Sometimes Walmart doesn't have what you need,

especially when it's little brown bat curtain finials.

The rest of the story...

well, I don't know the rest of the story. When my husband stepped outside this morning, this little guy was standing on the porch. The cats were standing on the porch too, looking innocent. Well as innocent as cats can look. We picked him up and looked him over and could find no injuries at all. His wings seemed to be working and we could find no puncture wounds. But something strange had to be going on for a wild hawk to let humans pick it up and check it out and then sit calmly upon my husband's hand for a picture taking session. We took him out into the woods, well away from houses and cats. After arrival there and a little more visiting he flew to the top of a nearby tree. I would like to know how and why he came to be on my porch but unless the cats tell guess we'll never know.
BTW, Happy Birthday "Rusty Shackleford" !
UPDATE:
After thought and consideration the new theory is that this fellow was swooping in to get a bird and crashed into one of my kitchen windows. He was found directly underneath a window and in close proximity to one of the many birdfeeders around my house. He had been seen swooping around before dive bombing my chickens. He's very ambitious as he is only about 1/10th the size of my chickens. I've perused the bird field guide and think he is a Sharp Shinned Hawk. Named for their long spindly legs.

Thanks!

Everyday as I wander the web I am amazed and astounded at the beautiful things I see, also that there are so many talented people out there! It's so wonderful that people do blog and share their thoughts and talents. What I find even more astounding and amazing is that these talented people would give me an award for my blog. These three awards were given out by some of the most talented women who make the most beautiful art. You must visit their blogs and see for yourself.
Nicole at Girl from Stand Up Tub Land has given me the Kreativ Blog award. Her sculpture, assemblage and jewelry are beautiful.

Then I received this Beautiful Blog Award from Mary at Green Woman Creating. She does assemblage art using natural elements which I LOVE. She also shares her techniques.



Today Loralynn at My Art, My So Called Life honored me with this One Lovely Blog award. I only wish I could make art like her beautiful quilts. Until then I visit her blog to get an eyeful of the lovelies.

Once you visit their blogs you will see why I am so flattered and I will be passing them along. Thanks girls!

Geek Love

I highly recommend this book, but be forewarned, it's the type of story that you will either love or hate. It's about the inner dynamics of the Binewski family who are carnies. It is told from the view point of Oly Binewski, an albino, hunchbacked dwarf and her relationship with her parents and siblings. Her parents, outwardly normal looking people, who with the help of poisons, insecticides and radio-isotopes "engineer" their special family. The children are Oly, the enigmatic Arturo, born with flippers for limbs also known as Aquaboy, the twins Electra (Elly) and Iphigenia (Iphy) who are conjoined, Fortunato (Chick) who has the power of telekinesis and several others who didn't live but travel along with the family in their jars of formaldehyde. The first fifty pages will grab you and drag you along for a wild ride. Don't be afraid, step right up and read.

A Balanced Diet

Almost everyone is still talking New Year's resolutions and diets and those that aren't are all about the chocolate for Valentine's Day. Chocolate is great, don't get me wrong, but my heart lies with the marshmallow. And all that stuff about you are what you eat, well, there just may be something to that. My friend Holly, from Sweetheartville came for a visit recently with her adorable sweetheart family and planted a seed. She had made marshmallows and said they were very good and not too hard to make. More and more on these icy evenings my thoughts turn to hot chocolate and marshmallows. Which I think is more about the mallow and hot than chocolate. I had seen Martha Stewart make them before, but just because Martha can do, certainly doesn't mean that I can. But this evening I will embark on the journey and I'll let you know how it turns out.

UPDATE:

Just for this month, this year, today, right now, I wish my name was Marsha, so I could say I just made Marsha-mallows. Mission Accomplished! That announcement isn't premature as we've already partaken of the fluffy little morsels and deemed them great! Of course the hot chocolate made the "old fashioned" way with Hershey's cocoa, milk, sugar and vanilla cooked on the stove helped make them ooey gooey and delish. The perfect end to a cold winter day.

French Laundry Marshmallows

3 envelopes of unflavored Knox gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cups corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar for dredging
Preparation:In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water. Soak for 10 minutes. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil hard for 1 minute. Pour boiling syrup into gelatin and mix at high speed. Add the salt and beat for 12 minutes. Add vanilla and incorporate into mixture. Scrape into a 9 x 9-inch pan lined with oiled plastic wrap and spread evenly. (Note: Lightly oil hands and spatula or bowl scraper). After pouring marshmallow mixture into the pan, take another piece of plastic wrap and press mixture into the pan. Let mixture sit for a few hours. Remove from pan, dredge the marshmallow slab with confectioners' sugar and cut into 12 equal pieces with scissors (the best tool for the job) or a chef's knife. Dredge each piece of marshmallow in confectioners' sugar. Yield: 12 large marshmallows

Happy Birthday Sarah Jane

Today would have been my mom's birthday and man oh man do I ever miss her. She was quite a dynamic character. Life with her and my dad may have been a lot of things, but boring wasn't one of them. My mom had polio when she was 9 and spent many years away from home in the hospital having surgeries on her legs. By the time I came along she wore a leg brace and walked with a cane just fine. Her handicap certainly never defined her. She could do more than any woman I have ever known. I like to think I get my strength and feistiness from her. I think of her everyday, but especially today.