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Summer has come to an end.

Posted by ourlittleredhouseblog on

How many days are left until Christmas…88? I finally started doing some early holiday shopping over the summer.

And what a summer it was. You know sometimes I look around and think about all this beauty I am seeing and I’m amazed by it all…do you guys see it? I hope you do, I really do.

“Oh yeah that?…yes…there is some pretty ugly going on with those screens, that is true”.

But if you are of the mind set and personality type that enjoys being out in the world, being in nature, conversing face to face with real people, a more positive then negative type of person…then you will know what I’m writing about.

Okay, let’s see, what has been happening lately…so much. I find myself trying to catch up all the time and this is where one of my favorite hobbies of blogging has taken the back burner as they say. I try to write as much as possible though. Sometimes I will write long letters to my friends out there in the world. We are all in different places now and to me old school letters seem more personal and just a fun way to keep in touch. I will even hand write them, now that is really old school.

I feel with all this technology we will loose those skills of using our brains to do things and in the big picture of things this will come back to bite us. This is why I love seeing art and hand made items, baking bread and building and creative…it’s all good.

We can’t loose those skills. I don’t even want to even go there, to even think about a world where a whole generation has never planted a garden, sewed a button on a shirt, or took apart something to see how it works or if they could fix it when it no longer does work…now that’s scary to me.

This pile of old items I pulled from the shop are still waiting for me to update and redesign into something else. This is one of my back burners as they say.

This was suppose to be a blog about our summer and here I am thinking about the younger generations never knowing what it’s like to build and create, everyone needs a passion. The world needs colors and joy. The whole world needs to invent and be unique in every way.

This summer was a hot one, when the heat got pretty uncomfortable out there I discovered a fun summer time project to work on, paint by number. I picked one up at my favorite thrift store. The paint was a little old but still in it’s paint stage. I just added a little water to it. These are actually fun to do. Just turn on a podcast and paint away.

We didn’t really go on any trips this summer. We took early morning walks down by the creek and I loved seeing kids out swimming and fishing. Everyone was out riding bikes and walking as well. It wasn’t a real vacation for us, but to be honest where I live now seems like being on vacation on a daily bases anyway, if you like nature and the outdoors that is, and I do.

One of my favorite places to rock hunt. And very close to home, only 5 minutes away so an easy place to go for walks.

There is always something new to see every time I’m out there. People wonder if I miss the big city and I do miss some things about my past home. I miss the desert, it’s beautiful too. I miss all the shops and museums. There were more food choices too and pick up trash days always had more to choose from for rebuilding supplies. In a city of millions when they have their large items for trash seasonal pick ups on the streets you will find all kinds of things, like old french doors, kitchen cabinets, large garden pots, dressers, chairs, old lamps…people toss so much away in those gigantic cities. I miss my repurposing of discarded vintage items.

There are more workers to hire in the big cities too. There is a shortage of help here in the country for construction and that is hard when you are working on renovations, we do what we can. And I don’t miss the noises of sirens, helicopters, loud speakers, drones and the intense traffic of big cities. There are some other things about city life that I will not write about here. It’s bad you guys.

This summer was all about The staycation of it all, we stayed put. I still worked on my hobbies like writing. but besides trying to write when I could, I also tried to just go out and take photos when I had time.

Quiet summer days at the lake.

Using an actual camera tends to intimidate people I have discovered, it makes us photographers a target with things. This is hard to explain, but the camera is just like a paintbrush to a painter, or a pen to a writer, it’s just another artistic tool. But so many people out in the world have conformed to using their phones instead, that when they come across someone with a large camera out taking photos it’s almost like an ugly energy takes over the environment in that moment…”Why are you doing that, what is that you’re using?”. It’s much easier to blend in and be invisible in a city of millions taking random photos, then in the middle of the country with few people out and about. When you don’t follow the crowd, you risk the chance of becoming a target.

Exploring an old building in the middle of a very old and historic cemetery .

Anyway, I thought for my Summer update I would just add a few photos for everyone to see as photos tell stories too. I hope you all had a great summer as well. I can’t wait for warm sweaters, hot cocoa, snow, colorful leaves, road trips, baking cookies, and finishing up more home projects. Happy Fall everyone. Stay safe out there and God bless you all.

A visit to a horse show .
Shopping for Secret Santa gifts for the local kids in town.

Looking out an old window in a downstairs outdoor kitchen area.

Working on renovations at the old Ozark Giraffe home.

First set up at a small town Grape festival at the Catholic church.
The only reason I thought this was an interesting photo was because of all the colors and balance of this shot. This was before all the traffic came, before the grass was trampled on and there would probably be lots of garbage everywhere too, the before scene before the event is always such a great comparison of how fast things can change.
Bargain shopping for home decor.

I wonder how old this is?
I wanted this old wooden tray but this was a cash only event and by the time I reached this section I was out of cash. Not to worry the lady said…”There’s an ATM machine way down there” as she pointed across the farm field.
My grandma used to make German Christmas bread and bake it in old coffee cans. I went looking for some and they were too rusted inside to use like that. I have her recipe and thought I make some this year.

Peeking through and old window with wire mesh inside of it, I saw a huge pile of faux cemetery flowers. I guess this is where they take all the loose flowers that have blown around with the storms in this area. I wonder what they do with them all.

There is so much history in this cemetery. We were there for the little church next to it that was setting up for an event. Photographers always have a drive to explore every corner.

I believe this used to either be part of the old church or was used as a school at one time., maybe both.

Old wheelbarrow that looks like a wasp nest is attached to it.
Getting an early start on felting Christmas ornaments.

Old furniture tools from the shop renovations.

Finishing up a tiny Autumn teddy bear made from a vintage mohair coat that was moth damaged. The tiny sweater I sewed up for it was made from some donated vintage wool sweater scraps the Arkansas weaver’s guild gifted me with, a huge bad of wool scraps to create with. The tiny pumpkin hat and pumpkin was made from 4-H sheep’s wool. The teddy bear is weighted so it feels heavy when you hold it in the palm of your hand, it’s only about four inches and string jointed.

Setting up for the show, everything smells like saw dust, so different before the animals arrive.
The behind the scenes of a show is also part of the show, a lot happens in the background too.
A storm was coming in, it was a loud one too.

An old dam being repaired.
Fall has arrived.

Pray updates- For everyone that was praying for Phoenix Arizona from a past prayer request from this site…Thank you. You may never know if the prayers are answered and remember that is okay, keep praying. Keep praying for strangers you see on the streets that may seem like all of a sudden need a prayer, keep praying for your love ones and friends, pray for your neighbors, pray for peace, pray for the world…just keep the prayers going. Sometimes you will be blessed to see that a prayer has been answered and I try to share that when I discover a prayer was answered with you all here. In Jesus name we pray always remember that. God is right there by your sides and He is watching out for so many. A major accident was prevented this summer in Phoenix.

New prayer request, this is for a small town, the one I live in, there are little battles everywhere right now, even here…please pray for it and the people who live here, and please include my family as well. I don’t usually ask for myself or family but this is something I am noticing here and it’s not good…thank you to all you prayer warriors out there. Again…have a beautiful Fall everyone. God bless you and yours always and keep you all safe.

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