Be careful out there, y'all . . .

Yes, kids. You most certainly can lose control of your vehicle on gravel when it's ice-covered.

Ed and I came upon this truck in the ditch as we left our house yesterday. We were only 100 yards from our house and completely unaware that it had just happened. As we slowed down a bit to take a closer look I noticed a tiny flashing light in the window when suddenly a face appeared. There was a fellow still inside! He appeared okay but could not open the door that was now on top of the truck so Ed propped the door open and the guy just tumbled out.

It's enough to say that he was all right but here he was with a trach tube, unable to talk to us, trying to communicate with a pen that wouldn't write that he was sick and wanted us to take him to a house two miles further down the lane. Instead, I stayed on the phone with 911 dispatch until four trucks, our volunteer fire department fire truck, two ambulances and two sheriffs showed up.

Overheard, the fellow was in withdrawal and needed medication.

Lesson 1: he skidded going UPhill so don't assume that you cannot lose control at any speed and in any spot on the road, gravel or not.

Lesson 2: anybody at any time can be coming at you and cross the road, crashing into you or just the ditch.

Lesson 3: stop and help. Next time it might be you.

Lesson 4: slow down. Next time it might be me.

Sustained and soothed . . .

Early last week I lost a dear friend, Roger Pabian, a retired Professor of Paleontology at the University of Nebraska. We first met 12 years ago when I signed up for a jewelry workshop and was seated across the table from him. I was new to Lincoln but my husband was a life-long resident and a fairly high profile guy, having raced locally among other things. As we introduced ourselves, Roger piped up, "You wouldn't be the woman who married Ed Bowes, would you?" Well, yes I would be and he proceeded to regale me with racing stories from 'way before I arrived in Lincoln. From that point on, we were fast friends and saw each other every Saturday night at Eagle Raceway.

I knew that Roger, or Captain Agate as he came to be known, taught a lapidary class and he finally convinced me that I should attend. Saying, "Oh that's all I need, Roger - one MORE hobby", I took the class and was hooked. I now am proud to be able to cut and polish my own stones for my work and I will forever be grateful for Captain Agate's pushing me for excellence. How many times did he make me redo a stone I thought was finished? A gazillion but I learned from the best, I think.

Roger passed away in his sleep last week, far too early in his life as he had just turned 75. It came as a surprise to all of us and it will take a while to sink in. I worked at my bench for a few hours yesterday and could not take my mind off everything he taught me and I had to laugh that his writing was still on the 'spitter' of my lapidary machine telling me 'This Side Up'. That Roger . . .

After a long day at Roger's funeral and time spent with those who knew him, I came home to a box on the porch in front of my door. A box full of wonderful things from my friend, Lisa 'Lil Fish Studios'. In the box were two wood boxes which I collect, Minnesota wild rice, pancake mix, honey (oh my, wonderful honey!) and a little Lipton tea tin. Inside - a wood spool and a tiny agate.

Although Lisa had no way of knowing it when she sent it, that tiny agate will become one of my most cherished possessions. It arrived on the day we said goodbye to one of the world's leading authorities on agates and one of my dearest buddies. I'll miss you, Captain, but I'll be able to come into my library and pick up that little Lake Superior Agate and laugh a bit as I remember you, see your eyes crinkle and hear you chuckle as you tell story after story.

Thank you, Professor Pabian. Thank you Lisa. You have no idea what a treasure you sent me, my dear friend.

Sunday at the Lauritzen Gardens . . .

What a wonderful day out at the Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha. I had no idea that there were so many different kinds of Poinsettia, miniature to curly and all colors between pale cream and deep crimson. The displays are spectacular and I do want them all.

My friend Sue and I always try to hit the Lauritzen couple of times every year, especially at the change of seasons when it just gives you that tickle in the pit of your tummy to see all of the things that are new for the season. During their Christmas Open House, they feature their scaled down version of the Omaha of old, complete with old buildings in miniature and scale model trains and trolleys that weave in and out of the buildings. This year they have built a trestle bridge that grazes your head and the train goes completely through the tall, lit Christmas Tree!

It's a fun day out and I always feel so inspired to start garden planning and digging when I get home. Well, at this time of year, it's planning.

Oh yeah . . .

And a handful of 'scrappy' charm necklaces.

Now I'm done. For today.

I may take up knitting full time . . .

Yikes. Seriously, yikes.

The price of sterling silver is quickly approaching $30 per troy ounce which is about double what I last bought it at last summer and it makes a craftperson like me wonder how much longer she can afford to continue creating without having to restock a slowly dwindling supply of sterling silver. Yikes is right.

So while mulling this over standing at my bench and working to replenish the galleries for the Holidays, I

hit upon a stopgap solution and I feel like I'm doing some small part (in 'upcycle-speak') by creating without having to purchase more and more and more.

Sort of a 'duh' moment, I know, but I started digging into my scrap bucket which, at this point usually gets packaged up and returned to the place from whence it came to be reconstituted (or whatever happens to it) at the foundry (or whatever that place is called) so it can be rendered (or whatever the end result is) into flat silver sheet and wire once again.

As I'm digging around I come across little bits that can be made into odd-shaped bead caps and pieces that used to be something else that can now be - aha! - charms!

I dug and mixed and hammered and melted and didn't even TRY to match anything. What I ended up with was a cool collection of scrappy little silver charms that I switched and rearranged until I had a handful of earrings and charm necklaces that were far better than anything I could have planned.

All of them made

from scrap silver and orphan pieces of chalcedony and jade. I feel good. Not bad for a day.

Yeah, I'm a genius. Well, at least I feel a bit better about solving a problem with a little creativity.

1950 Dodge Pickup Truck . . .

My husband does bring me the coolest stuff!

This time it's a 1950 Dodge Pickup that has been sitting in a scrapyard in Beatrice, Nebraska, for who knows how many years. It's rusted and it's so cool I can't stand it.

As a couple of old hotrod people, Ed and I have been watching for an old pickup truck for a long time, something I could drive every single day that will haul bags of mulch, spring shrubs, groceries, my art show set up, absolutely everything - and now we have it. Of course, it's going to take a little work but, by and large, this is how it will look when it's up and running with the exception of a little chrome here and there. And a cool interior.

I have this 'thing' for patinaed vehicles - not really a rat rod but not quite a hot rod, either. I love the layers of paint and a little rust here and there. And if I know Ed, this gem will have a smokin' hot, super fast, can't catch me, engine when it gets going.

Oh yeah, I'm in love.

I'm trapped . . .

Caught once again in the production work today. I'm not one for making the same thing more than once or twice so when I get a super wholesale order for multiples, it's a mixed blessing. I'm grateful for the sweet order but longing for something a bit different. So I finished up the order this evening and decided that I should make just one thing for me. And this time I won't sell it off my body (as usually happens).

It's a plain, wide, domed, sterling cuff. Heavy and striking. A 'goes with everything', 'wear it every day' signature piece.

It's mine.