black and white

Freezing rain

 It's been cold here the last 3 days - especially for Oregon in November. We had freezing rain. 

The leaves just completed their thing and most are still on the trees. 

There was no "inbetween".

I have little flowers covered in ice....so sad.  Sleet is so destructive.

Late last night we were in the hot tub and we could hear a tree cracking and then the slow decent.

It snagged and the fell again.

It was disturbing.

I love snow. I love being snowed in. 

Everyone stops.

Everything is beautiful!

It hides all the grime and mud.  

It's always so peaceful.  All sounds are absorbed into the stillness. I'm hoping for a big snow year.

Hesitation will get you nowhere.

My love of wood has always led me to burn piles around the neighborhood.  I'm married to a farmer who feels it's important to follow the old school values of farming.  He believes there are "rules" to being a good neighbor.  One of those rules is "Don't bug people."  This means that if I see an interesting pile, I can't just go to the door and ask. (although I have....) There is a protocol and sometimes that takes a few days but not this time.  I didn't wait for anyone else to get this pile.  My latest find is a goldmine! A big pile of red barn wood cannot be passed by.  At least by me.   

Post by Laura Macy Lehman.

Colors.....love them!

Wintertime is so dull.   Once the leaves have fallen the colors are absent for at least 4 months.  For someone who thrives in color it can be a long 4 months. 

Red

another try

This one is my favorite.  I salvaged so many square nails and thought I could never use them all...Now maybe I can. This creation is based in a tiny drawer, collaged with vintage papers and some divine paint.  I picked up some divine paint samples at Goodwill....amazing find.  The center wood piece is from a pipe organ salvaged after a flood.  I wonder if anyone can guess what the center black item is?

vintage is best

I love this photo.  I acquired it in Northern Indiana at an Amish Auction house about 7 years ago.  I bought a suitcase of old photos and then sold most of them on ebay when I got home to pay for the rest of the stuff we bought that day.  Kinda kicking myself now that these type of photos are so sought after.  Should of scanned them and sold the copies.  Oh well.  This photo speaks to me though.  I do sometimes wonder who it is.  The history of that day is lost forever.  It's sad to me to think of that loss.  That sadness is similar to the feeling I have when I see a old home being torn down.  Seeing that big pile of wood ready to be burned.....Or when a home is neglected and it's rotting away.  Giving wood that has been salvaged a second life is inspiring.  Creating new heirlooms with that wood gives it a new history.  People love to know the history of the wood I create with.  I salvaged from a big red barn down the road one year.  Relaying the history of the barn and that it was still being used as a barn was like candy to the customers that bought the items.  It also gives them a connection to a life they've never appreciated or experienced.