Mosaic Mom

In the tropics, you go with what you got!
Happy Halloween

PS Plant Daddy has already brought the mailbox inside so it won't be smashed overnight!

Yes, Thursday will be tied up so I went to The Berries High School on Monday afternoon. Planted Coleus into the NAHS students planters.

Happy Halloween from Mosaic Mom and friends!

From the tracker I see that you all want info on Halloween Mosaics. OK, so I started a mosaic pumpkin yesterday. It was a little harder than I figured, but once I got the mouth, it was a snap! Will finish tesserae today and grout tomorrow.

Have to put the cork on the mosaic birdhouse bottom.

Have to put sealer on the shoe! Then photography there!

Started the Venus Fly trap plant sculpture and still coming along on the Venutian!
Very Busy in the studio!

Yesterday at NAHS, the kids put their final glaze coat on their pottery. It will fire in the kiln over the weekend. On Monday I will take the Coleus over and we’ll create the table decorations for the Bulldog Café.

Reminder to self: Get some floral card picks so NAHS can have a little sign to get the credit.

I took Little Debbie cakes and Hawaiian Punch for snacks. I totally enjoyed the Hawaiian Punch; hadn’t had it in years! Suzy and I split one Little Debbie between us, so no remorse.

After supper I began work on the “One-eyed, One-Horned, Flying Purple Eater” Sculpture. I am totally enjoying this! Totally!

SAMA recently changed their mission statement. They went from “promoting mosaic art” to “promoting FINE mosaic art”. In other words, they’d totally poo-poo a Flying Purple Eater Mosaic Statue.

But when it comes to something really fun to display in a Children’s Garden section of Carnivorous Plants…with a lot of Venus Fly Traps… then a big, purple mosaic of a Venutian is just the ticket. If you can’t laugh, why bother?

I am also working on a mosaic Venus Fly Trap plant. One of the NAHS kids is going to attempt one, and she’s taken on a lot for a first time mosaicist. I’m going to go out ahead of her and see where the trouble spots are.

Looks like she’s going to need to use a snap cutter so she can create uniformity along the ridge of the arch. Photos soon.

I'm going over to The Berries High School this afternoon with sodas and cookies in tow. I think I'll get the art kidlets those cute pumpkin face Halloween sugar cookies.

They will finish up their ceramics projects today and then next week we can move on to Mosaics. We have to make the mosaic sculpture for the Discovery Gardens.

BTW, I am making a mosaic sculpture of the One Eyed , One Horned, Flying Purple People Eater. Does anyone happen to have a taxidermy eye they'd give me? How about one of those old cow horns?

Here would appear a nice photo of my latest mosaic birdhouse just completed...called Lucky 7. But apparently Blogger isn't feeling lucky today. Can't upload.

Anyway I assume all those people in California are a little out of sorts today. I'll try later.

Everybody toss up a prayer for my Blogfather Ian and his family. They live in San Diego and are no doubt affected by the fires.

Yesterday I ran to the broker and the accountant. Today I have to run to 2 banks.
Tax bills come out next week so I have to have funds in place to pay. Nargh!
To pay the tax bills I have to make my annual trip downtown next week.

Once upon a time I used to do routine errands in downtown “The-berries”. They had a bank or two, a post office, a grocery store and Ace Hardware. It was great. It was easy.

Then the banks moved out to Hwy 441, ditto the post office (that bldg is now the law library). The grocery store tanked and Ace moved to Hwy 19. There is no reason to go downtown anymore. Except once a year to pay the taxes.

In today’s paper there was a huge advertisement for the Quest Community Education classes. Mosaics are not listed there because I am not going to lug supplies to “schools and civic locations” …

If you want a mosaics class, come enjoy a day in the country!


My big mosaic angst is that I used silicon glue to attach the toe piece on the latest mosaic shoe. The silicon didn’t set up securely enough. I have had to remove the piece and have to get some JB Weld.


Also in today’s paper there was a suggestion that since cooler weather is here, we should all cook some hot chocolate.

We’re still in the low 90’s temperature wise. A front later in the week will drop us to a cool 87! Wow! Can’t wait!

I was out and about on Saturday looking for a Pilea.
I went to three different garden centers in three different Box Stores.
It used to be easy to find Pileas in the garden center, but not anymore.

There used to be Pilea microphylla aka Artillery Fern.

There was Pilea nummularifolia called Creeping Charlie.

Pilea cadierei, Aluminum plant and Pilea involucrata, Friendship plant…all gone.

I found three 4 inch pots of Pilea ‘Moon Valley’ but they looked rough and I had to dig under the Pothos to get to them.
In the cactus selection, was that really Portulaca as labeled or was it Pilea depressa?

At one point I thought I had found the P. involucrata, but there was no label to help me. I pinched a piece to bring home to identify and when I keyed it out, it was a Hemigraphis not a Pilea.

If I, who know a lot about plants, have so much trouble, what does the average Josephine do?

At any rate, I will not be writing an article about the Pileas…since they’re gone. But maybe I will write about the lack of plant diversity at the box stores.

This photo is Pilea 'Moon Valley' ,I think, although it lacks the browning along the midrib that this variety usually has.

It's hot...and it's not even me this time.

Record high temperatures yesterday...and more of the same expected today. Grrr.

I am going to do something I hardly ever do. I am going to stay inside and iron shirts and watch daytime soap operas!

Actually, I'll watch HGTV and get decorating ideas. Or Food network and get some new recipes.
I am not even going to the studio. Too hot and humid. That is all for today.

I feel strangely compelled to write this story. Who is it for?

Once upon a time I had a friend who lived in Winter Park. Her husband died after a long illness. She decided to fulfill a lifelong dream so booked a tour of Europe.

She was paired with an elderly lady as a roommate...double occupancy on the rooms, etc. The first night in New York, not even in Europe yet,Mary had to help the feeble lady carry luggage up to the room.

As they were settling into the hotel, the lady told Mary to bathe her.

"What!" exclaimed my friend.

"The tour company said you are a nurse and will assist me all along the tour."

"I am a nurse, " said Mary, "but I have not been hired to care for you. I am not going to do so. I want my dream trip. If you need assistance, hire someone or leave the tour."

The lady never left the USA and Mary got her trip. I was very impressed how she stood up for herself and didn't just cave in so people would think she was "nice".

The end.

Junior is in the Setcreseas in the back patio!
Nargh!

Finally got all the tesserae on my sister's Christmas present. Can start polishing tomorrow! Yay!

So I'm sittin at my mosaics bench putting trim on the mosaic birdhouse and I hear a strange bird call just outside the door.
I look and this is what was on out telephone pole...
(PS, it is HUGE...15 inches!)

Death to the snake who comes into Mom's studio and slithers under her desk!

Plant Daddy and I planted bell peppers last evening(8 I think without wandering out to count)

Also 2 cherry tomatoes and thyme and mint.

Best of all, we harvested the first 2 cucumbers! YUM!
My lunch today will be a bacon, cucumber and Swiss cheeze sandwich!

Astute readers will recognize that the Junior Black Snake did not actually hiss at me.

But the snake did rise up, jaws open and sway back and forth towards me and I clearly understood this to mean, “I would kill you if I weren’t too small to get the job done. Go away!”

I realized, too, that Junior Blackie is probably female and probably laying eggs (or pregnant) either of which would result in a protective gesture. In the past, we have found snake eggs near where this close encounter occurred.

Our regular resident black snake, “Blackie” measured out at 38 inches when we found his skin last spring. It’s been a good summer… judging by the lack of obnoxious lizards in the greenhouses and garden… so we expect he’s well over 40 inches by now.

“Junior” (who is probably Junior-ette) is a mere 20 to 24 inches.

On another note…

Plant Daddy and I were cruising the fence line in the golf cart a few nights ago when a coyote began to bark AT us. (This may be proof I don’t get out often enough!)

You know how a dog barks at a stranger challenging the territory? Like

“Wuf! Wuf! Wuwuwuwuwuwu-Woof! Pause/Repeat (they just passed a law against too much repetition in Mt Dora. If your dog goes beyond 30 minutes, you pay a ticket…but I digress…)

Anyway, the coyote was on this pattern!

As if to say, “I would kill you if I weren’t too small to get the job done. Go away!”

I really do not want to know what goes on at night around this farm…I just hope Zeus stays inside!

While I was in the geenhouse today trying to photograph this marigold, the Junior sized Black Snake challenged my right to be in my own greenhouse.

He/She reared up and tried to hiss at me.

"Welcome to Aunt Mom's House of Pain," said I as I turned a cold water nozzle on the hapless snake.

Lesson learned: Do not challenge the Mom on her own territory!
You'll get hosed.

The National Art Honor Society Kids are going to make mosaic sculpture and donate it to Discovery Gardens at the Art in the Garden Show in the spring.

I'd better get out of here on the Lowe's run if there's going to be supplies for them by 2:30 this afternoon!

Photos tonight!

Plant Daddy and I were on the ball.
It’s Tuesday.
Dumpster Day.

So at 6:30 AM we had that gate open and ready.

But the Dumpster truck was late. Plant Daddy left for Bradenton at 7:20 AM. So I was left to watch for the truck and lock up afterwards. Around 8:30, I thought I heard him, so I went out and pulled the chain and gate closed. Well….

What I must have heard was something else because at 11AM, while I was sitting out by the driveway waiting for the pool pump electrician, the dumpster came.
He slowed up like he wanted to turn, but stupid me had locked up.

Nargh! I’ll have to sniff that rotten eggplant casserole all week.
Blech! My Bad!

The pool pump repair turned out better.

They sent the nicest guy!
He had waist length black hair and reminded me of Pedro Zapeda!
Hope all is well with Pedro!

All this company does is swimming pool electrical work.
No chlorine, no tile and plaster, no screen room contracting. Just electrical.

He changed a breaker and the problem was solved in less than 15 minutes!
Yay! Happy to pay for the expertise!

We still wound up saving a bundle over what the EX-pool service company would have charged.

Here's a look at what's on my (messy) bench in the mosaic studio.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Today is errands day again. Gotta dash.

Happy Birthday to my Sister today!

(I think she's still in Vegas!)

Win Big!
Love ya!

A very nice Chinese student where Plant Daddy works gave us a cucurbit.
We are not sure what it is,,,,maybe a bitter gourd?

(No positive I.D. with Google images.
No clue as to what else to search.)

She said to eat it raw in a salad.
That was not so good.
It was bitter. Blech!

I emailed over to a blog I read. She lives in London and cooks. Maybe she will help with a recipe idea. I have approximately 20 inches of cucurbit left!

Maybe add to the okra with the jaipur sauce mix?
It kills me to have twenty inches of vegetable I don’t know how to eat! Grrr.

The fruit in front is a star fruit. The Chinese lady gave us 2…one is already gone…Yum!
We grew the pineapple ourselves. It will get eaten over the weekend. Yum.

Today is Mosaic Mom's 4th Anniversary as a blogger. Go me!
Almost 30,000 readers have visited.
So here we go on into year 5!

I am mourning the loss of 2 blogger friends this week.

A Karen and a Karin.
Karen died and Karin got tired of blogging.
I feel a sense of loss for both.

Yes, I know the photo below does not show Bisazza while the title indicates a Bisazza project. You see a photo of AO American Olean Whites.
Wherever the wreath is and the andamento ...there will be Bisazza...on edge...so relax.

I'd'a posted a photo of the other Christmas projects also, but Blogger is burping again today. Go Figure.

Here's the bisazza project I'd like to have by Christmas. But it's stalled. Both Plant Daddy and I are concerned about the weight. It's a 60 pounder at least.

Plant Daddy is back from the National Z-Car Convention over at Daytona.
Here's a picture of him racing at the track...

Better pictures will appear at his blog shortly!!

I finished an article today all about Aglaonema.
It is 1121 words and 2 photos.
At 15 cents a word it is worth $128.15.
(I forget what the photos pay, a little extra)
Yay Pay Day...

Well, slow down first, off to the editor, then submit revision, then pay day after publication...but in 2008..it'll be pay day!

As you know, loyal Mosaic Mom readers, Mom and Plant Daddy have not eaten beef since the 80's when Mom read Robin Cook's book "Toxin".

The image of beef being pressure washed off the carcasses with a steam hose and collected into a vat to be processed for hamburger was just too much for me. I instantly became revolted by beef and will not eat it.

Therefore, no E Coli for us, thanks!

An E. COli contamination on that scale...millions of pounds...means somebody forgot to remove the bowels before hitting the carcasses with the pressure wash hoses. The poopie in the bowels...well, you get the picture.