Prayer needed

I am so wanting to get back to pondering and photographs and gardening and... well, you get it.

Instead physically I have been getting worse instead of better.  We now realize this cold I have is the same thing Christopher was suffering from during finals week.  He ended up having to go on antibiotics to get over it and that is the last thing I want to do, after being on them so often this winter.  (I keep telling him that I now know just what he meant when he kept saying he was miserable.)  :)

Since I'm still dealing with the congestion and being unable to breath through my nose, I'm also still having trouble sleeping at night... and I have tried EVERYTHING I know to take or do to get over this (knowing there are some things one cannot take if diabetic or taking medication for thyroid disease). 

ADDED:  Oh, did I mention I've started coughing so much I can't keep food down?  Since we are all friends here, I may as well include that bit of trivia which you probably could have done without.  But it may be helpful to be prayed over.

Now... to stop whining and send out a thank you to God (Who definitely ordained the events leading up to this).  Christopher was suppose to have a nonpaid research assistantship this summer but the professor he was to work with has been busy traveling and didn't have time to bring in new students right now.

At the end of a long e-mail from one of his professors last week, there was a mention of another professor needing a science student to help design an APP for the iPhone.  He just had the basic classes for this last semester.  He set up an interview and was immediately hired... and it pays!!!  He will be working full time this summer along with taking one summer school class and there is a chance he could continue working part-time during the school year.

There is more to the story as to how he has just the classes and background for this work (that God ordained stuff again) but it is for another story... or as Alton says on Good Eats, "that's another episode".

Thank you for your prayers that I will get over this and breath again (not to mention get a good night's sleep).

Memorial Day

The light at the end of the tunnel... acchhhooo!

Thank you for your congratulations and your good taste... agreeing that Anna is one little cutie pie. 

Time goes by so fast, there are days I find it alarming that I am old enough to have one grandchild, much less five now.  I say grandchildren are the reward of getting older (even if they are 1,000 miles away).

I continue to sleep on the sofa to make breathing easier but last night I slept longer between the times I would wake up feeling like I could not breath.  So far this has been just a really bad cold (I have mentioned before that there is nothing common about the common cold).   I had to teach my husband how to make coffee in our coffeepot and I didn't drink any of it.  I think he was ready to call 911.  :)

The weather has been delightful and I've pretty much missed it!  The garden may get watered today... or may not. 

Meet Anna

Well, first we get a look at Mommy and understand why she was looking forward to this day!

Stephanie said Anna had a lot of hair.

 

Grammie thinks she is stunning.  :)

She is here!

Anna Evangeline

Weighing 8 lbs. 12 oz and 22 inches

My son-in-law just called with the news.  I am sure pictures will follow soon.  :)

Update #1

Stephanie was at the hospital quite early this morning to be induced.  I will let you know as soon as this baby girl makes her way into the world.

Her mother-in-law has the other four children during this time.  While they are wonderful children, they are also quite... lively.  I'm sure she would appreciate prayer.  :)

As for me... ugh.  I'm still so congested that I wake up at least every half an hour each night.  Otherwise, I'm feeling strong enough to work in the garden today.  I figure the heat should kill any remaining germs.

No comments on this post as I hope to be back soon with an announcement. 

Can we have some cheese with this whine?

My throat hurts... my head hurts... my fingernails hurt.  Remind me to start taking that handcleaner germ killer stuff with me all the time and using it every five minutes.  I could pull a Howard Hughes and get germophobic after such a winter and spring.  I hear I am not alone and others who were sick this winter are once again miserable.  Oh, well...

I have my pillow all propped on the living room sofa and watching the PBS Create Channel all day.  I am fine until The Victory Garden reminds me my husband is building the last of the raised beds for this year... in the heat... bringing up soil from the dry creek bed... in the heat... and compost from the compost pile... in the heat.  Did I mention it is hot?

I did make it to the garden yesterday evening to hoe all the new weeds and to try to remove weeds from the front area of the fence.  My "little bit at a time" gardening.  The guys are encouraging "little bit at a time" laundry.  :)

As I walk from the sofa to the kitchen, the aroma of peonies in their vase is beautiful (even with my stuffy nose).  Peonies are one of my favorite flowers, they remind me of lilacs as one must embrace them while they bloom because they tend to be gone before we know it.

Victoria continues to heal nicely, she definitely has her appetite back.  As for the baby watch... inducement set for Thursday.  I keep telling Stephanie this waiting is just exhausting me.  She is too far away to throw anything (although she could pay her brother).

Back to my pillow...

The first harvest of the season

The promise of another day of record breaking heat lured me to the garden early this morning. 

I harvested lettuce and kale...

and peonies.  :)

I love this basket, an old Longaberger found at Goodwill for just a few dollars.  Since it had been well used and well loved, it was the same price as the regular baskets (but just perfect for gardening and mornings at the farmer's market)... very sturdy.

Updates

Yawn... I was awake half the night as this head congestion and swollen throat only became worse.  I would fall asleep only to wake up gasping, not able to breath very well.  I thought about moving to the living room sofa but didn't want to leave my comfy bed... a compromise was created.

I brought one of the large, paisley pillows from the sofa and placed it under my sleeping pillow to prop my head up.  It did work a little, enough to get some sleep before giving up and turning the coffee pot on.  This malady has been going around for awhile now and I expect being around lots of people in various places last week was all I needed to catch it.

The sore throat gave me an opportunity to try the new Celestial Seasonings' Sleepytime Throat Tamer tea.  I highly recommend it, it did help my throat and it has a pleasant taste.  However, check the medical warnings on the box as it is not for children and not recommended for people on certain medications.  (It does have medicinal herbs, which is why it works.) 

As I'm finished whining now (at least to you), I can update what is going on in the family.

No baby, yet... still waiting.  I've noticed a certain crankiness in the responses to my texts, which is usually just the word... baby?  :)

Miss Victoria was transferred from her sweet veterinarian's clinic to the emergency vet's clinic "in town" on Friday night.  She needed 24/7 monitoring and our vet is open only a few hours on Saturday.  In one of those "God things" we love, the veterinarian on call at the clinic Friday night was a cat specialist.

When we called Saturday morning, it was unclear if we could bring her home that evening.  However, by late afternoon she was much better and they let us bring her home where she had been missed.  Her illness was caused by a combination of fleas and and a chronic internal inflammation.  By the time we took her to the vet, she was already very dehydrated (our decision to take her was due to her not being able to keep food or water down).

We will give her two more flea treatments this summer and then start her on preventative treatments next spring.  We never had these challenges with our other kitties.  Sasha had long hair but nothing like a Maine Coon.  We now know any flea infestation will set off the chronic inflammation.  We assumed since she didn't go outside, she could not get fleas again.  However, her vet says they can come in on our shoes!

She has been receiving the royal treatment as she slowly returns to her spunky self.  I knew she was beginning to feel much better this morning when she jumped on the back of the living room sofa to her usual snooping position... paws stretched out, eyes narrowed, and nose up against the porch window. 

Now that she has had a taste of the outside world again (albeit in a kitty carrier), she thinks she should be allowed outside at will.  Ummm... not.  Another sign her spunkiness has returned.

Christopher had a lot of fun with his friend this weekend and was home in time for dinner Sunday Evening.  He was talking about the difference in atmosphere between a Christian college and a large university with 40,000+ students.  He enjoyed the fellowship and Bible study there (which was led by an older gentlemen who is the head of their Old Testament Dept.).

I think that is all there is that needs updating.  Like much of the eastern half of the country, we are having record breaking high temperatures.  Good for my garden, not so pleasant for the average human (at least one who does not live by a swimming pool).  :)

Sunday Afternoon Tea

Calm... after a week of pondering stress relief, I should be calm. 

I am a little, a lot considering this past week.  Give me just a moment, though... one tiny itty bitty opportunity to knock my forehead against the wall.  

Cough, cough... I have a sore throat and a fuzzy head because we have had so much soggy weather (which also is playing havoc with my container garden on the deck).   Knocking my head on the wall as I cough...  There, I feel better now.

So, what have I been pondering?  At the moment I am thinking of the word bliss (a favorite word of my favorite magazine, Victoria).   There are gorgeous deep red cardinals sitting on a small tree in my backyard, partially blocked by the deck but their red cardinal brilliance peeking through the equally red geraniums on the deck.  Such are the things of bliss...

I was reminded of a post begun long ago and left in draft form all these months.  I had begun a list of those things I love (my bliss) but never went back to finish it.  The birds and the flowers brought the list back to me so I thought I'd share it today... a good thing to think of what we love after such a week.

Below is only a partial list, one typed out months ago just off "the top of my head".   My bliss...

• My family
• My furry family... past and present
• Friends... so many who live far away
• The aroma of coffee first thing in the morning
• Tea steeping in the teapot with a tray all set for "taking tea"
• All kinds of tea...
• Especially decaf Candy Cane Lane tea in the evening, and
• Lipton Bedtime herbal tea before... umm... bedtime
• Cinnamon Rolls with coffee
• Starbucks Pumpkin Spice lattees
• Whole wheat pancakes and sausage for dinner on blustery days
• Cheeseburgers at Five Guys
• Lindt milk chocolate truffles, a small bite of Heaven
• Casablanca when watched on a rainy day with those I love
• Any British flick watched with my daughter
• Vintage Sci-fi TV with my son
• British comedies while taking tea
• British mysteries while taking tea
• Laughing at my husband laughing watching Cool Runnings or For Richer or Poorer
• John Denver music
• Rich Mullins lyrics
• Celtic Women (the Irish singers)
• Dulcimer music
• All Christmas music
• Farmer's market on an autumnal morning
• Making soup in the winter
• Great bread with equally great cheese
• Pizza... definitely pizza
• Breakfast at Cracker Barrel
• Sunday buffet at a fancy restaurant (long, long ago but the memory lingers)
• Quaint Michigan towns on Saturday mornings (equally long ago)
• Lancaster, Pennsylvania with the family
• A morning at the Brimfield flea market with Stephanie
• A Sunday evening drive with Sally, Stephanie, and Elisabeth on an autumn evening... a light snow falling on leaves of red, bronze, gold, and green
• Finding beautiful tea cups for very little money
• Finding English china for very little money
• Old books (need I say more)
• A new book anticipated by a favorite author
• The smell of a new leather Bible
• Re-reading favorite literature
• Reading on rainy days
• Aprons
• Amish children
• Vintage kitchens 
• A mist in the forest on a summer's morning
• Autumn leaves and pumpkins
• The first crocus and daffodils of spring
• Peonies blooming on country roads
• Cornfields on country roads
• Red barns
• Chickens and roosters and baby pigs
• Victoria's furry face looking out the window as I return home

Sigh... this is just the beginning of my list, I could add to it for years.  I would love to hear your favorite bliss.  :)

When life is pressing in... day four

 I have my cell phone immediately at my side today for two reasons... Christopher is traveling a couple of hours to visit a friend at the Christian college he attends... while huge storms cover the area (not so good stress).  A little girl is almost ready to make her way into the world as the entire family waits... and waits... including the said baby's mother who is ready to lighten the load (good stress). 

Isn't it interesting how... in a week I decide to answer questions about how I handle stress... I have had far more than usual?  As was said in one of the comments, it seems to work that way. 

In the same week I have had a son in the emergency room, attended a funeral, spent hours with out-of-town family members (good but fatiguing), tried to re-do a budget hurt from the overdrafts, and taken care of a cat who is throwing up and having other "accidents" (twice on our bed).  This morning we had to take her to the kitty hospital and have her admitted (no prognosis, yet).

I feel the familiar tension in my chest and the back of my neck.  If the stress maker is sudden and particularly frightening, nausea can be a reaction and even a sense of feeling faint.  I'm certain there is a medical reason behind all of this...

Some events of the week were wonderful, like spending time with my two nieces from Texas whom I haven't seen in years and Christopher meeting (for the first time) his oldest cousin who was at the memorial.  A picture was taken of the youngest grandchild standing by the oldest grandchild (my oldest brother's daughter, about six years older than me) and the remarks about how you can tell they are family... as a multitude of point and shoot cameras were clicking away.  Stories told to him about her days singing with Ricky Nelson and other former stars.

Many pictures for the nieces to take back home to Texas for the two siblings who could not make the trip, e-mail addresses exchanged, and the promise to send out "Friend Requests" among the younger cousins.  Renewed relationships brought about by the death of another loved one.

The good with the not-so-good memories of family life long past and the tragedies and traumas which came with it.  Fatigue became overwhelming as time away from home meant the inability to take care of everything at home "a little bit at a time".  My laundry once again reproduced on its' own in the garage... as did the dishes in the sink.

How timely that I was going to share more today about the most important lessons learned to keep stress from finding a home in my heart...

The first... learn to forgive.  One rarely is able to forget but one can make a decision to forgive.  I most often do this by praying for the one who has hurt me with words or actions.  If I find myself speaking of them in a not so kind way, I know I need to pray for them again.  Some people (like my husband's sister) are very well prayed for.  Forgiving does not mean what a person did was right... it sets you free.

The second... let it go.   I know this can't ever happen in your home but in mine two people will disagree from time to time.  When it is the two guys, I often tell them to "let it go"... most often what they are having conflict over is not important and even silly.  Although I never argue about anything unimportant and silly (smile), I tell myself the same thing... take a breath and let it go.

I also find myself reliving past conversations or events, some happening a decade or more ago.  Once again, I remind myself to let it go... forget it... release it from my mind... not to ponder it at all.  What is past cannot be changed and reliving it only causes unnecessary stress.

The third... lasso in your thoughts as if you were in a rodeo.  Imagine the rope pulling in all those wild thoughts and bring them back under control.  The battle against stressful fear is in your mind and if you are like me... your imagination can run wild during times of stress.

I remember when we lived in Iowa (before the days of cell phones), my husband did not arrive home from a business trip when he should have.  I later told him I had him dead, buried, and his insurance money spent by the time he walked in the door.  :)  Thoughts running wild can never result in faith and peace and we are only given grace for the day... on that day.

The fourth... do the opposite of what the enemy of our souls want us to do.  For instance, if my husband is having a very bad day and harsh words are spoken... I take him a cup of coffee or tea.  Of course, there is that brief moment I imagine pouring it on his head but I choose life and peace... and place it carefully on his desk. :)

This week, as finances are a burden, I shared extra food (which had been given to me) with my sister and took her the gorgeous English china plates I had purchased for her a couple of months ago at Goodwill for 99 cents each (and forgot all about them until I found them put back this week!).

It would be easy to hoard when in want, that is what the enemy of our souls wants us to do.  No... that is just the time we must be sharing with others.  It is remarkable what happens when we choose not to walk in fear but in faith... and give.  It was so nice yesterday to see Bonnie serve the ham I had brought her, salads her daughter had made, and all on those pretty dishes.

We must remember when stressful days come that feeling tension and exhaustion does not indicate a lack of faith.  No, feelings of faith returns as we spend time reading God's Word and talking to Him and listening to good music and perhaps talking to a friend.  We lack faith when we let the feelings remain and turn into bitterness and fear.  Faith and fear cannot live in the same room.

So, what am I doing this evening?  I have dinner in the Crock Pot and while my husband drives to the veterinarian's office to see if we can bring our girl home, I am making a cake.  A load of laundry is in the wash, to be dried in the morning.  A pillow will be brought to the sofa and a biography finished.  Christopher has called and arrived at his destination safely.  My first evening in awhile to stay inside and rest and follow my own advice.

Picture:  Sent by e-mail years ago from a 
dear friend who knew it would make me smile

When life is pressing in... day three

I was skimming through one of my scrapbook journals last night, finding joy and peace just looking at the pictures and reading prose.  Taped in the inside of the front cover is an article which touched me long ago, one that got to me where I live... about where I live.  The title is, "My Mother Knew the Secret of..." and the article was about the beauty and peace the author felt in her late mother's home and how she made the decision to make her home a place of peace.

She started thinking of her mother's home and writing down what she found peaceful about it and then incorporated many of these ideas into her own environment (in her own style, of course).  In some ways, that is what is shown in my scrapbook journal as I have dozens and dozens of pictures of homes and gardens which make my heart sing.  I draw on their inspiration for ideas quite often.

Because I had a challenging home life in my late childhood and adolescent years, it has been very important for me to make a cozy nest.  It has always been a joy for me to make a home pretty and peaceful... even when peace was hard to come by. I won't pretend that creating a pretty and peaceful place will take away all the stress that comes when we travel down the hard roads of life.... but it helps a great deal.

We all need a sense of Place, a sanctuary where we can be ourselves and find comfort from the outside world.  Whether a house or one half of a dorm room, a garden or a friendly kitchen... there has to be somewhere in our existence with familiar "stuff"... items which make us smile or remember fondly or cause us to sing for joy just by their beauty.  We were born for Eden and whether we realize it or not, our surroundings affect us deeply.

The first action this author took was to get rid of all clutter by finding ways to organize her papers, magazines, etc.  This was easy when I had a large house with lots of room but much more challenging in a small place.  I can only do this "a little at a time", by being careful what I bring into the house, and scanning the rooms once in awhile to see what can be given away for someone else to love. 

Some "clutter" is pretty much always there but is friendly clutter... like the stack of books on the floor between the bookcase and wing back chair.

The author of the article realized one part of her mother's home which she loved was an abundance of houseplants and flowers.  There is something in certain shades of color which causes the human body to immediately relax, like the greens and blues we find outside in summer.  Just the sight of greenery can have a relaxing affect but live plants are actually good for us by cleaning the air (although I combine them with a spicy vanilla candle).  :)

As I looked through file after file of magazine cutouts, I came to see a pattern of those things which bring me peace and joy... lots of plants, all flowers but especially red geraniums and daisies and sunflowers and roses and violets and Lily of the Valley, beautiful china of all kinds... teacups and teapots and plates and serving pieces, walls lined with books, and artwork.  Not to mention a cat or two here and there.

I love primitive American and English Country... which actually work out quite well together.  Bonnie shares my passion for primitive American furniture and decorating but she mixes them with Victorian items.  A rather unusual marriage of styles but one walks into her small apartment and instantly feels at peace. Her tiny home is proof one must not have a lot of money or space to create a sanctuary.

This past winter when I was sick a lot, my favorite place was the living room sofa for it is truly that room where English Country library meets Americana and their union provides an environment of peace and quiet.  It was a good place for propping pillows behind my head, getting all warm and cozy with a soft throw pulled up to my chin, and keeping my books and a cup of tea on the coffee table.  A place of comfort and healing.

If I am sad but not too fatigued, my small kitchen in all of its' butter yellow glory (with red accessories) can transform a mood to joy in no time. Generations of mothers and grandmothers have found a retreat in their kitchen... and not just women.  I have a nephew who has a busy career but comes home each evening to do most of the family's cooking, he finds getting in the kitchen a way to relax after a stressful day.

As I said before, our surroundings cannot change our circumstances.  They cannot cure cancer, pay the bills that are late, restore a relationship, or bring a loved one back.  However, if we have created a place in which we can walk through the door and immediately feel the sense of Home and Comfort... such a place can restore us.

Should home be a source of conflict and a place we need to escape at times, then we need to find our outside Edens where we can run to for a short time of relief... the quaint coffee shop, the public gardens, an art museum, an hour at a bookstore or thrift shop, hiking the trails or skiing the mountain in winter or fishing the river which runs through town, a flower filled neighborhood in which to walk... somewhere we can talk to The One Who Made Us and absorb that peace that passes understanding.

I truly believe there will come in another Time and in another Place, a home created just for us which will reflect our greatest joys and godly desires.  In the meantime, we can all do something to make our own small sanctuary on this fallen planet.

Picture: Shady Patio; allposters.com

When life is pressing in... day two

It is somewhat on the order of Bleak House here at the edge of the forest... cool, dark, rainy, and gloomy.  Not really a bad thing after Monday's excitement.  It is what Stephanie and I used to call "a Casablanca kind of day", as we watched my favorite movie only when there was a steady rain (or perhaps a blowing snow) outside.  Bogart must be enjoyed in black and white film and in a gloomy environment.  :)

Such days remind me of home and family and another way I overcome stress.  It took just a little creativity to come up with Casablanca days when Stephanie was growing up.  One could either complain about the gloomy or snowy weather or learn to make it work for you.  As an adult, I think Stephanie would call them Jane Austen days.  I know when she is having a bad day, the new Emma DVD will be brought out... or one of the other British flicks.

My son has his own ways of getting away from it all through media, which usually has something to do with watching movies where lots of things get blown up or tuning in to a Law and Order marathon... or one of their multiple spin offs.  As a college student, he no longer sees reading as a stress reliever.  :)

It helps to have an understanding that challenging days are part of life and to have in place ways to overcome them.  In our home that would be stacks of books waiting to be read, cookbooks with pictures to peruse, ingredients in the pantry for spending time in the kitchen, music on the itty bitty iPod, or reading decorating and garden blogs.

Because I live with stressful situations, I have learned to always keep stress relievers in the back of my mind.  They become a budget priority, as with DVDs of good movies (or old TV shows), certain authors at library sales, or even a scented candle to light in the evening when I'm reading.

In the past (when I did more sewing), I have lost myself in an embroidery project, or a quilt, or cutting out and assembling teddy bears.  I would put together ahead of time all I needed to work on a project so when the time came I had time to work on it, everything was available.  There is nothing like a good project to forget what is causing stress (as long as the project, itself, does not add to the stress).

In much the same way, I kept projects or books or puzzles or Lego kits or some other item put back for kids... when I had little ones at home that needed something to do so I could take a mental vacation.  Sometimes it is not Mom who needs the project for stress relief... when kids are at home it is their getting carried away with a creative endeavor that gives a chance for Mom to sit and think.  :)

Recently I moved items on the deck around so I can see pretty flowers out the French doors from the inside.  Buying flowers for the deck meant not spending money on something else but they are worth the small amount of money spent.  For three seasons, I can not only enjoy the natural green of the tall trees and bushes but the colorful flowers and whimsical design.  Just a little money and a lot of creativity paying off in huge rewards.

Seasons of life can change what we find stress relieving... for instance, I have to go through family pictures to locate a few for those family members here for the memorial.  There have been seasons of life when looking through pictures brought great peace and I have enjoyed scrapbooking.  However, having lost many loved ones in the not too distant past... now it can make me sad.  Same process... different outcome.

I guess that is what I'm trying to say here (I think I need another cup of coffee to break through fuzzy thinking).  Having stress relievers in place, making them an everyday part of life, it takes thinking ahead of time and being prepared.  What works for me may not be what will de-stress you. 

Knowing that there are ways to relieve stress and find peace and making it a priority of time and budgeting is essential to my life.  Which is why I have taken my last $5.00 to choose one special stress reliever... planting an herb and flower, having coffee with my husband or meeting Christopher on campus at McDonald's, buying chocolate chips and butter for special cookies, perusing the thrift shop or the used book room at the library, or even choosing an inexpensive but pretty floral pair of garden gloves which will make me smile all summer... little things with big rewards of joy and peace and giving one the ability to forget for awhile that which burdens them.

Some things cost me nothing... like chatting with Stephanie on the phone.  Some stress relievers have excellent rewards... as in weeding the garden.  But always know (and it took me years to figure this out) that one needs to have ways in place to keep the pressure cooker of life from exploding.  :)

Picture: Water Baby and Moon Print; allposters.com

A short delay in stress ponderings due to stress

It is ironic that in the midst of talking about stress, I had... more stress.

Christopher was working out at the gym yesterday when he had chess pains and couldn't breath.  He was taken by ambulance to the hospital.  Since he called us when the EMTs were working on him, we were not too concerned but still rushed to to the emergency room.  It was not where I planned to spend my evening.  :)

Some may remember he had to see a heart specialist a couple of years ago in the "City" to make certain a slight heart murmer was nothing to be concerned about (it wasn't).  That came to mind on the way to the hospital.  Thankfully, his heart and lungs were fine and all tests were normal except some kind of liver numbers.  It could be his gall bladder, of all things.  I had to have my gall bladder removed in my 20s.  He will follow up with our family doctor.  He is to stay away from grease, which is one of the four food groups for twenty year old guys.

Then when checking e-mails last night, a sweet blog friend let me know there was p*o*rn comments on the recipe site.  When I checked, there were not just a few but dozens and dozens.  It took me over an hour to remove all of them.  Normal comments on that blog are sent to me by e-mail but apparently, these do not.  I now have comment moderation and word verification set up on it.

I get a lot of that stuff on this blog but it is caught by comment moderation.  These people are sneaky and I've learned some comments that appear legit at first are not.  I may delete a real comment once in awhile but it is necessary to keep you all from clicking on someplace you would rather not go.

Thankfully, I had vegged out with my friend, Lynda, at Chick-fil-A for a couple of hours yesterday morning just chatting.  She made me an offer I could not refuse... coffee, a chicken biscuit, and conversation.  Then I spent a couple hours with Bonnie, who also makes me laugh.  While there, she had to call our sister Jean in Florida and tell her about the dream I had of the three of us the night before... more laughter.  So, I guess if one is ever prepared for an evening in the emergency room, it was yesterday. 

You have never seen two sisters more different than those two.  Jean is the oldest and quite serious most of the time.  Bonnie is (God love her) on the loopy side.  Both are good for me.  Neither know how to use a computer so I can talk about them.  :)

On a more pleasant note, a simple obituary was put in the paper for my family member.  I don't know if it was his siblings or his wife (married a few years ago) that finally filled out the information and found an old military picture but I am glad something was in the paper.  Should any childhood friends see it, they know where his memorial service will be held.

We always thought it so funny that Mom read the obituaries every day.  We would ask her if she was checking to see if she was alive each morning.  I must admit, it is not the obituaries that take up half a page that I admire but I also love those which you can tell were given with love (like those who say she made the best pies or he loved fishing).

I have no comments on this post because I know you all.  You will be sending well wishes to Christopher and I will spend the morning with comment moderation instead of writing.  :)

ADDED NOTE:  Of course, I still love comments on all other posts.

When life is pressing in... day one

I had a number of comments and e-mails asking how I've learned to deal with stress.  Other than eating chocolate?  I know I must find ways to relieve stress, especially during times the sources of stress are always present.  Well... that got me to thinking and here is a little of what I pondered... I'll share over the next two or three days.

The source of stress never leaves but my days go from hardly noticing anything to really, really bad.  Thankfully the bad days are rare.  Most of life is lived in between.  God gives the grace but on those days when there is a perfect storm of circumstances... perhaps my husband is having a very bad day at the same time the income is not stretching at the same time the fatigue is overwhelming... those days need extra grace.

Before I share what I do, I must tell you the real secret is to rope in the wild herd of my thoughts.  The battle can truly be in the mind.  It has taken me a long time to realize my life can be good even if circumstances are less than perfect and my prayers seem not to be answered (at least in the way I desired).

I guess I am a slow learner for it took quite awhile (years and years) to realize life does not begin when the less than perfect circumstances all leave... real life is walking in the circumstances in a way God can use me and knowing His purpose is being fulfilled in His way.  I do not have to understand to enjoy the journey.

Part of stress relief lately has been to get away from that which brings stress and is not essential to my life.  I used to be a 24/7 news channel fan but these days I choose carefully what I watch.  I have learned if there is anything I need to know, it will come through my Inbox as a Fox News Alert or will be the headlines on my local news in the evening.  If the national and international news is important or very interesting, then I'll tune in to learn more about it.

For years and years I have removed myself from home and driven to a favorite coffee shop when possible.  Just "getting out" for awhile always helps to calm down and clear my head.  If the weather is bad or my billfold empty, I may have to just close the door to my bedroom and prop up pillows behind my neck and "get away" with beautiful magazines or favorite decorating books.

Some of my stress relievers have changed through the years.  For instance, when we were a young two-career couple with one child (living in Michigan), our favorite stress reliever was driving to the quaint lake town near us on our days off of work.  Some of my fondest memories are sunny Saturdays spent walking the dock with my husband and young daughter... and the people watching one does in such a place, lunch at a favorite restaurant, and perusing the charming shops (especially my favorite gourmet cooking store).

Many years later, when we lived a little farther north in West Michigan, circumstances were very different... we were homeschooling and my husband was out of work for over a year (Stephanie was already married).  Yet... when the weather was warm, Christopher and I spent many days taking a small picnic to the shores of Lake Michigan and getting in lots of "Science" as we walked trails and visited the Nature Center at the state park... not to mention hours spent sitting on an old quilt with toes in the sand and watching large cargo ships out in the distance making their way to ports in Northern Indiana and Chicago... bliss.  We would return home refreshed.

I've written before about that same year when I would take my Bible to the pond in front of the house where we were living.  I spent hours each week reading and thinking and praying and remembering to breath in and breath out.  It was the season my life changed for good but it was also the year I learned to live in peace.

Just as I often told my kids... for every natural and spiritual gift we have, there is a corresponding weakness... I'd have to say for every stress reliever there is also a side we have to be careful not to cross over.  Lessons learned from my own experiences and shared with whomever cares enough to read.

For instance, I can "get away from it all" watching "home and garden" shows.  Such behavior is actually quite positive as I almost always come away with good home, garden, and cooking ideas.  When I go to the dark side (Luke... I am your mother... but I digress), the TV comes on and I plop on the sofa and watch mindless shows one after another.  There is nothing positive about that.

These days, when I receive a financial gift, it is very relaxing to go out "thrifting" or perusing the garden aisles at my favorite nursery with just a little cash in my pocket, searching for treasure. However, we all know shopping in itself can be a devastating bad habit to develop (especially at the mall and using credit).  Much like an immoral relationship, there is seldom a happy ending to developing a shopping addiction.

Similarly, when I tie an apron around my waist and lose myself in a recipe... I often forget my troubles. If I find myself standing in front of the refrigerator late at night eating leftovers and junk food, that is not so positive.  (Heather's comment last week reminds me that stress relief can be vanilla scented.)  :)

Of course, there have long been books.  I did not come from a bookish family but almost as soon as I learned to read, I found a retreat in good books... whether my favorite Nancy Drew mysteries, or vintage children's literature (actually discovered after having children of my own), or coming to understand why a book has been a classic for hundreds of years.

Both excellent fiction and nonfiction books can be just what I need during a difficult day.  I often find it amazing how I can peruse my bookshelves and find a book I either purchased or had been given years earlier which is just what I need to read on that particular day.

There is always music and art and bubble baths and long walks and furry animals and chubby babies and duck filled ponds and watching clouds and working in the garden and listening to the radio with the windows down on country roads.

There is the enjoyment of watching farmers at work as I drive into town and Saturday mornings at the farmer's market, standing in awe of God's provision of color and texture in the food which has been grown and how a tiny seed can produce something so wonderful. 

While I enjoy the farmer's market during any season, there is a special relaxing magic (Narnia magic) on a crisp, autumn morning when the autumnal veggies are on display, the aroma of fresh apple bread is drawing one to the baker's tables, and dulcimer music is playing in the background... sigh.  How can troubles make a nest in my thinking in such surroundings?

I have friends who lose themselves in sewing and quilting and knitting and crocheting and beautiful cross stitch and embroidery and all forms of creating... much in the same way I find time has passed when baking bread or making a stew.

For those days when the stress level has gone beyond the danger limit, I plunge into the Psalms and quite often find a retreat only in following this with a nap.  The Word and sleep... a healing combination.

More to follow...

Sunday Afternoon Tea

My sister, Bonnie, called me this past week to let me know a family member had passed away.  He was a man who had a lot of trauma in his childhood.  My mother used to be concerned about him and... as it turned out... for good reason.  He entered the world of substance abuse very early and never really left it.  He died in the hospital in his late 40s, not a direct result of drugs but a life of abusing his body made it impossible to fight a serious infection.

I was in front of the computer when Bonnie called.  I looked up his obituary in our local newspaper.  There was nothing there so I did a quick search and found his name and one sentence "services pending".  Bonnie said that was all there was so far, even though he had passed last week.

She wanted me to know a few of his siblings were flying in from Texas, where the family had moved when I was just out of childhood.  At some time he had found his way back to our hometown while we lived in another state.  I was told various family members tried to help him but his decisions always took him back to the dark side of life.   There will be a short memorial service for him next week. 

I thought about that obituary the remainder of the day.  I couldn't get it out of my mind as I drifted off to sleep that night.  What kind of life leaves nothing for the obituary?  As it is, our entire life is condensed to just a few paragraphs of black and white letters... but nothing?

What constitutes a wasted life?  One does not have to conquer worlds, obtain great career status, accumulate millions, write best selling books, make world changing advances in science and medicine, or preach to millions of people in large stadiums. 

My sister was eulogized for being a loving mother, as was my mom.  Even those who had made many mistakes in their life, as did my brother-in-law who passed on recently, even these people left a life to write about... but nothing?

How can one leave only a couple of words... "services pending"... never to be filled in with names of those loved and places lived, a list of interests and hobbies, perhaps one or two special accomplishments... a job, serving in a war, volunteer work, a church or social group, the way one made people smile or always reached out to help the poor.  A man who lived almost five decades... and nothing?  What a tragedy.

I once again reaffirmed the decision to live life on purpose, to think about what my journey will show when I look back at it all.  I do hope they do not tell everything, as.... "she left large stacks of books unread". 

Happy Birthday David!

 David, Mommy, and Faith

It is quite incredible that David is turning seven years old today.

I started calling David my Hobbit when he was a little guy... short, big feet, and curly hair.  He has grown now but he still has that dark, curly hair.

 Elisabeth, Faith, and David

I believe the picture above was taken on Faith's birthday... very early... before the children had a chance to do their morning boudoir.

We love David very, very much.  I was just telling his mommy that David is going to grow up the be a remarkable young man.

The sun is shining!

Perhaps that is why I am feeling better today?  Although I went out to the garden this morning to see if there was any wind damage from storms and found... not wind damage but... weeds.  Something like a gajillion tiny weeds. I know what garden chore will be accomplished today.  Must find my favorite hoe!

The above picture is one of my "reuse" projects.  The basket perfectly fit the space on my porch shelving unit but after three summers, the silk geraniums it contained were not in good shape.  I've been on the lookout for cheap (but good looking) silk geraniums with no success.  One day I was looking at the silk flowers in one of my teapots and realized... EUREKA!  They would be perfect for that basket.  I love the way they turned out and the porch has a lovely "new" flower for no cost.

I'm less stressed even though the circumstances have not dramatically changed.  The bank has agreed to get rid of half the overdraft charges.  We thought that was fair.  We had enough money left to put our car in the shop to get the brakes fixed... a good thing.  It is rather disconcerting to know you are driving a car whose brakes need fixed eventually.  When does eventually kick in?

On the way home from dropping it off with our mechanic, we stopped by the library for my husband to find a new book to read.  On the New Fiction shelf was one of those apocalyptic Christian novels I enjoy reading (hmmm... is that a sign of any character or personality defect?).  Although I am thoroughly enjoying the Ravi Zacharias autobiography, I'll add the library fiction book for some needed mindless reading.

I do need to get outside soon but I must share something that happened yesterday.  The winds had blown the cover off of our grill.  I had noticed it that night on the deck but figured it would be fine where it is.  In the morning, I saw it had been blown out to the lawn so I rescued it and went to put it on the grill when I realized (gulp) it was covered with big spiders.  AAACK!

Now, I do not have arachnophobia like my son, but a multitude of large, creepy spiders is not what I want to see as I'm stretching out all that vinyl to put over the grill.  I immediately thought of Stargate-SG1 and the replicators which destroyed everything in their path (metallic spider like creatures).  Shiver... next time I will go out in the dark and rescue the cover... or maybe not.

More ponderings on the little foxes

Recently I recognized old symptoms of stress, those which I have known for as long as I cam remember... the tightness in my chest, feeling as the weight of the world is on my shoulders (literally), reminding myself to breath deeper.

This time it is not really the "big stuff" as those experiencing floods in Nashville, the Gulf oil spill, or the tornadoes "out west" (although that weather system is heading directly for us).  Instead it was a burden brought about by health of family members, finances, and even small events like seeing three e-mails from my husband's sister in the Inbox in one day.

There are parts of my life for which I have some control.  The aforementioned sister-in-law is only a blip on my radar, someone I can keep at arm's length.  She has always been one of those difficult people every family has but in the past couple of years, her Asperger symptoms have gone from irritation to violent outbursts.  Her brothers are dealing with her but the rest of us are keeping a distance (for our own safety).

Sometimes we can't put our finger on what is bothering us... just an unsettled spirit which causes even the smallest of trials to seem huge.   There have been days my unsettled spirit was just a call to pray for someone else.  Other seasons of unsettling are those I never realize the reason... I just pray.   These past few days have been a combination of "lots of little things".

It was late in the day when we realized my husband had made an error which brought about numerous overdraft charges in our bank account.  The financial setback was bad enough but the realization that this was caused by his mental confusion was quite frightening.  This has been an area of strength for him and it is the second instance of such confusion in the past couple of months.

It was this increase in confusion that brought about his being accepted for Disability.  A lifetime of severe environmental allergies brought about the bipolar symptoms... at first apparent only when the allergens would attack... as he grew older the symptoms stayed longer until they were permanent.  Bipolar Disorder is a huge umbrella whose symptoms are caused by many different physical and mental illnesses.

Not all stress is caused by that which is not welcome.  We are switching from school year mode to "that time between regular classes and summer school" which has a lot of unknowns as to scheduling.  Christopher has not started his summer class or heard from the professor for whom he is to do research (unpaid but necessary for future internships).  Most likely she is at a conference.

None of the above is life threatening or life changing.  However, I have found in the past it is at times easier to handle the big stuff rather than the little foxes.  I believe there is not only adrenaline kicking in but often a gift of faith and grace which helps us to transcend the great trials.  (I kept telling Stephanie during their housing sale and move that she will look back when it is all over and everything unpacked and wonder how they did it.  :)

Perhaps it is also our expectations... we know when going through the "big stuff" that we will feel times of stress and tension.  Such emotions can confuse us and perhaps even embarrass us when the little foxes are nipping away at our ankles.  I mean, really... there are people in the world who are experiencing great suffering and I let something small bring me down?  Yes... and it's okay.

So why share the bad times as well as the good?  I get e-mails all the time from people who are surprised that I share the hard times.  However, I believe my own trials have a use when I can help others get through their trials.  It is natural to FEEL that sudden surge of panic.  It is quite human to FEEL the burden on one's shoulders and the shortness of breath, even when life's challenges are on the small side of the scale.

The difference for people of faith is this... that peace which passes all understanding.   I have learned to... as these symptoms settle on me... run to the Rock.  Sometimes I find relief by reading through Psalms and pouring out my trials and fears.  Quite often I'll find just the right book to pull off my shelf... either to read for the first time or a welcome re-read.

There are days I need to separate myself from my usual surroundings and take Bible, book, pen, and notebook to a favorite coffee shop... one which has unlimited refills for a small cup (switching to decaf quickly). 

In warm weather, I may head for the park near the neighborhood my mother and brother lived.  Neither are with us, anymore... but watching the ducks and swans softly swim in the pond and walking the path where beautiful flowers have been planted... God's World of Nature... brings peace.

"Peace that passes understanding... not as the world gives peace"... that peace which is a Gift and has nothing to do with our circumstances but everything to do with His Presence... the Prince of Peace.  That is why the world does not understand as we breath deeply and smile and realize the burden is lifted... even though the circumstances remain.

Quite often I can't understand it, either... but I'm thankful for it.  And... there is always the live-in source of humor and fun...

Pantry Hints & Pic(k)s

Okay... here is the first of probably multitude-ness posts.  I hope this works out well for you all who enjoy the pantry posts.

Always remember, a little stocking up is better than nothing.  That is where my family is right now.

A few Hints

As I've said so many times before, never purchase a lot of any item for stock up before trying it first.  Individual brands can bring about completely different tastes and quality in the same food.  I've had to get creative using food we didn't like because I had stocked up without trying it first.

Do know that there will be times you have grown or purchased food stuff that doesn't work for the family.  Some failures for me in the past were:  bulk buys of dried beans, various canned and processed foods that we don't normally eat, cheap pasta, and too much zucchini in the freezer (as I write). 

We did end up eating the canned foods and we will make our way through the zucchini but the dried beans went to families who enjoyed getting them.  I learned that with our family, beans in small packages worked much better.

Give yourself permission to make mistakes for it is only in attempting a new thing, or product, or food... that we also find skills and foods that work great for the family.

Pantry Pic(k)s

Food

When there were four of us in the house, I made my own pancake mixes.  Now since it is usually just my husband and I, I use my two favorite pre-made pancake mixes.  They become much more economical for a smaller family.

Hubby really likes buckwheat pancakes so I purchase either the above brand or Arrowhead Mills.   I keep a container of real maple syrup for his pancakes (I have long preferred Grade B since I heard Martha Stewart say she liked it best, I can usually find it at health food stores and it tends to be cheaper than Grade A).

I love the Krusteaz brand of pancake mix... you just add water.  Great for the pantry and it tastes very good.  I can find the Wheat & Honey Krusteaz at Meijers here in the Midwest.  Otherwise, the original blend is found at Wal Mart (the Wal Mart here sells the original in a large bag in the section where they have larger containers of items).  I keep a bottle of sugar free syrup in the frig for me.

I also keep a bottle of maple extract in the spice shelves to make homemade syrup if needed.  There are great recipes online and in cookbooks for fruit and brown sugar syrup, too.

Non-food

Rarely does a product change the way I keep house but the introduction of Charlie's Soap into my life did just that.  I mentioned it in an e-mail to Stephanie a few years ago and found out it was what she was using.  It is safe enough for sensitive baby items and strong enough to clean diapers and men's workout clothes. 

Charlie's Soap is also so pure, it does not require the use of fabric softener!  I do keep fabric softener on the shelf to use when washing sweaters, jeans, etc... those items where I want to have additional softness and an anti-static boost.

I heart Charlie's Soap... either liquid or dry (I'm using the dry right now).  I use one little scoop (which comes with the dry soap) for a full load of laundry and about a half scoop for less.  I like both the dry and liquid, the dry is lighter for me to handle in the garage but the liquid is nice to be able to pour on a stain.

The additional Charlie's Soap bag shown is in a plastic bag since I keep it under a sink and want to offer extra protection from getting wet. Otherwise, the soap I'm using at the moment is stored in that cute container shown on the shelf in my garage.  You can get more information about Charlie's Soap... here.  It can be ordered through Amazon... here. 

Should you decide to try it and order through Amazon, don't forget to either click the above "here" or enter through my widget!  However... full disclosure... I've always ordered through the company's website and found them to be very reliable.  This stuff lasts a long time and will lessen your need for fabric softener. 

It is one of the few items I use where I will highly encourage you to at least try.

Two other items I make a priority to keep one or two extra on the shelves... hand washing liquid and dish washing liquid.  (We wash our hands a lot during cold and flu season.)  I've mentioned before that I use 7th Generation since I do all my dishes by hand (not owning an automatic dishwasher). 

I just feel more comfortable with it and it does a great job washing dishes.  I try to purchase a couple extra when I go to Target (where I find it half the price of the health food store).  However, I have also reverted back to Dawn when I needed to cut my costs even further.

I would have had this posted sooner but I had.... umm... help... from Miss Victoria.

Just a quick brag

Christopher called close to midnight last night.  He was watching a movie with close friends before one of them leaves (today) for a summer internship.  I was quite surprised when the phone rang as I'd told him I would be going to bed when a favorite British comedy was over (PBS).

He couldn't wait to share the news.  His grades were posted and he had received all "A's" except the one "I" (Incomplete) in math.  What a great relief.  He was still quite sick when he took his Saturday final (8:00 in the morning!) and he didn't do very well.  This was in his major, too.  Thankfully, he had done well enough the rest of the year that he still made an "A".  All those late nights of studying has paid off.

He had thought of taking the Calculus class over this summer, anyway, since he felt he didn't understand it completely (this was the same course that his dad had to take twice in college!).  Being on his back in the clinic on the same day of the final made that decision easy.

I took advice from the comments and applied a hot compress (just a clean wash rag with really hot tap water) a couple of times on the infected scratch.  I had tea tree oil so it was rubbed over the scratch while warm.  I'm also using the antibiotic ointment.  When the doctor asked if I had antibiotic ointment, I told him I have a son who is quite active... such ointment has been a priority since he was a child.  :)

Anyway, it looked a lot better today.  Of course, I still have to take all the antibiotics... that whole diabetes thing and infections.

I'll be back later with the pantry post.  My friend, Kimberly, left an excellent comment in yesterday's post.  Her comment made me realize I should actually plan Pantry Hints & Pic(k)s, including simple do's and don'ts of what I have learned through the years.  See... you knew I'd include some kind of prose.  :)

Believe it or not, I'm not all that talkative in real life.  My husband is the chatty one of the family.  I have chatty fingers on the computer.

A change in pantry ponderings for awhile

You know me.  I am always looking out for TEOTWAWKI (The End of the World as We Know It).  Been that way for decades now.  It probably goes back to growing up in the cold war era.  Although I'm not old enough to have gone through those silly practices school children were told to do in case of nuclear attack... hide under their desks.

I did grow up with that "looking over my shoulder" syndrome.  I highly suspect little Russian children did the same thing, only their nightmares had a rather red, white, and blue hue to them.  The Cuban Missile Crisis had such an affect, I can remember to this day the nightmare I had during that time (and I was a rather young child!).

I also grew up with a mother who had been raised on the farm and believed in a very, very deep pantry.  As did my mother-in-law.  Both also having lived through the Great Depression (both of our mothers were older when we were born).

Anyhoo, all that to give some explanation of my obsession passion for deepening the pantry.  It has to be those reasons, or some type of mental or emotional defect... or all of the above.  :)

We live in a dangerous world and if one just opens their eyes and really pays attention, we see all kinds of reasons to stock the pantry as deeply as we can.  The most common reason these days is job loss but one never knows when we will need to use the pantry. 

I have mentioned my friend in New Mexico whose grocery store shelves were empty for weeks due to grocery trucks being diverted to the Katrina disaster.  If nothing else, the prices are going up (a lot) and many of us have noticed grocery stores are not stocking as they once did.

Some of us (like my family) can't afford to stock up very much, anymore.  Others can do what we once did and try to have a few months of our most important items put back... rotating them for freshness.

Since I've been preaching the pantry gospel for years and years now, since I have provided lots of good links for further information on the sidebar, and since I finally have room for pictures again (perhaps a back up memory card should be a priority for when my son borrows the camera)... I've decided to do something new.

I'm going to start a new series called  Pantry Pic(k)s... actual photos of items I find important to keep on the shelves.  These will be the items (food and nonfood) I make a priority when I have a little extra money.  I thought it might prove interesting to you, at least more so than another long pondering about pantries.  Although I can't promise I won't become rather prolific in words on some posts.

I'll be working on it soon, perhaps having time this evening.  I must admit to moving a little slow right now.  Yesterday was my three month doctor's check up and he put me back on antibiotics.  This time due to a deep scratch I received in the garden last week which looks like it has become infected.... sigh.  At least it was perfect timing and didn't cost me an additional doctor's appointment!  :)

Sunday Afternoon Tea

A wife of noble character who can find?
       She is worth far more than rubies.

 Her husband has full confidence in her
       and lacks nothing of value. 

 She brings him good, not harm,
       all the days of her life.

 She selects wool and flax
       and works with eager hands. 

 She is like the merchant ships,
       bringing her food from afar.

 She gets up while it is still dark;
       she provides food for her family
       and portions for her servant girls. 

 She considers a field and buys it;
       out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

 She sets about her work vigorously;
       her arms are strong for her tasks. 

 She sees that her trading is profitable,
       and her lamp does not go out at night.

 In her hand she holds the distaff
       and grasps the spindle with her fingers. 

 She opens her arms to the poor
       and extends her hands to the needy.

 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
       for all of them are clothed in scarlet. 

 She makes coverings for her bed;
       she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
       where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. 

 She makes linen garments and sells them,
       and supplies the merchants with sashes.

 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
       she can laugh at the days to come.

 she speaks with wisdom,
       and faithful instruction is on her tongue. 

 She watches over the affairs of her household
       and does not eat the bread of idleness.

 Her children arise and call her blessed;
       her husband also, and he praises her:

 "Many women do noble things,
       but you surpass them all." 

 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
       but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

 Give her the reward she has earned,
       and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

I'm doing something a little different today... linking to Bernideen's Tea Time Blog as we are celebrating the Proverbs 31 woman on this Mother's Day.  I adore the 31st chapter of the book of Proverbs from the beginning to the end.  With the exception of certain Psalms, it is my most well read section of the Bible. 

I e-mailed Bernideen that I wasn't certain what specifically to write about.  There have been dozens of books written on this area of scripture so it has been well documented, discussed, debated, and held to the heart.  So much to think of and ponder and follow as wisdom.

However, as so often happens during the week, events in my own life helped to focus my thoughts on what this scripture means to me.  I remembered what Edith has said in her books, that the home needs someone who is giving it a lot of thought, whose heart belongs to hearth and home and the people who live there.

I came to realize this week that I have been spending a great deal of time taking care of people and pets and gardens.  As much as my husband cares for the garden, it was not he who battled a cold wind to put bankies on garden and deck plants last night.  He is not the one who checks Victoria's kibble and water dishes twice a day.

He does not text Christopher, asking when he will be home for the night (does he need leftovers to warm up) or to let him know he is being prayed for before the class.  My husband did not help Christopher set four alarm clocks to make certain he was up for his final in time, drive him there and later pick him up... all because it was Mom who realized the importance of the moment.

He does not remind Stephanie to rest even though she has four children and is trying to get settled in a new home.  It is Mom who thinks of her throughout the day and prays for her strength (as the baby is due soon), prays for each grandchild as well as a son-in-law's commute.

It is Mom who thinks ahead to Holidays and birthdays, how to budget for them, what can be done to make the house festive, what food must be prepared as well as new desserts to attempt, and gifts (on a budget) which would bring joy to the recipient.

My husband does not keep back a few dollars from our limited budget to peruse the thrift shop for Beauty or to stop by the nursery for another herb plant or flower when we have "just a little" more to spend. 

He does not think about the cold and windy weather outside, deciding sausage and buckwheat pancakes would be a special treat when loved ones arrive home.  He does not peruse through numerous favorite cookbooks to find recipes for orzo salad or black beans or dill from the herb garden or a near infinite variety of ways to cook healthy on a budget.

He looks at the big picture... the budget and the lawn and the maintenance and all that.  But the little day to day nuances (for the most part) are more feminine.  It matters not if we have children at home or if we live alone.  Women knows that "God is in the details".

"She looks well to the ways of her household"...

Just a little book talk

I was re-reading a favorite book recently when I came across the following quote...

What I mean by reading is not skimming, 
not being able to say as the world saith, 

"Oh, yes, I've read that!,"

but reading again and again, in all sorts of moods,

with an increase of delight every time, 
till the thing read has become

a part of your system and goes forth 
along with you to meet 

any new experience you may have.

C. E. Montague

A Writer's Notes on His Trade

Yes!  I can so relate with that quote.  I love to re-read favorite books, especially during times of illness or stress.  They are like visiting an old friend or a home which was warm and cozy, offering special comfort in the midst of a storm.

I suppose that is why most of my books I tend to read over and over again fall under three categories... either the nonfiction books I keep in my quiet time basket, books which inspire me to decorate or cook or garden or craft, or favorite works of fiction which have the tendency to take me to another place I have visited before but long to return to... even if just for those few moments I can get away to curl up on the sofa and read.

The above quote came from Victoria's Intimate Home; Creating a Private World.  There are so many pictures in that book which have inspired me in my own attempts of creating a look of peace and quiet and quaintness in my home.  It is one I often keep in a place it can easily be picked up and perused when a quiet moment is desired.  I often pull such a decorating book... or gardening book... or cookbook off the shelf... rarely a planned read but one which is desired or needed at the time.

As mentioned earlier, my reading this month is quite eclectic.  That is mostly because of the books I have stacked on the coffeetable, each wanting my attention.  Among them is a "new to me" biography of Ravi Zacharias called Walking From East to West, a fiction book Leota's Garden by Francine Rivers (which I had planned to read last year and didn't get to it), Long Journey Home by Os Guinness (begun last month and read a little at a time), Wonder O' The Wind  (W. Phillip Keller's amazing autobiography I first read many years ago), and my current book I'm carrying with me in purse and automobile... Home Economics, a series of essays by Wendell Berry.  How many will actually get read this month?  Hmmmm... that is the question, isn't it.

One more book found its' way to me this week, one which I will review soon.  In the mailbox was a manila package (I just love those) from Colorado containing Sarah Clarkson's new book, Read For the Heart: Whole Books for Wholehearted Families.  Sally had their office assistant send it to me before she left for Europe with Joy (I tried to go along in their luggage but alas, must be content with hellos sent via the Internet).  :)

Anyhoo, circumstances found me sitting at my favorite coffee-shop near campus... nurturing a cup of coffee... for over two hours... waiting for a ride home with my husband.  I took Sarah's book with me and Stephanie's words were whispering in my ear... those she had shared over the phone upon her reading of the first few chapters.

I adore books about books, especially those written by people I have a strong affection for... and find myself in agreement with as I read each page.  Reading Sarah's book almost made the long wait painless.  At the least, it helped time pass more quickly than it would have without it.  More about it later...

We will see if I have bitten off more reading material than can be read in May... especially as it is another month with much to do outside.  Come late June through August, I stay inside more as I cannot handle heat and humidity so one must do as much work as possible before then.

However, I'm certain before May is over, I will find even more titles coming my way... each clamoring for immediate attention in addition to the others waiting for further summer reading.  Perhaps if I give up cooking, gardening, lawnwork, laundry, and cleaning house...

The war against weeds

I know you have heard me moan and groan about weeds... but take a look below.

 These are just a few weeds pulled from here...

 I should explain (again) that our property is at the edge of a forest and... I am sure... the forest continues to make every attempt to reclaim it.

The fence line has never seen growth like this (at least since we've lived here).

The forest has even begun to take over the area by the deck...

See that yellow ummmm.... flower?  In a nearby field there are hundreds of them (thousands?) appearing as a beautiful field of yellow.  In my yard it is a weed.

The above is the area of the garden where the two remaining small raised beds will go.  The forest has already tried to take it back.

The forest is winning the war this year.  Be afraid.  Be very afraid.  Sigh...

Pretty glasses

Morning sunlight filtering through cut glass...

I am still amazed at God's goodness in the little things of life... like finding what I've been wanting at Goodwill and thrift stores.

I had seen these vintage glasses in... of all things... a TV commercial recently.  The pattern is quite common and I have noticed it off and on through the years.   I watched that commercial and knew they would be a perfect addition to the display of teapots on the buffet.

So... you can imagine my surprise and delight as I was sorting through the cart of items which have not been shelved and there were two of these glasses!  On the same cart was the whisk broom my husband had mentioned needing only last week.

I've had God Moments like these before and they always make me smile.

A lot about a little

After three days of thunderstorms and rain, the outside world is bursting with green!  Every spring, I think it can't get prettier but then the pastels of April become the lush deeper colors of May... beautiful.  The forest is so alive... a metaphor of sorts as to be really alive... Narnia and Lord of the Rings alive... would be rather frightening.  Let's just say new life abounds.

Yesterday I took a much needed visit to the bigger town near us to shop at the Super Target.  They have the best prices on some items, such as the 7th Generation dishwashing liquid and the gallon size container of Carapeli mild olive oil.  Even on an extremely limited budget, I am picky about some items for the sake of my health.  The olive oil is obvious, I use it along with extra virgin olive oil most of the time.  As for the dishwashing liquid, I spend a lot of time each day doing dishes...

I've also found Target also has the best prices for tea.  A friend had given me coupons for Celestial Seasoning teas (thank you, Carol!), which I used for a couple boxes of their new teas which are competing with the expensive Traditional Medicinal.  If they work as well, that will be great.  I bought their tea for sore throats.

Right now I still keep a mental price book... similar to the written down version (which is far better) as found in The Tightwad Gazette.  I need to transfer this to a notebook soon.  The difference in price between various grocery stores is huge. 

Of course, this trip meant a visit to both the Goodwill in that town and the Mission Thrift Shop, where I found a few goodies in both places.  Then I decided to stop by my own Goodwill on the way home and came away with two gorgeous vintage glasses that are exactly what I've desired for the display on the buffet and a whisk broom my husband has been wanting.  Will take a picture of those glasses soon.

The Mission Thrift Shop is one of those places where I often find hidden jewels and the only place I have been able to find inexpensive vintage books (apart from the library's used book sales).  With Goodwill now scanning every book that comes in and selling online, it has become much more difficult to purchase good, vintage and kids books there. 

Anyway, I found an ex-library copy of Katherine Wentworth for $1.00 at the thrift store.  A very nice friend had sent me the sequel recently so I was so excited to find this D. E. Stevenson book. I love finding books and things for the house for just a few dollars total. 

My biggest splurge was for a Whopper with cheese and heavy onions at Burger King to take home and enjoy after a morning of errands.  I've been concentrating on a more vegetarian diet (for health and financial reasons) so I figured this wouldn't kill me... although I did have to wonder (after I ate it) what in the world I was thinking!

Hopefully we will have a break in the rainy weather to continue working outside.  I checked the garden this morning and the green beans are beginning to sprout.  I'll have to thin the seedlings soon.  Everything looks good so far and I am so happy I was able to plant the herb garden before the rainy weather started.

The old peony bush is beginning to bloom but this year I'm also getting blooms on the two new bushes I planted a couple years ago.  I had bought them on clearance for just a dollar each, looking more like sticks than a bush.  I had to point them out to my husband so he didn't pull them up, thinking they were weeds.  Last year there was hardly any growth at all but I read online this was to be expected.  They are really taking off this year.  Once we get some more sunshine and heat, they all should pop.

I must admit to walking through the garden section of Wal Mart this morning while waiting for prescriptions to be filled, coveting after the many plants (although Wal Mart has nothing on my favorite local nursery).  Christopher had to go to the clinic on campus this morning and came home with three prescriptions, even with two generics the total came to just under $80.00... yikes!  Not having any medical insurance can be quite a bummer.

One sighs and swipes their debit card, thinking of much better ways to spend the money but also thanking God for antibiotics and inhalers .  He is one sick puppy and must recover soon.  This illness is causing him to take an incomplete in Calculus but he thinks he can pull out all the rest of the finals.  The last one is Saturday.  It was most likely staying up until the wee small hours of the morning studying in the midst of severe allergies that caused him to become so sick.

I am being very quiet as he sleeps on the family room sofa.  Even Miss Victoria seems to realize he is sick, she is stretched out near him while letting a sunbeam warm her fur.  Hehehe, recently the three of us were watching her and my husband commented that Storm was always known as The Queen so what would one call Victoria?  Christopher immediately said "The Empress"... yes, that does describe her quite well.  :)