The day of no striving

I am tired from striving.

Pinecone on Skates

The grandkids say I look like a pinecone in my snow suit; I really filled it out this year.  (It was encouraging to learn that Princess Grace struggled with her weight.)  After getting a shot in my foot for plantar fac . . . I was able to skate.  My first outing was at Adrian College.  This picture was taken the night of New Years Day in Jacob's back yard.  He put in a little rink and is already thinking of biggerin for next year.  Still, it is a good size for brushing up on your balancing skills. 

This was the first year the grandkids came over for New Years Eve.  We played wii and I got exhausted and fell asleep before the ball dropped.  Does the ball click up the rest of the year?  I woke up when the grandkids were screaming and making racket, I sent them on the porch with horns, hats, and vintage clanging things. 

I think when they are older they will really appreciate the ways we live well.

Peace

The Lion and Lamb symbolism of Peace, was my Christmas theme this year.  I look to God for peace his is my lion and my lamb.  

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.