October, Now Open for Chat

[#1]

As always, continue…..

[GayleDowell]

Prairie Dawg is in the house this morning...with a sweater on. He's a wimp when winter comes. We keep him outside on nice days (he sheds a lot). But today is an inside Dawg day.

Errands this afternoon and I hope to knock out the rest of my gallery pieces and start on my inventory sheet for the show. That means I need to price the stuff. Then I need to pull together some more pieces for a local gift shop by Thursday. Glad that Etsy hasn't been busy for me. After this week, I'll be ready to tackle all the Etsy sales, lol. I may even list some made-to-order.

[heartsabustin]

I have a bronze cuff I need to be working on, but I also have FEMA paperwork to do for the FIL. *sigh*

[ChrissiLynnDesigns]

Good Morning.

I'm not sure fun is the right word, lol. We were freezing and cold most of the show. The temperatures went from 70s and absolutely gorgeous on Thursday to cold, wet and miserable for the rest of the weekend. It's 39F this morning. I feel horrible that I couldn't get Millie's blanket to her last night. (she doesn't handle cold very well). We were all very unprepared for this!


Gayle, my brother is now at Ft. Riley. He sent me pictures of the snow. He JUST moved there from El Paso, lol...I'm cracking up...he's had it very easy with the weather the past few years. He was definitely complaining about the snow this morning.

[heartsabustin]

Awww, poor guy. LOL

[GayleDowell]

Oh wow, Chrissi. Ft. Riley is just down the road from Manhattan. If you are ever up to visit your brother, let me know. We could meet for coffee or something. I bet the temp change from El Paso to Kansas was a shock.

[heartsabustin]

I posted to my blog today, y'all. I can't remember the last time I did that.

Crazy pants.

[ChrissiLynnDesigns]

Oh nice, Gayle! Yes, I'll definitely let you know if I make it up that way! We usually meet at my Mom's in Chanute, but you never know. I have been attending more equestrian events in Kansas this year than Texas...so you never know! I love Manhattan. Such a pretty town!

We grew up in Kansas...so he's well aware of what the weather is like. :-) I just find it funny because he would always taunt me with his screenshots of gorgeous El Paso winter weather when we were freezing our butts off last winter.

Go Erin! I was thinking on the drive into work this morning that I need to post on the blog. I did a couple of Facebook live sessions this weekend, but need to update the blog as well.

I'm soooo tired this afternoon. I have to coach running this evening and I'm definitely not looking forward to it. The sun did finally come out and I believe we are suppose to warm up to the 60s.

[heartsabustin]

I can never think of Manhattan, KS, without thinking of "In Cold Blood".

That's messed up.

[GayleDowell]

Lol, Erin. Had to google In Cold Blood, which made me think of the Bloody Benders. Mainly because my oldest daughter did some shoots as a double for a documentary film about the family. I never saw the documentary. It would probably give me nightmares, although I watched the segments she did for the shoot.

[ChrissiLynnDesigns]

Bloody Benders happened close to where I grew up. I drive by the location every time I go home. It's outside of a small town called Moorhead, KS...right off of Hwy 169. The town has just a couple of homes now. Apparently, the inn where the killings occurred was off the main highway. Very sick people out there.

I also grew up not far from Coffeyville, KS where the Dalton gang met their demise trying to rob 2 banks at once. In the museum, they have mannequins set up in coffins representing the members of the gang that were killed on the street. Southeast Kansas was a rough place back in the late 1800s/early 1900s.

In addition...our first house in Tulsa was across the street from a house the Newton Boys owned. Our neighbor's across the street owned the house. There is still a bullet hole in one of the walls. It was a really neat house built in the 1920s. We were surprised to learn of it's history.

I read the book "In Cold Blood". I couldn't make it all the way through it. Truman Capote must have had some serious mental issues. I know it was based off of a true story...but it's still a really messed up story.

[GayleDowell]

Chrissi, have you read "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann? It's about the murders of Osage tribe members in Oklahoma for the oil money they received from their land allotments. It was also the motivation for the government to create the FBI. My grandmother (Osage) used to talk about her Dad being afraid to cross some people's lands because of this. This would have been in the early 20's. Talk about the WILD west! The book is suppose to be made into a movie soon. I'll probably go see it.

[ChrissiLynnDesigns]

Yes! I just finished it a few weeks ago! It's an excellent read! Very fascinating as I used to call on a few doctors in Fairfax, OK when I was pharmaceutical rep. Osage members who still live in the area are very suspicious of any stranger coming into town still today. I remember doing a presentation on prescription benefits at the Indian center and being grilled over the details. I couldn't understand at the time why they were so suspicious of a free government program...now I know. I had no idea all of that happened in Fairfax! The town is almost a ghost town now, but you can see where it had been a booming town at one time. I want to go back and drive through the area again. It's a beautiful drive out there from Tulsa. The highway backs up to the Tallgrass prairie and the rock formations are very unique.

[GayleDowell]

Yes, I'd love to visit the area too. I've been to Pawhuska when I was younger, but would love to go again. They've recently acquired the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve which I would love to see too.

[GayleDowell]

Not the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, the Bluestem Ranch.

[heartsabustin]

I had to read it my junior year in high school. Capote was truly messed up, but the whole book was written based off extensive interviews with Perry and Dick. There was very little that was fictional about the story, from what I understand.

[GayleDowell]

Morning! Where is everyone?

[cgwhitfield]

Good morning.

[PPennee]

Morning!

As an avid reader of thrillers and murder mystery I can honestly say In Cold Blood was the scariest book I think I've ever read- Hannibal comes close. And knowing it was based on a true story- I did have nightmares for a while- just gives me the creeps thinking about it. I think I may look for the Killers of the Flower Moon, sounds really interesting

[heartsabustin]

I had to go to the doc with the middle child today - viral sore throat and upper respiratory infection.

So - Good morning. :D

[kitkingdesigns]

Good morning.
Raining again, so I'm staying home from class. Not doing I-35 with all the trucks in the rain.
Sorry about the kid, Erin. Hope it doesn't portend another year of sickies at your house.
I had my flu sho, now I need to get M to have his. At his age, flue is really dangerous.

[ChrissiLynnDesigns]

Good Morning! Catching up at the office.

Was it the Osage that acquired the Bluestem ranch? That place is just beautiful! I love driving past it. Pawhuska is such a beautiful town too. Lots of neat buildings. The Pioneer Woman opened up her mercantile there, and it's breathed new life into the town! Lots of new shops have popped up, and the old buildings are being restored. A good friend opened a B&B there about 2 years ago and it's doing great! I have been meaning to drive back up there and see if I could place my work in a gallery or shop.

Sorry about the sick kiddo, Erin. Hugs! I woke up with a scratchy throat and runny eyes. I'm hoping it's just because of the weather changes.

Pennee...the Killers of the Flower Moon book is excellent! Very interesting story. If I manage to drive up that way soon, I'll snap some photos and post to FB. It's a beautiful area. I agree about In Cold Blood. I was in either junior high or high school when I tried to read it and just couldn't make it through. Since we knew it was based on a true story, and one that occurred not too far from home...made it even worse!

[GayleDowell]

Yes, Chrissi, the Osage recently purchased Bluestem Ranch. We've been trying to buy back land that was lost through allotment and the murders that took place during that time. I've heard that the Pioneer Woman opening up the Mercantile revived the town. I'd love to stop in there as well. Someday...

Not many people know about the Osage murders. I think the book has really told the story well. I've researched the subject quite a bit and have read several books about it, but this gave even more insight into the history.

[ChrissiLynnDesigns]

I'm glad to hear the tribe bought back the land. So much was lost during that time. I didn't know you were Osage. There is a possibility that I'm either Osage descent or Cherokee. My grandmother was part Native American, but the family didn't register...so that part of our history is lost.

I thought the book did an excellent job of telling the story as well. I really didn't know much if anything about the murders, but this definitely clarifies some of the things I felt and observed when I would visit Fairfax.

The Mercantile has been fantastic for Pawhuska! If you get a chance, you should definitely go! It's worth the drive down to see it. The food is fantastic and the store is really neat! Ree did a great job with it. We always have a good time when we go. Just be prepared to wait in line for awhile. We went about a year after it opened, and stood in line for a little over an hour to get in the day after Thanksgiving (we thought that was not too bad!).

If anyone needs supplies from Rio...and plans on spending around $250...free shipping is going on! I've been putting off a few things, so I went ahead and stocked up a little bit.

[Untwistedsister]

I need a few things from Rio but trying hard to get to that $250.

I never have time to read anymore. There is just always too much to get done. I think one of the scariest books I read was the Stephen King book "Misery" and after "Jaws" going in the ocean was never quite the same for me.

[GayleDowell]

Yep, Terri. I don't care to swim in the ocean anymore after seeing Jaws. As a kid, Hitchcock's movie, The Birds, terrified me.

How long does the free shipping last for Rio? I just spent a bunch of my pennies in the past few days buying things I need, like stones, ahem...I really did need them!

Yes Chrissi, I am registered with the tribe. So much gets lost through the generations. My grandmother, who is half, did a great job staying connected with the tribe and making sure we were all registered even though she was raised by her white mom after her folks divorced. She said that we have a little Cherokee, but the ancestor who carried that didn't register for fear of racial prejudice. It's a shame really.