;

So yes, no flooding. The creek is pretty high even though we're in between storms, the pump is in place and the hose is running out a hundred feet into the grass. Now, we wait for round two.

I forgot to mention the other day that I saw a single tadpole in the pond. At least I think I forgot. Yeah, just one. The mallards might have something to do with that. Or, in that the frogs are still making a racket, a couple might have jumped the gun back in February when we had some nice weather, and only one survived the freeze thereafter. Hard to say. I'm not a biologist. Doesn't stop me from speculating.

The purple and green swallows are back as well.  I reckon that nuthatch will have to move out of the nesting box at the barn now. Too bad, as we'd become friends of sorts, and those swallows, well, they're hell on the bugs but rather stand-offish. Specialists, you understand.

So, where does that leave me? Just a blogger, I suppose.

A selection of my paintings are going to an art fair in NYC next month. An acquaintance from my old stomping grounds has asked to take them. It's his fair. Thing is, while he's wanting to hang them on a wall, he's asked me to find someone in the area to do the hawking. Understandable, as he's going to be busy keeping his stall renters happy. Problem is, I only know one artist in NYC these days. Used to be different, and I wish my friend Lee was still alive, for he would do it in a heartbeat and do a great job. I'd go myself, but I ain't got the dough. Gonna have to get creative in some other way, I suppose... you know, more strategic and pragmatic.

Now, I have to tell you, I've got my reservations about this fair as it is. The guy running it has been doing this sort of thing for several years now but not getting ahead by doing so. I rather wonder if I might be sending my work off into the ether if it is unattended. And, if his ventures are petering out and he's grasping, I also wonder if I'm just not filling space to prop the thing up a bit. Yeah, it's a bit of a pickle. Which reminds me:

"Laugh, if you must"

Yet, it hasn't stopped me from sorting through the work and making two piles: one, more text-inspired and the other abstraction.

As I am so fond of saying: Stay tuned.

I begin to wonder if my frequent use of the colon, and for that matter, the semi-colon, is not a product of my subconscious. I saw my GI doctor Wednesday and I'm back on steroids to get some quasi-immediate relief. (And the use of a dash evidence of ADHD? Too oblique?) It hasn't quite kicked in yet, as I can feel and hear the chicken soup I made tonight making it's hasty way. Anyway, the Doc says she's going to get me feeling better and we're going to rule out other physiological issues that might be contributing, wherever that may lead us. A quick check of lymph nodes and a rum-tum on my tummy suggest we don't have to worry about the big C. Blood has been taken. I'm hopeful, which helps, I know. Again, ST.

BTW, the diet sucks so far, but we have a cookbook now, which shows promise. Good thing I like chicken and cheddar cheese. Too bad I stocked up on oatmeal last week.

I don't want to leave on a sour note, but I'm going to wrap this up soon, so one more good thing. My show in Salem, MA has been firmed up for the beginning of June. Guess who I will be meeting at the opening.

Ta.