Fantasy Island

If I had my way I would be raising goats, bees, and chickens.

This is not to say my lot is not good, but with these 3 things, I could easily see Justin and I being rather self sustaining.

I like goat cheese and honey...what could make more sense?

Manifestation part 3

Studio

I had a studio when I was 22. I lived in the basement of the Broadlind hotel with 2 other artists. It was not a perfect place, but we worked to make it a livable, viable work-space as we continued pursuing our separate passions and studies at CSULB. I was quite prolific at the time and managed to create life as well as art. You all know the lovely tale of my son and how he has enriched my life but something very special happened when I had separated from his father and started to remember my magic.

When I started sculpting, about 14 years ago, I met an artist who I helped as a model. I met him at his studio. The studio was on a hill, overlooking the ocean. In a leotard, holding a veil of fabric, he took pictures of me standing in the bitter cold wind of that bleak winter afternoon.

We had taken the pictures on the edge of a bluff, with a sacred Indian circle behind us. Though the day was wretched and bone-numbing cold, the wind wending its way into his studio as he set up the armature, I vowed to have a studio in the same complex. I dreamed of it through out the session....and then promptly forgot about it under the pressures of raising an 8 yo on my own and keeping my creative spirit alive.

Flash forward:
I am not a “mommy” anymore and now have the dubious title of mom. I live with a man who loves not only my corporeal body and wicked ways but admires and supports the creative in me. It is a golden time.

I submit an application to be considered for a space in the Angels Gate Cultural Center, an artists community near our home. I am accepted. And as I move in, I open the double doors of my studio and see the red summer sun setting behind the sacred circle on the bluff.

I am here.
I am blessed.
I have come full circle.

The upper level of the Garden, early July

Here it is... The upper Terrace.
In full swing is the three tomatoes, onions and beets.



It is time to get the strawberries to get growing and the basil seems to have made the transplanting quite well.

I have some more tomatoes to plant in the lower terrace next week and I am contemplating more melon plants, though the thought is a bit scary. Melons can become monsters...real fast!

Raw Chioggia Beet Chips

I am demonstrating the beauty of my Chioggia Beets and the clever art of dehydration. Though I tried to produce a crunchy, thoroughly crisp chip, many drying hours later, I still had a fruit leather like substance. Not good. I wish I knew how to make them more “crispy” without cooking the diddly out of them.



A self congratulatory note here : the initial stage looked mighty fine, did’nt it? I promise to apply myself to this technology again. In the meantime, and for the record, my salt and vinegar sweet potato chips were a hit last weekend!

The Mysterious Acanthus Leaf’

In school, we always saw stylized versions on columns, scrolls and borders. You would see them represented in illustrations and architecture. I have always wondered what Acanthus leaves really looked like.

Well.....here ya go.




Now you know too

Once again ...the Garden!

I am now allowed to garden the lower terrace once used by Mario. He makes note that I am not setting out my Fava Bean plants out properly. Next year he says he’ll “supervise” me as I plant.

I am wondering if these sad little bushes produced enough beans for planting next fall.