LIFE AS WE KNOW IT

Two weeks ago our biggest problem was this dang squirrel, who demolished an entire outdoor carpet last year, and a mop this spring. I'm guessing she may be a mama squirrel, building a nest or something? Surely she can't be digesting all this stuff!

Just a little over a week ago our best friends were here visiting, daughter Lex was planning to bring her kids over for a few days while her hubby volunteered at SXSW, and my sister and her hubby were planning to come for a visit right after that, so they could finally meet Miss Rowan.

We actually knew very little about this Novel Coronavirus at that time, so when SXSW decided to cancel everything, we thought they were just erring on the side of caution, and still weren't all that worried. Instead of just Lex and the kids coming over, the whole family came over last weekend. They still took Calvin to the children's play I had bought tickets for, and we went out to eat a couple of times, happy that the restaurants weren't packed for once. But by Sunday my sister had called to cancel their visit, and the morning news was sinking in. Hubby and I decided to stay home with Calvin, instead of going out to breakfast with Lex and Nate. 

Magnetiles Are Awesome!

The kids went home after breakfast, and the next morning we got a message saying Calvin woke up with a scratchy throat and a fever. Needless to say, we just about went nuts. They rushed him to the doctor, who tested him for strep (negative) and said there were absolutely no signs of anything respiratory going on, so he was almost positive it wasn't Corona. Almost.

By the next day his fever was gone, but schools and businesses everywhere were shutting down, and I haven't been out of the house since, except to take a walk in places where there were no people. We are taking it very, VERY seriously now, and I hope you are too.

On the plus side, this calming mindfulness journal I've been working in is turning out to be just what I needed!

Stay well, my friends!

SPRING BEGINNINGS

It started with a sleep-over, when it was finally warm enough to go out on the balcony and blow bubbles with Papa.

Then the first of our spring visitors showed up for a super fun family weekend.

Then there was a meet-up of the Tiny Dinner Club, where we got to sit outside and partake of this amazing charcuterie platter that our hosts' teen-aged daughter prepared for us.

And THEN, I finally had enough free time to sit down at my art table and play!

 

A Spring Color Scheme

A Collage

A Few Butterfly Wing Sketches

My First Card Peek For The Month. (In case you didn't know, those reddish cork-shaped things appearing on the Prickly Pear Cacti right now are called Tunas)

Am I happy about this new virus scare? No, of course not! Do we introverts mind being forced to stay at home and read good books and play with our art supplies all day? Weeellll, not so much...

AND SO IT CONTINUES...

Long ago, when I had that very first brain fart -- about something I later came to call "seasonality" -- it was simply the realization that life was better when you made the most of its seasons. Back then we were still big-city-suburbanites, and  it was mostly about how I decorated my home and entertained, and that when I incorporated seasonal touches into these activities, I was much less likely to get bored with them, or with everything I owned, making me want to go out and buy a bunch of new stuff I really didn't need.

Then we migrated to the Texas Hill Country, and it turned into something else altogether. I started reading books like Animal Vegetable Miracle, The Good Life,  and A Reasonable Life, and I learned about the Slow Food and Farm to Table movements. Then "seasonality" became less about stuff, and more about how I gardened and what I ate, watching the seasons change outside my treehouse windows, and wondering what kind of world we were bequeathing our kids and grandkids.

Twenty five or so years down the line from that first light bulb moment, I am a much different person. I spend much less time entertaining and decorating, and my hubby has taken over the gardening. I still love to cook and eat what is in season and grown nearby, but mostly I spend my time playing with those grandkids, reading, journaling and occasionally, drawing or painting. Is it any surprise then, that Seasonality has followed me here as well?

I'm pretty sure that, back in December, I told you about grabbing this planner at Costco just because I needed one, then discovering that it was actually a mindfulness journal. But did I mention that a few days later, I was digging through my art shelves looking for something, and stumbled upon a book I had bought a couple of years ago, then forgot all about?

When synchronicity knocks, I listen, and it was clearly telling me I needed to use the techniques from that book to develop an artful journaling habit in the other one.

First step was to copy the yearly insert and paste it inside the cover, to remind me of my daily, weekly and monthly assignments.

My First Assignment

The Result

 I really did intend to follow their instructions, but then my hand, of its own accord, reached out and grabbed something that was laying nearby, and I knew that was the only image I needed to fill my altar -- the place I go every fall "to catch my breath".

Instead of New Years Resolutions, we were asked to make a vision board showing things we wanted more, or less, of in our lives in the year to come.

I had a lot of fun prepping my journal according to the No Excuses instructions -- adding things like envelopes for collecting collage fodder in, and sheets of water color paper on which to do our weekly "card peep" sketches. I spent so much time searching for the right colors of washi tape and envelopes to match, in seasonal colors (hmmmm...) that I ran out of time to finish all four of that month's card peeps.

So Wintery!

One of the many meditative coloring pages provided in my planner.

One of the No Excuses daily instructions was to track the weather, while my agenda had this handy little chart for tracking your mood each day. I ignored them both and turned that mood chart into a food chart, where I could track what was in season and available at the farmers' market.

My Beginning Assignment For February

The collage was supposed to be of lots of February-ish images torn from magazines, to use as inspiration. Again I disobeyed, and used my collection of colorful painted papers to pay homage to the first of the asparagus spears that were poking their heads up in my garden.

I actually managed to complete all four card peeks this month...and, of course,  they were all about seasonal things!

My Version Of A Love Letter To Myself

So, as I said, when synchronicity knocks, I listen! What was it telling me? Perhaps to slow down and pay attention? To spend more time on art and writing and sharing? To remember that life is better with Seasonality in it?

 I still don't know for sure. All I do know is, it's gonna be fun y'all!

THE BIRTHDAY WRAP-UP

On day six of our "seven days of squeedunk" celebration, Hubby opened a package with a new puffy vest in it, and a note that said "Brrrrr. Better bundle up, there's a blizzard headed your way!" A DQ Blizzard, that is.

Then, on his final day, I was a little bit cruel. I told him it was BBQ and Tattoos day. I could tell he was fretting a bit all through lunch, but he told me later that if that was what I really wanted, he would have gone through with it. The actual goal was just to get him a new turquoise ear stud for his one pierced ear, and I'd been told this tattoo parlor sold them individually, instead of in the usual pairs. Unfortunately, they don't have anything for "traditionally pierced ears", just for larger holes, like expanders and stuff. Luckily, I had done my research in advance, and was carrying a nice set of turquoise studs in my purse. I stuck with the BBQ and Tattoo theme, however, because I just like the way it sounded, and it was kind of fun to see him sweat!

And, then it was on to this gal's birthday celebration!

I asked her if she preferred a big family celebration, or a mother-daughter thing -- like a good chick flick, or maybe high tea. She chose the mother-daughter thing. But, when she told me that where she really wanted to go was to Loro, I had to say "Sorry babe, we can not go there without your father. He's been dying to try it!" Fortunately, she was delighted to have him along.

Loro is the love child resulting from the collaboration between two of Austin's premier chef's -- the guy behind Franklin's Barbecue, and the one behind Uchi's. We went at 3:00 since our son had warned us that it can be a madhouse at normal dining times. Lucky for us, their happy hour starts at 2:00, and you can make quite the feast from the happy hour menu alone, and for a lot less money!

Start by walking up to that bar counter and placing your order, then sit down at one of their big communal tables, a cozy booth, or head out to the patio. We feasted on the following, though I may not get all their names straight.

Kettle Corn With Brisket Burnt Ends

Chicken Karaage With Aioli Dipping Sauce -- To Die For!

Pork Sausage

Brisket Sandwich

I think they liked it!

So much more to try...