The Garden of Cosmic Speculation

 Happy Earth Day!  This does not look like your typical garden.  I found these amazing images on Apartment Therapy.  The Garden of Cosmic Speculation is located in Scotland on 30 acres of land owned by one Charles Jencks.  The garden is apparently only opened 1 day per year- and that day is coming up on May 3!

Metal sculptures co-mingle with green landscaping to provoke thought about scientific concepts found in nature-- repeating patterns, the fibonacci series, fractals, and DNA.  It must be amazing to see this in person!

Garden of Earthly Delights

This is the second summer of my garden in Pittsburgh. Douglas helped me expand its borders and I take a walk outside to check in on what's happening there each morning. As I jokingly like to say, "I'm going to see the back 40."

I love this garden and I love seeing it change from day to day. I am trying to mix vegetables with flowers and herbs all in one plot- to bring friendly pollinators and birds. This year I planted peppers, swiss chard, 3 varieties of tomatoes, and a variety of herbs. I get so excited to see vegetables forming from tiny flowers. The activity of gardening gives me such joy and a feeling of open creativity. It's a delight!




I have a good sized wish list of things I would like to add to the garden such as a bird feeder and replacing the missing basin that goes with our bird bath pedestal.
Like a piece of artwork, it's a constant work in progress.

I've probably mentioned this before but one of my dreams is to make the yard into a giant garden.

I can only imagine in another month or so how many tasty red tomatoes there will be, giving off their delicious fresh picked, sun-ripened, garden tomato scent...... mmmm fresh tomatoes and basil with mozzarella..........

Fallingwater, moss gardens, Japanese Soaking Tubs

I went on a little family excursion to Fallingwater last week. It is an extraordinary place-- where the boundaries between indoors and out are blurred. Ever since our visit, I have been thinking about Japanese soaking tubs and moss gardens. Probably because we walked outside the back of the house and there was a garden at hip level made from the exterior of the wall. It was very damp and drippy- planted with moss and rocks. (These images are not from Fallingwater).

The original inhabitants of the house were the Kaufmann's-- owners of the department store. They were ahead of their time in terms of conservation and sustainability in the 40's.

In the bookstore, there was a wonderful collection of books about organic gardening and Japanese design, including a book about Japanese soaking tubs with beautiful photographs of these tiny pod shaped tubs that just cradle a person like an egg.

From the book: The Japanese Bath By Bruce Smith, Yoshiko Yamamoto
"In the West, a bath is a place one goes to cleanse the body. In Japan, one goes there to cleanse the soul. Bathing in Japan is about much more than cleanliness: it is about family and community. It is about being alone and contemplative, time to watch the moon rise above the garden. Along with sixty full-color illustrations of the light and airy baths themselves, The Japanese Bath, delves into the aesthetic of bathing Japanese style and the innate beauty of the steps surrounding the process. The authors explain how to create a Japanese bath in your own home. A Zen meditation, the Japanese bath, indeed, cleanses the soul, and one emerges refreshed, renewed, and serene."

A trip to the City of Brotherly Love

Douglas and I took a road trip to Philadelphia this past weekend to visit his family. We rolled into town Friday afternoon and went to the Museum of Art. They were celebrating Japan night with live music, cocktails and snacks. We wandered amongst the French Impressionists. We feasted our eyes on Van Gogh's Sunflowers, Degas's pastels paintings of ballerinas and various Picasso's.

(photo: This beautiful dress was decorated with moss and sedums.)

We found a quiet cute little sushi restaurant. Instead of sitting at a table or the bar- we opted to sit in one of the booths where you take your shoes off and sit on the floor on a tatami mat. We had a delicious assortment of sushi, tempura spider roll, and instead of California roll- we asked for a chef's choice-- he made an eel roll wrapped in avocado slices with a sweet sauce, sprinkled with salmon roe and little greens that melted in my mouth! We shared a bottle of cold sake, and for dessert, tempura green tea ice cream -- SO delicious! We had the cutest waitress on the planet!

(Photo: Whimsical horses made from steel and recycled materials grazed in one of the gardens)

Saturday was devoted to the Italian themed flower show. We saw all kinds of crazy garden displays. Unfortunately, they weren't the kind that you could walk into on little paths (to keep people moving) as though they are little escapes into mini Utopian gardens. My favorite garden was a Tuscan vegetable and herb garden that had a distinct do-it-yourself feel....it was tucked behind tall cone shaped cypress bushes, nestled in between flowering shrubs and low growing plants. (Photo: Another amazing dress constructed from various dried straw and stick materials)

The highlight was the fashion/Milan section where designers created shoes, handbags and dresses out of all sorts of floral materials. There were some very beautiful accouterments.

Then came the individual plant prize winners, amazing for the sheer variety of plants, colors, textures, shapes and sizes. I have no idea what the criteria are for judging and how they chose 1st, 2nd or 3rd place but it's just really neat to see all the different types of plants and flowers that grow and how they take on funny persona's according to their looks.

Photo below:
Me, Douglas, Bruce and Martina having another impeccable meal- this time Thai. Too many delicious dishes to list and describe here-- it was all so delicious!!

bright colors

The other day I took a break from my studio and went for a walk. I found this beautiful wildflower garden around the corner.
Elise brought me this beatiful bouquet of cut flowers from her garden!

standing still

I've been feeling a little under the weather since Wednesday and when not scouring the internet for interesting pictures and ideas, I took some pictures in the yard, worked on some knitting projects, watched the season finale of Lost (!) and am just generally laying around and drinking lots of tea.
I am working on this baby blanket for Dagny, who I haven't seen in a whole week! I hope to see her again soon.
I'm also almost finished with this crazy collar/scarf type thing. The model on the left is wearing it in different colors. I used this gorgeous hand-dyed orange yarn and probably spent way too much money on it- but whatevs, you only live once! The pom-poms came out gigantic and are kind of funny. They are a combo of the orange yarn and another yummy cream colored textured yarn. After making the first pom pom, I realized the cream yarn is really too nice to use as a pom pom and it's cool texture gets lost because all you see are the ends- but that's what I bought it for, and I will have some left over to knit into something cool looking! I just have to attach the poms and put the finishing touches on this.
Now onto the garden, I planted a lot of veggies in pots because I haven't finished digging up a space in the lawn for a garden in the yard. Plus, the things I did plant in the ground: broccoli, zucchini, peas-- are all becoming lunch for our neighborhood posse of groundhogs-- who literally hop the fence to get into our yard. I used to think they were cute but now they anger me!!!!!
Here are some highlights from the veggies in pots.
These are beets:

These are swiss chard:


and chives:
I also have lettuce, parsley and baby cantaloupe-- but you get the idea. My goal is to transform the backyard into a lush garden with veggies and flowers. It's kind of slow going at the moment-- but I have grand ideas!!!

Here is Phase I though!

This is the before pic--- crazy overgrown and dangerous cactus patch, a tangled mess of prickles, weeds and grasses. This is a little space just behind the deck--


and after: Those yucca or century plants (whichever they are) are going to go too-- they are just a bitch to pull out! I came home from work one day and fueled by a little bit of angst at the boyfriend, I pulled the whole mess out myself-- there is still a big pile of cacti in the yard waiting to go into the trash bin.
Anyhoo-- I am envisioning some lillies along the back and sedums amongst those rocks (more artfully arranged of course) for this space.

an afternoon at Phipps

An afternoon spent at Phipps Botanical Gardens sparked my green thumb to life. I love these flowering trees of spring. This one was so gorgeous.

Orchids are such cool flowers. They have such personality. Each one looks like a miniature and intricate work of art.

This is a living wreath. I would love to make one of these to hang on the front door. It uses another of my favorite kind of plants-- sedums or hens and chicks.

As for me, I have been getting into watching The Wire -- we just finished watching Season 1 and now are eagerly awaiting the next netflick shipment. This show is so smart and gritty. I love it!
Working at the theatre 3 days a week for the summer so that I can be in my studio while the weather is warm.
Making new work and revisiting some old things which might morph into new things.
Thinking about photography and sculpture and bright colors and 3 dimensionality.
Trying to read Jumpa Lahiri's new novel but I keep getting interrupted.
Voted in the PA primary today.
Thought about Earth Day and how screwed up the world is right now.
Trying not to eat bread or baked goods in observance of Passover (boy is this hard!!)
Making plans for this year's garden, I have a list about 10 items long.....
Happy Earth Day

hip homes and gardens

more cool kitchen shelves from desiretoinspire. Apparently, this is Drew Barrymore's house or her office? not sure which.

Also-- very cool link here. More on it when I'm not feeling totally exhausted!

Indian Summer

It's already the 8th of October.

What have I been up to?

Went to Washington DC for a weekend and saw my Great Aunt and Uncle and my good friend Honey!
Had lots of fun, ate lots of yummy food, saw some art, and had great company!

Been back to work at the theatre, avoiding the studio like it's the plague. Just haven't felt like going lately.
Read The Road in 2 days. More on this later. Excited about doing some fixing up and painting in the house. Got a beautiful new fridge!!!! and am loving it! since it has a light, and removable shelves, and humidity control! Yay! and is not a swimming pool like the old fridge!

Next project, paint the kitchen and put shelves up on two walls.

Bought blinds for D's office and hung them, and some pictures on the wall-- felt very capable and good!

Going to Florida this weekend.

the botanicals

fruits of the earth

Hello.
This summer I have my very own vegetable patch!! Here is some romaine lettuce and basil growing in pots. I have a variety of things growing-- I planted tomatoes in the ground. Cherry tomatoes, lettuce, herbs, and red and yellow peppers in pots.


We have this crazy patch of cacti in the backyard. I never knew cactus could grow in the Northeast but apparently it does. I went outside and this flower opened in the midst of the killer cactus spikes. I remember seeing pictures from the desert last year when the ground was covered with these cacti in flower-- it was quite stunning and there are more on the way. I'm not showing a wide angle of all the cacti because it is overgrown with weeds and a huge mess. But they are really cool if you can ignore the messy parts.
I went to the farmers market today and bought beautiful strawberries, green onions for 75 cents, and red leaf lettuce for $1.50.

Happy Tuesday!

Happy June!

People, I need help! How do I widen the margins of this part of my blog?? I have looked in the help section but couldn't figure it out. If anyone knows can you email me?? It's driving me crazy !!




I ushered in the month of June in the pastoral town of Foxburg, PA. Set on the Allegheny, this sleepy village consists of the Foxburg Inn, (est. 2006- where we stayed), the Allegheny Grille right next door, the Free Library- built in 1909, complete with charming small theatre, the Foxburg Winery and two antique shops. D had a gig with the lovely Daphne Alderson, who tells wonderful stories about Marlene Dietrich and Edith Piaf interspersed with singing their songs in her contraalto voice.


So, we arrived Friday afternoon- the air smelled sweet and clean, green trees lined our way. The inn sits right on the river, which was placid the whole weekend and reflected the woods as clearly as a mirror. Friday and Saturday night the band performed, and the rest of the time consisted of eating, taking in the scenery, and a nice 3 mile walk around a trail where we saw a frog and horseshoe prints in the mud. It was pleasant except for all the gnats that were flying around our faces.


Today, I am back at work at City Theatre. It's a quiet day and I thought I would catch up on the blog.


I finally secured a studio space! I haven't had an opportunity to move any supplies in yet but I am chomping at the bit to start work! CHOmping at the bit!


I am reading The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan - he sometimes writes about food for the NY Times and this book is terrible and fascinating...Terrible to learn about the Agricultural practices employed in the US, and what little choice we have when it comes to sustainable/organic food bought in the mainstream grocery and fascinating to see how mother nature battles big industry and loses and how we as a nation lose out because of it.

The part that has captured me most entirely is when Pollan discusses the writing of Sir Albert Howard (1873-1947).

Pollan says:
"The philosophy underlying Howard's conception of organic agriculture is a variety of pragmatism, of course, the school of thought that is willing to call "true" whatever works. Darwin taught us that a kind of pragmatism--he called it natural selection-- is at the very heart of nature, guiding evolution: What works is what survives.....In Howard's agronomy, science is mostly a tool for describing what works and explaining why it does. As it happens, in the years since Howard wrote, science has provided support for a great many of his unscientific claims: Plants grown in synthetically fertilized soils are less nourishing than ones grown in composted soils; such plants are more vulnerable to pests and disease.......the health of the soil, plant, animal, human, and even nation are, as Howard claimed, connected along lines we can now begin to draw with empirical confidence. "

I thought this was really interesting-- a holistic worldview which I can relate to --the health of the soil directly relates to the health of the population--look at all of our landfills, pollut lands and waters and the disposable culture in which we live..... this was leading me to another observation and it just fell out of my head....oh well.
Pollan calculates that if the 16 million acres currently used to grow corn for cows (which they are not biologically meant to eat) were instead transformed into well-managed grass pastures 14 billion pounds of carbon would be removed from the atmosphere each year. That is the equivalent removing 4 million cars from the road.
wow-- that is an astounding number.

Mondays Blues on a Beautiful Spring Day

I have been SO lazy today I can't believe it! Went to the gym, then came home and had a lay down. Ate breakfast and had a laydown. Took a shower and had a laydown. Planted one hanging basket and had a laydown. BLAH. It is so gorgeousa outside and, I am feeling slightly blase about life, art and what to do today. For the last couple of weeks, I have been working to make our backyard more garden friendly, doing a little spring cleaning although, from the room I'm sitting in, you could not tell. Dreaming about going on an exotic vacation to mark the occasion of entering my 30th year on the planet next month.

Things I have been thinking about recently:
Buying a compost bin
the articles I read in last sunday's new york times magazine special on "eco-architecture" which I found fascinating and now misplaced the magazine.
cleaning the bathtub
buying a new shower curtain
cleaning the kitchen floor
making some art
becoming a member of the Carnegie Museum
becoming a member of Pittsburgh Filmmakers
the polar ice caps melting
cooking like Martha Stewart
Bjork's new album
Icelandic art
friends I haven't talked to in a while
positive people
yoga
Lost
?

le jardin

The joys of the garden! I have been spending a lot of time planting veggies and flowers. Luckily, someone who lived here before planted a bed of irises, hydrangeas and hostas and tulips. I've added to and trimmed what's already here.
I planted vegetables in pots including red and yellow peppers, tomatoes, and an herb garden. I'm so excited to see how everything is growing.