Cemetery Wreath

The cemetery where Himself's parents is buried doesn't allow flowers or shrubs to be planted by the headstone. The maintenance staff wants to be able to mow without hindrance. Plants that are left are thrown away after a week so the cemetery doesn't look unsightly. Many families have had planters made to fit the top of the stone. Some plant real flowers. Others have artificial.

Himself had metal rings made that attach to the side of the stone and will hold a 6" pot. He doesn't always get to the cemetery to water the flowers and if the plants look dead, they are tossed by maintenance.

While browsing through Wallyworld, Himself saw artificial wreaths. The flowers were stuck to a Styrofoam form. Himself worried that the rain would disintegrate the Styrofoam. I told him I could make a wreath, and we took a trip to Michael's where Himself picked out flowers. He wanted the wreath made in time for Father's Day.

The flowers were wired to a grapevine wreath. Hopefully, the wreath will be able to stand up to the weather. It will hang from a Shepherd's hook.

The View from My Window

I copied this idea from Chocolate Bytes. I thought it was a neat idea so I took a picture from the slider in the sunroom.

The petunias in the hanging basket are just loving the heat and humidity. The morning glories against the trellis are starting to climb. Looks like the chipmunks feasted on the moon flower seeds. The rose bushes the girls gave me for Mother's Day seem to be doing well, too.

What you can't see is all the pollen dust that is gracing the window. The window that was sparkling last week.

Now it's your turn. What's the view from you window?

The Dollhouse

Early summer heat is making the petunias and dahlias in the pots pop. The snowball bushes didn't get a Fall trim and look more like avalanche bushes. The pansies in the hanging pot need to be watered twice a day or the poor things wilt. Dido stands guard by the hydrangea bush. No flowers, but lots of leaves.

When the flowers in the rail boxes start to bloom, and I've done a bit of weeding, I'll take close ups. (-;

Seven

Sevens things I hate about clothes shopping:

1. All of the dresses and pants are sized for women who must be 10 feet tall. They are not sized for women who are tall for Hobbits.

2. Clothes made in foreign countries where a size 2 is considered XL.

3. Items on the sales rack not sorted by size and item (i.e. all the same size blouses or slacks together) I want to get in an out of the store as quickly as possible. The thrill of the hunt doesn't do anything for me.

4. Stores advertising the Biggest Sale of the Season at least twice a week. If an item is 50% off but the store has a sale every day then the 50 percent off price becomes the original sale price. So where's the savings?

5. Dressing rooms with trifold mirrors. I don't want to see how big my butt really is.

6. Clothing with size tickets but not price. If the store doesn't see fit to put a price on the item, then the item should be free. I shouldn't have to wait in line at the register for a supervisor to send a runner to do a price check.

7. Lycra or spandex added to 100% cotton. If something has been added to the cotton it is no longer 100%. Lycra or spandex belong in underwear not in blouses, jeans, or tee shirts. I don't need to feel like sausage in casing. If I want that feeling every day, I'll wear pantihose.

What about you? Do you enjoy shopping for clothes?

What Donut Are You

You Are a Boston Creme Donut

You have a tough exterior. No one wants to mess with you. But on the inside, you're a total pushover and completely soft. You're a traditionalist, and you don't change easily. You're likely to eat the same doughnut every morning, and pout if it's sold out.

What Donut Are You?

Boston Creme very appropos and a favorite. Bavarian Creme is another I tend to grab along with jelly, lemon, cinnamon apple, chocolate coconut, chocolate....

Blame this quiz on Al as I got it from her blog, though thanks to her, I have something to blog about today. LOL Coincidentally, we got the same answer. Could it be because we're from the same area of the country? Nah, most likely because we both chose cream for filling.

What Color is Your Mind?

Your Mind is Blue

Of all the mind types, yours is the most mellow. You tend to be in a meditative state most of the time. You don't try to think away your troubles. Your thoughts are realistic, fresh, and honest. You truly see things as how they are. You tend to spend a lot of time thinking about your friends, your surroundings, and your life.

What Color Is Your Mind?

Ink

I sent in a proposal to the museum to teach a children's calligraphy class this Fall called "Let it Be Written" Each week for 8 weeks, the kids ( 11-13 yr olds) will explore the museum galleries to see how writing has been used through the centuries and represented in art. In the studio, they will get to try their hand at some things they have seen.

I thought during one session, it might be fun for the kids to make their own ink and then use it to write. From Cyberscribes, an Internet calligraphy discussion group I belong to, I found a recipe for Thousand Year Ink.

I put two charcoal briquettes (not the ones infused with lighter fluid) into a plastic bag. Then I bashed them to a fine powder with a hammer. I was pounding the bag on the floor and noticed small holes as I was working and charcoal dust sifting through the holes. So I put a paper plate under the bag and continued pounding. It was very difficult to get a fine powder. I may have to see about using a combination of hammer pounding and transferring to a mortar and pestle.

When the powder seemed fine enough, I measured out 2 tablespoons into a plastic cup using a plastic spoon. The grind still didn't seem to be fine enough. I may have to dedicate a small spice grinder to the task. I ended up using the handle end of the hammer as a pestle to bash little bits into dust.

Two teaspoons of honey was measured out using the plastic spoon. The honey was mixed with the charcoal dust forming a thick black paste. The directions said to form the paste into a flat square. It could be used at this point or left to dry into a solid cake. I chose to let it dry and put the paste into the cover of an Intuition razor cap. The paste is now resting comfortably on the kitchen window sill.

I thought to speed up time in the studio, I would have the charcoal pre-bashed. However as I was working some safety issues came to mind. I suppose it would be a good idea for the kids to wear gloves just so the soot doesn't get all over their hands and clothes. Puffs of dust rose into the air as I was stirring, so it probably wouldn't hurt for the kids to wear a dust mask.

I hope we get some good sun as the directions said the cake should sit in the sun for several days to dry. Maybe by the end of the week, I'll be able to write with it.

Any of you made your own ink? Got an easier way? (besides buying a bottle, smart( ! ) ) Teachers can you see any pitfalls? I'm sure one bright little spark will try to taste the mixture. It won't kill them, but it will taste gawdawful and perhaps make them sick. (Charcoal is sometimes used in poison ingestion to absorb the poison.)