time in the sun

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After feverishly kitting class kits this week, losing sight of my studio floor in the process, it was a welcome relief to relax my tired back in the sun which finally showed itself with some commitment today. This spring has been cold and wet so far, good mostly for the lettuce garden and the shallow-rooted azaleas and rhodies, and incidentally for not minding staying in, hunched over my workspace, translating that idea so brilliant the first time around into endless repetitions. :( But today the photos for class instructions came out better without having to fiddle them through Photoshop. So I took the time to look around and enjoy the early bloomers. In the corner of my lettuce bed, the parsley is just getting started, but the lettuces have been picked steadily for yummy fresh salads every day. As you can see, I like mixing up the lettuces to make color patterns rather than planting them all together by type. Drives my husband nuts.



All the birds love to perch and sunbathe on the large pink blown-glass flower which has steadily filled with rain water this spring. The glass artist who made this gorgeous flower dripping with chandelier pendants sells from the glass shop on a sleepy corner of Hampton, VA.

Speaking of the birds, can you see the bird's nest built messily but so strongly among my flower beds? It's that brown heap pushed behind the violets for camouflage. It was first brought to my attention a couple weeks ago when I was watering and deadheading the early gardens. Suddenly there was a rush of beating wings and such squawking as mama bird flew straight out at me! She kept up the scolding and general disapproval even after I left the scene. But first, of course, I peeked inside and saw the 8 tiny pale blue eggs protected by all that gathered garden debris.

The battle between me and the deer and squirrels who love to prey on my gardens with impunity is already in full swing. Did you know (acc to an old issue of USA TODAY) that there are more deer in the good old US today than there were when the Pilgrims arrived? I have been trying to get back in mama bird's good graces by chasing the squirrels whenever I see them approaching that area of my garden.