Magic Wands and Exploding Hoses

Hi Everyone!
Hope things have been great since last we visited!
It has been on this side. Lots of projects, lots of family. :)

I think we shall start with a continuation of the straw bale garden...
I have been patiently waiting for some sign that things would start growing and after the last couple of 30 degree nights went by...THEY DID!! Lots of growth too. I'm really shocked at how much has sprouted.
The fruit trees and the flower circle are doing well also! *forgot to take any photos of them though*...

this is where we started (4-13-14)

this is 10 days later (4-23-14)

this is 3 days after that (4-26-14)

amazing results so far!!

On a note concerning the straw bales...I was babysitting this past Friday and didn't get home until 2 am. As I let the dogs out (who were bouncing off the walls since they hadn't been out in hours and hours) I heard this sssswwwwoooooosssshhhhh coming from the backyard. Apparently not turning the water off at the faucet is not a good idea. The day before after I water the bales I must have forgotten (sucks getting old-er) to turn it off and it blew a hole in the hose. No idea how long it had been spewing water but the backyard was well saturated...except for the bales. Of course, why on earth would I expect it to go where it was needed. 

hose go BOOM!

The kids and all my grandchildren were at the house for Easter. It was nice to have everyone in one place. My son was supper tired (finally back to work! YAY!) so he was moody - but I love him anyway! The grand kids had fun chasing eggs - I think my daughter and my daughter-in-law had just as much fun chasing the kids around trying to help them find the eggs. All in all it was a pleasant day. Hope you got to spend your day with family as well! Sally came up with a last minute project for me to whip up. Sometimes I think she thinks I can pull things out of my bum. :) But I did it...bubble jars and magic wands to go with them. They turned out really well and I was really happy with them (yes, mark it on the calendar, that doesn't happen very often)...

all my Grand Berries in one place   :)

magic wands - look out Harry Potter! LOL

completed wands and jars - baby food jars with a 

red base with crackle finish for the girls and a black base

with crackle for the boys. and some green and blue

coloring for the bubbles

My mother-in-law, who left to go home to Michigan on Friday, asked me to create some gifts for some of her other grandchildren. She wanted something with their names. So I put together a cork board name plate. They are little wooden shapes that I used acrylic overlays on and then attached them to the cork board. They came out fairly well I think. I believe that Isabel was happy with them (I hope).

these were for the boys...the girls got crocheted pieces -

not by me (I can though) but by our niece

About a week ago my daughter sent me a picture of a gorgeous greenhouse. I want one...will somebody build me this? Oh, and I'll need a piece of property big enough to contain it as well.  :)

let me know when you can get started!

*why would anyone not take care of this?*

I WANT ONE!!

Well, I think that is the end for today. I have so enjoyed our little chat, I hope you have as well.

Until next time...

Be Good, Be Safe, Be Happy!

TTFN

**One question for you all...How many pictures do you want to see? I was considering showing the 'how-to' of the bubble jars / wands and the name plates but thought that it would be over kill. Do you like the details of what I'm working on or would you rather just the finished pieces? I don't want to put anyone to sleep at their computers (although I'm sure it's happened before). Yes, I do realize that was more than one question...but curious minds want to know. :)**

Retiring Fruit Trees on Fire

Good morning All!
I hope that the you have been well since we last talked.
It's been busy, busy here...

A couple weeks ago I started preparing the 'strawbale garden' I will be using this summer. It consists of straw bales arranged in a square and a two that are arranged in a rectangle. The bales form the outside and the center has dirt. I have been adding fertilizer to the straw to help break it down and provide the nutrients for the plants that it will contain. So far, so good! I noticed yesterday that I am beginning to see sprouts from the straw. That's a good sign and means that it is ready to be planted. YAY! I will be doing the planting today.

location, location, location

set up and filled with dirt and compost....

finished bales...a layer of dirt and compost was

spread over the top and then covered with straw to

maintain the moisture

Things are starting to warm up here in Georgia. Have a feeling that it may be a hot Atlanta summer this year. Temps are expected to be in the 80's today. It was 82 yesterday while I was working in the yard (another story altogether). Last week it was in the low to mid 70's. Very nice weather. Lots of kids out playing. Kennedy made a trip to the park in her complex. She was having a blast on the slide.

lots of smiles...

"do it again"

Sally and I went to the 'Festival on Ponce' last weekend and had a really good time. It was the beginning of the Art Festival season. They had a lot of artist on hand. A lot of jewelry. There were a few artist that caught my eye. And one that I actually purchased a piece from. Her name is Laurie Anne Smith Sikorowski. I so wanted to take the original home, but it didn't happen. The original is approximately 4x4 feet. I purchased a print of the original, it is 18x24 including the mat. I really like this piece. It was one of those that just screamed my name when I walked by. This is the first piece I have purchased at an Are Fest in many, many years. There was another artist that I really like, Sergey Cherep. Very bright colors.

horrible picture, i know...

the new artwork by Laurie Anne

Last week at work was interesting. We had a lightening strike that fried the motor in the main paint line. The line stopped but the ovens were still on. They set the strip on fire. A nice, fairly large fire. We had to evacuate the building and the fire department showed up....about 12 trucks, hazardous material vehicle and others. It was quite the sight. They put the fire out without totally destroying the place. The amount of vehicles that responded was really surreal. But, no one got hurt and the place didn't go BOOM! Which is always a good thing.  :)

 

firetrucks, firetrucks....

and more firetrucks

Also last week was my boss' last day. Joe retired and is moving on to run his business in south Georgia. I've worked with Joe for 12 years. Doesn't seem possible that it's been that long. My new boss, Chris, and I took Joe out for lunch the previous week. And this past week we went to lunch with the CFO. Had a wonderful time at both lunches. I hope that everything goes well for Joe (and Michael) in the next chapter of his life. Gonna miss you Joseph! And I made a cake for his 'see ya later' party at work. It was a lemon cake with a raspberry center and lemon frosting. It was yummy and everyone seemed to like it. :)

Joseph and me...

Michael and me

Yesterday we had a new stove delivered. Last week our stove of 13 years decided it was done. No warning what so ever....just done. I'm sure at one point or another I have mentioned how much I dislike electric stoves, so we now have a new gas stove with a large center burner. It even has a griddle! YAY! We also had the dishwasher replaced. It died years ago, but since it was just me and Sally we never got around to replacing it. Can't wait to use the new stove. Just in time for a big Easter ham!  

oohhhhh...pretty

griddle accessory!

Spent the day working in the yard on Saturday. My daughter came over to help with the yard work. We got 3 fruit trees (apple, plum and pear) planted in the front (near the flower circle). We also planted 3 new rose bushes in the 'rose garden'. And Jenifer did a wonderful job of cleaning out the weeds and old mulch around my red twigs at the stairs. And I managed to get the grass cut too! It was a very productive day! Can't wait for the fruit trees to....bear fruit! LOL

fruit trees...plum, pear and apple

Jenifer hard at work on the red twigs

red twigs cleared out and freshly mulched

and in the midst of all the planting, we

realized we were being watched by 

momma bird :)

There are no new artwork postings this time - last weekend we had heavy rains and my studio flooded. I am still trying to get everything back to normal. I hope to have some postings next time of the many projects that are currently underway. 

I think that is all for this time around.

Until next time....

Be Good, Be Safe, Be Happy!!

TTFN