Tinker Art: Winter Wonders

January 26, 2008

Winter Wonders

This week has been a melange of blessings. The sailing this week hasn't always been smooth, but then for each thing that's rocked the boat a bit, there has been an equal bit of joy to balance it out.

Thank you for all your sweet wishes on my last post. Here are some of the lovely sights I've been blessed with this week:

The snow just a few miles up in the hills, when we took a drive the day before my birthday - we didn't get out - we were too cold - and nowadays you need one of these now, just to park for a moment beside the road. When I was growing up, we used to drive the few miles 'up the hill' on winter weekends, just to play in the snow. After an hour or two of throwing snowballs at one another, making snowmen and snow angels, we'd pile back into the car, cover up with blankets and have cookies and a thermos full of hot chocolate to warm us up afterward. It was a fun, almost free, weekend treat back then. I understand the reasoning behind the passes, but still it's sad to think that for struggling, young families, the free places to play in the snow have melted away.

Unless it snows here - which it might - it certainly feels cold enough at the moment. I wouldn't mind the cold as much, if there were snow to play in... Our family's story about me and snow, is that when I saw it for the first time as a toddler, I yelled 'bubblebath!' quite excitedly, and threw myself into the snowbank. I don't really recall it - but I think I must have had a bit of a shock, lol.

Here are some other less shocking, pleasant surprises from this winter's week:

These flowers came to me from the next town over - from my 'oldest' (longest) friend from junior high days - who couldn't help rubbing it in a bit that I'm half a century in her cards to me - ah, her turn will come - in only about 8 months, mwah-ha-ha-ha....

This lovely lady traveled all the way from Florida to hang out with me. I love her serene face and her beaded hairstyle - thank you, Judie~

Goodies from the land down under made their way to me, too - delicious sweets and treats - that's a lovely garnet there that arrived in it's own little embroidered silk bag, and the bead and pearl-studded circle is a mirror - that arrived with the loveliest words, tucked under its pretty lace ribbon - thank you, Robyn~

Then another cute li'l mirror on a keychain arrived today from Canada, with words to inspire me everyday - thank you, Violette~

Speaking of the words on Violette's artwork - I am trying to create my own best reality - so I will avoid the negatives, and accentuate the positives here - let's just say, that if I haven't visited as much lately, it is because I'm very thankful for hot tea, zicam and aloe-coated tissues this week - though I hope my reality soon won't require those items to be on hand, several times a day ;-)

Hmm, what else have I been doing this week - here's a quick peek at what little bit of creativity has gone on around here - my 'lowly worm' scarf now sports fuzzy fringe on each end, and believe it or not, somehow I intend to turn that clump of yarn on the chair into a matching hat, of sorts - I've never made a hat before, can you tell? lol. Since I don't have a pattern - not that I can make heads or tails of crochet patterns, anway - I'm looking at it as an experiment. I'm growing a hat!

Another bit of creative experimentation and growing I've been doing this week - on my birthday, I mixed up a batch of homemade sourdough starter. I've been thinking of it as this tiny little microscopic world. I've been trying to come up with a good name for it. Sourdough starters can apparently live indefinitely. When I was looking for a recipe for it online, I came across one that's been reputedly growing since the Oregon Trail, friends of Carl will send you a piece of it for the price of a SASE.

But I decided I wanted to start my own. It's a ridiculously simple thing to do, yet it makes me feel like a pioneer woman - or a cross between Martha Stewart and Madame Curie, watching the alchemy of the experiment progress, as I stir it each day. Sorry, no photos of it, as it hasn't been looking particularly photogenic yet. Especially when it's been periodically overflowing its ~~petri dish~~ glass jar onto the counter. But once it's reached the point of being ready to bake, I'll try to get a photo of it loafing around. Which is what I'm going to go back to doing right now - loafing on the couch. It's cold tonight, so I'm going to throw on a couple of extra cats. :-)

Hope you're having a warm and wonderful winter weekend, wherever you may be~

Posted at 08:26 PM | Permalink

Comments

Wonderful snow photos - and I agree about it being sad that people can't just play in it for free any more - these days everything seems to have its price...

But you are going to be making your own sourdough starter - that's wonderful! And nearly free!

Good luck (I wrote good lick at first and now I realise that might be almost relevant :-)

Posted by: Caroline | January 27, 2008 at 03:29 AM

happy birthday
a few days late!

50 is not so bad,
really
except that
~*soon you will be middle-aged*~

:-)

your winter wonders photos are great
but
i really, really love
THAT pink chair up there...

and, here are somepinkflowers for you
[late] for your special day!

Posted by: somepinkflowers | January 27, 2008 at 04:36 AM

Hooty hoo! Look at all your cool Birthday goodies! So..knitting and making bread...You are a pioneer! Say..I think you can find free patterns online.

Posted by: Pam Aries | January 27, 2008 at 05:22 AM

Looks like we're gonna need to change that name from of yours. What with all that birthday treasure and goodness! Maaybe it's time we address you as Queen Tinker Bella!

Pretty show shots and nice "loot"!

Posted by: rochambeau | January 27, 2008 at 10:20 AM

LOL petri dish! I had a fruit starter once, kept it going for a long time with friends. It was kind of like a fruit compost....um...lol I know that isn't the right word, but you kept adding fruit and something else, sugar maybe? and it grew and bubbled and boiled in its little glass bowl and you put it on ice cream or cakes and it was soooooo good and I think it might have got you a little drunk too. LOL I've never done a sourdough tho. My sister makes that kind of bread. I'll leave it to her. That mountain park looks wonderful! xoxoxo

Posted by: artzyjudie | January 27, 2008 at 04:31 PM

What wonderful goodies you got. Happy Birthday. I have got to do better in keeping up. Oh, btw, this is Lisa. Remember me?? Yes, I finally found the password again. LOL

I love your scarf. I can't make hide nor hare (what does that mean?) out of crochet patterns either. Growing a hat...I love it!

Enjoy your sourdough. Don't get drunk. hehe

Posted by: Lisa | January 28, 2008 at 07:56 AM

The scarf is gorgeous and good for you for baking bread! Lovely treats in the mail. Glad you had a happy birthday celebration - and more to come. My package is very very late! xoxox

Posted by: Paris Parfait | January 28, 2008 at 03:01 PM

Just look at all your goodies! what a wonderful way to start your 50s. I had my first ever bottle of Dom Perignon. At breakfast. Out. Pretty cool. Since I'm about to leave them very shortly, I can say with authority that the 50s are very intersting - enjoy the journey!

Posted by: tammy vitale | January 28, 2008 at 05:56 PM

hope you enjoyed those chocolates! Cherry Ripes are one of my favourites!
ps- faery land closes in two days and then I am re-opening the Wisdom of the Goddess blog! revamped for the 50s set ;)

Posted by: miss*R | January 29, 2008 at 03:25 AM

I'd wish you happy birthday, but my time machine broke!

Hee... Lowly's grown a moustache...

Posted by: Pacian | January 30, 2008 at 12:40 PM

Love the photos, and your scarf looks so warm. Now I want to see the hat when you finish it! And sourdough starter....I've thought about doing that, too. You'll have to give me pointers on how you did it. I want to be like Martha/pioneer woman and feel domestic, too!

Posted by: Janet | January 30, 2008 at 01:33 PM

Hey there Miss Tinker,
Just Dopping by to say howdy. Can't wait to see what your cooking up next. Thank you for stopping by. Your presence brightens my day!

xox
Constance

Posted by: rochambeau | January 31, 2008 at 05:14 AM