I'd like you to say hello to my little friend

Help!!! What should I name my new Lizard friend???

What's my name?

He's daddy or mommy drown in a bucket last year. I say his daddy/mommy, because the kids and I, when they were little, went lizard hunting in a little creek bed around the Owens Ranch area, so many many years ago, where we caught 3 or 4 lizards and brought them home to add to our homestead. They are safe bug control as well. We watched them grow to become very large lizards. Last year I found one of the original lizards floating in a flower pot that had filled with water. I do assume it was an original because it was a large blue bellied monster. He must have been 9-10 years old. I was very sad. I pulled him out thinking maybe he went into hibernation, but after two days in the sun he still didn't move. But lately I've been seeing and hearing in the bushes a little lizard. I've tried to catch him on film but he's been shy, that is until today. I think I was able to capture him, with my camera, today because of the cold morning and him not being quite warmed up yet. He let me remove some lint from one of his hind legs. (See the lint below)He let me stage a chair or two out of his way as well. He was a most cooperative subject. I was also concerned he may have had a left front leg injury but he didn't. He just stopped in that position. After over 500 photos with different settings, angles and indented knees, he decided to move along. I've been seeing a road runner around lately. I do hope my friend here manages to avoid my road runner friend.

I've been trying to think of a name for my new lizard friend all day with no success. Larry the lounge lizard has been taken. What should I call him?

From wood to metal

What a busy day.

My first 8.5 x 11

 I only have enough frame clamps to make one frame at a time. So I glue and clamp a frame, then move on to the next item on my hit list. Today's next item is to finish sizing Kayla's thumb ring.

The sized ring.

The ring started as a 1964 Silver Half Dollar.

1964 Kennedy Half Dollar (Cost $12)

I take the coin and start hammering the edge of the coin, spinning and rotating it as I go. You'll notice a score mark on the coin. I was testing the softness of the coin for future engraving.

I have special plans for this piece so I'll not talk about it anymore until I've finished it and given it to my Lovely Daughter-n-Law Kayla. With the ring sized I'm off to my next project, the office.

What is it about work spaces that just get more and more cluttered as days go by? I realize I'm not relating to everyone, but those like me understand. We're the type that thinks we should leave the tool we just used right there on our work space because we might need it again. Fifteen tools, four diversions and two days later, we can't see our work space anymore. I submit exhibit A:

Before

After

I know it's sad. I'm so bad. This was my third project of the day. I was also working some photo's while I was cleaning. After a table addition, some organization, sweeping and mopping. I've discovered my work space again.


While creating this entry I've had the opportunity to use the "Cloud" to transfer photos from my iPhone to my computer. It's amazing. All I do is take my pictures with the iPhone, sit down at my desk and like magic they're sitting in a folder under my pictures directory. If only my Nikon D90 would do that. It's great technology.

My room got me in a cleaning mode so I burned the remainder of my energies on the infamous catch all drawer that everyone but the truly sick have. It's amazing the things you rediscover in the process, like the six finger nail clippers I've purchased because I couldn't find any. Does that make me a hoarder?

Well my lovely fiance is on her way home, talk with you later.

Working in the shop

Today was a wood & metal working day. My fiance, after a trip to Hobby Lobby, saw an aged wood frame there and thought I should make them for my photos. She has such great ideas when it comes to things for me to do, but then don't most women have great ideas for their men. I kid, sorta. She has great ideas. We have this pile of wood in the backyard which came from a blown over privacy fence.

 I was waiting for a family get together to burn it but my fiance found a better and more profitable use for it. Yes, aged wood frames out of the pile of the old wood fencing. So today I spent it building a basic frame, all the time thinking, if I had this jigged out, it would go so much faster. The process involves ripping the fence boards, notching the wood with a dado blade, cornering the frame and then gluing it together. I'd like to thank my grandfather David McCash for the frame jigs that I kept for so long never once using them until now. Never get rid of tools! I'm sure that's a rule somewhere.

Surprisingly, my first frame turned out well but a little off on the width, by about a 1/4 inch. Over all I was very pleased with the outcome. When I paired it with a print, it really hit home.

While I waited on the glue I was able to hammer out a few more sizes of my daughter-n-laws ring.

This started out as a 1964 JFK silver half dollar. It will finish as a thumb ring.

My fiance just messaged me, and is on her way home. Talk with you later.

Blogging? Sure why not?

This is my first blog and the telling of my life story. I would like to start by thanking my beautiful and intelligent fiance for encouraging me to continue with the things I enjoy doing in life. 

Below is a picture of me at the age of 5, taken at 3612 Valleybrink, Los Angeles, Ca, my grandfathers house. I loved that house. Right behind the picture taker was a little garden shed that had an escape hatch. I would spend hours playing in that shed.

Oh the things I'd like to teach this young boy. Sadly time wouldn't allow this young boy to be taught anything more then what he's already learned.

This little one below is another story. The little one, with me, is my first grandson Levi Joseph Leppelman.

Lord, please grant me the wisdom to share with this little one how to be a better person than I've been. 

GPMcCash

I'm a 47 year old man born and raised in California. I'm a father of three amazing children (Brandin, Kristin, and Carltin) and their wonderful family's (Kayla, Roberto and the greatest grandson ever, Levi, or at least until I have other grandchildren) A part from a brief assignment in Rapid City, South Dakota, during my Air Force stint, I've lived in California my whole life. My parents and many of their parents were also native to California. Members of my family can be traced back in American history as far back as the 1600's. I'm a direct product of Gail and Phil Leppelman but I'm also products of the McCash's, Derr's, Garrett's, Phillip's, Smart's, Ingraham's, Coggeshall's, Standford's, Kendall's, Reese's, Van Zandt's, Sparks, and Ewing's which have long histories in America but origins in Scotland, Germany, Holland, France and England. I list all of this to say that I try to remember that everyone alive and that has ever lived is a brother, sister, father, mother, aunt or uncle of mine in some regards. It short my relatives walk every part of this rock we call Earth. My relations are everywhere. Who am I to lift my hand against them. My voice is another matter.

It's my desire to share my voice, life, and my craft for as long as I'm privileged to do so. I won't sugar coat my life, I'm not going full disclosure either but I will share my failures, successes and great adventures. I hope you enjoy the retelling of me.

I wish to thank LA for her constant and loving proof reading of my work. I love you Honey.