Time Marches On...

 It was a good day! I'm officially old. OLDER! The phone calls came from four of my kids in the early part of the day. The lemon cake and a beautiful card was delivered by my grandson and his sweet lady yesterday afternoon. The "Yard Guy" brought in a lovely new flowering plant from his family. My good dear friend came for visit just before he arrived. The mail lady left a few more cards. 

I am a great-great grandmother again - this time to a little girl named Luna May. All is well.

My first cousin died yesterday and I'm sure she's in a good place now.  Some leave, some come - it is the way.  We were good buddies when young.

This photo I took at the end of my day shows a part of what exactly has made me happy. The plant is one I had never heard of and is so pretty! It is a Kalanchoe. This was a very happy birthday in many ways. Several days ago a large box of assorted skin care supplies arrived from my NJ daughter and family. 

It rained and the winds blew strong today but I really didn't notice!

Good Day!

Good and busy, that is! The sun is out and shining with warmth and cheer. I see the daffodils are up about 5-6 inches and the latest cold weather hasn't hurt nor stopped them at all.

First thing today was a surprise call from the plumber that he is sending his men to replace the kitchen faucet that he installed in August, 2000. "New Delta kitchen sink faucets & installation  $167.37"  with a new one.  It still worked well but I wanted one with a high rise spout so it would make it easier to wash my hair there. Modern faucet and old sink are clashing in style but I'm a happier resident now. (Main project of this year $426.94)

Maybe I can save up enough to replace the ancient tin shower stall next year...that is IF the The 38 year old GE microwave oven, which was a gift from my husband and some of our kids as my 1985 Christmas present will keep functioning and the 26 year old Regency propane fireplace heater will hold out for a while longer. 11-01-1997! It was purchased for only $2,346.42 including installation. I use the microwave oven at least twice a day! Yes I do! It is a real survivor.

After the plumbing was finished, I had a follow-up doctor appointment this morning. Indications are that I might be able to stay a little longer than I first believed. Perhaps the past nine months assortment of health issues that took their toll on my declining health is ceasing. I plan to get my buggy out of storage and go for a ride-about very soon! 

Got my hair (what there is left of it) cut and trimmed by a wonderful gal who always knows how it needs to be. She is a merry soul and has been doing this for about 40 years. Now she comes to my home - all bubbly and cheerful and uplifting. Yay today! 

I lit and threw a firecracker at the pair of geese that were on the grassy beachfront. They really are a pain due to the messes they leave. I have only about 8 crackers left and might have to refill the bag this summer. It works at the moment, but they never learn! I  can only light and throw one into the driveway but the noise is enough to get the job done.

Baking Day

**********RECIPE**********

Oatmeal Cookies

Makes 18 cookies

Ingredients:

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 Cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 Cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 2 cups rolled oats (not quick cooking)

Directions:

In the large bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for a few minutes on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the sugars, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon, beating until the mixture is well bladed. Reduce the speed to medium and add the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until well incorporated. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour and oats, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary and mixing just until they are incorporated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough for at least an hour before baking.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Form the dough into golf ball-size balls and place about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.  Bake one sheet at a time.  12-14 minutes

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You could add raisins and/or nuts but I don't.

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Another cleanup but worth the energy and time.

"Big Red" did the mixing for me.

Movie Memories - My Night at the Oscars

Yes, I did watch the entire Oscar show and YES, I enjoyed every minute of it. Drama, talent, beauty, joy, and for me, a good show. I especially liked Madonna singing. I surely enjoyed and loved the comments and exuberant movements of Jamie Lee Curtis (one of my most favorite actresses.) The movies were part of my young life and I'll tell you why.

We had four theaters in the town about 2 miles from my childhood home. One high-end, one still affordable but middle, one inexpensive with questionable entertainment and the last not too good to visit. The high-end theater was where my mother bought the tickets to many cultural series plus Disney productions. It was there where I saw Dumbo, Pinocchio, Bambi, Cinderella, Lassie, Tom Sawyer, Frankenstein, and so many others. It was a Saturday thing.

The next theater showed mostly cowboy movies and that is where I preferred to go. Think Hopalong Cassidy, Tom Mix, Roy Rogers, Tonto, Tex Ritter, Gabby Hayes, Gene Autry - well you get the point. It was the action and the music that got me hooked, and of course the horses!

If you went to the less costly theaters you saw corny stuff but could toss your empty popcorn box or candy wrapper from the balcony seats onto the floor customers. Rule: no liquids in cups! It was a fun time and I always went with girlfriends to keep "safe." Screwball comedies were usually the features: Charlie Chaplin, Three Stooges, Buster Keaton and so many others. 

When I was in my mid-teens the heartthrobs surfaced in my favorites including the beautiful actresses. I really loved Charlton Heston, Burt Lancaster, Humphrey Bogart, and several others! Fred Astaire the dancer was always fantastic and enjoyable when both dancing and acting. There were so many wonderfully talented and gorgeous women too. My favorites were Rita Hayworth, Elizabeth Taylor, Veronica Lake, Jane Russell, Lana Turner, Ann Sheridan, Janet Leigh, Betty Grable and so many others. It wasn't just their beauty, it was also their talent and charisma that grabbed me. 

I used to write letters requesting movie star photos (in those days it was usual and surprisingly rewarding) and black and white portraits were sent to me, mostly in 8" x 10" formats!!!!! I had scrapbooks filled with them.  You might wonder where they went, eh? Well I left them all in an old desk drawer when I married and have NO IDEA what ever happened to them!  Sorry for that!

Eat your heart out you younger folk! Try to understand the work of so many in the past that continues today. (Tell the Oscars that I like the red carpet better.)

Maple Syrup Time

My brother was always busy each spring with the syrup-making. I still have some and have a hard time using it up! I created this video today as my project - made it short and simple - One of his favorite sayings was "Keep It Simple Stupid. 

Winner!

Two nights ago a branch fell on the metal roof over my bedroom and woke me up with startling loud rattles. Thank goodness it wasn't larger! My neighbor will remove it for me today. It sure made a racket when sliding down from the metal roof to the ground. And I used to think that a pine cone dropping was noisy! I do love the sound of a hard rain, though. He took the backyard pictures as I can't go out there but I took the first ones from the morning after as I looked out the bedroom window. (Yes, there is a permanent screen on that window.)

Three of my porch wind chimes lost their "dingers" that bang to make the sweet sounds. I've saved them for warmer weather to repair. 

This morning my neighbor took this from her porch that looks over the lake. 

I wonder if she also saw the silly dipper duck - a Bufflehead I believe. Many pairs of ducks and Canada Geese have appeared recently as well.

One Day at a Time...

Today, I have been noodling around on the internet and know I better get off and do something more constructive. I did order a print to try to decopague sometime in the future. All I have to do is get some Mod Podge and a board or a glass surface - I think. Time will tell if this project will ever be completed but I do see it in my head. It has been very long since I've crafted something. I think the last one of this type that I made, was in the year 2010 with Coquina shells on a flowery background cut from magazines. It was called my butterfly garden. I left it in the beach place when we sold. Sorry....

Well, since I have no craft supplies, I decided to bake an old-fashioned 2.5 lb. meatloaf from scratch. My daughter had a supply of ground beef and shared - I had the rest. Nibled a piece and, yes it was very good. Now my shoulder is aching. Perhaps I should have used Big Red to blend but then I wouldn't be able to call it old fashioned! By the way, the pan I used is over 65 years old. I've had it and used it all this time. It is easy to pour off the fatty juices. Of course in these days I do line it with non stick foil! Sliced and now in my freezer.

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Surprise Weather

And the ice came back! Well, kinda ··· sorta!  Yes, we had a few flurries overnight. I think the open watery sections made by Mother Nature are pretty!

It's a Process

I would like my readers to understand a little bit about my love for handmade-pottery! I did a little bit of it in grades 7-9 and it was a class I always looked forward to. Then in high school, I had another class once a week. I didn't like the male teacher because bad vibes came to me when he was close so that ended my venture in that craft. I would now like you to fathom why I purchased another one. It was the process plus the result that I saw. My potter friend and artist is a very special fellow. He explores multiple and varied subjects and is very intelligent. Anyway, my new vase is one of his "Valentine Vases" though I am unable to think of it by that name. To me it is my birthday vase.  

Please read on and you might understand something you didn't know about this particular recent project. The following text is from his web page. It is a heavy vase and one of 16, I believe.

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This Vase is part of the Valentine Vase 2023 collection and was created by my hand on the pottery wheel in Laceyville, Pennsylvania. It was then glazed with my hand-mixed glaze and refined and finished in the flames of the gas updraft kilns.

Wood chips were added in the kiln at the end of the firing to produce smoke that creates a reduced atmosphere interacting with the glaze in exciting ways. Specks of carbon become trapped within the glaze, a process called Carbon Trapping.

These vases may not be for everyone, but only those who enjoy and appreciate the process these pots underwent to gain their many layers of color and texture.

I do hope you enjoy the vase for years to come. Thanks so much for supporting handmade, and I will do my best to continue creating work that matters for folks who care.

Approximate Dimensions:

8 Inches Tall

5.5 Inches Wide

Keeping Busy

Things are perking up here and I have to make lists. I found that if don't write down a task or something that I want to do I don't get it done until the next day or several days after.  I call these my "to do lists." It seems to be working well for me. Silly things and important things are on those lists! Today I had BLOG on my list - so here I am! A quick photo shoot was on yesterday's list and I completed that. One was to show how awful it is that the daffodils are rising from the soil and it is way too early. I went through old images and never before have they poked up before April 3!

I want to show you how my Christmas Poinsettia is doing. I just could not throw it out as many others do, until I tried to keep it going. First, when all the leaves were wilting and dropping, I cut off every branch about 4" from the soil's top. I remember (there I go again remembering!) that once, a very long time ago I did this and it did survived well. I remembered that it has to have twelve hours of complete darkness and twelve hours of indirect sun. A dribble of water once a week is sufficient. The only thing I know about this attempt is that my room is too warm, and time will tell if this will cause a failure. Look closely at what is happening so far. At least I don't have to move it into a closet with a paper bag over it and then bring it out each day for some light, and then put it back in the closet at night. That is what I did in the past.

AND...Look at what found its way to me!  I bought myself an early birthday present. The reddish glaze inside this beauty and the shape and design on its belly got me hooked. It is 8" tall and feels really nice with the ripples and texture. It was made on the treadle wheel. There is a really neat process of how the potter got these effects. Happy me! Doesn't take much.

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Forward not Backward

My need to look back is in a struggle with my need to create. Is this what happens to others my age? Reminiscing and digging up old memories has taken over and escape may be necessary. I know it is a good thing that my mind is still OK, but my creative juices are struggling to take over. I don't know how or why or where or when this will come to be but I don't think it is too late. I may be wrong. I've been wrong before. Sooooooo........

The next day.........

I'm planning to show some projects I've completed in the past and perhaps one or two will hit the top of a list I'm considering. Actually the list is my second project — after the slide show I'll soon make to show me possibilities. It is still looking back but that is how I may be able to move forward.

The day after the next day......... 

Well, NO I AM NOT! No slide show! I have 369 images of my projects and it is not possible to choose but I did get satisfaction from just looking through them. I will post one (ONE) here.

Feeling better healthwise and now that Spring is on its way I can't wait for the effects of warmer weather like the fact that my daffodils are poking up from the flowerbeds about a month early. 

Carry on, Mother Nature. Thank you for doing your job now and forever.

Walk on By....

I never know what I'll see when gazing up from the computer and looking out my windows! This was a surprise and a delight for me today. 

Back in Time

And...this morning!

Not manipulated - actual colors!

I'm living the life I want to live at my age, surrounded by friends who make my life better. I am very fortunate!

Imagine...

What if you kept your eye on the sky all of the time? What would you see? Would you really see things or would it be your imagination? Sometimes I wonder....

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Zero

Winter has its beauty but I'm ready for Spring!

Photo by Lori

Winter has its ugly as well. Last night when I turned on the water tap to fill my ice cube tray - NADA! Turned on the hot water tap - NADA! Went to the bathroom turned on the faucets - NADA! Panicsville set in. A feeling of it washed over me and froze me in place! I checked the fuse box and everything was in order. I called a local plumber and left a message. Shaking, I put my head back on and called a neighbor and friend of 66 years. He calls me "Aunt Gere." Soon he and his son arrived to investigate. The heat tape was working. As he was the man who built the pump shed for us so many years ago, he uncovered it, opened the front and inspected everything inside. I sat inside trembling. I'm not good with major failures happening to my habitat. Pretty soon they came inside and turned on the tap and eureka! water flowed fine. The hose valve that was just replaced last March was frozen. He had brought a hair drier and thawed it. The heat tape was wrapped around the pipe on both sides of that tap but not on it. Now it has some new insulation wrapped around the bare area and it didn't freeze overnight. Of course I trickled water in the kitchen and bathroom throughout the night which is something that is always done when the outdoor temperature gets to zero. The plumber called me back within 15 minutes and expressed relief that it was under control here as he had other calls to get to ASAP. 

WHEW! It did take me a while to get over the shock. I must be getting old!

2014

Spring Ahead!

As I look out the windows I see a fisherman who surely is dedicated to this sport! He has been out there for many cold hours. His little blue tent is set up and he keeps on fishing, though alone as there are no others so far. 

I'm waiting to hear from a friend in FL who has had a rough day I'm sure, due to a surgery in her family. Surely it will be OK. Tomorrow I shall know the good news.

The sun is shining and, though it is cold outside, the colors of the spectrum are now sparkling on my ceiling, floors and cabinets in the kitchen area. YAY! The sun is moving back for these to sparkle and make many rainbows. The orchid is very happy and will be more so during this transitional month. 

The only "chore" I completed today is refilling the moth ball hangers in the linen closet and one of the clothing closets. 

Tomorrow is Ground Hog Day. It is also and more importantly the 38th wedding anniversary of my daughter and her husband. Through thick and thin they've stuck together and are beautiful, caring and loving people.