The Bird House Blog

The Winter Gardener

2012-01-20T06:59:00.000-08:00

I've brought in some of my garden to winter and I am nursing it thru till spring. Above, I found some fresh potted herbs at the Acme marked 40% off. I put both pots in my cart and continued my shopping only to be chased down by the horticulture employee who let me know that for today and for me they were 50% off. How really kind.

I like to grow my indoor plants in old ironstone chamber pots. And the herbs make any kettle of soup gourmet fare.

Kiss Me

2012-01-20T06:42:00.000-08:00

Sam models one of my latest additions to Cotton Ginnie Studio, the Aran Sweater. It is a vintage find. Sam is a long time friend and team mate with Jon from WCS. And yes, he's Irish too.

The mittens were an emergency effort for my son Caelen who has his studio in the top floor of his urban row house. It gets very cold up there. Since I got one of his paintings for Christmas I responded with a pair of very masculine fingerless mitts so he will be encouraged to paint some more. Caelen and his wife feel very connected to their Scotch Irish roots but I had to remind him that he is nearly 1/2 french from his mum's side of the family.

Happiness Is ...

2012-01-20T06:34:00.000-08:00

Returning to finish some of my pre Christmas efforts. I'm trying to finish projects in an orderly fashion but the Double Irish Chain is calling my name .... along with the little red socks .... Jon and Ashley get happy.

Homecoming Christmas 2011

2011-12-27T16:44:00.000-08:00

Above are some pic's of our Christmas tree .... cut, as always, from Pusey's Farm in Rising Sun, MD. The trees still cost $22. I thinned the blue spruce to squeak out a wreath for the front door. I loved the tree this year .. it reminds me of a little fruit cake. Some new children's faces were added last year and this .... Samira, Sandy and my grandchildren, James, Lauren & Asher .... I put in a request for miss Norelei but don't have a pic for her yet .... also wondered if my daughter in laws would like to donate a baby pic so I could include them.

The Christmas holiday finds us with one son home from college and another home from the Navy. Jonathan and Jesse both arrived home on December 16. Jesse will be transferring to work for the Navy in the Washington D.C. area. Much closer then Hawaii. Needless to say, I have been doing a lot of cooking for my company.

My Santa workshop was busy too, making hats and mitts for grandchildren and relatives. Wish I had pictures but I was doing good to get it all wrapped and under the tree. I did begin a rather ambitious project to knit an entire set of new Christmas stockings. I have yet to finish the one as I have been stuck turning the heel (I am self taught on this project). But it is turning out nicely and I think I will stop at two and just wear them. I'll post pictures soon.

Christmas Day we visited with the rest of the family at Caelen and Samantha's downtown urban nest. A lovely time was had by all.

Ironstone For Cotton Ginnie Studio

2011-11-10T09:32:00.000-08:00

New items coming to my etsy shop soon! The Ironstone has been selling very well. It really is very attractively and affordable priced and looks good almost anywhere. I love it!

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T17:47:00.000-07:00

Jon was a surgical patient for Halloween. No candy this year, just liquids for awhile. The doctor was able to insert a plate from inside the mouth. No external incision was needed. His jaw was cracked in two places from a basketball injury. He came in contact with another players head. While Big Bird has made the team at LBU he will be on the bench until doctor's orders. Meanwhile he is spending the night at Wilmington Hospital.

Just two days later Jon is looking good. He has been on two excursions .... the day after surgery, he went with his girl, Ashley, to a WCS soccer match. Today I took him to Kohls. He naps and is on some strong pain medication and he's pretty happy with the liquid diet, all though he did mention all you can eat pizza .... we'll take him when his jaw is healed.
Great new recipe from our garden broccoli;

Creamy Broccoli Soup
1T. olive oil
1 med. onion halved and sliced
1/8 t. ground nutmeg
4 c. organic chicken stock
1/3 c. rolled oats
1 1/2 lb. broccoli chopped in 1 inch pieces
1/2 c. heavy cream

In large saucepan, heat olive oil over med/low heat. Add onion and cook till softened about 5 minutes. Add nutmeg; cook until fragrant about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, 1 1/2 cup water, oats, and broccoli. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. simmer until broccoli is tender, 5-10 minutes. Puree soup in blender, return to pot and add about 1/2 c. heavy cream and heat through. Do not boil.

The Montchanin Inn

2011-10-11T13:03:00.000-07:00

I'm taking my camera along with me on my errands to capture some of the fall attractions in Delaware. I pass the Montchanin Inn at least once a week for my shortcut to Rt. 202. The Inn has perhaps seven or so houses for room and board along with a restaurant called Krazy Kats and the Spa. Each house has a small garden. Some with aderondak chairs. The Inn is located across from DuPont Station near the old country train tracks. The station is now used as office buildings and a florist shop called Petals. Very pretty.

Oberod

2011-10-10T13:58:00.000-07:00

Took a drive in the country to one of my favorite places. Oberod. I went today because behind the mansion there is a spreading maple and I wanted to get a picture of it in Autumn colors. However, before I could get around to the back terrace view I was stopped by an employee who informed me that Oberod is now a private residence and not open to the public.

My last visit here was when it belonged to the Episcopal Diocese and we rented it for a Horizon of Hope Event to raise money through the Longaberger Company for Breast Cancer research. I was informed that it now belongs to Lab Corp. Originally it was a DuPont mansion which was left to the Episcopal Church. Lab Corp has owned it for five years now.

So This Is How It Is

2011-09-25T16:52:00.000-07:00

Spent a good bit of Saturday deciding on the arrangement of fabrics in my Double Irish Chain. After all was said and done, ended up going the traditional route. I'm very pleased. The pattern lends itself to strip and machine piecing. Much quicker then hand piecing. I will hand quilt. My sewing machine is working all right ... there's an annoying problem with the bobbin. I can only fill it half way or the needle snags on it. So a lot more stop and go to refill. The machine is a Brother .... did see a demo, at a reputable dealer, with a Janome machine that was pretty impressive .... should be at $500. Years ago I was scammed into purchasing a machine from a demo held at a Holiday Inn. The machine quickly malfunctioned and I had no where to return it to. I traded it in for the current machine at the local Singer store. However I have gotten repairs on the Brother, at said store, which have not been satisfactory as the problems persisted ... wasn't sure that they did anything to it. Any hoo .... I'm just glad that it is currently running with no tension problems.

J0n and Ashley did finally make it in by this morning. So I did break up quilt think sessions to cook and visit.

A Lazy Afternoon

2011-09-23T12:40:00.000-07:00

It is a rainy Friday afternoon and the housework is done. I am waiting for Jonathan to show up with Ashley. It was to be parents day at LB but my son said he'd rather come home early after spending time with his girl. So for now I am sipping coffee and planning my next quilt.'

Above are my color choices for the Double Irish Chain which I'm thinking may become a Triple Irish Chain ... I'll play with it some. I think I may have enough colors to make a second quilt and I think Rolling Stone is a pretty pattern that I have worked on before in my Wood Rose Quilt. The lovely sweater to the lower left was found at the thrift store for a couple of dollars. It needs a small repair. I think it is a lovely find for one of the grandchildren.... might be slightly large for Asher.

Variation On A Theme

2011-09-22T18:02:00.000-07:00

Since I don't have enough yarn to finish any current projects I've decided to switch gears and do some quilting. I did finish two snuggle size French General Star quilts so I am ready to start another quilt. I decided on a Double Irish Chain. Below is a version I liked called Steps to The Lighthouse. I'll post my fabric selection soon. All though, it is looking like I'm a little short .... there's no escaping the need to purchase supplies.

I Love This!

2011-09-22T04:59:00.000-07:00

Want this so bad ... truly lovely knitting pattern. Tried to purchase the pattern online but needed a paypal account ..... being more artisan then techie .... yes sounds stupid, I'll look for it online where all debit cards are accepted. I would probably have to rethink the colors too since beige is not my best ... but blue is. But I do love this linen look. Currently there are three scarves that I need to address but don't have all the yarn yet. And I have misplaced my fingerless glove pattern. sigh. Tomorrow is Parents Day at Lancaster Bible. I'll be sitting in on Jon's classes .... must have knitting.

First The Good News

2011-09-21T05:29:00.000-07:00

I sold both these beautiful ironstone casseroles to the same buyer. The uninsured box arrived looking like it had been "kicked around a soccer field" One of the casseroles had both handles broken off. I issued a partial refund and broke even.

Finished & In Process

2011-09-20T12:38:00.000-07:00

Above are a couple of vests I have finished. The blue and gold are in the UD colors. the light blue with diamond pattern is done in a cotton yarn. I would not buy the yarn again as it split and was very difficult to work with. But the Nantucket Vest is comfortable for the spring and summer season. Below you see the beginnings of the Basket Weave Scarf. I have also finished a couple of extra Boater Scarves.

Knit Picks

2011-09-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

Here are some patterns I would love to try! The Drops Design Patterns are available online under free patterns at Nordic Knits. There are so many free patterns I have only just begun to look through them in my spare time! I did purchase the glove pattern from Noble Knits because it compliments a free cable knit hat pattern that I have in my file. So many projects ... so little time. I have just completed a baby vest done in University of Delaware colors. And I've started a lovely intricate basket weave scarf (another free pattern). I seem to gravitate to these complicated projects .... proof that I do enjoy the process over quick sale .... somewhere there has to be a happy medium.

Summer Remains

2011-09-19T13:40:00.001-07:00

Our garden is close to being picked over. Broccoli, cherry tomatoes and marigolds still abound as does basil. So I make pesto;
Pesto
3 cups fresh basil
4 gloves minced fresh garlic
1 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cup olive oil
(anchovies opt.)
Salt to taste
In food processor blend basil, garlic, cheese and walnuts. Add olive oil and blend to a saucy mix. Salt. Store in freezer bag to use as sandwich spread, pizza topper or in spaghetti sauce. Can also be used as a lovely sauce for pasta dishes with clam or chicken.
Most commonly I serve the tomatoes with mozzarella, basil, salt and a drizzle of olive oil. The hot peppers go in tacos and the cubanella peppers are used on sausage and pepper sandwiches or just on bread and butter. I slice the eggplant thin for veggie pizza toppings.
I will save the marigold seeds for next year. This year all our cherry tomatoes came up from last years planting.We reaped a few pumpkins as well but only one survived the squirrels.

SURPRISE!

2011-09-13T16:25:00.000-07:00

Dropped in to surprise Jon at college with a picnic lunch and dinner out. Cheered him up with homemade banana bread, pleased him with a new suede jacket and embarrassed him with some special dietary requests for the cafeteria. Stopped at the Lancaster Outlets while Jon was in classes. Bought nothing but I am a size down .... the jeans I have on are two sizes down. :D

Packing

2011-08-17T15:29:00.000-07:00

Been gathering items for Jon's dormroom. The above is a quilt I made that was used on the boys beds many years ago. I particularly like the quilting pattern which is, I think, a Whig Rose. The only extra long sheets I could find were a grape purple .... not happy. I did want to make a throw pillow out of blue mattress ticking. Jon requested that I be bundled off to college with him sose I could make his bed mornings. Actually his room mate is his friend and basketball team mate Trent Lockard.

New Digs

2011-08-15T19:59:00.001-07:00

Josh, Amanda and their children (James, Lauren & Asher) moved into a new house. It is a rental. Dave and I came to help. David painted the living room. Josh painted the kitchen and I cleaned up and played with the kids (Including taking James to Tai Kwan Do).

The last place did not have air conditioning .... we found a patch of lily of the valley. I get to help with the garden down the road.

Status Update

2011-08-03T12:15:00.001-07:00

Started a new excercise regimine. Joggerwalked 3 1/2 hours, yoga & tummy crunches. Stairs tonight .... my cheekies hurt :D .... after about a week I've lost 2 1/2 pounds ..... it's just not fair.

Hobbitieville

2011-07-16T14:13:00.001-07:00

We had a graduation party. It was for Jonathan.

The Bird Has Flown

2011-07-14T10:49:00.000-07:00

Jonathan, Ashley & David all had speeches at WCS graduation ceremonies. Dave as a teacher, Ashley as valdictorian and Jon .... cause he's fun. Jon's awards this year revolved around athletics; WCS Outstanding Senior Male Athlete, Most Outstanding Thrower, 2011, Most Val;uable Player (Basketball) and he ranked second in the tri-stae area for Shot Put. This year he was involved mostly in basketball, and track. He has been accepted at Lancaster Bible College and is opting for either a Physical Education or Missions degree. Lancaster Bible is about an hour from home town Delaware. We may see him on the weekend.

Patterns

2011-07-03T15:39:00.000-07:00

Worked a couple of days housekeeping at Patterns .... the home of former Gov. Pete DuPont.

Melanie's Rhubarb Coffee Cake

2011-06-18T07:13:00.000-07:00

My Aunt Susan & Uncle Roger where here this past week and we had lunch in at our home and dinner out. Thank you Sue & Rog. Here is the Coffe Cake Recipe.

Melanie's Rhubarb Coffee Cake
1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
2 c. regular cake flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 c. buttermilk
1 t. vanilla
1 c. sugar
1 large egg
2 c. chopped rhubarb
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 t ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8x8 baking dish; set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda & salt; set asde. In a liquid measuring, combine buttermilk and vanilla; set aside.
2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and beat to combine. Add the egg and combine. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the buttermilk mixture, and starting and ending with the flour mixture. Stir in the rhubarb.
3. Spread batter evenly into prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Bake until cake tester comes out clean, about 35 minutes.

May Babies

2011-06-05T15:05:00.000-07:00

Norelei and Asher have birthdays on the same weekend. Baby photos above are Grammie & Baby Asher. Photos by Samantha except for the newborn infant photos which were taken by Asher's Pop, Josh.

Prom 2011

2011-05-22T17:34:00.000-07:00

The month of May always brings us to the Prom and peonies. And the young ladies do look a bit like the pretty flowers in my house and garden. Jon did invite Ashley Anita Evans to be his date. We got to meet Ashley's mom and step-dad and siblings who live in Oxford, PA. They came casual to take some snap shots of the couple .... Dave and I are dressed to chaperone the prom as we have done since 1984.

It turned out to be a lovely evening.

Hope Well Garden

2011-04-29T15:58:00.000-07:00

My garden seeds did not get off to a good start on my chilly kitchen window sill. So as soon as the first sunny days began I collected my odd pots and fresh bagged potting soil to set seeds in the sun. They have caught the April raindrops too but if you were to spy me out you would find me toting a gallon milk jug up and down the hill to make sure the soil stays quite moist as well as warm and sunny. I do not have a grow light .... I do hope to save some money and convenience on the vegetables that come from my little garden. And our Farmers Market is quite cheap but not organic. I have so many pumpkins planted that I hoped to sell some .... not to our neighbors ... we tend to trade over the garden fence, but perhaps further out. Wish I had a wagon :)

I get my seed either from True Value or on line from Le Jardin du Gourmet. This year from potted seed I have basil, snow peas, cinderella pumpkins (saved from last years pumpkin), golden scallop summer squash, jarrahdale pumpkin and marigolds .... two types of lettuce have been sown directly in the garden. I was going to plant the last of my turban squash (I had sold some from my shop) but Scout must have thought it a doggy treat and ate all but one which I think she missed on accident. She had to climb on a chair to do it. So, I planted one turban squash and I'm a little sad .... but I still love Scout.

I do buy young garden plants from Leon's Nursery on Kirkwood Hwy. I picked up broccoli, cauliflower, cubana peppers and roma tomatoes .... I expect that there will be other tomato varieties come up from last year's garden. Also, I picked up a couple of moonbeam coreopsis .... ours died out for some reason last year, and a columbine .... I've never had one.

We will have strawberries and rhubarb too from which I usually make pies and other deserts .... maybe some jam this year. The basil and tomatoes will go into quantities of pesto, sauces and soups. I am experimenting with a vegan diet ..... just me, not the guys.

Here is a recipe for you;

Caramelized Cauliflower Plain & Fancy

Plain

1 head of cauliflower, washed, trimmed, cored and thinly sliced and crumbly

1 1/2 T. extra virgin olive oil

course salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fancy

1 1/2 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

2 T capers

3 T golden raisins

1 T chopped fresh parsley leaves

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spread the cauliflower in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle over the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Roast until the cauliflower is lightly canalized. turning once, about 30 minutes. Serve e as is for the plain version or proceed with the variation below for fancy.

2. Heat a small pan, and then add olive oil and garlic. Saute for 30 seconds. Add the capers and raisins and cook for another minute.

3. Drizzle the caramelized cauliflower with the caper mixture and parsley and toss to coat well. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Another vegan favorite;

Tender White Grape Seed Popcorn

white popcorn kernels

grape seed oil

salt.

In small saucepan heat about 2 T of grape seed oil. Add about 1 1/2 T of popcorn kernels. cook over medium heat shaking pan gently until last kernel has popped. Remove from heat immediately and poor into serving bowl. Salt.

The Boater Scarf

2011-04-29T14:03:00.001-07:00

I am loving this scarf! Spring is still a little chilly here in Delaware. You can find this great scarf (for men or women) with more details in my Cotton Ginnie Studio by me ... hair by Ashley (Hoard) 302-453-1113.

Easter Frocks

2011-04-26T12:12:00.000-07:00

We wish you a blessed Easter.

Jon's In Lub

2011-04-26T12:08:00.001-07:00

This is Jon's friend Ashley .... according to Lauren, "Jon's in "lub"'

April Birthdays

2011-04-26T11:31:00.000-07:00

We have a good many April birthdays. This year we combined the birthdays in an Easter celebration for David, my dad & Caelen. I made an Italian Creme Cake and served it with breyers coffee ice cream ..... it comes highly recommended;

'
Italian Creme Cake
1/2 c. butter softened
1/3 c. shortening
1 3/4 c. sugar
4 egg yolks
1 t. vanilla
1 3/4 c. cake flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
3/4 c. buttermilk
3/4 c. finely chopped pecans
4 egg whites
1 recipe Cream Cheese Frosting
pecan halves

1. Grease and flour three 8x1 1/2-inch or 9x1 1/2-inch round pans. Set aside

2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer until combined. Add sugar; beat on medium speed until mixture is light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and vanilla; beat well.

3. In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder and soda. Add dry mix and buttermilk alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Stir in pecans.

4. Thoroughly wash the beaters. In a medium mixing bowl beat egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Stir about 1/3 of the whites into the cake batter. Fold in remaining whites. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.

5. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes for 8-inch pans (or 18-22 minutes for 9-inch pans.) or until wooden toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely on wire racks.

6. Frost the cake and it's layers with Cream Cheese Frosting, sprinkle with toasted coconuts if desired and decorate with pecans. Stores best in refrigerator for up to 2 days. Makes 14 servings.

Cream Cheese Frosting

In a medium bowl beat 12-oz of cream cheese with 6 T. butter & 1 1/2 t. vanilla until smooth. Gradually add enough powdered sugar until spreading consistency (about 6-7 c.) Makes 4 cups icing.

The Tweedy Hat

2011-04-12T13:44:00.001-07:00

The Tweedy Hat, as modeled by Miss Norelei, is one of my latest projects. It is a new feature in my shop. I should probably come up with some patterns that I can whip out that would be cost effective but I do love Fair Isle type knitting. This is a herringbone pattern .... I love it. I do hope to have some little sweaters and mitts to go with but my model is growing up so fast someone else in the family may need to have a baby soon!

The Trim

2011-03-26T06:39:00.000-07:00

Ashley Hoard has been my hairstylist for several years now. It started on a referral with Ashley coming to my home and cutting my hair in the kitchen. From there she worked at a salon in Hockessin and now is at Colour Roxx in Newark (Take Possum Park Road from Kirkwood Highway to the 4-way traffic light. turn left and then left into the large shopping center).

I can't say enough about Ashley. She is a tender and thoughtful person who does an amazing and careful job. I always feel pampered. To make an appointment with Ashley call Color Roxx 302-453-8296

The Color Purple

2011-03-23T18:39:00.001-07:00

I think Samura will like this

Squash & Pumpkins

2011-03-20T18:44:00.001-07:00

I have saved seeds from last years gardens and ordered a few more on line. I plan to start seedlings in doors tomorrow March 21. I have both Butternut Squash and Rouge Vif d'Etempes (Cinderella) Pumpkin seeds for sale in my Cotton Ginnie Studio. The price is only $1.69 but the pictures are beautiful and I think it will bring new people in to see my store. Below Lauren & Stephanie hold my Jarradale Pumpkins.

Etsy News

2011-03-18T10:58:00.001-07:00

I have found a lovely Homer Laughlin Serving Bowl Virginia Rose which compliments the Carolyn luncheon set. Another one of these serving bowls is featured in my favorites from another etsy site. Check out my studio and click on Favorites.

Two other additions to the vintage portion of my studio are a beautifully, crazed and hand rubbed Ironstone Covered Dish and a Lace Collar. You can't get a better price anywhere. Also my new Tweedy Hat available in two sizes (3-6 month & 6-12month). I have the yarn in stock to make complimentary mitts and sweaters.
'
The mitts would be in the same tweedy design and the sweaters would carry a small motif. A tugboat or whale for the blue hat and a cat for the linen. I did enjoy knitting the herringbone design featured in the Tweedy Hat but it is tedious. For every 3 rows I knit one has to come out. Getting off even just one stitch throws the whole design which is why the hats are priced at $40 ... all though they do come beautifully gift boxed. I should take pictures of those boxes.
'
Coming soon; my new Woven Nubby (hat and scarf). Stay tuned.

A New Urban Nest

2011-03-18T10:21:00.000-07:00

Caelen, Samantha & Norelei have made an offer and been accepted to purchase the above turn of the century row house in downtown Wilmington. Above are some snapshots including Samantha's mom and grandbaby Norelei. The house is huge inside (4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms and a master suite with renovated kitchen) and as you can see the back yard is a blank slate for Caelen's garden. Samantha is busy with plans for the interior including an arrangement of aerial maps of Wilmington framed in the foyer. I will keep you posted.

More Dinnerware As Requested

2011-02-11T05:31:00.000-08:00

My set of Woven Traditions Dinnerware was sold within minutes of posting along and followed by other requests since it was such an amazing offer. For all those who have been disappointed I have come across a simply beautiful lot of Homer Laughlin Best China. It is embossed with a subtle petal pattern with a delicate fluted edge called Carolyn and available in a set of ten complete place settings (1o luncheon plates, 10 desert plates, 10 cups and saucers), in excellent condition with no chips, cracks or crazing. The cost to you is just $85 (an extra $38 will be applied if shipped in the US .... overseas negotiable depending on current rates) It would be beautifully paired with Ironstone serving pieces. check my etsy for more.

This carry-all or valet debuts my new shop category labeled supplies. I think it is most useful for carting along your latest knitting or craft project for your relaxing weekend away. So I have named it The Weekender. It's in my shop! Come see!

SOLD!

2011-02-01T13:30:00.001-08:00

My English Ironstone Sugar and Woven Tradition Dinnerware has also sold this week :)))

Sale on Dinnerware

2011-02-01T07:20:00.000-08:00

This set of Woven Traditions Ivory Dinnerware includes 10 dinner plates, 9 bread plates, 6 cereal bowls, 2 soup & salad bowls, and a batter bowl. There are no chips or cracks, sale price $85 with an extra cost of $45 if shipped. The set is in excellent condition and replacement pieces and extra serving pieces are available from my Longaberger Shop (to the right).

Cotton Ginnie Studio's Wood Rose

2011-01-31T10:33:00.000-08:00

This is a quilt that I call Wood Rose. I designed it to go with my "glam" bedroom. I used fabric from the Mary Rose Collection.

Glam

2011-01-29T06:48:00.000-08:00

These are the promised photos to my Cotton Ginnie customers. I have added some Glam Photo Frames to my etsy shop and wanted to show one of the rooms that I used them in. I redid the bedroom a couple of years ago from a Bohemian Chic to an Understated Glam and was looking for some suitable photo frames when I came across these. I like them so much that I buy one whenever I come across. I also have a growing collection of annonymous photos that came with the frames.

A White Sale

2011-01-27T12:38:00.000-08:00

It is a stay at home kind of day .... even my outdoor pictures where taken from indoors. So I added some more items to my vintage shop.
'
Also, here is an earthy soup recipe to serve on a winter's day;
'
Mushroom & Wild Rice Soup
'
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 cup wild rice
3 tsp. olive oil
1 1/4 lb.s assorted mushrooms
freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 leeks thinly sliced
1/2 cup sherry
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup heavy cream opt.
1 Tbsp. chopped rosemary
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
'
1. In small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to boil. Add salt & wild rice. Cover; reduce heat to med. lo and cook till tender, about 45-50 minutes. Drain; set aside.
'
2. In large saucepan, heat half the oil over med. high heat. Add half the mushrooms; season w/ salt & pepper. Cook stirring till browned & tender, about 7 minutes; transfer to bowl and repeat with the remaining mushrooms.
'
3. Reduce heat to med. lo. Melt butter, add leeks. Cook stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add sherry and soy sauce and cook one minute.
'
4. Add stock to pot; bring to a boil over med. high heat. Add mushrooms & rosemary, and return to boil. Reduce to medium and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in wild rice, cream and parsley; season to taste. Serve from a beautiful English Ironstone Soup Tureen with a side of crusty bread.

Going, Going, Gone ...

2011-01-26T11:19:00.000-08:00

This January, is the last month before our American Home Pottery is discontinued. It is on sale at 40% off along with many of our other baskets, wrought iron and home decor. This dinnerware is so beautiful and one of my fav's .... along with the Blanket Basket which will sadly also be gone. But you may have other favorites .... see my shop to check out the savings.

SOLD!

2011-01-26T11:06:00.000-08:00

Well, my vintage shop has it's first sale! The two Ironstone Fluted Bowls. I'm including some lovely photos of my Ironstone Herb Garden. Enjoy the pic's!

Etsy Busy

2011-01-26T09:39:00.000-08:00

Been working on some projects for Cotton Ginnie Studio. Some of which cannot be featured yet because I need to schedule some models and a photo shoot. It would help lots if Samura was here. But I have debuted a new section of my shop labeled "vintage". I plan to feature some of my favorite finds beginning with Ironstone. I've also done a good bit of networking with other etsians primarily by putting together some treasuries. You can see my growing collection at;

on_date&order=desc

(You will have to cut and paste ... unless Samantha can show me a better way to do this).

A Long Time In Coming

2010-12-26T16:04:00.000-08:00

Jesse and Gabrielle spent Christmas week between us, her family and friends. They are currently stationed at Pearl Harbor, HI. It has been 2 & 1/2 years since he has been home. Last year he planned to make it home for Christmas but was deployed by submarine at the last minute. He just received a promotion and is now Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Jesse Bird.

We were joined for dinner on Christmas Day by Caelen, Samantha & Norelei. It was Norelei's first Christmas.

A Cotton Ginnie Christmas

2010-12-14T07:43:00.000-08:00

I completed a special order for Linen Christmas Stockings for Caelen & Samantha. You may notice that she requested 4 (?). I have other Christmas projects under way. I'll have to blog later. Also, this is the first time we will be visiting with my kids Lieutenant Jesse Bird and his wife Gabrielle in two and a half years. Jesse has spent the last two Christmases at sea.

I Played My Best For Him Pah Rum Pah Pah Pum

2010-12-13T16:46:00.000-08:00

We went to Pusey's Farm to cut our tree for nearly the twentieth year in a row. I made a wreath and porch pot with extra tree branches. The dining room table is bedecked with an old iron stone pot and some herbs for cooking and a poinsettia to remember my daughter Ingrid Giselle.

And Waiting ...

2010-12-12T08:37:00.000-08:00

Waiting

2010-12-11T17:25:00.000-08:00

I've been busy while waiting for my little Haitian. There are two snuggle size star quilts on the two little beds. I don't think it ever falls below 80 degrees in Haiti. There are Christmas presents waiting too ... just in case Samura can make it by Christmas.

Thankful

2010-12-11T15:34:00.000-08:00

We spent Thanksgiving with family. I didn't get pictures of everyone so it will suffice to share just a few family photos including the above of my niece Cherith who is back from college for a visit. She has made very few appearances on the blog up to this point. Lovely isn't she?

Bird Nest II

2010-11-13T05:32:00.000-08:00

Norelei Is Baptised

2010-11-12T14:19:00.000-08:00

Norelei was a bit squirmy for the ceremony but once the water was applied she sobered some ... I think she knew Jesus was there. Samantha chose a couple of scripture verses which Caelen read to their daughter;

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life.

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? ~ Matthew 6:25-30

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 31:

What a joy to have children who are walking in the truth and teaching their own children to be wise.

Also to spend some time afterwards at the reception with some very dear friends I hadn't seen in a long time.

Norelei Draws a Crowd

2010-11-12T13:55:00.000-08:00

We met at Christ's Methodist Church for the Baptism of my grand daughter Norelei Aulyn Bird.

David's sister and mother above. My dad & mom with my grandson Asher. Dad has baptised all the grandchildren.

My son Josh, his wife Amanda & my grand daughter Lauren above. Below my son Jon with my grandson James and David.

Norelei gets topped off before the service. Below are Samantha's dad, sister Amber and mom.

Haiti Adoption

2010-11-01T09:05:00.000-07:00

Pastor Pierre and Patti Harris had dinner with us last night mainly to discuss the possibilities of a Haiti adoption. The upshot is that it is very possible for us to adopt Samura for starters but the process is lengthy and could take 9-18 months.

Caelen Came To Help

2010-10-30T17:01:00.000-07:00

As if he doesn't spend enough time in the yard at work, Caelen came over to help with ours. Guess he likes what he does. He has a good eye so I've asked him to help with pruning some of the trees and shrubs next time he feels like some overtime.

Of Interest To Me

2010-10-30T16:44:00.000-07:00

I collect Tasha Tudor books. I generally pick them up at Good Deals for a couple of dollars a piece. Also I recently picked up a beautifully illustrated copy of The Secret Garden. And as you see I have another outfit for the little doll. This one was a commission from a lady that collects.

Take Your Mother To Work Day

2010-09-24T06:40:00.000-07:00

The estate where Caelen works as chief of staff (he got promoted) is planning a fall party for the weekend. Since Caelen is now the boss, he hired me for about a day and a half to help remove the summer annuals and plant mums and cabbage. Above you can see pictures of the green house, the main house and the fountain court where we spent most of the afternoon planting around the big terra cotta pot. We had lovely weather.

For Samura

2010-09-20T08:28:00.000-07:00

This is the little brown dollie that I found on ebay for Samura. Now a days American children get so many electronic toys. When I was little I was given dollies like the one above. I still have them but they are all white dollies. Samura may want to play with some and some I have already promised to my grand daughters (Lauren & Norelei) when they are old enough to play nicely with them. The little dollie came with no clothes so I have been making some. The dress above is a school uniform like the ones at our school.

Above is her colonial dress and below is her nightie. I plan to set aside the next outfit as a Christmas gift. It will have a little hand knitted sweater and hat. I have also bartered for a couple more brown dollies. I still have many of my childrens books and some toys that I have kept for my grand children's visits. Once Samura is mature enough I would like to help her take pictures and set up her own blog. It will help to sharpen her writing skills.

Christmas Day in our home had the American traditions. The children would wake up first and the family would come down to a Christmas tree in the living room. Each person had a stocking hung by the fireplace. When my boys were little they always got new socks and underwear with special candy treats and matchbox cars. Under the tree each family member would have three gifts to remember the three gifts given to the Christ Child by the Magi. The boys liked action figures and lego's or sports equipment. Then there was always a big dinner with more family and presents. The best times were when we lit a fire in the fireplace and I would sew and the children would play with their new toys.

Everyone Needs A Mentor

2010-09-20T05:05:00.000-07:00

Annual Labor Day Family Picnic

2010-09-17T11:44:00.000-07:00

Didn't know we were getting together until the day before but everybody brings something and just shows up. Seems to be the one holiday besides Christmas that we all do. James and Asher appear to be developing the interest in basketball like their Uncle Jon. Norelei is being trained in the feminine arts beginning with painted toes. But she could become the athlete once she starts walking. Lauren is an artist first and last and showed little interest in the basketball court. But she will gladly have her toes painted.

Li"l Ones

2010-09-17T11:29:00.000-07:00

We were down in Annapolis before the beginning of school to help Josh & Amanda get the town house ready for sale. We did some cleaning, laundry and Dave fixed a hole in the ceiling from some child induced plumbing disaster.

Josh and Amanda have had an overwhelming schedule between work and school but I hear that things are settling down. We didn't have much time for photos but I squeaked in a few of the babies. James wasn't around while the camera was out so I have a bunch of snapshots from Labor Day.

Looking Back

2010-08-27T15:15:00.000-07:00

Jon placed second in the state for discus and second in the state for shot put in 2010. He was team captain for basketball, the cross country team & the track team. This past school year he was voted WCS Athlete of the Year. This year he is a senior in high school. Pretty good for the "fat kid".

Clean Eggs & Ham

2010-08-27T15:08:00.000-07:00

Why did the chicken cross the road? What with the salmonella scare I'm buying all my eggs local ... right across the road.

The Bird Nest

2010-08-21T13:29:00.000-07:00

This is where Caelen and Samantha live with their baby Norelei and two manx cats, Timber & Fergie. They rent the first floor of this house located in a lovely old neighborhood downtown Wilmington.

Caelen works as a gardener on an estate but also likes to paint and play his guitar, while Samantha is an artist who majors mostly in jewelry and web design. They are both very good parents which means that little Norelei get lots of attention. On this particular evening we were invited to cookout and karaoke party

Team Haiti Reunion

2010-08-20T06:21:00.000-07:00

We met at the home of Dr. Lou & Christine Rafetto for a pot luck and cookout. And we decided that we clean up good.

There and Back Again

2010-08-20T05:27:00.000-07:00

We met in the parking lot of Brandywine Valley Baptist and took a bus to JFK which, all though Philadelphia and Baltimore air ports are closer, was the closest air port to fly direct to Haiti. The flight was comfortable and took about three hours. We had our choice of free and current movies as well as drinks and snacks. Above is the New York city skyline taken from a moving bus. This shot was taken on our return by bus to the BVBC parking lot.

Setting Foot In Chambrun

2010-08-19T07:16:00.000-07:00

Getting off the bus in Chambrun for the first time we were met by the school children. Nehemiah Vision is a project of Campus Crusade to educate the children of Chambrun, Haiti. You can sponsor a child to attend the school with a gift of $400 a year. Not all the children of Chambrun are in school. Above right is Ismae'lle (Iss my el). As I mentioned in Saylaway she was nearly the first child to approach me and an answer to my second prayer to find a woman whom I could help in a business. As you can see she is a very young woman.

The girl all the way to the right is the one I believe gave her heart to Christ one of the evenings that our group was in the village with a presentation. This group of girls was playing a game then singing and dancing.Very African.

I was eager to visit the orphanage to realize the answer to my first prayer for a daughter. As we got off the bus a little girl ran to greet us. She reminded me of my grand daughter Lauren. So Lauren was on my mind. Coming to the orphanage I felt like the prophet Samuel visiting Jesse and his sons to find and anoint the next king of Israel .... which one was my girl? Nearly last of all I saw Samura .... she also reminded me of Lauren. And I felt God say; "Yes!"
'

My first visit Samura and I did not interact much. Later I put a request in to our team leader, Beth McMillan, if we might be able to return to the orphanage. She spoke to the leadrship of Chambrun and we were able to go to visit the last three evenings.Thanks Beth!
'

My second visit I had my little family photo album which I intended to leave with my chosen child. I showed it to the children at the orphanage. Samura sat next to me. I started to pray for her. She got very still. We started to bond. She sat on my lap. I did not say anything to her about adoption. That would have been inappropriate. But through the translater I spoke to the care taker who asked me to speak to Pastor Pierre ... easier said then done. He is a busy man. I had spoken to Pastor Gary who had also recommended that I speak to Pastor Pierre. But Pastor Gary is the one who wanted me to come back and teach a group of girls home skills. I did not get the chance to talk to Pastor Pierre in person but I spoke to his wife Dianne who was thrilled. Apparently I had picked one of the only two little girls that were available. I left the family photo album with the care taker to give to Samura when the time was right.

Since returning home I have e-mailed the Pierres and am waiting to see if the board of Chambrun will allow the adoption to proceed. Our way is not without road blocks. There is the hold on Haiti adoptions because of the missionaries that tried to take children out of the country. There is our age factor ... David and I are over 50. There are expenses and proceedures. One family we know waited near two years to get their adopted children from Haiti. Another family among our volunteers adopted a young boy from China in a matter of months.

Bel' Haiti

2010-08-19T06:31:00.000-07:00

Of the eleven days spent in Haiti, two were taken up with travel and one was our day off. We spent this day at Wahoo Bay about and hour and a half from Chambrun by bus. We had the small beach to ourselves except for the vendors with their baskets of wares; Leather and bead jewelry, primitive oil paintings, huge conch shells. I would have bought a conch shell but I had all of $10 which I figured I needed for the trip home. So I had to tell the persistent vendor that it was all very beautiful but I had no money. I tried to be polite but one vendor got surly about it. For the most part Haitians were friendly enough but there was the occasional attitude. It didn't matter if you bought from one, all the others were annoyed you hadn't bought from them .... it was never enough. Back at the ADP camp a young man with a bike had sneered at Pattie because she could not understand creole. I shook my finger at him and told him not to speak to an old woman like that. He backed down and we sort of drew a crowd. I think the crowd sided with me. But back to Wahoo Bay.

The beach had all the beauty of the Caribbean. Mountains trailing down to the ocean. Fisherman drifting by in sailboats. You could pay to snorkel or jet ski. A number of us opted to be shell pickers. The selection on the beach was exotic and wonderful. Some of the shells were stinking later as they still housed hermit crabs which had curled up and died. I opted to pull up a deck chair in the shade and sleep after taking a dip in the water. Up in the open air restaurant we were served a buffet .... rice and beans, fish, chicken, pork, slaw .... a choice of soda pop and fruit champagne (more fruit then champagne) ... we went home to Chambrun too soon.

Poverty

2010-08-18T15:12:00.000-07:00

Downtown Port Au Prince reminded me of sites I have seen in Mexico except the lettering is french not Spanish. Selling cinder block seems to be a thriving business and the boy above demonstrates how most Haitians carry buckets and baskets. The rest of the pictures below are taken from around Chambrun. The children love getting rubber bands, bubbles, balloons, balls, hair clips, jump ropes and coloring books from the volunteers. You can see some rubber bands on the young girls wrist below. Goats and sheep graze around Chambrun. I surprised the goats scavenging in the trash one day. Is that a soda tab strung around that boys neck?

The trees around Chambrun seem to grow a long string been type vegetable. I think we had them for dinner one night. I didn't see any gardens. The soil is depleted. The Chambrun secretary was trying to grow a tomato plant in a Dixie cup.

To The Eyes Of A Child

2010-08-18T14:22:00.000-07:00

When the kids were around we couldn't go anywhere without a posse. Every now and then they would make off with my camera and take some pictures. The bottom two pictures are from the story The Good Samaritan.

Life In Chambrun

2010-08-17T13:36:00.000-07:00

This is the clinic of Chambrun. Patients would start to arrive as early as 5:00 AM. I think the clinic opened around 10:00 AM. Since the earthquake the clinic has been free. Our last week at Chambrun they began to charge $2.00 a visit once again

.
To the left is the medical storage in the clinic and the right is the door to the women's rest room. You don't want to see inside and the men's room was not any better. Because of a delicate septic system we were asked not to flush toilet paper. Instead there were waste buckets that had to be emptied every day. It sometimes didn't smell so good but there were some other locker room style restrooms that were nicer. There were also some much more primitive facilities that did not involve porclein sinks or toilets. Over all Haiti smelled pretty sweet.

This was the Chambrun gift shop. I purchased a creole/english dictionary and got my first lesson in creole from the sales man Gestin (Chesta) Salomon. I gave him a personal testimony about how God has helped me deal with depression through praise songs .... and how I thought this was something useful to Haiti while they are trying to work through their grieving process. I found out Sunday that Gestin Salomon was the church song leader! Maybe I encouraged him in his ministry.

This is the dining hall. Breakfast was granola. Lunch was either peanut butter & jelly sandwiches or rice and beans and always dill pickles. Dinner was rice and beans and sometimes we had chicken too. One night we had sausage and peppers and again with the dill pickles. It always tasted good but we were usually too hungry to be picky. There are plenty of Haitian folks who do not get regular meals and it was not unusual to have someone walk up and say they were hungry. I usually tried to keep a package of crackers or trail mix in my bag for these occasions.

To the left you see the water purification system. We could not drink or brush teeth with the tap water. The purified water had a heavy metallic taste. It got old after awhile. The kitchen staff offered us lemonade though .... it was a life saver. Above right is a member of the kitchen staff.

This is where the staff washed the dishes. After scrubbing the dishes under the tap water they were dipped in a Clorox solution. We stayed very healthy through our entire time at Chambrun due to the care of the cooking staff. I did pick up a bug at the Port Au Prince Airport on my way home.

These were storage tents but also the Dutch bunked over here.

Chambrun owned several vehicles. Including a pick up truck and a couple of school buses. The buses picked us up at the airport and transported us wherever it was we needed to go. On the right is the school tent. On Sundays it is the church tent.

This is the inside of the school/church tent. Since the earthquake the children are afraid to meet in a building.

Up On The Roof

2010-08-15T05:42:00.000-07:00

We stayed at the home of Pastor Pierre and his family for most of the first week. Upstairs there are two air conditioned guest rooms. The water pressure is sometimes low making it difficult for everyone to get a shower at the end of a long and hot, sticky day. Off to the side of the house is a plantain orchard. The house has a staff ... a cook, housekeeper and watchman with a couple of watch dogs. The pastor and his wife have three children. Guests pay $60 a night. The picture to the left shows a bit of our bunking situation at Chambrun.

Above you see the building where we bunked for most of our stay. It did not ventilate well so at the end of the day it retained the heat of mid afternoon. The blue room to the left is the interior hallway to the building where we kept our extra suitcases and met for meetings and worship hour. The bedrooms were off to the sides. Most of us slept with mosquito netting. Since I did not want to cut any available breeze I used bug spray and found out I am allergic to OFF. I actually only came home with two mosquito bites and just finished up my malaria meds last night. There are more mosquitoes in my back yard and while we do not have malaria we do have west nile virus. We still paid $60 a night.

Any how towards the end of the week I couldn't take the unremitting heat anymore and joined my fellow travellers on the roof. I wish I had done it sooner. We had cool breezes and a night sky near choked with stars, comets and satellites. The lights of Port Au Prince were visible from a distance. Roosters crow intermittently through the night but we generally woke up with the sun rise. And we had no rats.

Hope In God

2010-08-14T11:45:00.000-07:00

Groups of girls would show up while I was in the laundry shack. The laundry shack had four washing machines but only two worked ... then one. The top photo I am showing Ismae'lle some knitting. We had a short lesson and then she asked for some bubbles.

The cute, sassy little one to my right is Sandy (sen sie). I'm sorry that I do not remember all their names. The girl in the yellow on the right is Beatrice. She and another little girl are also pictured in the white shirts wearing some of my lip gloss. Beatrice is very out going and asks lots of questions. To the left, the taller child is Lawensa (spelling?). She is charming and shy. I think the little one to her left is Ismae'lle's sister.

So very likely these will be some of the faces in my Hope Chest Project. The pastor who runs the school, church and clinic of Chambrun is Esperandieu (Hope In God) Pierre. Looks like we have a theme going. He has an interesting testimony. His parents were Christians when they met and married so when they were expecting their first child they refused the witch doctors offer of a fetish protection over their unborn child. This annoyed the witch doctor and he told them that no good would come of it. Sure enough the child was born and shortly there after died. The parents mourned, buried their son and not long after found themselves expecting another child. Again they refused the protection offered by the witch doctor and again a son was born only to die. With this the father cried out to God and from that understood that he and his wife should boil the river water before giving it to their child. Again the couple was pregnant and delivered a son. In obedience to God they boiled the river water and the child grew up strong and healthy with the name Esperandieu.

Tap Tap

2010-08-14T05:47:00.000-07:00

Public transportation in Haiti is the Tap Tap Bus. These buses are elaborately painted to instill confidence in the passengers. It is believed that if a tap tap owner takes the time and money to decorate his bus he must have insurance too. Many of the buses carry Christian wording and icons which I'm sure inspires the confidence that we have a little bit of fire insurance too. Passengers tap twice on the bus when they want to disembark .... Tap Tap.

I was delighted to find a fun little childrens coloring page at Trader Joe's the other day. It was of a little SUV and I think it will be a perfect quilt template for a project that I hope to do with The Hope Chest Project when I return to Haiti. The quilt would have a Tap Tap theme .... perhaps a wall hanging size that the girls could sell online .... I'll need to make one up first and then collect the materials for each quilt in zip loc bags for the girls to each have their own materials and supplies. So God has given me another idea!

Port Au Prince

2010-08-13T14:40:00.000-07:00

When we travel we generally look at capitals and cathedrals .... and here they are. The bottom two pictures show the tents lined up nin to chin for residents of Port Au Prince. I can imagine how stifling hot it is to sleep in these little incubators. Our quarters were so warm at the end of the day that many of us opted to sleep on the roof.

Sant

2010-08-13T13:38:00.000-07:00

Sant is the creole for "clinic". These are some of the folks waiting to see the doctor or just hanging out in the shade of the mango tree. Natalie, the girl in the grey t-shirt braided my hair in corn rows. It took a long time ... I paid her then left before more people started to offer me services.

Haiti Ekip

2010-08-13T10:51:00.000-07:00

Haiti Ekip (Team Haiti) Above are mostly Compassion Corp with a few of our Campus Crusade volunteers. We had a doctor, a nurse practitioner, some nurses, dental hygienist, social workers, teachers, a pastor and a seminarian to name a few. We ran a clinic, some played with the children, some painted buildings, and some did laundry for the donated clothing. Some showed an incredible amount of stamina working through the very hot climate. God helped each one use the gifts that they had.

These picture was taken in the ADP camp where we spent two days with our clinic. It is here that displaced Haitians are living in tents. Pattie and I are sitting outside the clinic which is surrounded by the tarp in the back ground and under a large mango tree. This area was a makeshift waiting room. Little ones came to sit on our laps and fall asleep and here we would pray for people and lay hands on the sick. We did not have to solicit anyone. Once folks new that Pattie and I were there to pray and bless, they came up to us or brought their children.

The Road To Chambrun

2010-08-10T06:48:00.000-07:00

The village of Chambrun is about 10 minute walk from where we stayed. It is a pleasant walk. The herds of goats are a mixed blessing. They are brought to Haiti to elevate the standard of living but they have a tendency to denude the land of greenery. The people also have donkeys, sheep, chickens and turkeys. Keeping the farm fowl in seed can be difficult. There are some cats and dogs but I don't think they are fed much. The cats hunt the lizards, I think. Maybe the rats. One of our volunteers heard rats in our bedroom one night.

The little house you see is pretty fine for Haiti. The woman with the donkey hid her face when I took the picture ... I should have asked permission but I forgot. We were told that the folks involved with voodoo believe that a photograph steals there soul. Most of the people love to have their picture taken. I believe Haiti is 80% Catholic. The people of Chambrun meet at our complex under the school tent for Sunday worship which includes several hours of singing in french or creole. The music, of course, has it's roots in Africa. It is beautiful and you can feel the place bursting with the Spirit.

A couple of missionaries and friends of Pattie Harris met up with us one evening in the cafeteria and told of their encounter with a voodoo priest. They asked if they could pray for him and he said no and if they did he would have to pray against them. He could not come to Christ because he makes his living from voodoo .... "I tell you the truth, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle then for a rich man to enter heaven."

The Village of Chambrun

2010-08-10T05:34:00.000-07:00

The village of Chambrun is rather charming. The mud and twig houses are two to three rooms and there are little dirt paths meandering around the village. There are also pens for livestock. There is a village well with pump for water and public latrines somewhere I guess. Centrally located in the village is a large mango tree. The above ground root system is extensive and this is the place where the people gather for meetings and story telling. Our teams put on several skits for the kids based on such bible stories as The Good Samaritan and Zaccheaus. One of our people would tell the story which would be then retold by an interpretor. Children from the audience were called upon as volunteers to act out the various parts. then we would all sing praise songs in creole.
'
The first time I entered the village I was impressed with the Spirit of joy that hovered over all. On the way to visit the orphanage I ran into a teen age girl (left) who asked me for a hand out. She was with out this joy. Since I was on my way to Samura I grabbed this girl and took her to one of our team members. I handed her to Jessica with the probably brief and weird explanation that, "This girl needs Jesus!" another team member, Ashley, was telling the bible story for the evening which included an invitaion to Christ. I prayed for this girl and went on to the orphanage. Later I observed this young lady .... her whole demeanor had changed and she followed us all the way back home to hang out for awhile. I think she gave her heart to Jesus that evening. I also believe that Samura came to Jesus that week. If nothing else, I am her spirtual mother. Praise God!

Chambrun Orphanage

2010-08-08T13:41:00.000-07:00

The orphanage is set within the village of Chambrun. It is walled off from the rest of the community and has a board gate that is shut with a nail or sometimes tied shut with a nylon rope. In the dirt yard there are a couple of small climbing apparatus for a play ground. The building itself has a large front porch With wooden benches for a place to catch the occasional breeze. Inside there are two bedrooms with two bunks each, a dining room with table and chairs and a pantry. Above left is the oldest child Ranaldo. To the right is one of two care takers for the children. She seems to be a responsible and very joyful woman.

The children are fed well .... mostly rice and beans which is what we ate mostly too. Top left is Samura, top right is Fiedline, lower left is a child whose mother is handicapped. I believe her name is De'de'. Her sister is at the orphanage as well. Besides Ronaldo there are two other boys, one named Wedenseen (we den sen) and I think the other is Deni. If so he is the one in the red shirt.

Ronaldo and Samura borrow my journal for some artwork.

The front porch of the orphanage. Rebecca (on the left) is a volunteer with another group from Indianapolis and Campus Crusade. We had a team from Texas and Holland too. It takes the Dutch about 36 hours to get to Haiti what with layovers and flights.

Fiedline & Wedenseen

Deni & Fiedline

Fe' magousy (to make monkey business)

I Laughed Then I Cried

2010-08-08T12:05:00.001-07:00

Samura is one of three little adoptable girls at the Chambrun Orphanage. Mitania (ma tin ay) on the above left has not yet been spoken for but Fiedline (fid lynn) on the right has a family working on adopting her in the U.S.

As you can see Mitania is quite the little clown .... but when I went to kiss Samura good bye for the last time Mitania was standing next to her and her little face fell. I guess she knew that another one of her little friends was being adopted .... I kissed her too but I cannot take her. Another family will want her.

Haiti Menaje'

2010-08-07T16:00:00.000-07:00

We think Samura looks like a little brown Lauren and resembles the Peterman clan (my maternal grandmother's side of the family). Lauren will be five in November. Samura is six.

Samura Maere Paloma

2010-08-07T15:30:00.000-07:00

So I found this little one at the Chambrun Orphanage. Her name is Samura (Sam ear a). I want to look that up in my dictionary of ethnic names but can't find the book ... so do you have it Samantha??? Anyway, the big news is that we have declared our intent to adopt and hope to have Samura with us as soon as possible. Haiti menaje (Haiti is family now).

Kay Sikre Kay

2010-08-07T12:15:00.000-07:00

Upon my return the house was beautifully clean but I think everyone was glad to see me. I have come home to some lovely weather. Kay Sikre Kay (Home Sweet Home). I am learning creole.

Bella Fam

2010-08-07T11:58:00.000-07:00

Back home to a bath, blowdryer, hot electric curlers and some regular clothes and I am feeling like a woman again.

The Evergreen Home

2010-07-09T08:57:00.000-07:00

These are some photos taken by my Uncle Roger & Aunt Susan of the former Kellogg (my grandparents) homestead on Evergreen Road in San Diego, CA. Sue & Roger knocked on the front door and the current owners were kind enough to let them come in and see the house and yard. The patio picture is actually the roof of the garage. From there and the two bay windows there is a beautiful view of the San Diego Harbor. So many happy memories.

Sweet & Sour

2010-07-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

We were invited to a picnic so I made two rhubarb pies this week. Since the leaves are inedible, they are discarded and only the stalks are used. If not for copious amounts of sugar the stalks would be quite inedible too! With so much sugar is there really any benefit? But rhubarb is so tart it must be good for you. A rhubarb pie is much like a good cherry pie. The best cherry pies use tart cherries. When mixed with sugar they lend a complexity of flavor not afforded by the sweet cherry. You appreciate the sweetness so much more for having tasted the sour. Don't forget the cream.

So far my garden is also producing yellow squash, cherry tomatoes and ichiban eggplant .... regular tomatoes are pinking up .... I have herbs. The lettuce has gone to seed but is looking like flower stalks so I have left them for the pleasing of the eye ... the leaves taste bitter now.

No Swan Song

2010-07-02T06:59:00.000-07:00

I have been quilting and making art all my life. While most of my friends wanted to be nurses and vets I wanted to be an artist and a missionary. During the late 80's I started my own quilting business and hired out from the local quilt shop, Quilters Hive. It was called Needle and Crown; "I pray that, risen from the dead, I may in glory stand - a crown perhaps upon my head but a needle in my hand." Above is a banner that I designed rather successfully. It employs a technique called curved patchwork similar to "Drunkard's Path."

It is not easy to make a living as an artist but I have a book that recommends charging $20 per square foot of quilt. I made more money as a sales consultant for the Longaberger Company.

The Teaser

2010-07-02T06:45:00.000-07:00

This is a quilt that I am currently working on. I plan to do a tutorial on the new blog since I intend it be posted on the online SoHo Shop based in NYC. Most of my viewers will be artsy folk and will enjoy diy. The pattern for the main body of the quilt is called "Rolling Stone" ... as in, "gathers no moss." I originally made this pattern into a wedding quilt for Caelen & Samantha .... maybe I can access some pic's for you (Samantha?). The border comes from a pattern called, "Vintage Roses." It is a freezer paper applique method that I learned many years ago from Anna Holland .... a pioneer quilter in the late 70's who lived in Waterford, VA.

Saffron & Clover

2010-07-02T06:32:00.000-07:00

This is my first attempt at lace knitting and I think it is luscious. I blogged about it more extensively on the new blog I am trying to get together. For some reason I cannot resize photos on this new site. And there seem to be various other glitches.

Also, since the last time I reported I have been on 2 more treasuries. They are posted on my profile page on Facebook. From the new blog viewers will be able to access my profile page and view the treasuries. Can't wait until I can pull it together. I have thrown up my hands more than once over the frustrations and road blocks to getting this new site up and running ... but sometimes you just know you're supposed to do something... however long it takes.

Sibs

2010-06-21T07:08:00.001-07:00

I don't know that James wanted a tie in particular but it matches Lauren's dress and I wanted his handsome face on my etsy! James also inherited the Bird family lego collection and his first copy of Mad Libs for his birthday coming up next week.

Just Ducky!

2010-06-21T06:57:00.001-07:00

Lauren likes her new dress.

Father's Day, June Babies & Blog Anniversary

2010-06-21T05:01:00.000-07:00

The Papas; David Bird, Josh Bird, Ed Urban, Caelen Bird. We all got together at the Bird House. And I might also mention that the Bird House Blog is one year old. So this has been a year in the life.

Children give you grand children! We have some June birthdays to celebrate as well; Me, Samantha, & James!

Asher started walking this week and is demonstrating his skills.

The great gramma's

Grammie & Grady

Molly Goes To The Doctor

2010-06-20T18:05:00.000-07:00

And receives a clean bill of health and her shots.

An Evening With The Dutch Reformed

2010-06-15T06:52:00.000-07:00

Steve & Terry Huizenga are Steve's house guests. They are visiting from Chicago. My brother -in-law Steve did most of the cooking with Brit's help. Steven is a fine cook .... who knew!

The old guard, Trinity alumni. Steve and Steve were roomies for two years. By the time they graduated they pretty much owned the campus. Trinity was 99.9 percent Dutch. Dave, his brother Steve and a Japanese girl made up the minority. It was the 60's. Some went to college to avoid the draft. It was a less then serious atmosphere. When a small group was found smoking marijuana they were called before the school board. The students tried to make a case for drug induced worship but the old Dutch Farmers wouldn't buy it. However there was a cigarette machine in the student lounge .... it was a cultural thing.

We enjoy being served

Mary, Ruth & Brittney above. Monica is still at Tennessee U. We laughed, and joked till we could no longer see our faces across the table and the mosquitos came out .... it was time to go home.

A Bird Family Gathering

2010-06-13T05:01:00.001-07:00

This is Steve's place in Doylestown, PA. Besides being a college administrator Steve is a landlord with two tenants on this property. The family, or as many as can come, do so once a year.

The pool is built in the old livestock yard.

The goldfish pond

This was a home that raised two little girls now grown.

Etsy Treasury

2010-06-12T06:17:00.000-07:00

My Fair Isle Cap was featured on a treasury! Etsy has been running nautical themes of late so this treasury is called Gone Fishing and was put together by etsian slinkymalinkicat. To date my work has been featured in 5 treasuries. There is a link on my fb profile but I can't seem to get links in my blog. So friend me.

For Missy

2010-06-11T10:18:00.000-07:00

My sister Melissa became a Dollar at about the age of 11. It was a mail order course where she learned to fix, repair and dress antique dolls. She could replace broken fingers, make clothing, replace wigs and was a general authority on various makes. I remember her hearts desire was for a BiLow Baby. My mom trekked around with us from one antique store to another until we found just what my sister was looking for (it was $300). I wish that I had pictures to show my sisters work. You would have to visit her home. All I can say is it was museum quality at a very young age. She was written up in our local small town paper, The Loudon Times.

While she still has the knowledge and interest I don't think she spends much time on dollies now. Music is her passion. With 3 degrees and performing in two off Broadway Operas, composing, teaching privately, she has her hands full. Last year she actually commuted from her home in New Jersey to teach music at Covenant College in Tennessee! Besides that she assists her husband with his publishing business. ..... but dear, today I was at the Farmers Market and there were boxes and boxes of dolly pieces. The vendor wanted $30 for the lot ..... this baby doll looked at me and I offered $5 for her. She's for you ..... she should be a red head like Julia. If you want to go into business I'll go back and buy the lot. Let me know!