Jarsa and Company Stone Engraving

07/12/2024

Something a bit unique for Ross Kinsey Music. He's become a local celebrity as of late, and it's always fun when he brings the "summer tunes" to Coldwater.

Thank you again https://www.facebook.com/rosskinseymusic for remembering the hurting people of Hillsdale County, in light of recent events.

06/24/2024

06/23/2024

In the early 70s, my dad's auto body shop kept busy with rust repairs. Some of those old cars back then were true classics. But they didn't seem to last very long...especially with salt-laden winter roads.

I guess the reason why I like I like rusty stuff so much is because it's a sobering reminder that nature eventually reclaims every element mankind has ever extracted from the ground.

We humans are also included...and I'm ok with that.

06/23/2024

With temperatures hovering well into the mid-90s all week, the heat stress produced some amazing colors.

06/09/2024

Besides being an avid gardener, my grandmother was a wonderfully good cook. As a new bride in 1929, just months before the infamous crash of Wall St., she and my grandfather settled down on a dairy farm in Orleans, MI.

Sometime during her early married life, she acquired a set of Guardian Service cookware. Made from cast aluminum, the extremely robust pots were desirable for slow cooking.

Gran’s tiny kitchen was short on storage space, so many of the pieces resided on the countertop when not in use. And from my earliest memory, I can still see them…either bubbling over with baked beans on the stovetop or being pulled from the oven with a Sunday roast.

From the looks of the patina on the outer surface, it’s obvious that her set was purely utilitarian…as most were back then. The dribble stains served somewhat as a badge of honor to the many fond memories of mealtimes past.

For the better part of fifty years, her Guardian Service cookware was a very special part of life. And after our Christmas 1989 celebration, her extended family finally outgrew her modest farmhouse. Subsequent holiday gatherings were held at a rental hall…and sadly, the food just didn’t seem the same.

I inherited my small piece from Gran some time ago, and the other pieces were distributed amongst the cousins.

For decades my pot sat on a shelf and served no real purpose, other than being filled with odds and ends and shuffled here and there as I needed more shelf space.

I had mixed feelings about drilling a drain hole in its bottom, but I fully believe Gran would be proud that I’ve given it a brand-new life. Not only does it serve a new purpose, but I also think of her (and her amazing meals) every time I see it.

05/29/2024

The river stone gabion is finished. There's nothing like working in a cool, springtime shower.

Approx. 14" x 14" x 48" high, filled with 6-inch river stones.

05/26/2024

Something new in the works for this summer...stay tuned.

If you're super curious, just google the term "gabion" to find out more.

04/26/2024

Do the paw prints on the kitchen table, and the nose prints on the patio door really matter today?

04/03/2024

A new addition for our local butterfly, hummingbird and bee population.

It's an ornate vintage cast iron ashtray stand, with a small pewter dish - both found at Goodwill.

03/16/2024

You won't hear "It's the most wonderful time of the year" playing on the radio anytime soon. But it really is...I assure you.

We've been busy cleaning the final remnants of autumn from the rock garden and the plant beds. The soft "give" of the ground underfoot and the damp, earthy smells are only window dressing for the boisterous calls of nesting ducks, geese, sand hill cranes and a myriad of songbirds.

If anybody knows how to bottle this up and save it, please let us know.

Another new addition is this ornate cast iron fireplace grate, tucked in behind the "Curly Wurly" grass. The beautiful craftsmanship is just downright amazing. And what's even better is that it was made long before any sort of computer ever existed.

02/24/2024

Here’s the final sketch for the new stone sign to be placed in the pollinator sanctuary meadow. See the post from Feb. 21 if you haven’t already. Stay tuned in the days and weeks ahead as this fun and vital project begins to take shape. Spring can't seem to come soon enough!

And, as promised, here’s the back story. It’s a bit long, but it’s worth the read.

Only once in a lifetime does an individual come along who turns your world inside out…but for the better. Ironically, they tend to manifest themselves in the most unlikely of places.

Leona was one such as this. At ninety-one years of age, she challenged my thinking about a lot of things…along with opening my understanding to some new things as well.

I first met Leona in May of 2016. She was my mom’s neighbor, just two doors down at an assisted-living care facility. For a brief six months, her life was a freely open window into what it looked like to have aged gracefully, peacefully, and most importantly – actively (mentally, emotionally and physically).

Nourishment around the facility’s communal table often resembled a geriatric version of an elementary school lunch room. There was a definite pecking order among the residents, and there was always a self-appointed “table leader”…the bossy one who seemed to be in charge of steering the mealtime conversation. And then there was Leona - the quiet one.

Her slight hearing impairment actually proved to be somewhat of a gift in this environment. Always deep in thought, it insulated her from the snares of the occasional raucous outbursts at the table. And it always gave her pause to ask for clarification if she didn’t understand something the first time around.

She was the type of person anyone would be proud to call friend.

Often, I would arrive to see her walking laps around the parking lot. “It’s my prayer time”, she would say...always with a smile. In the short time I knew her, she did a lot of walking…and a lot of praying.

And so it is in her honor, and in her memory that I’ve named our new pollinator sanctuary “Leona’s Meadow”. I know for certain she would have enjoyed sitting amongst the flowers, and getting her hands dirty with a project in the rock garden.

God bless you, Leona Jane Cole. Thank you for being a friend.

Note: The photo of me with Leona was taken on her 91st birthday, at the gym where she participated in the Silver Sneakers program three times a week. She literally had the stamina to out-perform participants in the class who were decades younger.

Also, thank you Michigan Wildflower Farm for giving us the inspiration to create a pollinator sanctuary.

02/23/2024

Please be careful out there...it's getting to be that time of year again.

02/22/2024

Years ago, a beautiful 19th century building in downtown Hillsdale underwent a significant renovation. And in its wake, a good portion of the natural limestone parapet (roof edge) was sadly laid to waste.

I finally got a chance to get several pieces of this charming stone, and the first piece will begin its new life as an engraved sign for the pollinator meadow sanctuary.

After lengthy consideration, the meadow finally has a name and there's a good story behind it.

Stay tuned over the next few weeks to see how it all comes together.

02/20/2024

It's waaaaaayy better than Christmas!

With all the sights, sounds and smells pointing toward spring, we're gearing up to put in a pollinator meadow adjacent to the rock garden.

This year's selection includes seeds for Purple Coneflower, Yellow Coneflower, Black-eyed Susan and Butterfly Weed...close to 160,000 seeds in this bundle.

In addition to the wildflowers, we'll also be bringing in some other fun goodies to the landscape...more details to follow as we get closer to warmer weather.

A very special thanks to Michigan Wildflower Farm!

Michigan Wildflower Farm

Please consider supporting this very important Michigan-based business as you make plans for this year's plantings.

They specialize in native species, and their bulk pricing is far more economical and practical than those tiny seed packets from the big box stores.

02/03/2024

It was an honor to serve the Wolfe family as they establish their private, family burial grounds.

The large bronze measures 24" x 24", The stone is approx. seven feet high by eight feet wide, and is a beautiful fine-grained salt & pepper granite. The family has plans for landscaping around it later this spring.

The smaller bronze is 12" x 12" and is placed at the entrance of the burial grounds.

It was a gorgeous early February afternoon in southern lower Michigan for installation.

01/27/2024

The sound of dripping water seems to be making roots restless this time of year.

01/22/2024

We're patiently longing for summer's warm breezes to grace the rock sanctuary again. But let's not rush things quite yet...all in due time.

Many new and exciting things are coming in 2024, thanks to inspiration from Margaret Renkl's new book "The Comfort of Crows". Be sure to check it out.

https://www.facebook.com/MargaretRenklWriter

01/13/2024

Monochromatic hues and hard shadows have replaced the once-familiar colors and textures of the rock sanctuary. And beneath the leaf litter, a myriad of insects are far from snug, but they're doing just fine as the newly fallen snow has provided them an extra layer of insulation from the sharp winds.

Deeper still, miles of tangled roots continue to grow and nourish themselves in preparation for their busier days ahead.

It may not look it, but a lot is going on here in spite of the situation.

01/08/2024

The original post went MIA last week, so here it is again...

A new addition to the rock sanctuary for 2024.

Did you know whale calves are birthed at a depth of approximately 160 feet? Their mama's first job is to quickly shuttle the youngster to the surface for its first breath of life-sustaining air.

12/09/2023

Transcending genetic bonds...

12/04/2023

A new piece of Cobalt Blue, just back from the glass studio.

The photography has been a learning experience. Glass is one thing, and stone is yet another. But together, they pose a challenge to get them both at their very best.

12/02/2023

Taken December 2, 2023. Temperatures have been hovering in the low to mid 30s.

A shining example of stress in action.

11/24/2023

A floral brass candle holder, and a cobalt-blue glass paperweight (purchased years apart at thrift stores) join forces with a stunning, late-autumn sunset to bring you this beautiful photo.

11/22/2023

Roots, trunk, branches, leaves…our seasons are as each of these.

In birth, I am the leaves of the tree…frolicking and dancing in the wind, bathed in sunshine, nourished by the rain and supported by the branches, driving life into the entire tree.

As a child, I am a branch of the tree…learning the tree’s ways and understanding my role within the tree, seeking nourishment from the roots and support from the trunk.

As an adult, I am the high and lofty trunk of the tree…holding branches steady, becoming their strength, leaning against the roots in the storms and diseases of life that would destroy the tree, drawing purpose and sustenance from the roots, branches and leaves.

In marriage, I am grafted to another tree – the joining of trees, creating new leaves and limbs and branches – protected and supported by a broad base of roots.

In my old age I'm the lower-most trunk of the tree…sitting quietly where all can see, no longer buffeted by the wind and the rain, sheltered by the leaves and the branches, all the time driving nourishment from the roots all the way to the outermost leaf.

In death I am the roots of the tree, no longer seen but always evident. For without me, the tree will not stand. I draw from the soil, provide support to the trunk and nourishment to the tree…and tree lives on.

Author: Daniel J. Meylan November 2007

Two weeks (to the day) after the prototype emerged from the studio, the final design is complete and features weather-resistant hardware. Stay tuned in the days ahead for amazing glass colors and texture patterns.

11/17/2023

I'm blessed to have spent one of November's finest days helping my grandsons make connections I never knew as a boy.

We drove past my childhood home, the elementary school I attended, and some of my favorite haunts as a young lad.

The abundance of laughter and silly boyish humor helped me see the simpler side of life, where the hardest decisions center around the Dairy Queen menu.

An amber sunset, and their litany of questions greeted me at the grave of my parents. And I stood there amazed to know that I was the only one on earth who had the answers.

11/15/2023

The maples have completely disrobed. And gnarled branches teem with fresh buds, each patiently anticipating a long winter's nap.

Meanwhile at ground level, autumn's splendor continues with the sempervivums (Hen and Chicks). These fierce little succulents are most likely nature's hardiest plant ever to be found, for they endure desert highs and arctic lows with amazing color and tenacity.

11/12/2023

Launching November 22, 2023 - Mini memorials featuring fused glass, with other stone options to follow later this year. This type of memorial has the option of fusing a small amount of a loved one’s cremains (ashes) within the glass.

Question: Are you aware of the two “engines” behind our company?

Perhaps you've noticed the "jimagination" signature imprint on most of our photos. Established in 2019, “jimagination studio” is the newest off-shoot of Jarsa & Company. It is primarily our right-brained creative engine - responsible for the development of (and “telling the world” about) new and interesting products like the one shown here.

Established in 2017, “jimagination Innovative O2” (oxygen) is our feasibility engine - responsible for the technical task of researching, developing and implementing new manufacturing processes and equipment.

See the infographic below to understand how we balance both the left-brained and the right-brained “Thinker – Dreamer” approach to Jarsa & Company.

11/07/2023

In this fragile leaf pile we call life, never underestimate your potential to create a permanent impression.

I think what amazes me most is the leaf's uncanny persistence to stay put amidst the intense gust of air produced by the approaching paint sprayer.

Side note: you don't discover this kind of cool stuff at 55 m.p.h.


Steamburg Journeys - 7 November 2023

11/06/2023

I find it wildly ironic that this photo pops up today...on a totally different FB account.

It's titled "Turner", painting by Georgi Satel, 1950s.

Although the painting is reminiscent of the early to mid-1900s, it's amazing to think the "primitive" technology is very much relevant in 2023.

11/02/2023

Farewell golden Autumn days, hello Jack Frost.