Thursday, September 19, 2013

Day One, or is it Two?

I've been home about 25 hours now. It's been cool, between 12 and 15C,  good for thinking and sleeping soundly. And it's incredible how quickly I slipped back into my easy life. (No, I haven't done the laundry nor sorting of stuff from this trip yet, and come to think of it, not completely from the last trip or the book purchases made in the month in between, but they will come.)

It's cooler than usual for this time of year, I think; the garden looks like nobody has lived here for years, but then it's not that unusual here; I'm embarrassed, but in a more stoic way. I decided feeling embarrassed or regretting takes too much time and energy away from improving or making amends. The good thing is, from between the weeds, paid plants, (horrible but apt description,) are showing lovely spring colors, tulips, hellebores and my lovely big cherry tree are in bloom. I think the cool spell is a gift for me to get out there and start working, but not worry about rushing, as bugs come out from about lunch time so I can garden only in the mornings. Oh, I ordered sunflower seeds, many dark reds and browns, this morning; definitely Vince's influence, but something I've wanted to do for several years.

I have a vague idea of what I want to do in my weaving in the next little while, frustratingly vague because I only started reading about van Gogh's use of complementary colors, and I can't see what they describe in the printed reproduced paintings and better postcards, so, so far they are only concepts. But from what little I understand, placement of complimentary colors makes Vince's colors intrinsically brilliant?? I've at least one book that had pretty good descriptions, and another specifically on post-impressionist colors so fingers crossed, after half a dozen readings, I'll have some starting points for my experimentations.  I'd be most grateful if you can explain this to me, or give me links to anywhere where they may be descriptions with some illustrations, please!

Meanwhile, I think weaving might be in order. Good thing I have a lovely, cellared, three-years-13-months-and-eight-day-old warp that fits the bill.  But first I have to remind myself how Summer & Winter works.
Exiting this door one last time. During the last few days, Mom and I talked about how ready we both are for her to leave this big old house; for me, this is my parents' place, and without Dad it feels "wrong". It's time for Mom to move on to "her" place!
It was lovely of my sister to meet us for lunch and send me off; if it were just Mom, the occasion would have taken on a much more somber tone. She also brought me two largish plates and two Japanese tea cups I had ordered; we decided they were too heavy altogether so only the teacups came home with me; she might try out the plates while she babysits them.
 Home.
I forgot I'd planted several purple hellabores some time ago. Another day, I'll show you this incredible dark gray-purple one.
Cherry. Oh, joy.

5 comments:

  1. So glad you are home safe!

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  2. I totally LOVE seeing these little slices of your life, Meg. The photo of your mom and dad's house, with the light coming in that door as you leave there ... that has so much feeling attached to it, yet you are philosophical about everything. I am glad you are home, as I can tell you are. It must be a bit weird to have to adjust to "opposite" seasons. Your garden looks wildly lovely, too. Don't be embarrassed. You should see mine! And we are just at the end of summer here. Soon a hard freeze will get everything and I will be out in our garden with my camera documenting the way I see the turning of the seasons/death/life-going-underground ...
    So, thank you my friend, for this post. I enjoyed seeing and reading about your life as always. <3
    -- Maureen

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  3. Welcome home, Meg. Mail to you leaving my place today. Talk soon. xo

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  4. It always boggles my mind every time I travel, not just to Japan but anywhere, that once I'm back, it feels as though I had never left. I imagined being away for almost five months would be different, but no, since yesterday morning things have been the same. Including wasting a bit of time playing silly computer games because Ben swapped my laptop battery and he told me to keep it plugged in to charge, but I thought he told me to keep it on. Oh well.

    We've had this lovely quiet Nelson rain and I understand it's going to continue until Sunday night or Monday morning, so I can concentrate on tidying the house, laundry/ironing, and a bit of drawing, weaving, and planning weaving project. Which would be an ideal weekend any time in my life.

    Maureen, in a not-desperate-but-more-stoic turn, I thought perhaps I'll photograph all corners of my garden as they appear now. Since I work more energetically outside in our winters, it'll be slow and partial improvements over the summer, but I thought, what the heck, it may be more encouraging to have evidence. Or not. It's really looking terrible.

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