How Does Your Garden Grow...

January Daybook

2012-01-31T19:08:00.000-05:00

FOR TODAY (Simple Woman's Daybook)

Outside my window...
Unbelievable weather! Is this January?

I am thinking...
That I really need to get my garden seeds ordered and started very, very soon.

I am thankful...
Last week I was able to see an eye specialist. It was truly a "God" thing. I requested the appointment and was in to see him the very next afternoon. I really expected a two month wait.....He gave me some encouragement and the information I needed for moving forward. I feel much more informed about all of my options. The news was positive and I am relieved.

In the kitchen...
Lately I've been trying recipes out from "Family Feasts for $75.00 a Week" by Mary Ostyn of owlhaven.net . So far, I love it. I already practice many of her money saving techniques, but there is room to improve. I've made her Crunchy Baked Chimichangas, Refried Beans (I really don't like pinto beans but these were amazing!), and Sausage Sandwich Braid. All have been very good.

Last week I found a lot of good prices on beef, chicken, pork and poultry. I was able to cook and freeze a lot of small portions for future quick meals.

I am wearing...

An absolutely wonderful pair of pants from Mountain Hardwear...Sajama Jenes. These are pricey, but tough....almost indestructible. They dress up or down and have just the right amount of stretch.

I am creating...
This is 24 years of video tapes and dvds. I gathered them all together in one place. This doesn't include the videos on our computer and camera that have never been burned to disc.

Last week I ordered 100 dvds and storage binders to organize this mess. I started with the computer and have been burning 2 copies at a time. I plan to keep one and give one to a family member for safekeeping.

I started this project when John was in Iraq when I purchased a vhs/dvd recorder. I sorted all the videos chronologically and then decided I couldn't do it along with stripping all the wallpaper in our house. This year, I'm not stopping until it's finished! No more procrastination.....

I am going...
For a walk with John as soon as he gets home from work.

I am wondering...

How the time has passed by so quickly....I feel like I got married yesterday. Life is good.

I am reading...

Still working on "The Gift of the Sea" (I've been sidetracked), a few different cook books, a garden book, and some light reading.

I'm waiting for ....
Lent. I am so anxious to get started on my 40 Trash Bag Challenge!

I am hoping...
This one stumped me....what am I hoping for? I'm looking forward to many things....but is that the same as hoping? And does hoping for something have to be specific? I'll have to think about this one.

I am looking forward to...
Lent. I know I already said that, but I'm really looking forward to the personal growth. Lent has been spotty for me the past few years. I feel focused and ready for the season for the first time in a very long time.

I am hearing...
Quiet.

Around the house...

My mom and dad gave me two wing back recliners...I'm so excited...now I face the challenge of rearranging to make them work. The plan is to set them up in the dining room to create a warm space.

I am pondering...
This post from Father Joseph. Thank you Elizabeth for linking to it.

One of my favorite things...
In his younger days, John worked as a disc jockey at the local radio station. Now he operates as the family disc jockey. He can always find just the right music for us to listen to while I'm cooking dinner.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
Video Tape Project! (and keeping up with everything else while I do it!)

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

It seems I've noticed the sky a lot lately. This is an evening picture out the back door.

Today's Outing

2012-01-21T22:20:00.000-05:00

After a rare January storm complete with thunder, lightening and hail in the middle of the night caused some lost sleep, today seemed like a day to stay home and rest. But as the afternoon progressed, Ben, John and I decided to get out of the house. We didn't really have a destination in mind until I remembered a neat little overstock store we found over the Christmas holidays. I've been looking for a chicken roaster or basic oven roaster and thought it might be the place to find one.

Along the way we took a side road for scenic views, and stopped to take a picture of this very old billboard. It's advertising Asheville, North Carolina, the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Great Smokey Mountain National Park. I think it's so interesting to see along the old north/south Highway 25, especially since that destination is close to two hundred miles away. At the time this sign was in its prime, the destination would have been at least a hard day's journey away. It's been in place since before the interstate system was built in the 1950's. It's a relic that won't last long as development is encroaching rapidly. John is planning to stop later this week to try for a better picture.

We stopped at an antique store just to look around.

Look at this neat fish trap!

The perfect place for a good book!

This "Regal Picnic Pack" almost came home with me until I remembered my decluttering goal. It was in new/mint condition from the 1960's. I've seen this same item revived in catalogs recently...

At the end of the day I found exactly what I was looking for in a chicken roaster.

As a bonus, on the way out the door, I found this cast iron stove top/oven roaster/grill.

A little bargaining and I walked away with both for $30!

We stopped to visit my dad for a while and headed home. We had dinner at the "Country Village" restaurant.

Now we're settling in for an evening of "Downton Abbey".

Lovely day.....

This is what happens when....

2012-01-17T20:46:00.000-05:00

You forget to order flowers for your son's date to the Snowball.....

Thank goodness for Kroger, a little felt and ribbon to match her dress, and a sewing machine!

Ten minutes later and he's out the door to meet everyone....

The New Year Begins....

2012-01-14T16:54:00.000-05:00

I love the New Year.

I miss the Christmas decorations, but there is nothing like the crisp clean feeling when everything is put away. It's the sense of simplicity that I love.

I like to reflect on what I've accomplished in the past year and what I'd like to do in the future.

Last year's goals included all sorts of things......better budgeting, major improvements on the outside of the house, progress in my garden, steps toward simplicity and self-sufficiency, earning my National Teacher's Certification, and several other personal projects.

For the most part, I've made progress on all of my goals.

To be honest, some more than others, but I'm really fine with that.

The most important thing I accomplished this year was that I didn't beat myself up for not getting things done. I just found a better rhythm to help me accomplish what had to be done. In finding that rhythm, I actually seem to be reaching more of my goals. And added bonus was that I've enjoyed each moment so much more.

This year I want to continue working toward several specific projects:

I have decided that I can no longer procrastinate on cleaning out the mounds of pictures, papers, and mementos in 1/4 of our basement (I cleaned the other 3/4 last year).
Our video tapes need to be copied to DVDs.
I'd like to hang our pictures on the walls (we've only lived here seven years now)!
I want to improve my garden even more with the ultimate goal of being able to harvest produce for our meals 10 months out of the year. That won't happen all at once, but I want to make progress.
I'd like to make time to learn more about herbs and their uses.
If time permits, I'd love to learn to make crocheted scrubbies like these:

Our house needs to be deep cleaned....rooms emptied and floors waxed...not sure whether this will happen or not.
I want to read more.
Finally, I would like to work toward completing this quilt that I started when my sister and I still lived at home.

1982!!!!! It doesn't seem that long ago!!!!

My mother cross-stitched half for each of us and we completed the other half. My sister has never finished hers either.

I quilted the center during the first year of marriage and put it aside after children started coming along.

I think it's time to finish it!

If I can refine the rhythm I worked on last year, add a little more discipline, and have fun along the way....it will be a great year!

Holiday Update

2012-01-04T14:55:00.002-05:00

It's been a busy and beautiful holiday season with children home from college and siblings visiting from far away. Here are just a few pictures....

Christmas cooking...

Family fun...cousins of all ages searching for the hidden pickle in Granny's angel trees!

The Reason for the Season...our children are too old for the Children's Mass, but we had a wonderful evening celebrating and sharing a potluck dinner with our church family.

My nephew.....

Between Christmas and New Year's Eve, we had our traditional overnight camping trip with friends from down the street.

No tent camping this time...here is the cabin retreat at Blanton Forest....

Work schedules and skiing kept the girls from joining us, but we still had a great time.

It was cold, but refreshing! A wonderful time of reflection and quiet thankfulness.

On New Year's Day, we discovered an unexpected harvest of pecans in our neighbor's back yard. It hasn't produced since we've lived here, and she welcomed us to pick up as many as we'd like.

I absolutely love the feeling I get when I harvest a crop! Especially an unexpected windfall like these pecans or when a friend calls and says, "Would you like to come harvest the plums from my tree?" Such joy!!!!

It's such an overwhelming feeling of the goodness of God.

I imagine life for those who came before me and how a harvest of this nature would mean life saving nutrition.

I wish I could think of a more poetic way to say that it is just COOL!

We left plenty for the squirrels...but wow! What a bounty!

Now it's on to New Year's Resolutions....

Merry Christmas!!!

2011-12-23T09:56:00.001-05:00

I'm looking forward to wrapping and delivering the final neighbor gifts today and spending the next few days with extended family.

Next week I'll indulge in some computer time. Until then.......Merry Christmas!

December Daybook

2011-12-03T07:59:00.002-05:00

FOR TODAY (Simple Woman's Daybook)

Outside my window...
The sun is just coming up and a hard frost is covering everything.

I am thinking...
Of how I need to stop playing on the computer and plan my weekend activities to be most productive.

I am thankful...
For a new job for Sarah...we've been praying for one.
Good conversations with children.
A warm house on this chilly morning.

Finding new blogs to explore....I have learned and been inspired by so many blogs...

In the kitchen...
Only the coffee pot is going this morning. John left early for National Guard and everyone else is still asleep. Later I'll cook a crock pot turkey breast for weekend eating.

I am wearing...

Pajamas and a warm fleece robe.

I am creating...
Christmas gift baskets today. I received the last ingredients in the mail yesterday. I'm not putting anything off this year and that is a big thing off of my list

I am going...
Shopping with Sarah today to get some items she will need for her new job.

I am wondering...

How in the world I'm going to get the strand of Christmas lights to work that went out at the top of the tree last year. Decorating it won't happen until I do.

I am reading...
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (free on Kindle) I've always wanted to try out this book and have been rather pleased with it so far.
Give Us This Day Advent Devotional
Gift of the Sea by Lindberg (reading and soaking up each chapter a little at a time)
I'll be getting the Christmas books out today......

I'm waiting for ....

The courage to teach myself how to crochet these scrubbies...
http://www.etsy.com/listing/62675443/tutorial-pdf-crocheted-nylon-net?ref=sr_gallery_1&ga_search_query=nylon+scrubbies+tutorial&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_facet=handmade

I am hoping...
To have a productive but relaxed weekend.

I am looking forward to...

Growing in my faith this Advent season.

I am hearing...

I hear a bird....it's funny how I haven't heard this so much lately. I love that sound in the spring and summer and hadn't realized the absence of it. Mostly I've just been hearing squirrels.

Around the house...
Lots of things are halfway done...vacuuming, decorating, switching from Thanksgiving to Christmas....

I am pondering...

How I'm going to get our family together for a Christmas card picture and get them out in time :-D

One of my favorite things...

Sitting in the dark with only the Christmas tree lights on reflecting on the season of Christmas. It is such a special, quiet time for me.

A few plans for the rest of the week:

-Clean the downstairs
-Finish my Christmas gift baskets
-Mark a few more gifts off of my list
-Decorate a little more
-Practice playing the new liturgical music before Mass tomorrow (or it could be very bad!)
-Bake bread (it's been far too long)

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

An Advent Wreath given to us by our children and a tree sadly in need of repair.

A Day at Home

2011-11-29T19:39:00.000-05:00

Early this morning I got up and ready for bus duty. It's one day a week, and I really don't mind. I like the time with other teachers and greeting the students as they come off of the buses. Today was different. As I was getting my last few things together to walk out the door Sarah asked me why I was up and stirring around. "You don't have school. It's all over Facebook."

I don't have Facebook, and I had checked the river level anticipating it might be high, but I didn't check the school web page or I would have known that it was cancelled. At least I didn't go to school and then find out....

I have done that before ;-)

I've enjoyed the day at home. I ran some errands and while I was out snapped this picture of the back way into town. Unless you drove on the overpass...you couldn't get in or out. Once the river crests, it goes down quickly, but the back water can linger. I didn't get over to the bridge to take any photos..but I'll try to remember next time it floods.

Flooding is a way of life in our county. School regularly cancels for running water that covers the mountain roads and back water that sometimes takes days to allow access to many who live behind it. Snow is also crippling for us. For the past three years, school has been cancelled at least twenty to twenty-five days during the winter and flooding months.

Since I live in town, I can generally go just about anywhere I need to go and today was the day to get caught up on some things like car maintenance and stocking up the freezer from our local meat market. After holiday weekends, I'm never quite ready to get back to work and this day was just the thing I needed.

Busy Days

2011-11-28T16:38:00.000-05:00

It's been a busy few weeks and I have so many things to write about, but for today...I'll update with pictures.

Big news....I PASSED! I found out last weekend that I am now a National Board Certified Teacher! What a relief! This was one of those things I took on last year and wish I hadn't. It was so hard and time consuming. I'm glad it's over. John brought flowers to me :)

Ben is back on the swim team. He stopped swimming several years ago to focus on scouting and karate. The coach finally talked him into coming back. I'm a swim mom again! I love this activity and have been so happy that we encouraged our children to do this. They are all good swimmers (which is truly a skill to carry through life). Emily and Sarah are lifeguards. I hope Ben gets his certification now too.

None of my siblings could make it in for Thanksgiving, but we still enjoyed a quiet dinner at my Mom and Dad's house. The lighting isn't great in these...but I'll share them anyway....photo editing is definitely something for me to learn soon.

Dad and Mom

Me and John

Ben, Emily, and Sarah

The meal was amazing....and the company just as good.

I think we may have all had a little too much to eat :) (especially Emily)

I love this picture... (Sarah looked just like the other two until she saw the camera in my hand.)

I think they enjoyed the meal!

Wiley enjoyed a little turkey too!

Cutting and stacking firewood the next day.

Broccoli growing in the garden....maybe we'll eat it for Christmas if it doesn't freeze too hard.

And Thanksgiving dinner leftovers....

I sauteed an onion, some chipotle pepper, sausage and rice dressing with salsa, threw in a little leftover chopped turkey and served it with melted cheese over chips. YUM!!! Better than eating out.

A Changing Life

2011-11-18T22:47:00.000-05:00

I didn't take a close up of the ladies, but this is the college pool.
In Januay we will move to a new HEATED therapy pool!

When I finally got the nerve up to start this blog, I was going through a lot of life changes like getting older, my children growing up, and just generally not feeling well. I wasn't sure if it was in my mind or if there was really something wrong. Now I finally have an answer. I have hesitated to blog about it, not wanting to complain, but it is changing my life and is part of what I deal with now.  I knew I hurt more than I should and after ten months and lots of blood work, I now have the "official" diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis. While I was working through all of that, I learned that I also had early signs of macular degeneration and osteoarthritis. Recently my eyes have gotten worse due to dry eye causing corneal abrasions (probably a side attraction of the Rheumatoid arthritis). Thankfully this is improving quickly with treatment but my vision was compromised significantly for a while and really caused some frustration.

All in all, it's been a lot to take in at once...crippling arthritis and loss of vision! I find that I go through the adjustment pretty quickly...first, disbelief, then tears and grief (usually over in about thirty minutes), and then resignation. The only thing is, I know I have been a little more quiet and pensive to those around me....not always responsive when I should be. I've tried not to feel sorry for myself and most of the time am successful, but it does get a little overwhelming at times.

I often remind myself how these conditions are treatable. However, it has and will significantly change my life. The rest of my journey is going to be much different than I ever envisioned. I have always been in control and independent. The bigger the challenge the better. Now, big challenges are just too big. Things have gradually changed.  I am now really glad when I don't have to drive so much (teenagers are coming in handy!). I no longer work myself to death getting something finished. I'm in bed much earlier at night. I have to pace myself. For the most part, I've been able to keep doing everything I've wanted to, do but with a little more difficulty. Take the garden project...that would have been tackled completely two years ago. I think though...this more methodical way might be better. The things I love to do like sewing, needlework, playing piano at church, gardening, backpacking and hiking may become harder and at some point, even impossible.

I'm learning to take better care of myself. I am watching my diet, taking preventive steps, and investigating all the treatment options available. I started water aerobics back in the spring (at the college) and have met the nicest bunch of ladies there. We meet three nights a week (I go as much as possible, but some weeks don't make it at all!). They are the sweetest people full of nothing but kindness. Exercise is a little iffy other than that...but I have hopes to work on some core strengthening.

The most wonderful thing about this whole year has been that I've slowed down. I'm taking things in, pacing myself and just enjoying each and every moment.  I've noticed that now I don't procrastinate as much and even though I don't feel like I'm working as hard, it seems like more is getting accomplished. I'm really feeling good about moving forward.

For the next few months, I'll have more appointments, more adjustments, more acceptance....but best of all, more chances to soak in this beautiful, wonderful life. It has been a hard year. I've lost special people in my life and had some unpleasant health news....but I've also developed closer friendships, I've met new friends, stretched my faith, learned to accomplish things slowly and to savor every moment.

No...life isn't the same anymore...but these changes seem to be bringing as much good into my life as not...maybe even more.

Garden Update

2011-11-13T20:25:00.001-05:00

Back in the summer, I began making plans for downsizing our garden and relocating it due to growing trees blocking out the sunlight. I drew them up and then decided that I didn't want to take on too much. We settled on building two beds to see how it worked out. We ordered our garlic and onions (first time for garlic!) from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange.

Last weekend we bought the wood, compost and peat that we'd need and then on Tuesday, Ben and I got started since school was out for Election Day.

In keeping with my new rhythm of working in small increments, I stopped when I got tired....even though only one bed was finished. It turned out to be the right decision. I took time over the next few days to read more about raised bed gardening and spacing. Then I modified my plans accordingly.

When we placed the second bed on Saturday I felt good about how it will work out. Later, I'll add another bed in between these two. I wanted to build several beds to be used for extended season growing, so I planned this covered wagon set up. In the spring I'll cover the frame with plastic to shelter fragile plants. The tubing is removable for summer growth. I like it so far. I feel very comfortable with this new way of growing things. You can see the old garden just beyond the new beds. I'll slowly fill in the low parts and seed it over starting at the tree line.

I sorted the garlic and planted it. I'm planning on keeping a garden journal ,so I took the time as I planted to note the date, conditions, and the planting location of each variety.

It was a beautiful fall weekend that was perfect for outside work. Beds were cleaned out....and I used my pine straw mulch that I had gathered a few weeks ago.

Before

After

We've been steadily working toward winter. Slowly but surely, we are tidying up garden beds and winterizing the house and outbuildings. There is nothing more peaceful or gratifying to me than working outdoors. The sun was shining and the wind was blowing steadily, bringing storms to us later in the night.

I'm coming to grips with the upcoming cold weather and instead of dreading it as much as I was, I'm beginning to appreciate the change of seasons. I've always liked winter...but this year have been slow to welcome it. Being outside makes me appreciate every aspect of the changes heading our way.

Busy Week

2011-11-07T12:08:00.000-05:00

This past week has been so full of activity. I have really tried to just live in each moment. I'm working on letting go of the stress of everything that still needs to get done around the house. I'm looking for a new rhythm and think I'm on my way to finding it.

I've tried to take more pictures, but haven't been very consistent. I need to learn more about taking pictures with my phone because it is just so convenient. I also haven't spent much time learning to use photo editing software...that's just another item on my "things I'd like to learn" list. I could also add to that list not moving my phone too quickly after I've taken a picture!

Here's a picture of Ben before a Halloween party last Friday night. Unique, easy, and comfortable....I loved his costume choice!

Before John left for active duty on Sunday, Ben tried to give him a tutorial on "hashtags on Twitter". I love this picture. It is such an example of the generational differences in how we deal with technology.

(not sure if I got that right...I"m still not on "The Twitter" as Betty White would say).

John loves technology,and so do I, but not quite as much. A lot of days I could just live without it. I think limits are incredibly important when dealing with it. Sometimes it seems the whole idea of Clouds, Twitters, Facebooks, etc. just are too big to wrap your head around. Neither one of us is on Facebook. We made that decision two years ago and I have not felt left out enough yet to sign up. Sometimes I'm the last to find things out, but I don't mind the trade off.

Tuesday was the busiest day of the week with a dog appointment, college admissions fair, eye appointment, and evening Mass.

Wednesday morning dawned and was amazing. I was at work extra early to meet a student teacher and was treated to this incredible site outside my classroom window......

It has been a reminder to me all week to look for the beauty everywhere.

We celebrated my mother's birthday Wednesday night and I realized as we left the restaurant that I hadn't taken any pictures....I'm going to have to do better on that front. My parents moved closer to us three years ago. After living away from them for over twenty years, it has been a wonderful time together. I am cherishing every moment.

The week closed out with afternoon tea with my neighbor and friend. I chose to ignore all of the things needing my attention at home and we spent several hours just having "girl time". I believe it is so important for women (and men) to establish a network of friends. Afterward, we took a walk down the street to the college for some fall pictures.

This is one of my favorite trees in our whole town, but it wasn't quite at peak that day.

Ginkgo trees are absolutely amazing in the fall!

John came home for the weekend before heading back to Fort Knox on Sunday afternoon. Too late, we realized that if I had joined him at Fort Knox, we could have had a get away weekend.

As it was, we enjoyed our new rhythm and got two projects we've been planning underway. That will be another post (I've tried to remember to take pictures).

All in all....life is so good. Even when days are difficult or frustrating with a variety of challenges, I have to remind myself of all the good.

I could spend every minute of every day being thankful and it still wouldn't be enough for all the blessings in my life.

Summer Is Over

2011-10-26T20:08:00.000-04:00

Remember this box?

It's the one from the shed I cleaned out back in July. It holds green fabric awnings that we put up in the summer and take down in the fall. When the weather warms up at the end of May, we work together to hang the awnings. We live on a fairly busy street and they provide a lot of privacy.

We spend most of our time on the screened porch during the summer. It adds a whole room to our house during warm months.

This year I had big plans to recover the cushions, paint and re-purpose some of the furniture around the house to make it a real outdoor room.

Unfortunately, around August, I realized it wasn't going to happen this year and put my energy into other projects.....maybe next year.

Mid-October, depending on the weather, they have to come down.
They have to be dry for at least three days before we pack them away for another season.
Tuesday was the day.

Rain was coming and it was just too chilly to be enjoyable out there any more.

It's a big job.

Our next door neighbor paid us a visit while we took them down and expressed her dismay that we were officially declaring summer over.

That's the way it feels.

Awnings down....Summer over.

The neat thing about these awnings is that they came with the house. It's just one more thing to appreciate about this amazing old house. We have them for the upstairs windows too. It is just "old fashioned know how" at its best. They cool the house immensely during the summer.

We take them down for the house to soak up the heat of the sun during the winter.

It was too dark to take a picture when we finished, so here is what it looks like today.

This weekend after the storms blow through, we'll be raking leaves for the garden.

A Saturday Afternoon

2011-10-23T16:29:00.002-04:00

Lately, I have been making an effort to live in the moment. I try to accomplish the daily tasks around the house, but I am consciously making an effort to just stop and enjoy every moment as much as possible. Yesterday afternoon the weather was amazing so I put anything possible off and enjoyed the day.

John and I walked to the edge of town and through the flood gates to climb this hill...it doesn't look very tall, and it really isn't, but it does provide a decent workout, beautiful scenery, and views at the top.

We walked around the back of the hill and up an old logging road.

Our town.

There was still a lot of foliage blocking the best views...we'll have to go back soon to get more pictures :)

A little way down the steep side of the hill is a rock that John played on as a child. He and his buddies named Ledge Rock. As a boy, he would hike up with a pot and a can of soup, build a fire and make lunch. We ventured onto the rock (which I'm sure was much easier for fearless little boys) and spent a few minutes soaking up the sounds of the woods around us before we headed back down into town.

On the way down....

We finished the day with evening Mass and dinner with my parents and Ben.

I like this deliberate living that I've been working on.

Beautiful Butterflies

2011-10-20T11:18:00.000-04:00

Tuesday I worked in the yard ahead of a coming storm. I hurriedly took care of some garden tasks that needed to be done before the rain. Every other year I harvest a layer of pine needles to use as mulch around my hosta plants. Somewhere I read that it deters slugs...I think this might be accurate. The hostas haven't died off yet though, so I bagged up the top layer of needles and set them under the porch for use later in the fall. I was careful not to take to many so the trees get the nutrients they need. I think I've taken too many in the past. I'm much more careful about doing that now. It 's much easier to do this before they get wet and covered up with fall leaves.

I have hopes to grow more greens this winter so I pulled this old frame out of the shed. I'll try to repair it and have it ready to use before the frost/freeze forecasted for later this week.

While I was out in the back of the yard working on this, I looked up and saw five Monarch butterflies on the few sunflowers I have left. It's taken a lot of will power throughout the summer to leave them in the garden when I could envision how pretty they would be in vases around the house. I was tempted to pull them when I realized they were keeping my fall cabbage from getting enough sunlight. I resisted though because I really wanted to leave them out for the birds. I never expected butterflies like this:

I started snapping as many pictures as I could. I take all my pictures with just the phone I carry in my pocket, and I didn't think it would do their beauty justice, but I am pretty pleased with these unedited shots.

They danced around the flowers, pulling away once they realized I was there. I backed away and there they were again. I felt like this little guy was just staring me down. Clearly I moved more than he did!

I am so glad that I left that little source of nourishment out for them on their journey.

Country Mouse

2011-10-19T10:44:00.000-04:00

I had a really good weekend. I took the day off Friday to rest and recuperate from a very hard week. There was a lot to do around the house, however....I didn't do any of it. I rested. That is what I really needed. After everyone left for the day, I relaxed on the couch. After a while, I got up, worked a little, and the took an afternoon nap. I never nap but it was great. The day was exactly what the "doctor" ordered.

Saturday, I followed it up by getting up and on the road to Lexington by 6:00 AM. Yes, not just up...but ON THE ROAD....by 6 AM. John had National Guard so we went along for the weekend and spent it with Emily at her apartment. Sarah held down the fort and was amazing (She cleaned, did laundry for me, and studied all weekend)! I came home to piles of folded, ready to put away laundry...fantastic!

I had a long list of things to accomplish in the "city". We live in a small town and selections are often just not available. Ben needed clothes...he's still growing and we put off buying pants until the weather has gotten cold enough that I can't send him to school in shorts every day. We got an early start on the stores Saturday morning and were finished in record time (boys are much easier than girls). I did some "stocking up" shopping of all the things I can't find at home. We had a nice dinner together with John and then I went out with Emily for some "mom and daughter time". I rarely get that with her and enjoyed every minute.

We returned home after John finished up on Sunday, took a walk in the beautiful fall air and just relaxed until it was time to get ready for the week. It was just a really nice weekend.

Here are some things that I learned from our shopping trip to Lexington:

1. Boys usually know what they want and will choose not to buy something rather than try it on.

2. I have conquered my desire to purchase things....of all the shopping and stocking up that I did (I only go about once every three months), I came home with one item just for me.....a new Rubbermaid mop. I know...I'm just so exciting. I love it. Hopefully the floors will be a little cleaner now....but I wouldn't count on it....there's nothing wrong with hoping though.

3. Sam's Club no longer has power over me....I can go in and out and only buy what is on my list. I only bought what I could not buy locally. I like that.

4. The store I went to in Lexington didn't stock the same amount of baking products as our little stores do. An example was a huge grocery store had less flour on their shelf than the smallest of our stores at home. I thought that was so interesting. Less flour and more people. What does that mean? Was it just that store...the market....or is the economy so much better in that area that people spend more income on prepared food...the questions are endless and I'd like not to speculate, but find it hard.....

5. I am really out of touch with what is truly available to consumers out there.....here's the one picture I took this weekend ....and you'll never guess what this gigantic selection is.....

DUCT TAPE! I was in awe. I felt like the country mouse in the city.....who knew?! I told John about it, showed him the picture, and he just said, "How else are you going to be able to repair that zebra print duct if it got a hole in it? You just wouldn't be able to." I laughed hysterically :) My children asked me last night when I showed this to them, "Haven't you seen the duct tape fashion shows Mom? I guess not.

I am always so glad to get home. I'm not used to all those people, all that merchandise, all those choices, all the time driving from place to place, all the cars and traffic, all the decisions. It exhausts me. I'm sure if I lived there all the time, it wouldn't bother me and might even energize me. I have lived in New York City and know the value of city living. Its just that I'm not as comfortable with it now as when I was younger. An interesting thing to add here is that when John wanted to move back to his hometown, I was so hesitant....I had never lived anyplace so "small" before, but it has worked out just fine.

I know that having to substitute an ingredient in a recipe, or just not making one because you can't get the ingredients unless you order them, really isn't so bad.

So....I'll just be the country mouse who every now and then has an enjoyable visit with the city mouse....

It works for me :)

Getting Organized - Step by Step

2011-10-14T16:05:00.000-04:00

When our children were little, we lived in an old house with no coat closet and very little storage. I found a neat way to store our gloves and hats by using a shoe holder on the back of the basement door.

When we moved to this home, we had a coat closet, so I put a basket in the top of it and stored our hats, gloves, mittens, etc. there.

It has never really worked because it was so deep and I'm so short. I had to take the basket down and everything would be piled up behind it.

A few weeks ago, I decided to do something about it to get ready for winter. After looking in three different local stores, I finally found a shoe holder that wasn't plastic and could be seen through.

Our basement door is right next to the coat closet, so I cleared out all the piled up stuff at the entrance to our basement (all the stuff that should have been put away and never was :))

and hung a new shoe holder up just like we used to have.

Now it looks like this:

The little pull string light above it broke and still has to be replaced, but when it is fixed, it will be so easy to just take a look and find a PAIR of gloves or mittens!

Here's what the closet looks like now:

Only toboggans in the basket two scarves that were too big for the shoe holder on the shelf.

After I took this picture I added a lint roller to one of the pockets since I can never find it when I need it. The rest of the pockets will fill up as I find misplaced gloves all around the house.

We have them tucked here and there, but soon they will all be in one place.

Now I'm all ready to get decked out for the cold that's coming!

For the Fruits of This Creation

2011-10-09T19:46:00.000-04:00

For the fruits of this creation, thanks be to God;
For the gifts of every nation, thanks be to God;
For the plowing, sowing, reaping,
Silent growth while we are sleeping,
Future needs in earth's safe keeping, thanks be to God!

In the just reward of labor, God's will be done;
In the help we give our neighbor, God's will be done;
In the worldwide task of caring
For the hungry and despairing,
In the harvests we are sharing, God's will be done.

For the harvests of the Spirit, thanks be to God;
In the good we all inherit, thanks be to God;
For the wonders that astound us,
For the truths that will confound us,
Most of all, that love has found us, thanks be to God!

This is one of my favorite harvest hymns. I have always loved it. I anticipate singing it in church all year long. For me, it is much more than just a seasonal hymn. It took on a special meaning when we started working on Bill and Dorothy's farm.

The rhythm of the farm and the labor invested in a harvest now mean something to me.

I now understand the joy of plowing, sowing, and reaping.

The silent growth while we are sleeping.

Working to the point of exhaustion and then helping a neighbor do the same.

I acutely understood despair one season when a hard freeze was predicted and we hadn't finished harvesting our sweet potato crop. The only ones not at work or school, Bill and I met out at the farm. He drove the tractor to turn the earth for a faster harvest and I followed behind to gather it in. It was overcast, threatening to snow. He drove down the first row, turning the dirt and there was nothing. He asked if I thought he missed it...I said, "Yes, maybe just a little to the left." He drove up and down the rows throughout the whole field. Eventually he had turned every bit of dirt in the field.

After searching with shovels, we gave up.

The realization was hard. There was nothing there. No sweet potatoes that year.

The plants had been beautiful, but there were no roots to harvest. We talked as we walked away from the field about what a disappointment that was for us. But that was all it was, just a disappointment. It did not mean starvation for us as it would have for those dependent on the garden for livelihood.

His neighbor Molly had a great harvest and would be happy to share.

I was ever so thankful knowing it would not mean hunger for us, but I had a new understanding for crop failure and its ramifications.

And so we turn to the final verse...the harvest of the spirit.

We plow to turn the dirt of our soul.

When we face difficulties and challenges, we prepare for the seed of the Word.

Stirred up...it is ready for sowing.

We sow seeds of promise from the Lord.

We reach for his warmth as the plant reaches for the sun.

We are soaked in his love as the plants soak the rains through the summer.

And silently....we grow.

The harvest is ready....sometimes the harvest is great and we can nourish and share with others.

Other times...we may just have beautiful foliage and have to work harder to build stronger roots.

We have to return to the earth and start again....plowing and sowing over and over until the harvest is ready for reaping.

And so, wonders of the world astound us, truths confound us, and for the harvests of the Spirit, Thanks Be To God.

I hope you enjoy this season of harvest.

Isn't He So Sweet?

2011-10-04T13:09:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, I walked into the dining room and John handed me his iphone and said,
"Listen to this song....it reminds me of you."

You Are My Flower

It made me feel so loved. I know I'm really blessed to have such a husband.
He finds ways to lift me up every day.

In My Kitchen

2011-10-03T10:07:00.000-04:00

It's been a busy week...one full of nice things. One of them was a visit from my parents on Saturday. My mother is a basket weaver and she made this neat basket for me.

I commented one time on how much I liked hers and she brought one for me. I'm using it for my grocery list. It filled a spot that needed something. I hung it here next to the back door:

Doesn't it fit just perfectly there?

It hangs above the best little stool in the world. I bought it at an auction and have to say it is one of our family's favorite pieces of furniture. It is used daily. It is tall enough for a seat and short enough for a step stool. We call it the "milking stool" even though I know it's probably not really what it was designed to be. It's also in just the right spot to sit on when I get tired of stirring something on the stove.

While I was taking the picture of my basket, I thought I would tidy up the kitchen and start my first installment of my "This Old House" series.

Our house was built in 1938. We still have the original blueprints. This room was divided into two very small rooms. One was the kitchen, the other the breakfast room with a window. A wall was in place right where my stove top sits now. The kitchen was remodeled after a fire somewhere around the 1950's or 1960's. The wall was removed and solid maple cabinets with soffits around the kitchen were installed. This was the only room we remodeled when we bought this house seven years ago. I wish I had a before picture, but by the time I thought of it, dust was flying and soffits and plaster were laying on the floor.

We found the original cabinets from 1938 in the basement and reinstalled the upper cabinets on either side of the sink. The bottom two cabinets became the base for the stove top. We tore out the soffits, reused the solid lower cabinets, and replaced the doors to coordinate with the old cabinet doors. I matched the hardware as closely as possible and had a few shelves built to fill in the empty spots. I already had the baskets that you see from our previous house and they fit just perfectly. (I love it when things like that happen!)

The angled wall is the laundry shoot coming from the second floor. I have a little door right next to the oven and can just toss my dish towels down in a jiffy. Even with the custom cabinet work that was needed, we saved a lot of money in this remodel by reusing existing materials.

I used mostly neutral colors so that if I get tired of it, I just have to paint one cabinet, the crown molding and the shutters. We pulled up two layers of linoleum floor and sanded and sealed the rough pine subflooring. It is naturally distressed from years of use. The best part about it is that it really hides dirt!

I find the kitchen is a haven for clutter. I really try to keep the counters free of everything except that which I use on a regular basis. Even that sometimes is just too much. There are lots of places for dust to gather in this kitchen.

I try to only decorate with things that are meaningful. I tend to leave things undecorated until I feel it is "just right". Unfortunately, that takes years sometimes.

If you look around, you will see antique blue canning jars given to me by a friend, pitchers around the top of the room, each with a special meaning, the two McCoy cookie jars are a recent addition from my mother-in-law and meant for my girls when they leave home. I just placed them up high to keep them from getting broken. I need to work on this...they aren't even artfully placed.

You can also see the window that needs curtains so badly over the kitchen sink. I'm thinking lace....but am so indecisive that it may be a while.

I really love our pieced together kitchen. I love the way it is filled with special things. I love the way it is more functional now, but preserved the character of the old house.

Above the kitchen sink is a sign we bought when we moved into this house. "It's a Wonderful Life" is our favorite movie and also how we feel about the life we live. We feel very blessed and this sign serves as a reminder on days that tend to overwhelm.

Sometimes....I just get tired.....

2011-09-26T12:17:00.000-04:00

This post is written in the interest of keeping this blog real.

Friday was great.....Saturday was great....the weekend was absolutely fantastic....then I hit the wall Sunday morning.

Little aches, pains, and worries caught up with me and I just didn't feel like being nice to anyone. Has that ever happened to you? The whole time it's happening, I'm thinking....Is this really me? Am I really this grouchy? Why am I not thankful today? It takes so much effort to be nice, which in turn just makes me even more irritable and grumpy. What I usually do out of love and caring becomes such a heavy burden that I think I'm going to explode. Most of the time, I can shake these gloomy feelings off by cleaning house like a madwoman, but not this time...it just made me more unpleasant to be around.

I still have the cloud hanging over me today, so I'm going to complain and get it all out of my system so I can move on and practice my gratitude for the blessings that have been so plentiful in my life. When you're feeling sorry for yourself, it's impossible to be thankful. I am ready to move on and quit focusing on the "me" and focus on "others".

So here goes:

Sometimes I just get tired of.......

Doing laundry
          It never ends, and no matter what I seem to be wearing that day, it needs to be ironed or only half of it is clean.

Planning the menu
         Three times a day, everyday, with someone either not liking what I made or being so noncommital that it hurts my overly sensitive feelings.

Picking up
          From towels, to newspapers, to leaves that blow in the back door, socks on the floor, dust in the hall, things left in the cars, shoes to stumble over at the back door, pans that fall out of the unorganized pot cabinet, and the list could go on and on.....I beat myself up over this too. I think, "Have I not trained these people better than this? Is this my job? How many times do I have to ask? Am I the only one who sees these things?" It's amazing how three people can walk over something and I'm the one who gets to pick it up. I'm just saying...the drudgery can get a bit overwhelming sometimes.

Maintenance:
          The drain in the bathtub clogging up every few weeks. I love this old house,but sometimes I just get tired of fixing the same things over and over.
          The dryer vent needs to be cleaned. When am I ever going to fit that in? Hopefully before the house burns down!
          Paperwork...forms for school, healthcare hoops to jump through, insurance papers to update, just to mention a few.
          Mending....this never gets done. I actually like the mending part of things. I just never can find the time to fit it in and that in itself frustrates me beyond belief.

Okay, so now here's the solution....gratitude. I knew this all along....and I'm still feeling a bit grumpy....but it's beginning to lighten just a bit...and the more I remind myself of how blessed my life is, the better I feel.

I am THANKFUL for....

Laundry....clothes to wear, a washing machine and dryer to use, and a thankful family when they find out that just the right sweatshirt is clean, hanging on the line and ready to wear to school, or a shirt that is already pressed for work.

Menu Planning....the abundance to plan ahead, enough food to eat, enough to share with others

Picking Up....people to surround me with activity,to enjoy and love, and yes, pick up after them if it makes their day just a little bit easier.

Maintenance...this means I have a place to live, a school for my child to attend, healthcare for illnesses, and enough clothing to wear until the mending gets finished.

Sometimes it's just hard...and I get tired....I try to put a positive spin on everything most of the time...like Pollyanna and "The Glad Game". This makes life so much easier to bear..to be thankful and pleasant...but sometimes life just wears me down and I just have to go through a grumpy few days to remember to count my blessings.

And one really big, final thing to be thankful for....a family who loves me and patiently waits for this mood to pass.

I feel better already :)

Well Done!

2011-09-24T22:08:00.000-04:00

Friday, I couldn't wait to get home so we could take off to the Bandy Creek Campground at Big South Fork National Recreation Area. We were going to tent camp and watch Ben run in his very first 17.5 mile trail run on Saturday. The whole trip down to Tennessee was a misty, gloomy drive and we hoped the sun would break through as we got closer to camp. Five miles away it did just that. We set up camp and fought with damp firewood but had a great relaxing night. The sky cleared for a beautiful, crisp, fall view into the star-filled night sky. It wasn't an hour until the fog fell over us like a thick blanket....

This morning we woke early to a CHILLY morning....I'm so thankful I brought my toboggan...I made a mental note to always bring my gloves when it's cold enough to wear a toboggan. It ended up being about fifteen degrees colder than we expected. We will definitely remember this for future trips.

A few months ago, Charles, a family friend, asked Ben if he would run in this race. Ben agreed and proceeded with his super-busy sixteen year old life and the deadline loomed closer and closer. Ben tried to fit in running and building up for this race, but the reality was, Ben knew he wasn't ready. The farthest he had run was eight miles and that was almost four weeks ago.

Here they are before it started....

Waiting for the race to start.....

And they're off!

Into the mist....

Standing in the road....freezing! We headed back to the campsite and broke camp at a very leisurely pace and just enjoyed watching the sun come out and the fog burn off...

Three and a half hours later....sun shining....beautiful day! Ben coming in....

Across the finish line....he barely looks tired! Amazing!!!!

Charles coming in.....smiling all the way :D He sent Ben on ahead of himself when a leg cramp slowed him down just before the finish.

Talking it over...

"Well done," said the Master to the Grasshopper.

Don't they look relieved?

Glad to be finished, Charles suffered a harsh leg cramp, but was very happy with Ben!

I think he's already planning the next one.

Both placed in their age category....

We stopped for a few pictures at the East Rim Overlook on the way home...

Just a fantastic day...I'll be planning another visit soon.

An Autumn Daybook

2011-09-22T07:16:00.000-04:00

FOR TODAY (Simple Woman's Daybook)

Outside my window...
Dense fog and darkness...a typical fall morning...

I am thinking...
Today needs to be much more productive than yesterday.

I am thankful...
For a cup of coffee in the morning, a filling breakfast, a beautiful day ahead

In the kitchen...
Tenderloin biscuits for breakfast and grilled fish for supper (I still have to figure out what will go with it)

I am wearing...
Summer capris and a light purple logo shirt for work. I'm stretching the season on summer sandals as long as I can and the temperature will be high enough today to get by with it one more time before the chilly weather moves in tomorrow.

I am creating...Not anything specific...but there are so many things I have in mind...like decorating my screened porch and making new curtains for the kitchen. (Now that the trees have been trimmed, the sun is going to be brutal!)

I am going...
To work on getting my meal planning act together....I was doing great and have fallen off the wagon the past two weeks. I've been to the store almost everyday....the pantry is stocked a little better now after a major summer clean out and now I have to plan our menus from it and only go to the store once a week.

I am wondering...
How the ladies who write these beautiful blogs do it! I'm so thankful to have inspiration from others...but just can't imagine how they fit it all in. Maybe it's because I'm over thinking things.....

I am reading...
Stacks of magazines that have piled up over the past few months...I don't receive a lot of magazines...mostly ones others have gifted to me. I really enjoy some of these and just need to catch up (this would also help with the decorating the side porch...and decluttering!)

I'm waiting for ....
Quiet time to read "The Gift of the Sea" that I've ordered from Amazon. I heard about it in this post. How I've missed this book all these years I just don't know. It seems everyone I've asked about it has heard of it or read it.

I am hoping...
To keep making progress on some personal goals....baby steps every day :)

I am looking forward to...
The second half of "Margin and Living Gracefully" as mentioned in the above post.

I am hearing...
Quiet. I love this time of year when the air conditioners stop running and in the early morning hours everyone is still sleeping. I just love the quiet.

Around the house...
I need to figure out how to keep the bugs from eating my cabbage without using pesticides. It's time to change from summer to winter bedding...too cold for summer but just a bit early for winter quilts.

I am pondering...
The future and how to make the most of the time I have RIGHT NOW! As a planner I'm always looking ahead and sometimes miss what is happening here and now....I want to cherish every moment.

One of my favorite things...
Sharing a cup of coffee or tea after work sitting in the glider in the back yard when the mosquitoes aren't attacking or on the side porch when they are. I love this "down time". I just seem to skip over it too often. After work today....that will be a priority.

A few plans for the rest of the week:
I will be working on repainting our outdoor furniture before cold weather sets in. I need to paint the porch railing....but that may have to wait...we have outdoor plans for the weekend and I'm really looking forward to them.

I've temporarily given up on figuring out how to make a banner for my blog...but I'd like to write a post about "This Old House" that we live in....

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

I know the lighting is horrible...but this is Ben learning how to drive our standard shift car. John is next to him and I'm now "a back seat driver"! I'm finding that I like it back there....a lot less to worry about. He's doing a great job, but I can't believe n two short months he will be out on his own. Letting go is both frightening and liberating.

Ladies Night

2011-09-21T16:59:00.000-04:00

It's not what you think.....it's this....The wonderful ladies on my street rallied around me three years ago when John was deployed to Iraq. They knew I'd need some adult conversation and support while he was gone.

Once a month we meet with whatever leftovers, dips or sweets we can scrounge up around our houses and spend two or three hours together.

The rules include...no one can work too hard to host it and every month we move to the next house in clockwise directions...if you can't host it your month...it doesn't matter, we will just get together whenever it works out. A lot of times, it will be when our company leaves, the house is still relatively clean, and we have lots of leftovers.

Spontaneity is encouraged!

The idea to start was that if it was too hard, we would stop doing it. Paper plates and napkins are not a bad thing. It's worked out well. Three and a half years later we're still going strong.

There have been dry spells with everyone being too busy...but Ladies Night is part of our street culture now and I just love it. We gather to catch up on family, health and friends. Some ladies have moved in and some out...but that just adds to the excitement.

(we let Ben in for a minute to help us with technology and picture viewing)

In the past month we've celebrated two birthdays....we don't always celebrate birthdays...but these were special:)

It has been really neat through the years to be a part of this group. We have young mothers, middle age mothers (like me), grandmothers, and widows.

What we have in common varies, but we have built our community...

I'm so glad to be a part of this history.

When it gets into the autumn months, Evelyn usually makes chili.....YUM!.....I can't wait!

Big Happenings

2011-09-20T17:48:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a big day....after months of giant branches dropping out of our tree (on cars & roofs), the tree trimmers arrived yesterday.

They worked on the two giant oak trees located withing thirty feet of our home.

It was a delicate job and VERY expensive. For a while, it looked like rain would keep it from happening, but the rain held off and they were able to get started.

They were absolutely fantastic and so careful and conscientious.

In the morning of the first day.....

The arborist would swing from the branches while three on the ground worked to guide the branches gently to the ground. (I took this through the upstairs window)

Some branches were huge! Can you see them straining to keep if from hitting the garage?

Cutting it up....we now have a good supply of firewood.

And here's what it looked like last night....

Thinned out...but not topped...

Then this morning they worked on the other tree....before:

After:

Wind can flow through them more safely now and we will have a priceless canopy as they fill out in the spring.

The pictures don't do justice to the size of this project...and some of them are a little blurry....but if feels so good to have this looming, major project finished.

Now I can paint the railing over the back porch this weekend.

And......I won't have as many leaves to deal with in the next few months!

The Gift of Time

2011-09-16T12:17:00.000-04:00

In the past, I wanted immediate results. I was rather outspoken and often said things in reaction without taking time to reflect. Many unpleasant things can happen if I don't use time wisely. So many hurt feelings come about when I don't take time. Through the years, I have learned such a valuable lesson on accepting how to use time to help me get through life. I've learned to be more patient....more tolerant...more calm.

It's not always that way...

I have complete over-reactions and hysterical responses ( anyone who knows me will attest to this)

...but not nearly as often.

Recent difficult events in my life have prompted me to ponder how to use this gift.

On my best days....I use...

Time to Adjust...to unpleasant things, to change, to unexpected events....

Time to Prepare...for challenges ahead

Time to Forgive... to mend broken relationships, to build stronger ones

Time to Learn...from others, about others, about myself

Time to Mourn.....for those I love

Time to Heal ....through the Grace of God

Time to Reflect....on this wonderful life

Time to Rejoice....in the Lord and all that comes from Him.

Time is one of the most wonderful gifts I have been given on this Earth.

Learning to appreciate it and benefit from it is another.

Garden Plans

2011-09-06T11:59:00.000-04:00

Here's the beginning.....

of a plan for our future garden.

I spent a little time on the screen porch last week developing a plan to incorporate some existing features of our yard and current garden into a beautiful and functioning homestead.

See the sketch from Ginny at Small Things?

I'm so thankful when people share what they have learned and designed with others.

Her garden is BEAUTIFUL!

I have serious garden envy and have high hopes for designing and planning a garden that can provide fresh vegetables for most of the year.

A chicken coop is also on my wish list....along with a raised barrel system to collect rainwater for drought times, cold frames, and a compost system that involves more than just a pile in the back of the yard!

Plans can be inspiring and sometimes overwhelming if they are too hard to implement. I want the plan to be something I can add to and change over time. I'd like for it to be a peaceful place with just as much emphasis on beauty as practicality.

It's important for me to not get overwhelmed as I take on too many tasks. I know new projects require time....something that is often in short supply!

Of course, all of these dreams aren't going to happen overnight, but it's good to have a plan....

A Pleasant Evening

2011-09-02T11:31:00.000-04:00

It seems that no matter where you live, it is so easy to take what you have around you for granted. In an effort to SLOW DOWN and enjoy the life around me I took a walk with John Wednesday evening and I thought I'd share these everyday joys with you.....

A view from "The River Bridge" in town....

A bend in the river....

The cornfield on the other side.....(my picture)

John's picture...he's taller and could get the rows!

A neat country lane with sweet little mailboxes along the way.

This walk takes us out of town and into the country within a matter of minutes. It delights the senses and brings a peaceful calm that I need so much in the middle of the week. Late summer insects, birds, country dogs barking and following along with us, gardens at the end of the season, corn ready to harvest, a breeze offering relief from the heat, the company of my sweet husband, I could go on and on.

Two and a half miles round trip and I felt ready to tackle the rest of the week. I'm looking forward to the upcoming three day weekend and the joy of spending it in the garden and catching up on some tasks around the house. I hope to spend some time figuring out the banner for the top of this blog...it is challenging my technological skills! I have several posts to work on and I really want to spend some time on the screen porch sipping some ice tea!

Have a great Weekend!

A Very Full Week

2011-08-21T14:16:00.000-04:00

This week was BUSY! Here are just a few pictures from my day on Thursday:

Shriner's Circus came to our school.

I love this event.

3200 children from all over our district watching!

Lions, and Tigers and Bears...oh my. ...

This year the tigers performed outside (much better than inside...that made me nervous)

Most of the children in our district would never get to attend a circus without the Shriners. They do a great job with the animals, the performance,and reaching out to our students.

Pure fun!

After school, John and I walked across the street to a block party at Union College.

The students are arriving back and our sleepy little town is hopping.

You can certainly tell that the students are back!

It was a great evening.

I thought that this was especially funny to have a "wanted" picture of the Judge!

I did mark a few big things off of my TO DO list this week even though the house hasn't been vacuumed or dusted, the garden hasn't been weeded, no fall plants were planted and the lawn still needs to be mowed......

It seems like when you work on the big tasks (or having fun), the maintenance falls by the wayside.

Essentials in My Kitchen

2011-08-17T19:05:00.000-04:00

Days seem to go better if I can be thankful for small things. Today I'd like to mention just a few items that have made my life in the kitchen so much better through the years.

My Bosch mixer....I use it for everything. I have never had any trouble with it and have owned it for maybe twelve years.....I bought it and a wheat grinder at the same time. It makes the best homemade bread!

During the holidays, nothing can mash potatoes faster and whip up sweet potatoes and the topping that goes with them. I love it because I don't have to hold it while it works. I just toss everything in and turn it on! It works great for cakes too. The bonus is that it's a blender also and makes very good smoothies.

The other kitchen tool that I absolutely adore is this one....

John calls it the instrument of death. And to be fair, it could cut off a finger in a split second. But since all cutting and chopping has some risk of dismemberment, I'll take the chance for the HUGE amount of time it saves me. Using proper precautions of course! It's a Swissmar Borner V-Slicer.

It can turn these potatoes

Into these hash browns in under three minutes.

And the best part is that it doesn't require electricity!

These things just make me happy!

Childhood Reading

2011-08-12T12:13:00.000-04:00

Each summer when school let out, we would load into the station wagon every two weeks to make a trip to the library. The book check out limit was six books for two weeks. During the summer, we always checked out the maximum! If we all finished them early, Mom would take us back to check out more.

One of my favorite books that I found one summer was "Strawberry Girl" by Lois Lenski.

I read every book our library had by Lois Lenski that summer. Her books took me to places all over the United States in her Round About America series long before Internet or cable tv. When my girls were old enough I wanted them to enjoy them too. The problem was...our library had only one.

I started looking on eBay and found quite a few. Now the collectors have stepped in and the prices have skyrocketed. You can still find some of them and a lot of library sales have these books. I'm so glad I was able to find these.....

( Sorry about the sideways picture....still learning how to blog!)

I don't collect much....but I know if I had to pack up and move someplace smaller, I'd find space for these wonderful books.

The books we read as youngsters have such a huge impact on us. If you like the Little House on the Prairie series....these are worth a look!

The Love of Gardening

2011-08-10T21:50:00.000-04:00

It started when I was just a child....Mom grew a little garden under the kitchen of our ranch style house. What did she plant that I remember? Carrots and snapdragons. I'm sure there was more, but that's what I remember. I can still see her fingers moving the dirt from around the carrot for us to see if it was big enough to harvest. And could there ever be more excitement when you squeeze the sides of the snapdragon blossoms and see them open up?

(My pitiful attempt at carrots this year)

Mom always liked to garden and to this day still has prettier flowers than I do.

In 1998 our children were getting older and we had no place to grow a garden. I wanted them to have the experience of planting something and harvesting the goodness of the earth. We had a very small yard with a tree right in the middle. We planted some border flowers, but I really wanted to grow vegetables...and a lot of them.

Ben's godparents, Bill and Dorothy own a farm.

A big farm with cattle, goats, corn fields, and big tractors...

They knew what they were doing and if willing to do it ,could teach us everything we needed to know. I asked them early in the spring if they would let us help them garden so we could learn how to do it.

They said "Sure."

We didn't really think about it again until one Sunday after church, Dorothy said, "The potato patch is getting pretty weedy if you still want to help."

(It would be better to have a picture of the potato patch, but I can't find one and will have to keep searching.

This is a grape vine that I was getting ready to cut early this summer when I saw this!)

"YES!" We were on it. I think John was away at drill that day. Dorothy had a great time entertaining the children and somehow I ended up all by myself in the potato field. It didn't take me long to figure out that it was more than "a little weedy"! That day I learned what a potato plant looked like and what a weed that looked almost exactly like it was.

Some potato plants didn't make it.

Later, Dorothy told me she knew I was serious about helping when I didn't give up. The reward in the fall was pure excitement! I love digging potatoes!

(This is my all time favorite picture of Ben. Dorothy was the photographer)

We spent hours planting and harvesting green beans, peppers, corn, tomatoes, and potatoes. It was hard work. For four years after everyone got home from school and work, we would drive fifteen minutes down a curvy road to the farm. We'd work until dark, load our dirty bodies and buckets of produce into the car and head home. The next day would be nonstop preserving.

We share-cropped (free labor for produce!) with Bill and Dorothy until we moved to our current house where the yard was big enough for me to plant on my own. They helped me learn so much. I am so thankful for their willingness to share their knowledge with us.

Gardening is something special that we did with our children. I am so glad that we did. A lot of nights it would have been so much easier to say, "Let's just stay home."

(Don't you love the ear muffs? Ben never liked loud noises when he was small. This was an experiment to see if we could plant the sweet potato field using the corn planter. It didn't really work very well, but it sure made a cute picture!)

I've planted a garden almost every year in this house. Some years the gardens were great and others...not so good. We've also shifted over to all organic and I'm still learning about how to do this on my own. But that's a whole different post....and will have to be part two.

Celebrating Twenty-Three Years

2011-08-07T20:55:00.000-04:00

In the past, I've never really been that sentimental about anniversaries. Well, maybe the first few, but after that, what seemed more important was that we should treat each other as if every day is our anniversary.

In small ways, we confirm throughout each and every day our commitment to each other and our lives together.

Here's an example...John knows I'm a morning person so he makes the coffee at night and sets the timer to go off and be ready for me first thing in the morning. I reciprocate by taking a cup to him in bed each morning when he has to get up.

(He's not a morning person)

He helps me around the house, I never have to ask. He always comes to me first and says, "What can I do to help you?" He even will ask when I'm in the middle of a hormone induced breakdown....brave man!

I'm sure that a big part of me not making a big deal about our anniversary is because so often it falls on difficult days.

Weekday celebrations are often difficult when the day you got married falls during the first week of school. Weekend celebrations usually fall on the weekend of the month that John has National Guard duty.

For this reason, we've just taken time somewhere around our special day to try to do something special.

John always sends flowers...

And we try to have some time alone whether it's for a walk or even a quick dinner out.

One of the best ways we celebrated one year was to take our family with us on a trip to this place......

It was one of our most memorable!

I loved sharing our special day with our children.

This weekend was, of course, National Guard. I was able to get away with John and since he finished early for the day, we decided we could make it to church in time for evening Mass.

We went to the old one first because Road Mate on my phone didn't have the location of the new one.

After a Google search we found it...

The difference in architecture was HUGE!

It just seemed so fitting to thank the Lord for the blessed life he has given us together. Mass was amazing. The priest gave a stirring sermon that challenged us to keep moving forward in our faith.

It was a good day.

I am very blessed to have such a husband.

Just a Late Summer Day.....Until

2011-08-02T19:20:00.000-04:00

I took these pictures of flowers in our back yard this morning and had planned to write about the waning days of summer.

The last full bloom on the butterfly bush....

A bee gathering pollen in a yellow squash bloom...

Fading flowers...

And then while I was making dinner....this happened to John's car.....

The car ended up being just slightly damaged.

Unfortunately, our tremendous oak tree at the back of our house is stressed.

We have been losing branches all summer after a rather severe storm with straight line winds hit us early in the spring. This tree shades us from the relentless afternnon sun. It's beautiful, and I fear it may be fatally damaged.

I'll be calling an arborist tomorrow.

Success!

2011-07-29T19:47:00.000-04:00

Dinner was a success tonight. I have a terrible habit of not writing down recipes I come up with and we miss out on repeat performances. The pictures aren't great and I didn't think about taking them until it was almost together. Definitely an area of blogging that I need to work on.

The Menu:

Spinach Quiche, Fresh cucumbers and banana peppers, and watermelon for dessert.

The Recipe:
              1 Pkg thawed, rinsed and drained box of frozen spinach.
              Around ten or so grape tomatoes sliced
              1/4 vidalia onion, chopped
              two cloves of garlic
              one cup of chopped ham (I used Kentucky Legend ham that you can get presliced and used about five slices diced up)

All of this went into the skillet with two tablespoons of butter. I cooked this until the tomatoes and onions were heated. (about ten minutes because I got distracted getting the rest of dinner together)

Once it was hot I put the mixture into a shallow baking dish and sprinkled just a little feta cheese and about 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese.

In a mixing bowl, I wisked together five eggs and one cup of milk and poured it over the baking dish.

45 minutes at 350 fahrenheit

Dinner is served.

The men added hot sauce to theirs...but I just used a dash of pepper.

FIfteen minutes or so later...this is what was left......SUCCESS!

This was a great way to use the little bits of things left in my refrigerator. I was late getting this started tonight so we didn't want a really heavy meal, but here are ways that could make it better next time.....

Serve it with a small loaf of french bread
Slice some tomato to go with it ( I didn't have any)
Maybe some ice tea instead of just water since that was all I had
Any other ideas? I'd love to hear them

And just for fun....this is me holding this baking dish twenty-three years ago this month at my wedding shower!

Love the big hair!!!

Happy New Year!

2011-07-29T15:21:00.000-04:00

New books, backpacks, paper, pencils, lunch boxes, clothes for some....the list is endless of things that help us start the new school year. It's an exciting time....

I'm never really ready for this time of year to come around....it's hard to give up the carefree days of summer. But once I resign myself to the idea, I get just a little bit giddy.

In January I pull out my calendar, set some diet and fitness goals, maybe new financial priorities, but it's just so easy to fall back into the same old habits...it's just so hard to make those changes in January..when all you really want to do is curl up in the warmth and read a good book.

Enter August.

It's a new school year...... anticipation of all things different Whether it's a new menu plan, a new grade in school, a new book, or just not the same old thing as before...routines really change and it is a new beginning.

(I bought this planner at the Dollar General store - $3.00 and it is working perfectly for me!)

As a seventh grade social studies teacher.....it's new students, new ideas, things I want to change that I didn't do well last year, better time management, more exciting lessons that really engage my students, all important goals and I get one shot at it. It's really hard to change those things in the middle of the year with 100 seventh graders. It can be done, but it's so much easier to get it right in August.

For all of the homeschooling moms out there...I don't know how you do it.
I'm a fan.

Oh and the biggest challenge of all for me......

How can I get all those papers graded on time and back to these students for meaningful feedback?

As a homemaker, I want to continue working on the three realms that have always challenged me...a new routine with laundry, dishes, and menus. I've tried really hard this summer to work on these areas and I hope I can keep it up.

Time marches on and I go back to work on Monday with students returning to class on Wednesday.

Today and tomorrow I'll be back to school shopping with Ben. He's grown so much this year that I'll have to send him in a potato sack if we don't get some new pants. 30 X 34 jeans are nearly impossible to find! We have all the papers to fill out to get him ready for his Junior year and he has to pick up his new schedule. I just can't believe my youngest child is so close to graduating from high school.

Lots to do...I won't get it all done...I never do, but that's okay.

I love new beginnings......

Happy New Year!

A Walk of Faith

2011-07-26T12:00:00.000-04:00

My neighbor is sick. Not just a little sick, she's terminally ill. I'm going to see her today. This is among the saddest things I've ever faced in my life.

Since I have known her, she's been my mentor, my friend, and my support. She was unlike anyone I had ever come in contact with when we first met. Her seventh child was the same age as my oldest. She home schooled....I had never even heard of homeschooling before. Was that even allowed? (It was 1990).

As we got to know each other through the years, she never ceased to amaze me and still does. She lives her faith....not just when you would see her out....but every moment of every day.

She taught me how to bake homemade bread, the joy of hanging my laundry out to dry, and most importantly the importance of faith in every little detail of life. I could not count the times she caused me to pause and reflect on my own journey of faith.

One of the most profound lessons she ever taught me was the day she came to my house to apologize and ask forgiveness. Apologize....I couldn't even imagine for what! The day before we had one of our front porch conversations while our children rode their bikes up and down the street. She had expressed frustration with someone close to her (whom I did not know personally) and I listened and I commiserated. That's what friends do. That's what she was apologizing for.....and asking my forgiveness..... she had said things about this person that she felt she should not have said. Unbelievable....I didn't think anything of it.

But that's not what was so amazing......

She told me she had called that person, admitted to gossip and speaking uncharitably about her and asked her forgiveness. She was coming to me to apologize and ask my forgiveness as well.

WOW!

Can you imagine? It still brings tears to my eyes.

2 Timothy 2:21-23

Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.

How many times was I guilty of the same thing? How many times had I said things about someone that I shouldn't have? What did it say about me that I didn't even question speaking about another person? Would I....Could I do what she was doing? Practicing her faith......Totally and Completely!

I made the decision that day that she was living exactly the way I wanted to live. I can't say that I'm as successful. I fall far short. I have been blessed beyond measure to be considered her friend.

Our community is grieving over her illness. I will miss her dearly. Her family will face a void that cannot be filled. I know how they will deal with it....with total and complete faith in the Lord. But it still hurts....

I take solace and rejoice in knowing that she will undoubtedly hear the Lord greet her with, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

When someone listens....

2011-07-25T16:50:00.000-04:00

This has been a hard year for me. I'm not old...forty-four. But this past year has hit me with the realization that I am no longer the young mother....but the middle aged one. I'm past the age of women I thought were really moving on when my children were babies. Things hurt that shouldn't be hurting. Was that my knee making that noise?

Sleep is something you don't expect when your children are little, but what is going on now? I think John is tired of me saying, " Is it hot in here?" It's just not what he expects from someone who has slept with socks on year round for as long as he can remember.

I can't see either...not that I ever had good vision, but now even contacts and reading glasses don't always do the job....so any typos you see...I'm chalking them up to age.

Even considering how I'm changing physically, the hardest thing for me this year has been redefining my role in life. Two of my children are in college. One moved into her own apartment this summer and will likely never live at home again. My youngest is driving. It's not that the things I always did aren't important like listening and nurturing, because I know they are. They are just taking different forms and they just simply don't take up as much time. That leaves me a lot of time on my hands.

I've filled my time with finally getting projects done that I've wanted to do for many years and there are still plenty waiting for me. So now the house isn't turned upside down as much and maybe the dishes are all done before we go to bed, but it has been a struggle to find meaningful ways to fill the time I have. I've made some mistakes this year, taken on things that really aren't important to me and I've regretted it. I have to stay focused on what has always been the priority list in my life no matter how much time there is to fill.

So many times, it is just lonely. I'm not as needed from moment to moment as I used to be. And I get frustrated when I can't physically do what I used to do. It was a day like this that I said to my husband, John, as he walked out the door for work..."I'm just so down lately." He had to leave...no time to talk. And I knew that. It was okay. I didn't really say it expecting a conversation, it was just a statement. It was me expressing what I felt and feeling that no one, including myself, really understood.

This is what he brought home,

He listened.

The flowers were beautiful, but the love was overwhelming. It was just what I needed. I knew he was with me no matter what....

It was the beginning of a summer of redefinition. As fall moves toward me with gathering speed, I'm cherishing every moment of this summer and the wonderful, most blessed life that I've been given. I'm working to find new meaningful ways to spend my time.

This blog has given me a voice and I am finding I have a lot to say. I've never been a journaling type person, but I am finding I really enjoy this medium. I really don't expect anyone to read, but if they do and they feel just one bit better or not so alone because they can relate to a shared experience, then the time is all worth it.

And maybe my children will figure out that their mom isn't really crazy after all!

Summertime

2011-07-24T19:08:00.000-04:00

The cicadas were going strong this morning. That's always a sign to me that leisurely days are soon to end. A change of travel plans left us at home today and I had nothing planned to do. Yard work called to the men and when Ben needed a new roll of string for the weed eater,I stumbled upon my project for the day...clean out the storage room behind the garage. Here's what it looked like..

This happens every year in late fall when we are rushing before a big storm to get everything under cover. I didn't get to clean it out last summer so a big clean out has been on my to do list for over a year.

We live in an old house and tasks like this really cause me to reflect. The shed didn't just need to be cleaned... it needed to be emptied. It contained years of parts and pieces from years gone by. After I pulled all of the stuff that we added, I started cleaning out from the previous owners. They built this house in 1938 and were the only owners until they passed away and we were lucky enough to be the next residents. It is so clear that they cherished everything they had. Everything is purposefully planned here. Nothing is wasted. So as I worked to clear the dozens of nails holding everything imaginable, I ran across this nail with wires of all sizes.

I could just see the former owner working on his projects, finding a solution to problems and having just the right piece of scrap wire, wood, or homemade device to fix it.

It seems to me that in our hectic, disposable world we don't really take time to fix things, we just replace them.

I love finding the old things around this house that remind me of another time. A ladder...made just the right size for a specific purpose...or a box re-purposed to hold the fabric awnings we put up every summer...

Almost empty...

Ninety-five degrees, what feels like one hundred percent humidity and here's what I have to go through before supper...ahhh!

A lot of things didn't make it back in...the water floaties and toys our children have outgrown, 10 basketballs that will find a new purpose in my classroom for recess time, many pieces of scrap wood that I'll never use, and lots of things I don't even know what they were....

but some things I kept just because they were interesting.

It was a long hot day but here's what the shed looks like now:

A place for almost everything. A big task accomplished......

A trip down memory lane of a slower time, of children's games outgrown, of hopes for nieces and nephews and someday grandchildren to share in these things.

It also renewed my specific intention to slow down and live life just a little more purposefully.

All Things Beautiful

2011-07-22T08:21:00.000-04:00

After sitting on the sidelines for three years, I've decided to take the plunge and start my own blog! I love looking through blogs, seeing lovely pictures, learning about all kinds of new things, and just being inspired by all the neat people and ideas that are out there. I have been moved by so many profound thoughts and conversations that take place on the blogs that I follow. I may not be able to move anyone in that way, but I'd like to share a little glimpse of my world. I thought one of the best ways to start would be with pictures of just a few things that are special to me. They may not be great photos and it has only taken me two days to figure out how to get them posted and they are still off center, but I'll just jump right in!

I'm so blessed.