smartcakes

from my old art journal

2008-02-25T19:06:47Z

I need to get back into art journaling. Here are some excerpts from one of my old art journals, from, oh, three or so years ago. It is really interesting to look back and see the themes and symbols that appear again and again.

I feel as though I've pretty much shut down all winter. I've had a hard time trying to figure out if I'm super depressed, or totally content with my life. Isn't it bizarre that they might be confused?

By being content, I think I've stopped hoping, stopped thinking about the way things might be in the future. Living 'in the moment' can mean not looking forward to anything, not having any goals. I need more balance, methinks.

I'm going over to Shae's tonight for dinner. We try to get together for a potluck type dinner every Monday night, along with another friend, Olivia. How wonderful is it that I'm now part of a community, that I have friends? I've been avoiding people for most of the winter, getting out of plans, or just not showing up. I sometimes become really afraid and overwhelmed at the thought of being around people, even though I know it'll be a good experience. I just shut down. After I have been around people, I need Alone Time when I get home, to recover and process. My oh my, don't I just sound like the life of the party?

I'm working on all this, and really, I've improved dramatically. I even make eye contact with people, if I remember to. I doubt I'm doing it "right" - it doesn't feel natural - but maybe it helps to convince people that I might not be a weirdo.

How telling is it that the one group activity I participate in is silent meditation?

Well, I'm off to dish up some homemade chicken noodle soup for my little guy who has the sniffles, then I'm going to make some pumpkin raisin muffins to take over to Shae's tonight.

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hooray for healthy kitties

2008-02-24T18:08:37Z

kitty spot

Zoe seems to be over her urinary issues, and I am SO relieved. I didn't get her to the vet, just really pushed fluids into her, and that seemed to set things right. I fed her watered down canned food and chicken broth - luckily, she never lost her appetite.

Miss Bea has two more days of antibiotics left, and so far, there is no sign of her breathing issues returning.

Violet (left) is the only cat who has not had any recent medical issues, but he's the next to go to the vet, as he needs to be neutered. I need to make him an appointment at the low cost spay/neuter clinic.

Dusty and I are off to the park today, to meet my friend Rebecca and her four month old son Julian. The weather has been especially mild over the past few days, and I think I'm very ready for spring. I'm dying to get into the garden and do some serious work. Unfortunately, I do live in Colorado, and snowstorms in May are not unheard of. Sigh. Ah well, in another few weeks I can start my peppers and such under lights.

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kitty woes

2008-02-21T00:28:08Z

So. Last week, my fifteen year old cat Miss Bea (formerly known as The Cat Who Likes To Pee On Things - she's now cleaned up her act, so to speak!) started breathing in a very strange manner. Loud and laboured. You could hear her breathing from across the room - I kid you not.

So, with much eye-rolling from the husband who refuses to admit he likes the cats, off we go to the vet.

Three hundred-some dollars later, Bea is breathing just fine. X-rays showed no pneumonia, or anything like that. Bloodwork showed no infection. The vet gave her a steroid injection, and a round of baytril. My fingers are crossed that whatever-it-is does not come back - the vet is rather stumped. She said that there is the possibility that it could be some sort of tumor somewhere, and the steroids helped to reduce the swelling or something.

So.

Zoe, the little calico, is now under the weather. I suspect there is something going on in her urinary tract - she's trying to pee in weird places (such as, uh, the box of my kid's playdough accessories - ew.), and has a bit of a discharge. I know she needs to see the vet - alas, I do not have Any More Money after spending it all at the vet LAST week. I'm trying to sell some artwork and hand sewn pillows, etc., but nobody else has any extra $$$ these days, either.
In the meantime, I'm feeding her canned food mixed with water, and chicken broth - trying to get as much fluids as possible through her poor little system. She's eating and drinking just fine, and seems much more comfortable over the past few hours, so maybe that's a good sign. My poor little girl - think good kitty pee thoughts for us, would'ya?

In other cat news, we've spotted a big ol' long haired black and white cat hanging around in our yard lately. I have a feeling it might be Zoe's babydaddy. Little Violet does bear a striking resemblance... I'll try to get a photo of him next time he's around.

Oh, is anyone else on Goodreads? If so, add me as a friend! http://www.goodreads.com/profile/smartcakes
I've been spending too much time there today - I am a giant book whore indeed.

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Violet

2008-01-27T00:59:51Z

Violet
Originally uploaded by smartcakes

Here's my little guy Mr. Violet when he was about eights weeks old. He's about six months old now, and almost as big as his mama Zoe.

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title? what title?

2007-06-24T01:12:01Z

Dusty with stuffed monster

dustyapron2

dustyapron1

I think my boy is loving summer. He's like his mom - he almost never has shoes on outside. Come to think of it, he only has clothing on about half the time he is outside. His mom, however, to the relief of our neighbours, spends the vast majority of her outside time fully clothed.

C'mon, though - how great would it be to do nekkid yoga out in the herb garden?

The monster Dusty is holding is another one I made for yet another swap. The apron he's wearing is also one I made for a swap - I wanted to get it in the mail (to Australia), but I wanted to photograph it first... I didn't have any grown up ladies around to model it for me. Fortunately, almost four year old boys work just as well!

I've been working on re-organizing my life a little - mainly the way I take care of myself. I tend to neglect myself a little, then realize what I'm doing, and have to get back on track. The other night I was about to eat something I don't even really like eating, I wasn't hungry, and really didn't feel like eating it. It hit me that I've been really really dumb with my eating for a few weeks. One of the books on ayurveda that I've had for a few years practically jumped off the bookshelf right then at me, and I re-read it over the next few hours. I got up the next morning and went to a lovely restorative yoga class - it was very gentle and healing and lovely. As an added bonus, I was the only student, so woo! Private yoga lesson!

So, I'm doing my best to really listen to my body and eat only what it needs. I'm avoiding "dead" foods - canned or otherwise processed stuff, and meat. Dusty and I have been making our own paneer and yogurt - even our own ricotta cheese! My body has really been craving fennel lately, so I'm obliging it. It feels good to do that. I'm also craving parsley, cress, and cucumber. Oh, and rose water! I'd love to make my own, but I don't grow roses.

Every evening, I'm doing self-massage. I work on the softsoftsoft blanket I'm crocheting while I let the oil soak in. Then, I hop in the shower and wash everything off. I do my best to be in bed before ten - having trouble with that one. I really want to clean up my sleep - I've always had sleep issues - can't get to sleep, can't stay asleep, and often wake up way early and can't get back to sleep.

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more garden stuff

2007-06-08T16:04:59Z

Holy moly! I'm back. Not that I went anywhere interesting - life just had me hoppin' for a little while.

strawberries

Things are looking up in the garden. It's June, and the June-bearing strawberry plants are producing! I have a feeling that not many strawberries will even make it into the house - not if the (almost) four year old has anything to do with it. Face it - strawberries are for kids, and I knew that when I planted them!

My garden program is now up and running. People can purchase a handmade market bag from me - made from recycled fabric. They can then come and fill the bag with organic goodies once a week for ten dollars - what a steal! You wouldn't be able to get that much at a farmers market or grocery store for that price. I hope to make a little bit of money, but even more so, I want people to have a place to come for a wide variety of fresh local organically grown food.

lettuce

As of late, our biggest meal of the day is salad and raw veggies. We have so many different kinds of lettuce and other greens to choose from - mustards, baby swiss chard, cress, arugula, mache, baby pak choi. I love to add sprouts (sunflowers are my latest favorite!), raw sunflower seeds, pine nuts, almonds, and roasted soy nuts. Raisins and different fruits also usually find their way into the salad, and maybe a little parmesan cheese... hungry yet?

I love growing lots of less conventional herbs. I have sage, oregano, basil, and the like, but I'm also growing stevia, lemongrass, fenugreek (methi - great for Indian cooking!), lovage, and more.

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gardening stuff

2007-05-18T00:20:52Z

Zoe in a sea of catnip

Zoe in the catnip patch

Tell me - is this not the luckiest cat in all the land?

My yard is THE neighbourhood kitty hot spot. The plants Miss Zoe is laying on are hundreds of volunteer catnip plants.

Three year old Dusty boy took the photo on the right - I think it turned out great!

I've been busy in the gardens. Today I planted a bunch of marigolds and calendula, several types of squash - bush delicata (my personal favorite), yellow crookneck, yellow straightneck. I still need to get my hands on pattypans - I grew three different varieties last year - starship (zucchini colored), peter pan (lime green), and sunburst (yellow). All three were super prolific and very tasty, as long as you pick them when they're small. They will get huge quickly and lose their flavor. The tortoises got a few last year that were pretty much as big as they are.

I also put in a few different cucumbers - lemon and national pickling. I tried the Hmong red variety two years in a row, but I'm not going to bother this year, as the yields were too small.

Dusty and I also planted the potentilla and petunias that he picked out All By Self at the nursery.

We've been eating lots of great salads lately, thanks to the mesclun mix I planted, as well as a variety of Asian greens , such as mizuna, mibuna, and tatsoi. We're also eating lots of butter head lettuce and arugula. The baby pak choi are coming along nicely now, as is the fenugreek, carrots, cress, and basil. I still need to get my edamame planted. I have seeds saved from last year, as well as a new variety I'm trying this year.

My corn will be going in this week. I'm going to go with 'how sweet it is' again this year, and probably one other, that I haven't decided on yet. Also going in later in the week will be amaranth, quinoa, and chioggia beets.

The Husband accidentally mowed down the patch of volunteer daikon radish - d'oh. I have lots more seeds, so I'll have to throw those in the ground too - maybe in a safer spot.

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If you don't listen to the gastrocast podcast, you should start now! Not only does he talk about cooking, but also sustainable agriculture, organic gardening, and his own little homestead in the San Juan islands. His shows really motivate me. I'm making a real effort to not only eat locally grown foods, but to grow the foods myself. I think I've almost entirely made up my mind not to eat meat until we can raise our own.

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I was invited to a gathering last night, and it was a potluck - everyone had to bring a vegan/raw dish. I enjoy eating a lot of raw foods in the spring and summer. I made a raw orange pudding topped with edible flowers, and people really enjoyed it. It contains only four ingredients - raisins, pine nuts, almonds, and oranges. you soak the first three ingredients overnight, then throw everything in the blender. Easy peasy. Plus, my kid'll eat anything if you call it 'pudding'.

Someone brought a dish that contained rhubarb and blueberries, and I'm not sure what else, but dang, was it tasty. I haven't had rhubarb in the past few years, and I've been craving it lately - in fact, I believe the craving started when I was listening to the above mentioned podcast, and he was making a rhubarb, banana, and honey compote. That dish is high on my list of things I want to make - I'm going down the the farmers market in Boulder this Saturday, and am hoping that someone will be selling rhubarb. I end up kicking myself every year for not growing my own.

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freeform knitting!

2007-05-10T16:32:20Z

Lop

Who doesn't love a fat little lop eared bunny hiding out in a pea patch? This painting is for sale in my etsy shop.

Okay, I just discovered that there is actually an artform called freeform knitting. This is what I like to do, especially combining knitting and crochet - it just never occurred to me that other people do it too, or that it can be used to make something quite so amazing... I like to incorporate my little "knotty bits" into my art quilts. I just love yarn, and combining all the different colors and textures - just don't ask me to follow a pattern. I can do it for small things, but I tend to be a little pattern-challenged, plus, I get bored easily. That's why I like amigurumi - I can make it rather quickly.

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a little narcissism and a monster

2007-05-07T02:41:41Z

May 4 2007

may5

I read about this little project in Brooke's blog, and decided that I want to give it a try.

Yes, I'm going to take a photo of myself every day for a whole year. Only 363 days to go!

Maybe this will help me get over my self-consciousness and inhibition.

monster

I love the way this monster turned out. I've been reading Rob again lately, and was reading, in particular, about his daughter Schuyler's love of monsters. Well, I had to make her one, of course. This is how she turned out.

Girly monsters just don't seem to have enough representation.

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psst - wanna buy an owl?

2007-05-04T00:36:11Z

owl painting

This owl painting is now for sale in my etsy shop.

Such a nice day today - Dusty and I spent all day out in the backyard. He had fun playing with the hose while I swapped some dill and echinacea for some raspberry bushes from our neighbour Evan. My raspberry patch is growing! Yummy.

Then I laid in the hammock doing some hand sewing while listening to CBC radio via my husband's laptop, while the local chickadees did their thing in the tree above me. Nice!

I even smell really great right now - I got to hang out with my friend Shae, and we were playing with some new essential oil blends a friend of hers had made. She had an amber/jasmine blend that is simply amazing. It is hard to type when one can't stop smelling one's hand...

Shae hosted another full moon gathering at her house last night. There were twelve of us there, all women. The combination of the moon itself, the bonfire, the singing, some guided meditation, red wine, and incredibly amazing, creative, loving, beautiful women made for such an absolutely profound experience. I feel so blessed to be a part of it - it is truly magical.

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