No See Ums Feeding Frenzy

Every Saturday through out the Summer I sell at the Missoula People's Market and I decided to add a Sunday show in beautiful Seeley Lake.

It is a bit over an hours drive from Missoula. The drive there was just lovely along the Blackfoot river and passing many mountain lakes. I arrived to be greeted by a very welcoming market master named Vicki. The venue takes place on a lovely grassy lawn.

It was early morning and the lawn was dewy. I had no idea that it made a perfect breeding ground for no see ums, also known as biting midges. I saw what I thought were gnats swarming around and just shooed them away.

While I was selling a customer asked "Do you know you are bleeding?". Surprised, I looked in my mirror and my neck and upper chest were covered with blood droplets. I didn't even feel myself being bit.

Well, about 4 hours later my neck, chest, back of the neck, elbows and feet started itching. I even have a bite on my scalp! Huge welts cover me and the pain is like a wasp sting.

One bite would be an annoyance but with so many I feel down right miserable. My sunburn I achieved this weekend is not even noticeable!

I searched online and there were many home remedy suggestions. Last night I went to bed with Vicks Vapor Rubbed smeared all over me. I don't recommend this one. The heaviness of it was unpleasant.

This morning I used Tea tree oil and it was a momentary relief. No real relief from a baking soda paste. Now, with Mom's suggestion I am using a washcloth soaked in apple cider vinegar. There is a bit of a sting but it feels good. The swelling seems to be lessening.

Now, I am off to the store for some Cortizone 10 and Benadryl. I prefer natural products and have some plant based insect repellent but will also arm myself with some Cutter's insect repellent, because, hey, there motto is "freedom to enjoy the outdoors".

My Own Website

A few weeks ago I took the first step towards my own website by purchasing my domain name. Last night I upgraded my shopping cart with Big Cartel and became official.

Learning new things is great for the brain and I am excited about mastering a new skill. CSS, SEO, HTML, CNAME...OMG...so much to grasp! I didn't realize that I would need to learn some html language to make my shop look visually nice. So, I will take baby steps with learning html. and all the steps to creating a stand alone website. Makes me appreciate how user friendly Etsy is.

It is such a busy time of year and I was thinking why am I doing this right now while production work is at full throttle. So, it will be small steps and I hope by September to have my shop looking pretty and having all the SEO steps in place. I am so new to the language of computers that I don't even know if I am saying things correctly! Ha ha!

Wordless Wednesday

Premio Meme Award

Julie of Julie Magers Soulen has awarded me the Premio Meme Award. I am blushing with this honor! Thanks so much!

It is Julie's birthday today so if you know her you may want to drop in to her blog and wish her a good one. She is such a great gal! Happy Birthday Julie!!

The rules of this award is that I am to give 7 facts about myself and pass it to 7 people. Here we go!

1. I am married to a man 10 years younger than me, I am a cougar! : )
2. I have travel alone cross country many times.
3. I traded my gift shop for a funky, safety orange RV and traveled.
4. I am proud to be part Pottawatomie Indian from Michigan.
5. I sweet talked an Elk that was 8 ft from me once in the woods until he left.
6. I tried to get backstage at a concert in San Francisco to meet David Bowie.
7. I have sold many paintings but designing jewelry comes more naturally.

Now to pass this award along to 7 deserving blog owners (in no particular order):

Postalguarelas
East of the Sun West of the Moon
Three Peats
The Business of Craft
Primitive Surrealism
Tattoo Dreams
Judith B Designs

I love my Daddy!

My Dad must have the patience of a saint, he raised four daughters. Never did he make us feel like he wished at least one of us was a boy. As the eldest child I get the privilege of reminding my siblings that I will always be #1 daughter! : )

Dad is a very easy going, happy go lucky, logical, thoughtful man. He is really good at explaining and teaching. Him and Mom are both witty people.

My Pops took us fishing, canoeing, camping. We saw Forts from the American Revolution, The Smithsonian Museum, The Badlands, The Golden Gate Bridge...life was an adventure.

We drove across country as a family many times. Dad was in the Air Force and then worked for IBM. In the 1970's IBM stood for "I've Been Moved" they transferred their employees often. We had a Chevy Suburban and us girls laughed that we were the Beverly Hillbilly's in that big vehicle. I got my adventure for travel from him.

As a teenager I got in trouble in school. It involved me, a cap gun and being off school property. As long as I told him the complete truth he defended me with the school system. He taught me how to fight an injustice even if it was drawn out and uncomfortable.

He taught us girls to not back down to bullies, try new things and laugh at ourselves. Because the rest of the family sure was laughing at us! : )

As a young woman he taught me that even men who work on their cars make mistakes, it wasn't because I was a "girl".

He taught us that self worth and intelligence were not based on our gender or a college degree. He shows by example what integrity is.

As a young woman I learned from him things like "This too will pass". "The political pendulum slowly swings back and forth". "Don't reinvent the wheel". Which the last one I never did grasp!

So on this day of honoring our fathers I want to wish my Dad a very Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to the best Dad ever!