Kamakazi Gardening

Armed with a large shovel and a cast-off garden cart, I circled my little estate to do some much needed weeding and putting-right today. This Golden Rain Tree still needs to be trimmed from the wires going through it, but there's tomorrow for another Kamakazi style garden bomb. 

I learned everything in Wood Design

As I am fixing my windows outside, I find my lessons from wood design return again and again. Construction, technique, aesthetics. All were a fundamental part of that class. And love of design. Mostly that. So, I won't mind. 

Garage Sale

On the way to Home Depot for house trim, I passed a garage sale. Kids, this is where you find those bed lifts for your work table. Makes you back happy when you work. The Bed, Bath and Beyond sticker is still on at 14.99. Find a garage sale.

August is House Month

Now that I've got a month without out-of-town commitments, I've got to tackle the to-do list. The garden will be ignored a bit longer while the window trim gets updated. The heat of the day is reserved for the studio, don't worry.

A Face for Radio

WAYO, an independent radio station and Graphic Ear, hosted by Sabra Wood, asked me to be tonight's guest. It was fun, yes, and quite a high. You  can listen to me blather on at  https://wayofm.org/shows/graphic-ear but I con't think my episode is on the list just yet.

Travels Near and Far

A visit to 1 West Mount Vernon Place, part of the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, had a library sprinkled with guides of far away places. I took interest in this because I spent my last college semester studying in Siena, Italy. I recognize the cathedral and tower, but not the flying cherubs.

Bed Anatomy

The Winterthur museum has a collection of textiles (they have a collection of LOTS of things) and among the quilts and textiles was this detail of what made up a bed. They made sure to point out early Americans slept on top of the feathers, not under.

Boar's Head Revisited

Inside Winterthur is a delightful exhibit on dining (with or without animals) that has this boar's head tureen on display. Completing the decorations on the plate are the instruments of the animal's demise. It dates from 1750. Imaging that!

Time for Folly

This nest with wooden eggs (large scale, natch) is in the enchanted garden at Winterthur. Today's visit held many lovelies, and I'll have to save the indoors for tomorrow. Today was the trails of green offered.

Walters In Baltimore

The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore offered this wonderful "A Roman Emperor: AD 41" by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema. I've added a detail here, all brilliantly wrought in clear brush strokes, beautiful blocking and luminous light. Always a treat to see what stood for beauty in centuries past.

Who Needs the Southwest?

Here in the Northeast I've got my specimen mullein reaching its full potential. And just like the saguaro cacti that stopped me in my tracks, this tall feller has its appeal. No need to travel. Well, maybe sometime.