Wind and Water aka Hurricanes

Remembering the song Peace, Be Still. 

The winds and the waves shall obey My will, Peace be still! Peace be still!
Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea,
Or [devils], or men or whatever it be,
No water can swallow the ship where lies the Master of ocean and earth and skies;
They all shall sweetly obey My will;
Peace, be still! Peace, be still! They all shall sweetly obey My will: Peace, peace be still!

My heart goes out to all those who endured Hurricane Irene this weekend. Until you have lived through a hurricane and its aftermath, you really don't know what it is like.  The TV coverage and all the pictures of the wind damage and high water show a lot, but until you've been there and experienced it first hand, you really can't imagine the trauma.  Our area was hit by Hurricane Ike three years ago and by Hurricane Rita 6 years ago.  Rita hit about a month after the famed Katrina.  We personally did not suffer a great deal of damage from Rita.  But I can tell you that coming back to a town that had sustained extensive damage, had no water and no electricity, and a temperature of 100 degree that day, was overwhelming.  It really seemed like it would be months before we even had power again.  Since this is a wooded area there were trees down everywhere. I have to applaud the electric companies and all the workers who came from all over the nation to help.  They had our power restored in just a few days. It was still depressing and I can't even think how people felt that lost their homes or had extensive damage from a tree falling through the roof.  On the way home, we saw one place that was flying a flag with a smiley face on it.  Sort of a bright spot of optimism there. 

       I hate to say it, but our area is still in some ways recovering from Rita and especially from Ike.  Our town did not suffer as much from Ike, and everyone, individuals and government planners, seemed better prepared.  That's what experience does for you!  Ike was much worse in the coastal areas south and east of us due to the tidal surge and the winds from Ike were worse to the west of us where the eye hit. But it was still a bad experience here. Like Irene, Ike blew long and hard.  It took forever to move over us, it seemed. So, I have real empathy for those who experienced the worse of Irene this weekend.  I pray they will make a quick recovery. I know it will affect their lives for a long, long time. 

Our ESN scavenger hunt this week is about hurricane Irene and wind and water.  I tried to find some good things pertaining to wind and water. 

I found  this novel with Wind in the title at Mystery Lane Books. It might be a good read if you can find a sunlit place to read while the electricity is off.  Without electricity, internet, or telephone we discovered a lot of things to do. It is possible.  The board games come out, the handcrafts that have been untouched for years......

                                                                     

                                                                                                  Black Wind: A Dirk Pitt Novel

At Barb's Bargains I found this elegant wind chime and the Buddha fountain. 

Two things that use wind and water to help you relax.  Barb's Bargains has a good selection of fountains.

Beautiful Wind Chimes

Soothing Buddha Fountain

And lastly, to remind us of the beautiful days to come after the storm. I found this jigsaw puzzle from Eccentric Thrifter.  Something else to pass the time during and after the storm. And a good reminder of the rainbow promise God gave to Noah.

After the Rain Jigsaw Puzzle

As usual, shop ESN for whatever you are needing. Membership is open to shoppers as well as ecrater store owners.   Also, be sure and stop by my store: Hazel's HodgePodge.

Uses of Fire

The ESN scavenger hunt this week has to do with fire.  That's exactly what we don't want to see here in Texas this weekend.  I just heard on TXCN TV that 230+ counties of the 254 in Texas have burn bans in effect. I'd say that is pretty dry.  East Texas is usually the wet side of Texas, but we are so behind on rainfall for the year so far that it has seemed like Central Texas in August here all through June.  We have had brown grass and there have been wild fires in the area. There will be no firework sales anywhere and the only displays will be over the water.

For my scavenger hunt I tried to think of good things about fire.  Of course, the first thing that came to mind was fire for cooking.  I found a coffee carafe from  Your What Not Shop.  This makes me think of coffee brewing over a camp fire. My bro has a chuck wagon and serves chuck wagon meals for special occasions.Here's a link showing him at a local festival in Fredricksburg, TX near where he lives. Of course he would make coffee in a enamelware pot, but you get the idea.  

I also found a soup pot at Eccentric Thrifter.  I can imagine a big pot of homemade chicken soup bubbling on the "fire" of my electric range.
Then I thought about fire for light and found these candles from Lilacs N Dreams.  What a way to add light and mood to your decor!

I also found these more modern electric lights at .Barb's Bargains.

Of course, we can think of fire for heat, but since we have plenty of heat here right now from the sun; we will leave that search for another day.

Buy it HERE

Find them HERE

Buy it HERE.

Details HERE

Take a look at all the listings on ESN.  You are sure to find something you want or need.

Sea Fever

Sea Fever

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,

And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking,

And a grey mist on the sea's face, and a grey dawn breaking.



I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.



I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,

To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,

And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

Notes

From SALT-WATER POEMS AND BALLADS, by John Masefield, published by the Maxmillan Co., NY, © 1913, p. 55; the poem was first published in SALT-WATER BALLADS, © 1902.

Copied from http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/14195-John-Masefield-Sea-Fever

It seems "the hurrier I go, the behinder I get."  A few weeks ago the ESN scavenger hunt was in honor of National Maritime Day. Needless to say, I am just now finishing my hunt for items reminiscent of the sea.
Truthfully, I found some items I liked, saved the pictures and several days later I couldn't find which store the item was in.   Just goes to show you shouldn't procrastinate.  If you see something you like, you better grab it "while the gittin's good", it might not be there tomorrow--especially, the OOAK items that so many of us have as collectibles. 
Here are a few things that I found in the ESN Blogger stores that remind me of the sea.

Beautiful, colorful rainbow fish keychain from Beach Cat's Bargains

For the fisherman in your life, here is everything you need from Barb's Bargains.

Nice book of Winslow Homer Watercolors from Carolina Blue Lady.



This adorable, collectible boat salt and pepper is one of the items I can't seem to relocate. If anyone still has it for sale, please let us know where to find it. ????
Claimed by Bargain Express  You can see it here.

For a quick "read", on these hot afternoon's try this audio book from Bargain Express.

These are just a few of the items that I found in the ESN stores that have to do with the sea. One was a scented candle. How much better can it get than to bring the scent of the sea into your home? Whatever you are looking for, you are likely to find it among the sellers on ESN.  Check out the latest member of the scavenger hunt bloggers, Twilight's Slumber. They have some neat whimsical items.

Accessories???

The ESN scavenger hunt this week is Accessories.  My first thought on this was of clothing accessories; shoes, hats, jewelry.  Way back when, we got a new Sunday-go-to meeting outfit every Easter.  Mama usually made our dresses. In fact, I don't recall Mama ever buying a ready made dress; maybe an occasional pair of western cut pants, or a winter coat, but never a dress.  I had some store boughten dresses but seems that my aunt was responsible for those. Of course, Auntie sewed for me, too, but she did sometimes buy a dress. But Accessories were something else.  Each Sunday outfit had to have special shoes, bag, hat, and gloves to accessorize it.  Shopping for these items was a special treat.  We would go up and down Houston Street in San Antonio, from store to store, trying on shoes and looking for just the right ones to complete our outfit.

Looking for accessories on ESN, I found accessories for American Girl Dolls.  And patterns for kitchen accessories.  I got to thinking about the shows I love to watch on HGTV and how they use accessories-lamps, pillows, knick-knacks, etc.- to finish out the decor. That led me to realize that here in the music store, we say that we have musical intstruments and accessories.  Those accessories are things like guitar strings, reeds, drumsticks, stands, straps, what have you. I googled accessories and found accessories for all kinds of electronic devices. 
I looked up the definition of "accessories" and here is what I found:
ac·ces·so·ry noun /akˈses(ə)rē/ 


accessaries, plural; accessories, plural
1.A thing that can be added to something else in order to make it more useful, versatile, or attractive

- a range of bathroom accessories

2.A small article or item of clothing carried or worn to complement a garment or outfit

- among the hottest items are hair accessories such as rhinestone-studded barrettes

3.Someone who gives assistance to the perpetrator of a crime, without directly committing it, sometimes without being present

- she was charged as an accessory to murder

adjective /akˈses(ə)rē/ 

1.Contributing to or aiding an activity or process in a minor way; subsidiary or supplementary

- functionally the maxillae are a pair of accessory jaws



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Web definitions

clothing that is worn or carried, but not part of your main clothing
a supplementary component that improves capability

accessary: aiding and abetting in a crime; "he was charged with being accessory to the crime"


With these definitions in mind, I went back to look at the ESN photos again and found some items that will add beauty to your decor.

I found some neat garden accessories, including this garden gnome at Barb's Bargains.

Here's a really unusual and neat accessory, a brass door knocker from Eccentric  Thrifter.

And of course, you can count on Carolina Blue Lady to have some beautiful accessories for your home such as this Magnolia Bell.

Going back in time, I found this crochet pattern book for bed and bath accessories from Bargain Express.

Whatever kind of accessories you might be looking for--except those giving assistance in crime--take a look at the ESN ProStores.  Chances are, you'll find something to add beauty or usefulness to your life.

Railroad Crossing...Look out for the Cars, trains, and trucks in our town.

Our scavenger hunt for ESN this week is transportation. How apropos!
Silsbee is a Santa Fe Railroad town from way back.

The "Santa Fe" yard, now run by a contractor, is right in the middle of town.  We can hear the cars bump, bump, bumping at any hour as a new train is put together. Often, when one is going from north to south or south to north down "Main Street" -actually 5th St. or Business 96--you will "catch a train".  That means a long, long wait while a long, long train pulls out of- or into- town, or a train goes back and forth across the street adding cars.  Mimi always reminds us that the train means someone has a job.  Here is some of the history of Silsbee as compiled by the Silsbee Bee.
And everything you might want to find out about the History of Railroads in Texas.

all railroad pictures are from google pictures.

Another form of transportation we are well aware of in East Texass is the log trucks, which go by our place day and night en route to the paper mill at Evadale.  The loaded log trucks come from the west on Hwy 327 and stop at the traffic light at 327 and 96.  They do make a racket as they take off on their way to hwy. 96 and east to Evadale aka Stinkydale or Evil Smells.  Again, people who work "at the mill" and their families say "that's the smell of money".  The paper mill is owned by Meadwestvaco. and I just researched a bit and found that Meadwestvaco is much more than just a paper mill.  I also found this site with skadoodles of log truck pictures.

This all being said about, I turned my thoughts to travel and searched ESN photos for places one might go. Preferably quiet, serene places, like Hawaii.
You can pack your beautiful floral hawaiian shirts from Eccentric Thrifter and head for a tropical paradise.

One of many available at Eccentric Thrifter

We can even travel back in time with a good book from Barb's Bargains.

Barb's Bargains has a good selection of books.

We could travel around the world. Even to such a remote place as Russia. These salt and peppers from ComycGyrl Collectibles are reminescent of the Russian nesting dolls.

adorable salt and pepper set
.

We might look to Bargain Express for money for our fantasy trip.

One of the collectible coins at Bargain Express

Whatever you are shopping for, be sure to check out the stores on ESN, including my store, Hazel's Hodgepodge.

All I Want for Christmas is My two front teeth. . .OR. . .

The ESN Savanger Hunt this week is "All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth".  The challenge is to find two items we would like to give or receive among the items shown on ESN.  This was quite a challenge--to pick just two items from the thousands pictured.
I decided to look for things to put on my wish list. 
Hubby likes to get me jewelry, so I searched jewelry and found that BeachCat's Bargains has lots of jewelry to choose from. She has fashion jewelry, estate sale jewelry, hippie jewelry, little girl's jewelry, and more.
This three strand turquoise moonstone necklace caught my eye. It is one of "my colors." I'd say if you are shopping for jewelry for someone on your list, take a look at Beach Cat's Bargains.

See this 3 strand moonstone necklace at

Beachcat's Bargains

Also found these viva beads with matching bracelet at Beach Cat's
Bargains.
These are "my color" also.



For second item on my wish list I chose this neat gadget for a little pampering.
Think how good this might feel on those tired aching tootsies!

From Barb's Bargains

There is just no limit to what you might find on ESN.

I hope everyone gets lots of nice things that are on their wish list. And most of all I hope everyone gets to spend the holidays with lots of special family and friends.
Merry Christmas to All and Happy New Year too!