The Jokesters!

Without a flock of grandpunks around, decorating for Christmas just doesn't happen with the same enthusiasm. We hang a stocking on the elk antlers, plug in the fiber optic tree, put on the festive holly tablecloth, make a swag for the porch - that's about it...

I did finally find the wall hanging I made a few years back, so it went on the kitchen wall - looks like we're alllll ready for Christmas now.

Apparently the elves told on us. Some (ahem) friends seemed to think we are Scrooging it, so they decided to make our Christmas season a little more merry and bright. We found on our doorstep one evening, a large bag, a 20-pound turkey, and this note:

So we've been really good, no naughty here at all ('cept the CAT), only opening the one package designated for each day. Here's what has happened so far during our 12 DAYS of CHRISTMAS:

2nd day - 2 pounds of raisins (organic - HOW did they know?!); 3rd day - 3 pounds of almonds (RAW almonds, just the BEST!!);

4th day - four pencils; 5th day - five Golden Spaghetti (come on, sing along here, make it work!...); 6th day - 6 cans of veggies...

And that's as far as we got, that was all that was in that big sack. But wait! There's more!

Just a few minutes ago, a knock on the door, and SURPRISE! Another sack!

Now you are just going to have to wait, like we are, to see what the next day brings. Tomorrow is 7 pieces of fruit, came already in a lovely bowl. The rest - well, we didn't shake the fancy papered one TOO hard - sounds like a can of those scrumptious Danish butter cookies, hehe!

We have our suspicions as to who our merry Jokesters are, and just who they recruited as elves to do the deliveries. Part of the fun is not knowing, so we're not going to do much sleuthing.

Since we'll be in Salem for Christmas day, I decided to include the Santa below to finish off our adventure. He was the prize for a game I won at our Bay City Booster's annual Christmas party this week - pretty cool! Another decoration that doesn't require hanging or climbing!

OK, in the tradition of Paul Harvey, here's the REST of the story!

Before I came to stay with mom, she had told me about waking up in the middle of the night a couple of times by loud knocks on the front door, with no one there when she got up to check.

So this week when we had a LOUD knocking on the door while we were watching evening TV, I was a little jumpy about it. I called out, "Who's there?" No answer, of course. So I quickly locked the door, and also the back door. Peeked out the curtain - motion sensor light was on, but nothing to see. I wasn't about to open that door.

After a moment's thought, I called 911 - we have some rowdy, not-so-nice youngsters around our neighborhood, they had been pills all summer and I figured they were good candidates. I just requested a patrol drive through and see if the kids were out and about.

When I hung up, the phone rang almost immediately - it was a hang up. So I called 911 back, and reported it as suspicious. Five minutes later - another call, and hang up. I'm figuring they are getting a little more aggressive about harassing us, so - yep, called 911 again.

I'm on first name basis with the operator by now.

Another 20 minutes later, I'm knitting away, and the lightbulb goes on: what if it is our little neighbor family up the street who are so sweet to mom, bringing her flowers on May Day, etc. , and they've done a treat for us? So I carefully opened the door, and - there was the turkey and bag of packages!

Oh yeah. Another call to 911, to report the goody drop, and call the patrol off.

A bit later, we got a call from our two church missionaries: "Say, we were just driving by a bit ago and noticed you had something on your porch. Did you find it? Wouldn't want the coons to get into anything..." SOOOO subtle, eh? I'm pretty sure those two guys have pointy ears...

So tonight when the not-quite-so-loud knock came, I didn't hesitate to open the door. And retrieved the second half of our 12 Days of Christmas! We sure have fun friends!

We have been chuckling about what could have happened if the missionaries had been intercepted by the patrol - jokesters, indeed! We know they aren't the perpetrators, they are just the wheel men.

All in all, the joke really was on us - Merry Christmas, Tiny Tim!

Nondiscrimination Policy

Cats are not political creatures - and they have a unique nondiscrimination policy: they hassle whomever provides the most entertainment at any given moment.

Lest you think Birdie just picks on Mom while she is quilting, I offer evidence that my artistic endeavors are not without challenge. Furry challenge.

"ooo, look at this cool little sponge! Wonder why she calls it sea sponge - doesn't even smell like fish..."

"This water is even better than toilet water! Kinda painty, kinda minty..."

"I've seen her brush eraser crumbs off - see, I can be helpful!!"

"Ah well, a nap is a nap. Wait - hafta check out this brush thingy. Ummm! Smells like squirrel."

She packs off brushes, drinks the water, steals erasers - the only reason she hadn't left with the eraser this time was that she is LAYING on it.

Some days I get more done than others...

Usually when I shut her the bathroom.

Trouble

I don't know which one to blame...as you can see, mom eggs her on. Birdie gets into enough mischief all on her own, without any help at all.

She has a method - first you look all cute and innocent. Then you wiggle and slither, very subtly until in position. Then -

you pounce! In this case, the object of her kitty brain was the THREAD ball. Which SOMEONE had very conveniently put in her way, and showed her how much fun a dangling thread can be.

It's all fun and games from there...

Just let me say, trying to get a quilt tied around here can be a real labor of patience.

Can't complain too much, though. She IS dang cute. And entertaining. Which mom points out every time I'm ready to squirt the cat with the water bottle to further her education...

Deck the Halls...or walls...

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum...we don't lack for greenery in the northwest. Especially on the coast. Right in our yard, even! The back yard is a bit of an arboretum, thanks to mom planting a variety of baby trees over many years. So making a wreath, or a swag, for festive holiday decor, is just a matter of grabbing the loppers out of the garden shed, and talking a walk.

Today was 35 degrees COLD, but sunny - perfect for our evergreen hunt. We scored some nice branch ends off the Noble fir, and some long fronds of Sequoia. A jaunt across the steet yielded the holly sprigs. No red berries within reach of the loppers. Rats. A short drive up the hill and a roadside raid for some color. Back to the garage workbench, where the wire and pliers were stashed.

The first year we were married, while Dennis was off at boot camp in New Jersey, I worked most of November and December in Puyallup, Washington at a place that made wreaths and swags. I have seldom purchased one since, except to support the Scout troop a few times. Easy to make, and lovely to smell the resiny freshness as each branch is snipped and nipped. Puts me in a holiday mood like nothing else!

The berries and leaves match the door - how cool is that! No, I don't know what the berries are, I'll be finding out. I cut some from the same place last year; it's a prolific ornamental shrub, grows so rampant that the city crew cuts it back. I figured they wouldn't mind some help keeping it in check...

The swag may or may not get a red bow.

I have a couple more to make, smaller ones, which we put on Dennis' and Dad's gravesites each year. A labor of love - and a lovely time of year to remember past holidays with two great guys.

About the time of our third Christmas, with our first little punk on the way, Dad taught Den how to make his traditional buttery, creamy caramels, which have long been our family's favorite holiday treat. It's become the "guy thing" in our family. We always make several batches, because they are wonderful to share with special friends and neighbors.

Dennis' family loved popcorn balls. Over the years, Dennis became known as our Popcorn Ball expert - his contribution to our own family traditions. Even last year, I had friends asking for his recipe, once again! The popcorn balls are perfect for snacking, not too hard, not too soft - buttery, vanilla-y, salty, gooey perfection gluing the popped corn into shape. Oh my.

Making family traditional goodies will be next on the list of holiday things to enjoy...I think I need to put another pound or two of butter on the shopping list.

The WAVE

Cousin Carey M. has challenged us once again with a new quilt block pattern for the Biennial Mills Familly Quilt project. This one was a LOT easier than the last one - I've never been overly fond of detailed applique work, takes me toooooo long to do those itty bitty stitches. I'm all for quick and easy!

The pattern is called "Ocean Wave" - or Snail Trail, Monkey Wrench, Indian Puzzle, Journey to California (?), Whirley Gig (that one actually makes sense).

Cutting, piecing and sewing the first block took awhile, but with the help of Voodoo Bunny (AKA the pincushion), it was not difficult. In fact...

I enjoyed the pattern so much I scrounged into my fabric stash and came up with three more variations!

The dark one is supposed to be the moon over the ocean...OK, just use your imagination. And I actually appliqued that moon, so there!

Then I found a panel I had started putting together for another quilt project, and since it fit the theme of "Oregon Coast", I sent it off with the waves for Carey to piece together.

Several other family members are making various coast-themed blocks, and sending them along to Carey. The final quilt is always a surprise, and always beautiful. We will see it in all it's glory at the Mills reunion next August - where it will be raffled off. This quilt project was started about 16 years ago to promote quilting in our younger generations, learning and carrying on quilting skills in honor of Lydia Blum Mills - my greatgrandmother.

I particularly loved the verse around this panel...

While I'm not living THIS close to the sea, I can hear the roar of the surf at night, and breath salty ozone laden air any time I step out the door. A little bit of heaven, good for the soul.

I think that Adriondack chair is waiting for me..

Orphink is Patches!

Quick note on the lost dog:

The owner saw the note (finally) I left on the bulletin board at the little convenience store here in Bay City. She called this morning. After 5 days, this afternoon we had a happy reunion! Shannon lives two block above us on the hill; we still can't figure out how a blind, almost-can't-walk dog got so far in a driving storm. She was out all night, according to Shannon. Shannon's mom put the dog out to potty in the (unfenced) yard while Shannon was sleeping - we think perhaps the storm and rain got her nose scrambled, Patches couldn't find her way back to their porch.

Patches is 12 years old; Shannon has had her from puppyhood. Shannon is mid-20s, a single mom with 3-year old twins and a lab pup. What a houseful!

I neglected to take a photo of Shannon and Patches before they left - but we offered to be her dog-sitter anytime, so maybe we'll see her again.

We miss her already, she was a sweetheart!

You never know what adventure will fall into your lap. I just found a new favorite saying:

"Come what may - and love it!"

Why Temples?

About once a year, each member receives their invitation to present a talk to the congregration of our branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My turn rolled around this week. Sometimes topics are assigned. More often, the topic is left to the speaker to determine.

With much pondering, fasting, prayer, and searching through topics of personal interest, I felt impressed to present some information on why, as a covenant-keeping people, our temples are so critical for us.

There are currently 135 LDS temples, sited all around the world. In addition, there are 18 under construction, and 15 more temple sites have been announced by the presidency of the Church.

Gathering information, studying materials, sorting what would be most appropriate for a 20 minute presentation, takes time. One of the things I appreciate most about this process, is that I learn a ton more than I can ever share in the amount of time alloted during the sacrament service. Things brought to my attention by the Spirit are always for my personal growth and edification. It's like receiving my own tailored course in whatever the subject happens to be.

This time, I was particularly reminded that I can receive the most from attending a temple session by combining the blessings of meditation with the blessings of the instructions taught during a session.

Meditation is the language of the soul. It is defined as "a form of private devotion, or spiritual exercise, consisting in deep, continued refection on the subject." Meditation is a form of prayer; spiritual communion. We sometimes tend to pay too little attention to the value of meditation, a principle of devotion.

Our nearest temple is in Portland, near Lake Oswego. By attending temple sessions as often as I can, I not only serve those beyond the veil, I have continuous opportunity to grasp what the teachings mean for me personally. I am strengthened in the covenants I make.

"Keeping covenants is true joy and happiness. This is comfort and peace. This is protection from the evils of the world. Keeping the covenants we make within the temple will help us in times of trial. As we have faith in Christ and cleave to our covenants, we will receive the joy spoken of in the holy scriptures and promised by our latter-day prophets." Barbara Thompson, 2nd Counselor Relief Society General Presidency

Opening paragraphs of my presentation, "Why Temples?":

In some churches of the world the particular building containing the cathedra, or chair of the bishop, is called a cathedral. Since these houses of worship have normally been the largest, the most ornate, and by far the most costly of all places of religious assembly, it has become common in the world to refer to all large and important church buildings as cathedrals.

The Latter-day Saints, however, do not build cathedrals. We build temples. The temple is, literally, as it has been throughout history, the “House of the Lord.“ It could be argued, that our temples are indeed large and more ornate, at least inside, as compared to our smaller meeting houses. There is a distinct, and important, difference in the two types of construction we see in our LDS buildings of worship.

The chapels (or ward, or in our case - branch, buildings) are the workhorses of Mormon worship. They are used for Sunday worship and meetings, where visitors are welcomed and encouraged to attend. We learn the principals of the gospel. We study doctrine and share our opinions with others, in a loving atmosphere. We teach each other; we meet new people and socialize. During the week, these buildings may be used for various Church activities and youth groups. They are also sometimes used for community events such as polling stations, or as shelters for natural disasters.

Temples serve solely as places for the performance of religious ceremonies. Temples are not used for Sunday worship, and are closed on the Sabbath. A temple is also different in that certain standards of worthiness must be met to enter into such a holy and sacred place. Not just anyone, actually not just any Latter-day saint, may pass through the doors of a dedicated LDS temple. Before that final dedication, interested public, church members and their families, and civic dignitaries are invited and welcomed to attend guided tours of the temple building for a short period of time.

So - just why do we build temples?

First and foremost: whenever the Lord has had a people on earth, from the days of Adam to now, he has always commanded them to build temples so they could be taught how to gain eternal life. .......

It's the small things...

"Until you lose your home, you can't really appreciate things like a warm fire, a bowl of food, a cozy blanket."



She lost her home, her family, her bearings. A rather tramatic event for an old gal with no eyesight. The good news is, that she managed to stagger into our life, even in the pouring down rain. We weren't sure she was going to make it through the night - she pretty much didn't move for 24 hours.

After an hour of phoning various community resources for animal rescue, we partnered with the Animal Shelter to get her a vet check.

The shelter paid for the exam, which revealed that Orphink is in good general health - all vital stats are stable, good color, plumbing is working, she does hear - but is definately blind as a bat. It seems to be a neurological problem, the cataracts aren't severe enough to cause the total blindness.

But her NOSE and at least ONE ear works just fine, she can track us really well and doesn't miss a morsal of food! The vet tech just about sprained her knees getting Orphink back up off the floor scale - 40 cotton-pickin' pounds!!

The vet cut those horribly long nails, applied some Advantage to take care of a few stray fleas, gave Orphink a treat (her first food since we nabbed her out of the storm), and sent her home with some special bath soap. She was a different dog from that point on.

"Even a nice warm bath is something to be thankful for. Especially when there are gentle helping hands and a blow-dry"!

Thanks, Matt! She especially loved the towel massage; if she were a cat she would have been purring.

Thanksgiving was in Salem this year. Of course Orphink went with us. With a spiffy new collar and leash, a bag of "Good Bites" for Hip and Joint (she knows what THAT crinkle sound is - steak flavored!), enough kibble for two days of vacation, her dishes, a bottle of water, doggy-doo pick-up bags, a change of bedding (just in case) for the kennel, two big towels for the bath project - it was like packing the diaper bag when the kids were little!

We were amazed at how well she adapted to traveling and being in a new environment with more new sounds, and animals. She's a pretty smart little pup. She has got Gram trained already, for taking nice walks and handing out treats!

"Soft grass is best for walking on, but level paving is OK too. I may not be able to see, but I love the feel of the sun, and all the interesting smells outdoors. It's good to have a friend to walk with!"

The "Hip and Joint" goodies can't possibly work that fast, so part of her new spryness has got to be the consistent water and food, good massages, lots of attention, and getting outdoors regularly for walks. She literally springs up now, where in the beginning we had to boost that weak hind-end off the floor and steady her for a few minutes before she could walk.

The best part? She wags her tail when she hears us talking to her!!

NOTE: There has been no response to various notices of "Found dog". The Tillamook Animal Shelter, and United Paws, are offering to help place her in a foster situation in hopes of re-homing her.

Orphink of the Storm

About a month or so ago, I nabbed a kennel from the thrift store. It's all set up in the garage as Birdie's emergency carrier. BUT - I know from LOOOONG experience, an empty kennel follows the universal law - "If there is a vacuum, it will be filled." I knew that kennel was like a ticking bomb.

And it has never failed me yet. We have rescued, raised, boarded, so many odds and ends of critters over the past 50 years, we should have a zoo license.

This morning, it happened again. It's been two years since Birdie strolled in. At least she choose good weather. I knew we were overdue for another orphan. Like waiting for the "Big One" earthquake off the coast...

This little gal caught our attention during one of the nasty coast storms we get from time to time. BUCKETS of rain, flooding rivers and drains, high winds, water over roads, lightening, power blips - the whole lolapalooza.

I looked out the front window about 10:25, thinking about what time we needed to leave to make it into Tillamook for an 11:00 chiropractor appointment. Across the street, on the steep bank, was a small white dog. Trying to get up the bank, not making it, staggering around.

It was windy and POURING. I figured I might be able to coax the dog across the street into our garage, so dashed out (sans coat, of course)only to discover that the dog was not only soaked to the skin, she was BLIND and DEAF. No wonder she wasn't responding to coaxing...

With the help of a passing neighbor, who jumped out of her car into the rain, in her nice shoes and work clothes, I managed to get the dog into the garage. Mom brought out some towels, we bundled her up and then I CARRIED her (all 100 pounds it felt like) into the house where I had hurriedly placed the kennel by the stove, all comfy with thick towels. We dried her as well as possible, stuffed her in the crate where she promptly curled up and closed her eyes, then I bolted into town for my chiro appointment - which I REALLY needed by then. That is one brick of a pup, no matter if she is as old as dirt.

She is about the size of a cocker spaniel, but looks to have maybe some terrier. Mostly white, rather wirey coat. Nails like Elvira. Smells like an old, wet dog, if you know what I mean.

So mom stayed to watch over her, I ran errands, got a can of dog food (after all, we can't feed her the CAT FOOD, for heavens sake), and survived some very dicey driving in the high winds and slanting downpours. Not to mention the lightening, which I really don't care for.

Little Orphink hasn't moved. At all. She IS still breathing, we check her every hour. She doesn't react to food rubbed under her nose. Or the cat breathing down her neck.

You have to understand, Birdie now associates dogs in kennels with TOYS. As in, the dog becomes her personal toy. She is so puzzled by this one. She has sat and watched. She has laid down right by the door, waiting...waiting. Not a whisker or eyelash has wiggled. Now she has taken up a post where she won't miss a thing, including if the dog gets that dish back that has the FOOD in it...this cat has a one-track mind, centered in her stomach.

I've notified both local vets, and the city office, that we have Little Orphink here, in case someone calls looking for her. I'm going to talk to some of the neighbors up the street, see if anyone knows her. We have not seen this dog before, and we know most of the closest family's pets.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed, that she hasn't been dumped. Makes me very upset to think of anyone doing that to an old dog. But it happens, just as much as people dump pups or kittens.

Orphink may be going to Salem with us for Thanksgiving. Hope she wakes up for the turkey... Will keep you posted...

Oh - and she SNORES.

Turning over a new leaf...

Passion is a funny thing. It can strike in an instant, without any planning on your part at all.

That's what happened. It began with a random memory of Card Exchanges with some calligraphers I used to hang with. We would choose a topic (or not), and make a card for everyone who wanted to sign up for the exchange.

While taking the photos that are in the previous post, I naturally picked up a few leaves. Then a few more. Then I raided the backyard. Then I went for a walk and stole (oops - you didn't hear that) some from a neighbor's tree. Insidious. That's what they are.

So with a pile of leaves, the thought came, we should do a Fall Leaf Card Exchange, since they will only last a short time before turning brown and shrivelly. (Hmmm. Those are interesting forms, too.) Anyway - since I no longer have all those contacts at hand, I thought of my artistic friends in various states and assorted artistic relatives who might be interested, bullied them into a two-day deadline, and grabbed my paintbrushes!

Here are my cards. In various formats. And a few experiments.

140 pound cold pressed Arches paper; Graham watercolor paints (tube).

One thing I've been wanting to explore is sewing on paper. This seemed a likely project to try it out. The black thread (only because I was too lazy to change the bobbin) really makes the color pop! I fell in DEEP SMIT, as Anne says. What fun! Now I have a dozen more projects whizzing through the alleys in my brain - makes it hard to sleep sometimes.

I loved this leaf. I pressed it. Then brought it out to have a conversation with techniques. I decided in the interest of sanity to just use masking fluid for the holes. Worked well, don't you think?

Naked leaves on white paper can be a little stark, so with some various backgrounds the cards starting looking a little more grand. But they still needed something. This calligraphy script, called AKIM, is one of my favorites for quick projects (that's what I said this would be - about 12 hours ago). Akim is lyrical in rhythm, which seemed to fit the idea of fall leaves. The verse was something just repeating itself over and over and over in my mind as I played with the leaves - so as I do in the middle of the night with pesky ideas, I wrote it down to get it OUT of my mind!

Another fun medium is using watercolor pencils or crayons. You color it on, then use a wet brush to blend (the orange/red around the leaves on right). That particular purple leaf was an old stand-by technique from grade school art - paint the back of the leaf, then press it onto the paper for a contact print. Then I cleaned the leaf, flipped it over, and used the watercolor pencils to color around it as a negative stencil.

The "artsy" card on the left is a simple wet-the-paper, drop-in-color and let it do its thing technique. Another beginners watercolor exercise. Then I did some blowing on a few puddles to make vein-like lines of color. Some negative painting around a few edges to give some suggestion of leaf shape. Some veining painted in with a tiny brush.

Two of the paintings were done on this postcard size wc paper. After drying well, I went over those particular paintings with a piece of parafin, so the cards are waterproof for mailing.

So much of a painting is viewer's perception. The project doesn't have to be photo-like, it's often more effective to let the viewer see what it means to them. So "artsy" works!

Watercolor painting can be challenging. But by keeping it light and fun, a lot can be learned by just playing.

The cards all went into the mail this afternoon. When I get some in return, I'll post photos of those, too. We all have different styles, favorite materials, quirky and original ideas - I can hardly wait! Anticipating "happy mail" is so uplifting!

It's busy times for all of us, so usually only a few artists respond, on any given project...but it gets the juices flowing, and that's part of the benefit of these "quick" projects. Taking time for ourselves and our art is important - especially in such a hustling world.

Chosing a subject that you like is good; but it really doesn't matter - anything will work. Until it grabs you and won't let go. Then you paint like a fiend, into the night...

Who knew fall leaves were so sneaky? Especially the shrivelly ones...

Fall color on the coast

The temperature is edging down, the rains have arrived, and the COLOR is in full glory!

My paint brush is salivating!!

Watercolor sketches

My little watercolor muse has unfurled her wings again - my brushes and paintbox have been dry for too long.

Painting can be relaxing, it can be frustrating, it can be educational, and most of all it can be JOY!

Bringing joy to the front for me means trying new things, seeing where it takes me, going along for the ride and improvising as things unfold. I'm trying some new-to-me techniques, of pouring pure colors and moving them with a spray bottle, seeing what emerges and then going in for details with the same pure colors.

My first excursion, after viewing a video session with Lian, resulted in this sketch of grapes. Using only Cadmium yellow, Napthol red, and Prussian blue, it was great fun to see the blending, meandering colors develop, moving them around a bit with fingers and blowing on puddles. With a basic idea in mind, plus where the focal point would be, the colors were free to present opportunities for further development with a couple of brushes (round 4, flat 8).



Because I want to use this basic, loose method to do a painting of beach rocks, the next thing was to see if rock shapes and textures could be developed. An instructor from eons ago, when I was playing with oils and palette knife painting, told me (very tongue-in-cheek) that "Rocks are hard."

This time I used Gamboge (a yellow), Ultramarine blue (because it granulates, to make textures), and Burnt Umber. The Ultramarine and Umber were mixed in various dilutions, giving me some luscious greys. After spraying the 140# paper in different areas, the greys were poured on, then more pure Ultramarine and Umber dropped in to move things around. For a pop of color and a strong focal point, Gamboge was poured on, with a few dribbles of greys and blue dropped in to start the rock-making process. Using the same two brushes, details started forming, shadows developed, real rocks started taking place! Some additional texturing and blending with a seasponge resulted in some pretty nice rock forms, textures and colors.

My venture into new territory is pushing me to loosen up my painting techniques, which helps keep color alive and gives the subjects more zip. The next sketches will work towards rounding the rocks for more sea-tumbled shapes, getting some sand textures worked out, and then see what else shows up in the paint!

Watercolors are a medium I love to play with. Creating is an adventure!