It has been an interesting week. What started with a lovely, relaxing Mother’s Day and ended with a flooded basement. The good news is the governor’s quarantine is over and life in Arizona is slowly getting back to the new normal.

Garden Update

The garden is abundant with artichokes, eggplant, fennel, cherry tomatoes, shishito peppers and fresh herbs ready to harvest. However, I have a garden mystery and hope someone can help me solve it.

Kale usually does very well here, even during the warmer months. We enjoyed one green and two purple healthy and producing kale plants over the last several months. But last month, my gorgeous kale plants went from this….

To this, literally overnight.

What kind of creature would have done this amount of damage? None of the other plants have been touched, just the kale.

This week, my husband created a fortress around the green kale plant, in hopes it may produce again.

Another, very big and disappointing discovery this week occurred in the bulb garden. You may recall that last fall, I planted hundreds of bulbs and rhizomes. This spring we enjoyed the fruits of my efforts.

During my walkabout, I was shocked and stunned to see that someTHING has stolen/eaten? all my tulip and hyacinth bulbs! There are hundreds of little holes with nothing in them. The bulbs have vanished!

I’ve have never seen anything like this! The irises have not been attacked, I hope, but maybe this critter is eating everything from below ground? Help.

New Projects

Well, this one is not so new, but we are finally making some progress on the back staircase. I posted about this last August (click here), but the project obviously stalled. The sisal carpeting is past its prime and what a dirty and smelly job it is to remove the rug and the excessive amounts of dried glue underneath. Not to mention, possibly old lead paint too.

Using a heat gun to get rid of the glue is nasty business, but the most time consuming part is taking out hundreds of carpet staples. Since I never want to glue down a rug here again, I’m debating what to do. Perhaps just staining and finishing the treads and painting the risers? We still have the final 6 steps to go. Ugh.

So excited about receiving this gorgeous green tile from Home Depot. We will use it as a backsplash behind the outdoor barbecue. It is 9 3/4″ x 9 3/4″ porcelain Monteca Encaustic tile. Quite surprising, but Home Depot has many beautiful tile selections online. Click here for link. It also comes in blue.

It was easy to order online and then curbside pickup at the store. My favorite tile man, Rick, will be doing this project in June for us.

After a rather significant meeting at City Hall yesterday morning, I had hoped to spend Friday afternoon relaxing or painting or just having “me” time. Well, that didn’t last long. While washing the lunch dishes, we suddenly ran out of hot water. Taking my daughter to the basement to show her how to re-light the water heater, we discovered a flood in progress. One of the 75 gallon water heaters split. What a mess!

I am SOOOO happy I cleaned the basement last year (click here to read that post) or this would have been much worse. Fortunately the Christmas room items were off the floor and on shelves so we did avoid a bigger disaster. To see our Christmas room, click here.

We will be spending the weekend cleaning up and replacing the water heater. These are the moments when living in an apartment sounds attractive. Sigh.

Wishing you a stress-less weekend.

Here is another project that started out simply, and then took on a life of its own. With all this time at home, I am noticing there are so many areas that need sprucing up. This includes the front porch.

It all begins with the rocking chairs.

The four rocking chairs on the front porch did require new paint. This is a fairly easy DIY that can be done in a day. Lately I feel dangerous with a can of paint and a paintbrush! Don’t stand still too long or I will paint you!

What a difference one coat of paint makes!

With the chairs looking so new and pretty, the rest of the porch paled in comparison. Remember the blog post on Selecting a Front Door Color? If you missed this post, click here.

Now the Front Door

Thanks to all of your great suggestions, the new paint color samples were purchased.

Picking a paint color online is a different experience than going to the paint store. Since curbside pick-up is the only option available at this time, I was a bit surprised when I opened the cans. For example, the Feverish Pink is a deep berry color online and the Gladiola is a spicy, rich dark paprika color. Look how different the tones are in real life! Much brighter than I expected.

The two blue paints are much lighter, too. However, after applying the samples, I was leaning toward the blues vs. the reds.

The pillow from Pottery Barn becomes my inspiration, because it is a combination of the dark greens and the cool blue. Not thrilled with the samples from Sherwin Williams, I dug out a can of the blue paint used in our library. That didn’t float my boat, either.

Referring now to a color palette, Drizzle is a bit darker with more green/gray overtones. I am convinced this is THE color and I take the leap and paint the entire door.

I am disappointed that the chip and the paint do not match. But I leave it hoping that the paint will darken as it dries.

Cleaning the Hardware

Meanwhile, it is the perfect opportunity to clean up the door hardware. The brass door latch is assumed to be original to the house. With a bit of elbow grease and brass polish it went from dull to dazzling.

Selecting New Plants~both real and faux

Keeping plants alive during the summer months is always a challenge in Phoenix. Since they are not on an automatic drip system, they require hand watering. As a result, the foliage around the front door suffers.

Instead of live plants, why not some artificial ones? I was able to locate these 5 foot tall cedar trees online through Amazon. I placed them inside the existing stone planter and will not need to water them ever.

After a recent visit to Whitfill Nursery, the addition of vinca and rose-scented geraniums will round out the foliage at the front door, and hopefully survive the summer heat. The asparagus vine does exceedingly well here.

Accessorizing

I love these old stone tables~~they are very heavy and ideal for the outdoor climate.

The finished porch

So here is the nearly finished spruced up front porch. The door color is growing on me, and my daughters love it. I’ve decided throughout this process that I am a conservative color person. Not sure why I am hesitant about throwing caution to the color wind, but I do wish I was more bold.

The wreath is re-designed to complement the door. Being a Connecticut Yankee, I love to repurpose items vs. buying new. To read an old post about re-working this wreath, click here.

The door/wreath before…

and After……

I am experimenting with different pillows on the chairs to see which ones look best.

Thank you to my friend, Joann, who told me to “STOP DEBATING. BLUE all the way”. I sometimes noodle these decisions over and over in my head, which is maddening. Though the door color feels a bit out of my comfort zone, I am leaving it up. Even my friend Anne, who loves bold colors, said it is growing on her.

The week seems to be flying by. Are you in the middle of any projects? Hard to believe it is already Wednesday. Have a wonderful one!

I am giving myself permission to do nothing this weekend. The week has been filled with so many projects, I will need a vacation after this quarantine is over! I dream about staring at the ocean with an umbrella drink in my hand. But it is time to slow down a bit and enjoy this Mother’s Day weekend!

Who started Mother’s Day and why? Mother’s Day was first celebrated in 1908 when Anna Jarvis held a memorial service for her mother. Her campaign to make Mother’s Day a recognized holiday in the United States began in 1905, the year her mother, Ann Reeves Jarvis died.

Ann Jarvis had been a peace activist who cared for wounded soldiers on both sides of the American Civil War, and created Mother’s Day Work Clubs to address public health issues. Anna Jarvis wanted to honor her mother by continuing the work she started and to set aside a day to honor all mothers because she believed a mother is “the person who has done more for you than anyone in the world”. (from Wikipedia).

In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation designating Mother’s Day, held on the second Sunday in May as a national holiday to honor mothers. Owing to the efforts of Anna Jarvis, by 1911 all U.S. states observed the holiday.

My mother passed away in 2014. She was 89 years old and was suffering from dementia. Dad insisted Mom stay at home and we had a wonderful caregiver who took excellent care of my mother.

It is hard for me to describe my mother, as she wasn’t a warm and cuddly type of person. Mom had a sense of duty and a great deal of pride. She was rather strict with the girls in the family as she didn’t want us to become “fast steppers”. It was important for her to instill lady-like tendencies~~no chewing gum, no drinking beer from a bottle, no swearing or dressing provocatively. Education and grades were important to her~~anything less than an A wasn’t acceptable. She had high expectations of all 5 of us.

I remember her lectures and often hear her in my head. She didn’t wear her heart on her sleeve and she wasn’t an easy person to get to know. But she made sure we were well-behaved, dressed appropriately and had everything we needed for a happy childhood.

My mother loved art~~ to paint and draw. I have fond memories of doing that with her. She could turn a sow’s ear into a silk purse. With little money, she could transform a piece of furniture she found on the side of the road to a priceless heirloom.

While I was in high school, Mom and Dad purchased and restored a 1774 historical home in Norwich, Connecticut. During the restoration, Mom carefully removed layers and layers of wallpaper, eventually getting to the first original one. She sent the piece she retrieved to Schumacher and they replicated the design, naming it “Norwich”. The restoration of this old home was their pride and joy. It was a wonderful place to bring our friends.

As the empty nesting years were approaching, Mom went back to school and then started a new career. She was practical. After 25 years, she retired from the State of Connecticut and enjoyed her pension until her death.

When I had my children, I took the lessons learned from my mother, but I adjusted them to fit my life. I would like to think I gleaned the best from her and then improved upon them for my three.

I have had a big corporate career, own my own business and nothing has fulfilled my life as much as being a mother. The blessings and love that my children provide cannot be put into words. Every day I am grateful for their presence in my life.

Wishing you a happy Mother’s Day~~whether you are a mother or have mothered others. Our weather is beautiful, albeit a bit warm, but I understand snow storms are happening in the east. Wherever you are, have a safe and lovely weekend.

After a very stressful week meeting unpleasant deadlines, I jumped at the chance to join my husband in his annual “take the geraniums to the mountain” trip. The high temperatures in Phoenix are distressing the many potted geraniums we have. Each spring we pile them in the back of the pickup and drive them to moderate temperatures for the summer.

We arrived late last night to a cool and windy 65 degrees. This morning, the skies are clear and blue and sunny.

Since we haven’t been here since November today will be cobweb cleaning and opening up all the windows. One of the first things I check is the basket of geraniums hanging outside the front door. A few years back, a momma bird built a nest and has been returning each spring.

Here is a picture of the nest this morning. No eggs, but the photo with eggs was taken at the end of May 2019.

Though it will be a day of chores, there is something cathartic about letting in the fresh air and getting rid of the dust and winter staleness. We will unveil Gandalf, our carved pine tree. The tree died a few years ago and a talented wood carver created our one of a kind yard art piece.

The pear and apple trees have blooms on them~a good sign that we will have fruit again this year. I still find it so strange that we didn’t even know we had a pear tree until last year, as it did not bear fruit for the last 7 years.

As I wrap up the last of my coffee, I hope my stress less vibes reach all of you today! Have a glorious weekend and happy May! If you would like to see more pictures of our cabin, please click here.

First of all, thank you for all the wonderful front door color suggestions and comments! It is so enjoyable to hear your thoughts on yesterday’s blog post. I am so excited to start experimenting with different colors. More to come.

I find it so interesting that some areas of the country are still experiencing snow, where we are having our first taste of summer. This last week the temperatures have been over 100 degrees and I’m just not ready for the summer heat.

Summer, for most areas of the country, means bountiful gardens and outdoor entertaining. Here in Phoenix, it is the opposite. My garden, for the most part, goes fallow. The intense sun burns the plants (unless you have big, broad leaves for protection). And you cannot do anything outdoors in the Valley of the Sun unless it is early in the morning or late at night. The heat can be dangerous and the thought of laying out in the sun equals skin damage.

Typically the summer is also our monsoon season~sometimes with rain and other times not. Dust storms blow through and cover the land with a layer of dullness. So I am trying to cherish the last bits of our Spring, where the gardens and flowers are bountiful.

Since it’s been a bit of a stressful week for me, today’s blog post is all about beautiful pictures~~the Spring we dream of during the last, long sweltering days of summer.

These photos were taken with my iPhone, during my walkabout yesterday morning. No editing done. One of the positives about spending so much time at home, is I find myself really “looking” at things. In the past, I took these flowers for granted. But now I find wonder in focusing in on each and every one of them. Look at the depth of beauty in the purple pansy or the pale yellow orchid!

I cannot express how grateful I am to have a yard to enjoy. A place to walk barefoot in the grass. A respite from the world’s nastiness. Where I have so many fond memories of my children’s escapades.

With each week, another flower blooms as one dies. My beautiful bulb garden, which provides such joy and color, is now gone. But the roses are at their peak so I don’t mourn the loss of the tulips and iris.

In addition to the flowers, the trees in the orchard are heavy with fruit. Soon we will have peaches and apricots and apples. I still think it is VERY strange to be picking apples in June vs. the romantic notion of doing so on a crisp fall day.

During a tumultuous time, I need to seek a way to ground myself. I’ve decided, just by writing this post, that my two words for today are: Grace and gratitude. So grateful that we can connect via this blog and so grateful for you taking the time to write a comment. Your words of support and encouragement are priceless. Grace may take a little more effort for me!!! But like many things in life, it’s a work in progress.

Have a glorious Wednesday! What are your word(s) for today?

One of the activities I REALLY miss during quarantine, is taking my weekly art class. It is one of the few times where I carve out a few hours for myself to learn something new each week. However, during our hot summers, most people leave town and head for cooler country. So our classes are on pause for the summer.

My friend Janie recommended taking online classes with Kelli Folsom. Kelli Folsom is an academically trained artist working exclusively from life in oils. She creates museum quality paintings combining an old master feel with rich color and painterly brushstrokes.

So last summer, I signed up for her weekly classes which occur every Friday. For a monthly fee, the classes are dropped into my email inbox and I can access them whenever I’d like. The monthly charge is $29.99.

However, I haven’t been disciplined to paint every Friday and I’ve only watched a few of Kelli’s videos. So yesterday, it was time to dedicate the afternoon to a Kelli Folsom video.

Art Life with Kelli is the name of her website. Kelli is very engaging and if you love still life paintings, you will enjoy her website. Click here for more information.

This week’s lesson is about tulips. Kelli paints from a live setup and here is a photo of her subject. The lesson is approximately 30-35 minutes long.

Here is Kelli via my iPad. You can see the tulips behind her.

Even though I signed up for this weekly art class to learn more about oils, the lesson doesn’t go into detail about oil paints. You need to have a good working knowledge of oils beforehand. But like most things, I fell back onto what I am most comfortable with, so I used acrylic paints for this session.

Kelli divides her canvas into sections with strokes from her brush. Being a geometric thinker, I have success in dividing the image beforehand. I print out a color copy and then measure the image into thirds in each direction. Using a white pencil, I can now paint this image to scale.

After applying Gesso to my canvas, I am ready to start painting. The canvas is 12″ x 12″.

Unlike oils, acrylic paint dries very quickly. You cannot move the paint around like you can with oils. I did mark where the tulips would be on the canvas and the scale of the vase.

What I like about Kelli’s lessons is that she will focus on a topic. This lesson is specifically how to paint tulips~~the shapes, the colors, and the petal luminescence.

Painting glass is a bit challenging. You cannot paint clear but need to capture the essence of glass.

Here is the finished version of Kelli’s of tulips in a glass vase. You can see her use of rich color and broad brushstrokes.

And here is my painting, which is quite different from hers.

There is quite a bit of noodling to do, but I am pleased with the direction I am going. Now if I can only commit to doing this every Friday afternoon, I believe I would improve my ability. I may try to do this painting again, but with oils to see if it is any easier.

Do you belong to an online educational program? I really struggle with putting time aside for myself so if you have any tips on how to do that, I would greatly appreciate it!

We are experiencing high temperatures here. Had to finally turn on our air conditioner as they are predicting more heat for the coming week. Summer cannot be here already!!! Have a fabulous Saturday!

To see previous posts about my art journey, see below.

Update on My Artist Endeavors

Latest Painting Class

Update on My Painting Journey