Nonagenarian Update: Summer 2026

We celebrated a big 97 just a few days ago. There are figs on her tree and roses just finished blooming. A pot that I made with bright pink petunias was part of our gift. Chocolates are still very popular. Recently she moved furniture in her room. 

I wish you all for your 97th birthday:

a) to know how you want your furniture to be organized; 

b) to have strength and perseverance to rearrange it for your liking. 

Nonagenarian Update: winter 2026

Winter's dark months are hard for our nonagenarian. She sleeps more and cares about her attire less. But when asked, she replies that she is happy and content. We got some additional help and things are more or less on track: doctors visited, meds taken, shots received, books read, plants watered, birds fed :) 

Nonagenarian Update: fall of 2025

Fall is the time of the year when I try to schedule some extra visits, bring some extra colorful flowers, and food to our Nonagenarian. Shorter days and colder weather are hard for her. But she is still very much following her schedule for the day, enjoys her favorite foods, takes care of her plants, does some sewing projects, and reads a lot - mostly on a Kindle but online too. News sites are hard for her as her beloved Ukraine is suffering from russian aggressors, and as someone who lived through World War II, she does not understand how anyone might start a war again. But she follows what she reads with her hand-drawn map of Ukraine and a big world map that is always not far from her reading chair. 

Nonagenarian Update: Big Birthday!

Our Nonagenarian turned 96! We celebrated with some ice cream, and she had some good laughs and asked many questions about our lives - are we still cooking at home? Does everyone have a job? Is everyone healthy? :) Her fig tree is in good shape, and jasmine is blooming right now. The bird feeder brings lots of visitors. And several onions are growing on the balcony next to a marigold and a rose. 

Nonagenarian Update: fall of 2024.

We are approaching winter which is probably the hardest time of the year for our Nonagenarian - shorter daytime, colder weather. But she enjoys the rainy season. The bird feeder is attracting lots of visitors. The eye doctor says she is doing as well as they hoped for though this is a new doctor and "too young" again. She is vaccinated for the season. Her rose stopped blooming but there are some new shoots. Green onion, nasturtium, marigolds, and cucumber still prosper on her balcony. She is reading, cooking and even working on some new outfits - we are helping with sewing a little but the art direction muscle is still strong!

 

Nonagenarian Update: Big Birthday!

Our Nonagenarian had a big birthday, which we celebrated with ice cream and marigolds. Requested "modern" books were added to her library together with some "classics". Her fig tree is covered in fruits but I think the cucumber plant might not have survived the latest heat spell. Nasturtiums prosper. Birds frequent the feeder and we finally found headphones that were "approved" by her. She waves to us from the balcony when we leave - standing under the flag of Ukraine. She keeps the American flag on her dining table next to salt and pepper. 

Everyday Life: Grateful.

I am drawing through a rather hectic time - lots of things are moving in different directions, and between deciding how to answer the big life questions and tiny life questions I am adding lines to my pocket sketchbook. I draw a neighbor in the line while waiting. Our nonagenarian while visiting. My friend's kitchen while sipping delicious chai. Drying flowers. Workers. Everyday stuff. 

One thing I am sure of: when everything is in flex and feels like you are not sure where is up or down or when everything feels like you almost know what you are doing - and during all the times in between - having people who support you is precious. Thank you!

Click on the images to see them larger and read the notes if you wish. 

Nonagenarian update: spring is here!

Little things are a sure way to keep track of time with our nonagenarian. There are new leaf buds on the rose plant. Nasturtiums are out - she grows the fiery ones! I hope to get a small plant when it gets to the viable stage as one of my spring-summer plans is to draw so many Nasturtiums (Tropaeolums) that I would feel like I had enough. I have yet to track different colors but even if I manage bright orange ones out of nonagenarian favors it would be great! The fig tree put out lots of leaves and there are 8 fruits (actually they are inverted flowers) and more are coming. Herb plants keep her salads fragrant and I plan to introduce an idea of growing some green onions. We try to stay on top of getting the correct cheese selection stocked in the fridge and take care of the appointments for her eye health and I've been tasked with finding new books - the request was for "something modern". 

Everyday Life December 2023

Little drawings that happen in between larger projects are often drawn on the go, with whatever supplies I had on hand, and then added to my sketchbook at the end of the day. They fill spaces around digger things in my sketchbook. Yet I treasure these a lot! During a quiet moment this December, I was looking at the sketchbook from 2009 and these "in-betweens" reminded me about a series of self-portraits after a run that I was drawing, a special meal, a set of soft plush cubes, a conversation. So here is a bunch of my December "in-betweens". 

Nonagenarian update: colorful attire means good day.

Little things from the everyday moments with our nonagenarian. A few maintenance visits to doctors though no fall vaccinations yet. She grew several cucumbers on a single cucumber plant (which was hoisted by the stalk left from the sunflower). There was a rogue tomato plant (she claims that it grew all by itself!) which gave 3 lovely fruits. The rose bloomed and required trimming which we performed. The more elaborate and colorful the dress she chooses to wear on any day the better she is feeling. She keeps a diary and is adored by the new and "too young" eye doctor. 

Little things that I draw in between other things.

My sketchbook is populated by little everyday things: standing in line, fixing my pen, enjoying a fig preserve, choosing color palette, conversations with our nonagenarian, eating apples and looking at interesting seed pods.