Agave, and Other, Updates

Unbelievably I have actually been getting emails asking about the Agave, so I went out this morning as soon as it was light to take these. I have actually been ignoring it (difficult since it's right outside the door and all the windows to the courtyard!) and was suprised to see still more growth. it's been busy putting out it's blossoms starting at the top and working down- none have opened yet but I saw a herd of big fat bees around the top so they will be opening soon. The blossoms have come out all around the stem moving down to some specified point, and the big 'hairs' here:now stick straight out in the daytime- early this morning they had tightened up back against the stem. Here is the line of demarcation where the hairs have fallen off after being replaced by the blossoms:
And finally, here we go- yes, it most certainly has gotten taller! I had to open the gate and back even further out to get the whole thing in the frame. As for scale, the wall is about 8' tall.
OK, Enough of my almost dead plant. I'm anxious now to find something I like nearly as much for the big pot it's in, perhaps something that will last more than 3 years even though it sure has been worth the cost- what a display! More to follow, but I do think the height won't go much further at this point. Of course I said that last week too...

Haven't checked in lately, been on that weekend treadmill. TY still has 'my' cold so ain't nobody sleeping around here and that isn't helping. He's heading for Mardi Gras tomorrow and I am looking forward to my old early-to-bed-early-to-rise routine for a few days.

We did manage to get to the Lake Worth annual street painting festival where we stepped back in time to 1965. It was like a parade of macrame, scanty impromptu clothing, a tattoo review, flowers-in-your-hair, loud music on bit amps, peach and love kinda thing. The high point was walking through clouds of patchuli- oh my my my, how evocative... We both started laughing. The police were out in force because it was a hot beautiful day and it was really something to see. I was a bit disappointed in the chalk art because it seemed to be dominated by kids groups, which is great, but the hype was for this to be 'real' artists. We walked three streets of the amature stuff and finally came across the more professional section. There were some amazing things. I haven't stolen TYs pictures yet, this one was from the Palm Beach Post and one of the high school groups.
I've been in the studio where I have a great day with everything working as I hope, followed by a hideous day when everything imaginable goes wrong and I slam out in a snit with nothing accomplished. I am now working to two looming deadlines by the end of March, can't imagine I will meet either with everything else going on but I am soldiering forth. Wish I could show what I'm up to on the blog but I can't yet. Suffice it to say it's a life sized portrait done with old quilt tops that's giving me fits right now. I am completely smitten with pattern-on-pattern and it's something I've wanted to do for ten years now- you'd THINK I'd have figured it out after all this thinking, eh? Nope.

I was chased out of the studio yesterday when they asked me to move my car because they're painting the building. So was everybody else asked to move, so there weren't any parking places so I just kept going... I'll hit it renewed and ready as soon as I do my dreaded walk. I simply have to get this thing under control and move on to the next- it's been ages since I've been asked to participate in things and I guess I forgot what I go through with deadlines. Sigh. I'll say 'no' someday but not yet! Off on the rounds...