off white

i described this feather as off white, and my son launched into about a 30 minute lecture on the history of streetwear and the absolute and unchallenged mastery of something called virgil abloh, and about 25 minutes in, i realized we were not talking about a slightly dirty egret feather but about a fashion icon and his line of sneakers. perhaps tomorrow, as we listen to hip hop in the car on the way to school, i will understand at least one single reference.

egret (???) feather

candelabrum

like a candle in reverse, these waxy dripping catkins will soon disappear, to make way for a flame burst of green leaves.

birch catkins

we’ve greened

i’m trying mostly unsuccessfully to hide my love for these fern toddlers, just emerged from their fiddlehead infancy, stretching their muscles, and just hinting at the form they will take as adolescents and adults. they have been well raised. they will do just fine. congratulations to the mama fern frond who dropped these spores.

emergent fiddlehead ferns

young charges

i plucked these leaves because i thought they way they were unfurling was so tender–like a swaddled baby. maybe that’s why i feel like a proud mama looking at these young lilies of the valley. my little darling are vigorous and healthy, and growing like weeds. before i know it, they will be wanting to borrow the car and asking if i can spot them 20 bucks until they get paid on friday.

lily of the valley leaves in may

A is for…

as i made this photo i thought to myself  ‘i am going to find all the words that start with letter A that i feel describe me: artist, aerospace-engineer, aunt, assured, aging, ally, active, absorbed…etc. you get the picture. but it was going to take a while to come up with a satisfyingly comprehensive list. and in the meantime, my 15-year-old son, joseph, maneuvered me into going to see the 3 hours long Avengers movie. so, while i had high ambitions for this photo, at the end of the day…A is apparently for Avengers.

bones and dried thistle