Studiology

Assemblage

As previously mentioned, I have been silent about my studio work, taking time to prepare for an October show. Even though it's July, each piece takes a lot of time. This will be my first all  3D show and I'm so darned excited.  The title is "Saints and Sinners", a title that suits the month of October (or so I concluded). A reception will be held October 10th from 4 to 6, when I hang out and talk about the art work. The gallery is in Occoquan, Art A La Carte at 310 Mill Street (the main drag through Occoquan).  

"Saint Cecilia" is one example, the Patron Saint of singers, musicians, and lute makers. She is often depicted with flutes, lutes and violins, hence the violin neck on top.

Santos or Angels will be part of the show, large and small.

Currently I have new, framed collage pieces and the collage books that show the originals in my gallery space. The October show will hang for the entire month of October, and I will show "works in progress" as I move towards the big opening and reception.  

July

Every evening I turn on my string lights and sit in my garden. Last night I was not alone, a spring peeper had climbed onto my papyrus, waiting for a fly by dinner. As one might expect, I have plenty of moths coming to the lights and my night fragrant flowers, and I'm sure he had his eye on them. Although only 1 sphinx moth as of last night, a bit large for a spring peeper to catch and eat. 

If you look close, you can see a mosquito on his thigh. 

Considered small chorus frogs, I have them in many parts of the garden and they begin a chorus that bounces from one to the other. Each in turn. If one prematurely calls at the same time as another, the whole group begins anew. Round and round they go. You can always tell when it's a spring peeper, or Pseudacris crucifer, by the x on their back.

It's been a wonderful year, both from the standpoint of rain and temperatures. Like every other year, I ordered a collection of gladiolus. They are cheap and beautiful. And I love to photograph them.

My lovely Linaria triornithophora continues to put on a show, as does the climbing Clitorea ternatea. 

The tuberoses are budded, the moon vine is scrambling and the acidanthera will lead the way into August. How can you not love summer?!

Yee Haw

Summer and county fairs, they just go together, so on a whim I attended the Fauquier County Fair, it's 65th annual county fair! Located outside of Warrenton, Virginia, it did not disappoint. As it actually turns out, I was working in the garden directly across from the event and could hear the animals all morning, the roosters, the cows, even the barks of the "Marvelous Mutts". I heard the loud speaker announcer introduce the chicken parade, held at 12:30 on Friday, needless to say I missed it... darn! So I dragged my husband back in the afternoon to see the rest of the Friday events.

The "Marvelous Mutts" are rescue dogs, pulled from various shelters, one was a dog hoarder rescue, this is one of the 96 saved from the one home, and he performs! A border collie that was once reclusive and shy.  

This is an Australian Shepard that was a little too attentive. Look at her now!

Next was the pig race. Of course.

and the lumbering Asian pigs, took them all of 5 minutes to get around the course.

There are 2 barns full of farm and domestic animals. These Chinese geese were interesting and interested.

Adorable bunnies and calm bovines.

The evening ended with the truck and tractor pull. The truck (or tractor) pulls a sled, weighted for each class. As the truck goes down the leveled dirt (in this case clay) track, the weight moves forward to challenge the puller, making it harder for them to maintain torque. There's a whole lot of diesel smoke, sometimes alcohol fueled exhaust.  Enough to block out the sun. Oh, and the noise, take ear plugs. Yee Haw!

The Fauquier Fair will run through Sunday with fireworks tonight (Saturday) and an apple pie contest on Sunday, along with a few beauty pageants.

 

Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary

High summer brings us many wonderful things, floral stems that bear fresh flowers at a time when the gardener is sometimes ready to give up. Some brilliant new hybrids have hit the market, setting their aim at the summer season, extending the show well beyond May and June. One such new selection comes from Hydrangea paniculata, the panicled hydrangea, this one an adorable dwarf version that only grows to three feet tall. Arriving with a matching adorable name 'Bobo', this little cultivar flowers for many months with white flowers that age to a nice pink in fall. 

With its short stature, it nestles in nicely with perennials, billowing and filling in spaces between Russian sage, lilies, and cone flower. The flowers are borne on new wood so a trimming in early spring will help grow more floral stalks. Cold winters or winter damage are of no consequence, unlike the lacecap and mophead hydrangeas. Best grown in full to part sun, the panicled hydrangeas are very garden worthy.

Another new introduction is a summer flowering veronica, one of a series, a hybrid of V. longifolia named Veronica 'First Love'. Hybridized by the Dutch breeder Rene van Gaalen, his work includes summer phlox and eringiums. This particular collection of veronicas (pink, blue, and white) makes a nice show in summer, rather than spring, the typical time for veronica bloom. Low growing, only a foot tall, nestle some in with the little Hydrangea 'Bobo' and you're good to go for a nice long spell. 

Collecting Oddities

I realized, only this morning, that I am a collector of many things, many odd things. My garden and my studio are homes to unusual items. It would be hard to choose one space over another, they both make me happy. The garden is especially fun right now, mostly because I plant so many tropicals. This year I finally caved in and bought Clerodendrum incisum 'Macrosiphon', better known as the musical note plant. A shrub from Nigeria, the flower buds are tightly curled by day and open in the evenings. 

I'm not knowledgeable about musical notes but a fella on the internet says they resemble a soprano-range eighth note. What really confuses me is the lack of fragrance at night when the flowers are open. Clearly the pollinator functions without a need for scent. 

Another favorite this year is a petunia from Brazil. This little species is endangered in its natural habitat but not otherwise since gardeners have found it's relatively easy from seed. The species is Petunia exserta with a star-like, red flower.

My Linaria triornithophora is flowering, I will share more photographs since I seem to have all 3 colors. But here is the purple one.

Another flowering vine I missed and used to grow at the plant farm is Clitoria ternatea or pea vine. The name is suggestive of the shape of the flower, possibly labeled by some forlorn, lonely botonist, a male (no doubt). The better part of this lovely vine is the brilliance of the blue in the flower.

Otherwise my raised beds are awash in wonderful, wonderful plants. I have put a couple of benches in to sit and chill. The view is great.

As for the studio, I have been sneaking away and toiling for months in preparation for a show in October. The collecting of odd things is finally paying off and I'm so excited about the resulting art. Soon, very soon, I will share more information. 

Grills and Grottos

Chickens are fickle, where they decide to lay their eggs seems to be a matter of importance and once it's decided, they all agree. Even though you make them nesting boxes, no matter how many, it may not be suitable. In our case, the outdoor grill, the one that sits in the yard, has become the shining beacon, the Holy Grail of nesting boxes. They squawk and argue, waiting for the next occupant, lining up to lay an egg.

We don't grill out that often but one does take notice when it's the 4th of July. We'll make do with other outdoor activities, like fireworks or catching fireflies. 

About a year ago I bought two cement grottos for the gardens. They sat empty, I just couldn't find the right thing to put in them. Finally I came across the perfect cement angel and a small cement pot. Now we are all set.

Brugmansia 'Fosty Pink' is already loaded with flowers in my night garden. I also have two sphinx moths, working the flowers every night, as the season progresses, there will be more. My nicotiana are blooming, literally in the hundreds, so the night fragrance is outstanding. Summer is a grand time of year!

Have a safe and Happy Fourth!!