New Hobby!!! Like I need one!

Mountain Dulcimer!!!

I bought a dulcimer this spring at a yard sale - for the whopping price of $10. It had a place that needed to be repaired and a friend of mine, Tanya, told me to call Johnny McGrew!! I think it is the best thing I have bought in a long time!!!!!!!!!!

We went to visit Johnny and his wife, Becky!!! What a wonderful couple! They told us the history of dulcimer and played for us some beautiful music! Both Johnny & Becky are so talented - I was full of envy! A beautiful log house that they built, and all the furniture in it was built by them. Johnny is an artist! His furniture & cabinets are wonderful. Plus he restored an old truck and it would make anyone drool - it had cherry wood in the bed and he has made a cherry tool box for the back! Becky made some of the most beautiful pottery that I have ever seen - I would love to be able to do pottery but I have to stop at getting new hobbies (Ha-Ha).

Johnny builds the most beautiful dulcimers and I fell in love with the sound they made! He fixed my little dulcimer and both he and Becky showed me how to play. Becky got me a book - and before I left I could play a simple song! I don't read music so I was excited that you did not have to read it to play!

Brian & Britney both can play and even Angie has joined in on this new activity!!! She is wanting her own dulcimer now!!!

Angie & Brian playing in my kitchen!! Here's Brian on the deck - isn't the perfect place to play a mountain dulcimer!!!

Johnny is building me one and I told him to surprise me with the wood & design of the cut out. I am so excited to get it! I will have to relearn how to play because it is bigger than my little one.
Will post more later!!! Hopefully pictures of him building it!

Wow - I am tired - I think this is the latest that I have been up in a while - I will pay for it in the morning!!!!

Sassy Apron Swap!

Finally, I am posting the pictures of the apron that I made for the Sassy Apron Summer Swap! I have to admit that I have not felt like doing anything this summer - and have went days without even turning on my computer.

I made the apron out of 30's reproduction fabrics; added a loop to hang a kitchen towel thru and put a pocket with a little yo-yo flower on it. The kitchen towel was made from osenburg and I added a redwork kitchen design with my embroidery machine. It is reversible with 30's on the back.

You can see in the background that I have another one on the design wall. Of course, it has been there for 2 months!

I received a beautiful apron from my swap partner but apparently I have lost the pictures - so I have to retake them and will post it later. It was alot of fun!!!

Trying to get back in the swing of things!

This summer has been so busy - I just can't find the time for everything! The garden did okay until it got so dry but I have still had to can, freeze & dry constantly, thanks to friends passing on their extra stuff too. Then, of course, there was back surgery - that did not help much!

Here's my husband, Rhea, and my grandson, Brian, picking cherries. Brian made his first jam this year and was quite proud of it. He has helped me in the garden this year.

Britney has also been helping some, here she is helping me make jelly. She also helped with the salsa.

Because of an unexpected heart cath and the back surgery, even my husband had to learn how to can this year!!! He canned beans, blueberry and blackberry jam & jelly. He has help me with freezing corn, and also making apple butter. Gave him a chance to see how much work is involved in all this.

But I do love to see all the jars lined up on the shelves for winter!!

A Beautiful summer evening from my deck! I love looking at the mountains -= I just don't have enough time to do it!!!