Ta-da

Playing with my new toy that I got for Christmas/Birthday was very exciting. After reading the instructions (yuk) and watching the intructional Flash movie (yea) I have completed my first embroidery!

Pretty soon, even our undies will have our name in them.

Meanwhile, back in Georgia

On the 24th, 25th & 26th we had lots of fun with family. We got hugs, kisses, food & good times.

Stayed in my old basement apartment at my sister's home.

They even let the smelly hound dog stay. Most everyone was healthy. Some of our family was very under the weather so we said prayers and gave thanks.

We celebrated the birth of our savior and many of my thoughts went to the events of that faith ful night. Peace, joy and grace.

Niece on the radio

My youngest niece's school chorus was on the radio this morning. Listen below.

Christmas decorations

Sweetgum Studio ~ the blog

So I followed the advice of my husband and made a blog just for paintings and art projects. I'm going to try to keep life updates and thoughts on this blog site. Please check out my new blog Sweetgum Studio!

Thanksgiving in O.B.

Hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving. We did. This was a first for us. a right of passage - I guess. We decided to brave the holiday here in our new town instead of trying to get home and back. We sure did miss our family, but we got to see them via video chat. I even experienced the love from my BIL, they got to harass me a bit. Felt a little like home.

The night before TG, I dreamt of cooking the turkey. I guess it was like they tell a pro sports player to "envision your goal". I walked myself through the pre-game press and then the game itself.

We had a lovely couple that Bear knows from OK training and now he works with him out here. They are really far from home and were not traveling either. It was nice to have company and be able to prepare food for others.

Here are some highlights from the menu including The Bird.

Elsie Mae's pan dressing:

Mom's Apple cake:

We are beyond blessed with the love of our Savior, family & friends. We are thankful.

Leaves

We found a couple of parks to explore last Friday. The leaves had already peaked, but we still found good color to see.

Current works

My goal, is to finish this large painting this week.

Sweetgum Studio

So, I had a Lowe's coupon that was burning a hole in my pocket. And I had some ideas that need to be purged. Here's the outcome - my art space has been hit by the idea fairy. Bear helped me install them the correct way - not my impatient, throw some nails up there unanchored.

A wire spice rack works well for my paints!

Good old Powder River

It's late - I'm sitting in the dark listening to basset snores. And Bear is sacked out after an early morning shift. I'm reverting back to my pre-move self and seem to find anything more interesting at night.

Looking through my pictures that I had taken on a weekend just before moving to OB. My parents and I went and found some old family graves (hello - super exciting) and drove through historic Powder Springs. My Mom suggested I take some pictures of the downtown area. Lets stroll down main street - shall we? (To view these, one must whistle your best version of the Andy Griffin Show theme music - pucker up)

Pioneer Woman on the Bonnie Hunt Show

Ok, everyone who reads my blog can see that I like Pioneer

Woman. Well she was on the Bonnie Hunt Show today, and

I couldn't find the program listed here in my new town!

So here's the link. Good segment, two very witty women.

Picture from a trolley

So - in downtown Memphis, there are trollies. You know the "ding, ding" kind. And when Bear and I were downtown for some Rendezvous ribs, we took a $1 ride on the line that runs by the river. It was nice with the windows open, the lights and lack there of. It was really sweet.

Painting again

Ok - so I know that I've moved, several states away and I haven't blogged about it yet. Most of my friends are asking for details. I'm over the moving thing and trying to focus on the part I'm trying to get going. Re-focusing. Painting - again.

I've started working on my shop on Etsy and my goal is to get my paintings online to sell. And pick up a paint brush again.

This is a goal I've set for myself. Not to get sucked into to many other things and to focus.

Great-grandfather + chicken

More old photos from my Mom's archive.

This is "Daddy Harris" and obviously a chicken. This image cracks me up- I imagine that this was pretty normal back in the day. You know, to just have chickens roaming your yard. Not sure if they're staring at each other or if they're even aware of each other. Love it.

old photo of the week

This is one of my favorites. This is my Grandaddy with his oldest daughter in downtown Atlanta. I think that this is such a journalistic style - not posing - natural. I would have like to have know what he was like at this age. A Dad of several years - how great would it be too know what they were doing on this day. Shopping? Taking Grandmother somewhere? Did she take this photo? Is she did - she was good.

old photo of the week

In memory of my Aunt Sarah, Dad's older sister. This photo comes from like 89-91 some where in there. Happy times as they stood in the driveway off they're parents house.

We went to her funeral today, she had been ill for a good many years and she went to be with the Lord on Thursday. Knowing that my Dad loved her very much I love to see them smiling in this moment.

Pictures from the past

I've been slowly working on my families genealogy. I've always been very interested in family stories, history and specifically old photos. I'd like to post some of the older photos my Mom & Dad have let me scan. So here's a super sweet photo of my grandmother, Mom's Mother. Look at those cheeks!

Mid-west

So for over a week now, I've been out in the center of our country. While Bear is in school - I've been doing....as little as possible. Laundry, grocery shopping and some laps in the old pool here at the apartment. Here's the pool - right next to the laundry facilities, quite handy really.

While out here I figured out the following:

• Crest is the best place for groceries

• The farmers market downtown, looks to have been shut down

• This city was planned, unlike ATL, it's streets are on a grid

• Using ice trays reminds me of my childhood

Oklahoma Bears

"We can go see the bears get fed at 3:00pm today?" Ok - lets go to the zoo.

The Nieces

Here's my Mamma with her three Grandgirls - my Nieces. They all are growing up to be beautiful young ladies. Thought this was a great picture.

Women I love

This here, is a wonderful picture of the women I love. They raised me. Mom, Sista P and Sista L. They are my favorite ladies to laugh, hug, aggravate, get advice from, be sassy to, and cry with. They are so special to me.

In my next post, I'll share more pictures with more girls, the three offspring that I call "the nieces"!

First day of August

Oklahoma City in July

Wow - so for my second trip out to visit my Bear, I flew back out for the July 4th holiday. We had a great many adventures. We ventured out into the great wide open to several small towns. We visited an award winning clydesdale farm, saw a rodeo, swam in a pool in Red Rock Canyon park, visited Yukon & consumed some good BBQ. We attempted to attend an ice cream festival on the 4th and a huge storm scared us away. Most of the celebrations were cancelled b/c of the bad weather so we ate some wonderful take out and watched the History channel (geeks). We went to our first water park together and I got to see what a dare devil he was and confirmed what a chicken I am. The visit was way to short but we had a great time. Memories!