The Rockin' Life Style Part I

This is what Bob and I do for fun: we dig.
Specifically, we decided to redo the white quartz border alongside the house- permanently. Once or twice a year, I'd spend a day to two weeding the stones. Bob would point out the futility of this enterprise, as the weeds inevitably grow back and the whole thing looks like hell again. His solution made sense (remove all the stones, weed and level the dirt, layer on mulch fabric and replace the stones. Permanent fix!

But did it happen? Who had the time and energy and dedication?
Well... we do! We started yesterday (just another fun activity on Bob's birthday) and got about half way done before we had to leave for the Matthew Barney film "Redoubt" screening at Yale (it was great but very draining!) Today it's raining so we're sort of on intermission but at least it's underway...

We waited to start this process because there were dandelions blooming in the stones and we left them for the pollinators. Now that there are many other flower choices (crab apples, daffodils, tulips, magnolias etc) removing the dandelions and assorted other weeds seems not so onerous.

There are a lot of rocks! If you remember, when we moved to this house, we moved several tons of stones and rocks (Other people may move furniture...) Some were larger, but much of it was buckets and buckets of white quartz rocks that Bob uses in his sculpture. I also continue to pick up pocketfuls of small stones on my morning walks so the border by the house is pretty full, even when Bob harvests rocks for extracurricular projects. Clearing the dirt was a major undertaking.
But that stage is complete and if it ever stops raining, we'll lay the mulch fabric and reinstall all the white quartz. Maybe next week?

Sleepless and Pensive in Suburbia

Does not being able to sleep have its merits? I guess I'm trying to find a few... Like I am finally getting around to posting this blog. But it is 2:00 am and I'd really rather be sleeping. (Thanks to our friend Louise! She shared that she had been unable to sleep last night; although tonight is the full moon (obscured by clouds and rain).
Suddenly I find us hurtling towards the end of summer... no!!! Let's face it: it's the second week of August, my "vacation" starts next week and our garden tour is only a short two weeks off. I put vacation in quotes as we're not going anywhere and we will no doubt be consumed with last minute details in preparing our vast estate for touring by the adoring public. With every passing day, I admire the passing of yet another flower and wonder- yet again!- what will be in bloom for that tour. It's a good thing that we're surrounded by flowering weeds and large outdoor sculpture. These will provide a distraction from the rapidly imploding garden borders. It's the time of year when sheer horticultural entropy ensues and ample rain assists in making all available plants cascade and tumble into one another. It's a riotous jungle and a big mess and I secretly like this chaos. There's nothing you can do about it!
This summer I have found throwing myself full tilt into gardening has certainly helped me deal with Mommy's passing. Digging in the dirt is such a healthy occupation for me, despite contracting Lyme Disease and poison ivy seemingly every time I set foot out the door. It's a cliche, but working with Nature puts the whole cycle of life thing into perspective. Things live and then die and there's not much that you can do about that, either, except do all you can to help sustain and nurture them. Gardening is also really good for taking your mind off one thing and forcing you to concentrate on all the bloody rocks that keep burping up from underground...
I have been in plant acquisition mode this year. Not only did I order up and plant a slew of asters, but I discovered lilacs (!) and ferns (!) and we need more trees... I think this is how gardening escalates. There is always another kind of plant and another type of garden to plan. If it wasn't 2:30 am I'd probably be outside, digging.

Falling Through the Cracks

The upshot is with all the moving studio to studio and living room from studio (and back again) certain other things inevitably get neglected. Like our deck could be mowed! (Bob's foot presented in an interesting seated position. Not a typical occurrence!)

Looks like salad underfoot! Oh well, you can't get to everything... I am embracing a really philosophical view as the work entailed in construction (and occupation) of the studio was all encompassing. But the interior looks fantastic and last night, we had friends over to initiate the new spaces. It's nice to see the studio- as well as the living room- from other's perspectives.

We do have some weeds. The garden is probably 90% planted, but now things loom like edging and staking and weeding. It is truly a never ending cycle. But look at this!:

I'm actually working in my new studio. I'm so psyched! So what am I doing here, posting on the Internet? Signing off for now...