The Lowly Esculent

I am so excited for my winter squashes. I have these two varieties - a Styrian seed pumpkin and an heirloom flesh squash, along with a couple other varieties. Many will be eaten, but some will be used to teach kids and families on crop diversity. I 🧡 my job 🤗

I love my job, and I hate how cold this April has been 🥶

The weather is above freezing, I saw Snowdrops in bloom, and it’s starting to feel like Spring 🌷 Even if it’s just a tease, I’ll take it. #irises #knitting #icelandicwool

Does Purple Flower Raspberry count? 🤭 It’s in the rose family 🌹

Reintroducing wolves to Highlands could help native woodlands, says study Researchers say the animals could keep red deer numbers under control, leading to storage of 1m tonnes of CO2

Reintroducing wolves to Scottish Highlands could help expand native woodlands, says study

- Researchers say the animals could keep red deer numbers under control, leading to storage of 1m tonnes of CO2

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Desk is cleaned up & organized. Officially time to buckle down and get back to art 😮‍💨 I’m feeling inspired, so let’s hope I can focus

Wherever possible please buy your books directly from authors and/or publishers. Even ebooks (then Amazon can't delete them either). We make a better cut and you get the same thing or better, plus Bezos and ilk don't get richer. Win win win.

A cold, slushy Sunday in February is perfect for catching up on my winter sowing. I should have done this last month, but I think these seeds will grow into successful adults 😌
Solidago bicolor pictured below, plus lots of others 🥰

It’s hard to feel like pencil drawings are worth taking the time to finish, but I guess I’ll try to be stubborn and finish these violets. Maybe then I’ll trace the sketch into a watercolor pad for some fun

Hey gay people of North Jersey you should go to this mixer tomorrow!!!

#queer #dating #valentinesday #mixer #northjersey #njevents

Yeah, but it’s not too bad since they have a pool and yoga classes

Lol, I was thinking about joining the Y near me and went with my dad during their family week over the holidays. I laughed when literally everyone in the room was at a different station, scrolling on their phones during their rest 😂 not sure it I should still join or just buy heavier weights

Haha, fair. I’m not there yet 😆

Working out at home makes it so much easier for me. The weights are an investment though 💪

Today’s goal is to hide from the news and get my art desk set up to actually paint. I’m going to challenge myself to work bigger, and I’m sick of not having a permanent art station. #uvularia #uvulariaperfoliata #bellflower #perfoliatebellflower #springephemeral

So gorgeous! I love the texture 😍

Many are asking: “What can I do now?”

Here’s a revised and expanded list of actions you can take, in rough order of importance. https://robertreich.substack.com/p/more-on-what-you-can-do

Some of my seeds have already germinated, and I am counting down the days until Skunk Cabbage is back 🤭

Tiny plants and thoughts of spring always bring joy. #watercolor #botanicalart #skunkcabbage #symplocarpusfoetidus #nativeplants

Gutting USAID threatens billions of dollars for U.S. farms, businesses U.S. businesses that sold goods and services to USAID are in limbo, including American farms dealing in rice, wheat and soybeans.

US farmers sold $2 billion of food to USAID. Not any more.

- US farmers provided 41% of food delivered by USAID
- $340M of purchases/shipments are now paused. Over 680,000 tonnes.
- Food stranded in Houston
- Aid stopped in transit.

The world’s poor starving, food rotting & US farmers screwed.

Start that art project—even if you don’t feel ready.

The skills you need will come as you create.

Oh, to be a tiny Bucculatricidae larva snuggled up in its cocoon, wedged in the bark of a red maple, sleeping through winter ..

Every year, I promise myself I’ll practice botanical illustration more… then barely do. Nature is healing in difficult times though, and the super tedious and time-consuming rendition of nature seems like the perfect distraction. 🫣

Milkweed & Skipper

Some simple watercolor sketches. I’m rusty and my hand gets tired way too fast 🥲 I’m so excited to work with vegetables again this summer.

Updated list of companies committed to DEI

Costco, Meijer, Kroger, Giant Grocery, Ben & Jerry’s, Ulta, Macy’s, Old Navy, Nordstrom’s, TJ Maxx, GoTo Foods (includes Moe’s Southwest Grill, Mcalister’s, Auntie Anne’s, Jamba, Cinnabon, and more…), Dollar Tree, Walgreens, Wegmans

A couple of quick watercolor sketches. First time painting anything since the election. It’s been tough battling the feeling of meaninglessness when it comes to art. Now to figure out what to paint that has some meaning

From the Invasive Japanese maple :(