Weekend Plans

My uncle was a designer of jewelry. He was attending art school while I was growing up. He gave me my first ring when I was nine. It was real!!! It was made of silver with a dot of gold on it. Of course, I lost it very soon after I received it. But I never forgot it or its design. Also, the fact that it was real set my course for life. I like "real" jewelry and the "real" has to be singular and not mass produced. That sounds so high hat, but the "real" and "unique" resonates deep within me.

So, since I am a simple soul, the "real" jewelry is a little beyond my means, I solved that by liking what I can make myself. I really enjoy my own jewelry.

I saw an ancient design in the Sundance catalog and it reminded me that I had made my sister this years before. I call it a "Bead Ring" but they called it a "Pinned Ring". Essentially it is a bead that has a wire going though it and the band comes up the side to hold the wire from the bead. It is ancient. I have seen replicas and original rings from Roman times and I am sure that it comes from before that time.

Well, I brought out what I need. The final adornments will come after I have made the ring. The stone is a form of Quartz and it is a Chinese carved bead. I don't know how old but it is not machine carved. My uncle gave it to me from his "stash". Maybe this weekend I will begin!

Nature Trails or Strange Things Are Happening

I walk every morning with my dogs. I take each one separetly. This solves two problems. First , I get double the amount of walking time and second, it cuts down on the control of dog confrontations. Once, when I first had the two dogs, Simon and Frida, I walked both together. I did that exactly once. Down the block there was a male Blue Point Hunter. My male German Shepherd felt that he must protect his female, Frida, and me. It is very hard to control two German Shepherds who want to go another way. I held tight and inched my way back to a telephone pole and hung on. When everyone began to see things my way, we went back home.

Since Simon is the one that takes such good care of me, when we go on our walk I let him smell and scent anything he wants. Yesterday, he found a wonderful plastic bag. I could hardly tear him away from it. My curiosity became aroused. I looked closer and then closer still. Someone had chopped up a snake and put it in the bag. It was a BIG snake. I did not see the other 10-12 feet of it, only the first 12 inches. And oh boy, it was mighty.

From the markings, it looked like a Boa Constrictor and it was BIG!

What you see when you take yourself out into the world. WOW!

The Time it Takes To Boil

I have been watching a pot. Hoping for it to boil. But as I heard from my mother as a child, "a watched pot will not boil". So, I put this aside and did other projects. As as luck would have it, it finally, in the early, early time of the morning, it boiled.

I think that I am about to proceed on this project.

Here is The Project:

I save all large scrapes of fabric left from other projects. I mean I have years old stuff. I went through the chest of drawers (I have two just for fabric) and looked for the wool stuff. I found lots. And it all turned out to be things that I had made for other people. Well, and good! The good vibes will enhance my project, I thought.

I made a template 4" x 4" and I cut and cut and cut. I wanted to have at least 200 pieces. But while I was cutting, I got bogged down. I like the concept of the using the wool but as I envisioned the completion of it, I began to hate it. So, I left it alone and let my inner self to deal with it.

Then a couple of nights ago, it once again came together. I have slightly altered the concepts. I gathered more information from some mavens and now I am anxious for Saturday to arrived so I will be free of my overactive conscience to begin.

Right now, we cue in the song "Come Saturday Morning" .

Journaling

I came to journaling late in life. I tried writing in a diary in high school. I had received a a diary at Christmas time. The first entry was really good, "I went to dance last night and had a terrific time. I danced most every dance". After that nothing happened to me that I felt significant enough to write about. Of course, even if I had a boy ask me out, my socially restrictive father would not have allowed it. Only if I got five A's on my report card and then only five times and not with the same boy. So, with that choice, I said "Screw you" and cut off my nose. Eventually my nose grew back.

In the years of taking care of my father in his illness, I really needed a shrink but had neither time nor money. I turned to journaling. It was a life saver. "I had to take a 1/2 a Valium to get through the day. He was a really asshole last night at dinner". It really helped a huge amount to journal my feelings.

I started out with binder paper and a binder. I hated using those lovely journal books that I was given. I have one in Irish green leather, one in Indian silk (the kind of silk with slubs in it) and one with family photos all over it. But to put my catalog of complaints in these book seems outrageous.

Along the way I came up with an aesthetic solution that eases my soul as well as my need for economy. I now use notebooks but I made a terrific cover that the current journal fits into. I used bookbinding material and covered the back with glue, placing card board slightly larger than the notebooks. folded everthing inside leaving room for insertion of the notebook. I tucked a ribbon marker in the top to hold my place and now it makes me happy.

The Love Stills Warms

My Mother loved her granddaughter lots, and lots. My Niece is creative just like her grandmother. They would see eye to eye on many things. For one thing, they both have red hair. A very charming trait.

My Mother sang professionally. When she sang, she wore beautiful costumes that looked like they came from the 1890's. She had two, one butter yellow and the other was royal purple. My talented Mother died in the early 1990's.

When my niece adopted an infant girl, I wanted to celebrate this addition to the family. My Mother would have been especially excited, as she loved little babies. I had the inspiration to make a baby blanket out of her yellow costume. Being that the costumes are over 50 years, it was a little tricky. The yellow fabric was tapestry silk. Absolutely wonderful. I spent all weekend, from morning till night on Saturday and morning till night on Sunday to make this. Of course, I poured all my love into this gift. I remember how exited I was to send this to my new grandniece.

Her mother calls it her baby's "Bonnie Bell Butler" blanket from the book Gone with the Wind.

I am very happy that it was so well received!

The Cookie and the Kitten

Last thursday night I went to the dog Club meeting. A lovely lady brought this wonderful cookie. They were so good I asked for the recipe. Then she offered me some to take home. I have been squirelling them away and eating one a day. They are that good!

But everytime I take one out of the refrigerator, no matter where he might be, Chester smells it. Then his panther imitation begins. I have hid it in my pocket, put it in the cracker box, repeatedly thrown him off the table and even locked him out of the room. I don't know what he finds so attractive about these cookies but he is a total pest.

P.S. I think I agree with him, they are that good.

Guilt Free Cookies by Barbara Karoff

1/2 cup dried apricots, cut up

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup dates, cut up

6 oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate

1 and 1/2 cups rolled oats1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup canola or safflower oil

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In small nonreactive saucepan combine apricots,raisins, dates, orange juice concentrate. Simmer 10 minutes and let cool.Combine oat, flour, salt, baking soda in large bowl. Add egg and oil and mix well.Stir in cooled fruit and seeds. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Flatten with spatula to 1/4 inch thickness.Bake 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on rack and store in airtight container

Clara and The Devils

Clara now has TWO blossoms. The blossoms are a beautiful, bright Garnet color. I brought the plant in to photograph - to vindicate my over enthusiastic kittens. And to show that I was to prompt in saying that they had killed the plant.

Yet, here I am photographing my darlings investigating this wonderful plant. They are saying hello to Clara. Clara, of course, is begging to go outside again with her friends.