ASTER-tastic and MUM-alisious

I love all seasons, but fall is my favorite. Cool, less humid air is a welcome change from the hot steamy summer and flowers!!! Oh flowers!!! I LOVE, LOVE the colors of fall. The mums and asters.... did I mention the colors!
Here are a few pics from yesterday, just me and my camera, taking it all in....

DAYDREAM - Aster

PRISCILLA - Garden Mum

TANAGOR?- Aster

PUFF - Aster

PRISCILLA - Aster

GINGER - Garden Mum

DAYDREAM - Aster

TANAGOR ?- Aster

So guess what I am doing today???? PLANTING......... outside all day.... just me and my flowers! Have a wonderful, colorful day!!!

TWO NEW......

I have been promoting the blogworld to two people that have enjoyed reading blogs and wanted to get started with their own. When I started my blog back in April, Sharon at Sweet Repose, held my hand for a bit while I was getting it set up and helped me tweek all the little parts that nearly made me cuss.
Since April, I have met some of sweetest, kindest people, who have literally become my cyber friends.
So, in order to keep the circle going, I have tried to spread my passion for this extension of friendship to others.

Piper, at Friends Candle Shed, had a blog started and just needed a little nudge to take some pics and get going. Please stop by her blog and see all the things that are flying out of her head and into wood, jars, etc. She is one of the most talented people I know in the creativity dept. Ya know, Sharon at Sweet Repose, and how talented she is...... yea,,,,, Piper, is her little apple that didn't fall far from the tree..... These two people ooze talent!!!! and humor comes along with it... I like being around them, they keep the spirit positive and their energy and passion for fun is inspiring!

Maria, at Hilltop Greenhouses, is the same fun loving kind of person. She is full of ambition and is in full swing with Mum Season. Her place is so inviting and her spirit is fun to be around. She was so excited in getting a blog started, we carved out a little spot of time last week and got her up and running in no time. Because she always has 5 things going at all times, she may not be able to post as often, but, I think you will always find her posts to be enjoyable.

SO GO TO THESE TWO NEW BLOGS, SUPPORT THEM WITH COMMENTS (we all love comments) AND ADD YOUR NAME TO THEIR FOLLOWERS LISTS. YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!!!

WHEAT STONE

I have been wanting to post this stone for some time, but because it was a commissioned stone for a gift, I held off until the gift was given. This stone was my biggest challenge yet. The request was an anniversary gift stone for a family that raises wheat.


I found this clipart and blew it up and asked if this idea would work. Then I found the color of glass that I thought I could make work.


I started cutting, cutting, and cutting. The more I did, the more I liked how it was coming along. This is after all the pieces were cut.





I held my breathe, said a prayer, and poured the cement. Oh,,, I was nervous!!!!! But I was pleased with the outcome. This is a 12 inch stone....


It was shipped and received and I am so glad that the person who ordered it was happy that it turned out the way she wanted it to.


If anyone is interested in a stepping stone, please email me at lrick4444@yahoo.com with your request. I like to have a month in advance notice, so I have time to create the design, cut, pour and cure the stone...

SHOUT OUT SATURDAY, KATHLEEN DALRYMPLE-GLASS ARTIST

This is Shout Out Saturday, and I would like to feature an artist from Texas who I have discovered in this blogworld. Kathleen Dalrymple - Glass Artist.
Kathy is a member of the Society of American Mosaic Artists, the Texas Glass Artists Association, the International Guild of Glass Artists, and the Weatherford Art Association. She is also represented by Artisans of Rocky Hill Gallery in Fredricksburg, Texas, and by Studio 2600 in Dallas, Texas.
Kathy's art is absolutely amazing! She does many things, but what attracted me, was her glass on glass work. I have had the great fortune of Kathy contacting me after I emailed her with some questions. Not only is her talent so extraordinary, but she is as sweet as can be with a real passion for glass work.
As many of us say, I sure wish I lived closer to her. I would love to see her art in person. Maybe someday! But for now, please go to her blog and view her incredible work!!!!

So this little 5x7 was my first attempt in understanding the art of glass on glass. I had so much fun, but there are some tricks and some kinks to work out...

I love it when the sun shines through...


I just love learning new ways to do ALTERED GLASS!!!

Please visit Kathy's blog. You will be amazed as much I was....

If you have a new way to feature stained glass, please contact me at lrick4444@yahoo.com.
I would love to learn something different and feature you on Shout Out Saturday.

EVERY YEAR AT THIS TIME MY HEART HURTS SO MUCH FOR THE TRAGEDY OF 9/11.
I HOPE EVERYONE REMEMBERS THE FAMILIES IN PRAYER.
I DECIDED NOT TO POST REGARDING THE EVENT THAT CHANGED SO MANY LIVES, BUT I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW IT IS MY MAIN THOUGHT FOR THE DAY!
GOD BLESS AND BE WITH ALL THOSE WHO ARE AND WERE AFFECTED BY THE DAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2001.

BREAKFAST

Every year we (our church) has a Labor Day Breakfast! It is a wonderful get together, breakfast by donation and a car wash by the Youth Group. This year was a great success.


The morning started out just beautiful. I was up to the church at 5:00 am. along with several others. After we poured coffee into each other we got the show going....


Robert kept the hungry people orderly upstairs while the little elves were cooking downstairs.


The tables were set, all forks and knives ready...


These guys were cooking the whole hog sausage from Reason's Locker... This is the best sausage...

These are the kitchen people. I thought I would bring a little color to the bunch!!! Three scrambled egg people, one egg cracker and one sausage gravy maker (actually Laura, second from the last) did a little bit of everything. She's the organizer.

We served soooo many, 300+, we ran out of biscuits, but that didn't stop Laura.

She whipped up homemade biscuits for an extra 50 people as opposed to telling them sorry we ran out. Then we ran out of gravy, but that didn't stop Laura.

She whipped up another pot of homemade gravy rather than disappoint people.

Nothing phases this woman!!! She just goes with the flow, leading the pack!!!

These people served the crowd, plus a few others missing in the picture. Then there was a whole crew that cleaned tables and reset them and a few others that filled the plates full of homemade rolls, muffins, breads, etc.

All in all, there are quite a few, 25-30, people that worked the Breakfast and another 10 that did the Car Wash.

I love it when our whole church works together for one cause all for the glory of God.

Praise be to God....

LABOR DAY BREAKFAST

Each year our church does a fundraiser, Labor Day Breakfast. This, my folks, is the-best-breakfast! And because I am a carb lover, I am in sweet roll heaven. All homemade, with the best sausage on the side..... The diet is on hold today.

My contribution this year....

BLUEBERRY SCONES

2 C. flour

1/4 C. sugar

1 Tbl. baking powder

1/4 teas. salt

1/4 teas. baking soda

1 Tbl. grated orange or lemon zest (I used orange)

1/4 C. butter/margarine (I used margarine)

3/4 C. buttermilk or plain yogurt (I used buttermilk)

1 egg

1 teas. vanilla

1-2 c. blueberries (I used fresh)

Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender, until fine.

Mix the wet ingredients in another bowl then add to the dry ingredients, stirring with a fork until all the mixture has been moistened. Fold in the blueberries.

I try not to mix any more than I have to.

Drop by large spoonfuls onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and flatten a little so the dough is not mounded.

Bake at 400 for 18 minutes.

This recipe comes from the Blog, What Matters Most? Anneliese's Low Fat Blueberry Scones.

Well, I'm out the door! I am one of the scrambled egg people, so gotta get,,,,,,, ya know,,,,

Chop, Chop, daylight's a burnin'!!!! (not really, it is pitch black out!)

Have a great Labor Day....