Nobody sees a flower really; it is so small. We haven't time, and to see takes time - like to have a friend takes time.

Georgia O'Keeffe

I love this quote. Most people will pay attention to the big showy flowers, but the small wild strains not so much. I found a forgotten clump of these at the back of the property here in Sacramento and moved them. Over the past four years they have thrived and grown into big clumps. This year they bloomed in profusion. It was a stunning spring for iris and the big showy ones are through. I thought I had another month for these, and that they would send up their usual couple of blooms. This year each clump had thirty blooms about 4" across. They are a delicate pale yellow and lavender with touches of brown. I think they are related to the white and purple ones you see everywhere. These have red berries that are great for fall color. I scatter them here and there when I am doing fall clean up. I always think about my legacy as a gardener. What have I left behind? Have I planted things where they can survive without my care? With these iris, I know they will flourish. 

Hard to believe summer is just around the corner.

M

Little Things Make A Big Difference

Energy Speedometer

Energy Usage Blocks

Available Energy

It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen.
John Wooden 
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/little_things.html#1C4VrzlV7Mq7XAOP.99 


I attend a church in Carmichael called Self Realization Fellowship. For me it is a social and spiritual network that has made a rather isolated life in Sacramento, wonderful. I don't go as often as I would like, but that is because of choices I make about time and money. 

I do participate in the Social Committee, which is about cooking and making sure the members of the church enjoy the pot lucks we have occasionally, and I assist with putting out juice after services once a month. And I contribute when we need something artistic done. In this case, it was not a big fancy something but some charts that help explain why we need to watch our energy usage so carefully.  

Churches get hit with a rather unfair and huge penalty when they go over a certain minimum with energy. It is aligned with peak usage rates for businesses.  With us the magic number is 21 kilo watts. If we go over that mark once the penalty is somewhere around $2000 for the year. Now for most churches, which are mostly non-profit, this is a big deal. So two members of our church have been working to bring the numbers down and to figure out a way to keep us below 21 kW. With summer coming we need to talk to the general membership about why the A/C will not be going full blast in every room and what is controlling it. So my simple diagrams and charts will help do that.

I did these in Adobe Illustrator. The Speedometer  will be mounted on foam core and will have a movable arrow to illustrate the increases in energy usage. The blue chart with the red at the top will be mounted on a magnetic white board, and we will use the smaller blocks to show why we can't have all the rooms running A/C at the same time - they won't all fit. The one I chose is our Base usage block which will sit at the bottom of the Blue Chart to indicate where we start. 

Little things can make a big difference. 

What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.
Henry David Thoreau 
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/goals.html#04lycCiGXX4kh6bj.99 

These are the three portraits I was working on last week. From right to left: Annie Turnbo Malone, Louis Latimer, and Madam C.J. Walker. They are part of a book "African American Inventors & Pioneers" by James Henry Williams. James and I met over the counter at Staples. He showed me the Calendar he was going to have printed. I asked him who did his illustrations because I knew I could do a better job, and It turned out he was looking for an illustrator.  When I found out it wasn't a conflict of interest with Staples, I did two drawings for him to show him what I could do. That was at the end of 2008. As of today, I have drawn a total of 16 portraits, and nine spot illustrations. With more to come in the future. They are in ink with graphite. Additionally, there are two color illustrations of Barack Obama, and one of Michelle Obama. One of each on the cover. The photos are old, and often the shadow side of the face is completely in hard, dark shadow. I lightened them to show their features more. 

So who have I become by achieving my goals? I am more confident. I believe, after many years of doubting why I am here, that what I do artistically is a big part of my purpose. And more than anything I have learned to be grateful for every opportunity. 

Thank you, James, for this one. 

Spring!!

 

“Spring passes and one remembers one's innocence.

Summer passes and one remembers one's exuberance.

Autumn passes and one remembers one's reverence.

Winter passes and one remembers one's perseverance.” 

― Yoko Ono

I live on a piece of property on the Sacramento River. The center picture is from the middle standing just below my deck and looking north towards one end. The wind is so active today that this is the only side of the house where branches, stems and flowers are not dancing around. Most of my iris are in bloom, The callas are really putting on a show, and of course the cymbidiums are in bloom -- they are so wonderfully fool-proof! A month ago the air was filled with the sent of violets. The grasses already have seed heads. The weeds are doing what weeds do best. I have managed to get in my onions, one crop of beets and green onions, but not much else. I am itching to finish up!!

Duty calls, I have  three portraits to do for my friend and client James Williams. Interrupted by Easter I am just getting them back to him. He has been working too. He is an actor and has been working on an ad campaign. 

Happy Spring to all!!