Hello,
The gig is up. Remember that rabbit hole of a story I was working on for The Seattle Times? After researching and hearing from so many gardeners who are struggling to control rabbits in their gardens, I decided to take a closer look at my own beds and borders. Hmmmm, every dianthus leaf was nibbled, and every evening there was a bunny siting or rabbit-like rustling in the undergrowth. When I saw that the tips of my sweet pea seedlings were chewed, I nearly wept.
Out came the wire cages I made for my Handmade Garden Project book. But I can’t wrap the entire garden in rabbit wire (yes — ironically the wire used for these sculptural cloches is the same material used to cage rabbits). So I spent way (way, way) too much money on a concentrated mixture of putrified egg solids, garlic, and thyme oil that’s supposed to set up a “liquid fence” around my plants. *sigh*
This week’s color roundup is a short one, since I sent out the monthly newsletter last Saturday. I’m so glad you’re here.
xo Lorene
Color in the garden
April 1, 2023
Today marks the inaugural meeting of the Carnation Appreciation Society.
It’s true, they're a bit of a class clown — a fool if you will. They get precious little respect among more glamorous cut flowers. But a more loyal and lasting companion you’ll never find. I purchased this bunch of red carnations on February 26th-->. I then strung their flouncy skirts into a garland before I left for California on March 5th.--> I returned home to find this lovely dried ornament that now lives on my bookcase—>
At the tail end of March the rest of the stems were still living their best life in a vase on my work desk. Sure, they’re going to pieces, but in the very best way, sort of a languid swoon. So, more than a month after they came home with me I painted a color study.
April 2, 2023
It’s said that Rosemary is for remembrance. Today I’m celebrating a lifetime of memories with my love, an amazing father, and the role he was born to play: Papi to Vito & Brody.
He’s my constant companion— I’m grateful that this phase of our lives has us both working from home.
From coffee by the fire to cocktails in the shelter, I got you babe. Happy Birthday Honey!
April 3, 2023
Today is the 5-year anniversary of my daily practice. April 3, 2018, I picked up a brush and made my first color study of this plant— Pink Dawn viburnum. FIVE YEARS! (No one is more astonished than I.)
I’ve learned so much. Namely, I’m much better at doing something every day. If I set a goal of 3x a week, then I’ll spend 4 days negotiating with myself about which days. There is a constancy and forgiveness to daily. There’s always tomorrow, and the day after that, and the one after that. Both a comfort and, at times, a curse.
I’ve long stopped thinking of my color studies as individual endeavors. Instead, I now see them as parts of a much larger whole. A collection and an accumulation of days spent looking closely with great heart. A couple of years ago I installed 297 4- x 4-inch color studies spanning a corner of my bedroom. I call this colorful 4-foot by 6-foot span, “an accumulation of days.” As I wrote in the April newsletter, "Every day when I wake, the installation is a reminder that if I just keep going, keep noticing, and keep my heart open, life serves up wonder in so many beautiful ways.”
I didn’t title today's study because, first, I couldn’t think of a title, and two, I don’t know what’s next. Recording colors that I see in my garden and found in the natural world has been an act of personal repair and restoration.
From the bottom of my heart thank you for walking with me and sharing my colors with your community.
April 4, 2023
When blue skies fall to earth—wherever you are, whatever the weather.
Shop update
Too good a special to not repeat!
New prints for spring. All postcards are back in stock. AND throughout April, everything in the shop is 15% off when you enter the code: 5YEARS at checkout.
Remember, follow this link to receive 60 days of FREE access to all Creativebug content—which put you right where you need to be to follow a month of my daily practice series that launches on May 1.
Happy spring and a huge thank you to those of you who support my work with a paid subscription. That wire cloche I mentioned above? In addition to protecting your sweet peas from ravaging rabbits, the wire sculptures make a good plant support, or create a simple focal point in the garden.
Best of all, they’re easy to make with inexpensive hardware store materials. Follow this link to download pdf instructions…
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