March 4, 2020
Ranunculus asiaticus Violet Bicolor
March 2nd, 2020Succulent Plantlets
February 29th, 2020Leaf Removed From Press 2/20/20
2/29/20 Greening Up
2/29/20 Roots
March 4, 2020
Oakleaf Hydrangea Leaf Damage
February 26th, 2020
Oakleaf Hydrangea Leaf Damage
Brugmansia Flowers and Pods
February 25th, 2020Odd Colored Flower on Variegated Brug
Typical Brug Flower on Variegated Plant
Flowers on Other Brugs
Odd Flower On Double White Brug
Typical Double White Brug Flower
Pods on Double White Brug
Billbergia nutans and Rats
February 21st, 2020Nearly all the Billbergia nutans flowers have been eaten in the back garden.
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.
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.
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.
Day 4 6:50 pm Rat three. He is quite calm considering he was trapped.
Day 5 7:54 pm Rat 4. The largest rat we have found in the trap.
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.
Day 6 7:30 pm Rat 6 and 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.
Information on Billbergia nutans–San Marcos Growers
Plantlet Find in a Peculiar Place
February 20th, 2020When I opened my flower press today, I found something interesting…
…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.
The dried leaf colors and textures are gorgeous!
The dried leaf brought to mind my bronze dagger series, Tools for Rent.
Japanese Maple, Dying Succulent?
February 18th, 2020First Leaf of Year!
Life on What Appears to be a Dying Succulent
What Happened?
February 17th, 2020I found the bits next to the tissue box in the bathroom.
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.
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.
The pit-fired beads and bird head have all fallen apart.
I removed the chaplet, but haven’t yet warmed to how the piece looks without it.
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.
Iris
February 17th, 2020
In Progress–Thoughts
February 16th, 2020Maybe 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.
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.
Tomorrow I will be removing all the columns that I wove incorrectly. The mistake will add at least two hours to my work time.