ICE OF DIAMONDS

This is an experiment in photography. We are covered with a blanket of ice this morning and the sun is shining its fullest. As I wait for the ice to melt so I can venture to work (school was actually canceled today, to the delight of my high school senior who views this as a free pass to sleep in), I grabbed the camera and headed outside to see what I could capture for sharing here. Unfortunately, the translation from camera to blog didn't do well. Literally the ice on the tips of the tree branches glistens like diamonds, complete with the prism effect splintering the light into rainbows. If you click on the second photo to get the enlarged version you can pretend to see it. The holly photo was an afterthought. The red was so vivid it beckoned to me. Speaking of red, can you find the daddy cardinal I managed to capture in a couple of the photos? Regardless, hope you enjoy with the new tunes.

Until I figure out what to post next time.....

A MOOD....

I am in some sort of a mood today which is energized and soothed by the sounds of Enya and other Lord of the Rings soundtrack titles. It is just a mood....

Until the mood changes....

A PHOTO ESSAY..... or Small Texas Towns in Various Stages of Decline and Abandonment*** plus a few comments

Saturday morning we set out to northeast Texas to the town of Ladonia, population *maybe* 600. The agenda was uncomplicated; no place in particular to get to by any particular time. The only stipulation was that we avoided the Interstate and other heavily traveled roads. Along the way we found many surprises and delights.

Please forgive the quality of most photos. I am an amateur photographer at best. My favorite things to capture are old historical buildings and nature, not always successfully!

This monument is the first monument erected in Texas to honor those who fought in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. It resides on the lawn of the Grayson County Courthouse in Sherman, Texas.




Here is the boarded up train depot in the old section of downtown.


A once thriving grain operation now sits idle and decaying. Windows are absent, weeds are overgrown, birds and small critters call it home. What seems ironic is that if the multi-story building to the left was located in Dallas it would be renovated into "lofts" and tenants would be charged a premium price.

Even the churches show their age. One thing that strikes me repeatedly is that even in a town as small as 245 residents there will be no fewer than 5 churches. Nearly all the denominations are represented.

I cannot adequately describe the sensation I experience when I see brick streets. I smile, I sigh with relief, I breathe deeply, I feel calm and rested. They relax me.

The architecture of this building was captivating. It is in the town of Honey Grove, Texas and currently houses the hardware store. Oddly, it is only one of a handful of businesses that remain viable in the town square. It makes me so sad to see these old buildings go unused and unloved.

This was and still is the bank. How charming!

Another side of the square with nearly all the businesses abandoned.

This one tickled me. If the link works, click on the picture and read the sign on the building. Surely this is a remnant of the previous turn of the century. Buggies, Harness, Seed, Feed, Hardware, and COFFINS.

More of this precious town boarded up. We literally felt we were in a ghost town. We only saw 2 vehicles moving and about 4 people total.

Yet another church. The cornerstone indicates it was dedicated May 19 in 1883. Of interesting note is that *many* of these old buildings in these towns are registered as historical sites in either the Texas Registry or, in a few cases, the National Registry of Historical Sites.

If I could show these much larger, you would note that nearly all these old churches have the most exquisite stained glass windows.

An old funeral home. It shows signs of its age as well. No doubt it was once a residence. There is a lovely home across the street which is for sale. If I was retired and wealthy I'd seriously look into it.

These buildings were dated in the late 1880s as etched into the masonry.

Another building that struck me as sad. No signs remain to indicate what it might have been, but the skeleton whispers stories of long-ago grandeur. Hotel? Offices? Retail establishment?

This church was saddest of all. It was once the Presbyterian Church in Ladonia, Texas. The colorful, artistic stained glass windows are shattered in multiple places and the bricks are crumbling from beneath the walls. It has an historical marker at the entrance but no one seems to maintain the site.

Even this home, showing evidence of former grandeur, now screams for some paint and repair.

This home advertises itself as a Bed & Breakfast. However, there is a great deal lacking before I'd consider it a place worth seeking out for a weekend of relaxation and self-pampering. The structure itself is in need of care and judging from the "collection" of oddities along the side porch these folks are in contention for the Fred Sanford Award. There is nothing to do in town.... no restaurants, no movies, no shops, NOTHING!!! The nearest town of any size is about 45 miles away.

This was the home of the Methodist congregation at one time.

And in the midst of all the decay and decline, one finds this home in its resplendent glory. It is a few lots down from the previous Bed & Breakfast and the old Methodist church. It appears to be lived in and fully maintained. It is gorgeous!!

As testament to the size of the town, here is the ONE fire engine, proudly owned by the Ladonia Volunteer Fire Department. Wonder what year this truck was made.

In Wolfe City there is a HUGE abandoned factory. I searched the web to find what could have been manufactured in Wolfe City in such a magnitude. All I can find is the town once had several mills, cotton gins, and was home to the state's largest cotton oil facility. Perhaps this is the site.

Until the next time....

Just Call Me MARILYN!!

This was a hoot!!! Link at the bottom will take you to the site so you can find out who you *really* are..... scary how accurate some of this is!! Are you reading this, H? I can hear you laughing. -gena

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Marilyn!

You are a Marilyn -- "I am affectionate and skeptical."

Marilyns are responsible, trustworthy, and value loyalty to family, friends, groups, and causes. Their personalities range broadly from reserved and timid to outspoken and confrontative.

How to Get Along with Me

• * Be direct and clear


• * Listen to me carefully


• * Don't judge me for my anxiety


• * Work things through with me


• * Reassure me that everything is OK between us


• * Laugh and make jokes with me


• * Gently push me toward new experiences


• * Try not to overreact to my overreacting.

What I Like About Being a Marilyn

• * being committed and faithful to family and friends


• * being responsible and hardworking


• * being compassionate toward others


• * having intellect and wit


• * being a nonconformist


• * confronting danger bravely


• * being direct and assertive

What's Hard About Being a Marilyn

• * the constant push and pull involved in trying to make up my mind


• * procrastinating because of fear of failure; having little confidence in myself


• * fearing being abandoned or taken advantage of


• * exhausting myself by worrying and scanning for danger


• * wishing I had a rule book at work so I could do everything right


• * being too critical of myself when I haven't lived up to my expectations

Marilyns as Children Often

• * are friendly, likable, and dependable, and/or sarcastic, bossy, and stubborn


• * are anxious and hypervigilant; anticipate danger


• * form a team of "us against them" with a best friend or parent


• * look to groups or authorities to protect them and/or question authority and rebel


• * are neglected or abused, come from unpredictable or alcoholic families, and/or take on the fearfulness of an overly anxious parent

Marilyns as Parents

• * are often loving, nurturing, and have a strong sense of duty


• * are sometimes reluctant to give their children independence


• * worry more than most that their children will get hurt


• * sometimes have trouble saying no and setting boundaries

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

GALVESTON ADVENTURE... a pictoral update

Saturday was the day to take Janelle back to Galveston for the new semester at Texas A&M Galveston. I was anxious to ride along to investigate any remnants from Hurricane Ike if indeed there were signs of the September 2008 storm.

As soon as we were north of Houston there was evidence of the devastation. There were trees broken, signs and billboards damaged, many roofs with tarps still protecting them, and many incidences of roofing repair going on. Literally crews were working on the tops of many buildings as we drove past.

The first 'sign' of damage I noticed once on the actual island of Galveston was the demolished Golden Arches of McDonald's. You know something isn't quite right when a McDonald's sign is still damaged 4 months after a storm (given McDonald's desire to stay at the top of their game in all senses of the word). There are entire strip shopping centers in which the windows are boarded up and no businesses have rebuilt or moved in. There are still piles of trash along the streets. There are still uprooted trees laying undisturbed on their sides. Perhaps the most disturbing signs of Mother Nature's wrath were the boats of all shapes and sizes sitting in fields, against fences or buildings, on the side of the road, or any other place not exactly where a boat would typically be found.



One point of reference I intentionally visited is the pier where the cruise ships embark and disembark. There is a webcam atop one of the buildings along this pier and I check the site every day or so because it fascinates me to watch these ships depart "real time" while I sit hundreds of miles away. The camera went offline during and after the storm, but in recent weeks it has been brought back online and video is once again streaming. However, there is evidence of damage that I had been watching and needed to verify that the camera was indeed showing live shots. Yes, the damage remains. This is the pier adjacent to The Strand.

This picture was of interest. There is a taped line on the buildings in The Strand area indicating how high the water level surged during the storm. I am impressed with how the area has bounced back. Many of the shops and restaurants were reopened. Others were in various states of ongoing repair, still others were boarded shut and undisturbed from the fateful event. There was evidence of damage in unusual ways. The Strand is lined with natural gas lantern-like street lights. Some of these were snapped right off at the base. Parking along the street is premium in this shopping district so there are parking meters for payment of parking fees. As we went to deposit the required funds a kind gentleman approached us and told us that none of them were working... they had all been flooded during the surge and had not yet been repaired or replaced. Free Parking!

These are the sights that likely affected me the most, impacting all too clearly the power such a storm can wield. This hotel sits seemingly untouched since the storm. It is no longer accessible from the street because the driveway connecting the pier/hotel to the island is gone. You can still see cars in the parking lot that sit undisturbed since the day of the storm.

These posts sticking out of the water used to support restaurants and shops out over the water. I was amazed that the cement pylons buried deep in the sand of the beach had been uprooted as though they were flimsy twigs. Also noted (but undocumented in pixels because it was getting dark and I didn't want to carry the camera when we walked out on a slippery granite jetty) were the twisted, mangled hand railings that used to be on the stairs that lead from the street down the height of the seawall to the beach. Amazing is all I can say. Talk about a humbling experience to realize how helpless we are against the forces of nature.

But then, almost as if in atonement, there is this beautiful sky even though it was overcast and threatening to storm. I was taking pictures of the waves because they were uncharacteristically high and white-capping much farther out than usual. As I uploaded pics to the computer from the flash drive I smiled to see the beautiful purple, blue, gray, and green hues in the sky. Again, God does such good work when it comes to painting our world with color.

Until another time.....

SEWING FIXX....at last!

Finally had the opportunity to do a bit of sewing. So at least that itch has been scratched.

Here is the next installment block for the Mystery BOM some of us are doing from FatQuarter Shop. This is Block 8 of 12... only 4 more to go! I already have the yardage to set and finish the project. Can't wait to get to that point.


With that block completed, I resumed work on the Pretty Pansy Posey Patch quilt. I saw this quilt in a Quilt Sampler magazine a few editions ago. It was not the project being featured in the edition, but I called the shop to ask the name of the pattern and if it was available. Fortunately the answer was YES (the pattern is from Primitive Pieces by Lynda). I bought it over the phone and began collecting Kansas Troubles fabrics to make it. I finally had the necessary colors and started the project as I explained in a previous post.

Here are the center blocks. Now I need to embellish each with applique.

I am never one to follow convention if a creative burst strikes me. I don't like true applique. It hurts my arthritic hands to do such detailed work, whether folding under the narrow edges or sewing by hand with a fine needle. A "scathingly brilliant idea" struck me (can you name the movie that is from??) and I improvised by doing the method of applique called "raw edge". I follow the shape of the piece with a line of stitching 1/16" - 1/8" away from the edge all the way around and then cut away the back to keep the thickness to a minimum. I add the next piece and again cut the back out. I do this for all layers. Once the top is completed and quilted I can wash it, making the "raw edges" fray and sort of puff up. It is ideally suited to the primitive look I like so well. If you click on the picture to see the enlarged version you can get a better idea of what I mean.

I got my hair cut today as well. I have very thick, curly hair and keep my hair long. When it begins to resemble a wild mane I know it is time to get it cut and thinned. Of course it helps when your mom goes on vacation and forgets to cancel her standing appointment and you impulsively say you'll take the time slot when her hairdresser calls to ask if she is going to make it!

Tomorrow I will ride to Galveston to deposit a college student back at school for the upcoming semester. I can't wait to see the remaining evidence of Hurricane Ike. I understand there is quite a bit more to repair. Some of the webcams I follow are testament to this as well.

Until I have more to say or show.....

UPDATE COMING SOON...

I've been working on the scrappy quilt made from Kansas Troubles fabrics. I took some progress pictures last night; didn't get a chance to upload to the blog. Will try to find free time to do so later today.

Until then....

ANOTHER MONDAY

Another weekend is gone! It went so fast it doesn't even seem it was here at all. I accomplished no sewing.

Decided to call the fall tomato-growing venture a lost cause, but learned a few things in the process. We've been covering them when the temperatures dip near or below freezing, and although they continue to grow in size, they are not ripening on the vines.

A few observations:
1. Green tomatoes WILL ripen in the house if they are at a certain point on the vine.
2. Tomatoes seem to ripen from the inside to the outside; the inside starts turning red before the outside shows this color.
3. Green tomatoes work well in Salsa Verde in place of tomatillos.

I started filling out the FAFSA forms to get Ross financial aid for college. I can already see I need to do my 2008 tax return as soon as I get the W-2 forms. No waiting until April 15 this year!

Gasoline has gone up over 20 cents in the past week, I can't believe it!! I assume it has to do with the lousy weather in the north and east, as well as the conflict(s) broiling in the oil supplying Middle East.

I watched a great deal of NFL playoff activity. Some of 'my' teams won; others lost. Oh well... it is only a game.

Several people have reported lost jobs in their families. I am praying for these folks and hoping something great comes their way in a hurry. If there is anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate to ask.

Until I can upload pictures and make a *real* post.....

A DAY AT THE ZOO

With all the preparations that took place for the holidays, it had been quite some time since the Special Other and I had gone on a bonafide "adventure". I was especially anxious to go on a picture-taking adventure. We decided to go to the Dallas Zoo on Saturday morning. It certainly had its good and bad points. First of all, it was very cold and there was a biting northerly wind. The high for the day was about 50, and when we set out in the morning the temp was about 38 with a wind chill in the low 20s. We bundled up and persevered. Riding the DART train to our destination added adventure quality to the trek. The main advantage to going when we did was the fact there was likely less than 100 people at the zoo the entire day. Enjoy the pictures.


This cascading water seemed so calm and peaceful. The pool below the falls was enjoyed by ducks, geese, and flamingos.

Despite the menacing appearance, the Bald Eagle is majestic and rightfully a symbol of our nation.

This tiger looks friendly enough, but I wouldn't want to be any closer than the glass separating him from humans.

The Aviary was hot and humid in comparison to the elements outdoors. We were so cold it felt good... then the realization hit that we were in layers upon layers of clothing and couldn't wait to get back into the chilly air.

Flamingos are such elegant birds. They so gracefully balance on their stilt-like legs. Their colors are incredibly vivid. Once again, God did good work when he painted the feathers of these particular birds.

By the time we got to the habitats of the gorillas, lions, and other African savanna animals the temperature was again retreating and the animals had gone indoors. We vow to go back another time in early spring to complete the tour.

Until the next post.....