Underwater Towns

...did you know there are more than twenty of these alone in America?

Most disappeared when dams were built, and reservoirs flooded. Some reappear during times of drought. (Like this Venezualan town whose church, town cemetary and demolished houses are suddenly turning up again.)

We used to live up in the mountains in Nederland, CO, above the Barker reservoir. Which holds the remains of more than a few miners' cabins and ranches. It was a bit shivery to think what could be left underwater.

Long ago, I read a novel about a submerged town, and the secrets it held. While Internet surfing, I've been watching Beneath Still Waters, a movie on SyFy. It's all about some weird evil  in -- you guessed it -- a Spanish town that ended up underwater four decades ago. Maybe it's because it's early in the morning (about 1:30 a.m.), but it does seem more creepy than the average grab-your-ankle underwater flick. (Until the inevitable attorney or Viagra commercial intrudes, that is.)

If you're curious about this little-discussed subject, try this website, as well as this one.  You can even visit some of the towns -- if you've got scuba equipment!

Freaky.

Saturday (Really, Sunday) Musings

It's past 1:30 a.m., but the fabric and embellishment kits are piled on the tables, waiting for students later this morning. A bunch of bolts of trim are piled in a corner, along with the fabric freebies I plan on handing out. The buttons are ready -- books stacked, ribbon roses and laces out. I can't wait for class to start. But as a result, I don't feel like sleeping, either! The curse of the quilt teacher...

In spite of an attack of nervousness (after all, this is my home guild!), the lecture for the Colorado Quilt Council went great. I saw plenty of old friends, and I showed Crazies ranging over two centuries, including a 70s hostess gown (with Woody Woodpecker-themed ribbon on the sleeves) modeled with great verve by Chris. I love to watch people's faces as they start processing Crazy history; for many, their only introduction to the style are Victorian era silk quilts. Even those are often admired for their stitching and color -- but rarely are the reasons for using those stitches...or colors...or fabrics...or designs...discussed. That's my job, to get people to thinking on a deeper level about these fascinating visual scrapbooks of the quiltmaker's life and passions.

I love this job.

Cell-Made Quilts

How often do you hear about quilts being made as a rehabilitation effort? Fine Cell Work, a fine arts group, has been working with British prisoners since 1998, teaching them embroidery and quilting. The resulting pieces let cellmates learn new skills and earn some money. The quilts are pretty interesting, too, as is the title of the page: "Quilty as Charged." (Take special note of the "Jail House Rock" pillow -- what a kick!)


Take a look at these photos, and you'll find out more about the group at the same time...enjoy.

33 Online Freebies

...and all yours, thanks to All You Magazine!
Go here for the complete list.

(Thanks, One Frugal Girl, for the heads-up.)

Are You Getting What You Pay For?

Do you really get your full money's worth in the products you buy? April Dykman at Get Rich Slowly has a thought-provoking post on this subject, including cosmetics. (Especially don't miss the blogger who compared Crisco with a fancy face cream...and guess what won!! One of the comments says it's better than diaper ointment for clearing up a baby bottom rash.)


Here's the general post -- don't stop reading until you finish up the comments. (Some good stuff here, from people who know from experience.)

The Sun Is Shining!

We had a luxurious sleep-in, then sausage and blueberry pancakes...

aahhhhh.

It's still chilly out, but the snow is done. We lost power a few times, but thankfully those periods were an hour or so, at mostYesterday, while waiting for the flakes to start, I came across a clump of daffodils, cheerfully nodding in the cold wind. They've taken up residence on the dining room table -- a reminder that spring will soon be back.

Grocery Cart Challenge has some interesting ideas for using milk jugs...including an Easter basket!

And Almost Frugal is holding a giveaway -- gift cards to a variety of merchants. Contest ends March 30.


back to business -- but it's nice to have a break.

Buried Under A Pile of Snow

I took Daughter #1 home this afternoon...just as we hit Broadway (and the remnants of a big accident), a wave of rain and snow hit. By the time we unloaded, the three of us, including dog Jack, were soaked.

Getting back on the freeway was an exercise in scariness; I could barely see a thing until *BANG* the rain stopped, as if a knife had cut it short around Evans. By the time I hit Castle Rock, the skies were clear -- directly over town. A big bank of dark gray clouds surrounded, like a pack of dogs waiting to attack.

I raced around and did the necessary errands, then tore home and got the sheets off the line. By the time a client arrived for some appraisals, barely half an hour had passed -- and it was blizzarding like crazy. It hasn't stopped since. We've had the lights flicker several times, but so far, the power's still on.

Will we keep having power? Will school still happen tomorrow?  (Whoop -- Husband just saw they're cancelled!) Stay tuned. In the meantime, you can see a bit of what Castle Rock -- and a big chunk of central Colorado -- is enduring, by checking out this live cam.  Garden of the Gods, further south, looks even nastier.  And this messiness is occurring only a mile or two from our house outside Castle Rock.

The weirdest part? We've gone from the 60s to 20s in only a few hours...the clouds had a nasty resemblance to tornado clouds (with the exception of that creepy green tinge), and Husband swears he heard the wind making a low, grumbling noise. (Tornados make a chugging sound not dissimilar to the 'grumbling' of a freight train.) Didn't notice any funnel clouds...but all the same, creepy.

Stay warm and snuggly tonight.