Just Enough

It rained all night and most of this morning....just enough to be extremely beneficial.

I'm pretty tickled with this cyanotype card featuring my meadow rue. There's just enough green watercolor...and a touch of blue to tie it into the print. I'm also quite fond of the blurred meadow rue and the vinegar spots in the background. Just enough!

And the gold speckles seem just right too. I can honestly say that I love it! 

"The flower doesn't dream of the bee...it blossoms and the bee comes." Mark Nepo

I tried to get a photo of the shimmer. You can't see it very well...but it's there!

After the rain....I explored the raindrops that pooled on the leaves. 

Here they are on the meadow rue...kind of a nod to my gold splatters.

My day was fabulous...just enough of everything!

Kitchen Studio

It's was chilly and rainy today....a perfect day to turn my kitchen into a cyanotype studio using my UV lamp.  I'm going to make some cards for the Winslow Farm garden store again this year using all my part of the proceeds to buy things for Maine Needs.

This time I dotted vinegar here and there before I placed the plants down. I do like the effect. I might do a bit of little accent watercolor....but maybe not.

This one had some large vinegar blobs...I'm quite fond of it.

My UV lamp is pretty handy when the sun isn't available. And this is one of those times a glass top stove comes in handy as an extra surface. I took over the WHOLE kitchen all morning.

I stitched up four cards this afternoon.There is something about the simplicity of just the blue and white that makes me happy. But I do want to paint a few.

I especially love the way the vinegar interacted with the blades of grass....leaving a light blue polka dot! I had fun in my kitchen studio today!  

In This Together!

We're all just walking each other home. Ram Dass

Paul and I walked the 3 /12 mile loop around Back Cove with over 1,400 others in a fundraiser for Maine Needs. The weather was perfect and it felt good to be with a community of caring people supporting an amazing organization that lifts up those in need. 

Paul had his big floppy hat...and I had my parasol.

There were great views of the city of Portland and Back Cove neighborhoods all along the way. 

We were all in this together....helping our Maine neighbors in need.

We're Here!

"Hey world...we're here!" That's the text I got this morning from Patty along with this first photo to alert me that the baby house finches hatched! One was ready for some food!

I walked down a little later in the morning....and they were sound asleep....just a little pile of feathers. It will be fun to watch them over the next few weeks. 

I walked back down later this afternoon and caught momma bird in the nest. The only thing better than having this little family right down the street is having a good friend right down the street. Lucky me!

And look at this fabulous found object! Thanks Paul!

It was a good day to be here!

The Color Purple

Joy doesn't cancel out the heavy things...but it gives you little pockets of strength to carry on. Let it in....whenever and where you can. Stacie Swift

We had a couple of unusually hot and humid days....but I was excited that we were back to fabulous spring weather today. The sun was warm, and the air was cool and crisp....and the front that brought in the better air created a breathtaking purple sky last evening. 

I spent almost the entire day outside. I finally planting all the annuals I've been hardening off...I shared some perennials with a neighbor and spread the last of my mulch/compost mix. So many people were out and about...so I got little breaks all day long visiting and connecting with neighbors. I love days like this. 

I didn't take any photos today...but had to laugh when I heard my camera taking a photo in my pocket. I had blue jeans on...but the photo came out purple....a nod back to last night's evening sky....and maybe a little purple pocket of strength.

The lilac in my side yard is starting to bloom!  I took this photo a few days ago....I love this color purple.

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.