Busy Busy

Put together all of the right elements

My computer has been feeling a little neglected this week because I've been busy filling orders for bracelets. My sister-in-law has been a great salesperson for me. She is a hair dresser and has been selling them to her clients. I think she has sold nine of them. Hallelujah! Making two or three a day is about my limit but I'll keep making them as long as people want them. It's nice to have things moving along at a faster pace.

I would not make a very good hand model.

After the Feast

Well, everything is back to routine here. The company and our kids are gone home and it is quiet again. Here is a photo of the height of the feeding frenzy at our house on Thursday. Everyone brought food so I didn't have to cook a lot, but I did do two turkeys which were totally devoured. (Not by myself, I don't eat meat but I still have to cook it for my family) I think I overdosed on sweet potatoes. My aunts make the best, with lots of brown sugar, butter, and pecans on top. Now it is time for more healthy food. Here is a recipe for a broccoli salad that I came up with.

This is the view of our yard that I've seen for the past two mornings. Our neighbors cows have discovered that our grass is really greener than theirs and now they are determined that they should live over here. He keeps putting them back and they find a way out. They aren't hurting anything and it is good to see them enjoying themselves and having their own feast. I have another story to share about these cows when I get pictures from our brother-in-law of the wedding that we had here in September.

I've spent a lazy morning napping, drinking tea, and looking at thought provoking websites. What bliss! Here is a fun site: Keri Smith's Wish Jar.
Check out her blog. It will keep you entertained for a long while. I'm working my way through her archives. It's addictive.

Happy Thanksgiving

View from our road, about a mile away.

I hope that all of you have a very blessed Thanksgiving and that you get to spend it with family and friends. That is what we will be doing tomorrow. There will be anywhere from 30 to 50 people here at our house. Everyone brings a dish and so there is plenty of variety. I wish that you all could come too. That would make it just perfect.
I just thought I would send a quick greeting before I have to get back to the kitchen... turkey's roasting.

Merrily, Merrily, Merrily

Spirit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22

I was inspired to try to make a piece of jewelry with a message. The piece turned out kind of large and rustic. I'm not one who cares much for flashy jewelry. Please excuse the bad photo. Despite minoring in photography in college, I still take lousy photos...I'll blame it on the camera. I tried to scan it, but that wasn't entirely successful either.
I think I'll wear it to town today and see if anyone likes it. It may be a bit large. Sometimes I'm not sure about some of my creations. Last week, one of my young friends (she's 21) was introducing me to one of her co-workers by saying, "She's so artsy, she can take tacky and make it look good." I think that was a compliment.

Anyway...I can look down at the words and be reminded of the fruit I should bear. Some days I need reminding.

The Fox and the Bobcat

I was lying on the swing on our deck this afternoon, enjoying the beautiful fall sunshine, when I heard a horrible screeching cry. At first I thought that maybe something was attacking a fawn in the woods. It kept crying over and over. The sound was coming from across the road. I ran to that side of the house and I could see two animals in the field. I got our binoculars and ran back. It was the oddest sight. There was a gray fox and a bobcat having a face off in the field. They were pretty near each other. The fox would walk toward the bobcat and screech at it. The bobcat seemed a little confused. It didn't attack. They kept this up for about ten minutes and then the bobcat walked off to the right into the woods, and the fox walked off to the left into the woods. I was wondering if the fox was trying to divert the bobcat from its young. Too bad I didn't have a camera with a telephoto lens. Sometimes it's like living on Animal Planet around here. (This photo is only a digital re-creation.)

Cats and Cows

I just completed a painting of cows on an old window. A friend had given me several of the windows and had asked if I would paint one of them with cows because they live on an farm and raise cattle. They are not my favorite subject matter, but I had fun painting them anyway.

Here is Bella checking out the painting. She has to be in the middle of everything.

Gifts and Favorite Painting

I just wanted to post a picture of the lovely gift that I got from my Australian blog friend Julie. There is a beautiful atc entitled "Patient Woman," a copper and bead bookmark, and a colorful card. Julie does beautiful work, so check out her blog.


Also, another one of my favorite bloggers, Jafabrit, asked on her most recent post, " What is your favorite painting." Mine is a painting that I did in high school when I was about 17. It is of a woman in a tropical setting and my sons always say that it looks like me with gray hair. I tell them that it is prophetic and that I will live in a tropical place when I am old and gray. (I hope!)