Bryce Eleanor stayed with us last weekend, and we worked on this puzzle Friday-Sunday. I know--all you puzzle fans, that 750 pieces may not be the challenge you are looking for, but for us, it was just the right challenge. Difficult and time-consuming, but doable.
On Sunday, we went to lunch, and then to the Norton Museum of Art for the The World of Frieda exhibit. This was interesting, mostly an homage to Frida by various artists.
Since we were a little early, we spent a few minutes in the botanical gardens, which are extensive and beautiful. It has been a few years since I've visited the gardens, and I want to get back and wander down all the paths, over the entire 40 acres.
More on the Norton's Botanical Gardens.
-------
Garden: In the spring and in the fall, when the weather is just right for yard work, I start rethinking 0ur garden. Summers are hotter now, and plants that did well with full sun, have been having a more difficult time in the last few years. Where to put them or how to shade them during the hottest part of the day?
The lemon grass I planted in the ground thrived, but took up too much space--back to pots for lemon grass. I've removed maybe half of the leaves on this plant. The saw-toothed, paper-thin leaves of lemon grass can be painful to handle, but with gloves on, I've cut, washed, laid the long leaves in the sun to dry, then made lemon grass bundles for the freezer. I may make a few lemon grass wreathes for tea. Aside from the lemony scent and flavor, lemon grass may have several health benefits.
Have you ever tried to get rid of Mondo grass (or monkey grass, as we call it locally)? Much like cockroaches, monkey grass will survive almost anything (... cockroaches were found perfectly fine and healthy just 1000 feet away from where the Hiroshima atom bomb was dropped.Feb 4, 2020 ). Digging up the rhizomes is a dirty, time-consuming project, but I've been working on it. Applying liberal amounts of Aspercreme after each session.
At my age, I start off strong and work an hour before taking a break, but as the day goes on the breaks come every half-hour, then every 15 minutes! Until finally, I'm just sitting looking and planning, sipping wine and reading.
Books/Reading: Quite a variety of genres. :)
A friend posted the following on FB, and I love it:
I sometimes forget that
I was created for joyMy mind is too busyMy heart is too heavyHeavy for me to rememberthat I have beencalled to dancethe sacred dance for lifeI was created to smileto loveto be lifted upand lift others upO sacred oneUntangle my feetfrom all that ensnaresFree my soulThat we mightDanceand that our dancingmight be contagious.Hafiz
----------
Smiles are contagious, laughter is contagious, and the urge to dance when others are dancing is contagious. I like that Hafiz sees us as the vector that can influence others to dance.
That looks like a lot of work clearing out the monkey grass! I need to get outside and start cleaning up the hostas and do some raking & fertilizing.
ReplyDeleteI love that Hafiz poem. I need to smile more!
I've fought that darn monkey grass since we moved here, but I'm gradually getting each bed cleared. When Patty posted the poem on FB, I wanted to be able to refer to it often--so glad you liked it!
DeleteHappy gardening!
ReplyDeleteIt has certainly been keeping me busy! :)
DeleteThe World of Frida is something I'd enjoy. Your garden clean up project looks like hard work. We used to have massive flower gardens in our other house but, it became too much and we moved to a condo which is restrictive but, I still am happy. That puzzle has some great colors which would be good for me - looks fun.
ReplyDeleteThere was a nice video and several great photographs of Frida and Diego. The majority of the works were by various artists who painted their versions of Frida or paintings using many of her stylistic elements. I think Bryce Eleanor enjoyed it, too. The puzzle was fun and B.E. was better at it than I was, but that kept us involved for many hours. :)
DeleteI think we all need to both smile more and dance more, but I'll pass on jigsaws - they just make me scowl!
ReplyDeleteI prefer the kind of jigsaw puzzle they make for toddlers. I never scowled about those. :)
DeleteThe monkey grass sounds like a pain! We have a lot of weeding to do but we keep putting it off! Ugh. I would love to see the Frida exhibit as she's one of my favorite artists. That's a wonderful poem by Hafiz. I will have to copy that into my poem journal. Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteMondo/monkey grass makes a great border--until it eats the entire bed. It has its uses and is attractive, but in a small bed it can get out of control. The Frida exhibit was interesting, but most of paintings were by other artists using her style. She certainly was influential. Yes, that Hafiz poem is a beautiful reminder of the joys of life, isn't it?
DeleteWe attended the opening of the Frida show and it was crowded with a diverse crowd, which I'm sure pleased the Norton folks but I prefer to view art in less crowded surroundings. We didn't walk around the grounds because they, too, were crowded. For a couple years now, I've been actively fighting monkey grass in our shade garden but I'm no where near eliminating it. I moved some across a path next to the house where nothing else will grow. It's no surprise that the monkey grass has lived in this location even though I haven't watered it through this dry spell. I planted some miniature variegated liriope in the border where the monkey grass was. I wish I were as systematic in my approach to gardening as you are. Your back garden is a treat to view. I love the Hafiz poem.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the Norton has been doing its best to gain audiences of all ages and stylistic preferences. It offers so much for the community. I don't know that I've conquered the monkey grass--after all, I've been fighting it for years, but if any pops back up in this bed, I'll be on it before it spreads again. When Patty posted that Hafiz poem, I was immediately affected--as were so many others. :)
Delete