Hope you all had a Merry Christmas!  My dogs and I did...


They're not really my dogs but they are pretty cute anyway.

Be well.

Caretaking

Hello, is there anyone still following me? I know I haven't been blogging much lately so I'll be grateful to any of you still checking out this blog. Since I rarely go anywhere, I am the go to gal when it comes to picking a caretaker for others homes when they go on trips. This week I am feeding the neighbors cattle. They were waiting for me when I arrived today, mooing their hunger loudly.

Hope this big guy is friendly! The man didn't tell me to be careful of him so I will assume he is gentle as Ferdinand. Good boy!

All they are interested in is getting their hay and nosing into a full bin.

The feeder isn't the prettiest thing, but it is really rather ingenious. The man got an old motor home and converted it to a drivable feeder. He can fill it with bales of hay and move it around the field to feed the cows so they don't make a big muddy mess in one place. It works well!

After feeding the cows I mooved on to the horses, two gentle Paints.

All this farm equipment resting, waiting for next year and hay season.

Don't forget to turn the electric fence back on!

Time to leave the BBD in charge for the rest of the day.   Hope you enjoyed this little tour of a part of my day.  Now it's back to some art work.  

Hope you all are having a safe and happy holiday season.

Be well.

Happy Birthday Anne!!

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the artist in her studio

Happy Birthday Anne Huskey-Lockard!! 

This seems a most appropriate cake for the Queen Punk Anne.

She is fighting the fight of her life right now but she will win and  next year at this time when we celebrate her birthday we will haul out the grog and share double rations with everyone!

Happy Birthday, dear friend.  Love and hugs to you.

Autumn Rhodedendron

Not sure why my rhodie is blooming now.  I guess it is a little mixed up.  Like me.

Batik quilt finished

Batik quilt, created in a quilt as you go method. 

The back of the quilt.  It is about 60"x80".

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Some leaves I picked up on my walk this morning.
I'm getting very frustrated with blogger.  I may just give up.
Be well. 

Gunnera Manicata

Emma over at A little bit of everything was the first one to get the right answer to my photo identification question in my last post.  It is the seed stalk on a giant Gunnera manicata plant.  Above you can see the plant in question.  It is in it's decline right now so would look more impressive at the height of summer.

Here is another close up of the seed stalk.  Not sure if seed stalk is the correct terminology for this strange thing.

It almost appears to be some foreign being with its strange growth formations.

My little hand on one big leaf.  Google it and look at images if you are interested in seeing more of this plant.  I don't have this in my yard, I took the photos at a friends house.  Emma, if you know how to take cuttings or harvest seeds from this plant, let me know please.  I wouldn't mind having one in my yard.

I will send you something by way of a prize, Emma. Not sure just what yet, we will both be surprised.  Thanks to all who hazarded a guess.

Be well.

Autumn Harvest and a little contest

Got our first frost the night of November 1st so we harvested the squash on the 2nd.  Pretty, isn't it.

It is a combination of Sweet Meat and Hubbard from cross pollinated seeds that we saved from last years squash.  Oh, I see another little zucchini snuck into the photo.

Not sure what this is but I'm calling it Blood Berries.   It looked like drops of blood on the forest floor.

The frost and the wind really brought the maple leaves down suddenly.  Here are Tonka and Sadie rustling through them in front of my house.

I know what this is but I'm wondering if anyone else can identify it.  If you do, you win a prize, to be chosen later.  The first person to identify it wins a piece of my art work.  So don't enter if you don't like my art;-)

Be well.

Halloween 1966

I found this relic in my archives.  It was 1966 and I had a Halloween party in the garage.  In the back row, from left to right, as best I can remember is me, Julie, Margaret, Runell, Valerie, Nancy.  Bottom row is someones little sister, I can't remember who's, the head of Runell's little brother, Cathy and finally Suzanne Noonan.  Not sure who that character is hanging around in the background.

It was a fun little party and this photo is a great memory sparker.  I am not in contact with any of these girls any more although I'd love to get in touch with some of them.  Especially Suzanne.  I've tried to find them on Facebook but no luck.

Happy Halloween!

Blogger gifts

Corrine at dosfishes sent me this gorgeous piece of art that she made.  It arrived on a gray day and it was as though a piece of sunshine came out of the box.  The photo does not do it justice, believe me, this piece just glows.

Close up on the hanger.

close up on the work.  You can get a small idea of the glowing nature of this piece.

She also enclosed these fabric rolls, all tied up with their own ribbon.  The ribbon will eventually go into my ribbon box and the fabric may end up being incorporated into a crocheted rug one day.

I sent Corrine this hat I made awhile back.  I used some fabric pieces she had sent to me.

It is reversible.  I am afraid it is rather big for her but I told her to just use it as a fabric bowl instead.   The blogging community has shown itself to be made up of some very giving, kind and caring people.  Thanks to you all and especially thanks to Corrine for these gifts and the gift of her friendship.  I cherish both.

Be well.

Cute Goats!

Nothing much cuter than a baby goat.  My neighbors have these little pygmy goats.  I got to take care of them one weekend and snapped these pictures then.

I don't think these guys will get much bigger.

Indoors, I got the rest of my firewood into the shop for keeping my studio warm this winter.  Tonka helped.

Wait a minute!  That isn't cord wood!  That is zucchini!

I made these feather hanging things and hung them out in my woods along the trails. 

Some wild art.  I will be curious to see how long these pieces survive.

Been having trouble with blogger lately, it won't allow my photos to show.  Lets see if these will show up.  I hope so.  Such a hassle trying to put up a post only to have the photos not show up when the photos are really what makes my blog.
Oh well.

Dagnabit!

Rats. Ran out before I was finished.  I thought I had more of that varied blue print in my fabric stash but nope.  It is gone, and I still have 6 inches left to crochet.  So I searched for something close.

What do you think?  It will have to do. There is enough of this other fabric to go around the rug a few more rounds. It's only a rug after all, not great art.  I'm just trying to use up some of my rayon fabric stash left over from my garment making days.  I've got a ways to go yet.

Be well.