Who is Orange Sink?

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Rice Lake, WI, United States
My home town is Rice Lake, a small town in northern Wisconsin. I own Red House Wool Studio~ an in-home wool and rug hooking business. I enjoy collecting and decorating with antiques and primitives. Orange Sink Blog is a journal of my interests and ramblings about life. Cathy Greschner

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Thursday, September 24, 2009

CAUGHT IN THE WEB


Lately I've been feeling like a fly caught in a spider's web. Since May of this year I have been the primary caregiver for my Mom who is 79. It seems like an eternity ago that she was living alone in her home with her dog.

She almost died. The marvels of the medical world brought her back after a month in the hospital and a month in the nursing home. If anyone is familiar with Staph infection you know the damage it does if it doesn't kill you. Mom has a damaged and badly leaking heart valve as a result. This infection also crept into her eye. A procedure in the first few days in the hospital saved the eye but a difficult cataract surgery will be done after she has the heart valve replacement surgery on Oct. 8th.

I really never thought when this all began that I'd see her being able to live on her own again. Now, there is hope. But we need to make a change. She lives rather secluded in a wooded area too far for me to travel to on a daily basis. She wants to make the change. We have begun the process of putting her house on the market and finding her a safe and more suitable home for her future.

I started this blog as part of a dream I had to venture into something creative, exciting and as a way to connect with other rug hookers, artists, people around the globe. Sometimes I'm not sure which direction my blog is going. I know it has been a wonderful place for me to go when I feel like I can't take one more day of Dr's appointments, waiting rooms, hospitals, screw-ups, sick people, my own fears, anxiety..........oohhhhhh....this web feels like it's completely wrapped around me.......I have to quit fighting it. I need to slow down and really feel this web. It is silky smooth, strong, and so very fine. How can it hold that huge bumble bee I saw hanging in it today?

It just does. It's a beautiful thing. I can focus on the positives, the things I've learned, through all these struggles of late. They support me. Whatever comes next, I know I can make it. I feel so fragile, yet I feel strong.

Thank-you for listening today. I hope to be posting again soon. I have to take it one day at a time right now.

(My wonderful supportive hubby took that beautiful photo of the spiders web while walking through the woods the other day. Please click on it to see all the fabulous detail in that spider's web.) I have to add though, spiders really creep me out!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

IF THEY ONLY HAD A BRAIN!


On my brain the last few days: Making a scare crow. Last fall we took our favorite drive to Bayfield, Wisconsin just before they had their famed Apple Festival. The town was decked out with scarecrows from one end to the other. Some of them were your classic scare crow like in the Wizard of Oz, but most were just plain wierd. The wierd ones were my favorites of course.

This year I am bound and determined to have one or possibly a few scare crows on our front lawn for the neighbors to enjoy. So I'm taxing the old brain again to come up with some ideas. It may take me a few days to get them done and in place. If they are willing (smile) I will take a few photos and share with you. In the meantime click on the photos I took in Bayfield in the Flickrin above and they will enlarge for your viewing pleasure. Let me know which is your favorite. Now I'm off to see the scare crow supply wizard!

Monday, September 7, 2009

Ugly Guy Gone! Already Spent The Money!

Can you believe it?!! I never dreamed that the ugly guy from the basement was worth that much or I'd a dug him out and put him on Ebay before now! I believe he's been down there at least 3 years or more. I'm hoping the buyer is pleased with him! He's all packaged up and ready for his trip to Michigan.

What is it about this old junk that calls my name? I have been behaving pretty good all summer. Had to slack off going to any sales due to time and money! So what do I do.......before I even GET the money for the Ugly Guy? You guessed it. My friend Lisa called me Sat. and said she had driven by a garage sale sign that started at noon out by her cabin. Pretty far out in the tullies as we say around here. Did I want to go? She said it looked pretty interesting.......Uh No....I better not......Well........ just give me a minute to get my shoes on and call Hubby to let him know we are just taking a little drive okay?

Three hours later we had my little car pretty well stuffed with stuff. The big old rusty wheelbarrow for 5.00( for flowers next spring) and the cute old wooden fire wood box (25.00) took up the most room. Hubby shook his head as I backed the car into the driveway towards the garage. 'Always a bad sign' he usually says....when I back the car into the driveway.

Well, judge for yourself from the photo I took after I got it all out of the car. I tried to really think about all this before I bought it. But my downfall was when the guy running the sale said as he handed Lisa and I two Walmart plastic bags "anything you can stuff into this bag is going for 3.00 a bag!" Lisa grabbed hers and began digging under the tables. I found a brand new Black and Decker Steam Iron and didn't have room in my bag. No problem, Lisa already had a second bag going and had room in hers.

So the story goes.........We had treasures galore and room for more!! I am thrilled with the old crow decoy I got for 2.00 and a very very old black and orange Witches hat for 25 cents. Some of the goodies are going to be used for my outdoor scare crow display.......coming soon in the next blog post or two.....Thanks to all you super sweet gals and guys for commenting and following my blog. I had fun with with this Ugly Guy thing! I hope you all had a relaxing and fun Labor Day Weekend!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Ugly Post Guy on Ebay! Doodling Around




I thought you might like to bid farewell to the Ugly Post Guy I had in my basement. My gosh, its got bids! Turns out he was an old hitching post from years ago.......maybe has a little bit of value! Click here to watch the auction.

Have been trying to ditch this headache all day long. Sometimes it helps to go out in my studio and pick up a cinnamon scented pencil and start doodling. The sketch above is something I sketched today for the fun of it.

Those scented pencils are wonderful! Have you ever used them for your sketching? They come in all kinds of flavors......chocolate, watermelon, rootbeer, bubble gum.
They're made from recycled newspapers. They are called smencils. Just a fun thing I thought I'd pass along. I've been doing some sketching for rug patterns also. Very taxing on my poor little old brain. I'll let you know if I come up with anything good. Enjoy your evening!