The Third Act

first Sunday in Spring

I hope it's just as beautiful a day where you are as here.

Pinholes in the Zero on Kentmere 100.

 

 

 

 

 

MY LINKTREE

another Friday

The struggle is real, man...but you know that.

The bread pudding looks beautiful...but there wasn't enough custard and will require adjustments upon reheating.

And, well, I'm upright anyway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

happy vernal equinox!

That's right...it's spring!  Nature doesn't wait, she just does her thing.

It was unseasonably warm today, but very pleasant.  Now late afternoon and there's a lovely rain shower happening.

I would have done more work in the garden, but I tweaked my back yesterday (doing physical therapy exercises, no less!), so I played it safe.  Still, I puttered out there and took a couple Instax photos.  I also updated the dining room corner (the red wall to the left) artwork, finally framing and hanging the print I got from Tin Can Forest.  Next to it I hung an older piece of mine, cyanotype on cloth with bead work.

The challah I made the other day is being transformed into bread pudding, currently baking in the oven.

I need to get more sleep tonight...

 

 

 

 

Wednesday

Today I'm thankful for...

my counselor, who has been with me for several years now.  Today was profoundly helpful.  

my ability to pivot and recover.

my ability to observe.

the sunshine and warmth on this beautiful spring day.

seedlings both still under grow lights and those planted in the garden.

the blossoms on the trees and from the bulbs.

options.

 

 

 

 

dancing with depression

It's not my partner of choice, but there it is.  No lie, it's been pretty uncomfortable lately.  Fortunately, I have actually developed the ability to be an observer of my own mental health issues, and therefore able to work through them more effectively.  That observing ability has been super helpful in being able to simply name the experience...discomfort.  Sure, the discomfort, like any physical discomfort, can border on disabling (and I'm a "freeze" type of person in the classic triad), but it usually doesn't come to that.  Or I should say, it doesn't last terribly long.

If I find myself in a position of paralysis regarding things I need to work on, because of my mental health, one thing that always seems to come through is the act of gardening.  Digging in the dirt, tending to plants, looking at the blossoms is no small type of therapy.  The sunshine has helped as well.  What a blessing to have the option to do this!!

I know I'm not alone in my distress these days.  May we all have the opportunity to sit in the sun and enjoy the blossoms and dig in some dirt if you got it!

 

 

 

 

 

the sun finally came out

Trees in blossom...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March-ness

I've always found the energy of March, and to some degree April, intense.  Weather wise, it's that last (for this region anyway) tussle between winter and spring.  Warm ups, inserted with cold fronts equaling severe storms isn't uncommon.  Winds...we all know about "March winds" and it's kinda true.  I've noticed over my many years on earth, that health issues arise, both physical and mental.

As for me, one day of spring had me skipping through the daffodils.  And then bam...cold and gray again.  Ugh.  Add on top of that a healthy layer of generalized "what the hell is going on??" and it feels like the old days on an SSRI are looking pretty good (sadly, the meds made my body feel poorly so...it's always a toss up).  

So, what does one do?  Dig in the dirt.  Make art.  Talk to people.  Realize this too shall pass...that that is the very essence of this life we know, one moment passing to the next.  Phew.

 

 

 

 

 

spring in the garden

Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous and felt like spring.  That's when I walked around the garden and took these photos.  Unfortunately, today is gray and cool again.  sigh  I could use a little more sunshine...but it will come.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

at home

It's a beautiful day.  The temperatures are getting to the 70s.  Maybe it's a bit early for that, but I can't deny I'm enjoying the sunshine and clear skies...and the warmth.

These images are from a few weeks ago.  It was still cold outside.  The windows were closed.  And even today I can tell how much the sun has shifted in the sky, by the way the light comes in through those windows.

It's a time of counting all these little blessings, being present in the moment, creating things with my hands, digging in the dirt.  It's what's keeping me centered and sane.

Holga with Kentmere 400

 

 

 

 

a little more Philly

I processed a roll of film, from the Holga, and half of it was from Philly.  

From the window of the hotel room...

Kentmere 400 film