Try to catch the wind

Where did October go?

2010-10-31T18:57:00.000-07:00

Random pictures and a favorite song

2010-09-02T18:33:00.000-07:00

September!!!!!

2010-09-02T15:52:00.000-07:00

I have had Earth, Wind and Fire's song, September, going through my head for over a day. It was just replaced an hour or so ago with, The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys" by Traffic.

Anyway, I digress, it is September!!!! Cooler days and nights, brilliant blue skies, the urge to go school clothes shopping (I wish!), and the need to get outdoors. Summer is just too hot for me. I am looking forward to Autumn.

Eugene Celebration Parade And A Very Tall Sunflower

2010-08-29T17:19:00.000-07:00

Click on the pictures to enlarge. The celebration has been going on since 1983. I started going when I worked downtown at a coffee shop in probably 89 or 90. Back then the event was free to get into and really fun. (Perhaps I was more fun back then too.) I haven't paid to get in for several years. The parade is free and well worth the walk to downtown.

10 feet in the sky!!!

2010-08-28T16:53:00.000-07:00

A renovated bed. It had an arch with hop vines overgrowing it. I pulled the vines out and I put in some blueberry shrubs and some of the purples and pink colors I love.
New Keens, purchased with birthday money.
42 year old me. New and improved! Dairy and egg free as well as meat free.

Happy Weekend!

2010-08-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

I love how cheery these are.

I like this picture. It seems orderly and tidy. It isn't really, I like that it looks like it is though.

Last year I planted an insane number of tomato plants (like 20+), all sizes and types. When it came time to process them (all at once, of course) it was too bloody hot. I ended up roasting a bunch and freezing them and giving away the excess. This year I thought I would be smart, not plant so many and just the smaller grape and sugar lump varieties. I had some volunteer plants from last year's seeds crop up everywhere in the yard. I kept a few, mainly out of curiosity. When I was in Master Gardener training years ago, I was told volunteer tomato seedlings never really do much. Really? I certainly have not found that to be the case. The ones I kept have been as prolific as this year's plantings. I did move them to this year's tomato garden early on and kept them apart so I could compare. I didn't do a very good job of staking the plants and it is a jungle...next year I will do a better job.....

A few blooms from the garden.

An Airing Out

2010-08-22T19:15:00.000-07:00

My grandmother would tell my grandfather every so often that she needed "an airing out". He'd pull their motorhome out and they'd throw some supplies in and away they would go. In an attempt to clear out some cobwebs in my head we headed out to Florence (about 70 or so miles away.) Once in Florence we headed north and ended up at Heceta Head beach. It was pretty spur of the moment and very low key. It didn't totally clear out the cobwebs, but I feel better for it.

A little bit of everything...

2010-08-20T19:38:00.000-07:00

I like the light at this time of year.
Normally these shelves are cluttered with knickknacks. I need a calm spot to focus on these days...

Plums! Lots of them! Tasty but small.

Inside the compost bin...Not just one! At least one or two smaller ones. Since the chickens are gone, I have found myself going out to the bin just to check on the snakes. (I am not really a reptile person in general.) I worry and wonder about them. Sad, I know. I see you shaking your heads in disbelief. I do not feel all warm and fuzzy about them but do find them interesting.

Frida, on the shower curtain rail. I found a really great home for her. She has a buddy that is about her age and they sleep indoors with their people! I miss my hens terribly but after Buffy was murdered my heart just wasn't in it. Frida's people have sent updates and photos and could not be nicer.

A favorite vase that belonged to my grandmother. All of the flowers were from my garden. The lilies were amazing this year!

random pictures

2010-06-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

I took this picture with the hope that I could show an improved view by the end of Summer of this area in the back yard. We shall see.

Earl, the squirrel

I miss her so much.

Elderberry "Black Beauty" in the garden

This picture is for Blaize. She had requested a recent picture of Skitty the three legged wonder cat.

Before Yesterday...

2010-06-27T14:23:00.000-07:00

Before the events of yesterday I had intended on introducing the new chick in town, Frida. She is a Cochin with some Frizzle. She was to be Buffy's companion after Betsy was murdered. Now, I am not sure if Frida will stay or go. If she stays she will be living in a maximum security coop and run. The racoon is hopefully going to be live trapped and shipped off to Siberia or possibly some place closer. Frida is, at the moment, making her self very comfortable on a rug in the living room. She is flighty but sweet and has taken to sleeping in a pet carrier rather well. If it wouldn't solidify my reputation as the crazy chicken lady I would consider keeping her in as a house chicken. I did have a house rabbit for 8 years.
I have come to the conclusion that death sucks. I am still processing the whole thing and keep coming back to that thought.

Goodbye Buffy

2010-06-26T20:26:00.000-07:00

My muppet baby, Buffy, was murdered by a racoon today in broad daylight. I am broken hearted. She was the best little chicken.
This sucks so fucking much.

Goodbye Betsy McGoo

2010-05-28T10:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the unthinkable happened. I went out to lock up the chickens and found Betsy's lifeless body in the paws of a raccoon. I scared off the raccoon (screamed, shouted obscenities and threw anything I could at it) and gathered up the remains. She is now buried near Sibella in the flower and herb garden. She was a very good chicken.

Recovering

2010-03-04T13:25:00.000-08:00

I am home today, recovering from a massive headache/cold/?*&^%. I've had a huge headache since Tuesday, nothing really knocking it out. I then started to have a runny nose and some body aches all accompanied by a monthly visit from "Aunt Flo."
I was up most of last night and called in today. I have managed to sleep for awhile and a really hot shower helped the sinuses a bit.
My camera batteries (rechargeable ones) aren't working so I have no new pictures to share. Instead, I offer you some random ones taken in October, I think. The ferns on the trees are from my walk at work. The remnants of a large hazelnut and walnut orchard dot the area surrounding where I work. The garden pictures are to show off the usually muddy but now chipped walkway in the back yard. Nary a muddy boot this winter!
I am taking another drawing class starting next week AND a class from Beverly Soasey
http://clayspaceonline.com/workshopslectures.html. It is mixed media:collage and assemblage class. I am really excited as I have admired her work for several years!
I have a piece that I just finished last Sunday that I am pretty happy with. I really need to get the battery situation sorted out for my camera.
Our cat, Skitty is at the vet's office today. Please think good thoughts for him. He had blood in his urine last night and this morning. He is one scrappy cat. When Jack called the vet this morning, Dr Jones could not believe that Skitty had not been in for 5 years. He has some lasting injuries from when he was hit by a car. He lost a leg and his tail and he can't urinate on his own. Jack has for the last 8? 9? years "expressed" his bladder twice a day. It isn't as strange as it sounds, well it really is and I won't go into too many details. Let's just say it is a testament to Jack's compassion and love for this cat that Skitty has done so well for so long. At the time of the injury we had no way of knowing about the bladder issue. The swelling and broken leg and tail took center stage. At first the no peeing wasn't a problem, rather it was that he leaked urine but once the healing process began it became apparent that he wasn't peeing enough. At that point the vet presented us with the method of expressing him. Having him put to sleep then would've been like murder. He was getting around on three logs and chasing the other cats and shredding his furry mice catnip toys with his remaining back leg. *****Skitty is home from the vet and is doing well. He was a bit dehydrated, but kidney functions are good. He is on some antibiotics for a slight infection.
It is strange to think that it has been almost a year since we had to have Sibella put to sleep. It doesn't seem possible that a year has already gone by without my furry girl. It certainly hasn't been without tears. I miss her and her sweet ways.

Pretty Pleased With Myself...

2010-01-21T17:19:00.000-08:00

I started this post more than month ago. Today's date is Feb 27. My Mom's birthday. Happy Birthday, Linda!!!
The sweater was for a friend of mine. I am very happy with how it turned out. Starting it and finishing prompted me to finish the pink sweater I posted about over a year ago. It turned out ok. My camera is not cooperating so no pictures for that one. I am knitting some socks and have a few more sweaters in mind.
Absolutely gorgeous day here in Eugene today. Last weekend rocked as well. I have been inside most of the day trying to organize the craft room. I have some projects that need to see the light of day. I hope you all are enjoying your weekend!

Candlelight

2009-12-26T17:51:00.000-08:00

I hope everyone had a good day yesterday. Hopefully your day wasn't a "celebration of obligation" as a person near and dear to me calls it. It was a low key day around here. Watched a Dr. Who Christmas special from last year via Netflix in the afternoon and then went to my Mom and step-Dad's place around 3. This year due to finances the whole gift giving hullaballoo was scaled way down. Yeah!!!! The gifts were fewer but more thoughtfully selected it seems. I would be happy if we skipped the gift giving totally but that is heresy as far as my Mom is concerned. As it turns out, I am quite glad we didn't skip it totally. I received an Aebleskiver pan from my brother! I am thrilled! I will report on the outcome.

HAPPY CLUCKMAS!

2009-12-23T13:28:00.000-08:00

This year's Christmas card. I struggled for weeks trying to do a collage card with images of happy Victorian era children and jolly Santas. It just wasn't coming together at all, even after Hannah and I had our crafty evening. I was packing up my artsy, craftsy Christmas stuff when I came across some of last year's hand carved stamped cards. I got an itch to carve some more stamps. This chicken is based on an image I saw in a British magazine a long time ago. I combined her with some of last year's holly and flower stamp and bingo! A card is born. Inside for those folks who don't cringe at bad plays on words I have stamped Happy Cluckmas! For those who cringe the standard Happy Holidays gets stamped as the message. I also carved a virgin Mary stamp and had fun doing some mail art for my mentor and friend Jill.

I took a collage class at Jill's awhile back that used an exercise to kind of just let go and not get attached to the outcome. At the end of the class we all (4 of us including Jill) agreed to send each other mail art using the technique we learned in the class. It took me awhile to get them done but I mailed them off last week (before taking pictures, Doh!) As the base for the collage I cut some cardboard boxes to postcard size and slapped some paint on them and then wrote and glued and painted and pasted and wrote some more and then I wrapped clear packing tape over the whole thing and mailed them off. So much fun! I loved getting cool artsy mail and loved the process of letting go and seeing where things ended up.
I attended Jill's Solstice party on Sunday and thought I would do a collage as a thank you for Jill. It was a lovely evening and thought it would be fun to send her some art using techniques I've learned from her. I used a test stamping of the Mary stamp and added some other stamps then collaged some scraps and just had a good time. I think I will be doing more of this in the new year.

Big news on the Buffy front...she laid her first egg last Saturday! Buffy is a Bantam as is her surrogate mum, Betsy. Betsy's small egg is the white one, Buffy's is the even smaller brown egg. She seems quite pleased with herself these days.
I hope you all have a happy holiday time.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

2009-12-06T14:43:00.000-08:00

Sort of. My friend Hannah came over yesterday afternoon for some crafty fun. I had hoped making Christmas cards would get me in a Christmas frame of mind. It hasn't sunk in yet that Christmas is less than 20 days away. I had a good time with Hannah but still not feeling the Christmas spirit.
The weather is doing its best to remind me it is December. It is clear and cold. The Willamette Valley is being visited by an Arctic front. Lovely but freaking cold. I went to a holiday faire on Saturday. My friend Alysse from Bliss Monkey Studio was there selling her fabulous fingerless gloves. My pair that I have will be worn tomorrow at 5:30pm at 5th Street Public Market here in Eugene MoveOn.org is hosting a Cost of Delay Candlelight Vigil. There is likely a vigil in a city near you happening. If you feel that the US needs a public option for health care NOW then please make your voice heard and attend a vigil if you can.

Mellow Sunday

2009-11-29T10:29:00.000-08:00

Listening to Pachelbel's Canon in D and enjoying the morning. It is foggy, but looks like it will burn off soon. I have been slow to get started on Christmas this year. I am not going to go nuts this year with either baking or making. Most of my family and friends are scaling back and being frugal. I do have a few presents made....

These are the exposed spine French Link books that I learned how to make from Jill Cardinal a local artist and teacher. I have made three so far and I am fine tuning the process as I go along. You'll probably notice I used the green with white polka dots paper as end papers for two of the books. What is not to like about green with white polka dotted paper?

I am making a few nichos for some friends as well. I am also working on a sweater for a very good friend of mine and some dish towels are in the process of being embroidered.
I am getting the Christmas decorations down this afternoon! Need to break out the Dean Martin Christmas CD....maybe not quite yet...

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T07:25:00.000-08:00

This is what I saw as I was drinking my tea this morning. I had been thinking of all the things still to be done in preparation of going to my Mom's for dinner. After grabbing the camera and taking these pictures, I came back in with a calmer mind. Some deep breaths and some thoughts of what I am thankful for later, I am in a better head space. I hope all of you have a wonderful day.

Random Autumn Pictures

2009-11-24T17:06:00.000-08:00

Guess What?

2009-11-11T17:39:00.000-08:00

CHICKEN BUTT!
It's been awhile since I posted last. It isn't that I didn't want to post, it is just that I have been busy. I have been doing some artsy things as well as some not so fun stuff. I went to Art and Soul in Portland at the end of September. That was amazing! Overwhelming at times but so much fun. I am still processing things I learned there. I took a class from one of my favorite blog artists, Misty Mawn. I also took a great bookbinding class taught by Jill Cardinal, here in Eugene, at Oregon Art Supply. I went up to Portland again a few weeks ago for some relaxation and creative fun. It just hit me a few days ago that Thanksgiving is next week! Wow! Time really flies. It is sunny but chilly today. Absolutely beautiful, I am off to run an errand and go for a walk by the river with my new (very basic) camera!

New spectacles and a quick update

2009-08-22T15:54:00.000-07:00

The lack of blogging seems to be a recurring theme for me lately. I have been busy, but really not all that busy. I've just been a bit
slack. A wonderful friend sent me an iBook laptop. It seems I will be almost in the 21st century sooner than expected. I can now blog from a variety of locales. We'll see if my blogging output increases.

Birthday for me and the blog.....

2009-08-16T13:09:00.000-07:00

I have been a bad blogger lately. I have been taking a break from blogging in general. I did want to show off the best birthday present! Meet Heinz, originally from Germany, but had made his way to a flea market in Switzerland where he was found by a dear, dear friend of mine.
This blog turned 1 on the 12th. I have often wondered why I started it, but feel, even as I am on a small break from it, that it is important to me. That said, I am off to pick tomatoes.

Weekend update...

2009-08-02T12:54:00.000-07:00

I didn't take my camera last night to Faerieworlds and am seriously kicking myself. My friend Elena and I went to see Faun.
The concert was amazing and hanging out with Elena was so much fun. The event itself was a lot less hassle than either of us expected. All in all a great evening. I hope everyone is managing to get out and see some live music this summer.

self portrait saturday

2009-07-25T12:42:00.000-07:00

I just can't get it together today. I have a doctor's appt Monday morning so I scheduled the day off. I have a three day weekend. I should be psyched but all I want to do is sleep. It is supposed to be really hot today. Like over a 100 degrees hot. Listening to David Bowie sing about Modern Love. I love the opening line, "I know when to go out, I know when to stay in, get things done" in that accent...
I have an art group dinner tonight. Yeah! I am bringing a salad from Ina Garten's book, Barefoot Contessa at Home. I am thinking either the pesto pea salad or the guacamole salad. Maybe both...so glad I don't have to turn the oven on.
Feeling much more settled today than I did all week. Ohhh, Thursdays are clogging night. Guess what song we put on? Come on Eileen by Dexy's Midnight Runners. I know, D-O-R-K! I am ok with that. Oh, that song just makes me a grinning idiot. It is perfect for clogging to. Click below to see some clogging http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghPtn26gAA0

It's all about perspective

2009-07-23T13:13:00.000-07:00

This week's drawing class was about perspective. You know, the artist holding up his/her thumb in front of whatever it is they are drawing? Always wondered why...now I know. In class we actually used bamboo skewers, (The kind used to ummm...skewer things, like veggies, to make shish kebabs. Yes, I know other stuff is skewered on them but not in my world.), to serve as a unit of measurement. I did not like this class one bit. My arm hurt after an hour or so of holding it out, putting it down, forgetting the measurement, doing it again, putting it down, double checking... in front of a bunch of boxes stacked on top of each other. It didn't seem artistic at all, it seemed like math to me. When you start in one place you need stay in that place because if you move it changes your perspective. I got frustrated and felt a bit rebellious so I sketched what I saw without using the skewer. When the instructor came around to critique and offer words of wisdom, she paused in front of my easel and pointed at the free hand sketch. "That is what I am talking about, good angles, nice placement, good perspective," she said. (I said thanks and chuckled to myself.)

Last Sunday I was checking my gmail account. It is one that I don't check regularly. I was scanning through and noticed two emails from a name from my distant past. This wasn't someone I expected to hear from ever, so I honestly thought it was a mistake. I opened the more recent one first. It was from the person that I knew oh, 23 or so years ago. Someone, that while not looking for me, found me because of the title of my blog. Unbeknownst to me the song by Donovan Catch the Wind had been associated with me in this person's mind at one time. We never listened to it or talked about it and the association was made after we had parted ways. Apologies of past behaviour were made. Apologies for what? I wondered. Given the years of non-contact and my age at the time (young) and his age, young (but older by, ahem, some years) I had a pretty tight lid on that period in my life. Thoughts of him had dwindled to the random, I wonder what he's doing these days? Explanations and apologies were provided in subsequent emails and filled in some of the blank holes but strangely, instead of feeling settled I feel angry. Would it have made a difference knowing that I had actually mattered to this person? I've always treated that time in a rather cavalier fashion because it hurt too much to treat it with the importance it deserved. I chalked it all up to something in me that was lacking or wrong. To find out that I was special and cherished while at the same time being pushed away for reasons unknown to me (at the time) is gratifying to a point. I have been given a new perspective on a pivotal time of my life. It is requiring some changes in how I view my past and present. This shift has been unsettling to say the least. Ultimately I think it is a positive thing and I am grateful to this person for taking the time to make contact. (Although the bouts of random tears are growing tiresome.)

Random Garden Pictures

2009-07-06T20:42:00.000-07:00

Guitar hero and lyric writing god...

2009-07-05T09:42:00.000-07:00

I have been playing guitar again after 20+ years. I was never very good, probably because I didn't practice. I started taking lessons this week after a couple of weeks of working on chord transitions on my own. I was really blown away by what I remembered from my lessons almost 30 years ago! I am still in the beginning stages but find myself picking up the guitar and running through some arpeggios just for fun. If you would have said 6 months ago, "Tonia, you are going to start playing the guitar again and you are going to practice for hours at a time." I would have laughed at you and asked you what you had been smoking. I mean really, one more thing to add to the list of things to do. Now it is bumping some things off the list. I am borrowing the guitar from my brother who is very, very good.
I have many things to thank an ex-boyfriend for but introducing me to the music of this man
is at the top of the list. Here is a link to a youtube video of him and his son, Teddy, If you get a chance and are at all curious, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3DS6xglAfQ&feature=PlayList&p=949B816F6EA4314B&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=28
They are performing one of my favorite songs, the video is lame but the performance is excellent.

You know where you can put your fireworks...

2009-07-04T23:32:00.000-07:00

I detest the 4th of July. ABSOLUTELY DETEST IT. The amount of money that is spent on fireworks, legal and illegal is appalling. The noise is upsetting to animals and snarly old bitties like me. My neighbor, (the lame one that doesn't control his dog) and his normally nice girlfriend are setting off some really loud ones. No pansy assed sparklers for them. Nope, they have chosen some stuff from Mexico. They are going with ones that you feel in the pit of your stomach when they go off. I am not sure what is being celebrated? Are we celebrating our independence from a nationalized health care system, the civilized custom of tea and some of the sexiest accents in the world? Sorry, I can think of other things that I would rather be free from. Things like monster trucks, red neck yahoos that drive monster trucks and really inconsiderate neighbors. I would gladly celebrate freedom from those things.

Summer Breeze and a tale of woe from long ago...

2009-06-29T17:16:00.000-07:00

"Sweet days of summer, the jasmine's in bloom. July is dressed up and playing her tune..." One of my essential summertime albums is Seals and Crofts' greatest hits. Yeah, I am a dork. While I am at it I may as well tell you that "Rocky Mountain High" is one of my favorite songs. John Denver, Seals and Crofts, Led Zeppelin and the Grateful Dead got me through one particularly horrible summer about 20 years ago. I was working three jobs trying to save money to get to England. I was slowly coming out of my Deadhead phase and had spent some time over in Bend, Oregon with some friends from UO. These Bend boys were the cream of the Deadhead crop. Mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing and partying. I came back home from my own personal nirvana to my parents fighting and all sorts of ugly words like adultery being slung around. My little brother hated me because I had deserted him. (He was 16 at the time.) I was living at home in what felt like a war zone. I managed to somehow work in a deli/coffee shop, work at Agripac (one of the levels of Hell) and work in the concession stands at the Lane County Convention Center during the weekends and some evenings before my graveyard shift in Hell. Essentially I would get home from the graveyard shift at Agripac for a couple of hours of sleep before going off to the deli job till sometime in the evening and then a few more hours of sleep and laundry and playing marriage counselor to my Mom. Good times. Anyway while standing at the conveyor belt at 2 a.m., sorting ears of corn and trying to not fall onto the belt as the never ending river of vegetable matter hypnotized me, it was important to stay coherent. The cannery, as the ancient ones still working there called it, was the taker of many a finger or hand or occassionally more from those who let their attention slip. To ward off the loopiness I would sing out loud to myself. I worked my way through Seals and Crofts, John Denver-especially Rocky Mountain High, the Dead, Zep-you name it, I sang it. Normally I do not let anyone hear me sing, I can't hold a tune even if it is handed to me. At Agripac there was no worry of anyone hearing me. If you have never worked or been in a cannery, count yourself lucky. The smells alone are not for the faint of heart (or stomach.) What really got me was the noise. Hissing steam, ca-thunk, ca-thunk of the seamers (the machines that seal the cans), the constant rolling thunder sound of the conveyor belts. I wore a hard hat and hair net and earplugs. The first week or so I felt shell shocked from all the noise. Then I got used to it, to a point. It started to become familiar and almost comforting. When a conveyor belt went down-broken or for maintenance, the noise level dropped dramatically and I remember feeling panic as new lesser heard sounds were able to thump or clank their way into my consciousness. Anyway I would look up once in awhile and every person on the conveyor belt line would all be singing to themselves. It was kind of like the opposite of karaoke. You could sing to your heart's content in public but no one could hear you.
Anyway I did get to England, my parents did divorce (albeit several years later), my brother and I are close and I still like Seals and Crofts and John Denver and the rest.

2009-06-27T11:10:00.000-07:00

I sit down to write something on the blog and all my incredibly witty, thoughtful and insightful comments go on holiday.
So I guess it will be the less than scintillating, mundane stuff. I have been busy working on the backyard. This is the year that all remaining lawn will be gone. Last weekend I worked for hours each day removing the grass from the part closest to the house and then slowly during the week I carved away at the bits closest to the studio, which is at the back end of the yard. Just a bit more to go and then to have it hauled away. In place of the grass there will be wider raised areas and more paths and more raised beds. I don't do regular rectangular raised beds, in fact I removed the ones that were here as soon as I got settled in 7 years ago. (They were the worse for wear and needed replacing anyway.)
Where the large rocks are on the left hand side of the picture, to the left of those will be filled in with soil, making the tomato and basil bed bigger. To the right will be either bark or something else for the path.

Patio pots

Front porch plants.

Back patio again.

Buffy (reddish one) and Betsy (black and red one), I am having a hard time getting a picture of Buffy's feathery pantaloons.

Another picture looking towards the back of the house. Where there is dirt, there used to be grass. You will notice the larger pile of sod piled up waiting to be hauled off. This picture is taken from about a third of the way back from the house.
Front yard path.
Other than working on yard and the day job, not too much has been going on. Hope you all are enjoying your summer!

Where does the time go?

2009-05-29T22:11:00.000-07:00

Another week come and gone. GAH! I am really behind in my blog reading and commenting lately. When I get home from work I let the chickens out in the yard, make some tea and put on my clogging shoes and practice, practice, practice. It has been really lovely here in the Willamette Valley the last two weeks. I have a hard time wanting to be tied to the computer any more than I already am at work. I have about 20+ tomato plants in the ground along with lots of basil. The chickens have already found the ripe strawberries. I planted some russet potatoes and some beets and carrots. I want to get some more tomato plants and oh yeah, I have some cucumber plants and a spaghetti squash. Hopefully I'll get quite a few blueberries this year.
I think posting and probably reading other blogs is going to be sporadic for awhile. While I am here though have you all heard about monkeysee.com? I found some really clear helpful videos on clogging. I haven't looked at what all is there but it looks like a possible reference for just about anything.

Thursday? Already? A partial update...

2009-05-21T16:25:00.000-07:00

I was sitting in the garden last evening talking to the chickens. Buffy came running over to me and jumped up on my lap. She started grooming her feathers as I petted her and then she hunkered down for a little nap. All in all she was on my lap, with no restraint by me, for over 10 minutes. Chicken love is swell.
Last weekend I took an ArtClay class. (More on that in another post.) The class was held next door to a Square dance and Clogging hall. The Clogging classes were part of a weekend long conference. Anyway, I am taking my first ever Clogging class this evening! I am so excited! I had called about taking East Coast Swing classes and I still might, but it took the instructor over a week to return my calls and email. I wasn't impressed with the customer service and general attitude. Clogging makes so much more sense to me anyway. I like the music already, it is generally not a partner dance and it is really aerobic AND you get to make noise! During the classes on Saturday the dancers danced to rock, folk and even a slightly jazzy sounding song. SWEET!

Guess WHO will be hosting Masterpiece?!!!?

2009-05-15T16:56:00.000-07:00

Heh, heh...there is a clue in the post title. I am such a nerd, I know! David Tennant! I am off to do some hooping and go for a walk. Enjoy the sunshine if you are in Oregon!

Random pictures for Friday

2009-05-15T15:54:00.000-07:00

My favorite lime green clogs.

GACK! **note the sweater color and the clog colors...

Late lilac "Little Kim"

Look at Buffy's fancy pants!

Tabitha being all silly on the deck.

My two favorite chickens, Betsy McGoo and Buffy the fancy pants snail slayer...

Betsy, Agatha (the tweaker) and Buffy.

100th post...finally!

2009-05-11T16:27:00.000-07:00

What do you see in the picture? What could it be? This has nothing to do with anything in particular, I just thought it was kind of cool looking. It is hot coals in a blacksmith's forge.
Angelina at dustpanalley.com just saw Twilight. As I mentioned in a post last week I saw it recently as well. I downplayed how much I liked it and the books because I thought I was a total dork to get sucked (umm, that wasn't on purpose) into it. My friend Alysse of blissmonkeystudio.blogspot.com informed me she enjoyed the books as well. Yeah! I am not a dork (or if I am, I am in very good company!)
Onto a different topic...I called a local dance studio today about private dance lessons. I have been walking an hour a day for the last couple of weeks. There is a great walk near my house that is pretty much on a bike path the whole way. Some of it is along a canal. The ducklings are out in full force. I feel pretty good about the walking but it isn't enough. I am a closet dancer. (Not to be confused with a pole dancer...) I used to bellydance but I don't have much interest in it anymore. I'd like to learn the Charleston and the Lindy Hop and the Jitterbug. I am not the most graceful of creatures. Instead of jumping into a class with lots of other people at varying levels of skill I thought it might be best to get some confidence with a few private lessons first. This last month I have been at loose ends on Friday nights. I have been wanting to go dancing but lacking confidence and skills kept me home with Edward and Bella and Dr Who. Anyone else a closet dancer?

Meet the wee ones...

2009-05-04T19:00:00.000-07:00

Meet the fabulous Buffy.

This Agatha. She is the older, bigger bully. These pictures are about 3 weeks old. I will try to get some current pictures posted soon.
I had a calm, peaceful weekend not getting the things I planned on doing done but accomplishing quite a bit anyway. I have been having some pain issues with my right hand off and on for about a month or so. It seems to be better now-fingers crossed. I am still debating on getting an iPod. Technology-ugh. I am barely friends with a sewing machine but the idea of having my own portable personal soundtrack is very appealing. I am convinced that my mood is much better with the appropriate music. Not exactly the stuff of exciting blog posts...

O-BLA-DI-O-BLA-DA....

2009-04-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

La, la, la life goes on...

There are two new members of the family, Agatha Aracauna and Buffy Bantam. Agatha is a little snot and Buffy is just about the sweetest little thing I have ever seen. Agatha will be sent to a friend's flock up in Blue River when she (or he) is big enough. I am hoping that Buffy is Buffy and not a Spike. She is A-DOR-A-BLE. Tiny and so funny with her little feather legwarmers. This is the first time I have raised a Bantam chick. There were two but Betsy did not take to the other one. It went back straight away. Chickens are modern day dinosaurs and as such they can be ruthless to each other. The Buffster will hunker down in my hand and go to sleep. Agatha is pretty much the opposite. She is a flighty thing.

I am going to Art and Soul in Portland this coming September. My first time. I've wanted to go for years but lacked either confidence or money or both. I am taking a two day workshop with Misty Mawn. I've admired her work for quite awhile. I am also taking two other classes taught by folks I'm not familiar with but am excited to meet.
I took a screenprinting class last Saturday. That was so much fun. Let's see... I decided to wait on the fencing class, I was having some hand issues as well as some hip pain but that is resolved hopefully. I will try the fencing next term if it is offered.
Speaking of fencing...of a different sort, I now have a wooden fence down the length of the North side of my backyard. There has been a tall wire fence since I bought the place 7 years ago. The landlord of the place next door told me to dream on when I asked if he wanted to go halves on the cost to put a fence in. Out of stubborness and cheapness I planted a tall border of perennial sunflowers, butterfly bushes, asters, sunflowers and other tall plants. The neighbor's badly trained hell hound, Fern would go into a slavering barking frenzy anytime I stepped foot into my yard. The neighbor is a nice guy and would call her in when she did but it was definitely a buzz kill. Now I have to rethink the whole backyard.

Let's see...some changes at work. My dept. has been experiencing a slowing of work coming in. We had a meeting this week and two positions from my dept. are being lost. Another dept is in desperate need of people so no one is actually losing a job but it is a bit upsetting nonetheless. I have been with the lab for T W E N T Y years this June and this is the first time anything like this has happened. I'm not sure what the fallout is going to be yet...

Ahh...I saw Twilight (thanks Netflix). It didn't rock my world or anything BUT since I didn't totally hate it either I thought I would read the book (the first one at least). I have discovered something about myself that I probably should just keep locked up inside but I feel the need to say out loud. I have a thing for the undead, I guess. I mean, I thought my devotion to Buffy and the gang had more to do with Joss Whedon than vampires. I read the Anne Rice books back in the day and while somewhat enjoyable I didn't go nuts over them. Bram Stoker's Dracula was fine. I liked Gary Oldman as Dracula. Actually, I really liked Gary Oldman. Anyway, I feel like such a dork reading teen vampire romance but the Twilight series-not in anyway good literature-was really entertaining. I read all four. Last week. Gaaaaak, is there some kind of 12 step program?

I am trying to get pictures to post of the chicks and some pictures of the backyard changes so will post those soon hopefully.

Taking a blogging break...

2009-04-05T12:50:00.000-07:00

Not sure when/if I will come back to the blogging world.

Still here...

2009-03-22T18:33:00.000-07:00

It has been a week of sorrow, denial, anger, guilt. There have also been moments of acceptance and relief (that she is not suffering.) I have also felt profound gratitude that I had her for the time I did.
I have been doubled over with the finality a couple of times. I still wake up expecting to find her nestled next to me. My co-workers have been very kind and family and friends have offered up support in ways unexpected and appreciated. All this and still, day to day things get taken care of. Food gets cooked and eaten, clothes worn and washed, work gets done. I breathe, smile, create, remember, cry, laugh and wish she were still around to remind me that her food bowl is not sufficiently filled. I know it gets easier, it has in some ways. I am taking it day by day, minute by minute.

Saying goodbye...

2009-03-20T22:45:00.000-07:00

Angelina, asked in a recent post how others mourn. The topic has been on my mind a lot lately as I am dealing with the passing of my cat, Sibella. I realize to some, animal deaths and people deaths are entirely different things. Often times more signifigance is attached to the death of a person over an animal. For me it isn't so clear cut.
I grew up on a farm and was exposed to many endings, planned and unplanned. My family raised cows, pigs, chickens and ducks and rabbits and horses. There were also turkeys and goats and the odd sheep could be found every once in awhile. We had dogs and cats aplenty not to mention the mice and owls and frogs that lived in or around the barns. Cows and pigs and chickens and rabbits were killed for food, sometimes cows would die giving birth. One horrible summer one of our barns caught fire and some cows died. One mama rabbit ate her babies. My bloody cousins shot frogs. Cats would get hit on the road, kittens drowned in water troughs. The spector of death was everywhere.
Lots of farm folks have a really practical view of life and death based on their experiences on the farm. For most of my relatives connected to the farm, death was either a good thing: freezer full of meat or an inconvenience: disposal of a body. For me, it would be a time of tears (even for the *&^%$#@ turkeys that I feared) and a ceremony of sorts. Pretty much every critter got a name or some phrase like, "gray mouse that got squished into a hay bale." I would say a few words like, "You were a good mouse and I am sorry you got squished." If it were a pet, more words. My brother and I would bury the smaller animals behind the hen house. I wonder if the people that own the property now have discovered the cemetary back there.

Human death was no stranger either. My Mother's older brother, Randy, died when he was 16. She was a couple years younger and idolized him. His passing tore my grandfather up so much, he turned to books and alcohol to escape. My Mom and Grandmother relied heavily on each other until my gran's death when I was in high school. My Mom wears the sadness of the loss of her brother (and later her father and mother) like a custom made undershirt. It's there always, just under the surface. Happy times always have a twinge of sadness. I remember hearing Auld Lang Syne when I was a kid and my grandfather telling me what it meant and his eyes filled with tears (possibly due in part to the amount of alcohol in his system.) Later, I realized that the feeling I felt when I heard that poem/song was similiar to the feeling I felt my Mom must feel constantly.

Over the course of several years my granparents all passed away as well as a much loved neighbor girl that babysat for my brother and I. I felt the solemness and the sadness of the funeral services but chafed at the rigidity and the religious posturing. I resented the ministers making the death of someone I loved an occasion for preaching. About two years ago, I was at the funeral of one of my Dad's aunts. Though divorced from my dad, my mom had kept in contact with this aunt and she attended the funeral. It was a typical funeral for that side of the family, heavy on the fire and brimstone. People getting up and talking about what a good church going woman she was. Her faith in God, yada yada yada. My Mom stood up (in a room full of her ex husband's relatives) and told them all how the last time (only a week before) she had taken this aunt out to lunch and how they had laughed and how my aunt had been flirted with by a "very good looking older gentleman" and how she had blushed and patted her hair into place. I just hugged my Mom when she sat down. She was the only person to really acknowledge the humanity of my aunt. She told of the flesh and blood person where everyone else seemed more concerned about tallying up another soul for heaven.
I think our culture is so far out of synch with nature that death is seen as something to be avoided at any cost. By adopting that mind set we often alienate (unintentionally) those that are nearing the end. Wow, so much more to say but I am so very tired tonight.

She's gone....

2009-03-17T12:28:00.000-07:00

I miss you Sibella, so very much. You will be out in the garden amongst the catnip. The mighty huntress of small insects. A new star in the sky tonight.

***Sibella wasn't eating at all last night and was obviously weakening. A very kind vet that does housecalls came and helped her onto the last part of her journey this morning. She was calm and peaceful and so beautiful at the end. Before the vet came there was a bit of a sun break. She wanted to go outside. We sat in the sun together. I am really grateful for those minutes. I feel so lucky to have had the time we did together.

Sibella update...

2009-03-16T17:34:00.000-07:00

After a very rough night Saturday with Sibella, I was pretty much resigned to taking her to the emergency vet clinic to be euthanized. Sunday morning she seemed a bit perkier. She ate small amounts of tuna which was more than she had eaten all weekend. I kept setting small goals for her like, if she gets up to drink some water and have a wee in the next 45 minutes I'll wait a bit longer or if she responds when I say her name I'll wait...all day Sunday that went on. I went into work today and finally got the call from the vet's office. Kidney failure AND a urinary tract infection. The vet said if it were based just on the blood work she would recommend euthanizing her, but since there is a UTI that could be skewing things she thought it could be worth it to treat the UTI with antibiotics and keep her hydrated with sub-cutaneous fluids and keep her appetite up with a stimulant. Of course they wanted to keep her there for 4 days to the tune of $450-$750. In reality what is happening is she will be at home and be given injections of 150ccs of fluid from an IV bag daily. So, I am cautiously optimistic that the treatment for the UTI will clear up some of the issues and then we'll manage the kidney disease issue for as long as possible. It is so hard to know what the right thing to do is sometimes. I vowed after a long drawn out ordeal with my rabbit Chloe that I would never subject an animal to pointless treatments but here I am in the thick of it and I might very well be doing that. Just so everyone knows, Sib sleeps a lot by the heaters, she is as comfortable as I can make her and she is able to walk and is more responsive (it seems, fingers crossed). She seems frail and that is heartbreaking but dodders around and she isn't as vocal as she was on Friday and Sat. My thanks to those that left comments earlier. Blaize, once we've gotten to the other side of this ordeal I will be asking for some advice on food. Thanks!

Sibella

2009-03-14T15:16:00.000-07:00

So Sibella was obviously not feeling at the top of her game last night. She is a very vocal cat and she was even more so than usual. She had also adopted a rather peculiar sleep position that she does when she isn't well. Add to that ruffled fur and sunken eyes I knew there would probably be a vet visit in the offing. Sure enough, I took her in today. It sounds like she probably has kidney disease. They drew some blood and took a urine specimen and gave her some sub-cutaneous fluids and an appetite enhancer. I will know more on Monday.
Before the appointment,I had to run an errand this morning. When I came home, she was on the arm of the sofa (near the front door.) She didn't move when I came in, her head was tucked under and I couldn't see her breathing. I touched her and she didn't respond for several seconds. I thought she had died. She finally gave a disgruntled "Mrrffff" and moved reluctantly. Whew! I am hopeful that if it is kidney disease it will be manageable for a long time.

2009-03-13T19:56:00.000-07:00

Today was beautiful. I heard at one point it was around 63 F. I haven't heard what the forecast is for the weekend but I do hope there is sunshine involved.
Not a lot going on right now. I decided to hold off on the trip to London. I really wanted to go and London is a fun (but spendy town.) I have been eating away at my vacation time (also known as PTO or Paid Time Off) since it has been slow. Leaving early a couple of times during the week. I don't have enough PTO to take off for as long as I would like (2.5 weeks.) It seems silly to go over for any less time, considering the costs ($ and environmentally and physical wear and tear.) For now I am content working on some artsy projects, watching Torchwood, the very last bit of Angel, gearing up for the fencing class (I am so excited) and thinking of taking tap. The garden needs my attention and I have a stack of books to read. Life (at this moment) is pretty darn good.

Mellow Yellow...

2009-03-07T13:55:00.001-08:00

Green Day (not the band)

2009-03-05T16:14:00.000-08:00

So, I hear the Hummer division of GM is up for sale. Hello? I can't believe that it still exists. My fingers are crossed that the Humvee goes extinct. Just sayin'.
Another slow day at work. I left three hours early. This is really getting old. I did manage to get all the packages to the post office this afternoon for the mushroom love giveaway.
I have been feeling kind of betwixt and between lately. Partially due to the weather. It is unsettled as am I. It is getting time for some big life changes. I can feel it. Upheaval, decisions, changes of all sorts I can tell are in my future. I swear some days I don't know who I am anymore. Interests and things that I thought defined me no longer seem important. I feel like I have outgrown my life here. I want more. Not necessarily things, though a bigger house would enable me to do some of the things that I want to do, like art workshops. I am craving action, colors, passion. I live in my head a lot. I like a little reality in my fantasy life. I'd like an adventure.
I have never, ever thought about moving to California but I dream about it now. What is up with that? I don't really have a clue what I would do there so while I am not saying no, I am just not acting on it immediately. I am thinking about going to London for a week or so in May. A week is probably all I could get away with then. I have a place to stay, transport and all and there are some an events I want to go to. I need to find out how much airfare is right now and if tickets are still available to the show.

Devotchka, James Marsters and Elvis Costello, random pictures and bit of rambling nattering.

2009-03-03T15:37:00.000-08:00

Listening to a bunch of random stuff this afternoon like Big Country. Ooh, now it's Ring of Fire...think I'm gonna skip Johnny for now and move on to Van the man, Morrison-Brown eyed girl...I got into the fencing class! It starts on the 31st. Tues and Thursdays. Oh yeah, I am really psyched. ACK! Jezebel by Iron and Wine- a bit too dark...Onto Style Council...oh yeah. Back in high school.
I don't scrapbook and normally I turn my nose up at "ready made" elements like a lot of the scrapbooking stuff for sale. I do however have a thing for paper and I do go through the bargain racks at the local craft store. This Deco-ish paper caught my eye.
<
Cozy little corner on a gray day.
The finishing touches going on the mushrooms to be sent out.

Signs of life...

2009-03-02T15:54:00.000-08:00

Camellias aren't my favorite flower but since tea comes from a particular Camellia they are OK by me.
Daphne-This is what heaven smells like. Lemon-ish but so much more. The closest I think I have come to the scent is the Luna candle by Archipelago. I think that blend is lemon verbena, lavender and thyme. This Daphne is near the front door and quite large. It is quite warm today (not sure how warm, probably high 50's) and the smell permeates the front steps. The postman commented the other day. He wondered what smells so good. It's the Daphne.
Spring is definitely on the way. Whoo Hoo! I've been in a funk, but today with the warmer weather, sunshine even on my lunch break, the Daphne, the daffodils starting to bloom and the new Lane Community College catalog things are looking up. I am signing up for fencing. Yep, it's something that has been on my list of things to do for a couple of years and I decided now is the time. I am excited. I hope I get in. I am also taking a belly dance class in between now and the fencing class. I don't think I want to really get back into belly dance but I do enjoy the exercise and camaraderie.
Hope your Monday is going is well. Happy March!

AND THE WINNERS ARE...

2009-02-28T17:21:00.000-08:00

Jenn from ottersandowls, Angelina from dustpanalley.com , Lisa at tardyhomemaker, Gina at cauldronridge and ikkinlala. If y'all could leave me an email at trytocatchthewind@gmaildot.com with your mailing addresses I will get the mushrooms out in the mail to you. They will go out in the mail by the end of next week. Thanks for playing along.

A reminder...Mushroom Love Giveaway deadline tomorrow...

2009-02-27T12:47:00.000-08:00

Leave a comment and get entered in the drawing tomorrow. I will be pulling 5 names out of a hat for a red and white mushroom made from Paperclay along with some other mushroom related goodies. Drawing will be 5pm PST. Thanks!

2009-02-17T14:45:00.000-08:00

Picture is from Ledbury, a charming town in England.

I have been avoiding the blog lately. My mood has been for the most part quite dark. I feel so unsettled and as a result been relying on Netflix or rather Netfix a bit heavily the last few weeks. Work was painfully slow today and I volunteered to leave early. I'm not sure if I should be worried about how slow it has been or not. I am trying to not be too concerned at this point.
I hope everyone had a nice Valentine's Day. I choose to ignore it for the most part. Actually that isn't quite accurate. I prepared some little Martha Stewart candy boxes I had bought last year on sale for my co-workers. I went to Trader Joe's to buy a box of French truffles and nestled them in the cute little pink boxes and sealed them with some brown ribbon with the word chocolat on it. I should've taken some pics but forgot. Other than that I made some baked goods for a bake sale for the lab's Relay for Life team.
I used to love to bake. Every week I'd bake a cake or cookies to take into work. I don't do that as much partly because of the cost (organic stuff tends to more expensive.) My co-workers don't give a darn about organic anything but I do. My identity was tied to my baking. I think the turning point was when I did a wedding cake for some friends 7 or 8 years ago. I was a nervous wreck going through a breakup, trying to be happy and together enough to haul the baked layers and the bowls of white chocolate cream cheese frosting and the flowers to decorate the bloody thing to the wedding site an hour away from home in 90 degree weather. I pulled it off successfully. I did it once, don't ever need to do that again.
I've been watching Buffy still. Season 7 halfway through. Good goddess! How did I miss it the first time around? Joss Whedon is a genius. James Marsters is a god. The script writers are amazing. I like that as the characters get older and the plot line progresses things get more complicated. Similiar to the Harry Potter books. A reminder to leave comments to be put in the drawing for some mushroom fun. So far only 4 peeps are entered. I have been slack in blogging and will try to do better.

Mushroom Love Giveaway...

2009-02-05T17:01:00.000-08:00

I was informed yesterday that I didn't get in on the mushroom swap at knitsonya.com. I had already started making my mushrooms for the swap and planned some fun packaging. Because I am on a roll I am going to offer a deal, leave a comment until Feb. 28 and you will be put in the drawing for one of the 5 mushrooms I am working on. They are made of paper clay which dries hard and they will be painted and sealed* and dusted with sparkles. I will post a picture of the ones up for grabs soon. The pictures above are some that I have made that are either a little smaller or larger than the ones I am working on now. One mushroom will be sent off to each of the 5 names drawn. It will be sent along with some other fun little mushroom-y things. Each comment left gets put in the mix. So the more you comment the more chances you have.
They are NOT appropriate for outside use. INDOOR only.

I have been tagged!

2009-02-04T07:10:00.000-08:00

My good friend Alysse from blissmonkeystudio tagged me to list 7 things about myself involving books.

1. I have more books than bookshelves. I have about 5 large plastic bins filled with books in the garage. I have a book shelf full of crafty books in the studio, one in the craft room and a cupboard full of craft books in the house. I also have about 100 cookbooks. Loads of self help books and lots of folk/fairy/fantasy/mystery books
2. If I am enjoying a book, I will do nothing but read until I am done if possible.
3. I have all of the hardbound yellow spine Nancy Drew mysteries. (In the garage.)
4. I dated a guy in college that had a THING for books. I mean, hmmm I guess a fetish would be the word. I couldn't compete (didn't really want to either.)
5. I re-read favorite books. I have read the Lord of the Rings trilogy every summer since 8th grade. Madeleine L'Engle and Mary Stewart's other books (not the Merlin ones) are favorites.
6. I recently finished The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.
7. I read a lot of "young adult" fiction. Think Phillip Pullman, Libba Bray and Holly Black.
I am supposed to tag 7 other bloggers. I am going to be lazy and ask that if you want to consider yourself tagged, please let me know so I can read your posts. Thanks Aly for asking me to play!

2009-01-31T11:48:00.000-08:00

I have been decluttering in a big way lately. I got rid of a stack of magazines taller than me. I'm 5'4". Been taking carloads of stuff to Goodwill. It feels really good to shed this stuff. I had been feeling overwhelmed and cluttered mentally. Since the purge began I have gained some room both physically as well as in my head for some new ideas to percolate. There is more to get packed up and moved out, but progress is being made.
I have also been taking stock of my eating habits and several weeks ago stopped putting sugar in my tea. For some that might not be a big deal but for me it is huge. I drink anywhere from 3-5 cups of black tea a day during the week and a few more than that on weekends. Using a tablespoon of sugar per cup is a lot of sugar. That began the first week of January. Then I added making sure I eat 3-5 servings of veg/fruit. Then came walking at least a half hour a day and eating a handful (small) of almonds a day as well as one Brazil nut. I am walking 45 minutes a day and all the other stuff. This next week I will be keeping track of everything I eat in a notebook. I have about 15 pounds that I would like to say goodbye to. My wardrobe has been shrinking it seems lately. I want to get a handle on this before I gain any more. I know from experience how hard it can be to lose weight.
I have been reading and working through the activities in, "Refuse to Choose." I feel so much relief and hope as well as some sadness that I spent so much of my life trying to fit other people's idea of what I should be when there wasn't a snowball's chance in hell that I could. Lots more to say, but I need to get some cleaning done.

Random pictures and a really happy, good day.

2009-01-26T13:52:00.000-08:00

I woke up feeling so happy this morning. I haven't felt like this in, gosh maybe ever?! It has stayed with me so far and it is almost 2 in the afternoon. What is the cause of this vibrating with excitement state of being? Have I found a stash of happy pills? Nope. Did I win the lottery? I wish. Have I taken a "lover*"? Hell, no. What could make me this happy? A book. Before some of you get all excited and start thinking I got religion finally, it isn't THAT book. I hate to sound all chirpy and stuff but, I rarely feel this excited and full of hope. NOT EVEN FOR OBAMA did I get this giddy and that is saying something. OK, I am getting to the title, but I have to preface it with a little bit of background info. I have been struggling to find my niche. My place in the overall scheme of things. I have lots of interests. Many, many interests. I have been known to jump head first into a subject and live and breathe it until one day POOF! No more interest. I have successfully learned how to do many things. Some I do return to, others I don't. I get the heebie jeebies when I think about doing the same thing day in and day out. This is highly ironic considering I have been at the same job for almost 20 years. The thing is, I didn't choose this job, it was supposed to for a year or so. It isn't my calling, not my raison d'etre. Let's see what else can I say? I've watched friends, relatives and classmates all decide what it is they want to be when they grow up and gotten on with their lives. I have felt like a dog running after the family car as they move away. Hey guys, I am here! Wanna take an art class with me? Want to learn how to juggle? Want to....???? I have been labeled a dilettante, someone who just can't stick to anything (which is so not true), indecisive and a loser. That last one is what I've called myself for years. Until now. I have been reading Refuse to Choose by Barbara Sher. I just got it this weekend after reading a post from last week (the 16th) at Selena's blog. It is rocking my world. I have so many things I want to say, but really I want to get back to the book. I will write more soon.
*Do not in anyway shape or form use the word "lover" around me with a sexual connotation, except in a joking manner or in the phrase He/She is a lover not a fighter.**
**Actually not even in that phrase.
*** It's OK to say Oh, that cat/dog/parakeet/horse/fill in the blank is such a lover.
That does not make my skin crawl. Unless the above mentioned critter is an object of lust and then, well my friend, you've got issues. Alrighty then, enough high spirits for now. More soon.

Bare Bones

2009-01-13T16:27:00.000-08:00

Winter doesn't lack for beauty, it is there. Often I forget to see it while I am struggling to keep upright in the mudbath that my backyard becomes. In Winter all of Spring's frills and finery and Summer's rich bounty are stripped away and nature's bones laid bare. Things normally hidden from view are exposed. Vistas open up and give new perspective. Scents seem crisper, sharper. Without the heady perfumes of flowers and warm earth the air seems more elemental.
After Solstice is over and the new year just beginning I often feel hollow and raw. This is when, in times passed, hunger and illness would cull the weakest from the herds-animal and human. It seems to be a very harsh, unforgiving time and yet, there is the faintest signs of softer days to come. Lengthening daylight, minute by minute. Swellings on the nodes of trees, a sign of buds, flowers and fruit in the offing.
While re-reading this I thought of my childhood on my family's farm. I had chores that had to be done regardless of the weather. Usually the weather often caused more work. One of my least favorites was to break the ice on the water troughs for the cows. I hated that. My fingers would be red and stinging from the cold by the time my Dad or Grandfather and I would get inside. When we finally got immersion coils that kept the water from freezing it was a very happy day.
In the summer, I had to help out in the hay fields. I had to straighten the rows of hay bales so they could be loaded up on the hay trucks. As I got older I got to drive the trucks. Once back at the farm I got to help load the bales onto the hay elevators. I was very aware of the seasons as a kid. How could I not be? I was outside every day. The seasons dictated what needed to be done. Now, seasons are for the most part "optional." I work inside, I live in town, I drive to work. If I choose I can walk to the store or take walks but often I am too tired, lazy or busy.
One of my goals is to get back into the habit of walking daily, not just for the exercise but for connecting with the outdoors.

Really, really random pictures...

2009-01-13T14:26:00.000-08:00

These boots were made for walkin'...
Gratuitous chicken pic. She is a prolific layer. So far she has taken only 2 days off since the 31st. Of course, two of her eggs=one "regular" sized egg.
Some bark cloth that I bought awhile back. It is a long curtain panel.
I will be friends with you, sewing machine, or die trying. I guess really right now it is bias tape that I want to be my friend.
A Christmas gift. A felting kit by Gillian Harris. I read about her in the British Country Living and when asked what I would like from England for Christmas the kit was my answer. The book is autographed...whooo. Here is a link to her site gilliangladrag.co.uk.
Some fat quarters to be used for potholders.
Bulletin board full of clippings, inspiration and junk.

A large mushroom that I made out of Paperclay.

Hmmmm...perhaps they need some knitted legwarmers too?

2009-01-12T14:17:00.000-08:00

Another link to check out. HERE . If I could I would have a battery hen rescue. I just love hearing the little noises hens make and to watch them walk around the garden is so relaxing.

awwww...

2009-01-09T12:45:00.000-08:00

Check this out. I am a sucker for animal pals stories.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

2009-01-05T17:08:00.000-08:00

I took another bookmaking class this last weekend. This time we used pasta boxes and tea boxes as the covers and then made simple pamphlet stitched booklets to go inside. It was a lot of fun. Below in no particular order are some photos of the two I made.This is a side view of the pasta box book. It has two pamphlets and an envelope inside.
Inside I lined it with an old map from a funky atlas I got for 50cents at a yard sale. The first pamphlet is covered with a red piece of arty wrapping paper with an image cut from another piece of wrapping paper.
The side flap is from a different brand of pasta. It was a spaghetti box. I liked the image of the woman on it. I just realized you can't really see the woman in this picture. The image below of the ship is from a postcard that was glued behind the window of the box.
This is the cover with another postcard image glued behind the pasta box window.
This is the Welsh tea box. The insides were lined with old wallpaper from an estate sale. The flaps were covered with new paper made from recycled paper. The pamphlet is covered with paper made in another class. It is a brown paper grocery bag that was stamped colored with crayon, watercolored and then waxed.
The covers were made from a tea box that I saved from a trip to Wales.

Caramelized squash pizza..

2009-01-01T17:17:00.000-08:00

In the interest of full disclosure my planned meal for last night did not go as planned. Due to some unforeseen factors I was unable to complete it last night. If you've forgotten what was on the menu there was a green salad with honeyed pecans and dried cranberries, with a light honey mustard dressing. The star of the meal was to be the aforementioned carmelized squash and onion pizza. I got the recipe here . I bought some locally made pizza dough as the recipe calls for pre-made pizza rounds and I didn't want to go that route. I was ready to make my own dough but after a couple of false starts with yeast that was too old I just wanted to get the bloody pizza made. I am very glad I perservered.
The salad was good and the pizza was really, really amazing. I "heart" carmelized squash and onions. I had a hard apple cider from Fish Brewery up in Washington. Very nice with the feta cheese, squash and the cranberries in the salad I think. I liked the cider quite a bit. It was the first time I tried that brewery's cider. Not too dry, not too sweet. Just right. Wow what a great meal. If I had made my own dough and had a local brew it would have been a bit more in keeping with my eat local aspirations-except for the cheese. It always comes down to the cheese, doesn't it? Oh yeah and the pecans and dried cranberries. Though cranberries are grown in Bandon, Oregon. I have no idea where the ones I bought came from. Now for some more organizing.

Welcome 2009!!!

2009-01-01T10:58:00.000-08:00

A little while ago I went out to the chicken coop to check on Betsy the wonder chicken. I could hear her before I could see her, she makes these cute little clucking noises. When I didn't see her in the main part of the roost I looked in the nesting box area which has been unused since late summer. There she was, sounding a bit put out that I was looking at her in her current employment of #1 egg layer. I went back in for a bit. Later I went out again to add some veg. scraps to the compost bin and stopped to see if she really laid or if she was getting broody. I found two eggs! Both are fresh so she must have started laying yesterday. I don't know if she could've laid both today? Anyway it seems very auspicious to have freshly laid eggs on the first day of the new year.
I just went out to one of the many Rosemary plants and picked a couple of sprigs for a recipe I am making. The smell of rosemary is one of my favorite smells I think. Fresh and slightly piney. I find the taste can be overwhelming so I use it sparingly in cooking. I do like it in an orange/rosemary quick bread recipe. I should dig that out I think. I like to put it in potpourri blends for winter. It goes really well with citrus scents. I think I need to experiment with a rosemary, orange candle blend. One superstition concerning rosemary (there are many) is the wearing of a sprig in a buttonhole to aid one's memory and to promote good luck in all of the wearer's endeavors. It's raining and I have been cleaning the pantry cupboard. I store my library of magazines on the bottom shelves. Been listening to Fiddle, by Dougie McLean and some Loreena Mckennitt. All in all a pretty good way to start the new year. Hope everyone is free of hangovers. Oh, speaking of hangovers, one superstition involving Rosemary and beer is if a little rosemary is added to a keg of beer it will prevent the beer from being intoxicating. Perhaps I should've mentioned that one yesterday. Happy New Year!

Out with the old and in with the new...

2008-12-31T13:21:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I am so glad to see the back side of this year. I am looking forward to the new year like you wouldn't believe. A clean slate, a fresh start, a new beginning are all magical phrases to me. Today being the hinge day between the old and the new is kind of a special day as well. I like the in-between things in life. Bittersweet Autumn, joyful, happy Spring, Christmas eve, New Year's eve. The times that are neither one thing or another, farewell and anticipation. The space between. A comma. A held breath. Potential magical moments. A chance to pause, catch one's breath and then either run pell-mell into whatever is next or cautiously dip one's toes into the mystery that awaits. I wish each and everyone of us a new year filled with HOPE, LAUGHTER, LOVE, STRENGTH, FAMILY AND FRIENDS, GOOD FOOD, WARM HOMES,KINDNESS AND COMPASSION TOWARDS OTHERS LESS FORTUNATE. Oh, and WINNING LOTTERY NUMBERS.
As I recently posted I have been compiling a list of things I want to release. Tonight is the night I am going to symbolically let them go. I am not one for going out on New Year's eve. Been there, done that many times and don't really feel the need to right now. Lately, I have chosen to spend the evening by myself. I have a tasty meal planned, carmelized Winter squash & onion pizza with feta cheese, green salad with honeyed pecans and dried cranberries with some feta and a hard apple cider to add a celebratory bubbly finish. I have three new CD's to listen to while I play around with my sewing machine. I wish you all a very happy 2009!

Ch-Ch-Changes...

2008-12-27T13:30:00.000-08:00

Angelina has been posting about some major life changes she is making. I too am working on some similiar ones. There are some things that need to be gotten out of the way first. Some are a bit more involved than I want to share but a few of I need to publically state. I have always tried to be the nice person, the caring person, the one that can be counted on. I haven't always succeeded all the time (and you can bet I beat myself up when I have fallen short.) I AM a nice person, a caring person and a dependable one, BUT I don't want to be responsible for anyone else's well being other than my own. I have taken on too many people's expectations of me and fashioned them into essentially a noose that I feel is choking my soul. If I sound harsh, well there is a lot of anger simmering underneath my mild mannered exterior. It is for the most part directed at myself. Though there is some directed at some family members and some for a few other people that have or had significant roles in my life. If I were songwriter like Richard I would write a scathing yet witty catchy little song and let folks wonder if it is about them. Instead I have been writing down the hurtful, hateful, lame, angry, poisonous things I have been hanging onto for years. The things like how an uncle of mine used to call me heifer (I was overweight as a kid.) The promises my Dad would make that as soon as he made them were forgotten by him. How a boy in my A.P. European History class told me I didn't belong there. How praying to God was supposed to make everything better but somehow wouldn't keep a family relative's hands off me. How I questioned my sanity while going out with various alcoholics and drug users. How I let people use me as a doormat and how I feel guilty for getting mad that they do. How I have let my body down by not consistently exercising and by eating as self medication. These and many more are going up in flames on New Year's eve. They are being released. I will remember them but they won't be part of the fabric that my clothes my soul.

Belated Solstice Wishes

2008-12-23T18:17:00.000-08:00

I know I posted this image several days ago but I didn't get around to doing a Solstice post. As things are winding down and I am trying to calm the frantic hamsters in my brain I look to this image and feel a warm peaceful feeling. It could also be the herbal tea I have been drinking I suppose. I had intended on posting a couple of recipes I make for tea. I forgot and am so sorry Jenn! Here they are now, they are from this book
I recommend this book for the eye candy alone. The recipes are good although I would prefer a bit more substance. I have tried quite a few of them and enjoyed the results.
The first recipe is:
SPICY TEA

1/4 C DRIED LEMON VERBENA LEAVES
1/4 C DRIED CHAMOMILE
1/4 C DRIED ORANGE PEEL
2 TBSP DRIED ROSEMARY
1 3-inch CINNAMON STICK, CRUSHED

I play around with the amounts and sometimes throw in a little crushed nutmeg (a little goes a very long way)or Allspice or finely chopped dried ginger. I think this is a nice winter blend. I like it without sweetener but might try some of the ginger honey I made last week. The amount used to make a pot or cup varies on how strong a brew you want. Experiment with it. The recipe as posted above makes enough for about 30 cups worth.
The next one is:
AFTERNOON TEA

1/4 C DRIED HIBISCUS FLOWERS
1/2 C DRIED CHAMOMILE
2 TBSP DRIED ROSE HIPS
1 TBSP DRIED ORANGE PEEL
1 3-INCH CINNAMON STICK, CRUSHED

Again, I don't usually use sweeteners in this, but a little agave syrup or honey wouldn't go amiss.

I have a Christmas eve dinner to go to. Yeah! I am bringing the marinated Manchego cheese from here It is from her post on December 12th.
Anyway my fingers are freezing so let me offer my Solstice/Christmas/Human Light and any other religious OR non religious holiday for PEACE, UNDERSTANDING and COMPASSION now and in the new year.

Snow day!!!!

2008-12-19T08:26:00.000-08:00

I have had a few days off from work starting last Wednesday. I went back to work yesterday and today woke up to a commuter's nightmare (at least this commuter) or a stay at home person's dream. I chose the latter. Earlier this week when the storm first hit I bundled up and trudged down to one of the local markets (the Kiva) for supplies. I felt rather Eastern European, heavy coat, scarves, long heavy skirt (with sweats and long johns)underneath and boots. A pinup girl for Babushka Illustrated. I needed honey and ginger for some honeyed ginger I am giving as gifts. I also stocked up on sweet potatoes and other fixins for soup. I felt so hardy and alive. The following day I walked to an appt and again felt exhilerated from being out in the cold.

2008-12-17T14:46:00.000-08:00

2008-12-17T11:49:00.000-08:00

This is a collaged card I did for Solstice/Christmas a couple of years of ago. I love the painting of The Lady of Shalott by Waterhouse. When I first went to England, I went to the Tate especially to see her.
A trio of snowpeeps made out of paper clay. I love that stuff!!!
Snow, snow, snow. Meh.
This year's holiday wreath.
Note the mushroom groove.

It is over....Thank goodness!!!

2008-12-12T15:46:00.001-08:00

But wait there's more!!!

2008-12-11T22:01:00.000-08:00

Vanilla, orange, clove and cinnamon, pear and cinnamon and pear and vanilla scented candles
Various items for sale tomorrow.

What I've been up to...

2008-12-11T21:52:00.001-08:00

Busy weekend...

2008-12-01T12:39:00.000-08:00

I am not able to post any pictures at the moment. I will soon. I took another class taught by Jill Cardinal. Oh my goodness!!! It was pure alchemy; potatoes, ink, crayons, paper bags and bee's wax. I am just totally excited about this. I LOVE reusing/repurposing stuff that would otherwise get recycled or tossed.
Also this weekend I made about 14 candles. These are soy candles in glass jars with lids. I used vanilla fragrance (synthetic) for half of them. The other half was scented with orange and clove essential oil. Earlier I had made some vanilla essential oil and orange essential scented ones. The amount of vanilla essential oil it took was a bit cost prohibitive so I opted to try the synthetic. The vanilla ones turned out fine. I really like the orange clove scented ones, they smell very holiday-ish and festive to me. I will be buying some more wax today and some more jars. I am also going to playing around with some more oil combinations. I was thinking a chai scented blend and a fir citrus blend might be nice. These are to sell at our craft fair. I am busy making yarn wreaths inspired by Katie. I have a lot of velvet leaves and birds and nests and flowers. These are mainly for gifts though I may have a few to spare to sell.
I am trying to use up things that I already have in my studio, but it seems that for everything that I already have I need to purchase something else to make the ideas work. Rather frustrating on the frugality crafting front. However, I have scored some amazing clothing finds very frugally. I have had an aversion for years to going to thrift stores for clothes. Dishes, books, the odd whatcamacallit-no problem. Clothes for some reason have been a no go for me, until two weeks ago. I went to one of the local St Vincent's looking for cookie trays to use to catch wax when I pour the candles. I had to walk through the clothing section to get to the housewares area. I grabbed a long gored corduroy skirt, an argyle sweater, a pale pink corduroy jacket and a vest all practically brand new and a Pyrex casserole (for my friend Karen) for under 20 bucks! (Clothing was half off that day.) Since then I have scored a brown velvet jacket much like the one in the Boden catalog that I lusted after mightily last year. It is a tiny bit too big but definitely workable and it is warm. It is a gorgeous chocolate brown color. Pictures soon...

Gratitude and issues Revised*

2008-11-26T12:50:00.000-08:00

This post was originally posted on Wednesday evening and then taken off because I felt a little too exposed but upon thinking it over I decided to post it.
I honestly don't much like Thanksgiving. It isn't that I am not thankful, I am. It is just that as a kid I remember thinking that the Native Americans got the shaft. As an adult I usually have to work the day before and/or the day after. It makes it difficult for me to really get into a festive state of mind. The mass consumption of food that goes on would mean more to me I think, if food were treated with more respect. Our culture has some SERIOUS issues with food. Oh, and while I am at I get so angry when I hear about people "turkey bowling" WTF is up with that? If people are going to eat flesh, I can't stop them, but for a turkey to live in typical poultry farm conditions and then to be slaughtered only to have it's frozen carcass hurled down a bowling alley or wherever this inane activity takes place is just WRONG people. I don't care why people do it.
In a previous post I commented on the reality of holidays with my family. I don't mind really. (*Actually had a great day with family for the most part.) It is just the way we work or don't work together. OK so I am getting to the gratitude portion of this post. Really.
For a variety of reasons the last few years have been really hard for me. This year was the hardest. I am a glass half empty person by nature and I don't always rise above that though I try. I thought a lot about ending everything more than once. My friend Karen, just by being her wise woman self helped more than she knows during some rough times. Another is a person that I have only met online Angelina helped so much by laying bare her own thoughts and struggles in such an eloquent way usually at exactly the right time. I think she must be psychic. I am so grateful for both of these women. I guess in light of tomorrow and all the thanks that will be said I would like to thank them and the other kind people who have left comments on my blog, especially Lisa and Natalie. I am often in a dark space in my head and just seeing that I have a comment on a post can make it a tiny bit brighter. I am feeling a lot of sadness at this time. Some family issues that I can't really go into and some personal, I am trying to not get mired down while still dealing with my life. I am grateful for my friends and family that have stuck with me even though I haven't been the easiest to be around. Thanks.
So just to recap, Say NO to turkey bowling. It is wrong. Thanks to all who read and leave messages. *Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving.

New project in the works

2008-11-21T16:01:00.000-08:00

This is my all time favorite sweater that I knitted. I did the bulk of it while travelling in England and Wales. It is an alpaca wool in my favorite shade of blue. It fit perfectly. Perfectly, until it was washed in the washer by one who has atoned for the wrong doing. After that, it was clear it wasn't going to ever, ever be the same. I washed it again so it would felt even more. Now, it is going to be a donor. The sleeve cuffs will have a thumb hole strategically placed and I will wear the sleeves as arm warmers-I am chronically cold. The turtleneck portion-not sure yet on that. The body part will I hope become a tea cosy. We shall see how this progresses.
Some more color therapy and ~~distractions~~ projects in the works. The sheets of felt are from here though they don't don't seem to be listed in their felt section anymore. I bought them this time last year. I made a ~~strange~~ artistic tea cosy for one of my small teapots.
I will be making some bird ornaments and some wreaths this weekend. The wreaths are inspired by here. I am gearing up for our work craft sale. I am pretty sure I am going to take part in it. I gave myself this weekend to decide for sure. I didn't think I would do it, but I have a lot of leftover stuff from 2 years ago and last year that I'd like to get rid of if I can. Ornaments and cards and snowmen and all sorts of stuff.
I will post some of my herbal tea recipes and the candied ginger recipe that I use soon. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

A lovely, lovely day...

2008-11-21T14:13:00.001-08:00

I left work early today. Very early, like elevenish early. It was clear earlier and nippy. A great day to leave early. I stopped on my way home and bought the November issue of British Country Living and I succumbed to the newest issue of Mary Jane's Farm. All is good. But wait! There is more! There is an estate sale not far from my house. I get really creeped out every time I go to one. (But still I go...) It is usually when I pass the bathroom that I start thinking "Oh, I am rummaging around in someone else's home who has either passed away or is moving into assisted living." It doesn't matter if that is really the story. I don't want to know. One time I was in an older (20's-30's era) home and walked into a bedroom and felt a such a heart breaking sadness, I put down the items I had intended to buy and ran out crying. I found out from a friend that went later that the owner had tended his wife as she was ill in that room. After she passed away he couldn't live there without her and was going to assisted living. The one today was in the area of town called College Hill. Huge homes from mainly the late 50's or 60's, split level-often with a second kitchen downstairs (?) The company that puts on these sales, really knows what's hot and charges accordingly. Pyrex bowls and casserole dishes (I am on the lookout for some for a friend) were way expensive. I did manage to spend not quite 20 dollars and see my dear friends (more like family than my own) Elwy and Elizabeth. I also saw my co-worker Jackie and her husband Julio. All in all a pretty nifty day and normally I would still be at work!

rambling thoughts

2008-11-18T17:31:00.000-08:00

Calendula and Rosemary.
My calendulas are blooming like crazy. I have been drying the flowers to infuse into oil and to make some salve. Lisa at tardyhomemaker wrote about it on her October 15th posting. I have been making some candles, candied ginger-I will post my recipe in a day or two, and some herbal tea blends. I have tried to not buy many Christmas presents for the last 15 years or so. I don't think I will ever have a totally handmade Christmas. There are just some people that either don't need/want anything I make, have something they desperately need/want that I can't make or won't appreciate handmade gifts. I have knitted sweaters for people that just don't appreciate the time and energy that goes into them. (I know you appreciate your sweater, H.) Those folks I shop for. I used to go into a frenzy each year agonizing over each gift. I still do to a point, but as I get older I find I don't want to expend my energy that way. I enjoy being busy creating things and baking and decorating and really for me that is what it's about. I do love the idealized version of Christmas-the colors, the scents, the wrapped presents, the stockings (my favorite part),seeing relatives and friends and the food. The reality for me is often different: a family get together that usually ends up in tears or angry words (good times), piles of useless, mass produced ~~shit~~ presents that I didn't ask for and food that I can't/won't eat (some form of dead animal and the ubiquitious marshmallow covered sweet potatoes!) I do bring my own and share with those who want to try some "hippie food" (their words not mine.) Sounds grim doesn't it? Somehow it all works out with the family, often rocky and trying at times with brilliant flashes of love thrown in.

Craving colorful eye candy

2008-11-16T20:52:00.000-08:00

I have been craving cheerful things lately. I am at this moment just trying to be and to breathe and to take things as they come.
It is far too easy for me to focus on the negative. In a moment of clarity I wanted to focus on the positive (or at least colorful.) I grabbed the camera and took lots of pictures of the things that I enjoy looking at.

A fun project from Art and Life by teesha moore that I am playing around with.
a recent splurge
another luxury purchase
messy dresser-I just love the colors and textures
I am a book ~~whore~~ junkie.
Potential holiday present containers.
Dust catchers

Getting in the holiday groove. Kind of, sort of, hopefully...

2008-11-16T13:40:00.001-08:00

Time to start going through old magazines for ideas and inspiration.
Love paper clay...
The studio annex...also known as the original craft room, office, library and/or Tabitha's room.
Playing around with a chipboard book as this year's Christmas card idea.
Using up scraps of paper and images for gift tags.
I HAD to go to Michael's the other day. I hate going there but our locally owned Ben Franklin Craft store didn't have what I needed so I had to stop off at Michael's. I spied these tins and automatically put them in the cart. One dollar each and there were 6 of them. What am I going to do with them? I was thinking I could either make candles using the tins as containers or make some votives and stick a couple in the tin with a decorated match box. I am going to be making caramels so I could put them in the tins. Any other ideas?

I have more pics and ideas floating that need to get posted soon. What are you doing for Christmas/Solistice/whatever you celebrate gifts this year?

randomness

2008-11-15T16:43:00.000-08:00

Random stuff

2008-11-09T17:20:00.000-08:00

Favorite magazine: British Country Living kicks the US Country Living's butt.
Number one (and only) chicken:Betsy McGoo. Love, love, love this chicken!
I could probably spend a month at the Victoria and Albert museum in London. It is amazing.

I am in a blue mood, but The Who just came up on my playlist and you know you just can't be in a funk when Squeezebox is playing. Actually, I can imagine if you hate the Who you could be in foul mood, but whatever. If you notice to the right on the blog there are new links. One of them is proof positive that I am a whack job. It is the link to my playlist thing. There's a bit of this and that. Nothing in a really coherent order. No disco on it yet. Little snippets of my heart and soul, fragments of my life and some flotsam and jetsam that just floated in. The other is that I am being followed (not stalkerish or scary at all) by Lisa. I am slowly figuring out all the doohickeys with blogger. Thanks Lisa!

Take a seat but not too close...

2008-11-07T15:31:00.000-08:00

I feel like crap. Another cold. BLEAH. For being such a great week in the bigger picture of things, my own little corner has been sub-par. Not a lot going on here. I will try to post some this weekend. Too bad Halloween is passed. I could scare the socks of any trick or treaters today. I feel like my nose is going to be just a little nubbins. Whine. Time for some hot ginger, lemon and echinacea. Oh yeah, I did make some lentil things that I saw here. If you click on her "I cooked this!" link and scroll down to the July 15, 2008 you'll find a nice recipe for some good freezer friendly, grab and go for lunch lentil triangles. She has quite a few good recipes I noticed and her clothing photos are fun too.

Deep breath

2008-11-05T07:28:00.000-08:00

Whoo hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooowhooohooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooowhooohoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Yes, we can!

OH MY GOSH! Whoo hoo!!! edited

2008-11-04T20:20:00.000-08:00

I have to say I am a little teary eyed and giddy. Well done Mr. President. America has exceeded my expectations. Yeah! Ahhh, Angelina at dustpanalley has pointed out that there are still states to be input. so fingers still crossed.

Contained Chaos

2008-11-02T08:32:00.000-08:00

One of the reasons I bought my house was the garden shed in the backyard. It was built by the architect and his wife that previously owned the house. (He didn't build the house.) They would have the in-laws stay out in the shed when they came to visit. I have used it in a half- assed way as a studio/storage but really want to get my creative groove back so have been attempting a re-organizing blitz. "Trying" being the operative word. I am having a hard time finding the time and the energy to make much of a difference.
Somehow, someway my brother got the lone organizational gene floating around the DNA pool in my family. It is ironic to me that the times I have been most creative are the times when I had the least amount of space and materials. I now have more space then ever and a veritable craft supply store of my own to choose materials from: beads, paper clay, paints, paper, wood, glass, wax, fabric, wool, anyone?

You'd think I would be busy as the proverbial bee buzzing away contentedly. YOU WOULD BE WRONG. I can't entirely blame the mess in the studio. I am lacking a focus. I had originally intended on selling some craft items at the Christmas Craft sale that the lab where I work has each year. I have sold various things in the past, herb wreaths, cards, ornaments etc. with great success, I just am having a really hard time getting it together. I think once the election is over and Barack gets in (please, oh please!) I will be able to breathe a sigh of relief. I don't even want to think about the alternative. These photos were taken this summer and I have made some progress since then. I will try to post more soon.
Parasol hanging from the ceiling.Tarted up stool in the studio.

textures, tones and mood

2008-10-31T17:40:00.000-07:00

Random Autumn pictures

2008-10-31T16:02:00.000-07:00

Outside of the Eugene Public Library earlier this week. It took my breath away.
These grapes are ornamental, I bought the plant because it was on sale at the end of summer a couple years ago.
Elderberry shrub changing colors.
Downtown Eugene is really blessed with some great trees.

Doctor, Doctor help me please...

2008-10-29T18:16:00.000-07:00

Hi, My name is Tonia and I am a Dr. Who addict. Really though, I don't want to quit. I just want netflix to send me season 4 NOW. Not after it is released on DVD November 18. Crikey! I didn't think I'd get hooked. I mean, I watched some of the older series years ago and wasn't too impressed. Pretty silly stuff I thought. The most recent series started out with Christopher Eccleston as the 9th embodiment of the Doctor. I was hooked. I loved him, I loved Rose.When that season ended, I didn't think I would want to watch the next season because Christopher Eccleston left the role of the Doctor. Ahhh, but then I hadn't met him. He is ...The Doctor. I try to stay away from the fan sites. Really. I mean, I might go here once or twice a day. I could quit any time I want to IF I wanted to. If it's wrong, I don't want to be right.

Behold, the sweet potato...

2008-10-29T16:50:00.003-07:00

The other day Lisa at tardyhomemaker posted a recipe for a spicy sweet potato, shrimp and coconut soup. I thought I would get on the sweet potato bandwagon and share my favorite recipe for sweet potatoes. It comes from the March 2000 issue of Vegetarian Times magazine. Here is the recipe as printed in the magazine.
SWEET POTATO AND BLACK BEAN HASH
• 2 tsp. vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3/4- inch dice
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 4 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup frozen corn
• 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

In large, heavy skillet, preferably cast-iron, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Add sweet potato and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown in spots, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, jalapeño, cumin and salt and cook, stirring often, 30 seconds. Add 3/4 cup water and cook, stirring to scrape any browned bits from bottom off pan, until potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in corn and beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Season with freshly ground pepper to taste and serve hot.

4 servings
207 calories per serving
9 g Protein
3g total fat
9g fiber

I like to use recipes as a base and then create my own variation based on what I have on hand. So, I don't really use that recipe anymore except as an idea to get me started. I usually use olive oil and instead of jalapeno, I dice up a red or green bell pepper (I prefer red) and add that with the onion. I also often dice up two sweet potatoes (because I really like them!) I use fresh or frozen corn and I substitute whatever beans I have handy-sometimes kidney or pinto. I also add about 1 1/2 cups of fresh salsa. While the hash is still hot I throw a tortilla with some grated Cheddar cheese into the toaster oven. When the cheese is melted, I put some of the hash on it and fold the tortilla over and eat!
Variation #2
A couple of weeks ago, I had some sweet potato hash, some cooked Quinoa and some leftover tomato sauce. I mixed the Quinoa in with the hash and put some onto tortillas, rolling them like enchiladas. I then put a little sauce and salsa into the bottom of a baking dish and put the enchiladas on top, I added more sauce and salsa to cover and some grated Cheddar on top. I put them in the oven at 375 or 400 F for about 20 minutes or until the cheese melted and got a little bubbly. It was so good.
I absolutely hated sweet potatoes for years. I have vivid memories of my Mother's sickly sweet marshmallow capped sweet potato "casserole" at Thanksgiving and Christmas-not pleasant ones. Anyway, something clicked a few years ago when I realized that other than meat there were only a few foods that I wouldn't really want to eat. Sweet potatoes, bananas, avocados and Brussel sprouts were the main members of that list. I am happy to report that I have overcome my aversion to all of them. Sweet potatoes and Brussel sprouts are really favorites now. The other two I no longer avoid like the plague.
Do you have a favorite sweet potato recipe? Does it involve marshmallows? For more info and recipes go here.

Another weekend, another class...

2008-10-26T08:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took a candle making class at Glorybee. I have made candles on my own before but it has been years ago and the results weren't quite was I was hoping for. Fortunately I still have many of the molds and pans I bought back then, so I don't have to sink a lot of money into those things. The class was a combination of lecture and hands on experience. There were quite a few of us, almost 40 I would guess, so the hands on part was choosing which fragrance out of a choice of two you wanted and pouring the wax into the molds. It wasn't practical with a class that size for everyone to have their own hot plate and wax pot. We made a soy molded candle, a beeswax votive and palm wax container candle. We were also given sheets of dyed beeswax and a demo and instruction sheet of how to make rolled candles. I had hoped that we would do dipping but that wasn't on the agenda, although it was briefly discussed. I came home with a fir and rosewood essential oil scented soy candle, the natural beeswax votive and a synthetic (ugh! I know) Spice scented palm wax container candle. The fir candle and the spice candles were colored with a soy "eco" dye. I plan on making some undyed candles for Solstice and Christmas presents. I really like beeswax but I also like essential oil scented candles and the beeswax scent isn't always complimentary with chosen oils. Are there any candle makers out there that have researched the pros and cons of soy wax? I really like the texture of the candle we made yesterday, but wonder how environmentally friendly it really is? Anyone?

I've been tagged!!!

2008-10-24T11:45:00.001-07:00

Lisa at tardyhomemaker.blogspot.com tagged me. Thanks Lisa!

Rules:
1. Post the rules on your blog
2. Write 6 Random things about yourself
3. Tag 6 people at the end of your post
4. If you are tagged, just do it, and pass it the tag along

OK so drum roll, please...

1. The song, "You are my Sunshine" makes me cry in a heartbeat. My Dad used to sing it to me and I would burst into tears. I still do.
2. I am pigeon toed. I have worked to correct it, but when I am tired my right foot tends to turn in. If I am really tired it really turns in.
3. I am terrified of spiders of certain sizes and varieties. The ones I am not frightened of get caught (if in house/studio) and are fed to my chicken. The ones I am frightened of get killed outright. (Sorry, sorry. I am so, so sorry!)
4. If given a choice between caramel and chocolate, caramel always wins.
5. Ice cream is my favorite food group.
6. I thought I would be an archaeologist, a writer, a librarian, or a teacher when I grew up. I am still trying to figure that one out.
OK so I would like to tag: Aly at blissmonkey and Jenn at ottersandowls and Gina at cauldron ridge and Kathie at twofroghome and if any one that has been reading my blog and not commenting would like consider themselves tagged, please do. Leave a comment and your blog name or if you don't have a blog leave a comment with 6 or however many random things about you. Thanks for playing along!

Remembering...

2008-10-19T01:30:00.000-07:00

This is the time of year when my thoughts turn towards family and friends. There is a need for connecting with those still here and those who have passed. Daylight is more precious as the brightness of summer fades and the darkness of winter approaches. Perhaps my desire for connection stems from some primal "strength in numbers" mentality going into the longer nights.
Although I am not RELIGIOUS in any organized way, I do feel a desire to mark the season of harvest, celebrate the bittersweet decay of the summer's bounty and to remember family and friends that have gone back to earth.
I like creating a place to focus my thoughts and having tangible reminders in a beautiful display helps me do that. I will add pictures and momentos through the next week or two. If you do something like this, please let me know.

Hmmm....I'm thinking Christmas presents

2008-10-18T13:48:00.001-07:00

I used to take classes in all sorts of things. After I bought my house seven years ago I kind of got caught up in house stuff and mortgage payments. I pursued my interests, but not as much as I wanted. Well, I decided after a pretty nasty case of depression this summer to take some classes. I took an evening aromatherapy class last month and a bookbinding class at Oregon Art Supply. This is the book from that class ,taught by Jill Cardinal, just finished today. It was a 3 day class but I missed last week as I was sick. It is called a map book. It's an accordian style book. Normally there would be a pocket with a pamphlet booklet inside, but some how I skipped a step and missed that part. All in all I am pretty darn happy with the book and the class. So much so that I signed up for another one starting next weekend.

Meet the fur people...

2008-10-16T16:49:00.000-07:00

Sibella a.k.a. Dim Dim. Beautiful and knows it. Not the brightest star in the sky. Or maybe she is the evil genius ringleader but probably not.
Skitty a.k.a. Tripod, due to an unfortunate meeting with a car. Lost a leg and his tail but not his zest and knack for terrorizing rodents and his nemesis Tabitha.
Tabitha Louise a.k.a. Tabs. I think of her as the Billy Jean King of cats or maybe Dinah Shore. Athletic, but so neat and tidy and kind of old school. She pushed her way into the house (literally) and stayed much to the chagrin of the other two. As their minions it is our job to make sure that Tabitha is not tag teamed by Sib and Skitty. She can hold her own one on one, but when the dynamic duo join forces it can get very ugly, very quickly. She is a scrappy cat and has a bit of an attitude (above and beyond the "normal" attitude cats have). They are amazing little people in furry pajamas. Which reminds me of a favorite book of mine. Have you read The Fur Person by May Sarton? I think it is time for me to re-read it. It is a very sweet, charming, gentle book. Highly recommended if you are a cat person. Enjoyable even if you aren't.

Autumn oranges

2008-10-14T17:06:00.000-07:00

I repurposed a yard sale necklace into some earrings.
Some fall time mini bouquets

Holy Donuts!!! (Updated 10/16/08)

2008-10-14T16:53:00.000-07:00

These lovely, yummy things are made by my friend Karen here in Eugene. Karen is an amazing cook (her pizzas are to die for) and doughnut making goddess. If you are in the Eugene/Springfield area you owe it to yourself to try one of her amazing concoctions. The pistachio chai doughnut is my personal favorite. You can get them at most of the locally owned markets in town like Kiva, Sundance, and most of the Markets of Choice stores and the Eugene Saturday Market at the booth she shares with James (Warrior Princess jewelry) and Sierra (Oh Snap!). Go here for a picture. Most of the donuts are vegan. They are all yummy!

2008-10-11T16:37:00.000-07:00

a few of my favorite things...

2008-10-07T16:14:00.001-07:00

Next project

2008-10-06T14:37:00.000-07:00

I am hoping to use up this green yarn from my stash. I bought it for another sweater about 8 years ago and got really burnt out on the pattern. I am a knit purl kind of gal. The sweater I had planned on making involved cables and all sorts of fancy stuff. I like mindless knitting. Scarves are great. Actually patterns in scarves work for me OK. It is just when I have to increase and decrease for sleeves AND think about the cable or other pattern, it becomes work and not fun. The pink sweater I am currently working on is only about 4 years in the making. I had to take a break from knitting for awhile because of a hip injury. I couldn't sit still for any length of time without a lot of pain. Thankfully that is behind me...(knock on wood.) Hopefully I will get it done fairly soon. I have been known to have a sweater completely knitted and let it set for months until I get the nerve to actually do the finishing. For some reason it is really intimidating. I guess it's because this is where you actually find out that it really did matter that your gauge was off. I have learned to not knit under the influence of Nyquil. Yep, learned that one really well. Anyone working on any knitting projects older than their kids?

Something new...

2008-10-06T12:39:00.000-07:00

I know I have been talking and thinking about not buying for the sake of retail therapy, but when I came across this blouse/sweater I said a little thank you to my Dad and Step-mom for sending $ for my birthday. I go weak in the knees for this vintage-y look. Is it the 40's maybe? The green is awesome. It reminds me of clothing that I see in British Country Living or in the Rowan knitting books. I would love to find some tights this color of green.