Showing posts with label zinnia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label zinnia. Show all posts

Saturday, November 30, 2019

looking back at november


November was a lovely month, and quickly gone.
There was a lot of rain, but also many clear, bright days.
I loved the clear mornings, often very cold, usually with frost or a dusting of snow.


More than once when I began morning chores I didn't even get as far as the barn before turning around and going right back to the house for a camera. 


Because when rays of the rising sun make it through openings in the trees,
the frost disappears in a matter of moments.



So much color everywhere.
This was new: multicolored leaves of the blueberry bought from a nursery in October:


Not all the November colors are bright, but just look at this:


in early light, the Chelona leaves glow like polished bronze.


November was a time for seeing the "first" of some things...




...and seeing the "last" of other things.




And we had to put a little more effort into being comfortable.
Piper will not allow a blanket on her couch -
I put one on every day, and every night she digs at it until it falls off.
So I experimentally made her a nightgown by cutting the sleeves off my lambswool zip-neck sweater.


She holds very still while I put it on her,
so I think she must enjoy the extra coziness.
She wears it when we go for walks on very cold days, also,
and looks Very Smart.

Moxie and Della divide their time between outdoors and inside,
and both enjoy sleeping in wooly beds by the woodstove,
which has been going non-stop all month.

But when I need to flatten out my back for a while, any time, night or day,
one or both cats will keep me company, which I appreciate very much.
Cats have taught me everything I know about how to be "in the moment."



 Last night I did the Daily Markmaking by painting this fern:


Painted with my left hand, because Moxie was sleeping on my right hand.
It was fun dabbing away with my non-dominant hand. I'll certainly do it again.

And now it's time to do tonight's markmaking before I fall asleep,
which will be very soon.


Goodnight, readers.
Here comes December.
Keep your fires fed.
~~~~~

Sunday, March 17, 2019

random weekend snaps




We've been having more strong winds.
These are not small branches.
~~~



I thought you might like to see what an
8-foot-wide hay bale looks like.
I probably should have put something on it for scale.
Piper, maybe.
~~~



A peaceful moment for Iris and Rocket.

Today Iris was combed for the first time.
Not so peaceful, but we took our time, got through it,
and were still friends at the end.

By the way, you can see why I've started calling her "Tiny Iris."
Literally from the moment of their births, she's been on the petite side,
and her brother has been on the solid side.
When you see them together like this,
the difference in the two extremes is really emphasized.
~~~


Daily markmaking continues!
This was Friday, #439: a dried zinnia head from last year's gardens.
~~~



This photograph of a hairy woodpecker could be clearer, but it was taken from 12 feet away and through two layers of glass. I'm glad I put this suet feeder close to the porch, because I've discovered the sound these birds make - a sort of whistly cheep, repeated, with a silent beat in between.

Every morning a woodpecker politely approaches the feeder,
and sounds so delighted and surprised to find the suet:
cheep?! pause cheep?! pause cheep?! pause cheep?!
It makes me smile.

I hope you had a lovely weekend!
Isn't it amazing how much daylight we're seeing now?
It's 7 PM and I can almost see the barn.
Even with the clocks moved ahead one hour, that's a nice change.
~~~~~