Repotting

Center
Originally uploaded by jhhymas.

This morning I fixed a lot of cactuses and epiphyllums and arranged them on the deck. Dickens came back and helped me hang the epis. He put the big pots of cactus back, too. There were two little shoots on the purple succulent that has been neglected for years in the side yard. If it is this tough, it deserves another chance! I put it on the rack where it will get some water and gave it a top dressing of good soil. I used the pea gravel from the old racks as a top dressing on some plants to keep the soil from washing out. I enjoyed it all, I could spend more time in the yard.
Scott went to back doctor he'd been referred to today. It looks like a "soft tissue" spine injury that will get better over six months to a year. So at least there is a diagnosis, after three weeks. Trip to Michigan still uncertain.

Dinner in Gilroy

He did finish the deck today and is supposed to come back tomorrow to put in the nails and help me hang the epiphyllums. These flowers are the current garden items I would most hate to give up.
Tonight I ate at Tasso's in Gilroy with Lani, Ed and Cecilia. People I love, old friends who go way back. We had a glorious time laughing and talking. Cecilia's voice is very soft, and even though the restaurant wasn't noisy, I had to really focus not to miss what she was saying. I enjoyed this dinner so much it made me realize how foolish I am not to promote more get-togethers of friends from the past who still live around here. I tend to rely on others to arrange things, which I always enjoy. But I don't take initiative, unless we are about to go to Michigan. A crisp beautiful fingernail moon was over my left fender most of the way home.
Then I turned toward it and was almost there on Highway 85.
Last night I edited the Wikipedia article on Barbara Tuchman. I changed the word "conspired" to the more correct "aspired." I'll have to check and see if it is still there; also where the period goes, inside or outside the parentheses . . . It stunned me how much fun this was to do; Scott doesn't really believe that community editing will work. And I guess it does take a big community.
Good night.

Pale Mannequins

Ignored Pale Mannequins
Originally uploaded by jhhymas.

I was waiting for Patricia when this man walked by across the street. We had just been to art galleries on Post Street where I bought some etchings of ice by Jorg Schmeisser. I still need to get them framed.
Today Dickens almost finished the deck cover--he might get through tomorrow. Then I'll need to fix my epiphyllum pots and get them hanging again.
Scott's CAT scan shows nothing wrong. He had his nuclear circulation study done today. His doctor has referred him to the back specialist. I think that definitely might be where the injury is. We are just sort of hanging around now after planning for months to go to Michigan. It is sort of a suspended feeling.

The yellow jar

The yellow jar
Originally uploaded by jhhymas.

Layers and layers of photo combination fun tonight. I need another portable hard drive to give me more access to different pictures. Although I can usually think if something to do with just a few. This is a section of a combination of a flower shot and two pictures from a museum. Then Nik filtered.

More work on the deck today. The board that's been being worked on by the carpenter bees, one slow black bee at a time, is almost hollow. Pretty impressive. Contractor Dickens' truck broke down in front of the driveway and left a pool of what is probably hydraulic fluid. Uck. The painting of deck beams by the nephew went on slowly, as if it were art.

After Mona died last June

The yellow flowers were blooming on the hillsides outside Liberty, where she grew up. We drove through the settlement, perhaps for the last time. It's no longer a town to grow up in. There are ninety-two people surnamed Hymas in the Liberty cemetary.

Photoshop actions 2

The Sammons and Peterson books led me deep into the Actions and Channels palettes. Here is one of the first results. I might never have got the Nik, if I had figured this out. Tip: look for the tiny triangles in the upper right hand corner of the palette, which open up new menus.

I am continuing this as a sort of diary, because I haven't ascertained who the possible audience is. Another UPS package was delivered behind the pot and watered. But the books were only damp, not wet.

Deck Work

The laths and rotten beams from the deck cover are all demolished now. The white epiphyllum is beginning to bloom and has lots of buds. This is the only one that blooms out of the center of the plant rather than on the hanging arms. Other epis, which have all finished blooming, are kind of suffering by being out on the pavement in the blazing sun of our 100 degree heat wave.
Had a lovely lunch today with the Rice's and Cathy at the Fish Market. Excellent food and laughter. We couldn't go to see MB's new carpet because Scott's back still hurts from the fall.
A House re-run is on right now. There must be something better; I must learn how to use the clicker. I think House is cool, though, I must admit. I don't know why these guys like the Hunter Thompson persona, or the Bukowski persona appeal to me, but they do . . .

The Poem Road

This infinite internet! Led there by a series of links begun by Flickr's Montana Raven, I just joined a map called California Fever. And learned about something called a Poem Road, based on one in Taiwan. I haven't learned how to insert a link here, but I can add it later, after I learn. (I'm worried about the future of Taiwan. But poetry might have one.) She wants you to post a poem and send a picture of where it is posted. I'd like to put one on the creek path, but now I have to go downstairs and move the hanging plants so they (Dickens and his New Age Renaissance Team) can tear apart the deck tomorrow. Scott's fall was two and a half weeks ago and he is still in very bad pain and hasn't improved at all. He will have a CT scan as soon as the appointment comes through. And then a referral to the back specialist.

Homage to the Victorians

Homage to the Victorians
Originally uploaded by jhhymas.

I am finally getting the hang of the Photoshop layer blending modes. This is the first successful one. Most of the others haven't been as interesting. Combines an old Dry Brush duotone with a very new weird lines (Nik) in screen mode. Excelsior! I want to do more of these.

Clouds over the mesa

Clouds over the mesa
Originally uploaded by jhhymas.

We may never get away this year to Michigan and start driving across those western spaces. This picture from a previous trip reminds me of that. I love the uncluttered high desert.

Another day, ho-hum

Saw Marilyn today and got a permanent. She had visitors, son and grandsons and small white fluffy barking dog. Why would I tell anyone to read about this? But it is what happened. All the Photoshop blending experiments I tried today didn't work as well as the first ones I did yesterday. I remember similar results with new computer photo techniques in the past. On the rerun of House tonight he was even more unbearable. I don't know why I like that show, but I do. Really a fan of the oncology doctor, Robert Sean Leonard (have to check this name) who was recently on that show about Eugene O'Neill. We plan to watch Frida in half an hour.

Trying it out

Beautiful sunny day. This is sort of like "How are you? I am fine." which I really did use to begin my childhood letters. And if I don't tell anyone about this blog, no one will read this anyway. I've wanted to try this for a long time. I cannot really say why.