ALMOST BACK TO THE REAL WORLD!

Mother's Day Iris Bouquet from Buddy Joe and Lynn

How fast time can fly by when you are having such a great time. Iowa was good--a bit on the nippy side but seeing friends and family makes up for it. My sister Pat and her daughter Suzie were having a contract Estate Sale the weekend we got in so we got to see what was at the sale early. I bought a wonderful pin enameled painter palette and Lynn bought an old hat rack. Not that we needed either but it is always fun to shop one of her sales. We got a sneak peak at another one they will be having later this Spring----WOW---what a wonderful array of antiques but such a lot of work to get ready for it. We spent a nice evening with Pat, John and Suzie at Pat and Johns condo above the trees. What a wonderful place they have---if we would find one similar here in the area, we sure would be there. Dinner was so good and we sure did enjoy the evening. Hope we get to spend more time with them in the fall.

We were thrilled to get to see Emily play tennis. The wind was blowing about 30 MPH but she did well anyway. Later in the week she played so hard he hurt her leg but did well in her next competition. Wishing her luck for the tournament upcoming.

We stayed with our good friends, Mike and Paul Wigg in Ankeny. We always are treated like family and the food is great. Got to spend some time with her applique small group and really enjoyed seeing the wonderful work they all do. Amazing. Mike has just finished a quilt she has been working on for a year or more. It is fantastic! Here are a couple of shots. All hand applique!.

We spent some time with our kids and were very surprised with our Brian's announcement that he was retiring this month at 44. He has worked hard and made a wonderful life for Cathie and Emily and Ethan and wants to spend more time with the family. Knowing him, we think a year or two off and he will get into something but power to him!!! We are not sorry that we took early retirement at 55 so I am sure he will find he will really enjoy it. More time at the lake house and traveling. Great times with the kids before they leave home. They took us to a new restaurant "The Radish" in Grimes, Ia. Wonderful food.

We also went there again with our good friends, Ann and Ron Victor. They loved it, too. Great to see them but our time was not long enough. I bet they have returned to the radish. Ann and Ron are school friends from Creston and Ann was my maid of honor. Special friends for sure.

We went to Creston, out home town and stayed with Lynn's sis, Char. Got to see our niece and great nieces, too. Everyone is growing up so fast and when we don't see them but about every six months, we can really see a change. Char is enjoying her new beautiful home and we are so happy for her. Eating at the Windrow and S and J are always great and we look forward to it.
We were not the long enough to see everyone we wanted so this fall we plan to take the RV and Buddy Joe and make a vacation of it.

On Wed. night we met Cathie, Emily, Ethan and Mike at a great pizza place in Johnston. Sat with Ethan and he really filled me in on how to do more things on my IPhone! I think a few hours with him and I might really know lots of goodies that the phone will do. Ethan has grown up so much and is so tall! He is almost ready to get his license to drive and he drove Lynn and I to and from the resturant in the TRUCK. He says that is what he wants but is really thinking it over with gas prices so high.

On Thursday we picked up our good friend Connie Rhine at her daughter's in Clive, Iowa and off we went to Joplin on our way home. Didn't get a early start so stopped at the Iowa Welcome Center and shopped for Amish Baskets and antiques. Found some good ones. Then on to Liberty, Mo. to the needlework shop. Connie was looking for some special wool and WE FOUND IT THERE! Couldn't believe it so we were very excited. Bless Lynn for his patience with us.

Then off to Joplin, Mo. where we stayed the night listening for storms and checking the TV! They missed us but there were a few moments of being a bit anxious. The next morning we headed to Eureka Springs. Connie had never been there and we spent the day with me in a wheelchair! Not Fun on the very old limestone walks and hills. A town that old not designed for handicap folks. Back problems the whole time we were gone and that is not fun. Thanks to Connie and Lynn, I was able to get around.

Headed to Dallas to get Buddy and then home on Saturday to Mineola. Funny when you are gone for a few days, your house feel strange when you return. We had a good time in Canton on Sunday, all of us had scooters and we really got around the flea market with good speed! Connie spent time at our apartment on Wed. when we came in and we stayed in the guest suite. She flew home on Thursday but we really didn't have much time to play. Maybe next time. Come back soon, Connie.

Lynn has worked this week and we stayed in Dallas thru the weekend. Mother's Day we were treated to a wonderful lunch with Jen, Mark, Sydney and Sam and then they came to see our new part-time digs. Nice weather and a great day!

I spent the whole day alone in the apartment working on the computer and just hanging out with good company, Buddy! He loves to watch the folks come and go in the courtyard. Will be something to remember when we move into a condo or apartment sometime down the road.

Well, better sign off ---the weather here in the area has been wonderful, flowers are very much in bloom and trees are completely leafed out. What a great spring for us.

IOWA WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY

Arrived in Des Moines on Friday afternoon and the weather was not working for us. Cold, windy and not a great day to watch a tennis match! We gave it our best effort and watched Emily thru a wind break from the truck. Not the best but we did get to see her play! We also went to an Estate Sale run by my sister and niece. They have been doing this for 30 years and always have such great things to pic from and we were so lucky to be in Des Moines when they have a sale.



Been enjoying our time with Mike and Paul Wigg. We are excited they are getting up and running with an Ebay business. I hope they enjoy it as much as we do.

"Mike" and Paul Wigg

Saturday night we went to The Radish in Grimes, Iowa. What wonderful food!!! Brian and Cathie, Lynn and myself had a fun evening after the food. We went back to the house and met Emily's boyfriend and got to see them go out all dressed up for the evening. That was such fun!



Sunday we spent time with Mike and Paul and then went to the Apple Store at Jordan Creek Mall. I got what I needed and we then went to my sister's condo in Des Moines for dinner. What great Chili! Really makes us feel back home. They have a wonderful condo way up in the air (7th floor) with windows almost floor to ceiling all around, I sure do wish we could find a place like it in Dallas area! What a view!!!!! Our niece, Suzanne was there and it is always great to catch up with all the family information.



Today I had a fun time with a small quilting group of Mike's friends. She has a fantastic group of friends and I so enjoy myself with them. They sure do inspire me---hope I can take some of their energy and creative ability home to Texas.



Tonight we had dinner at The Radish (again) with our good friends, Ann and Ron Victor. Ann was our maid of honor almost 44 years ago! We have traveled with them and so enjoy their company. We all graduated from Creston High School in 1964 together so it is so easy to catch up on all the news.

ON OUR WAY TO IOWA

Picture of one of my flowers edited in a Reflections Program I have. This is such fun!

We are on our way to Iowa. Our home state and town. We have family there and love to go back and visit. It is spring there---we are about 5-6 weeks ahead of Iowa in Texas when it comes to the growing season. So we will see Spring again! That will be fun. I hope to take some more pictures.

Buddy is in Texas with Jennifer and family and I miss him already. He is NOT the best traveler. All he does if we don't drug him is pant and drip from his tongue. It does make the trip hard on him so we are so grateful Jennifer can watch him for a few days. If we take the trailer, we usually take him and when we get back from Iowa we hope to go somewhere for a few days with him and sit around a lake!

We were in Kansas City Thursday and will drove on in to Iowa Friday. Will stopped at the Amish basket store in Iowa and picked up a couple of baskets as usual. They are so nice.

BUSY WEEK IN MINEOLA

Our Wisteria is starting to bloom. It is a new vine from last year

and is blooming very late this year.

GARAGE SALE OVER!!!!! FOR THE TIME BEING.

Well it's over for now. Will probably have a art and craft sale soon to rid myself of some of the stuff I don't think I will ever use again. My interests have changed over the years. Our sale was amazing. Sold almost $600 of real junk. Only had three items at $30 and then rest were mostly .50 and $1.00

This is the rose from last blog! As they bloom out, they change color from yellow to pink. This is the color with no photo enhancement. Amazing!


Planted some pine trees, worked in the yard but most of all we did finish the floor or our screened porch with bricks. It was painted and looked real bad so we decided to brick it and it worked great. We still have to paint the steps but that will be easy. Concrete under the bricks isn't even cracked after 58 years! This house was built to last.





On Wednesday we went to Tyler for http://www.lifelinescreening.com/ We will get the results in about 21 days. Should be interesting. Easy, fast and should give us some idea of where we are now in our health mode. Guess we are not tooooooo bad as if they see something bad, they let you know right away, otherwise someone reads the tests and then they send you a report.


We are getting ready to head to Iowa next week. Our granddaughter is playing tennis on her High School team and is pretty good so we want to go and watch. Also, a spring visit will be nice. We have a list a mile long of folks to see and then our friend Connie will be heading back to Texas for a visit with us. That will be great fun as we always love to have her here. Wish more of our friends and family would stop by---we have the space for you! Here is a picture of our Emily! She is almost thru her junior year and we are most proud of her. She seems to love tennis and it good. I think Tennis is a great sport---you can do it all your life.







Went out today and took some pictures in the yard. Some of the flowers are fading but new one coming on. Hope I don't bore you with my flower pictures but that is something I love to take.

Close up of the Wisteria---Their sent is amazing!

Roses and Wisteria this week. Buddy helps me take them by laying down in the grass and watching me. What a sweet dog he has been. We are not taking him to Iowa but he is going to stay with Jennifer and family and his buddies, Kramer, Snickerdoodle and Oreo. They do have a great time

GETTING READY TO HAVE A SALE!

Second Rose of 2008

My roses are starting to bloom! I hope to put in a few more this year but they are are bit contrary at times. I did start my vine from seeds I held over from last year in small peat plugs and they are starting to pop! It was 79 here today so everything is growing well. Here is a pic of my second bloom. Also, my white rose should be out tomorrow.

Monday was the first get together for the East Texas Polymer Clay Group at the League of the Arts. http://www.mlota.org/ Such a nice group of artists who are so enthusiastic about polymer clay. It was such fun and a few of them brought back their items to show from the class that Penny Hurst and I taught a few weeks ago. We are going to meet once a month and hopefully will gather several more members over 2008. How lucky we are here in Mineola to have a League that offer such opportunity. Old school building with all the facilities open all day and by appointment. Neat place to meet, work and share.



I don't know about any of you but I am a pack rat. Always have been and Lynn has survived for almost 44 years with this "kink" in my personality. What a guy! Anyway, over the last few months I have taken the cure---really, I know some of you don't think it possible but I have. I guess I can blame it on my parents. While I was being raised, my family always took care of thing, repaired them and reused and recycled before it was popular. EVERYTHING HAS VALUE is the way I was raised and it stuck. I love my "stuff" and can't seem to throw anything away. I save it for the next time I might need it even if a next time may never come. Well, after 44 years, I have to give somethings up----it's time. Sooooo over the next year, Lynn and I are going to have mini sales. We have the barn---we can set up and mark and close the door then open it when we decide the day is good and have it for a few hours then close the door! This Sat. we are selling off hopefully, leftovers from our booth. Not much left but want it all gone. It will be just Lynn and myself working and what is left over(not any antiques) will be donated to Kindness Kottage here in Mineola. Then I will have a art-craft supply sale in a few weeks. I will breath a sigh of relief when all is gone and we are organized. I have a little label machine ( I call it "Martha" as Martha Stewart swears by it and so does Martha Woosley) and I have gone crazy with it! If you don't have one---get one---it can change your life.


Some of Our Dogwoods


Art supplies are so hard to organize. Everything is different sizes and shapes but over the last few month I have gone thru most all of my stuff. I know what I want to keep and I have such a wonderful space (two walk in closets plus a 9 x 9 walk in room) and my studio is 20 x 20. I have all of it filled to the brim but organized. The last two days I have been sorting my clay and beading supplies. How wonderful to be able to pull out a drawer (I have 30 three drawer DMC floss cabinets) and see what I have. I also have 6 Elfa wire drawer units that are as tall or taller than I am and recently we got a 4 drawer lateral file. Then I have two 6 self book cases and three floor to ceiling built in shelves in the closets. You see, I need to get it under control and I feel I am making headway. I am trying to decide what I want to do for the rest of my life and I do think watercolor and polymer are it. Oh, I did just take on Silver Art Clay. Check out this link to see what someone can do with it. This lady is quite an artist! http://www.pmcsupply.com/gallery/htmlgallery/hattie1/index.html

Can't wait to get some pieces like these made. I have my kiln but need some instruction on running it. Hopefully next week.

East Texas Spring--Lots of New Little Calves


Lynn as been in Dallas for two nights and will be home tomorrow and we will work late in the barn getting ready for the sale.

Wish us luck!

Happy Birthday Clint!

BUDDY SAYS

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, CLINT"

Bluebonnets and Buddy taken 4/6/08 in Mineola.


Well, today is our son Clint's 41st Birthday! WOW are We getting old! I just can't believe that 41 years has passed and I feel as young mentally as I did then but the old body sure has aged. Happy Birthday, Clint. Wish we could have been in San Antonio to celebrate with you. Maybe next year?

Well, as many of you know I love to start a project but finishing is not really the main thing I start for. I love the process and learning about how and why you do something a certain way. I love the process of planning, gathering the supplies and getting if off the ground. Well, maybe you remember way back when I started a silk scarf. It has been hanging around in my studio for weeks and months. Well, I set a goal for myself this week---FINISH THE SCARF! I did it today. It is painted and I need it to set up for 24 hours, heat set it and wash it and walah! It will be done. Here is a pic of it as it looks now. Check back in my archives to see where it was when I started. I think I am going to love it and to think---it is an original and there is nothing like it in this world!!! That's the part I love when I create.

Check back in a day or two as I will have more pics when it is heat set and washed. The background looks black but it is a wonderful brown. I am learning on this one and already have a smaller one in the frame.

Monday is the first meeting of our new Polymer Clay Day group here in Mineola. I am thrilled I have "hooked" a handful of friends to join together and play one day a month for now. Should be fun and creative. http://www.mlota.org/ There is an art show coming up soon so I need to get to painting----looking forward to art this spring.

Another picture of the Bluebonnets here in the area.

SPRING HAS ARRIVED IN EAST TEXAS

How beautiful East Texas is in the Spring! No matter where you drive the flower are abundant and it is soooooo green this year. The Azaleas are blooming in full force and what a sight it is when you go by a yard with several different colors all in a row. WOW! Hope to get some pictures to post this weekend if the weather is good. There are some homes in Tyler that really out do themselves and they have the Azalea Trails Festival every year with a map to follow for all the beauty. Most of these homes are folks that have yard people to make everything look great. I have a yard guy and he does wonders but our budget is not what those folks have, I am very sure. Today I planted my seeds for the vines I always grow in starter plugs. They will be up in a week and ready to plant probably by the end of the month. The are beautiful and I keep the seed over the winter to replant in the spring. I also kept over the Purple People Eater plant and hope that it will grow. Above is a picture of one of my Azaleas. The picture has not been doctored so you see the color is wonderful.

While Lynn was in Dallas working this week, I was sorting again in the studio. IT WILL BE DONE SOON! I have several things to get rid of and putting like items together is wonderful. Maybe before long I will be able to start painting, claying, knitting, beading, quilting and even sewing. It's been so long since I have put my mind to art. Can't wait!