A Thank You Photo Note to ISFA

Dear ISFA,

 I just returned from Hitomi's class at Nature's Creative Edge in Michigan.   Thank you so much for the 2013 McKinley Educational Grant that funded my tuition and travel.  It was a fantastic experience and I'd love to share a few scenes from the class with you.

Hitomi brought lots of inspiration from internationally acclaimed architects which was all new information to me. Frank Lloyd Wright--yes, I'm familiar with the Dana Thomas House and can recognize his influence.  But Serra, Gehry, Calatrava, Gaudi, Liebeskind, Piano, Reynolds. . . who are all these people?!?  Amazing artists who have created amazing buildings.

This was my first experience assisting on such a large installation.  Each participant was asked to make 15 solid, strong armatures and then they were all incorporated together.  The tin sheets were recycled from a local newspaper print.  The fire engine red and silver lit up in the afternoon sunshine.  

The woods were absolutely beautiful.  Nature and man-made designs. . . such a contrast.

  

Here Hitomi is sharing direction for this portion of the design where it was to taper down to a point. Carnations were to be placed throughout the red-painted structure, massed more heavily at the top, gradually decreasing down into individuals blossoms and petals at the bottom, and then uplighted with a spot.

The moss panels were fabulous.  (I think my garden might need one or two of these too!)  Red anthurium were to be placed on the inside of the panels, so that glimpses of the flowers would be viewed from outside and to invite closer inspection of the inside of the structure.

Can't wait to see pictures of the final design with lighting at night!

Overall, this was a great learning experience with theoretical discussion and practical application of line, color, texture and contrast, space and form, balance, asymmetry, scale and proportion, dominance, movement, mechanics. . .  All in the midst of a beautiful setting with great people.  I can't thank you enough for the opportunity.

From the woods,

Kynda

PS--So many other individuals to thank too!  Hitomi for her commitment to inspiring us all to create, Bob Friese for welcoming us into his home, James Lutcke for the year-round work that he does for this event, the Michigan Floral Association, and all the AIFD designers who attend from all over the country to make this fundraiser a not-to-be missed event. 

I can't wait to go back next year! 

 

Madisonville Visit

We celebrated our 25th anniversary this past week with Judson and Rachel and the kids.  Rachel's yellow for the front door turned out so pretty!  Kyle wouldn't let me take his picture with the new door, but he didn't mind bursting in on Betsy's pose.

Now a kindergartner, she's prettier and smarter every time we see her :)

"I don't want you to call me funny."  But he really is so funny and he keeps us laughing all the time. Being able to make people laugh is a talent that I so admire, but Kyle isn't having it. He had to keep correcting us all weekend.

It's been 25 good years.  Love love to Mark, TBHITWWW.

Paleo Breakfast Cookies from PJ

Paleo Breakfast Cookies                                                                        Makes One Dozen Cookies

Place in food processor and stir together:   1/4 cup coconut flour, 1/4 t salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 Tbls cinnamon.

Add in:  1/2 cup almond butter, unsweetened, 6 pitted dates, soaked in warm water for 15 minutes.
Process mixture in food processor til well combined and dates are fine.

Add in and process til wet dough forms: 3/4 cup shredded coconut, 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce, 2 medium eggs, 1 tsp vanilla.

Add in and pulse til all incorporated: 2 Tbls dried unsweetened cherries, 2 Tbls walnuts, 3 Tbls currants.

Use cookie scoop to drop cookies onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly as the cookies will not spread. (I've been flattening them with  the bottom of a glass dipped in coconut sugar.)  Bake 15 to 20 minutes.  Store in freezer.

 They have been mistaken for sausage patties a couple of times, but they really are delicious. Thanks to my sissy PJ for the recipe.  I think of her everytime I make them :) love love

Lilies of the Garden

Mark and I did quite a bit of clean-up in the garden this weekend.  Lots of branches to cut back, lots of spent plants & flowers, lots of weeds.  These white lilies had fallen over and were almost touching the ground so I whacked them all back.  Which resulted in a great pitcher of white lilies for the back porch.  These are a cross between asiatic and oriental, so they don't have the overpowering smell of the orientals.  But still,  fifty blooms or so  would be a little much inside.

Planting bulbs in the fall isn't one of my favorite garden chores.  But this pitcher had me wondering where I put the bulb catalog.  Maybe digging just a few holes wouldn't be too much trouble. . .

Dinner at V's

V went with us last night to look at the house on the lake again.  She said there's a lot of steps.  There are.  She said there are a lot of sticks in the yard.  There are.  She said it's a nice house.  It is. 

Then today, V called and invited us to dinner for salmon patties, green beans, corn, slaw, and cornbread.  With lots of butter :)  It was a great supper and reminded me of  mama and grandma's cooking.  We loved it.

Still no definite decision on the house.  In the meantime, Mark is painting the basement walls and floors.  And I'm responsible for cleaning out the flower area--something that should have been done a while ago! 

Sunday Bouquet

 

Saturday before last, we tromped up and down the steps and over and around six lake homes.  Just looking.  Five of the six weren't it.  The sixth one wasn't exactly it either.  So the next morning, Sunday morning, I went out into the garden and collected gorgeous flowers and made a bouquet.  What else do you do when you've been thinking too much and are indecisive about a life choice?  

 It turned out beautifully.  The bouquet, not the decision.  I posted this picture on facebook and thanked some of the floral designers who have taught me so much and enabled me to put something together that looked this good.  Judi Borah wrote back and said "a garden is a joy to have".  She's so right.  

If we buy the lake house, I will have to give up this garden and move on to another kind of garden.  Maybe we better not. 

 

I am thankful thankful thankful for all the blessings in my life that I can even think for a second about a house on the lake.  Even if I am going back and forth talking myself into it and out of it every waking minute.  And probably in my sleep too!    In the meantime, it was a glorious Sunday in the garden. 

No, It's Not Paleo

Judson made this fabulous spinach and mushroom risotto when he was here a couple of weeks ago.   It was awesome.  And even more so because he made it for me :)

Debating on buying a house on Lake Springfield. We've been back and forth at least a hundred times. Yes, let's do it. . .   No, we'd better not. . .   But I want to sit on the dock and drink coffee every morning  . . .   Okay, let's do it. . .  But wait, we'll be paying it off in our 80's. . . . Okay, we'd better not. . . . Go for it.  You work hard.  Do it!     (That's Warren's voice.)  . . . Be careful what you wish for, you're sure to get it. (That's from Mammy.)   No, definitely not.  Yes no yes no yes no yes no yes no. . . . Sheesh!  I need a glass of wine and some  more of Judson's risotto :)

Listen to Your Mother. . .

. . . when she tells you to grow Magellan zinnias in addition to the Benarys you always plant every year.  She's right.

. . . and when she tells you to watch all the past seasons of Downton Abbey because you will love it and you will want to be ready for Season 4 in January.  She's right about that too :)

August Sunday

 

We had a grand time on this beautiful Sunday afternoon.

Wednesday Vase

As seen in the last post, the hydrangea have been extraordinary this year.  Tonight though, they were so wilted!  Hot and humid and no rain this week has meant water water water.  Hope you have enough rain in your garden.

Tuesday Thanks

Last year, there was a grand total of three blooms on these shrubs.  We were in the middle of that hot July drought when I was beginning to wonder if we'd ever have rain again.  It reminds me of the Psalm--joy comes in the morning.

The beautiful bench came from The Farm.   Yesterday had lunch at LaPeep, catching up on family news, gardening, and even plans for ChRiStMaS with my sweet friend Gail!  It was the highlight of my Monday :)

Today V has major plumbing work done.  I'm making chicken salad,  going to the dry cleaners and then dropping off some things at Goodwill.  Thankful for plumbers, for dry cleaners, and that we have Goodwill to pass along things that we don't need anymore so that someone somewhere will  find a good use for them.

I'm also thankful this morning for my work and the staff.  Bless the hospital, those who work there, and the people we serve.

Hope it's a good Tuesday for you  in your world too.

Thursday Vase

Birthday Visit

 Had a great visit with family in Michigan last month.  I miss them year-round, but especially right after a visit--it's  withdrawal!  My sister PJ gets prettier every time I see her. And she makes me laugh! 

And here's my pretty mama--she's 78 years young and still going strong.  We had a great time in the garden, picking strawberries and just hanging out.  She made the parking sign for Grass Roots.  I'm ready for the next visit!

More pictures of visits to Michigan for mama's birthday here. 

Sunday Scenes

Yesterday was an absolutely glorious day in the garden.  Mark and I pruned back tree limbs that have been over-shading the beds.  V and I watched the first two episodes of Downton Abbey and now understand what the fuss is all about.  Mark went ghost hunting last night and just got home a little while ago.  We bought a food processor at Bed Bath Beyond yesterday, so now I can make Paleo breakfast cookies like PJ.  Hope they will be as good as hers!   Isaac had poison ivy this week, went to the doc to get meds, so he's on the mend.  Betsy & Kyle are having a great summer visit with their cousin Carly. I'm up early on this Sunday morning, looking forward to another glorious day in the garden.  Leave a comment--I'd love to hear your news too :)

Happy Birthday to My Mama

Seventy-eight years young today!  We're having a wonderful visit here in Michigan.  We've been on a quilt/garden tour, visited the Proven Winners garden, shopped at an antique/junk shop, and today we're going downtown to Whole Foods and Lafayette Gardens.  So lucky to be able to be with my mom and sister PJ and brother-in-law Jeff. 

And lucky to have cake too!  Love love from Michigan. . .

Happy Father's Day

 Judson, Kyle, and Mark hanging out on the new truck.  Did I mention Mark has a new truck?

This Father's Day is bittersweet.  We miss Warren.  He was always so proud of Mark and he would have been thrilled with the new vehicle. 

So this year, we're thankful for each other and our memories.  We are blessed.

Happy Birthday to Isaac

Today is Isaac's birthday.  He's 28 years young and living his dream in Denver.  If you know Isaac, you know that he is passionate about crystals, agates, and geodes.  I don't really understand the difference in all those terms, but Isaac does.   

When Isaac was home at Christmas, he left this pair of geodes with this message:

Mom. . . This is called a Las Choyas Geode from Mexico.  It is extremely rare to find dark amethyst (or amethyst at all) inside of these.  Maybe they could go with a house plant?  (That's what I've been doing.)  Put them wherever you like, just know they represent a piece of how much I love you.  

And it's signed with his swoopy signature that is uniquely Isaac's.  Thank you Isaac, for the geodes and the sweet note, and sharing something that means so much to you.  You have a beautiful spirit, a tender heart, and a fierce passion for following your own path.  Have a happy happy birthday and a wonderful year.   I love you past heaven. 

Dance Recital Flowers

The ballerina design idea came from a class at ISFA's spring convention last year.  The roses came from V's yard.  They were absolutely gorgeous.  She brought them over in this white vase that belonged to Mark's grandmother.  The ballerina was a fun practice piece, but I decided to go with a fairy wand.  They are very trendy these days.

 But even fairy wands have a hard time competing with Barbie and crazy daisies!

Pardon the curling ribbon--I didn't put ribbon in my tool case when we traveled to Betsy's, so I needed a  quick substitute.  I don't think Betsy minded at all.  She LoVeD the new Barbie :)