Wordless Wednesday...,"Squirrel in Tree", a digital collage

Visit to the Goat Farm

We drove over to the goat farm today. This is were we bought our babies. We wanted to see the lady who sold them to us and ask her some questions. I also had photos of Bart, Brownie, Murph' and Freckles. She wasn't there but her husband answered our questions and said we could look around all we wanted. The goats were so friendly and curious, so different that the sheep that just left the barn and walked out to the field. Jezebel, the donkey didn't want to talk either. She let us pet her and then she followed the sheep.
Bart's dad came over to visit but he kept watching his ladies. You could tell he was trying to be sociable but his mind was on other things . Bart looks so much like his father. We saw many goats there that did. He must be the big goat on campus. He's huge and I wouldn't want to tell him which ladies were his and which were not. He's had an attitude that reflects his stature. Glad we got our boys "fixed"...., and he stinks!!
When we got home I told Bart that we had seen his Dad. He seemed unconcerned.
I wanted to bring all the cute little goats, from the last litter, home with us. They were so sweet and noisy. But I think, for now, that we will just love what we've got here. The "G" men( as the Prospector calls them ) have adapted well and are getting bigger everyday.
It was fun to see all the goats out there but this is enough for now. Besides, we still need a DONKEY.

A friend was still waiting

Alone with myself..., The trees bend to caress me..., The shade hugs my heart. ~C, Polgar~

"And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything. ~William Shakespeare~

What a lady!

This photo is for my family and friends. I took it of my Mom in front of the Sunnyvale Care Home where she is staying for a while until she recovers from her fall. This was the second day and she was still not sure that she wanted to be here, but she smiled for the camera. That's our Mom: The lady was dressed, had her makeup on ( and lipstick ), wanted to sit outside and she told me to be sure that the door to the garage, at home, was open for the cat. "Be sure you make a bed for Honey on top of the dryer and keep her bowl filled with kibble." What a lady!

Mom's journey

There is a point in life when you realize that things are not going to stay the same forever. When my mother fell two weeks ago I thought, as before, that she would need some help for a while and then she would be all right. I was wrong.
This is the Rhaphiolepis bush that broke her fall when she tripped on the crack in the concrete porch . She was watering the plants and went outside with her cane instead of her walker. She fell into the bush and that is what saved her from more life threatening injuries. She suffered a couple of brused ribs, scrapes, cuts and lots of damage to her joints. She was and is in a lot of pain.
After spending a week taking care of her, I realized that she was not able to take care of herself, at home, even with the Elder Care help. She couldn't get in and out of bed, test her blood sugar, take her insulin, bath or sort her medications without help. She needed care 24/7.
So, my sister and I , with the help of the wonderful ladies at Elder Care, decided to have a quiet intervention with Mom and see if we could convience her that a few weeks in a nursing care facility would really help her. Surprisingly, she agreed and so last Thursday we drove her over to the care home that my Dad had been in; where she knew the people and liked all of them a lot; a small home with only 4 other ladies and a garden.
The first couple of days were hard for her. She missed the house and her cat. She didn't like the food and the other ladies living there didn't talk. This was the biggest adjustment of her life.

Our mother is like this old oak tree in her backyard; Many years ago a bird or squirrel drop an acorn near the patio and it grew into this beautiful Oak tree that shades the whole yard now. It's a safe haven for the animals and birds that come into the backyard. It's strong and it's a survivor just like Mom.










The house waits, quietly, for her to come back. Promises have been made that I hope my sister and I can keep. We will take each day as it comes and hope for the best. She is in a safe place right now and she has adjusted well this week.
The journey is not over. We are learning how to be strong and accept what is..., and I know that my sister and I will do this well because we are branches of that old Oak tree and Mom, and God, gave us what we need to "Walk her Home."

Apology

I'm so sorry for the rant below. I think there was some tension left from the last two weeks and I did loose a "post" about my Mom that meant a lot to me. I took a cold shower and a long walk. I don't feel that much better but I will. I will try to re-write the post tomarrow.

Screaming Mad

I just wrote a long post with photos and Blogger didn't auto save or publish it. I lost it all. Something is wrong with Blogger, Blog this, or my computer. I'll try again tomarrow because I'm so mad I can hardly write.

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" < Lao Tzu >

I will be going to my Mom's for a while. She fell; and although she didn't break any bones, she is in a lot of pain. I need to be with her and she needs me.

I had a post ,today, on Murphy and Freckles( two of our goats ), that lost photos and then , in an attempt to retrieve the photos, I messed up everything. I have deleted the whole post but it's still there with one photo. I don't know how long it will take to delete but I will redo the whole thing when I get back. I did have the good sense to remember to copy my story:At least I didn't lose that. Sometimes I realize that I'm an inch away from disaster with this computer every day.

Good thoughts and a prayer for my mom would be much appreciated.

'Wordless Wednesday: Waiting for Godot

Gourds, pumpkins and a bottle of vino

Next weekend is the last show of the year for us.
This one is out in Shenandoah Valley at the Amador Flower Farm .














I'm glad the shows are coming to an end for a while. It's time to do other things..., like TAKE GRANDBABIES TO PARKS, READ THEM BOOKS AND GIVE THEM TICKLES 'TIL THEY LAUGH.

Here's the address, dates and time. You can buy or bring lunch and there are nice clean bathrooms available. (I think that is important.)

This is a beautiful place that used to just sell daylilies. Now they have other plants and a great gift shop and wonderful garden art.
There will also be a pumpkin patch and a corn maze. (Children always seem to have a great time in the pumpkin patch.)

The area has lots of very good wineries and wine tasting is an accepted practice, as long as you eat something with the wine and don't drive right away; there are some very windy roads out there.
There will be workshops, Master gardeners to answer gardening questions and our gourd group doing demonstrations and selling gourd art. I'm only going to be there on Sunday.














These are 3 of my gourd pins that will be for sale there.

Then things should settle down for a while...., so I can go down and spend some time with my grandbabies. I'm missing them and I'm ready.

A prayer for Gracie

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There is a baby that my friend Jo, in Ohio, is asking everyone to pray for. Her name is Grace and she is two months old. She has Lissenchphaly, also know, as Smooth Brain Syndrome. She probably won't live longer that two years.

Jo believes in miracles and she is asking us to pass this on and pray very hard for this child and her family...., please take a moment to think about little Gracie and say a prayer for those who love her. There is a belief , by many, that when prayers are continued and connected to each other they become more powerful and that amazing things can happen. Let's see if we can produce a miracle for Gracie.

Next May...., Asilomar.

Where did that sister of mine go? This visit was way too short. Two days are not long enough at all. We didn't even have time to make the beds....



















We have this wonderful habit of bringing something for each other when we visit. She arrived with this great, old witch. I love the expression on her face. She doesn't look like she ever "casts spells". Maybe she just goes around looking for children so she can read them stories. Maybe she's just an old witch and has decided to retire.
















...., and it was wrapped up in this charming Halloween bag.
















Thanks Sis. Thanks for coming up for a few days and for bringing me the sweet old witch. I love her. I think she'll like it here.

We actually did go somewhere yesterday. We drove over to Amador City to shop in a few favorite stores. One of our absolute favorites is Sandy's Country Living. It's one of those little places that you can't go into without buying something. Lots of Halloween things and vintage pieces that you just don't see in other stores and her prices are always reasonable. We didn't buy a lot , but we sure had fun looking. You can always get wonderful "ideas" in Sandy's store. She is a great buyer and decorator.

Today Sis had to leave after lunch so we stayed home and just relaxed . We did get on the internet and we registered for the Asilomar Art and Soul Workshop next May. We have been trying to get a class with Nina Bagley, a jewelry artist , for a long time and the classes would fill up so fast that they would be closed before we could register. Well, we finally made it. The 3 day workshop is called "Mystorian Necklace & Book. We will make a necklace using some of our own "found objects" and also make a book that is a story made up of gathered relics and embellishments. We can't wait. I don't know if any of you have ever been to Pacific Grove. It's on the Pacific coast, between Monterey and Carmel. This is where Asilomar Conference Center is and it is one of the most beautiful places on earth. We will be staying at the Center and they will feed us...., and it's within walking distance of the ocean. Doesn't that sound wonderful?

The Prospector is still fishin'. He called tonight and said that they caught 11 fish today. He's having a great time. The weather is beautiful and the lake is low. The weather is great there because he's in the mountains. Here, today, it was 100 degrees . Summer has decided to return for a while. I'm so tired of hot weather. It's time for a change and I'm ready , ready, ready....

Sisterhood and Vegetable Soup

My sister has arrived for a couple of days. It's so good to have her here. She comes from the busy bay-area; filled with thousands of people and cars and everyone going 100 miles per hour; so when she gets here it's like a retreat...., a bed and breakfast for family only. She takes a nap, cuddles with the dogs and takes a walk outside. I love watching her unwind . Later we will have something to eat and probably do something wild and crazy, like watch a movie and go to bed early. Doesn't that sound exciting?

We will have chicken-vegetable soup for dinner and , of course, bread pudding for dessert.

It's a sisterhood weekend. The prospector is gone for a couple of days, and we can do anything we want to: stay up all night, go bar hopping (right!), drive up to Lake Tahoe, or down to Vegas. The sky's the limit. As long as we are home at 4:00 p.m. to feed the dogs and take care of the chickens and the goats. I guess we won't be gettin' in too much trouble. So...., soups on. Care to join us?

Wordless Wednesday: Figs

Morning Sanctuary

The weekend was busy. The days long and the mornings early. Monday was another early rise and a drive to Sacramento. So.....,

....today I stayed home. Sat on the porch with my dog, Maggie and talked about life....,

....picked some flowers and watched the early morning become brilliant sunshine.

This is where I find my heart and renew the frayed edges of my soul .

What a Wonderful Weekend!

The Open Studios was a great success. Three members of our gourd club(myself included) did a two day show that turned out to be a lot of fun. Christie, Silvia and I spent both days showing visitors what "gourd art" is; demonstrating techniques, telling everyone about the history of gourds and selling some of our artwork. Christie offered her lovely home in Amador City as the second stop on the tour. She has a wonderful studio and garden area that made it really easy for us to display our gourds.


There were steady streams of people coming and going and they all wanted to know about gourds as "art". We were the only site that displayed gourd art and folks seemed very interested in how they grow, are dried and then made into art. They loved seeing what the gourds look like before they become a work of art and most of them wanted to know all about the different techniques and how each of us create our own, very different, art. We talked so much that we didn't do much demonstrating. Everyone was having such a good time.
The weather was wonderful and didn't get really warm until Sunday afternoon. I don't think it ever got above 85 or 90 degrees, though. When we started Saturday it was cloudy, almost like high fog. That was just strange for this time of the year. I was in heaven all day Saturday. When it did get warmer on Sunday we just put up a couple of umbrellas and everything was just fine. This was a lovely place to have a show.

I want to thank my brother-in-law and his wife for driving all the way up here with their family for the day. I was so surprised to see them. Someone should have taken my picture when I realized it was them; it was a true double-take. Thank you for coming and giving me moral support.

I also want to thank my friend Lori for stopping by. I really appreciated her thoughtfulness....., and she was wearing a gourd pin that I had given her. Thank you, Lori.

All in all, it was a really wonderful weekend.

The Big Weekend: Amador Artists Open Studios Tour

This is the weekend of the Amador Artists Open Studios. Three of us from the Amador County Gourders will be in Amador City to demonstrate and sell our art work. This is a self guided tour of 13 studios in the county and will be represented by a lot of varied artists and amazing artwork. Should be lots of fun. I'll let you all know how it went on Sunday or Monday.

Wordless Wednesday on Thursday; A Favorite Season Comes

My friend Karen

My friend Karen will be surprised when she sees this old picture. It's one of my favorites of her because she has always loved our dogs and I think this is the only photo I have of her with any of them.

She is holding Oscar, our dachshund and talking to Brandy, our shepherd. Both of these dogs are gone now, but they always knew that they could get some extra holding and petting when Karen was around. All our dogs know that now too.

This seems like a very long time ago . We were still raising our kids and living "in the suburbs". Both of us were working and our husbands both worked for Pacific, Gas and Electric in Concord, Ca. That was how we met in about 1974 or 75. The four of us went to a retirement dinner together.
We always hit it off and so did our kids. We had dinners at each others houses and took road trips together.
Karen is a great southern cook. The prospector says that she makes the best fried chicken and milk gravy he's ever eaten. She introduced us to sweet tea and coconut cream pie. Whenever they came for dinner , she would bring a pie, sometimes two. Pecan was my favorite. We never went hungry.

Some of you that read this blog know Karen and her family and , to my amazement, practically all the new friends who read my blog and only know her from what I have written, have continuously expressed concern over her illness with good wishes and prayers. For this I will be forever greatful. So I thought that an update was in order.

She has had a very tough year. I think that , for such a little woman ( she's one of those "petite" gals ), she has a lot of strength. It's been one specialist after another for a very long time. I don't think that there is a test that she hasn't had.
Her blood is clumping and they have been giving her transfusions but her red blood count keeps dropping which indicates bleeding somewhere. She had more tests last week and was waiting for the results. This was the last email that I got from her on Tuesday.

" Just to let you know. the oncology doctor called me last evening about 6:30 to tell me that there was NO internal bleeding; that my liver disease has not progressed further, kidneys & all other organs look fine...., so praise the Lord for answered prayers. The problem is the Lymphoma, as they suspected all along...the lymph nodes are swollen in my lungs this time, which explains why I've been having so much trouble breathing.There are several of them swollen in both lungs. Dr M. has scheduled me for more Rituxan infusions which will be; one a week for 4 weeks & usually I feel great afterwards. I am waiting to hear from the infusion center to schedule them. Thank you all for you continued love, support & prayers, it means so very much to me. Much love, Karen"

I'm still here and the prayers are still coming, Karen. Even Mokie and Maggie are rooting for you.

I also want to thank my friend Jo, in Ohio. Her blog( Moodscapes at jonjdsbitsandpieces.blogspot.com ) is a safe haven. This woman is remarkable. She has "sent up prayers" for Karen, so many times I can't count them. She asks others to pray or send good thoughts to those in need and she just does this without question. I've told Karen about her. Jo has her own stories and her own pain but she always thinks about others first. Thank you , Jo. I may not know what you look like but I hope we meet someday. You have taught me a lot about care and compassion, and the power of prayer.

Learning to bargain

Saturday we drove up through another small foothill town. This is Fiddletown. We were going to a couple of farm sales and to get to one of them you have to go through this town. Recently I wrote about Volcano, the town that we used to live in, and I always thought that Volcano was "small". Well Fiddletown wins, hand down, in the "small" department.
I don't know it's history and I don't know why a town developed up here, but there are some very old, very historic buildings on Main St. Some of the buildings are homes that people are living in , but quite a few just seem to be left in arrested decay and some others are being restored by a preservation committee.
It's interesting that there are still towns like this. The pace is so slow and the people seem relaxed and friendly. It's a mixture of old hippy's, farmers, people who have lived here forever and newer people who are referred to as "wine people". They have moved up here to start vineyards and produce wine. Most live in the Shenandoah Valley, to the north. It has become the new Napa Valley. They are usually well educated and have a lot of money. They build large wineries and huge homes. Some are very protective of the area and want a say in keeping it the way it is ,but some tend to throw their weight and money around just because they can..., and are use to getting their way. The conflict between all these different people is fodder for the newspaper. There is always some "conflict" going on in the foothills over who thinks they have the "right" idea. I guess this has been going on for a long time. The farmers, miners, business people and the "big money" have a history of conflict up here. Now the Amerian Indians are a rightful factor in all of this too. There's never a dull moment.

We drove through Fiddletown and across a creek, drove about 4 or 5 miles and found the farm we were looking for. Wow! Shades of the 60's. This place was not your grandpa's farm. I thought I was having a flash-back, especially when this hippy type young thing came out and asked us if we were looking for the "sale". We said yes and she pointed to the big barn on the hill .( That's the first picture.)
There were goats, sheep, chickens and dogs everywhere...., and then we started seeing all these painted trailers all over the place. My God, it's a commune! , and me without my long tie-dyed skirt and sandals. Just our luck they will have a huge marijunna drug bust today( it happens all the time around here) and we'll be in the Sacramento newspapers. What will our children think?
But, seriously, look at these wild trailers! I'm like a little kid in hippy wonderland, only I'm old and I don't have flowers in my hair.
Well, the owner didn't either. She was divorcing her husband, who was living in the house with the "hippy type young thing" and she couldn't wait to get out of there. I asked if I could take some pictures and she said "Sure". Then she told us more than we ever wanted to know about her life and how she wanted to find a place where she could be a serious artist. Turns out that the almost "x" husband has a camp here for inter-city kids who get arrested for tagging fences, buildings and trains. They come up here and paint huge canvases, live with the animals and the elements for a week or two and attend workshops about self- asteem; showing each other the creativity of their art and earning time on their probation. Not a bad idea. I worked with kids like this and some of them were very talented. The woman said that she loved the idea of all this but she needed to be 'somewhere else' now, whatever that meant. We bought some "organic" vegetables, a box of foam paint brushes, some tie-on tags for my gourd sales, one of those ugly light bulbs that last longer and are better for the environment, and a beautiful pumpkin that is pale and bumpy and going on my porch for Fall. Everything cost us $5.00. I took some pictures and we left, waving goodby, saying "Thank you.", hoping the D.E.A. wouldn't arrive before we got down the dirt road to the hiway.

We made one more stop on our way back home. This was one of those "someone died" sales. The barn was old but the house, up on the hill, was new. It's always sad to see all the furniture, books and clutter of someone's life sitting outside, lined up, well used, tagged and waiting to begin a new life with someone else. As I walked through the tables, touching all the plates, serving dishes and old stainless ware, I thought how someone had a lifetime of using all of this and, now, it sits collecting dust. They choose this place and they lived their life here and now they're gone . These are all the things that probably meant a lot to them. It's like a memorial. I needed to choose carefully and have respect for the one who used these things before me. That was when I spotted the kitchen chair.
Shades of my childhood! It was dirty, splattered with paint, rusty......, and in almost perfect condition. The seat and back were not torn. The rubber steps looked new. Nothing was loose and the tag said $15.00. I was so in love that I sat down on it. It didn't even wobble. I waited for the Prospector to come over. He ask me if I was tired. I said "No, I just don't want anyone else to take this." He said "What?" I said "This folding step stool." He took a look and said "It looks like my grandma's. Well, be sure you ask for less."
Now, this is the part of yard sales that I don't like: Bargaining and Bartering. I usually just pay the price and leave with my "find". I knew that I'd pay at least $30 or $40 dollars for one in an antique store, maybe more, so I went up to the man who seemed to be in charge and said I was interested in the red kitchen chair. We walked back to the chair and I said, in a most professional manner, " Would you take $10.00 for it?" He hesitated. Then, (and you have to understand I'm a novice at this) I said, " I have a $10 and a $1 in my wallet. That's it. I'll give it all to you." and I smiled. He said, "Well, I've already got it marked pretty low. ( I KNEW THAT!) I didn't say anything, but I opened my wallet and took the $10 and the $1 out and said "I might have another dollar in change." He looked at the chair one more time and then said, " You don't need to give me all your change. It's yours." YES!...., I'm getting better at this.
So...., I got a vintage "filled with memories" kitchen chair in really good condition for $11.00. The Prospector was proud of me..., and I'm sure his grandma was too.
Last night I clean all the paint off with some vinegar, soap and warm water. Isn't it beautiful? Need to work on the rusty metal . If anyone has any ideas on that I'm listening. What a fun day we had.