Sticks,nuts and stain glass

 My son wanted a sign above his cabin bedroom. A few twigs and some nuts later this it what I gave him!

A head board for my cabin bed? Yep! you guessed it. I was lucky to grab this at a flea market! I just love the colors!

Momma doesn't always know best!

When my son kept getting his dirt bike hung up in the mud, well... I was bound and determined to show him how
"it" was done.
"Get off that dirt bike, I will show you". Yes.. those were my exact words.
Going through the mud holes was not the problem, stopping a run a way dirt bike was the problem! My jacket got stuck in the throttle and away I went! Going down a logging road at 50 mph is not my choice of excitement!
I had a split second decision to make. I could either choose to wreck the bike or go over a 30 foot drop off. I chose to wreck it, mainly because I really didn't see myself pulling a super stunt at 46 years of age. After digging the dirt and a stick out of my leg and packing mud on the wound, the bleeding finally stopped.

Little bit of Heaven

Every Friday I sat with anticipation waiting for the clock to hit 4pm. I lock my office door and hurry to my Jeep as fast as my legs can carry me. Why, you might ask? Because the mountains are calling me!
The silence in the mountains is hard to explain if you have never been there. You hear nothing but nature at its finest. You smell nothing but the scent of the trees and grasses beneath your feet. Night time in the mountains is so lovely that it almost takes your breath away! The stars are brighter, the air cooler and the moon seems larger.
Tree frogs sing their melodies through out the night and from a distance you can hear the barn owl calling for his mate.
It is Wednesday, Friday is right around the corner. My office door will be locked, keys in hand I will sprint to my Jeep with great joy.

The Rocking Chair

Oh! If this old rocking chair could speak the stories it could tell. My husband thought I was crazy when I drug this old chair to the cabin. The arm had fallen off and it was covered in dirt and spider webs, but it had a beauty hidden deep within it. The chair drew me to it, calling me with its unusual appeal. After a good cleaning and reattaching the arm I sat in it for a trial run.
The seat sat perfect and the arms were the right height. It was the most comfortable chair I had ever sat in. Better than any high price chair from a furniture store, it had found a new home.
This weekend I sat proudly in my old worn chair, running my fingers across the arms and imagining who probably sat in it from days gone by. How many babies had that chair put to sleep,  how many Bible stories were read while softly rocking? Who's tears had it helped soothe and sleepiness nights did it endure?
Yes, it has found a new home, on my cabin porch.

Third Mode of Transportation

Okay, me being the nature loving,tree hugging, environmentalist that I am...I bought two ATVS. I loved getting back to nature with my husband and son, but the Jeep could only take us so far.(Husband complained when I got it stuck) Now I can enjoy nature with my husband and son on the weekends. Neither one of them will ride a horse, they are absolutely scared of my four legged friends! Bobby fell off of one at age 12 and never got over the fear of riding. Zach was thrown from one at age 10 and swears he will never ride again.
An ATV is a bit different for me, I was always use to a dirt bike so I find this huge contraption tricky. Sure these things can go almost any where but not as well as my trusty stead. They are faster and will cover more ground, but unlike my horse they will tip over on if you lean just a certain way. Another down side to a ATV is the fact they eat gas and are louder than my horse.
I would rather load a 1,000 pound horse and saddle her up than load a ATV and have to buy gas. But the up side of the situation is now get to take my family along for the ride.
I guess it is worth it after hearing my husband say," I had the most fun I have had a very long time."

Nature is free

I think paying $20 for a grape vine wreath is a bit of a rip off. It took me about 1 hour to make this after gathering the grapevine in the forest around our cabin.. Didn't cost me a dime, just my time, and that was well spent!

From the Past

I was on one of my many adventures and came across an old barn that had fallen in. Being the curious sort that I am I began to look around. Low and behold in the debris I caught a glimpse of a metal can! With a little digging and much dirt under my nails, I uncovered my treasure! I can only imagine the hands that once filled these old watering cans.
Did the hands belong to woman? Did she carry water to her garden,chickens or flowers?
They are now hanging proudly on my picket fence at the cabin safely away from the fallen barn.

My Son

My son came into this world smiling, no kidding! This little boy looked at me and produced the biggest smile I have ever seen. The nurse said it was just from gas, but I have to tell you, I have never smiled when I had gas.

He has never stopped smiling, he has the best since of humor one could ever ask for. He is a "do gooder" , always wanting to please and do the right thing. His heart is made of pure gold, and always tries to see the good in everyone. 

He never ceases to amaze me with his since of humor and his quirky little ways. I know he will grow into a fine gentleman someday.

My Daughter

When I was raising my daughter I thought it was the hardest job I ever had and would often wonder if I was raising her right.
She was a little girl with a since of adventure. If it was a challenge, well she was up for it!
She loved tea parties and Barbie dolls, but you could also find her playing in the dirt with her cars and trucks.
 She could be a little lady one day and a tom boy the next.
My little girl is all grown up now. I can honestly say I have no doubt that I raised her right..

AWWWW spring time

The weather man said the temperatures were going to be in the 70's tomorrow! Oh wow! I truly can't wait to be able to walk out of the house without freezing too death!
Kentucky weather is so unpredictable. Raining one hour, snowing the next and maybe a tornado thrown in there some where. Our weather gets weirder by the years, or is it that I am just older and tend to watch it more.
When you are a little kid the weather means nothing. If it snows, GREAT. If it rains, GREAT. If it is 100 degrees out, GREAT. Kids don't care what kind of weather we have, they always seem to find something to do with it.
Snow means no school and snow ball fights. Rain simply means flooded ditches and creeks, great for making a mess! When the temperatures soars to 100 degrees and sweat is running down your legs, well... to a kid, that just means they have to lick those Popsicles a bit faster.
Maybe I need to start thinking like a kid again. Maybe I should not care what the weather is doing outside and just be glad I am a live to witness its ever changing status.
Being middle age puts life in a whole different perspective, doesn't it?

wash or warsh

Okay, so I am pretty aware of the fact that wash does not have an R in it. I might be a bit country but I am by no means ignorant. Yes, I slip up sometimes and throw an extra letter in a common word. I can't help it, just my accent.
It really gets my goat when a another adult points out your mis pronunciations. I am sure they are not the most perfect human alive.
So, with that being said, I have some "warshing to get done".

Timber Rattler

What do you do with a 5 foot Timber Rattler? You skin it, make a few belts and if your from Kentucky you eat the rest! Hey! don't knock it until you try it.. taste like chicken!

Instant table

When I was a little girl this fan sat proudly on my grandparents table. My grandfather used this fan on the L&N caboose. This fan has to weigh about 30 pounds or more! The blades are solid brass and would most likely cut your arm off when in full motion!
I purchased the three suitcases at a yard sale several years ago... it all just kinda pulled together.

Painted animals on just about anything.

Painting Rocks

I find myself looking at all rocks and seeing animals. Big rocks, little rocks... it is a constant obsession.

Stepping stone for a friend.

I was ask to paint a Ky Wildcat on a huge slab of concrete... this is the end result.
People in Kentucky actually think a U.K. ball game is a National holiday. They stop everything they are doing to stay glued to the television set.
Me, on the other hand have to admit I really am not that into it. I do love to paint the cat though!

Cate's Gap

Sometimes in life you will come across a "Cate's Gap". Full of briar's, brush, rocks and straight down hill. How you get through that "Cate's Gap" is entirely up to you. You can maneuver through it complaining, stumbling and falling or you can get off your high horse, grab a stick and carefully make your way down it.
Giving up is not an option, if you give up you are left at the top of the hill while every one else moves on.
I compare life challenges with "Cate's Gap", hard to go through but rewarding when you finally get to the end.
Don't let life's briar's, rocks and steep hills keep you from reaching your goals.
Get off that horse, grab a large stick and take the challenge!

I am not one who talks a lot about my better half, mainly I guess because I figure know one really cares.
I think I will take this time to brag a bit on the man in my life.
I met him almost 30 years ago, I never thought in a million years I would have married him.
Of course we never know what life has in store for us, that is the excitement of living, I guess.
We fell in love and married 13 years ago, he was my salvation.
My husband loves me for who I am, which is saying a lot!
He is quite, hates my off road "sunday drives", horses, and hiking.
I am loud, talkative and would rather take the road no one travels
We are complete opposites and it seems to work.
Two years ago I became very ill, a routine "less evasive operation" turned into a total nightmare for me.
Honestly, I didn't think I would pull through, I found myself at the gates of pure hell.
But my husband, whom I have referred to as my knight in wrangler jeans pulled me through.
His undivided devotion, his sleepless nights, his loving touch and his quite prayers brought me back to my health once again.
He might not be wealthy, drive a Porsche, buy me diamonds and furs, but to me he is the richest man alive.

Good Grief, SMILE!

If you don’t like the way you’re feeling, act as you’d like to feel—and your feelings will change. It’s uncanny.

So if you want to have warmer relationships with people, act more warmly.

When I meet someone, I try to imagine that he or she is a long-last pal from yesteryear. Not only does this strategy make me feel more friendly to that person, it also makes that person feel more friendly in return.

In a nutshell: by acting friendly, we make ourselves feel more friendly, and as a consequence, others respond in a friendly way.

When I was in sixth grade, my classroom had a poster that said, “If you want to make a friend, be a friend.” I guess that just because a piece of advice can be found on a Snoopy poster doesn’t mean that it’s not worth trying.

Grandparents

I was so blessed to have my granddaddy with me until I was 41. Granddaddy passed away at the age of 95, having lived a long and wonderful life.
He born on St. Patricks Day in 1909 in Indian Territory Oklahoma. He was the last of his brothers and sisters to pass away and he passed with the dignity that he so much honored in his life.
Granddaddy retired from the L&N railroad after my Grandmother passed away at the young age of 59. He loved to travel and kept busy traveling between Oklahoma and Kentucky until his age slowed him down.
Granddaddy came to Kentucky with his family in 1923-24 by way of a Prairie Schooner, or covered wagon.
He said it took them 6 months to make it to Kentucky and along the way he seen his first automobile.
His parents suffered many hardships while he was growing up, but I think it made him all the more determined to prevail in is life.

Why horses are better then men..

1. A horse understands why shoes must come in sets of four
2. If a horse starts to stray, all you have to do is throw a rope over their neck.
3. A horse feels no need to sew his oats. He simply eats them.
4. You can lead a horse to water, but a man will insist on driving and get hopelessly lost
5. Next to a horse, a man must feel some how inadequate.
6. Horses are into a "stable" relationship
7. A woman can always be sure that her horse is properly groomed.
8. Horses are easier to "saddle"
9. A horse is never too busy to spend time with you
10. You can ride a horse all day long and will never get a complaint.

Spring time at the cabin

The grass is slow to arrive but the buttercups have sprouted up quickly. Hello Spring, I am so glad to see you have finally made it!

Brown packing paper

Faux leather with brown paper, the kind you use for shipping packages make a inexpensive wall covering.
Simply dip the paper in wall paper paste and hang it on the wall by tearing it in pieces and randomly places it one piece over the other. Quick and easy and fools the eye!

The washing machine

I complained about doing laundry. I hated the chore, fussed every time the laundry start piling up.
It was not until I lovingly hung my grandmother's wash board on the wall of my cabin that I realized how easy my laundry task was.
She was the mother of 9children, she washed their clothing every Monday on this wash board. Scrubbing away over a metal wash tub one item at a time.
Complain? Not anymore.

A pile of baling twine

What can you make with a bile of baling twine? A swing of course.
Yes, this took me days to accomplish, but during the winter that is all you have... long cold days!

Old Cabinet revived

What do you do with an old cabinet? Paint it of course!

My Daddy

When I was a little girl I had a Sunday school teacher who told me, "Angels walk with us everyday, you never know when you are talking to one."
I went home that afternoon and like always sat across from my Daddy at the supper table. I watched him eat, smiling, joking as usual and my mind began to drift. I can remember thinking that my Daddy had to be a earthly angel. After all , I thought, he never cussed, drank, smoked and never raised his voice. Angels, I was sure were perfect beings. Could my Daddy possibly be an angel sent by God to walk with me?
My Daddy is a remarkable man, not just because he is my Daddy, but because he is truly remarkable.
He worked as a business manager at IBM for years, he farmed on the side and always took the time to teach us well. He taught us about God, work ethics, morals, dignity and responsibility. He taught me to always give and never expect anything in return, he taught me to love people and always try to look for the good in them.
I guess that is why I am in the profession I am in today.
My Daddy taught me to never give up, always pray and not to cry over spilt milk. Thank you Daddy for being  there always when I needed you. Thank you for calming me down when I needed calming and always saying a prayer for me.

Cowgirl Cabin: The Love of friends

Cowgirl Cabin: The Love of friends

The Love of friends

Every one should have close friends. I believe having close friends keeps you sane.
You share with them your trials and tribulations,laughter, pain, but most of all your heart and an ear.
I have a rather diverse group of women friends. Some are loud, some are quite. Some have master degrees, some 4 bachelor degrees and some have no degrees at all.
Some are nurses, insurance adjusters, human resource managers, teachers, physiologic experts, some are social workers, mothers and doctors. Some drink moonshine, some drink coffee, some smoke, some don't. Some could cuss a sailor under the ship, some would never cuss!
But all these women have one thing in common, ME!

I love my diverse group of women friends....

Cowgirl shirt

When I was 8 years old my mother bought a cowgirl outfit for me.
Oh! the places I went wearing this outfit!
I was Calamity Jane on my next adventure.
I was Annie Oakley shooting cans with my play gun.
I was the Lone Rangers nemesis.
I was the star in the Rodeo.
This little outfit has taken me more places than I could have ever imagined, now it hangs proudly in my cabin in the woods.

Snow in March!

Sitting here at home by the fire I suddenly realize winter is not over! The snow is coming down steady and the temperature is dropping by the hour.
My little Buttercups seem to shiver against the cold wind, as if they are saying, "Where did the sun go?"
The apple trees are sulking, I guess they are thinking the same thing! Just hope they don't decide to bloom to early!

window shutter from second hand store

second hand store window shutters with some linen and a pillow sham worked rather well in my cabin bedroom, cost... a mere $2.

New life for old cabinets

Found these old kitchen cabinets in a barn that belonged to my cousin.. a little elbow grease and I have cabinets!
Found the ceiling light at a second hand store, in the process of making the lamp shades for the bulbs. I wrapped the light chain in material to hide the chain.

hand made paper earrings

Hand made paper earrings.

National Geographic wall

quick chair covers

Antique ironing board takes on a new life

A door takes on a new life

Take an old door thrown in a barn, and well, turn it into a barn door!