body world

Today bill and i went to Des Moines to see "Body world". It was incredible. It was so hard to believe it was actual bodies and organs we were looking at. It was pretty impressive. For anyone not familiar. In 1977, "Plastination" was invented as a way to preserve medical specimens without formaldehyde. The technology replaces natural fluids with a flexible plastic. The result is amazing. You can see tendons and capillaries organs, muscle as they are.They have people posing in different activities, dancing (flamingo dancer) acrobats, runners. If you get the chance to see it, go it's worth a visit. They are looking for donors.

The lost art of letter writing

I read in the paper the other day, that at least 20 or more post offices will be closing in small towns all over Iowa. What a shame. I'd really miss our post office here in lone tree.
Who out there doesn't love to go to the mail box and discover a handwritten letter addressed to you. It's exciting and the anticipated joy of reading what a friend or family member took the time to write. All the junk mail and charities and bills, but finding a letter amongst all that garbage is a real pleasure. It also something that can be saved and read over and over. Something that years later can be found in a long forgotten box and read again and bring joy and fond memories once again.
I happen to save every letter anyone has ever sent me. It's like a form of recorded history from my life. What was going on at that time in my history.
When my family and i were going thru mom house, sorting and throwing things. We came across a LARGE box full of letters. All separated into 4 piles. 1 for each of us. Letters from all the kids (4 of us) from the time we left home to present. Another box full of letters my Dad had written my mom, asking her to marry him. (i wish i had her letters that she had written him)
When i got home. I started pulling out letters I had written from when i was 18 and 19 years old and in college. I read what i had written and thought. If i had been mom and dad I would have arranged an intervention, Or traveled to Iowa City to drag me back home. When i wrote i was very truthful in what i was doing. Lets just say i was a party girl. But, it really brought back many memories that had disappeared many years ago. It was a treat to read them. I also got my hands on about 50 or more years worth of dairies that my mom wrote in religiously every day. VERY COOL!
So, everyone! Go write someone a letter.

new treasures

I went to large art festival, it was in Des Moines. Beautiful and mostly expensive stuff. but i did pick up a couple of things. Last year i bought a neat vase but broke it about a week later. Luckily i found her here at this festival and bought a new one. Then a beautiful hand made tile. I couldn't resist.
My lilies are blooming, the prickly pear cactus is blooming to. Bring'm on. my favorite time of year. Coming home at night and the air is filled with the most intoxicating fragrance.

wool work

Bill and i went to fairfax over the weekend. We stopped to see barb of simply iowa I always find something to drop some cash. More things to say "where am i going to put this?
My weakness is folkart or crafts that have survived from the 1890 and early 1900's. Wool work, hair art, shell work, the list goes on. These are my latest finds. I can imagine all the hours spent weaving every one of these petals. with fine wool yarn. all hand dyed. Also a real plain but, interesting hair memento.

finially finished

I don't know how long ago i started this crazy thing. I am so glad to be done with it. Know i can start on something new. A window using the kathleen dalrymple method, Glass on glass.She make the most beautiful stain-glass windows. I am in awe over her work, check out her cool windows.
I'm getting a good idea about what to with my 1st memory jug. A tribute to my dogs. (that have passed). So I've been collecting dog related stuff. Gayle from vintage green life has made some very cool jugs. I've been itching to make one since seeing hers.

1st day of summer

Happy summer everyone, It's is a beautiful day today! Windy as hell but, nice. Rain rain go away please. All my plants grow so fast then fall over. Not a good root system. Some good flower pics for the occasion.

Thank you Gayle

My new blogger friend Gayle from vintage green sent me this beautiful bag that she made. I had commented on how much i loved her work and a surprise arrived in the mail. The colors were right on, my favorite colors. It also had little goodies for my future memory jug. Two pairs if handmade earrings (1 for Sharon and 1 for me) Sorry Sharon i haven't made to down to give you yours yet. That is the best thing about blogging. One can meet all kinds of kindred souls, like minds.It's hard to find people that want to talk plants or share ideas on mosaics, at least i have trouble find them. But, blogging i can get inspired by others work and see others beautiful gardens and share mine with them. Thanks Gayle you are a great new friend.
I also wanted to post this cool doll i bought in Peru, to show Gayle. They made all kinds of dolls like this one, they are made to look old so they have a nice patina.

My summer favorites

I can't believe all the different kinds of coleus. I remember the nice but common varieties. Now they are so beautiful and i can't get enough. I buy every different one i see. Succulents are the same. Only I'd go broke if i bought every one of those i see. The succulents i found really don't winter over very good. Just a few pics of my favorites.
Also, an update. That it is verified that it is my friend Matt Angerer in the book. We got in touch with a family member ( that hasn't seen him in many years.) So, we know it's him and still can't find him. But, i highly recommend the book. I found out that it is required reading in some schools. It has become a classic. It makes me want to hike a little of the trail.

a walk in the woods

This about an old friend of ours. It's been at least 15 years since we've seen him. We (bill and I) met him at the hospital. He worked in our department central sterilizing. Matt was an instant friend. He had lots of great stories and had every reggae album that was ever made. I'm talking walls of reggae and James brown. Matt was a great guy. One of the many people that cross our paths. We had lots of good times. Matt also was a recovering alcoholic and had a drug problem also. We knew that he was having trouble staying clean.We tried to curtail it, but, he would have no interest in what we had to say. He was heading down the road of no return. He quit the hospital and moved to Des monies. We heard from him and kept in touch for awhile. Then he dropped off the radar. We got 1 cryptic postcard with no return address. It didn't sound good. I've googled him in the past few years, but, came up with zero information. I was deep down looking for an obit. So, i googled him again just the other day. Low and behold there is his name, it's being mentioned over and over again. Could this be him, I wondered? What's this, there's mention of a book and something about hiking the Appalachian Trail. It's a book by Bill Bryson. "A walk in the Woods" It's a best seller about the authors account of him and his buddy "KaTZ" HIKING THE TRAIL. COULD THIS BE HIM. He's from Des Monies and the time line is right, age is right, the name is right (Katz was a made up name) His real name had been reveled as Matt on bill brysons website. On the website, i read about similar stories i had heard from Matt. They were buddies from childhood. I had heard from Matt that they went to Europe together. They broke a window in Morocco and were arrested and thrown in a Moroccan jail. All Bill says on his site is that they traveled to Europe together.
I have concluded that this is my friend. That bit of information made my week!!! To think he overcame all his demons and hiked the entire trail. I ordered the book. Has anyone read this book? Robert Redford wants to make a movie out of it. If Matt can do this, i think maybe i can do anything i want to too.

Woodcock

Bill was at the kitchen window this morning and spied this cool bird in the yard. He was doing a little dance while he walked around. He was poking his very long beak into the ground and pulling out earthworms. I looked him up online and found out he's a woodcock. They live in immature forests. He must have been passing through.

I love Folk Art

I just picked up 2 new pieces of fab folk art. I picked the cool grotto in Iowa city junk shop "artifacts" It's loaded with cheap and cheesy jewelry from the 50's and 60's. I've got to find a spot for it somewhere. That's the problem here, finding more room. The other piece is a grandfather clock (missing the clock). It looks like grandpa made it. All million pieces are hand cut and hand stained with "Love". Probably from the 40's. It looks like a project from a old boys "Things for boys to make" book from that time period. I picked this up at "Decorum" antique shop. "Mark" gave me a great deal on this piece.

Still working on this thing

It sure seems like i haven't been working on anything. It's because "I haven't been". I'm getting my MoJo back. Thanks to a few things. The weather is nicer. I'm getting outside. I'm getting some much needed exercise, I'm going back to the gym starting last week. Mom is getting settled in. My hot flashes has gone by the wayside, so I'm getting sleep. YIPPEEE!!!
Over the weekend i cleaned my little studio room. I did some organizing. I made it possible to work in there. sorted glass and shells, I'll be getting this head done soon. I want to get starting something else. Now that's more like it.

John waters and divine

Last night bill and i went to the Englert theater in Iowa city to see John waters. We had great seats up front and We were laughing from the time he came out to the time he left the stage. He was funny. What an interesting guy. He talked about everything, from his movies and his life experiences.What a story teller he is.My sense of humor is kind of different, but,i found his humor very very funny. He's not for everybody. We had a fabulous time out and we topped it off with the best pizza EVER, Pagliais Pizza.

Elizabeth Taylor

Good-bye Elizabeth. I've been reading some articles about Liz and a couple of them made me sick. I loved every movie she was in. But, my all time fave is "Who's afraid of Virgina wolf.Wow what a movie. I just watched it again for the millionth time. They say Oh she was an okay actress. What! compared to what! All actors make "Stinkers" but, She made some Great movies. She had a colorful personality,She lived life to it's fullest. That's for sure. Bette Davis and Elizabeth are my 2 favorite ladies in the movies. I'm sure Richard was waiting for her. to hear the utube video turn off the playlist on the right side

Where do i begin

I KNOW I'VE BEEN MISSING IN ACTION. I'VE BEEN RUNNING ON EMPTY. AFTER OUR TRIP, WHICH WAS SO WONDERFUL, i WAS PREPARING FOR MOM TO MOVE TO Lone TREE. She's moving into an assisted living facility that is 6 blocks from my house.
Mom had broken her thigh bone,in December. She then went to rehab till November. She was healing up in her body but not her mind. Here is someone that has lived in a big condo,alone and reading her books and reading her newspapers and riding her exercise bike. Cooking minimally and mainly living on soup and sandwiches. Always in great health, very content with her daily routines. At 85 years old she was doing great. Her memory has started to slip last year. Nothing to serious just old age memory loss. Then it started getting worse. Family would stop by and she couldn't recognize there faces. "WHO ARE YOU" was common question. We were all concerned and a little bit of denial in there. Then she fell in the bathroom on a rug. A whirlwind ever since. Confusion set in at rehab, Angry, depressed, worry.
2 months in rehab and plans for mom were underway. Assisted living sounded like the ticket. Found a great one right here close to me. But, after an evaluation they decide she needed to be in a memory care apartment in the same facility. It was just like the assisted living with a little more care. So still independent and plenty of room for all her things.
We move her and she is doing pretty good. She's there 1 week and 4 days. She's just getting used to it and I get a call very early in the morning. I was told mom had a fever and was throwing up and diarrhea, and a very very painful belly. Longer story short, she spent the next week in the hospital getting gallbladder out and getting stones out with a scope through her mouth. yikes!!! Then back at the skilled nursing place in lone tree. Back to square one. Doesn't remember anything, and acting like she is possessed by the devil. All this is reaction to pain meds and anesthesia. It's been an uphill battle ever since. Things seem to be getting back to normal. Her mind and memory are leveling off and back to normal, or as normal as she can be. My life has been on hold. Spending almost all my time with her. Trying to get her over this setback. She's back in her apartment and doing better. I'm trying to get her back into a routine. She seems a little lost. I am weening her off me. She is in good hands, Great people taking care of her. So, maybe i can get back to my life. I'm going into Sharon and barb withdrawal. I need to exercise, ride my bike. Get the house clean, plants watered, get some Cathie time. WOW what a ride this has been.

Zach Wahls Speaks About Family

To hear the video go to the music on the right side and click "off"

new paintings from dominica republic

bottom half of large painting

michel's painting

this painting is huge 5x2 feet, This is the center

Bill and i are always on the hunt for cool paintings while traveling. We like to find the artist selling their own art versus tourist trap crap. Chances of meeting some very cool people are better. Michel was a very humble soft spoken, intelligent man. His painting is the grey forest scene. He's had several years of art school, you can see how Salvador Dali was an influence (previous post) I wish i could have bought more from him. There are lots of hustlers out there peddling everything. Even junk made in china. So it is well worth hunting for the real thing.

home again home again

bill and michel, we bought the painting he's holding.

Well we had a fantastic time. No problems. it was the 1st "all inclusive" that we've done. It had to to be the most relaxing and rejuvenating vacation I've ever had. The best part was swimming in the ocean and laying on the beach. Just the smells and the sounds of the waves, intoxicating. Wonderful food 24 hrs. All exotic (at least to me) and all the presidente beer or mixed drinks of your choice 24 hours a day. We both got sick of drinking by the 4th day. We went out on a couple of excursions, Went down a waterfall on my bum. Now that was a real rush. also went on a sunset catamaran trip, i got alittle sea sick. I think it was probably all the drinking. Then bill and i were getting tired of ALL THE PEOPLE everyday and decided to do a trip by our selves. We grabbed a taxi and headed toward a very cool city called Sousa. It was very international and alittle better quality of art. i bought 3 cool paintings.When we got back we found out that people just don't DO THAT. Wander outside the fenced hotel. everyone kind of freaked out. Ha! we thought it was funny. Also i discovered braids. i corn rowed my hair. 3 girls worked on it for 25 min. I loved it. It felt great and left it that way till i got home. It took me 4 hours to get it out. I might try to find someone here to do it this summer.
The 5 finger aqua sox were a HIT, Everyone loved them and i think we could have sold a dozen pairs. They were very comfortable for everyday walking.

Dominica Republic bound

YIPPEE!!!! We are off tonight, I'll be in the waves and beautiful beach by noon tomorrow. We are SO ready!! We are always last minute packers, so I'll probably forget something. We are light packers too. We know how to pack LIGHT.some underwear or not and a pair of shorts, sandals, a bathing suit. I bought a pair of fun aqua socks They fit like a glove. And since i haven't lost much weight, a miracle swim suit. It really does work. I'll take alot of pictures. I'll be thinking of you all. Wish you were coming with me. Bye, later gator.

My little green man

I took this nice picture of smiley. He's such a handsome boy and a really great bird. He's got the Latin temperament, just keep all hands away if his eyes are dilating. His vocabulary is pretty extensive, mostly songs from old cartoons. namely bugs bunny cartoons. Mammy's little baby, we were sailing along on moon light bay. hooray for Hollywood. You get the idea. We hand fed him, he was a little baby. This was about 27 years ago. I just started singing to him a verse at a time, he picked it right up. Parrots are AWESOME.