147:a little cheese with that whine?

Linda March 2nd, 2010

I have been recently helping my daughter make a dress for herself which means that I have not had the use of my sewing machine (I am making a Beau Brommel outfit for Adsel).  I am AGAIN reminded what my job truly is right now…teaching our kids and spending time with them while they are at home (which I know will be only for a short time).  I look at them and think–wow, you guys are some funny, great individuals.  I am proud of them but, (there is always a but right?) it is frustrating to my artist self when I want to spend time in the studio working on “my” stuff. I keep reminding myself that there will be time for that later…..

I am also going back to teaching cake decorating at Ben Franklins.  I have avoided it for  about a year..truth be told, I don’t like cake decorating, and I don’t even like to eat cake (unless it is a HOMEMADE german chocolate one).  Students ask me how come I am not huge with all the frosting I work with–I tell them I don’t even like the stuff so it is not a temptation!  They are always shocked!!!!  The problem  is, I want the $$$$ and I am good at teaching cake decorating….not being prideful just honest.  I find it kinda of annoying that something I am good at I don’t really like to do ;0/  I remember taking a computer programing class in college.  The teacher took me aside and told me I was really good at it…problem was, I HATED it!  ARGH!!!!  I will post some pics of cakes when I get some done though. 

I have made 3 more crowns (flowery spring ones) and a top hat out of wool felt which I will post here later.  And it appears that I have temporary control of my sewing machine so will post those efforts too ;0)

A place I call Haven

Linda June 23rd, 2008

 (I just added this for you city folk–I wake up several days a week with deer grazing in my back yard–now some of you might think this is cool but for those of us who garden…well let’s just say, I wish we had a dog to chase them off!!!)

 About 5 years ago Scott built me this garden.  It has an 8 foot fence (to keep the deer out, to stop my beloved kitty from pooping in the beds, and other creatures etc) and raised beds.  It is appprox 30 by 27 feet.  It is “my” garden, haven, and no one is allowed in unless “the mama” says so.  It is my own little spot to myself (I even have to share my studio space, sigh).  The wisteria bloomed this year for the first time.  It is purple and very fragrant.

      These are views from inside it.  I am growing:lettuce, spinach, rainbow swiss chard, 2 kinds of edible peas, cucumbers, zuccini, strawberries, blueberries, herbs, carrots, flowers, pumpkin starts, egg plant starts, basil starts, radishes, and rhubarb.  Whew!!!  It is all very compact.  I don’t use any chemicals except slug death (this is Washington you know)–I find that crop rotation works very well thank you.  And it gets regular doses of compost and chicken/rabbit manure. 

  A view of my raspberry patch. Not many make it inside–most end up inside me!!

  These are my peas–most of these end up inside my kids before they make it into the house.   

    This rose came from my grandmother Alma, and who knows where she got it–it was always in her garden.  It is not a very well behaved rose, but it brings back such fond memories.  It is a “cabbage” rose and give off such a heady scent.

 A view from the garden.  To the left is the garden shed-the one with the red door.  And the building next to that is Mimi’s play house.  Sadly she does not spend that much time in it–she spend most of her time running away from any flying creature because she believes it is a bee/yellow jacket.