Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Wednesday Morning


Look at what I woke up to today....... in my inbox. Thanks Paul Slater, and Betsy, these are beautiful. There is a donut shop in Beaver Falls I really need to check out, Paul gets them at work quite often even though he doesn't work near there. So this got me thinking, lovely followers.... how about a little healthy competition. (get it, healthy, oh never mind) You all submit your best donut photo to me and I will be the judge, that's right It's my blog, and the winner will get a $20 dollar Dunkin Donut gift card. Oh and I might need the rights to those photos to put in my first book, you don't care do you? This could be a pretty great competition, Paul here has set the bar high, and don't think age has anything to do with it, I know for a fact that I have some very young readers who are quite accomplished in photography, who might or might not be related to the afore mentioned Paul. I'm trying to start a little throw down here, shhh. Though my list of followers may be small, I happen to know they are quite talented. So tell your friends, this is not limited my readers only. All the pics will be featured along with their taker, at some point, unless this go's global, then I might not be able to, you understand. Let's say one week, you have until next Wednesday, April 5th to get the photos to me, I'll announce the winner on Two-Donut Thursday next week on the 6th. Good luck people, don't disappoint me.

Addition to this post-The above photo was not taken by Mr. Slater, it is indeed from the web, the Slaters were not trying to pull the wool over me, they just thought it was a fun picture and that I would like it, they in no way thought that I would post it or start an entire contest based on it. But the contest goes on, we will just call the above photo, inspiration!

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Lights, Camera...


This was my view most of the Monday, behind the camera, not in front of it. If you look a little closer you'll realize that's Maria on the stool, not me. It is really hard to hang out with actors sometimes, they always look good and they can perform anywhere, anytime, and because they are no stranger to an audience the camera suits them all just fine. I'm not so much fond of the camera, or the audience for that matter. Don't know when the stage fright started, but it is very real, give me a big, fat, hairy spider any day. I like my little post in the back...in the dark. I can have coffee back there, maybe a donut or two, nobodies the wiser. My friends make me wish I was comfortable on the stage, they make it look so easy and fun, but I'll pass, I liked my lunch the first time around .... only. I do enjoy dressing them though, they look a little weird if I don't show up ... and I guess nobody would be able to see them or hear them either, if I went away. Job security people, job security.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Waiting and Dreaming




Well, we've been listed for a week and have had 4 showings. One couple came back twice. We're waiting to see if we get an offer from them. It's been a flurry of activity, getting everyone out of the house while leaving it spotless, well lit and smelling great. I accidently left a candle burning one day, shhhh don't tell Deerslayer. After the positive remarks from my lovely realtor, above, deerslayer and I panicked and called a babysitter so we could drive around the countryside looking at properties. We didn't have any luck, but we're trusting that God has this one. So we wait. Wait and dream.....



call me.....


I'm waiting for you....



Yes, your porch is perfect.

These were all taken from the web, and as far as I know are already owned and loved my their owners. Just dreamin. I'll keep you posted, say a prayer for us, this dream to head to the country is about 10 years in the making so we're closer than ever. I'll be busy with theatre business this week, photo shoots and shows, so I should have some pretty good stuff for you here this week, along with house news I hope.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Greener Pastures





The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. This is a view I ran across after leaving the woods after my turkey hunt on Monday. Nothing is more beautiful to me than this, sheep grazing quietly on a hillside. They ran from me at first site, but the longer I stood quietly, they started to become more interested in me.





Some of my earliest childhood memories are of bottle feeding baby sheep in our laundry room at our farm in NW Ohio. I can remember letting them run around on our kitchen floor, they would fall down so easily. I remember the way they smelled and how they felt to my little hands.

If your soul needs restoring, ask, seek and above all listen, He answers. He restores. He loves.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

April 20th

April 20th is a big day around here, two of my favorite friends share a birthday today. Their families have been friends for years, I just met them both about 7 years ago. Life would not be the same without them. This is Maria, aka, lifesaver. We've painted together, shared the stage, had babies at the same time, vacationed together with our families and shared countless hours doing projects together. We bargain hunt, teach classes, share marital and child rearing advise too. And the blond moment's we share, well they just keep coming. She's one of my go-to-girls when I'm stuck or frustrated or just need help. I could not live away from family without her, she's become another sister.

Oh, and if you haven't noticed, we might look a little bit alike. Only half a million people have told us that.

This is Jeff and he is also a lifesaver. Aside from employing me, he really has helped me realize my full potential. That totally sounded like a commercial for a tech school. He makes me better. Any shred of talent he turns to gold. He doesn't just do that for me, he's done it for many people. And the magic part is, by making you believe it, you can do more than you ever expected from yourself. All of this doesn't just apply to the work I do with him in the theatre, it carries over into our friendship. He walked with me thru a very dark time. Simply put, he helped heal me. We share a love of food, laughter, and making fun of Steve Balwin:)

I love you both. Happy Birthday, and I hope it was a two-donut day.

Monday, April 19, 2010

One Early Morning

This was quite a day folks, it started early, 4:30 am early. Yes, you read that right. Why, you ask? I have lost my mind, or maybe, I found it? My lovely Deer Slayer literally pulled me out of bed and transformed me into .... Turkey Slayer. It was a quick transformation, camo over jeans and a sweat shirt, boots and a hat, until I got to the woods. You know that old fashion rule, take one thing off before leaving the house, well let's just say, that rule does not apply in hunting. More is more. Oh my, ridiculous is what it looked like people. That is why you will not get a picture in this post, no siree, not happnin. But besides the mild cardio infarction I suffered for fashion, I actually really enjoyed myself. It turns out it's fun to blend into the landscape, and I mean blend in, we had 14 deer walk right by us, like 15 feet from us, they had no idea we were there. That was cool. We listened and watched a beaver do what ever it is beavers do. We saw wood ducks and turkeys. I even took a nap while propped up under a tree. I could hear myself think. This is why Deer Slayer goes into the woods. It's always good to know how someone tics. It really was a great morning, a two donut morning. (How else do you think he bribed me out of bed at 4:30am)

Saturday, April 17, 2010

More Spring

I want to blow this up and wallpaper my house with it!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Donuts and a Show





It's Thursday, and Thursday means donuts. I'm finally back on track on the donut front, had a few glitches over the last two weeks, but I'm back. Today's lovelies came from The Dutch Haus Bakery in Columbianna OH. Locals here know, these are great donuts. This is one of those places that you usually have to get to early in the day because if you go later in the day and lets just say you promised some little kids in your car chocolate frosted chocolate donuts....well you might not be the most popular mommy in the car. I arrived at noon today and was happy to see they had a full case.


Ahhhh, the donut case, few things in life make me quite as happy as this. Almost as happy as this guy, and why shouldn't he be, he has the dream job.


Speaking of dream jobs, I think I have one too. What other job allows you access to some of the best donuts in the state, and how many bosses would bring you an entire box of creme sticks at midnight after a show, that you couldn't be there for. I'm not sure but I think they know my love language. The reason we're around donuts in the first place is that we perform at Inns that have bakeries somewhere on the premises. The company is called 34 West, and these are my bosses.....

If you want the fancy professional photos, use the link. This is your backstage pass. This is where we spend a lot of time, in green rooms if you will. There is a lot of waiting in live theatre, eating and waiting. Anything can happen when you are passing the time. Today, we made a food sculpture with our scraps...


I think this is pretty impressive for scraps, you could probably talk somebody into eating this... again. In fact that could be a great coffee table book, Second Hand Food, you know kind of like Martha's version, Everyday Food. I like it, that has potential. See these are the kinds of things we talk about in the 'green room'. Now you know.



So as long as I sit here, push the right buttons at the right times, and light the actors when they want it and not when they don't, I get donuts. Easiest job in the world:)

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Bath



Here are a couple more photos of the house. This is our one and only full bath. I wish I could show you before pictures, but it has taken so long to redo this one little room that I can't even remember if I took any. But I can tell you that there were spindles, sponge painting, and a lovely shell sink. We did this room on a serious budget, probably around 1,ooo dollars. We replaced everything except the tub and surround, it was still in good shape. Once the major things were replaced it took me a good two years to decorate it, why? I have no idea. But it's finally finished. Except for the other day I opened the medicine cabinet and a little black part came shooting out at me. It was a little piece of hinge that Kohler will be sending me anytime now. Actually that was the third thing to break in one week, first was the garage door, then the dryer and finally the cabinet. I hope that's it for awhile. The wide-angle lens is great, I mailed off the pics to the realtor tonight. More to come tomorrow, pictures, donuts and a show!


Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Ready or Not

Well kids, the realtor was here today. He liked what he saw. I nearly died on the spot, I was so happy. The work, I think, will pay off. He thinks it can be ready for the listings on Friday. Oh my, I have been waiting for this for a long time and I can't believe it's finally happening. Here's just a couple of pictures for now, I'll post more as they're taken. I'm waiting on a wide angle lens, which will be better for small interiors.


This next one looks so plain, but my guy says that counters have to be completely cleared off. I wasn't sure at first but looking at the picture I'm sure he's right.

I found this website today, I thought it was really great. I would have to agree with all of those statements, and many of you will laugh because I've made you come along with me on my little jaunts. I've gotten lost, been late for things, and driven people completely crazy at times. I have always been that way, hooked on houses. So you can imagine that finally being a player in this game is exciting to me. So stay tuned, more photos to follow and I will have donuts this Thursday, I promise:)

Monday, April 12, 2010

Peep Roast


We didn't set out to roast peeps.... but the marshmallows in the cupboard were slightly expired and you can't have a bonfire without marshmallows right? So we improvised.



Now I can tell you that Deer Slayer was extremely skeptical, and already in a slightly foul mood to begin with, so this was kind of a hard sell. I assured him there would be no flaming peeps, just lightly browned ones, 'think creme brulle', I said.

He relented and handed Taryn this giant peep the size of her head. OK it's not a giant peep, I didn't do this on purpose, he was just handing her some chocolate and this happened.



And I should be honest, I was in a foul mood myself, none of us were wanting Spring Break to be over and we've been pushing ourselves a little hard lately. So we were trying to force ourselves out of our moods ..... by burning cute, little, sugar, chicks. Yeah, now I think it sounds pretty weird, but last night....





....it just seemed like the right thing to do:)




Saturday, April 10, 2010

Coffee Break



Not much new around here, just working, constantly. Took a little break today, made some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and some Joe. Deer Slayer poured the coffee, he often does this, his and her cups. I usually match the cups, no reason, just do.



This is my uniform of late, I'm thinking about starting a trend. I especially like the piece of painters tape stuck to my leg. It's not easy to make jeans look this way, years of different paint jobs, layers of color, perfection, I would never throw these away. Of course I would like to wear them less, soon, very soon, this house will be done and on the market. I enjoyed my cookie break, now back to work.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

A Small, Town Tour







The house I grew up in was in between two small communities, I was born in one but went to school in other. Went to movies in one, church in the other. Ice Cream in one, pizza in the other. Great friends, in both. So this is just a small tour of the larger town, Bluffton.









I ate lunch here on many a Sunday, it's changed hands since, but the sign remains. The artist above has painted many murals in surrounding communities, I wanted say hi, but would you interrupt that? I kind of felt like a stalker as it was, with my big lens from across the street and all.




There's also a few of my favorite things.....


(the quilt I'm currently working on is from this stash of 1930's repro feedsack)

the quilt shop dog....who wouldn't concentrate on the camera because every time the bell on the door rang she turned her head,


...and last but not least, what town would be complete without an antique store. Many great things have come out of this store. Well that concludes the small, town tour. I hope you liked seeing a slice of my past and my present, since most of these places are on my list of things to do when home visiting. I can't believe it but I forgot the great coffee shop where I had one of the best cranberry muffins ever and the bakery-butcher shop where I had one of the best cinnamon roll ever, not on the same day though. Oh well, another trip.

Spring



Have I told you how much I love spring? I'm sure I have, but just in case you forgot......




I also love friends who lend you their expensive camera for the week because yours died. I'm having so much fun, you will definitely see that this week.


This rose bush decided to try to unlock this door, I love it, took a million and one pictures of it.

This one is begging to be just a little blurry don't you think? Anyone know where these were taken? The first correct comment wins ...... a donut!

Friday, April 2, 2010

From Donuts to Daffodils


So, about those donuts I promised you...... they didn't exactly turn out as planned. I used a recipe from my Mary Jane Farms mag and well I don't know what happened. Then as if that wasn't bad enough I thought why not glaze them with a color, like an Easter color, so I thought a pretty pale yellow to match the daffodils I was going to pair them with. It was all bad, it looked like I spread them with mustard, I can't even post a picture, you might loose your lunch. So here's the daffodils, they always turn out... as God intended.


Thursday, April 1, 2010

Distraction




Yes, I know it is "Two-Donut Thursday", and I know I made certain claims about certain items being featured on said day......




..... but it's been a little crazy around here.....



so much to do......



when you are trying to sell a house,



So, I guess what I'm saying is....
(as I use my powers of distraction)


..... the donuts may have to wait till tomorrow.
Did it work?