Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween

I'm not sure why black cats are associated with halloween,

but I have always been told to keep your black cats

inside on Halloween.

so that is exactly what we will do.

(Ok, may he is inside all the time - this is Jack)

BUT, we do have a couple outside cats that we will keep in the garage.

(yes, also black)

Blackie is with the collar.

He was a stray that would come and go.

When we captured, fixed him, and released, he didn't go away, 

and ever since he has been our "watch cat".

Perhaps we would have been a little more creative in naming him

had we known he was going to hang around.

The cat on the top

started visiting us during the summer.

We thought he was a dumped cat at first.

He is fixed and front declawed.

We have since learned from another neighbor 

his name is Coal.

He belongs to our neighbors just west of us.

They threw him out apparently.

Sometimes I see him sitting on their front porch looking in,

looking so forlorn. 

He is a sweet cat ~ a little vocal,

seems very content with the companionship 

of another cat, and likes to go outside

but is scared of the dark.        

 Hope we can find him a home before winter.

I'm not sure he will adapt well living in our garage when the cold and snow flies.

Creatively Made by Jeanne Oliver

Have you heard about the online class that Jeanne Oliver is offering?


It starts on January 9 and closes on March 31.


You work at your own pace ~ your own time schedule.  That's the beauty of it.

The first week is "Accepting the Gifts You Were Given".  


Am I the only one who hasn't figured out what my gifts are yet?  I hear it often in church, "we all have gifts, use them wisely".  


I'm in my fifties and the path is still muddy.  


Some days can be discouraging.  Today was one of those days.  Still waiting.


So I'm sitting at my computer tonight and I keep getting drawn to Jeanne's blog. 


"Accepting the Gifts You Were Given" keeps repeating in my head.   


So I signed up.  Paypal.  Simple as that.  


Something new. 


New year ~ fresh start ~ embrace the new. 


I will offer an open heart. 


Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what next or how.....The artist never entirely knows.  We guess.  We may be wrong, but we take leap after leap in the dark.
                        ______Agnes De Mille  


If you want to join me on this journey, details can be found by visiting Jeanne's blog here. 


If you sign up by November 1, you get $10.00 off.


She knows her gifts.


She is inspiring.


She teaches with such enthusiasm and passion that it is contagious.


Now.....I can't wait.

Newest addition

The end of a perfect weekend!

I met my great-niece Mia today, just shy of 2 months old.

Look at that smile!

Can you believe she is already sleeping through the night?

Have a good week everyone.

A Bouquet of Flowers for Movie Night

I adore Saturday nights.

Always have.

What can be better than kicking up your feet, eating a bowl of popcorn, and watching a great movie with the one you love.

A perfect ending for a lovely fall day.  

A few weeks back, I had bought a side of beef from one of our local farmers.

Always the best ~ going direct to the farmer!

Part of the meat was to go to my niece and her sons, so today was the day we were going to deliver.

She lives about an hour away, but what a nice drive.  

When we arrived, she was out in her garden picking a bouquet of flowers.......for ME!

Can you believe it?

Here it is, the 22nd of October in northern Illinois, and she still has beautiful flowers to share.

Perhaps a tad of frost damage, but still beautiful nonetheless.

What a thoughtful gesture.  She put them in a red solo cup for me to bring home.

Fit perfectly in the car cup holder.

I couldn't hardly wait to get them home so I could transfer them into one of my blue Ball jars.

 The jars were a great buy for a $1.00 for the lot, at the auction last Sunday.

The bouquet found a home for the night, sitting next to the dried rose petals, right above our TV so we can enjoy them for the movie.

Notice the clock.  Also a buy at the auction.  The back says it was made in LaSalle, IL and the face of it reads Sterling, IL.  

The pewter pitcher in the background?  My husband found it in the trash at a garage sale a few weeks back.  (Don't worry, he did check with the owner to make sure that is where he had put it.  Shook his head when he retrieved the treasure for me - what a good husband.)

Before we left her house, she gave us both adjustments.  

YES!  She is a chiropractor.

This chiropractor stuff is a whole 'nother story, but I will save that for another day.

Now, where is that husband?  The popcorn is ready, the chair is warm and the DVD is going in.

Have a great Saturday night!

Na Da Farm Fall Eleven

Were you able to go?

It was last weekend ~ perfect fall weather!

Here I am Friday night around 9:00

giddy with excitement with the prospect of some "free" time,

and emailing Jill Harris

if she possibly had any openings for her

Saturday morning jewelry class.

Of course!

Just show up at 9:00 a.m.

So I did.

We were set up in the corn crib.

Each of us getting a cute bag of goodies.

LOOK at all of the jars of beads, buttons, 

pretty rhinestone pins,

and KEYS galore!

A MUST:  learning the basics of making a loop

with annealed wire.

It takes practice (so I'm told).

Gosh, what I did learn is, I think I'm not 

as coordinated as I thought.

I couldn't remember from one step to the other

if it was over and around,

under and up,

twist the hand or not,

or which tool to use .......

(and I thought these pictures would help me)

[  giggle giggle ]

Don't get me wrong, Jill did a great job

(very patient and very kind if you know what I mean)

because Judy and Kathy (the "good" students)

mastered it in no time.

I'm pretty sure this is not my calling either.

You know, I am a professional buyer at a steel company,

and I have bought annealed wire from time to time, 

however,

don't ask me to do something with it after I buy it.

It is much easier for me to buy the pieces 

completely assembled.

But NOW I can appreciate the time and skill 

it takes someone to make jewelry.

Thanks Jill for being so patient with me.

Check out her blog here

and click on the shop button for

wonderful salvaged pieces she has created.

Here is a small portion of her display at Na Da Farm.

I would have loved to take all the classes offered

this weekend

(even if I'm not the artsy type)

but time and other commitments got in the way.

As usual, Anne Marie and her family did another

amazing job transforming their barn into an

elegant piece of art.

She amazes me.

You can check out her blog here

(not only of the farm event,

but of God, life and family)

You may want to stop by Alison's blog

from the Polohouse here.

She attended Friday night and described it as "magical".

Christie from Carter's Cottage was a new vendor,

and she brought along her Annie Sloan Chalk paint

and a few furniture pieces.

You can check out her blog & store here.

(BTW, Candace did remember me.)

[ smile ]

Jennifer Rizzo was a repeat vendor 

with another lovely display.

She had a part 1 and part 2 on the event

so check it out here.

Tracey at French Larkspur captured the full flavor

of the event and you catch up 

with her here.

Anne Marie - Thanks so much for all of your efforts.

You are so talented and so giving in so many ways.

Until next time......Peace be with you!