Honey locust seed pods
After walking my daughter to the school bus stop in the morning, my dogs and I have resumed our daily walks in Washington Park which is just a couple of blocks from our home. It’s an amazing park and quite popular with humans and dogs alike. The honey locust trees have a fruit that looks like a huge seed pod (apparently edible) that are just starting to ripen – though a few have already fallen to the ground, most likely the work of industrious squirrels. I picked a couple of pods up the other day and brought them home because I just love the shape. By autumn, the pods will have grown longer and often twist and curl making the most pleasing shapes.
Cosmos with bee gathering pollen
Meanwhile, the cosmos in my yard are bursting with a riot of color that has attracted almost every single bee in the neighborhood. I have cosmos all over the yard and believe it or not, they all self seeded from a single plant from last year’s garden. They’re so prolific and almost impossible to kill – I wonder why they’re not on the noxious weed list. Good thing I like them. This year, I even moved seedlings with no harmful effects and even dog pee can’t kill or maim these flowers.
Sweet 100 Cherry Tomatoes
The bees are great for my little garden patch! Not many of my cherry tomatoes have made their way into a salad or recipe, because I often stop and pop all the ripe ones I find in my mouth like candy whenever I pass by. I have larger tomatoes growing too, along with basil, lemon thyme, chives, cilantro and other herbs. This is the first year in a long time that I’ve grown any edible plants.
Now that my daughter has started school again, I thought I would be much more productive in the studio. I haven’t been because I’m catching up with busy work related to some of my PTA volunteer duties such as updating the auction website and all the related forms etc. The auction is being moved to November from February this school year and now that the date is only 2 full months + a few days away, we have some serious catch up work to do to make this happen. Last year we raised $45,000 after expenses and hope to match or exceed last year’s totals. It’s a huge job. I wasn’t going to do anything with the auction this year since I spent 2 years as marketing and pr chair, but guess what? I’m back in the thick of it.
Ya know that feeling when you have something you want to do (in my case it’s getting back to the studio), but you don’t quite have time to get to it? It’s sort of frustrating. Now that I have most of the work done for the auction for the time being, I’m hoping to move on next week.
I guess I have to content myself with those things that I do find inspiring for the time being cause it sure isn’t in the studio right now.
~Cynthia
10 Responses to “Inspiration – Where is it?”
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hi cynthia don’t know if this is your end or mine, I’ve listed your site in my blog roll and when i hit the link it goes to just coloradoartstudio.com page not to the blog, even though that’s the address i put in?? any ideas..ta mucho
Beautiful flowers Cynthia! I hope you get the chance to get back into the studio soon!
I just left a comment on your blog, Ang – not quite sure what the problem is without seeing the interface…
Thanks Ben – I’m getting closer!
Cynthia, there is such a thing as taking time to breathe and I think that is what you are doing. You’ve had a hectic August/end of July with all the classes you’ve been teaching. I detest the times between different sorts of productivity. I know when I was writing full time I’d do the same thing, in that even if I spent time at the keyboard, what was produced was mostly tossed. People who are self starters have far more trouble taking time to breathe than those who aren’t. You’ll get back to the studio when your time is right.
I’m struggling to get back to being creative too. Other things keep getting in the way, like the need for food and sleep, and chores like shopping, and friends wanting to spend time with me (what would they want to do that for??) Oh well… when my course starts at the end of September that two hours every Monday is MINE and no one can take it from me!
I have had some of those tomato horned worms on my tomato plants. They are so hard to spot cause they are the exact same color as the plant. Found 3, but I suspect there are more as I see nubs instead of leaves. Arrggh. So my tomatoes are not doing that great.
But fortunately, the worms do not seem to like my okra. Nor have any of the other wild animals out here (knock on wood). So I am at least happy that we get fried okra for a treat every few days.
Thanks for sharing those gorgeous photos and I was craving a tomato after seeing the pics of your cherry tomatoes. You have been so busy this summer and wow you must have a hectic schedule. Cyn, I have been at Red Rocks stadium and I had to count how many years back it was. I was there (would you believe) 30 years ago with my first husband LOL. It was a non event day though but that place is so breathtaking, I can imagine how exciting it would be to see it lit up and hear a concert there! We just climbed among the rocks and took in that incredible view that day. I would love to see it again!
Hey, I just wanted to touch base, been outta touch for awhile. I love cherry tomatoes, our plants are doing well too (everything grows so fast in KY, I had forgot what it was like to have a garden in the south, what a trip), but we have yet to have a full harvest because I eat them while I water the garden…they are better than candy! I love the taste of red sunshine. The picture of you and your Mate Man, is great! He’s a looker that one.
Hope you get back to the studio soon, can’t wait to see what happens when you do. Take er easy,
H
You’re absolutely right, Mary! While I was walking the dogs yesterday, I decided that very same thing before reading your post.
Life does get in the way, Linda – I suppose it’s all a matter of balance and not beating myself up about it.
Hey Janet – no insects that I know of here on my tomatoes, but I don’t use chemicals, so it’s always a very real possibility. My larger “big boy” tomatoes have splitting happening on the tops – I’m not quite sure what causes it, but they’re still edible and I just cut the split parts off before eating. Okra isn’t something I eat very often, though I like it.
Lynette – Red Rocks is an awesome place and I especially like to visit when there aren’t any events going on. It’s quiet and there’s plenty of room to roam and explore.
Hey Heather – I’m so glad to hear from you! I imagine that a veggie garden would be easier to grow in the south than in an arid climate like Denver. Ron will blush when I told him what you wrote!
I’m here to drop off a bit of my energy! Don’t worry, inspiration will return. I often take time for just thinking about art and looking at other artist’s art and reading about other artists. I find it helps to know that other artists have downtime too. It IS a matter of balance. Before long, I’m sure you will be back in the studio and making all kinds of beautiful pottery!