Felt and wine cork mushroom brooch

Felt and wine cork mushroom brooch, originally uploaded by woolly fabulous.

I just love this tiny thing!

My year is marked by the movements of hummingbirds! They have returned. I put out a feeder a couple of days ago and one appeared shortly after. Lovely creatures! An entire year has passed since I last saw them up close and personal.

My husband has resigned his job as of July 15th and will be forming his own business, working out of the house for now. It's nice to have him around. I hope we can make a new venture work.

We had a great vacation driving from OKC OK to Cazenovia NY and back. Memphis, Knoxville, Warm Springs VA, Scranton, Cazenovia, Cleveland, Bloomington IN, St. Charles MO, OKC. So much to see. So many restaurants to try!

Favorite place on the trip: Jefferson Pools in Warm Springs VA. Incredible. We read a Bailey White story and figured out she was talking about this old fashioned spa/hot spring in VA and we decided we must go there. Been in exhistance as a hot spring for soaking since before 1800, currently it's as it has been for aobut 100 years or more. SO QUAINT! Stayed at the nearby Grist Mill Inn, really nice. Breakfast in bed!

Gabrielle had her braces put on for the final time yesterday. 2 more years and she will be finished with all this pain and torture.

Raku pottery at the OKC Festival of the Arts

Raku pottery is created with a specific ceramic firing process that uses both fire and smoke to create unique patterns and designs. With raku pottery, the piece is first bisque fired. Then, it is glazed and undergoes a raku firing process. The raku firing process requires a special raku kiln that is fueled by propane and reaches temperatures of about 1800°F (about 982°C).
In order to complete the firing process, the raku pottery must remain in the kiln for approximately 30 minutes. The raku pottery is then removed from the kiln using specially designed raku tongs. While the raku pottery piece is still hot and glowing, it is placed inside a metal can full of combustible materials. The heat emitted from the raku pottery causes these materials to catch on fire.
After the materials inside the metal can catch on fire, a lid is placed over the can and the raku pottery is sealed inside. The raku pottery is capable of withstanding these high temperatures and the fire within the can because it is made from a special type of clay that is capable of withstanding thermal shock. Traditional pottery clays, on the other hand, would crack from the drastic temperature changes raku pottery undergoes.
As the fire consumes the oxygen within the can, it also draws the oxygen out of the raku pottery and its glaze. This process is called post fire reduction. It is the post fire reduction stage that creates the unique look of raku pottery. The resulting patterns and colors are unpredictable, as they are created through the natural process of oxygen removal.
After the raku pottery remains in the sealed metal can for about 15 minutes, it is removed and placed in a can of water. This freezes the patterns that were created during the post fire reduction stage. The amount of time a piece should remain in the cooling water largely depends on the piece and its size. Source: Raku Pottery

Ah yes, EARTH DAY was yesterday.....anyone else find it majorly depressing???? I went off to college (SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry) to save the earth in 1974. I thought more people would be clued in by now. It still seems like a fringe movement to me.. People think green is building a whole new house from scratch or buying a Prius and junking the old car. Then there's China.... There's not much personal responsibility on any front any more why will taking care of our environment be any different?

My one exciting and positive discovery is the Plastiki Expedition. I hope it is a true success. http://www.adventureecology.com/theplastiki/main.html

Waxed paper

It's the little things that make me happy! I found waxed paper bags at the store on Saturday. I haven't been able to find them in years. These are special "green" ones, but any paper bag for food storage is OK with me. Has anyone ever seen a paper bag stuck in a tree for weeks on end flapping in the breeze???? I think NOT! I can safely compost these, and they are made in the USA! They are great for carrying snacks around.

Easter Sunday 2009 Gabrielle working away on sauce for fresh asparagus. We honored her with a vegetarian Easter this year. It's healthy for us. What a beautiful daughter I have. Don't worry the dining room was beautiful and appropriate for the occasion! How does that kitchen get in such a state?

My quiche creation. It was so overly popular in the 1980's that I forget how wonderful it can be. I just do it on the fly, this one had broccoli and Vermont cheddar with a touch of shallots.

The Clematis by the front door bloomed for the occasion. Why didn't I start growing these 30 years ago? They are wonderful plants.

red bellied woodpecker 03 framed

red bellied woodpecker 03 framed, originally uploaded by johnbird30.

back to the blog......

Look how long it's been since I have been to the blog!!! The holidays really screw with my mind, I'm just now coming up for air! Also spring has sprung in Oklahoma City. Up to 78 degrees today and right back down in the next few, but it feels good today to have the windows open. Daffodils and flowering trees are in bloom. Robins are going crazy before dawn. A new woodpecker appeared this week. We have only had the Downey in the past.