Category Archives: nature

Here’s 2 October

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When you live in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, you can’t let a little rain stop you from getting out to enjoy the lushness of autumn. There’s just too much beauty to take in.

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The Daily Post weekly photo challenge: H2O

Weekend Coffee Share 10/1/16

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If we were having coffee, I would tell you that my adventures in landscaping continue.

I pulled some more railroad ties out from the dirt bank that they were supposed to be supporting in my back yard. In reality, the ties were so rotten that the only things holding them against the bank were plant roots that had laced their way through the crumbling wood.

One railroad tie held a defunct wasp nest that dropped out in pieces when I moved the tie. Ah, yes. I remember that nest well.

My lawnmower had inadvertently upset the demon insects a couple of years ago, and they had come pouring out of the holes in the railroad tie intent on retaliation. Unfortunately, the lawnmower pointed the finger at me, and so I was the recipient of multiple wasp stings, wasps caught in my hair, and wasps in my house where they had pursued me when I attempted to escape.

My first thought, when I picked up the crumbly layers and saw the wasp carcasses stuck in the pockets of the nest, was – well, not charitable.

My second thought was, “Hey, I bet my granddaughter would find this interesting!” So when my daughter stopped by the house a few days later, I gifted her with the erstwhile insects to share with her little one. She was thrilled!

If we were having coffee, you’d probably be making a mental note to not invite me to participate in your Secret Santa pool. Hard telling what anonymous gifts might end up in the mix.

But, wait! It gets better!

Yesterday when raking leaves in my back yard I uncovered a small jawbone with some ragged-looking teeth still in residence.

My first thought was, “Hey, I bet my granddaughter would find this interesting!”

My second thought was, “Wow, my granddaughter is going to think I’m really weird if I keep giving her dead things.”

I’m not sure to what species the teeth belong. Opossum? Cat? Raccoon? Regardless, the mystery mandible is in a plastic baggy on top of my fridge, awaiting pick up by my daughter. She’ll be thrilled!

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Would you like more coffee? I’ve got something else to show you that I found in the back yard the other day.

Yes, it once was alive. Yes, it’s now dead. Yes, it’s a bit decayed…

Oh, you have to leave now? Well that was sudden, but okay. I’ll just tuck it away to show you next time.

Trust me, you’ll be thrilled!

Thanks to Diana at PartTimeMonsterBlog.com for hosting the #weekendcoffeeshare.

Weekend Coffee Share 9/3/16

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If we were having coffee, I’d tell you I can’t believe it’s September already! I suppose a lot of people are feeling that way. The weather has been pleasantly cooler this week, but I know there are still hot days to come before autumn settles in.

Autumn is my favorite time of year, and I have plenty of indoor projects lined up for the rainy season. More painting. More demolishing portions of the house and hoping I can reinstate them. And maybe more whittling:

If we were having coffee, I’d show you my “found art sculpture” that I’ve been whittling on and have decided is finished now. It is a section of wood that I pruned out of a tree, formed by two branches that grew together into a permanent knot.

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Knotted branch pre-whittling.

I didn’t notice the unusual growth until I was gathering the cut branches to put them in the compost bin. Had I seen it before cutting it down, I may have left it to grow, to continue its bonding of two into one. But at least I spotted it in time to save it from being chipped up for mulch.

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Knotted branch post-whittling.

I was going to put a coat of polyurethane on the wood to protect it, but I coated a sample piece of the same type of wood and I don’t like the look or feel of it. So this piece is going to stay au naturale.

I showed it to my sister in-law and she commented on how the feel of the smooth wood is calming. I hadn’t thought of it that way before she mentioned it, but I agree. And I’m glad I stuck to using only my utility knife for the project, instead of sanding it smooth. I think perhaps that affects the feel.

So maybe this is not a piece to be stuck on display and allowed to gather dust. Maybe it’s meant to be interactive. Handled now and again for textile calming and comfort. Admired for the complexity/simplicity of nature.

I know, I know. It’s just a piece of wood. But in that vein, one could also say that Michelangelo’s marble statue of David is just a rock.

And now that I’ve likened myself to Michelangelo, I suppose it’s time to come back to mundane reality. There are dishes to be washed, laundry to be folded, and whittling scraps to be swept up.

Thanks for stopping by and listening to my dissertation on the sublime qualities of a chunk of wood. Feel free to run your hand over the smooth branches on your way out, and have a calm, peaceful weekend.

#WeekendCoffeeShare is generously hosted by Diana at PartTimeMonsterBlog.com.