I am the Audience

Artfields!!

April 29, 2025

a day in this life, art, ArtFields, plants, travel

Artfields started last Friday evening and is going on through this Saturday. They announce prizes Saturday afternoon.

We have a catsitter and are heading out tomorrow, coming home on Sunday. We have an AirBnb that is walking distance to everything in town. So, once we get there, we won’t need to use the car much.

We are going to a wine tasting at Moore Farms Botanical Gardens Thursday night and are really looking forward to seeing how the huge installation at the entrance has shaped up in the last year.

Saturday, I’m buzzing up to Florence to get a new carnivorous plant from someone I found on BlueSky. I’m planning to get a nepenthes for my kitchen window. And a sundew for the pass-through between the sink and the living room.

Other than that, all art all the time.

We’ve already started packing and Chuck just washed my car..
Blanket update

April 29, 2025

a day in this life

Since starting to learn crochet in 2020, I have completed 3 afghans and have started a 4th. I finished the original kit afghan.

I have made a temperature blanket for the child of a friend. He was born in Taos, NM and I used desert colors to record the mean temperatures of the first year of his life. There are 366 rows. I had to start over after the first third was done and size down the hook. It was going to be 9′ long and able to serve as a carpet. As it is, the whole family can use it together. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

I made a big ol’ wrap-up-completely blanket for my kid who is 6’3″.

And, now, I’m working on another kit. This one is stripes instead of blocks and I like it better. It is specifically for Chuck and he picked out the monotone color which goes nicely with our living room decor.

I think I’m going to use these patterns to make one like it but with color when I get this one finished.

I like having something to do with my hands when we watch TV in the evening. But, I am not consistent. Some days, I do nothing. Some days, I do 10 stitches and put it down. Some days, I get 5 rows done. If there was any question about whether I have ADD, this answers it.

I have, also, ~~learned~~ recognized that I can really only work on one project at the time.

I’m not good at this. But, I’m getting better.
Ants on the peonies

April 28, 2025

dirt under my nails, plants

I’m very excited for my peonies to bloom. I love the scent. And, as is my habit, I have several varieties because, once I decided I like them, I got very enthusiastic about the possibilities.

I noticed ants on them this week and remembered a friend wanting to be sure any she had weren’t planted near the house because they encourage ants. And someone else told me that peonies require ants’ activity to bloom.

Since it was on my mind, I looked it up.

What I learned is that peonies provide a sticky nectar on the outside of their buds which encourages ants to keep other, detrimental insects from bothering them. Ants are not needed for the buds to open and they are not pollinators. They are simply protectors.
About this hydrangea

April 27, 2025

grow your own, plants

It’s a variegated lace cap hydrangea. See how variegated those leaves are?

I have no idea how long it will take to mature. I took cuttings from a bush in South Carolina 4(?) years ago. I know it should be variegated. The leaves on the cuttings were not solid green. Which is why I took cuttings.

I have never grown any plant this way before. So, I am pleased it’s not dead. But, I’m ready for it to look like its mother.
Japanese maple in Lenten roses

April 26, 2025

plants

It’s not as full as some. But, I love the color and how the hellebores have wrapped around it.