Color and Koi in Everyday Ramblings

White lilac (in the most fragrant of years), this last week. We walked through the local lilac garden on our way home from all that up last week. Even though we are in drought conditions everything for now is green and full of unfurling life.

The clematis, the poppies, the irises, and azaleas are all coming on with beautiful color. On Saturday morning I did a less effortful walk with Mrs. Sherlock and we spent a lot of time trying to figure out what folks had in their front gardens. We met a chicken named Sue Bob. Her person was bringing her down to forage on the parking strip. She says she brings her three down one at a time because of…dogs.

There was a lively discussion about naming chickens. Mrs. Sherlock has only one left and her name is Hilda. Hilda is no longer laying. She still enjoys pecking around the garden. Apparently, there are a couple of neighbor rabbits that come visit as well.

Whoa, I was just scolded by a Steller’s jay as I was changing the birdbath water. This is scrub jay territory, so this guy is on the wrong side of the tracks so to speak. I left a few peanuts out for him anyway.

Remember the guy that lived in his car? The one with colon cancer treatments. Mr. Sherlock and him, had a falling out before the pandemic having to do with some stupid disagreement about Greek or Latin Literature or some such. Both Mrs. Sherlock and I enquired a number of times but didn’t hear back but a couple of months ago when we were walking, she got a text saying he was okay.

On Saturday she got a text saying that he had finally gotten into a low-cost housing situation. We are thrilled! The apartment is close to them, and he is getting his first shot next Monday. Mr. Sherlock is still a bit grumbly about the whole thing (he is pretty much about everything these days), but it looks like we are all going to have a meal together in the garden in mid-June after he has his second shot.

I met the young man with the plot on the other side of mine. He is having trouble with a blackberry vine. All three of us in these first three plots are new to gardening and he was friendly.

The tomato seed starts that I thought were a disaster, are all up. Well, all but two. But I have plenty of starts. More (if they survive) than I can put in the plot. There are still about a gazillion things that can happen to them, but I am chuffed. I can put some out on the patio and give some away. I have to decide if I am going to move them to a slightly larger pot or try planting them directly after getting them outside a bit. The pigeons that visit occasionally might be problematic with that.

Speaking of the plot, I need to get down there today. We are going to the Japanese Garden finally later this morning. We may go to the other garden Wednesday morning after Handstand Club.

I felt just about every muscle in my body doing handstand club on Saturday. I am only mildly sore after, but I am mildly sore everywhere! I find it useful to rest a bit more than I used to need to after this. I hope to learn how to do just enough to build strength and skill but not too much. This isn’t competitive. There are things I cannot do. Not even close. I am slowly, slowly regaining some of the mobility I lost after the fall.

The yoga guys I hang out with during the week online are making snarky comments about the handstand club. Handstands are not yoga, even though a number of types of yoga do incorporate them into their classes. I know they are not yoga. Neither is walking, nor is doing squats. We are allowed to do other things.

I think it has to do with this whole incredibly difficult idea of how to ethically make a living teaching yoga. For all but a few celebrity teachers it is almost impossible. And the pandemic has hurt most of them as well because they were making the bulk of their money doing teacher trainings turning out more and more teachers that can’t afford to make a living teaching yoga.

It is a conundrum. I think it is the same right now for writers and journalists.

I shall ponder this strolling through the grounds of the perfectly groomed Japanese Garden this morning and saying hello to the giant koi that have been there for many many years and are so so wise.