In Bloom: Amaryllis

The copycat, she'll do anything she sees you do- be warned.

This big beauty is such a treat, such large blooms, and so many of them- 4 on each stalk, it's an Amaryllis "Minerva", and I highly recommend it to anyone else out there that's buying them, it's so much nicer than I thought it would be. Also don't throw them out! ( I'm assuming that people throw them out and that's why they're so cheap right before Christmas- I've thrown out a couple myself... if you buy them from proper bulb sellers they're way more expensive) just keep on watering and fertilizing until July-ish, then let it die off and start watering again in October. My other plant (amaryllis 'Red Lion') bloomed the first year then just produced leaves, then produced blooms last year- I assumed it would be a bi-annual bloomer- but it's got a flower stalk again this year- and lots of leaves and also a tiny baby plantlet starting out- so I think fertilizing regularly is the key, isn't it always?

Monday Inspiration: Brancusi

Constantin Brancusi, La Muse, 1912, (source)

Constantin Brancusi, Portait of Mlle. Pogany, 1912 (source)

Constantin Brancusi, Little French Girl (the first step [111]), 1914-18, (source)

Constantin Brancusi, Bird in Space, 1932-40 (source)

Okay I'm going to give a go at Monday inspiration again, turn this blog back into more than once a week postings if I can summon the courage to go against the tide of tiny people wanting me to play all the time (while I arranged these images I was served up a litany from N- "ooh, it's so frustrating when my kids don't listen to me" I was supposed to be playing house with her- putting my baby brother 'Duke' (aka baby A) to bed, unsurprisingly N was annoyed that both her 'children' weren't listening to her, I know how she feels...).

Where was I? oh Brancusi, Right. well. I have not always loved Brancusi's work, in school I thought it too reductionist and minimal, but now I love it- the lines! so flowing and perfect, space aged, but in 1912! It's a good example of work that needs to be appreciated within it's historical context. I put up this post because I thought the smooth flowing brass lines are really appropriate to winter somehow, but while I was looking through the works, I fell for his women. They are so charming, there's something about them that allows the imagination to follow. The lines are so simple- but so perfect in how they capture a moment, it is beyond me how a twist of oak can perfectly encapsulate a toddler's wide gait during her first steps, but it does, somehow.

(Now I've been told by N that "it's midnight, and she can't understand how I'm not doing what she's asking me to do", better go before I get a time out, cheers)

This moment

{this moment}

A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

-Amanda Blake Soule

Joining in with Soulemama

This Moment

"A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see."- Amanda Blake Soule

joining in with Soulemama

A Year in Pictures

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

52/52

Well- it's the last one- and I have to say I'm a little surprised at how fast it went- but also a little relieved that it's over- halfway through I gave up linking over to Che and Fidel- because it started to feel strange- almost like a popularity contest- and I'm not great at that sort of thing (too reminiscent of being picked last for every team ever?? will my ego ever get over school?). But I didn't want to give up fully- still intending to have these photos to look back on, marking the changes in my children. But then I also realized that that's what I do here anyways- and it doesn't really have to be every week, planned or forced, it can be random, and seasonal, and incidental too.

Sometimes I only have time to post here once a week, and I'm not sure I want to use this space only as a place to document my kids- I think it's more than that- I'd like it to be more than that, and so I'm not doing the 52 project again. Because if I only have one hour to put up a post I want it to be about art, or gardening, or cooking, or just sharing something lovely, which is not necessarily the same as the photos of the adorable-atti  (it's like the illuminati- but they plan to rule the household based on cuteness alone- so far, it's mostly working).

And so here's to a new year- full of lovely things for all of you, I hope.

The days after

::Painted sugar cookies
::Drawing on the Christmas Cards
:: Feeding the birds
::A very fancy surprise Christmas gift
:: Forcefeeding Nana the traditional goldfish crackers from the stocking
:: a day that was so warm + 2 celcius!
:: the new dollhouse took no time at all to furnish with odds and ends while we wait for the 'real' furniture
:: warm enough for a new snowman, who clearly needs a kiss
:: Lego mania
:: A baby who knows exactly where the cookies are, and isn't afraid to help herself
:: Sisterly love