April 22, 2024 by thornbush2013

Projecting into Spring

This past month can be summed up by gardening and stick projects. I feel like I am trying to make up for lost time. Did I garden at all last year? Doesn’t seem or look like it. Granted the weather was so bad in January we lost a lot of plants that left holes in the landscape. The hebe is gone, the cotoneaster, the lavatera to name just a few. We are just not used to 6 degrees around here. I have been selecting new plants that should survive in hardiness zone 8. Also, it got down to 30 degrees here this week. Frost after mid-April. Sheesh!

I finished the scarf with the painted warp. Hope to put it in the County Fair this year and then give it to Audrey for a very late birthday gift. Now I am on to crocheting squares for the Textile Guild’s entry into the Fourth of July parade–we plan to “yarn bomb” a car. Should take about 150 squares. (I’m not doing them all)

It is a good year for wild flowers so I’ve upped my walking to more than just Zylstra Lake. Must get to American Camp for camas and fritillaria biflora (chocolate lily) soon.

Roger helped me build a new alder chair which must be done in the Spring when the sap is running. I used plum and osier suckers for the seat. I’m also working on a new random weave sphere, also out of osier. This is a time limited occupation as the sticks must be used while they are pliable.

As you can tell from my post, my energy seems to be improving. Although I’m still take a nap several times a week. Life is precious, birthdays are becoming more important, friends are to be cherished while they are still around. Oh my gosh, I’ve been to four birthday parties this month.

As always, you can click on the photo to get a better look.

March 16, 2024 by thornbush2013

Oso Springlike

February and March we walk around looking for signs of Spring. This year has been cold and windy, my dog-walking friends and I take regular breaks for hot chocolate or tea. Today was an outlier–it got up to 68 degrees. Sitting outside without a coat, scarf, and gloves on–what a blessing!

Mostly February for me was going to the Physical Therapist and doing exercises to get my shoulder and arm working again after the surgery in January. They say it takes 30% of your time in retirement to take care of yourself healthwise. Make that about 70% for me these past few months when you add in the regular dentist, eye, and ear appointments and the added trips to the doctor.

I did venture out a couple times for the seed exchange for example. Also, Roger and I went to Orcas for the annual Agricultural Summit. Roger was on a panel about biochar and I took in a workshop regarding growing fiber (that is sheep, alpaca, and goat fiber). I don’t spin, but it was fascinating learning about the various wools and what they are good for.

It was VERY COLD and WINDY on Orcas last weekend which made today’s weather feel so much better. Also last weekend I mended at another Repair Fair at the Grange Hall. So yes, I’ve kept busy. A little too busy if you ask me.

We did get to see the grands a couple times in the last month. They came up one weekend and this week we celebrated Corbin’s birthday in Mt Vernon.

Anyway, I’m anticipating about a month more of PT, it’s coming along quite nicely. I’m almost done weaving the scarf with the painted warp. And possibly a quieter and more Springlike April.

February 4, 2024 by thornbush2013

El Nino January

Our mild winter continues warmer and dryer than normal. However, we did have a big freeze mid-January where it got down to 6 degrees here–something I’ve never seen before. Won’t know which plants will have survived and which ones wont have until this coming Spring. After the freeze when it was warming up, of course it snowed and that heavy snow brought down a ton of branches and several trees and bushes.

Just before the snow, Roger and a couple friends “processed” six roosters. Glad they got it done before the snow.

While there was six inches of snow on the ground, we drove off island to Seattle for my planned mastectomy. (if you didn’t know about this, you didn’t read my last post thoroughly) This went as well as can be expected, I stayed a few days in my friend’s guest cottage. Roger and Maggie with me. Now I’m home and “recovering”. People have been very nice, we even have a meal train going with my book club friends, which eases Roger’s burden considerably. It looks as if they “got it all” and I won’t need chemo which is a blessing.

It is frustrating to have this mild, dry weather and not be able to go out and harvest all the basketwillow that is waiting for me. But stooping down and reaching are the hardest things right now. Maybe after some PT.

Meanwhile, I am working on weaving a scarf with the painted warp I made in September. I’m doing it on my smaller table loom so the arm can stay down.

We have been streaming a lot of movies. Last two were Oppenheimer and Dr. Strangelove. I guess nuclear disaster is on our brains–or maybe just world wide destruction.

So that’s about it–I’ll be resting, walking, and taking care of myself for the next month or so. Maybe I’ll have a scarf to show you next time.

December 20, 2023 by thornbush2013

Happy Solstice 2023

Our wish for the coming year–end of conflict in Ukraine, Israel/Gaza, and elsewhere in the world. End of despotism and all despots and would be despots in jail.

Good health in 2024 to all my family and friends.

And now for a look back on 2023. What a difference a year makes. No snow this year, El Nino in effect, 48 degrees. In fact, all Fall was warm and dry. A few “atmospheric rivers” dumped on us, but overall, maybe a third less rain than we usually get.

I turned 70 in May. In the foothills of old age. Healthwise, not so good. I have a recurrence of DCIS, that is, ductal carcinoma in Situ. this is the same 0-stage cancer I had a lumpectomy to remove in 2018. Thought this part of my life was behind me, but now I am scheduled for breast surgery in January. No radiation this time around. Roger and Maggie both doing fine. Covid has been floating around the island big time since this summer, but knock on wood, we haven’t caught it.

My trips off island have been fewer and of shorter distance than last year. Made it to Bend, Oregon in June for a weaving conference with a stop over in Portland. And to Mt Rainier in July with a family gathering. Roger and I went all the way to Port Townsend for our 35th wedding anniversary in April. So mostly stayed in the State and have no big plans to travel next year, either. Besides, I miss Maggie too much when I travel.

We did have lots of guests here at Thornbush and that was lots of fun. Good visits with Bjorn’s family, too, both here and in Mt Vernon.

As for activities, the Repair Fairs that I participated in stand out. I’ve been doing more mending and darning as a result. Just trying to keep a little fabric out of the waste stream.

And of course, Maggie Mae looms large in my life. Because of her, I walk with friends several times a week. She’s a treasure.

In memoriam– good friends have gone this year. And I expect, the list will keep on growing now that we are all of a certain age. And yet, I’m thinking now that it’s more a question of accommodating our aches and pains. Afterall, many of us will live twenty or dare I say, thirty more years.

Let’s choose to take care of ourselves and each other as we get through 2024 with all of its challenges. More walks in the woods, more local food, more live music, more dogs to pet.

November 18, 2023 by thornbush2013

No Words

August

September

October

November

August 10, 2023 by thornbush2013

Extreme Summer

July 7, 2023 by thornbush2013

June into July in Ferry Land

White blossom time did not stop in May. June and into July has been a very good year for Ocean Spray. Also: blackberry blossoms, Shasta daisies, and mock orange. And my landscape roses and even the Cotoneasters.

Today we harvested half our cherries and continued picking raspberries (this will continue for several weeks.) Then the Japanese plums will want picking. Yes, the tyranny of the harvest has begun.

We’ve been blessed with extremely pleasant weather, especially compared to much of the nation. Two good soaking rains in June have kept us greener than we otherwise would have been.

I left on a road trip mid-June to Bend, Oregon for a weaving convention put on by ANWG (Assoc. of NW Weavers Guilds.) Last time they had one was pre-COVID in Prince George, British Columbia. This was a trip with my good friend and neighbor Lunnette. We stayed in Portland for a couple days to visit friends and relatives.

I took a couple design seminars and learned a little about Sashiko mending. There was a banquet, a keynote speaker, a fashion show. It was all good. On the way home we stopped at the Maryhill Museum on the Columbia River. An eclectic museum with collections of as varied as Rodin sculptures, Orthodox icons, rosaries, chess sets, and a fabulous collection of Native American baskets and French fashion. https://www.maryhillmuseum.org/ Kind of have to see it to believe it.

Other June events:

Artist Studio Tour–I always want to combine seeing the art of people I know with visiting gardens that are rarely open to the public. this year did not disappoint.

When I got back from Bend we began to have guests. The twins came on their own. (they’re so grown up)

then some friends came up from Seattle and we went to Roche one morning.

And then it was time for the Fourth of July parade. Roger joined me in walking with the League of Women Voters.

Oh and a bunch of other stuff happened since my last post, but I’m going to close now as I need to get down to the ferry to pick up our next guests.

May 20, 2023 by thornbush2013

White Blossom Season

Vita Sackville-West’s Sissinghurst has nothing on Thornbush for a white garden, at least in May.

Check out the crabapple blossoms, with sweet woodruff and snow in summer below. The cherry blossoms are almost gone but the service berry is coming on strong. You may even see the lawn daisies popping up everywhere. Since this picture was taken, the highly invasive English Hawthorn has inserted itself as well.

Certainly there are lots of other colors this month and I saw plenty of wildflowers in various hues. But they start off with fawn lilies and trillium. Oh, and then there’s Star Magnolias. Who doesn’t love the white blossoms of May?

Other goings on: After the carpet was installed in March, we had the rooms painted in April. but that wasn’t the last of the redecorating. the office got a redo with the installation of filing cabinets in the crawl space. And we each got new desks! Still dealing with all the stuff that doesn’t have a proper place yet.

I’ve also started contributing again (see summer 2020) to the Sculpture Garden at Roche in what we are calling the “Whimsy Woods”. My emphasis will be on use of willow and other natural materials.

Oh, and, yeah, I turned 70 this month. Sigh. One friend gave me a card with this great quote from Leonard Cohen, “You know, 70 is indisputably not youth. I don’t say its extreme old age but it is the foothills of old age.” Guess we could have had a party but I didn’t have the enthusiasm or energy to set one up. Luckily, I have friends willing to celebrate with me individually. And Roger took me to a very nice restaurant at Roche Harbor.

Got fanciful with olive green trim in the “new” office

Willow balls decorate this tree in the whimsy woods

MM frolicking in the shooting stars on Cady Mountain.

Yes, White Blossom May is a fabulous time of year. But I’m looking forward to a very rosey June.

April 28, 2023 by thornbush2013

April Celebrations

We start with my brother-in-law Bill Yake’s Celebration of Life in Olympia at the end of March. This is the most family we have had together since my Dad’s funeral in December 2019. Roger and my brother Joe joined the other musicians for another “Outlaws and In-laws” jam session. Jeannette designed a rich program (among his copious talents, Bill was a poet so many poems were recited) and we came back to her house for a combined Barreca and Yake potluck dinner.

Roger and I stayed with his brother and sister-in-law at their home near Lake Tapps and we were able to leave Maggie Mae with them and their labradoodle Leo. We hadn’t been out to their place for many years and they’ve made a ton of improvements, including a garage/workshop/rec room. We and the dogs got along fine.

As soon as we got back the new carpets were installed throughout the upstairs and the tv room. We stayed out in the cottage through all the chaos and during the “off-gassing” period. My we have a cozy cottage!

On April 1st the twins turned seventeen. We celebrated by taking them to lunch and touring the campus where they are doing a “running start” program. They grow up so fast!

Lots of birthdays in April! Jeannette came up Easter Weekend for her birthday. The weather was not great. Too windy for good bird watching and the cold Spring has delayed the wildflowers. But at least it didn’t rain on us. She reported two inches fell in Olympia the four days she was away.

More birthdays and tax day pass by and then it’s our Anniversary Weekend! We traveled all the way to Port Townsend and stayed at Old Consulate Inn | Port Townsend’s Premiere B&B – NY Times Favorite Hotel. Can’t get much more Victorian than that in PT. It was fun reminiscing about all our other trips to that city over the 35 years of our marriage. The highlight of our adventure was driving to Bainbridge Island and touring Bloedel Reserve. I had never been. Bloedel Reserve – Wikipedia. A good friend from Seattle dog-sat with her labrador Fargo.

In the evening we met our next door neighbors on their boat at Port Hudson Marina and went to dinner in “The Green Room” at Manresa Castle. The Castle Restaurant & Bar (thecastleinpt.com) A fun time was had by all. And on the way home the next day, we stopped at Deception Pass State Park and hiked around a little. Deception Pass State Park | Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission See, you don’t have to travel far to have an adventure in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

This week we came home to have the painting started in the rooms with new carpet. These are rooms that haven’t been repainted in the 22 years we’ve lived here. And someone else is doing the work! What a nice anniversary gift to ourselves.

In two days Bjorn turns 45. Time to celebrate!

March 16, 2023 by thornbush2013

Feb and Mar Waiting for Spring

It’s hard to come up with a theme for this time of year. Except for the daily practice my friends and I have of walking around the place, looking for signs of Spring. I’ve heard from other friends in other parts of the country who are doing the same thing. There are buds, but flowers are far and few between. I did see a hummingbird today which might mean that the currants are finally flowering.

Roger is butchering Colson today. He was a glorious looking rooster, but had bad manners. Hopefully will make good eating.

Going backwards through the last six weeks, highlights include our grandson Corbin’s eleventh birthday. We had a lot of fun with him here on the island in the short time he was here.

Other activities include lots of yoga, reading (mostly Sue Grafton novels), and streaming a lot on tv. Also harvesting willow and seed exchanges. Planted some of those seeds in the greenhouse—we shall see.

The other theme is “Repair”. I was involved with the Grange’s First Repair Fair. Brought my sewing machine and mended for people all afternoon on Super Bowl Sunday. There was also darning, silk-screening, lamp repair, bicycle repair, etc, etc. I’ve been patching and darning ever since. Darning is a great occupation while Zooming which we are still doing. COVID has not left, in fact, we are having our own flare-up on the island these past few weeks. Many friends who have been SOoooo careful for the past three years have caught it from who knows what. I wore a mask at the one live concert I went to this month—a Klezmer duo doing a benefit for Ukraine.

The next few weeks should get a lot busier. I’d tell you about them but brain fog is settling in—-oh NO!

Thornbush Report

retirement on a small island