My Favorite Things in 2016

Mr. Squirrel nibbles a peanut on a sunny December afternoon.

My 12 Favorite Things in 2016



(in no particular order:) 

 1.  Lilac-scented handmade goat milk soap from Walla Walla.

While strolling Main Street last June in Walla Walla, WA, a friend and I stumbled upon a basket of handmade goat milk soap in a shop full of collectible treasures.  

I LOVE lotions and potions, especially goat milk soap which is so gentle.  My only complaint is that so often the beautiful fragrance disappears long before the soap is gone. 

NOT SO with goat milk soap from the Midnight Oil Soap Company!  WOW! 
I was astonished that LILAC was still fragrant until the final sliver!!!

So, if you want long-lasting, gentle, full-fragrance handmade goat soap, please go to owner Kim Hedine's website, www.midnightoilsoap.com--or, if you're strolling in Walla Walla, stop in her store at 54 1/2 E. Main Street.  

(P.S. In my most recent order I ordered the peppermint lip balm!  It's my new very pepperminty favorite!)

2.  Pink UGG Slippers.

A long-time fan of UGG (thank you North Dakota and the study of warm feet!), one might think that I indulged in this Aussie brand while in Australia last March.

But, no, way more fun to discover them MARKED DOWN at DSW mid-summer!

This is a heavenly slipper to slip into at the end of the day--soft, warm, well-made and PINK!!

(I wonder if color might be why they were still available and on sale!)


3.  Visiting New Zealand and Australia--long on my Bucket List!

Exploring Auckland on our Arrival Day!

This, truly, was a highlight of my LIFE!  

Full of adventures, lots of exploring, GREAT wine, new friends, a fabulous stateroom and so much BEAUTY to behold, it was, in fact a TRIP OF A LIFETIME.

Now I am considering ways to return--always the mark of a truly memorable destination.



4.  Thrift store delights.

I have long donated to organizations like Goodwill and Habitat for Humanity, but never took the time to browse for treasures.

Since my big move to Colorado, I am student of less is more, purging is good, the art of decluttering and the life changing magic of tidying up.

BUT, there are some AMAZING things just waiting to be found at your local Goodwill or ReStore.   

This year brought so many unexpected delights and surprises --BUT, I'm constantly sorting and continuing my efforts to whittle down--in my Good Will Hunting kind of way! 







5.  Customer Service that actually helps me solve questions/problems.

 Because I experienced in 2016 the Good, The Bad and the Ugly in the area of CUSTOMER SERVICE, I will CELEBRATE those folks who actually helped me resolve the issues for which I was calling for assistance.

How wonderful to hear a REAL, LIVE PERSON on the line, who is cheerful, helpful and speaks English.  A person who listens well, understands my issue and finds ways to SOLVE/RESOLVE.  

Blessed are those companies who have figured out the advantages to providing honest, reliable, helpful CUSTOMER SERVICE.




6.  Lighted candles on fall and winter nights at home.

I LOVE the ambiance of a candle burning brightly, casting a romantic and soft glow, often filling the room with the scent of pumpkin spice or Christmas pine.

In our house you will find a myriad of candles which I especially enjoy lighting as the days shorten and the nights lengthen and then after the Solstice and the nights shorten once again.

Sometimes (and not often in Colorado where the sun shines almost daily) on dark overcast days, I light a candle in the kitchen for its cheerful light and welcome fragrance.  What a spirit lifter!!!







7.  LED Lights.

Since our JOYS OF HOME-OWNERSHIP (Post 9/28/16) and our successful transformation to LED lights in the garage, I have been quite the devote' of LED lights!!  

Throughout the house I have replaced light bulbs with new LED bulbs and have begun to invest in LED lights for our Christmas tree and yard decorating.

LOVE the clear bright light of LED!

8.  Having the Poudre River Trail all to myself.

Of course, this usually requires sub-zero temps--but, again, thanks to my days in North Dakota, I know how to dress warmly to enjoy morning walks in ALL conditions.

Unlike the warmer months when a walker must be alert to the hoards of bike riders, joggers and fellow walkers, there is a sweet joy in the quiet solitude found on a frosty morning walking alone along the Poudre River.  

9.  Watching favorite movies on cold winter nights.

 This, of course, is connected to #6 as lighted candles are an essential ingredient to a perfect night at home, snuggled in a soft blanket on the couch, listening to the Arctic winds sweep in from the west, with time to watch movies--old favorites, new releases and classics-no-matter-when-they-were-released.

After so many years of not being home in the evenings, we never tire of quiet nights at home.




10.  Cashmere--all of it.

I am a sucker for SOFT--and cashmere is my go-to material for LUXURIOUS SOFTNESS AND WARMTH.

I LOVE it all--sweaters, gloves, scarves, wraps, blankets--ALL OF IT.

I also LOVE that it wears well and seems to last forever.  All good, yes?





11.  Salt lamps.

This entry is again related to #6, in that salt lamps cast a lovely warm glow when turned on. In addition, the small bulb inside warms and as it does warms the salt around it.  As the salt warms it emits positive ions like you would find walking along the beach near an ocean.

Those positive ions have healthy benefits, again like walking along the ocean--anyway, that's what I tell myself as I switch on my many salt lamps scattered throughout the house every morning.  

Unlike candles, there's no open flame so I leave my salt lamps safely on all day and turn them off just before bed.  

I love the glow, the ambiance, the color so much that these are a 12-month uplifting indulgence!

12.  Good times with my family and friends.

Sweet Molly, a Beloved Friend.

I consider myself so very rich to have so much love in my life.  

From riding vintage Honda 90s with Ken on the rugged trails in the Wyoming mountains, to celebrating a happy wedding in Walla Walla, to rafting down the Snake River in Jackson Hole, to watching for rattlesnakes while exploring the Pawnee Grassland, to blowing giant soap bubbles with the help of robust Wyoming wind.

What fun to share laughter in a pub in Hobart, Tasmania with new friends, to stroll the beach at sunset with an old friend, to smear paint with my art friends and to explore a new trail with my four-footed friend.

We've frosted gingerbread houses, decorated t-shirts, driven to the top of the world and listened to the rain on the cottage roof.  

What a marvelous year and now to embrace 2017! 

Yupo Paper, Here We Come!

Suzette and Susan laughingly accept the "show the Yupo paper" request.

Art Play Days are the BEST!

One of the greatest advantages to having creative and talented friends is to have them be willing to share knowledge and expertise.  

Last summer I invited you to join us as Susan shared "How to Make Paper I & II."

This month, Annie agreed to teach us about Yupo paper and the infinite possibilities this synthetic paper provides.

Annie, our intrepid art instructor for the day!

What is Yupo Paper?

I certainly had no idea.  But, Annie quickly introduced us to a paper that is 100% recyclable, waterproof, tree-free and synthetic.  

This is bright white paper that is super smooth, holds ink with incredible precision, is durable, wipes clean (REALLY!), waterproof and will not tear.

Okay, here's the really cool part:

If you don't like what you've painted, and you haven't yet "fixed" it with spray, YOU CAN WASH THE PAPER IN WATER AND START AGAIN!!  (How is that for taking the fear out of "making a mistake?")

Annie has been playing with this paper for years and with the ease and comfort level of a pro, she began to explain that we can use:

                           *Watercolors
                           *Acrylic paints
                           *Water-soluble pastels
                   *Water-soluble crayons
                            *Water-soluble pencils
                            *Alcohol inks 
                            (There are likely more I'm overlooking.)

Annie holds the tablet of Yupo paper to show the various
sizes it comes in.

Alcohol paints are especially fun to apply.

So, as we tried to wrap our minds around the wide variety of pigments available to us, she launched into the infinite variety of ways we can apply the pigment of our choice.

*Brushes
*Foam rollers
*Stamps
*Anything with texture
*Sponges
*Mr. Clean Magic Erasers (seriously)
*Felt pad on a wooden block
*Cardboard laced with rubber bands
(Basically, ANYTHING that you can think of to apply paint to paper.) 

Oh, and then, in case we weren't already overwhelmed with CHOICES, Annie pointed out that AFTER paint is applied to the paper it can be manipulated, i.e. with sprayed water, sprayed rubbing alcohol, even salt!

Examples of Annie's work with Yupo paper.  Stunning.

Annie uses a foam roller to soften the watercolor pigment she applied with
a foam brush.

And, it was time for us to begin!  

First, you can start with the paper dry or wet--up to us.

Next, the Yupo paper is a coated paper in different weights, so we can choose how heavy a paper to use.

And, it can be CLEANED--either with water or with Mr. Clean Erasers.

A sponge is used to add texture.

A card wrapped with rubber bands is used as a stamp.

Here is Annie's most important advice to us as we timidly dipped foam brushes into our paint:

"Play with this.  Clear your head.  Let it create itself.
Don't come in with a preconceived idea, just let it happen by focusing on the texture, color and shapes."

In addition to the rubber bands, Annie uses the sides of the card to add lines
and definition.

Annie pointed out that one can't "MAKE A MISTAKE" because the paper can simply be washed clean if one doesn't like it.

"So, let go of trying to CONTROL.  You can't draw it, you can only lay down colors and play!"

  I was eager to begin and decided to use watercolor paint as it has such a nice intensity on the Yupo paper.

I liked that no matter what I did, I couldn't do it wrong, as long as I didn't spray it with a fixative.

So, I took a foam brush and began, rolling it out with a foam roller to change the line and then the fun began as I used more paint and different "texture-makers."  I also applied alcohol ink to the felt pad and pressed it to my painting after the initial strokes had dried.  On one piece I used a spray bottle of water to create an effect; on the piece with alcohol ink I used a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol to create something totally different.

Alcohol ink applied in drops to felt attached to a wood block.

Paint can be removed with a damp paper towel.

Annie applies paint to a stamp to press onto her paper.

Oh, yes, did I forget to mention that crumpled plastic-wrap also makes a
wonderful and free-form texture?

What joy to make art on a warm November day!

And, did I include bubble wrap as a good texture-maker?

When one is either "done" or wanting to fix what one likes, it's time to spray the fixative.  

Once sprayed, then more can be added or the piece is completed.  Again, one's choice.

It was a fabulous afternoon and we all left with far more than we came with.  

As for me, I bought my own Yupo paper and a few additional supplies and can't wait for another afternoon to cover the dining room table with a plastic sheet, spread out all my "toys" and PLAY!

One of my pieces reminds me of aspen trees on a hill.

And, one of my pieces is, well...an interesting combination of colors and textures.  Yes?

Wicked Good October Observations...

Full moon over the Rockies at dawn.

My favorite color is OCTOBER.

   --Author Unknown

Usually when I sit to write my blog posts I have a fairly clear idea of what I want to write about.  

Then there are those months when the topics are so plentiful that I decide to include a snippet of all so I don't have to choose what to omit! So, hold tight!

1.  The Joys of Home Ownership - part 2...

Ken gets THE GOLD STAR for patience, endurance, consistent effort and willingness to undertake the unending and thankless job of staining the kajillion deck spindles and top railing!!!

Last month you cheered with me as you learned he had completed the FIRST COAT of stain!

Now, please join me in thunderous applause as you learn he has completed TWO coats of stain to the entire west deck!!!!  Woo-hoo!!!!

And, when I last wrote, I was perplexed and bewildered as I considered how to proceed with the lighting in our garage (a.k.a. my studios.)

Should I:

(a) scour the country to try to find ballasts no longer made for my existing florescent light fixtures?

(b) replace the florescent light fixtures?

(c) research the possibility of using the existing light fixtures and rewiring to accommodate new LED bulbs?

(d) bring another lamp from the house to the garage?

(e) walk away and pretend we never ever started the "light project."

The Joys of Home Ownership...

Ahhh, the American Dream--to own one's home.

And, we should actually own our home in about 24 years, but in the meantime, it feels like our home--with all the rights, privileges and responsibilities pertaining unto.

That, dear readers, translates into YARD CARE, LANDSCAPING, MAINTENANCE, REPAIRS, UPDATES, FIX-IT JOBS, REPLACEMENT, REMODELS, ETC.

All summer we've been adding to our "To-Do List," a.k.a. "Projects to Put Off to Another Day (or Year.)"

At the top of our list (for the last five years):  

1.  Stain the spindles of the west deck.

Actually, we've been staining the deck, garage doors, wood trim and front porch since we arrived in 2011.

That summer we hired a professional crew to sand and stain ALL the exterior wood, which turned out to be a considerable investment $$$$ despite living in a stucco home.  

All the wood EXCEPT the spindles, which everyone knows is a huge even more labor-intensive job and would have added even more $$$ to the job.  Hey, we figured, we can do the spindles ourselves, afterall... 

Well, turned out this is one of the EASIEST jobs to put off!  

We also learned that the "lifetime stain" used in 2011 lasted less than two years!!!  So, in addition to SPINDLES, we found ourselves in the continuing cycle of re-staining a portion of the deck and gazebo ourselves.  The SPINDLES not only fell in ranking to "least important of re-staining projects," they became invisible--to us, at least!!

This summer, Ken, brave man, stepped up to the job of STAINING THE SPINDLES.  And, he did it in small blocks of time consistently over most of September--a couple of hours here, three hours there.  Amazingly, I was busy elsewhere--making my art deadlines, painting at my easel and NOT outside in the 90+ hot sunny days. I am happy to report that he has COMPLETED ALL THE SPINDLES with the first coat.  And, like every good fairy tale, we tell ourselves the second coat will be so much easier and go so much faster! 

 This is where I should confess that Ken and I have NEVER EXPERIENCED "EASIER" OR "FASTER" IN ANY HOUSEHOLD CHORE--EVER!

For instance, consider the next chore on our list:  2.  REPLACE TOILET PAPER HOLDERS IN TWO BATHROOMS.

In order to replace the toilet paper holder in the main floor bathroom, first we had to REMOVE the old holder, which appeared to be hanging on by the thread of a plastic screw insert, but turned out to be reluctant to leave the wall after all. Of course we couldn't find the right sized tiny wrench required to loosen the tiny screw to be able to remove the metal holder from the attachment. Eventually, exasperated, we just yanked it out of the wall.

Therefore, my next task was PATCH THE WALL, which, fortunately, I like doing.  Give me a spatula and some good spackling compound and I'm off and away!  

After letting that dry, I needed to re-paint the patched area, which meant I had to excavate the 5-gallon paint container from the depths below the work bench in the garage, stir it with my mixing attachment on the electric drill and lug it into the bathroom with a touch-up brush.  THAT job only took 30 seconds, but then back to the garage to attempt to replace the container in a space that seemed to have shrunk.

While the paint dried, we thought we'd tackle an "easy" couple of tasks:
3.  REPLACE LIGHT BULBS IN OUR CLOSET, and 4.  REPLACE FLORESCENT LIGHT BULBS IN GARAGE.

Off to Ace Hardware we went, list in hand, and realized, once we arrived, that we forgot the darn florescent bulbs. Having them in hand means we buy EXACTLY the size we need and we get to leave the burned out bulbs with Ace for recycling.  We finished purchasing our chore supplies, drove home, got the bulbs and returned to Ace.  Good news is that we're about five minutes away.  (This is important as the story continues.)

After returning home after Trip 2, we sadly realized that even after replacing all the bulbs the florescent light still didn't work!

After a good Google search, we determined that it was likely the "ballast," a part of a florescent light I had never even heard of!

This required Trip 3 to get a viable voltage tester and Trip 4 to try to get a replacement ballast--at which point we learned that this is "old technology" (words that strike fear in any home owner's heart!)  Translation:  You will never find an exact replacement!

After talking with three different lighting companies yesterday we now realize we have a couple of different options:  

1.  Modify existing four florescent lighting fixtures to accept LED lamps.
2.  Replace all four florescent lighting fixtures with newer fixtures.

It's about this time in every home fix-it project that I ask:

In order to feel like we accomplished "something" while we pursue the "replace florescent bulbs in garage," we focused on the task at hand.  Never been so proud.

Grand Tetons and Adventures!

Driving north of Rawlins, Wyoming, we began to see smoke drifting
southeast from fires in Shoshoni National Forest dear Dubois.

We welcomed August with a trip to Jackson, Wyoming!

Ken and I realized that we hadn't been to this delightful Wyoming tourist destination in a number of years, so when we were invited to join a group of friends in Jackson this summer we all accepted with gusto!!

As a Wyoming native, I used to make this trek to the Grand Tetons fairly regularly, so while this was a familiar journey across Wyoming it was also startlingly new.  Much of Wyoming seems timeless (and it is!), but much had changed since my last visit.

Once we left the rolling plains of Laramie and arrived in Rawlins, where we stopped for lunch, we could already discern the normally clear blue skies beginning to gray slightly from smoke that we erroneously thought were from the Cliff Creek Fire, about 30 miles southeast of Jackson. 

A helicopter carrying flame retardant flies toward the
Lava Mountain Fire near Dubois.

 As we left the Red Desert Basin heading north toward Dubois, we were surprised to see the levels of smoke increase, to the point where it was making visibility difficult and causing us to cough, even though all the car windows were closed.

This was a new lightning-caused fire, the Lava Mountain Fire, which we didn't know was burning when we decided on our route.

North of Dubois and the fire, the skies cleared almost immediately and it was a beautiful drive toward Moran Junction.

North of Dubois, the skies cleared for our journey toward Jackson.

  We all realized when we planned this trip that we would be in the heart of TOURIST SEASON, but I had forgotten how congested the road is into Jackson.  With only two lanes, it is heavily used with folks coming from Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.

Still, even though it was stop-and-go progress, it was breathtaking to once again see the beautiful Grand Tetons on one side of the car and the lush National Elk Refuge on the other.

Hello Grand Tetons!

 After a wonderful evening with our friends, we decided to reserve passage for a float trip down the Snake River the next afternoon.

It was an ideal day to be on the water--sunny, warm and with clear blue skies to see and appreciate the Grand Tetons!

Life vests and sunscreen--essential for an afternoon
on the beautiful Snake River.

We met our raft company not far from the Visitor's  Center in Grand Teton National Park (which we had enjoyed earlier) and rode upstream several miles to the launching site.

The best part about a float trip is that every seat is a GREAT seat in which to enjoy the Snake River.

It also helps to have a gregarious and strong rafting guide with a degree in environmental biology! Our group posed lots of questions about the river, the fish, the birds (including a Bald Eagle), the flora, the fauna and what it's like to live in Jackson. 

A gregarious and strong river guide is an asset--especially one
with a degree in environmental biology and a sense of humor!

Although there must be a zillion rafts on the Snake River, it felt like we had the water to ourselves--and, the big endless views as well.  

The Grand Tetons

About midway in our trip we turned a bend and there it was--the view of the Grand Tetons made even more famous by Ansel Adams, who photographed it from that very place on the Snake River!  Wow!

Imagine a perfect afternoon on the Snake River with the expanse of the Grand Tetons to the west
and you have our float trip experience.

Getting ready for the ride.

The next day the four women decided to book an hour's horseback ride in order to get that "real" Wyoming experience of seeing the world from the back of a horse.

Off into the adventure we go!

It was apparent even before we reached the riding stables that we had had the perfect ideal day yesterday in which to photograph the Grand Tetons.  Today, the wind had changed and smoky haze made it almost impossible to see the mountains at all!

It's difficult to see the mountains around Jackson with the smoky haze.

National Elk Refuge

As the horses came to the top of the dusty trail, the view below of the National Elk Refuge was stunning--even through the smoky haze of the two active forest fires.

An elk horn entrance to Jackson's city square provides an ideal space for two musicians.

Smoky greets visitors in Jackson.

Friends on vacation make for jovial traveling companions and we did our share of shopping; visited the National Museum of Wildlife Art (a most enjoyable and impressive collection to see); rode a gondola high above Teton Village for drinks and to hear a folk singer who played songs we all knew; took a day trip to Idaho to visit Driggs and Victor; and LOVED our concert at the Grand Teton Music Festival; dined at delicious places and spent evenings laughing and talking until late.

 As we returned from our day in Idaho, we stopped at the Big Kahuna observation deck to see WHITEWATER RAFTING, which we had talked about undertaking on our next trip to Jackson.

As we watched the rafts bob and bounce, we were reminded that it was a wise move to begin our adventure with a FLOAT TRIP.  

Never underestimate the power of the Snake River!