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Monday, October 19, 2009

Harvest & Journalfest

Today my work list is a mile long but it's my last chance to post before leaving for Journalfest so here I am; scattered but earnest in my effort to procrastinate and avoid getting down to business. We'll start with recent journal pages. Here I've cut some new stencils, rubber stamps, and well, you know. The usual fun stuff.

The journal is often a reflection of the mind. Big, tangled thoughts; dreams mixed with reality.

Experiments and records.

Play.

Holding on to what is precious. The things you wish you could carry with you always.

I've also been shooting willy-nilly around the garden and house. John is busy with the harvest. Above is the strange roots on his blue corn.

We got an amazingly large harvest off the tall corn that he thought would never ripen and last night we visited our friends from Oaxaca who taught us how to parch the corn on the grill. It was soooo good, tasting just like corn nuts only more tender and without all the salt and oil. Now John is all heated up to make nixtamal and grind his own corn for tortillas.

The beautiful Federley tomato.

Black figs from the tree. They are so beautiful; I love figs and pomegranates for being so guarded of their beauty. Sex-ay!

A bumper crop of peppers drying in the warm garage.

My favorite variety of squash. No butter needed. Tastes like pumpkin pie. (we bake them in a pyrex pan with a little water)

Tomatillos for the green salsa.

Last year the squirrels got all the walnuts but this year we had fewer squirrel families and a bumper crop of walnuts as a result.

This is a thistle flower from an artichoke plant. It is as big as your palm. I wrote a poem after seeing a bee squirming around in the blossom. Here it is:

Meditation on that bee
threading halleluias
through the
lilac thistle blossoms
trailing prayer flags
whispering grace
gratitude
joy
and amen.

Thank you for humoring me. See you in a week or so.

19 comments:

Clare Wassermann said...

I am so impressed by your bumper crop and your bumper journal entries. You are VERY prolific!

Dawn said...

Do tell what variety the squash are!

Ocean Lotus said...

ah...judy...

i eat you up i adore you so...

(just saw the movie, which was odd and wonderful at the same time...

your posts are really like visiting a comfy, warm, safe, friend's home...

Candace said...

The harvest looks stout (a compliment here in the South, not just a proportion -- although that too!). The journal pages thrum with the usual activity -- love the dolls. AND that dog with glasses, hilarious.

Have a grand grand time, Judy, and have an even grander week during this Season of the Witch.
Candace in Athens

femminismo said...

I love your harvest time photos. Could hardly wait to swagger through the swell surfeit of corn and 'maters. Your journal pages show so much joy and a great, happy summer of art and friendship. Bees trailing prayer flags. (I saw in your tiny writing that making prayer flags is on your list.) - J.

Lila Rostenberg said...

What a wonderful garden to produce such abundance!
YOur journal pages are inspiring!

Isabel said...

We are so blessed by the abundance of the earth around us. Figs, Pommegranates, pumpkins...earth's fruits are like beautiful wrapped gifts. Her offering for our spirit.

And the bee poem is just beautiful. We should all be more like the bees...

misty said...

amazing...always amazing. figs & walnuts & blue corn ... and your journals & poem... all beautiful!
have a wonderful time at journalfest!

Kim Mailhot said...

So much good stuff to fill up here - in every sense of those words!
Have a magic trip, Teach !
big love!

And so it goes... said...

I could eat it all up! Journal entries included!!! Have HUGE fun at Journalfest...
deb/debbie/debra

Angela said...

Amazing harvest: yummy meals for the winter months!

What kind of grinder is he planning to use to make the masa? And were does he get his nixtamal?

Thanks!

Ro Bruhn said...

Your journal pages are as fascinating as ever, they would make a wonderful story book.
What a harvest I see some wonderful shapes for stamps in some of the bounty.
Have a great time at Journalfest.

El Racó Natural said...

I enjoy with your photos, your collages, your idees, your words,...
Congratulations from Catalunya (Spain)

raconatural.blogspot.com

Jacky said...

Tomatillo's...I've never heard of them before (but I love the look of them). What a crop of fruit and veg!
I love visiting to see your wonderful journal pages...they always inspire me to have a play in my journal - thankyou!
I love how you have included the images of your two latest sculpey dolls on your pages.

Jacky xox

Seth said...

Your pages are always such a wonder to see. Hope Journalfest was everything you wanted it to be.

Unknown said...

WOW! I have just found your blog and I love it already. I love your bumper crop. I also love your journal pages. Can't wait until I can get back into journalling!

Leslie said...

That is some harvest!
And those journal pages! Did you cut that stencil in the first spread of the woman with her hands in her ears? Love that!

Karen Cole said...

This is all from YOUR garden? Holy moly! Rich, colorful and varied...just like your journals. What a team.

Have a great trip......yet again!

mycuriousteaparty said...

Your squash look so lovely, could you please tell me what variety they are? I might, just might, be able to get them here in the UK... if I'm lucky.

Many thanks Julie

PS I love your blog I've just discoved it, I've sat here happily for over two hours already.