Happy thanksgiving everybody!!

I know everybody loves the holidays. I am working. But, that's OKAY. I volunteer. The hospital usually is slow. But, transplants are always happening on the holidays. Someone asked why would that be. Well, maybe people feel more giving on the holidays. Or maybe they are always happening and since there are no scheduled cases there are just the usual amount of transplants. Those aren't scheduled. Let's just say "people are more giving during the holidays"
I know i will let them take everything that can be used. I am a donor. Why wouldn't you be. You can't take it with you. How many people do you know that have had one or need one. Lots of people that's a fact. Go on get on the organ donor list. You will make someones day "Someday".

old man winter is almost here

We haven't had a big freeze yet. The leaves have turned. The bees have left the hives. I walked out the back door and my neighbors asparagus bed was glowing. It's a very old established bed. Beautiful!! Then my other neighbor just purchased a tumbler composter. I thought of getting one. He is finding out that it is a lot more work than they let on. I'll stick with my worm bin. Now that is easy.
Bill was out today collecting hornets nests. They can't be harvested till after a certain time. To assure they have left the nest. These are from past years. He did get a nice one today. He left it in the shed (just in case)to be sure they have left the nest.

Good morning sunshine

This is what i love to see 1st thing when i get up. The sun streaming through the windows in my sunroom. It makes me feel good.

done!

I'm still here. I've bee busy working on my niece's present. It's a tribute to her Grandmother. It's okay for my 1st try at this. Making and stamping and painting all my own tiles from polymer clay. I also used some of her old jewelry. Glass tiles and milliflora. I will say it was a lot of fun making. What next.

Trying something new

This summer i went to an art show in Des moines,Iowa. I went with my sister and her daughter Abby. We saw this beautiful piece. It was a wooden plaque (very large) covered in these little tiles, with cool designs and colors, with quotes and little sayings, all combined to make a really neat piece. It was an instant favorite for all of us. price tag.... 500.00 I thought, wow i could make that.
I went home and got busy. I had almost everything to get started. polymer clay pemo and sculpty 1,2,3. rubber stamps and paint. Let me say it is very addicting. and I'm having so much fun with this. Making all these little tiles, different sizes and different designs. It's limitless. I haven't made any finished product yet. I want plenty of tiles to work with.

Fabulous tapestry from India

Okay Gayle, here it is. it covers a queen size bed. Jeff and John are my good friends and the own a shop called "Dwell" in coralville Iowa. They were listed last year as being in the top 50 stores in retail (furniture) in the country. They were just picked by Ty from extreme home makeover. To do the furniture in house they are doing in Waterloo, Iowa. Anyway this came from there and at a great price. so if interested let me know. I'm buying the other one. They very beautiful. I am a sucker for cool textiles. crazy quilts and needlework.

Sick as a dog

Both bill and i have been sick. It's going on 2 weeks. Dr. said it's a viral infection (in my lungs). It sucks. Sleeping all day, With so much to do. No appetite, no energy. So hopefully pick-up some antibiotics on Monday.
There has been some crazy things going on at the care center where my mom is. That has taken a toll on me. She had bruises and a cut on her ear. It seems to have been a girl that has been wonderful, very caring, professional. I felt mom was in good hands. Mom said they had a brawl (wrestled) and fell together. After having a very bad verbal fight. So did this happen or did mom fall (herself.) She can't remember anything that happened. I can't imagine this girl doing this, but.... Mom is fine and the girl suspended. there is a state inspection and a hearing and interviews. I'm leaning to the fact that this girl did have some altercation with my mom, but, no one knows what exactly. Mom is already moving on. forgotten.

madame sophie and me

Read the previous post to read about this wonderful lady.

remembering.... madame sofie

Bill and I were reminiscing about our 1st trip together. I'll give you some background. Bill and i worked together and I really had it bad for him, unbeknown est to him. I invited him over one night and he literally NEVER went back home. We never even had 1 date. That was in June of "83". We both quit our jobs in November of that same year and backpacked Europe for 1 and half months. Believe me, you really get to know someone. With eurailpass in hand and "Lets go" Europe book (our bible) mix with a passion for adventure we were off. Certain things really stand out. We had read about madame Sofie in the lets go book. She was in nice, France. She was in her 70's or 80's and lived in a big pink palace called "Palace' Maria Christine". She was a holocaust survivor. Every morning she would get fresh flowers for our rooms. She showed us where to buy food. We were able to use her kitchen. For the past week (in Germany) all the blood sausage and skin/lard spread for bread, the sight of "corn flaks made me salivate. I bought the milk and flakes, she took the milk out of the fridge and put it out in the screened shelf (outside). "Refrigerator only for good things". I Thought "What the hell" But, i let it go. The next morning I had my cereal, the milk came curdling out. It's good for you. She keep saying."Eat, it will put hair on your chest", in her thick accent.She Was our favorite grandmother away from home. She gave us lots of needed advice. We wanted to rent mopeds to tool around nice, Monte Carlo, ESE Village (very cool place) Vallauris.She was so dead set against us doing that. It was very very dangerous. We went against her advice and went on our moped adventure. If she knew we would have been booted out. Any way, madame Sofie was a national treasure. She had a guest book That was filled with thousands of visitors comments with great stories. Her walls were covered with towels (from other countries) that people had sent her. I could go on and on with her stories.I've tried googling her but, nothing comes up. So, I'm putting something out there in hopes others who know her might google her and find this post. But, there has to be someone out in the land of the Internet that remembers madame Sofie. We were both in our early 20's and what a grand adventure it was. We hit Luxembourg, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Austria, France. Maybe more adventure stories and the people we met, later....

mosaic high heeled shoe

My latest project. It was fun and easy to do. I filled the shoe with plaster of Paris. Then covered it with epoxy clay. after it set, on went on the cut glass and baubles. It came out pretty good. now what next.
On another note. I had to get a new hard drive. An HP. I am having loads of problems leaving comments on other blogs. (vintage green, the one that never works) I've enabled 3 party whatever, makes no difference. Gary i know you gave me some advice but, i can't find it. Any advice?

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.