Blue Tuesdays: A Stratozpheric Jump

Blue Stratoz: Stratosphere Trampoline Park in Wilmington DE by Wayne Stratz

Friday 7/24/15,  Margaret and I rolled into Wilmington, we took back roads and found a new place to eat with a way too enticing menu along the way. Who knew southern food was so appealing to me? Well, maybe food is appealing. (Dixie Kitchen in Malvern, PA)

Unloading at the Chase Center went fine. Then before we set up.. a museum visit, Thai Food, an art supply store, and later after set up... dinner with one of my best artist friends, Great Egrets along the riverfront and TV commercials all of which I had never seen... The weekend was off to a fine start.

You jump into shows with hope, and like a trampoline (sure I am only going by knowledge not experience) it sinks and rises. A sale here, a near sale there, a slow hour of no one walking by the booth; and running into friends, who drove south to see you. Encouragement. Disappointment. And that moment in time when I tried to get a woodworker to howl when the show slowed down on Sunday just like my neighbor's dogs would do when they were lonely. I told him I would join in. He loved the concept, but no howling was heard.

The weekend was fun. Did I have hopes to make a fortune and celebrate our birthdays in a huge way? Sure, but we always celebrate. Weekends need to be seen in a big picture.

I used to say life was like a roller coaster, maybe it is like a trampoline. We fuel how high our spirits soar.

and and let me say one of the highest leaps happened when I posted this video on YouTube, we will deliver the item in the spotlight to a collector/fan/friend

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planning Stratoz style

OK, so I do not use a daily planner. The ironic part is my memory has never been a strength. LIke today, as I was washing plastic domes to put over our planted seeds, I remembered a meeting and was on time, but not exactly early. My computer at work has outlook which I use for the meetings that get scheduled directly into it.

At home we have two months of big events posted on our fridge. If a friend wants to do something, I tell them I will get back to them. If they really want to do it, they can wait for me to check the fridge.

Taking time off from teaching is a great mental health activity from time to time, however, leaving assignments to keep the students busy and to keep them happy makes for some planning. I left work today happy with the plans I left. Happy that the 20 degrees above normal and dry forecast will allow the horticulture students to have fun outside. They are so ready to be outdoors again.

I do enjoy planning what I am going to teach even if I despise (is that strong enough) writing it down. I also enjoy imagining a piece of stained glass and then holding it up to the light...

The starflower has two near identical cohorts, while the Vine of Nasturtiums has one. All will make their public display this Saturday at the North Penn Select Craft Show.

In fact my brain is often coming up with plans, I just don't write them down, so in the near future Margaret and I will be having a big big date. to see...

this that and the other thing.... a forest cathedral

now I guess I need to finish planning my day at the NSTA conference tomorrow... well I do know that I am meeting up with a friend to hear jazz after the workshops.

planning is important

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my life unfolds... like a roller coaster

I went to work on Tuesday and by the time business hours had passed two things remained a big mystery... Mosaic Woman's test results and if the guy who ran the red light had called his insurance company. The day was far from a complete disaster, but even I knew I was an emotional wreck as I entered prayer.

God helped by reminding me that it was only a car and the fact that an SUV moving at 50mph through a red light had not killed me, or even injured me...

But my mind did not go to a soothing place when I imagined Christmas morning after bad test results. It was not a great feeling.

By the time Wednesday lunch had arrived my car had been towed and I was heading to work (a bit late) in a rental vehicle. By the time I left work, Mosaic Woman had called to say the results were negative.

It has been quite a week. My stoic being was pushed to its limits of feeling down and then feeling up. and still my life unfolds...

anger and sadness

Thursday morning my assistant says, "someone stumped on our zinnia." The only zinnia we got this year.

I head out into the drizzle and see much damage, but not death, then I notice the marigolds, the asters, the salvia, the ten sunflower leaves littered onto the ground.

the snapdragon a student had so wanted to plant, cared for all winter, finally convinced to risk putting it out into the world, trampled and tugged upon.

Four students and I weed and clean up the flower garden and we find more damage. The Cardinalis breaks my heart wide open. Cuttings from what turned out to be a perennial that lacked longevity. We got them rooted and kept them functioning all winter. Then just this week some red creeps out from the nearly closed buds. Every branch with a bud is on the ground, detached from the base of the plant. We speak of anger and sadness.

Today a staff comes by to say the angry student had once again visited my garden. A geranium planted by seed, one of the runts ... not like the ones that flowered and were sold... looked so funny when planted, bounced into fullness and bloom... has been ripped out of the ground.

I cut off most of the foliage and replant it into a pot.


driving home I am thinking of these plants and their stories when I think of what some friends have lost this year, husbands and sons. I try to imagine, again.


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