Eaton Hamilton

painting by: Eaton Hamilton, After David Tennant, after old photograph, oil on stretched canvas, 10×10″

ID: Two yt women wearing business suits circa 1940s, one brown, one blue

This week the sun came out and we actually had nice weather. I think we surpassed seasonal averages for once in this chilly, wet spring. My grandchild had her 7th birthday and we celebrated at my place before she was whisked away to parental festivities for the weekend. We had waffles with whipped cream and syrup, presents and then cream puff cakes–lots of goo and sugar.

Work wise it was a bust. I was supposed to work on my Human Rights case but I just could not do it. There’s not enough of me left to take on extras. I really didn’t get anything done all week, though I did manage some more stuff around the house yesterday.

At my place, just suddenly, the mason bees are hatched. This is the start of the season when the males appear first and hang out waiting for encounters with the females before dying. I put out new tubes and they’re already using them which is cool. However, I’ve misplaced a big bundle of the full cocoons. I looked around all fall for them. I thought I’d put them in the shed, but I have a vague memory of moving them, but not to where. Yikes. Sorry, little bees. I keep opening the shed door lest they are in there, to let them out, but nothing seems to happen. I hope I put them outside somewhere.

Do you keep mason bees?

The garden is beautiful this time of year. The Shirley poppies have all germinated, the lilacs are pushing out buds, the clematis armandii is redolent with blooms, the peonies are considering their futures, the irises are full up and I’m sure will send up flower stalks soon. Last year I lost most of my peonies to wilt, and I’m still fighting that this year (but at least I have been on top of it).