Cleaning up the balcony

  

An empty pot, made in 2009...don't know what I'll plant in it.

I swear these orchid blooms are just dead flowers sitting on that stem...they opened last winter, and I put them outside with all the other plants when it got warm enough!

Our balconies are really really tiny...so it's just a good place to put a few plants...if I remember to water them, since most are under an overhang.

Letting in the cool morning air (until 9 am)

All the rest of the landscape crew is missing for the last 2 weeks. Here one of the two white guys has dumped and spread the rest of the mulch. I wonder if the Hispanic guys are hiding from ICE. These times are scary.

Barry Bernstein, pottery, 1949

Bounty and Soul brings a lot of fresh produce and day old bread, and even eggs, to distribute to the senior residents here once a week. I only want bread at this point. I've enough veggies that I should be cooking them up. Anyway, I love this sourdough, which had expired a few days before I received it, and it went into the freezer.  

The sources of day old groceries may remain, but the grants for Bounty and Soul, and Mana Food Bank are expiring June 30. That pays for the guys who deliver, and the gas in their trucks. Many volunteers keep things working, but I don't know if they'll still be in existence after the end of this month. Elders are known as being food insecure. Just look at what I had for dinner the other night...no don't!

At our local grocery, I got 4 chocolate croissants that were only $2.98 rather than double that usually. And then I had coffee with friends and paid about $5 for one croissant there! It's helping the economy I figure. I get the chocolate, and a decaf Americano to drink with it!

I received this lovely bracelet last Christmas but lost the details about it. I think someone may have identified the black stones as lava rock (as they have a bit of rough finish, as well as are very light.) Good energy anyway. Seri said it is restful and energizing and absorbs negative energy.

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Another piece of art which I haven't found a good place to post.

Today's quote:

We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen.

Paulo Coelho

Our political situation certainly is giving us many unexpected events. I'm not pleased, most of the time. I've always believed that people power is so much more reasonable than political powers. That's supposedly what the Congress does.

This and that for Monday!

 

My favorite painting, already sold!

Flowers at Art in Bloom 2025, Center for the Arts, Black Mountain NC

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No Kings Day - Durango Co  

My son protested in nearby Cortez CO. He said it was a good feeling to be with others sharing their minds...and only a few anti-protesters went by. Lots of cars honked in approval.

by Yuri Klapoukh Ukrainian Painter.

A sign which didn't keep him from getting elected!

(Note, posted on Wednesday before!) I'd love to go to this...maybe when parking is easy and it's  not too hot and not a huge crowd. OK, probably won't go.

Something I saved from Facebook!

Something else I saved from Facebook. Not going to do it, but it sure looks easy! 

I used to love this glaze...don't have any pieces (wait, one bowl) of it. It no longer does that fun splotching when white glaze is put on over glossy green...thin layers of course. That was because some chemicals were either not available any more, or cost too much, so the studio changed recipes of the glazes.

Today's quote:

Admitting grief does not diminish us, it strengthens us and makes us more compassionate.

Trebbe Johnson --------------- Yesterday I got a zoom pass (from the library system free) to the Asheville Art Museum. Lots of photos coming soon! I was so exhausted I fell asleep when I got home at 5ish. Ate a bowl of mashed potatoes. Ate a warmed up half a brownie with butter pecan ice cream on it. Being all grown up means I can do these things!

Small (what's the word I want for good things?)

Sorry, I wrote this before the US bombed three Iranian sites. I can't think of anything else this morning. But I'll try to reply to comments in kind.

 

Flowers at Art in Bloom 2025, Center for the Arts, Black Mountain NC

As you can see, the paintings are already in existence, and the floral artists then make an arrangement to reflect the mood, design, colors, etc with flowers.

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 I had a great tech support person with Apple, who walked me through how to load photos from the iCloud into my blog. It may become easier. For now I have to go through each step carefully!

Here are some old photos that somehow do exist in the PC, and can be loaded "in my Apple computer." 

Never have found a good place to post this...so here it is!

I've got a neurological appointment. They finally called today (last Wednesday) and gave me a February 23 appointment. Ha ha ha.  We talked about how their office is way  north of Asheville while I live east of Asheville. And we talked about the date. No list of cancelations to be called. So people apparently call them every day to see if there's a cancelation. Right. At least I got the 2:50 pm appointment rather than the 8:20 am one!

People with memory difficulties, with fingers that won't behave because of tremors. Every day. Oh, they said, go back to your provider and ask them to send you to another clinic. I made the mistake of telling them the first one wouldn't take Medicare any more...I hope these folks still do, and that I live so long!

Joy of joys...some photos (tiny files) dragged through on the PC via emails.

The postage stamp size of balcony!

Some succulents before the rainstorm that evening.

An aloe which never seems to get very big.

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I'm trying the new med for the shaky fingers, which has side effects of course. Must try taking it a week. So sayeth my doc.

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It was sea turtle day and my friend Teresa had some new turtle jewelry from her friend in Indiana who thinks her birthday is in June rather than January. And a new blouse too!

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Today's quote:

I was wise enough to

never grow up while

fooling most people

into believing I had.

Margaret Mead

Some critters for Saturday

Flowers at Art in Bloom 2025, Center for the Arts, Black Mountain NC

Elephant lovers on Facebook. In case you didn't know, all elephant herds are females and the young. Like many large animals the males are usually solitary until mating season.

Another favorite animal for me is the river otter. Sea otters are also great!

Artists get into the fun too, showing favorites at play.

by Janet Kruskamp "Midnight Mischief"

Last year this exploring bunny came into our lawn. 

Here's something you don't see every day!

Photo by Danny Gilliam at central Florida’s Lake Apopka

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Sharing with:

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Have fun with your animals...pets and those who greet you along the way. Long days mean hours of sunshine mostly...but think of how it might cut into the nocturnal hunters time!

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Today's quote:

Peace is letting go—returning to the silence that cannot enter the realm of words because it is too pure to be contained in words.

Malidoma Patrice Somé

Happy Summer Solstice

 The summer solstice in 2025 will occur on June 20 at 10:42 p.m. EDT, marking the longest day and shortest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

From the internet

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Photo from Daily Om

"Here comes the Sun" with the Beatles 2019 mix

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Today's quote:

No one who has ever touched liberation could possibly want anything other than liberation for everyone.

A tree goddess, belonging  to one of my dear friends now.