The Rain: A Silver Lining

"Rain, rain, go away
Come again some other day
We want to go outside and play
Come again some other day".

Yes, it continues to rain at 514. Today I am focusing on the silver linings rain has provided in my gardens.  There is much to appreciate around my place because of the rain.

We got to enjoy a double rainbow.

The tulips are lasting longer.

The columbine's color is more vivid.

The lily garden is exploding.

Bouquets are lasting longer.

The lilacs are also lasting longer. 

 “Colors shone with exceptional clarity in the rain. The ground was a deep black, the pine branches a brilliant green, the people wrapped in yellow looking like special spirits that were allowed to wander over the earth on rainy mornings only.” – Haruki Murakami

 

Ten Things To Do When You Can't Garden

Where I live we have had a cold, wet spring. Don't get me wrong. I know we need the rain, but when the temperatures are cooler, it is hard to plant a garden. I realize I could bundle up, wear a rain poncho, and go out and pull weeds, plant containers, and put out my garden décor. I don't want to. I only last a short time outside when I get wet and cold. I have found some other ways to use my time.

Ten Things To Do When You Can't Garden:

1. Go shopping for plants. Eventually it will warm up, right?

2. Start trays of plants from seed. They will get to be planted someday.

3. Fill up the bird feeders.

4. Go to another store shopping for plants. You hate to have them sell out the first day it is warm again.

5. Arrange bouquets with my spring flowers.

6. Cuddle with Riley, drink coffee, and read a good book.

7. Reorganize the She Shed and deadhead the plants that wintered over

8. Plant flowers in the containers in the garage and hope there is enough sun to keep the leaves green.

9, Go to one more store and buy plants. Do you see a pattern here?

10. Take Riley outside and have him do a Sunshine Dance.

A Creative Rendezvous, Part 2 CCRT

 I love going on trips, but it always takes a bit of time for me to get back into the routine of daily life when I return. This explains why I am slow at posting Part 2 of our Creative Rendezvous. 

Crafts was a big part of our time spent in Missoula, but we also enjoyed trying the food of Missoula while on our creative rendezvous. There were many amazing spots to try. The Catalyst came highly recommended and it did not disappoint. I had breakfast for lunch and loved the cup of hash brown casserole that came as a side

They had lots of coffee drink selections also.

Another place we tried for dinner was the Tamarack Brewing Company. We loved this place also. Fun drinks, delicious food, and we had a great waitress. 

My brother had told me about a vegan doughnut place he had visited while in Missoula. He raved about how delicious the doughnuts were. We stopped on our way out of town at Veera Donuts. He was so right. The cases of doughnuts looked like an art gallery of deliciousness. We brought him home a couple to enjoy also. 

Of course, a trip out of town is not complete without visiting a bookstore. Fact and Fiction had a wide selection of books, with a focus on books about Montana. The shop also featured Montana authors. 

A usual stop while in Montana is the Travel Center in St. Regis. We didn't need food then, but we enjoyed the gift shop. 

There is nothing like getting away to rest, relax, be creative, shop,laugh, eat, get lost, and enjoy the companionship of a friend, a sister, and Riley. I think CCRT needs to be a tradition now!

A Creative Rendezvous, Part 1 CCRT

My sister Carol and her husband Paul have created an online business called Grow Me a Story. Their mission is  "to create a virtual community for those seeking to deepen the joy and meaning that come from practicing the art of creative living." I have participated in this community by doing a book study of The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron via Zoom they led,  by contributing to the online Sacred Community Garden, reading their blog and listening to their podcast that includes interviews with people leading a creative life. You can find their website here: https://www.growmeastory.com

One suggestion for fitting creativity in your life is to do a Creative Rendezvous. They suggest you take yourself on a fun and playful outing each week. This is to provide inspiration. The main goal is to have fun.  

This last week I planned a Creative Rendezvous for more that a few hours. I planned a four day stay at a vacation home in Missoula, MT. My friend Tracy, another member of the Sacred Community Garden joined me, We also brought my dog Riley on the road trip.  We were so excited my sister Carol could join us for a couple of  days.

Carol created flowers on a floral scrapbook sheet.

I created a collage celebrating our family dinners,

It was an amazing Creative Rendezvous. We planned many parts ahead in case we needed supplies. We did some fun crafts using paints, photos, lettering, and other mediums. Tracy surprised us with sheets of photos she found on our Facebook pages and had printed. The little pictures were perfect for many of our craft projects. Carol created the row of flower paintings at the top of the page.

Fiesta Ware at The Import Market

We wanted to visit places that would inspire us. The Import Market was one. We all had memories of shopping at the Import Market in Spokane. Walking in the store was like walking back in time with the baskets, incense, candles, bright lanterns, posters, and now Fiesta Ware. Just all the bright colors were an inspiration. 

Tracy created a special collage of Riley photos for me.

She also created the front door of my house with photos and flowers. I just love it.

We engaged in creative chats, we read, we wrote, and we created. I think we met the goal of the rendezvous.  We were inspired and we had fun. Riley always wanted to be near, but couldn't do the crafts. Poor Riley. Stay tuned for more of our creative adventures in Part 2.

“Wherever you are is always the right place. There is never a need to fix anything, to hitch up the bootstraps of the soul and start at some higher place. Start right where you are. "

― Julia Cameron

The Import Market

It was a cozy and comfortable vacation rental.

The Rivers of My Life

The North Fork of the Coeur d' Alene River

Once again National Poetry Month has come to an end. I enjoy and celebrate poetry all year long, but I always focus more on my favorites in April. The last poem I chose is by poet and author William Stafford. I have stood by many rivers during my lifetime.  A river is a good place to pause and reflect on the passage of time as the still beauty of the current passes over the rocks. What I have I done with this life?  I have tried to live it the best I can.

Spokane River

South Fork of the Coeur d'Alene River in Kellogg

Ask Me

Some time when the river is ice ask me
mistakes I have made. Ask me whether
what I have done is my life. Others
have come in their slow way into
my thought, and some have tried to help
or to hurt: ask me what difference
their strongest love or hate has made.

I will listen to what you say.
You and I can turn and look
at the silent river and wait. We know
the current is there, hidden; and there
are comings and goings from miles away
that hold the stillness exactly before us.
What the river says, that is what I say.

William Stafford

Clark Fork River

Kettle River

Chewack River in Winthrop, WA where Everett spent many hours during his childhood.

The Clearwater River