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Billbergia nutans and Rats

Nearly all the Billbergia nutans flowers have been eaten in the back garden.

Bromeliad Damage

Bromeliad Damage

Bromeliad Damage

Who did it? We have had families of squirrels, mice, and roof rats hanging out in the gardens.

I baited our humane traps with orange peel, peanut butter, and seeds.

Bait

Now I wait…

Checked the traps at 7:00 pm. A rat ran down the tree from the bird feeder, but the trap was empty.

This is what I found in the trap in the back garden.

Rat

Day 2 7:50 pm. Rat two capture. Noticed that nearly all of the orange peel and seed is gone. Must have been a hungry little one.

Rat

Day 4 6:50 pm Rat three. He is quite calm considering he was trapped.

Rat

Day 5 7:54 pm Rat 4. The largest rat we have found in the trap.

Rat 4

Rat 4

Day 6 5:45 pm Rat 5, part of a family of three little ones. Waiting to catch at least one more, don’t want to send such a small rat into its new location on its own. While I was waiting to trap an least one of the other wee rats, number 5 managed to escape in the garage.

Rat 5

Rat 5

Day 6 7:30 pm Rat 6 and 7
Rat 6
Rat 7

Rats 6 and 7 are in a tall trash can, topped with a lid.
Baited both traps and placed them near captured 6 and 7.

Rat 5 recaptured. He is in the container with Rats 6 and 7. Rats 6 and 7 and in a little furry pile.

Day 7 Rat 8 8:50 PM, the largest rat yet.

Rat 8


Bromeliad Tucked In

Bromeliad Tucked In

Bromeliad Blooming

Information on Billbergia nutans–San Marcos Growers


Plantlet Find in a Peculiar Place

When I opened my flower press today, I found something interesting…

Succulent Dying Flower Press

…the leaves that I gathered from a dying succulent now have plantlets. How cool is that?!

One of the reasons that I am loving succulents is how resilient many are and often how easy it is to make more plants.

Succulent Leaf with Plantlets

Succulent Leaf Lower

Succulent Plantlets

Succulent Leaf Middle

The dried leaf colors and textures are gorgeous!

Succulent Leaf Lower


The dried leaf brought to mind my bronze dagger series, Tools for Rent.

Bronze Patina

Bronze Patina

Bronze Patina


What Happened?

I found the bits next to the tissue box in the bathroom.

Flaking Results

When I looked up, I realized one of my pieces was damaged.

This was the piece. It is part of my Cleanse Your Palate Series, No Guilt.

Bird Head

The image was taken by Sharon Tetly when the work was on display at Western Nevada College.

The piece has pit-fired components. The bird head is hanging from a strand of pit-fired beads. Of course there is code in how the beads were strung. The beaded piece references chaplets. The idea was to remove the chaplet, hold it, and repeat, “forgive yourself” for whatever perceived wrong.

The piece is hung in the guest bathroom. It actually has been in the same location for several years.

There are a few of the same pit-fired beads in my stash of beads for comparison. Maybe tests.

Pit Fired Beads

The pit-fired beads and bird head have all fallen apart.

Damaged Pit Fired Beads

Damaged Pit Fired Beads

I removed the chaplet, but haven’t yet warmed to how the piece looks without it.

Damaged Pit Fired Beads

Why did the beads fall apart? My initial thought…the flaking off of the surface is the result of humidity. Why now? Most likely it was a gradual process until the point that flaking occurred.

Am I upset? No, more curious about how the damage occurred, how to prevent it in the future, and how to make it occur if I want to age a piece.


In Progress–Thoughts

Maybe I shouldn’t attempt working when I am feeling unwell and functioning without proper sleeping.

The plan was to run a folded piece of jute twine from the bottom of the piece to the top. The excess at top is to become the hanger for the piece.

Thoughts

Today, I was feeling bette, but apparently not good enough. I started work on the right side of the piece. Unfortunately, I wove the jute twine through from top to bottom, leaving excess twine at the bottom.

Thoughts

Tomorrow I will be removing all the columns that I wove incorrectly. The mistake will add at least two hours to my work time.