One of the many things I appreciate about Texas weather is
the constant mercurial shifting between extremes. Honestly!
I am, in so many ways, a creature of habit. I can easily get bogged
down in work and routines, so perhaps that has something to do
with my insatiable craving for variety. I require a steady flow of information,
new music, inspiration and weather unhindered by conventional seasonal
structure! I get restless with long stretches of monotonous weather,
so I suppose it’s a good thing that I live in such a confusing and dramatic
climate. After a long and brutal droughty blaze of summer, we’ve had almost
non-stop rain for a month and a half or so now. What was dry and parched,
cooked to drab brown has become lush and resplendently verdant:
everything is draped in green, and strangely — all blooming!
The land is baffled, bringing her harvest and and flower both,
and making me think of my most favorite story ever, The Erl King,
by Angela Carter. I love to read this aloud in autumn, deep in the woods,
around a fire. It is one of the most perfect things ever written.

“Goats milk to drink, from a chipped tin mug; we shall eat the oatcakes
he has baked on the hearthstone. Rattle of the rain on the roof.
The latch clanks on the door; we are shut up inside with one another,
in the brown room crisp with the scent of burning logs that shiver
with tiny flame, and I lie down on the Erl-King’s creaking pallaisse of straw.
His skin is the tint and texture of sour cream, he has stiff, russet nipples
ripe as berries. Like a tree that bears blossom and fruit
on the same bough together, how pleasing, how lovely.”

These odd little bees are pleased about it as well.
This pear tree is loaded down with fat pears, still hard,
and then frosted with starry white! It is so bizarre and beautiful.
The mandarin tree is bedecked with waxy buds, also!

Other items of harvest: these mushrooms that I did not like the taste of.
The man tried to make me eat them in an omelette, and stamped and fussed
when I refused- but their meat was too bitter and astringent to be palatable.
Our pomegranates are much tastier- everyone in the neighborhood is after them!

Evidence of rollerskating birthday parties: fabulously gory tattoos,
temporary of course. I don’t have any tattoos at all! Again, I prefer
to have transitory decoration. I liked having this one, for a day.

These sulphur mushrooms have popped up everywhere!
Little yellow cities sprawled in each garden bed.

“He knows which of the frilled, blotched, rotted
fungi are fit to eat; he understands their eldritch
ways, how they spring up overnight in lightless
places and thrive on dead things. Even the homely
wood blewits, that you cook like tripe, with milk
and onions, and the egg-yolk yellow chanterelle
with its fan vaulting and faint scent of apricots,
all spring up overnight like bubbles of earth,
unsustained by nature, existing in a void. And I
could believe that it has been the same with him;
he came alive from the desire of the woods.”

I had a lovely surprise visitor the other day in the form of
Miss Liza Ferneyhough (aka. stellarbaby) – I am totally
obsessed with her artwork, and have started a wee collection
of her fantastic gocco prints. I was beyond charmed and delighted
to discover that she had done the drawing of me above,
in marionette form, and astride a grackle no less!
We share a deep love and appreciation for these oft-reviled birdies.

Oh yes, and at long last- my haircut! I am so happy with it, and so glad
I followed my instinct to go through with it. Somewhat serious, considering
that a year ago I would have a panic attack even considering cutting bangs.

Change is good. My Saturn return ends this month, and that ritual shifting
seemed very necessary. My friend Chenoh, at Black Orchid Salon did it!
She’s wonderful – I felt very sure, and very calm and trusting, because I knew
that she knew exactly what I was after. Of course, I use dog clippers for upkeep.
Glamour! Strangely enough, it seems to make random people really pleased
as well- and no old ladies have inquired if I’ve had brain surgery recently.

Everyone’s been asking for pictures, and unfortunately I’ve just been too
swamped with deadlines and so much to do that I’ve not been able to
find a moment for an all-out vanity-fest, alas. These weird blurry shots
of me rolling around with my puppy in the backyard will have to do!

Have I mentioned lately that I really love my puppy? It’s true.

The new hair has inspired bouts of listening to Skinny Puppy’s Too Dark Park,
watching Ladyhawke, and wearing really silly sweaters. This weather and
all that makes me think of being 14 and very broody, walking in wet woods
with my headphones on. I’m also having to remember how to layer for
colder weather, starting with leggings and leg warmers with apples.

Now I’m feeling zombiefied.

Nostalgic yes, and slightly lycanthropic. Goodnight!