Teena Flanner

Learning

I once read that there are 3 types of learning. Anyone who has read this blog must realize that I really don't know what I am doing in the blog department.I went to the library, checked out a book on blogs and started. I do not understand a trackback which is perhaps why my readership is low.

In my own words....type 1 in the learning  "curve" gathers the best supplies, let's go with knitting as an example. She will find the best yarns, the finest needles, instruction books, everything possibly necessary for her goal. She will study and learn the ins and outs as thoroughly as possible, in her own environment, before she lifts a needle.

Ty pe 2 will take a class and get the supplies necessary per the instructors list.

Type 3 (me), will gather a bit of what she needs and just start. She will blunder about, privately and just do it.If she purchases more than the minimum, it will be for the beauty of it not the practical stuff. Each style probably is limiting but it is very difficult to change.      

So, photos are just for fun. 1 is me at 4 or 5, the other my beautiful mother, Elnora Margery ( Marge now 94 and healthy in body only) and my older brother Andy. Other photos ...my nanny's teddy bear in his little worsted trousers, an image of one of my favorite books and a little nest Andy and I found in Colorado this year, etc etc

Teena

Things are a bit unruly!

Things are so unruly that I must take control. I am so envious of anyone with an artistic and organizational mind all wrapped into one person! Yikes, I cannot even imagine.I have always thought that perhaps a few fiber artists are like that due to their neatly folded fabrics. Anyway, it is not me.      

    So today on this 90 degree summer day, I started in the attic.Over the winter the squirrels had families and wrecked havoc up there. They tore down the insulation, so today I dressed much like a bee keeper and removed the pink glass fiber embedded stuff. This is only the beginning of the fun projects I need to tackle. Photos are from my closet!

When my grandmother  was 107 she fell off of a ladder and broke her hip. Everyone has always inquired why she was on a ladder? Well, I have said forever, "because she was single!", of course!

Teena  odds and ends

Little blue desk

Last week I found a little desk at the local Goodwill store. It was $9.99, a good size for a small child or even for me. It was painted in primary colors with some wood tones so I just applied a $1.00 can of "oops" paint from the home improvement center. I softened the shade with a bit of cream color.It is so sweet, the perfect Peter Rabbit Coat blue ,and now sits in a corner of my office.

My late July garden

I think that I can name the things I am really good at doing on one hand. Gardening is one. It definitely shows that I need to be passionate to succeed. When my grandmother in Texas was 109, she still gardened. I am certain that she did it on a tight budget. I can picture her as clear as day. Always wearing a cotton print dress, her long hair up in a loosely formed bun. I grew a rose in cold WI for years that i had taken from her Sequin, TX garden. Virginia garden is pictured too, the brick courtyard.

My gardens are a great joy to me. I buy my plants on sale and randomly work on it. I am not strong enough to haul enough mulch actually I am strong enough but being single I get so tired of carrying heavy things! My dogs roll in natural fertilizer, still they are gorgeous. If I had extra money I would hire clean up help in spring and fall but would always find joy in the actual maintenance and placement, myself.My gardens are a bit shaggy and I leave the tall stems , for the birds, finches in July and whoever stops by in winter.

In early July, it was all overgrown perennial bachelor buttons, a somewhat messy wave of true blue. I let them take over and then just pull them out. They will return soon enough. Now it is several varieties of phlox, daisies, hydrangeas and rubedekia and other fun stuff.

Photos are from a few minutes ago. I rarely take the time to coil the hose and the walk is usually unswept, but well, whatever!

Family wedding!

It would be so wonderful to have my creative mind and

be technical. photos from "wedding "are all a jumble!

The little threesome is the recent bride, my niece, Kara, surrounded by her groom Mark, (with the top hat) and brother, my nephew Kyle. I use molds for my work but a little customizing is quite fun, hair color etc. The bride and her brother have dark shiny hair and the colors were a luscious fuchsia and orange. It was a wedding that all weddings should be, beautiful, friendly and a re-gathering of far extended family and family of the heart. The bride had a personal handwritten note at each place. Just a memorable affair, perfect actually.

May

  In Elm Grove Wisconsin, Memorial Day is classic. We have a wonderful parade down the main street, Watertown Plank Rd.The road is named this because it was a road of wooden planks to Watertown in the 1800's. Rose, from Little House on the Prairie  was born near here. I live a few blocks from the route so we gather in the morning. We have often worn our ski jackets as May in Wisconsin can be chilly. I have marched as a girl scout leader, a cub scout leader and my children have both walked and biked the route. We have distinguished soldiers of all ages in our parade. I have been amazed that there are so many people to watch the parade as everyone seems to be a participant. Afterwards there is free ice cream and hot dogs.

Norfolk and Mermaids

I went to Norfolk to visit my cotswold cottage.I had lived in both Virginia and Wisconsin for many years but now lease this home to a wonderful man who loves and maintains my gardens.        sorry girls, this is how mermaids in Wisconsin spend the winter!

             

           !

April

April was all about travel. I went to Reno to visit Chris, my son ,and meet his newly adopted 12 year old german shepard, Miranda. It is wonderful to see your children one at a time as well as all together. We drove to Lake Tahoe and talked and ate and just hung out. He has completely found his niche. Reno has soaring, skiing and an interesting engineering job.

Then I flew to Denver to see my brother and sister-in- law and Mom. Lovely trip!

My niece, Kara, had a wedding shower in Madison and the second photo is of my daughters and I at that event. Grandbaby Jack had his 2nd birthday with lots of family and a train cake made by Susannah.