Lighten the Load

Like many of you...I'm guessing....I've been struggling with the blatant and undeniable corruption on full display in our government right now. It's unconscionable what the President is able to get away with and it's hard to understand and accept the abuse of power. The news is horrific and heavy.....so it's even more important to set it aside and find some joy each day. I still dare to hope that the arc of the moral universe will eventually bend toward justice.

I just finished this fantastic puzzle with all of its colorful and tiny details. 
I loved every minute of it....and it helped lighten the heavy load.

 I'm going the opposite of tiny on the next one...large blocks of bold beautiful color. 
Having some peaceful puzzle time every day brings me joy.

Here's another wonky fabric flower experiment....I mostly like it...but there's room for improvement. I will always enjoy stitching on paper....but too much stitching causes the paper to rip so this time I used fabric for the background. I am at peace when I am playing with bold colors at my sewing machine.

Foam Flower

Foam Flower is one of my very favorite perennials. It loves the shade...which I have a plenty of...the bloom is so dainty and pretty....and the leaves are so special! 

I split my plant last fall so have it in a couple gardens...and it's all thriving! 

Once the blooms are gone...the foliage will be lovely all seaason. 

Stitching!

I've said it before....and I'll say it again: stitching changes everything! 

This version with the stitched  bloom is so much more appealing! 

Bloom!

I hate when people accuse me of lollygagging when I'm quite clearly dilly-dallying. 

The screens are in the windows....I moved a few perennials around....and the rain lilies are repotted. It was a good morning for fresh air chores. I guess that's actually the opposite of dilly-dallying.

And....the crabapples are starting to bloom in the neighborhood!

These pretty pink blooms are such a delight this time of year!

I'm also still celebrating tulips...this time using fused fabric. 

I'm going to try it again...and stitch the word Bloom!

Hard to Stop

Today felt like summer....but it's hard to stop celebrating the spring tulips!

Paul and I are excited that the woods is finally starting to leaf out.....we will appreciate help with the shade in the late afternoon sun.  The birds are excited too....we had quite a show during happy hour today. This little hummingbird sat there in the tree for several minutes. They've emptied the feeders a couple of times...and I should be able to plant my hummingbird flowers soon. They'll be happy all summer.

Tulips in the Rain

The day started with breakfast out with your oldest son followed by a visit to the tulip garden in our old Portland neighborhood on the way home. 

It was fun photographing the tulips in the rain.

My first thought was...oh shoot...they are starting to go by. But I was immediately reminded how beautiful they are when they start to fade and I switched to oh my...they're wabi-sabi beautiful. There is such beauty in imperfection.

In a patch of pink....why not be orange.

I shared my absolute favorite tulip story of all time exactly two years ago and involving my mother in law Margie. I shared this story during her memorial service that fall including the video of her singing the tulip song. It was perfect.

The story has three parts if you are interested....you can read the first part here in this post: 

https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2024/05/giddy-with-delight.html

The second part is here with a link to Margie's tulip song at the end of my Instagram post.

https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2024/05/shared-tulip-moment.html

And the third part of the story is here:

https://joyfulputtering.blogspot.com/2024/05/other-end.html

These are just a couple of my favorite photos from that special tulip patch. 

Complimentary Cake

It doesn't get much better than a long lingering lunch with my dear friend Patty! She treated me to a birthday lunch complete with slice of complimentary birthday cake....with two forks of course! Pure joy!

The Light We Carry

Joy isn't the light at the end of the tunnel, it's the light we carry as we walk through it. Forty Fifty

I've been a bit of a creative slump since I got home from my trip. I've dabbled with a few things that I've shared...but feel like most of my outcomes have been a bust. I'm actually feeling a little lost in my studio. 

Maybe I shouldn't think of it as a studio slump and more of a pause. I need to take my own advice and focus on what's right in front of me. Spring is such a wonderful time of year...and it deserves my attention right now. The studio will always be there! 

The joy/light I carried today:

• I planted a moonbeam coreopsis in a little garden at the corner of our street....actually I split the plant in two pieces so I could spread it out. It's not really my garden...but I mostly take care of it. Moonbeam is one of my favorites and I don't have enough sun in my own gardens. I'll keep you posted how it does.
•  I gave my newly purchased annuals some outside time as they gradually get the used to the sun and wind. But they're tucked back in the garage for now during the cold rain.
• I cleaned and filled the hummingbird feeder and birdbath.....I love taking care of the birds. They bring us so much joy.
• I also got to pick this little bouquet from my garden....a familiar combo this time of year: daffodil, hyacinth and barrenwort. 

Nancy offered me a split of this plant...but I knew I had it. I looked it up today....it's called barrenwort. And I smiled when I learned it is also known as fairy wings or horny goat weed. How can you not love horny goat weed! 

The rest of the day I got to tidy up the condo and do a little food prep for a spontaneous gathering with friends for cards and dinner tonight. Yay!

There's joy in the tunnels....slumps...and pauses....we just have to take the time to recognize it. If any of you read Cherie's comment on yesterday's post.....here is the photo light/joy that goes along with it. One of the first things I noticed in her photo was the shadows. 

Not All Bells and Whistles

There are a handful of new people who have signed up by email for the blog and I would like to officially welcome you!  It's not all bells and whistles here...just simple everyday things that bring me joy as I putter around my studio....house and yard....and places I visit.

I spent a good chunk of the day out and about doing errands and chores. There was satisfaction...and even some joy in taking in our recycling and returnable bottles. Our bottle money goes in my Maine Needs fund. There was joy in buying my first few annuals so I can start hardening them off....and that I found just what I wanted for my hummingbird garden. And there was even joy in having my annual skin check at the dermatologist. 

There was most certainly joy in my visit to Bessie.....the beloved Hackmatack tree in a nearby neighborhood. Her pine needles are filling in and as always....they're soft as a baby brush. 

I am smitten with the baby pine cones....especially knowing they will grow up to be still tiny pinecones. 

Seeing her in this stage actually does feel like bells and whistles.

So that's what you're find here. Some bells and whistles...but mostly just simple things that bring me joy that are right in front of me. And what's in front of me right now is spring! 

If you are new....there are more than 10 years worth of posts that can easily be accessed by topic using the label links along the right hand side of the blog if you have special interests. The labels in quotation marks at the beginning of the list are posts about classes that I have taken. 

I hate being a broken record, but I would  also like to remind everyone that sometimes photos are distorted in the email version so not visually appealing.  You can easily link to the online version by clicking on the title of the post in the email.

There was joy in our sunset last night....I hope you found joy in yours.

Tis The Season

My sister Marilyn gave me a dandelion lego kit for my birthday because it reminded her of all dandelions on the farm growing up. They grew big in Wisconsin! 

Tis the season for dandelions here in Portland.

I'm not quite sure I get the brown stem on the left unless it represents the wabi-sabi end when the seeds have all blown away. 

I was hoping to help Patti repot some arborvitae in the front of her condo this afternoon.

We were about to pull one out of the pot....when a house finch flew out. After a closer look we found a nest with a couple of eggs. We got one of the three repotted....but the other two will have to wait until hatching and lift off.

Tis the season for nesting....and practicing patience. 

Tis the season for hummingbirds too! I put the feeder up yesterday and the first one stopped by today during happy hour! 

A Bit Wonky

Happy Mother's Day! I've been lucky enough to be a mother for 40 years....one year longer than my mother had the chance to be. She died when I was just 29.

And Happy Mothers' Day!  Heather Cox Richardson's newsletter described how the first Mothers' Day (mother in the plural sense rather than the singular) was started in the 1870's by Julian Ward Howe as  part of the women's suffrage moment pushing back against a society dominated by men. So I'm going with that this year...celebrating the plural version....all women who mother and care for so many of us.

Before Sam and Kelly arrived....I had time to finish another free motion floral experiment I started last night.

This time I used a piece of bold floral upholstery fabric for the vessel with a few stitched doodle flowers. I need to remember to do odd numbers!

I remembered how much I enjoy stitching around the designs of printed fabric from the free motion class. I especially love when it gets extra wonky like with the little squiggles. The wonkier the better.

I'm going to keep playing with doodle flowers....love them too.

This piece was a little oversized to stitch onto one of my premade cards...so I stitched it onto folded a piece of cardstock. Afterward I trimmed it too narrow on the right side as compared to the folded edge on the left so I compensated with extra row stitching. If I didn't point it out....one might think I planned it! Sometimes a bit wonky works out OK! This card is going to my Aunt Beverly...who is one of my many other mothers. I'm also thinking about Margie, my mother-in-law....who was a very special other mother.

Celebrating Blue

I spied these hyacinths on our way to the rally this morning...so I'm celebrating blue today! 

They were behind a metal trellis type thing...but I was able to slide my hand under for a photo. 

I couldn't really see what I was doing...but I think I did pretty well! 

This afternoon during the rain (yay!) I sat down at the sewing machine to ease back into the studio. No plan...just a piece of watercolor paper and my blue tutti frutti swatch from my stash. 

I wasn't very creative with my design...but it got me back into the swing of things. I didn't want to change the presser foot to stitch around the outer edge to attach it to the card.....so I took a chance and did it free motions. I like the concept....but the execution could be improved.

I want to keep developing this idea of plants and vessels....so here's what I learned:

• I like that I left the jagged edge on the top.
• I like the wonky free motion stitching around the edge...but it can be vastly improved and better balanced. 
• But I also like the combo of straight and zig zag I did last time too. I may set up my second sewing machine somewhere so I don't have to change the foot.
• I want to sketch out some designs that include a variety of flower shapes and leaves.
• I want to experiment with different vessel shapes. 
• I need to remember that I don't always need to paint them. 
• I hpe to keep practicing and experimenting.

Favorite sign of the day! Yes! Let's welcome the stranger and love our neighbors! 

Oozing Spring

The grass is greening up....and I don't even mind the dandelions and violets in my side yard. 

It's still slow in coming...but spring is oozing out all over. There is something so special about the ways each tree and shrub leafs out. All the little pieces and parts are beautiful and interesting.

And who doesn't love a patch of grape hyacinths. They're one of my favorites!

I had a special gift waiting for me when I got home. Tracie made this fabulous fused glass sun-catcher for my birthday...and it just oozes spring. I am smitten with the design.

It's a perfect addition to my colorful kitchen window. It pairs so well with my large fused piece...and the other rainbow Tracie gave me.  

Small Things...Big Joy

Nancy gave me these adorable felted eyeballs for my birthday.....I think they're fun! 

They're on two separate wires...so easily placed in any plant.

Small things bring big joy!

There was another small thing on my puzzle table when I got home....a found object from Paul. How is it that a bright green Duplo can bring big joy! I think it's as simple as making a decision to appreciate the little things. Nancy also gave me the little pink crocheted heart....big love....big joy.