Show time

I just finished my first bear show for 2009. I am pretty happy with the results. A total of 2 mohair bears and one of my needle felted cats went on to new homes.

I hate to say it but I have gone to the dark side; I like doing artist bear shows but they are getting fewer and farther between. So I had to do a Doll and Bear show. Bear makers were definitely in the minority. I think there were approximately 25 doll vendors which includes artist made porcelain dolls, Barbie dolls in all sorts of ‘original’ boxes, doll clothes, miniatures and all sorts of dolls in various costumes. There were three bear makers. I’ve included photos of my table from the show.

Lots of people were going through the show with quite a few walking out the doors with packages in their hands.

It’s fun doing a show like this. You see lots of different people. Some just speed on by to get to the next doll table, a few stop by for a quick look and comment on the bears and others really look at each bear. Usually they have to come by for a second and possibly a third time before making their selection.

I really like watching the husbands of the couples that come by. Some are as involved as the wife in looking and selecting bears, some stand by with casual interest ready to pull out the wallet/checkbook and the last ones don’t want to have anything to do with a ‘Doll and Bear’ show and “I can’t wait to get back home so I can watch some basketball/baseball/football/NASCAR (fill in the sport)”. It’s better people watching than at the airport.

Now that a few bears and cat have moved on to other homes I will start making some new guys and girls. The next Albuquerque show is scheduled for November. I should be able to finish a few more by then....

Thank you for stopping by.

Mark

A visit from the other side

This evening while Sue and I were enjoying dinner we got a knock at the door from a pest control guy.

“Hi I’m Joe from Joe Blow Pest Control.” “DO YOU KNOW YOU HAVE BEES!!!???!?!?”

“I have what?”

“YOU HAVE BEES!!”

“Sure I know I have bees, you should see the catmint down by the main sidewalk they are just buzzing all the time with bees”

“AND YOU’RE OKAY WITH THAT??”

“Yes I am, I want lots of bees; they'll pollinate my blackberry flowers which will give me lots of blackberries later this year!”

He looked at me rather strange at that point “Okay, …… Do you have any other pest problems?”

“No I don’t, thank you.”

Why do we have to kill everything that doesn’t fit the mold of a mass produced ‘American Dream’?

I have fallen into it a bit in the back yard, since I bought some Scotts fertilizer. I figured Sue likes lawn and she gave into my going natural in the front yard, I had better have some good green grass for her in the back. I only bought the fertilizer, not weed killer. Both of us like the little yellow flowers (dandelions) early in spring. Thinking back to when we lived in Milwaukee I don’t believe I would have fit in very well since I would not be out there killing anything that was not green, or did not look like grass.

Long live the bees!

Thank you for stopping by.

Mark

Happy Mother's Day

I hope everyone had a fine Mother’s Day! Babee, our cat, even remembered to get Sue a card! I usually have a hard time remembering all these holidays, I’m glad someone’s on top of it :-)

Since the last photo of the yard lots of flowers are coming on strong. Every time I look at the front yard I’m amazed at how it looks. I was hoping the front yard would pop with lots of color and it’s certainly starting out that way. I suspect a lot of it’s due to the 90˚ temperatures we experienced last week. That’s for those of you that were complaining of the cold weather you were experiencing earlier this year. (You know who you are) Now you will hear me talk of the constant heat we usually get all summer. We are never satisfied are we???

Some of these you have seen the last time. The catmint is literally buzzing from all the bees going from flower to flower.

Some of the new ones are the Rock Rose – Cistus.

And the Ice Plant – Delosperma Cooperi. These stay evergreen all year but just started flowering this past week.

In the back yard another bunch of Bearded Irises is blooming, pink, Sue's favorite color.

And it looks like I may have a large crop of blackberries this June if all these flowers bear fruit, and the heat goes away for a month or so.

Under consideration for my next big gardening project is a patch of blueberries. The soil here is very alkaline which is exactly the opposite of what blueberries need. One of my friends at work has a small patch of producing blueberry plants and has offered his expertise to help get me started. I have been wondering what I was going to put in one of the remaining blank spots in my back yard, I may have my answer…

Thank you for stopping by.

Mark

New members

My new bears are making their debut.

Meet Zoey, Miles, Chester, Mackenzie and Oliver. Mackenzie is 15”, Zoey 13”. Miles, Oliver and Chester are about 11”.

They will be on tour starting next Sunday, May 17 at the MCM Elegante’ Hotel in Albuquerque, NM at the Albuquerque Doll and Bear Show. Show hours are from 10 AM – 4 PM. I’m not sure what the admission fee is.

In addition to these guys and girl I will have another 10 or so bears and a few of my needle felted creations.

Thank you for stopping by.
Mark