Summer Hibernation.

I don't hibernate in the winter--that's when it's nice here, with the daytime temperatures seldom less than 50, and sometimes a nice sunny 65 or 70 degrees.  Cold nights make for good sleeping, but the days are perfect for just about anything.

No, I hibernate in the summer, (as in late May until September) when the temperatures hover around the three digit mark.  Today it has cooled down to 98 with 63% humidity...but I've got indoor work to do regardless of this "cold front".  The garden is dead, the drought has me out watering 6 to 8 hrs a week (have to water by hand because of water restrictions down here) just in order to keep the perennials and fruit trees alive.

I bring up the hibernation to excuse my absenteeism from the blog-o-sphere...just have too much going on!  Not much of a hibernation, if you ask me.  :~)

Lately I have been working my tail off--if not on dolls, then on real estate stuff, housework, etc.  Had the grand-twins for a week, and I've almost recuperated from that.  (Note to self: next time stock up on vitamins.)

I haven't gotten listings put up on Etsy like I've wanted to, nor have I started any Ebay auctions, although I may do that this weekend.  I have, however, thanks to Pamela and Natalie, sold out of ink crystals, and have sold almost half the shipment due tomorrow!  Holy Cow.  That's a lot of walnut ink.  I'm seriously thinking of starting an Etsy store for supplies, since my sales record on the doll store has begun to look like an ink store instead.  Not complaining, however.  I've had nothing but good comments on this ink, and I'm happy to be able to provide an alternative to tea and coffee for aging fabrics and paper crafts.

I did find a quilter today who makes doll quilts (or has, and will again) so if any of you are looking for doll quilts made of civil war repro fabrics, try Treasured Primitives.  The picture below is of a table topper, but I think it'd make a great doll quilt for a small doll.

I've got a doll show coming up in August, and have started so many dolls it will be all I can do to finish them by then.  I'll get pictures up as I do get them finished!  And at some point (shame on Granny Jan) I will get the kid-week pictures up as well--those boys are little heart-breakers.

Cheers!

Finally some new listings.

I've been so busy making dolls, playing with grandsons, and doing the real estate boogie, I have had plenty of excuses to NOT take listing photos.  But finally, I got the old camera back from the hubs, and spent a productive afternoon.  Soon there will be new listings in the Etsy shop, which has seen few sales of late except ink and patterns. 

Hope your Tiw's Day is fabulous.

Our trip to Morgan's Wonderland

Be aware this is a Picture Heavy post...LOTS of pictures, and a story to tell.

Weekend before last, Phil and I spent the day at Morgan's Wonderland with my daughter, her husband, and their twin boys.  Of course we all went for the boys, because this is a kids' place.  To be perfectly frank, neither I nor Phil had as much enthusiasm going in as we should have, because we really don't enjoy busy parks or paying a great deal of money for someone to entertain us.  Just not how we roll.

But this was for the kids, it was up north here in San Antonio near my daughter's place, and it was "our turn" to go up there since they'd been down here.  So we went.

And we were amazed, had a wonderful time, and came away with a profound respect for this place, its volunteers, and the concept in general.  I hope there are many more places like this, or if not, that the idea catches on.

I won't go into the history, or its details--there's a link to it there at the top for you to explore if you want.  I'll just post some pictures and try to describe what we found as we went through.  The basic premise is this: a park made FOR special needs kids, rather than a park made for regular kids w/ a ramp or wheelchair access thrown in as a second thought.  I don't know the politically correct term for "regular kids", so I'm trusting you to know what I mean.

The park is not full of huge carnival rides, nor is it for older kids really.  It's more of a cross between a nature center, a kiddie park, and a playground.  This place feeds the senses, nurtures curiosity, and inspires imagination.  What better place for kids?

Okay, enough explanation.  Time for pictures...I'll try to keep it to a minimum, but it'll be hard.

Pictures while you wait in line to pay?  Perfect. 

Electronic kid finder gadgets...kid bracelets correspond to the adult bracelet in the info system.

This was The Waterworks.  We spend a lot of time here, and came back to play and cool off frequently.

They learn all kinds of water physics here...how to channel water, connect pipes, etc.  The kids couldn't get enough of this water play, (neither could the grownups.)

Throughout the park are giant pavilions, w/ rubber flooring, exercise/climbing/and experiential or interactive stations everywhere. 

Granny Jan, Things One and Two, and the world's largest plastic caterpillar.

Renee (mom), Pa Phil, and Jeremy (dad) on the rocking boat.  There's a kid down there too, crawling around on the floor boards and laughing his head off.  You have to use your legs to get it rocking, good exercise!

All over the railings were boards like this, teaching about the life cycles of living things.

A relief map of the park.  See how the pavilion covers make a butterfly?

There was a fishing warf out on the 2 acre pond...kids could fish and release (or keep it if it's a turtle) and there were remote control boats to zoom around at one end.  The sound track playing in each pavilion was all instrumental: Irish Tin Whistle, French Cafe Accordions, Spanish Guitar, Scottish Bagpipes...it was AWESOME.  We had our picnic lunch here, which was another surprise: they let you bring your own food to cut expenses.

Little jeeps on a track.  They had special setups in each one that could accommodate and secure a wheelchair as well.  The boys got fretful at one point, waiting for the loading of one such wheelchair-bound kid, and it was a great teaching moment for them as we explained not everybody is lucky enough to be able to run and jump, so be kind, patient, and grateful for your legs.  

There was a little store w/ plastic items, little baskets, and play checkout registers.  The boys went Shopping.

There was a Green Screen, so they got to play Weather Forecaster, and see themselves superimposed on the map.  Vincent wore a green shirt, so it looked like his head was floating!

Everywhere there were tools and instruments to satisfy the physical senses.  "Pa" Phil is playing with one of the many musical toys around the sand box pavilion.

In the sand box there are little seats w/ toy earth moving equipment.  Kids had a blast here too.

Wind-operated art was everywhere...looked like perpetual motion machines.

The expression on a child's face when he gets to experience a swing, safe in his wheelchair...something I won't forget.

Sorry for all the pictures...as you can imagine, "Granny Jan" took a whole lot more, so this was only a smidgin.  But I had to tell the story of this great place.  Hope your week is fabulous.