220814 ninety-three million miles

Seems to be a time of death and dying. Pandemic and fire, hurricanes, bible rains. 

We are the old generation now. 

Sunsets are good, something to do with the air, the time of year.

I heard a shooting star last night. I watched its tail fade. 

*****

Found another red-backed salamander! How many thousands must there be on this hill. It is a good thing they are small!

AND I found one of these! Rain sent me a picture of one she found in the garden only a couple of days ago! So jazzed! A yellow spotted salamander! *

*****

I participated in an artisan sale at the Potton festival, so I actually finished several projects in preparation. Well, I do need a deadline!

Hummingbird mirror. This happened fast! Went from a collection of pieces and a wooden frame to a complete work in about four weeks, while I finished Blue Jay and the stump.

Blue jay. This was on my table so long because I didn't know how I would finish the spaces between the ceramic pieces. It took a long time to get the grout to stick to and cover the base. 

I am somewhat pleased with Stump #1. But I think I can do better. I am trying to capture the sense of the small world, the micro-environment, that a stump creates. Below is such a stump, but only three plants live there just now. You can find a stump with a dozen or more species of plant, from lichen to sapling tree.

Below: I could not resist taking 'Doghouse' to show, even though it still needs to be grouted. It is not serious at all.

This is my table at the festival. I was wandering about a great deal, with Rocky at my side, but I left a note, saying "Back in five minutes. Call me!". "I left a note in my apartment. They'll know where to find me." as Rick said, in Casablanca.

This (below) was  the best part of the day! A circus couple, with hoola-hoops, puppets, smoke, and bubbles, kept the crowd spellbound with their energy! I thought I was in a Ray Bradbury novel, or meeting Mommy Fortuna in the forest, to see these two perform their act. *

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Rocky: he is unbelievable. He takes the Oscar for best dog. A small blessing we are to each other, I think. "She rescues him right back." (Pretty Woman)  He is grey and I am grey: we are well-met. He came to the festival sale with me and sat quietly under the table. He would say hi to any human, if asked, but he really wanted to speak to all the dogs who went by. He would whine once and perk up his ears, but would not move unless I moved to go and say hello. We walk several kilometres a day together. What makes him want to be my companion? Nothing is keeping him here. He likes to have someone to take care of. And treats, Mumma has a pocket full of biscuits.

Below: He is resting by me after our walk.

*****

The witches grow fruit. These two are apples.

The old witch, a hawthorn, is young today, with her brood of thorns and brambles under her skirts.

Went to visit the dancing circles, the witch venues: there are small clearings, where it seems there must be gatherings of a sort. This one has an altar stone.

The goldenrod is in flower.

Doll's eyes:

More ghost pipes. They are not so plentiful where I have wandered in Ontario. These were pink. They find their ideal environment in these hills.

The mushrooms have some life energy that interests me.

The sunlight comes ninety-three million miles and then delineates each pinnule of the fern in shadow.

*****

This is my go-to whole-food, one-pot, quick supper. Chickpeas, canned or home-cooked ( I keep some in the freezer sometimes. ) Kale and spinach, or chard, steamed (this is actually a second pot: the microwave steamer, but it's a cinch to clean). Coconut milk (or a can of tomatoes) and a curry. Today it was Blue Dragon Thai Red Curry Paste. I would add onions, a bit of ginger and a bit of coriander if time allowed. Start with the onions if using - just soften in a little water, then add coconut milk, chickpeas and flavours, bring to a gentle boil, mix in greens at the end and it's ready. No salt or oil used.

I climbed up above Fig's garden to pick blackberries for afters.

This is magic! Gardeners, then, are well-acquainted with magic and the sacred. And the grapes; (there is a real vineyard here!) they will be ripe soon!

Goodnight. There are dragons in the sky! Thank you for visiting! Keep well. 

Mumma Yaga

red-backed salamander: https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tTP1TcwMiwsMzNg9BItSk1RSEpMzgZSxYk5ibmJeSmpRQCuhgsM&q=red+backed+salamander&rlz=1C9BKJA_enCA907CA908&oq=red+backed+&aqs=chrome.0.46i512j69i57j46i512l3.4233j0j7&hl=en-US&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

* See Ray Bradbury, Something Wicked This Way Comes, or October Country. Mommy Fortuna is a character in The Last Unicorn, by Peter S. Beagle.