Angels Everywhere

I am surrounded by little angel parts, bolls of cotton, little heads with red singing mouths, feathers, bows, wings, acorn caps. This stuff is everywhere and I get excited! I think that the new kit is going to be a hit. It has a completed angel and all of the parts necessary to make 5 more. You don't have to go to the cotton field, or buy a spool of ribbon, or a package of feathers and all of the other stuff, it is all here in this little acryllic box. I think that it is so neat and will be a hit. Market on The Square will have them, and also Cotton Hall Gift Shop.

Movies in the Middle of the Night

My body has two switches, off and on , I have never had a switch for in-between.
I am on go all day and then earlier than most folks, I am on off! Trouble is, that I go to sleep early but just when a lot of people that I know are just going to sleep, I have had it! I turn on the light and pick up my kindle and read awhile or go downstairs and find something to nibble on and turn on the TV. Once last week at 2 0'clock in the morning I turned on the tv and a movie called 3000 Miles to Graceland was just coming on, Kevin Costner, Kurt Russell, Courtney Cox and other good actors were in it, I enjoyed that movie so much!. But sorry to say, I havn't found another as good since then.
Another night I went into the Factory and worked on my new Angel Kit, think that I will post a picture today.

Lost and Found

I lost my internet connection last week due to weather and I have been lost ever since. Maybe I will find myself again now that I am once again connected! I have worked in the factory a good bit putting together a new kit. Also spent time last week working a day at the Agape Shop and with some committees of the Arts Council. We have such a wealth of talent in our community, it is amazing what goes on. The new Swamp Gravy play for October is " The Big Picture", I believe that it is going to be one of our best. On another note, I am posting a different pressed flower picture this week in a rustic frame made for me by Rodney Bryan. I love the flowers in it.

The Factory is Open!

The Angel factory opened a few days ago and is about to get into full swing! I have a new product that I am excited about offering for sale this year. I have just placed an order for supplies. Seeing the cotton fields in full bloom let me know that I had better get moving!
Picking cotton for about 30 minutes at a time isn't too bad, thats just about the time it takes for the back pain to set in. Did any of you ever pick cotton?

Koneko

Koneko is my cat. I am told that her name is japanese for kitty. I decided to just believe that, but I just call her kitty kitty. She came to live with us about 2 months ago ,she is 7-8 years old and was born in Pearl River, Miss. We had to adjust to one another because I have never had a cat, only dogs, in fact when the kids were growing up each one of them had their own dog (5) and each dog had friends, but they all lived in the yard. I doctored them when they were sick, only learned recently that you don't give a dog aspirin! I have used it a few times when I had a sick animal, today I know more. Pets are really special All of my children have pets today, most them have more than one and they treat them like their babies and I do too! Koneko does not like change, likes the same kind of catfood, food and water in the same place,etc. We love her a lot!

Back to the Book

The factory wasn't open today. I just had to finish the book that I am reading on my Kindle. It is the Rembrandt Affair, as you might guess all about art, thieves, spies and love, the more you read, the better it gets. I always hate to finish a really good book!

My Factory

When my five children were growing up I had a pillow factory,according to them, that is. I did a lot of sewing in those day and I saved all of my scraps for a quilt that I was going to make someday. Well, I never actually made a quilt, but I did make lots of pillows. I would draw something in a center square and embroider it and do patchwork pieces or strips around it, maybe use a ruffle or lace around the whole thing. Anyway, when the urge to create pillows hit, I would go to my sewing room and work (in between chores like cooking, cleaning, cutting grass, chauffering and other). This would go on for days and days until I was pretty tired of it, I would then clean the room and leave the door open. The kids would say " Mama's pillow factory is open" or Mama's pillow factory is closed today" Point is, I have always needed a factory to go to no matter how busy my real life happened to be. For a few years now my factory has produced pressed flower art and since last year Cotten Angels. I feel like I will always do this! I never look at a flower without wondering if it will press and hold its color. I have lots! and now the cotton fields are blooming away and soon I will be picking again. I have already made lots of angels, each one is diffrent as most handmade items are. More later.

Mayhaws and More

Do you know that Mayhaws grow wild, but can be cultivated. The fruit is about the size of a cranberry, not sweet ,not much flesh. Not for eating like grapes or plums. BUT MAKES THE BEST JELLY IN THE WORLD. If you have never eaten Mayhaw jelly on a hot buttered biscuit get busy and get some fast. Remember, we are not promised tomorrow, enjoy this while you can. Colquitt, Ga. declares itself to be the mayhaw capitol of the world!

Murals,Mayhaws and Swamp Gravy

Isn't it interesting that we have taken these foods, Mayhaws and Swamp Gravy and written songs and plays about them. They have become our brand here in Colquitt, Georgia. Who would ever have thought such a thing a few years back. The stories about Swamp Gravy (the dish) tell that the indians first cooked this dish.After they had fried their fish, they poured off all but a very small amount of grease and then they chipped up potatoes and onions in the pan, when these were soft they added tomatoes and maybe a little water to make the gravy . Then the best part, they poured the gravey over their hush puppies and enjoyed it with their fish.
The logic........they took what they had and made something good out of it!
More later about Murals and Mayhaws.

Colquitt's tallest and proudest mural

The mural committee working with muralist Charlie Johnson is getting very close to completing the design. Charlie has been busy all last week cleaning the grain bins and getting them ready to paint.I can just imagine how excited and interested we are all going to be just watching him every day and seeing the scenes develop. Many folks have worked very hard to make this happen, the vision, the fundraising, finding just the right artist in a nationwide +Canadian search has taken much time and dedication .Charlie and his wife Sarah are from Canada and she will be returning soon . I have a feeling that from now on when we travel and people ask" where are you all from" we will answer and say,we are from the home of Mayhaw and Swamp Gravy and the second largest mural in the United States. We will all feel so proud!

Special Times

Cory and I enjoyed being together for a couple of days this week Monday morning I drove over to Valdosta to spend some time with her. Summer session is over and the fall semester hasn't yet begun so she was free to be with her grandmother for a while. Dottie said that everytime she called we were either eating or about to go out someplace to eat. I have to admit, we did do that, but we also completed a really neat project. We painted and decorated her guest room in a day and it look scrumptious. I went with her to for a dental appointment this morning, she had her first cavity and was really nervous about a filling, but all is well. I am telling all of this to say just how precious family is, I am so thankful that I have a large family and that we all love one another.