Going into Battle with ...

I have two of nephews living with me (who I refer to as my boys). One is Cory AKA SMC (snickering male child),, and the other is Patrick, my army veteran. The other day I was minding my on business in my studio when I heard a high pitched scream of terror and a crash coming from the Dark Zone (the other end of the house where they reside.). Normally I would not venture into the Dark Zone except to talk briefly with them or to get them up and only if I take a big stick with me in case something reaches out of the darkness to grab me. However, concern for Patrick (as Cory was out of town at the time) sent me sprinting into the blackness. Flinging open his door expecting God only knows what that would make an ex soldier scream like a little girl I saw something that shocked me.

Patrick was backed against the wall, shit kicker boots on, hands encased in heavy work gloves, a rolled up magazine in one hand and a blow torch in the other, wild eyed and breathing hard.

Okay, wth?

"It's in here! I'm going to kill that f*****. It's out to get me!"

Apparently, this crawled out of his closest...



Did I mention that Patrick is terrified of spiders?

"Okay, Patrick. Please, don't burn the house down." I calmly closed the door and retreated from the Dark Zone, before the eight legged freak came looking for me. I hate them, too.

Christmas Memories-Part 1

I thought that since Christmas is only a week away that would share some past Christmas memories of mine this week.
I think my earliest memory was when I was five or six years old and was in my hometown of North Wilkesboro, NC. We were in the parking lot of a grocery store (probably a Piggy Wiggly) in my grandmother's Chevrolet surrounded by all the shiny decorations that were so popular in the sixties.. I remember looking up and seeing a light going by in the sky. Being just three I just knew it was Santa and that he was going to my mammaw's house and that he would leave without delivering presents because we were not there. That upset me bad.
Of course, it was a plane, but my youthful, Innocent self did not know that. My grandma explained to me that Santa would come back because it was still early and he had to go to other kids houses, too.
What did I get that year. The only present I remember I got (though I'm sure there were more) was a red cowgirl outfit complete with hat and boots (my favorite song that year was These Boots Are Made For Walking by Nancy Sinatra) and a pony. Yes, I really did get a pony. I named him Silver after the Lone Ranger's horse even though he was brown.

How about you? What is your earliest Christmas memory?

My Snow Day

So, my day started off good. It had snowed over night. A beautiful, glittering snow.I mean, it really glittered. Beautiful in the porch light. I got up to go to work. It was easy to remove the snow from my car. My car started up just fine (which surprised me.). The roads looked really clear. So I started off. I made it to the top on the hill just 100 yards from my house and started to slide. And there was no stopping it until I was in a ditch. There went my morning. So I called work and was told that all the roads were bad. They looked clear, but apparently were covered in a thin layer of black ice.
So I walked back home. Where my boss called me to asked if I could find a way in. Yeah, be right there. Not. I live in the country surrounded by farmers. Wasn't going to bang on my neighbors doors at six in the morning to ask them to take me to work.
Boss called back to say forget it. Which I already had.
Then came the round of calls to wrecker services. I guess they all saw an opportunity to make some extra money off us. Every one I called wanted $60-$75 to pull my car out. Even the one I use when I have car problems wanted $65. What the *****. They only charged me $40 last time I had them tow my car.
I called my mechanic to ask if he knew someone that would like to make some cash. He didn't and he was too busy to come out. *sigh*
Called work to see if anyone there could pull me out after work. One of my co-workers said he had to go home and get his chains but that he would come out after work. Yay! We take care of each other there.
Later that day he called to say he couldn't find his chain. Started to feel as if I would have to call a wrecker. I was getting so not happy.
Then a miracle. My next door neighbor, a young hefty guy, along with a youngster from down the street, another young strong boy, knocked on my door. I was told to get my nephew coated up and the three of them would get the car out. I was dubious as I followed them down to where my poor car sat back end in the ditch. The snow was almost gone at this point. The younger guy got in and, with the other two pushing, gunned it and the car was in the street. I did a happy dance. I'm sure that entertained them. They also refused money for helping me and I know they both could use it.
I now know my car is front wheel drive. That's good to know.
So, I'll try this again in the morning. I can't afford to miss another day.

Oh, yes. My boss posted on Facebook that she was taking a snow day off tomorrow. Urgh! That means more work for me.

Pumpkin Spiced Lattes

Pumpkin Spiced Lattes

Ingredients
3 cups hot whole milk (or could use 2% or even soy milk for healthier drink)
4 teaspoons white sugar (or use Truvia or Splenda)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
6 ounces double-strength brewed coffee
3 tablespoons sweetened whipped cream (can use low-fat but who wants to?)
3 pinches pumpkin pie spice
Directions
Combine the hot milk (suggest you microwave the milk. I always burn it if I use the stove), sugar, vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spice in a blender; blend until frothy. Pour the mixture into 3 coffee mugs to about 2/3 full. Pour 2 ounces coffee into each mug. Garnish each mug with whipped topping and pumpkin pie spice.

Slow Down

I tried to make it outside with my camera to get the sun setting while it was a great orange ball, but just missed it. I think this is a good pic anyway with the sign. It's called "Slow Down and Watch The Sun Set"

The Gift

I came home from work yesterday and was met by Barney at the door. He gave me a sweet meow while looking up at me with those loving, adoring eyes. I went to step in and just barely avoided stepping on a dead mouse.

Now, I know all of you out there had the same reaction at this as my friends here..."oh, how sweet. He bought you a gift to show you how much he loves you."

Yeah, right. I think he just want the entertainment of watching mom shriek and do the EwwwDance. I swear I heard the sound of kitty laughter as he ran off.

Needless to say the removal of dead mouse fell to snickering male child while I left to go to Micky Ds for a latte to calm my nerves.

An Unusual Wake Up Alarm

Crash! Bang!

I jumped up from a dead sleep, ready to yell at the furry boys for breaking something and waking me up. But upon touring the kitchen and living room I couldn't find anything broke. They were actually asleep.

Then I heard shouting and banging outside. I looked out my back window to see what my neighbor was up to.

And got an eyeful.

There was my neighbor in the yard on his stomach in handcuffs while men in black milled around. Inside the house were men in fatiques and black masks carrying guns throwing cushions around and upturning furniture. At that time a man walked underneath MY window and I could see S.W.A.T. on the back of his shirt. He looked up at me and I decided not to investigate further. I don't need that trouble.

I was almost afraid to leave the house to go to my car to go to work. Does the man who owns that house ever check the background of the people he rents to? That's like the second time the police did a bust there. Last year they caught renters there dealing. Those people had about twelve pitbulls! They actually told me that those dogs were so tame I could go pet them whenever I wanted. Like...NO.

I have nothing against pitbulls. My other neighbors has one and she's a sweetheart. I pet her all the time. But not twelve of them. No.

Anyway, that was my morning.

This Afternoon-A Bit Of Awesome

He drifted by my window, graceful and silent, oh so beautiful. I watched his path with awestuck wonder as he alighted ,wings spread out, showing off his colors in the late afternoon sunlight. He flipped his wings closed and looked around with haughty eyes, lord of the skies. Then, with a soft cry, the red tailed hawk flew off to who knows where.

One would expect me to see a sight like this as I live in the country on a lake. The wonder I found in this moment was that I was in the middle of downtown, sitting in a bank parking lot and the pole this hawk landed on was a light pole in the mall parking lot next door. Just not something I would expect to see downtown.

I Was Such a Bad Girl

I was downdown again today, on the alley, passing Starbucks with the windows down in the heat. That fappee kept calling to me and when that unique smell of coffee hit as I passed I caved. (Go ahead. slap my hand. I deserve it. The Devil made me do it.)

Goundhog Day

I sure hope that the groundhog does not see his shadow. I want winter to be over!

Today is also Imbolc. I'm not a Wiccan myself, but I always celebrate Imbolc since being introduced to it by a few Wiccan friends. Maybe because I love candles. Maybe because I need a visual symbol to know that winter won't last much longer. I know many of you grow tired of hearing how much I hate winter, but since I suffer from arthritis the cold just keeps me in pain. I long for warmer days and less pain.

First Snow and An Harrowing Trip Home

Love the snow but wish I wasn't out in it Friday night. When I went in to buy supplies it was raining. When I came back out the parking lot was covered. Thus began My harrowing trip home. What is normally a 20 minute drive began 3 hours long. There were cars all over the road, in ditches, and stopped on hills they could not get up. I managed to get within 5 miles of my house and hit a hill I could not get up. I finally slid into the ditch while trying to get up it.

Luckily a nice man and his son came by and got my car out of the ditch. And while we were doing that a young lady in an SUV came by and offered me a ride home. With my grocies. And of course, the lights kept going off and on. I shouldn't complain. Some people still don't have power.

My neighbor helped me go get my car out of the ditch yesterday, so all's good. I did not like my car on the side of the road.

An Insight

Today I learn something about myself. I have never been a patient person. I hate to wait on anything, but today on my way home I decided I needed something really bad. An end of the work week perk. So I sat in my car-texting, writing, going over my calender, inching forward only a few feet at a time when I happen to glance at my car clock. I was only two cars away from my prize and realized I have been in line for twenty minutes! That must be a record for me. As I reached the window and forked over my hard earned money I admitted to myself.
I am a hardcore Starbucks fanatic. Especially when a Venti Pumkin Spice Latte with a double shot of epresso was waiting for me. Yummm, Heaven!

Blue Berry Cobbler-The NonBaker Way

This is for all of you out there that gets volunteered to make a blueberry cobbler. Like me. We have recently come into a large amount of frozen blueberries. My mother nagged me for three days to make a blueberry cobbler. Now, if you know me, I am not a cook. To be honest, I hate it. The microwave is my best friend. I eat a lot of my food raw.
So I gave in to the constant torment and decided to make the cobbler. I also decided to cheat. I bought a box of white cake mix, went by directions, then added the blueberries into the mix after pouring it into the pan. And kept a close eye on it.
It turned out rather good with just a few uh ohs.
Note-really, keep a watch on it. And use a big pan.
Note 2-put tin foil around edges. Otherwise they will burn.
Note 3-put the tin foil on BEFORE putting cobbler in oven. Pan is very hot and oven mitts are bulky.
And this is the most important note 4-get yourself a piece or two before you inform a twenty-one year male that there is cobbler on the stove.
I would of loved to have a picture of how this turned out, but it didn't last long enough for me to go get my camera.

A Little Forgotten Bowl

Sometimes things that we take for granted as being there are overlooked. Take this little bowl. I made it in the early eighties in an attempt at pottery. I figured out early that pottery was not for me, but I did manage this cute little bowl. I think it shows the beginning of the colors and shapes I would use later on, but when I made I really didn’t think about it much.

I have carried this bowl every place I have moved to since then (an astounding seven times). I placed it on my kitchen counter among an array on candles and used it as a catch all. Today I was cleaning off said counter and noticed the bowl in the light coming from the window. It was filled with stuff. Since I was cleaning I dumped the stuff out to see what was there.

Wow, memories. Let’s see…from top left…

A silver watch with rhinestones that my dad gave me. It’s just a tad too small and the battery is dead, but it is from my dad. He gave it to me the year before he died.

A small bottle of patchouli oil, bought to give me a sense of creativity (I have many of these strewed about the house).

A box of matches from July 4th (wow, what a great fireworks show in the neighborhood).

A river rock found on one of my “let’s clean out the river” excursions several years ago.

One of my favorite pair of earrings. (I wondered where they were.)

A set of toe rings (Forgot I had those).

A penny from the Bahamas (no idea where that came from. I have never been there. Love to go though).

One of my many anklets with bells for belly dancing (or just walking about the house tormenting the furry ones. Barney tries to pull them off me).

And in the middle one lone earring that my ex-fiancé bought me. (the mate was lost many, many, many moons ago).

Who could of imagined that a little forgotten bowl would of held so many memories.

Night of the SPIDER

I was minding my own business when Niko began to bother me, meowing loudly and insistently. Then he would run down the hall to the bedroom and continue meowing, then come back to me to repeat this behavior. Being a good kitty mommy I had to go see what had him in such a state. In the bedroom, on the wall, was the Bane of Niko’s Existence.
What I am speaking of is a little black and furry eight legged multi-eyed demon. AKA a house spider. (yes, my cat is arachnophobic. He hates spiders. Barney just eats them. I know-ehww!) So I killed the bugger to satisfy Niko’s need for arachnid blood. I don’t like them either.
Back in the mid-eighties My parents were living in Florida near Tampa and they wanted me to move down there to be near them. I thought it would be cool, so I went for a visit with the thought to start apartment hunting. Everything was going hunky dory until my last night ever in Florida. I had awaken in the middle of the night with the thought that I was not alone in the guest room anymore. I turned on the bedside lamp and about that time a very large, very black, very eight-legged freak ran across my body. Talk about an EEK! Factor. I think my scream woke up the whole neighborhood. According to the nice, but stern, public servants that answered the calls of a woman screaming I did.
No one told me there were tarantulas in the Sunshine State. Needless to say, despite all me mom’s begging, I left the next day back to North Carolina where the spiders are not big enough to drag a little five foot woman away.

To Hear A Mockingbird

Birdsong is a lovely thing, one that I have for some reason really never paid attention to. Today as I was getting out of my car after a particularly bad day at work full of drama I was struck by the sounds of a bird sitting in the cedar tree in my neighbor's yard (I think it has a nest there). It was amazing the range of sound coming from this lone bird. I sat down on my deck to listen to it as it warbled, chirped, tweeted, and chirred. Listening to that little bird made my bad mood slip away.

I looked it up later and found it was a mockingbird. The website I found to hear it's song had other birds and I spent the next hour listening to all of them. I never realized that I had heard all of these birds and just never listened to them. Worse yet, I use bird imagy in my artwork alot. I should know more about them.

There was the mourning dove and it's sweet cooing http://www.learnbirdsongs.com/birdsong.php?id=7, the blue jay with it's loud scolding http://www.learnbirdsongs.com/birdsong.php?id=5, the purdie purdie of the cardinals http://www.learnbirdsongs.com/birdsong.php?id=3, and many others. I think my favorite will be the mockingbird http://www.learnbirdsongs.com/birdsong.php?id=4. I was even entertained as said bird attacked a cat that got too close.

To say that I never listened to the birds around me, I spoke wrong. I have noticed the screech owl and whoopoowill on my nightly walks. They have both have been sadly silent these past few years. I hope that they have moved on and not fallen to a bad end. Oh, and of course, there is the ever present ravens in the autumn.

I think I'll go get some bird seed tomorrow and try to entice the little darlings into my yard.

A Cold Snowy Day

Well, finally got it up! I think I needed to add another string of lights though. (giggle) The bookcase makes a great background, uh? I think some of my ornaments are missing, too.

But I liked putting it up. A little holiday music, some hot tea, a scented candle lite. Oh, yeah!

I even had some help. For those of you out there with this special kind of help, read this

The Ten Steps Of Putting Up A Christmas Tree With A Cat "Helping"

Step 1-pull all branches out of box. Pull cat out of box.

Step 2-put tree together. Pull cat out of tree.

Step 3-Unravel lights. Pull lights out of reach of cat. Pull cat out of tree.

Step 4-begin stringing lights on tree. Step over cat several times before stepping on cat. Put down lights to go makeup to cat.

Step 5-Finish lights while cat is pouting.

Step 6-repeat step 4 with berry string and garland.

Step 7-Unpack ornaments. Pull cat out of box. Begin placing ornaments on tree.

Step 8-Search for bulbs. Find them under couch where cat is playing with them. Retrieve bulbs. Cat is miffed and bites your ankle.

Step 9-Put cat in Bathroom.

Step 10-Turn on LOUD Holiday music to drown out angry cat yowls and finish tree.

Barney Is So Not A Happy Cat

A Bright Leaf

You see before you one bright leaf, shifting in the Autumn breeze, hanging in the darkened shadows of the other leaves still clinging to Summer's green. One small orange-yellow leaf, showing the ravages of time in it's holes and dying edges. It's a beautiful thing-this lone little leaf. It gives us joy in it's lovely color, sadness in knowing that Winter is around the corner, and hope for the far off coming of Spring.