Finding My Etsy Stride and a New Addition Coming Soon
If this mild weather continues, we may be back to a snowless landscape by the end of the week. I prefer the look of snow rather than the browns of the alternative during the winter months but I'm content either way. Not having to muck out the garage floor from the snow melting off our vehicles is a bonus.
I took advantage of today's warm temps (40º f / 4.4º c) to put on my walking shoes and do my Orchard Lake loop. It's an 8.7-mile loop that I do in around 2 hours—a little longer if I'm stopping to take photos. It felt nice to have the sun on my face. I saw this little guy working his way across the sidewalk and it had me wondering, what do caterpillars do during the harsh winter months? I looked online and came up with this: "They find a protected place to rest and enter a type of hibernation called diapause, where their body functions decrease and their growth pauses until they wake. Many wrap themselves in leaves or other organic matter, holding it in place with silk for extra protection." That's about what I figured. The little fella was out for a stroll on a beautiful afternoon, just like me.
I've been selling my stained glass artwork on Etsy for a little over a year. I was telling Tammy when I started out that I wasn't going to be discouraged if it seemed I wasn't finding an audience for my art right away and that I'd give it at least a year. So, here I am, one year later—how am I doing? I've found homes for 21 of my smaller panels and for 1 of my larger panels. I'd say it's been a success. I'll keep at it with hopes that I'll have even more sales in the coming year, but honestly, I just love engaging the creative side of me. It's a bonus that others like my work enough to purchase it. I've got a package by our front door heading out to Broadalbin, NY tomorrow containing the piece in the photo to the left. I do my best to get orders out in the mail the same day I receive them.
Rachel and Drew took us to see a Minnesota Wild game Thursday night. I used to love to follow hockey when I was young but that was long ago. I couldn't even tell you any of the Minnesota Wild players' names but we enjoyed ourselves. They were scored on in the first minute of play but that was the only goal they would allow. They won 5-1. And the crowd went wild!
It had been more than 25 years since I'd been to an NHL game and that was at the old Met Center when I took my father to see his last game. I didn't realize how poor of health he was in. The walk to our seats took a lot out of him. I recall him having to stop to catch his breath along the way due to his emphysema. My father was from Canada where following hockey was in one's blood. He was on a business trip in the '70s and on his flight was the Minnesota North Stars team. He had a small notebook that he had the players pass around and sign their names in. He gave it to me and I somehow lost it. He asked to see it years later and I couldn't find it for him. I felt bad.
I'll soon have another bike in my stable. I put money down on a gravel bike at Michael's Cycles in Chaska. My choice was a Giant Revolt Advanced Zero. It's a sweet bike and it checks off all of the boxes I was wanting it to: carbon fiber throughout; disc brakes, and Shimano Ultegra components, all at a very reasonable price. I hope to have it in the next few weeks. If the weather continues to be mild, you can find me on gravel roads within a 50-mile radius of home.
That's all I've got.
I took advantage of today's warm temps (40º f / 4.4º c) to put on my walking shoes and do my Orchard Lake loop. It's an 8.7-mile loop that I do in around 2 hours—a little longer if I'm stopping to take photos. It felt nice to have the sun on my face. I saw this little guy working his way across the sidewalk and it had me wondering, what do caterpillars do during the harsh winter months? I looked online and came up with this: "They find a protected place to rest and enter a type of hibernation called diapause, where their body functions decrease and their growth pauses until they wake. Many wrap themselves in leaves or other organic matter, holding it in place with silk for extra protection." That's about what I figured. The little fella was out for a stroll on a beautiful afternoon, just like me.
I've been selling my stained glass artwork on Etsy for a little over a year. I was telling Tammy when I started out that I wasn't going to be discouraged if it seemed I wasn't finding an audience for my art right away and that I'd give it at least a year. So, here I am, one year later—how am I doing? I've found homes for 21 of my smaller panels and for 1 of my larger panels. I'd say it's been a success. I'll keep at it with hopes that I'll have even more sales in the coming year, but honestly, I just love engaging the creative side of me. It's a bonus that others like my work enough to purchase it. I've got a package by our front door heading out to Broadalbin, NY tomorrow containing the piece in the photo to the left. I do my best to get orders out in the mail the same day I receive them.
Rachel and Drew took us to see a Minnesota Wild game Thursday night. I used to love to follow hockey when I was young but that was long ago. I couldn't even tell you any of the Minnesota Wild players' names but we enjoyed ourselves. They were scored on in the first minute of play but that was the only goal they would allow. They won 5-1. And the crowd went wild!
It had been more than 25 years since I'd been to an NHL game and that was at the old Met Center when I took my father to see his last game. I didn't realize how poor of health he was in. The walk to our seats took a lot out of him. I recall him having to stop to catch his breath along the way due to his emphysema. My father was from Canada where following hockey was in one's blood. He was on a business trip in the '70s and on his flight was the Minnesota North Stars team. He had a small notebook that he had the players pass around and sign their names in. He gave it to me and I somehow lost it. He asked to see it years later and I couldn't find it for him. I felt bad.
I'll soon have another bike in my stable. I put money down on a gravel bike at Michael's Cycles in Chaska. My choice was a Giant Revolt Advanced Zero. It's a sweet bike and it checks off all of the boxes I was wanting it to: carbon fiber throughout; disc brakes, and Shimano Ultegra components, all at a very reasonable price. I hope to have it in the next few weeks. If the weather continues to be mild, you can find me on gravel roads within a 50-mile radius of home.
That's all I've got.
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