November 2011

We Say Good-bye to People and Places

We Have Loved So Very Much...

We Finally Make a Last Trip...

With the Last Load...

We Spend Thanksgiving with Family...

We Celebrate a 60th Wedding Anniversary...

We lay a Beloved Aunt to Rest...

...and then we move into my Poppa's home...with him...

because our 5th Wheel (temporary housing plan) 

is in bad shape due to weather...

 and problems we didn't see when we bought it...

...and so the "fun" begins...

Update

So here we are, more than a year later...

having decided to blog again a bit...

How is the best way to ease back in and bridge the gap? 

Maybe a series of simple posts... 

one for each month that has lapsed...

simple photos, simple phrases...

It can never express the craziness of the past year...

but it will provide a bit of continuity?

Bear with me...

In Transition

Just an update to let ya'll know that we are in the midst

of major transition right now.....

and my computer is torn down and in storage at the moment...

which translates to little or no blogging for a bit.

We said good-bye to our Little Rock House this past Monday---

our closing went well and the new owners moved in that night.

We are grateful they love the Little House as much as we did.

We are spending a few precious days visiting and saying good-bye 

to family and friends.....pulling up the roots of our lives here.

We are planning our final trip to our new destination

for November 23rd.

Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

In spite of all the uncertainties in our world, 

we in America still have much to be thankful for!!!

Blessings.....we'll be back with you soon.

Odd Thrifting Moment

Above you see a typical thrifting scene...

someone else's cast-off's that could become your treasure.

The very odd thing for me

was when I walked into this particular store.....

that the quilt you see?

It once belonged to me.

It was made by my paternal grandmother

probably back in the depression days-or shortly thereafter-

made of thriftily saved pieces and parts of discarded woolen clothing.

My reasons for passing this treasure on

include the fact that I had kept it in a box for probably 25 years

and didn't even remember I had it until I was cleaning out a storage shed...

it is old and fragile and would not withstand the cleaning it needed...

we already have enough warm winter blankets & comforts...

we need to downsize and can't keep everything...

Before I donated it to my favorite charity,

 I did take time to photograph it.

I love the autumn-ish colors and simple artistry

of a thrifted comfort from days past,

when our grandmothers stayed home

and cared for their families 

by "using it up, wearing it out, making it do or doing without."

When I saw it displayed in the thrift store a few weeks after I had donated it,

I must admit I choked up and had tears in my eyes...

not because I missed the quilt,

rather the emotion of seeing my grandmother's handiwork

displayed so beautifully---as it should be!

I truly do not wish to have it back...

and I was so happy that the store had not thrown it away.

The way  they chose to display it and the price tag attached

honored my grandmother's creativity and labor

in a way that I could not.

The manager told me that a customer had come in twice and looked at it,

she really wanted it for a room she was redecorating...

my greatest wish is that it go to a home where it will be loved and used!

I walked away from that store a freer woman.

I know now, that things are separate from people and relationships.

I don't have to keep things in order to keep memories...

The people I have loved and the time we have shared

will always be in my heart and my mind.

I am grateful for the photos I have,

they satisfy my desire to "keep" bits of my past

that I no longer need or use,

and they take up so much less space!

And so I am content.

But it was an odd moment...

Sweet Beulah Land

For your listening pleasure...

One of my favorite songs

performed by one of my favorite vocalists.

You can hear more of her music at this page,
and while you're at it,
check out their new website.

May your day be blessed!

Treasured Stitches

See what the Treasure came up with

---all by herself---

while I was busy packing last week?!

I didn't do one iota of the design work 

or the stitchery---she did it all!

And this memoir of autumn 

graces the back side of the same pillow.

Excuse the cat hair and lint

--this is no museum piece--

 it was made to be loved and used!

This momma is proud as a peacock.

Not that I needed to tell you that.

;D

Of the Big P and Me

Now, I am NOT a feminist,

nor do I feel a need to prove my "masculinity".....

but from the moment I climbed up the running board and looked inside

the big yellow truck whilst it was sitting in the lot before we rented it....

the scent of brand-new interior wafted my way...

(the truck only had 17,000+ miles on it) 

then I sniffed the fragrance of diesel exhaust.....

(yes, I think diesel exhaust is fragrant!)

.....I WANTED to drive that truck!!!

The Man only rolled his eyeballs at me 

when I ventured to mention my desire.

;D

I finally got my chance.

Here I am, all dirty, tired and very un-photogenic...

but I had to document the moment for all posterity.

(I gave the Treasure the camera and let her fire away.)

The Man let me drive it on the country back roads, 

and when he finally determined that, indeed,

I COULD drive it without mishap,

he turned the keys over to me for the hour-long trip

 back to the big city when it was time to return it.

What he didn't factor in was that we would get lost

in that big city trying to find the return place.....

but I am happy to report that I did ok.

Didn't run over anyone or bump into anything.

;D

And I had a BLAST!!!

Nothin' causes rubber-neckin' quite like a little old woman in a skirt

drivin' a big old diesel 5-speed-automatic...

(though I'd have loved it more if it had been 5 on the floor!)

View from the Treasure's seat.
She loved it too!

Never underestimate the ability of an old farm-girl

who grew up driving battered four-on-the-floor's

long before she was of age to have a learner's permit.....
I like to think of it as celebrating the richness of fully-embraced
femininity.

Thanks, Honey. 

I owe ya one.

;D

We're Back

These cottonwood trees at my poppa's place have been my friends since childhood.
I was so blessed by their autumn beauty the past few days.....
so I wanted to share it with you.

A BIG thank-you to all of you who have been 

praying with and for us the past few days!!!

We can tell.....it is an amazing thing

to be covered by prayer.

A peace that surpasses understanding.....

We were able to load the big yellow truck and drive to our new location

on schedule, with only a couple of minor difficulties that were soon remedied.

A friend at our destination called the day we left and offered to help us unload...

we would never have made our next deadline without his help,

so a big thank-you goes our to Mr. Y!!!

We were able to get the big yellow truck back to its required destination on time,

although we got lost in a not-so-great part of a very big city.....

we finally found the right spot, and were very happy to park it there.

After a day of rest, we loaded up and headed back to the Little Rock House.

We had sore muscles, but no major injuries.

For some reason, Blogger decided to load this photo upside-down...
but even unusual perspectives can be beautiful!

Our return trip was a good one, 

with the exception of four deer who decided to cross the road 

just after dark.....just in front of us.....and stopped to stare at our headlights.

There were no shoulders to the back-road we were on, 

and a bridge loomed just beyond the deer.....

the man was considering taking to the ditch

(we were pulling an empty trailer)

but stomped the brakes and squealed the tires.....

fortunately the noise 

(or was it an angel?!)

spooked the deer enough 

that they took off running again

and we were able to pass on by without harm.

How grateful we are.

Again.....

we THANK YOU for your prayers!

May your day be blessed!

~~~~~~~~~~

(P. S. It has occurred to me that my ramblings

 may not be all that clear to some of you.....

so let me try to explain:

We are selling our Little Rock House where we have lived for 22 years,

in order to move to another state where my parents live.....

my momma in a nursing home and my poppa alone on his farm.....

they need a lot of support at this time of their lives.....

we are going to live  camp in a 5th wheel on my poppa's property 

until we figure out what to do next...

it is a big leap of faith.....

 but we know it is what we are supposed to be doing

and the way will open and be made clear

one step at a time.....

it is a journey.....and an adventure!

We just took the "mother-load" of our belongings 

to our final destination,

but we drove back to the Little Rock House 

in order to finish cleaning up in preparation for 

closing day...

which is scheduled for Nov. 14....

so we won't be completely moved to our new location

for a couple more weeks.

Whew. Hope that made sense!)

Another Blogging Break

I'll be taking another blogging break for a bit...

This big yellow truck that is sitting in my driveway 

is demanding all my time and attention for a week or so.

If you are a praying person...

would you pray for us?

For:

*safety from injury as we load and unload

* safety as we travel several hundred miles over the next week

Thank you!!!

I'll be back asap.

;D

Shimmer: A Solitudes Ambient Experience

Graphic courtesy of Amazon.com

This is my latest favorite cd for rest and relaxation.

You can listen to samples of the sound tracks 

at this LINK.

Relax and enjoy!

Fort Sumthun

In my opinion, thinking about moving is far more fun than actually doing it.

That's because we have TOO MUCH STUFF!!!

Which problem I am working on...and on...and on.

Meantime, as I plod away at purging and packing, I frequently hear,

(in a whiny-Treasure's-voice)

"Mama, I'm bored. I need sumthun' to do."

In another of my (many!) opinions,

I think boredom can be a good thing.

It inspires creativity.

Give a bored Treasure a mountain of newly-taped packing boxes...

a few blankets or other warm woobies...

lots of empty floor space...

a wary kitty who can still be bribed with tiny treats...

and you come up with.......

  Fort Sumthun'.

(Several hours of creative play for the Treasure...

lots of attention for kitty...

and several hours of P&Q for the momma.)

Ain't it Sumthun' how often it is
the simple things that are most satisfying?

Old Homestead Tales

The Treasure adores these books, 

as we discovered when we found an ancient copy of

The Mallards and Their Neighbors

a few months ago, while visiting my dad.

My momma was (and still is) an avid reader,

and it is a joy to go back to my childhood home

and pick up books from her shelves that I loved way back when 

and share them now with our Treasure.

I don't remember reading the Mallards book when I was growing up,

so it was a fun read for me too.

The Treasure begged me to see if I could find the rest of the books in the series,

and I was fortunate to learn they are in print again.....

so she recieved the set for her birthday recently.

These read-alouds are a great supplement for Nature Study,

as they give the reader much information about each creature in story form.

The Bluebirds and Their Neighbors (1930) will encourage you to watch for God's creatures around your own home. These "Old Homestead" animals may very well live near you too. Sharpen your awareness of neighborhood animals through laughing Robin Red & Tattler Jay.

The Mallards and Their Neighbors makes learning about nature fun. The author, Neil Wayne Northey, describes the wonders of wildlife around the pond in a simple, understandable way. Character lessons are taught throughout each chapter. Elementary students through adults will enjoy this story of the life cycle of mallards and their friends.

Neil Wayne Northey continues to teach us principles of right living in his book, "Paddletail the Beaver and His Neighbors." The animals around Wildwood Pond are more timid, but help us learn to be open and caring, and show good manners, no matter where we live. God can teach us about ourselves through studying His works of nature.

"Wild Creatures in Winter" introduces animals that live on the Old Homestead during the wintertime. These creatures teach us to practice thriftiness and to work now and be prepared for the future. Most of all we can learn that God made the animals and loves them just as He loves us.

In "Wild Animals of Africa" Neil Wayne Northey, author of "Old Homestead Tales", brings the animals on the Broad Plain to life. Some of these creatures are strange looking, act strange, and eat strange food! We may meet strange and different people. The author advises us not to judge too soon by what we see and hear. Many lessons can be learned from God's animal creation.

Author isNeil Wayne Northey,

and the best price I was able to find is HERE.

A Comment Form Trial

For you sweet blog readers who have tried and tried 

(unsuccessfully)

to leave comments here...

I have added Disqus on a trial basis 

as my new comment form.

Give it a try so I can know if it works or.....not.

Thank you kindly,

Missuz C

A Dome Home

Street-side view of the Dome home.

We enjoy perusing unusual housing alternatives and

recently had opportunity to attend an open-house featuring 

a monolithic dome home.

The cost of this type housing is about the same as traditional stick & frame,

but because the insulation is on the interior of the home, 

it boasts a higher energy-efficiency.

(Edit!!!---the man informs me that I was too busy ooohing and ahhh-ing

at the decor and taking photos to pay close enough attention

to the construction details..... ;D.....

So here is the corrected version: 

The interior of the dome is concrete,

and the high-R-rating rigid insulation covers the outside.

This enables the concrete mass of the home 

to collect heat and maintain it so that even if power goes out,

interior heat is lost very very gradually.

This also results in very low utility bills.)

The shape of the home is reported to be exceptionally stable

in turbulence such as hurricanes or tornadoes as well,

which makes it an attractive option for some folks.

Enjoy the photo tour...

Entrance door to dome house, with carport on right.
I like how the carport does double duty as a patio
for outdoor hospitality.

Living and Kitchen half of the home.
The entry door and  Dining area is to the left, just out of camera-shot.

Dining Area

Kitchen

Another Kitchen shot

From Kitchen end, looking into Living area.
Entry door is on right, dining area is even further right,
once again out of camera-view.

Bedroom side.
There is a large walk-in closet out of view to the right.

Bedroom side looking into the bathroom.
Note the white frame above the doorway:
access to attic storage space.

Looking into bathroom: unseen on R is toilet and laundry stack;
on L is shower/tub unit.
The yellow wall shelf is removable to expose the hot water heater.

Shower side of the bathroom.
There is an extra sink in the bedroom area.

Toilet and washer/dryer stack in bathroom.

For more images and information on Monolithic Dome homes,

check out the link HERE.

How to Make a Simple Knitting Journal

Another organizing project I've been wanting to accomplish 

for far too long is a knitting journal.....a book to keep/record:

*skein labels & garment care instructions

*pattern notes and changes

*yarn swatches

*needle sizes used

*photos of completed projects

*stitch directions

*lists of projects I have stash in hand for

I know you can purchase pre-made knitting journals,

but I'm a free spirit and wanted to make my own and 

not be limited by someone else's pre-printed parameters...

Neither did I want to spend much.....

nor wait long.....

Fortunately, I ran across a post at 

Homespun Living by Deb, and one of her photos

(fourth photo down on this post)

made my creative juices flow.....

(Thanks, Deb!)

And here is my result: quick, simple, inexpensive

free knitting journal instructions.

Take a 94 cent composition book, in your favorite color,

 from your favorite discount store, 

and while you're there, pick up some cardstock to match your book.

Do a Google Search for graphics of your choice...

I think I typed in "free sheep clip art."

(Or just go here to find the graphic I used.)

Grab you favorite image and copy and paste it into a document,

play with the size, add a font you like,

then print it out onto cardstock.

Cut and trim to your heart's content,

(I layered mine because I liked the look)

then glue it on the cover.

I considered decopauge-ing the cover, 

but went with clear contact plastic instead.

(Applied after I took these photos...)

And there you have it.....

200 or so pages to doodle away in till the ewe's come home.....

all for a couple of bucks.

No pun intended.

:D

Looking for Color

We went for a short road-trip last weekend,

hoping to view some autumn glory,

but we were a few days too early.

The foliage has just this week hit its peak.

It was fun to soak up the rich colors while running some errands yesterday.

Love, love, love how the rain intensifies the colors!

Hope you are squeezing the last drops of goodness

out of autumn wherever you are!

Organizing Knittin' Sticks

I've wanted and needed make a knitting needle organizer

for years, and this is the year!

I was totally inspired by this post from Deb at Homespun Living---

and as soon as I saw it, I knew it was the one for me!

(Thank You Deb!)

Above you will see the one we created for the Treasure,

and below is mine.

I made a few changes to the online directions for making this that I found HERE.

1) I decided to make mine wider, it measures 36" wide by 10" long, 

as I use some larger needles.

To do so, I purchased a yard of 60" wide canvas.

(Hancock Fabrics, $9.99/yd)

I cut it in half so I had two pieces, each 30" x 36"

and followed the pocket instructions at the link above.

From L to R, here are the pocket sizes I chose to make:

(1) 2" pocket for scissors 

(1) 1-1/2" pocket for crochet hook 

(6) 1-1/2" pockets for sizes 1-6 

(2) 1-3/4" pockets for sizes 7 and 8

(3) 2" pockets for sizes 9 and 10 and 10-1/2

(4) 2-1/2" pockets for sizes 11-14

(1) 3" pocket for size 15

2) I didn't care for the raw edges on the ends of the original, so chose to finish mine with seam binding.

3) I wasn't able to find 1" wide twill tape, so used 1" cotton seam binding instead.

4) I used a doubled tie on the end instead of single--makes it easier to tie.

(see photo directly below)

I also made a couple of mistakes.

Live and learn.

:D

I got distracted and forgot to mark one pocket for my 10-1/2" needles,

and ended up with a '16' pocket. 

(I don't own size 16 needles.)

Eventually, I will find some iron-on tape, cover these numbers with it,

and reprint them.

And when I do, I will NOT use pigmented scrapbooking ink--

I noticed it rubs off on the back when rolled up.

One more thing--

when you go to print the numbers on,

make sure you clean the ink off that gets on the stamp around the numbers,

otherwise you'll end up with the "look" above.

Thankfully, the Treasure isn't a perfectionist 

and so she doesn't really mind.

Imperfect though it is.....the price was right

(about $6 each)

and this little organizer makes my heart sing!

With that task accomplished, 

my sticks are now hot---working on projects!!!