It's Flora, Fauna and Merryweather 24 Hours a Day Around Here!

So, I've been working on a couple of projects all day and have been out of the studio. Usually Ramses goes in the car with me since he thinks we have a collegial relationship and not an owner/property one, but I left him home to read the Great Books or whatever dogs do when you aren't around.

I had taken him out to potty just before I left for my 10:00am meeting. When I got back about 3:00pm, I took him out again. Well, he was very interested in a spot of ivy. So much so that I decided to have him leave whatever he was interested in alone. As I grabbed him collar, the something he was interested in moved the ivy leaves.

Upon closer inspection ~ bunnies!

Another nest of baby bunnies in a new place in the garden.When my friend Zen likened my backyard to Northwest Trek, I scoffed. But, now, it feels a little like Flora, Fauna and Merryweather are leading tour groups through my yard! Very alive, alive oh!

Yes, I know bunnies are nothing but dinner for something larger and in some places are considered vermin, B*U*T, I love having bunnies in the garden. There is something kindah tender and sweet about them.

Day 42 Everyday Grateful ~

Drizzly in the morning,

Bright in the afternoon!

Worked on lots of small projects

Bunnies in the garden!

Lovely.

Holy Mackerel! It's a Gully Washer!

Today, I've been working on a project from early when I got up. When I took Ramses out to leave his card, the air was misty and warm. The birds were 'cha cha cheep, cha cha peeping' like crazy. My kitchen garden was happy with all its little herbs coming up. My Italian and curly parsley wintered over and are getting robust, green and happy. I did laugh when I noticed that every one of my pots had several kinds of mint in it. Talk about the life force! My pot of mints from last year have invaded the other pots. Little thugs. It's even crowded out my sages. These guys mean business! So far, my basil has escaped the invasion. But, I must be vigilant!

Then ~ about fifteen minutes ago, a giant thunderclap!  Followed immediately by a professional gully washer. How fantastic! In Seattle, we don't usually have hard rain, rarely thunder storms. We're famous for not using umbrellas much. Mostly we keep our "bumbershoots" in the closet for guests when they visit. Yes, around here rain is usual a gentle drizzle. But just now? Mais non!

Stunning! My street looked like a river. The water on the road actually had a current, forgodsake! And, the rain was pouring off the roof so hard and fast, it was running off the sides of the roof because the drain spouts were overwhelmed.

Kindah exciting.

Though I did walk around the house to see if there were any leaks in the ceiling. I have a mid-century house with a tongue and groove car decking pine ceiling. It's notorious for leaking. So far so good.



And, now it's over. Back to work . . .

Day 19 Everyday Grateful ~ What an amazing rain!

My little kitchen garden is looking damn fine!

Wonderful new project. Excellent! And, very  happy!

Spring in Seattle

What a lovely morning. I'm getting ready to go my friend, Barb's house for Easter brunch, but I just had to take a walk in the garden again this morning.

Last fall, when I bought forty pounds (or, was it eighty? I forget. Anyway, it was a lot!) of King Alfred daffodils, I imagined how wonderful the pots would look in the spring. As I've said before, planting bulbs shows faith in the future.

Now, we are seeing the results of that crazy idea. It's a daffodil riot outside. And, best of all they are just starting to open their heads. I love the way they respond to the sigh of the wind as it moves through the garden. 

Atmospheric. Transcendent. Hopeful. Beautiful.

My friend, Karen's husband Ron came by yesterday. He's the pressure washing king. He got all the Seattle winter moss and slime off the back deck. We are now ready for breakfast and dinner over looking the back yard.












I love this time of year. Each day, we are gathering light. The ground is warming. The energy of returning life is everywhere.

This next week, let's chat about garden art.

Happy Easter

Day 4 Everyday Grateful ~ a long, laugh-filled phone call

from The Bear.

Everyday Grateful ~ Friends

My dear friend Audrey's birthday is tomorrow. In honour of her birthday, I'm taking a page out of her Everyday Grateful blog to talk about the profound happiness found in great friendships.

Thirty years! How is that possible?

There are so many things I love about her. She is beautiful inside and out. She is full of sunny optimism. Her voice on the other end of the phone is bright and full of happiness. She wants to know about the world in all its complexities: its sorrows, its joys and its irony. She cares about complex issues deeply and thoughtfully. She reads widely and selects authors writing on challenging subjects. She is a seeker of common ground and compassionate understanding. She has the courage of her convictions. She is fearless. She is funny. She works every day to make the world a better place.  She loves art and works to have it in her life every day. She is a faithful, engaged friend and a lovely, devoted mother.

As she says about herself, she is "exploring, investigating, trying new things, trying to figure out how things work. Exploring why artists do what they do. And what my path of creativity will be."

She is wonderful!

I'm so very grateful to have her in my life.

And, in honour of Audrey's Everyday Grateful blog, it's sunny in Seattle. The air is still. The leaves are bright with the rain of the last few days. The garden completely sparkles ~ dazzling in a thousand shades of green.

As I was at the sink in my kitchen this morning, a small bird with a very neat black cap stopped by the birdhouses on the wall outside my kitchen window. Maybe Mr. and Mrs. Neat-Black-Cap are planning to set up housekeeping. I'd love to have baby birds being born just outside my kitchen window.

Sweet!

Spring must be here.

http://ahwatson.blogspot.com/

Day 1 Everyday Grateful ~ for my friend, Audrey