It's Holiday Time...or How to Make Cranberry Relish...

I was talking with my daughter this morning. This is what she wants for Christmas... ;o)

Cranberry Orange Relish

Gather ingredients...

1 pkg. fresh cranberries
1 medium orange
1/2 stick cinnamon
1 cup sugar

Because I wanted to can this batch, I placed 3
half pint jars in water to cover and the lids in water and placed both on the stove to bring to a boil. There is no need to boil the screw caps since they will not be in contact with the food or the lip of the jar. (If you have never canned fresh fruit, I would suggest you go here to learn how to do home canning.)








Wash the cranberries and pick out any soft or bad ones. Pick the stems. Wash the orange with a veggie wash. Place the cinnamon in a medium saucepan. I used navel oranges so I cut the pithy ends off my orange. Cut the orange into quarters. Place 1/2 the orange and 1/2 the cranberries into a blender or food processor and grind. Empty into your saucepan and repeat with the other half. Add the sugar and stir to mix well.









Place on medium heat and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, the jars have been boiling and sterilizing while relish has been prepared.








Using a pair of tongs, pick up one jar and pour the water out. Sit as closely to your cooking relish as possible and using a metal spoon ladle the relish into the sterilized jars. Try not to get any on the lip of the jar as this will stop the lid from sealing. If you do get some on the lip, use a damp cloth to wipe the rim of the jar. Using tongs, dip a lid out of the boiling water and place on jar. Place the screw cap on the jar and tighten just finger tip tight...not screwed on hard.






Since I know these will be used within the next 2 weeks, I placed these back in the same boiling water for a 10 minute boiling hot water bath. If I wanted to keep these for a year, I would use a much bigger hot water bath pan and the water MUST cover the jars at least an inch. The hot water bath is make sure the heat inside the center of the jar reaches high enough temperature and maintains it long enough to kill any lingering bacteria.






After the 10 minute hot water bath the relish is removed from the hot water using the tongs and is wiped with a clean dishtowel. They are placed on a clean dishtowel to cool for several hours or overnight. The lids should pop and form a suction. When pressed in the center the lids should not give any... If it does move up or down when pressed, then the seal has not sealed well enough and you should place in the refrigerator and use within a week or so.


This recipe can be used (without the cinnamon) as a fresh relish and requires NO Cooking... if you want to make it the day of or the day before it is eaten. To keep for any length of time it should be cooked and/or canned.

If you try this, please use caution since you will be dealing with very hot, boiling liquids.

I do so love this stuff..lol This is the second batch I have made since before Thanksgiving. I hope you enjoy this little tute... Daughter mine... ;o)

Today in My Life... November 30, 2009

Today: November 30, 2009

I got up this morning: very early. It's still cold, but if I turn up the heat it bothers my sweet DH and he gets in a frightful mood... lol And besides..if it were very cold I would just put on socks and dig out that wonderful huge shawl that I love to wear in the winter. It's going to be a lovely, clear day today, but am already missing all the green leaves on the trees...

I am hearing: him move around, turn on the faucet and click down the hall. ;o)

The current book is: Four Blind Mice by James Patterson. I'm not sure I can finish it this time around (already read it at 3 times...) Seem to be needing to try some other genre than the murder mystery... just can't find anything that will hold my attention..sigh

Creating: I have done several things since the last time I posted... The quilt is finished.

This is my very first bedsized quilt. It is a queen and I found it not difficult at all. But then it was an easy one..lol But now I have the confidence to continue on to one that is more difficult.

Another of the small pastels that I do in the evenings...

Knitted two scarves from my handspun Merino. Both used Yarn Harlot's One Row Scarf Pattern...

The other scarf is exactly the same knitting pattern, but is a deeper burgundy than this one. Love this pattern.. simple, pretty and warm. Drapes well...

I found a free pattern on Ravelry for a men's cowl that I wanted to do for one of my sons who feels he wouldn't use a scarf very much, so I did it. I used my handspun Merino lamb..... It's my first try at doing cables and found they were not nearly the ogre stitch I thought they would be. Finished it, bound off, wove in loose ends and found that in at least 2 places I had dropped stitches off the ends of the double point needles that I used... Terribly disappointed. I tried to pick them up with crochet hooks and succeeded in one place, but cannot seem to succeed in the other one. This may get frogged and redone with another set of needles. Anyway, the small needles that were called for in the pattern seem to be too small for this yarn... the cowl is very stiff and if it shrinks at all will be too small for him... hmmm

Family news: Daughter Bev and her husband Kent were here for a couple of days over the holiday. Kent had to pop in just overnight due to work schedule, but was terrific to get to see them.

My diet: took a couple of days off while they were here. I made some luscious cranberry/orange relish and canned it... Could eat my weight in that stuff...lol

May have to buy more cranberries and make enough to last all year... ;o)

The coming of daughter and son in law was all the excuse I needed to make banana bread.. ;o) Made a large loaf and then 4 small loaves.

Yum... Yum...

Have to add in here that I have lost 30 pounds, so felt that perhaps it would be ok to backslide for a day or two. Am truly happy about the loss and will have no problem getting back to business...lol However..that is said with a serious caveat... this is once a year holiday season with fruit cake and eggnog..lol.. and I will have both before this is over... ;o)

Looking forward to: Christmas... ;o) Will be putting up my tree this year after not putting it up last year. The holidays just are not the holidays without some kind of decoration and that makes it all too depressing.... instead of happy....

Just a thought: Be faithful to that which exists nowhere but in yourself - and thus make yourself indispensable. ... Andrew Gide

Today in My Life... 11/10/2009

Today: November 10, 2009 Tuesday

I got up this morning: stumbled to the bathroom and then immediately got on the scales... So pleased to have lost once again to 181... will not give up until I pass the 179 mark this week..

I am hearing: the click of my SDH (sweet DH ) as he plays solitaire on his pc...

The current book is: The Collectors by David Baldacci... for at least the 5th time... I messed up a while back and misstated the author of The Camel Club... it is not James Patterson.. it's David Baldacci. Sorry...



Creating: Several things this past week... I started this quilt top a couple of days ago. It should be finished today and hopefully quilted tomorrow... Nothing like a little optimism..lol










Earlier this week I found a couple of oak dowels that were just lying around in the shop. Sooo.. I cut them in half, ground the tips to a point, sanded them well then brought them inside and broke off a piece of scented candle and rubbed them for all I was worth... Wow... so smooth and smell so good.. Voila' !! Knitting needles... size 17 and size 12...



The Harp has been re-tied after having the weaving cut off due to a broken warp. This is Romney wool single plied with polyester sewing thread and kool aid dyed. The fabric is very nice, but has a bit of an open weave. I don't know if it will full up a bit or not since I abused the yarn about as badly as I know how... (thanks for that tip, Abby Franquemont!)... in hopes that the final product will be much less fragile... As of last night, I only have about 6 inches left and this will be done.





I'm not sure what store we were in but there on the shelf (for almost nothing) were a couple of artist journals... one for watercolor and another for pastels... Well, you know I just couldn't leave them there so they followed me home.. imagine that... It has be so much fun sitting and doodling at night watching tv...


Anything new: is the discovery of Facebook. I am not altogether comfortable with all the family links and personal stuff that can be deduced from these sites, but I do enjoy having the ability to be in contact with so many in the family on a daily basis... Love that...

A Special Tribute

This is my brother Larry. Several years ago he wrote this .. and I love it.

A Special Tribute

I was driving I-40 the other day, listening to the C.B... not much to say... when I heard a young hot shot, loud and clear, bad mouth a waitress I hold so dear. We are both old now, and needless to say, she has more miles on her than me and my old Pete today.

Thirty years is a long time to anyone in this line of work, but I couldn't do her job, no way. I wouldn't put up with the jerks. I remember sitting in that cafe a long time ago... I was young, she was still pretty as a rose petal, covered with morning dew...eyes shining, beautiful hair too.

I saw her give food to a family that couldn't pay, then pull out her tips she worked for all day. "I'm sorry it's not more", she said to the man, picked up the child while she shook his hand. Then hugged his wife and with a tear in her eye she said, "Always look up... you see a blue sky." Then turned around, went back to work pouring this coffee for some back then jerk.

I stop in every chance I get, just to say hello and remember a bit. We laugh and carry on about what we've been through, still listen to Bill Mac, and wish Conway was here too. Maybe one day ol Garth will put words to what I'm feeling and put an end to this jerk's thinking.

Then everyone across the country will know... My Mother is the waitress I talk of long ago. She's been down the road, thrown all the curves... so give her a break. That's the best she deserves.

Larry Ingram

Today in My Life... 10/28/2009

Today: October 28, 2009

I got up this morning: very early. Before 5. But since I was totally awake I just got up. Didn't make coffee until almost 6 and then wondered why I was in such a hurry for it take 3 minutes making the coffee... duh... lol

I am hearing: the whir of the electronics in this room. Too early for any other noise except the horrible sound of this new keyboard (that I love except for the sound). The keys are harder to press than my previous board and each one makes this sound of someone pounding on a wall with a hammer... sigh

The current book is: The Bourne Deception by hmmm... says Robert Ludlum's... but then on the bottom of the cover it says "A new Jason Bourne novel by Eric Van Lustbader"... hmm.. guess that means he's the ghost writer... Anyway, just couldn't get into the Piers Anthony fantasy.. maybe will try again later...but probably not.

My diet: is still hanging on. I have plateau-ed at about 181...182... Still holding out for breaking that 180 mark..

Creating:

Yesterday I dyed the merino yarn that was spun during the previous week. The red and pink are bulky 3 ply. The purple is merino single plyed with silver polyester sewing thread. That will be used to weave something... not sure what yet..

I finally got the lizard/dragon worked out on the inkle loom. It still has some places that are done wrong...but maybe when I do it again it will be better...

The stand for the swift works really well. The design is a bit flawed and the screws had to be put in from the top on the legs, but it works great and I like it... ;o)

Family news: Don't you hate it when you just skim over things and miss the important ones? I found an email this morning from my second cousin that I saw for the first time in many, many years at the family reunion. I seldom use my gmail... don't know why that is the one I put on my cards..duh Anyway, it was so good to see her and her sisters and the email was just a bonus on top!

Looking forward to: going out to eat... !!! The diet has prohibited it for a long while now and it will be a real treat... ;o)

Just a thought: "Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it. " .... Mark Twain

Today in My Life... 10/24/2009

Today: Saturday, October 24, 2009

I got up this morning: thinking about dragons... I know that sounds strange..lol.. but I have been trying to get the pattern for this dragon to work on my inkle loom for hours..sigh I can get the tail to look beautiful, but then into the body it just disintegrates..sigh


















I am hearing: the trucks whiz by on the highway outside. It's too early for the regular automobile traffic going to work.

My one thing learned this week: is that I need to start physically writing letters instead using email. Sounds strange after using only email for most of the last 10 years, but it suddenly impressed itself on me when I got a short email from one of my sons and I realized that it's been years since I have seen his handwriting... ;o(

The current book is: Air Apparent by Piers Anthony. It's too soon to say whether it will grab my interest as I just started it last night. So far it's only skimmed the top layers of my interest. Not looking too good at this point.

My diet: is the the Cabbage Soup diet. Still in the low 180s and truly looking forward to breaking through that 180 line. Maybe this week....

Creating: Since I finished the checkers board and pieces, I decided to make a Wahoo board out in the shop. I had a piece of the pine used for the checker board left over so I spent most of one afternoon figuring out the dots for the marble holes. Yesterday I put the holes in and did some sanding. We'll see what happens today... lol

Family news: Received a call from my Aunt Elva this week. It was wonderful to hear her voice on the phone. I saw her for the first time in about 35 years at the family reunion this year.

Looking forward to: using the hot tub since the little house is now fixed and it won't run down the hill with us...lol

Just a thought: "A fanatic is one who can't change his mind and won't change the subject." ... Winston Churchill

Today in my LIfe.... 10/18/2009

Today: October 18, 2009

I got up this morning: at a little after 6, made a pot of tea for me and coffee for DH...turned on the computers and realized it has been 10 days since I have blogged here...

The weather is: much cooler in the mornings and the evenings. I have had to pull out my heavy terrycloth robe and every time I put it on I smile as I think of son and son-in-law who gave it to me for Christmas a couple of years ago.

I am hearing: my sweet DH as he putters about getting his coffee. The clock that he made is bonging 7:00am. It has such a nice tonal sound.

My one thing learned this week: It's easy to move the warp of the large inkle loom if you use both hands... pull up with the left hand and down with the right hand and the warp slides easily across the pegs.

The current book: is Easy Prey by John Sandford. It's a Lucas Davenport novel and I like him almost as much as Alex.

My diet: has changed from the Atkins diet to the Cabbage Soup diet. I like this one because it has so much more diversity in what I can eat. And it is working...lol This morning... 182... that's 24 pounds... yayyy 36 to go...

Family news: Another grandson has left for the Army. That makes 4 grandsons in the Armed Forces right now... Dustin, Joe, Steven and now William. We are very proud of them... and wishing the world would regain a bit of sanity...

My brother Larry has become a Grandpa again. His son Brian has a new baby girl named Margaret Jane... They call her Maggie... and Maggie's older sister is Mandie.. ;o)

Looking forward to: a visit from daughter and grandsons before Steve has to return to duty at Fort Riley...

Just a thought: Mark Twain says... "Be careful about reading health books... You may die of a misprint."

Warped, Painted and Raining

The checkers and checker board are finished. All the time I was working on this I had pictures of my grandfather floating around in my head. He loved to play checkers and dominoes. And he was very good at it...lol Of course there was no television and the radio was only turned on in the evening... if there was no company. If there was company all the men gathered around the kitchen table and the dominoes or the checker board was pulled out from the cabinet above the refrigerator and the men would proceed to have a laughing good time... ;o) I can only hope that this board will be privy to good times like that.....

Only a day late... here is the promised pic of the inkle loom warped. It was not difficult as I used only 2 colors and did a continuous warp. Of course I did exactly what Linda Hendrickson talked about in her video... When I was turning the cards I found that I had dropped 2 at one time. Well, let me tell you... they turn just as easily as if I had pulled it off and re warped... Since this is another "learn something" warping I did not re-do it. I have to say... I highly recommend this floor model loom to anyone looking into tablet, card or inkle weaving. The height is very good, the warping is easy and it is so much easier to control the cards... I just can't say enough good things about this type of loom. One of the best things is that it doesn't try to run to the other side of the room every time you slide the cards... a very big plus.

Well, it has taken up raining as a hobby in North Texas. Every time it seems that the ground will dry up enough to work on the little house... humph... The contractor did come yesterday just long enough to look around and put a sign up in the yard. Now all the neighbors think our home is having foundation problems... Let's just hope we don't decide to sell the house any time soon..lol

Of Checkers, Knit and Linen

It's been raining again this week. I have given up on ever getting the little house fixed... The contractor called Monday morning and said it would not be good if they dug foundation holes and then they filled with water so we are once again on hold.... Just hope the little house knows to hold on... no pun intended... lol

We've been working in the shop and since I finished the floor inkle loom (which I finally got warped last night...pics tomorrow) I have had nothing to do...so I decided to make a checker board and checkers. This is the day before yesterday's pic. I have actually got the grid marked and the dark squares painted, but I think they will need a couple more than the 3 coats I have already put on them. The "king" side of the checkers has rosebuds painted on them... as in The War of the Roses. While the colors in this war were red and white roses, I used red and blue because..well...the white roses would not show up on the yellow. This should be finished by the end of the week.

This merino 3ply languished for a while in my stash. I just could not come up with anything new to make with it so I made another scarf, 57 inches long. It turned out really well and I love it.

This is the linen single that I took off the spinning wheel so I could spin the lemon Romney. I don't know how much there is, but there is still this much to be spun. The smallest heddle I have for my loom is 12 epi and I'm not sure that is small enough, but then it would make a light and airy fabric... hmmm Or...there is such thing as linsey-woolsey... a linen warp with a wool weft. hmmmm...

Oct. 5-11... National Spinners and Weavers Week

Next week is National Spinners and Weavers Week... If you live near any yarn, fabric or fiber shops you might look for something special happening. It would be a good time to spin, weave or knit/crochet in public. I'm going to talk to the ladies at the library and see if they are having anything special...

The "sheep to shawl" shawl is finished...as of yesterday afternoon. The warp is 3 ply merino and 2 ply Cotswold...the weft is the 2 ply Cotswold and merino single plied with silk single... ooowww wonderful stuff. It finished at 74" length with an added 4" of fringe x 16" wide. According to the book, any time a person does leno weaving there is a narrowing of the width of the piece... so extra weft should be left... Well... it didn't seem to matter what I did, the leno would pull in. My advise... just plan your width around the width of the pulled in leno weave.

I love the way this turned out. I think I will add some beads and maybe some embroidery on the ends... We'll see...

DH and I are off to Durant to Ozark Mills today to get some more wool. While I have every intention of finishing the flax, it is not my favorite thing to spin. I find that it is almost like trying to spin twigs and occasionally hurts my fingers like I have stickers in them. The Cotswold was something new to me and I really enjoyed it. I think I will try at least one new kind of wool each time we go.

My diet is working extremely slow.... and to top that off... the steroid pack the doctor gave me for my wrist and elbow causes immediate weight gain. Sooo... doing nothing any different on my diet, I had an overnight weight gain of four (4) .. make that 4... pounds! But... lost a pound of it yesterday, so looks like I will have to lose all 4 again.. sigh Oh well... at least they are going...

Found some wonderful tea that I can drink with no sugar. I mean wonderful...

Have a good day....

Free Bookplates for your Home Library

I love my books. While I don't have nearly as many as I have had at several times in my life, they are still very precious to me.


Today I came across a site that has LOTS of free bookplates ... and they are done in a fashion that will encourage kids to read. Love that... and I've even found some that are wonderful for us older "kids"...lol
It's called My Home Library.org

Like this one...lol It may seem to be in a bit of questionable taste for some, but those of us in our family will totally understand it! And know that we are not alone!

The Simple Woman's Daybook... September 22, 2009

For today: September 22, 2009


Outside my window: the baby wrens fledged while we were gone. We went out to the shop, peeked into the nest and they were all gone except one egg that had not hatched. Since there was no sign of "foul" play...pardon the pun...lol... I can only hope that they fledged with no problem. Sure am sorry we were not here to see it... baby birds are so much fun to watch.


I am thinking: that today is the Autumn Equinox. Each day will get a little shorter... a little cooler.


From the learning room: the building of an inkle loom...really large... has been researched to death and with the assistance of my sweet DH, we have put one together.... trying this and that as we went. It will come together and come out of the shop today... yayyyy!



I am thankful for: paint. It covers a multitude of mistakes...lol



From the kitchen: comes nothing new. But I have lost almost 20 pounds... :o) We found some pickled (they call it "marinated") asparagus that works really well used cold right out of the fridge for lunch or a quick supper. And very few carbs... love that...



I am wearing: my pink gown... but will be wearing stretch denim slacks and a denim shirt as we will be working in the shop today.



I am reading: The Camel Club ... again... by James Patterson. I really must find a new author...sigh



I am hoping: that the rain continues to stay stopped and we can get the foundation stabilized on the shop....



I am creating: several things. I have a leno shawl on the Kromski Harp loom...a belt on the weaving sticks, a pair of fingerless gloves on the dpns, a neck scarf on the size 10 knitting needles, a star pattern band on the card weaving loom and flax yarn (linen) on the spinning wheel. There's also the cross stitch quilt blocks that were my mother's that I brought home to finish ... If I think of any more I think I'll keep them to myself...lol



I am hearing: the whir of the printer. It seems with each new one we get it is a little more complicated to work...



Around the house: the quilt hanger shelf that I finished a while back is still waiting to be hung. That will happen today (I hope!)



One of my favorite things: is my leather thimble. I can make them to fit me and they are so comfortable to use that I can hand sew for hours without discomfort....



A few plans for the rest of the week: include wearing the brace on my right wrist that the doctor gave (big laugh... "gave?") me yesterday. Have to wear it at night and as much during the day as possible for 3 weeks...ughh Taking the steroid dose pack beginning today and hoping that it works as well as the shot did in the other shoulder a year or so ago.



Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you:

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all." .... Stanley Horowitz

He Did It.... He's Retired!

After 20 years in the Marines... He's retired...almost...

Actual retirement in October, but is now on terminal leave. He says he told everyone at his job that he was hiding his phone ... so don't call him...lol

Congratulations, Son....

Odds N Ends...

I bought these little chatzkies...the bird and the vase... at the reunion auction. I just wish I knew who brought them..! I will have to ask Uncle Bobby if he remembers.





We've been working in the shop. DH bought a router and yesterday made a perfect circle faceplate for a clock. He is thrilled! and me too, of course..lol Today will be the true test... oak. More on that later....

I decided to try my hand at pattern weaving.... just not in too big a way at first. This pocket weaving was just the right size and worked out fine. This kind of weaving is not nearly as hard as I thought. The next one will be on the rigid heddle loom and will probably be a wall hanging.

It's been raining a bit here in North Texas. A little cloudy today and cool. Hope it stays this way for a while.....

Happy Labor Day

Well, it's that cool down time of the year again. Lovely and green but with cooler mornings and evenings.

The reunion was wonderful. My sister Leisa was there looking lovely as usual. (She's a Mary Kay Consultant!) There were people there that I had not seen since I was "knee high to a grasshopper"... as my dad would say. Aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins and on down the line...lol There was just not enough time to spend with each one...Seems like I got to see everyone and visit with no one...ya know what I mean? But will surely try to go from now on...lol

I'm sorry to say (but not...lol) that my diet went on hiatus for the day. Uncle Harry grows paw paws and his wife Sue made some wonderful Paw Paw bread that was luscious. He had some seeds and I sure enough missed getting some...sigh Uncle Bobby made Vinegar Pie and that right there shot my diet for a week. Do love that stuff!! Aunt Elva said that her grandmother (Great Grandmother Angel) always made Vinegar Pie.... did not know that. Saw my cousin David (whose father was my mother's brother and his mother is my grandmother's niece... figure that one out..lol) for the first time since our kids were small and let me tell you that I almost fell off the step when I heard his youngsters call him Grandpa... All in all a wonderful day... just way too short.

Reunion Eggs & a Clock

It seems like forever since I have posted...and I guess it has been. It seemed a good idea to skip a week of going to Tulsa to the chiropractor. Some days I think it is helping and other days not... Mostly not, I guess, if I really want to be honest about it. I think I am in deep denial about carpal tunnel in my wrist and elbow because that would mean a drastic cut in all the things I really like to do... Anyway, one way or another we will find out soon.

Time is drawing near for the family reunion. I have not been for so long that no one can remember the last time I went... that is too sad. Anyway, we will be going this year. There is always an auction on Sunday afternoon to help pay for the newletter and things and everyone who wishes can bring something to auction off. These are what I have been working on for the last couple of days. This afternoon I will finish the stands and then all that will be left will be to let the finish cure a bit.

This clock is the first project nearing completion since we started back to work in the shop. This is one of DH's designs and it is now waiting in my workroom to have something painted on the bottom of pendulum area. He really wants it to be my little snail and mushroom (I really am going to have to give that little doodle a name at some point!) but I haven't figured out yet how to spread it across the area without making it look like a caricature cartoon... That will be this afternoon's second project...

It'a a little cloudy outside this afternoon, but nothing in the forecast about rain...as if that means anything here in Texas..lol The workmen are back and working on the shop trying to finish it up at last. It seems that the rains took so long to stop that it has been forever ... then the contractor had problems of his own. Sure hoping this is the last bit of that job... sigh

I hope everyone is having a good week. Hugs...

I Made a Tablet Weaving Loom...

Yesterday I made a tablet (card) weaving loom. It didn't take long. Last night I tried it out and made a sampler of several easy patterns... This goes very quickly and I can see how a person could make yards of ribbon in very little time.

However... as I began to finish off and had cut the yarn, my left hand was holding the cards so they wouldn't fall all over and my right hand and arm... went crazy. You know that charlie horse you get in your feet and legs... well that's what I got in my right arm and index finger. My right index finger was pulled into a 90° turn and I couldn't straighten it up. This does not look good as far as all my hobbies go... sigh

Rockport, Massachusetts et.al.

My children's grandfather came from Rockport. There were many stories told and talked about over the years. There was a small oil painting that was kept hanging on the wall for years of a bright red building sitting on a pier... and here it is. I was amazed when this picture showed up in the photos that son Phil emailed to me of his and Loretta's trip to Rockport. The perspective is a little off and the colors are a lot brighter than the very old painting...but there is no doubt that this is the same building. (Well...there may be some doubt. It has been about 35 years since I saw that painting..lol But this is how I remember it.)

It seems that Loretta had to do a genealogical study for a college course she was taking. Voila'... new obsession...lol (I laugh because those of us who have been bitten by that bug totally understand... kinda like the knitting bug!) There was much information found on this trip...even the house the family lived in.. and they found the natives to be wonderfully friendly and helpful.

This trip was made before the tourist season started. It seems that once the season begins a person can hardly walk down the sidewalk for the wall-to-wall people. Of course, it was a little on the cold side. Notice the cap... polishing lapels here... That is the hand spun merino, hand knitted fair isle cap that I made for him... and this one even fits..lol

This is one of my favorite photos. It makes me want to go... and maybe stay...lol I think I will try to either paint or pastel this picture.. We'll see...

The movie The Proposal starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds was made here. There are some photos shown here of some of the movie props that were around town. I have to admit that I have not seen this movie...but I will now...lol And I adore Sandra Bullock.

As for life in general... the trip to Tulsa this week went well. My shoulder actually seems to be feeling some better. I seem to stay a bit tired, but I think that is because for the first time in years he has me doing some exercises to strengthen my neck. And the vitamins and supplements.... Lawzee... what a mess of them to try to swallow. But will continue... I'm ready to try anything and for as long as it takes. Seems it's either that or give up knitting. I really think that I am holding the knitting needles not only wrong, but too tightly and that is exaserbating the problem. Oh well... either way... must be fixed.

We are again in the woodworking aka shop mode. Yesterday and the day before was spent re-setting the routers. That sounds bad..lol It did not take that long to set the routers...but had to try several to get the one that made the look we wanted. Then had to buy some things..so that meant trips to Lowe's... etc...etc.. The first picture frame has been cut and will be sanded and put together today. We are working on a quilt holder/shelf that will fit one of my small quilts to be put up on the wall. Can't wait to see how that will work out!

The baby wrens gave me a scare a couple of days ago... I checked the nest and they looked dead. So I checked it again later and they still looked the same. I checked again later and they had moved, but still couldn't tell if they were breathing or had been moved about by the mom. About an hour later we emerged from the shop to see the mother flit away and heard them cheeping... phew... I worry that they are so close to the ground and accessible to cats, snakes and anything else that may want to harm them. We'll see if they make it to the fledging stage... Fingers crossed.

Have a good day...