Treating myself 3

Recently I was trying to find some notes in my garden journal from a talk I went to with no luck. I did, however, come across a couple of other interesting bits of information. Last September we had almost 8 inches of rain, more than double our normal rainfall for that month, according to my journal. It is almost laughable when you compare it to this year's measly .40 inches at my house. I was trying to dig out Hostas and daylilies last week that have been in place for a good 15 years at least. With soil this dry, I finally had to give up. I knew it would not be an easy task but I am hoping a little rain  — whenever it gets here — will make it easier. 

I decided to just turn my back on the garden and enjoy myself indoors for a while. So I experimented with a new recipe. I splurged on a blue Hydrangea on sale at the grocery store and put it on a pedestal under a painting by Madison artist Dennis Nechvatal. I treated myself to a garden book — "Grow Your Own Natural Garden: Taking Inspiration From Nature" — by Carol Klein (below), one of my favorite authors and presenters on the BBC's Gardener's World. An easy read, well-organized and full of both information and inspiration.

And I decided to play in the basement and make art. This last week Mark oiled and waxed 11 picture frames that he originally made last October; another fact I found in my garden journal. He made them for a series of collages I'd done. At the time we couldn't decide if we should cover these frames with gold leaf like previous collage frames that he made. We both think the Danish oil finish we ultimately opted for gives a lighter, more contemporary look to the frames. If we used gold leaf we'd have put off doing that process indefinitely again.

Once the frames were finished, we pulled out my collages from our flat files in the basement. Turns out I made 8 of them and we have 11 frames. We initially debated displaying four of my collages and four of his and letting people guess who did what, and saving a few frames for other artworks.

In the end I said I wanted all the collages to be my work and I would make some more to fill all the frames. Not long ago we set up the drawing table again in the basement and created a little work space for making art. Water problems in the southwest corner of the basement made us tear apart the only finished space which had been our "dry media" art room. Now it's a hold all spot while we try to figure out exactly what needs to be done to solve our water issues when we have the massive rain storms that seem to be the new normal.

I'm having fun playing but it's been ages since I sat down at a drawing board. It will take me a while to find my groove again and make anything I am happy with. While I wait for rain, I'm going to try to stay focused on art rather than the garden. With our warm temps, I don't need to worry about a freeze or really do much outdoors for the moment. I did, however, go out into the garden to gather material to make a bouquet to enjoy while I work inside.

 

Recently I was trying to find some notes in my garden journal from a talk I went to with no luck. I did, however, come across a couple of other interesting bits of information. Last September we had almost 8 inches of rain, more than double our normal rainfall for that month, according to my journal. It is almost laughable when you compare it to this year's measly .40 inches at my house. I was trying to dig out Hostas and daylilies last week that have been in place for a good 15 years at least. With soil this dry, I finally had to give up. I knew it would not be an easy task but I am hoping a little rain  — whenever it gets here — will make it easier. 

I decided to just turn my back on the garden and enjoy myself indoors for a while. So I experimented with a new recipe. I splurged on a blue Hydrangea on sale at the grocery store and put it on a pedestal under a painting by Madison artist Dennis Nechvatal. I treated myself to a garden book — "Grow Your Own Natural Garden: Taking Inspiration From Nature" — by Carol Klein (below), one of my favorite authors and presenters on the BBC's Gardener's World. An easy read, well-organized and full of both information and inspiration.

And I decided to play in the basement and make art. This last week Mark oiled and waxed 11 picture frames that he originally made last October; another fact I found in my garden journal. He made them for a series of collages I'd done. At the time we couldn't decide if we should cover these frames with gold leaf like previous collage frames that he made. We both think the Danish oil finish we ultimately opted for gives a lighter, more contemporary look to the frames. If we used gold leaf we'd have put off doing that process indefinitely again.

Once the frames were finished, we pulled out my collages from our flat files in the basement. Turns out I made 8 of them and we have 11 frames. We initially debated displaying four of my collages and four of his and letting people guess who did what, and saving a few frames for other artworks.

In the end I said I wanted all the collages to be my work and I would make some more to fill all the frames. Not long ago we set up the drawing table again in the basement and created a little work space for making art. Water problems in the southwest corner of the basement made us tear apart the only finished space which had been our "dry media" art room. Now it's a hold all spot while we try to figure out exactly what needs to be done to solve our water issues when we have the massive rain storms that seem to be the new normal.

I'm having fun playing but it's been ages since I sat down at a drawing board. It will take me a while to find my groove again and make anything I am happy with. While I wait for rain, I'm going to try to stay focused on art rather than the garden. With our warm temps, I don't need to worry about a freeze or really do much outdoors for the moment. I did, however, go out into the garden to gather material to make a bouquet to enjoy while I work inside.

Comments

[Lisa at Greenbow]

Sweet bouquet. I too have been thinking art instead of garden due to the weather. I really think that this would have occurred even if it wasn't so dry. The shorter days force a longer period of time indoors which means more time to occupy oneself inside. Happy arting.

[Linda Brazill]

This continuing dry weather makes me want to just ignore the garden. The only thing I keep doing is watering but this week I should be getting bulbs in the mail. It's really too warm to be planting them but I am going to do so anyway. Hard to be enthusiastic about the garden when all you can see are chores. Happy arting to you too!

[Peter/Outlaw]

Perfect hydrangea placement. I love the way the bouquet elements work together and bring the warm colors of autumn inside your work space. Can't wait to see what you create!

[Barbara H.]

Well, it sounds like you are on a roll! The hydrangeas are perfectly placed and you are creating art. That all sounds good to me. It's been dry here, too, as well as to hot in the afternoons to work outside. I'm going to run a small sprinkler very low to hydrate a small area at a time. That way I will have more control over areas where I need to do some work.

[Linda Brazill]

i've been using a sprinkler that is low to the ground and I can position pretty well. I do one spot for 20-30 minutes and then move it with a bit of overlap. I am mainly concentrating on new plantings but there are a lot of them all over the place. The rain we were supposed to be getting this week has disappeared again.

[Loree / danger garden]

I love seeing people's work spaces and spotted that nice little bouquet right away. Andrew's basement studio is all destroyed right now as we have a half bathroom put in the basement. It would drive me crazy but he's still over there working and producing.

[Linda Brazill]

Usually Mark is the one making art down there. He can't decide if he's pleased that I am working or if he's freaked out that someone else is using the space. If I actually start making art we will have to create a mutual work space and that will create its own problems, I'm sure..

[Beth @ PlantPostings]

Yeah, it's been rough with little to no rain for so long. And the high heat made it worse. I have some Allium bulbs to plant, but I'm holding off until the weekend. This rain tonight is nice, though. :)

[Linda Brazill]

Could not believe that it actually was raining!

[Rebecca R.]

Sometimes it's best to take a break from gardening. It lets you go back to it refreshed.