Juneau Whale Watching

One of the best happenings on our cruise to Alaska was in Juneau. We got to go on a short whale watching trip. During the trip we were able to see orcas, seals, and otters and of course whales. Most of the trip I just watched. The animals were hard to get in a picture since they were always on the move. I did however get this small video of a humpback whale getting ready to dive and eat. 

Seeing the real thing in person is always better than a nature show.

Have a great weekend everyone. See you again on Monday.

Seventh Child Punched Tin Art

Buried within me, not very deep really, is a simple country girl that has a great appreciation for useful art. When I think of useful art the first thing that comes to my fibery mind is quilts and I have a couple in my home  that are 50 or more years old. One from family and one that I consider a rescue from a thrift shop.

Other useful arts are things for everyday life. What country person does not keep an eye on the weather? Weather vanes besides helping a farmer to know which way the wind blows can be lovely too. How about kitchen art? After a day of baking all the bread, pies and maybe a cake or two had to be kept somewhere. A cabinet with punched tin doors and sides was the way to do that. Those cabinets allowed air flow and did a good job of keeping critters out of the baked goods.


Some artisans carry on the tradition of decorative tin work and you can find some of it in the shop SeventhChild on Etsy. I have a couple favorites in the shop. If you look around come back and let me know which ones you liked. I will wait for you right here.

Funny and Strange

I knit a bit on the hat I told you about in yesterday's post while watching swimming, beach volleyball and gymnastics last night. Lots of excitement but then NBC saves what they think are the best events for the evening prime time show. Anyone else watching the Olympics?

I was also a bit productive online yesterday. This is where my "Funny and Strange" comes in. I worked on my Profile page and Policies page yesterday. They are alright for now. I am sure someone could pick them apart if I asked for a critique but I am not going to. Not that I am so sure it is the best but I think as long as spelling and grammar are okay and the necessary points are made the rest is subjective.

It is funny and strange to me that I can chatter away here on this blog and my other one with no problem. When faced with a definite writing purpose and need I go blank. I spent some time pacing, sitting outside and putting those pages together in my head over and over. There really is not much there that should have been so hard but it was. I guess I worry most about finding a balance between friendly and business like. I want to sound friendly but not be a doormat. I want to sound business like but not cold and stuffy. Of course as time goes on the Profile page pictures will change but for now the are good.

My favorite is this headband. Not listed yet but a sample of one of the things I like to make.


Tim Adam seems to be the expert that I am not. If you sell online and want some serious help you might consider his books and website as a source of assistance.

Duck, duck, book

It has been so fun to watch this mama and her little ones everyday. There are 5 babies in the group and I gave up on this day of getting all 5 in one picture. The young ones dive and splash while mom swims along calmly close to the group. They are all rather shy and keep plenty of space between themselves and this curious human. I try not to spook them so they feel safe in my pond.

In this picture the ducks were out of the water for a bit on the far side so I did not disturb them.

AAAAaaaaahhhhhhhhh!

Now about the book in my title. I just finished reading Blue Horizon by Wilbur Smith. Look all you fans of great literature sometimes I just read to be entertained and this book did that. It had pirates, princes, warriors, damsels in distress and lots of cheesy dialogue. Need I mention that the good guys won and all the couples moved on to happily ever after. Want to be entertained with a story set in Africa? It might be worth it for you.

By the way are any of you members on Goodreads? I am and you can find me here. I signed up for a reading challenge at the start of this year to read 40 books in a year. Right now I am a couple behind but what else is new. Kind of how I operate.

Two days in a row. Don't get excited.
Till next time,

Need This

I have come to realize that I need this place, this blog. This blog should be, and I hope to make it, a journal of sorts of the things I make. I would also like to show from time to time the handcrafted goodness I find around the internet that amazes and inspires me. From the number of posts here you would think I don't make much but I really have several projects going all the time.

Lately I have wanted to start making socks for myself. With good intentions and several balls of sock yarn, crochet hooks and a couple patterns I set out to do just that on our cruise to Alaska. I figured at sea time would be good for trying out making socks and I choose crochet because I can pretty much do it in my sleep.

I tried and as much as I love to crochet the result just did not feel as good as what I imagined a knitted sock would. So I frogged the work.

When the Olympics started I realized I had to have something for my hands to do with all the TV time watching all the events. So my crocheted sock has become an easy to knit slouchy hat or it will when I get it done,

Good Time

The first of August seems to be a good a time as any to start blogging again. I have so neglected this blog that it really feels like starting over. I have missed writing here.

It has been quite a year with some pretty big things happening.

• I had Flat Stanley with me and I hope showed him a good time around Jackson.
• I helped my Mom after she had a knee replaced.
• I got to go on my first cruise which was ok and a second one to Alaska that was wonderful.
• I had to move from the house we had rented for a year and a half surrounded by all the wildlife. Jim did a great job of finding a new place while I was with Mom. We now have a pond in our backyard.

I welcome comments and conversation here. I have been missing that.
More to come.