Oh, how I love it when the rains come. We have had such a drought in Texas this year, that even though it is almost Autumn, the rains have caused the world to look like Spring. So many flowers are blooming, and the grasses are re-greening. It is a little magickal faery land outside my door. It is amazing to see how quickly the plants will 'spring' back to life with just a wee bit of nourishment.
Wildflowers have always been my favorite. What many look upon as weeds (i.e. dandelions), I look upon as wonderful little miracles of nature. Those blooms in my yard, which did not come from seeds I had sewn, are special gifts to me.
Of these little gifts, perhaps my favorite are these. I have no idea what they are, I call them wild irises, but I do know that they are the work of fairies. Just looking at them one can tell. ......
In my neighborhood, each morning I am greeted by their beauty. I find it amusing how they will take over an entire yard in one spot, and leave the yard next to it completely alone. The fairies are obviously picking and choosing their playgrounds... but of course. Here is an especially lovely playground I watch often...
Today was Grand. It is nice to be immersing myself, once again, in the world knowledge pursuit. I made many new discoveries, and dusted off a few old ones......
Have you ever
heard of the banyan tree, or its marvelous fruit? Well, it is quite an amazing creature. It grows aerial roots that connect to the ground in whatever spot they happen to touch. This makes it look as though it has numerous trunks....
In India there have been banyan trees that have grown canvases that span acres, literally. Oh how I wish that I had a space on which to plant the seeds of this wild plant and let it take root where it pleases... but, alas, I have no such land. Not yet at least, though I do have the seeds.....
I have some other seeds that I have been waiting to plant.... *story time* ...... One of my first memories is from when I was about 4. I have other, earlier memories, but those are more sketches, without a sound stage and lighting..... Anyway, in this memory I had a preschool teacher that I loved. Upon graduating from her class she gave each of her students a most magnificent gift.....
a mimosa pudica plant. What makes this plant so spectacular was the fact that it is a sensitive to touch. The leaves will curl when touched. To be so young and have such a fascinating plant, it awakened in me a love for plants which I have to this day!
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After reliving this memory time and again, I found an online dealer in mimosa pudica seeds, .... and I am patiently awaiting the arrival of my very own! I shall have to get just the right pot.
I received an odd text today, which got me on a bit of a tangent. The text itself was about trains....When I was a wee little girl, I lived in a small town. No, I am not talking about the sort of small town where the only place to shop is a Wal-Mart. No, the sort of small town where I grew up has a population of less than 200 folks, and there nearest Wal-Mart, or town of any considerable size is at least 1 1/2 hours away in any direction....A small town of this sort has a sense of community that one cannot even imagine unless you have ever lived in one.... We also had things that city folk may never have heard of. For 
instance, the bookmobile. This is usually an airstream, or other such trailer, whose insides have been renovated to contain rows of bookcases, much like the photo above.As an avid reader I was always excited about the arrival of the bookmobile. She only came once every other week, but when she did come we were allowed to walk up her steps and pick out any books we desired. They would be ours for the duration of the next two weeks. This traveling library opened Worlds to me.One such world I shall never forget, is that of the Boxcar Children. Now, many children before and after me had the opportunity to experience this amazing series. However, because the bookmobile tended to have older books, I was able to enjoy them in their original, hardcover form. You know, with the obvious cloth covering over cardboard, much like the one pictured here. To think of it now, I held in my hands books that children from the 40s and 50s and had read and loved, and I read and loved them too. I, too, had fantasies of living in a boxcar.....Many years later, and not too long ago, I came across an opportunity to enjoy the 'comforts' of a boxcar. This I discovered when I was planning a trip to the quaint little Texas town (no, not a small town like I referred to earlier) of Fredericksburg. By way of searching for lodging, I came across the 1894 Pullman Car. This is a luxury train car that Theodore Roosevelt is said to have slept in. 
Though I was not able to spend quite the amount that they were asking, I have not forgotten its existence. I plan to stay there some day, and make use of its beautiful amenities. When I do, I hope that it is raining, and that I can enjoy the sound of the rain pitter pattering on the many windows and the metal casing that is the boxcar.
This month has begun with a 'bang,' not a whimper.....
The culmination of more than a couple of months of planning resulted in a lovely event with which all involved were able to achieve some measure of success.
My dear friend, Haunted Farmgirl, and myself, put on an event for those crafty and artistic souls that seek a venue for their dark and/or whimsical creations. I am so thankful to have had the amazing, and creative ladies involved with this event. Without their participation this event could never have happened...
The way that each of these vendors and fashionistas were able to come in and create lovely and enticing displays of their handmade goods,... well, I am utterly impressed and I have learned much from all of you. ...
www.katinkapinka.etsy.com www.minimysteryworlds.etsy.com www.junkhousedollyard.etsy.com www.opticwaste.etsy.com www.illustratedink.etsy.com www.actionjackson.etsy.com www.rubydollcreations.etsy.com among others....Let us not forget the considerable amount of time, energy and expertise that Kate Cates and her hair and makeup crew. They primped and coiffed the amazing models, and brought out such timeless and elegant beauty in each one of them. Without them, the runway would not have been as successful.
Also an integral part of this fashionable soiree, were the two most delighful bands that came out to enrich this event by showcasing their talents: Wax Museum Pandemonium and The Empirical Study. I strongly urge you to take a gander at their myspace pages, as they are decidedly "not-to-be-missed."
(I will be posting photos soon...)
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