Goats & Simple Pleasures

Well, readers, it has happened. I have taken the new car on a 4x4 trip through the woods. The car is a four-wheel drive but the intention of running it through muck and mud, and the woods was never there. A home I delivered to in Canyonville really gave the Ford a workout. 

The house was on top of a hill but the only way up was to travel a road made of mostly dirt and mud, with a sprinkle of gravel thrown in for good measure. Off I went. 

While it's not too bad, and you may be laughing, this mess was created even though I drove carefully, slowly, and missed half the puddles filled with murky brown water. 

And yes, I know it's not much, but it was the shock I got when I arrived at the road leading to this mountainous fortress. The shocks (and my nerves) got quite the workout today. 

I used to go four-wheeling through worse than this. In fact, much worse than this, in an older Chevy truck in the late '80s. That truck was used to see how much mud and muck we could get on it. Spinning out in an empty lakebed, cutting cookies, while the mud and dampness was still there, going hunting and driving the vehicle into woods as deep as we could go to get a good spotting site was what we did. And before I lose you or receive a ton of hate mail, no, I never killed a Bambi. I pick up worms and put them back onto ground when I see them in the gutters with pouring rain hitting them just so they don't get hit by cars. I could never have taken a shot at a deer or an elk for that matter. I guess it was mostly that feeling of false power and strength the holding of a gun gives. 

I did go hunting by myself once. That was an experience I will never forget. Walking deep into the forest, I heard a branch move. This was it ... as I looked down into a small decline in the hill, I saw a creek. Along that creek was one of the most gorgeous bucks I have seen in my life. As I watched the six-point guy, I realized I had my shot. My chance to take home a prize-winning slab of meat. 

As the buck stopped sipping water, he looked up at me and straight into my eyes. My heart melted. What was I thinking? There are grocery stores for the meat I want to feed my family with. I couldn't do it. I stared back into his soft, yet fearful, gorgeous eyes, put the rifle down on the ground, and plopped my humbled self next to it. I will never forget the epiphany I experienced that day. Time meant nothing in the woods on the hill. My only focus was to see the beauty in the gift nature had given me that day, and in many days to come. 

I was in that forest for a couple of hours, spending the day with the animals that came to drink. I saw another buck, a couple of raccoons. A few does and fawns. What a great way to spend the day! But alas, the time came when I needed to return home. I had a household to run, fur babies to care for, and laundry to do, plus my girls to watch over. My only regret of that day was that we didn't have cellphones with cameras back in the day and of course, I went to hunt, not to take photos so the camera I did have remained in my bedroom at home. 

Walking to the truck, I heard the sound of brush moving. Turning my head toward the blackberry vines that lined the beginning of the forested area I just left, I saw a black bear, and worse yet, it saw me. My heart was racing. There was so much anxiety and fear coursing through my body. Slowly, I walked backward toward my truck to keep an eye on the bear. 

The bear was quite the gentleman. He lifted his head and gave me a look of pure uncaring motives as he munched on whatever it was that he had found there to eat, then dropped his head and went on about his business. Good bear. Good, good boy.

I reached the truck and grabbed for the door handle. I jumped into the welcomed seat and considered it a blessing at that moment. Slamming the door behind me, I immediately hit the lock on both doors, put the rifle up, and smoked about half a pack of cigarettes before turning over the engine. I will never forget that excitement, fear, anxiety, and most of all, the closeup views of the beautiful creatures in their natural habitat I was blessed to see that day. But I digress ... back to the story. Since that day I have had absolutely no desire to pick up a gun and head out to kill Bambi or any other creature in the forest. 

That being said, it was the fact of having to drive through all of that to arrive at a modest, yet beautiful, home deep in the woods, way up on top of a hill. But once there, I saw some wonderful sights. The man answered the door, along with two red huskies. He opened the door and let me pet and cuddle with both of them. I was ecstatic. They were gorgeous. And the man? Although he seemed to be a total sweetheart of a human being, he was sick, so off I went back into the car once I heard a cough or two come from his mouth. 

On the way out of the driveway, I spotted his little farm he had created on top of the hill. There were three goats, a few sheep, and a llama. I wanted to stop and get a picture of the llama the most, but it remained hidden behind the goats, eating. Bless his photo-shy heart. 

But these shaggy sheep were hanging out underneath a curly mob of hair, trying to figure out what I was doing. I loved their faces, so I snapped a couple of pictures. Had to. Why? Because they were there. 

There were three goats, one black and white spotted, one with a collar around his brown neck, and another one, hidden behind the other brown goat. But behind the brown goats was a black and white furry mess that I am assuming is the llama. I heard from the person who ordered the food as a gift to the sick customer, that he owned sheep, goats, and a llama. A simple deduction led me to the idea that was the llama. I just wish I could have seen the face!

It was a fun trip. I drove over 50 miles, stopping in four towns to deliver, then a return home. Awesome drive and a nice day to do it. No sun to blind me. No rain to make it horrible. It was a good day. The pay? That made it even better. Meeting new people? There is no substitute. 

***

Back at home, I had thought about my antique and vintage jewelry pieces. What shall I do next? I've made one vintage and one antique necklace but there are so many more to go! I dug through the pile of findings and fixings and found this:

This is a 9.25% silver squash blossom clip-on earring, popular in the Native American jewelry making realm in the early 1900s and beyond. The earring I have was a loner, with its partner not with the box of items I received from my stepdaughter and her grandmother.  

Navajo, Zuni, and Pueblo tribes in the Arizona and New Mexico area used squash blossoms to symbolize fertility and abundance. This piece started out as an earring, with the clip-on clasp marked with the stamp, "silver" on the cap. Back then, it was common for the silversmiths, especially Native American silversmiths, to use silver. Hence the title, "silversmith." Yes, hence.

Now the earring has lost its mate and the original clip-on, or actually screw-on clasp is broken. To bring this back to life, once again, I will redefine its presence in society. I want to maintain the integrity of the history and the beauty of the squash blossom jewelry since it came from the early 1900s. This is my next project. 

I will search for various beads that fit the piece and begin to put together a necklace to wear, holding onto that exciting history behind the blossom. Love the history behind all of the fixings, beads, and the total of once worn and loved gorgeous pieces that come from earlier times. This squash blossom is no exception. And since there is only one squash blossom in the box, I will keep this one to wear myself.

When flipped over, you can see the lovely, natural patina that comes with time and wear. 

The cap on the clasp shows it was crafted with sterling silver. During the time this blossom was created, 9.25% sterling was typically used. 

I popped off the clasp for the earring and began to consider what this necklace may look like ... I believe I will add small vintage wooden beads and turquoise-colored beads on the necklace. But then again, I do have pieces of turquoise and the old metal beads to use ... hmm. Maybe keep with the natural allure and traditional look of these items and keep that history going by using the actual turquoise and vintage metal beads. 

After researching, if I were to use some red and white trade beads, blended with the silver beads and the lovely turquoise, adding the squash blossom as the focal point, the necklace could historically be valued and financially could be worth approximately $300 to $600. I'm looking for history here, not so much the financial aspect. Turquoise, red and white trade beads, and the squash blossom, linked with a vintage screw on clasp, and we've got the historically valued necklace I wish to create. There we go. 

Can you picture the finished piece? It's time to experiment and find the perfect combination.

***

Our Valentine's Day plans are to go to dinner, give each other gifts and a card, and spend the day together. Quiet, peaceful, and keeping it mellow. Until our next blog post, hugs to you all. Take care of yourselves, and be careful out there! Cupid is searching for you!!

Vicki & Terry Macrae

Old people doing their thing