Seriously Bent . . .

Gary and I were in hot pursuit of the elusive BRILLIANT leaf during the last three days. We DID find them in SE Ohio (in the Hocking Hills). I managed to become seriously bent out of shape with a sinus infection, however, and am not yet recovered. Nevertheless we had a good time and it took us away from our regular haunts. We felt as if we'd been away a month when we got back.

It's coming, it's coming . . .

Fall is on it's way. As proof I offer a picture of an oak tree right outside my front door. When I lived in Arkansas, I was surrounded by oak trees at the house on the lake . . . but they always turned paper-bag brown. Look at these! (As Gary points out there are different kinds of oaks).

Ewe and me . . .

I just bought my first piece of original art that cost more than a pittance. I really like it. In fact, I like all of her stuff. It's shown at the left and was painted by Diane Selby, a Kentucky painter. Her web site is dselby.com and I suggest you look through her online gallery. Some of her work is hanging at Barnes and Noble in Lexington.

A couple more quotes from the Jim Harrison book I just finished. " . . . when you are born and raised in the country neuroses are only minimally tolerated", and . . ."I was diverted by NPR when a disembodied male voice said that a mere teaspoon of a neutron star would weigh a billion tons. As a literature person I at first missed the point and wondered at the preposterous strength of the teaspoon."

Three Things . . .

I'm sitting pretty high in the cat-bird seat. Feeling pretty good. Probably due to the fact that I went to one helluva concert last night with my friend Lydia . . . to see guitarist Tommy Emmanuel. The show was here in Frankfort. I told Lydia it was like walking out my Father's door to go across the street to the High School. At the time, the High School was my whole world.

I've got lots to do. One of my projects is a remake of a blue sweatshirt (pictured above). I think it's going to be pretty neat AND pretty pretty.

Speaking of Dad (above--first paragraph), I have another quote from the Jim Harrison book I'm reading (The English Major). "It seems like my parents die in my mind several times a week." Somehow that's not sad . . . it's just thoughtful.

The Great Pumpkin!

I have moved the gorgeous geraniums I had on the front porch bench to the kitchen for over-wintering. This is their 4th year. I hung them upside down to dry out the first winter . . . and put them on a bench in the kitchen window thereafter. A little old lady I met in the Adirondacks told me to just move them inside and pinch them back . . . which is VERY effective.

Time for pumpkins!

I'm reading a book by Jim Harrison (he wrote Legends of the Fall). One sentence struck me as funny and familiar. He says his new principal wore "a PhD like a lei". I know several folks like that. They can't get over their credentialing. Thank goodness none of MY friends are like that (truly). Only friends of friends, I guess, which I seem to avoid like the plague.

I've spent a great deal of the afternoon looking for pictures of bluebirds, cardinals, tufted titmice, etc., so I will have something to "go by" for the "big-footed" birds I'm creating. I "rough carved" the bird shapes from styrofoam last night. I have big plans. I'm going to do 5. Marlaine Verhelst is mentoring this process online. I've taken an online class with her before. She's scheduled to conduct a class at the Museum of Art and Craft in Louisville next year. It may not make, though.

Gwendolyn

I took a knitting class a couple of weeks ago and have finished a pillow top for Gary's mother Gwen. It was great fun and no sweat because it didn't have to FIT anything.

Here's a picture with the material I've chosen for the back and a ruffle all around. I think I'll embroider her name across the front. She's in a nursing home now and I thought a pillow for her bed might be something I could give her for Christmas. Especially as it might not get "lost" because her name will be on it.

She really has no short term memory any more, but she's maintained her personality, which is gracious, funny, sweet, and all the things you would hope. She thinks she likes "this big place."