June

"Women have been the weavers of tales and tapestries. For centuries, they have unspooled their stories as they spun or threw the shuttle on their loom. They were the first to capture de universe as warp and weft. They knotted together their joys, hopes, sorrows, fears, and most private beliefs. (...) They interlaced verbs, yarn, adjectives, and silk. This is why text and textile share so many words (...)." Irene Vallejo (2022). Papyrus: the invention of books in the ancient world. 

Photo of tapestry (78 x 96 cm) by Monica Pinheiro, free to use if you respect the license CC BY-NC-SA (CC).

June

"Craft makes us human, and in doing so, it can provide deep satisfactions that are hard to replicate in other (dare I say) less hands-on activities." Cal Newport (2020). Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World. Photo by Monica Pinheiro (PT20220621). License CC BY-NC-SA ( CC ).

Summer

This Epiphyllum (mixed in a vase with other plants) only flourished twice since 2009. The first time was in August 2018 and this time marking the solstice. She started to open slightly during the day, amid rain and lower temperatures but in the beginning of nightfall, there she was blooming and releasing her exquisite perfume. In 2018 I though she was a day flower but it turns out she is a moon flower, a delicate beauty that came to announce summer time. 

Images by Monica Pinheiro, license CC BY-NC-SA (CC)

June

This plant (agapanthus) is producing flowers with more than the habitual 6 petals. In the photo you can see a flower with 10 petals. Other flowers with 8 and the usual 6. Image by Monica Pinheiro, license CC BY-NC-SA (CC)

July

Image by Monica Pinheiro, license CC BY-NC-SA (CC)

June

“The free-radical theory of ageing is one of those beautiful ideas killed by ugly facts. (…) Not one tenet of the theory, as it was originally formulated, has withstood the scrutiny of experimental testing. (…) The findings are clear. Taking high-dose antioxidant supplements carries a modest but consistent risk. (…) Antioxidants can undermine energy availability.” Nick Lane, 2016. The Vital Question: why is life the way it is? Profile Books Ltd, London. Image by Monica Pinheiro, license CC BY-NC-SA (CC)

summer

Image by Monica Pinheiro, license CC BY-NC-SA (CC)

June

Image by Monica Pinheiro, license CC BY-NC-SA (CC)