No Snow
For all my friends near and far who are saying, "It's snowing!!" on blogs and facebook, I'm letting you know -- it's not snowing here. Just in case you were wondering. This is the view out my craft-room window:
The trees are still green, as is the grass (kind of). The air is quite chilly today, but this week it will warm back up into the mid-70s again. We are still fully in Autumn Mode.
Adam, sadly, has been battling his nemesis -- plumbing:
He's redone the lines to the kitchen sink a number of times, and still there is a leak, and still the pressure is too low. Adam's strength in any project is a diagnostic one; he is a problem solver. It may take time, but he will get to the bottom of it! But his hands ache and his knees and hips hurt from crawling under the house. This is a kitchen we plan to rip out entirely in the spring, so I guess this is a start!
Last night was the Fifth Sunday Sing for the Oriental, NC churches.
We met at St. Thomas Episcopal Church this time, in their beautiful sanctuary. Episcopalians do know how to do Beautiful, quite well.
Each choir presented a little special music. Here are the Free Will Baptists.
In other creative pursuits, I'm still writing on my book a bit. I'm getting into the "thick" part, where the plot must be carefully managed, and each chapter, each conversation, each development, each setting, must be well presented. I'm also trying my hand at a little music writing ... well, arranging. There are a few hymns that, to me, would benefit from having an alternate tune and arrangement. Right now I'm doing "In the Bleak Midwinter." The weakness of the current tune is that it's in 4/4 time, and oh! does it plod! I'm setting it to 3/4 time, so it will have a slightly happier lilt. Even if the snow is deep and bleak in a hymn, I still don't think the singing of it should be depressing.
I'm also working on "This Is My Father's World." I want to start "A Mighty Fortress" (talk about clunky!) and "Beneath the Cross of Jesus," which I do love, including the tune, but it would be fun to find something newer. I'd like a new tune for "And Can It Be," but there are some very fine alternate meters listed in the back of the hymnal that would serve it perfectly well.
I'm still Christmas shopping. I think I have my children's gifts all "sorted out," as the British say. Now I must turn my attention to our parents. It's very difficult to shop for older people who've already amassed everything they really need. But I will try!
Lastly, here are some more photos of leaves that Adam is painting:
And ... I did show you the lovely little Royal Doulton child's cup, in the Bunnykins pattern, that I found at the Hospice Thrift Store, didn't I? I can't seem to find it on the blog, but Pom Pom and I chatted about it in email. Oh well -- here it is again, if you missed it before, which I clearly did!
Someday, when I have grandbabies, I want more of these.
It is perched atop my Shorter OED :)
Have a happy day, all!
6 comments:
Hi MK, that is such a sweet little cup and will certainly be treasured by a grandchild. Are those leaves that Adam is painting stepping stones for a garden? He certainly has his hands full right now. Plumbing is always a scary place to go. We had a slow running kitchen faucet for a long time and then we had some work done in the laundry area putting in shut off valves. When we turned all the faucets open and the plumber turned back on the water pump everything flushed out all sorts of debris (minerals and sediment from the well) and now the water runs so much faster. LOL We got the water pressure in the kitchen fixed for free. Our pipes are the old metal ones and the plumber says the inside diameter is compromised from the minerals. I think maybe we should shut the pressure off and try this again but I'm fearful it might really clog the pipes somewhere down the line. Better leave it alone! Have a great week.
I love your Bunnykins mug! What a find!
Poor Adam. Plumbing isn't fun.
The leaf stepping stones are very attractive and should sell well ( I seem to recall you saying something about a craft fair coming up? I hope I got that right).
Plumbing problems are difficult to sort out. The problem we have is that there's a bad smell coming up the drains. DH says the trap is there to prevent any sewer smell but the fact is that it STINKS. I'm forever pouring vinegar or bleach or even boiling water down both drains and it does the trick for a day or so then Boom it stinks again.
Hooray for Adam! I've been rewiring a lamp. A first DIY project for me. So proud of myself. Of course, you'll hear about it on my blog shortly. :)
Your multi-church hymn sings sound like a lot of fun. We don't really have a lot of church choirs around here.
A Mighty Fortress?!? NOOOO! I love the stately and grand tune of that hymn. One of my favorites! But...have your fun, girl. ;)
Love the cute bunny mug!
Speaking of getting the Christmas gifts all sorted, I often find myself "thinking" with a British accent. Too many British movies?!? (Is there such a thing as too many of them?)
Keep enjoying autumn while the rest of us head on into winter, lol.
I am in awe of your hymn redo project, and think it a wondrous thing that you are able even to think about doing such a thing! It must be sweet to engage with the hymns so intimately. <3
Well you are keeping quite busy. - Adams Leaf Paintings are pretty. - Can't say Plumbing is fun for anyone. I really like keeping the Old Hymns just the way they were written. Modernizing them to me just doesn't sound right.
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