Thoughts and shit - Josephene's Inspirations

7-31-2023
Damn, it's been a bit. Life has been full of changes and with that, the making and creating have lagged. Imaginating will always be there. The making and creating should be going again, soon. Still getting settled and set up. Guess what?!? We got ducks!! Holy shit, who would have guessed. They are the filthiest, cutest, adorable goblins ever. They joined us in April. And, another guess what. We are getting goats! Hot damn. I'm living this farm life and it's a thing. Tons of work and much fun. We have more planned, but that's for later.

Until I can get to my making and creating, please go check out the YouTube channel Adventures Media. It's where my loves post the spectacular videos of our life adventures. Some mundane, and some not so mundane. Here's a video of the ducks when they were still babies. Fuzzy, chirpy goblin children https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSEauhqieJo&list=PLD3S6nBLKHyBM9l-S4MxFnUCEryGSddUw

11-13-2022
Looks like my first post on here was a year ago and what a year it's been. Earl passed away from FIP. That was hard. We had to say goodbye to him just before his one year adoption anniversary, when I brought him in from the street. He didn't even reach being two years old. Learned more about FIP than I ever wanted to know and I now hate that disease. I'm glad that I was able to give Earl a comfortable home, but damn that boy had so much more living to do.

I'm very happy to say that the last five-ish years, I've been living more and more. For so many years, life was stifled. I had nearly lost the ability to see beauty in the little things. Not saying learning to live again was easy, but I'm in such a better place in my head and heart. I've rediscovered many of the things that I really like about myself. Kinda nifty

I'm frantically updating this website again. I've got a booth in the employee craft show and am desperately trying to redesign the drink topper page. And, of course, I'm also working on making nifty shit for the craft show. I have valid reasons for the last minute. Things like work is still overwhelming, fencing is much fun and takes time, and having beloved folks means giving them time (I really like giving them time). Still, one day, I'll not be frantically doing all the shit, at the last minute

I should introduce Maverick and Athena. Maverick is a spaz, space cadet. Full of luv and intelligence. Athena is a contrary kittie, who understands way too much, bosses everyone around, and is adorably cute and loveable (which she would protest). Maverick was displeased with me in this photo. He can squint his eyes in such a way, damn.

5-26-2022
The club I fence with recently had a photoshoot and here ya go. I've been pretty lucky that I've had some great family of choice in my life. The SCA helped create some wonderful memories with people. Belly dance gave me another opportunity to broaden my family of choice and add to all those lovely memories. Now fencing and HEMA is widening the family I have.

Side note: all family is choice. Doesn't matter if they are blood related or not, it is a choice to be family.

Anyways, enjoy these photos taken by a most spectacular photographer, Lisa Haefner. You can find her on Instagram She was so much fun to work with and damn, just look at those photos

It's Spring time!! The weather goes from holy shit it's cold, to oh my god it's hot daily. I've been out in the yard prepping for when we can finally plant. Been working on those life cobwebs and getting some cleared out. It's odd when you consider things you haven't thought of in years. Sometimes you wonder, what if?

My kid and his lovely lady took me to a place where you paint your own ceramics. The lovely bowl is what I brought home. And, of course I was gifted with a Baby Yoda bopping game, in addition to some other treasures.

3-11-2022
Birthday is tomorrow and I'm another year older (luckily, not deeper in debt). My kid and his lovely lady have reserved the day with some sort of shenanigans. I have no idea what may be about to happen. I may feel my age the day after celebrating. We shall see.

My beautiful rapier and dagger arrived. I'm loving learning how to use them. Saber has been tons of fun. Hoping to be able to order one soon. We've been having a class series in Pole Arms, so much fun. Longsword continues to get a bit better. I started with some online classes March, 2020 and with the club since August, 2020. I'm just really having a ton of fun with swords and even better, sword people.

It will soon be Spring and I'm itching to get to work planting. Can't really do that too soon though due to frost. In the mean time, I'll spring clean my house, and maybe myself. I should take the opportunity to clean out some cobwebs of life. Sometimes opportunities only come once.

Here's some nifty photos of those damn boys

2-14-2022
I had to say goodbye to my little Josephene yesterday. I thought I was more prepared, but I wasn't. She trusted me and at the end I just couldn't protect her from age. I stayed with her to the very end. She's with my grandma and B and other kiddos, and then so many other's I've lost. Wherever they go when they go back to being stardust.

There were allot of people who did not appreciate that a toy poodle was a service animal. Size wasn't needed to alert for noises, but what she lacked in stature, she made up for in every other way. Josephene and I went through our training together. To be honest, I fucked up way more than she did. Coming from Germany and the German hundeschule, Josephene already knew how to behave in public and on public transit. She also had excellent problem solving skills and was a master manipulator. She traveled to more countries than many people I know and just seemed to take everything in stride.

How do you talk about a dog who is not the family pet, but was someone who was an active part of my live - 24/7? I mean, when I got ready for work, I had to set aside time to get her ready for work. Anywhere we went, I had to make sure she had food, water, blankie and anything else needed for the day, week or whatever the timeframe was going to be. She was carried at festivals where there were so many people a dog would get stepped on, she ran in the woods of Europe, she climbed rocks in the Rockies, she ran on trails in the prairie. She went to concerts, dance balls, class, work, camping, restaurants, hospitals, parades - really everything I did, she did.

She worked and she was all dog. That damn poodle nose would lead her (and I) astray more than a few times. She would dig up voles and kill them; pull hedgehogs from the wood pile and try to eat them; take on the blasted weasels; she caught two squirrels and chased multiple rabbits. She loved digging and burring bones, real ones, and biscuits. She would chase a tennis ball and then shred it with those tiny teeth. She'd play tug-a-war and chase, growling and sometimes barking. I called her my Frankish Warrior Queen.

As she got older, we both adjusted. Life really changed after her congestive heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. No more going to the mountains, travel was restricted, medications became a constant in our life. But, she still walked; sometimes a mile or two, sometimes only a block or two. She still manipulated everyone she met and was Empress of her world.

There's so much more to share about Josephene, but, yet, I don't know what else to share. I'm at a loss with her gone. I mean, she just gone and it really hurts.

12-31-2021
New Years Eve. Not sure what I should reflect on. Josephene turned 17 yesterday. She is one tough old dog. Betty White just passed away, dammit. This year has seen all sorts of things. Some have been great, some have not been. It was another year of losing some good people. Here's Josephene showing us that there should be balance as she woke up from a nap during a meeting. The other is her letting me know she was over it.

12-26-2021
I was going through some of my photos and found these treasures. Had to share

12-5-2021
Had a conversation recently with someone who commented that I should concentrate on only one thing to make. I tried that years ago and I got really bored. I just get curious about doing something else. I love the process of making something and then when it's finished, celebrating it's completion. I've coined the phrase that I'm a shotgun blast of interests. I've worked on cars, built furniture for camping, weaving, ceramics, tooled leather, built electronics, embroidery, cross-stitch, cook, garden, brewed, canned, costuming, oh jeez I could go on - hell, I'm a maker. I'm just curious about stuff. I know just enough about so many things that I can talk to many different people about what they are doing. Not an expert, but I've had some great impromptu chats.
I'm reminded of that saying, "Jack of all trades and a master of none." I think there is more to that saying though. Doesn't it go something like "Jack of all trade, master of none. But, oftentimes better than a master of one." Googling that phrase says that I should credit Robert Greene, in his booklet Greene's Groats-Worth of Wit, 1592.

11-26-2021
Turkey Day was yesterday and I was able to spend it with some of the best people in my life. Here's some pics of my contribution to our feast.

Brie with garlic & seasonings. wrapped in phyllo dough

11--13-2021
It was suggested that I write a blog. Not sure if this is exactly how it's done, but here goes a post. This webpage is live! I know I still have work to do, but it's ready to go. I just finished making some cranberry jelly and then, canning it all. The jelly is not your mom's version. I add things like cocoa powder, cinnamon, other seasonings and some Grand Marnier. Can't wait to spread that on my bagel tomorrow.
Here's some nifty pictures of that jelly and the kiddos.