Ride Along With Me

Today the sun was out and the sky clear. Another rideabout the countryside called me. Of course I do stay quite close to home, hoping to never have a breakdown! On my way to a location where another lake is, I saw many things that caught my eye. First was the dormant corn fields with an overgrowth of Wintercress, aka Yellow Rockets. They led the way to a farm and barn that no longer is a working place.

I passed a cluster of wild chives, ajuga and a lovely large tree just filling out with healthy-looking leaves.

As I passed the barn I noticed how its sturdy structure was still pleasing to view.

I spotted a beautiful bird flying over one of the neighboring lake homes.

Then saw one of the largest stumps I have ever viewed in a front yard! That must have been some tree! 

Pretty pink bush stands out.

Now I have seen this stone wall before but today had my camera with me. I know this is slag glass because I have a chunk at home but no one was around so I can't tell you where or how they obtained theirs. I just find them very interesting! There are three and one is broken.

This looks to be a restful place by the edge of the lake where violets grow...

And more Ajuga growing in a circle on my way home.

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What a ride!

Give and Get

I brought a bag of buttons along on this trip to give to a fellow collector of beach glass, shark's teeth, shells, and other oddities. Another friend found them in a home she was cleaning out of all sorts of discarded stuff and thought I might like to have them. I told her, no but I knew someone who would.
She did! The picture below is one she took to show friends soon after receiving the bagful.

The other day, the recipient of the buttons brought out a chunk of green glass to show me that she had salvaged from a broken-down and decaying old hippie van. The dilapidated piece of junk had been abandoned on a piece of property belonging to her relative many years ago. It was never explored until recently. All sorts of junk was in it and this piece took her eye, though she had no idea what it was. She brought it here to show me.

I knew exactly what it was and admired its pretty color and sparkling interior minute bubbles. She then gave it to me!

The reason I knew was from discussions with my brother who was called a glass artist because he repaired and polished fine crystal and glassware at antique shows and privately. He also did the following along with creative artistry:

* Marbles ground and damage is removed.
* Stoppers are fitted into bottles. 
* Daubers are made for perfume bottles. 
* Chips are removed from the rims or bases of wine glasses, vases.
* Decanters are tumbled clean.

Isn't my slag glass chunk pretty?

Notice the size reference in my hand - photo #7.

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