It’s hot and getting hotter, so I had to dash for a few blooms to fill today’s petite vase.
I bought this tiny vase on a trip to Mexico several years ago. Mike traveled there for business, and I got to join him for the last few days.
Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico
Once again, thanks to this winter’s heavy rains, my gardenias have continuously flowered for weeks. I’ve been clipping three at a time to enjoy them indoors, deadheading as I go. Even after the blooms yellow and sag, the potent scent remains.
Today’s vase features gardenias, lavender, and a tiny purple flower I can’t seem to name. It grows along the edge of our deck, and most summers, it finds a way to take root and grow through one of the crevices. That always makes me smile.
If you recognize the name of this purple beauty, please let me know.
Please visit the Cathy’s to see what they and others have created for IAVOM.
The 15th of the month arrived in a flash. I hate to miss one of Kate’s ScrapHappy posts, so I pulled some paper scraps and made a pair of cards.
I used my Silhouette Cameo die-cutting machine to cut the circles. It feels like a touch of magic when you fold the edges of the circle into a V, showing the reverse side of the paper. I alternated the pattern to show off both sides of the print.
It will surprise no one that I have lots of floral paper in my stash. It’s what I’m drawn to again and again. The last two pics are closeups of the paper quilt. I used white water-color paper, but for some reason it looks blue in these shots.
That’s my small contribution this month. Please click the links below to see what other makers are up to. Thanks as always, Kate.
Though I continue to fuss with the yellow room, the final pieces are in place. When my older son moved out, I redecorated, with the goal of creating an eclectic and relaxing guest room. You can read more about that in my post Decorating the Yellow Room.
The small desk I ordered for the room fits in style and size beautifully. I store gift bags and ribbons in this room, so the desk is a handy place to stage gifts.
If you’re a regular reader, you may remember that the lovely Ficus met its fate, a short-lived and expensive mistake. I moved it to a brighter location to no avail. It’s now part of the composting pile.
In its place, I moved the postage stamp table I created with my Dad’s collection and bought an affordable plant that gets by with low light to sit on top.
Peace Lilies prefer moderate to low light, and who doesn’t like a plant with the word “peace” in its name? The plant can have “mild toxicity” to cats if ingested which I read today, but neither of our kitties show any interest in our houseplants, preferring instead to roll in or imbibe the plentiful garden nepeta known as catnip.
Two more small additions include a pair of green shams for the bed and the embroidery hoop art I made for the garden bench. A couple of readers shared concerns about the longevity of the pieces if I hung them outdoors, so they now reside above the bed.
This project has been a lot of fun. Now I’m a woman in search of another empty room. Any takers?
In honor of Pride Month, today’s vase celebrates love. My vase includes the colors of the rainbow flag, designed by Artist Gilbert Baker at the behest of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay politician.
Colors have been added and subtracted to the flag over the years based on practical reasons (the cost and availability of the dyes) and the need for further inclusion. I didn’t realize before today that each color is symbolic.
I managed to include everything but turquoise. The representative flowers are pink (geranium), red, (sweet peas and Acer seed pods), orange (nasturtium, a flowering succulent and a self-seeded annual), yellow (salvia), green (nepeta, lavender, and nigella seed pods), blue (hydrangea), and indigo/violet (salvia).
Juno Dawson wrote the book pictured in today’s post. It was assigned reading when my eldest son attended university. It’s considered “young adult nonfiction, ” which tells me it should also be required reading in high school.
This Book is Gay, one of the Guardian’s Best Books of the Year, is described as “The book every LGBT person would have killed for as a teenager, told in the voice of a wise best friend. Frank, warm, funny, USEFUL.” Patrick Ness.
Sadly, I live in a country with powerful yet hateful, fearful, right-leaning folks that want to ban books and defend gun rights, strip women of reproductive rights and demonize anyone that doesn’t fit into a narrowly defined norm.
These flowers celebrate love and inclusion, compassion and understanding, and hope. They celebrate Pride. They celebrate Love.
Please visit the Cathy’s to see what they’ve created for IAVOM.
Earlier this year, my friend Mary treated me to an afternoon at the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles. I’ve wanted to go for years but needed to make the time.
Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry: Nice Ice #2
Mary in front of Kit Vincent quilt entitled Fracas
I’ve always loved quilts and greatly admire the skill, patience, and artistry required to create one. Several of the bloggers I follow quilt to create functional quilts, pieces of art, clothing, and sometimes all three.
The SJMQT exhibit featured textiles created during the pandemic. These artists use fabric, paper, buttons, and even emptied toilet paper rolls to create pieces reflecting the time of lockdown during COVID.
This quilt blew me away. It looks like a colorized black and white photographic until you get close and see what she’s done with the fabric. It’s extraordinary.
Created with toilet paper rolls, Artist Linda M. Kim, T.P. ManiaArtist Unknown, textile created with fabric, buttons and beads
Here’s one more for the road:
This is in the permanent museum collection. Sharon’s first car looked just like this one; a baby blue VW “Bug”.
About
The San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles is an art museum in Downtown San Jose, California, USA. Founded in 1977, the museum is the first in the United States devoted solely to quilts and textiles as an art form. Holdings include a permanent collection of over 550 quilts, garments and ethnic textiles, emphasizing artists of the 20th- and 21st-century, and a research library with over 500 books concerning the history and techniques of the craft.
San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles
I had hoped to share a link crediting all of the artists, however SJMQT hasn’t updated past exhibits on the website for three years. I will update this post in the future should more details emerge.
Do you visit museums in your hometown? What would you recommend if I could travel there?
I have an assortment of scrappy projects this month.
First up, three cat beds for a rescue organization called NARF. I made a pattern from a grocery bag the last time I made them so I would remember the size of the cat’s temporary enclosure. The first cat beds were too large. When the cats are adopted, the little bed goes home with them.
The purple Minka fabric posed some challenges since the scraps were mostly triangle-shaped. I ended up piecing scraps to make one side of the bed.
The tie-dyed material has been around for years. My friend Laura used to host tie-dye parties in her driveway. This purple tie-dyed muslin came from an afternoon of playing with purple dye.
The final cat bed is a repurposed toss pillow cover. I turned it from a square to a rectangle. I used padding from my former patio cushions for all three cat beds.
My second scrappy make is this palm leaf cover to place under the acrylic top on my garden bench. I cut one long, narrow piece in half, then stitched together lengthwise. After hemming all four sides, it fits within a 1/4 inch. It really pops.
My final scrappy make is a soft shawl for the Teddy Bear. It’s a no-sew accessory to celebrate my permanent retirement from ever sewing slippery, shedding fabric again. Please quote me! I made the bear years ago for my younger son. Now it belongs to Tessa (our cat).
There you have it! Three cat beds, a garden bench topper, and a well-accessorized plush bear, all made from scraps.
Thanks as always, Kate. Please follow the links below if you would like to see what the other makers are up to.
Nike Animal Rescue Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, all volunteer organization dedicated to providing assistance to cats and dogs in need. All the cats and dogs available for adoption can be viewed on the site. We hold adoption fairs in the South Bay several times a month where you can see all the pets in person. You can read more about their volunteer efforts here.
I filled my Beatrix Potter teacup with an assortment of sweet peas, evoking memories of an earlier time. My friend Carrielin bought this cup for me over forty years ago. I’m sure we’ve consumed gallons of tea over companionable talks. Friendships that endure are a gift; when I use this cup, it reminds me of her.
The cup also evokes memories of my time in the Lake District of Northern England. Ms. Potter donated almost all her property to the National Trust. Her forethought preserved much of the land that now constitutes the Lake District National Park. It’s pristine.
Sweet peas also evoke a sense of nostalgia, so they were the perfect choice for today’s vase. I tucked in a few green sprigs of lavender, and as a nod to the cat illustration on the cup, I added a small cutting of nepeta (catnip).
Thank you to “the Cathys” for inspiring this Monday series. It’s fun to think about what’s available in the garden and share it with others.
Spring is slowly giving way to summer here, though our temps have been moderate for May. I’m happy to bypass the heat waves, but it is strange.
Nasturtiums viewed through the garden bench
We spent the three-day weekend working in the garden, with breaks for meals and a night out. It remained overcast most of the time, so the work was comfortable.
I’ve been cutting the California poppies back to the ground and collecting and drying a few seeds for next season. For the most part, the poppies self-seed, but it’s nice to have backups just in case. The same applies to our sweet peas and the nigella, or love-in-a-mist.
Now that I have room in the curb garden, I planted Mammoth sunflower seeds. I found these clever domes online to keep the seeds underground until they germinate. Otherwise, the squirrels eat them as fast as I plant them.
Sunflower seeds don’t do well when started indoors, so covering them is the best solution. Ironically, I noticed what looked like sunflowers already growing in the box. They seemingly popped up out of nowhere, but given our rain, they may have been lying dormant for some time. Of course, that doesn’t explain how they survived foraging squirrels, but I’ll take it.
I planted a packet of forgotten cosmos from my seed collection. Some seeds do well even when past the use or sell-by date, so I hope that’s the case. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Most of my gardening time in recent weeks has been spent digging out once-charming now-invasive violets. When they initially appeared in the garden, I thought they were derivative of annual pansies. We don’t generally see wild violets here in San Jose.
It was, however, a surprise to read on a couple of blogs that wild violets are considered weeds. Now I know why. They’ve spread all over the back garden, growing in clumps under other plants. Like a lot of weeds, they propagate in a variety of ways, and they protest removal from the ground. I have a system: pull out fistfuls of large clumps, then go after the remaining roots. I dig out the small seedlings using my garden fork since the seedlings have shallow roots. I’ve been clocking the time spent removing these invasive plants, and as of this writing, I’ve spent eight hours digging them out. Can you imagine?
As Mike is fond of saying: “Job security!” As if anyone could fire me from this passion. Another day, another weed equals more time in the garden.
My youngest son, Mac, graduated from university this weekend. It was a joyous and much-anticipated day.
We flew to Orange County Friday evening for an early morning ceremony on the Chapman University football field. It was warm and overcast, the perfect weather for sitting outdoors, especially for the graduates wearing hot, black robes.
A few tears surfaced as I entered the stadium. I recommend listening to Pomp and Circumstance if you feel nostalgic or need a good cry. It does the job.
I composed myself, and soon we were crowded around the ropes, excited to glimpse him during the processional. We watched the ceremony on the big screens, so that part felt a bit remote, but we shouted like school children when he crossed the stage to receive his diploma, a moment shared by all the other loving families in the audience. Then, we were back on our feet for the recessional, jockeying for space to see our graduate up close once again. The memories will last a lifetime.
Earlier this year, Mac spent two weeks in Florence, Italy, as part of a travel abroad program. Unfortunately, the university canceled all the study abroad programs twice due to Covid, so it was terrific that he could finally go. While there, one of the activities included learning the art of paper marbling. My son knows I love paper, so he offered it to me on his return home.
I used that special paper to make cards for part of his graduation gift. Each card is unique. Letting the beautiful paper guide the process, I made thank you cards, a couple of birthday cards, and a few generic ones.
I found a pattern to make the cardholder using heavy gold paper, then added a scrap of his marbled paper to the facade.
We enjoyed several meals with our son and his amazing friends, stopped by to see his new housing, then flew home Sunday evening to prepare for the week.
At the risk of stating the obvious, I couldn’t be prouder.
A bit of trivia:
Sir Edward Elgar composed Pomp and Circumstance — the title comes from a line in Shakespeare’s Othello (“Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war!”) — in 1901. But it wasn’t originally intended for graduations. Elgar’s march was used for the coronation of King Edward VII.
It first became associated with graduations in 1905, when it was played when Elgar received an honorary doctorate from Yale University in 1905, but it was played as a recessional, not as a processional, at the ceremony.
Miles Hoffman, NPR.org
Paper marbling is a method of aqueous surface design, which can produce patterns similar to smooth marble or other kinds of stone. The patterns are the result of color floated on either plain water or a viscous solution known as size, and then carefully transferred to an absorbent surface, such as paper or fabric. Through several centuries, people have applied marbled materials to a variety of surfaces. It is often employed as a writing surface for calligraphy, and especially book covers and endpapers in bookbinding and stationery. Part of its appeal is that each print is a unique monotype.
San Jose gardens get by with about 15 inches of rain a year. During the drought years, we had half of that or less. So this year’s rain has been a gift to South Bay gardens, not only delaying the time when we would typically begin a watering routine but adorning our gardens with more blooms, taller plants, and, yes, lots of weeds.
Nasturtium along the walkway, with salvia and geraniums filling the space in between
My nepeta (cat mint) self-seeded throughout the garden to the sensory delight of our felines. The original plant is twice as tall this year, hiding those sneaky weeds below. They have met their match!
Love-in-a-mist, California Poppy, Geranium, Morning Glory border our neighbor’s lawn
California poppies spread throughout the garden, showing up in pots, along the curb garden, and elsewhere to my delight. The profusion of color is uplifting. I’ve been relocating the self-seeded sweet peas to the other side of the sidewalk so that they don’t overtake the perennials I’m trying to grow. First, I pulled out small volunteers or transplanted them, and then I bought another packet of seeds to hedge my bets during the transition. It worked partly due to the rain, and now the perennials are getting a foothold with the space and an extra helping of rain.
Sweet PeasPoppies going to seedRich colors fill the gardenLavender and Sage in the back, poppies in the foregroundPoppies and sweet peas commingle
I cut back the stems of the Freesia last week, leaving the leaves to dry out before cutting them back to the ground. Rapidly taking their place are gladiola and love-in-a-mist. Last October, Mike dug out several gladiola bulbs, and I replanted them together in the curb garden to maximize the effect. They’re just starting to come up as the poppies go to seed.
Love-in-a-mist about to bloom
Over the years, people have asked if my garden is a lot of work. While it can be hard on my aging hips and lower back, I don’t think of it as work so much as a pursuit. I’ve had the luxury this season to spend two or three hours a day outdoors, deadheading, weeding, and pruning as I observe all the gifts of nature.
The garden attracts lizards, birds, squirrels, butterflies, and praying mantis. The scents of spring are intoxicating, and the refreshing cool greens soothe me.
A California lizard. They devour lots of bugsPotted succulents on the deck
Rain-filled water tanks permitted us to plant guilt-free strawberries and tomatoes, and for the first time in many years, I planted five coleuses in a repurposed pot once used in the back garden.
Raised bed planted with tomatoes and strawberriesRaised bed, alternate view
Annuals are heavy water users, so I’ve limited myself to one box and a shade-loving spot at that. I’ll share photos after I clean up the pot. Otherwise, I will continue to plant and tend to native and drought-tolerant plants, knowing that this year’s rain is a gift without any promises for the future.
Gardening Nirvana 