Billy Goat's Gruff

No, it's not what you are thinking. This post is about my adventurous husband and the brush cutter.  It's called a Billy Goat and after delivery on a truck that was waaaaaay too large...

Seriously, the mower looked so tiny on this huge truck.  Then after it is unloaded from the truck, it looks more like a piece of machinery that can actually be used...

It's a pretty meaty mower.  This souped up mower is supposed to cut and mulch thick brush and even small saplings, and my hubby is raring to go.  When gazing at the brush and weeds in our wooded lot, I'm not too sure that either one is up to the challenge...

We usually have a tree cutting service bring a heavy duty piece of machinery in to do the cutting.  After all we have almost an acre of woods.  Although this is a huge undertaking, we started doing research and found a walk behind brush cutter and decided to rent one to see if it would even make a dent in it.  If so, this would save us several thousand dollars each year on brush cutting.

There was a bit of a learning curve with this machine, and while it wasn't easy to operate over the very rough terrain, it was doable.  That's not to say hubby didn't have to man-handle it a bit, but for the most part, it worked pretty well.

The thing he really liked about this mower/cutter is the ability to go around the trees.  The tree guys aren't able to do this with the tractor and attachment that they use and more often than not, lots of what should have been cut was just being crushed by the wheels of the tractor.  Not with this machine, it really did cut and mulch the sticks, weeds, ivy and such.

It took the better part of two days, working in 2 hour segments at a time, taking periodic breaks for water and a bit of rest.  Actually the first machine had a cable break and we had to have them bring another one to replace it.  After the delivery of the second machine is when the real work got done.  Hubby is quite a go-getter and he was determined to make sure he got the job done...

So with all that being said, let's look at the after...

So, that's what we did this past week. He really worked hard at this project and found out that for the price of rental and delivery, under $200.00, to be specific... woods maintenance is something you can do yourself. Just count on sweating a bit, using plenty of Off and some slightly sore muscles.

Hubby's main reason behind making sure we got this done, was the fact that my second cataract surgery was Wednesday.  Everything went fine and each day my vision is better and better.  I can read the closed captions on the TV's at the gym and hubby is astounded at how fast I am walking.  He has been so supportive of my decision to do this, as has my sister and my friends.  I told my surgeon when I went back for my next day check up that he did more than corrective surgery on my eyes, he actually did surgery on my confidence.  I feel like a different person, and I realize now that I was dealing with much worse vision than I realized.

I'm seeing life in a different way... and it's looking good.

So with all that in mind, I can honestly say now...I'll see you soon.

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.

Cataract Surgery

Well, chilluns, I had my first cataract surgery Wednesday.  Started off with writing the check, of course, then I went into pre-op.  I was expecting the surgery to be done in an examination chair, but I was put on a gurney, just like in a traditional operation.  Not all cataract surgery is done this way, but it was comforting feeling.  I was hooked up to monitors, given several drops, several times.  Repeatedly asked my name, birthday and surgery.  I had so many people working with me, that this way there would be no confusion.  When I was in the operating room and they asked what surgery I was in for, since it was the last time...I responded with "appendectomy".  They all laughed and the doc said "no way" .  Dr. Strelow, talked to me throughout the procedure and told me what to expect.  What I would see, that they were beginning the oxygen, etc.

It was an easy procedure and quite interesting, because what I saw looked very much like the old liquid light shows of the 60's on a much smaller scale.  Something like this...

There wasn't any red, like shown on this overhead projector liquid light show.  It was mostly light colors with a spider web effect along with the bubbles.  Visually pleasing, actually.  It helped that my eye was completely numb and I was being given a light sedative with an amnesia additive.

Recovery time was quick.  They brought me out on the gurney and hubby said I looked like Bride of Frankenstein, being raised up on the gurney and swaddled in blankets (looking like I was wrapped in bandages).  When I went to get up, my feet felt soooo heavy, but other than that I really don't remember much.  Good thing hubby got the post op info cause I barely remember the ride home. 

I have drops that I have to put in on a certain schedule and a hard plastic cover that I tape over my eye when sleeping.  Other than a bit of flickering in the eye as it heals and the new lens becomes part of me, I'm not experiencing any side effects.

Well, that's it for now.  Just wanted everyone to know that all went well.  I wasn't nervous and I attribute that to the power of prayer.  Mine and others.  Thanks to all who have been thinking and praying for me.  I have my next surgery on June 13th and I'm sure everything will go just as smoothly.

By the way, I walked the track today without my glasses.  Feels a bit odd to be able to see out of one eye without the glasses.   I was talking to Peri on the phone when I realized I could see out of my "new" eye, so she got to experience that with me.  This time next month I'll be done with both eyes and will have a whole new outlook on life.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.  Take care and don't rub your eye!

Happy Memorial Day

Teach your children well.  Happy Memorial Day.

Is it just me???

Is it just me? Do I not pay attention or have you also found people speaking in shorthand?

Remember Sunday's elephant hat?  I failed to mention, I was very surprised last week when the woman who commissioned the hat from me waited until the last minute to order it.  This is what she said to me..."my girlfriend's baby...it's a boy, they are already in the nursery".  Well, after busting my buttocks to get the hat done for a newborn that was already in the hospital nursery, I find out what she actually meant.  Her friend had just had a sonogram and she was excitedly telling me what color hat to make and relaying that her friends were already decorating their nursery...for a boy, that will be born in August.

 None of this was made clear. Also, she knew that I had only made owl hats and she specifies an elephant...and could I do that?  At the last minute?  No wonder I was confused and a bit miffed.  After making it over the weekend, I took the hat to the gym where I knew her trainer would see that she got it, put a note with the hat with my phone number hoping she would call.  This morning she did call and what does she say?  " I love the owl hat".  I replied, it's an elephant (I try not to cuss, but in my mind I actually said "you stupid B-word") and she said oh, yes, I was thinking that because you make owl hats.


Grrrrr.   What is wrong with people?  I don't know why I ponder this when I realize it's the Groundhog Day syndrome.  Remember the movie, Groundhog Day with Bill Murray?  One of my favorites and thinking of it is one of the best ways to deal with the idjits that are out there.

Everyday when we go out I think things will be different and they are not.  I have to remind myself that I can make the choice to react differently to the same old insanity that is life. I really try to.

So from people who don't say what they mean, to people who are mean, to people that can't drive...remember to say to yourself "It's Groundhog Day" and hopefully you will feel better about things.

Do you have a Groundhog Day pet peeve? I'd love to know I'm not alone in this.

An elephant never forgets.... (Mother's Day Tribute)

While this elephant cap was commissioned for a baby I'll probably never meet, it reminds me of my mom and her collection of elephants. 

Elephants are the symbol of the Republican Party and Lois was a Red Hot Republican.  So in honor of Mother's Day, I post this crazy crocheted baby elephant cap. She would have loved it.

 Love you bunches, Mama.  Happy Mother's Day, we miss you and will always have wonderful memories....and don't you worry, I'm keeping your tradition alive, I'm still a Red Hot Republican!

Bottles....

Another short post because I'm triflin.  I have been making jewelry lately, but found myself in a creative slump so I thought I would play with some bottles.  I love containers.   I have repurposed tin cans, cigar boxes, paper mache drink holders from Wendy's, I have boxes and jars and bottles of all sorts holding everything from pens and brushes to bead-soup and linseed oil.  I think you get the picture.  Anyhoo, here are two bottles I've been working on and staring at respectively...

This first one is a ginger ale bottle that I just liked the shape and color of.  I covered it with slices from various types of polymer clay canes.  The largest tile that you see in the middles is fun technique called a Natasha bead or a Rorschach bead.  You squish some different colors together, form a loaf of sorts and slice down the middle, opening the loaf up like a book causing a mirror image to appear.  Several years back I did an in-depth tutorial on this technique and will gladly clue you in, if you are interested.

It only took me several hours to make the tiles, press them on the glass (no glue required) and cure in a dedicated toaster oven.  To stabilize the bottle, I gently placed it on a bed of polymer stuffing. Yes, its the same kind you stuff pillows and dolls with and it does not melt in the toaster oven while it provides a cushy little bed for the bottle to relax on while it bakes.  When you click in on this shot you should be able to get a closer view of the bottle stopper that I created out of clay.  That was fun.

This next bottle is a vinegar bottle that, once again attracted me because of the shape.  I soaked and soaked, but couldn't get the entire label off of the neck.  To hide this problem, I glued cotton clothesline around the neck of the bottle.  I showed this bottle to a friend and she suggested making a stopper for it, but I'm not sure what else it needs.

There are so many things that you can do with bottles when it comes to crafts.  I am also yearning to use glue on the outside of a bottle and write something in cursive and then spray paint the bottle for a really decorative look, maybe something like this...

I don't have wine bottles, but I think it would work on other types of  bottles.  I'm thinking of spraying mine off white or even silver for a more formal look (everyone knows how formal I am, y'all)

Any way, that is what I'm thinking about this week (when I'm not thinking about my upcoming cataract surgery).  I mentioned to my friend Karin that I'm working on a crochet elephant cap for a newborn, so as soon as that's done,  I'll post the picture of it.  It is going to be so cute.

Well, that's it for today.  It's almost the weekend, kids.  Remember to brush and floss or you will be subjected to super sonic scraping at the dentist when you are actually expecting flowery compliments.

Later for ya...

The last of the clan...

I still have lots of pictures to go through of the trip last month, but in the meantime here is a rarity...

it's a picture of the three remaining members of my family.  My mother was the only one of her family to have any children and none of us have any.  Seems the three of us were seldom photographed together.  Probably a reason for that. Sheesh, what a crew.

In any event, enjoy this until I get more of the travelogue together.

More pictures from the trip...

This week will be mostly images and hopefully not so many words.  Here we go.

Peri and I sat in the observation train for a bit, mostly so I could see what it was like.  What was it like? Noisy.  Wahhhh, I want to go back to our room and watch the scenery.

We always were at the back of everything, but that gives you a different perspective.  I love this house and the shadow of the trees.

Everything still seems very flat.  This looks like a community where there are few secrets. Kind of small town like, if by small town you mean double-wide. ( If you are offended by that reference, you probably shouldn't be here.)  Any way, we are now at the point in the journey where we are about to climb a mountain...

Here is a little version of two pictures that I stitched together in my photo program.  I know I need more practice, but you get the general idea.  It pretty up here.  The air looks fresh and clean and you can see for miles.

Hey, what's going on? These trees are gnarly and scary and the clouds are getting grey. It looks like it just might...

SNOW!!!! We got so excited.  We acted like two fools (acted, I said). I love snow when you can sit back and watch it and not worry about having milk and bread.  Peri hadn't been in a snow storm for quite some time and this one was soooooo pretty.  It got so foggy and snowy that we didn't get to see Donner Lake, but hey, not everyone gets to ride the rails in the snow in April.

Finally we start to come down the mountain

and it's still snowing in Truckee where we stop to drop off some riders. 

Finally moving again, and definitely out of the snow.  We get settled in for more adventure.  This whole way we have had volunteer guides telling us interesting facts over the intercom system, so we are sure to find out some more fun things.

As a final shot and the tease for next week's installment, I know this much is true...

You sure don't see this at home.

Well, that's it for today.  No one guessed that the secret picture was shot from the last car on the train, so I guess the gift goes to Peri.  Happy Birthday, Sis. Your gift will soon be on it's way.

See you next week for pictures of when things get rocky!

She's baaaack!

As the said in the movie Poltergeist, I'm back.  I certainly hope I'm not as scary as the images in that movie, but from some of my shots I'm not too sure. The first photo of the trip wasn't even taken in San Francisco.  We got in somewhat late and were tired and I didn't even take a shot in the city.  The only picture I have is this one of me...

taken in a mirror in a restaurant on the way to San Fran. Pretty crazy, huh? Spend the night in the Ritz Carlton, where the room was really nice, there was a lovely executive lounge on our floor with the best food you could imagine, and a great view and I took zero pictures of it. Tired or excited, I'm not sure which.

I did remember to take a picture of Sister in the Emeryville train station, looking as cute as ever.

Once we boarded the train, I remembered I had a camera...

Here you see Sister Peri, (dressed for comfort in flannel) adjusting the reading light. We had planned on doing a lot of reading and sketching while on the train.

Here is a shot of us both together, taken in the mirror on the door that used to open up to connect the rooms...

I wish I had noticed my shoulder bag sitting on the seat, but alas there it is in all it's glory, taking away from the very loveliness that this photo was supposed to show (us, get it?) Seriously though, after looking at the door (which was closed with packing tape), we ask our attendant if he could open the connecting door and he said he would be glad to. So for the rest of the time on that train we had connecting rooms.  It was fun and made the space seem much larger.

Speaking of seeming larger, I can't decide if the size of the room made me look larger than life, or the other way around. Hmmm, I'm thinking a new weight loss plan is in my future.  I mean, really...when did I become this massive?

So far this post has been only about us, now hasn't it?  Well, it was a sister get together type trip anyway, but I did manage to take some pictures of the scenery.  In fact, I took over 500 photos during the course of the week.  Funny how some of the shots look so much better on the tiny viewer of the camera.  When I went to enlarge the shots of the eagles nest that we saw and the snow storm that was so pretty, the shots just somehow seem anti-climactic. 

So, with all that being said, remembering the trip and the fun that we had is what's important. It's not the fact that after all these years of fancy cameras and photography courses, I found it difficult to take a decent picture from a moving and bouncing train.

But here we go...

We saw a lot of this...

And a lot of this...

But we did see fun things like the San Francisco Bay...

and we saw the Suisun Bay and the Mothball Fleet...

We stopped in Martinez to pick up passengers...

 and a short time later we stopped in Davis. 

This is rail travel, folks.  You stop and go and you stop and don't go.  While you are stopped your shots look like this...

You then go really fast to make up for lost time and your photos look like this...

We had a great time, though and with seven days worth of photos to go thru, I'm sure you will understand if I do my little travelogue in segments.

As a tease for the next installment, I'll show you this and if you know what it's a picture of I just might give you a little gift for your smartness...

So that's it for a couple of days.  Hopefully I will be working on my pictures at a rate that will allow me to post a bit more often.  Till then, enjoy what I've had a chance to work on and please let me know if you have had the experience of rail travel. Inquiring minds want to know.

TTFN.

Steppin' Out

No I wont be going dancing, but I am stepping out of my little box.  I'm going to fly to California to meet my sister and we are coming back cross country on Amtrak.

Of course, while looking for a nice image of the California Zephyr to post, I came across videos and articles of recent derailments and crashes.  I'm not going to worry about that.  I'm going to restrict my worrying to which suitcase to take.  I know we will have great fun and my sister is a seasoned traveler and has already discussed the emergency exits and where they are and how to operate them.  I am too old, at this stage of my life to worry about train crashes.  At least in a train I have a chance.  It's those flights from Virginia to North Carolina to San Diego that give me pause.  But I'm mostly ready, I've got my 3-1-1 bag packed and I'm going to use my regular suitcase that I can wheel through the airport to me Sissy when they pick me up.

We will be driving up the coast to spend the night here and then bright and early we will go to Emeryville to catch the train.  Train travel, for me thus far, has been a two hour ride on the coastal line from LA to San Diego which was fun, so I'm sure this will be quite an adventure.

So with my new camera in hand, motion sickness bands in place and a sense of adventure enveloping me, I will board the plane at 5:30 a.m Wednesday and arrive 10:00 San Diego time.  There is no wi-fi on the train, so I will be internet free for four days. Several books and an art journal and pencils, combined with the always effervescent personality of my sister should keep me entertained.

My next post will certainly have pictures and will recount the fun that we are bound to have.  Since I wont be back until April 8th and my sissy and I will be spending a couple days visiting some of our old haunts and taking pictures to paint from, this will be my last post for several weeks.  Wish us well and have a lovely holiday weekend.

Till then...

What I did last week

This weeks post will be mostly pictures.  I don't know if I mentioned or not, but my friend and trainer, Samantha, has accepted a position at Broward College in Ft. Lauderdale and is going to pack up and move to The Sunshine State.  I met Sam when she taught adult swimming lessons in October of 2010 and we have become good friends. She is a good kid.

When not at the gym, I make time for hobbies and crafty things and last week I realized that if I'm going to be wearing my hair up this summer, I needed new earrings.  So I got busy and came up with a few pieces.

This first set is aventurine and sterling silver wire that I created using some simple wire wrapping techniques. The bracelet is so comfy that I have to keep looking at my arm to make sure it's still there.  I am almost out of good wire, but I had just enough to play with last week.

I had enough to make a simple coil ring.  I wrapped the wire around a metal ring sizer, using it as a mandrel, leaving about two inches of wire to make the coils. Very easy project and if you use a heavy gauge wire, it will be very durable.  I think this is 16 gauge, sterling silver round wire in dead soft. I hammered lightly it to strengthen it. Simple and easy.

Using one of my many books on jewelry design and technique, I created these little bits of sparkle.  I've always been able to wear long earrings and when I'm having a bad hair day, hopefully no one will see anything except my shimmery earbobs.

More dangles. Ceramic beads on the left and a natural stone, resembling turquoise on the right. The ones on the right are threaded onto a sterling silver eye pin that already had a coral stone as part of the design. They came from Fire Mountain Gems, and worked well.

Sometimes the perfect color bead is already part of a necklace that you don't wear much.  These rose quartz beads were components in just such a piece.  I have no qualms about deconstructing a pre-made necklace, even if it was vintage Napier. I needed those beads.

Last but not least, I call these my Bea Benaderet earrings.  If you don't already know why, read the Wikipedia and see if you can figure it out.

Actually, these beads were also part of the vintage necklace that I mentioned.  They look so nice on. 

I am really surprised that any of my pictures came out at all.  I took them out on the deck and my camera is one of the older digitals that the display seems to disappear in the sunlight.  I never know if it's my eyes or the camera, but fortunately, these turned out OK.

Speaking of my eyes, I went for my consultation last week regarding eye surgery for my cataracts and for some reason my lower peripheral vision has changed since September to a degree that the ophthalmologist wants me to do a field test, to judge exactly how much it has changed and determine why.  Perhaps, then we can talk about the surgery. I'll let you know.

Well, that's it for me for today.  Take care.  Have fun and stay safe.