Sunday, February 8, 2015

In a year's time.......


This time last year there was snow on the ground and there were two monks living with us. Wesley had just begun her journey documenting the Sacred Arts of the Tibetan monks. I had no job and I was discouraged with art. The winter olympics were on TV. We watched the games with the monks. It was a quiet winter of new discovery.


Today Wesley and I met with a friend who recently visited the monastery in India to get some information for preparing to travel there in the coming year and continue this documentary of the monks. Wes is writing grants and preparing for crowd funding and learning and learning. I am so proud of her strength and determination. She has changed so much in just a year.

I have changed too. No longer am I scanning for shows to do and worrying about entry forms/fees for  contests and exhibitions and publications. I could give a rats ass about selling my work anymore. I am having so much fun at my new job and I too am learning. I am learning new things about myself, old things I forgot about myself, new skills, new everything. So fun!

This past weekend we got in a shipment of fairy garden stuff. On Friday I moaned and complained about the trivial nature of this shite,  stating that we needed to elevate the taste level of our store, not bring it down to kitsch.  Then I went home and thought about how negative I had been, and resigned myself to the fact that we did indeed have this stuff to sell and I could bloody well make the best of it. And there are a LOT of people out there that like making these fairy gardens, and who am I to judge them. Everybody has something they like, we don't all have to agree on what it is.


So, I went out in the yard and scavenged for logs and mossy rocks and old pottery shards and even brought in one of my old sculptures and an old raku bowl. I used the bowl for a miniature garden scape.

I came in to work on Saturday and made the best dang fairy garden you can imagine! I worked all morning on it, and I have to say, I'm pretty proud of it. And it was fun to do. Unpacking merchandise and putting it all out in the store reminds me of the days when I had a real career working for the furniture markets and setting up the showrooms. It was one of the best jobs I ever had, I loved every minute of it.


One of the guys I work with told me that the store's business was up 50% this January over last year. I would like to believe I had a small part in that. We have an amazing group and everyone contributes, but I do know that every time I set up a new display, things sell from it fast. I love when that happens. I love seeing things sell, ha!


Wesley was home this weekend and we made Apple Jacks. I watched an episode of A Chef's Life the other night and she was making them with the cutest little old lady and my mouth watered. I did it just like Miss Bartlett. I used "some flour" and "some crisco" and added water as I needed it and I made a flaky pie dough like none I have ever made. I dried apples three days ago and used them for the filling with a little sugar and a little cinnamon. The rule for this was, I wasn't going to get out a measuring tool of any sort. Just did it like a grandma would do it.


 They turned out just fine. There they are on one of my grandma's old McCoy plates that I ate off of as a little girl. Sitting in front of her TV, watching Captain Kangaroo and eating a peanut butter and banana sandwich. So long ago.....

I was proud of myself for this effort. My mom used to tell me not to learn to make biscuits or pie crusts because I would end up making them all the time. Jeeeezzzz. Isn't that THE POINT!?



Here is some chicken spoiling. I brought home a bunch of bags of oats and barley that the store was throwing out and I am sprouting them for my chickens. They love it. I take them the whole block of sprouts and they eat every bite. A little bit of spring in a dish!


We have more spring going on in the house. I got Gerry this nano dome for Christmas and he is on round two of winter greens. Tatsoi, kale, spinach and basil are coming up. I have a few violet clones coming up as well. I have begonias, violets and my Christmas cactus blooming indoors and little pink flowers popping out everywhere.

Spring is oh so close, isn't it!?  It comes around sooner and sooner every year.....

12 comments:

oldgreymareprimitives said...

We've been in the 70's for days..talk about Spring!!!!

Tracey Broome said...

YES! and longer days, less darkness!

Vicki said...

You're in a very good space right now, Tracey, and that's so good to read about :)
All the very best for the year's plans. May they go smoothly.
xx

Dennis Allen said...

I realize it is only Feb. 9 but spring can come here any time now for all I care.60 yesterday 20 today it just teased me and broke my heart.

smartcat said...

Spring is something far and away here in the north. Several inches of snow expected today. But the days are noticaibly longer.
You are doing pretty things with your little gardens.
Enjoy!

Laura Farrow said...

that display is amazeballs!

Tracey Broome said...

Vicki, I am in a good place. There have been times when I haven't been, but this is a good time!
Dennis, we got cold coming back this week too. Winter is such a tease....
Suzi, I know, I feel for you guys up north with all that snow. Stay warm
Hey Laura, thanks pal!

Trish said...

February 9th, and yes, SPRING is coming..today it is -24C (including the wind) and we are wondering WHERE it is..but, like Alberta, it will be +1 on the weekend..and March is around the corner..warmer days ahead. You are definitely spreading your creativity to your new job ..YAY.. a good place to be. ..happy to 'feel' the joy in your words.. Cheers from Alberta, Tracey.. T.

Tracey Broome said...

Hi Trish, I so love Alberta in the summer, but boy you can have the winters there! I'm just way too southern for that kind of cold!

Lori Buff said...

It’s great to see how a change in attitude can bring about something you are really proud of having created. How would have thought that those pieces of pottery would ever be in a fairy garden?

Tracey Broome said...

Lori, exactly. Just making the best of a bad situation, haha!

Melissa Rohrer said...

Your design side seems to comes out in every situation.