Creatures of the Night

I took the dogs out for a spin after the big rainstorm a couple of nights ago.  They took off to do their doggy business and I meandered after them.  On the edge of the deck was a huge toad in the funniest stance.  He was spread-eagled and up on his toes, looking for all the world like a little soldier in camo doing his nightly calisthenics.  

About thirty seconds later, I realized what he was really doing and why.  He was bracing himself for another drive-by from the dingo.  Digger hurled himself onto the porch with gusto, which is pretty much his m.o. for everything.  He ran over to the toad, gave him a good smack on the rump, and took off after a low-flying bug.  Within moments he was back for another smack and a big lick.  Why?  Why does he do that?  He knows the toad tastes terrible, but he does it anyway.  Back in the house, he ran around clacking his tongue like an old woman playing with her false teeth until I gave him a dog biscuit to cleanse his palate.

Tonight, it was an imperial moth when I opened the door.  Three dogs and one cat filed in.  Too late, I noticed the big yellow fluttery thing in the dingo's mouth.  A lot of yelling and wrestling  ensued, but I won in the end.  By some small miracle, it was alive and unhurt, even after I had to pry it from his jaws and then recapture it once it was loose in the house.  

O, heavenly Father, protect and bless all things that have breath;
guard them from all evil,
and let them sleep in peace.

~ Albert Schweitzer

Fruits of Summer

Watermelon is one of my favorite things about summer. I think I could live on it. Well, watermelon...and cheese...and wine...

Can't live without wine!

Anyway, I love watermelon. Especially when it's made by Krylon and comes in a spray can.

Yesterday's project was my grotty little pink metal porch rocker.  It hadn't been painted in two or three years, and the elements had taken their toll.

A can and a half of Krylon Interior/Exterior Watermelon to the rescue!  And just like it says, a smooth finish that dries in 12 minutes or less.  Voila!

Now where's my wine...?

Carved in Stone

The most wonderful things often happen quite by chance.  Today, under just those circumstances, I had the honor of meeting a master craftsman, Mr. Toru Oba.

A friend and I were going to look at some materials that were advertised on Craiglist.  We had arranged to meet in front of the old local soapstone company...he "knew a guy" there.  The two were chatting when I arrived, introductions were made, and then...we were invited in to have a look at his latest projects.

I was, quite simply, in awe.  In fact, I didn't even have to the good sense to ask if I could take a photo or two.  The images below are from his website:

http://www.toruoba.com/toruoba.htm

Please take a moment to visit his site, read his biography, and be amazed by the beautiful art he creates.

A granite boulder reveals a quiet pool for birds to bathe.




From plain slabs of rock, he brings forth flowing forms...structures that look as if water has been carving holes and curves for hundreds of years.



From rough stone emerges a mirrored surface, smooth as glass.



What an honor and a pleasure.  Someday...when my ship comes in...I want a Toru Oba sculpture in my garden...  It's officially on my wish list!

I have a blog!

Actually, I’ve had a blog for a whole week, now.  I just haven’t done anything with it.  As usual, I’ve been dithering and fretting about what to write first.  Should it be about furniture?  The store?  My flowers!  They’ve been exceptional this year.  But then again, maybe I should write about an event.  And so, I’ve managed to do nothing.

Yesterday, it was decided for me.  An event involving the store and furniture and flowers it would be, because yesterday, I killed a piece of furniture. 

The day started well enough.  I went to pick up a couple of pieces from my friend Sheila.  You may have seen some of her amazing paint finishes in the store.  She had converted an old ladder back chair into a planter and a night stand had gone back to her for a facelift.  The night stand was French Provincial with a wrought iron fleur-de-lis knob.  She had antiqued it and added a piece of bead board in the back.  She had gone to some trouble to spiff it up and it looked great.  You’ll just have to trust me on this one.

We chatted with her mom, I annoyed the dog for a bit, and items were loaded into the truck. 

I heard the thump as I was backing out of the driveway.  Something must have fallen over in the bed of the pickup, but I didn’t see anything...so I started to back up again.  Cruuuunch!  And in that instant I knew.  Oh, egad...I knew exactly what it was.  The night stand had never actually made it into the truck.  It had been forgotten behind the bumper...and I had flattened it.  Smashed it to smithereens.  Sheila and her mom ran out, the neighbor from across the street came over...uggh!

A friend offered to try to repair it.  Was I sure that it couldn’t be glued?  Then he saw it...  and offered to put it on his burn pile, instead.

Sigh...  I know everyone has a mindless oops now and then, a “What in the world were you thinking?,” but this felt incredibly stupid.  I’ll bet Miss Mustard Seed never ran over a piece of her own furniture...

Oh, well.  As Miss Stacy told Anne Shirley, “Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it.”