A tiny town in Texas

(There ain’t nuthin’ tiny ’bout this town.)
We had a day off between major cities and stopped off in Texas. Upon check-in, we were given two tickets to a:
‘Free Down Home Breakfast: with your choice of meat’. Nothing says breakfast to me like meat.
Our waitress called us both ‘sweetheart’ and smothered everything in gravy.
After cleanin’ my plate, I went on a walk to work off my gravy thighs and discover what this tiny town had to offer.

Hello, Texas-sized flower. Aren’t you just purty?

I would live here, but add some chickens to the front yard.
As long as they promised to poop in one central location. I cannot have chickens going willy-nilly all over my front yard.
It’s so uncivilized. And just plain gross.

I would watch my organized chickens from this window every morning, enjoying my Texas-sized cup of coffee.

And make them a chicken coop similar to this. You just don’t see this kind of flair in an Oklahoman’s backyard. Okie’s like their shades of taupes, browns and off-whites.

One of my favorite discoveries along the way-these gigantically beautiful metal doors.
Can I have these doors, please? I promise, honey, that they’ll fit in the bus bay….please?

This little cactus flower broke me from my door-coveting ways.
Re-grounded, I decided I had worked on my gravy thighs long enough and I was ready for the hotel’s ‘Texas-sized’ swimming pool.

Mod Deer Hoof Coat Rack

*DISCLAIMER: I used this project awhile back as a guest blog for someone else. It caused a mild uproar when a woman commented that it was ‘gross’. If you don’t like to see the hooves of deer, please bail out now.
I would hate to gross you out. Over and out.*

I have been wanting a coat rack by our front door for a couple of years. Our guests must pile their coats on our bed, which of course becomes the perfect nesting ground for Cowboy.

I live in a part of the country where the phrase ‘He’s packing’ doesn’t mean ‘He’s preparing for a trip’.
Naturally, I thought, ‘If one can make gun racks out of deer hooves, why can’t one make a coat rack out of them?’
I searched on ebay and found five deer hooves that would be shipped to me for $5 each.

What you will need:
Wood Paneling-I bought my 3/4” tongue and groove from Habitat for Humanity
3/4” x 1” ‘L’ shaped trim
Deer Hooves
Lag Screws-mine are 2”
Epoxy
Oops Paint-I used glossy black
Paintbrush
Level
Tape Measure
Sawzall with metal blade, or a hand saw with metal blade
Skill Saw with a wood blade
Square
Drill & Drill bit a little smaller than your lag screws
Studfinder

You’ll also want a:
Hammer
Finish Nailer, Nails & Compressor (or you can use ‘brad’ nails & a hammer)

My wood was pretty damaged in several areas. I determined that I had enough to make a 30” x 34” coat rack. I marked the pieces that I wanted and drew a ‘cut’ line using my square.

Using my skill saw, I cut those suckers down and then double checked for accuracy.
I always double check myself. My accuracy tends to be unreliable. I guess you could call me ‘reliably unreliable’.

Find your studs by using a ‘stud finder’ or tapping a hammer lightly against the wall.
Starting with your top board, make sure it’s level before using your finish nailing to attach it straight to the wall and hitting the studs.
I painted my ‘L’ shaped trim black and cut the ends to fit at a 45 degree angle. I used my finish nailer again to attach the trim to the tongue and groove boards.

My deer hooves did not have a screw already mounted in them-some do. If yours don’t, clamp the heads of your lag screws with a strong table vice and use a metal bladed sawzall or hand saw to cut the heads off of the screws.
‘Off with their heads!’

Place the cut end of your lag screw into the hoof, filling the entire cavity with epoxy. Let dry for the manufacturer’s recommended time.
That is Biceps’ un-manicured hand, not mine. However, mine isn’t far from this….

Once the epoxy has hardened, give your hoof a ‘high-five’ just for good measure and to keep the neighbor’s guessing.

Using your level, mark where you would like your hooves to be attached on the wood paneling. Drill pilot holes into your wood paneling.

Screw your hooves into the pre-drilled holes and then stand back to enjoy your creation.

‘Modern-Bohemian’ is what I call it…with a touch of ‘weird-functionality’.
I hope I didn’t gross you out. Please let me know if I did…

San Diego, California

“San Diego-I don’t think anyone knows what it means, anymore.”
Name that movie quote and you’ll get a star.
While Hubby and I were out on tour, we stopped off in San Diego for a day off. Our hotel balcony overlooked the bay, and although it was rainy, I was undeterred from going outdoors. Hubby, however, had other ideas.

This poor mustached boy works very hard and just needed a little nappy time. So, I tiptoed from the room with my camera in hand and decided to stroll in the rain along the waterfront.

It was eerily quiet. All the boats were docked, the restaurants closed and the usual tourist congestion was non-existent. I did pass the occasional weirdo with a camera in hand and walking in the rain, snapping photos.
I guess it takes all kinds.

This vibrant ship caught my eye. I don’t get to see many of these in landlocked Oklahoma.

Why ‘Star of India’ and not ‘Sun of India’? Logically speaking, the sun is bigger and hotter and therefore demands more respect. I think they should reconsider.

Exquisite art sculptures dotted the pathway along the bay.
This little guy was my favorite.

He’s pretty cute, too. He reminds me of a certain sleepy mustached man back at the hotel. Weird.

And, well…yikes. It really started raining at this point (I think Mrs. Red had something to do with it), so I headed back to the hotel.

I had packed up my camera and almost made it back to my hotel lobby, when I ran into this beauty. I just couldn’t pass it up.
Next stop, jumping on the bed to wake up the sleeping bear.

Vintage Paint by Numbers

Many times when Biceps and I are out on tour, milling about in some thrift store, I see them. They call to me.
They tell me they need a home, that they are sweet and colorful and lonely.
But, like my retro refrigerator dishes, I have been banned from buying anymore Paint by Numbers.

So my obsession currently stops with these below.

This was my first paint by numbers. My virgin purchase, if you will. I fell in love with this forlorn puppy, and for $12 it was mine.

He resides in our guest bedroom, and if you ever visit, he will watch over all of your goodies and not let Cowboy sit on them.

I bought this at what was advertised as an ‘Estate Sale’.
‘Estate’ it was not. The house was weird, stinky and had an entire notebook filled with the lives and deaths of numerous bunny rabbits the owner apparently kept.

I disinfected Jesus properly as soon as I got home.

Grandma Greiman painted the next three you will feast your eyes upon.
This one was never framed or displayed in her home. I am excited to exhibit it in my home as soon as I can convince Biceps it fits into our decor.

Notice Grandma’s take on the colors on this painting versus the one above I bought at stinky rabbit house?
We recently found out that Grandma is color blind. How cute is that? She has never known this all these years!

This paint by numbers, I believe, is the creme de la creme. I slept many a night under the watchful eye of Jesus at the farmhouse in Iowa. This was my one request when she decided to move to town.

I needed Jesus. And Jesus was given to me.
Isn’t that just typical of Him?