The CliffsNotes to the Last 14 days

Koby ate a chair. I had an art show in Atlanta at the downtown library with 3 other artists. Show looked good. I sold one of the flower scan paintings to a librarian who works there. I had thought nothing would sell as the show was in a non-commercial venue and was less likely to draw "people with expendable cash". But i was reminded that art sells when the work resonates with the viewer on a personal level -in this case the painting was like a portrait of the librarian's Atlanta garden.

I laid in the insulation on the studio. It was harder than i thought it would be. balancing on the very top of the ladder to do the ceiling was difficult since i had to hold on to 6 foot strips of pink panther C19 and the metal sticks that hold the insulation in, all while trying to avoid getting tiny shards of glass in my eyes. Goggles didnt work; they fogged up making the top of the ladder routine stupid and dangerous. Later, in the loft area, there was an epic battle for territory with black hornets who were happy with the studio as it was. When i started to sweat i became aware of the fiberglass embedded in my skin. i should have consulted Google first. I would have learned that to avoid getting itchy i should have covered myself in oil or baby powder first. When the first two showers didnt end the itching, i took yet another - this time i coated myself in bath oil and scraped the entire surface of my body with an american express card with pretty good success; fresh sheets followed and i finally was able to sleep.

I designed a poster for the farmer's market pro bono. The farmers market board was thrilled and they bestowed upon me a free slot at the market for life. If i live to be 76 then that will be the equivalent of 2500 dollars! ($5 per 20 saturdays for the next 25 years). grrrrrrrherhahaha. I was very happy to do this project and hope that they make good money with the sales of the poster.

My seeds from the packet called "grandmothers cutting garden" are coming up nicely. There are flowers i do not recognize emerging including an airy white flower that is very weed like but i love it. Also coming up: cosmos, zinnia, phlox, all kinds of coreopsis, dianthus, daisies, and a variety of spikey salvias.

I found a ring necked snake in the hay. I harvested the last of my lettuce and pulled up a carrot to see where they were only to find a tiny cone of veggie. The effusive foliage on top fooled me. My onions looked and tasted good as did the sugar snap peas. I had a giant FAIL with the cabbage. I did not treat them with chemicals before i left for a few days and when i returned they were completely destroyed and inedible as they had been attacked by cabbage moth worms.


Lettuce was harvested at about 4" and was tender and flavorful. Not a hint of bitter and oh so pretty.


the spring onions


The field was dotted with dandelions the day before the mowers arrived and trimmed it to an even green.


Koby does an impression of Coco; Koby the perfect angel; RAWR! I chew through sticks like a chain saw.


Since Koby ate Trout's chair, we made another bed for Trout, situated so that she can do her job which is to watch the street. Trout's eyes are flaring up again as they did last year. This time i know it isnt glaucoma and went straight to the prednisone drops. I still dont know what causes it. Koby is 80 pounds now at 8 months. These two clash like stallions all day, up on their hind legs, snarling and neck biting. Now they are an even match, we shall see if Trout can maintain ALPHA status. Koby ate another chair: this time the crappy one at the cabin.

Mmmmmmmmm! Who want's cole slaw? Isn't this photograph unreal? Looks like a horror movie poster but it happened in my garden.

SO much for insecticidal soap! I had to go to atlanta for a few days and tried to protect my cabbage without harming my ladybugs or bees -so i was reluctant to use chemicals. When i returned just 5 days later i found my cabbage covered in cabbage moth caterpillars who had made lace of the leaves and ruined the tightly formed heads i had waited for for months.

Garden insects inspired my latest round of Kokeshi which i made for the arts festival but didnt sell any of them. I made a ladybug, a honey bee, and a cabbage moth caterpillar. It was interesting to make a character based on an insect i had just cursed and cut up with scissors.




I made these poultry family portraits for the arts fest too. I sold "Dovey" but not "Ski" which was regretful. They were such a perfect couple. I need to find more of these old timey cameo style frames so i can make more.

The festival wasn't too bad. I had a good time merchandizing my booth but it was a ton of work. V sacrificed his holiday weekend doing all the hard parts like set up and take down -both in the rain. And we only went to DefCon 4 once! I made a little pocket change and rejoiced in the fact that i dont do this every weekend like some artists do. Now i am back on the studio -this time cleaning up after the sheet rocking (very very messy) and preparing to paint the walls. I should be ready to work in there by the end of June.

How i spent memorial day:










How is everyone? Ive missed you all and your blogs. I struggled to write this. Im just not feeling it. maybe i am all blogged out.
or maybe its just a bit of the blues.