Glass Ass

These are the pieces of glass my husbands nephew made for us in his studio in New Orleans. It was in this studio where I slipped and did a split and pulled my hamstrings and broke my butt bone. But in spite of my middle aged acrobatics, the glass making continued.

As per our request he was able to make these ornaments, vase and glass.

We have added these to our personal collection of his works. We have a greenhouse and hutch filled with all his creations. One day when we have passed, he can go through it all. Pass it down to his kids or donated to a person or place who appreciates it. I learned that I have no place in a glass blowing studio. Best to be an observer and collector.

In the Army

This year the kids of friends we have seen - grew up. They graduated high school and signed up with the Army. They get each have very different views of what they are going through, Boot camp is not for wusses. One has to give up smoking something he has done since he was 12. He is learning that smoking and working out is for the movies. Reality of working out with smokers lungs is as close to real pain as he has ever had. The other one is his cousin and he is having a blast. He gets to see the US then the world and far away from his family drama. Both boys are becoming men. The Army is helping do that. Being in the military they get out of this small town and meet people from all walks of life. Will be neat to see how it goes for them.

Neverwas

This year was a tough holiday. We hauled antiques down south for my sister in law and her business. On the trip we had a tire blow out in the dark cold evening in the middle of nowhere kind of night. Luckily I packed for this. We got down to Louisiana with the spare. The next day was getting new tires and insurance adjustment. Luckily none of the antiques were broken and no other vehicles were harmed. I pulled my hamstrings doing an unintentional split and spent the rest of the trip in pain. Long drives in traffic in pain is not fun. We returned home to find one of my dog with an infected leg. Off the the vet that morning, both of us in pain. My dog had a deep puncture and after stitches and biotics was better. It was so good to be back on the farm. A friend came to our farm for a week 2x's a day to feed my ark. She did not want a cent. She also had us over for Christmas Day dinner. She is one of a kind.

At church the congregation was giving us a hard time about the new Indian priest change in  Christmas decoration. No one wanted change. It had been the same for 20 + years. In the cold for the next 3 evenings we worked putting up the new decorations without any help. The next day the priest took them down and had 2 other people rearrange them to what he wanted. I was frustrated with the waste of our time. But he was happy with the way he did it. Paper star lanterns and multi- color lights turned out pretty. And it did look nice. Lesson learned, no more volunteering for church. Somebody else will "get the call" and I am the better for it. Fighting people resistant to change is exhausting physically and mentally.

While the postal service was late this year with deliveries. We did get some Christmas cards this year. Seems many people are sending less cards these days. My husbands niece sent a cute wooden bunny. We did not put up a tree this year. Too much work, volunteering, travel and trouble to bother. Maybe next year will be better. Maybe next year this bunny will be hanging on the green. This year's Christmas was the Neverwas. Lets pray that next year it is a better one.

Pulla Sofa

Here are two of the three loaves I made of Swedish Pulla bread. I added fresh cardamom ground up along with Swedish sugar over the egg wash. I gave these away over the Christmas holiday. 

After a long day out of the house I found my cat herd all on our sofa. They normally do not hang out together like this. But the house was cold and they acclimated.

The Big Black Bear

Here is a Puff Quilt in progress by a very talented friend of mine. She makes about 5 quilts a week. Along with taking care of her grand babies and in-firmed husband, she makes quilts, bakes from scratch, raised her own chickens and crops, e-mails  and crochets anything.

Her thread collection which she uses.

She is trading me a computer monitor for her industrial Singer sewing machine. This is a big black bear of a machine; but it can sew through anything. It has the knee control, pedal for speed- fast. 

Kimono No Go

I am growing Orchids! So happy to have old info from books and knowledge from others who have raised them. And I have wonderful friends who made me these wood planter pots.

I bought this kimono on the cheap. I had no idea just how gorgeous it is! All hand made embroidery. It is too pretty for me to cut up. So I am going to fix the tears and hang it for all to enjoy.

The gold fabric is tearing from the weight of the bottom. I will remove the extra weight and reinforce the torn fabric with tulle from the back.

Cleaning the Tank

Here is my husband and Cotton. Since it is very cold outside he is cleaning the fish filters indoors.

Cotton is always around in every task we do. She is not afraid of anything.

One of the perks of being raised with 8 other kittens and being part Ragdoll. She is a very laid back cat.

Cold Weather and Warm Friends

It has been a cold few weeks here in the Ozarks. I got to visit my friends and see what has been going on their farm.

They are raising Corgi and Border Collie pups. Only 2 survived this round and are already spoken for. Short, spotted and very soft. I love the Corgi breed but not the Border Collie so much.

My friends are farriers. This is their horse shoes cemetery.

Bacon bring raised. I have had some from their previous pigs, good stuff.

Auctions and Flowers

This is a wicker pig planter and a Chinese Sheng or flute. I got the pig for a dollar and the flute for $30.00. The flute is ebony wood with ivory tips. It was one of the items I had to have after spending all day at an auction for antique furniture.

Cotton resting as normal.

Dahlia, zinnia and mums all in bloom on our farm.

Fall Production

These were a friends surprise pumpkins. They did not have high hopes until near Halloween and they had a bounty of squash.

I have been baking and making seeds and pie filling for days. My horses and poultry have lots to snack on.

The extra room in my garden gave me late bell peppers. I dehydrated them for winter use.

Oh so many tomatoes. The days hot and the nights cool and still I have more to pick. Been canning the juice and the paste.

My first tomatoe paste from an old recipe I found.

Let there be Light

I bought this lamp at an auction a year ago.

It has an amber glass shade and clear crystals dangling from the brass ring. Only about 4 were left. It looked like an unfinished project.

So for a year I tried to track down 137 crystals for under the amber shade. Wow they are hard to find and are expensive even used like on-line auctions. After a year I stumbled upon beaded fringes being sold off the lamps. They still make these fringes or you can make your own.

After a lot of sewing I got the fringe sewing unto the ring.

I also rewired the lamp with new electrics and Edison bulb.

Finished lamp as good as I could get it. It is not to everyone's taste, but I like it. The amber shade is very inviting and the beads look neat. I think this lamp was a marriage from its original parts. But that is fine. It goes with my studio.

Local Mt. View Quilt Show 2016

Last weekend there was a local non competition quilt show at the local community center. It was free to walk in and look at the quilts. I loved all the quilts I saw there. So much talent and great ideas.