Mason Bolo Tie

Rene has been holed up in the workshop lately working on a custom order bolo tie.  This is the result. He used silver with brass highlights.  When he brought it to his fellow Mason, others liked it and he got a few more orders for similiar bolo ties.  Way to go sweetie!!
 

(I am so frustrated with taking pictures right now that I had a friend take these. Not bad, eh? Top of the summer projects: take a class on how to take terrific jewelry pictures) 

a favorite of my favorites...........

Cover of the first Tobasco Donkey's record

This time of year brings bitter sweet memories for me.  My mind drifts back to my college days when after my last the last final of spring semester, I packed up my bags and headed to NorthWestern New Mexico to work at the Philmont Boy Scout Ranch. It was around this time of year that the magic of those summers were start to become yet another reality.  And on top of it all, I was paid to backpack, camp and be in the outdoors of the Sandgre de Cristo Mountains (with a fabulous ratio of boys to girls)!!

I met many, many amazing people there ----- and cherish too many sweet memories to blog about.

However, some of my favorite memories are of the many campfire programs that staff put on for the scouts.  Songs, stories and poems about love, America and the great outdoors.  As with most camping activities, there is something special that happens at night around the soft glows of warm flames.

A few of my friends, over the course of several summers formed a band and even went on to record two records.  I have Philmont Phriends Music listed as a favorite, but I should list them as their band title, Tobasco Donkeys.

Their music is gentle and fun; a mix of campfire favorites and ballads; soul and folk; and always a comfort when I am longing for yet another chance to go HOmE (as we like to call Philmont).  They have a few free downloads on their website for enjoyment (and I would add them to this post, but I have no idea how to do that.)

ahhhh--the imfamous Philmont photo

Tonight, my highlight is also a public thank you to Dirty Larry, Andy Gerhart, Ron Powers, Doug Cram, Peter Bingen, Mike Griffis, Eric Voss, Bob Brown, Alex Ave, Reid Templeton and Trish Dailey for letting me keep my Philmont memories alive through music.

Other campfire music from Philmont: http://www.toothoftimetraders.com/philmont/dept.asp?s_id=0&dept_name=Music&dept_id=6679&WT.svl=dept

homemaking favorite....

Crystal's homestead in Washington

Often at night, when all is quiet, I have fantasies of being able to be a stay at home mom, have a beautiful garden, an orchard, my basement is full of canned produce for the winter and I sit by the window and write.

My reality is much different as I teach part-time, I garden with a community, our orchard is old and I can a little, but not nearly as much as I would like.  We do own about an acre, but it was oh so very overgrown and abandoned when I moved in.  (Last summer was the first time we really felt we could see the fruits of our labors to improve the place.)

But Crystal at http://homesteadinghomemaker.blogspot.com/  leads my fantasy life.  I don't remember how I found her blog or when I started reading it, but it is a delightful treat to read about her family on the homestead, her homemade meals, simplified life and general life adventures. As a young mom, I have learned much from her blog.  She posts many recipes which I have tried and loved. She gives many turorials and explainations of what she does, how she does it and what it looks like.

One of the things I absolutely love, is her online nickname, "quiverfull."  That, to me, is so profound.  I too strive to have my quiver full.


click above for a yummy recipe

And so I dream vicariously through her and perhaps you will too.

yet another favorite

You are my sunshine,

  My only sunshine.

You make me happy,

  When skies are grey...

What makes you happy when skies are grey??  For my friend, Kit, it is painting small pleasures. But to be honest, I have never seen her not happy. She is one of those people who always has on a beautiful smile with happiness radiating from her.

And so today, I highlight Kit's blog, http://www.paintinggrey.blogspot.com/

Kit started painting to find a sense of self after her first child was born. She uses oil and watercolor, but has also used acrylics a little.  I love her various bird collections. They bring a sunshine into a room and when you look at them, you can't help but smile.  She also paints little, little watercolor scenes and turns them into necklaces, which I find ever so charming.

I knew when I first met Kit we would become freinds.  Maybe it was because we are both young moms, or that we both married Colombians, or maybe it was because we both like to try new things---what ever the reason, I know you will like her and her painting too.

Other than her beautiful work, I enjoy reading about the stories behind her paintings. I hope you do too!!

You can purchase her orginal paintings or prints from her blog. She also has an Etsy shop.

You'll never know dear,

   How much I love you.

Please don't take

   My sunshine away.

today

HAPPY      MOTHER'S      DAY!!

A new favorite----

I have lived in Northern Utah for 10 years now-- 14 if you count college and I am always amazed at how few people know about Castle Coutry Utah!!

So today, I write of a favorite, newly on my favorite website page, but always my personal top favorite.  I grew up in Castle Dale, which is part of the Castle Valley which is included in Castle Country!!

www.CastleCounty.com

Oh!! Just thinking about home, brings to mind my many fantasies of returning to live there.  Castle County is comprised of Carbon and Emery County in southeast Utah--but not quite as southeast as the Moab/Arches area. Castle County is often overlooked as people drive through it all the time without stopping. Such a shame. 

If you want a simplier vacation with less crowds, then this is your spot. Like Arches?  Enjoy the sandstone cliffs? How about the Grand Canyon? We have our own version of those and many more---but without the crowds!  How small are the crowds? Well, last Easter (2010) I look some of my husband's family out to "the desert" as we call it and we passed two cars once we turned off Hwy 10 and ran into a family at our destination.  My husband got weary of me complaining for days how busy "the desert" was and next time we need to go out when it is less crowded!!

What is there to do?  mountains adventures, ghost towns, missle caves, swinging bridges, fishing, camping, 4x4, outdoor community pageants, desert sites, art festivals, rodeos, the BEST wave pool ever, pioneerhomes, museums, hundred year old outlaw history, an old pony express  stop and even thousands of year old indain artifacts.

What about the name? I have never heard of castles in Utah!  Well-- you are right. There are no humanly made castles.  As one drives south on Hwy 6 from Northern Utah, there used to be a mining town named Castle Gate at the mouth of the canyon. Castle Gate got its name from the mountain formation (see above & below) which looked like a gate to the a medevil castle.  Unfortunately the right side was blasted away when they widened and improved Hwy 6 many years ago.

Castle Gate is the gateway to the area and therefore, it came to be known as Castle Country.

Enjoy!!

Another Favorite

Today's favorite is a clearing house of events going on in my great state of Utah.  If there is a weekend where we want to find a festival to enjoy or to sale our jewelry at, we like to check out this site. One can search for events by event type, destination or  by key words.  There is also a nice calendar that one can see at a glance the happenings around the state.  And if you don't like the calendar format, you can see the events in a list.  It is all very user friendly -- perfect for Utahans and visitors alike.

 

We now live in Ogden, (which is about an hour north of Salt Lake) so there are always lots to do and see and visit and this site is perfect to help select what we will do.  The site also covers Park City, St. George and Moab--always popular tourist destinations and for good reason as there is a lifetime of sights, sounds, festivals and events to be apart of.

http://www.utah.com/database/events/

Happy Planning!

Reminder:

Just a week left until Mother's Day.  Need some jewelry?  Want something unique? Please check out our Etsy shop.  

Receive 20% off your order when you use: FORMOTHER at the checkout.

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