Karla's Cottage

Goodbye to the Garden

After what felt like endless days of bleak, cold weather, feeling like I am ankle deep in puppy pee, we are getting some sunshine!  Yay, pups will get to run outside and have fun, I can thoroughly clean their living quarters and air it out.

The countdown to freezing cold has us getting done as much outside as we can.  My husband and Guncle Randy cleared the garden of tomato cages and stepping stones, then set the chickens free in it to scratch and salvage.  

Earlier, I dried a lot of marigold seeds to plant next year, and I think that the hens are helping spread some that will grow later on their own.  Maybe a tomato or two also.  

This photo is from summer’s heyday.

With the garden in its lushness.  I had a bell pepper plant taller than me this year and it was a constant producer of sweet, yellow peppers.

This was one of our best garden years, ever at this house.

I guess 2020 had a good point or two after all?

This is the view from Ryan’s patio, we redid an over grown bed in the center of the garden and made the parking area bigger.

It made an excellent spot to park the camper.

I think for what we have spent on replenishing layer upon layer of gravel for 28 years, we could have paid for some really nice concrete.

But isn’t fresh gravel pretty?

 

Leota

I never met Leota.  Over the years, I’d heard nothing but glowing stories about her.  She was a dedicated mother and foster mom who loved her family.  When she passed, I wanted to do this watercolor sketch of her.

So many people reached out to me when I lost Ryan, and it meant the world to me.  Every single comment, gift, call, or prayer filled my heart.  I want to be a better friend to others when they feel a loss.  

Just puppies

Watercolor Pup

Earlier, I showed a snippet of the beginnings of a painting.  It was a commission for someone’s birthday gift, so I wanted to wait to show the rest after the birthday girl opened her gift.

Funny, my life has been all dogs, all the time lately.  Then I get a job, and it is to paint a dog!

Seem fitting.

An all natural fall wreath from gathered pieces

Years ago, when my son was working at the Renfest, he planted a magic wand tree in my yard for future projects.  It’s about as tall as I am now, and since he is no longer making wands, I decided to harvest a few of its curly branches.

Aren’t they cool?  

Great curves and twirls!

My husband went for a walk in the woods and clipped the other vines for me, then helped as I wound them up together and twisted them into a wreath.

Usually, I cover my bluebird and rose topiary painting for Christmas time, since the picture is so springy.  This year, I thought I’d get an early start and give it a fall treatment with burlap and a wreath.

The frame of the painting is half of a Victorian door, and is so heavy, it has been bolted to the wall.  The only way I can change up the look is to insert a piece of covered foam core board over the glass.  I like having the option to change things up for the season, and this has worked out pretty good for me.

The heavy mirror is also bolted down, so I hang items over it, for now a bird print.

This year might have sucked for many, many reasons, but 2020 has had a couple bright spots.

One is that it has been the year of hydrangeas that I always dreamed of!  I’ve gathered and dried armloads.  Some got tucked into the vines of the wreath along with feathers from a wild turkey, shot by my friend, Karen Hillman (she also treated me to some of the juicy, turkey breast and it was just the best).

With all the puppy activity around here, it was relaxing to have a quick redo to work on.  The wreath itself was simple as can be, just twisting and tucking, no wire or glue.

I might take the dried blooms and feathers out for Christmas and add ornaments when the time comes.  This wreath will be very versatile since nothing is permanently attached. 

And now that I think about it, that magic wand tree is going to be good to have around too.  Maybe I should craft some witchy wands for Halloween.

 

More mini redos

Sometimes, all you need is a little change.

Like the mini overhaul of this, already pretty bottle of bath salts from TJMaxx.

I just glued a bit of wallpaper around it and glued a silk rose to the neck.  It took a matter of moments for a new look.

The Bath and Bodyworks bottle got a makeover too.  The labels were kind of vinyl-ish and peeled off easily. Once they were off, I glued some wallpaper flowers and a bird onto it.

While I was at it, I slapped a flower on the dish soap bottle too.

Making something prettier doesn’t  have to be complicated. Sometimes, just a simple little bit can make a big difference.

Since they are soap bottles and get wet, the paper doesn’t always last.  I have glued other ephemera to the same dish soap bottle in the past.  So, there is no reason to spend a lot of time on the project and making an arty collage label.

Have you used the foaming soaps before? I really like them.  I didn’t realize at first, that the foam was made by the pumper, not by the type of soap. Instead of replacing the empty bottle, I now refill it.

My mix?

Fill one third of the way with a plain, liquid soap like Ivory, or another inexpensive brand.

Fill the rest of the way with water.

Add a drop or two of essential oil.  I used grapefruit and rosemary.   Sounds like an odd mix, but it smells great.  

 

 

 

A mini treasure box makeover

Years ago I found a kitschy, plastic, touristy treasure box for a dollar, brought it home and tossed it in a drawer and forgot about it.

See, it had potential, but needed work.

But not much work.

I pried off the green, plastic bauble, dry brushed on some white paint, and glued a larimar stone on top.

Now it makes the ideal storage for my summery, beach colored bracelets.

A much needed excursion

Fall is here and for now, the weather is about as perfect as Kansas can be.  
I’ve been pretty busy with the 101 Doodles under our feet, and decided we needed a break to enjoy autumn.

With remote learning, Sugarwings isn’t getting much social time, so we picked up a pal and headed to the pumpkin patch. (Car windows down and masks on)

Not knowing what to expect, we were pleasantly surprised to find it opened, although modified for Covid safety.  No hay rack rides or mazes, but plenty of pumpkins and slushy cider.

Getting out and doing something “normal” for the first time in months felt wonderful.  We had taken the grand fairies on family camper trips, but those were very confined and careful.

It had been MONTHS since we had just done a casual, day out.  We have missed going to craft days, movies, plays, zoos, restaurants, etc.  

A sunny day with a slight breeze and a continuation of a 14 year tradition of visiting the pumpkin patch was exactly what we needed.

There are two pumpkin patches nearby, and we wanted to give some business to both, so headed down the road to a second one also.  It was more low key, just set up like a market, no holiday attractions this year.

But they did say we could go for a walk in the fields and pick our own if we’d like.  That made it feel more festive.  
We were the only customers, so I was glad we stopped by.

It was a soul soothing kind of day for me.

Scheduled Snuggles

The Butterball batch of pups is transitioning to staying out in the breezeway on nice days.

Family was here for a BBQ to enjoy the pretty day and help the babies adjust to leaving their cozy indoor nest.

With so many pups to socialize, I can use all the help I can get.   These babies need an abundance of cuddles to grow into extra loving pets.

And we have just the crew to get it done!

Rich and I take turns, two at a time, holding them while watching our favorite tv shows at night.  Sugarwings is with us for the next week or so, and I am sure she will take on more than her share.

And this might be a step too far, but I have ordered a hands free baby sling to wear so I always have a puppy with me.

I have 16 babies who all need equal time, and not that many hours in the day without drastic measures!  

Puppy time and me time

My husband took a little trip this week, and I had pretty laid time.  My watercolors are spread out in the dining room, so I can paint and be near the puppies.

They have kept me company while Rich was away.

Here is a snippet of the painting.  I always start with the eyes.  I’ll show the finished piece once the recipient gets to see it.

Besides painting, going for walks, playing with puppies, and battling an epic ant invasion, I’ve slowly started to work on getting the babies to intermingle.

It starts with a few play dates, then moves on to mixed cuddle puddles.

Although the play dates aren’t much more than naps yet, anyway.

The Sugarbabies have moved into the main part of our home along with the Butterballs.  Sugar is much more possessive of hers than  Honey is, so we are taking this slow, with supervised visitations.  If I am not with them, Shuggie and the little ones go back to the bathroom nest.

Eventually, they will all be too big (and stinky, and I have to admit, they are edging up on that stinky part pretty fast) to be kept in here.  
I have a nursery set up in the garage where they will be at night, then they will have the breezeway to hang out in on nice days with access to the yard.

Most of my time with Rich away on his trip, I had Sugarwings here with me.  But I had one day, all to myself for the first time in months.  I missed Rich, since his retirement, and especially since Covid, we have spent all of our days together.  

 

But since Ryan died, I kept thinking I needed a day to just think of him, to be on my own, to not have any “have to’s”. Life is hectic and as people always say- it goes on.

 

I have been grieving, I have been sad, I have had him on my mind every single minute. There has been a Ryan sized hole in my life, but I haven’t had time just to let that happen. I’ve kept going.

Yesterday, I had my months delayed day. I spent most of it doing things Ryan and I used to do together. I walked with the dogs, played with puppies, and then took more walks. I cleaned the stove top with a razor blade (that was one of his things, he took pride in a job well done, no matter how tedious, he worked with a good attitude and got things done.)

 

I made a frozen pizza the way Ryan used to make them for me, extra cheese, chopped veggies, black olives, rosemary, and turkey pepperoni. Then, I binge watched one of our favorite shows. I missed his laughs, and our constant conversation commenting on what was happening on the screen, but I enjoyed my day.

I enjoyed thinking about how much fun we used to have together. I thought about the joy he was always able to express about the little things that made him happy. Like a brand new season of a good Netflix show. Pizza night. A walk. A shiny stovetop. Laughing about something silly a dog just did.

 

Ryan faced difficulties in his life, surviving bullying over his disabilities that left him distrusting people’s intentions toward him. He overcame addictions. He had been taken advantage of. He had suffered in his life. All of this left him with insecurities. But he also found a quiet happiness and satisfaction in hard work and small pleasures. He was a person who appreciated the moment when good things happened.

 

My day “with Ryan” was appreciated.

 

It was worth waiting for.