Bella's recital
 |
| Her first. |
 |
| Maddie Mae |
Jack's game.
Joey's 'Blue' game.
found draft dated 6/14/15.
Wednesday, September 07, 2016
Sunday, September 04, 2016
New Braunfels, Texas 2015
January and February had mostly been snowy or cold or cold AND snowy and I just wanted to be warm again so Himself and I planned a week of vacation in New Braunfels. New Braunfels is near San Antonio and close to Austin so we were sure we would find plenty to do, enough day trips and some warm weather to make us happy and keep us busy.
So we made reservations, packed our bags and waited for the appointed day.
Arising about 6 on the day of departure, we were astounded to learn that the weather forecasters slipped freezing rain in the Texas weather predictions. What to do? What could we do, we threw the bags in the Dodge and headed south.
We hit it hard. Only stopped for gas. We had Gramma's beef salad and crackers in the cooler. After gassing up around noon, we pulled over, ate a few bites and forged ahead. We made it to Kansas City before Weather Guru spotted the first snow flake. That's all it was until we got to southern Kansas and northern Oklahoma when it snowed right down for a while. It flurried, spit, snowed and squalled. Thankfully, it being Sunday, Nascar Day and Oscar night, traffic was light.
PS: draft found waiting to be published.
So we made reservations, packed our bags and waited for the appointed day.
Arising about 6 on the day of departure, we were astounded to learn that the weather forecasters slipped freezing rain in the Texas weather predictions. What to do? What could we do, we threw the bags in the Dodge and headed south. We hit it hard. Only stopped for gas. We had Gramma's beef salad and crackers in the cooler. After gassing up around noon, we pulled over, ate a few bites and forged ahead. We made it to Kansas City before Weather Guru spotted the first snow flake. That's all it was until we got to southern Kansas and northern Oklahoma when it snowed right down for a while. It flurried, spit, snowed and squalled. Thankfully, it being Sunday, Nascar Day and Oscar night, traffic was light.
PS: draft found waiting to be published.
Thursday, September 01, 2016
Forrest and Janice Austin, 1984 Creston Advertiser profile
Published in
The Creston News Advertiser
Creston, Iowa
December 18, 1984
"Always was kind of a hillbilly," Forrest Austin jokes when asked about his lifestyle that has made him a nearly self-sufficient woodworker.
"You see, when I was growing up everything was done with wood and everyone was kind of self-sufficient, growing their own vegetables and such."
Austin, with his wife, Janice, and one of their nine children, Marion, lives about five miles northwest of Afton at Austin's Shagbark Chalet. The "chalet" is in the middle of several acres of timber, which provides most of the trees that the woodworker uses for his creations.
The Austins moved into the acreage in 1969 and since then he's "done a little" woodworking ever since. He and his wife -- who Austin says is a good carpenter in her own right -- travel to fairs and festivals with a trailer to sell wood signs from. "Janice cuts and sands 'em and I just dowel out the lettering" on the signs.
Besides the woodworking, Austin farms "a little," cuts wood and, with neighbor Wilbur Ricks, saws and treats lumber and wood for Austin's creations. Ricks has a saw mill.
While most people know Austin's work from the signs they peddle at fairs, he'll also take on a cabinet or other specialized piece. His fanciest, and seemingly most popular works, however, are his musical instruments.
He claims to not be musical, right before sitting down to strum a tune on one of his dulcimers or before telling about the violin -- "fiddle" he calls it -- he made for himself "to saw on a little."
But, he also claims to not know much about wood, right before telling about the native walnut, wild cherry or red cedar he uses. Or telling about some mahogany one of his sons found in some discarded forms at Wellman Dynamics in Creston. "Those must've been old forms. You can't buy mahogany like that in a lumber yard anymore," the woodworker mused.
About three years ago, he saw a pattern for dulcimers in the Fox Fire books, a compilation of folk tales and crafts. He has made 44 since then and all but two have been sold or given to family members.
He's also made a fiddle for himself and some banjos. He thinks the one fiddle was his last because of all the work involved.
He got interested in woodworking from his earlier career as a carpenter. He, Mrs. Austin, and some of the kids used to build houses in the Afton area. He is a native of the area and picked up most of his saws and equipment while working.
He hasn't always worked in construction. He farmed off an on and was a printer in Winterset for a time, among other pursuits.
His main love now isn't just wood, either. "I like to work with about anything you can make something with. Steel's nice. I like to weld too."
The Austins like to spread the crafts and lore they've gathered. Each fall, usually in late September, they sponsor Sorghum Days at their place. It's when the cane is ripe and they invite the public out to see sorghum made and feature other folk crafts.
When asked if he thought he'd take on a new career after "retiring" to their acreage, Austin laughed. "Retired? I guess I am, but mostly just tired. Seems like there's always something that I keep hacking at."
The Creston News Advertiser
Creston, Iowa
December 18, 1984
"Always was kind of a hillbilly," Forrest Austin jokes when asked about his lifestyle that has made him a nearly self-sufficient woodworker.
"You see, when I was growing up everything was done with wood and everyone was kind of self-sufficient, growing their own vegetables and such."
Austin, with his wife, Janice, and one of their nine children, Marion, lives about five miles northwest of Afton at Austin's Shagbark Chalet. The "chalet" is in the middle of several acres of timber, which provides most of the trees that the woodworker uses for his creations.
The Austins moved into the acreage in 1969 and since then he's "done a little" woodworking ever since. He and his wife -- who Austin says is a good carpenter in her own right -- travel to fairs and festivals with a trailer to sell wood signs from. "Janice cuts and sands 'em and I just dowel out the lettering" on the signs.
Besides the woodworking, Austin farms "a little," cuts wood and, with neighbor Wilbur Ricks, saws and treats lumber and wood for Austin's creations. Ricks has a saw mill.
While most people know Austin's work from the signs they peddle at fairs, he'll also take on a cabinet or other specialized piece. His fanciest, and seemingly most popular works, however, are his musical instruments.
He claims to not be musical, right before sitting down to strum a tune on one of his dulcimers or before telling about the violin -- "fiddle" he calls it -- he made for himself "to saw on a little."
But, he also claims to not know much about wood, right before telling about the native walnut, wild cherry or red cedar he uses. Or telling about some mahogany one of his sons found in some discarded forms at Wellman Dynamics in Creston. "Those must've been old forms. You can't buy mahogany like that in a lumber yard anymore," the woodworker mused.
About three years ago, he saw a pattern for dulcimers in the Fox Fire books, a compilation of folk tales and crafts. He has made 44 since then and all but two have been sold or given to family members.
He's also made a fiddle for himself and some banjos. He thinks the one fiddle was his last because of all the work involved.
He got interested in woodworking from his earlier career as a carpenter. He, Mrs. Austin, and some of the kids used to build houses in the Afton area. He is a native of the area and picked up most of his saws and equipment while working.
He hasn't always worked in construction. He farmed off an on and was a printer in Winterset for a time, among other pursuits.
His main love now isn't just wood, either. "I like to work with about anything you can make something with. Steel's nice. I like to weld too."
The Austins like to spread the crafts and lore they've gathered. Each fall, usually in late September, they sponsor Sorghum Days at their place. It's when the cane is ripe and they invite the public out to see sorghum made and feature other folk crafts.
When asked if he thought he'd take on a new career after "retiring" to their acreage, Austin laughed. "Retired? I guess I am, but mostly just tired. Seems like there's always something that I keep hacking at."
Monday, August 29, 2016
2014 Vacation - Vintage Buildings
Found this saved as a draft. It's been sitting here since 2014. Our vacation that spring was south to the Gulf Coast, then east to Daytona Beach. These are some of the wondrous and varied houses and buildings that caught my eye.
Tuesday, August 23, 2016
Young men
I'm going to have to quit calling Jack and Joey, 'the boys'.
They are half grown.
Adolescents.
Young men.
13 and 15 years.
Striplings.
Owen will be 7 in October. He'll be pre-teen too, before we know it!
And all three are smart, athletic and darn good looking!
Friday, August 19, 2016
Birthdays
These beautiful girls keep having birthdays. I want it to stop! I want to hold these girls still. For now . . . and mostly forever.
What unique looks and personalities! What minds, imagination and creativity. They just never fail to amaze me. And so much more to come!
What unique looks and personalities! What minds, imagination and creativity. They just never fail to amaze me. And so much more to come!
Friday, April 29, 2016
♡♡♡♡♡
Morghan Grace.
You have the cutest little baby face.
Gracie Pie. Mime.
Grown up beauty.
How did we get here?
Morghan Frey
***** 17 *****
Almost senior.
Prom goer.
College prospect.
She will go away from us and spread her wings.
She will learn things that we don't know. She will meet people and make friends we don't know. She will find a job and learn a career we don't know. She will have adventures, trials, scares and triumphs we won't know.
But the fun and successes, wins and milestones are hers, ahead . . . and hers for the taking!
That I'm not ready is of no consequence.
Her future is a snowball rolling down hill.
And I am excited for her!
I am looking forward to the book! And to the movie! And then the sequel. Can't wait to see how it turns out!
and I love her to the moon and back.
Morghan Grace
Sent from my U.S. Cellular® Smartphone
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