Creative outlets

We went to Paint Nite two weeks ago, for our early March date.

Participants gather at a local bar with a local artist, who walks everyone through painting a pre-selected picture.  Supplies are all provided.

Drinking while painting is encouraged.


And at the end, you get to take your painting home!

I was a little skeptical that anything decent could come from an event that advertises "no skill required," but I was happily surprised at what I turned out.

The one and only signed original

I was less surprised by Jason's beauty.... he is a man of many talents.

I wonder what March date #2 holds?

In other artsy news, I made a quilt for dear Jo's baby shower.

The giraffe is a cheerful little guy... I hope he brings much cuddly happiness to Baby Boy.


Jo came in last week and the fiesta began!

There were some hopes raised that we might get snowed in with Jo at Grandma's house, but no such luck.

Caleb, astonished to learn that he also has a heartbeat, just like the baby in Jo's tummy.

Then, for my most recent burst of creative endeavor, I made quiches for the baby shower.  What a perfect entrée for a classy midday event full of women:  quiches are girly, vegetarian, and pretty, and they work for breakfast or lunch.

I woke up this morning humming Here Comes the Sun, knowing that it's the first day of spring.  

I love the first day of spring.

I was inspired to finally go out and plant the lettuce seeds I bought weeks ago when it was 78 degrees, before it was 4 degrees again.

There I was, humming along, thinking how spring-like and homesteader-y I am, growing my own salad greens, straightening up the patio while I went.  

Until I started giving my seeds buckets of water, and the outdoor faucet decided it was done turning off.  

At first I was confused and turned it the other way.  Lefty loosey?  Is loosey on or off?  No, righty-tighty.  RIGHTY-TIGHTY!!  RIGHTY-TIGHTY!!!

No amount of righty-tighty shut off the gusher.  I had to slink (quickly) inside and call for help.  "Um, Jason?"

By the time Jason--and Caleb--came out, there was a puddle all across the patio, watering the lawn all around it, and no end in sight to the waterfall.  Caleb immediately panicked--"Is there going to be a flood?!?"--and headed for higher ground.

Jason was somewhat bewildered and probably highly annoyed that his house was suddenly leaking like a cracked Dutch dam, and I was meekly trying to explain that I didn't do anything (I hid my watering bucket before he came out so I wouldn't look so culpable).  Caleb was dancing around squeaking that there's a deadly flood rising.  

Thankfully my lettuce got planted before disaster struck, though I may be banned henceforth from watering.  Also thankful that only one of four children witnessed and therefore offered their opinions on the situation.  

And most thankful that I have a man of the house to figure out stuff like this so I can hide my bucket and walk away whistling Here Comes the Sun.