california – Page 3 – panache, perhaps

Honey & elderberries (small things photo).

Published on 06/10/2012 by taylor mardis katz1 Comment

Here is a tiny jar of elderberries. Misha’s really into the elder tree right now (for proof click here), and I’m really into small things right now, so I took some elder berries he’d dried and put them in a tiny jar with a rubber lid that I bought at the herb store. And next to it is the honey that I get at the farmer’s market every week, which Sam loves and Kathryn also loves, in fact Kathryn made a honey pie out of that honey. Sam just eats it out of the jar with a spoon. I wish I had a tiny spoon as a part of my miniature collection. Soon, little spoon.

I like how the honey looks like it’s the proud older brother of the elder jar. Like it’s puffing out its chest a little.

Things that are small & grown in Imperial Beach (the series continues).

Published on 06/08/2012 by taylor mardis katzLeave a comment

Sometimes a day involves burying dead chickens and stripping lemon verbena for tea. Sometimes that day also brings the tiniest of tiny carrots into your life. For me, that day was Wednesday. I was harvesting carrots for lunch with Misha and pulled out a handful, including the tiniest of tinies!

Here’s a shot of the smallest four, which I brought home (the others were eaten in a salad).

Then, on Thursday, I planted melons and lettuce and stacked onions for drying. And found a small onion for this project.

Then, while looking through photos, I found this one that Misha took last summer, where my face is big and shiny and strange looking. But look what I’m holding!

Onions & tomatoes come from Suzie’s Farm; the carrots are from Wild Willow.

Stay tuned for more tiny tinies!!

Things that are small: farmers’ market edition (photo series) (mine).

Published on 06/04/2012 by taylor mardis katzLeave a comment

Hello and welcome to the 2nd installation of Things that are small, where I’ll show you a fruit lineup, featuring the smallest of doughnut peaches. Doughnut peaches are like regular peaches that got sat on by very small butts. Perhaps squirrel butts? That’s funny to think of.

All fruits pictured are from Sweet Tree Farms, one of my farm bffs. Annie is their farmer (remember when I wrote about her boobs in a poem?) and yesterday was her birthday. In honor of it we all sang terribly and ate carrot cake. But nevermind carrots! Today is about tiny peaches!

Things that are small, part 1 (photo project) (mine).

Published on 06/02/2012 by taylor mardis katzLeave a comment

I will now commence a project I’m calling “Things that are small.” Please enjoy the first installment, a piece I’ve named “Tea for Two.”

Poem about eras ending (mine).

Published on 05/22/2012 by taylor mardis katzLeave a comment

For Later

We drove through bikinis, walked the paved strip

by the water as kids flirted and cursed. Clouds were low,

unmelting; dolphins moved through metallic

ocean. Sean found a piece of unopened candy on the road

and pocketed it. I wasn’t cold or sad or verbose; I was happy

he’d found something to eat later. I’m always thinking

of the delight eating provides me and how to dispense that.

At the party, Dean’s family was casual and kind, circles

of Ritz crackers beaming on trays. We saw the solar

eclipse, made watchable by the thick sea’s clouds. Night

light over sun. She was scooped, our bulb; we watched

her portioned. Whether you care about weather or not,

you could see it. And on cement, below, a group of us

talking, all seemingly young, hands at our sides, no

stones in our pockets to smooth down, to hold.

Sideyard success. Serious joy.

Published on 05/14/2012 by taylor mardis katzLeave a comment

The sideyard was so much fun. I was this happy:

Except I was wearing a blue crown with curled ribbons longer than my hair, a patterned poncho, and wings made out of leaves (made by Jen), and not a clown costume. As Frankie puts it,

best thing about the sideyard poetry readings:

the folks walking past on the other side of the hedge

on their way to friday-night-party

catching clips of outloud poetry

and the quick image of

a writer in the light

as they pass

What was also wonderful was how many people there were (estimates are in the high 90s), and the flower bouquets with artichokes in them (made by Ellie of course):

and how everyone got so drunk that no one bought books like these:

and perhaps the greatest miracle of the whole event is that not a single neighbor yelled at us. And people bought Misha’s photographs! And I didn’t even have a hangover the next morning! And the next morning was Saturday, and Ellie and I split a mushroom and bacon fritatta covered with blue cheese with whole wheat toast and raspberry jam. The end.

Springtime in the sideyard (EVENT)!

Published on 04/10/2012 by taylor mardis katzLeave a comment

This Friday is the Spring Sideyard! All the info is on the gorgeous 70s poster below, designed by Misha. The only thing about this event is that you must now, right this minute, please I am asking you nicely, do a No Rain on Friday dance. Please just do a little shimmy for no rain on Friday. Normally I shimmy FOR rain, but this week my shoulders are aligned with the sunshine.

I hope to see you there! I will be thinking of all my friends and loved ones who live far away who I know would love to be there! I miss you all!

Life; lemons; sexy sailors (image).

Published on 04/09/2012 by taylor mardis katzLeave a comment

When life gives you lemons…

you make blood orange lemonade and mix it with vodka.

When life gives you sailor-themed thigh highs with little silver anchors hanging from the top, you…

purchase a ship?

get your freak on?

prepare your sexy sailor halloween costume very, very early?

What I receive at the farmers’ market is not only vegetables.

Pisces come from under water (photo series).

Published on 04/04/2012 by taylor mardis katzLeave a comment

A month ago, there was a birthday party. The theme was “under the sea” and I was a jellyfish and Ellie made me a crown.

There are streamers curled and dangling from my tutu but you can’t really see them. Misha’s hair was huge and awesome and we danced to the band for hours. Everyone sang happy birthday to me, Lauren, and Sara, my other Pisces of the party, and we all birthday-hugged each other while they sang.