my way here.

(Mister Lovee says that I was always meant to be here)

With these roses, and this man.

 Loving these two boys...

 

I ask, where did the time go?

It feels like yesterday, and at the same time, it doesn't.

 

How did the rose bushes become 30+ years old ?

I wonder if they wonder the same thing?

:) 

How did a whirlwind romance turn into a decade?

How did we lose our beloved girl?

And then find our way out of sorrow, and into more pure love?

 

Do we have a path?

 

Is it all predestined?

Or do we make it up as we go along?

 

I don't know.

But I do know, that I am happy to be here.

On this little parcel of land, with two furry boys, a furry girl in my heart, one man and hundreds of birds and trees and growing things.

 

A place where I have planted more rose bushes, more seeds... 

More love.

 

So curious, time is.

It twists, it turns, it teaches, it changes.

The folks who planted the huge 30+ year rose bushes before Mister Lovee found this place, are probably not with us anymore...

And yet, their roses live on.

I tend to them.

I make sure they are nourished...

And every spring, I take hundreds of photos, and I remember that girl that felt like a fairy, who followed a map into the hills...

 

And found love, and...

 

Home. 

And just like that, memories come, and  memories go, and memories swirl to and fro.

Hearts feel full.  Hearts get broken, hearts mend, hearts laugh, hearts cry, hearts play, hearts trust, hearts stay.

I am so happy I came here, 10 Aprils ago next week.

And that, that little hand-drawn map Mister Lovee gave me to get here, is now the very map to my favorite place on earth.  Our home.

I am looking forward to a continuing journey, and many many more memories to be made.

 

 

ps:  Last year's roses still blooming in June, right here.  That gives me June to look forward to ;)

pss:  This is so beautiful, sent to me several weeks ago by an even more beautiful soul.  So worth watching to the end.  Thank you Nathalie! 

Found Treasures... {with a twist}

Do you ever happen upon treasures that you have not seen for ages?  Perhaps lost, misplaced, or simply forgotten amongst busy days?

 

Have you ever run across a letter, a document, something about your family, that you had no recollection of?  Have you seen your birth certificate in person?  Do you know where it is?

I have taken to hiding things so well, that sometimes I plum can't find them.

I love finding things lost in handbag lining, a la Carrie Bradshaw.

I also have hopes of finding things that simply disappear for years. (2 items to date)

But mostly, I know where everything I own is, no matter how messy my room might get. (ask my sister, she knows - she also wrote a funny story about that here in this blog somewhere (2 years ago maybe?), but I can't find it)

I love attics and hidden nooks, places where such things live and thrive, and wait to be found...

I have this black velvet box, that was given to me by my Mom years ago, on my 25th birthday.

It is one of my most beloved treasures, filled (by my Mom) with other important treasures, for me to safely keep.

The first time I opened the box I was giddy with anticipation.

I popped the latches open and found a silver contraption inside...

It was beautiful and curious, and so my Mom.

But also, it was so me.

I was intrigued.

I pulled the mysterious thingamabob out of its case, and slowly pulled it open...

Old papers emerged, while little jewels and medallions clinked around the bottom...

In this curious holder were all the important life papers having to do with me, as well as a handful of other super secret delightments...

I think that was the first time I ever saw my birth certificate, and in one fell swoop it became certain that I wasn't adopted (I had been secretly certain I was, I don't know why I thought that? silly kid).  Also, my aging face looks more and more like my father's everyday, so that is proof to me, more than a birth certificate, that I am my father's daughter :)

I'll tell you another random tale...

On my last birthday, a ring that I had not even thought of, probably since the day it went missing from my childhood jewelry box, found its way back to me...

Hello E.T.

;)

It came with a confession note attached to it from my sis.

She had stolen it like, 24 years ago or something.

Isn't that nuts? 

It made me remember my canopy bed, and my balloon wallpaper, and my pink carpet, and and, my posters of Cyndi Lauper and the Lost Boys and Duran Duran on my walls...  Oh oh, and Corey Hart too (Corey Haim and Corey Feldman being a given).

But it also made me think of the girl who used to wonder about the future, and hope it was going to be really really good and wonderful and fun and.....it is.

It is totally different from what I thought it would be (not that I know what I thought it would be), but as I have said before - nothing is as I expected, but everything is perfect.  Perfect in its imperfect way.

But then again, what is perfect?

Perception?

A Manifestation of our own imagination?

I dunno.

Either way, getting philosophical aside, I got my ring back ;)

E. T. phone home...

But wait...

In another twist of attic cleaning fate...

My Momsie came up with my old toe shoes from ballet. 

I love that she found them.

I thought they might fit, but I am a 7/7.5 now and they are 4.5, darn.

However, let me come clean here.

I hated ballet lessons.

Looooved ballet, but lessons, not so much.

I also hated piano lessons (for the whole time I lived at home), but I loved it when I figured out I could invent my own songs.  And, the piano is a huge part of my daily life to date.  So, I am grateful to them in the end.

Wait though, for all the kids out there who hate piano and ballet etc., you will thank your parents dearly if you let them force you to take ballet and go to piano lessons.  Trust me, you will.

The problem with me was that, I was head strong, and finally in my teens I successfully convinced my parents that I would change the entire dance routine and shame them to no end if they forced me on the recital stage.

So, they believed me.

I probably would have.

Which is why they believed me.

I won.

And then conned my Dad (at 15) into a brand new VW convertible, which my Mom says was the biggest mistake known to man.  As it made me think I was all grown up and free of parent's rules.

But that is another story, for another day.

One other reason I loathed ballet classes, besides that fact the the girls were scary mean (and the man instructor was wacky) - was that I really wanted to be at the dance school down the street, with the fab funky lady instructor, where the girls were doing a jazz routine (in super fun work out gear, ha!) to Let's Get Physical by Olivia Newton John.  I know.  OY!

Instead, I got put into jazz dance at the same school where I took ballet. 

And guess what?

This gets better.

The recital jazz routine I was to be in was the.......

"I want to go to A-mer-ica song in, West Side story."

That really wasn't what a young tween girl wanted to do.

It wasn't Olivia.

So, I once again told my parents, "I'm outta here..."

And, HOORAY, hello cruising, good bye dance lessons!

Hello annoyed parents, and the crazed teenage years that ensued.

Phew.

I didn't have that whole tale planned.

But wait...

If you want a real laugh....

Take a peek inside my toes shoes.

I have no middle name on my birth certificate, however, my parents put

Vanessa A. Valencia

on my childhood announcement cards.

They liked a certain "A" name, but they said I could choose any name with an "A" that I wanted.

Anyhow, being the nutty mind of her own girl that I am -

It seems, from the proof in my toe shoes, that I changed my name to

Vanessa D. Valencia

:)

I have no idea what the "D"stands for.

I had such a good good laugh over that.

If you had known me then, I had a bevy of personas.

(all with their own proper costumes, wigs included, and yes I also got my parents to take me to the wig shop at 9, and buy me a smattering of real wigs, I know I know, insane)

The stories are endless.

I only wish I knew what the "D" stood for!

Hahahehee!

As of today, I use no middle name initial, per my birth certificate.

But wait - a side note thought....

Now, as an adult, I love that I was forced to take ballet.

And that in the end-

all these years later,

My Mom found my little toe shoes...

(and that I can have a huge laugh over the whole thing)

Annnnnd - that's all I have to day about that ;)

Off to be some sort of productive.

I have spring fever.

I am being rotten.

It's true.

 

ps:

3 random songs, on repeat, in my head...

1)  The Chameleons

2)  Ra Ra Riot 

3)  Tori - Violet's Eyes

Pretty Little Treats

It has been a wacky, wild and weird time around here, how about with you?  Have things been extra curious in your neck of the woods?  I think it's the weather.  Mother nature let spring out with 90'F weather, and then Mister frost stepped back in for a day, and let out snow even.  Weird.  Weird and bizarre.  I told you it was bizarre around here ;)

Of course, a little cold snap to surprise us, made me sneak in a little more baking before the oven is closed for the season.  I made this coffee cake and shared with friends.  It was yumm. 

Then I made these rolls on a whim (to go with dinner), and they were a massive hit.  I used two packages of rapid rise yeast, and let the dough sit in the bowl for 20 minutes instead of 5.  Then I just plopped little blobs of dough on a buttered cookie sheet, and voila...

They were also good for breakfast, with a tinge of butter and jam.  I have been forcing myself to eat breakfast for a year.  Do you eat breakfast? 

Now I find that my body actually wants breakfast, and I enjoy it.  Plus I have more energy and get more done.  But for years, since I can remember really, I couldn't muscle breakfast down if I tried.  And now, I love it, and enjoy it.  Fancy that?

So, I set a little breakfast table for myself before I get to work in the morning.  And, coral shaded roses and pink carnations from the garden, add the perfect touch of hello happy, to start the day...

I also love cafés in the morning.

They make my heart skip a beat.

The smells, and clankings and coffee, and tea, and toast. 

I just love cafés in the morning.

I also love cafés midday, when no one is there.

So, while we pretend we are in a café here today, let me tell you about the surprise in my garden.  If you will?

You see, I planted a huge box of cottage wildflower seed mix early last year in lots of spots in my garden.  In that same year I saw poppies, bachelor's buttons, black eyed susan's - you know, all sorts of little flowers.  It was great...

BUT, there was also a lot of non-flowering green stuff.  I figured it was just filler seeds or something.

Summer came, all the little flowers stopped blooming, but the green stuff stayed on.

Fall came, winter came and went, and still the green stuff lived, thrived and actually got huge.

And then, it was a new year.

Fast forward to today.

All of that green stuff started showing signs of buds - (squeal!)

And then, like magic...

Little flowers started turning up, quite unexpectedly, about two weeks ago...

 

Sweet Williams bloomed, hooray!

And Siberian Wallflowers too...

Isn't that a huge treat?  To have little flower treasures popping up as such, whilst waiting for this year's plantings to grow up and bloom later this summer? 

I am a happy camper, I tell ya.

Imagine living in the dry desert, and rarely seeing lush flower gardens (the desert is pretty too, but different pretty).  If you can imagine that, you will understand my overbearing garden obsession ;)

And, there are oodles of more curious creatures about to bloom.  Every morning I open my eyes at about 5:30 and bolt outside to see anything new going on.

Also, to see if the gophers have sucked down anything more.

But mostly, to see how the flowers are doing. 

I had to pull out hundreds of pumpkin sprouts in the thinning process, but there are still all sorts of little plants squinched up close.  I may have to thin more, but I simply can't bring myself to do it.  I will have to ask Mister Lovee to do it for me. Although, he over thins, so that could be dangerous.  Never, ever ever ask him to cut your hair.  He is dangerous with scissors.  He has always cut his own hair, so I never know if long curly locks are going to be massacred when it is trimming day ;)

Also, the giant coral rose bush is getting as tall as the trees with it's roses shooting up...

Exciting!!   

I have a hard time focusing with the outdoors calling my name.  I feel like I am being bewitched some days.  No matter how hard I try, I can't exit the garden :)

I was so worried on Saturday when it rained so much, and the temperature dropped to low 40's for a high.  What with 6 inch sunflowers that were getting used to the hot weather - I knew if the clouds lifted they would be doomed.

Luckily, someone (a fairy?) tugged at my toes at 5 a.m. just as the earth was freezing, and I stayed outside until 7:30 sprinkling everything with water so it would not freeze.  It was intense, but it worked!!

Here are some icy morning shots of the aloe.

A tinge of ice crystals, and the sun shimmering on everything. 

Don't you love how frost glitters?

I was so happy to see the sun that morning.

And so were all the growing things, I'm sure...

Well, I have 5,000 things to do.

The studio is a wreck, but I am painting today - and burning the rest of my to do list... 
 

That is, if I can keep from being mesmerized by the uncurling of fresh new leaves on the pecan trees...

I thought we were supposed to stop day dreaming as we got older.  But somewhere along the line, I got worse ;) 

You?

With that I shall wish you....

A love love lovely day!

See you super duper soon...

 
  

Fluffs & Puffs, & Petals too...

Hello there, from a place where clouds and petals make my day, and beckon me to hang around under the trees, and stay and stay and stay...

I am desperately infatuated with anything garden (as you might have noticed).

The days have been gasp worthy.

Have they been like that where you are too?

Winds that almost embrace you, and kiss your cheeks ever so gently?

I am working to get myself back to 100% - but still a tinge noodley.

The sunrise has been...

Blissful beyond words...

 

I almost felt like I could touch the clouds...

 

I am so thankful to you, deeply really, for being so open to my chat in the last post.  And for making me feel like I didn't make a mistake talking about life things.

 

One thing about me is that, I can only be myself.  I can't hide how I feel.  And normally, things are pretty darn lovely, thank heavens.  But it's only natural that there would be splashes in the face of yucky things from time to time.  They certainly make the sweet sweeter. 

I am so glad I shared true thoughts, and that you did too.  It makes me feel closer to so many of you.  Thank you for that.

I have been spending a lot of my time in the garden.  I think I jumped on a 12 ft. ladder, plus hauled cactus too soon though. 

Did I tell you we had a monumental freeze this past winter?  It caused lots of havoc, what with 15 ft. cactus crashing down, etc.  So we have about 40 huge piles (literally a ton) of cactus mess around our property to clean up (never mind the scent of rotting cacti - but I moved the worst of it to the way back, with Mister saying, "Dovee, for goodness' sake, you can't do all that by hand!" and me ignoring him and doing it anyway). 

Our rare cactus garden, which was huge and beautiful, is pretty much gone with the freeze (poor Mister Lovee growing it for 20 years).  Cactus take ages to grow huge.

It never freezes like it did this winter.  It was wild cold.

I think I need to ask santa for a small tractor next year.  I am so serious ;)

Hmmmm, yes yes.  I must.

On the petal front...

I popped a few Supertunia Double Peppermints in the garden, here and there. 

 

Isn't that an intense name for frilly ruffled petunias?

 

I am so loving the columbines...

The giant aloes are shooting up their flowers that look like fireworks...

For some reason I just have to have a hibiscus plant in my garden.  Although, it is colder at the country house than at the city house, where I used to grow huge and hearty hibiscus plants.  So, I have to be careful planting them in the country.  I grew up drinking agua de jamaica (and still do).  Which is like a sweet hibiscus tea, using special hibiscus tea leaves. Yumm!

 

And, I love dahlias.

They win me over every time.

 

I also planted seeds I harvested from last year's red and yellow dahlias. 

There are lots of volunteer yarrow plants from last year's seed...

 

And...

Bucket of roses are making their way!

Hoooray!

 

I was able to bring a few in yesterday...

Roses.

I love them, and it seems, so does Miles.

He is plucking the blossoms off of anything he can find.

Isn't that naughty?

He is so lucky I adore him, or he'd be in big trouble.

Silly pup.

Well, I best be off.

You are lovely!

Love, V

 

Truths...

Hello there!  I can't begin to tell you how happy I am to be here.

 

I just had a more than rotten 2 day journey with my nasty one or two times a year visitor.

Vertigo.

(what is vertigo?)

You may have heard of him in my life before.

I don't like him at all.

He is not welcome.

He tries to do me in every time he visits.

This time was one of the rottenest. 

I quite honestly, did not think I would make it back to the world of non-spinning this time around.

But, here I am, taking baby steps back into the real world.

 

The only good thing about this, is the renewed sense of life I get, after I start to feel better again. 

 

How every thing in the world like, birds, trees, dogs, sprouts, seeds, mom, dad, sister, brother, Lovee, granny, grandpa, aunts, uncles, you, air, sun, here, clouds, friends and more is 200 times more important to me. 

 

And everything else seems frivolous.

I have two fading blackish eyes from all the tiny burst blood vessels I acquired around my eyes whilst in the worst moments (think porcelain god).

I toyed with not telling you this tale. 

I mean, who really wants to hear about such a thing...?

 

Alas, it's the truth.

It's where I've been.

It's part of my reality.

I loathe not feeling good.

I rarely catch colds.

(have not had one in 4 years)

I eat tons of healthy things.

(and non healthy things too :)

I like to think I am strong and tough.

 

But when I get those vertigo spells once a year, brought on from a head injury horse fall in 1993 and subsequent messed up inner ear, I get lost in a scary abyss. 

I start to think about all the folks out there, who don't feel good regularly.

How it's so easy to take life for granted in the day to day hustle and bustle, not realizing how fragile we really are.  How fleeting our time here is.  How we must try to savor each moment..

 

How so much of what we put importance on is meaningless.

How we should be kinder to ourselves.

And, how those we love are really all that truly matters in the grand scheme of things.

Memories...

 

(Below, my Dad holding Miles the day I adopted him, with sis and Mom surrounding us)

 

Thanks to vertigo meds, I am feeling much better, and I can slowly turn my head and play with the boys.

 

I can eat yummy things again too. 

Like sushi and buttered toast. (not at the same time)

I can walk outside, I can call my Mom on the phone.

You get lost in vertigo.

No place to turn, no relief, no thoughts about anything but the overwhelming spins and waves and twists and turns your loss of equilibrium puts you in.

Crying, hanging on to the bed as though it is spinning in space.

And, when it's over - it's blocked out, until the next time...

(hopefully not for another year.  hopefully never again)

 

I guess what I am trying to say is, I feel compassion for anyone out there who doesn't feel 100% well.  No matter what level of ailment.

That includes heartbreak and depression.

And, I guess I just wanted to share a real side of my world.

Most of the time when I tell people I have vertigo, they sort of brush me off.

And I wonder, have I ever done that to someone when they come to me, trying to tell me how they feel?

I think I have.

It's human nature...

It's hard to understand things, unless we are going through them ourselves.

So, this post is for anyone going through anything in life that's thrown a wrench at you.

Anything at all.

I am thinking about you, out there somewhere...

If you have anything you want to share, about anything you might be going through in your life, please feel free to chat about it here.  I will be checking in throughout the day.  Putting in my two cents.

I think sometimes, a great gift is a moment in time to share our thoughts and feelings. 

I know I am grateful to be able to come here and share. 

Even some very private life happenings from time to time...

 

Love, V

 

 

 

ps:  Matty never left my side while I was under the weather.  What a special guy... I love him so.

pss:  Miles - my sleepy studio companion.

 

psss:  Helooo! Happy Monday! I am chatting in comments.  I have never done this as such before - but this is a good post to share thoughts in such a way.  I posted 2 different (hopefully no too long) comments so far ;)  my second one is way at the end, on the 2nd comments page.