I couldn't wait to finish my new Hallowe'en bracelet,
but the flu got in the way.

I finally finished it yesterday afternoon
about the time that Ray got home from work.

The Peyote band is made from my special
Indian Corn Blend.
There are several shades and textures of yellow, gold, orange,
red, green, brown, silver, and black.
The blend will be available in my Etsy shop early next year.

A kit for the bracelet may be available if I can find a reliable
supplier of Halloween charms.

The web site for my jewelry kits is
http://www.beadkits.etsy.com

It is sorely lacking in products right now,
but it should fill up soon!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween 2008

October 2008 - Cades Cove

A weekend at Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park is always time well spent.

The leaves have just begun to change colors.
The low is supposed to be in the 20s this week,
so there should be some fantastic color next weekend.

A park director told us to cut through Rich Mountain Road.
This road is gravelled - sort of - is one way,
and is as crooked as a dog's hind leg!

Ray's top speed was 20 miles an hour
and, most of the time,
much slower.

I watched his speed carefully,
while I screamed for him to slow down.

It felt like he was running the Grand Prix!

The views were stunning!

Even for folks like us who live in the mountains.

The handsome Ray taking pictures.

I'm sure his photos are much better than mine,
but I can't find his camera.

We saw quite a few deer,
but were unable to get a close-up picture.

There's bars in them thar woods, too!

When you have the opportunity to visit East Tennessee,
head straight to the Smokies!

Cades Cove is perfect for driving, walking, and cycling.

When spending the night or the week,
stay in Townsend -
'The Quieter Side of the Smokies'.

Stay away from Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.
They are nothing but tourist traps.

Sevierville (home to Dolly Parton)
used to be to a lovely small town.

Now, you can hardly tell when you leave
Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, or enter Gatlinburg,

What a shame our lovely country side is going commercial!

No place is lovelier than the Smoky Mountains!

White Tail Deer

There were 3 white tail deer playing outside my office window this morning!

What a beautiful site!!!

Jade Flowers - Coming Soon!

These fabulous, hand carved jade flowers are on their way to my new Etsy shop!
http://www.beadkits.etsy.com

I've been looking for these flowers for years and finally found them in a
little shop in Hong Kong.
And they are
BEAUTIFUL!!!!!
They are about an inch across and
the colors blend beautifully!
I'm waiting breathlessly by the mail box!

If you are interested in ordering these flowers, please let me know at
beads@bledsoe.net
as soon as possible.
I will have a very limited number of the flowers available and
20 of them are already sold.
The price is only $15.00 per flower.

Tea and Tidings!
Ruth Ann

New Ankle Bracelet from Lori

I have fallen in love with this new ankle bracelet from
Lori Anderson!
OK - It was supposed to be a bracelet,
but I mistakenly told her that my wrist was 8" around.
Poor girl must have thought she was dealing with an elephant!
Anyhow, the bracelet fits my ankle perfectly
and is absolutely stunning!

Thanks, Lori!

Signs of Autumn Are In the Air

I'm quite ready for the autumnal season,
but the weather isn't prepared to cooperate just yet.

Morning temperatures have been in the mid 40s,
but it's 79 degrees right now.

A few leaves have turned because of the dry weather,
but there has been no visit from Jack Frost.

Indian corn has been sighted at the farmers' market
and a few ears followed me home.
I learned my lesson the hard way about decorating inside the house
with these sumptuously colored ears.
Mice come scampering from the fields as the hay is cut
and corn encourages them to linger in the house.
So all corn will stay outside this year.

We plan to go pumpkining this weekend!

Fall Recipe from Susan Branch

I thought maybe you would like the recipe for this, so here goes: While sweet potatoes are cooking (see further along in recipe) cut off the tops of the pumpkins, hollow out cleanly and smear insides with a little softened butter. Put them on a cookie sheet. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. With an electric mixer (not a food processor) you whip together 4 c. cooked (boil them) and mashed sweet potatoes, 8 oz softened cream cheese, 1/2 c. softened butter, 2 beaten eggs, 1/4 c. packed brown sugar, 2 1/2 Tbsp. dry sherry, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Whip until light. Stir in 3/4 c. chopped walnuts. Fill the pumpkins, sprinkle each with nutmeg, put on the tops, and bake 40 min. until pumpkins feel tender when lightly squeezed.

Friendship

"Unto These Hills"

The Cherokees encountered their first white man in 1540, Spaniards searching for gold. 250 years later Tecumseh, a hotheaded warrior from the north urged the Cherokees to go to war against the white man, but Junaluska with counsel from Sequoyah decided it would be best to live in peace with the white men. The Great Eagle Dance - a dance of triumph from the past is performed to celebrate the victory the Cherokees and the white men claimed at Horseshoe Bend against other Indians that threatened the American Nation, but the victory celebrations were to be short lived.

One of the most compelling outdoor dramas, Unto These Hills, tells the tragic story of how the Cherokee ancestors were forcefully driven out of the Great Smoky Mountains and marched 1,200 miles to Oklahoma. You will never forget how Tsali gave his life as sacrifice, so that a handful of his people could remain on the land of their heritage.

Ticket Information Call:	Or Write:
866-554-4557	Cherokee Historical Association P. 0. Box 398 Cherokee, North Carolina 28719.

Visit the Drama website at http://www.cherokee-nc.com/unto_these_main.php

Fall Colors Are Beginning to Show

Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower.

-- Albert Camus

We took a drive into Cherokee, North Carolina over the weekend.
Fall colors are just beginning to show in the highest elevations.
We had lunch of corn roasted in the husk
and spiced apple cider
along with a nibble of Colby cheese
at a table by the roadside.
The wood smoke from the nearby cabins created
the perfect fall atmosphere!

Freeform Fall

FREEFORM BRACELET FOR FALL

You may recognize this bracelet from an earlier photo when I made this bracelet.
I'm all excited that it's finally the time of year to wear my beautiful creation.
No, I'm certainly not modest about my bracelet!
It was my first freeform creation
and I'm very proud of it.

Being a blue-eyed blonde,
I don't wear browns except in the fall,
but I do love the autumnal colors!

I have so many bracelets made in shades of brown
that I'm tempted to wear them all at once
so that I'm sure each one gets seen before we turn to
the colors of Christmas!

It's Almost Hallowe'en

It's almost Hallowe'en!
One of my very favorite holidays!

My strength limits my decorating this year,
but the first item to make its appearance
is this marvelous tea cozy!

Decorated with witches and cats and cauldrons,
this beauty was purchased from my dear friend
Sierra
of
http://www.bumblebeelane.com

I own two of her delightful tea cozies
that are shipped with beautiful covers
or in
delightful handmade boxes.

Sierra owns a Happy embroidery machine
and
her work is exquisite!!!!!

You can keep up with Sierra,
her embroidery,
and her life at
http://www.sierrascreations.blogspot.com