Mama Moss

Have a seat up here on this pink porch and let me introduce you to Mama Moss. Like the rest of her spawn she has a creative streak. She has the inventor gene. She likes to take perfectly ordinary household items and turn them into, well…Other Things. Usually the inventions arise after something irks her about the regular thing that is supposed to do the job. Take water bottles for instance. The 20 oz. size is too large for Mama Moss to travel comfortably with on her frequent jaunts about town. She tried the 16 oz. size. Entirely too large. What could she do? She went down to the 12 oz. hobbit-sized bottle. Nope, still too big. Down she went to the 8 oz. size. That’s the one you might see in the market and think WHO could possibly want that ridiculously small bottle? Mama Moss wouldn’t want it, that’s who. It’s exactly 6.25 ounces too big. This is what she uses instead. In another life it was a Schilling spice bottle of fancy ground cloves, but after a good scrubbing and soaking by M.M. it’s 1.75 oz. size is PERFECT for a purse-sized water bottle complete with label.

These are the latest invention: Yard Shoes. A sharp pair of scissors and about 5 minutes was all it took to make these. I guess I don’t need to tell you how proud Mama Moss is of all the creative recycling she’s been up to. At nearly 80 her body might be slowing down, but her mind? Why it’s just like a shiny new steel trap.

These splashy crepe papery Shirley Poppies were spotted in a fairytale cottage garden in South Pasadena. The little pink porch was next door.

These last photos are from Paul & Joe’s garden & studio. They have a beautiful crumbling old outdoor fireplace in their back garden. The bird frieze leans against the mantle.