So, yeah. There was a slight interruption to our last conversation due to a bit of travel that required 2 planes, 3 cars and 18 hours. Then there was the rude reminder that I am actually expected to correct papers, prep classes and, you know, teach (what. ever.). Of course, trying to get back in the swing of my own art classes when I am a week behind was also rather consuming of the thimbleful of energy I had left when I got home. Home! To a certain three dogs that assumed I would want to spend my every moment stroking their heads and telling them all about the fragrant fire hydrants and tree trunks I sniffed in Port Townsend. Thank god my husband would never feel unappreciated or unnoticed or otherwise notched into the woodwork of my oh-so-busy life.

Right?

Oh and you are sweet not to even mention all the to-dos, to-calls, to-writes---

Blah. Dullsville! Let us speak of this no more.

Why do I have two photos of this utterly ordinary African violet? Well, yes, because it is blooming, but really the reason is that I am so proud of this little plant. Rather, this once very tiny plant. She was so small! And she is now about 3 years old and-- look at her get all big and fat and furry! Something you probably don't want to know about me-- I get intensely excited when plants grow under my care. Oh so many things I could tell you that would make you want to pour a bowl of steaming oatmeal over your head.

Like that rabbit in the picture? It is plastic, (probably fabricated in Asia by some foul earth destroying manufacturing process by some underpaid, overworked child laborer) and meant to go in the garden and though I am not much for garden d?cor such as gnomes, little figurines, reflective balls and the like (read: Averse to! Averse to!) this little bunny has a different story.

Once-- long, long ago when I worked in a company whose raison d'etre was to pollute the planet with massive quantities of advertising and unrecyclable debris, there was an unhappy woman who would come to my office and share stories of her struggle with me and I would say incredibly encouraging things like, "oh that sucks," and "oh man, wow, yeah, that sucks." And then, one happy day, the struggling woman got a new job at a wonderful small company with a lovely boss and a bigger paycheck and she danced out of the door in shiny red shoes, but not before she wrote me a most heartfelt letter thanking me for helping her which she gave to me tucked into the hands of this little plastic bunny.

So how did the bunny lose part of its ear? I know that's what you really want to know-- ah, but that's for another day, my friends.

Now. About that rumor of Spring.

Oh, check it out--- can't you see how close we are? Another month or two and we are THERE, people. Aren't you psyched?

Ollie, you even think about chasing anything up that hill and I will fry your shaved, fisher cat scratched ass and feed it to you for breakfast.

Sorry Daisy. I didn't mean for you to hear that.

And yes-- artfest. God, don't even know where to begin so let me send you to some really good write-ups. I'm sure I'll write about it sometime-- if I am at all true to form, it'll be just when you least expect it.

kelly rae

michelle

liz elayne

judy

katie

misty

got 2 cents?