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Monday, December 28, 2009

Accepted into a New Gallery

Ink and Brush Creations at UnTapped Source.

I have been accepted into a more private Online Gallery and see this as another step up. Will take me a couple of weeks to get the pieces I plan on putting in this Gallery up. But if you want to take a look now, just click on the link above.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Home Made Bread

Have been experimenting with a different no salt added bread recipe and I think this batch is the best one yet! Isn't it pretty and the taste and wonderful smell... .. yum !

And not to be out done.. DH made a very nice Lemon Bunt cake for the Holidays, that was very, very good too.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Frosty Morning Pictures and a Hello to Grammy

First off I want to apologize to Grammy for not sending her the Monthly letter. Things have been so slow lately and not much as been going on, so I have been at a loss as what to write. But I am always thinking of you Grammy and want to let you know how much I care and love you. Hugs and Kisses.

We plan on hand walking some holiday card to the neighbors as soon as I get this blog done. No snow this year and I am not minding that at all!


Took some pictures of the frost we had this morning. Thought this was a neat contrast between my Icelandic Mare Stjarna's mane with the frost on it and the old tree.


Maggie is frosty too.


This photo of Edda was taken a few weeks ago in far weather.


Spiky frost on the gate latch.

Fir cones with frost.



Frosty Rosemary

Monday, December 21, 2009

If you have Cats you can't.........




If you have cats,,, you can't be depressed..This morning Sadie and Mia were fussing at the end of my bed, while I was trying to work on the coding for the blog. Told them to quit but in usual cat style, they ignored me. So I tapped Mia with my foot gently, she just gave me one of "those" looks...and for some reason... Sadie launched herself straight up, over and off the side of the bed. Did not even touch the silly cat. I felt bad.. but that was really impressive and I couldn't stop laughing!! And the look she gave me afterwords.... LOL
Sadie is our Orange cat.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Happy Holidays !



Wishing Everyone a Wonderful Holiday and a Happy New Year!!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

The mtDNA line for the women side of the family

mtDNA Results for Shari Nees
Maternal Ancestor: Renee Breau #2
Test result: Haplogroup H13 - European


Shari's mtDNA test results:

HVR1
16CRS

HVR2
263G
309.1C
315.1C

Shari Nee's Maternal line:

13. Shari Nees
12. Shari's mother
11. Elizabeth Josephine Kelley
10. Beatrice Elizabeth Amireau and a Kelley
9. Josephine Le Blanc and Pierre Rene Amireau
8. Marie-Jeanne d'Entremont and Pierre LeBlanc
7. Scholastique Amireau and Francois-Jacques d'Entremont
6. Marie-Anne Surette and Simon Amireau
5. Madeleine Amireau and Paul Surette
4. Claire Dugas and Charles Amireau
3. Marguerite Bourg and Claude Dugas
2. Françoise Brun and Bernard Bourg
1. Renée Breau and Vincent Brun

Renee Breau b.1620 and husband Vincent Brun b.1616 and Daughter Francosie were born in La Chaussée,Loudon, Poitou, France. Bapitizum records can be found in the church there. Came to Acadia in 1648 with 2 children.


Mom as a young girl.
Need to find a good photo of my Grandmother.


Great, great Grand-Mere, Josephine LeBlanc/Amireau and her daughter, my great Grandmother Beatrice Amireau.



Great Grand-Mere, Josephine LeBlanc/Amireau

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Beautiful Farm

Our family really loves this farm. It has the quiet I need because of my Menieres, wonderful neighbors, our dream place. Here are a few of my favorite photos.



DS in the evening during summer.


Plenty of room for the family, our animals and feeds my love of trees.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

The indoor cats and Edda..

Sadie and Mia, playing with their newest handmade toy.


Wild action shot of Edda today.... no ...wait.... well...her mane is moving a little bit. When there is the slightest of breezes.. she looks like she has Albert Einstein hair... Fluffy and all over the place. LOL

Was trying to show her next to Dyfra who is a solid 12.3 hands tall. But she moved a little ways away by the time I got the camera.

Edda measures in at 11.3 hands tall at 6 months old,, not bad for an Icelandic horse.
One of these days I will get some action shots of her.

I know there really hasn't been the usual stories and photos lately. So much going on, that I have to spend time with.

I have a good friend Cindy who knows people and is trying to help DH get in the door with a company she deals with. She has given me more hope, than I have had in a long time.
Even if this job does not pan out, I am grateful she is going the lengths she is.

Its not easy getting a job out there right now, specially in Oregon. Companies here get large tax breaks and are sending the jobs.. overseas. And leaving American workers out to dry.

To those that have stood by us... this isn't for you.
I need to Vent a bit.. due to some relatives..not on my side of the family. Unless you are bored and want to read anyway. ;O)

My Vent or Soap Box if you will.....

The older I get, the more I would just love to stay in one place.

Our family did our time moving while DH was in the Navy... DH served his country, once he got out he stayed around and took contract jobs when his father was dying of Cancer so he could help, then stayed because of his mother. He passed up some good full time jobs so he could stay in the area where his parents lived.
Which help put us in the position we are in.

We can't even find an Under the Table work to keep us going longer... none of the Ranchers and farmers in the area are doing that any more, they can't afford to.
We have good friends that know everyone in the area well... and they have also been asking around for us. Still no luck.
Other Local jobs within a half hour are wood Mills but over half are totally shut down and the others still in business only have a 1/4 of their work force. They are not hiring. Not that they would hire DH.. he doesn't have any background in their business.

Min wage work.... would barely pay us for the gas for him to go to and from Portland.. we would still have to sell the place and no money for food or utilies. Plus.. they won't hire people my DH pay grade.. because he is over qualified.

To get a job in this Clime... you must be a
perfect match to what the companies want... you can't be,

Over Qualified...

Under Qualified..

your not in their pay grade...

They don't like hiring people that have had contract jobs... (but they only are offering contract jobs,,which doesn't make much sense to me)

You must match what they want perfectly or they won't hire you

If you are my DH age.. they are passing older workers by.

They are no longer hiring people because they are good workers and work hard.

Contract jobs.. which seems to be the only thing in Oregon right now... His engineering jobs that used to bring in $55.00 to $77.00 an hour because they did not get bennies and it was short term work....
now only brings in Min wage to $17.00 and hour. At that pay.. we would still have to sell the house.

He is on first name bases with all the Temp agents and they haven't even been able to find him a job that isn't a couple month contract, at Min wage. They have even told him to look at other States because Oregon is just about dead.

DH is in "LinkedIn" and he is networking with all his friends... out of work Engineers too.. most of them have Phd's and Masters.. they aren't even getting interviews like DH is.
He is on all the job search sites that are out there....
He knows all the key words to put into the resume's to at least get noticed.

Not kidding when I say he is looking all over the World. Sending out properly cued Resumes left and right.
DH is not lazy.. is not passing over jobs but he is working very hard to find one.

Do we want to sell the place and move... NO ! It is perfect for us and what someone with Meniere's needs badly, peace and quiet.

All we want and need is a Fair Wage job... within 2 hours drive.

Things are not good.. my Father sent some money that will help keep us going a little longer. Thank you Dad!!!
I am spending long hours with my online Art stores but that doesn't bring in enough money to help much. Does pay for my online shops, business licence and some of the special food I have to buy for me. Only thing I can physcially do.

The house is for sale ....before we run out of money. That way.. hopefully,, if we have no choice, we can get the money back out of what we have put into this farm. We have perfect credit and hoping to keep it that way.

But if DH gets a job before a bid is given on the house,,well will pull the house off the market.

We are in need of that Holiday miracle.

We are doing the best we can, with the cards we have been dealt.

For those that judge and think they know all.... I will leave it at this.

My Heartfelt Thank you for those that have stood and still stand by us in our trying times. It means a lot to us. Hugs..