February, here we come...

 

This morning, Millie and I were almost to the pond when the first raindrops began to pitter pat on our umbrella.  Not long after, but after we had made our way back home, a steady rain began to fall.   I do love a rainy day....(set that to an old Eddie Rabbit tune)

Why, it was only yesterday that the sky was breathtakingly blue.  We all loved that too!  Yes, that's January.  She just can't make up her mind, it seems.  We have, in fact, been in favor of most of her choices in weather this year ~ no snow (even though just a tad for a pretty picture or two would have been nice) and no single digit temperatures.  Now, I can't help wondering what February has in mind...  

  

When cleaning January's pictures off my cell phone, I thought these pictures of the cattle on the horizon were too good to throw away .  I really like the one of the tractor and couldn't help think how much it looks like a toy.  Really, the cattle do too...just like little plastic cows.   My little brother and I would have loved these.

And, how about today's sunset which was also taken with my phone?  For years, I have carried my big old Cannon Rebel around my neck all over these hillsides, but these days, what's the use when there's a phone right inside my jacket pocket. 

Until next time,

Mary

January with the dolls..

 

Photo from the internet.  (Isn't she lovely...)

Before I take up the brush, here's a quick update on the dolls.  As seen in the picture below, all five dolls now have their hair, which is a major accomplishment for me.  The hair, like the second skin that was applied over the clay, is created from cloth.  How lucky I was to stumble onto just the right cloth that worked really well when soaked in paste.  

When I asked Dan, my closest art critic, which doll was best, he was at first reluctant to answer, but finally chose Riata Millwright.  He said he liked her because she looked so happy.

You may recall from a previous post, that she was the last doll I finished at a time when I had so many other jobs to do, and besides, was just really getting  tired of  sculpting dolls.  I remember saying that I didn't feel that I even knew this doll.  Well, I now do know her, and Dan chose well for she is a real little darling, for sure.

Well, if all goes well, I will soon be dressing up in my painting garb, which looks similar to the picture above (Ha, Ha...I wish!), and will take up my brush.  Hopefully, with the luck of the spirits, my hands won't shake and my patience will be great.  And, it is my promise that the next time the dolls are posted here, they will be out of those dang rusty cans!  :~)

Until next time, take care!

                             Mary

A Day in January...

 

I always have great plans for January, but at my age a good fire is better than anything, so I find myself idly sitting before its warmth way too much. Of course I can always appease myself into thinking that is exactly what I should be doing by remembering the words of a very wise old badger from Wind in the Willows.  No animal according to the rules of animal etiquette is ever expected to do anything strenuous or heroic or even moderately active during the off season of winter."  Now if that doesn't excuse one's laziness, nothing will.  

Of course, there are always plenty of chores to be taken care of, and there's the daily trek over the hillside trail to be attended to, for which one must bundle up on the cold and windy days of winter.  I have actually rather enjoyed the bundling up part as of late, for I have a new coat.  It was a Christmas present from me to me.  Well, I had to do it, for old Father Christmas would have never done so well with the shopping.  It was this description that did me in for ordering this coat.

"Stay warm, dry, and protected in this water-repellent and windproof waxed cotton Homeswood Jacket with a quilted insert and Barbour's signature tartan lining for extra warmth.  On really foul days, zip up, snap the storm flap, and pull up the hood.  Four pockets give you lots of options for carrying essentials.  In olive.  

I am very proud of this coat, and hope it lasts me out for the rest of my days, no matter how ragged it might become.  But, I am remembering another coat and the happiness I felt when my mom helped slip my little arms into the little sleeves and pulled up the pretty little red plaid hood.  Of course, my mom made it like she did all my clothes.  It was the hood I was so proud of - the first I had ever had.  On the back of the picture Mom had written, "Mary in the snow."  Well, I don't see snow in the picture, but if Mom said there was, there was.  After all we had snow yesterday - snow and wind like a little blizzard, but none accumulated on the ground.  Millie and I walked right through it and my Homeswood Jacket kept me toasty warm and dry. 

I hope all of you are staying toasty warm and dry.  Take care!  

                                                                                   Mary

P.S.  I do wonder what kept those poor little bare legs from freezing.  

    

A Figure in the Dark...

 

A figure in the dark, clad in heavy furs, a fierce mask-covered face, a bundle of switches on his back, banging and shouting throughout the countryside...

What could be more frightening to a young child?  The figure trudged from house to house, rattling chains and throwing pebbles at the windows.  He carried goodies for the children in his sack, mostly fruits and sweets, but he also carried switches and threatened to smack any children who hadn't been good.

The figure often carried a sprig of evergreen as a symbol of life amid the deadly cold of winter.  This is the legend of the Belsnickle according to German folk lore which came with the immigrants to America.  The fierce eyed Belsnickle takes his name from Pelz-Nickolaus, which means "St. Nicholas in fur."  

Well, good or bad, kiddies, tonight is the night. Best wishes and "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night."  

To all my blogging friends, I hope you have a very

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

See you soon, and take care,

Mary

A Christmas Star... (And, lots of brown)

 

Watching the night sky on clear evenings, as of late, here on our little hill, has become almost a daily affair.  On the eve of the Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the year, Jupiter and Saturn will meet and appear as a single point of bright light in the night sky.  It really is a show worth watching for it was way back in 1226, some 800 years ago, that the planets aligned so this would happen.  

There are those who believe the Christmas Star which appeared in the east the night of Christ's birth was the meeting of three planets: Jupiter, Saturn and Mars.  The Magi found the baby lying in a manager by following this bright star.  "And lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was."  

Millie and I have been painting.  I suppose it is only right to say, "Millie and I," for she stayed with me all the while I was at work.  Here, Millie is trying out her newly painted, brown doggie house.  She seemed to notice that it was not the same, but after a bit crawled inside and seemed to go to sleep.  She was tired after a long night of howling at the coyotes who come around just to torment her, I think.

But, the big job was painting the Shanty (and the garage doors).  I am so happy with the new color ~ brown again, of course.  It matches Millie's house.  Thanks to Dan for bringing up the tractor with a front-end loader attachment for me to stand in. It also came in mighty handy for the garage doors job, which I may or may not survive!  :~)  But, for now, I am so done with painting, and have put my brushes away until next spring, at least.  



So, with those jobs behind us, we are now gearing up for Christmas.  The little Alpine trees in my sewing room are decorated with these microwaved aromatic dough ornaments.  They are so much fun and last forever, it seems.  To store them, I wrap them in tissue paper and place them in zip-lock bags.  Each Christmas when I take them out, they still smell like cinnamon, allspice and cloves.  :~) 

And, yet more brown...Dough ornaments.

Microwaved Aromatic Dough Ornaments

Combine 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour, 3/4 cup salt, 1/4 cup cinnamon, 1 tablespoon ground allspice, 1 tablespoon ground cloves, and 3/4 teaspoon powdered alum in medium mixing bowl.  Mix well.  Add 1 1/4 cups water.  Mix well to form dough.  Shape dough into ball.  Knead on lightly floured board for about 5 minutes, or until dough is smooth.  (If too stiff; sprinkle with additional water; if too moist, add flour.)

Work with small portions of dough at a time.  Roll dough to 1/4" thickness.  Cut out shapes with 2 1/2 to 4" cookie cutters.  Decorate tops of cutouts with cloves and allspice, or with bits of dough (moisten dough with water-dipped paintbrush and join to cutout).  Store remaining dough in plastic bag.

Push small amounts of dough through garlic press for textured  "hair" or "fur" for animal or people shapes, or use a wooden pick to texture surface.  Using a drinking straw, cut hole )at least 3/8") near top of cutout for hanging.

Spray 10" pie plate with vegetable cooking spray.  Place three or four cutouts in prepared pie plate.  Microwave at Medium Low for 5 to 8 minutes, or until tops of cutouts feel dry, rotating plate and checking ornaments after every 2 minutes.  

Remove ornaments to rack and set aside for 24 hours to complete drying.  Insert thin ribbon through holes and tie for hanging.  If desired, spray decorations lightly with vegetable cooking spray for a glossier appearance.  

Dolls And A Million Crunchy Leaves...

 

It wasn't but a mere three days ago that this was the morning view.  It looked as though the whole world might be celebrating this wonderful time of year.  But, this morning there certainly "wasn't nigh as many as there was a while ago."  For the past few days those millions of beautiful leaves have been raining down in a storm of falling leaves leaving millions  on the ground through which Millie and I walk.  It is a crunchy trek up that old trail these days, for sure.  Every forest critter certainly knows, way in advance, that some pilgrim is coming their way, so they are long gone by the time we get there.  

Well, here they are.  The clay is finished...finally! And, thank goodness!  What was I thinking when I decided to do all five of these together?  Why that would wear down the bravest soul.  They are getting awfully tired of living in those old cans, but there will be no getting out for a long while yet.  It will be a happy reunion for these dear friends when they all have been painted and dressed in  their fine new frocks.   

I have tried to refrain from choosing a favorite for, like any mother, I love all my children.  However, I am especially pleased with Maggie Rose Gunderson, who seemed, for a long while, that she was destined to be the Ugly Duckling of the entire lot.  I struggled with that, for it just couldn't be, for she was named after Robert Mitchum's mother, Ann Harriet Gunderson, who was a Norwegian immigrant and a sea captain's daughter.  (One can only imagine, the stories she could have told.)  

The other dolls' names were just figments of my imagination, except for Linnie Ruth Butts who is named for my great great grandmother.  Her name was, however, Lucretia.

Jubilee Anice Cliff was the first doll I created, so she's kind of special as having been the inspiration for the others.  She is second from the right next to Linnie Butts on the end. 

Jillie Leone Cooper gave me lots of trouble, which wasn't her fault, but mine.  The sculpting just went way wrong and I could never correct it, even though I tried and tried.  I finally just made a new head for her, so she has had to struggle to keep up with the others.  She is the first one on the left, and seems so happy to have finally joined the others.  

And, last there's Riata Elizbeth Millwright.  What a name!  By the time she came along, I was worn to a frazzle and really didn't want to touch another ball of clay.  I don't feel like I know this doll much.  She just is...  She is pictured in the center.  She may, however, end up being the prettiest doll of the group.  And, the sweetest.  I am looking forward to getting to know her.   

Now, I am going back out to clean more windows.  Those micro-fiber cloths Happy One wrote about are definitely the only way to go when it comes to cleaning glass.  

Mary