A Rambling Spring Feverish Posting

Incredibly, this is the only thing blooming in our yard at present. With all the plants and crazy planting that Bob and I do, you'd think there would be something more than this lonely little white bloom cluster (on a stem of Abeliophyllum distichum, commonly called White Forsythia, or Korean Forsythia given to us by our good friend Bob Santin. Oh Bob! Giver of many plants! Grower of many plants! Giver of purloined peonies!) Have I mentioned that I neglected to purchase almost any bulbs (with the exception of left over, reduced tulips) last fall? All those visions of species crocus and giant aliums and frittilaria and chinodoxia... the anguish! But hey! I was busy and making art for several important shows.
I finished cleaning up the garden and have been spreading compost and starting seeds and assessing what made it through the winter and who croaked. So far, I am impressed with things like returning delphinium. Many other plants are taking their sweet time; probably because there was snow cover until only like a week ago. An ice! There was ice under some leaves that I was cleaning up last week. Gone now, but it has been chilly.

(Picture has nothing to do with text alert. Although, come to think of it, this is a picture of a place we looked at years ago. The barn got torn down but the silo remained. I guess we explored "alternative housing possibilities"... we do live in a chicken coop, so why not barns and silos?! But this does serve to remind me that I was planning a project where I rephotograph places we almost bought... like dismantled barns. And house now torn down (with good reasons.))
On an entirely different note, today was not a good day for faucets of all things. First, I went to turn on the outside faucet to water some transplants and there was no knob. I stood there, stumped for a moment and then looked on the ground and saw the vise grip that we had used to turn the faucet. Obviously, it had fallen off during the winter. I couldn't really get it to stay on as well as Bob but I managed and watered my little green friends. But later in the day, I went to Staples to pick up my laminating and I got glue all over my fingers as I collated the pages. (I get sticky fast). I didn't really think of it until I went to the grocery store and realized I was sticking to the basket, so I went to wash my hands. When I went to turn on the sink, the knob of the faucet came off in my hands. Is it me or maybe the stars are aligned in the constellation of Spigot?  And don't get me going about getting locked in the bathroom at work the other day. That was really funny!
Probably not my most salient posting but I'm a bit dopey do to over oxygenation. This happens every spring and I roll with it; it's actually very pleasant! But you can't expect brilliance.

And So It Begins...

It was a nice day in spring... what can I say? I bought the above specimen. I couldn't resist as was three times bigger than it's similarly priced and potted siblings. And I've been pondering low evergreen ground cover plants but I didn't want the typical junipers (and besides, they're scratchy). This little charmer (which will grow-hopefully- to about four to six feet across but only be 12 inches tall) is a Microbiota Decussata; sounds like something you'd take for a nasty bacterial infection. It's also known as a Siberian (or Russian) Cypress and is the only plant in it's genus. It looks sort of like a juniper but lacier and softer. First thing I bought! (Except for a six pack of white pansies...)

And here's our window sill. It's definitely full of seedlings and germination is a big event. We started Nicotiana sylvestris, teasel, milk thistle, and I think Bob's got a million types of leeks, onions and scallions started- all members of the alium tribe. I have delphinium seeds prechilling in the freezer and am waiting for the next full moon to start four different single colors of delphinium. We're busy with gardening (in addition to many art project) and April is half over. Playing catch up as usual!

Welcome to Slab Living! (For Sheldon and Louise!)

Congratulations to our beloved friends, Sheldon and Louise! They have purchased a new home and not just any kind of home but a home on a slab! Welcome to the Life Styles of the Slab and Famous!
As Bob and I know, the benefits of a slabilicious domicile are well documented. For one thing, you need never worry about a wet basement or pesky sump pumps as there is no basement to fill up with nasty water. Ditto no place for mildew or mold! No radon! And best of all, there is no basement to fill up with lots of unnecessary stuff like cans of half dried paint or piles of useless tools or broken furniture! Hoorah!

Here's a shot of the house straight down from front to back. It's modern! It's a slab! We can't wait to see what they do with their modern slab! I think I'm vicariously excited for them as they'll be renovatin' and restoratin' with the best of them. And learning the benefits of Open Slab Living!
We were delighted to be invited over on the day of their closing to witness the inaugural day of slabtastic living. As a thoughtful housewarming offering, Bob and I regifted a couple of lovely decorated cupcakes and a twenty six year old bottle of Thunderbird wine. (A friend gave us the Thunderbird when we first moved into Bridgewater. When we moved to the BauHaus Chicken Coop, we brought the bottle along with the inch or so of dust that had accumulated. They can possibly auction the wine as I'm certain it's a good vintage and god knows, it's old enough.) I'm sure Sheldon and Louise had a wild celebration!

Spring and Normal (What ever that is...)

Here's Maggie curled up in the sun and enjoying the first warm weather like a cat. She even tried grazing today, although I think she's betraying a healthy dose of wishful thinking as the grass hasn't begun to really emerge just yet. And every hair on that horse's body is falling out- an avalanche of shedding! I considered saddling up the splendid palfrey and trying to ride, but the wind was so fierce I decided against it. (Wind makes horses very high!)
We heard peepers, tentative, but peepers sounding off last night after I got home from work. I could hardly believe my ears. I think the only one sorry to see the snow recede is Jules who prefers snowballs to almost anything- even tennis balls. There's one small patch of snow by the horse barn that is my reservoir for snowball activity, and Jules is making sure that none of it goes to waste. He and I took a super long walk today; we just kind of kept going. I'm sure the suddenly nicer weather has put me in a better mood about being outside.
And I had my first "normal" day of working in my studio in a while. I bought paper the other day as I feel a collage series coming on. Today I just got into my studio and it felt like home. I began to make a mess and sort of fool around. That's what it takes! I think the extreme weather this winter (remember all that cold and snow?) and my showing in NYC and the hectic schedule of work... all of it contributed to my feeling a bit out of alignment. But now that the weather has changed, I feel like creativity is reawakening.
And Bob and I are starting some seeds tonight! That's a sure sign of a Spring full moon!

Jules was getting jealous that I hadn't featured a picture of him, so here he is. The funny thing about this photo is that Jules looks so small... like a little tiny puppy. Maybe it was the angle.