The Wild Gourd Studio

Such a damp and dark day. The kind that chills you right to the very bone. Just the sort of day that leads you to do something that will warm your heart and, perhaps, your hands and feet too!

Grace, Mom and I attended services this morning at our United Methodist Church. The oldest part of the building dates

back to the early 1800s and has the most stunning stained glass windows. The service was uplifting and the congregation friendly. We were all reminded to be thankful for the great and good things we enjoy and to work at putting the true needs of others at the forefront of our lives.

My fashion forward daughter was wearing a new outfit and coat. How proud she was of it! How lucky we are to have wonderful cousins who pass their "just slightly older" daughter's out grown treasures to us.

My little diva wanted a picture so our dear friend, M.L.B., could see it! Grace has deemed this lovely (inside and out) lady "the most bestest dressed friend I have". A high honor indeed! Me thinks she gets a tad bit frustrated with her "I just want to live in my sweaters and jeans", fashion challenged Mom.

After church, the three of us once again braved the gloom and chill to meet friends and have lunch. There was good food, conversation and a lost tooth! Gracie's not mine! One of her molars decided to plop right into the middle of her grilled shrimp platter, barely escaping a good dunking in the chipotle dip.

I do believe the Tooth Fairy will be making her rounds shortly....I'll remember to leave a window ever so slightly ajar.

After lunch we took a drive through Yellow Springs, past the many art co ops and studios and into Clifton where we rambled by one antique shop after another. We were soon in Cedarville, on Tarbox-Cemetery Road at our destination, The Wild Gourd Studio. This warm and inviting place is the workshop of artist Cynthia McDonald. Every gourd is an original and very unique work of art...hand drawn, painted, carved and stained by the artist. The rims are finished with leather, a coil weave or other lovely accents. In a word, gorgeous.

This was her 5th annual studio open house and something that my daughter and I have made an annual must do.

It might have been cold and gloomy outside but oh how cozy and inviting the studio was.

There was cider and sweets aplenty and the most hypnotic and magical music. Flute maker and recording artist, Mark Thunderwalker is a talented, dedicated and special man. He remembered my girl from last year's event and she was tickled to see him again. We have his CDs and enjoy them so. They take you away to another place....

I left with my once a year purchase. This one has a splendid, rather proud turkey on it. A one of a kind Cynthia said.

I heard from a talented artist in Yellow Springs who reminded me that Cynthia's work can also be found at "The Village Artisans" shop in Yellow Springs. If you are in the area, please visit. You will find wonderful bits and bobs of all sorts to delight your eye.

This evening found us at Mom's cozy new condo. My son joined us for pizza and the first of many seasonal viewings of "Home Alone" and "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas". "Home Alone" hit the theaters the first Christmas Daniel was in our lives. The film was an immediate hit with him and now it rings the same bell for his sister. Of course, I love it too. Funny and, at times poignant, it is always a must see during the holiday season, as are "A Christmas Story", "Christmas Vacation", "It's a Wonderful Life", "White Christmas", "Holiday Inn", "Miracle on 34th Street", "The Bishop's Wife", "We're No Angels", "Elf", "The Homecoming", "A Christmas Carol" and "Scrooged". I won't even begin to mention all the "you have to watch even if you HAVE seen them 2,786 times and all the dialogue is memorized" TV holiday classics. Rudolph. Okay, I said I would not yet mention them. Frosty. Now stop that! Charlie Brown. Oops. Sorry. Truly.

Sssh....do I hear tiny footsteps? The fairy approaches.