El Dorado

No matter how many times the kids at the day care and I play and walk around at our dirt pile, and no matter how many things we pick up and stuff in our pockets, I am tickled to death to find something really cool.  It's funny that out of all of the pointed and jagged and broken rocks and their many shades and colors I know a piece of flint when I see it.  And the piece I found Monday was the largest I have found ever.  So much so that when I first saw it sticking up like it had just rolled down the largest dirt pile, I questioned if it actually was flint until I held it.  It was way too big to be an arrowhead or even a piece of one.  It does however have an edge that has been "worked on" as Shaun and I say.  Meaning that an Indian, many many years ago, worked on the stone with another piece of stone to form a useful tool.  When I held this rock it immediately molded to my hand, my thumb on the top and two fingers wrapped around the bottom.  Oddly enough, when I showed it to Shaun later then evening, his hand held it exactly the same way instantly.  There's no question that this piece was used as some type of scraper.  Maybe it was used to skin a buck or a cutting tool because it sure had a sharp edge to it.  It is for sure the biggest piece I have found and excites me to no end that after two years of playing at this dirt pile, and three arrowheads and a scraper later, I am still finding relics of a time long ago.

Shaun disclosed to me last night that the area where we live and a bit of surrounding us used to be called "El Dorado Springs" and our road used to be El Dorado Road before the USPS changed a bunch or road names.   The springs of this area were said to have healing powers.  Explains why our woods calls to me to explore.  Judging from the artifacts that I find in this area from American Indians, it seems to have been a hot bed way before that even.  Maybe even for animals.  So interesting... I must know more.

I have often wondered what we could name our place... our home... our haven.  There is really no question of what it's name should be.  El Dorado... meaning... a place of fabulous wealth or opportunity.  Wealth in some eyes means money, in mine it means the love and treasures that I find in nature on our farm, our land, and in our home.

Our dirt pile.  Was an area that held water and flooded across our driveway when we would have heavy rains.  Shaun began to dig this out to prevent it and hopefully make a pond.  It may be because of the springs and underground water that it won't hold.  We have sold a lot of dirt from this area and found many small treasures and fun.

My latest find.

A natural fit.

The sharp edge.

Cool.  El Dorado.

lovin right now

With a most lovely Florida vacation now in my back pocket, I am holding on to a select few things and calling it "loving right now".  For starters I was introduced to Hawaiian Tropic's shimmer sunscreen tanning lotion by my nieces a couple of weeks before the vacation and picked up a bottle for myself, along with Neutrogena's  spray spf 70 and lotion 30 spf.  I found myself spraying down with the 70, lathering on the 30 and topping it off with shimmer lotion like cool whip on jello before sunning on the beach every day.  

On the way down my niece Lacey pulled out a bag of Bigs dill pickle sunflower seeds.  The first mouth full was a bit sour in taste but after I got through it I wanted more.  And more I had... all... week... long.  I found myself on the beach tucked up under an umbrella spittin seeds, drinking Bud Light tomato beers with my nose crunched in Fifty Shades of Grey.  I don't care who says it's raunchy.... I think it's the fastest I have ever read in my life.  I love the story line although it's a bit far fetched and plain out fan-tasty.  

Speaking of tasty... Nature's Harvest honey sesame sticks and plain M&Ms mixed together in harmony inside a sandwich sized Ziplock are ta-ha-sty.  Did I mention I had a Birkenstock goal in mind way before I even headed south on I65? Well I did... and I achieved my goal on Monday.  Why wait to break in a good thing??  We visited the local Florida Birkenstock store and they were mine in minutes and I love them.  I wasn't home a day and they had garden dirt all over them.  I can't have nothin I tell ya.  

So.. there's my post vaca "lovin it".  xoxo

i want my music back

having a lovely time in florida with my family.  i got a tad too much sun on my belly two days ago.  not enough to make my skin sore... or keep me out of the sun.  the same day i got a little too nostalgic playing in the water listening to my mp3 player and got it wet.  i am now longing for my music beach side and as i am the only one up at this point in the morning having already done my yoga i am debating popping up to the walmart to buy a new music maker.  i am musically driven more times than none.  there is always a concert in my head.  here are tunes that are stuck and wanting to be playing in living color as i watch people walk by today.

i have two nieces that would have liked to sleep in longer than they did.  this is the song my nephew and i cranked as we danced in their room and jumped on their beds monday morning.  think long and hard before ever agreeing to go out of town with me.  as i like to say to my niece lacey... never let it be said that aunt laurie didn't know how to have fun.

love you!  have a good day!

weekend adventures: florida vaca

over the weekend... i joined ten family members, mom, dad, one sister, one brother-in-law, five nieces and one nephew.  in three vehicles we came down to white sandy beaches and so far... wind, a touch of sun yesterday on the beach and one massive ocean thunderstorm that woke us all up last night.  amazing.  i also brought my yoga practice with me for two mornings in a row so far.  i feel fantastic and am ready to do some gypsy shopping.  

squash and zucchini

Well.. now that you've got all this squash and zucchini... what are you going to do with it?  

I announced on Sunday that I had "put up" all the zucchini that I was going to put up for the winter.  Meaning that we would either have to eat or share the rest until the plant begin to go the other way.  Our zucchini has been producing like crazy.  Our squash on the other hand is just beginning.  I only had three crooked neck squash plant come up out of a dozen but the lemon squash (free seeds came with an order) plants all came up.  They are much smaller, about 4 slices per squash, but I am enjoying them and boy they are really starting to make.  

I have begun to recollect recipes that I had found over the winter and am making a mental note to have a special place in which to store "summer recipes" so I can find them once the garden is booming.  I remembered a couple of good ones that we have tried in the last few days.  Nothing like using what you've got while you've got it!  

Also, my method of freezing zucchini and squash to have for minestrone soup and chicken tortilla soup is simple.  Just chunk or cube cut your vegetables, sprinkle with salt, and place in the middle of a pre-ripped piece of heavy duty aluminum foil.  Bring up end to end and make a pouch, folding and pinching the sides to close.  Then place pouches in a freezer gallon size bag that you label and freeze.  Pretty simple.  It hasn't killed us yet.

weekend shots

Hiya folks.  I've missed you terribly and normally don't apologize for lack of posting but... sorry!!  I have been so busy working on the magazine for my father-in-law's annual dove hunt.  Every time I have wanted to post to my blog or think of something to write I wound up guilt tripping myself and working on the book.  So now, outside of proof reading, printing ad receipts and taking it to the printer this Friday, the dove book for 2014 is finished!  YAY!  

This past weekend I was working on the centerfold for the magazine.  I was inspired by a blog that I frequent who has a segment called "7 vignettes."  I wanted to create shots of events that happen at the Sleepin Bear Lodge and Farms.  I collected items from our house, shop, porch and from the farm next door.  I was able to create seven vignettes of my own all pertaining to things and happenings throughout the year on Gary's (Shaun's dad) hunting lodge and farm next door.  It took a bit of creativity and turned out to be so much fun.  My favorite is first here.

The Bed & Breakfast

The Dove Hunt for which the magazine is for.

Graduation Party at the banquet hall.

Weddings.

These vignettes turned out to be so close to my heart.  For instance, for the wedding shot I used my wedding dress, rose pedals from my Julia Child rose bush, our wedding rings, a turkey feather that I found, the pheasants from the top of our wedding cake, a piece of slate from Windrock Mountain with chalk writing on it and the passage of 1 Corinthians used in many a wedding sermon.

Some of the other pictures housed things like a picture of my Granddaddy on tractor day, a picture of Shaun, his Dad and Granddad quail hunting, I just love them all!  I think the B&B one would make a good puzzle and think they all would make good postcards for his business.  Don't you?

If you would like a copy of this year's dove hunt magazine please email me your address and I will make sure you get one through the mail when we get them back from the printer!

Also, here are 2 or 3 more shots from our farm over the weekend.

I got a little nostalgic with my wedding dress.

I found time to lay underneath my clothesline on the crunchy grass with the warm breeze blowing to the tune of 96 degrees.

Miss Kitty being extra lazy on a hot day.

A fly noticing me too.

Did you know there are parts of Queen Anne's Lace that are edible?  A wild carrot they call it.

We have fields of tousled wheat and blooming sunflowers right now.  It remind me of Tuscany... or my thoughts of Tuscany having never been there.

library list

one.  Stalking the healthful herbs, by: Euell Gibbons.  Still on my quest in natural and herbal foraging.  My soul wants to know so much more.  I have read Stalking the wild asparagus by Euell Gibbons and really enjoyed learning about wild edibles and the commentary stories so much so that I sought out more books by him.

two.  Daily Rituals, by: Mason Currey.  I have been interested lately in how actual artists (of which I do not consider myself) stay motivated in their creativity.  Maybe it's my own short attention span and just maybe I will pick a new healthy creative habit.

three.  1, by: The Beatles.  Mainly because the Love Me Do intro tickled my ears the other day and I want more!

four.  Muscle Shoals.  I really, really liked this documentary on Muscle Shoals and all the music and artists and stories began.  Now I understand where the line in Sweet Home Alabama "now Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers... and they've been known to pick a song or two" comes from!

five.  The Birds movie, Alfred Hitchcock.  I've never seen it.  I hope I don't change my opinion on my love of birds. 

journal pages

I still carry my inspiration journal.  Truth: I attended a health food seminar last winter in which I needed a piece of paper for the hostess to add up my beef purchase.  I peeled a sliver of paper from my journal and after the gal said "don't forget your inspiration journal" with a funny look on her face as if teasing me.  Maybe if I let that thought go I could say Inspiration Journal without thinking about it.  Anyway... I've been inspired by a few new-to-me blogs the last couple of days, made a collage for my journal and thought I would share.

The passage: MysticMamma

The pics: originally from other sources but found on BohemianHomes

Originally inspired by: frommoontomoon

I am dreaming of hanging plants in my bathroom above the claw foot tub when it's time to bring them back inside for the cold winter months.  I expect tension from Shaun about poking holes in the ceiling.  My answer will be... build me a greenhouse.

The passage and pictures will be cut out and glued into my inspiration journal.  You may browse the blogs mentioned to get the whole stories and larger pictures.  

I was overly touchy and slightly grope-y over the weekend after reading this article.

Find more about my journalling here and here.

I am craving a new book to read... got any suggestions?

Days of Our Play Care

I can never remember if I title this Plays of our Day Care or Days of Our Play Care.  Doesn't matter truly does it?  When it is hot outside... and I mean hot... and humid... this day in particular the temp was 91 with heat index of 104... I like to drag the old sprinkler out at the day care.  It changes the entire aura of our playground and drops the "feels like" temperature to a more comfortable level.  Let us not forget about the fun when you add sprinkler water plus hot day plus three and four year old kids.  That equals pert near perfection. How bout that car wash!

  Happy Fourth of July to you all!!!  Get outside and have fun!