Home for Christmas

We have been waiting for the deer to spend more time here at home since we moved here in the fall.  Neighbors have told us that they always camped out in our yard, but alas, we have furkids and they have been a deterrent.  My friend with a flower garden has them eating lunch and dinner in her beds and really doesn't welcome them.  So this week, the herd came "home".  This little buck came to the Mr.'s coyote call, nearly up to the back door. We had over 20 here yesterday.

 After having lunch last week with old friends, I was requested to post pictures of the outside of our home.
We had snow this week and lots of cold temps, but the sun was shining yesterday, so I trudged through the snow to get a couple of pictures.  We are out in the country, although we are only a few hundred yards from the highway that leads to both Saratoga and Encampment.  It takes about 10 minutes to get to either town.  We have experienced a recession here as work has mostly depended on the saw mills in the past.  The mill here has been closed since we have been gone, but is now preparing to open with new computerized equipment and with the hiring of 60-80 people, we are hoping for change.  We have been seeing old friends left behind when we left and since this is our third time to take up residence here, we are finally feeling like we are "home". 

It looks a bit barren here with just a few leafless trees for the winter rest, but it is serene and relaxing and especially cozy this Christmas.  With friends and neighbors heading off to work, (we are a bedroom community with people traveling several miles to their workplaces) before the sun is up even, we are blessed to be able to enjoy our warm home and the only thing that could be better would be to have our children here at Christmas.  But again, we are thankful that they are able to be with friends and family and that they have their health and are "home" for Christmas. 

Lessons in glass and life

One of my good friends here and I started a project over 5 years ago, probably closer to six that she had seen  somewhere.  Although I have been dabbling for more years than I can remember in stained class,  this one was one of her first projects.  She had done a smaller piece at the studio we are so very lucky to have here.  We were using my equipment and since we were living over 2 hours away most of the time, it was nearly impossible to get together.  These projects take hours and hours.  There is perfecting the pattern, which we collaborated on, choosing the glass, cutting the many pieces, the hours of grinding each piece to fit perfectly, the foiling of each piece, transporting the project so she could do most of the work without get the pieces out of order or lost, tacking the pieces, soldering both front and back, adding patina and cleaning.  We chose to embellish to add structure to the piece and found a chain with which to hang it. She was a great student!!

The pictures really don't do it justice, photography isn't my strong point, but finished, it is lovely!  Good job girl!!

As I went to the door to let my furkids out today (15 degrees on the thermometer) this is what I saw.  No pretty sunrise as it was too early.  Just a sliver of the moon with one star shining.

As children, we were given lessons on the constellations.  I do not remember the details and do not have the interest that my dad had, but I remember many evenings sitting on the back slab of cement we called a porch getting these lessons.  My dad only had a 10th grade education, but he was a very intelligent man.  He knew the names of these constellations as well as their locations in the sky and how to find them.  We usually started by finding the "dippers" and the north star and from there we would navigate the sky as the early sailors must have done.  So daddy, I hope you realized wherever you gaze today, I treasure those memories on the porch as we had our schooling.

"We will be victorious if we have not forgotten how to learn." ~ Rosa Luxemburg

Bagged,tagged and.....

 Both the Mr.and I grew up in families that hunted.  Wild meat was a staple for our winter table!  As we raised our children, we continued to hunt. No longer do we apply for that license, and we do miss the meat, but it is hard work. We used to load our game and it was "bagged, tagged and gutted."
On occasion, we would also buy a tree permit and hunt for the perfect Christmas tree. That also was hard work!!  The tree always looks so perfect in the forest and after searching for the very best tree, it was cut down, dragged through the snow, (there was always lots of snow), loaded and hauled home.  Beauty is only skin deep thank goodness as these trees were always much more ugly when they were actually in the stand in the house. But they were fresh....not a month old as were those at the local tree sales.  So........this year, since we are so close to the forest, our friends and neighbors wanting a fresh, fragrant tree urged us to go get a tree with them.  With permits in hand (they are only $10.00) and lunches packed we went to breakfast first for a great start to the day.  The Mr. always questions what MARVELOUS adventure we might have.  We have always made it home, but we have been in some tight fixes over the years embarking on these adventures.  We have encountered bears, been stuck and cold and come upon fires in the forest among other things. We have no snow here...No moisture which is badly needed and the temps are moderate.  So as we made it deeper into the forest, alas-snow! We hunted in a large clearing, finding several candidates, but decided to go further into the snow covered roads.  Finally, as the snow deepened, it became apparent that we should go no further.  Although we got the truck turned around, it slid into a ditch..stuck.  Chains---yes, shovel..no!  Who doesn't throw in a shovel?  So after much effort (I won't go into details) and a few laughs, not to mention wet clothes, we were back on the search.  Our two men have been stuck a lot and have much experience at getting un-stuck.  We finally settled on two trees, but the chain saw did not want to cooperate so that provided a few laughs so we headed home with our trees in hand, bagged, tagged and GUTTED!

Our redneck tree is decorated below the elk horn mount with it's holiday lights and we came to our home and ate our peanut butter "sammies" and laughed about our adventure.

The good and the bad

The good... I just can't resist these glorious sunrises and this was today...looks like fire!!!  And just as the sun emerged, three deer walked gracefully across the pasture in the foreground.  I couldn't really get a good picture.  Now for the bad...this is the burn I received on Thanksgiving.  MY own fault for not being a little bit more cautious but the bird was really heavy and a little dripping splashed out.  I will heal and it has never been painful.  Lesson learned!

Critter stuff

 First of all I hope everyone had a great, safe Thanksgiving!  Stuff....My stuff(ing) not in the bird was a little dry but some of us like crispy dressing, so that was OK I guess.  No one complained.  Secondly, I spilled hot drippings on my foot when I was taking out the turkey from the oven.  I have a pretty good tolerance for pain and after cleaning the floor, continued with my tasks.  I had lots of help of course and we had a wonderful day with friends and a niece and her husband who were visiting. That night, when I pulled my sock off, I discovered this humongous blister on the top of my foot.  It jiggled--it was so large.  Fearing that it would break in bed, I drained it and dressed it and went to sleep.  It did not hurt.  Living in a small berg like ours, I called the clinic early yesterday (Friday).  They had me come in and I was able to see the DR.  He dressed it and it seems just fine!  So much for that STUFF!  So my animals have stuff too.  Spencer above has his stash of bones which he hides all over to keep the others away and the cat found this drawer to be a comfy spot when I was working on that cupboard.  No black Friday for us.  Just a wonderful day in the country and a walk by the river to see the aggressive beaver chopping down unbelievable large trees!!!!

NOT construction

 Those of you who know me (us) well, know we have been doing construction jobs in  past homes. Finally, we are just doing small projects and decorating.  We have hung cellular blinds on over 20 windows and on solid oak floors, we wanted an area rug for the living space above.  COZY!!!  It is COWBOY HELL again, but we live in the west, and our property is bordered by a working ranch.

Glass tiles grouted and finished...It is jewelry for the kitchen although again the pictures don't do justice to the glass tiles. If you are curious about the counter tops, they are sprayed concrete. (?)  

Thanksgiving wishes

 I just get such a high from these sunsets and sunrises and they are never as spectacular here as from my home.  The colors are always so brilliant!!

The back splashes are all done!  We went to Cheyenne on a flying trip to get more as we loved the tiles so much that we decided to put them on the computer desk area also.  We also needed a large area rug in the living area.  The floors are solid oak and although they are not cold, we wanted a more cozy area. Two more projects are on our short bucket list...a chandelier for the dining area, which was ordered yesterday and blinds for one more room.  Then done!!!!

Now, one of my very good friends decided to try a Martha Stewart project.  This is a large candle holder...well, a container for a large candle.  The frosted area here still has some glitter to be brushed away, but with some special glue and some fine glitter, and a computer generated pattern we have pine trees, deer and stars.  I still need a candle, but what a fun and a pretty craft to make a personalized gift for someone!  I may suggest that this might be a project for our summer retreat.

 As always, my furkids warm my heart and here these two have cuddled up on the sofa..which is why I have LEATHER upholstery on nearly everything.  The two little guys really don't shed but poor Hildy's leavings would have made several coats, had I spun or felted hers.  At age 11, she is really starting to show her age.  An old injury as a pup keeps her limping now even with meds, she falls on occasion and wants to act like a puppy again but just can't. Little Spencer here is attached to her at her hip so it saddens me to think what he might do when her time comes. 

But for now, we enjoy all of the love they give us and the laughter we share at their antics.

We wish all a happy and safe Thanksgiving!!!