It's been awhile.......

We've used this blog for years to jog our memories of what we did, where we did it, when we did it and who we did it with.     If others checked in on us, that was fine but it was never the purpose.    Along the way, I found 'blog friends' and we have kept in touch and that has been a big bonus.  

 

But over time, I gradually got lazy.    And then, one day, I realized that aside from looking at pictures, I had no idea where the time went.   So, I'm back to my 'diary' and if you check in someday, welcome back.  

My small Home Depot jade has grown over the years.   It survives on total neglect but seems to love sitting in this southern facing window.   And then it flowered !!    It overflowed with tiny white blooms and I was stunned.   Apparently this is pretty rare and "requires ideal conditions of light, food and water".   Well, this gets only good light, water when I think about it and feeding about twice a year.   If it keeps growing, I will have to move it or trim it.   And since it goes to my neighbor when we go to AZ,  we will either have to stay home or divide it into smaller pots as it is getting really heavy.  

We went to the same lovely house in AZ again this year...but a much shorter stay.    The walking path is my favorite thing and he has his pickleball tribe 7 days a week.    This year it was cold and windy and rainy and we only played golf a couple times.    One of them was with our favorite excellent golfer grandson, Alex.  

   

Through out the past year  I have been heavily involved in classes through the Denver Botanic Gardens Botanical Illustration course.     They have a comprehensive program of excellent classes, leading to a Certificate in BI.    They are intensive and instructive.    I have completed about 6-7 of the prerequisites.   I have no intention of going for the certificate but I find the instructors to be excellent and the convenience of Zoom classes makes for an ideal situation of learning from the comfort of my own space.    Someday, I might share my work but I really have no plan except to explore different medium ( graphite, colored pencil, pen and ink , watercolor) and the basics of botany, composition and perspective.     I am pleased with my efforts and results.   And it's good for this aging brain.  

And so, we're home, it's raining and snowing but there are buds on the trees, I've played a round of golf, well fortified in fleece and down, and happy to be back to my 'stuff'.