Mammogram Day

Love these words:  "Everything looks good.  You're free to go!"  Everyone I've come into contact with at St. Francis is warm, courteous and professional.  I will return to my parking spot on the roof of the Natalie Building next week and follow up with Dr. Johnson.  As much as I like Dr. Johnson, I'm hoping our relationship is coming to a close.  These follow ups are growing fewer and fewer and I am so glad.

I'm wearing Tarajean Warren today.  Orange top and stretchy blue jeans given to me the last time I was over at Tj's house.  Got some other cute items:  tops, corduroys and a couple pair of skinny jeans, too. Thanks, Tarajean...your hand-me-downs are the best thing ever!

Challenging myself...

...to jog a bit further each time I go out before stopping to walk.  Three years ago, I was working toward a 5K.  I ran the 5K and was very comfortable with jogging 3 miles 2-3 times each week.  Then I injured myself...three summers ago and I haven't run 3 miles since.  

Lots has happened in my life since that summer long ago in Ozark, Alabama.  Jeff has retired from the Army.  We've moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to be near Tarajean and Paul and GDub.  Gavin turned 3 in May this year.  Abram finished his commitment to the Navy, went to Afghanistan a second time and has decided to make Maryland his home for now.  We bought a little fishing cabin in Lake George, Colorado, and it provides a wonderful place for Jeff to commune with nature and spend time with his Mom and brother.  

Most noteworthy is my recent diagnosis of breast cancer.  I was operated on in April, and am going through radiation therapy currently.  It is all going very well.  I feel great considering everything and will be receiving these treatment for another 5 weeks.  Following the RT I will start hormone blocking cancer drugs and continue taking them for five years.

I feel like I won the lottery.  Caught early, while still under 1 cm, and from all tests performed doesn't look like it spread outside the breast area. Chemotherapy was not a recommendation.  I won this round.

Thanks to friend, Laurie Jo, I have enjoyed the perfect exercise regime from a program called "Fit by Nature" by John Colver at AdventX.com.  This book starts us out with a Daily Dozen set of exercises that are done in 12 minutes.  Since starting them in early April (before my surgery), I can feel the difference in my body and overall strength.  I haven't been true to the 'daily' part of Daily Dozen...but usually manage them 3-4 times a week along with additional cardio of walking/jogging, swimming, or yard work.  I love the Dirty Dozen, oops, I mean Daily Dozen, or DDs for short.

Today I went out for my walk/jog and decided to jog at the beginning, then walk, then finish with jogging.  I ran the first mile without stopping, walked 1/2 mile and then finished jogging the 1/2 mile back home.  This is my personal best since that injury almost three years ago.  Would like to think of this little accomplishment as an allegory for the challenge ahead....finishing my RT with good results....staying strong...and being cancer free with a long life of good health ahead of me.

Thanks, Jeffrey.  I couldn't have done any of this with as much positive panache without you!

Here's to Us!

Latest Yard Project

https://plus.google.com/photos/106402035993507485660/albums/5746094212335019297

Slide Show Library

November 2012 - 12-Week Challenge - Hold On

November 2012 - America Recycles Day - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, 2012

October 2012 - I Know This Town - Summer Vacation in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, July 2011

October 2012 - Glad you Came - Caprice visits Tulsa (September 2012)

 May 2012 - Just my Imagination - yard projects featuring Jeff's sweaty brow:
https://plus.google.com/photos/106402035993507485660/albums/5746143927577759553/5746144412095008882

April 2012 -  Angels on Your Pillow for Gavin, March/April 2012  http://youtu.be/NyExxO3cjDM

February 2012 - Warren Family in Review, 2011   Christmas Gift     http://youtu.be/KAnawEMJMJk

January 2012 - Clean Up/Organization at 1612 E. Plaza Drive     http://youtu.be/SYA9VrfQS8w

December 2011 - Abram (DREAMER), Christmas Gift     http://youtu.be/gPvIdPiMKk4

September 2011 - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (Pure Imagination)     http://youtu.be/1wGxjup-AHA

February 2010 - Tarajean & Paul Anniversary        http://youtu.be/-dz8AdrhOvg

July 2009  - Baby Gavin,  Tarajean birthday gift     http://youtu.be/tBIIBPiRIjw

Summer 2008 - Abram Visits Ozark     http://youtu.be/86JgrupTjrA

Kimberly & Jeff, Anniversary Gift    http://youtu.be/PLM2UnEyF_Y

Abram, Mt. Kinabalu Climb in Malaysia     http://youtu.be/03Jy7tojKc4

October 2011 - Make a Difference Day, 2011, Ozark, AL (Jan & Carole's photos)
http://youtu.be/W_2EpJqiMG4

October 2010 - Make a Difference Day, 2010, Ozark, AL
http://youtu.be/QItPswD5QUU

Digging a Flower Bed, Ozark, AL    http://youtu.be/GH1iVdrSWzs

More Flower Beds, Ozark, AL     http://youtu.be/TC-C9Mn54rA

May 2007 - Trip to Idaho     http://youtu.be/9tAYH2oOHXc

Earthshine Giftworks     http://youtu.be/17_yP0uzQfM

Summer 2006 - The Move from Fort Campbell, KY   http://youtu.be/amkc2zgezCs

Celebrating 10 Years...

Ten years ago today, I radically changed my eating habits.  In an attempt to get my cholesterol under control through diet alone, I stepped off the grid that is mainstay America.  Reading every label, counting every milligram of cholesterol and watching my intake of calories and fat, I subscribed to nutritional publications that came out of medical universities instead of Women's Day and Better Homes and Gardens.  

People who know me can attest to my obsessive behavior.  I say there is no other way to change ingrained habits without some full out, feet-to-the-fire tenacity and determination.  Call it what you will, I prefer OCB, obsessive committed behavior.

It's February 2, 2012.  Ten years ago today, I changed my eating habits.  The journey has been a healthier one, of this I am certain.

Thankful, Grateful, Blessed

 

Grateful for my Husband

who loves and gives selflessly

 

Grateful to the Daughter and Son

who bring so much joy

 

Blessed for the family and friends far and wide,

making life sweeter

Thankful for this Beautiful home

to live and take shelter in

 

Grateful for this Country's Freedom and Bounty

Thankful for the Men and Women

who Protect it 

   

Thankful to the Source who provides me with everything I need during this journey

 

Blessings to Everyone who contributes

to make this world a better place

 

November Rose

Friends

Mary Grace, Linda, Carole, Jan and Me, Rodeo's Mexican Restaurant, 10/01/11

My recent road trip to Ozark was a multipurpose sojourn.  I am so glad I did this.  I accepted Linda's invitation to be a program guest speaker on the topic of Living Green way back a number of months ago.  Saying 'yes' and getting this commitment on the calendar was what I needed to motivate myself.  I had all these 'refashioning' projects to be finished and lots of recycled materials to magically transform into little works of art.  What better way to accomplish these tasks than to agree to talk on this same subject and use all my finished products to illustrate "reduce, reuse, recycle.'  This was my plan.

It worked!  The seminar was mucho fun and all my preparation paid off.  Jan and James Lisenby were gracious hosts.  As a guest in their beautiful home, I had plenty of room to spread out and organize everything before the seminar.  Only a very good friend would allow such a mess for so long.  (Thank you, Jan and James.  I enjoyed my time with both of you more than words can express.  And I loved meeting 'the girls.'  They are sweethearts...and I must say I miss that 'little dumpy' more than I thought I would.)

Since Linda allowed me to choose the date of the seminar, I chose a date close to the Claybank Jamboree weekend.  Hopeful I could attend for part of the day and catch up with more of my Alabama gardening friends.  And finally, at day's end, perhaps round up the 'best of the best' for dinner at Rodeo's before I departed town the next day.  And unlike the "best laid plans..." it came off without a hitch.  Lucky us!

I miss you all.  You are never far from my thoughts and always are in my prayers.

'bout time!

Gavin & Babka making "fungi" with new play dough!

That's what I get for waiting so long in between postings!  I just typed all about what I've been up to for the past couple of months and I got an error code and a "thankyouverymuch" and then my blog page went blank and wiped the slate clean.   Guess that will teach me for going on and on.   Rather than repeat everything I just commented on, here is the link to the blog I wrote for the Claybank Master Gardener web log, posted October 8, 2011,  describing the Living Green seminar with some photos of the workshop.  I will add that I am glad I spent oodless of time preparing.  It paid off in the end.   

(Lo' and Behold!  I found the 'missing words' in a draft copy of this blog, under a separate heading.  Here is the original:

Another billion minutes have passed without an update to my personal blog.  Now that I've posted a couple of entries to the Claybank Master Gardener site and to the LIVING GREEN blog, I feel like I can be self-indulgent and update my This 'n That page.  Here it is, in a nutshell...

I've spent lots of time these past months, preparing for my Living Green seminar.  It went very well, from my perspective.  An audience of around 50 folks showed up to hear me speak and watch me demonstrate DIY projects.   Reduce, Reuse, Recycle examples were discussed and illustrated in a myriad of ways.  I managed to fill three long tables with examples of recycled materials.  Some of the refashioned items were practical and some of them just for the sake of art & creativity.  It was a lot of work but very gratifying to reach the day of the workshop and feel prepared and revved to present.   I received excellent feedback from many of the audience members and lots of good ideas for additional ways to recycle common materials.)

Pretty Pathetic

A contradiction in terms, for sure.  But 'pretty pathetic' is exactly how I feel about seeing my last post on this blog dated in January, almost 4 months ago.  What's up with that anyway?  It's not like I haven't had time to write about what's been going on.  This blurb is just an ice breaker, in hopes that I will get back in the habit of posting short little 'This 'n Thats' and journaling some of the more extraordinary events in our lives.  Or maybe, even better, some of the small and simple day-to-day events, when added all together and viewed as one whole cloth, comprise a life. 

I am so blessed.

Christmas in Tulsa

Ho! Ho! Ho! Everyone! This year's Christmas celebration was quite different from year's past. Celebrating with Tarajean, Paul, Gavin and some of their family and friends was a holiday treat. I missed being with Jeff...and Abram is always in my thoughts...but I know they were okay and this makes all the difference. Living in Tulsa is bringing so many wonderful experiences into our realm. I cannot begin to express how much all of this means to me. Merry Christmas!

Another First

Funny how a little hole-in-the-wall problem can bring about this euphoric feeling of pride and accomplishment. Why is the hole so big? The old thermostat was larger. When I removed the old one to investigate the wire configuration I quickly discovered that the hole in the wall would not be covered up by the digital thermostat. I pondered the problem for a bit, not wanting to rush into something I'd never done before and tackled the new thermostat installation first. Already beyond my comfort zone with this small task and keeping in mind that slow and steady wins the race.

Hooked up the thermostat...set it for 70 degrees to make sure the heat would kick on properly. Let it run a bit to make sure it would turn off...and then knocked it down to 64...when I left to go south to Alabama for 10 days. Was quite the relief when I returned to Oklahoma and discovered that my new thermostat appeared to be working properly after my installation and read 64 degrees, with a chilly house to prove I'd hooked it up properly. BIG SMILE of accomplishment here.

Now to deal with the gaping hole and mounting the new thermostat. 1) Temporarily tack the new thermostat to the wall out of the way of the repair work. 2) Adhere the mesh screen across the hole, leaving enough space for the wires to pull in and out freely. 3) Spackle here...Spackle there and smooth it with a putty knife, doing my best to blend in with the textured walls around it (yeah, right....I score myself a 'C-' on this task); allow Spackle to dry. 4) Paint the Spackle to match the wall color -- in this case 'almond bisque.' 5) Follow the directions for mounting the digital thermostat. In this case, I got lucky and was able to use the existing anchors...even though the person who installed the old thermostat didn't get it hung straight. I fudged with the screws as much as I could and think I did a decent job of leveling it, so as not to drive me crazy each time I see it hanging there. Got everything put back together and mounted...and got a digital display reading of 69 degrees! Yup, still working...and is that the furnace kicking on I hear? YEAH!

Abe Update

Having Abram with us for this interim period--2nd Thanksgiving in a row!-- while Abram awaited word on his new job in Maryland has been a pleasure and an unexpected bonus. Abram bought a one-way ticket from Hawaii, joined his friends to go on a 'follow the band tour' through three cities and then had Phil and Chris drop him by our new place in Tulsa on their way from Oklahoma City back to Kansas City. It was truly great to share the new homestead with Abram and offer his friends a hot shower before they went on their merry way.

The only down side to Abe's great visit has been the virulent strain of cold germs Abram came down with in Tulsa (probably began in Hawaii or during his road trip)...and then exposed us all to it. I started feeling it in my throat, the day before Thanksgiving and the same day Jeff & Abram departed to return to Alabama. I had laryngitis most of Thanksgiving while driving and then it really hit me hard the following few days. Ten days later and I am still blowing my nose. But I know that the cold is almost finished and this nose stuff I can deal with easily. Now Jeff is in the throws of it; body aches and chills...and the coughing, the coughing. I have had a cold this bad in many years. Just a good reminder that being sick is the pits and I'll do what I need to in order to stay healthy.

Abram got word, shortly after Thanksgiving weekend, that his security paperwork did get approved and the new job at Fort Meade, MD, is his and he starts on December 9th. Congratulations, Abram!

Back n' Forth

I can't believe how quickly this past ten days has flown by. I left Oklahoma on Thanksgiving Day and made the 800-mile trek all in one fell swoop, pulling into Ozark very late...but safe & sound. It was good to be back with Jeff and Abram. But this time it feels different.

We closed on the house in Tulsa and it is beautiful. I think it is a perfect match for Jeff and I. There will be a lot of upkeep and maintenance on this new glory of a home and we're up for the challenge. Unexpectedly, we are going to have to do quite a bit more painting than originally planned. I had thought I would whip in, rip out the old wall paper in the upstairs bathrooms, do a bit of painting...then just do some lovely glaze painting on the ceiling in our bedroom...and call it done! Not so. The previous owners took excellent care of this house and freshly painted several of the rooms. But the entryway, hallway, living room, master bedroom, stairway and bedrooms upstairs are in dire need of new paint.

And about the carpets. I had no idea how poor a shape the carpets were in until I saw the house without furniture. Jeff was seeing the house for the first time, the night before we closed, and I could tell he wasn't expecting this either. So, we'll bite the bullet, be grateful that we can do it...and have new carpet installed when we've finished painting our new home.

Ahhh, but I digress (a surprise, right?) The main thought when sitting down to write this morning, is more about the feeling of disjointedness and living in and between both places. The photo at the top says it all. When I leave Oklahoma, I leave these lovely people behind. This time is only for a little while but I was just getting use to being near them when I needed to leave again.

Tomorrow I begin the journey back to Oklahoma and this time for a longer stretch of time. I anticipate only a couple more trips back and forth before it's all said and done. Next time will not be until after the holidays and after Gavin and I get a Grandma and Grandson week while Tarajean and Paul take a much needed and deserved little vacation. Jeff and I will weather through this Christmas in separate states and be grateful for all our many blessings; most importantly that Tarajean and Abram are doing good and Jeff and I are heading toward our next chapter and latest new adventure together ... soon!

Way back when, while sharing about the possibility of a move to live in Tulsa to be near Tarajean and Gavin, Laurie Jo -- such a wise, trusted and dear soul-- said, "Connections are what it's all about." I agree, dear friend. I wholeheartedly agree.

Notes from the desk of Toad

Always fun to start my day with drawing. Have a stack of ideas I have been wanting to render into KimArt and just haven't been in the right creative head space to pick up the pen and draw. With the closing of our house in Tulsa only a couple of weeks away, I have anxiety. It is a good feeling to turn my anxiety into something productive. Okay, NOW I can head to the commissary and shop for a turkey to take to Sarasota. Looking forward to the visit with family.

Art for Fun

This is a bit of clip art that was drawn for a font and is now a symbol in my "Snerry Jake" font.

This little fellow was drawn for a custom magnet design for the folks on Fort Rucker who live in the neighborhood called 'skunk hollow.'

This BabyChick was drawn and used in a baby shower design for my BFF Jorey Loey.
Congrats to the new Nana!

Never enough coffee cup graphics in the world so I've added to the bijillon already in existence.

Flutterby

the Gray One

We do not need another pet. This little lady started gracing our front porch several weeks ago. She's still skittish and I have no clue what her fate will be. For now, she's got a place to call home; if I can catch her I may have to take her to the humane society. Hells Bells. Stubby and Girlfriend are accepting of this little one...but just barely. Isn't she lovely? We do not need another pet.

On the road again . . .

Margaret & Kimberly, June 2010

Road trips are one of my favorite things. They're even better when I'm accompanied by my Mom. She's the best driving companion a girl could ever ask for.

We recently made the 1,700-mile journey from Ozark, Alabama, to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and back again (to visit the lovely Tarajean, Paul and Gavin-the-adorable). I traditionally break this trek to Oklahoma into two days; this time wasn't any different. Day 1 is from Ozark to Conway, Arkansas, 500+ miles. Like I told my partner-in-gardening-crime, Jan, Conway boasts a Ruby Tuesday, a Hobby Lobby, a WalMart and a Super 8 Motel. Need I say more? Reaching Conway by the end of the first day makes Day 2 an easy drive. And traveling 75-mph on the Muskogee Turnpike for the home stretch into Tulsa makes it even breezier.

Our trip to the Warren Home was terrific. Decent weather prevailed --a bit of downpour while driving through the Jasper, Alabama area -- started listening to an audio book by Anne Perry...but the reader's voice was wimpy and too difficult to hear over the sound of rain and of truck traffic. So we settled for listening to GLEE soundtracks until we could get to a Cracker Barrel to rent another book-on-CD. (Diane Mott Davidson's SWEET REVENGE wasn't a whole lot better, story wise, but Barbara Rosenblatt's narration was easy to hear above the road din).

The return trip was just as good. We stopped at this beautiful rest stop in Arkansas and I was so happy to find it again (since it's on the westbound side of I-40 and I missed it on the trip to Tulsa). Jeff and I stopped at this same rest stop last fall. I knew that late spring/early summer would be better for a stunning floral display. I was not disappointed; it was gorgeous.

Mom and I spent a restful evening at the Super 8 in Olive Branch, Mississippi (I just love the name of this town); only a short distance down the road from Tupelo, birthplace of Elvis. We made a stop to eat and another to browse the Dollar General store. We purchased fresh peaches and tomatoes at a road stand somewhere in northern Alabama and several hours later pulled into Ozark. Jeff, Stubby and Girlfriend were all present to greet us and welcome us home. It's always wonderful to pull in the driveway after such a good road trip. This journey was made more special because Mom and I got to travel the distance together!

Altered Book Art

I'm so excited to have a group of young women to share this altered book project with! The Misses Club of Ozark (ages 14-17) will meet this Monday night and have invited me to be their guest speaker. The program topic is Conservation. Altered books will demonstrate how we can conserve on paper and give our 8 1/2" x 11" sheets of used paper, old calendars and recycled cereal boxes a second life.

I think this calendar art by Karen H. Goode and recycled here to be the front and back covers and the tabs of the book, make the project. The use of various yarns and ribbons heighten all the fun calendar colors. The tin can lid attached with the ball chain gives the piece heart and an additional bit of eye candy. The back cover shows off my carved eraser rubber stamp of the 3-R's and my heart-shaped arrows drawing and signature.

v. con·served, con·serv·ing, con·serves

v.tr.

1.

a. To protect from loss or harm; preserve: calls to conserve our national heritage in the face of bewildering change.

b. To use carefully or sparingly, avoiding waste: kept the thermostat lower to conserve energy.

2. To keep (a quantity) constant through physical or chemical reactions or evolutionary changes.

3. To preserve (fruits) with sugar.

v.intr.

To economize: tried to conserve on fuel during the long winter.

Hawaii

Photo by wedding photographer

Tarajean and Paul were married on February 6, 2010, Kona, Hawaii. It was an amazing ceremony and couldn't have been more beautiful. The bride, the groom, the setting . . . it really was perfect. Nicely done, you guys. Blessings to the new Warren family!

The Finest ThingAmong the finest things in life,
a good marriage
is the most satisfying and rewarding,
the deepest and best of pleasures.
That blessed relationship
uplifts, enriches, encourages
and strengthens both husband and wife.
A loving marriage
overcomes any obstacles
the world may put in its way,
strengthening the special marital bond
with every challenge conquered.
Your wedding
is the start of something better
than you can imagine.
May your marriage
be all that you dream of and more.By Joanna Fuchs

It's really a yellow jacket hover fly

A bit disappointing...but love the new BUG link I discovered in the process of trying to find out what my "bee" really was. The bugman answered my question very quickly and I now know that my bee....isn't a bee at all. Here is what the bugman told me about my bee:

Dear Kimberly,

This is a Yellow Jacket Hover Fly, Milesia virginiensis. It is one of the Syrphid Flies in the family Syrphidae, commonly called Flower Flies or Hover Flies. Many species in the family mimic bees and wasps, hence your original confusion. The adult Yellow Jacket Hover Fly feeds on nectar and pollen from plants like Queen Anne’s Lace, and it will also be attracted to the blooms of related plants in your garden like parsley, dill and carrots. BugGuide.com has a wealth of information on the Yellow Jacket Hover Fly, including this tidbit gleaned from AllExperts.com: “Flies aggressively and buzzes like a hornet. In the southern United States, sometimes called the news bee or good news bee for its habit of hovering in front of a person and “giving them the news”. It is also said to be good luck if one can get the insect to perch on a finger, no doubt because this is difficult to do.“

Sincerely,

the Bugman

BeeArt

This little guy/girl landed on the my cold frame plastic just as I had finished putting the plastic on the frame. I was getting ready to photograph the finished project...and I spotted this ittybittytinything....on the plastic. Not quite a honey bee...and not a bumblebee. It's a 'beetweener,' and no, this is not the scientific name. It the name I'm giving this little beeauty because I do not know what type of bee it is. The colors are what prompted me to put the cropped photo in my "ideas for drawing" folder. Sometime the idea stays in my special idea folder for months and even years...before it makes it to my "do it now" pile.

I was in the mood to draw on Christmas Eve day and spent most of the day doing fun creative stuff...like a big kid with a coloring book....only better and more time consuming! I'm so pleased with my new bee graphic...

December 25

This drawing project has been a long time coming. The original idea for the window graphic came from a photo that I took while down in Seaside, Florida, with my sister, Jessica. We walked around the quaint town by the ocean, admiring peoples porches and windows and gardens...taking photographs and enjoying the mild temperatures. It was April and the confederate jasmine was in full bloom (an entire month earlier than our confederate jasmine blush here in zone 8). This window box caught my eye, with its gorgeous deep reddish orange geraniums...and a whimsical iron sculpture of a funny little man in the garden beneath the window (not pictured or drawn here). The photo wasn't all that good. But the window and the idea of using it for a drawing subject someday has stayed with me. Flash forward 8 years; took me awhile to sit down and begin the drawing....but I did...and I like it. The original is non-Christmasy without a cutout for the photo...to be used for note card art.

Free Meal

With gratitude to Wikipedia: "The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands."

When Mom was here, 'Great Blue' visited frequently but never for periods long enough to grab our camera and get a good photograph. Most of our windows have screens on them....and if you open the door to step outside and get the better vantage, GB will fly off, playing shy guy.

After Thanksgiving, Jeff did some serious fishing, hoping to catch enough to fix us all a tasty dinner. The fish were elusive and the few that Jeff caught were left alive to swim endless circles in the lake barrel.

Fast forward a week....Mom has returned to Idaho, Jeff & Abram are out hiking the Conecuh Nat'l Forest and Kim is home alone. I was able to capture these photos from inside the house, through the one window downstairs without a screen. GB was aware of my presence but nothing would deter him from capturing this free meal.

Abram is back from Afghanistan. Jeff and I are relieved and happy. I don't think I realized just how much I was holding my breath until after Abram came home. We had no idea-until very recently-Abram would be making a little side trip to visit us in Ozark, en route to his duty station on Oahu...and while Grandma was visiting us, too...another bonus...more luck...additional blessings on our heads. Thank you, God...and to all the forces in the universe that brought about this lovely reunion. The photo above was snapped by Yvette, while we supped at Rodeo Mexican Restaurant, one of our favorite local spots to dine. A toast...to Abram. "Welcome home, son!"

'tis the Season for giving Thanks

...a blessed long visit with my mutti who is one of the best girl companions this daughter could ever have...receiving news from Tarajean of the upcoming Hawaiian nuptials...Abram's return from Afghanistan after a long deployment...Jeffrey's continued love and support and hearty laugh...Gavin turning 6-months-old... beautiful weather, sunny and dry...lots of new work for Earthshine Giftworks, keeping creative juices flowing...a successful November program for our Master Gardeners...and tomorrow? a road trip to Sarasota to celebrate Thanksgiving with Jessica...the love of family and friends... for all these things I am truly grateful.

Autumn

September was a good month. Packed full of varied activities it passed with a whoosh and a wheeeee! Starting off, I made a road trip to Charlotte, North Carolina (Aug. 31-Sept. 3), to meet dear friend Eileen at our favorite Super 8 Motel. I gleaned a bunch of inspiration and enjoyed catching up with this long-time sympatico buddy of mine. Preparing for the first Master Gardener meeting (17th) of the new season occupied quite a bit of time; the attention to detail paid off in a major way. Abram turned 21 years old (20th)... in a country far, far away. Jeff and I drove to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to introduce Jeff to his grandson, Gavin Lee...and we celebrated Jeff's birthday (24th) with Tarajean and the beautiful little GDub at the Cheesecake Factory. The Master Gardeners participated in a work day at the library (19th), my sister Jessica celebrated her 50th birthday..and I devoted additional time getting ready for our CMG booth at the Claybank Jamboree (October 3). Mixed in with all these events, Earthshine Giftworks kept me hopping! Is it any wonder I neglected to keep up with my blog postings? September was a good month.

Ladybug

This little gal is only one small element in a larger card design I worked on yesterday. She was an afterthought...because I needed something with a bit more color. My ladybug is not anatomically correct....but that's the cool thing about being an artist; I can make this bug any color and in any shape I feel like. She's perfect just the way she is.

I miss these guys!

Morning chores

It's another gorgeous morning in southeastern Alabama...and it was rise and shine at 6:00 a.m. today! After my first cup of coffee I took out the compost...and then dug a new hole to bury the fallen spoiled pears I picked up yesterday. Delighted to find some earthworms, I'm excited that the little guys will be in place to help break down the pear fruit.

Yesterday I laid out my very first "official" Alabama lasagna bed. I tried this method in Kentucky and had good succes with it. I've been reading this gardening book and it's got me excited to make some new gardening beds... and also motivating me to rake lots more yard debris this fall. A girl can never have too many piles of leaves, straw, newspapers, and clumps of sod! I may even try it out this fall with some cool weather vegetable seedlings. I didn't have much luck with my broccoli and cauliflower two years ago...but this new bed gets more sun...so maybe that's the key?

Amazon Marketplace is so cool! I just received my gently used copy of Kaufman's Field Guide to Butterflies of North America... and not a moment too soon. While picking up the icky half-eaten and bruised pears for composting, I noticed two beautiful butterflies flitting around the spoiled fruit. They looked similar to the female Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (black with blue and orange spots). But not quite. So I took photos and then started looking for identification in my new field guide. Found it! They're Red-Spotted Purples...and are in the Admiral family. When I read about their habits...there it was! They're spoiled fruit eaters! So gratifying to know that the pears that do not make it to my stove top for freezing are being composted to attract worms and food for Red-Spotted Purples.

DIY Laudry Soap

Folks might ask the question "why?" I'd respond with "why not?" Making something from scratch has always held a mysterious allure for me. Maybe it's because I never had to make everything from scratch and if I'd lived a century ago, I might not be so enthralled with the notion today. Making this laundry soap was easy! The internet is overflowing with search hits on the subject...and many fine bloggers have gone before me with posts and Youtube videos to help newbies like me.

I did a quick cost analysis when I made my last batch (this recipe makes 32 cups of detergent=64 loads of laundry)...and each batch cost me around 77 cents. No, this is not a typo; I meant 77 cents for the entire batch of 32 cups of laundry detergent! I purchased my ingredients at our commissary and it may cost a bit more on the regular economy. Seventy-seven cents per batch comes out to approx .0123 cents per load of wash.

I'm typing the basic recipe here. If you have questions about "how to" you can do a Google search and find numerous recipes and videos to watch. This is just one recipe and it works for me!

Laundry Soap Recipe

1 bar *Ivory soap (finely grated)
*or Fels Naptha...but I was unable to find this brand of bar soap anywhere in our local area
6 cups hot water from the tap

Stir together in old pot, now used exclusively for making laundry soap, over medium-high heat.

Stir periodically until grated soap is completely dissolved.

Add 3/4 c. Washing Soda (not the same as Baking Soda)
and 3/4 c. Borax

Stir until dissolved and remove from heat.

In a large plastic bucket, pour 4 c. very hot tap water. Add your dissolved soap mixture to the bucket and stir well. At this point you can add 1 teaspoon of essential oil for fragrance (optional). I use lemon fragrance; a lovely fresh scent!

Add an additional 1 1/2 gallons of water and stir well.

Recycle an old laundry detergent container and using a funnel, ladle your detergent into the container. Your laundry detergent will thicken and turn into a jello-like substance. Just shake container to liquefy again.

You can see the containers I have used in the above photo -- a large plastic container that I can scoop my measuring cup in and out of from the top...and Coffeemate liquid creamer bottles--recycled.
Use 1/2 cup per load of laundry.

I'd like to give a yell of thanks and appreciation to all the folks who post terrific DIY projects on line--in blogs and YouTube videos. You pave the way for those of us who have the inclination to give it a try at home.

Crazy Girl and Stubby

I had to break the spell! What's up with this no blog writing in over a month? I kept looking at that last entry and saying "I'll update it soon....." And then another day goes by, I think of it a couple days later...and still the photo of me in the pool at Tarajean's and Paul's is staring at me with this look of reprimand and disappointment. OKAY! So, I'm posting this little photo of the cats....to break the spell. I think it's working...I feel another blog coming on...

Heading eastward tomorrow

It's been such a great visit! Thanks to Tarajean, Paul and Gavin....I've been made to feel welcome and comfy in Tulsa, Oklahoma! Every time I visit this city, I like it more and more. And now that I have a grandson here? Well, naturally, it's a great place to be. I have lots of fun photos and will post some when I return to Ozark. I plan on stopping in Delaware, Arkansas, on my return trip to hang out with cousin Jon and Linda; will stay the night with them before finishing the longer leg of my journey home to Jeff. Hope everyone had a lovely summer solstice and have found good ways to beat the heat! Until we meet again...stay safe, be well!

Tulsa, Oklahoma, Summer 2009

Gavin and Babka