Russian Dolls

Russian Dolls

Most of my nesters are Russian.

I love the name matryoshka.

I love the sound of matryoshka.

I love the sound of a Russian speaker saying matryoshka.

Here is the long and short of my Russian Dolls.

Several days ago this all began with me thinking about things inside of things.

Which leads me to the great word:

Mise en abyme

My Own Creation

My Own Creation

I found this company that makes the blanks for the nesting dolls.

I thought, I could probably try this .

Okay, I gave it my best.

Here is my doll.

 

My First Nester

My First Nester

So I had the nesting doll from my family and I decided to get a companion to her.

My first trip to Holland in 1972 I saw a doll that looked like mine.

Since I was told ours was from Holland I bought my first nester.

My collection began.

Nesting Dolls

Nesting Dolls

I don't call my nesting dolls Matryoshka dolls because not all of mine are from Russia.

This is the first doll of my collection.

From my early family days you can see we children chewed on them.

We had two, I believe my sister has the other one.

At any rate I have the chewed one.

I was told it was from Holland, however I can't see the design being much

different from a Russian doll.

It was/is so much fun to give them a story while "playing" with them.

These were often the dolls that traveled in my play time story.

Remembering Vietnam

Remembering Vietnam

There is a great series produced by KUED 7 documenting the Vietnam War called Utah Vietnam War Stories. The first episode was entitled Escalation and the second Turning Point. The next episode in the series is now in production.

Here is the link to the KUED 7 series:

Utah Vietnam War Stories

Stories from Utahns who served in the Vietnam War

Sally Shaum, one of the producers of the series, saw our humble, handheld, documentation of Paul and I trying desperately to get to the 50th Anniversary of Ceremony that was held at the Utah State Capital on 11 November. She liked the sentiment so part of our video might well be used in her next installment. I am honored to have it be used as part of the series.

Here is the clip that Sally saw and I posted to Paul's Youtube channel.

Things Inside of Things

Things Inside of Things

I've just always, yes always, loved things that are inside of things.

What do I mean?

Desk drawers

Purses

Mirrors facing each other

The Dick and Jane book which pictured Dick and Jane holding a Dick and Jane book holding a Dick and Jane book--I can't stop

Nesting Dolls

Yes I collect them. They come from so many different countries.

Here's mine from Japan, hand painted, very small.

Longer Days

Longer Days

Looking forward to the days getting longer!

Loving the way the sun angle changes!

Seeing the plants in the greenhouse fill the space!

Love Life!

Large Things

Large Things

That Make Me Happy

I have to say that the most important things in my life are

Family

Friends

Feelings

Play

Work

Bettering

Small Things

Small Things

Happy things that brightened my day

In the greenhouse

Morning glories blooming 

Tiny cucumbers emerging

A Roma Tomato plant flowering

The rabbit as happy as can be about lettuce

Bilbo's Song

Bilbo's Song

Yes I have posted Paul Boruff singing his version of Bilbo's Song,

but it needs to be played again.

Good job Paul!

Last Daily Bailey

Daily Bailey

15 December 2012

A Day of Rain

Bailey's owners return home tomorrow so this is her last photo under our care.

She has been a joy to be around, funny and frisky.

Mack has been pretty funny today too.

In fact I think he looks quite like a moose in this shot.

It gives me some sort of peace to be around these horses

during the trying time we are enduring.

Daily Bailey

Daily Bailey

14 December 2012

Okay, this photo was taken for a post as Paul's  promo for his gig tonight,

but it is pretty typical of how Bailey follows him around.

So thought it might as well server as the "Daily Bailey."

She certainly loves Paul's attention to her.

My favorite part of the photo is her eye on him.

She was very frisky today.

Certainly due to the rain last night, it invigorated her.

Daily Bailey 13 December 2012

Daily Bailey

13 December 2012

Just the usual walk about, that's what the horses told us.

Bailey seemed a bit bored today.

That is until this evening as the rain began, fine and fresh.

They now seem as refreshed as the earth.

Bored Bailey.

Paul and Mack.

Daily Bailey on 12/12/12

Daily Bailey

12/12/12

Well, Bailey told me there was no effect on horses with the 12/12/12 number.

It's artificial and human only.

So in effect she had a great day.

Walked around, followed me, followed Paul, followed Mack.

She had treats and brushes.

What more can a pregnant horse ask for?

Daily Bailey In Her Stall

Daily Bailey

In Her Stall

10 December 2012

Lots of activity in the stalls today.

Water bowl maintenance had the horses being very curious.

Bailey liked the extra attention she thought was all hers.

Mac was very nosy.

Sunday Daily Bailey

Daily Bailey

Sunday, 9 December 2012

Another sunny day in the arena.

Light clouds, light breeze, very warm

Bailey has no "attitude" today.
Just a good walk.

Daily Bailey

Daily Bailey

8 December 2012

Bailey and Mack had a good work out in the arena today.

Well Mack more than Bailey, but she had a good walk about at any rate.

She's showing us her Bailey baby bump here.

Mack is having his shoes cleaned before taking a spin around the arena.

Daily Bailey

Daily Bailey

7 December 2012

Bailey has had an excellent day.

She was very curious about all the tasks Paul and I were doing round and about the stalls.

She really wanted to help in all aspects of the work.

She was also on the smart aleck side of her personality.

Daily Bailey

The Daily Bailey

Bailey is well on her way to being a first time horse mom.

While tending her I am posting a daily photo for Gary and Kindra.

Bailey with Paul Boruff, her favorite caregiver.

Color in the Sky

Color in the Sky

Layered clouds shadowed mystery on to the land.

In return the red cliffs threw their crimson glow into the air.

Waving Bear Finds a Friend

A New Friend

Since Waving Bear had his picture on this blog, a friend has found her way into the display cabinet.

She a bit of a flirt but makes Waving Bear very happy.

She traveled from across the country to join Waving Bear.

Here she is.

Peeporama

Peeporama

Here are my holiday peeps.

The turkey peeps have caramel on them.

I've decided it's a sledding hill and the turkey peeps

are on plastic sleds.

Watch out below!

Grandma's Bears

Grandma's Bears

My grandmother was pretty amazing.

She was a teacher. She was an artists. She was a mother.

Although I have only a vague memory of her, she seemed strong in my eyes.

Here is one of her sculptures that I have in my collection.

I call it "Three Bears."

Waving Bear

Bear of the Day

Waving Bear

Here's my little black bear figurine that has been on my shelf for as long as I can remember.

No markings on this guy.

He's always happy to say hi.

Bears with a Job

Bears with a Job

Yes these bears work for their place in my home.

They can be filled with spices.

You probably know similar bears that contain salt and pepper.

Well my bears love cinnamon and powdered sugar.

Cloves and ginger are wonderful too.

These twins are from Yellowstone National Park.

What a great place to be from.

Mom and baby bear are old residents in my house.

They have been in my collection before my recollection.

They were made at the Ceramic Arts Studio in Madison, Wisconsin.

They are my happy bears and they make me smile.

Pack of Bears

Pack of Bears

Plastic and metal. Black, brown and cinnamon.They walk with the same rhythm.
Some are collared. Of course, they're Yellowstone Bears.

They stalk my display case and keep the other animals in line.

 

My favorite thing about my pack of bears is how ferocious they look.
No Teddy Bear face here.

Two Bears

Two Bears

Yellowstone is a special place for me.

I know it is for thousands and thousands of others too.

Somehow many Yellowstone items end up in my possession.

I'm not fanatical about it, however when I look about me it appears so.

These twin bears (my name for them)

are ones that ended up finding their way into my collection.

They live together in a charmed life, surrounded by all things Yellowstone.

Here's a closeup of the hanger on.

Chocolate Bear

Chocolate Bear Mold

Another bear day.

Okay, so technically it is a mold, not a chocolate bear, but chocolate does belong in it.

This is one of the many molds that my great grandparents

used in their candy store in Milwaukee.

Check out this cool shot of the store interior.

Candy on one side, bakery on the other.

Have you every read "Betsy, In Spite of Herself" by Maud Hart Lovelace?
There is a wonderful description of Webers as Betsy explores the treats.

Peacocks like benches too

Peacocks

It is like a spring morning.

Boo is insistent on breakfast--I am late.

Magpies and Mourning Doves compete for my ear.

Across the street, on my neighbors bench, color radiates.

Bear of Yellowstone Past

Bear of Yellowstone Past

Staying in the bear theme for another day.
The link below shows folks feeding deer and bear from their cars in Yellowstone National Park.

Bear in the 1940s

We have changed our wildlife outlook in the National Parks.

There still seems to be many zoos just outside of them.

Bears Wake Up

Bears Wake Up

Here's my bear for today.

Footage from a Spring trip to Yellowstone National Park.

Some very tasty tidbits for hungry bears as they look for food in the Spring.

I collect vintage video footage of  bears in Yellowstone National Park.

So tomorrow I'll post some clips of what we used to do with bears in the Park.

Peanuts in Cracker Jack

Peanuts are great

Away to the southward they flew

Where many acres of peanuts grew

From there went many a heavy sack

Of peanuts grown for "Cracker Jack."

Here is another postcard that was sent to my aunt Isabella when she was a girl.

This is No. 9 in the Cracker Jack Bear series.

First of all the peanuts in Cracker Jack are my personal favorite.

Second of all I would love to take a ride in the Bears flying machine.

Okay, so I'm on a bear kick now.

I will be searching my collections to see what kind of bear

I can share for the rest of the week.

Cracker Jack Bear

Cracker Jack Bear

To Coney Island, home of fun,
The Faithful airship quickly spun.

Once there the people flocked to buy

And "Cracker Jack" became the cry.

The airship ride at Coney Island cost twice as much to ride as the other amusements.
I still want to take an airship to the moon.
Not much has changed in 100 years.

I always loved to find my prize in the Cracker Jack box.

The cards were the prize in the box.

The Coney Island card was sent to my aunt as a young girl.

The Bear Postcards are copyrighted 1907 by B. E. Moreland.

It is number 5 in a series of 16.

I bought a box of Cracker Jack recently. I was very disappointed in my prize.

Here is a web site that discussed the airship to the moon ride:
Airship to the Moon

Friday House Cleaning

House Cleaning Bear

This really must be done today, but I'm going to put it off until tomorrow.

I have a vivid memory of my sister Carol and I, putting towels on the kitchen floor, a bit of dish detergent and water. We stepped onto those towels and danced away.

That floor did sparkle when we were finished.

Thursday Bear

Thursday Bear
Pie Day

I love pie. I could use Thursdays to bake pies. Thanks Little Bear!

Huckleberry, apple, chocolate, lemon, banana, coconut, cherry, pecan.

What's your favorite?

Hump Day

Wednesday Bear

Hump Day

Wednesday tells me there is plenty of work week left.
Lots of time to get things completed.

I do like to sew, but I rarely mend.
Whenever I loose a button I go to my button box and then get thoroughly distracted by all the wonderful colors and shapes and textures. 

Ironing Day

Tuesday Bear

Woweew, ironing has sure changed over the years.

Although I am impressed the the improv ironing board that Bear has,
I'm glad I grew up with electricity to power my iron.

I remember when the steam function was not on our iron.
My family members would help to sprinkle the clothes with water and then roll them to wait for the iron.
By the time I was sprinkling the clothes we were using a large plastic salt shaker for the water container.

The artist who created these great images was Bernhardt C. Wall.

He has created so many different postcards I bet you've seen some of them.

Here's a short bio on him and his postcard art.
Bernanhard C. Wall

Monday Bear

Monday Bear

Thanks goodness I do not have to start this work week by washing clothes.

I do have visions of generations past sharing this arduous task.

Who invented the roller thing to wring out clothes?

What a genius.

Sunday Bear

Sunday Bear

Growing up, Sunday meant early church service and Sunday school.

After service there was the trip to the deli and a lunch of ham and rolls.

Dad would make malted milks for us. Packer Games were common.

Grandpa often would visit in the afternoon.

Current times, Sundays are laid back. I don't leave my spiritual side for this day alone.

Boy what I would give to have one of my Dad's malts.

Women's Work

Women's Work

I love to see how our mothers and grandmother and their mothers before them were taught home skills.
Here in the United States our present world has quite different work regimes.

I believe the home tasks of the past often united women.

I've seen many variation on the theme of what chore to do on which day.

I'm sharing a series of postcards that my aunt received in 1907 helping her to know the home tasks.

Interestingly, her life's work was in the home. 

After her brothers and sisters found their work in life and left the family home,

my aunt stayed on and took in boarders and her work in the home essentially continued on.

First Snowfall

First Snowfall

Here are some things that I saw and felt today as we had our first real snowfall of the season.
I've included the Innuit words in the first couple of instances because we always think of the Innuit as having many words for snow.

apingaut - first snowfall

aniuk - snow for melting into water

miulik - sleet

popcorn snow - snow that has partly melted and refrozen and acts like ball-bearings

flake ice - ice that is fractured parallel to the c-axis to create flakes

big flakes, small flakes, fat flakes, swirling flakes.

Oh what fun in the wet, wet snow. I slucked around in it. I chased my rabbit in it.

I pushed it around with a shovel. I pushed water around with a shovel.

My feet are wet and cold.
I love hot chocolate.