and so it goes . . .

Yesterday started out with a bang! Actually a phone call to say my dog had played Houdini and was now at Dale & Candy's house. I had let her out, per her request, and I guess I didn't hear her scratch at the door, so she decided to escape. Now, in the past when she's gotten out of the yard, she will sit on the front porch and wait, nope, not this time. I guess she thought she'd teach me a lesson. Up the hill she went - a full mile no less - and was waiting for Dale to come out. And happy as a lark, tail wagging, butt wagging - real happy.

I get up there and she is happy to see me! Imagine that! Usually she knows she's done something wrong, but nope, not yesterday. Happy, happy dog. A couple of cups of coffee later, we head down the hill accompanied by 2-18 packs of eggs. Now these eggs are pretty fresh right out of the chickens, and have all sorts of "stuff" attached - do I need to go there? Nope, thought not! I have a little over a dozen at home . . . and figure that all I can do is cook them up for easy snacks. There is no other way to get rid of that many eggs as fast.

As I was cleaning the new eggs, I ran across a little, itty, bitty egg. Not much larger than a quarter. Can you believe this? That is actually a quarter lying there, and the other egg is a duck egg about 5 times as big. When I was taking it out to clean it off, it slipped out of my fingers and cracked.

I decided to fry it up along with another, small to regular chicken egg, and enjoy it. Here is a picture of the egg in the pan with the 'normal' egg. It literally was bite size. It looks like all yolk, but there was only a tiny, itty, bitty one - about 12 o'clock. I was a bit skeptical about an egg that size tasting ok, but it was fine. What. there. was. of. it! The rest of the 2nd 18 pack had eggs in it that are about 2 inches long. I will cook them up this week too and make an egg salad for us to enjoy. It will probably take a dozen eggs for us each to have a sandwich!

We are so use to duck eggs, that to have this tiny little thing is a total novelty! I'm just in awe that one of Dale's chickens laid that tiny speck. There was another one, not as small, but very elongated . . .

Lets hope that by tomorrow night that we can visualize a moose head hanging in the Vice President's house!!!!

Time change

Ok, we changed the clocks back an hour - we are now back to standard time. I'm up a whole 'hour early' (by the clock) but the body says "yup, time to get up!" It is still as gloomy as it was yesterday at this time, but no matter, I feel that I've gotten out of bed an hour earlier. Some accomplishment! This is the time I try to get up every day - big deal.

We used the wood stove again last night; it was cold and rainy outside, and the gas furnace can and does cost lots of money when let run all day and night. With the new heat reclaimer it takes a lot less wood to get the heat going. The reclaimer has a thermocoupler in it that turns the fan on and off at certain degrees. WOW does it circulate the heat fast! Very nice, and we won't be using as much wood as we have in past years, even though we have enough stock piled. The way my house is layed out, the heat is blown both into the kitchen and down the hallway to my bedroom. The heat in the kitchen I can take, but I don't like to sleep in a warm room. I may have to try closing the bedroom door to see if I can keep it cool, but when it's time for bed - the door has to be open. I cannot sleep in a small room with the door closed! I need to hear what goes on in the rest of the house during the night. I also need to hear the animals.

I've been working on some beaded Christmas ornaments. This picture is hard to see as I did red beads on a red ball. It is not one of the gifts that will be given. It was improvised and is a bit 'wonky' , but it gives you an idea what I've been up to. It is also only 2 1/4" across; the ones I'm doing for gifts are almost 3". I need 7 ornaments by Christmas and only one is a small ball. I have spoiled a few people, and now they know (hope) they are getting a new beaded ornament. I enjoy making these and I've learned to count very, very well. Each loop on a row has to have the same amount of beads, but I've gotten to where I can carry on a bit of conversation even while counting.

These are not the only kind of gifts I'm giving this year, but since some are going out of state, I thought I'd better get started. The out of state gifts need to be done first. The ones closer to home can wait their turn. As long as I don't push it like I did 2 years ago! Yup, finishing up 1/2 hour before leaving the house! There will always be last minute gifts, but hopefully I'm more on top of it this year . . . I can always hope . . .

I will take pictures of everything I make, but I won't post them until after Christmas - I don't know how many people I know read my blog, so I'd hate to spoil the fun for them.

I will leave you with a clock change thought:

Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late!

time sure flies

I didn't realize that it's been a week since I last posted, but I guess with all the "I should post" thoughts and never doing it does make time fly.

I've been all over the internet looking for different things for my web site, my blog and my Etsy Shop. Did I find anything? Yeah I did, but not as much as I wanted to. Or maybe in some regards more than I needed, but not what I wanted!

I've been away from my site for a while - the builder was giving me fits and I just didn't want to deal with it for a while. Not good, I have to work on it to make it viable. This weekend I will be working on Christmas gifts so I can get some of those out of the way, but I will be back to the web site on Monday. If I have to grit my teeth and do it over, I will. Won't like it, but will do it!

It's hard to believe that tomorrow is Halloween. I do not like the commercialized version of Halloween, I belong to the old pagan beliefs that it is a time of remembrance of those who have gone before, and that on this night the veil is thinnest between here and there. I know, I know - I'm nuts. That's OK.

And the politics - Oh brother! I'm glad that the vote is close, I'm so sick and tired of the candidates picking apart each other instead of focusing on the issues. It has become 18 months of mud slinging. I remember when the candidates could not even mention any thing bad about the opponent! Somewhere in the 1960's, I think. Maybe the current candidates could explain HOW they are going to fix our economy instead of just making empty promises that they can't keep anyway. OK, I'm done.

We are waiting for a bunch of fronts to bring in 2-3 storms during the next 5 days or so. I've left my Jeep out of the carport so it can get 'washed' off a bit. It is suppose to be a greenish-blue/bluish-teal or something like that, but it has changed to a very muddy blue (I think!) I still need to clean the windows - it is harder to see out than into it. I have a dog with a very wet, nosy nose! She has to sniff everything at least 3-4 times to make sure it is OK to be there - including the windows.

I need to caulk the front threshold so the water won't get into the wood underneath, but the caulk gun didn't want to cooperate with me so I'm borrowing one from Dale. Hopefully it will get here before it's totally dark. I also need to get the camper off-loaded from the truck, but we need to fix the stands with new 2 x 6" boards so we can steady it better than in past years. That probably won't happen until next weekend if it is going to rain for a while. Then I need to find (I think I know where it is) the tarp that goes over the camper.

I think I'll quit posting now - I'm getting grumpy and gloomy . . . I'm just not feeling real well at the moment.

Happy Halloween to you all.

is there someting in my water?

Things are stumbling along pretty much the same as the last post. I've tried working on my website today but there seems to be 'something' going on over at the builder. It is moving sooo slow that I almost forgot what I wanted to do to some of the pages. You hit the 'save' button for the page and I could literally go to the bathroom while it was saving! Talk about frustrated! I. gave. up.

I'm also trying to take pictures of my crafts for posting on my Etsy store (not open yet). This house is sooo dark that the only place I found that was light enough was, again, the bathroom! I have tried different rooms, different set ups, different lamps and lights - NOTHING worked. The bathroom works . . . go figure! At least after a week of taking bad pictures, I've finally figured it out, but the bathroom?

I have at least a half dozen items to post and I've had trouble getting my thoughts together to make anything else since I was having such a hard time getting pictures of them. Now I should be able to get going. My problem now (I know me) will be what to make next! There are tons of ideas rumbling around my head, and tons of supplies just waiting to be made into something - this will be interesting.

I've also been trying to clean up the front porch/entry so I can get to the wood box. It is a nice big box with a nice big flat lid on it, so it gets piled with stuff during the summer. Yeah, now where to put all the stuff. I've been going through it slowly to make sure that the things I want to keep aren't thrown out. Then there is the stuff I sort of want to keep, but really will never use - I hate throwing out things that can be used, but I need to just get rid of the stuff! Maybe I'll save the best stuff and give it to my girlfriend Candy! Just what she needs - my old cast off stuff! LOL I should probably get rid of a lot more than I am, but I NEEEEED that stuff . . . .

I have a box on the porch for Dale full of old broken metal stuff. He is into welding lawn ornaments. During the summer whenever we go yard/garage sale-ing we look for broken tools, rakes, shovels, etc. Dale makes these into animals, birds or whatever strikes his fancy. I have a bird that he made last year, and I just love it! Each item he makes is one-of-a-kind. This year he will be able to work a bit more since he put a wood stove in his shop, last year every thing had to be made before it got too cold!

Tomorrow will be a busy day - I have a lunch date with a friend, I need to return the stove pipe from the last post, and I have to go grocery shopping (I hate grocery shopping). By the time I get home I will be thoroughly exhausted, but I haven't been into town for over a week, so we need a lot of basics like milk and bread.

Since the bathroom has played a big role in my day, I will leave you with this:

Use empty toilet paper rolls to store appliance cords. It keeps them neat and you can write on the roll what appliance it belongs to.

busy, busy, busy

Yesterday I went to town and picked up a reducer and some stove pipe for our wood stove. We had bought a new heat reclaimer since the fan in the old one died a couple of (3-4yrs.) ago. Now, a friend -Dale- and I have to get it installed.

Read the rest real slow and one sentence at a time! Otherwise you will think I'm nuts and not making any sense at all . . . but I really am. Picture two people almost dancing around a wood stove - not for fun, but frustration in not knowing where to place ourselves to get the best 'grip' on smooth stove pipe! Aarrgghh!!!!!!!!

Hmmm, well yes, we do! It was very easy to tear the old one out . . . but we had evidently forgotten that when we pulled the old one out, to see how to get the new one in, getting it back together was a royal pain! It is impossible to put stuff together that measures EXACTLY the same when one is suppose to go inside the other! The stove outlet is 6" o.d (outside diameter) the reducer is 6" o.d., hmmm - what is wrong with this picture you ask? the two don't want to slip nicely together..... Dale made a collar that would slip outside on the stove and outside on the reducer . . HEY it works! Then the reclaimer slips inside the reducer. OK that worked!

Now for the stove pipe itself . . . I wanted 2 - 4 foot pieces. The store doesn't carry that so I got 4 - 2 foot pieces. So far so good. AGAIN - the stove pipe measures 8" o.d. - the top of the reclaimer measures 8" o.d. and to further complicate matters, the chimney pipe is just shy of 8" i.d. (inside diameter) Doesn't work! We have to go back and use the old stove pipe that will slip inside the chimney. Fine! We had to turn one of the sections around so that the crimped end will go inside the reclaimer. Now the other end of that section won't fit into the section that goes up the chimney. Can you read FRUSTRATION? We MAKE it fit! In the mean time, I'm on a kitchen step stool holding a 30 pound reclaimer up above my shoulders - can we say arms hurt?

Then we have to move the stove in exact alignment underneath the reclaimer/stove pipe . . .wood stoves are not featherweight items! Dale is holding the reclaimer/stove pipe, is wife and I are moving the stove around to get it right. RIGHT ! ! ! It took some time, but we got it!

Finally we get it all together with some screws in the holes to keep the smoke from filling the house. Looks like some sort of spaceship, but I don't care! There is nothing that will make me take that thing apart EVER again! And when/if it ever needs to be replaced - I will let the pros do it! Saving money and loosing your sanity is not worth it. Take my word for it!

Besides, now I have to take the 4 - 2 foot sections back to the store . . . if they don't ask, I won't tell much about the frustration, just that the sections wouldn't work.

. . . and then there is today:

After we got home from our 8-day camping/hunting trip I was absolutely beat! I emptied the camper of food and clothes, but did not dump the poo poo tank. Lazy me. I did it today - I HATE that job, but some body has to do it. It needs to be dumped after every trip. Period. No two ways about it. I have looked at the camper for over a week now thinking about it every day. I did it today. Uugghh!!!!! We still need to blow out the water lines so there is no water to freeze. After that, it needs to air dry inside the tank, so the little hose bib size opening cover needs to be left loose . . . don't leave it off or you will have 'things' nesting in the opening . . . like mud daubers (bad news!) The lines will be blown out with an air compressor later today or tomorrow. Tomorrow I will go clean the mess I left inside the camper toilet room because I used the same gloves (very sooty gloves) I wore yesterday.

If I survive this weekend I might be able to craft next week. Oooooo, what I wouldn't give for a nice craft room . . . another story at a later date . . .

Thanks for letting me vent today, I really, really needed it!

The 50-50-90 rule:
Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it wrong!

Have a great weekend. (((hugs)))

relax? who me? I've got work to do . . .

I've been working hard at getting the website put together, but it seems the harder I work on it the more there is to do! I'm not complaining because I need this to work for me, but the more I do, the more I learn that I don't know much! Hmmm! I've always done my own kind of beading, but even I need to learn how to do it correctly.

I asked my daughter "Gee hon, don't you need some craft or beading supplies?" Sure, she said, but I can't figure out how to buy from your site. Well, let me tell you - if she can't figure out how to purchase from my site then I KNEW no one else could. That set my teeth on edge and I've been furiously trying to get it together ever since. I need to have her look at my site again . . . and to see if she can figure out how to buy something now that I've made some changes!

The site is all about Beading for Beginners. There is lots of information about starting beading, there will be TONS of information as time goes by! There are links to buy supplies, tools, beads, etc., etc. There will be recommendations, patterns and ideas for projects. I have a huge list of beading societies from across the country and world wide, but if you know of a group that would like to be represented, please email me and I will add the group to the list. Also, if you see, or know of an error that I've made, again, please let me know and it will be corrected.

I take a break once in a while to get a bite to eat, but most of the day is spent doing a bit of research on the various aspects of beading, writing about beading and fixing the links so my visitors can get more information and supplies. I have to watch myself so that I don't get ridiculous with the research - like a major overload of information! I've done it before and all I want to do is cry and whine about how much info there is out there, and that I will never know it all. Well, it is my goal to have a very informative web site with all the 'stuff' that is needed to know what you're doing, and to teach you how to grow and develop your beading.

I just re-read everything, changed some, and figured out that I want the world at my feet... Really tall order for a new website, huh? Just smile, nod and tell me I can do it and I will love you forever!

I think I'll take a break now and catch my breath, and leave you with a crafting thought:

Creative clutter is better than idle neatness.

Back home . . .

Oh it is sooo good to be home again! We got home early Friday afternoon and I've been trying to catch up on unloading the camper, putting the food away, laundry but general cleanup of the camper will have to wait a few days until it warms up.

We did end up setting up camp in a light drizzle, but got the canopy up real fast since we could see a storm coming our way! Boy am I glad we hustled - it was a long steady COLD rain. Yup, it lasted 3 days . . . There were times when it seemed like it was just a sheet of rain running off the canopy, but at least we had a dry space outside. I don't think the temperature during our trip got above 45 degrees. Then on Thursday we had some freezing rain, turned to a bit of hail and by nightfall it was snowing! We woke up on Friday to 2 inches of snow on the ground and 22 degrees at 8 am.

I always thought I'd like to do some winter camping, but this was enough for me. Also, the camper is not a 4 season camper! The heater is the forced air style and runs a battery down in 24-36 hours, so I had the stove top on with an 8" clay pot upside down on top of that and it kept it comfy - not warm, mind you, but comfy compared to outside. The heat was from the counter top up and I slept warmly since the bed is in the cabover section. It was a pain though to get into and out of my coat - it's not like there is room inside to swing things around, but you slowly slide into jackets and coats. . . slowly so not to catch anything on the counter or the table.

Don't get me wrong, I always love to camp, but this year was a bit cold. All the deer had left for lower altitudes, but we had a lot of fun.

The scenery was gorgeous! Tall pines and firs, small open meadows and sun spots on the ground that we all ran for when we spotted them. Even though the temperature was low, the sun felt warm on our hands and faces - the rest was covered up!

I'm also still trying to catch up with all my blog reading, checking & answering emails (489!) and posting, so if I haven't answered you yet, hang in there! I appreciate all comments and emails, so please don't despair, I will be there soon.

I leave you with this:
My "to do" list is so long, I will never die!

and we're off . . .

We are off for deer camp tomorrow! I'm just about loaded (the camper, silly!) and ready to go! I'm very excited and a bit melancholy at the same time . . . deer camp is always fun, but it is the last outing of the year. We will be gone until October 10 or 11 and then it will be time to put up the camper for the winter . . .

It is not a very big camper, about 8 1/2 feet long, but it is stuffed full to the rafters! The weather is very changeable this time of year so I need to have clothing for layering, extra if we get wet, and of course several coats and shoes. Here in Southern Oregon we are suppose to have rain tomorrow - oh goodie, setting up camp in the rain is always fun! Hopefully it will wait until after we have gotten ourselves situated, but our luck is usually - do it in the rain! What ever we have to do we will do . . .

It's getting close to feeding time, so I'd better get going - it will be my last "real kitchen" cooked meal for a while - don't get me wrong, we eat real well at camp, it's just that it's not the same as the "home" kitchen.

See you on the 11th or 12th!

Animals ! ? ! ? !

I have 2 cats and a dog. The cats can't stand each other; the dog loves and chases them both. These cats, Maggie & Joey, are always attacking and spitting at each other, but last night I went into the bedroom, and there they both were - curled up on the bed! Not close, mind you, but both on the bed sound asleep. As soon as Joey would think of moving, Maggie will hiss & spit and dive under the bed or dresser. He does not care - he will leisurely jump off the bed right in front of her, sit and stare at her as she creeps deeper under her shelter. He really can be a sh*t!

The dog, SueAnn, is happy no matter which cat she is chasing. Not to harm, but to play. Well, cats chose the time to play, not the dog! SueAnn is getting a bit cold now that the weather is changing despite having a blanket on the floor. I have come around the corner into the living room, and there she is, pretty as you please UP ON THE COUCH! She is not allowed on the furniture, but must think that the rule doesn't apply when I'm not looking. She gives me those really, really sad puppy dog eyes and tries not to move - maybe I won't see her . . . yup, quite obvious when I want to sit - hmmm, what is that lump? She just slithers off the edge when I tell her to get down, and slinks into the bedroom where her nice furry bed is. Until I get up off the couch . . . she watches me . . . then she will slink back on the couch. There's just no reasoning with her! I guess cold is cold.

Joey is a prolific hunter but thank goodness he's given up bringing me his prize - I throw it out - now he just eats it. He's good at catching squirrels, voles and birds. He growls at me when I try to get it away...... he does have a bowl of food in the house (he and Maggie won't share), and the door is usually cracked what we call "kitty width". That way they can still come and go. That will stop soon, it is getting too darn cold to have the door open except for a few hours mid afternoon. Then he'll be able to chow down without my seeing him. Joey will then resort to his antics to get us to let him in - he jumps up on the screen in the living room window! And he will keep doing it until we let him in. Talk about "in your face"! The only time he doesn't do it is if the house is dark - then he goes to my bedroom window and plunks at my screen! At 2 in the morning - I have to let him in, he won't stop otherwise.

Maggie on the other hand is (suppose to be) a little lady. Except when she's hissing and spitting at Joey! She has a very soft meow, but she walks like a trucker! (sorry guys!) It feels like a tidal wave when she walks across the top of my pillow, uhh, excuse me - runs across my pillow. She also kneads like she's baking three years worth of bread! I have to knock her down to get her to quit, and that is no guarantee either.

Just took a look in the kitchen - Joey is eating the dog food. He has food in his dish, he just needed a snack of a different color I guess . . . Maggie won't eat the dog food, but she will snag a piece and chase it across the kitchen until it goes under the stove or fridge! I wonder if there is enough under the appliances to feed the dog for a while - there should be!

Maggie is also a lover of the milk cap rings . . . she will toss and chase them around the kitchen where they slide on the floor. They too disappear under the appliances . . . I wonder how many of those are under there . . . ? I know last time I cleaned under the fridge, I found 9 - and that was quite a while ago. I'd rather give her the cap rings than rubber bands, but they can hurt when stepped on!

Don't get me wrong, all the animals have toys, but I guess they aren't as fun since they were bought specifically for them - they'd rather have the weird stuff! Like kids - they like the box the toy came in better than the toy!

I'm going to leave you with warm fuzzy, animal feelings.

I'm trying to be the person my dog thinks I am.

Seasons are turning

Yesterday, as I took a short walk around the yard, I noticed that the breeze of earlier in the day had gotten stronger. I had noticed the small clusters of dead pine needles on the trees for days, but now they were flying through the air and as they got thicker on the lawn I noticed that I was now minus a "front lawn" but had a "front porcupine" instead. The needles looked like they were sprouting out of the ground in little brown clumps. Just a simple reminder that the summer is fast coming to a close.

There is still our annual deer camp to go to - hmmm, 10-12 days in the woods. The temperature will change a lot during that time - the days will be cooler and the nights will get to be downright cold!

After camp, it will be time to buckle down and get the holiday crafting and baking started. I keep looking at the calendar, but it is not growing longer, it's moving along at it's happy speed towards the days when we meet with family and friends and celebrate the things we are thankful for and gathering for the brightness that is Christmas.

I have a ton of things that I want to get done before it's too late - getting my website up and worth something (a gift to myself), gifts to be thought of and made, winterizing the house for the cold days, and a dozen other things.

I'm currently knitting a hat for myself just K2, P2 ribbing all the way. I already finished the fingerless gloves and a short scarf, all out of the same yarn. I never was a matchy-matchy type person, but I have sooo much of this yarn that I just kept going . . . what's next? socks? could be! I think that the worsted weight yarn might just be too thick if I want to wear my regular shoes with them. They might be nice with my slippers . . . hmmm, yes, that would work, or I could find some sock yarn. I've thought of making the kind that goes all the way over the knee since that's a part that always seems cold . . . could be useful.

I also need to bead some ornaments for some friends that I have spoiled in past years. I've put them on a "new ornament a year" type schedule, so I also need to get that done. Three of them at least, and maybe four - starting someone new on that. In a way it makes gifting easier since I know what I'm giving them, but finding a pattern or design is another story. In the past, I have just made up the design as I went, and I may continue to do that, but this year I need to WRITE DOWN the instructions in case I want to do it again.

Then there is the sewing I want to do so I can sell online (Etsy) . . . I hope this will come about SOON so I can make holiday things that I just love but just don't fit my house. I want to share with the world, only keep pictures for myself. Big plans, lets see if I can get it together.... maybe by posting about it here, I WILL get off my butt and do it. (ya think?) Procrastination should have been my middle name!

The sun is shining, it's 72 degrees, there is a slight breeze, and I'm going outside!

I leave you with this (mostly for myself!):

What you don't start today will never be finished tomorrow. Goethe