Mirror, mirror

Prompted by a Milliande discussion group, I took my camera and a mirror into the yard.

 

It was fun.

The results surprised me...

The more pictures I took, the more I wanted to take.

Kinda' like "the view from down here" ... a new outlook ... fresh eyes.

Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. Psalm 119:18

Pickled veggies from the wonder garden

My sister gave me permission to continue filling this space with home stuff. (I think I'll keep her.) So, because she said it's OK, here's the latest from my garden.

If you have been here for any amount of time, you know that gardening is not my forte. In fact, I have put more plants through a tortured life and death than I care to recall. Until this year.

This is the year of the wonder garden... as in jaw-dropping lush green growth and "I wonder what that plant is?" The cause? Straight from the farm cow *ahem* droppings and compost. The compost has been cooking all year and went on the bare soil in the early spring. The cow stuff was added a couple of weeks before planting.

As a result of lush soil and tons of volunteer plants, we find green vines growing and twisting around, over, and through every inch of the garden. There are melons, squash of every variety, and almost a dozen tomatoes plants that I never bought. In this jungle of vines are cucumbers that grow w-a-a-a-y too big under the cover of giant squash leaves.

The solution? Refrigerator pickles. I found an amazing, easy recipe here. I have made several batches using my over sized cukes, turnips and green beans. Wonderful!! Every time.

I have pictures of the process, just to convince you to go get the recipe and try this out.

Measure the spices.

Add the spices to two pint jars.

  

Put cut up veggies of choice in the jars, add vinegar-salt-sugar mixture, plus enough water to cover everything. 

Put the jars in the fridge. Try to wait until tomorrow to taste. You will be amazed at how good they are... and they keep getting better!

Now... read the verse and go get the recipe!

As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it and it is gone... but the mercy of the Lord is form everlasting to everlasting... Psalm 103:15 - 17

7 days of disintegration

The wired bundles of paper have been hanging in the mulberry tree for seven days. Extreme heat, humidity, and heavy rain have assaulted the dangling bundles and they do look different.

The edges are beginning to curl in the places that are not wired down.

The washable crayons are beginning to get the watercolor effect. There is a little bit of rust forming under the wire.

The crayons aren't yielding to the rain in this bundle. I used a texture plate when I colored these pages and I'm wondering if that could make a difference. More rusty lines across the papers.  

Despite the dew, the rain and the humidity, the papers are not a soggy mess. So far, so good. In fact, as I type, I'm listening to the rumble of thunder. Bring it on!

Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9

What will it become?

One of my favorite things to do in my workroom is image transfer. There are lots of methods for achieving this imperfect look, but the goal is the same no matter how you do it - and that is to move the ink from one paper to another.

Watching it happen is like magic. I am spellbound every step of the way. Imagine taking one of these...

...adding this...

...doing this...

...and ending up with this.

See the painted Bingo card peeking through the window transfer? I think this has to be my favorite so far. Can't wait to see what it becomes.

The journey is so much more enjoyable when the outcome isn't predictable.

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

Disintegrating bundle project

I have been thinking a lot about my blog... about what's happening in this little corner of blogland.The fact is that you don't need to see any more pictures of fresh bread or fresh flowers/vegetables. Sooo, I'm ditching pride. That's a fast ride to nowhere. I'm going to use this space to show what I'm discovering as I try to grow my creative side. What I need from you is helpful (i.e.specifically negative/positive) comments along the way. Love (or hate) a color? Have a better idea for guerrilla art? Think that something just doesn't work? Tell me... please. (Don't want your comment published? Tell me!)

Yesterday, I started a 90-day experiment. It's called a "disintegrating bundle" - a bundle of  random papers, wired to book board and hung outside to be battered and beaten by the elements, the animals, whatever is out there. On October 26, I hope to be in possession of distressed papers that will add interesting character to any project.

The bundles are hanging on a post-season mulberry tree. (Would have been interesting to see the added color during the berry season, huh?) 
 

If nothing else, it may give the woodchucks something besides our cars to chew on. What a novel idea.

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. Proverbs 27:17

Haircut week> haircut day> guerrilla!!

This is haircut week... "haircut day" being one of my favorite days of the month. It is one day that I can count on being a sneaky depositor of guerrilla art. I mean... when I'm at home the audience is pretty limited, and frankly, no one is surprised! So, haircut day is pretty special.

This week I planned to have my purse loaded with "goodies", but you can't make paint and glue dry faster by glaring at it. (I tried... it does no good.) By Wednesday, there were two dry, finished pieces of "art" in my purse ready to find new homes.

                                          

I never dreamed that the combination of a vintage Bingo card and Psalm 62 would work so well. This was my first stab at using the Bingo cards for guerrilla art. It was fun.

And then, my supply of library cards continues to satisfy. I am careful in my use of these cards.... I only have about 1800 left.

Somewhere out there, two verses are accomplishing the mission God has intended. Or, maybe they are still awaiting discovery. In the meantime, I need to put final touches on the now dry, half finished projects on my worktable. My purse is feeling pretty empty right now.

Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it. Psalm 119140

Buy one, get one free

It always takes two cars to deliver one car to the repair shop... and since we were both out, together, my dearly beloved suggested we check out the best of our local shopping possibilities... a thrift shop. "Thrift shop" in my world means books! so of course I happily went along with the idea.

I was rewarded for being such a good wife. The first sign I spotted on the bookshelves said, "We are being overtaken by books! Help us solve the problem. Buy 1 book for 29 cents, get the second book free!"

When I am shopping, nothing lights my fire faster than the absence of a dollar figure in the price. Add "free" on top of that? Icing on the cake! I was determined to find two good books.

The first book was a picture dictionary. Cute, colorful. For 29 cents? Yep - mine. Now to find the free book.

Nothing... nothing.... how can there be nothing? I'm not even being picky!! We're talking free!

And then... there it was. Mother Goose and Nursery Rhymes. With wood engravings by Philip Reed. It is a beautiful book. A special printing by the artist for his friends for Christmas 1970. Look at these
samples of the artwork...

Nearly every page begs to be framed. I love this book. Yesssssss!

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God... I John 3:1

The Fourth of July arrived and disappeared with the sparkler speed... just slow enough to really enjoy the bright events throughout the day. As many of our kids (and their kids) that could, met in Toledo for our annual bash.

We had a great time eating and swimming and then river walking. What? You thought I meant along the river? No, this was Bytwerk style... in the river!

All that exercise demanded more eating and then the usual birthday cake - for birthdays, both early and late.

For me it was a hilarious, wonderful, joy-filled day. Everything from a dog rolling across the driveway in her portable kennel to hugs to hearing a grandson tell me of his current preoccupation - "loving God." 

A day like that is a treasure indeed.
                    

To think all this started with two simple "I do"s on July 4, 1968.

I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. Psalm 89:1