Initial stages of next project. . . .

Yesterday I purchased three bowling balls at a yard sale. I have started gluing pennies to the ball on the right. When I get it covered with pennies, I am supposed to put grout on the ball to fill in the cracks and turn this into a copper yard ornament.

Note: This is a sad day for me because my frail, old, one-eyed cat is not going to make it much longer. This summer she has steadily been loosing weight. Now, she is no longer eating and very weak. I will miss this gentle but fearless yellow cat who brought a little sunshine to the farm. Goodbye, Miss Kitty. - P.S. She passed away a little after 8PM, 7/26/09. :' (

Popular Bags from the past. . . .

I have always been a sucker for purses and have quite a collection. I was browsing through a book called Popular Purses: It's in the Bag where I saw this 50's alligator bag listed with a value of $325-$375. Several other purses I have are also listed in this publication. At one time I had them stored in the big barn where it got so hot that one of the plastic (tortoise shell base with amber lid) began to melt. I took it to the house and ran cold water on it but the decomposition couldn't be stopped and that purse, valued at $150-$175, met its demise.

I have a black version of the one on the right. I think it came with some rummage junk I had purchased. I don't know why I even kept it because it definitely is not one that I would think had any value. This leather lunchbox-style purse is listed in the book for $50-$60. So, I guess I had better find where I have stored the purse collection. Of course, just because the book says they are worth something, the trick is finding the collector willing to pay "book" price for them. So, in the meantime, I have a bunch of old purses!

Devils Claw. . . .

I purchased this plant called a Devils Claw at the Garden Club auction. This link http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/333/ has a lot more info on the plant which is described from noxious weed to fun plant. Other names applied to the plant include "Unicorn Plant" and "Devils Snot". . . . .Well, I bought it and I'm going to plant it and see what happens.

I've been having my share of everyday problems. For example, roof leaking in Aurora, termites back in Aurora, no peaches on the tree this year, broke a contact lens, washed my new cell phone, renter had 3 loads of gravel delivered on his drive (aka as costing me another $864 - on top of the $2,300 pump fiasco; I guess the fact that I haven't shot him and ended up in jail is the plus side of that relationship) and after paying $350 for work on Aurora roof - it still has a leak - not as bad as before, but still leaking. There's more.....but even I don't want to talk anymore about any of it......I'm mentioning this because in spite of all these "trials" , my cousin had me chuckling in agreement at the email he sent about the Importance of Walking. Maybe it will brighten your day, too.

The Importance of Walking

• I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.
• Walking can add minutes to your life. This enables you at 85 years old
  to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing home at $7000 per month.
• The only reason I would take up walking is so that I could hear heavy breathing again.
• My grandpa started walking five miles a day when he was 60.
  Now he's 97 years old and we don't know where he is.
• I have to walk early in the morning, before my brain figures out what I'm doing..
• I joined a health club last year, spent about 400 bucks. Haven't lost a pound.
  Apparently you have to go there.
• Every time I hear the dirty word 'exercise',
  I wash my mouth out with chocolate.
• I do have flabby thighs, but fortunately my stomach covers them.
• The advantage of exercising every day is so when you die, they'll say,
  'Well, she looks good doesn't she.'
• I know I got a lot of exercise the last few years. . .exercise getting over the hill.
• We all get heavier as we get older because there's a lot more information in our heads.
  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
• Every time I start thinking too much about how I look, I just find a Happy Hour
  and by the time I leave, I look just fine.
  

A tuteur for my garden. . . .

On Monday, the Garden Club is holding a white elephant auction and meeting at a nearby park. All members are asked to bring something for auction. I am taking one of my latest craft projects. . . . a willow tuteur. Believe it or not they almost look like the one in the book, "Better Homes & Gardens garden decorating", where I got the idea. From the book: This twiggy tepee, known in garden design circles as a tuteur; arose from a French word meaning guide and instruct. In the garden, a tuteur guides and insturcts climbing plants. I do need to trim the top of the tall one, just a bit. Perhaps I should top it with a dream catcher or a star shaped from a vine..........

My Grandma Katy. . . .

I am posting this photo of my Grandma Katy because it makes me happy to remember her. She was one of the kindest women I have ever known. I don't think I ever heard her raise her voice. She accepted what came her way and never complained. Her death at 75-years old was sudden. We found her sitting in a straight back chair with her rosary in hand. She must have died while saying the rosary, something she did every day. And, her death must have been peaceful because she didn't even fall from the chair.

Fun, Fun, Fun. . . .

Last night was a great evening. I attended the Beach Boy Concert at nearby Hoosier Park. I thought it got off to kind of a slow start but the group continued to play hit after hit - in fact, 28 wonderful songs! Beach balls and T-shirts were flying! The group never took a break although at one point Mike Love suggested slowing things down and what he'd really like to do was take a break followed by a nap. However, the group continued to rock on ending with my personal, memory-filled favorite: FUN, FUN, FUN.

Here is what wikipedia has to say about the BEACH BOYS:

The Beach Boys are an American rock band. Formed in 1961, the group gained popularity for its close vocal harmonies and lyrics reflecting a Southern California youth culture of cars and surfing. Brian Wilson's growing creative ambitions later transformed them into a more artistically innovative group that earned critical praise and influenced many later musicians.[1]
The group was initially composed of singer-musician-composer Brian Wilson, his brothers, Carl and Dennis, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. This core quintet, along with early member David Marks and later bandmate Bruce Johnston, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Class of 1988. The Beach Boys have often been called "America's Band"[2][3][4], and Allmusic.com has stated that "the band's unerring ability... made them America's first, best rock band."[1] The group has had thirty-six U.S. Top 40 hits (the most of any U.S. rock band) and fifty-six Hot 100 hits, including four number one singles.[1] Rolling Stone magazine listed The Beach Boys as number 12 in the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[5] According to Billboard, in terms of singles and album sales, The Beach Boys are the No. 1-selling American band of all time.[6]
Many changes in both musical styles and personnel have occurred during their career, notably because of Brian Wilson's mental illness and drug use (leading to his eventual withdrawal from the group) and the deaths of Dennis and Carl Wilson in 1983 and 1998, respectively. Extensive legal battles between members of the group have also played their part. After the death of Carl Wilson, founding member Al Jardine was ousted by fellow-founding member Mike Love. Currently, the surviving members of The Beach Boys continue to tour in three separate bands - "The Beach Boys Band" with Love, Johnston, and a rotation of backing musicians, "Al Jardine's Endless Summer Band", and Brian Wilson with a band consisting of The Wondermints and longtime Beach Boys backup guitarist/singer Jeff Foskett.[7] Love retained the rights to the name "The Beach Boys" after a legal dispute.[4]

Garden Orb. . . .

Instead of completing my plant labels from twigs, I got a little side-tracked and ended up with this garden orb of grapevine. I probably won't get back to crafting for a few days. Today I am headed for the King Tut exhibit in Indy with my neighbor Ann and her family.

I've also been marking items off my "Things I Don't Want To Do" list. For example, I've made three trips to the dentist (only 1 to go if my last filling doesn't cause any problems), Termites treated at the Aurora property, roof-coated over porches at Aurora, Phone call to prosecutor's office (guy who took off with my $650 is being prosecuted, trial date 8/21/09), eyes tested and new contacts ordered (broke one against the faucet - never done that in the 50 years I've been wearing them). Only have 2 items left: call about repairing (if needed) and summer filling my propane tank and since I received a letter from my insurance company wanting to "talk" with me ----- I know that means an increase in premiums here at the farm!!!! Both of those items are very costly and I can't put them off any longer. That will start my day tomorrow. So don't be surprised if you see a little additional sarcasm in my posts.

Sieze the day!

My Wildlife Habitat. . . .

I have a small wooded area beside the house that I have now declared a "Wildlife Habitat". It is full of wonderful herbs and wildflowers. . . . . . plus.....I really don't want to mow around all the trees! So, I mow a couple winding paths for walking and imagine fairies, gnomes and other creatures living in the tall grasses. I'm looking for a rabbit of some kind to place beside a stump and brushpile. Then, another sign declaring that area as Uncle Wiggly's residence. . . . I used to love those books as a child. Uncle Wiggly lived in a hollow stump and brushpiles are excellent hiding places.

How I spent my summer vacation. . . . .

This is a view of one of the areas where I had trees planted. I have mowed between the rows but you can see that the trees are barely visible through the weeds still standing in the tree rows. I wonder if the $1,600 spent on spraying really did any good. Could there be more weeds if I hadn't sprayed?

Some areas are worse than others and I've been using the weedeater in those places. . . .remember, we're talking 20 acres here. Hopefully I will get enough trees dug out and they will grow tall enough this year that I can forget about them for the next 13 years.

I know there are fairies. . . . .

This young lady offered to be my tour guide at one of the Garden Walk homes. Here she had to pause to play at the Fairy Garden. I had a psychic reader tell me that I used to be a fairy......hmm, now you know why I don't do many readings. He also told me my home in Aurora would be sold by June....Maybe he was just a poor psychic. So, on to my next "fairy" encounter for today. I was listing a 1926 Youth Companion Magazine on my Artfire site, when I came across this poem:

I Know There Are Fairies

by Clinton Scollard

I know there are fairies, because I have seen of them

One who assurredly must be the queen of them!

Down in the garden, not far from the end of it,

Just where the curving path makes a broad bend of it,

As the gold prow of the shalloplike moon came up,

And the sweet voice of the woodthrush in tune came up,

There sat a creature in satin robes shimmery,

Hair like the daffodil glinting and glimmery,

Foxgloves and larkspurs and lilybells bowed to her;

Roses bent low in a radiant crowd to her;

Pansies turned faces upon her beguilingly;

Merry young marigolds greeted her smilingly;

Under the clouds dipped the moon for a minute then;

When it shone clearly the seat had naught in it then;

There were the flowers, each in everyday attitude;

She-----she had flown to some far-away latitude.

Yes, there are fairies, because I have seen of them

One whom I know was the beautiful queen of them!