Finally. Christmas Tree Chair

 

Here it is as it is lit up and decorated. I have some ornaments on it. But really didn't put tons on it this year. I used up most of the red colored ornaments I had for some color. 

I also don't always hang my special ornaments, but use them on the chair seat like this:

I'll keep changing what is on the chair or around the chair almost daily. To keep the horses from falling over, I used the string of beads. This chair seat IS flat so they shouldn't fall over, but I liked adding color with beads and ribbons.

I finally got my North Pole Village out and as I arranged things, I started to 'play'. 

I mean, this time of the year gives me a great excuse for more play, right?

Our weather is unbelievable! We went from way below frozen to 50 F yesterday. It will last through the weekend through Monday. I still am contemplating doing a Charlie photo. You know, the one where I make the dog sit in front of the tree and pose. 

LOL. He hates it but will do it for cookies!

Enjoy.

Christmas Chair...slow work...

It's a tree, it's a chair. It's a Treed-Chair? The tree and the chair must become intertwined. I don't know why, but that is the way I think of it.

The chair seat is scratched and old but it provides a surface for magical things to happen 'under' the boughs of the tree.

At one time the little chair held gifts and envelopes [grands grow up and want $$ more than a gift]. I could be a real jerk and get everyone underwear and socks. But I don't. It is a thought though.

I mean come on. Wouldn't everyone in the family think I was more off my rocker than usual? At least no one would forget the year Grandma gave everyone weird underwear. 

Meanwhile, back to the Christmas Tree Chair. 

I really only do 1/2 of a tree, so the tree towards the window is flat and it saves more room. I don't go all the way down the tree either with the branches. 

I started doing the Christmas Tree Chair as a fluke in 2013. The tree at first was supposed to be behind the chair and hide the poor design of the tree that doesn't reach the ground like a real tree does.

This was before we remodeled the house. Dark walls, dark bricks, and ugly carpeting. 

The chair offered a nice way to change up decorations in a small space. The chair was rough and had a cool texture to it. It was beat up and cracked. Not really good for holding a human at all.

Over the years, I used the same chair until it actually fell apart.

The fun of decorating the chair morphed into including some of the wooden boxes I've collected over the years. In 2020 I got an old nesting box for chickens that my mother in law had purchased years ago and used as a coffee table.

This year tried something different yet again. A different chair and a different arrangement.

I start and stop often. Two days ago, I stopped here and let one of the handmade tiny button bears take over. I was tired.

It looks like the bears added a string of colored lights and a gnome has hopped onto the top of the tree.

The rest of the work is still unfinished. Most of what I do with the whole mess is change small scenes often in the boxes and on the chair for the fun of photography in the dead of winter.

Plus, it brightens up our living room with color and light in the evenings.

In the meantime. Charlie and I have been off exploring and looking for more ice formations. More about that very soon!

Still Life Challenges

Photography

I do enjoy Toy Photography as much as Still Life. I don't have to wait for perfect weather or perfect light. With a little effort and fun, one can create any world they wish too.

I took an on line class to learn and force myself to do Still Life years ago. I was pretty sure I'd hate it, but I also thought it would be an interesting way to spend time learning a new skill. 

I found out that I really did enjoy it. The class I took was in 2014.

I should do some more of this. Still Life is beautiful and always open to any interpretation. 

I don't want to be stuck in any one genre of photography.  I will say that I am not comfortable with Portrait Photography though. Weddings and portraits are tough and I am very uncomfortable with that genre. 

I have done portraits but mostly those just of my grand kids and a few other little ones. Kids are naturals and fun to follow around with a camera.

Maybe it is time to refocus during these cold, wet, and nasty days.  I might  put the toys aside for a little bit or just mix things up more.

My regret is that I didn't pick up any flowers at the store yesterday!

But I did have some time to make an effort at something much different anyway:

Glass Heart 
&
Pearls

Glass Heart
Pearls
Old Silk Rose

Below: Old Thank You Card I made when I was making all of my own cards to send out in the mail. Remember sending things in the mail???

Anyway. 

It is a good challenge on a dreary wet and nasty day!

The Christmas Tree ... starts....

Sometimes you need a supervisor. In my case, the supervisor holds court from the middle of his couch with a chew bone.

I often ask his opinion on things and he just gives me a look and a slight wag of the tale. I take it to mean that he approves of the new 'Christmas Chair' that I purchased this past spring.

It always starts with a deep cleaning. The space I have to work with isn't large at all. I am not one to do things exactly the same way as I've done before so each year, I try a new approach.

This is living room to the south in the photo above....☝👆

and

...the living room to the north...in the photo below....👇

this is it...

now you see almost all of our house. 

The Hutch houses things like camera lenses and Lego builds along with minifigures. The old table is where I do much of my indoor photography.

The room in behind is our tiny bedroom. 

Of course this is what things look like when I have scattered stuff willy nilly...

and then I make a huge mess...

It is no secret that I like boxes. I have old shipping boxes, dynamite boxes and fruit crate boxes as my movable units for books and things I want to display. They all get emptied and rearranged for the month of December. [I actually constantly move them around and restack them the rest of the year.]

In the winter months sunlight comes in directly through the south facing windows so I use a printed shower curtain to diffuse the light. Odd, but it really works and when the curtains are drawn, there is a nice lit up scene to view.

This chair is ugly but it exactly why I love it. The challenge is to make it beautiful. I started this year with a pine cone garland that is bendy-twisty. I'll adorn the chair with it.

In years past, I've always used an old white lacey table cloth as a 'tree skirt'. This year I won't. I want to keep the warm feeling of the wood floor. The lights reflect a nice warm light when bounced off the floor.

I moved my little birch tree into the dining area of the kitchen and added some red battery operated lights. In the dark mornings, it creates a nice glow of color in our eating area.

As soon as deer hunting ends, I'll be out looking for golden rod stalks that have bumps in them along with milkweed pods and grasses to fill my vases with dried floral arrangements. This is something my Grandmother Pearl did in her tiny cottage so many years ago. I always loved her little arrangements.

In the summer I bring in flowers from the garden, in the winter I bring in sticks, grasses, and elements from the outdoors for bouquets. It works for me and gives me pleasure.

Hubby is used to this now after all of our years together. He refers to my bouquets as 'weeds'. 

I won't bore you with any more of my ramblings.

How do you decorate? Do things you use have fond memories? Do you have heirlooms? Real trees? Fake trees? No trees? 
Do you like white lights? Or are you multi colored?
Traditional? Not Traditional?

I decorate with a goal of visual creation in mind. It is more for myself than anyone else as we rarely have visitors here.

My supervisor is the one who takes more interest in what I do....

well....

How Lego Minifigs Saved Christmas

There sure was a deep freeze going on after the Big Snow. Santa's big red truck had gotten stuck and of course so many helpers showed up to get him going again.

Then Mz. Clause came along and helped everyone celebrate just outside the Christmas Village.

After the party, Santa and a couple of his elves decided to go for a walk. They ignored Mz. Clause's warning about the cold cold weather and told them to behave and stay home.

Of course they never listened and they went out. And they got a bit cold!

Thank goodness there was Bobba Fett and some elves that came to the rescue.

Even the Mandolorian came to help with his lazer gun.

Happily, Santa and his helpers were rescued from the ice.

Mz. Clause came by with her newly rigged up - super powered- sleigh.

She had convinced a Thestral to assist her flying reindeer.

Santa had a better idea. You do know that Santa was originally from Iowa and had a huge farm right???

I mean, who doesn't know that?

His solution?

Well. He paraded his new John Deere all Wheel Drive Flying Tractor and Spreader through the Village with Mz. Clause in the back.

And....

...that is how Lego folks saved Christmas.

Don't believe any other stories you've heard.

I know this one is true, I photographed it.

Meanwhile back in Lego land....

MOC

...it stands for Make your Own Creation. 

I'm not good at this. But I keep looking at the bricks and pieces and after making the last build of the Elf Clubhouse...

I thought, wouldn't it be fun to make my own thing?

I'm not brave enough quite yet to start a big tear down and rebuild. However...

I am not adverse to changing things up with my Lego minifigs [minifigures lingo!]

I mix sets and minifigs without sticking to the sets. I trade heads to get expression that I want.

Back in the Christmas Village some things started to happen....

First was a Baby Blue Velociraptor showing up for breakfast at the Elves house! What do you do? Offer it tea of course!

This woman showed up at the Elf place with a box of...OH No! It looks like she brought a case of...wine??? And a Christmas Office Party ensued at the workshop.

She may be a bad influence on Santa and the Elves? 
or....
is she taking over at the North Pole?

Maybe Santa needed a new CEO. She certainly looks like she is taking charge.

Perhaps she is saving Christmas? 
Looks like she sure is organizing things.

It even looks like she will be refitting the sleigh with afterburners....

I built this workshop from other bricks I had on hand just for using in photography. I had fun figuring out how to 'shoot' through doorways and windows. 
What did I want to appear behind the characters? 

Some of the items are from other sets, I'm not a perfectionist when it comes to Legos. I'll mix and match to make a story fit to where my 

imagination

takes me....

Oh wait. Hubby says the guys in the white coats are coming....

yeah....

More Stuck In..side

 -18

The mules are officially out of water and today will be the high of zero, dammit.
I'll get it done though. I will carry them water this morning and put it in pans and this afternoon when the temps rise, I'll fill the large tank. Where there is a will, there is a way.

Yesterday I 'played' with the converted Full Spectrum camera. I found that I can get interesting colors that are slightly strange if I use the camera without the Infrared Spectrum filters. 

I did this photo with a 665nm Filter.

The shot below is where I took all the photos using just the light from the back door which faces north.

Behold the mess. Old antique boxes stacked with a piece of plywood and a lid to an antique box for the back stop. Paper for any textured back grounds.

My dear friend from Alabama sent me some darling little toys via Amazon. I can't wait to take them to the woods for some adventures. Charlie is perplexed with the wind up toys and will take his nose and tip them over while they are walking.

The shot below is with no filter on it. 

Okay. When converting a camera a clear filter replaces the one inside your camera that blocks IR light. A camera converted this way is also used often in Astrophotography as it picks up light differently. No, I haven't tried that yet, but I may  try it when the temperatures are much nicer outside!

The tiny fake flower in the little brown bottle is actually bright red and the colors in the paper below should be a bit more orange. If I put the 'hot' filter on the lens, the camera would see the light as any normal camera would.

Next up, my wooden toys sent to me by a childhood friend. 

The marbles in back are actually clear and the paper is black with white grunge markings on it.

Bored yet?

Infrared is considered an artsy, non traditional, and way out there type of photography. The scenes that can be shot are pretty neat. However there is a lot more work to the final product depending on how a person wants it to appear. Post processing can be hard. Everyone argues over white balances and RAW files along with how to channel swap...or not to. 
My take away is this. I consider Infrared to be a license to do odd and beautifully strange photography. 

This is a place I am comfortable with. I have so many trials and errors that I am grateful that I have a digital camera and not film.

On a good note. Tomorrow we are supposed to get UP to 12 degrees! I'm considering putting on shorts and flip flops.
Yeah.

I may even start the Subaru and go to town for some groceries. Meanwhile, stay warm and safe. 

~~~ 

Late afternoon Update: I laid out the hose on top of the snow and used the sled to transport about 50 gallons out to the tank. What a workout! 

Be Chilled My Heart

I don't do Valentine's Day. But that is okay, I don't have a grudge against it, I just don't buy into it anymore.

So everyone loves to talk about weather. -15F translates into -26C? I never understood why we don't all use the same measurements. But that is for another day.
I know others are much colder. And I looked at the forecast for us. -17 tonight and Monday? Oh bother.

I measured the temp in the shed yesterday, because it actually felt a bit colder. It wasn't but it was out of the sun so that made it feel so much colder inside.

This is how the girls spend their afternoons. I get obsessed by worrying if they are warm enough. 
Everyone gets about twice the amount of hay during this cold spell. And thankfully, no one is showing signs of cold. 

When I had a place in the flat lands of Kenosha, I had to have a run in for my horses. There was no place for the equine to get out of the wind. 

I am literally going stir crazy inside. It is too dangerous to go hiking even if I get out of the winds. I'm wearing a mask, over the glasses goggles, and a fur lined hat. The secret of keeping warm hands?

My Grandmother's hand made knit mittens with a pair of little knit gloves underneath.

Grandma's Secret Weapon
Knit Mittens

I tried the insulated gloves that are called HotShots and every other high tech glove. Nothing. works like mittens. I've even been able to open gates with them on. If I have to put a halter on someone, I do have to pull the mitten off.

Watering has become a nightmare. The hoses work well and drain from the top of the hill at the outside hydrant. In the past, when we had these cold temps, Rich would help me drain hoses after disconnecting them. With subzero temps and one person, the draining doesn't work as well.

[Yes, one time the outdoor hydrant froze up. That was once in 30+ years. A year when we had no ground cover but subzero temps for an extended period of time.]

Mittens crossed that I don't have to fill the tank until Monday afternoon? With a high of 3 degrees, I may be able to get 'er done. 

Oh and for the curious. The mailman DID show up! His huge Jeep with knobby snow/mud tires could handle just about anything thrown at him. So now that he knows where the house is, I wonder if he'll make deliveries next time. 

I spoke with him this summer at the post office and he told me he couldn't find our house. True Story.

So for those who celebrate, Happy Valentine's Day.

For me? Just a daily outdoor chore challenge and then a day of walking about this tiny cottage waiting for a chance to get out and hike.

Stir Crazy.

9 weeks?

64 days since we went out anywhere as a couple. We visited Rich's mom in the nursing home. Before that?

Rich was at the VA in February. 75 days ago.

At first I was really put out. I missed my CrossFit time at the gym, it had become a daily ritual I really looked forward to. Good friends, good exercise, and camaraderie.

Then we had to make some tough choices. Being social was suddenly out. I've arranged some socially distancing hikes with my friend Bill.
Another would like to join us but at this point she has stated that she doesn't believe in isolation, masks, or washing unnecessarily... she believes the virus is a hoax and that when she gets it she will be just fine.
And the statistics are with her.

However they are not with my husband. So I've made a choice to not include her on our hikes.
I simply cannot risk bringing the virus to Rich.
Eventually it will happen right? I can't avoid it forever. And that is a scary thought.
No matter what, Covid-19 will find its way here, eventually. My hope would be that we find a vaccine.


I'm getting used to this isolation again. After all, I do live with a bonafide Hermit. He has no desire to go anywhere at all.

So I enjoy my walks in the woods. Yesterday I went in a light rain and just wandered about looking at tracks in the dirt/sand/mud along the creek. Looking at flowers that were struggling with the cold weather, and just exploring.

And then there is this:

Morning coffee

Or...Covid-19 Hair. Friends don't let friends do their own hair...
[It's a wig]

What a person with a camera can do when a bit bored.

Meat.
I went to the store on Friday morning and noted that the meat shelves were pretty scarce.
Yes, I have old Bart in the freezer, but on chance I messaged a friend of mine who has a country store and raises home grown beef.
I asked her to put together a beef and pork package for me [her choices...surprise me] with a few of her country store items.
I gave her a price and asked her to use her own judgement.

I'll drive to her farm this morning and hand her the money while she puts my goodies in the back of the Subaru.

Our area is unique in this way because we are rural. Neighbors are calling up other neighbors with cattle and arranging butchering on the farm or at one of the local shops.
Those who work the Farmer's Market in town on Saturdays are trying to figure out how to do something similar as we are not sure that the mayor will allow the Farmer's Market to go on as planned.

Again, we are lucky. Our rural people are moving towards the rural Farm to Table model they have been suggesting all along.

And since this was already in the works, it is working better in our local area.

However.
How do cities deal with food? I see in the news that inner city people are waiting in line for food at pantries. Our local food pantry has had a huge uptick in visitors according to Bill.

What next?
I don't know.
And I think that is what worries us so much.
There is no guidance from the folks that should be in charge.

So after my meat/store pick up, I'll be back to doing mundane work around our farm.
The yard needs a trim...
The woods need me to hike them...

and Spring is coming on fast...
I would like to enjoy it.

You did what?

So I felt like total awful certain crap yesterday. Last night was even worse than I thought it could be.

But before I got to where I decided to do what another blogger suggested, let me tell you what I did to entertain my clogged and fogged brain.

I decided to do some Still Life in the afternoon after taking care of chores most of the morning.



Hubby is still on restrictions from surgery and the weather forecast said that we'd be getting warmer and we'd have rain coming. The mud in the driveway and the lanes were still a bit frozen when I got Rich out of the house and told him to get busy with the skid steer.
Good thing I did! If we'd have waited longer it would have been impossible to get in and out of the Dexter Cattle Winter Lot.

I like carnations. I love buying fresh flowers when I don't have them to bring in from the garden. Recently I've tried other bouquets than just carnations.

Backlighting and soft focus taken in the upstairs spare room with just non direct light coming in the window.

After lunch I watched some videos regarding photography. One can always learn more. This series was regarding lighting and a subject. 
The guy I watched is Mike Browne and he is so enthusiastic about what he does that it actually inspires you to go out and try things. I actually learned quite a bit more about lighting and how to use natural light.

I didn't have a 'model' to try it out on so I used myself. 

Did I ever tell you that I hate myself as a model? My skin is aged and abused. Fine lines and wrinkles work well on a man, but I have both plus many freckles to contend with.

Oh yes, this is me with 'bad hair'. But I took my glasses off and backed into the very short hall way allowing the light to come in diffused and not from the side. It softened the lines on my face. I see that a turtle neck or even perhaps a nice pretty scarf would be in order to hide the old 'turkey' neck!

However after seeing my hair was such a mess, I set things up again, donned a cap and tried some more, this time using a speed lite to bounch off the ceiling just in front of me.

Now this is me. I normally run around in an old sweatshirt and ball cap. That is how I dress for farm life.
And I like how the flash and natural light sort of fade my finely wrinkled skin.  Amazing, I didn't think the 'hand' would look good, but guess what it covered up? That ugly neck!

I actually like this shot. 

So I decided to have a bit more fun. I got Morris involved.

 

I actually like this shot except for the fact my glasses reflect the light coming in from the bedroom window.

Alas, I'll have to figure that out!

He is licking his lips because I used bribery in the form of a dog cookie to have him come upstairs and leave his comfy place on the couch.

Now I have to figure out how to get both him and I in clear focus. I believe I'll have to change the f stop.

It is going to be pleasant today, so perhaps I'll try some shots outside in the fresh air.


And thank you to my blogger friend Lori Skoog for suggesting that I steam my sinuses! Yes it helped!