Maintaining My Sanity

Posted on 25/01/2016 by Grumpa Joe

During the course of the year I escape to various places within the house and property to become recluse and meditate.

Beginning in September it is my wood shop. In April it is my garden. Both have a soothing effect on my brain and relieve my inner stresses. This season in the wood shop I managed to eke out five intarsia projects of which I am proud. The next project involves the Lions Club. It is outside the home and will probably add to the stress rather than to relieve it. Tomorrow my club begins vision screening children to identify potential eye problems. I’ve been practicing with the instrument which is a camera and computer rolled into one. So far, all I have managed is to get error codes. It seems the device does not work well on adults. Hopefully, tomorrow I will get good results on actual kids.

In the meantime, here are some photos of my winter projects. Several have been displayed on my blog before, but there are new ones in this album.

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Phalaenopsis Orchid November, 2015

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Rose, October, 2015

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Sunflower-September, 2015

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Calla Lily December, 2015

 

 

 

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Cardinal on Blossoms January, 2016

 

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The Gift-Part 6-Transformation

Posted on 24/12/2012 by Grumpa Joe

The Gift-Part 6-Transformation

Early the next morning, Morty got up, brushed his teeth, combed his curl, and ate breakfast. It was time. He found the tree stand and placed it in the corner of his tiny room.

“Stand straight Connie,” he said as he filled the bowl with sugar water to give Connie strength.

“You have an important duty ahead.”

“I have to play Christmas tunes while we decorate.” Morty tuned in to the Choir of Heavenly Angels over his boom box to play carols.

Morty sang with the music. He strung the lights onto each branch, making sure that the spacing was even.

The rabbit and the birds helped by hanging the popcorn garland. The Sparrow held one end of the garland while the Cardinal held it farther down the string. The Chickadee held a third spot. They flew in unison carrying the garland. Gently, they lowered the popcorn garland onto the branches. The beads came next.

“I wish Brad were here to help,” said Morty. “His muscles would be a great help with these heavy beads. They are too heavy for the birds. I have to drape them carefully to make them look pretty.”

As he worked, he hummed Silent Night, his favorite Christmas carol.

“Sing with me Connie.”

“Si – lent night, Ho – ly night,

All is calm. All is bright.

Round yon Vir – gin Moth – er and child!

Ho – ly in – fant so ten – der and mild,

Sleep in heav – en – ly peace,

Sleep in heav – en – ly peace.”

They sang together as they worked.

“After we finish with Connie, we can prepare for the party tonight.”

What a happy group they were. The Cardinals, Chickadee, Rabbit and Morty were all decorating the tree for Jesus.

“Almost finished,” said Morty. “Birds, please carry the crystal star and place it on Connie’s top stem.”

“Now, for the final touch, we have to hang the tinsel. It is a great job for birds,” he said.

All three birds began immediately, and carried tinsel like they carried grass to build a nest. They hovered above a branch and carefully lowered the silver strands down.

“You can be proud Connie. You are beautiful and will make Jesus happy on his birthday.

To be continued . . ..

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The Gift-Part 5-Reminiscing

Posted on 23/12/2012 by Grumpa Joe

The Gift-Part 5-Reminiscing

The scoot home took a long time, and Morty deliberately kept Skye out of hyper-drive. He drove slowly to keep the little tree from tearing off. They talked as he drove.

“The farmer planted me as a seed eight years ago. I became a sapling quickly, and was transplanted into a new field.”

Connie jabbered away as Morty drove.

“Farmer Jim re-planted me again when I reached sapling stage. He put me into the field where his great, great, great, great-grandfather grew up. I went thirsty during the drought, and the hot summer nearly fried my needles. I liked winter best. I loved when the snow covered my boughs and they drooped to the ground.”

“I’ve been a Guardian Angel since the beginning of time,” said Morty. “My duty is to watch over Brad. I love watching kids the best.”

“My favorite job is to take care of birds. The cardinals and chickadees picked me this year. They built their nests deep in my boughs to hide it from predators.  I couldn’t believe how many trips they made with string, and twigs from all over the farm. Red Cardinal and his wife Rosy brought the pieces one by one. Rosy wove them into place, and pasted it all together with mud from the pond.”

“I loved to watch the Cardinals fly back and forth to feed their babies. They slept between meals, but made a lot of noise when they woke up. The kids chirped loudly until a parent came with food. One day, a cat came into my field. Rosy covered the nest with her body, and spread her wings to hide them. Red buzzed the cats’ ears to get his attention away from the babies. I dropped my boughs over the nest to give them more protection. Everything became very still while the cat was there. All the trees around me watched him stalk; his head was low, and his shoulders in a crouch. After what seemed like an eternity of stillness, the cat finally wandered off.”

Morty arrived home after dark. He untied Connie’s branches and set him upright into a bucket of water.

“Tomorrow,” he said, “I will place you into a tree stand, and dress you for the birthday party. Now it is time for all of us to rest.”

To be continued . . .

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The Gift (A serial, part 7)

Posted on 21/12/2009 by Grumpa Joe
The Gift (A serial, part 7)
” Let’s add the tinsel. It adds glitter to a tree,” he told the birds.
“We have to hang each strand carefully. I don’t want Connie to look like the bird nest that is in the top branches near the trunk.”
Morty placed an ornament into the nest. As they hung the strands they continued to hum Silent Night. When the last strand was in place, They stood back and admired their creation. It was Morty’s gift to the Baby Jesus on His birthday. Morty switched on the lights, and Connie came to
life.
“I feel so wonderful,” said Connie, “you made me look beautiful. I hope Baby Jesus likes me.” Morty said to rabbit,  “cover the tree stand to add the final touch.”
The next job was to assemble the nativity scene in a special place. Morty picked a small table right next to the tree. He wanted the nativity to be where he, and all of his friends would easily see it. He cleaned the table, and covered it with his best tablecloth. Lovingly, he placed the stable, and the figures into position on the table. He handled each figure with special care and gentleness. The nativity was complete when Morty put the last lamb near a kneeling shepherd.

To be continued . . . .

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The Gift (A serial, part six)

Posted on 20/12/2009 by Grumpa Joe
The Gift (A serial, part 6)
Early the next morning, Morty got up, brushed his teeth, combed his curl, and ate breakfast. It was time. He found the tree stand and placed it in the corner of his tiny room. Next, he placed Connie into the stand, and filled it with sugar water to give him strength while he was on duty for the party. Before Morty started hanging the lights, he turned on the boom-box to play Christmas carols just as he promised Connie.
Morty sang with the music as he hung the lights onto each branch, making sure that the spacing was even. The rabbit and the birds helped decorate by hanging the popcorn garland. The sparrow held one end of the garland while the cardinal held it farther down the string. The Chickadee held a third spot. They flew up in unison carrying the garland. Gently, they lowered the popcorn garland onto he branches. The beads came next. Morty could have used Benjamin’s help with these because the beads were too heavy for the birds. Draping the beads to look pretty took great care.
As he worked, he hummed his favorite Christmas carol, “Silent Night,” and taught him the words.
“Si – lent night, Ho – ly night,
All is calm. All is bright.
Round yon Vir – gin Moth – er and child!
Ho – ly in – fant so ten – der and mild,
Sleep in heav – en – ly peace,
Sleep in heav – en – ly peace.”
They sang together as Morty, and his friends hurried to finish, because the celebration is tonight. What a happy group it was decorating the tree for Jesus.
Morty was proud of the way Connie looked when the trimming was done. He had one final ornament to place on Connie’s top stem. Morty asked the birds to carry the shiny star to the very top. He told them to place it on the peak of the tree.
“Well Connie,” said Morty, “you can be proud. You are beautiful and will make Jesus happy on his birthday.

To be continued. . . .

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