This and That

So, what have I been doing? Well, I have stayed busy doing this and that....Our Grandson Isaac has been in OHSU in Portland for surgery on his bowel. What a tough little guy he is, and I am happy to say he is doing well. I talked to him this morning and he was having high hopes for Jello....I hope he realized his wish today. As soon as all is working well he will be able to go home. Keep him in your prayers. We also babysat our step-dog Joey for a few days, he really is a lot of company. We (Joey and I) had our walk on the beach which we both enjoy. Its kind of fun having company on my beach walk once in awhile. I took lots of pictures of the different patterns in the sand that the water makes..they are all so beautiful. And of course, I am busy beading for Christmas....scarey how quickly that comes around. Jack will be heading to Anchorage next weekend for training on the new Dialysis machine. He is not looking forward to switching, since all has been going so well with this one. Seems like they have to keep stirring the waters all the time. So, tomorrow my friend Karen V. is coming down to visit from Sterling. They have sold their beautiful home and are moving back to Washington state. Sandy and I went up and spent the day with Karen and helped her sort through all her bead stash, she will keep some and sell some. We had a great day, who could have a bad day sorting beads? I will miss her even though we only got to visit once in awhile, she always makes me laugh. Our friendship started when she took a bead class from me, and kept showing up at my door every time she came over on the ferry. What fun!

Summer?????????????

Summer...what happened to it? This has been the coldest summer on record, did I already say that? Rain and wind, a nice day, then three or four more days of cool, windy and rainy weather. Its really weighing me down lately. I have been doing some beading and some painting, and a lot of wimping around. I really need another bright and sunny day, PLEASE!!!!! Now they have ads on TV for back-to-school....ENOUGH ALREADY!!!! Went to coffee with "The Girls" today, thought that would help..not so much. My mind just flits from one thing to the next, never really settling anywhere. The wind almost wiped out my tiny garden, broke my pole beans down and they were just starting to bloom. I really have nothing positive to say so I will just shut up. Maybe tomorrow...... (Necklace and earrings SOLD)
 

Beading for a Cause

What a beautiful day we have had today FINALLY!! I sure hope the sunshine sticks around for a few days. This has been the coldest July on record..did I say that already? Well, it bears repeating!! I have been working on two Barrettes that I am sending down to my Cousin for her fundraiser. They are in the process of adopting two children from a horrible childrens home in Bulgaria. The children in that orphanage live their whole lives in a CRIB....can you imagine? What chance do they have if they are not adopted. Sharon and Dan have one child of their own and 6 adopted children. All but one of the adopted children have been special needs children.And I believe that most of them were placed with them temporarily until a home could be found, and as it turned out...they found a home with them. They have done some amazing things with those kids. Just the amount of love that they give them is something some children never have, from their natural parents or others. I hope my small contribution will help at least a little. So many children need loving homes, I wish we weren't too old to do that.

Squirrels in the Attic or maybe Bats in MY Belfry.

Well, it has been a crazy day today for sure. Actually it started yesterday morning when a squirrel fell down inside the vent on the range hood. What a racket! Well, Jack took the hood apart and tried to get the squirrel out, he almost got him, but he managed to get back up inside where we couldn't see him. This was going on while I was out to the Birthday lunch. Anyway, Jack went in the bathroom to get a mirror so he could look up inside the vent, that didn't prove out, because it was about then that I came home and he was patiently waiting for a sign that the squirrel was still there. We both looked up inside with the mirror but could not see anything at all and didn't hear anything either. So Jack put the hood back together again and we went on with the day.
We both heard noise's later that evening but decided that the squirrel was in the garage rattling around and gave up the chase for the night. What we didn't know was that the squirrel had slipped out of the vent when Jack went for the mirror and found a hiding place in the house. Today, Jack had things to do away from home and I decided to work on the beaded cuff for Rowan who works at the Gallery, and whose Birthday is next week. I heard noise's off and on but tried to ignore them. Then I took a break, went back downstairs, had my lunch, headed for the bathroom to wash up when I heard the squirrel chittering like crazy and it was definitley coming from inside the house, as a matter of fact it sounded like it was coming from the bathroom. I tiptoed to the bathroom door and was just about to step inside when I saw the squirrel on top of the light fixture over the sink. He started to jump down and I slammed the door shut, and went for the broom. I have no idea what I was going to do with the broom, but it's such a handy weapon. About then Jack came home, so he went in the bathroom, and ....no squirrel....we thought. I took the broom and poked around under the chest of drawers, and then poked at the ruffle on top of the window curtain..and there he was. I left Jack with the broom, closed the door and went for a laundry bag to capture the little critter. In the meantime, Jack is chasing him all over and finally saw him crawl under the Jacket that he had just taken off, so he grabbed the Jacket up in a ball and took it outside and shook him out. Seems like that should be the end, however, I went back up to my attic workroom and can still hear the squirrel or his relative rattling around under the eves. He comes in through the garage somewhere...its a continuing story it seems. Anyway I finished the beaded cuff and I love it. I used three of my vintage cabs, turquoise, coral, magnasite and of course seedbeads. I really like how it turned out, I hope she does too. I also finished my June BJP piece, with the Sandhill crane as my central character. I love the Cranes and enjoy being around them..at a safe distance of course. Did I mention that I danced with them on the beach..oops, there go the bats again.

Two more finished projects.

Another rainy day here in the Greatland....ugh! Well, I did finish up the Birthday gift I needed for tomorrow. I decided to bead a thin cuff for my friend. She makes beautiful crystal earrings and bracelets, but does not do any bead embroidery. She is one who has everything, so a handbeaded gift was the only way to go. I also finished up Agnus's dance feather, so hooray for me. I used fox fur around the top of the handle. I did not bead the handle because once in the hand you would not see any of the beadwork anyway. Agnus's Birthday is this month sometime, but at present she is across the Inlet at fishcamp so that bought me a little time. My next project is to clean up my bead table.....yeah right!! I wish I had a magic wand to wave and all would be tidy and organized. Ahh wishes!!! I still have to work on my June BJP piece..maybe later, its almost time to fix dinner, so off I go. Just want to add that if you go to Lori Anderson's blog..prettythingsblog.com, she is having a great give-a-way, but hurry it ends Friday the 13th.

More Beadwork

It's been a busy couple of weeks. It is finally getting busy at the Gallery. We were beginning to wonder. We've had a couple of Cruise Ships, and we even had business from a couple of them. The young and middle-aged passengers are more apt to buy artwork then the more mature passengers. Being in the latter category...(more mature)...we have more than we need, so buy less. Unless of course its beads..now that's different.
Went up the road with a friend this week and stopped by Kate Boyan's Gallery. Now THERE is a BEADER!!!!! Besides which she's a great gal. She always inspires me when I view her work. She is truly amazing. Stop by her blog and check her out sometime.
I've been working on a floral/sculptural necklace, but I've run into a roadblock, so I needed to move away from it for awhile. I completed two pairs of earrings using Juanita's pattern, I love how they came out. I also completed a more "ethnic" piece, which I also like....good thing huh? I used Jade, Carnelian and Onyx. Anyway, from one extreme to another. Battling with the swelling in my wrist along the way also. Good old ice packs come in real handy. Oh yes,I used another of Juanita's patterns to complete a pearl necklace and earring set. Very pretty pattern. She has great instructions with her patterns.
Our weather is still up and down, more down than up lately, but the temperature has been staying nice, just rainy. Now to complete my June BJP piece before I fall too far behind. Then I plan on doing more bead embroidery, I have several patterns worked out that have just been sitting on my table ...waiting....

Dancing with the Sandhill Cranes

Today has been an absolutely beautiful day. It was 63 at 5:30 this evening. I had to shed my flannel shirt while I was mowing the grass. I went for a three hour walk on the beach this afternoon and communed with the group of Cranes that were there. There was four pairs together, finding wonderful treats to eat in the sand. I of course had to find a few shells or the day would not have been complete. Beautiful days like this in Alaska are few and far between, yesterday it was wind and rain, but today....heaven!!
We can only hope it will be a glorious tomorrow. My tiny little "garden" is doing well so far, if we actually get any vegetables..well that will be a plus. I have so enjoyed puttering around. I think about the BIG garden we had in Oregon, what a joy when it was time to Harvest. Well, there was that one year when I planted way to many hills of Squash, and Manuel kept saying..you only need one..I believe I planted about ten hills. Sister Janna and I found every recipe we could for Zucchini..Relish, bread, cake, cookies, jelly, baked, fried, steamed, you name it we tried it. And I still had to set a box of them at the end of the driveway with a "Free" sign on it. If I get a mess or two of beans and maybe a squash or two from the tiny garden I will be happy. The only problem with days like today..nothing gets done around the house unless its outside. I can't bring myself to stay inside.
Now, if only our Children and Grandchildren were here to enjoy it with us. Well, I need to go back outside for awhile and enjoy the sunshine.
I made another pair of earrings from the pattern from Juanita, and when I get a moment I will post a photo. This pattern was the same as the other earrings, except the placement of the colors made a beautiful new pattern, I really love her patterns. Now back to the sunshine!