Georgia On My Mind aka Snow White And The Six Homers

Yesterday, I met my new friend, Georgia.  I know what you're thinking: Kimi is usually so shy and demure that it's hard for her to meet new people--good for her! (Did anyone just shoot soda out of their nose? Sorry.)

I was driving around the countryside near my house yesterday admiring the scenery...okay, I was lost and just meandering somewhere near where I thought my house was, but I was having fun so let's just go with the driving-around-the-countryside idea. Besides, I love driving my little blue urban assault vehicle (UAV), so I was just doing some "road testing." Let's stick with that one, yeah, road testing.

I was on the phone (not really, officer) with Seneca--surprise--when I was about to hit a slow, blind corner, that was in no way dangerous, except that I saw a bright blue balloon and a teeny sign that said, "Open Studio-Jewelry." Jewelry!
"Seneca, I gotta go; I'll call you back."

Though I was out trying to discover Amish country (I'm so not kidding; we live amongst Amish country), and find my home again all at the same time, I always break for an artisan studio--especially if it's pottery or jewelry. We live in an area of Southwestern Wisconsin that is full of artisans and THE best outdoor live theater, along with numerous beautiful farms and fishing holes.

I whip into the next driveway I see and turn around to follow the green Parking signs. I'm at a beautiful home in the country and these signs are telling me to park the big UAV on someone's lush, green lawn. Are we sure about this?

Let me segue: though not used to popping into strange driveways in Arizona, as you can occasionally get greeted with firearms (at least in my neighborhood you could have), I have gained a lot of peace and security in living here just in the short time that we have been in rural Wisconsin. (P.S. Remember last year when I wrote about that patient visit I went on when her husband drew a sword? Seriously.). The lifestyle change has happened quickly and for the last few weeks I have been popping in on unknown neighbors outside in their yards, or meeting them while walking Gunnar. Also, Farmer Ron has rubbed off a bit too: he doesn't carry a cell phone with him and drops by to see someone if he happens to be in their neighborhood. For example, we pulled into a strange driveway in the middle of nowhere because they had a "Fresh Eggs" sign in the front yard and I needed eggs! Having unknown people drop by in Arizona made me absolutely on edge; of course, they were usually "Southern neighbors" looking for the way to el ciudad.  But I digress.

I park on the lawn and walk back towards the cutest, most perfect cabin in the backyard of this property and find a huge basket of apples on the front porch. I am addicted to Wisconsin apples; there are several orchards in this area and these apples are out of this world delicious! I've been buying them by the sack-full ever week. I suppose being out in the country and finding a huge basket of apples should have made me pause and think about Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, but I was totally distracted by the cabin and the possibility of jewelry and trinkets inside.  I open the heavy door and inside is an artist--Georgia Lang Weithe--surrounded by her beautiful silver and gold pieces of art everywhere.  In one corner is the cutest potbelly woodstove and the cabin is immaculate, still smelling like fresh lumber, constructed by an Amish man over a year ago.

One of Georgia's pieces from Reflections Jewelry: silver dragonfly wing pendant that was originally created from tracing actual insect wings!

Georgia and I talk and sing to a Willie Nelson CD for at least an hour as she custom sizes a beautiful silver ring for me.  She hears half of my life story and I ask her about her career, jewelry-making, and the Amish-built cabin.  Wouldn't you know that I recognize the name of the man that built it as one of Farmer Ron's network of Amish friends? My dad is seriously connected in the Amish world! I am so interested in the cabin because Loki and I had to abandon our quaint little writing studio in Tucson when we moved here. Loki would love Georgia's studio and she told me to bring him there sometime.  We only live five miles apart which in the country is down a lane, over a bridge and through a pasture--figuratively. I can see some visits to the little Amish cabin in my future, for sure.

Part of the story Georgia heard is my desire to have dwarf goats and mini horses on our new ranchette.  She says, "Oh, a lady down the road has a little horse like that.  If you go back down the road you came from and take your first right and go two miles, you'll see horses on your right.  If Nancy is there with them, you'll see her white vehicle and she'll let you see them if they're in the barn."

By this time, Bill had called me and I gave him directions to the Reflections Jewelry cabin. Since Bill has had experience making jewelry, he and Georgia had plenty to chat about as well. I just wanted him to see the awesome cabin so he could get some ideas and inspiration and start on one for me. Just in case he didn't get the appropriate level of inspiration, Georgia gave me the business card for the Amish gentleman who built her cabin, and we promised to return to visit.  I already know what I want next! Georgia's jewelry is inspired by nature and that is my favorite type of art.

I am not artsy, but hope to learn how to make something beautiful someday, which may be sooner than later.  As Farmer Ron was helping us chop firewood, we would see him occasionally saw knots off of some of the logs.  When he was done, he handed them to me and said, "Here.  See if you can turn this into some art." Um...okay, Farmer Ron.



One of my gnomes posing with the unfinished knot art. Hey, any excuse to put a gnome in a picture; I'm all over that.

Believe it or not, I do have some ideas of what I want to do with these small pieces of wood, but do I have the skill? I live with a pretty talented guy, so I may have to ask for help. I will keep you posted when I have my very own art pieces to display. (Don't put off Christmas shopping waiting for this to happen; it could be a while).

Georgia has open houses frequently at her studio outside of Lone Rock, in addition to being open during regular hours most of the time for anyone who is in the neighborhood and wants to drop in and see what she is creating. I am going to go out on a limb here and suggest a Friday afternoon visit to Georgia and then catching the fish fry (no pun intended) at the local pub in Lone Rock: The Waz Inn. It's a humble little establishment that has awesome prices and a great breakfast and now, we've discovered, a Friday night fish fry. Want to know what a naked bluegill is? I'm not going to tell you: go to the Waz Inn and fnd out!

Oh, and stay tuned: I did find that mini horse, after all!