These days (1)

A number of things are happening these days.  Firstly, I am nearly 38 weeks pregnant--meaning that at any moment, my second son could arrive.  Everything we do is therefore punctuated by a quality of expectation and wondering--is this the day? 

Writing, writing, writing

Spring is arriving in North Carolina.  While fall is the spectacular season in Pennsylvania, spring is our dramatic time in central NC.  Nearly every tree is in bloom!
I continue to write, write, write--making progress day by day on my tenure dossier.  I do look forward to a more balanced studio schedule soon, but until then, I thankfully see this row of purple plum trees as I work.

Order to disorder

Negative Space

Pure summer

OF

Cows with color (fourth notable image from the last week)

Our home is surrounded by fields that are periodically grazing land for cows.  The latest batch of cows arrived while we were away and, with each new day, are moved systematically around the field to enjoy fresh grass.  Yesterday morning they munched away behind the clothes line, and I was struck by the collision of animal life with these two rectangles of color hovering in front.  I don't quite know how the essence of such an idea would make its way into an abstract painting but the thought interests me. 

Red, white and blue

Getting ready for Memorial Day....

At home (after being in the studio)

Azaleas

Our home is surrounded by many, many, many azalea bushes--of all colors and sizes.  They are in bloom now, and so we are awash in pink and white and magenta.  Every bush is a fuzzy mound of colored texture.
I love the moment just before they bloom too--each bush portends much.  The above photo was taken April 5th.

Red and Round Things

I've enjoyed the days settling back in to home.  My son is older--amazingly so.  What conversations we've had!!!  Fall has come and nearly gone.  The arugula and lettuce in the garden are shooting up.  And I've spent some good hours cooking and baking--always an intensely aesthetic and grounding experience.

This week #3

One of the other constants of the week (once Alexander's energy returned) was a consideration of marble runs and racetracks.  Alex's definition of both is very broad, and therefore quite inspiring.

Here are some pics of one of his more elaborate constructions/installations.

This week #1

My son was sick for much of the week (he is much better now) so there is little news in the studio.  I've spent most of my days inside the house with him.  We are assuredly in Fall now; I think we've closed the windows until Spring, and I've pulled out the heavier blankets.  I also spent moments here and there cooking apples for applesauce--I made and froze 13 quarts!!!  I feel quite honored to have inherited the applesauce maker/sieve (silver, old, with a turning handle) my grandfather used to make applesauce in the few years after my grandmother died.

Out and about/or sightings by the flaneur of Climax

Visual Story, August 25th

In uploading my images this morning, I liked the grouping of these--all taken on the 25th of August (some by me, some be Chris) in the order they are arranged.

Zucchini and Cucumbers

I've so much to say about our recent trip to Memphis. We had three days full of art, studio visits with inspiring painters, and really, really great food. Thank you Hamlett--host extraordinaire!

BUT we came home to an overflowing garden, and so the race was on...I've been pickling and preserving much of today.

Thinking spaces 2

We are home--the garden is bursting its borders.
1. tomatoes toppling
2. watermelon vines creeping over the cucumbers
3. the biggest patty pan squash I've ever seen is sitting on our counter/I suspect it is now a perishable still-life object.
4. I love the blue of our leaf-dappled dusky sky.

Serious Silliness and Set-ups

This afternoon: a marathon "set-up" building session with all the wooden blocks we could dump out onto the floor.

I tried to take some photos with the camera in my computer as Chris has our camera in Georgia to document studio work. Alas, the shots of Alexander dancing were a lot more interesting in the end. (I rather like their quasi film-still look...)

Dancing, knocking ants off trees with water, set-up building, double banana-bread making, and I am investigating the prospect of making some Pennsylvania Dutch Shoofly pies...these are the markers of our day together.

Shape and Color (2)

My husband left yesterday for a beautiful and wonderful residency in North Georgia. While he's spending his time working in the studio, hiking the many trails on the surrounding land, meeting new artists and writers, AND enjoying an amazing vegetarian feast each evening (I'm off to Hambidge myself in late October so no that isn't envy you are hearing in my words but a plug for Hambidge, urging YOU to go too...) Alexander and I are holding down the fort at home.

Of top priority is the vegetable garden which is putting forth yellow squash after yellow squash, soon zucchini and tomorrow (I think) the heavenly sun-gold tomato. Today, while watering (and subsequently musing) I marveled at the size of our zucchini plant leaves--and their color. I think the possibility of being swallowed up by zucchini leaves is not as improbable as one might imagine; these gain new girth each day!

We've spent today constructing "a world of pillows", making up new versions of mankala, eating our fair share of popsicles, and counting down the days until we head to the sea with Nana and Grandad.

Now I'm exhausted and off to an evening of reading and drawing and perhaps watching a movie.

Surrounding my new studio...

Home, our garden, my family....moments like the one above.