Mother's Day 2021

Song -Tell Mama - Cover by Sierra Eagleson

This was the first year without celebrating Mother's Day with my mom.  I felt my sadness for weeks so I told myself that it was just a Hallmark day on the calendar......but my body & heart didn't listen.....  I could feel myself getting into a funk so I talked with my boys and let them know that I was spending the day in the garden - no fuss, no muss - just a call would do nicely..... thank you very much!

Henry didn't listen.... 

My two year old grandson knows how much I like birds and hand painted two miniature bird houses for me and painted a heart shape stepping stone for the veggie garden that he absolutely decided could NOT be stepped on by anyone!  So it is now leaning against the stone wall in the garden for all to admire!

 

 Of course it is a purple heart because that is his favorite color right now!!!

So just what did I do on Mother's Day.....

....I watched a Clematis unfurl......

                                                                                               .....I pinched back my Sweet Basil.....

I set up my grandmother's ravioli table as a potting table and a old wicker chair from my mom to sit and relax in the shade.

 

 ....I watched a Spotted Towhee trying to hide in the oak tree.....

 

 and I listened to the water flowing from our fountain that Mr. B had just cleaned out the day before.

I thought about dead heading some roses but they were all in the sun and it was 92 degrees!

I planted a Hosta and some Impatiens in the shade and added a water saucer for the birds.....

 

 

 Henry and I had planted some strawberries the week before so I watered them for him....

....I gave two of my large ball box woods a much needed trim.....

.......and Mr. B helped me dig up some volunteer Japanese Maple seedlings and I potted them up on my new table!

 

And as the warm day began to cool down a bit Mr. B brought us both down Gin & Tonic's to sip by the pool......the first since last summer....

 

 I watched a Black Phoebe capture a Damselfly and then he pondered what to do next....

As the day finally drew to an end I thanked my mom for all she has done for me and continues to bring to me daily - especially the joy of a garden.  Thank you mom.....

 

 "We are born of love; love is our mother."

--Rumi

 

 

Pecking Order

Song - Blue Jay Imitating Red Shoulder Hawk Call

The crows have been taking over our little neighborhood for the last few months.....and I don't like it!

On Sunday there must of been about 25 of them flying overhead and landing in our trees. Just at the point of peak noise, a hawk flew low across our patio and deck and headed straight toward them! He did it about four times and we figured that he was just trying to retake his favorite lookout tree near the creek.

He/She has a nest in the Oak trees above our driveway.  When we went to get in the car later that evening, Mr. B noticed an adolescent hawk dead on the driveway beneath the nest.  That must of been what the attack was all about.

I don't really like the hawks because they kill my songbirds and doves but they are majestic birds and have amazing life energy.

The other day I heard a hawk in the bushes while I was out watering the garden and as he hopped onto the deck railing I noticed that he wasn't a hawk at all but a Steller Jay!  I had heard that they sometimes mimic other birds but I don't remember hearing one before.  It was spot on! If you listened to the "song" above you will see what I mean.

On Saturday we had a little Green Heron on the dead trees near the creek. Those dead trees sure do attract a lot of birds! Luckily Mr. B & I were reading on the back deck and spotted him.

 He paused long enough for me to run inside to get my camera and tripod. He was looking up and down the length of the creek.

He observed the moon for awhile........

Then flew off for other adventures.......

We have had a couple of Spotted Towhee's in our side lawn area and although I have not had the opportunity to photograph them yet, they look a lot like this grosbeak above.

When I do get a good photo I will share it with you. 

 Meanwhile, right over our front door I have been noticing a lot of debris and assumed it was our gardener who blows the front porch weekly. But several days ago when we come in or out of the house, we have noticed a bird flying away from the area and looking up......there is a little nest on a two-inch piece of molding above the door. 

Hi little Mama Bird - just what made you pick that spot? 

She is welcome to it for a few weeks.  I have now posted notes inside and out to use other doors if possible.

 Just this morning as I was filling my bird feeders I spotted a Snowy Egret down in the creek looking for something to eat.....

He wasn't too sure about me hanging out and snapping photos of him so he slowly.....

....gracefully....walked further down the creek where he could eat in private!

"Something opens our wings.  

Something makes boredom and hurt disappear.  

Someone fills the cup in front of us. 

We taste only sacredness."  

--Rumi

Laundry While Jet Lagging

Song - There's No Place Like Home - The Wizard of Oz

This was how I felt in France.....

relaxed, a little spoiled and carefree!

 

Mr. B and I returned home on Wednesday evening and I wish the ride home was just like Dorothy tapping her heels three times and presto I'm home but it's a long and sometimes bumpy flight! 

Today I am a little no a lot loopy with jet lag 

 which is mostly due to the 9 hour time difference and no sleep.....because of bumps!

But I was delighted to walk around my garden while it was still light out 

and which is flooded with blooms!

An absolute riot of color. 

 

And I was in heaven sleeping in my own bed!

"Travel brings power and love back into your life." 

--Rumi

Cha-Cha-Cha-Changes

Song - Changes by David Bowie

In 2013 I painted a rather large canvas (30 x 40) for a show I was having with a group a artist friends that I paint with - Bay Area Studio Artists or BASA. The show was titled "Shades of California" and I painted a beach scene from my beloved Lake Tahoe.

  However, I made the umbrella RED! I thought at the time that it added a snap of color!

......And it was used for the Marketing of our show.



I never liked the painting and I couldn't put my finger on why - other than the colors of the water were too intense and maybe everything was too saturated? It was not calming like I feel when I am on this beach.

 I changed the water and made the stripes of the umbrella more defined.  Still no.....

So I have had it stored in a back room but often wondered what I could do to improve this painting.

Move forward to 2016 - last week.  I was getting ready for an upcoming show in Danville at Chow and I thought about a painting for their large wall.

 I began to work with the photo of the painting in PhotoShop.  I changed that awful purple-blue of the shadows from the chairs, removed the flip-flops (because it always made me wonder where that person went to?), and I lowered the horizon.  Better.....but.......

 Then I decided the umbrella was too stiff and needed a slight breeze.....so I changed the shape. Mmmm.....still not working.

 I changed it to blue, then taupe and finally solid white.  Better but not feeling light and breezy!

Then yesterday morning I noticed our white canvas umbrellas on the back deck and snapped a photo.  I could see the colors coming through the under part of it as well as the changes in the fabric as it moved from post to post.  I also received a catalog the day before with a selection of umbrellas so I combined my backyard photo and the catalog stripes and here it is...............

 I added the hint of a turquoise line at the horizon and poof! So soothing....

 I feel so much better.  It was a tough challenge but I stuck with it and am very happy with how it turned out.  Time to give it a title.....

"Remember…. The entrance to the sanctuary is in you." - Rumi

Baby Huey Has Arrived

Song - Baby Huey Quack a Doodle Doo Classic Cartoon (1950)

Our mama mourning dove was showing off her baby on Sunday.  I didn't want to get too close and frighten her so I used my zoom lens.  It kinda looked like there were maybe two babies in the nest but when I walked around the back of the ladder......

Nope.  Just one extra large darlin'.

I had asked Mr. B to have a talk with daddy bird as to his late arrivals recently to relieve mama bird of her duties.  Smarty pants Mr. B said "Nope. Daddy bird is right on schedule because he is going by daylight and it is lighter a little later each day!"

"I want to sing like the birds sing

 not worrying about who hears 

or what they think." 

- Rumi

Tahoe Blues

Tahoe Lightening Storm from YouTube


On Wednesday my girlfriend Jill and I drove up to Tahoe for a day at the beach.  Felt kinda like playing hooky.  I made a big pasta salad & brought fruit.  She brought fruit and wine!  We were set.

By 10:30 am we had spread our towels on the beach.

At the time, there was only this one itty-bitty dark cloud.

We slathered on the sunscreen, popped open the umbrella and prepared to be dazzled!

 The beach filled up like Coney Island.

 

We had kids jumping over us, footballs flying past, Frisbee's overhead, BBQ's being lit, kayak's being launched, kids crying, mom's yelling & music blaring! 

Within an hour or so, we could hear thunder from behind the mountains.  

According to our calculations (you know the scientific one....onethousandone, onethousandtwo....etc.) we had at least 3 hours before the storm hit.

It only took 30 minutes.

 We were staying dry and enjoying the approaching storm while watching

 lightening to the left of us and lightening to the right. 

And listening to thunder all around.

Somehow Mt. Tallac divided the storm overhead so it stayed clear above us for quite some time.

It was still hot and felt like a tropical storm.

Finally the skies opened up and everyone ran to their cars.  

We did too with a glass of wine and waited out the summer storm in the beach parking lot.

Within 20 minutes it was just dribbling....and we did have our swim suits on....

so who cares if we get wet?

....and best of all most everyone else had left!

We stayed and read, swam, visited, ate and laughed.

It was a good day!

Also, it made for an amazing sunset on our drive home.

"Raise your words, not your voice.  

It is the rain that grows flowers not thunder."  -  Rumi

A Night in Napa

Song - Freddie Freeloader by Miles Davis


Thursday evening Mr. B and I mixed it up a little....... 

You know how you get in those ruts where you come home from work - well, Mr. B comes home from work, I am already home from work because that's where I paint. 
 

He does a crossword puzzle to decompress and I walk around the garden to see what has happened since my morning walk.

We sometimes have a glass of wine, talk about our day, prepare dinner and watch some TV. 
 

Pretty routine.

But Thursday night a group that I paint and show with - Bay Area Studio Artists - had an opportunity to attend an event up in Napa at Chimney Rock Winery.  We have been talking with the manager about doing an event there ourselves and he invited us on up to have a look.

The current artist showing there is fairly famous - Clifford Bailey.  He does a lot of musicians, waiters, chef's and diva's.  Mostly with a flavor of the 1920's

.

Clifford was there doing a painting demo while yummy appetizers (duck salad, wild boar in polenta, cheese stuffed eggplant, etc.) and great wine were passed around. 

 Mr. B treated me to a little painting entitled "Travis" but he just doesn't look like a Travis to me so I have renamed him "Clive"! 

As we were leaving I noticed how beautiful the vineyards and mountains were in the evening light.

The grapevines are just starting to send out shoots.

Afterward, we headed over to a friend's restaurant in downtown Napa - Oenotri for dinner and it just topped our evening!

It felt like we had taken a mini-vacation.

Now why don't we do it more often????

"Respond to every call that excites your spirit." --Rumi