Couch is in Use Today!

Our son came with our granddaughter, and our daughter arrived and all visited today. The couch is in use! Everyone loved it! Missy (on right of photo) went swimming and sat on it wet. Haley went fishing and Lance just relaxed. He had just driven about 90 miles to here and it is hot today!

Success! All is well for the next 40 years....

This Old Couch is Pretty

Well....The old porch swing couch is back in full regalia. You might ask: "Why did you choose that old fashioned print and those those awful colors and vinyl?

Here's my story. I have reasons. I love the color orange. Think on it for a minute. Orange marigolds and lilies are simple country-type blooms; carrots are my favorite vegetable and pumpkins make good pies. I've grown all.

Brown is the color of my home's walls. The soil and tree trunks are brown. Well, in my world they are. Homey eggs here are brown. My dad's, husband's, and son's eyes are brown. A daughter's eyes are brown. Brown was the color of my favorite horse - ever!

Green is grass - of course it is mostly green. Outdoor nature comes in all shades of green, even moss and fern shades! Split pea soup has the exact color of green that is in the fabric and we LOVE homemade split pea soup. Not too many people make it anymore.

Autumn leaves are orange, brown and green and so are some flowers. These are the colors that make me feel comfortable. 

And..... the printed vinyl upholstery on the swing cushions suits my eye. (It was also the only vinyl upholstery in a print that my friend who did the fine work had!) It was meant for me! 

At first I wasn't going to have vinyl but when I saw the print, I chose it, not knowing it wasn't cloth. It has texture! It won't stick to bare legs! I changed my mind. I'm happy now.

Before! Blog: http://nookworm-connectionsmore.blogspot.com/2013/07/this-old-couch.html 

2013 Note Cards

So far I've completed only five. I need to get out to buy some lace and ribbon. I have none left after all of my past "creations" and craft projects. I intend to make at least 15 of the flower manipulation series and 12 of the old post card collage series. My friends in SC have been pestering me for more note cards. I feel pressured to make these, even though I really enjoy only the process. Because it's so muggy and hot I'm staying indoors and this "busy work" keeps me occupied. 

Here are scans of the first five. I had to scan the white card stock behind a manilla envelope because the edges don't show well in a scan. It's tricky to tear card stock correctly. After other attempts,  I used a ruler and wire tool to grab and tear. Trial and error, trial and error, it's my way of learning. I use double sided sticky tape to mount the photos. 

They are not nearly as lovely as some other crafty cards I've seen but I like to keep mine quite plain and simple in design. The little pictures are mounted on double sided sticky foam for depth, but the scan doesn't show the real effect of depth. Yes, the luggage is authentic 1912. 

These cards fit nicely in the adhesive seal greeting card envelopes size 5 3/4 x 8 3/4 in. They require only one "regular" postage stamp.

Peaceful Place

My picture of the lake where I live on a hazy early morning was used in a local newscast. It was on a hunch that I sent it in. Made me happy he used it. Lake Chrisann was pronounced as Lake Chrisanna, but that's OK. The lake was built by Anna's husband, Irving and it is named after their first grandchild, Chrisann. 

I named the blog "Peaceful Place," but it isn't always peaceful due to increasing traffic and activities such as quad and golf cart riding, boating and fishing. There have been so many changes since my parents first had our cabin built in 1960 right across the road from the lake's edge. They named our cabin "Tranquillity" and it was tranquil then.

To me, it's still a wonderful place to live - even in the winter. There remains a good deal of interesting nature activities and subjects to learn about here. Peaceful or not, I plan to remain a resident as long as possible.

Slide Show

All is OK Now

The new gas grill is home and working! Yea!!!!! I already have chicken spiedies marinating and we'll be able to skewer and cook them, and mess up the new grill! Yea!!!!


"Spiedies, (pronounced "speedies"), are marinated cubes of meat cooked on a skewer. Originally from Italy, this delicacy seems to be found only in the Broome County area of New York State. How and when spiedies came to this area, having never been documented, remains a mystery.

Traditionally, spiedies were made from lamb. Today, however, they are made from lamb, pork, chicken, veal, venison, and beef. The cubes of meat are marinated in a sauce as varied as the types of people that enjoy them."

http://www.spiedies.com/

I recommend using no other sauce!

We like chicken spiedies best of all. I cut boneless/skinless breasts into one inch squarish chunks and marinate in a zip-loc bag for four days in the refrigerator. I squish the bag well, once a day.

The new grill is the exact same one we have in SC and we bought that one in 2011. At least husband knows how to grill on it already and there will be no "trial and errors" at all. Originally we char broiled them but now we have found that a grilling procedure works very well. There are two main rules: SLOW & LOW and turn often. YUM! 

Uh! OH!

Just when we thought things were going pretty well, another shopping trip is imminent. Yesterday the propane gas grill burner split its sides and is no longer able to be used. The whole story is that we bought it in 1984 and it has lasted almost 30 years! True! We have used it several times a week, in all weather, even on freezing winter days.

It has had the burners replaced twice before, but they are not available anymore - anywhere. I even have the exact model and part number, but there are no replacement burners out there. It was the type of gas grill that had  briquettes (lava rocks) and they were replaced several times as well. The grates have lasted.

Now we understand that this type of gas grill is no longer being made. DARN! So a-shopping we will go to find a replacement. 

Maybe it has lasted so long because it was quality made. I still have all of the paperwork and see that it cost $188.00+$10.00 s&h + tax $11.88 back on July 2, 1984 at Sears. That was a lot back then! 

Note Cards Started

Well I made two prototype note cards today with my collages of old post cards. They are on card stock that I have on hand. The little pictures in the corners are stuck on with sticky foam. I need some old lace, ribbon or flat buttons to complete project. I used up all my stuff like that long ago. I might tear the edges on the next ones. 

click to view larger

Speaking of Posting...

I don't know what has gotten in to me, but maybe, just maybe it's because I'm aging, along with stuff in my home. I seem to be in a manic state, wanting to preserve and then make "creations" all day long. This has to stop! Oh, well...we'll see where I go from here. The images below are a result of the scans I just made of my ancestor's post cards that were written and sent back in the early 1900's. My grandmother and then my mother has saved these. I just couldn't be satisfied with scans, I was compelled to something WITH these scans. I'm now thinking of making my own note cards and using these as the fronts. So here you are! People still hand write notes, don't they?

Click on images to view larger

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

 10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.