Saturday, November 20, 2010
That Cat
Here's Shadow the Cat's new furniture. She took a nap in each cat holder as soon as we brought it in! 
World's Fair Expositions
There is a world of history to be savored by researching the world's fairs, such as the 1904 St. Louis fair, and the one in Chicago 1893. Here is a link for a grandmother's story of how she visited the fair in St. Louis when she was six: http://washingtonmo.com/1904/midi/stuartg.htm
When she was six, she was looking into a future of improved lifestyles, enriched by electric appliances and an invention that re-wired peoples' brains: ice cream. My own grandmother spoke often and awestruck of her introduction to it. And she always added, Don't eat too much of it or your rearend will be huge. Which, I found, to be accurate.
We can look backwards 106 years later and realize most of the modern wonders seen at the World's Fair for the first time and taken for granted or taken for entitlements now, aren't really any good for us. And they don't make us happy. And we don't appreciate them. And we're trying to learn to live without them now, so we won't use up all the earth's resources.
There were massive, intricate structures built just for the fair in St. Louis, and had to be torn down afterwards, for the most part. The story with all its details is just captivating.
I began to wonder what things I'm doing now that will be thrown into the dump and laughed at a hundred years from now. Or even sooner!
When she was six, she was looking into a future of improved lifestyles, enriched by electric appliances and an invention that re-wired peoples' brains: ice cream. My own grandmother spoke often and awestruck of her introduction to it. And she always added, Don't eat too much of it or your rearend will be huge. Which, I found, to be accurate.
We can look backwards 106 years later and realize most of the modern wonders seen at the World's Fair for the first time and taken for granted or taken for entitlements now, aren't really any good for us. And they don't make us happy. And we don't appreciate them. And we're trying to learn to live without them now, so we won't use up all the earth's resources.
There were massive, intricate structures built just for the fair in St. Louis, and had to be torn down afterwards, for the most part. The story with all its details is just captivating.
I began to wonder what things I'm doing now that will be thrown into the dump and laughed at a hundred years from now. Or even sooner!
Monday, October 11, 2010
What a Ripoff!
Did I mention the gullible woman I am, believing someone who says they want to meet me for lunch? I thought we were actually going to eat a meal together! Instead, we paid an exhorbitant amount of money to sit in a gussied up room and eat a couple of tacos across the table from one another - I talked to the grandkid, and the current male in my life pretended to be involved with our conversation while his eyes flicked constantly to the ceiling-mounted TV tuned to a football game.
"Current male," because we've only been together 33 years. Nothing is set in concrete yet.
"Current male," because we've only been together 33 years. Nothing is set in concrete yet.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Meanwhile, Moving On
Daily decisions and less frequent interruptions. Ability to focus increases and able to get rid of the sensation of being scattered and out of control. Decisions about nutrition, scheduling, what's necessary, what would be a diversion. Record-keeping includes photos. Photo opps awareness is always in the back of my mind.
There's a red lily by the fence attracting a hummingbird. There's a bright red cardinal trying to hide on a branch. There's a black and orange butterfly teasing the cat on the back deck. There's a yellow school bus bringing a little boy home across the street. There's the mail-lady smiling with a package at the front door. There's a girl in the toy aisle smiling at her new doll. There's the clerk at my favorite grocery store making sure I don't forget any coupons. There's the bag-person loading the groceries into my car and wedging the flowers in upright. The neighbor waving from his garden gladiolas. The full moon lighting up the landscape last night was just gorgeous.
There's a red lily by the fence attracting a hummingbird. There's a bright red cardinal trying to hide on a branch. There's a black and orange butterfly teasing the cat on the back deck. There's a yellow school bus bringing a little boy home across the street. There's the mail-lady smiling with a package at the front door. There's a girl in the toy aisle smiling at her new doll. There's the clerk at my favorite grocery store making sure I don't forget any coupons. There's the bag-person loading the groceries into my car and wedging the flowers in upright. The neighbor waving from his garden gladiolas. The full moon lighting up the landscape last night was just gorgeous.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Rockin' Helen
Helen, Georgia - a great little faux Swiss village in the hills of north Georgia! When I worked and lived there for a summer in 1976, the scenic beer garden, Octoberfest, shops and a few restaurants were the main attractions. Yesterday with grandkid the waterpark, monster truck ride, go carts and river tubing revealed the Panama City Florida side of this fun resort. OH BOY it was exciting and colorful! After working hard having fun all day, this morning at 10:44 she is still sleeping it off. No wonder - she ran up the stairs on the big slides about 20 times, carrying a raft to rocket down in 2 seconds.
We stopped at a terrific toy store called Jolly's. Jolly makes lots of toys herself, and also stocks MILLIONS of cool toys and games and beautiful leather necklaces and on and on. We couldn't see everything in one visit but we will definitely be back. There was a musical marble tree made of wood. Drop one or more marbles at the top, and as they trickle down the wooden leaves you hear all the different musical tones.
Taking our own food saved a lot of time but there were lots of places to eat that looked interesting. My favorite would be one of the few that are right on the river, and have plenty of shade. The sunny temps were in the 90s, good for swimming but pretty sweaty for us non-swimmers.
The surrounding green hills top off the whole experience with an enchanted feeling - you just don't want to go home.
We stopped at a terrific toy store called Jolly's. Jolly makes lots of toys herself, and also stocks MILLIONS of cool toys and games and beautiful leather necklaces and on and on. We couldn't see everything in one visit but we will definitely be back. There was a musical marble tree made of wood. Drop one or more marbles at the top, and as they trickle down the wooden leaves you hear all the different musical tones.
Taking our own food saved a lot of time but there were lots of places to eat that looked interesting. My favorite would be one of the few that are right on the river, and have plenty of shade. The sunny temps were in the 90s, good for swimming but pretty sweaty for us non-swimmers.
The surrounding green hills top off the whole experience with an enchanted feeling - you just don't want to go home.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Color of Sterling and Aquamarine
Rough-cut
aqua-marine stones combined with little aqua-marine rounds and Thai silver accents. I tried to get a feeling of grape clusters on the earrings. This is kind of a fun and obviously handmade set, maybe suitable for lots of different casual outfits.
The lighting wasn't good for this shot but it gives the idea!
Ocean Treasure
These orangey coral beads were first made into a necklace for grandkid several years ago so it was very short. She lately has asked to have it made over so this time several little extras make it more ocean-y, like tanzanite color crystals, a pearl, an abalone coin, a sterling silver starfish from Thailand, and a soft sea-green jasper with some white striations that remind me of foam on the waves.
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