beauty...and the beast

I wanted this post to highlight some things of beauty that surround me. So yes, my red clogs, my sprouts, the crab apple tree juxtaposed against a bright blue sky outside our front door, collaberative artwork ( with Henry), Aunt Sheila's velvet stencil painting, and a few other things.... the ugliness of today lies in the fact that our president vetoed a children's health insurance bill. Apparently, he just doesn't understand that there are income levels between extreme poverty and middle class. I know people who can't afford health insurance but don't qualify for medicaid. It's really disgusting how in the dark he is. He would rather spend billions of dollars in Iraq killing people and setting up the ever important "democracy" than making sure low income children in this country get health care. I need to add some more beautiful things to cleanse us all.

goodbye to summer

By planting flowers one invites butterflies...by planting pines one invites the wind...by planting bananas one invites the rain, and by planting willows one invites cicadas. Chao Ch'ing, quoted in Gardens of China by Osvald Siren



Ah, the garden in the early summer. I am easing into the planning cycle of gardening slowly. I have been planting successions of Tatsoi, Arugula, Mache and Snow Peas (although the latter were promptly eaten by those scrappy little chipmunks). These winter crops keep me somewhat happy during the long, cold and gray season in the Happy Valley. Soon, I will post an image of my beautiful broom corn and my feet amongst my sprouts.