~A day in the life of an ordinary person~

Susie's game

Susie at Rabbit run cottage is such a great lady.http://rabbitruncottage.blogspot.com/ She wants all her bloggy friends to tell all their favorite things.....here goes,

Sport: swimming

Game: Scrabble

Color: mellow yellow

Movie: You've got mail 

Song: what the world needs now -- burt bacharach if that is how you spell it!

American city I have visited: Seattle

Foreign city I have visited: munich/paris/london -- those were the best ones anyway

Book: Bell Jar

Children's Book: Secret Garden

Classic television show: Happy days

Recent television show: House/scrubs

Actor: COLIN FIRTH

Actress: Emma Thompson

Perfume: can't wear perfume  -- I like apple body butter

Food: Chicken wings

Dessert: sorbet or fruit

Chain Restaurant: wendy's of course

Local Restaurant: Aqua

Car: Mini Cooper

Condiment: Mayonnaise

Kitchen Appliance: Microwave

Home Appliance: DVD player

Beauty Product: Mascara

Piece of clothing: nighty

Author: Roald Dahl

Holiday: Christmas

Ballet I have seen: Nutcracker

Disney character: Piglet/tinkerbell

Flower: fushia

Alcoholic drink: Merlot

Non-Alcoholic drink: soda water

Magazine: Mary Englebreit's Home Companion/Victoria

Animated movie: Toy Story

Season: Autumn

Male vocalist: Sinatra

Female vocalist: Sophie Milman

Day of the week: Sunday

Household Chore: Organizing.

Ice Cream: Chocolate Mint Chip

Candy: Toblerone and rowntree fruit gums

Artist: Vincent Van Gogh/ Helen Bradley

Quotation: do unto others as you would like to be done unto your self

Wow, Susie we have so much in common.

What to do on a very hot day.

It has been so hot today.98 degree's, and the humidity was unbearable. So I cranked up the air conditioning, and I set up my photo studio in the library again.

Here are my sets. I have the tranquility set. The nature set, fairy set, and south Carolina set.  They are on Esty, and they are appearing in the local stores now,

I found this little doll while I was looking for mini fairies to photograph.  I got her when was about 6 years old. I remember her well, she came in a plastic ball, and smelt of lavender.  She had long hair, but I cut it, and made her into a boy!  I thought it was a very nice hair cut at the time.  I also made him a fashionable jacket to wear as well.  I have a lot of dolls from my childhood, mostley miniature ones like this one. They all have the same awful haircut!

News from the Nature center...........

We have two turtles with identity issues

The box turtle -- Alison, is now Alvin. It appears he has a concave under side, and red eyes. He now thinks he can fly.  We gave him banana for he first time the other day, it gave him a new lease of life! He rushed around his habitat a few times before climbing up his log, and jumping off!  It might have been the mushrooms he had as well though!

Nick, our Mud turtle, is now Nicola, as she laid two eggs a couple of days ago!

Casey the snake shed his skin, and the little bird -- Carolina is doing very well. 

So, alls well in Wendy's world.

Time stops for no man, woman, nor beast.

There doesn't seem like there are enough hours in a day any more. However did I work 40 hours a week? I really don't know how I did everything.

There are pictures to take, friends to see, projects to do. Life to live, beaches to go to, and still -- books to read.

My life has changed dramatically this summer. Priorities have changed. Friendships have been tested. Moving away from the corporate world left me empty, and in need of a new challenge. I used to say,

"come on now, lets put things into prospective, we are not dealing with life, and death here".  Now I am.

Yes, a challenge I got alright.  Everyday I go to my new job, something crops up to challenge me. 

One day the birds had a fight, and one didn't survive.  

Another day we found a snake in the alligator habitat.

As you know we have lost, and gained snakes, turtles, and fish.  The eel ate the toadfish, and a tree frog just vanished.  We are a nature center, and so nature does her thing.  

The other day I was sat outside with our remaining bird.  We had trained her well, to sit on shoulders, and to perch on kids hands. We used to joke when she flew to the door,

'don't go out there -- there is a mangy cat out there!'.

Well, she got out, and like a bolt out of the blue, as if waiting for that very moment -- the cat appeared and got it's prey.  Now, we tell the customers that if you feed Alligators, then you become the food. Well, I suppose we have been feeding the wild cat, so it was just doing it's thing. 

It was a shock though, as the little bird died in my hands. It is always hard to see a life slip away, no matter how small the creature.  Having said that, I do my share of killing bugs each day -- I don't eat them though! 

On with the circle.  We now have a new bird, and the humane society will come for the cat.  

We have a new snake, and life goes on.......................

 I went to a party the other night, and felt good having had a coupe of wines.  Someone asked me what I did for a living. 

"Ha, I keep the circle of life going", I said, half joking.  It is true though.  

I feed mice to snakes, snakes to alligators.  Birds to cats...........

But the joy when a child runs out of the little center shouting,

"I TOUCHED a snake"!  and comes back to see us with such enthusiasm every day of his/her vacation. 

A busy day at the office

This link should take you to my new Esty store, I have a lot of work to do on there yet though

http://wendypurdyart.etsy.com  

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6020978

These should work, other wise, I have a problem I need to sort out with Esty.

Hope this works, my links tab isn't.Well I set up my mini studio this morning in the library, and got my newly  framed photo in place, in comes Mimi, and wants to join the fun. I ended up doing a photo shoot of her. At first, I was annoyed at her, she was knocking down tripods, and back drops, but then she just placed herself in the middle of it all, and started posing for me! Ahh, but look how cute she is.  It was such a pretty day, so I headed to the beach.

I have found a private beach in my friends plantation. It is so peaceful, and tranquil. I feel like Robinson Crusoe as I walk in the warm waves with only the sound of the water lapping, and palm trees rustling.

I just got home in time for a big storm hitting, how nice it is to watch while nice and safe indoors.It is still raining.

We have acquired a new pet, a russian turtle. It is the sweetest thing. I am looking after it for a 'while' until the owner feels comfortable taking it back.  

Meet Surgeo (got to change that name if I am keeping him/her)!  Look at Mimi's face, so funny. She has got used to the new member of the family now, and just sits, and watches.

A new direction

Well, it has been a busy week.  I have been promoting my greeting card business. I have set up an Esty account, and have been busy being a little factory of one.  Trying to make good use of the extra spare time I have now.  It is great to join the ranks of my fellow bloggers on Esty, it is a wonderful place to visit if you haven't done so already.http://www.etsy.com/  

So visit me, and all the other fabulous artists on Esty.  

The beach still beckons me though! 

 

Life

All things bright and beautiful

All creatures great...........

,,,,,,,And small

All things Wise.............and wonderful

 

~I Love, Love, Love them all ~

What a find.

We were traveling back from Charleston the other day, when I came across this treasure. It was empty, and left just as is.  I felt like I was back in the 1940's................or maybe earlier. What do you think the date may be?

One week ~~Three stories

Its been a busy week.  I haven't been to work, but I have worked even so. Catching up -- photo shoots, making greetings cards etc...

It was sad that Tasha Tudor passed away at the age of 92.  I loved her work. I have all her books. My friend in Washington loved her too. 

Her ambition was to meet Tasha Tudor.  Her fortieth birthday present from her husband was to go to Tasha Tudor's house in Vermont to meet her.  A dream come true.

Upon arrival, she  was met by Tasha's two sons. They took her to the old house, being sure to take payment first.  Tasha met her at the door, she was a gracious old lady.  They were ushered into the kitchen where the kettle was put on for tea.  My friend could not believe her luck as she sat there admiring the old house.

The rose colored glasses came off abruptly, first she noticed the mouse droppings on the floor.  Then she noticed the grime all over, the dirt on Tasha's dress.  She started feeling quite sorry for the old lady, although that is the way Tasha chose to live.

The kettle boiled, tea made, and cookies presented.  As she was about to take a sip, she spotted a mouse scuttering across the floor, and a hair in her cup.  Tasha explained that her 'models' lived with her, and she lived off the land.  My friend politely forced the tea, and cookies down, and left. The two sons picked her up, and transported her to the gift shop, Charging her fifty dollar because Tasha had autographed a book that my friend had taken with her! 

http://www.tashatudorandfamily.com/

So yesterday was our 28th wedding anniversary -- yikes!

When we got married everyone said we were too young, and it wouldn't last a year - ha! 

We went to Charleston for the day, and to the Edisto Island serpentarium. I wanted to go there because it is associated with the Nature Center.  

'You know not to feed the critters then, and all the rules'? The lady laughed, after our nature center conversation.  

"All too well", I replied.  

Having said that, I was taking a picture of this wonderful Turtle -- and my lens cap fell in.  We told the same lady, and she had to go in, and fish it out. The turtles were trying to eat it ha ha.Al tried to feed me to the Alligators. I survived, and we went out for a lovely meal. I will take the sainthood, and Al can have the medal, or maybe probation!
 

Our lovely son bought Al a GPS system for Father's Day.  Now, he knows how to get to work, and back, so this was L's plan to get us out more and explore like we used too. Alan had a GPS system in Germany, we called it his perfect girlfriend. She would gently tell him where to go without the use of oversized maps and abusive language.  I remember we were out in the dark looking for a certain location, and we were going the wrong way. The GPS  voice was a lovely British,  accent  she kept saying 'make a u turn, make a u- turn now, you are going the wrong way', Alan ended up shouting at his girlfriend -- 'shut up, you silly cow, I will make a u-turn when I am ready'.  -- 

The end of a beautiful relationship.  Now he has a new,     American girlfriend who will guide him in the right  (hopefully) direction. It worked very well, we got there, and back without one swear word. We arrived home to find beautiful flowers from my Dad on the doorstep.  It really was a lovely day.

another ordinary week at the office!

So last Thursday the parakeets had an argument, and only one survived, also a wild corn snake decided to liberate itself, and went the wrong way -- ending up in the Alligator habitat. I don't have to elaborate on what happened next.

On Friday I opened up the center, only to find Casey our resident  human bred corn snake missing. Imagine my dilemma.  The snake habitat was slightly a jar -- not enough to get a 4 foot snake through -- surely.  What followed what a cross between a Fawlty Towers episode, and a Daphne Du Maurier novel.  I called my friend, and she came in. Flashlight in hand, we searched the whole Nature Center. For a while, we stayed open to the public.  It must have looked like a Fawlty Towers episode, as the customers came in, and we welcomed them, flashlight in hand looking under the cupboards, and on the top of the air conditioning.  

'"Have you lost something'"? They would enquire.

" No, No, just checking on the system, come on in", we would reply.

"BUT shut the door after you"!

It was quite amusing, the knowing looks we got. We ended up closing for an hour to have a good look round.

We gave up our search, and started looking for a new snake dealer. We found a breeder who could deliver a snake the next morning. It was quite an eye opening day. We found out that the Casey we had lost was not the original Casey.  In fact this was Casey number five!

That actually made us feel a whole lot better.

As we were closing that night, my friend looked at me, and said, "you will never guess who I just found"?

Yes, you guessed it, there was Casey -- between the fridge, and the cooler.  I felt her, and her Muscles tightened -- she was alive, and coiled round the fridge coils.  After about fifteen minutes of  coaxing Casey out of the coils, which happened to be right next to the  Alligators habitat, forcing me to get into  the habitat which prompted the the gator to  start hissing at me=== 

We tell our guests, when we get the snake out for show and tell -- don't pull the snake, she doesn't like that, it hurts her muscles.  Well, as I was getting the snake out of the coils in the cooler, while stood near a hissing alligator, I said, " I don't give a *&^%$$# whether this hurts you or not, Casey, I am pulling you, and you are coming out"!

Eventually, we got her out, and back into her habitat, which we secured with a deadbolt. 

Who needs books?

A walk in the forest

I went for a magical walk in the Forest preserve with my friend yesterday.  We went on a photo shoot, and the wildlife put on quite a show for us!

We saw Alligators, Heron, Egrets, Rabbits, and lots and lots of bugs.  I look like I have the measles this morning, I have bites all over -- we did the German bug dance throughout  the preserve which must have looked quite funny.  

Extra, extra strong bug spray next time!

I got an interesting e-mail from Children International today.  I have been sponsoring a few children for about 12 years now.  It is rewarding to see them grow up. 

The e-mail was telling an interesting story regarding a lady who blogs about her  sponsoring. I is a great blog and here is the link, for all my blogging friends to enjoy.

http://ontheneedles.blogspot.com/