Monday, June 4, 2012

Quick post, mostly pictures...



Even though I had my surgery almost immediately after I got my new metal working supplies, I did find time to get in a little soldering practice beforehand.  Both pendants are made from copper sheet metal, not soft enough, by the way.  I had to anneal them with the torch when they became work hardened.  The only solder I had on hand was plumber's solder on a roll, heated with a hand held butane torch, actually did pretty good.  My next purchase is jeweler's solder and a specific head for my torch.

Both pieces turned out quite nice, considering the rustic nature of the work.

As I patiently wait for my eye to heal, I'm trying to read with glasses, trying to read without glasses, digging in the old Fred Sanford drawer for drugstore readers...  I even removed one of the lenses of my regular tri-focals, but that didn't help much.  Here is a shot of one of the things I tried...

As you can see, this is me with no make up, the day of the surgery.  I'm still figuring it out. At least I'm staying on top of the drop-in-the eye regimen. Sheesh...these things will never end. By the way, hubby is looking for a Beanie Baby parrot that I can perch on my shoulder. Argggg, matey.

In addition to showing how beautiful I look sans paint and spackle, I am going to share several more pictures that I took when sister was here in April.  Our uncle was quite house proud and tried to keep everything looking so nice.  His house was filled with family pieces of furniture and the outside was ablaze with color each summer from the flowers that my grandmother (who lived with him) kept in the planters on the front  porch.  Geraniums of various colors, scarlet sage, indian paintbrush...every summer people came by to see "Ethel's Flowers".  Alas,  Grandmother and Uncle have both gone to their great reward and since the house was left to us kids, we decided to sell.   Neither Peri or I wanted to pack up and move back.  Once we left the small town we grew up in, we realized we were much happier.  All that being said, you can be sure that Grandmother and C.B.  are spinning in their graves every time they look down and see this...



What in the H-E-double hockey sticks has this woman done to our house?  Apparently she is a fan of  University of Virginia, which would account for the orange shutters.  The reason for the pink flamingos I'm sure is to just p. everybody off.  As in thumbing her nose at the rest of the neighborhood. Actually, it's kind of funny.  The best looking house in town turns out to be the worst looking house in town.

Our Mother's house, on the other hand, looks much better than it did when we sold it after she passed away.

We all spent many hours in this house and it does a body good to see the improvements that were made to it. 

We visited three cemeteries and I took lots of pictures of gravestones.  This little cemetery is where I played when I was a little girl living with Gram and CB before we moved to the new house. 



You will see in the left of this shot the glass doors of the firehouse.  This is where the house was that we lived in.  Torn down to build the firestation.  There were lots of hedges between the church and our house and I loved to duck through the bushes and play in the graveyard.  I'd be willing to bet that I played Barbies on people's graves.  Things certainly seemed different back them. 

So I guess that's all for today.  I'll leave you with a picture of two cute babies...

Fooled you, didn't I?

Have a great week and stay cool and happy and soon enough I'll be posting about having my other eye fixed and then who knows what I'll get into.

7 comments:

Peri said...

Glad to see you have managed a bit of work! Fun, yes?? At least after your eyes get "corrected" you will be able to see more easily...still with the Fred Sanfords on, no doubt! By the way, I played in that cemetery when you were still a toddler....of course that wasn't all that long ago!
I think the two babies are very cute!
Keep the posts coming...they are interesting!!

Anonymous said...

I am glad you are on the mend! Keep us posted on your metal,workimg endeavors! I really loke the pendant with the stone.

Countryfolk Keepsakes said...

Darlin', I can only dream of looking that fantastic with no makeup on.
Love the eye patch. Arrrrgh.

That rustic piece you made is wonderful!

Pink flamingos?? Oh my! It reminds me of what my hubs and I did to my best friend's home. She asked me to check on her house while she was on vaca. Silly girl, she should have known better. **giggle** She lived in an affluent neighborhood. We went to the Dollar Store and spent a small fortune on the tackiest lawn ornies we could find and placed them all over her property. Even her neighbors laughed. :> )

Your mom's home looks lovely!

Some people are creeped out by cemeteries. I find them peaceful. I occasionally visit old cemeteries and read the headstones.

You two are adorable! ♥ ♥

Susan said...

Peri, if you don't watch these comments, people with begin to think you are older than I am. I guess five years and five days made more of a difference back then.

Linda, thanks for keeping up with me, I have a lot of the cab stones and will be perfecting my bezel making skills in the weeks to come.

Peanut, you crack me up. Remind me not to ask you to watch my house. I'm not creeped out by graveyards at all. To me it's a peaceful place also. They call it a resting place for a reason.

Take care, yall and thanks for commenting here. It seems so many have stopped commenting that one wonders if they still have readers. It warms this old gal's heart.

Sweet Tea said...

I always enjoy seeing and reading how those with an artistic mindset work. I am in awe of such skill, talent and devotion, heck, I'm even a little jealous!! So glad you are doing well post surgery...You are beautiful, even sans makeup. Yes, now I'm totally jealous!!

vivian said...

hope your eye is all healed now! I LOVE the last pic ! HOw cute! I would love to go back and look at the house I grew up in.. maybe I will soon as I will be in rochester alot after my sons baby comes. and the house is right near the hospital.
have a great week!
xoxo
vivian

Peri said...

You look like a pirate. I am older than you...but I don't look my age...or so people tell me. Of course, people in CA fib a lot...