A Visit To Crone's Cradle

We were very excited today because we were taking a drive to Citra, a small town near Ocala. Crone's Cradle Conserve is located in Citra and it is one of our favorite places. Crone's Cradle is an organic farm and today was Farm Stead Day. We knew we would be buying fresh vegetables, brown eggs, and touring the farm on foot. I love this farm because the flowers and vegetables are always beautiful, the chickens are always happy, and the fifty or so cats that inhabit the grounds are friendly. Well, today, we did part of what we intended to do.

When we arrived at Crone's Cradle, it was obvious that they had been having a lot of rain. The entry road was rutty and Janet kept having to remind me to drive faster or we were going to get stuck. I was going slowly because the signs said, "Critters Crossing, 15mph". Once we drove through the main gate, we saw the ruts, mud, and general destruction all over the farm. Not only had the rain created a big problem for vehicles, but a group of feral hogs had visited during the night and had torn up all of the grass looking for grubs and worms. It was a mess. We were very disappointed and only stayed long enough to buy some eggplant, peppers, and eggs. The bright spot was the scarecrow that I call "Fashionary Scary Mary".

Tonight, I will roast the eggplant and peppers and look forward to cool weather and another trip to Crone's Cradle when the gardens are thriving and the hogs will be contained. (Maybe. One never knows about hogs!)

The Plane Truth

On a recent foray into back issues of my woodworking magazines I happened upon an article about a Stanley jack plane which set me to wondering if I had one in my stash of Stanley oldies. Six years after moving to Ocala most of my antique tools remain packed away. It really was not necessary (or wise) to dig them out since I have no good place to put them, but no matter. The bee was in my bonnet, and I had to know if the #5 jack was one of my "treasures." Off to the shop with a box cutter and my trusty inventory list in hand. I opened the two boxes marked antique tools and unwrapped each heavy lump so carefully packed up seven or eight years ago. I was in no way prepared for my reaction. Despite the Brandon grime and sawdust that clung to the protective grease I had put on all the metal parts, they were beautiful to me. I spent the rest of the evening wielding a toothbrush and paper towels, cleaning each tool well enough to move it into the house. And yes, I do have a jack plane! Of major significance, not really, but as a collector and user it is nice to have six of the seven planes in the numbered series. Only #1 eludes me, but that is a financial issue.  Collectors who are not users have made the market for that little gem out of reach. However, the best part of my evening was that I found several other planes that I had forgotten about.

I keep reading articles about decluttering and simplifying, and most of them use the quote, "Keep nothing you do not love or believe to be beautiful." My old tools qualify for keeping on both counts. Digging them out reminds me how beautiful they are. Each is usable and useful, but more than that I truly love them. I am not sure I knew that until it hit me how much I have missed seeing and touching them. They are a visual and sensual delight, especially the ones with wooden parts, worn smooth and patinated by the touch of human hands. So now another project for the list - make a safe place to keep them accessible.

Body of Evidence

Unwilling to let Gaela the Norwich terrier have all the murderous glory, Cocoa the fox terrier has perpetrated a toyicide of her own. And she made no effort to conceal her nefarious deed. Strewn across the living room rug were the remains of "The Nosich Bird." I remember sitting quietly in my chair, deep in study, when I heard the squeak of the toy basket and the sound of Cocoa giving some toy a thorough thrashing. Then all was quiet. I paid no atttention to the performance. Perhaps that was the problem. In no time the "bird" was reduced to piles of fiberfill and rope appendages. Not being one to dwell on things, Cocoa had moved on to another room to look for -

who knows, more action? Life with a dog is never dull! I just hope she never hears about Button unpotting all of Mom's freshly watered African violets onto the new light gray carpet.

Clip Art

I love office supplies. So does Michelle, the clerk in our office. In fact, Michelle is in love with clips. She coordinates clips on all correspondence and spoils my reading coaches by coordinating all of their tests and other paperwork with clips that match the color of the ink she prints in. Can you imagine???

Anyway, Michelle took a trip to Staples today and pressed the "Easy Button". She bought various decorative clips for each of us and these are the ones she bought for me. Aren't they so cool? I asked her if I had to use them at work or if I could take them home and she said I could do whatever I wanted with them. So here they are at home, getting ready to march into my studio to help me organize my art papers.

A Weekend Surprise

The thing I love most about orchids is that they bloom overnight and surprise you in the morning. One of the good things about a week's worth of rain is that some of the plants really LOVE it. This orchid is one of those plants. When Janet saw it, she said the flowers look like little "ghosties". So this plant will be known from henceworth as the "Ghostie" orchid. I am waiting for a bloom from "Wayne", an orchid given to me by Darla's brother-in-law. If "Wayne" ever blooms, you can bet it will be the subject of a blog.

Clean Up

Tropical Storm Fay has finally departed our state and although just a tropical storm, she left us with a few clean-up chores. The wind battered the Porter Weed and broke most of the branches. So yesterday, I cut it all back hoping that doing so would give it a boost to bloom one more time in the autumn. We are busy going in and out of the shed, making trips to the Green Boxes, and raking up detritus from the garden beds. It will take a long time to get everything back into shape because I think it rained weeds along with water. At least, it sure seems like it.

We read today about an organic farm in Jacksonville, Alabama that takes interns for free room and board. I want to do an internship there next year after I quite my real job. It is called Noah Valley and is in the Alabama mountains. I think I could learn a lot by working on the farm. In the meantime, I am investigating what kind of vegetables I need to plant in the fall so that I can grow something productive and not just decorative.

This morning, we saw a new bird in the garden; one probably blown off-course by the stormy weather. After looking it up in our bird book, we realized it was a Blue-Grey Gnatcatcher. What fun!! The hummers are crazy at the feeders and that always means they are stocking up on food for their trip South. Last year, they were gone by the second week in September. Maybe one year I'll get lucky and one will stay throughout the winter.

Second In A Series

I completed my second collage today and I didn't realize it but I think I'm working on a series. I began working on a project entitled, "A Woman's Aspirations Often Go Unnoticed"in honor of my mother's life. Today, I completed the second collage entitled, "I Did What Mattered: I Was A Mother." I am finding that these projects are feeding my need to create art while providing an outlet to acknowledge the life my mother wanted but never realized.

New Life for an Old Easel

My new easel is the latest addition to my art studio. My co-worker Rene' and I were poking around behind the stage in the 100 year old building we work in and found two easels. We decided that they needed new homes. She took one; I took the other. Mine is now living in my studio here at home. I just love it. It is a daily reminder of the artist within that is becoming stronger with each of my new projects.

Exciting sighting! Heidi is OK even though the roof of her den is caving in from all the rain. Clouds made it possible to mow mid-day yesterday, and after the first loop past the front sidewalk I spotted Heidi trucking down the front walk.  I stopped the mower and talked to her for a moment (don't you know the neighbors think I'm nuts?). She stopped as if to listen and then continued along, heading for the weeds in the cracks for a little snack.  She is still quite yellow, about 5" long, and looks real leathery.  No doubt wrinkled from all the water. I was ecstatic to see her looking well. Have put a sheet of plywood down next to the walk to cover as much as possible the cave-in that is right up against the gate stones. Don't quite know how to prevent further damage.  I am hoping she'll veer her tunnel off in another direction.  She has been incredibly busy shoving sand out in great mounds around the den opening. I've had to shovel some of the sand away, as the mounds are getting so high I am afraid she won't be able to climb out. Any suggestions out there for making a new roof that the rain can't wash away? 

Bloom Of The Week

A single sunflower......the only thing blooming in the garden this week. I just returned from a trip to the Panhandle to see the children and had a wonderful time just being Grammi. Cassidy became enchanted with playing "Beauty Shop" and learned the word "Kiddo", which she thought was hilarious. We went school shopping and I just love doing normal, everyday things with the Dana and the kids. After having lunch at the Chinese Buffet, we headed for home. It was a great weekend but enough playing around for now. Teachers come back tomorrow and kids are in class next Monday. Summer is officially over! Can autumn be far behind??

New Blooms in the Summer Garden

Even though the daily rains have beaten down many of the blooms and even though I cut back all of the roses to give them one more chance in this muggy weather, I have some plants that are thriving. The morning glory plants are climbing on the wire bed frame---truly a bed of Morning Glories. They are all volunteers from some prior summer crop. I did not plant a single seed this year.

The orange lilies have only this week brought forth their delicate blooms and I just love the richness of their color. Finally, I was able to capture a butterfly, now that I have found the macro setting on the camera and unearthed a portable tripod that Janet bought for me about ten years ago.

It is really almost too hot to stay outside more than 30 minutes at a time. We took a load of brush to the green boxes this morning and then will remain indoors until evening, when it is safe to go back outside without suffocating.