Olive....

 ....revisited. 

I was compelled to start today's Wordle puzzle with "olive"....clearly it wouldn't be the word again...but it's such a good word to start with because of the three vowels. None of them were right....but the V was in the right spot and it had an L somewhere.  

But then I was thrown.....and it took me a LONG time to figure out what was even possible as a next guess and for the first time I had to get out paper and pencil. I finally got there....and I can't even think of another word that would have worked given the clues I had.  Can you?  

But the point is...revisiting olive was a Wordle Win on the 2nd line!  That's where the joy lies.

It's time for a puzzle update. I've been plugging along at the Marvelous Minerals puzzle....one color row at a time. 

I have a few holes to fill in and a couple more rows of neutral colors....but I'm skipping to the bottom for a while.  I've been looking forward to the tiny words at the bottom.  

I've been moving this little hand  carved "joy" around the puzzle as I work....it's simple...and it's effective.

Celebrating a little joy....and the word olive.

Tracking The Sun

It was a lovely walk this morning despite the wind and the fact that I still needed my long underwear....I am ready for some warmth. Sometimes Paul has to give me a little push out the door on these chilly mornings....but I'm always glad I made the effort.  

I tracked the sun the whole time because I loved the way it glowed through the thin gray clouds.  I'm savoring these last days before the leaves pop because I love the view of the sun and sky through the silhouettes of the bare trees.  

And this little shed with the orange doors was perfectly placed....it always makes me smile.

Quietly Practicing

I am not a confident sketcher or painter....and the only way to become more confident is to practice. So that's what I've been doing over the last couple of weeks....quietly practicing my sketching and painting.

I've been working my way through an online class with Jane LaFazio called Sketching and Watercolor: Journal Style.....a class for beginners. That would be me. My little circle painting from yesterday's post was one of my exercises to see how many greens I could make. 

This week we've been working on continuous line drawings....and I did this little sketch of my vessels with my left hand without picking up my pen.

I actually kind of like the wonkiness.

Then I did a continuous line drawing with my right hand....and added watercolor. I'm still working on my greens and trying to leave white space where it matters. That's hard for me. I tried to be pretty accurate.....but I think I'd actually like it a little looser/wonkier.

This was today's continuous line sketch and watercolor project.  This jar of marbles is from my sister Angie....it's a treasure!

Here's my first painted sketch.  Jane has us using a waterbrush....and luckily I had one. I think it was a gift (Becky?) and I hadn't used it much....but now I'm a huge fan.  The barrel of the brush has a water reservoir and you just squeeze to activate. 

Practicing my greens on some peppers.

More early sketches on copy paper...some with my left hand. I know it's a little hard to tell the difference....so I'll quietly keep practicing.  There is something meditative about sketching things around the house.

Olive

I uncovered a screenshot of a Wordle puzzle on my computer desktop from several days ago.....I was pretty tickled with it.  I apologize to those of you who aren't Wordle fans....but I want to tell this silly little story.

I'm always tweaking my strategy.....but I always start with a word with at least 2 vowels. And...I often work in the word olive....always hoping it would be the word one day.  I love olives!

I started with "steam"....then tried "probe." At this point I knew it ended with e and had an o somewhere....so I literally thought to myself "maybe this is the day for olive!"  And it was!  

Can we will something to happen?  

I think maybe so!

It seems like a pretty good day to share this little watercolor where I was exploring greens.  Maybe I should have painted olives! 

Someday

Someday my little patch of bloodroot might grow up to look like Linda's. This is an impressive little patch....thanks for sharing your spring with me Linda!

Every day I wake up with a long list fabulous and creative things I would love to do....and I want to do it all. But we all know that's not possible...and some days are just scripted for us.  

Today was Condo Board day from start to finish...but that's important too.

But after hearing from Kate...I want to make trees again. I've been through several tree phases...and I'm pretty sure I'm not done.

Kate lives in England, and we got connected and acquainted through an Izzy Moore textile online class and now she follows along the blog. Kate knew I would love her trees...and I DO!!!  Just look at all that texture!

I've zoomed in to study them closely....and she told me she used a combination of automatic embroidery stitches and free motion stitching.  I'll have to play with trees again.....someday!

I did do a mad dash yesterday to create Nancy's May handwritten heart calendar page so I could get it in the mail in time. Simple...but finished. Maybe someday I won't be so last minute. 

This one includes a painted paper scrap and some Angie handwriting cut into hearts. And...a little zig zag stitch stamp.

Perfectly Pink

Anita took this photo as she was leaving an appointment....she knew I would love it and I do! It's the perfect season, and the perfect parking spot for this fabulous car!  Perfectly Pink! How can this not make you smile!

I have a correction from yesterday's post....my fabulous never ending salad bowl was from my dear friend Janice! I have too many friends with names that start with "Ja" but I want to get it right!  I love all my Ja friends.

I've moved the bouquet outside....and am looking forward to my first salad. 

I did some some clean-up in my gardens today....and was thrilled to find my bloodroot blooming at the end of the rock wall.  They're such sweet little white flowers.

The original plant came from my sister Nancy....I put another little patch in the woods. Let the woodland wildflower extravaganza begin!

63

I turned 63 today....it's been a wonderful day.

I can't remember if I've ever shared here about the fact that I was born at home on the farm.  I was the 7th of 9 children so my mom had some experience with childbirth and knew I was coming quickly.  It wasn't planned to have a home birth....there just wasn't time get to the hospital.  It was all a bit traumatic at first because I struggled to breath....but it all worked out OK. 

Our son Sam was able to join us for breakfast....any day is a good day when it includes people you love. 

Paul and I took a drive around Portland this afternoon....and the Japanese cherry trees on the West End were spectacular!

This patch of scilla made me stop in my tracks! Such a gift.

I couldn't ask for a better life partner than this guy....he helped make my day very special.

And how lucky was I when a salad bouquet showed up at my door.  It's going to be the gift that just keeps on giving!  Thanks Janice!  And thanks for all the well wishes and cards from friends and family.  It feels good to be 63.

Letting Go

"I walk through the world seeing color and shape and possibility everywhere." Laura Loescher

If you've been following along...you know how I enjoy looking closely at nature.....sometimes oftentimes I bring bits and pieces home.  I love watching the ebb and flow of Mother Nature....and celebrate the wabi-sabi beauty of imperfection of things all shriveled up. 

Here's one of my favorite rainbow collections from several years ago.

Inspired by a link from Janet, I came to realize that I needed to let my collected treasures go....and return them back to nature. 

I love all this stuff....but if there's one thing I'm sure of....there will be more....and I needed to make room.

Janet sent me an article by Laura Loescher about her "Earth Alters."  We've all seen them...beautiful mandalas and arrangements from petals and leaves...and all things natural. But thanks to Janet I rediscovered them...and it was just the inspiration I needed to celebrate...and let my collection go.

"Never before had I listened so deeply to the wisdom of the natural work. I felt incredibly nourished by the beauty and diversity blooming all around me." Laura Loescher

This is a simple little spring mandala I made a while back.

And you can see Laura's Earth Alters using the following links.

https://www.earthaltars.com/

https://www.instagram.com/lauraloescher.art/

Before I spread my treasures in the woods....I made this little arrangement.

This leaf is as colorful as the day I picked it up....I almost kept it.  

 "I am grateful every day for this new way of seeing my environment. Instead of fixating on the bare tree branches and lamenting the lack of colorful leaves and flowers, I am delighted as I pick up fallen pine cones, pluck red berries off the holly bushes and arbutus trees, and carefully clip the prickly dead thistles from their stems.  I am grateful for each season's offerings." Laura Loescher

Here's my earth alter....a little disheveled...just like me.

And here is the context. I can see it from the patio....I'll be watching it.

The Joy of letting go.  Thanks Janet!