FLASHBACK FRIDAY: CREATING A SENSE OF PLACE WITH FOOD

Today I present to you the first book I gave away in my Year of Reading Dangerously, back in my early days of blogging. I must warn you though. Prepare to be longing, not just for taste, but also for a sense of place. 

FLASHBACK

WELL, THIS IS A SWITCH!

I have planted many, many gardens at many, many houses, always starting with the smallest plants available to save money. However, I have rarely, if ever, been around to see them fill out and come into their own.  So, imagine my surprise when I realized that these gardens here didn't just fill out and reach maturity, but actually went well beyond that point. In fact, they've gone kinda crazy, and someone really oughta get out there and try to rein them in!

Our big oak trees have already been trimmed back multiple times -- to keep their limbs from scraping on our metal roof -- and ere long, they'll need it again.

We thought these two Will Flemming yaupons, which we framed the house with, were never going to make it to the top of the porch rail but, before you know it, they will have reached the top of the house!

American Beautyberry

This Crossvine, above, started out as a tiny little sprig at the base of a beautiful metal trellis in the shape of a dressmaker's model. Not only has it completely obliterated the trellis, it's taking over the porch railing as well. Plus, I didn't even plant some of these wild mystery vines, below. They just showed up on their own and started filling in all the empty spaces.

As for getting out there and trying to rein it all in, well, I'll think about it -- when the daily temps drop about 20 degrees, and the mosquitoes have all gone to meet their maker!

JUST WHAT I NEEDED, JUST WHEN I NEEDED IT

Well, we had a fairly fabulous weekend, filled with two movie dates, a Tiny Dinner Club meet up, and a birthday celebration with all the kiddos. And... I didn't think to take a single photo of anything. DOH! On the other hand, I did finally finish Frida II, and got plenty of pictures of her.

Although choosing collage over paint and pen takes ten times longer, and I have never really liked having sticky hands, there is something about it that calls to me. It's sort of like being on a treasure hunt, as you search for the perfect little scrap of paper with the perfect pattern and hue to fit in a particular little spot.

However, I must admit, finding those perfect pieces is getting harder and harder to do as my paper stash dwindles in size. I was just thinking it was way past time for me to take over the dining room for a week or two, to set up my paper-painting-mono-printing-assembly-line, when once again a little gift was dropped right into my lap!

I have long been a fan of a Scottish artist named Lucy Brydon, who utilizes hand-painted papers in her own work. A year or two ago I left a comment for her, saying something like "I don't suppose you ever considered teaching a class and sharing some of your techniques, huh?" Her reply? "Actually, I have been toying with the idea." Well, I forgot all about that conversation until just the other day, when this popped up in my feed -- an online workshop where Lucy and five other talented artists will be sharing their favorite techniques for making monoprints, as well as their favorite ways to utilize them!

Just what I needed, just when I needed it.

SYNCHRONICITY

Gotta love it!