A few details worthy of mention:
1. It has become a habit. A delicious habit. Oatmeal with almond milk, a drizzle of fresh local honey, strawberries and toasted walnuts. I ask you, is there anything more scrumptious and rich than a toasted walnut? The flavor truly transforms a dish. Try it. If you are loathe to fire up your oven for a few nuts, you probably need to get a toaster oven which is as magical and practical as a baby angora unicorn. Maybe even more practical!
2. USPS now has sheets of songbird stamps available for purchase. They are the loveliest little stamps I have seen in a while. If you are a letter writer residing in the USA you’ll need to purchase some, as soon as possible, and then use them up quick so you can buy more.
3. That fantastic green glass goblet is one of six Robert brought home from Georgia recently. He was home for a week between deployments and brought me my first two fire presents of the year! Fire seasons gifts are a holy and wonderful tradition he has kept for the past seven years of our life together, something I always look forward to and frankly, occasionally badger him about. He is good natured about my badgering and knows it’s not the actual gifts he finds for me that are important to me, but the fact that he thinks of me and misses me when we are apart. Presents are a manifestation of my constant presence in his heart, even when a fire season keeps us apart.
He always finds at least one present to bring me while he is off in the boonies battling flame, every single year. In years past, gifts have been wonderful and creative ranging from caribou antlers and fox skulls to surrealist art prints from an artist in Bend, Oregon to a warthog skull from Arkansas. I have never received a shirt or a piece of jewelry. Though I might, someday. Robert is a wonderful giver of gifts. A girl never can tell what she might receive — except for that caribou antler, I guessed that present correctly over the phone, across the thin air between Fairbanks, Alaska and Winthrop, Washington. Anyway, I love those pea green vintage goblets. Rob transported six of them, most miraculously, and they are a delight to sip from. He also brought home a heavenly host of crystals he found on the ground while hiking around and working in Hot Spring, Arkansas! Tremendous! Extraordinary!
4. I was in Oregon last week — more on that soon, I’m working up an essay on the topic — and found the most exquisite batch of stationary in Sisters. Travel here to see Angie Lewin’s work.
5. I am currently working in the studio like a true she-beast trying to build up some beautiful inventory for an art walk I am appearing at on May 2nd. It’s been so fun! The new work is so springy and fresh and I feel free and lighthearted out there as I tap away with my hammers. A light heart is a blessing. We all know this.
6. Fresh eggs! Finally! You know, I’m down to one hen here. I’m pretty sure she thinks she’s a dog. I’ve been faffing around with the idea of getting her a pal this spring but for two years now, I’ve wanted to switch over to a pair of laying ducks which are reportedly less destructive on garden spaces than hens. Do any of you keep laying ducks? If they are free range, how do they do with your garden spaces?
I’m off to perform my daily hour of morning yard work which involves, on some days, the delicious extraction of dandelions from my flower garden, herb garden and succulent garden. This time of year, it feels fierce and maybe even cathartic to yank up a dandy by its taproot. So satisfying. Dandies, be warned, in a couple of seconds I am coming for you and there will be no escape.
Be well, dear folks.
X
Oh, hello dear Jillian! Eric and I just recently got laying ducks and they are just delightful to have around. They are definitely better on the grass and seem to be as winter resilient as the chickens. Also, it’s about the most adorable thing you’ve ever seen when they fall asleep. I say go for it!
You let me know how they do once you have a garden up and growing. That’s what I am most concerned about. XX
Yum! On EVERYTHING! LOL. Love those notecards. Thanks for the link – trying to see if they are available in the US or If I’m going to be importing them. I’m very big on letter writing and I hate to think of the day when we might be reduced to nothing but electronic communication. SAVE THE POST OFFICE!!!! Let’s make banners and mailers! Let’s teach little people to write with dip pens (my personal preference)! Let’s support artists everywhere!
Ok – well – that was my soapbox for the day.
I don’t know a thing about ducks – but the glasses are beautiful.
I know. I cringe when I think of the post office slowly turning obsolete. Sometimes I feel like I’m the only person keeping them in business!
XX
dont waste the dandies, woman! my fave breakfast place here makes a dandelion latte that s to die for…and juicing those leaves ( if Tater hasnt peed on em!) is so ver good for you!
That’s the trouble in this yard. Three dogs = lots of pee.
such preciousness, the love between you and robert: it’s just as sweet and magical as an angora baby unicorn!
[don’t know if you’ll find the humour in this, but i recently turned down the songbird stamps at the local post office because they were not chickadees, siskins, nuthatches, etc…..]
Bird SNOB!!!!! HEE HEE!
Yum! We make our oatmeal almost the same, except I’m from Texas and it is law that you must love and use pecans. 🙂 I too, like pencilfox, passed up on the beautiful songbird series at the PO for…Harry Potter. Don’t Judge! 😀 What a wonderful gift, those glasses make me swoon-the color reminds me of Oregon! Speaking of, I can’t wait to hear about your adventures on the coast. And that picture of the reflection in your teacup-well I need to hop on over to Flickr and mark that one-I love it.
Warmest Regards,
MH
I loved Harry Potter!!!
That blue egg is pretty. But, I’m still laughing about the moose encounter! I can picture the whole thing. I am not one bit surprised that you made all kinds of noise and jumped around like a freakezoid. It’s a funny story, but I’m glad you’re alright.
About the bird stamps, I got so flipping excited about them, I hoarded a few sheets. But, I’m with Foxy. I wish they were chickadees and nuthatches. Although, your meadowlark made the cut.
That’s cool!
So did the mountain bluebird!!!
I didn’t even LOOK at any of the other birds once I saw they had included the meadowlark. 🙂
This is a lovely list!!! We used to have two ducks when we were young and growing up on our small little farm, they are truly a joy – they eat slugs and crickets and other bugs that are hungry for your vegies and your greens, and the ones we had didn’t even bother with the garden – they just wanted the bugs lurking under the leaves. We were all devastated when a fox broke into their duckhouse and killed them… they were my little brother’s and he was especially affected, becoming a vegetarian as soon as he could make the decision to do so and stating that the fox incident was his reasoning! But, I would keep ducks again, they are so sweet and friendly, I think you’d love them, Jillian : )
I think I will love them too.
I just REALLY want something that lays eggs that won’t rip up all my garden spaces here…
Oye! Now I must have oatmeal for breakfast! One of my favs yet I rarely make it.
I would love to tell you something… regarding writing. Last year you inspired me to write real letters. You know what it did? It re-connected me to family with whom I’ve lost connection due to their lack of email use. You know what it also did? It allowed me to whisper words of love and fond memories from childhood and images of my young son over the distance and into my grandmothers hands and heart. She passed away in November and I am so glad, so very glad, I sent her those words before she left. Thank you.
LOVE this story of you writing your grandmother and family. So special. You’ll revisit those notes from her for years to come. 🙂
I went for the Winter flowers stamps because it is raining today and you MUST know how I feel about those glasses knowing my favorite color and all… I talked of you to a stranger, did your ears tingle? And are you listening to Hozier, friend? I do believe he sings the best bit of our souls from his Irish perch. Especially this one… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWWX0aUW_HY that said, he sings NOTHING wrongly.
Missing you… clicking heels.
No tingly ears.
🙂
Putting Hozier on now.
MISS you.
Like woah.
X
I’ve got the BAD aches… especially after seeing those muddy calves. Enough of this – let’s get serious with travel plans, oh delightful one! xoxoxo
What a delicious looking morning! I don’t know about ducks in gardens- but I buy duck eggs from one of our neighbours and they are INCREDIBLE- higher in all good things than chicken eggs, and fabulous for baking with. I am a massive fan.
Off to enjoy my own daily oatmeal (with frozen blueberries and low bush crane from last fall), have wonderful days! xo
(just to clarify, I meant to write “cran” not crane. No cranes in this oatmeal. The feathers stick in my teeth.)
GUFFAW!!!
Copy that.
I’ve heard such things about duck eggs. I appreciate your testimony!
I absolutely love how your Robert loves you. good man.
🙂
The best man I know!
My ducks LOVE my tomatoes, and fresh lettuce, kale, and really anything else green…and they are messy- especially where water is concerned. We love them, don’t get me wrong, but my chickens are much better behaved and easy to keep. And usually I have to roam around our acreage to find my duck eggs- since our ducks/chickens are free range, and the ducks do not let a silly thing like laying an egg slow them down. They seem to lay on the go!