They Canceled Christmas

Actually, it was just the last day of school before Christmas Break. The day of our annual Christmas Party. When, traditionally, I wear these:








We were supposed to arrive, overly excited, chomping at the bit for ridiculosity. A few of us would take a test (hopefully not two tests! Oh, procrastination!). Then we would change into our snow clothes, go to the field and zoom down the hills on our lime green brand new saucer sled... I'm guessing everyone bought the same color as me because, honestly, why would you choose any other color?

Then we would grow numb with cold and exhaustion and trudge back up to the school. We would change our clothes and toss them around to dry and it would look like someone's hall closet exploded. We would sip hot chocolate and apple cider and eat junk until noon when we would watch the younger grades' Christmas play... They've worked so hard and now it's been canceled twice!

After this, the pizza would arrive and, again, we would eat junk. By this time we will all be feeling giddy/nauseous from high fructose corn syrup poisoning. A few of us would compete in wrapping-paper-tube-fencing. Gifts, cards and love would be exchanged. I would haul my frozen-solid Christmas turkey home and thaw it in the passenger side floorboard of my car, as is my custom, since there is no room in my freezer for it.





That's how it went in my head, anyway.

A Field Trip

Went to the Oil and Gas Museum today. Loved it. But there was one room that really stole my heart. A weird and slightly creepy room.



Old worn wood smell. Oily cast iron. Flaking tin ceilings.




Lovely, lovely apothecary shelves. And tell me with complete honesty you've never wanted to glide on one of those rolling ladders before. You can't.

And there was a romantic/industrial skylight. I spent much more time in this room than the others...especially the creepy basement. Horror movie stuff down there. Definite "vibes".




It was a grand time. You should go. Oh, yeah, we learned a lot, too. Of course!

On the Way Home

I took the scenic route.

The conference finished up just before noon, and I was at loose ends. Too late for church. Husfriend at work. Was trying to avoid the horrific situation at in the basement.

So I decided to take the back way home. The WayBack way. I drove Rt. 33 and Rt. 14 back to Parkersawfulburg. You know, I didn't get carsick at all until I was in the dairy section of WalMart. Hm.

Aaanyway, it was great. I drove my little car around those turns and listened to my music and smiled the whole time. So beautiful.

I saw a sign for "Historic Buffalo Log Church" and thought, hey, that's for me. I turned onto a one-lane patchwork paved road and looked around.

A house.

I decided I would go a mile and if I didn't see it, I'd turn back. At one mile, there was an old couple (yes, they were actually old, not relatively old, and I'm only mentioning it because they passed me later in a flurry of gravel) unloading their four-wheeler and strapping on their helmets (so cute). The gentleman told me it was three miles ahead, which was confirmed by the sign he pointed to that read: Buffalo Church 3 miles.

Let me tell you. Just after that sign, the road turned to gravel and got steep. Not Dolly Sods steep or Pickens steep, but, yeah, it was intense. There were cows. There were bulls. And calves. In the woods. It was so dappled and lovely, even with storm clouds threatening. You should have seen it.

Then the church at the top, on a ridge.







I need to find that man and ask why the Log Church wasn't made of logs, but that's another post.

There was this:



There was a huge spider. Yes, I left the door open a crack.



This:


Oh, yes, they did...

And this:


The event was already past, but, look, it says they need donations. So help out, if you feel inclined.

And to cap it all off, I saw a scarlet tanager. Excellent drive.

2010

Oh, hello. So it's a totally anti-climactic New Year. I know it's supposed to be a Big One, new decade and all. Whatever. Perhaps after last years' high drama, this one just couldn't compete. It's the first New Year since Grandpa's passing a couple of weeks ago; I'm sure that's giving our family the ho-hums, with the memorial service looming sometime in the coming days.

Also, I spent the evening at home with Slarty. As in, by ourselves. The neighborhood kids are teenagers now, in skinny jeans, and waaay to cool to ring our doorbell at midnight to wish as a happy one. I had a couple of offers but still opted to stay in. If this happens again--Husbfriend working--I think I will have me own little shindig. (Does 'shindig' mean dance? 'Cuz I don't think we should dance, necessarily. If it means dance, then pretend I said 'soiree'.)

I did, however, sneak off to my friend's salon and get a fabulous new 'do. Those of you who have had to deal with my un-fabulous old 'do, conscientiously avoiding direct eye contact with it--Rejoice! Sorry it's taken so long! So great to have a buddy whom I fully trust with my lackluster locks. Thanks, Karen!

You know how I feel about resolutions...Okay, I'll tell you anyway. Impossible. Reckless. Doomed to failure. Impractical. I feel especially vehement about them, probably, because of all the retro-learning/conditioning I've had to do in the course of my adult (ha!) life. I'm a messy, a schizo, a flake, and ashamed of it no longer. I know that I--and others like me--have to carefully and gradually plan these changes. No such thing as magic. So New Years' resolutions scream, "Bad idea!" at me.

On the other hand, one of the reasons I love January (and I do love January) is because it's such a fresh, clean beginning. (That's what I kind of like about Mondays, too. I know. Hiss. I like House and Castle, too, though.)

So maybe I will make a little list of non-resolutions for 2010. Okay? Okay.

So. We went to Amish Country in Buckeyeland, and there was this shop. Where there was this sign: Supplies for Fairy Gardens. Which look like this:



Mom and I were enchanted. (Not enchanted enough to pay $84, but still.) So she and I spend the next day working on our own. And the day after that hobbling around with sore muscles. Gardening is serious business, folks.

I'll post pics soon.

What I've Been Missing

For several (several) years, we have been in Colorado for the Fourth of July. Now, don't get me wrong. That's been a great--actually, a "zany"--place to be. But there were certain things I missed. I can't go into details, much. There was just a general feeling of missing things with our family and friends.

But I knew I missed the WV Arts and Crafts Fair. We would always go on Sunday (because we're cheap) so we could *maybe* get in for free or reduced price, and find some steals as the exhausted crafter artisans prepared to pack up and head home. Good times.

Since we had to schedule vacation later this year, I was stoked for the Fair. But, gasp! It was shorter this year--no Sunday! I came so close to missing out. (That's another story about me and some wicked angel cake. I won't tell you this story. It involves horrifying gluttony and a humiliating repentance.) But I drove down there myself on the 4th because I could NOT miss it. Who knows when the next time would be?

I had a good time even though I had a cake hangover and was some lonesome. Certain things the same, others different. I bought only food, but I took photos of my phavorites--my best of show, if you will. (Christmas hints!)



These are pendants made from broken china! So neat. Anna's China Jewelry: annaschinajewelry@yahoo.com I really should've zoomed in some but I was being jostled.

Lovely lovely yarns. I must learn to make something other than scarves and assorted squares and rectangles. I have a book from the library on that, but that's tangential, so back to the yarn: Cyndi Bolt Designs: cyndi@cyndibolt.com



This is the quilt that won the show. I'm not generally a multiple-pastel person, but I loved it. I didn't write down the information for this artsy person, but the wvaacf website may list it.


Seriously, someone get me this pottery birdbath for Christmas. I don't even want a stand for it. I just love it resting in among the flowers like this. And a teapot. I want a teapot, too. (All of her pottery can go in the micro, oven, and dishwasher! Wha?!)


Someday when I have a gorgeous home, I picture this somewhere in it. All of their work was...well, have a look at it yourself.

Also of note was Krack's Fiddle Shop. I was pretty sure the cat playing the fiddle was, indeed, the Jake Krack. So I was star-struck because I have this CD. So I just crept around pretending to look at instrumental things I have no idea about while he sat there fiddling and talking to customers. Yep.

And there was a felted wool booth that was totally IT. I think her name is Anne Grimes. Anyone have any more info? Love to have more time to browse her work....

So, Happy Fourth and crafting :)

Pickin'

Today we picked strawberries. "We", as in Becca and the kids, yay! Lacey said it best when she said, "I wanna doe back to da nice cool house!" Yes. At the strawberry place I picked up some regular and eight-ball zucchinis and a pound of peanuts, which are boiling right now. (West Virginia doesn't count as a Southern state--unless we're being judged by Northerners or those eerie mid-westerners...Mid-atlantic, people, we're mid-atlantic...--so I learned about the boiled peanut phenomenon while on a trip to Florida some, uh, several years ago.)

Then at the farmer's market I got some endive to plant--yessss!--and a loaf of lovingly homemade wheat bread.

This is a good kickoff for my summer break (or, brake). I'm planning on riding my bike again really soon, my skin is nearly grown back.

Off to make some jam, pies, a rhubarb-strawberry crisp, etc. I'll post some pictures from school soon.