Temptation

I went out to look at the retaining wall progress this evening and look at what's parked right there.  The skid steer.  All alone and unsupervised.  I will confess that I leaned to look at its innards to see if I could figure out how to start it but I couldn't.  Couldn't even see a place for a key.  *sigh*

The wall's looking nice.  CG got the west end built up to its full height this morning.  They'll be back on Monday and next week will have more time to focus on this job because they'll spend the next couple days completing a job leftover from last fall.






I planted the replacement lettuces this morning.  I put some romaine and some butterhead in the fenced area where the original plants are/were and I planted the rest of them as sacrifices on the bale behind them.  



The replacement basil I planted in the corners of the fenced second season bales hoping to keep whatever ate the first plants I put in at bay.  And lots more onions have sprouted.  Still no potatoes or garlic though.


 

Look! some of the radishes I planted last week have sprouted.  They're very tiny, just that first pair of leaves, but any germination is a triumph.


 

I was surprised to see this cardinal land on the pile of gravel in back.  Doesn't it look like it's talking to that other little bird on top of the pile?  It also looks puffed up like it's trying to take a dust bath.  Not sure what that's about.






I am happy to report that there are buds growing on the poppies.  Soon there will be flowers.  Hooray!

After my trainer session and a quick jaunt around the grocery I sat and worked on the leaf for the inside of the chrysalis.  I had to change colors for the stem and veins but when I tried to pull the end out of the inside of the skein I got yarn barf.  With some skeins you reach down into the center, snag a loop and a nice tidy end comes out, easy as you please.  Other times you reach in and the skein barfs out its whole insides.  So frustrating.  I'm having trouble figuring out the instructions to knit the butterfly so I finally cast on and will follow the instructions, line by line, hoping that what I end up with is a butterfly.  Wish me luck.






6 June--Barbara Malcolm, Horizon.

              The reaction from Samara and the rest of the students when I walked into the classroom on Tuesday was worth all the agonizing I’d done before I left home.

“Oh my God, you look so much younger,” Samara said.  “And you changed your hair.”  She jumped up and made me turn around so she could “get the full effect.”

           I touched my hair self-consciously.  “You don’t think it’s too young?”

“Not at all.  I like the way they feathered it in the back.  It frames your face and looks terrific.  Makes my earrings look pretty good, too.”  She made sure the rest of the students admired me and took credit for my transformation.

            My hand fluttered in front of my blushing face and I turned to sit down.

Floyd Marley bobbed up and held my chair.  “You look especially lovely tonight, my dear.”

           I hope he doesn’t think I changed my looks for him, I thought.  I smiled my thanks and then busied myself getting my painting things organized in an effort to deflect all the unfamiliar attention.

At the café after class, Floyd hovered nearby and snatched the chair beside me, glaring at the other man in class as if they’d been arm wrestling for the privilege of sitting next to me.

“You’ve got a boyfriend,” Samara whispered, giggling.  “See what a little wardrobe change can do?”

“Oh, hush,” I whispered back.  “He’ll hear you.  Besides I’m not in the market for another man to take care of and clean up after.”

“Ok-a-ay, Gail.”

During the conversation that night, I was surprised to find I had things to contribute.  At first everyone was talking about The Alchemists, a new store in downtown Kingman that sold bath and body products and candles.  Two of them were raving about the scented oils they’d bought, and how luxurious it was to soak in the tub with a glass of wine and a book.

One of the women had started working on a political campaign and decided to try to convince us all to vote for her candidate.  Several of the other women began to fidget with their mug handles and Karen folded her arms and frowned at Diane.  I was proud of myself for steering the conversation back to painting saying, “Sorry, Diane, I’m not in the mood for politics tonight.  Is anyone thinking of going on that bus trip to the Art Institute next weekend that Vi mentioned?  I’d love to go.”  I could tell the rest of the students were happy I’d spoken up.  It made me proud of myself; I felt freer and more relaxed than ever before.  I found myself humming along with the radio on the drive home.  I couldn’t wait to get my paints out when I got home and “make art,” as June said.

          I stayed up late painting and didn’t awaken until nearly nine a.m.

It was a beautiful sunny day today.  I've got the house open and it's great to have real air in here.  For the past few years we kept the house closed up and the air conditioning on to try to keep pollen and dust out and keep mold and mildew from growing if it was humid.  It's nice to just have air.
--Barbara