Digital Camera and a Little Ingenuity

Last month I called my gas company about my bill. I had to go outside to read the meter that the meter reader had been estimating. I knew he'd been estimating because there was no way he could have read it from outside the tall locked fence. Standing next to it I could barely see the meter that was almost at ground level underneath a very bushy bush. Even bending to read it, the cover was so badly etched it was difficult to read. I was going to have to crawl under the bush and get face to face with the dials on that meter. The ground was cold and rocky. Heck, I'm a calligrapher, not a contortionist, which is what I'd need to be to read each of the tiny dials. The guy on the other end of the phone line insisted I had to be accurate in my reporting. This was hard!

Hmmmmm. What to do, what to do?

Aha! I got out my trusty digital camera, reached it under the bush and snapped this photo. It still wasn't easy, but so much easier than before. I love it when things work out like that!

And the estimating meter reader is very good at his job. Right on the money. Gas just isn't cheap.

Help a Boy Band - Octane5 - Get to NAMM

Recently, a very good friend asked me to donate something for a fundraising auction to be held on January 8th in New Albany IN. This auction will be held to help pay for a trip to NAMM in California for Octane5, a very good local boy band. Her grandson Zayne Hutchison is the lead singer in the band.

I have been to a performance of the band, which was great fun, and I have more recently heard a vocal tape of Zayne singing. Very impressive! He's been a cutie all of his life, and I was happy to be able to donate. I hope someone bids on the painting I donated so it will be of some assistance toward their trip.

Octane5 is one of only 28 bands from around the country that has been asked to perform at the prestigious music event. Quite an honor, I think, for this little group of boys. I know the trip itself will be the thrill of a lifetime for them.

Here are pictures of the acrylic painting I donated, a photo of the poster for the band's fundraising auction and performance, and a photo of Zayne:

Good luck, Octane5!!!!!

NAMM = North American Music Merchandising (an annual show in southern California.)

If you like this, check out my Letterlady's Letters blog to see a recent project of lettering on a canvas painting.

Our Christmas Traditions

The husband has to have his chocolate covered cherries and eggnog. I make banana bread and forgotten cookies. Other things come and go with the baking, but these are constants. (And I've only just learned that hubs doesn't like forgotten cookies!) Poinsettias seem to show up annually too. So bright and cheerful!

Early in my marriage I began collecting ornaments for the Christmas tree. A house fire destroyed those earliest ornaments – the first Hallmark ornaments that were made of yarn, for instance. That didn’t dissuade me though. I picked up the hobby from there and over the years I have amassed so many that I am only able to display a fraction of them each year. Some of my favorites are figural Hallmark ornaments, but some of the handmade ornaments hold the most meaning for me.

I used to buy communication themed ornaments because I was a telephone operator in a past life. My husband's nickname was Hershey, thus the cocoa themed ornament.

My sons’ great-grandmother made this one with their photo in it when she was a cafeteria aide at her local school. I treasure it because of her, and because it so perfectly captures that special time in their lives. At about the same time, I made these little mice in stockings and personalized them with their names.

This is a remembrance of my other hobby, calligraphy - not that I need a remembrance of it! Evidence of calligraphy and mixed media art is all through my house!

Another tree is covered with angel ornaments, and my hutch is covered with my nativity scene and my houses and stores.

I barely decorated the house last year, but this year I had time to do it, and a family to do it for. Even when I don't go all out, my sons' stockings are pulled out, and hold many memories.

I recently found this old letter to Santa (and his reply!) I framed it and will have it out each year too.

What are your Christmas traditions? Do you have special Christmas collectibles that appear year after year?

This is December! First Frost

November's unusual warm and sun was bound not to last. This morning (fitting for December 1st) we had our first frost. I went outside and snapped several photos of nature's icy artwork.

Topsy Turvy Revisited - Caprese Salad, Anyone?

Topsy Turvy (see previous post) revisited! I found a micro-mini tomato on the phantom vine that had been torn out of the Topsy-Turvy tomato planter! Tiny little thing. Here he is with the now orangey-red original mini...no larger than a wine cork. The micro-mini is no bigger than a nickel, if that.

Think I'll be making Caprese salad with these little guys anytime soon?