Women/Canyon rim

When we stay home on the weekend I get a big dose of amazing people. First here is Phyllis Cullen, anesthesiologist by trade but someone who has not just spent years creating pediatric respiratory intensive care units in Central and South America, bringing docs up for training and instituting Project Saves (recycled medical waste to countries in need,) but is also a fine arts quilter and painter. We were floored by her talent at this exhibit at the Ave. 9 Gallery.

Then the humble flower arranging of Ka, a tiny Hmong woman who does nothing but farm work all day every day but still combines her growing and creative zest for her incredible arrangements. Here she swung the bouquet in front of her face to avoid the camera but her smile and farming ability I've been delighting in for years. I wish the Hmong women who sell flowers could have a collective flower shop of their own. I dream of winning the lottery (even though I don't play) to underwrite something like a cultural center/flower shop they could develop.

Michael is home again and we are catching up with our wandering. This out to the Chico Creek south rim, through and west of the frisbee golf course. Since it has been so moist there are still wildflowers up there and the frisbee golfers haven't denuded everything. I don't like to be negative about them since they are having non-motorized fun but cigarette butts are bad enough downtown (where I picked about 100 out of the planter box at 3rd and Main on Saturday.)


Lastly, Good Luck to Deanna Alexis who is off to teach in South Africa this summer/winter for them. We went to her benefit last night and the photos didn't come out but the memories did. Sweet!