I’ve got some tulips, and they are just beginning to open. I will take their pictures every day until they blossom and wither.
4 May
Tulips. I’m Going To Watch Them Open, Day By Day
by Jon Katz
Bedlam Farm Blog Journal by Jon Katz
4 May
Wild African Violets From Our Woods.
by Jon Katz
Maria was out walking in the woods yesterday, she says she lost her sox while walking (I’m suspicious) but she did come home with some wild African Violets, an incredibly delicate, beautiful and graceful wild flower.
They ended up in the Windowsill Gallery, and I got my camera on them first thing in the morning. Maria says she’s returning to the woods today to reclaim her socks if they aren’t a nest by now.
4 May
Learning How To Make Poached Eggs. Almost There…It Was Fun.
by Jon Katz
We got excited this morning about learning how make our own poached eggs, since we have fresh eggs every day in Spring and Summer. We watched several videos about it on You Tube and looked at some recipes online.
This is a fun thing for us, we’d like to learn more about cooking at home. It came out well, although not perfectly. The eggs were delicious but we forgot the teaspoon of vinegar for forming and it wasn’t as creamy and soft as we wanted it to be and as it should be.
It was successful for a first effort and we had a great time, but we’ll try again tomorrow and see if it we can get it just right.
The videos all said it was easy, but you know the story, It’s easy for them. But it’s not that complex, I think we can nail it tomorrow. It always suprises us how much better the eggs from our chicken taste than anything we can buy in stores.
The eggs came out a little too solid, we think.
Still, it was tasty. I had my egg over fresh goat cheese with some fruit. We’ll keep at it.
3 May
Flower Art: A Meditation On Purple And White. Good Night.
by Jon Katz
I decided to do a study in Purple and White, two of my favorite flowers so far this year. The colors just run through my head all day. Another beautiful day. Seeking peanut butter for the children of the food pantry, going to the Mansion for my meditation class, sitting out in the sun with Zip (Zud?) and having lunch with Maria on the porch, then photographing flowers.
I always remember how fortunate I am and how rich my life is. I don’t want to waste a day of it.
This weekend a celebration of Spring, thinking, walking, writing, taking pictures, reading, and giving thanks. I even found a great mystery on Amazon set in Amsterdam. I’ll check it out tonight. I’m checking out early tonight; see you in the morning—zip selfie to come.
Maria and I are finally figuring out how to relax a bit. I’m taking it easy on Saturdays but still blogging and taking pictures.
This is a very Maria story. She came home after an hour-long walk in the woods with Zinnia and Fate. She lost her socks on the walk. She still needs to explain how. I’ll get it out of her. I’m not surprised. She’d walk barefoot until October if she could and if there weren’t so many ticks. I’m signing off for tonight while it’s still light.
I look forward to seeing you in the morning. Please take a look at my pictures.
Purple, then white
White roses are one of my new favorite photos. Their purity is powerful.
Abstract Tulip.
White reflections.
And more interpretation, flowers as spiritual sculptures,
3 May
Selfie, Me And Zip, And Bernie From UPS
by Jon Katz
Zip and I met at our usual time, around 4 p.m. I brought some water and sat in our blue chair—the friend’s chair, I call it—and Zip appeared out of nowhere, hopped onto the armchair, and crawled up my chest to a spot on my shoulder and under my chin.
I have the Iphone ready for a selfie; I want to record our friendship as many people are curious about it and following it. Once I start scratching under his chin, he closes his eyes and sometimes falls asleep right on my shoulder or chest. I hold him under his belly with one hand. He is incredibly soft and affectionate for a wild animal, purring right from the start.
They understand it better than I do, but I enjoy it. On my shoulder, Zip is one of the sweetest creatures I’ve known, right up there with Zinnia. I am blessed to have the two of them around me.
I was happy to see our UPS person, Bernie. Bernie is a rabid animal lover—especially cats—who visits all of the cats on the route and brings them treats. He was delivering a package, saw Zip and me on the chair, and came over. He’s the nicest delivery person I’ve ever met, and we love it when he visits. He can never stay long and runs back and forth to his big brown truck.
Bernie has been looking for Zip, but Zip has been avoiding him. He is friendly but cautious.
I told Bernie to sit down next to us and talk with me for a moment, and Zip carefully approached him and got a few cat treats (Bernie, a good friend) is always ready. Zip got the treats but then jumped back up onto my lap.
Zip is meeting Bernie from UPS, a great cat lover.
Bernie will be back. Sitting in the sun with Zip every afternoon is a meditation, a time for love, calm, and peace. He opens me up and brings me good feelings. We do seem to love one another, but this is the first time I’ve ever fallen so much for a cat. Flow was the first cat to get to me, but she was too much a barn cat to socialize. Zip is a great barn that seems to love some people. But not everyone. He decides who. He is a ferocious hunter.
He said he had just lost his favorite cat on the route, who was run over by a car on nearby Route 61. He said he might be getting a new favorite cat.
Zip is waiting for me. When I start to sit down, he jumps up onto the armchair. He is no fool.