Just stuff lying around

(Can you tell I use my blue spray paint more than any other?)

(I seem to find more and more feathers lately.  My Pollyanna attitude likes to think these birds just had too many feathers, so they left some behind for easier flight... they weren't attacked by predators, nope, not in my yard.)

I brought this inside because I had a sudden urge to make a pencil drawing or a watercolor sketch of it.  Of course, that didn't happen, and it shriveled up and I threw it out.

If anyone can tell me what this is, I'd be grateful.  For years and years since I have lived here, they fall in my yard, and all over my driveway and get on my tires.  Instead of being a hater, maybe I need to see if it is something I should be eating... you know, in case of a nuclear meltdown and having to scounge for food....

Rest Stop

I am in awe.  And I have a new respect for Iowa.  I thought all they had was a lot of corn, and a magic baseball field.  (Just kidding - Iowa actually has a great arts culture) --  But check out this rest area...

Yes, that is a giant nib, and it is even dipping itself in some black ink on the concrete.  Is that the coolest rest stop or what?  The photo was taken by my friend Leslie Cefali, who knew I would go crazy over it. 

I told her I have been doing all kinds of internet searches trying to find out more about this rest stop.  I found a bunch of other art themed rest stops, but that one was not listed.  The Iowa Dept of Transportation has some here, just click on each one to see their poster with info about a particular one (it takes a while for each to download).  The one on I-80 at Tiffin has an education theme, with pillars made of stacks of books.  But as I told Leslie, the nib spoiled me, and everything else looks puny in comparison!

When I asked Leslie where this rest stop is located, she didn't remember exactly, but narrowed it down to Interstate 80, somewhere between the eastern border of Iowa and the western border of Iowa.  (Yes, that would be my sarcasm showing, with a smile of course.) 

Check out these other photos she took inside the building, with a whole wall of M's by the men's restroom, and a wall of W's by the women's restroom.  They are floor to ceiling, wall to wall.  Pretty impressive!

Thanks for letting me post those, Leslie!!

Happy WEG

They have talked about it for years, and the time is finally here.  The World Equestrian Games, just up the road in Lexington, Kentucky.  Check out that corn maze people will see from their arriving airplanes.  The horses arrive in airplanes too, but I don't think they have a window seat.

I'll admit, I don't know much about equestrian games.  I just know it is like the Olympics except its for horses.  Competitors come from all over the world.  And they have events that sound cool, but I don't know what they actually are.  Like "Dressage".  I think I'd like to compete in Dressage... it sounds like dress-up, but I'm sure it's more complicated than that.  I know Lyle Lovett has a horse in the Reining event.  I know William Shatner (yes, Captain Kirk) has interests in some event.  (Yes, my knowledge is very vague.) 

Actually, there's a lot online to help the spectators who need to know what the events are and how to act.  Most of it is like golf - quiet, please, when the event is in progress.  They describe the object of dressage as "the development of the horse into a happy athlete through harmonious education".  Vaulting is like gymnastics on horseback.  That sounds dangerous.

I know there are a lot of art exhibits and events.  If I lived closer, I might pop in, but I don't.  It should be exciting over there, though.  And in these economic times, what state doesn't need a big influx of tourist dollars to help with the budget.  So come on down.  Spend your money.  This is the land of horses, whiskey and genteel women!

Gourmet Recipes

Let me finish that sentence... Gourmet recipes cannot be found here.

I'm always amazed at all the great recipes found on blogs of other artists.  There is Alisa Burke for instance.  She makes me want to eat healthier. And I have been craving a grilled cheese sandwich since I saw this yummy version here. 

Then there is Randall Hasson, who has inspiring calligraphy on his blog, but has a separate blog for recipes here. 

There are many, many more I'm sure.  Creative people seem to be creative no matter what room they are in!

This time of year, I do sometimes make a favorite dish.  In spite of what it may seem, I am not obsessed with candy corn.  But I did work with a woman a few years ago who, every fall, had a dish of this on her desk.  It is impossible to avoid grabbing a handful every time you walk by.  Here is the complicated recipe:

Take some of these:

Add some of these:

And mix them up.  They are really good together. 


But if you want the "gourmet" version, also add this:

Put the mix in your finest Halloween serving dish.

Okay, so I don't have a Halloween serving dish.  What?  You don't put up your Halloween tree this time of year?

Look to the Skies

That is the moon on the right.  The dot on the left is Jupiter, closer to earth right now than in decades.

Taken last night with just my little ol' camera.  Imagine what I could see with proper equipment.

Jupiter is apparently filled with jumping beans.  Or maybe I should have used the tripod!
 (Do people even know what jumping beans are anymore, I wonder....)

Serious Post

This is a serious post for a change.  I had some odd emails today that said some of my sent mail could not be delivered.  I knew I had not sent these emails, and now I wonder if there were other emails I supposedly sent that DID go through.  PLEASE, if you received email from my aol account, no subject line, and just a web link in the body of the email, DO NOT OPEN IT.  I DID NOT SEND IT.  I apparently was hijacked.

Thanks, and apologies if anyone was affected.

Fall Madness

Dear Diary

Then she made another...

Yes, I liked my first stenciled journal so much that I made another.  It just happened and wasn't planned.  It may end up as a set of two, or who knows - a set of... well, I don't want to think that far ahead! 

I decided to make a trip to the office supply store to get more dividers in case I want more covers in the future.  I knew it was Labor Day, but I guess I don't know the rules about holiday shopping.  I didn't know the stores closed earlier than normal.  So, all the places on my list were closed at 7:30 pm.  I was forced to go to Michael's instead.  Where I found stuff.  Like these drawer pulls.  One dollar each!  I'm happy now.

They also had the ceramic white balls with black letters on them, a dollar each.  I was very proud of myself for not buying them all, but I resisted.  You can't just have a couple.  You need a bowl full.  And you need a bowl.  And a nice place to put it.  It was too much for my pea brain to think about!  I'll settle for the drawer pulls.

Just Because

I was going to show a detailed shot of how I fixed my make-a-stamp from the previous post, but I only took this one picture, then my camera battery died.  D'oh.

I did take the stamp apart, removed the paper backing (as Clearly stated in the instructions), and stamped a face on the handle before re-assembly.  I'm sorry I didn't have the "before" of the whole thing.  It comes flat, with the die-cut parts and the rubber die already with cushion.  Too cute!  Coffee Break Design is all about cute ya know.