down to one...

This summer, I'm doing just ONE outdoor craft show.

Salida Art Walk

just a few blocks from my little house

Why only one?
Well, let's see.....There was the year that two weekends in a row brought torrential rains all day, both days. One show was in Boulder where we sat in a freezing, dripping tent all day. No customers came. Why would they? And then there was the long drive home, shivering and soaked to the bone. The following weekend in Conifer, we slogged around in our tent, up to our ankles in standing water, and had to dig a trench so the water could flow out.
In a previous post I believe I mentioned the two years in a row that it snowed on the 4th of July in Frisco, Colorado (elevation 9042 feet). One year when it didn't snow, we arrived on the morning of day two of the show to find our tent laying crumpled on the ground, a victim of fierce winds the night before.

Okay, not all craft shows are fraught with weather disasters. Ninety percent of the shows I've done over the years have been great fun and happily quite profitable. Meeting the customers and hearing them oohh and aahh over the jewelry is enough of an energy boost to keep me going for an entire winter of solitary sitting at the work table. When the sun is shining and the crowds are happy and especially if there is music near by, it's just the best! I'm getting a little misty eyed just thinking of how enjoyable it can be.
That said though, the sometimes very long drives (everything is far from Salida), expensive entry fees (all of which, it seems, have to be paid in January!), and crazy amount of inventory that needs to be made in advance of the summer season, have made me step back over the last few years and concentrate on selling wholesale.
It's not as much fun as a good day at a craft show but it's never the disaster that some shows are.

So, I am down to one.

Not that the wind doesn't blow or the rain doesn't fall at Art Walk. One year I heard another vendor refer to it as the Annual Art Swim! But it's close to home. It's friendly. It's fun, even when it does rain. The fabulous gals at Fabulous Finds Emporium, who provide me with high-traffic sidewalk space every year, are quick to invite me inside if the weather turns foul. And inside, there are snacks and plenty of wine, so getting rained out just turns into a (fabulous) party.

I'd love to see you all there! But if you do come to Colorado during the summer, plan on bringing umbrellas and boots. Oh, and don't forget coats and hats and gloves!

the legend closes

lunching at The Legend on closing day
...from the A-Basin mountain cam...

Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, aka A-Basin, aka "The Legend" closed for the season today with 2 inches of new snow falling in the last few hours. Located in my previous home of Summit County, Colorado, A-Basin's base elevation is 10,780 feet and the altitude at the summit is 13,050 feet, making it the highest skiable terrain on the north-American continent. The Legend opened for the 07-08 ski season on October 10th of last year and the next ski season is scheduled to begin in just 18 weeks.

one less thing...

The microwave quit working. Just quit. The light and the fan came on. It sounded like it was working. The glass plate went round and round. But the food stayed cold.
Such creatures of habit are we that my first thought was "must run immediately to the big WM store and get another".
But, wait. What do I actually use it for?
:: to warm coffee that has gone cold. But then I forget to drink it anyway.
:: for popcorn. I love Orvilles' Movie Theater popcorn! Part of my high fat, high sodium diet. And then I pick shards out of my teeth for days afterward. Could I live without it? Possibly.
:: and there are THESE! Oh how I crave them on dreary winter days. Then every spring I need to lose 10 pounds to get back into my summer clothes. (In looking for the link, I found I could order these by the case! Good thing I didn't know this before the microwave quit).

Well, I put the dead microwave in the shed, not having the heart to put it in the trash and have it end up in the landfill. What DO you do with a dead appliance anyway?

Then I filled in the empty space on my counter with useful things.

And - surprise - I have not missed that microwave one little bit.

plumber #1 to the rescue!

Continuing on from the tale of woe in my last post, where we were left with a cliff-hanger ending......

Turns out Plumber #2's snake wasn't large enough - er - let me rephrase that and explain.

My flooding problem was a simple case of a clogged line somewhere between my house and the alley and since I live downhill from my neighbor, water flowing from there had no where to go but to seep up around my toilet and flood my floor.

Plumber #2 insisted the problem was that Plumber #1 had not installed the toilet properly back when the house was remodeled - sometime in the last century. But it seems that story was just to throw suspicion off the fact that his equipment was too small - er - let me rephrase that again. His roto-rooter machine simply wasn't powerful enough to completely clear the clog. Rather than admit his short comings - well - you know how it is, don't you ladies.

So Plumber #1, I'm pleased to say, has a new assistant - a nice kid from a good family that has been in the neighborhood for, oh, 30 years or so. (I'm of the opinion that Plumber #1 probably could get more work done if only he's spare his callers all the details).

If Plumber #2 had not called into question the workmanship of Plumber #1, then Plumber #1 might never have responded to me at all, but I believe his pride was at stake. He patiently explained to me that "All them toilets in them old houses down there in that part of town was done that a-way and they work just fine and it's just them pipes down there are old and cracked what with all them roots from all them big trees down there and this kinda stuff's just gonna happen from time to time and it's got nuthin at all to do with the way them toilets was set". (Well, that's the short version).

Plumber #2, he said, was incorrect in his assessment of the situation (not in so many words exactly) - more like "He just don't know how things was done down there in that part of town back then cuz he only just come up here from Maysville a couple-a years ago, ya know, after him and his misses got divorced, and he don't know nuthin 'bout them old pipes down there".

So, to prove the point, Plumber #1 sent his new assistant - a very nice kid indeed, who called me "ma'am" at the end of every sentence. He had Very Large, turbo-charged, industrial-size roto-rooter equipment - twice the size of Plumber #2's dinky little slinky - and with that, the clog was cleared, the flood has ended and my neighbor and I are both singing in the shower again (not together, but we can hear each other sometimes).

There are two morals to this story:
1. It's better to live at the top of the hill than at the bottom.
2. Never believe the stories told to you by a man whose equipment has failed to get the job done.

torn between two plumbers

Well, there were two. There are many more now.

Every time my neighbor takes a shower, I end up with a lake on my bathroom floor.

So, I called Plumber #1, who was highly recommended by a friend. Plumber #1, however, was not able to take on any work because his trusted assistant plumber had left town suddenly and without notice after discovering that his girlfriend was running around with another man. Since he was over-booked and under-staffed, Plumber #1 suggested I call Plumber #2.

I did, and Plumber #2 came right over and attempted to fix the problem. But, alas, it was not fixed and when I called him again to report this, he suggested I call Plumber #1, because it was his shoddy work way back when, that has caused this in the first place. While not using those words exactly, I called Plumber #1 again and asked if he could resolve the problem. He was very unhappy that Plumber #2 had called his work into question and I got the sense that I would get nowhere with Plumber #1. Both plumbers, however, did tell me to call them back in the morning, but I knew they were just leading me on.

Realizing I had innocently placed myself squarely in the middle of a showdown between Plumber #1 and Plumber #2, the next morning I called Plumber #3, who came right over.

Plumber #3 was as nice as he could be, but wondered why I had not called Plumber #1. I had, I said, as well as Plumber #2, but I was done with both of them and was pinning my hopes on Plumber #3. Well, this was not his area of expertise, Plumber #3 told me, but he placed phone calls to Plumber #4 and Plumber #5, leaving messages for both of them to get in touch with me. And with that, Plumber #3 bid me farewell and wished me luck.

I waited all day for Plumber #4 and Plumber #5 to call, but they never did. So, I called Plumber #6, whose wife immediately summoned him to the phone. However, he did not think the course of action recommended by Plumber #3 was the right course and I should call Plumber #2 and ask him to have another go at it. And he too, inquired whether I had called Plumber #1.

Seems Plumber #1, who had been left short handed on account of his helpers no-good cheatin' girlfriend, was indeed Plumber #1 on everyone's list! I was beginning to think he held the key to all plumbing wisdom and could perform any kind of plumbing miracle. (Even though this was contrary to the opinion of Plumber #2.)

So, with some trepidation, I again called Plumber #1. My call was answered by Mrs. Plumber #1, who had such a very heavy accent that I was only able to understand a few words during the ten minutes we were on the phone together. (It seemed like so much longer). I was able to make out that she was talking about the poor huddled masses out there that are in dire need of a plumber - homes with children and poor frustrated mothers at wit's end and losing hope - people who were far worse off than me. I got the impression that Plumber #1 was so much in demand that he would never be able to come to my aid. However, his wife said she would be sure to have him call me, but I know he never will.

I don't have a plumber.
It's just me and my mop, alone, waiting for a miracle.

Maybe today?

heavy metal

hot and spicy rust

I love that the owners of this fine old Chevy have it proudly on display in front of their house, where they say it is photographed often.

.......some other beauties on display in town........

cloud reflections on a vintage Airstream trailer
and how 'bout that green!
....ooohhh, gorgeous....

Be still my heart!


rural camouflage...lol
blending in among the trees and clouds and sky


If I owned this,
I too would line its path with tulips.
Wouldn't you?

old brick

Leadville, Colorado, at an elevation of 10,152 feet, is the highest incorporated city in the US.

I drive through it on my way to Summit County, my former home in the mountains. Sometimes I stop for breakfast or to wander around. I should spend more time there with my camera. It's a magical place for someone whose favorite things are weathered wood, peeling paint, rust and old brick.

walking around

It's great to be home again.

The view from here is sweet ,
as is the summer weather we are having.
I've been walking around taking pictures
and will post some here in the coming days.

spring...

Back on March 17th, I wrote a little post noting the first day of spring was coming and that meant only two more months of snow in the mountains.
You thought perhaps that I was just being funny.
No laughing matter really, after living for so many years up where the winter never ends.
The central Colorado mountain are under a winter storm warning today.
For all my dear friends who still live there, this is not funny. Folks up there are beginning to get a little cranky.
For me though, I smile to finally be 2500 feet downhill, where the grass is green and the flowers are blooming and my only regret is that I didn't move years sooner.

...ah, but it is beautiful...
This picture, from the Arapahoe Basin mountain camera,
was taken yesterday morning.
(Yes, the ski area is still open).

this morning...6am

I'm sure my 'weather in the mountains' posts are getting old, but
I mention it maybe to vent my frustration because I have to drive up there again in the next week. My shops are ready to stock up for summer (if it ever comes) and I'm waiting out yet another storm before getting on the road.
But this storm, too, shall pass and the sun will come out and the drive will be beautiful and the locals may even be smiling...
(assuming there are any left that have not fled to the Bahamas).

waiting out the storm

I'm waiting out yet another snow storm in the mountains before heading out on my next trip.

Keystone Ranch Golf Course - Thursday, April 17 - 6 am
From the Mountain Cams, Summit Daily News

When I lived there, we used to say there are only three seasons in Summit County - Fall, Winter, and the Fourth of July. However, I can tell you that it has actually snowed there on the Fourth of July - two years in a row! Imagine doing the biggest craft show of the summer - in the snow!

A few years ago, I went on a tangent, writing quotes on brown paper, tearing them into strips and decoupaging them onto everything from chairs and bookshelves to flower pots. I sold them like crazy at a little specialty shop in the mountains, which sadly no longer exists.
If it did, I'd still be happily up to my elbows in paper and paste.

This is the only flower pot I made for myself.

The quote is from one of my favorite books, Einstein's Dreams, by Alan Lightman, and it reads:

"Time flows more slowly farther from the center of the earth. The effect is miniscule, but it can be measured with extremely sensitive instruments. Once the phenomenon was known, a few people, anxious to stay young, moved to the mountains."

spring break

I've been taking some time off from the blog to enjoy my life.
Not that you can't do both - blog and enjoy - but for me lately it's been one or the other.

I looked up from my computer one day recently and realized the sun had been shining and I'd missed it. And I think a gremlin must have crept into my house and filled the kitchen sink with dirty dishes and had thrown my clothes all over my bedroom floor! Egads!

I was spending far too much time staring at this screen, not just writing my own posts, but reading every other blog on my favorites list and clicking on every link that looked interesting, and wondering at the end of the day, where all the time went.

So, I took a blog break, and I feel just a little pang of regret in admitting that I really did not miss it.

I've made more jewelry, taken more photos, listed more things in my Etsy shops. The dreaded taxes are done and in the mail. Oh, and I've made my bed and done the dishes and have even left the house several times!

The sun is shining today and the sky is blue, so I'm outa here.....

Wishing you all some sunshine and the time to enjoy it.