Let's catch up! Not exactly been busy...but some things I forgot I did. Like a Ghost story.

OK...OK...I know. I don't publish much. My illness has a lot to do with that. I have arthritis in my hands. BAD arthritis. Along with EVERYTHING else wrong with me, i.e. losing my hearing, etc. etc. etc. The arthur hampers everything these days. To the point I get depressed about it. I'm a crafter and it interferes something awful. 

I toy with the idea of just creating a Youtube channel. Able to show crafts I know, just once and take breaks in filming. But I am a boomer when it comes to editing video and it still doesn't help my hands.  Thought it would be easier talking instead of typing. I've toyed with voice recognition typing and end up having to correct so much...might as well just hurt and type it. Which means I've ended up doing nothing I planned to do. 

But I need to figure this out!! I've things to share before I kick the bucket. Things I think will be useful to someone.  I'm not getting any younger. 

So I thought I would catch up a few things. There are articles on here in draft that are not completed. I want to complete them. Plus some things I've done, I haven't even shared! 

I wrote this article 5 years ago for Dave Tabler of Appalachian History. She Haunted that Train All Damn Night! I forgot to even share it here!! 

It was for Halloween. He asked me for another ghost story. So I gave him one. He said that was an imaginative story. I told him I didn't have to imagine it, because it was TRUE! Real easy to write up when I was there that day, when Colonel came in from that run, and told the story.

So for those that follow, I am going to try to catch up things and to do something to share things I think some folks would like. Now I'm a poor person. Poor people, have poor ways. Way things are going, some of this knowledge I know, that might be useful knowledge these days. 

The Youtube....sigh...well it won't be professional or nothing like that, but I think it would be the best place to share some of this.  

Here was a picture I did of a doll I fixed. It was a gourd head doll I made for my G baby, YEARS ago, that she damaged it's head. She stepped on it and it looked like Wednesday Adams doll with no head.  I had to replace the head. Gave it new pantaloons because those were missing, and made a cape for it out of an old velvet dress her mother wore as a baby.  I did a video short but haven't uploaded anything to Youtube. 

AND some other things I want to work on. I got the baby doll fixed but my hands.....I'm going to have to pick and choose carefully. There is an antique beaded purse I want to fix but I can't hold the fine needles anymore. My family can help me with that. I hope. I can show them, just can't do it. We will see.  Ya'll be blessed this year. 

Primitive Pottery #1

Appalachian Blessing Bracelet

When Appalachian Service Project folks were here working on my house, I was so GRATEFUL. That each crew I made some small thing for them to take home with them. I'm a crafter at heart. They all did not get the same things. Some I made corn husk dolls. Some I made thank you magnets to go on their refrigerators. The last group, I taught them how to make a blessing bracelet.

When I was young, I had a great aunt, on my dad's side that made me one of these and taught me about blessing beads. I will not even put her name on this because her family are a little strange.  They are kin but they are strange. This great Aunt, (actually she was my GREAT GREAT Aunt) would have been known as a granny woman, or in many unsavory minds a granny witch. Which is no more the truth than anything.

She was a very religious woman and a healer. She went to church every time the doors flew opened. She knew how to draw fire from a burn and stop blood with just a Bible verse. She was very close to watching nature. She said crows brought messages and would count them. She saw signs in everything around her, and wasn't uncommon her predictions came true. She was ostracized by many in the family as having something other than Christian but these same people called on her when they were sick. I think they were afraid of something they didn't understand.

When I was about 10, before she became really ill, I had to stay with her overnight. I'd never met her before that time. Got to visit with her just a few times after that. But I learned a lot just roaming around her and my uncles house and listening to her talk.

One visit, I didn't want to stay with her. I was being a typical kid. To amuse me, she showed me a bracelet she was wearing made of pearls and shell beads and asked me if I wanted to make one. If I stayed with her we would make one. She called it, "A Blessing Bracelet" and told me how it worked. I stayed with her that afternoon and made one. I wore it about a month before I broke it. Forgot about it for many, many years.

When I worked at Wolf Creek Indian Village they sold these cedar berry bracelets that reminded me of the blessing bracelet my Aunty made me. I bought them too and sort of used it like a blessing bracelet but broke every one within a month of buying it. I'm rough on jewelry.

When I first became ill and had to resign my job, I made myself another Blessing Bracelet because I thought I needed it. It was an uncertain future time for me....figured I needed all the help I could get. You can see in the picture above, I'm wearing my blessing bracelet. I've worn it for over 4 years now. It's made with a strong wax string. I made it the day I had to sign my resignation letter.

So I thought.....this should be shared. It's not just the making of the bracelet but how it WORKS.

Blessing Bracelet

The bracelet is made the old way, when there were no clasps. You string your first bead with a long tail. I use two, five, two combination of E beads. Two for the strongest moons, new and full. You end your beading with two and when tied together makes what I call the 4 directions beads and where I start from every time I use the bracelet. The five are for the ancient beliefs of the five seasons in a year. And it's made to your size so I can't give you a number of beads.

You measure your string around the widest part of your hand with your fingers outstretched close together and your thumb open. That's how many beads you will need. You tie it to the long tail of the beginning bead in a knot.

To put it on, you place it over your fingers and press your thumb inward and roll it on your wrist.

How IT WORKS.
First of all it's made to you so you can't sell it. Besides selling anything like this makes it not work.

There are sections so you can choose to count by the 2 beads, the five beads or individual beads beginning at the four.

The first way to use it is praying. YOU NEVER PRAY FOR YOURSELF. You pray for others you know are hurting or have difficulties. Going around the bracelet as much as you need or as many times you need. You can also pray for your enemies. My Aunty warned me about this. She quoted a Bible verse about praying for your enemies. If they are truly out to cause you harm for no good reason or evil intentions, praying for them to be blessed heaps coals of fire upon their heads. If they are just being ignorant of what they are doing they might be blessed with understanding. If they are truly righteous and not trying to cause you any harm and you call them an enemy, the coals come back on YOU.

If you don't believe in God I guess you can use it to send good thoughts to people and bring them into remembrance that someone may be worse off than you at the moment.

Second way it's used is when you are depressed or in despair or think you lack something. You use it to count your blessings on the individual beads. You can see, you can walk, you can talk, you can write, you have clean sheets and coffee this morning....what ever you are blessed with at this moment.

What happens when I count my blessings?...One I realize whatever I think I'm lacking I really don't need or two, I'm already blessed with something that will get me what I need.

That afternoon making my first one, she made me recite my blessings. I'd come up with one and she'd say, "What else?" I'd say, "I don't know, I can't think of any more!" She'd say, "You thankful for your shoes so you don't have to walk barefoot in the snow?" And it went on that way until my parents returned. Turns out I had a lot I never thought of. She died a few years after that. At her funeral I noticed she had hers on and was buried with it. I wonder how many of her family knew what it was?

Last week was the first time I'd shared this. Kind of thought I'd be thought nuts to say what it really was or to wear it but now it's just a part of me and what I do. Got me through the last 4 years!!!  Thank you Aunty, wherever you are!

Hand Sculpted Stone Garden Bird Baths

Our family has always had our hands on craftsmen. Our Great Grandfather worked with the WPA building stone walls in Bluefield, WV.  Various members of our family have created art and works that still exist. My nephew Justin Jerome is the newest generation to carry on tradition and show wonderful talent. I wanted to write about his newest works and get the word out he is making these for sale.

At first he was hesitant to become a subject of my blog...he is a modest fellow. I hope I don't embarrass him too much but we are very proud of him and he needs to get the word out about his latest endeavor.  So I talked him into letting me write about him, his new studio and his bird bath stone sculptures.

His work career has been quite unusual and extensive.  He has had unusual jobs such as worked helping with wolves rehabilitating them for the wild. Helped with studies working with eagles, and birds and worked in iron work.

But his greatest pursuit is stone work. He is a journeyman stone mason. He has helped build and refurbish stone walls on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

He recently last year worked on buildings at Virginia Tech creating the corner stones for a new building. Tech has their own stone quarry and their buildings are of a style all their own. Over the years he has worked on several projects at Tech as a stone mason.

Recently he moved to Ashville, North Carolina to assist family members and has opened a small studio part-time in West Ashville creating these beautiful garden bird bath stone sculptures.

These are one of a kind works of art. Not mass produced. Elegant and simple, using natural stone and making them stand out of the ordinary. I'm sure the pictures do not do them justice.

I hear they are frog approved! Justin says he has a couple of frogs that show up at his studio every evening to test them out.  He's suppose to get me a picture of that. But then Justin has always worked with his hands and is so talented.

Here is head of my walking stick he carved for me.

 Here is a natural stone trivet he created for my kitchen. Best trivet in the house!

 If folks appreciate his work, he would love to work at this full time.

Several of his pieces can be seen at various other venues. One at Hipps Stone in Ashville, NC Click HERE for the website and address. He sent a couple of pieces north to Blacksburg to his friend who is at Eucalyptus Massage on Main Street in Blacksburg, VA. The Steppin Out festival is coming up August 1 and 2nd in which the whole town of Blacksburg turns into a festival. Pieces should be able to be seen then if they are not sold by that time.

So pass the word. And if you have questions or would like to contact him, contact me and I will pass the word.

Appalachian Bag Ladies - Dolls

Trying to be useful with this illness is trying beyond words. Trying to remain active. Keep my mind active and fight this illness is a full time job.  I have not the stamina nor the strength of what I used to but that doesn't mean I don't try to at least function on some level. Takes me forever to do what I once did quickly. Some days the old hands won't work. Some days it takes FOREVER to remember how to do things. The brain fog is truly a fog.

Bless my family. They do so much for me. My son and daughter take care of me in so many ways. Without my son I'd have no internet and he is my chauffer, the person that keeps me from burning the house down, forgetting things, on bad days so many things, making sure I'm ok.  They really come through especially when house taxes, insurance and the anniversary month for the electric are all coming due.

But it hurts me to see them struggling to take care of me. I rack my brain on how to help myself. I still have knowledge on how to do things. If I take my time, and have time to take, I can do things.  Wishing I would be strong enough to do a full time job again doesn't make it so. In my shape I would not hire me. But still I have hope that one day I will be well enough to function on a greater level because Lord knows, as anyone who became disabled and tries to live on disability does, I miss my job and my JOB MONEY!!

So what to do? Is there a way I can help them help me? I used to be quite a craft person. LOVE crafts. My son in law brought some corn grown from his parent's garden the other week for Sunday dinner. It was very good sweet corn.  I kept the corn shucks. I left them in a pan on the porch to dry.

I used to be known as the Corn shuck lady at Crab Orchard museum. I would take corn husks and demonstrate how to make different crafts with them. You can make dolls, hats, mats, bags, brooms all kinds of things out of just corn husks.

My goal was to make a doll or two and give them to my son to sell. They don't sell for much but it was a way to keep me occupied and anything is better than nothing.  Well that idea went the way of the wind, literally. I had a bad week and forgot the husks were on the porch. First the outside kitties made a bed out of them and then a good windy day blew them away through the yard.  Sigh!!!


I was telling my beloved partner Ed about it. (For those of you curious about that, we are an older couple with two separate houses. Works for us!!) He has watched me make these dolls. He said, "Doesn't it look like plastic grocery or garbage bags have the same consistency of wet corn husks? He asked me, "Do you think you could make a doll out of plastic bags?"

Wow, I thought that's recycling on a different scale. I took that suggestion, dug through the grocery bags and tried it. Took me about a week. I really notice the old brain drawbacks and muscle differences when I work on crafts. I used to make 6 or 7 dolls in a demonstration in an afternoon! It is so strange believe me. I get tired easily. BUT I DID IT!!! Really the pictures don't do them justice. Since it is before Halloween, I made a flying witch and the other just a doll with a broom. These two dolls are made like corn husk dolls but out of plastic grocery/garbage bags, string, little bit of tape, wood and some linen waxed thread. 

Both are made to hang up somewhere. The witch does fly, though I wouldn't leave her in a really stiff wind outside. Rather I would hang the witch over a table display like on a ceiling light fixture or by the door so that when you open or close the door she moves. Being light she flies pretty well. The little yellow dress doll will stand up. Some folks like to hang corn husk dolls on trees and I was trying to add something for her to do that. You can't tie it around her waist she is a bit top heavy. So there is a thin thread around her neck, that does not show too badly. This can be cut to just have her set on a table. I was going to put a rope but then it looked like a noose!! That's too morbid for me. We took a little video of them hanging on a tree in the back yard.  See video below.

I then gave them to my son to sell in his store on eBay. I think it's sort of crazy but then they sell some crazy stuff on eBay. I watched on a show where they sold a green pepper that looked like it had a face..... for $155? I don't understand buying some thing that would rot like that much less paying that much for it!! But each to his own. At least these dolls are made out of plastic bags and they say plastic bags have a life in the ground of 100 years.

Also Ed was sitting on the porch the other day and made a primitive wooden fish hook necklace. He carved and heated the wood into shape and made a corded necklace rope. He gave that to my son to sell for the cause. He's so sweet.

Appalachian crafters have a history of taking whatever is available and making something out of it. It's in our blood!
They sold very quickly. Need, I reckon to one day make a few more.

Dandelion Wine!!! Whoo HOO it's Spring! Uh...I mean Dandelion Jelly! Recipes!

Well hopefully ya'll can read this. I promise I will work on this design thing on this blog. First I forgot I had a blog then I felt a little like Dennis the Menace with a button that needs pushing. Wowwww!!!.... lookey, new design plates on Blogger!! Click! Oh...Crap!!  Have not a clue what I am doing but I will learn. Unfortunately anyone reading this will have to suffer until I figure it out! If your looking for the ditsy Appalachian historian who has CFS...you are in the right place!

Now let's talk Dandelions!!! While most people are trying to kill dandelions in their yard, we don't! That's food and medicine.  Yes, John Boy there is more than one type of "recipe".

You can fry the blooms and eat them with eggs, you can eat the leaves like a salad, or you can pick the blooms, process them and make jelly and WINE!  I'm going to post my two favorite dandelion jelly and dandelion wine recipes at the end of this article.

I looked out the window a couple weeks ago and just saw a sea of huge yellow flowers in the yard. Just about covered the whole yard. Now dandelions grow but this "sea" usually happens when the cicada's are coming back. They come up out of the ground and I believe they aerate the yard or something making dandelions get big yellow blooms on them. I was inspired.

I hadn't made anything out of dandelions in YEARS!  One of the last times was when a girlfriend and I decided the dandelions on the municipal court lawn in Radford were the prettiest, largest blooms we had ever seen.  We grabbed a bucket, bent down on hands and knees and waved at all those going to court while anticipating our future dandelion wine. That's been some years ago! Now it's all the rage to kill dandelions and if any were to show up on that lawn today they would probably be poisonous. Be careful where you pick.

Now with my illness I have to do this in stages. Modern appliances help with this. Not unusual to hear at my house, "Mom, what's this bucket of Dandelions in the refrigerator?"  So I pick them one day and rinse them, process them the next and boil them, then cook the juice into what I want another day. If it were not for this in stage stuff, I'd never get anything made in my shape. But if you have the energy in an afternoon you can have jelly and wine in process.

My grand daughter helping me pick asked me, "Granny, what are you going to make with this?"  "Why I'm gonna make WI...uh...Jelly, little one." She's six so she was calling my jars of jelly Wi-jelly until I fessed up that we also have a small bit of wine brewing.

Blooms Boiling in a pot NO GREENERY!

Now the trick to dandelion jelly and wine is you ONLY USE THE BLOOMS! NO GREENERY! This is a pain in the butt to have to process but worth it because otherwise your jelly, wine whatever comes out a bit bitter. I like to gather just the blooms and rinse them under water. Kind of funny because sometimes the cold water hits them and they will just close up. I take scissors and cut off the base of the flower and then pick the green part from the petals. Put the petals in a measuring cup so I know when I can stop. LONG PROCESS. An ice cream bucket full yields enough for jelly or wine.


Greenery left after a bucket full of processing. Makes my fingers hurt!

The jelly reminds me of honey and you have to use a pectin to make it jell. The wine...just reminds me of warm days. I like to keep some back just for winter, makes you feel warm just thinking about making it.

Here are the two recipes I use:

Dandelion Jelly

Pick enough to process and get 1 quart of bright, fresh, dandelion blossoms. Rinse them quickly in cold water to remove any insects. Using scissors, snip off the stem and remove the green collar under each blossom.

In an enameled saucepan, boil the dandelion petals in 2 quarts of water for 3 minutes. Cool and Strain, pressing the petals with the fingers to extract all the juice. Measure out 3 cups of dandelion liquid. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 package of powdered fruit pectin (1 3/4 ounces).

Add 5 1/2 cups of sugar, stirring to mix well. Continue stirring and boil the mixture until jelly stage. A candy thermometer works well here unless you are like Granny Burress and can "smell" when it's jelly.

Pour into small glasses and cover with melted paraffin when the jelly is cool.

Dandelion Wine

 Ingredients:
1 quart processed dandelion blooms
1 gallon boiling water
1 package active dry yeast (.25 ounce)
8 cups of white sugar (I've used as little as 5 and it came out fine)
1 orange, sliced
1 lemon, sliced

Pick enough to make 1 quart of bright, fresh dandelion blossoms processed. Rinse quickly in cold water to remove any insects. Process using scissors, snip off the stem and remove the green collar under each blossom until you have 1 quart (4 cups).  Heat 1 gallon of boiling water. Place dandelion blossoms in the boiling water and let boil 4 minutes.  Strain, pressing the petals to extract the juice.  Let the juice cool to at least 90 degrees. I test it like testing baby's milk.

Stir in the yeast, sugar, orange and lemon slices. Pour into either plastic gallon jugs or a 3 gallon crock or you can get fancy and use a plastic fermentor with a lock. If using jugs put a balloon over the mouth of the jug. It will expand. For my crock I just use saran wrap loose or even a garbage bag tied tightly. In the old days they just used a crock with a wooden lid or a barrel with a cork. Just keep it in a cool area for a couple of weeks until the bubbles stop.   Siphon the wine off of the lees and strain through a cheese cloth before bottling. You can use quart sized canning jars with rings and lids, an old brown jug, or old wine bottles. Best to age the wine for at least a couple of weeks if you can't wait. I leave mine as long as I can. Always consult your state laws on winemaking. Click Here for Virginia Laws

Hope you can enjoy your dandelions. Have any questions contact me.



Yep it's fermenting!

Now I share my recipes freely. And I copyright my words. You try to make a living on it and a pox will be heard!