Found Autobiography

I wrote this 3 or 4 years ago for...an application?  We were renting the place on Clarion then.  Fun!:

The Complete Autobiography, Abridged


I have parents that are honest, brave, adjusted, and brilliant. It proved quite annoying as a teenager.

I have had friends for my entire life. Perhaps I’m not old yet, but 30 years is not too bad. I plan to keep them.

I have had a dog, 3 cats, and hermit crabs. Each is buried in the backyard, except Mitty the Kitty, who has really become my sisters cat b/c I can’t have pets at my current residence.

I have traveled quite a bit, but always lived within 200 miles of where I grew up.

My parents haven’t moved in 36 years. Their house has riverfront property. My favorite time is in the morning in the spring or fall when it smells crisp and clean & the sun is just coming up, burning the fog off of the smoky river.

Home is where your stuff is. When you are in college & your stuff is both at your college dorm & at your parents’, your home is both places. I don’t remember the day I realized my home was no longer at my parents’ house. It just snuck up on me.

My home is now in South Philadelphia. South Philly is a great neighborhood – part young, hip, trendy, and part old, established, and traditional. I rent a great house that is truly home. My landlord lives around the corner. His aunt, sister, and mom’s houses are also within a block. It’s just that kind of neighborhood.

I hope if I ever have a biography written, it will have a cheeky title.

There were 2 summers while in school for Fashion Design that I taught science, nature, and camping/canoeing. I never learned to tie the correct knot on a fishing line, and lost a lot of hooks fishing.

I have played each for a year: piano, recorder, trombone, and the harp. I have done each for between 1 & 3 years: soccer, softball, tap, horseback riding, basketball, track (400-hurdles), semi-pro improvisation, and theater. I have been on 3 Outward Bound courses. I have carried an 80-pound metal canoe for over a mile and a quarter by myself. Each step was an achievement. I can tie a good knot except when fishing.

I never wore any pink in high school or in college. I now wear lots of pink. Perhaps I am making up for lost time.

I had 3 silly goals while in Asia last year, and completed all three. I plan to set ridiculous goals for every trip from now on.

I am a road warrior – a guru of on-the-road-know-how. I have traveled all over by myself – Europe, Asia, and the US from the east to the west coast.

I’ve met some folks who are famous. It was always somewhat anti-climatic, actually.

I was once described by a friend as a workhorse. He meant it in the kindest of ways, I’m sure. I am always pushing myself.

I ran into a pole at 4 years old and broke my collarbone. Yes, I have always been this graceful. I broke my left big toe when I was 12. If you believe in karma, it’s a good story.

My mom, my aunt, and my brother are artists. My grandmother, my other brother, and my cousin are all also very talented in the arts.

I once had my palm read. The seer told me that I would always have money because of other people. Anytime other people want to start giving me money, I’m ready.

My birthday is August 2nd. I have not been home on my birthday for years. My birthdays have been spent in Quebec, Pompeii, Ohio, the Jersey Shore, the Boundary Waters in Minnesota, and Edinburgh.

My life has been a little of this and a little of that. As with my jars, each is ordinary and only somewhat interesting by itself, but together (and many times all at once), they create a fascinating tapestry, a true work of art.

March!

How quickly March has marched on by! 

I cannot wait for the weather to be beautiful all the time!  Sack-toss and lazy Sundays reading outside await!

It has been busy busy BUSY busy for me, but a few FUN things have happened too.

Sean & I trimmed the Crabapple last weekend (this past weekend was SO cold, but the week before was beautiful!).  It was the first time either of us had pruned a good sized tree and it was pretty fun and rewarding!

Afterwards, I did some...TREE-CYCLING...hahaha!

I used the willowy cut branches, which had grown very straight and wove them in the gate of our fence:

The branches are so beautiful:

The fence has become 3-dimensional as the branches bow out so beautifully!

The ends were pretty raw...

So, I painted them a METALIC GOLD, which will also seal them:

I love all the renegade knitting around Philly!  I wanted to bring a little to my backyard...

So, I started with my knitting machine (just using up some yarn):

And then wrapped the pole next to the gate!:

LOVE IT!:

Here it is through the screen that I've sewn on (just kinda a cool shot):

AND...we've started doing some planting for the garden!

Seedlings inside - planting day:

and from about a week ago...

Meanwhile...back at the ranch...

We have also put a few seeds under the cold frames (spinach, swiss chard, lettuce):

We are using the same system as last year (Square Foot Gardening).  This year we have marked the sections using eye-hooks and left over clothesline.  This was S's idea! He is so smart!