Rohling Studios

Eat Apples

   The kids were here from Arkansas.  We went to the Apple Farm.  I sat out on the apple picking this year... but...I look forward to walking through the apple orchards next year.  In two weeks I get my new knees!!!  I am looking forward to next year at this time.  Mostly I just want the six weeks after the surgery to pass quickly).  They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away....so....I'm planning to eat a lot of apples during my recovery. 

   The grandkids put up the halloween decorations while they were here.  We hung orange lights in the bathroom and my Little Man said it was like having a festival when you go to the bathroom!  I love it!  I think I should leave out lights in the bathroom year round.  I like the idea of it being a festival in there.      

My Very Own Son!

(I can't take credit for these pictures...my son and daughter-in-law are the creative ones here!)  This is my oldest son, Paul.  I love this picture.  I have it on my laptop right now.  Paul is the kind of guy everyone would love to have for a son because he leaves the world a better place wherever he goes.  Laura captured him at work when they were in Door County.  I love these pictures....I love his creativity...and...I love them both!   

 

Creative Souls

Visit Creative Souls

My blog friend Izabella has started a wonderful group called "Creative Souls".  I met Izabella when I began my blog two and a half years ago.  I loved her work immediately and asked her if I could feature it.  Now Izabella has gathered over four-hundred creative souls all in one wonderful site!  It is a diverse gathering of people who love creativity, a place she has made where artists can help promote each other.  She says~All creative people welcome~

Don Adams, Sally Fields, and Elizabeth Montgomery

   This week has been a blast from the past. My sister and I have been reminiscing about our childhood and going through some old boxes with cool found items. First we found our old comic books, many in good condition featuring old TV shows. We decided to put the up for auction on Ebay just for kicks to see if there is any interest in the old Silver Age of comic books.  Both Gidget and Get Smart feature photographs of Sally Fields and Don Adams (respectively).   

   We both have fond memories of lazy summer days with an orange or cherry pop, perched on a chair in the sun, devouring the latest comic books.  In our house, Archie ruled but so did Dennis the Menace, and lesser known Spike and Tyke.  Perhaps some of these old comics were the start of my interest in all things illustrated - who knows?  Meantime, we do confess to re-reading some of these fine old comics with a root beer popsicle in one hand, trying to recreate those special moments from the past.  I guess we both agreed our tastes in "literature" have improved some (grin), but I thought it would be fun to share this pastime with all of you.  What were your favorites?

My Niece Needs Your Help

   My niece is an undergraduate student at the University of Westminster in London, UK.  She conducting a study.  The aim of the study is to understand how thinking about concepts impacts your views of yourself.
If you have five to ten minues please take part in it. It would really help her out!  All of your replies are anonymous and will be kept strictly confidential.  The link to survey is:  http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/44295/1

If you have any questions you may contact the researcher by emailing  westminstersurvey@hotmail.com.   Thanks!

After Work!

  Did you like cracker jacks…not so much for the tasty treat but for the surprise inside? Is the best part of your Chinese takeout the fortune cookie? Then these books are for you because each one is like opening a new present! No two are alike!!! I was given a handmade journal by someone very special to me. It meant so much to me that I had to sit down and play with the process of making more of them for myself. This month my sister and I spent some time making these one of a kind altered journals especially for PFATT. Now understand that we believe in coloring outside of the lines and that mistakes are a part of life so please know that each book is made with love and care; however, we accept no responsibility for tiny imperfections and will not admit as to whether they were intentional or not. We hope you enjoy our sense of humor. Journals can be used to jot down your day's highlights, write your music, draw your designs, keep your secret thoughts, or store addresses. You might even use your journal as a place to write down your favorite recipes or simply keep your grocery lists and carry them to the store in style.

Cindy made this journal for the creative soul and fun at heart. It’s vamp dancer on the front cover.  It also has Typewriter Keys below her that spell out “DANCE”. The back cover has a long red envelope to hide your innermost secret of dreams. The book is definitely for the person with an off beat sense of humor. It also contains many surprises inside.

And lastly this little pink journal is for a sweet someone special. With its vintage ephemera and feminine touches it would be perfect for anyone’s inner child. Once again we stress that these journals are all one of a kind .  All of them are available through PFATT this month only along with work from numerous other artisan's and crafters.   To see them click HERE

Michael Phelps Fan

Sorry I have been gone so long but I've been enjoying the Olympics! Ok...I admit, I've been enjoying viewing one olympian....Michael Phelps!

 

What an amazing athelete!  It has been soooo fun to watch him achieve his dreams!  Let's face it...it's just fun to watch him!  Congratulations Michael!  We are so proud of you!

Vacations, Holidays, Family ETC ETC ETC

   It is Sunday afternoon.  The holiday is over.  My daughter and her family are on their way home.  The vacation is over.  Everything is quiet except my mind.  It jumps from one thought to another.  Snapshots of the last month keep clicking through my head.  I went to San Diego to celebrate the birthdays of my son and grandson.  They were born on the same day in June.  Ben as usual put a lot of thought into it and the time and it was great.  San Diego is a wonderful city!  I love the weather!...and the Ocean!

We spent much of our time by the water.

 

Flocks of pelicans are not something we see here in Wisconsin.  What a thrill!  It is not unusual to see seagulls  because we live on Lake Michigan.  However, in all my years of living here I have NEVER seen a seagull nesting!  So I have to kind of wonder where they nest around here.  I caught this one just as she was sitting back down to keep keeping her babies warm

The sky was full of birds and other things....

The ocean had a few sites we don't see here either....

But the best things that were in San Diego are right here...

the hands of my son holding his son's hands!  That is the very best thing in the whole city of San Diego!  They playfully refer to this little guy as "The Beast"!  It is funny when you see him because he is the farthest cry from a beast....he is sweet and beautiful...but the nickname has stuck.  He will probably be forever nicknamed "The Beast" or maybe "B" for short. 

The day after my return my daughter and her tribe came in from Arkansas.  To say the least I have been spoiled by my children for the last month.  Pictures will be forthcoming!  Of course they will have to be limited to little fingers and little toes but that's ok....pictures will follow none the less. 

Paul and Peter Rabbit

ARRRRGGGGGGGGGG!  I just typed my whole entry and then it disappeared!!!!  So I won't be as wordy this time around....more pics instead...Sunday Paul and Laura and I went to the new Indiana Jones movie.  I loved it!!!!  Laura sat on the edge of her seat most of the movie!  It was as fun to watch her as it was to watch the show.  Afterward we went back to their home and sat on the porch.  It is a second floor porch and Jimmie (seen above being loved on by Paul) thinks it is his MANOR.  There is not a worry that Jimmie will jump up on the railing, bark at anyone or stick his head through the bars.  He is the world's best mannered dog!  Paul is very good with plants so the porch is lovely.  There are hanging pots...

and pots on ledges......

He is very good at mixing flowers that I would never think of mixing together...

It must be the artist in him....

 

He has the green thumb that I don't have!

  (I just love these!)

It is here that Jimmie spends time on his chaise....never jumping up on the railing...never knocking over a pot or disturbing a flower....

It is here that the story changes!!!!

I have a very large maple tree in my yard.  I also have two mischievous dogs...well...one more so than the other!  Because of the shade and the dog activity in my yard I have to reseed a part of it every now and then.  This happens to be another one of those years.  I bought rabbit fencing to keep them out and that worked until Jimmie visited and showed them how to jump the fence.  (Something he would never do at home.)   This year Paul built the rabbit fencing to be two stories tall so that no jumping would happen while the grass is seeding.

Lanterns were hung to make it appear more foreboding and even an orange electric cord was added to  emphasize the danger of jumping the fence.  (Note Gus sniffing the border as if this were the Berlin Wall!)  Below you see Rosie respecting the three week boundary.

And then you see Gus checking to see if I see him....

He decides I cant see him and proceeds to pull a Peter Rabbit stunt....

And under he goes!!!

He pulls his back legs through last; while checking to see if he has been spotted.

Yep!  I caught him!!!  the head goes down...and he acts like he is invisible.  I think of Peter Rabbit and Mr McGregor.  He scampers back to the fence and Rosie lets him know he was busted!

She is really barking at him like she is his mother as he pulls himself through!!!  Both of us lecture her and talk in low firm tones.  He looks very innocent and sorry.  The next day when I catch him...this is his exodus shot!

I again let him know how disappointed I am.  He tells me he is sorry but that he can't guarantee that he will not do it again. 

ooooooooooooOOOOOOOOO  there are some scarey looking clouds coming and the wind has picked up so I'm signing off and getting my dogs away from the electric rods I have as a fence!!!  (As I close there is an ominous roll of thunder and Gus is running for the door!)

Standing for Peace

A reminder that today is the day we are standing for peace.....Just to recap I am reprinting my post from February...

Stand For Peace

My Dear Friends,

It has been 15 years since my visit to Feathered Pipe Ranch in Montana where I was fortunate to attend a week long workshop by Jean Shinoda Bolen.  Recently I have been made aware that Jean continues her work joining people in circles for the purpose of bringing Peace to the World.  I am asking your help in creating peace by beginning it within ourselves, to our families and to our communities.    I am asking you to help create our own circles.  You are invited to Stand For Peace on Mother's Day May 11, 2008.  If you have them, bring bells to ring at 1 p.m. to signify the beginning of the five minutes of silence and to ring again to signify the end of the period of silence.  During the silence, please think about what you individually and we collectively can do to attain peace in your world.  If you need to sit rather than stand, please feel free to do so.  Afterwards, hopefully you and your loved ones can talk together about how we can bring about this world.

The roots of this circle of peace is based on the children's book, by Sharon Mehdi, The Great Silent Grandmother Gathering: A Story for Anyone Who Thinks She Can't Save the World (Hardcover).                                                                                                                                                                                 

 

Sharon's wonderful short story was written for her five-year old granddaughter.  A quick summary of the story is:
A busboy who worked in a café whose window faced the public park noticed that two grandmotherly looking women had been standing in the park all day without moving at all and without talking.  They were dressed up in their Sunday best and were just staring at the town hall.  He asked the other patrons in the café what they thought the women were up to.  They speculated on a variety of things.  Then, a five-year old year who was in the café spoke up and said "One of them is my grandmother and I know what they are doing. They are standing there to save the world."  All of the men in the café hooted and howled and laughed.  On his way home the busboy decided to ask the women what they were doing and sure enough their answer was "We are saving the world."
Over dinner that evening the busboy told his parents and he and his father hooted and howled, but his mother was totally silent.  After dinner, the mother called her best friends to tell them.
The next morning the busboy looked out the café window and the two women were back, along with his mother, her friends, and the women who had been in the café the day before.  All were standing in silence staring at the town hall. Again, the men hooted and howled and said things like "You can't save the world by standing in the park.  That is what we have armies for," and "everyone knows you have to have banners and slogans to save the world--you can't do it by just standing in the park." 
The next day the women were joined by the women who were in the café the day before and a number of their friends.  This brought the local newspaper reporter to the scene.  He wrote a derisive article about the women.  The day after it appeared, hundreds of women showed up to stand in the park in silence.   The mayor then told the police chief to make the women leave because they were making the town appear to be foolish.  When the police chief told them they would have to disperse because they didn't have a permit, one of them responded that "we are just individuals standing in our public park and we are not giving speeches or having a demonstration so why would we need a permit."  The police chief thought about this and agreed with them and left the park. 
At this point 2,223 women including the mayor's wife, the police chief's wife, and one five-year old girl were standing in the park to save the world. The news quickly spread and soon women were standing all over the country. The story ended with women standing in every country throughout the globe, standing to save the world. See www.grandmotherbook.com.

  I understand that this is a holiday where many of us will not be together but if you can create a circle of friends and family wherever you are on May 11th at 1:00 pm...please set aside five minutes of your time to gather together.  I it is my hope that we can gather as many of us together here in Racine at the first pond area closest to the entrance of Johnson Park (just adjacent to Northwestern Avenue and Emmersten Road).  I will be using my blog to open a dialogue about this event.  If you care to comment this would be the entry to do so!  "In bringing peace to the world we all play a part".  (I wrote that poem so long ago and I still believe it with all my heart.)

My Dear Friends,

It has been 15 years since my visit to Feathered Pipe Ranch in Montana where I was fortunate to attend a week long workshop by Jean Shinoda Bolen.  Recently I have been made aware that Jean continues her work joining people in circles for the purpose of bringing Peace to the World.  I am asking your help in creating peace by beginning it within ourselves, to our families and to our communities.    I am asking you to help create our own circles.  You are invited to Stand For Peace on Mother's Day May 11, 2008.  If you have them, bring bells to ring at 1 p.m. to signify the beginning of the five minutes of silence and to ring again to signify the end of the period of silence.  During the silence, please think about what you individually and we collectively can do to attain peace in your world.  If you need to sit rather than stand, please feel free to do so.  Afterwards, hopefully you and your loved ones can talk together about how we can bring about this world.

The roots of this circle of peace is based on the children's book, by Sharon Mehdi, The Great Silent Grandmother Gathering: A Story for Anyone Who Thinks She Can't Save the World (Hardcover).                                                                                                                                                                                 

 

Sharon's wonderful short story was written for her five-year old granddaughter.  A quick summary of the story is:
A busboy who worked in a café whose window faced the public park noticed that two grandmotherly looking women had been standing in the park all day without moving at all and without talking.  They were dressed up in their Sunday best and were just staring at the town hall.  He asked the other patrons in the café what they thought the women were up to.  They speculated on a variety of things.  Then, a five-year old year who was in the café spoke up and said "One of them is my grandmother and I know what they are doing. They are standing there to save the world."  All of the men in the café hooted and howled and laughed.  On his way home the busboy decided to ask the women what they were doing and sure enough their answer was "We are saving the world."
Over dinner that evening the busboy told his parents and he and his father hooted and howled, but his mother was totally silent.  After dinner, the mother called her best friends to tell them.
The next morning the busboy looked out the café window and the two women were back, along with his mother, her friends, and the women who had been in the café the day before.  All were standing in silence staring at the town hall. Again, the men hooted and howled and said things like "You can't save the world by standing in the park.  That is what we have armies for," and "everyone knows you have to have banners and slogans to save the world--you can't do it by just standing in the park." 
The next day the women were joined by the women who were in the café the day before and a number of their friends.  This brought the local newspaper reporter to the scene.  He wrote a derisive article about the women.  The day after it appeared, hundreds of women showed up to stand in the park in silence.   The mayor then told the police chief to make the women leave because they were making the town appear to be foolish.  When the police chief told them they would have to disperse because they didn't have a permit, one of them responded that "we are just individuals standing in our public park and we are not giving speeches or having a demonstration so why would we need a permit."  The police chief thought about this and agreed with them and left the park. 
At this point 2,223 women including the mayor's wife, the police chief's wife, and one five-year old girl were standing in the park to save the world. The news quickly spread and soon women were standing all over the country. The story ended with women standing in every country throughout the globe, standing to save the world. See www.grandmotherbook.com.

  I understand that this is a holiday where many of us will not be together but if you can create a circle of friends and family wherever you are on May 11th at 1:00 pm...please set aside five minutes of your time to gather together.  I it is my hope that we can gather as many of us together here in Racine at the first pond area closest to the entrance of Johnson Park (just adjacent to Northwestern Avenue and Emmersten Road).  I will be using my blog to open a dialogue about this event.  If you care to comment this would be the entry to do so!  "In bringing peace to the world we all play a part".  (I wrote that poem so long ago and I still believe it with all my heart.)