Tantivy

Just a few days ago I bought a $5.00 wreath and glued on some pomegranates  and green apples that had been hanging around the house for years - parts of Christmases past. Dear husband put a long drill bit through an existing hole in the door and... voila!!I think that I could use a larger wreath, but it is hard to tell at the store. One of our projects for when it is a little warmer is to refinish the door.  One each side of the door are our tiny skinny trees from the last several years. Every year they blow down no matter what I put on them to weight them so this year DH screwed them into the porch floor. The lights have given up on us but they are covered with "crystal" snowflakes in various sizes. I love that tin snowman; he has dangly arms that move. There is another tree on the other side of the door, but only one snowman.  In Cleveland, we have M&Ms for every occasion and this one is no different. Although I never saw the first pumpkin spice M...

Do you have little things that you just must have out for Christmas? Here are a few of mine, most small and inexpensive and one a gift.  This  beanie-type guy with a large orange nose and a floppy black hat just pleases me. He is the newest at about five years. I want to hug him but he is a little too small! My sister gave me this snowman years ago. I love the orangey cheeks and the big, big smile. A candle can be placed inside but I think he is really cute just as he is.  What a happy smile on this little mouse with his wonderful huge pink-lined ears. Just looking at him makes me smile, too.  This is a tree ornament but never has been on a tree. He and his buddy the mouse always sit in my kitchen window above the sink, keeping me company . That doubtful look is priceless.  I have special tree ornaments, and other things for the house that may or may not appear on any given Christmas but these guys are always there.  Do you hav...

I know that you have been waiting and here it is! The "Sucker Truck." On the other side is a powerful vacuum and two guys with rakes. As you can see, they do a good job. We rake or blow the leaves to the street and then they come by for them.  Maybe one day I will be able to photograph the "Claw Truck"!  December 18 is my grandson's birthday and this year he wanted a green  red velvet cake. My recipe is a little different from most, having three tablespoons of cocoa and two bottles of food coloring. I wasn't at all sure what color the cake would be. As you can see, it is green - just what he wanted.   Here are the layers just out of the oven, boxed in on top of the counter. It turns out that the counters are the height of Jackson's head. Need I say more? The cake was iced with a cooked frosting that has the consistency of whipped cream but is composed of butter, shortening, flour, sugar, vanilla and milk. The flour and milk are cooked and I for...

This is such a busy time of year and even with my trying to keep things simple there seem to be more things to do than time in which to do them. However, yesterday, DH being at our daughter's house helping s-i-l with a project, I had a long lunch, a cup of coffee that turned into a little family session at my sister's house (we went there from lunch) and a shopping trip and dinner with her. It is so good, after all these years to have sibs all in one place. I have  whined about  mentioned  cold weather before. I don't like being cold, I don't like having to put on a jacket to go outdoors, I don't like winter clothes, etc. On the other hand, there is something wonderful about winter. The tracery of the branches against the silver grey sky is marvelous. That peculiar winter light. Seeing the glow of lights in houses as you go down the street and thinking that people are snug and warm and busy with their lives, hoping that their lives are good.  When we lived...

Are you on it? The famous merry-go-round called life at the end of the year? Every day since Thanksgiving I have thought that I would post to this blog but the days fly by and I haven't written a word. I have done a little(very little) drawing/sketching and haven't been out to the studio at all. Things are slowly getting straightened out in the house - it all seems to take more time than should be necessary. I have been asked to be a nominee for Vestry for a two year term but I think that I will tell them to ask me again next year and see if things seem better.  Meanwhile ...  A sketch in ink. I usually use pencil because I am not sure of my strokes and I love the eraser, but this time I went straight to brush pen and was fairly happy with the result.  TV art.  A stamp that I am carving.  A sketchbook spread. A girl with a very long lower face. She probably thinks she is weird looking but I think she is attractive. I did more work than ...