Live Oak Trees

There are so many different types of oak trees in the US. Many are majestic and tall, with incredible beauty. Their lumber is sought after for its beauty and strength. Here in Florida, like many other parts of the south, we have the Live Oak tree. They are sturdy with low lying branches and can live for over one hundred years. They have deep roots and a spreading crown. You often see them in the cattle fields in rural Florida, one tree standing proudly in the middle of a large field, providing shade for the animals there. Another common oak tree in our area is the Laurel Oak. It stands straight and tall and can make pretty lumber. It doesn't have the hardiness of the live oak, nor does it have its longevity. Recently, after a lightening strike, one of these trees came down. We were able to have some of the wood cut into slices. The slices are 12 inches or so wide and 2 inches thick. The bark is thick and beautiful. Nothing has been done to this wood yet. They still need sanding but should turn out beautifully. These slices can make great cutting surfaces or, if polished, beautiful table centerpieces. Hopefully, we will be able to offer them in the Metal,Woods, N' Water shop on Etsy.

The Magic of Books

Books have been my first love. They have got me through some of the hardest times of my life by giving me a place to escape and taught me to cook, sew, and be a better person. I am shocked and saddened when I hear people predict that books will someday be a thing of the past since Amazon and other online book sellers offer books online. Too busy? Listen to book. You can and I've tried it, but honestly, it's not the same. There is something truly summer-scrumptious about sitting on the front porch or on the beach with a book. The words are tasty morsels waiting to be devoured, each one special. A good story is the perfect escape from the everyday; it can take you across the globe and back in time. Often times, the story is so good that you become a part of it and saddened when it ends. I keep my favorite old books in my bookcase. Like old friends, I check on them every so often, keep them dusted, and glance through the pages that I know so well. Someone once told me their daughter was having a hard time reading. She didn't have any learning problems, she just hadn't discovered books yet. I told the woman to take her little girl to the library; make a special day of it and do that once a week or every other week. So simple a remedy that she hadn't even thought of it. Most local libraries have a section for children with a story time. The commercial book stores have them, too. Some even have coffee shops inside making the special treat easy to get. What a wonderful way to introduce someone to the magic of books!

Dixie County Humane Society

Today I took a ride up the the Dixie County Humane Society. They hold a yard sale every Friday and Saturday. They have 2 buildings full of fun finds, everything from furniture to jewelry, crafting items, and antiques. Today they even had a McCoy Cookie Jar in great condition and the most lovely Grandmother's Flower Garden Quilt. The quilt is hand-pieced and hand-quilted. A beautiful specimen. All the proceeds from the yard sale goes to the medical needs and food for the dogs and cats they rescue. They hold an adoption day and a vaccine clinic. It's a great place to buy dog and cat toys, flea meds, and what have you.

Sea shells, sea sponges, coral, and cork

One of my favorite places to be is on the beach or, more specifically, at the water's edge. Hearing the surf and smelling the salt sea air does more to lift my spirits than anything else in this world. Feeling the sand between my toes gives me goose bumps. Walking along the beach after a storm is the best time to look for sea treasures. The churning of the water during a storm brings pieces of coral, shells, sponge, and other things from the ocean's floor and deposits them on the beach, ready for the collector. What a varied treasure you can find! Here's a few goodies from www.MetalWoodsnWater.etsy.com.

Dolls, Puppets, and Ventriloquists

TV in the 50's and 60's was magical, at least to a child growning up then. TV may have been in its infancy, as many say, and the programs may have been simple, but the shows for children were so much fun to watch. In New York City, we had a couple of TV channels that had programming for children (that's cartoons) in the early evening, and on Saturday morning. Back then, we didn't have 500 channels to choose from or networks dedicated to cartoons and children so the time we did have was very special. It didn't matter if the shows were in black and white, all TV's were black and white. My sisters and I didn't care, we stayed glued to the TV set every evening and every Saturday morning. Not only did we have cartoons, lots of cartoons, but we had ventriloquists with their puppets, or dummies as they were called. Jerry Mahoney and Knucklehead Smiff, Lambchop, Danny O'Day, and Farfel the Dog were just some of the puppets around at the time. Like Howdy Doody, they often had their own shows and kids watched them every night. Farfel the Dog was a "spokesdog" for Nestle's Chocolate. Convinced me. Here's a Danny O'Day doll from GrannysCranny.etsy.com shop. Just looking at him makes you want to sing about chocolate milk.

Summer

Well, my statistics class is finally done. I have dreaded taking statistics for years. I got lucky and got a good teacher this time. I think that's the difference for classes, instructors that are interested in you understanding what they are teaching. Made a difference for me. I love summer classes, always have. While others complained of feeling tortured by sitting inside during the summer, I thought of it as a respite from the heat. I had something to do, to challenge me, and make me think. I loved the speed of the classes where the information was pared down to the important stuff only because there just wasn't enough time for the BS of fall and spring classes. I could do in 5 weeks what other classes tried to make me do in 12. Just love it.

Vintage finds. I just love yard saling. I love to create but since time is tight since I started school, I have had to reassess my abilities and talents. I realize I am a good shopper so why not go shopping. Looking for bargains is what I do best, right after goofing off. Searching through piles of junk is my forte. Check this cool find out. A leaf made of iron, once was a candle holder. I thought, why not hang my everyday faves on it, which I did. Some things find new life in different uses.