Christmas Train

Christmas Train which is an entertainment train that runs a canned food drive for the needy, passes through Lenawee County.  My camera fstop wasn't fast enough, but the image sums up the sudden thrill of colored lights flashing by like a shooting star.

Evelyn and Steve

For the much anticipated wedding of Evelyn and Steve I decided to make another pastel painting.  I was in a huge rush (again) and did the whole thing the day OF the wedding.  This is based on a photo I took of them when they first began courting in October 2013.  That year there was a GREAT crop of apples.  The fruit was so abundant it couldn't be used up.  Many folks were making apple sauce and Steve offered Evelyn and I some. 
On the back I wrote that I hoped that their lives would be filled with more blessings then they could utilize. 
I felt a little insecure about my gift so I gave them a Lowe's gift card too.

I have this problem of not feeling like enough.  That is a sad admission.  

Cranberry Birthday Theme

For Maripat's birthday I selected a cranberry theme.  I found the tin at a thrift store, the tea was new  this year from Celestial Seasonings, I got the face cloth and little book from Golden Hobby in Columbus, OH.  I bought the sugar scrub with extra bucks, I made cranberry pistachios biscotti, and included a recipe for my favorite cranberry relish that my grandma used to make. I also made the pastel painting of the cup filled with cranberries.  So much fun to compile this gift for my dear friend.

Grandma's Cookie House

I have been wanting to make a gingerbread house with my grandkids.  When? How? What? This year it was now!   The what was a gingerbread version of my house -pink with green shutters.  Above are pictures of how it was done.  I am having trouble with blogger and am unable to upload certain pictures.  I'm a person in a rush most of the time so I haven't taken the time to figure out this problem, so the image of my grandkids decorating the house is not provided.

Taking a cue from a friend I constructed the house before the grandkids decorated it.  This was a good move because construction took several days and two concrete mixtures.  It was a bit frustrating, but I persevered.

The gingerbread house was entered into the Adrian Public Library gingerbread contest.  The contest raised money for library services - mostly the summer reading program.  Friends of the Library sold five tickets for a dollar and the public voted for their favorite by putting a ticket in a canning jar.  We didn't win the community favorite award, but we did win first prize in the multi-generational catagory with the special distinction of being "The Most Elaborate."  The grandkids were surprised by our win.

On the base I attached a lable on which I wrote a quote from Arianna, "Grandma's house always smells like cookies."

I hope they will remember the experience. 

Butterflies

This an open Blue Morpho.

                                         This is a closed Blue Morpho on a Chihuly sculpture.

I took a three day trip down to Columbus with my girlfriend.  We went to the Columbus Botanical Garden and felt like awestruck kids in the butterfly house.   

Fossil Digging

 In Sylvania Ohio is Oleander Park which has a little place to dig through excavated soil to find fossils.  Randy and I took the grandkids there a few weeks ago.  Most of what we found were braciopods. 

 At first it seems like nothing of importance will be found.  After a few minutes of dedicated digging the eyes become adjusted to finding fossils.  Once you relized there are many bits of shards, the challenge becomes finding intact fossils.

What I noticed was the behaviors that need to be demonstrated to be successful.  Patience, concentration, endurance, persistence, focus . . . all these skills (for the most part) looked very serene and quiet to me.  I was impressed by how noisy distractions were pushed out and away by everyone there. 

Here is the trellis door I posted about on July 10th.  A nice covering of red-violet colored morning glories grew on it.   

Umbrella Bucket

I bought this umbrella can at a thrift store for $1.29.  It was army green with a decal on it, but I soaked and scrapped off the decale, painted it black, wrapped it in lace and spray painted it white.  It's not perfect, but I'm pleased with the results.
Inside the bucket is a "grabber" that I bought new in the package for $5.00 at a yard sale!