Happy Samhain all.

We have frost this morning.  It went down into the low 30's last night and the heat come on, even in my room.  I wouldn't be surprised if we had a long winter this year.  Like I said much earlier, the squirrels ate all the red berries off the dogwoods and they've never done that before.  Usually it's the birds that eat the berries.
Apparently there's a bear in the area.  The neighbors across from my pond said they saw one in their front yeard.  I won't be putting out any compost for a while.  I'd hate for a bear to take out my expensive deer fence.  Hopefully the bear will wander away and hibernate somewhere far away.
Going to the bead show this morning.  Need some beads for a certain style of earrings I'm making.  Could use some more ear wires, too.
Guess I'd better get a move on.  Y'all have a peaceful day and remember:  Do no argue with an idiot.  He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

The sun shines but it's chilly this morning.  Actually had to turn on the heat!  Going to the gallery.  Hope to get some ideas going.  This is the last weekend of the Octoberfest.  Hope we get some people in but doubt it.  They come for the beer and dancing.
Need to get some raking done.  Lots of leaves on the ground.  Not all but a great many and I'd like to get them raked to under the trees.  Great mulch, leaves.
The colors are at their peak.  Some russetts, some red, some yellow.  Not as vibrant as New England but lovely just the same.  Pretty soon the trees will be bare and winter will be upon us.
Y'all have a lovely fall day and .......

Mumble, grumble, grrrrr.....@#!% government.....ACORN.....anarchists.  The world is going to hell in a handbasket!!

It often distresses me when I read that someone I follow is having stressful times.  I always wish I was able to do something about it.  Unfortunately I can't, but does wanting to count?

Had to take the van in yesterday morning to get some oil put in it.  The gauge was acting funny the night before.  I'm usually pretty prompt on getting an oil change when it's time but this time I was going to wait until I took it in for the major tune-up.  Wrong.  Next Wednesday I'll take it in and leave it, get a loaner, and have the 200K tune-up done.  I'm trying to keep it going and in good shape as long as possible.  May even have to hand it down to daughter who can't afford to have all the necessary work done on hers.
Speaking of whom....she's coming up today after the baby's checkup.  We're going winter clothes shopping for the kiddos.  At the thrift stores.  Kids grow so quickly why bother with all the fancy schmancy new expensive stuff?  We have a few second-hand stores in town so we'll check those out first.
If all else fails, there's always the few department stores we have in the area. 
Daughter, in her blog, passed on a new word that won't be found in any dictionary.  I like it so will pass it on to you.....
Ineptocracy:  a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.
Y'all have a good day.

It's the start of another week.  Lots to do and not enough time in which to get everything accomplished.  I've received all the supplies I need to make earrings so that's a given when I'm at the gallery.  The pond needs work (as usual) but that will have to wait until Wednesday.  Once all the leaves are down I need to rake them under the trees for mulch.  Right now I need to get myself in gear so I can go walk my mile before WW.
I did get some laundry done yesterday while getting started on a quilting project.  Need to get that put away.  Daughter may come up today to get a couple of checks cashed (don't ask).  I told her the other day that I could not continue to be her wallet.  One of them needs to get a job.  I don't care what job.  I won't start the rant I had the other night when she called to tell me that the van had broken down in VA when J was on his way home.  It was towed to a Chevy dealership and, yes, I paid to get it fixed.  The rant was silent but one of these days it may not be.
Y'all have a perfect day and remember:  Money isn't everything but it sure keeps the kids in touch.

I'm baaaaaack.  It was three long days of quilt expo.  I loved every minute.  Not only did I get to see some truly awesome quilts, spend money and make new acquaintances, I got to learn some new stuff.  I'll go back again next year both for the sewing expo and the quilting expo.  Granted I don't get paid in money.  I get paid in having fun while working.  I probably spent more than I should have but I did get some scrumptious fabric.  I did notice that attendance was down.  Unfortunately some of the classes had to be cancelled due to lack of participants.  Yeah, yeah, I know, it's due to the economy.  A number of volunteers cancelled, too, which put a burden on the rest of us.  Chickens.  It was a little nippy yesterday morning but it sure did warm up nicely.  So why did people cancel?
Because I live a distance away from the convention center I stayed at a hotel nearby.  That way I didn't have to get up at o'dark-thirty to get there on time.  I'll do the same next year.  Might stay at a different place, though.  The hotel I stayed at was just a bit noisy, being as my room faced the highway.  And the walls were just a bit thin.  I really don't enjoy listening to a man doing his business (which happened only once, but that was enough).  There's another hotel beside/behind this one which I will probably try next time.
There's probably a lot I should be doing today but I'm going to work on a quilting project for the exhibition our guild will be having at the botanical gardens in Athens, GA.
Y'all have a quiet day and......

I may be gone for a couple of days.  Depends on how much time I have to get on the computer.  I'll be working at the Quilt Expo at the Gwinnett Civic Center, which is outside Atlanta.  I'll be meeting lots of people, staying extra busy and, in my time off, probably spending too much money.  I have fabric to buy and who knows what else?  I'll have my miniMom computer with me but....
Y'all have a prodigious day and remember:  Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.

Got the pipe cleared down at the pond.  Don't know who/what piled the mud on it, but I'm sure glad there's a "cage" covering the top (otherwise the mud would have been down IN the pipe, totally clogging it and a bitch to clear).  It took a while to get it all cleared 'cause it was totally covered.  For whatever reason clearing it did help the back problem.  I further helped it by relaxing and mostly knitting the rest of the day.  Watched an outstanding program about the Galapagos islands.  Never knew there is a "hot" spot in the eastern Pacific ocean.  If it should come on again (National Geographic channel) it would be worth your time.
I believe the silt is building up on the bank of the pond.  The overflow pipe is much closer to the bank than it was before.  Will definitely have to do something about that either late fall or early spring.  It also looks like the carp are doing their job.  Of course it may all be an illusion but I could swear there are fewer lilypads in the pond and more in the mud pile around the pipe "cage".
Y'all have a perfect day and remember:  Whether you think you can or you think you can't....you're right.  (Henry Ford)

A day off and I don't know that I'll get anything done around here.  I really need to go down to the pond and clear the pipe.  While exercising with the Wii yesterday I did something to my back, damn it, and now I hurt and all I want to do is stay in bed.  Can't.  Ever.  Too much to do and only me to do it.  The back will get better in a day or so.  It has to.  I'll get the pipe cleared and maybe one of the movements in doing so will put things right again.  It's happened before.
Y'all have a glorious day and make art, make a difference.

An appraiser is coming this morning.  I'm trying to get a small loan to pay off credit cards, etc.  It was supposed to happen Monday....I thought.  When the first appraiser called me I told her I was out of town and wouldn't be back until 10/8.  So...we decided on 10/10 at 10:00 a.m.  Apparently she showed up here on 10/7 at 10:00.  Guess what?  I wasn't here!  I waited for her on Monday....no show.  Kinda ticked me off.  Then I found out about the "mixup".  How do you make a 7 out of a 10?  Ah well, bad phone connection I guess even if we both agreed that 10/10 at 10 was easy to remember.
If I do get the loan the first card I'm paying off is Amex.  I'll keep the card for about 6 months then cancel it.  They messed with me and so I won't need them anymore.  The others I'll pay off then pay balance due every month.  Going to try to not use them much except for certain things.  I'll have only two that I'll use.  Everyone else gets cut up and trashed.
Why do we have to pay for our credit scores?  No, there is no such thing as free.  If you fall for that you deserve to pay.  I almost went for it.  I'm not going to pay 19.95 or some such for my "free credit score" when I can get my credit reports free every year.  You can get your free credit reports, yes, but have to pay to get the credit score.  I found out that even the banks have to pay.  Ridiculous. 
Guess I'll get a move on.  Have things to do before the appraiser gets here 'cause I'll be going in to the gallery today.
Y'all have a thoughtful day and remember:  today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

I'm off to the evil empire (Walmart) for more coffee and maybe some other stuff today.  Sure wish we had a store to give W a run for its money.  Ah, well, life in the boonies.  I guess we should consider ourselves lucky although I'm sure there are many a small store that went out of business because of the evil empire. 
Looks like rain again today.  A good day to get things done around the house, I suppose.  I think I'll get the minutes typed up from our landowners' meeting and get that out of the way.
Thought daughter and I would be heading towards the big city to look over some merchandise but that won't happen as the merchants are out of town (I think).  I tried calling to set up an appointment and the call I got back was so garbled that I couldn't understand a word.  I presumed that meant they were away and in a bad cell phone area.  I'll try again next week.  Need to get some things for daughter so she can make stuff over the winter to sell next year.
Y'all have a gracious day and:  PUBLIC NOTICE...Due to recent budget cuts, the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil, plus the current state of the economy, the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off. 

Another blustery fall day.  It's interesting how the same type trees turn color at different times.  I have three hickory trees.  One has turned, one is beginning, one is still green.
I'll be going into the gallery again today.  I have lots of shopping to do on the 'net so I'll be making a list and checking it twice.  Need lots of materials to make all the new stuff I learned at jewelry camp.
Looks like it's going to rain again.  Makes me want to sleep.  I had a nice long nap yesterday afternoon, then went to bed early and slept again.  I'm waking up early too, even if I don't go to bed early.  Must be because I was awakened by kitchen noises and scents at jewelry camp.  Gonna have to do something about that.  Since I don't have to go anywhere in particular tomorrow morning maybe I can sleep in.
Y'all have a whateverkindyouwant day and remember:  red meat is not bad for you.  Fuzzy green meat is bad for you.

I'm back from two weeks at jewelry camp.  My head is full of ideas and I'm exhausted.  It's early to bed for me tonight as I have to go in to the gallery tomorrow.  If I can re-figure out how to post pictures I'll try it another day.  For now, I bid you good evening.

A quiet Sunday

It's a quiet Sunday morning here at William Holland.  I'm thinking of passing the day doing some reading and knitting and just being quiet myself.  After spending the day at the Folk School yesterday I need the quiet.  The crowd there was almost too much.  I'm glad I knew one of the vendors 'cause at least I could visit with her for awhile and avoid the crush.  It's almost as if there were too many vendors there (at least 200) with many of them duplicates of others....pottery, basket weaving, spinning, soap.  Very few originals.  The pottery was nice but most of it looked like it came off a production line.  Only one basket maker had any kind of original design.  I'm glad I went, though.  Now I have a nice new belt to hold up the jeans that are beginning to get just a little big around the waist (yay!).  And I have some nice bath salts for that long soak in the tub.
Y'all have a nice quiet Sunday.

One down, one to go.

I have finished the first week at William Holland.  Whew!  I actually was able to cut three stones....an aquamarine, an amethyst and ......a tanzanite.  The last was a real bugger as the stone is soft and easily overcut.  The last is really special, too, since the instructor did not charge me for it.  I don't know what the original weight was (probably about 3/4 - 1 carat) but it ended up at .56 carats.  I finished it just as she was ready to pack everything up and call it quits for the week.  I really was afraid I wouldn't get it done and would have to look at my failure.  On the upside, of course, was the fact that most beginning classes only get one stone cut.  And most beginning classes work with marbles of CZ's.  Our instructor believes you should work on the real thing right from the beginning.
Although I know I won't be continuing to cut stones I'm glad for the experience because now I can look at a loose stone and know how well it was cut.  Also I can now understand the cutting diagrams without going "HuH?".
This next week I'll be learning more chain maille.  I'm looking forward to it. 
The weather is beautiful and I'll be going to the John C. Campbell Folk School fall festival today.  A great way to pass the time. 
Y'all have a good Saturday and remember:  Stupidity kills...but not often enough.