Boo-tiful Decorations

The vase is a gift from J. I grew the bittersweet (a gift from my friend Susie) in my garden. The petrified wood is gift from Gwen and Mike and the Fairy Lamp was a gift made by Mikkie. The leaves, including Japanese maples leaves were found in the neighborhood.

One year these jack-o-lantern bowling balls showed up on my porch. I think Gwen made them. Aren't they awesome? I have the coolest car gear thingies in my garage I am going to paint to give them a more suitable stand. More about that later.

Joel and Jennie come a visitin'

Jennie and Joel came for a short visit last weekend. We went to Flavor Fruit Farm for the best cider and donuts on the planet. We get our goodies and go to McCortie Park. Take the time to Google this park. It has an interesting artistic and social history. There are seventeen bridges made of concrete that look like wood. The place if full of charm.

Hangin' with Damma

Last weekend was family weekend at Adrian College. I took Arianna to see the festivities. She loved the inflatables for ages three and up (she is such a big girl). She got her face painted, ate cookies, and saw the stadium. She wanted to see uncle Jeff, but he was on the field lost in a mass of black and gold.
She gets the whole idea of recording a moment with a photograph. Fun times.

What's all the fuss?

Go to http://www.tor.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=comic&id=11345&page=1 to read Great Uncle George's Will by Andi Watson. Andi writes graphic novels that appeal to my inner child. There is something Mary Poppinish about the fantasy in his works Princess at Midnight and Glister. Love it! He just can't produce work fast enough to satisfy my hunger.

Aeolian Harps

At the Art-a-licious festival in September I met a person for the Cool People list.
The artist Steve Cameron makes Aeolian Harps, which he described as an "organic" harp that plays by the force of the wind. Is is a beautiful instrument that has "been around since ancient Greece and has been a source of inspiration for poets, authors and composers."
Take the time to investigate these instruments.

Homecoming

Mikkie was in town for AC's homecoming, in big part because her son Ian is now attending AC. Ian plays trombone in the band and is involved in the choir.

I took Mikkie to Farmers' Market and she bought some raspberries so I made my famous Devil's Food cake with raspberry filling and chocolate ganache. Oh Lord, was it good! I used Better Homes and Garden's Cookbook recipe for the cake. It was an easy and tasty recipe I will use in the future.

Mikkie also bought a wild shelf mushroom that is orange colored. I was freekin out saying I wouldn't eat it, but in the end I tried it. It tasted like dry chicken. So when I returned to the Farmers' Market I told "Mushroom Man" that I lived, and that it tasted like dry chicken. He was concerned and gave me a new one and I bought a Hen of the Woods. Well these two (pictured above) are so tasty! The Hen of the Woods is my new favorite mushroom. It has a mellowness to it that I am having trouble describing. The Mushroom Man is now on my Cool People list.

Mikkie is a ceramic artist. She teaches youth art classes at Manassas Clay, in Manassas Virginia. She gave me one of her beautiful bowls, that make me feel so happy to touch and see. I miss Mikkie and have so many laughs when she is around so having her art is like a cozy blanket.
I had no art of my own to give her. FAIL. I am trying to make more art that doesn't need a side of a house to be on.
FYI Mikkie's husband Doug works with NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope which recently discovered a "supersized ring" around Saturn, using infrared light. Spitzer brings me much joy. The images it has captured of distant galaxies were a source of inspiration for me when I was designing my door.