Take a Old Bag Shopping

I got this idea from Marietta at Sweet Old Vintage and I loved it. So I made myself one…Thank You it turned out really nice…can’t wait to show it off to my friends and family…they will think it is funny!!

Black Friday

This is a story written by me for Julie at Celtic Lady………this was a contest and I was one of the winners...Thank You Julie!!!!

In a small town called Back of the Moon USA, the Evans family have a fall Ball. This is no ordinary gathering, young witches travel from far and near to be the one girl crowned Queen of All Hallows Eve. They are greeted by the host who is dressed in a long black cape with a hood that shades his face. One by one each girl is taken into the woods where a large black caldron is boiling top a flame that sends sparks high in the sky. Then like in a dream they dance around the caldron. The smell of sage, rosemary, lavender mixed with the burning wood fill the air. The girls spin, twirl, chant, sharing spells they have gleaned in their young life. As the glow of the fire grew higher into the sky you see thirteen girls each lovely in their long white gossamer dresses.

Camille with her long black hair. Her green eyes shining in the fire light.

Savannah’s cold blue eyes and soft blond hair that floated as she twirled.

Hannah’s gray eyes with long spun gold hair.

Margaret’s violet eyes that looked like amethyst and her red hair that touched the ground.

They are beautiful, they are dangerous. As the night turns to dusk a choice is made. Gilda with her chestnut hair and cold black eyes in crowned Queen. When looking into her beautiful face she has a sadness there. Her eyes seemed to look within the soul. It was a celebration, a right of passage for this lovely young witch.

As we leave Back of the Moon, we find Gilda with her black cats that are now her hand maidens. Her umbrella that will give her flight. Crows to deliver messages and direct Gilda to far away places. The mirror that reflects her beauty. Gilda is surrounded by secrets that are hidden till Black Friday.

So come close and hear me, Black Friday is drawing near. Watch the night sky, Gilda Queen of the witches my appear.

by Mary

Up On the Roof of the Barn

One of the hard things is to have your 65 year old husband on the barn roof!!! He even has his cell phone on his hip in case he falls and I didn't hear the thud. He should be done tomorrow, and then I can breath again:) The singles on the barn have been there for over a hundred years as close as we can tell. They are wooden singles and are really sweet, but the new singles are not. Our poor Ole barn has been leaking for awhile....to long!!!

This is our next project...I am painting the bathroom and the new toilet will go in...One thing about a older home, there is always something to do...

The singles and whatever Arney needed to do the roof was delivered...The barn needs a fresh paint job too...next year! Our temp was 29 the last couple of mornings....so we are really feeling fall now. It will be about 70 by 5:00 this afternoon. Soon we will be burning wood.

Idaho can get really cold...NOT YET!!!

From My Couch

These are samples of things I have done while not being well. Other than the Jar’s, I made about 20 plus of each item. The Jar’s were fun to make. But the picture of them are not good.   This is a pin cushion, I really like these, I even made on for me.

Now to finish making tags.

I have been peeking at all of your blogs, everyone is getting into the Halloween spirit.

          Have a wonderful week,

                  Hugs, Mary

 

Looking back

 August 15th  at Janos'  for our anniversary 47 years…Arney and Jenny my daughter…love this picture!!! Kayla (my granddaughter) and Dolan in their new apartment in Washington state. Summit  in  All Stars…a fun summer.Halle Dawn, another  life to love.Still searching family history…   Arney’s  garden…

Avery, Summit holding Halle and Alexis.  A special moment. First pickings from  Arney’ garden My son Trevor with his new Son-in-Law Dolan…homecoming party.

Staying busy with crafts….

It rained this morning…not ready!!!

ATC's From DJ

I really do not know where to start. I am well, but guarded. Doing everything I can to stay well. Colon inflammation is not easy to get rid of. I have missed everyone and at times have looked at your blogs. You are all so creative!!! To add to this time, I have been dealing with depression. Okay, I am a wreck! DJ and I did a ATC share that Janet and Lee put on this summer, and I got mine from DJ a couple of days ago. It is so exciting to get a package in the mail. I think she made two really fun ATC's, one is summer, the other is fashion, and the Box is a little treasure. Thank You so much DJ, this was fun.

I have been doing crafts from my sofa, some for Bazaar, some for our Christmas party. And the harvest from the garden has been so good. I made salsa, and roasted tomatoes for freezing...they will be so good when the cold winter comes.

We have had a very warm fall so far...it has been in the 90's, but like most places this will soon turn to much cooler temps. The leaves have not started turning yet, but it will happen fast when the cold comes. I cut Savory from my herb garden this morning. All my herbs are now cut and will go to sleep for the winter.

Arney has been working on the barn, it has been leaking for sometime, so a new rough had to be done. He will probably finish this next week.

I really want to be here daily, I will try. Big Hugs, Mary

working on feeling better

This is Dolan, our granddaughter Kayla's husband. He just got home from Iraq, we hope that he will not have to go back into the war zone. He is stationed in Washington State. So glad he is out of harms way!
As for me, I am fighting with inflamation of my colon...not a pretty picture. I will not be sitting at the computer much for awhile yet. Take care all! PJ's is my uniform of choice right now. So handsome!!

Cottage Poem by me

Little Cottage
"Pin Cushion"
I am small, this is true.
A service I can do for you.
Pins and Needles short and tall
Pushed inside my Cottage Wall.
Mary E.

Today is Our Anniversay

Today August 15th, we have been married 47 years...I thought this picture was so cute, but not us. Tonight we are going out to dinner, and maybe a show. There are so many memories. And to write them down would be a book...But first and foremost, Arney is my best friend. I have known him since I was 14. I think you should really like someone and then love comes so naturally. Someone you can talk too, someone that hears you! And when the hard times creep in you can talk to your best friend. I am a chatter box, Arney is not. I am a night owl, he is not, I am very social, he is a bit of a loner. But in all the ways that count are the same. We have had to work hard in this life, nothing has come easy. But the simplest of things make us very happy. Our children are the best thing we have ever done.

Slowly I have added some more of my little cottages...

Here are just the ones I did in creams and laces. It was fun to make the little flowers, a first for me. click to enlarge...they are all different, one of a kind:)

I do not know what is wrong with my posting, but it is fighting me, so far this is all I can upload...I will try to send more pictures later. I made 14 cottage pin cushions, now they are wrapped and waiting for me to find a poem or saying to go with them. It is really nice here today after our rain yesterday. It was down in the 60's, which is not normal at all. So today we are back in the 80's and everything feels so fresh. Tomorrow I go to get new glasses...then shopping at Costco. We will not get out of there without spending to much as a rule. But it is always good..I continue to work on my weight loss, good days and bad. It is not always easy to stay on track...but I continue to try!!! Wishing you a wonderful summer day.

One little pin cushion

Here is one of my little pin cushions....I took some other pictures, but they did not turn out very good. I may try again later. I finished the ones I started and now I plan to do some in shades of creams with lace, buttons and flowers, etc. I will be ready to move on to something else after I am done. It is very warm and it looks like storms are heading our way. Arney gave cucumbers to our neighbors today, we have so many. Since Arney works nights tonight, I will try to get some blog peeking in before going to bed. We sat on the patio this morning early and watched the birds, our Robins are fat and friendly this year. A Mallard mommy Duck went into the irrigation ditch with about 14 babies...she was very nerves, kept her eye on us for sure. The Hawk babies are working on their flying, it looks dangerous. They can sit for hours before making up their mind to take off, then they yell as they fight for their little life in the air. Thinking of you on this summer day....

Today

Arney left for work this morning and I was supposed to go to the dentist, but I didn't remember it till it was to late...so today I spent with my friend Brenda in the back yard. Brenda brought her dog Buddy to play with our LB, a play date. I took these pictures a few days ago. The bench that LB is sitting on is very special. This is our child's bench for the Grandkids, but it has been a place that Matti enjoyed and as you can see, it now belongs to LB all by himself. I have pictures of him and Matti sitting on it together too.
The Lavender was really beautiful this year...I cut most of it for indoors so I can smell it all winter too. I make little gifts out of it also.

The Larkspur has been beautiful too...it is now giving it's seeds to the ground for next year. This is a favorite of mine. This has not been a real hot summer. It is in the 90's and then back down to the 80's, but we still have more summer. Our garden is doing really well too. I plan to make a lot of Salsa for winter. I can hardly wait for a real tomato.

Our Raspberries really belong to LB in this patch. We have another one in the front yard for us. Matti and LB took them over a few years ago. At first we thought it was the birds enjoying the sweet fruit until one day we saw them inside the bushes. They looked a little guilty with all that red on there mouth. So we decided to give them the berries.

LB doesn't like me to take his picture...so he didn't smile....

My Mother loved Sweet pea's, she planted them to climb on our porch when I was about 12 years old, and she would talk about how good they smelled coming in the front door. The humming birds love them too.

The rest of my yard is in herbs. I have Thyme, Sage, Oregano, Mint, and the list goes on. It is always a treat to go into the back yard and cut what I need in something I am making. I put in a new Rosemary plant and another Lavender plant this year. I was going to do more but spring was so wet and cold, next year!!!

I am still working on the little cottage pin cushions...I will show them off when they are done. I am having fun with them, buttons and embroidery, fun little touches that bring them to life. I need to be doing other things too, but for now this will do. I hope you are all having a good summer. It will pass so fast. I hate to see it end this year, winter was so long.

I continue to be amazed at finding family from so many generations ago. And when there are stories, it is great. Be back later...Mary

our New Little Granddaughter

This is our Kristie with our new Granddaughter Halle Dawn. Our cup runnith over with love for this new little love. She has two sisters and two brothers that are ready for her to come home. I spent the day with them as they waited for the news. It was so special to be with the kids when they got the news that Halle was born. Mother and baby are wonderful, but I had tears all the way home...a new life, another place in my heart just for her. Kristie is a very special Mom and my son Cory is a wonderful father and man.

Halle, peaches and cream!

This is a unfinished project, but I thought you would like to see them. When completed they will be pin cushion to sell at bazaar in October. They are all done by hand.