FOTD Feb 22, 2021: State of the Lot

26 Replies


Here are photos of the current state of the little park I am building in the lot below my house. I just purchased the carved stone snake head and will form the body out of the small bushes that are currently laid out behind it. As the bushes grow, the body will flesh out more to scale. I’ll have a stone tail sculpted later after my bank account recovers from past projects. I bought one more sculpture as well, but you just see the uncarved back of it in the photo.  The four Dr. Seuss trees will be planted elsewhere in the lot, not in the positions where they currently are. Bit by bit, the neighborhood weed forest and dumping ground is turning into a thing of beauty. Stonework by Jose. Planting by Pasiano.  Financing and art direction by Judy.

26 thoughts on “FOTD Feb 22, 2021: State of the Lot”

  3. SAM VOELKER

    I really like how it is developing Judy. When I first saw the empty lot I envisioned that this would make a real companion to the slightly more heavy growth of your house garden. I pictured something droughty with a backing of a few large stacked stones near the far wall, more arid but not dry. The stones being a good spot for low growing lichen and succulents, even small ball cactus in some of the other dry beds, It looks like this is where you are going. From your lush yard you will have a gate to a sudden open venue, with a path, a sudden change, with statuary and objets d’art, like a good poem or song can be. Beautiful picture you are painting~!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓
      1. SAM VOELKER

        JUST THINKING…. A FAULT OF MINE

        She is right, though you need a small place to sit and meditate… (spell check tried to turn that into medicate – hangover from your today’s poem~?) Maybe a stone bench, you may forget about a gnome unless you can find a stone one like mine but with Aztec features~!

        I remember from long ago The Secret Garden, by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and the idea really impressed me how you could go through a gate into another world completely different. I have one enclosed by heavy growth, way up on my hill, where I do not take anyone else, but have a bench in there, where I go to think, or cry out my thoughts with only the sound of the birds and Tami to bother me.

        Also this poem impressed me:
        https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/secret-garden

        Mesoamerican art would be a great theme for your little “hidden garden”, with your Quetzalcóatl serpent as the centerpiece. My son Mark got his degree in Mesoamerican Archaeology . From that I inherited some of the neat art he did in his studies, using the readily available (carveable) limestone slabs I have here on my place, as well as soapstone and pipe stone, when he practiced his art pieces.

        You will need some kind of bench to sit on to meditate. Mayan glyphs would make a good art backing for this. They do not need to be complex and I would bet that your painter, wasn’t his name Jesus Vega, would like to carve some of them for you. I can send you photos of some that I have here, but the Mayan alphabet and your location is a better place to start, with a personal hidden meaning. Stelae may be a little more complex but I am guessing you may already have some to move there if they are not too valuable or portable.

        Mark got his interest from my bringing back, long before he was born, many items I picked up down there. A few real, and others fake. Many I still have. My being a pack rat has filled the barn, but not as much as you seem to have. I will send photos when I finally get around to talking about the barn and house. I still do not know how to do this on a “reply note”.

        Like

        Reply ↓
  4. slmret

    This is really becoming a beautiful park, Judy! I love the idea of the snake, and the little “flower beds” here and there with bushes and rocks. What is on the front of the sculpture that you showed just the back of (the round rock?)? I hope the neighbors will respect its beauty and help keep it vibrant and beautiful!

    Like

    Reply ↓
    1. lifelessons Post author

      There is a big chainlink fence in front of it with padlocks. You can see through it but not get in without a key. I’ve had two flower planters stolen from the other side of my house–one of which was nailed to the stump it was sitting on… so I don’t trust people not to steal the sculptures and plants unless I fence them in. Plus roving herds of cattle come by most days and used to munch on the plants, which I didn’t mind when they were grass and weeds, but now I’ve furnished more delectable comestibles that I don’t want to share. In the past a guy down the mountain would stake out his goats or sheep in my lot as well, and once a man staked out a horse there.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓
      1. slmret

        I wondered if I was seeing a fence by the road — and I almost said something about keeping cows out, but didn’t know why I knew about them, so didn’t mention them! Will you plant a hedge just inside the fence, or will you leave it open to view?

        Like

        Reply ↓
  8. Lala Ribera

    Looks like you are having a great time, Judy. I’ve been re-landscaping our back area and now that we’re closing in on Spring, it’s also starting to take shape – also esoterically, in many ways. Projects keep life interesting and especially landscaping projects since so many other avenues are still blocked.

    I’ve concurrently been re-editing one of my book projects. Hope you might want to give it a read before I submit it to – what, KINDLE? I don’t know what else to do with it. How do people submit to any other publishers these days?

    Encouraging that infection rates seem to be going down in the States – finally, after 500,000 deaths. What a tragedy it’s been. How is it in your area? Have you been able to access a vaccination? Dan and I have both had the 1st Moderna and the 2nd will be at the end of the month. Maybe then we can go down to BCS for a while and take care of a few things.

    It’s been tough at the Art Center. The long stall has taken it’s toll on our resilience and trying to figure out a way forward. Virtual classes? A Poetry Show? A community project seems appropriate, when we can meet again. Valley Strong needs an edifice somewhere; maybe a mural or sculpture for us all to rally around? We need to tap into the creative spirit.

    Well my friend, hope you stay well in every way. Thanks for sharing your life with us. Much love, Laurie

    >

    Like

    Reply ↓
    1. lifelessons Post author

      Hi Laurie.. Can you email the manuscript to me? I have one in the works as well..I’ll show you mine if you’ll show me yours! No shots here yet. I’m registered but they are way undersupplied.. xo J

      Like

      Reply ↓
  12. lifelessons Post author

    I’ll dedicate a bush, tree, vine or flower to you, Cee. I’ll know which one when the time is right.
    Probably not a peony, regrettably, as I’ve never seen one down here.

    Like

    Reply ↓

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.