The Gypsy on Adventure

Soothing Gardens

"Don't employ a gallon of words to covey a teaspoon of thoughts."  A quote from a commonplace notebook

I know that I can be a deep diver and get intense with my discussions...so on a light note...

My garden is not doing well this Summer it is SO hot! Here are some pretty photos for your enjoyment.

We live in the trees, not a heavy forest, but the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. And one of the joys I have living here is watching the wild life. Up until last April we had hundreds of birds, we have 4 feeding stations and lots of  water stations. But in April we were asked not feed them while a group of birds migrated through because they were sick. We still have many birds but no longer in the hundreds, it took me about 3 years to build their trust.

We have bunnies that come through and eat the veggies. There are red fox that jump and pounce around. Coyotes that make their way through at night and drink at the fountain of the frog. We have raccoon families that bathe in the frog! Literally mama dunking the kids! And birds swimming in it!

This hungry little mama ate my Memorial Rose for Crackers down to a nub! But I can't get angry they are hungry and looking for food. So WGB used the railroad tie and my iron climbing walls to cut off the opening to my deck so she can't get back in to eat my flowers! 

The first photo she hears me saying "what are you doing on my deck girl?" and then she runs off! Such a brat! I didn't think she got to anything but then when I went outside I saw she munched my yellow rose! Brat! But the reason she is hungry is she has a baby...I am inserting the July video of the baby who kisses my durpy frog after taking a drink here.

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Keeping up with babies are hard to I am not begrudging her eating my rose bush!

 

 

 

 

 

I have about 6 new buds on the Yellow Rose bush now, so it is coming back nicely. It is a Julia Child's rose, and the yellow has been a true bright yellow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last month a friend of ours called us, her SIL was moving and could not take some of her plants, so we drove down and picked them up. The ferns...I LOVE ferns, but I didn't think I could grow them here because it is SO hot and cold. But I thought why not try! The heat has been challenging, and the first one in the photo was almost dead when we brought it home, I haven't wanted to cut the dead out yet until it felt a little better adjusting to my porch. Some time this next week I need to cut the dead out of it to give it room for the new growth coming in. The big one has had 2 frawns die back and 3 new ones come in since I have had it. The third one! Oh she is lush  but even in this spot when I was sick last week, the heat got to her a bit...because I couldn't go out and mist them. I usually mist them 2 times a day and they love it. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The other plants that we were given, a sweet little pink rose, it finally has some blooms after a month. I am not sure what the 2nd plant is, but it is much happy now it went through a time where it pouted quite a bit. And we received 2 Christmas Cactus that will come in the house during Winter. But look how happy it it is! It has some more growth on it! They are adjusting well. 

 

 

 

 

My hydrangia is doing well this year, she is 3 years old now, but only had 2 blooms in May. I think it is from the heat. No one wants to bloom in this heat! But she is healthy and it makes me happy! Every so often I throw my coffee grounds on her to keep her acid up.

 

 

Our Monstera (swiss cheese) plant, we call Mom, because it was WGBs mom's plant when she was alive. Is LOVING where we live! She is super happy here and the frogs hang out in her. She has been so happy and making new leaves all the time. I really want to take a cutting a start a new plant from her, I am scared right now, so will do some research because I don't want to hurt her by doing that. But I really want a couple of new plants from her.  I think we will be successful because she is so happy here.

 

 

 

 

My Peace Lily plant that my the POA where I retired from sent me when my brother died, has another big shoot coming out of it. I have to repot that one and the one that is on the table next to it that I planted from it 2 months ago! Prolific! I have some Babies ready to replant now too...just have to get them in their own pots.

 

T.I.M.E. and other concerns of the day

This Summer has been rough...I read an email from ToniandKim.com today and this was near the end of it, and I thought it was thought provoking and needed today.

As humans, we are all a work in progress. Life right now is extremely complicated. There is no manual for it.

1. Examine your daily life right now. What brings you joy? How can you add a little bit more of that feeling into your day?
2. What is one thing that you can remove from your day that will make it even just 1% more enjoyable? (For me, it was Facebook!)
3. Put your hand on your heart and close your eyes. Breathe in and out, slowly, 5 times. Ask your heart: What part of you needs tenderness right now? What exactly does it need? What is one thing you can do to nurture it?

1. Ah, what brings me joy? That would be my partner! He is amazing and loving, and adores me. And looking out my window to see all the wild life at our home. And what brings me joy is feeding the birds. We both make sure that there is enough water for the foxes, rabbits, wild turkey's and deer that come through our yard every day. That brings us both such joy.

2. What is the one thing I can remove from my day? Several. Remove the Doom-scrolling, not listen to the news every single day, and minimize time on Facebook, literally shut the window of Facebook down so I don't get any notifications. 

3. What needs tenderness?  I need to exercise, and my choice of exercise is usually walking, in Covid isolation I stopped walking, and a month ago when all the wildfire smoke invaded our ridge, I stopped walking...so now I seriously have to fix this part of my life. Movement. 

I was listening to Jay Shetty today on Amanpour and Company, how to cultivate a monk mindset. How he was speaking today was simple, using the word TIME to remember what you need to do every day.

Thankfulness:  Not just journal about it, but follow through and tell someone that you are grateful for them in your life. Express it to a person. Share that thankfulness.

Inspiration/Insight:  Read something that you are learning from, or that favorite quote out of a book. For me recently it has been Mary Oliver poems, and Rumi.

Meditation:  Be present in the body and mind. Communicate with your body and mind at the same time, centering yourself.

Exercise:  Sex, Yoga, Dance, Tai Chi, Walk...bedrock of the practice is movement.

(Today I walked more than I have in weeks, so I am starting the journey again)

Practice my breathe. Breathe is with us from the moment we are born until the second we die. Breathe and our emotions are interconnected. When we have something good happen to us it takes our breathe away. When something bad is happening we stop breathing for a moment. Connect to your body and breathe, hand to heart and breathe in for 5 seconds.

Then Jay said to ask yourself every day, "Have I made Time?" 

So simple, right? Then you would think more of us would be doing this. Today I am starting my simple practice. I think this sounds profound and life opening. I think it will help me not to be so judge-y in my life and focus on the things that expand my life. In this anxiety ridden political climate smack dab in the middle of Covid isolation, civil unrest, and the passing of RBG is too much. I have to stop doom-scrolling...I have to let it flow through me like water and not let it all stick to me. I catch myself breathing shallow or holding my breathe. I need to work on this.

The beautiful Sphynx cat that we found on our property yesterday, update. We got up, and brought the cage into the kitchen, fed her again, talked to her, played with her. At 10:30 we went to our appointment at Mother Lode to see if she had a chip. No chip. I was getting worried...we were going to take her to Sammies no kill shelter 5 minutes but the owner saw our flyer and called WGB!!! The family two doors down from us, SO happy he contacted us!! And his little girl was happy to have Mousey back! So stinkin cute! I tried not to be judge-y when he told us they let her outside every day, since she could be a nice snack for those big turkey vultures or the coyotes, foxes and big cats we have around. I hope this scared them enough to keep her inside. Mousey is a sweet, sweet soul.

 

 

 

 

 

And the bad air quality came back today. I was SO joyful yesterday with blue skies nad no smoke smell. I feel a little more sad today, I cannot take days of the gloom again! But the injured Jay bird is still getting stronger, she lays down funny on my deck though. But she is so pretty. I have fallen in love with her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally took photos of my recent Hobonichi pages before I journal in them:

Sun filled joy tending day MARS Day 2

For the last nine years we were at camp in the mountains here, and so for the first time, I woke up out of pain! I actually SLEPT at MARS! I got up had a REALLY nice shower and everything was CLEAN! I am not a camping kinda girl, and even though we were in cabins with twin beds at the old place, ah, hotels are my preferred camping! LOL Hey we all have our style! Plus I am so excited, that we could actually SEE because there was enough light in our great room to art without being too dark, even with Ott lights! The building we were in for arting was big enough for us, yet intimate and wonderful. We had a commercial kitchen no stove but a large refrigerator so all my prepping and food was accessible and made it successful for me too. They did have a microwave so if you needed to heat something up you could. Yogurt, berries, my chicken, salad, roasted veggies, angel food cake and truewhip! I was in good shape!

I enjoyed today SO much! I could talk to people and hear everyone and felt like a communion of artists. I know that we all get so inspired by being around each other. AND we share things, and just love on each other! Other experiences were disconnected by more than half the room so this is really cool.

MARS Retreat

Before I could get to the retreat, I am grateful for my tax return, because it paid to finally fix my Monte Carlo! The damn thing had an ignition switch problem that screwed up my heating and air! So I couldn't defrost or cool myself off! UGH AND I am grateful it wasn't the blower! 

The guy at the dealer took a double take on the mileage! He was like, REALLY? Its only at 54K and its a 2000, he said it is in great condition. I told him when I bought it 2009, it was at 12K and he said, so you haven't put much on either! LOL I guess not. A couple of issues but nothing that has to be addressed right now! I told him I always think of it like a Grandma Car...he said, um, no this is a little hot rod! I said, um no! My Torino IS a hot rod!  WGB always tells me I underestimate the car, I just feel CONSERVATIVE in it.

But now I am no longer dependent on WGB to drive me around! AND I get my independence back! I hate to have to rely on anyone! I am happy to share my life with him, but like my independence!!!  Plus I forgot how to drive!  Not really, but its been way too long. So I had a little stressful start to the weekend but grateful to have my car back and fixed! And looking forward to driving!

This morning I finished prepping all my food, and buttoned up the packing. It's Retreat time! Twice a year my art tribe gets together and puts on the Mountain Artist Retreat Sleepover! This is our 10th year!!! We do it Bi-Annually and this year we are Uptown Girls! We lost our normal camp and decided to upgrade to a fancy hotel with a conference room! Best decision ever!

I brought less stuff than last time, each one I learn to bring less and less! AND my suitcase was half full for the clothes and shoes. 2 bags of supplies to create. And 2 bags of food. Next time I am aiming for 1 bag of supplies. (lucky I live in town!) WGB went back home picked up my computer chair and brought it back for me, it saves my back. Sitting in tiny chairs that are uncomfortable all weekend would have me hurting too much. SO grateful for my boyfriend, the love of my life. Even my tribe noticed I was cutting back on what I brought! Living closer makes it SO much easier! If I really need something, I could go home and get it!

I am still storming, grappling with all the stuff coming up since January. I am really tired of repressing my anger, disappointment, the fact that my soul was torn in savage way that I did not deserve. My inner soul is bloody, raw, ugly, torn and broken. And in the midst of that, I have not addressed the grief of losing my brother. 

I am truly trying to F E E L what I need to F E E L. Every day I still pull my Tarot card for the day, and I have to say it has been right on each day! Feeling more comfortable with my deck again, its been too long since I practiced. I am enjoying this journey. It is following all the storming I am feeling. I know that this will change me but I am no longer dreading it, or fearing it!

And for my 100 Day Project Watercolor washes and quotes, my talented friend Lindsay taught me Colusa Skies! A watercolor technique she does and it is perfect for my watercolor washes and quotes. This is why I love getting together with the tribe, we inspire each other, encourage one another, and love each other! 

I have to say I love these watercolors as well! They are quickly becoming my favorite for washes! They are creamy and large enough to fill my brush easily.  

Remember we are all working on things we want for ourselves, and I am remembering that this month my job is to confront and Grieve my Grief!

I'm blogging along with Effy Wild in April. If you'd like to join the Facebook group to read the rules, go here!

 

 

Feeling all accomplished

Last night I had a sleepless night. I was fretting over the 5K walk for this morning. My head was storming. WTF am I doing? Am I capable of walking the 3.5 miles? I usually hit the wall at 2.5 that I do every day.  My friend and I got there late, so we aren't in the group photo, but I didn't care we met up with our friends and we walked 3.75 miles!!!! I walked with a new friend and she was as slow as I am so we were a good match! We didn't stop for any breathers, we walked for 91 minutes! And just like that all the fears gone, and I FINISHED my FIRST 5K walk!  It made me closer to my friends who were walking with me, it made me happy that I could do HARD things! Accomplishment! And I have the T-shirt to prove it! I still cannot help but find beauty on any walk, I saw some birds, the cemetery to remind us to live our lives to the fullest every single day because life is short, and beautiful flowers! I love that so many of my friends were there and showed up for themselves too! 

 

 

 
I'm blogging along with Effy Wild in April. If you'd like to join the Facebook group to read the rules, go here!

 

 

 

          

Quote

What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist. Salman Rushdie, writer

 

Up for sale...

Glad we came so we could see the house in all of its glory! They have put it up on the market if you are interested.

I so wanted WGB to see this beautiful place before they sold it. Bob has done a fantastic job in the garden! Wow we were SO lucky to come while it was all blooming. AND they have so many birds!

After lunch Pallie and I went to her studio and made a purse for my sketchbook and phone! OOOOOoh I love it so much...I had fun but I think Pallie was frustrated because we didn't do it from a pattern.

   

Sharing our lives

We spent the day just sharing our lives. Catching up and telling stories. I was able to journal as well. It was a really nice day! Pallie cooked a pork loin and it was yummy! WGB really loves talking to Bob he said Bob is a hidden national treasure! So glad he got to meet him and see their house. They are in the process of selling this beautiful place. Asked if we could stay another night...just to be able to enjoy them!

This is a really nice way to start our adventure!

"We are all in this together"

 

Religion is for people who fear Hell. Spirituality is for people who have been there! - David Bowie