The Gypsy on Adventure

Shifts

Since being in this pandemic over a year...I feel like this!

It has been a tough year, and my word for 2021 is "Re-Engage" because I am having a really hard time being around people. It is a VERB which means you have to DO IT. Starting is hard. But there are a few things I am looking forward to.

I have to start inviting people to do things again, it is easier with my friends being vaccinated now, so feeling hopeful about that. Small steps but starting to do it.

Today we ventured down the hill to get WGB his second vaccination, we went to Trader Joes, and SO MANY PEOPLE, thankfully all wearing masks! But SO many cars every where! I could not live in a big city again...and like I said being home so much it was difficult being around so many people!

Solar

We had a rep come out from a solar company to discuss our needs for this house. Recommendations were where WGB thought they should be. I like the fact that they are a worker-owned cooperative and do living wages, it may be a little more expensive but it aligns with our beliefs.

Also, April is Earth Month and the Company recently became the first certified B Corporation in our County. Certified B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. B Corps are accelerating a global culture shift to redefine success in business and build a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable economy.

The next step is to have the engineer come out to do an inspection and then we are placed on the waiting list for the work to be done. 

I am getting really excited about this!

Rut Ro

Time to start saving...they found the issues with my AC in the car and it is not good, in fact, I am disappointed in my old mechanic that replaced all these things that need to be replaced AGAIN in less than 5 years...

I am looking at another $1,800.00 to get it all right. So I asked them to fill it with the cold stuff again and button her up until I can get it all replaced. So most likely by the end of Summer this will be done...I was shocked when they told me what it was, because I had all that done 4 years ago!!! And this is the 3rd year it won't hold cold, which tells me my old mechanic did not do a great job! VERY disappointed. 

Caught it in Spring!

Well in February, I did a major maintenance on my car, it is a 2000 Monte Carlo, and only has 55,000 miles on it. So it is so worth making sure it is running right. We even put new tires on her and she runs smoothly. 

Friday we noticed that the AC went out AGAIN. This is the 3rd time...usually every Summer it dies on me. It must be a leak some where. I wasn't expecting to take it back into the dealer so soon, but I would rather address the issue before it gets hot! So today she is back at the dealer to figure out my AC. YAY before Summer heat this time! I really hope they can find the leak and stop it, at the very least they will put it all to right again and not have to worry this Summer!

Gardening, Journaling, Looking at the Sky

WGB fixed the misters over the veggies, and they are working beautifully now. I have to keep an eye on the flowers and herbs, I don't over water, but every day they seem to be dry. We have no humidity here. AND my orange vines are getting more buds and leaves!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was SO excited to see a lot of rose buds on my new yellow rose!!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The other day, WGB removed a plant next to a blooming one that I thought was connected, it wasn't and now it has like 40 buds on it! CRAZY amazing! That other plant was not making it happy! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am enjoying this early Spring. My Myer lemon tree has about 10 lemons on it! The orange tree has 1 orange! Strawberry plants have buds on them! Seems like it is a good year for my garden.    

 

 

 

 

I spent most of the morning journaling, in the Hobonichi, fixing the weekly and todays spread. I updated my Hobonichi Weeks for next week and filled in the last couple of days.

Drawing out mushrooms, just have not water colored yet for the 100 day project. I am loving my 2x3 little journal I am doing the mushroom studies in. I am really enjoying this year, less pressure and just doing it for fun. 

I spent some time on my porch losing myself in the beautiful sky. I really need a rocking chair on the porch to sit and stare out! It's a goal. Later around 5 pm the darn bugs starting coming out and they always annoy me! 

Distractions and Books

The Pandemic Year will be one of remembering playing Animal Crossing obsessively. I was late to the game last year, I bought it in May and missed the Bunny Day event! Apparently it gave players PTSD so Nintendo took it from 2 weeks of eggs in trees, fish, in the ground and falling from the sky, to about 7 days. So I have been having fun making things from all the eggs and not feeling over whelmed by it. And suddenly today there are pink tree's everywhere! Spring has sprung!  That bunny is creepy! It has a zipper in its back and it's name IS Zipper!

 

 

 

Also, during the Pandemic year, I have been doing many online classes. Today I spent some time working on making a new journal for a class by ByBun. I started to follow her on Patreon, and decided on some classes. But I wanted to make my own journal. Starting to feel like I can be creative again. I need to be more creative. I journal all the time, but I need to get back to making more paintings and collage, and altered books. That is my happy place. 

An artist that inspires me is Busy Mockingbird, I love her illustrations and art. This year she has released 2 books that are from her journals, and the minute she said they were in her shop I scooped them up! AND then 2 other books came up in her shop. I love looking at them and getting so inspired,  my style is not hers, but man do I love it! 

2000

Today is my dad's birthday, and it is hard to believe he just turned 80. I asked him if he felt like he was 80 and he laughed and said he thought he was 40 in his head! I can relate! I don't feel my age either!  

I wish he was in better health. He doesn't take care of himself and he lives alone in another State. My brother does check up on him and see's him. He took him for a pedicure for his birthday a few days ago. I just wish I could make the situation better for him.

We spent most of the conversation talking about gardening. I told him what we have been doing at our house, and his dream is to get a porch the length of his house and to have it screened in, so he can sit outside. And have a container garden as well. I think that would be so good for him. Maybe he won't just dream it, maybe he will do it!

Feels like Summer

Today WGB got his first Vaccination! We got up super early and drove the hour to go down to Roseville to get his vaccination. We are both half way there! AND great news, they are saying Pfiser is holding up past 6 months so this is good news! 

 

 

We stopped at a pottery place, and man they are expensive for pots! I still have not found a pot for my new rose...gonna be awhile if it is all going to be out of my price range! But I loved these fountains! I would love just one in my yard! The rocks were beautiful up close on it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We stopped at Green Acre's and bought 2 more wood boxes for the vegetables to be planted in. My lettuce is going to be happy!  I bought a couple of more flowers for the butterflies and humming birds! We have the veggies in the spot where we get most of our sun all day long. This is the little structure WGB put up for me, and it has fencing around it to hopefully keep the critters out! He has misters put up for watering. I also asked him to move my composter over there as well since it gets full sun. This last year, it got too wet and the compost has been hard as rock! So with the sun it should help get this to be as good as it was last year! We also put some worms in it! Hoping that helps as well! 

It was 80 degree's in Auburn and about 77 degree's at home. 

 

 

 

 

 

I added some more flowers for the butterflies and humming birds! And our strawberry plants are on their 3rd year! It is nice having the bulbs getting ready to bloom, one of my 2nd year tulips have bloomed. And the Buddha Frog looks awesome on my deck!