a question and answer forum.....for the time being. All things change and become something else if there is growth even Olde Baggs.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Awwwwww Sweet Sunday Volume 5

First, comes Ry's special delivery of the week. It is always a crap shoot going to get him from the bus in the afternoon's. What I mean is, you just never know if it will be a good roll or not. Most of time he is in his sparkling boy mood but there are days when the storm clouds have set in and he needs to "go build something" in order to move on with the evening. But on Wednesday, he got off singing and dancing his way across the street. I asked how his day was and he said terrific. Wow, that's great buddy. What did you do in school today? Oh he didn't remember but he wanted to tell me about his new friend Ella. He had met her in the combined classroom this week because all the kids are doing testing. Oh well, what is Ella like? She has a blond face and hair like me and she gave me a piece of paper with her phone number and said to call her tonight. Really?????
I'm looking for the little girl on the playground with a blond face, next time I drop him off at school.

Second, GK went to the Regional Science fair this last weekend but didn't stay very long. She was a little intimidated by the vast numbers of kids there and also she would have had to be locked in the facility for 5 hours without any of us able to be with her. This was the time that the judges and contestants only were allowed in the building and no one else could enter or leave. We understood the safety issues etc but she is after all only 11.
She let us know that her comfort level was "tipsy". Enough said.
Third, today I met my long time blogging buddy Georgina (La Llorna Arts) and her sweet husband Vern (the bologna in our cynic sandwich) for breakfast. Vern ate a nice breakfast and didn't have a chance to get a word in edgewise. Although what he did get to say was very funny. He's a cutie. We chatted like a couple of old hens the entire time. I'm sure the servers thought there would be at least two eggs along with the tip at the table when we left.
It's funny, for not having seen each other before, there was never a moment of huh???? the whole time. And we talked about everything under the sun. I loved every giggle and guffaw. Hope we can do this again soon.

Hope all of you have a terffical week. I'm listing like crazy in both of my Etsy shops and will be digging out more boxes of goodies to photograph and list this week. House is still under a not cleaned up caution sign but heck, it's spring, it will only get dusty again, right?????
Smooches and Squoozes, Oma Linda

Friday, March 23, 2012

No wonder I found them at the thrift store.....

I saw these as the originator meant them.......as carrots. But my family insists that because of the chenille bumps they are orange corn. Go figure.

Sometimes it is perfectly obvious that I am from another time zone from the rest of the world. I am as they say a cracked pot, a couple of tacos short of a combination platter, ditz fodder, march to a different drummer, left reality without a forwarding address, older than dirt, having a sterling moment.....well you get it. If let to my own designs.....I can get rather lost in the moment. Other times, I have the attention span of a gnat on a winters afternoon.............non existent.

When I go thrifting, to the junk store alone...I find all kinds of possible repurposing items. When I go with Shelley I find lots of practical things. When I go with Joe......well, we don't. Being the oldest of eight kids, he has never wanted to partake of the wonders of Le Gudwil, flea markets, or yard sales. He had older cousins who did hand me downs and he always hated wearing someone else's firsts. So I have been on the down low of my "do over" loves for most of our married life. I never get him anything at the second hand store.

Anway back to the subject of the post. I see things differently and accept that most things have another chance at life of some sort. I even do a little game of my own, just speculating what something could be used for instead of what it's original purpose is. This imagining has brought home many a project that has proved to be interesting and fun. Some were even impossible but many have gone on to be not only useful but profitable as well. I've learned how to use lots of tools, techniques and tenacity when working with "the leftovers of life". Expecting the unexpected is the arting of choice here at Casa de Cuckoo.

I haven't listed any of my repurpose items in my Ebay, Etsy or facebook pages. Mostly because they are usually spoken for by my friends, customers, friends of friends before I get them pictured or listed, but the "cuties" are starting to stack up and so I will add them to my OmaLinda's Practically Magickal on Etsy (omalinda@etsy.com) in the next few weeks.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Eggs are simply not in my future......

Sometimes one just has to say uncle, when one is strong armed by the "one thing after the other" monster. Eggs are hereby called off this year on account of ?????????, well I am not sure but we ain't having eggs ya'll.

When I last posted here, we were off to do the egg thing of choice by the kids. I guess I should say we started but it just never seemed to happen. Lack of enthusiasm on everyone's part. So nope, no eggs.

And add to that, the over enthusiasm of Sunny Bunny knocking my wool and bead eggs off of my work bench and whispering to Ellie Mae Scootles to chew them beyond recognition. I can show you the wool that they were made from.....a really cool little pastel striped shawl from Benneton. I am watching Ellie cuz I used glass beads and well.....hmmmmmm, I sure hope she passes them okay. Cat and dog antics sure are fun huh? Errrrrrr.
I did get two projects finished and have managed to save them from beasts of child and animal realms. I made a spring hanging for the front door and I made a "peeps" topiary for the center piece on the table.






I also found some orhan items from Le Gudwil, and cleaned them up to use on the table as well.

Haven't even gotten what I have in the Spring deco box out or looked for anything else.....think this is gonna do it for the Casa de Cuckoo crowd this year.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

one foot, two foot, red foot, blue eggs......

today is craft day for the grands on spring vacation. I have spent some time on Pinterest getting new ideas to share with the grands so that they aren't bored with the kinds we have done in the past.

Guess what? "But Oma, we like doing um, our way". So......

when spring brings time to color eggs
the children don't want them to have legs,
or head or eyes or a funny nose,
and so my sad, sad story goes.

I'll post pictures of the same old, same old.....lovely creations tomorrow. Gotta love it.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Awwwww Sweet Sunday volume 4

This week had a potentially horrible thing turn into a very wonderful happy thing. Funny how that happens sometimes. Ry, my grand and wonderful, is signed up to go to an after school program at the church across the street from his school on Wednesdays. Someone from the church comes across the street and the teachers of the kids who have signed up for the program bring the students to an assigned spot and the safe exchange of the kiddos is complete and off the kids go to fun, games, snacks etc. And because we have had some "car sickness" we are down to only one car here at the Casa. So, I just stayed home and was working in my studio.

The dogs were yapping at the front window. I thought maybe the postman had come to deliver a package but it was only 2 o clock and when I looked out the peephole.....nada. So I opened the door and here is Ry. I almost had a heart attack. He was to be picked up at at the church at 4:30 and he had just come home on the school bus and walked home. He has never been allowed to walk alone, much less from that distance. Great oogly mooglies, what if I hadn't been home?, what if, what if, what if????? And with a big grin on his face he says, "aren't ya proud of me Oma? I can get home all by myself?" Oh Stars ya'll. It ended well but it still gives me the willys. This coulda been but wasn't event also shows how much progress Ry has made in his self confidence and keen skills of observation. And why yes we have had a talk with the school.

Now on to my scheduled thought Awwwwwww, Sweet Sunday. We, here at Casa de Cuckoo, have spent a number of lovely Sundays at Morning Bray Farm. And I know all of you have been right there with us as we have enjoyed the antics of the animals and participated in the fun of that magickal farm, but I have a must confess I have secret crush on the second sweetest man on the planet. My Sweet Man said it was okay to tell you about my crush on Don, because after Sweet Man met Don, he knows why.

I knew Justina from MBF blog. WYSIWYG covers our first meeting. She was/is the darling soul she is. I just knew that whoever Don was he was going to be nice......but I had no idea that he was going to be so cute, equally hospitable, kind, generous, sincere, caring and funny. And to say that you can tell they love each other is an understatement. They are not drippy sweet but there is no doubt of their affection for each other. It is wonderful to be near that kinda honest emotion.

I must admit I was nervous about our first visit to MBF because I so wanted Ry to be successful. I didn't need to worry, Don just swooped in and took Ry under his wing. They have been fast and true friends ever since. Of course Don's ears are bleeding when we leave cuz Ry has talked them off but Don preformed a miracle when he gave Ry a safe place outside of Casa de Cuckoo to observe what really being an honorable, strong, kind, good man is. Don makes Ry feel safe. The two of them are so cute, going off to build a bow and arrow outta fallen sticks (Don saves them for the Donks and Ry, I think), making a walking stick for me with 4 red feathers and a piece of magick obsidian for me (as per exact directions from Ry), riding a tractor or a donkey, feeding the ducks, taking a ride down a feeding trough like a slide thanks to the lifting on one end by Don or just walking around kicking rocks. Don is patient, direct, strong, kind and really likes Ry. That has made a huge difference to the kids at the Casa.

I mustn't leave out GK in all this. Being able to trust a grown male other than her beloved Papa is huge. Don and Justina both have given our girl such confidence by talking to her as a real person, allowing her to ride Ellsworth and praising her for her achievements. It's important in a young girl's life to have significant others besides her family to give her props for just being herself. I think it is the soft spoken way Don deals with the kids that makes him so special to them both. If given half a chance and a better sense of direction, I'm sure we would be looking for GK at MBF right in the paddock with all the donkeys or out in the field with Meeeeeeegie the goat. Morning Bray Farm is the other safe place to be. People.....GK grooms the much loved longears and even cleans up donkey poop....this from the girl who can't remember how to clean up after two small dogs........but then they aren't donkeys are they???????

But the goodness doesn't end there. Don is especially nice to this old broad. Hauling a big old chair out for me to park my hiney so that I can enjoy the show. He is always so welcoming to the whole bunch of us Cuckoos. I've always thought that the most attractive quality in another human being is their sense of humor and Don is a bonafide, gold plated, dyed in the wool stinker and so very much fun. I love how he is so unruffled by the antics of his lovely wife, Carson from 7MSN and Danni when she comes to visit from Oregon. When I found a photo of two adorable donkeys with Sombreros and serapes on Pinterest, I made the comment "don't let Justina and Carson see because "the donkeys" will be wearing them for Cinco de Mayo". My Sweet Man's comment was "I feel bad for Don because whatever the Donkeyteers (my name for these donkey loving gals) put on the donkeys, Don has to wear it too". Love it.

Awwwwwwww. I sure am glad we are friends with such nice folks and what a positive influence they are in the lives of my grands, Shelley and us older cuckoos too. And PS, I have it on good authority that Don is in for a sombrero in early May.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Pussywillows..........

I adore the way pussy willows look. They say spring time to me in a very viseral way.

When I was but a wee bratling, the neighbors behind us had a huge pussy willow bush, well actually it was a tree. My friend Cleady, who was two years older than I lived there. She had one blue eye and one brown eye, as well as half her head covered in blond and the other half covered with light brown hair. She was needless to say a very striking looking young one. She is the one who convinced me to run away from home. But that is another story for another time.

Anyway, she would stand in the pussy willow tree to talk to me over the 6 foot tall back wall. She and I stayed in the corner, me in my apple tree and her in her pussy willow tree for hours playing with our Madame Alexander or Ginny dolls. We would make all kinds of doll furniture and decorations with the catkin covered stalks. We had beds, swings, chairs and a teeter totter. I sure do wish I could remember how we kept them together but that part of the memory is rusty.

But as soon as the catkins opened up just the tiniest bit, here came every bee in the county to dust their legs with the pollen. I loved watching the bees trying to fly after making their legs so chubby with golden pollen. I was never afraid of bees as a kid. The reason was because my Mom had a pretty extensive flower garden and I loved to help her weed and till the soil around the blossoms. Doing so and learning that the bees were busy with their jobs and could care less about me so long as I left them to their gathering jobs, gave me that wisdom.

Coming from a rural background my Mom saved seeds and cuttings and never went to the store for seeds. You should have seen our laundry room and kitchen window sills with milk bottles, mason jars and misc. glass containers either filled with seeds which had been gathered and dried, or with water and cuttings with massive white roots all twisted and entwined together. When we went to a friend's house, Mom would ask for seeds or cuttings of things we didn't have. We did order bulbs from a catalog. At one point in time, she had 40 something different colors and combinations Iris or flags as they are called in Tenn. We had all manner of daffodils, tulips and hyacinths. Forsythia, Japonica, Tulp tree, and lilacs were all spring time friends to me as a kid, but my Mom would never let me take a cutting of the pussy willow and grow one in our yard. So I just enjoyed Cleady's.

I didn't ask her about her reason for her lack of enthusiasm until I was faced with her pussy willow memory come to visit again.

Cleady and I had invited my friend Vivian to join us in the corner the year I was 8. Vivian had her birthday in February and had gotten a pink haired 8" doll that she wanted to show us. We were in the middle of a great pretend when a bee landed on Vivian. She screamed swatted at it and sure enough, it stung her. And so did a couple of others. Then Cleady screamed, jumped out of the tree, ran around and into her house. I was left up in the tree with bees on about 30% of my arm. None of them had stung me, yet and I jumped out of the tree just in time to see my friend Vivianne swelling up like that girl on Willie Wonka. My Mom had Vivianne in her arms as she ran down two doors to Vivianne's house. Her Mom and my Mom tended to her with a shot and put her to bed. The doctor was there in just a little bit and that is when my Mom told me that a friend of hers, who also was allergic to bees had died from picking pussy willow branches when they were little girls.

I always felt bad for Vivianne. She never got to come back to my backyard because she was afraid. And I also felt sorry for my Mom that she had such a terrible childhood memory. And I felt sorry for me too because Cleady and I had to meet at the other end of the wall.

As an adult, we had a huge pussy willow tree started from a cutting at our old house. I love pussy willows and will keep my eyes peeled for one blooming and maybe snip a cutting this year.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

This is kinda how I feel......

I'd like to crash the cymbals and get the party started but......

this probably would not end well.
Smile and have a happy Wednesday my lovelies.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Awwwwww, Sweet Sunday.....a day early

Tomorrow I will be out and about and not able to sit with a huge cup of delicious mocha coffee and type my thankfulness journal. So I am sitting in the living room next to GK at the computer desk as she plays Legends of Bikini Bottom and Ry plays blocks and watches Sponge Bob on the TV.

I have to say this is what I am most thankful for. Laughing, sharing and being in close proximity to my grands. In ten years, they won't even remember what we did on Saturday mornings together (just that we did)....but this old heart will. It makes me teary eyed now as I realize how blessed we are.

Had a great week getting my kitchen mess rearranged and organized. It feels so good to be tired for a worthwhile reason. Of course Sweet Man says its a conspiracy. Just when he gets used to where everything is in the kitchen, "you change it so I have to look for stuff". Poor man, tee hee.

Shelley and I have been looking at adding some decorative shelving for the kitchen. When my folks built this house, my Mom was working 60 hours a week, we ate lots of TV dinners and she didn't really care about cooking. So the kitchen was almost an afterthought. Unlike Shel and I, who love to bake, create and experiment and need lots of room. We scoured used furniture shops, antique stores, thrift stores, and finally found some kewl old looking barnwood and wrought iron bakers racks. One very large one for all the wire baskets and antique canning jars I have collected over the years. The sweetness came in the form of actually seeing the fruits of our labor in a clear counter area, shelves reorganized, things tossed out or given away and a new feeling of freedom in the kitchen.

GK who is becoming quite a good cook, made spaghetti casserole on the first night and on the third insisted on making a chicken/cheese noodle dish. She says the kitchen feels bigger and today we make molasses cookies. Or as Ry used to call them Mole Asses cookies. He tells a cute story now (in jest) about us not having them very often because the moles are really fast and hard to catch.

And lastly, but certainly not leastly.....my friends who rally to send their very best to Casa de Cuckoo just when we need it most. I love you all so much.

Health update, have lost 15 lbs, no more symptoms from the icky meds, sleeping well and able to withstand the pain. Life is good but then it always is, just depends on how you squint your eyes when you view it.

New best saying: (stolen from Mrs. K) I am so f   ing fabulous, I piss glitter. Sparkle on my lovelies.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Tonto sightings here in New Mexico, what??????

Hi ho Silver, away!!!!!!!

The new version of The Lone Ranger is being shot here in New Mexico and the actor playing Tonto has been spotted around and about. I thought you'd like to know that none other than Johnny Depp is in da house lovelies.
uh, I don't think so
There were reported sightings of his gorgeousness and that of his co star Armie Hammer in 'Burque last week and also in the beautiful Fanta Se.

Le sigh, le moan.........http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/09/johnny-depps-lone-ranger-tonto-native-americans_n_859279.html