Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Merry Christmas!

This is going to be odds and ends of things that don't fit anywhere else, 
but I want to wish all my friends and family
Merry Christmas!!


Pretty iron heart candle holder from my friend Kim!
My Nisse that I made a long time ago...knit the clothes and then stuffed them. Super fine skis of tongue depressors and sticks of barbeque skewers.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Super fine skis of tongue depressors!





 My daughter took this picture of my 6 grandkids sitting on a log.
 It was taken in August when they all visited.
I think it is the only one I have of all 6 and it is pretty special to me.
Masquerade... finished for my youngest, Darcy, for her birthday.    
The pattern is from my daughter Tracy's Ink Circles.
I used all limited edition silks I had been
storing up. I love the colors from Carries Creation,
and the linen is Tarnish from Picture This Plus.

Have a Happy New Year too!!!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Thanksgiving to Birthday with a Gold Mine in the middle!





  
  What a fun vacation!                                                                                                    











Old bank vault door is now entrance to the mine
entrance to mine with wine cellar along sides






  

I flew to my son's in Nevada for Thanksgiving, then my daughter Darcy's family took me to northern Ca to visit their "cabin" with a gold mine on the property. We had a fantastic time in warm sunny weather. I was able to go way back in the mine. It has not been actively mined since the 30's.
It was owned by Germans until the 2nd world war and all the details of production and such were lost after the war. It was fun to see the old pick marks, left over cart rails and initials on the walls. I really love the beautiful design in the old bank vault door.
Just inside is a wine cellar with quite a few bottles in pipes aligned along the walls, perfect temp! It was pitch black inside so I was amazed how well my Cannon G10 flash lit up the walls, also in the later picture where I was knitting. The generator went off but I was pre warned and had my mine headlight. Again my camera lit up everything. It was REALLY
dark with no street or other lights!



    


tunnels go way back in and branch off


picked out roof

dates from in the 30's

My grandson mining, he is getting good at this!
curvy winding roads for miles to get there

view to west where my SIL proudly waves his flag!
living room with lots of deer, elk, moose horns and chandelier
 


 My children call this "the cabin" but I felt like it was a gorgeous hunting lodge!
Extremely comfortable.
Best view to capture the blazing sunset

antique bow and arrow

more antique tools

cozy kitchen



catch and release of 2 praying mantis, my grandkids

grandson with his bow

Darcy's chuck-it game after breakfast with Dex, Elsa and Leo

my "dog"grand child   6 month old Elsa

Leo and Elsa
Darcy climbing "the rope"

Knitting in the sun, even barefoot! it was so sunny
Truly tuff, continues to knit when generator was off  withmine headlight!

totem pole SIL carved for cabin/ gorgeous!

Birthday present from my 3 children, painting of my dogs! 
                       They were also featured in our local animal shelter calendar! Miss and Mr "January"
Daughter Darcy's beautiful table for my birthday dinner!
What a fantastic vacation! I was wiped out for a couple days after returning home.
I don't have quite the same energy as the 4 grandkids and 3 dogs!