Grace...

Summer, Autumn, and Winter trees... in one day

I have been thinking of grace this weekend, partly from the season and after reading some comments from the Sunday Afternoon Tea post.  When thinking about the post, the words "Grace in the Grey Areas" circled around my head all day as if wanting to become an entire volume of thought.

They will not as there is much to do outside this week but I was reminded again of the need to live a life of grace... giving and taking... when it comes to those areas of faith which are not written in black and white.  While there are those statements I hold absolute (the Virgin birth of Christ, the Resurrection, His being The Way and The Truth and The Life, etc.) some things are just not written in stone and we must be willing to give and take.

For instance, I chose not to read the Harry Potter books when Christopher was young but one of my very best friends at the time... a well respected Bible teacher... collected all of them.  We do not "celebrate" Halloween but we did hand out candy when living in a neighborhood.  I have Christian friends who have Halloween parties as well as those who don't believe in going as far as handing out candy to neighbor kids.

I wear slacks and one of my good friends does not.  I watch Science Fiction and have friends who don't believe in watching any television.  I personally do not wear shorts which go above the knee as I used to... a change which came more with a decision for modesty rather than age.  But I have Christian friends who do and that is fine.  None of these decisions have anything reflecting salvation... grace in the gray areas.

Having said that, I also see this time of year as God's grace to those of us who have a difficult time seeing the autumn leave... it was unusually beautiful in our part of the country this year.

As I looked at my surroundings through the lens of the camera, I realized I was seeing a bit of summer and a lot of autumn and an increasing winter landscape... all in this very brief time of year as the leaves are past peak but many continue to hold onto their branches.

It won't be too long before my neighbor's red barn will stand out in a world of white.  I can wait, though.

The view from the front porch is looking more like winter each day, one can easily see into the forest now.  Excuse the trash waiting for pick up.  This is the real world.  :)

I love Grace... I want to live in Grace and have it fall upon my head like the soon coming snow or the heavy rains of spring.  I want to give Grace and take Grace and surround my life with Grace. 

I don't want to be afraid of Grace thinking it will lead me astray... past the gray areas and into that which I should not tread.  There is no fear in Grace if we are holding fast to the Giver of Grace.

That is all that matters.

Sunday Afternoon Tea

Silver and a bouquet of sage... beautiful.

I've been thinking a lot this week about God's way of molding us and shaping us throughout our life and how He sends people across our path to assist in His work.  It all started with a conversation with my daughter and how she is dealing with a character issue with one of the grandchildren.  I remembered when she was around that same age and I was also praying about character.

You see, I have often been told by others... as they were listening to my daughter or my husband... how astonishingly "brilliant" they are.  Especially when Stephanie was younger and before all of her days were spent juggling a household of seven people.  I will add here that no one has ever said she was brilliant like her mother... sigh.  Anyway, I digress...

Things did tend to come easy to her so as a child she would become quite impatient with people who were not as smart or quick or generally all together as she was.  Being my first child and the one I learned about parenting with... I was convinced she was going to grow up all cold hearted towards others.

Of course, that did not happen and Stephanie became was of the loveliest and warmest souls I know on this planet... besides the fact that I am somewhat biased... it is true.

Then I was talking to our friends who were our guests for dinner this week and sharing how Christopher has been asked to apply for a graduate Fellowship at the University.  My friend, Linda, already knows the story but I was telling her husband and son (her son's arrival home from Afghanistan was the reason for our celebration) how his father and I are completely befuddled by where this 4.0 student was hiding during his homeschool years.

The boy who spent two years on Saxon 1/2... the boy for whom we spent a year not teaching math to catch up on everything else... the same boy who absolutely despised math as both parents tried to teach him.  Suddenly... and it did seem overnight... he blossomed into this scholarship winning, president of everything, curve breaking, science student.  I never saw that coming.  I knew he was smart in history and other subjects... but Christopher a scientist???... you have to take math for that.

But the more I pondered this, I thought of my own beginnings in the faith when a school acquaintance was told to ask the "least likely person" in her class to become a Christian to attend a revival meeting at her church.  I was the "least likely" she asked that week.

How God has been faithful in molding and shaping that messed up fatherless girl through the years and He has promised he will not give up until it is time for my journey to end.  Just as with my children, He took what was available in youth and has added to it and molded it and formed it as the years have gone on into the person He wants each of us to become... never perfectly on this side of Eternity... but at least heading in the right direction.

I was not a very good student even through High School.  I was the one of whom the teachers would tell a parent "she has so much potential she doesn't use".  I thought of that one day while sitting in the Board Room of the corporation where I was working... there to help guide Vice Presidents in their long range planning session.  God had been molding and shaping...

I found it amusing that instead of a scripture verse this week, I kept thinking of that old bumper sticker, "Please be patient, God isn't finished with me, yet".  That saying I would roll my eyes at and think it an excuse for people not trying hard enough... and now in the autumn of life looking back and shouting a Hallelujah in agreement.

I hadn't thought of that for years until earlier this week and then just yesterday my friend in New Mexico called to chat awhile and repeated that very same saying.  I think God was trying to get it through to me and I am convinced He... with His Holy sense of humor... was chuckling as I stared at the phone when Kathy stated those words.

Oh, my friends... how I now see that He never gives up on us and He is the one who does the molding and the shaping and the creating within us something wonderful.  We are never what we are to become at age five or ten or fifteen or twenty or thirty or fifty or one hundred... not until we take our last breath is He finished with us.

So if your child is not what you want him to be... keep praying and teaching and guiding and listening and correcting.  Not a perfect husband or wife in the house... lots of prayer and forgiving helps that situation.  Frustrated at your own sinfulness and inadequacies... look into His Word, talk to Him, ask Him to bring teachers in person or through books your way... and give yourself the grace He gives you.

Be patient... God isn't finished with you, yet.  :)

Foggy country mornings

Victoria waiting for her people to arrive home

Christopher stayed here last night so I would make certain he was awake and on campus for a mid-term exam.  His ability to sleep through alarms as well as having a conversation with one and then being quite upset with them when he goes back to sleep (and believes they never woke him up in the first place)... is stuff of family legend.

So... to make certain he made morning mid-terms, he stayed here two nights in a row and this morning I took his car and dropped him off on campus.  As we drove country roads into town, the foggy haze hovering over the landscape reminded me of the first time he drove home alone at night (age late sixteen or early seventeen).  He called me not too far from the house to say it was the creepiest drive of his life with fog just hovering over the graveyard and making the lake spookier than usual.  He just needed to call and hear a human voice. 

I believe if a deer had jumped out of the woods or a cornfield right then... as they are prone to do when least expected... he would have had heart failure right there and I would have been writing about the late great Christopher.

I had to admit, even with the backdrop of a beautiful morning rising of the sun on the horizon... it was just a little unnerving.  He thinks it is due to that low fog being the backdrop of too many creepy movies we have seen.  I don't watch real horror films as I'd just as soon not be scared in real life or on the screen... but I do enjoy a good mystery now and then. 

Just recently I watched on DVD my favorite X-files show (a series which must be watched with discernment I admit) called Bad Blood, which was one of the comedy episodes they were famous for... a spoof of vampire shows and one I must admit to laughing through as I texted favorite lines to Stephanie between giggles.

Now, admitting I watch the X-files now and then may drop a few people from my rss feed (I do notice drops and rises after TV, movie, and book recommendations) but alas it is part of that rather odd part of my otherwise straight and narrow personality that has a passion for science fiction and disaster shows.

I'm certain if I lay on a counselor's sofa and talked about my fascination with such media while at the same time not "celebrating" Halloween or reading Harry Potter may send him (her) back to graduate school for further study.

But in the meantime, I did enjoy spending time with my "boy" and it has been interesting to hear about his ancient civilization studies (especially about the Hebrews and how it all fits in with the Old Testament). 

The haze had lifted on the way home as the sunshine was cast through the remaining leaves of gold and copper and chartreuse.  All was bright and cheerful, especially as I had decided to drive home the scenic route which does not pass the graveyard and lake. 

I will be brave and make the return trip on that road... I think.

Scenes from a Bed & Breakfast

Dian-Lee B&B, Bluefield, West Virginia

When we travel to New England, Stephanie and the World's Best Son-In-Law make arrangements for us to stay at a B&B on the way there and back.  When we were planning the trip to Virginia, I told her not to be concerned about our arrangements on the way there as I knew we would be very tired so we stayed at a motel by the Interstate.

One view of the wrap around porch

Another view of the wrap around porch

On the way home, however, she made reservations for us to spend the evening at a Bed & Breakfast near (practically on) the northwestern part of Virginia-West Virginia border.  Although it ended up taking us further away from the Interstate then we originally planned... and driving over interesting roads (how DO you mountain people handle those roads?)... it was well worth the extra time.

The room where breakfast is served

The B&B itself was gorgeous and the breakfast quite yummy.  We enjoyed chatting with the other guests over brunch.

All the other guests had been coming to the B&B for many years and were staying at least a few days (we were staying overnight).    It would be easy to get spoiled there.  :)

 

The owner and two-man staff have been working on the gardens for years.  One of the guests told me the men choose a new garden project each year and work on it all season.  Even though we were there in late summer-early autumn, they were still beautiful.

The inside of the house and the dining room set for brunch were all lovely.  The above pictures show just a little of the Southern charm.  It was a nice way to end the vacation although I admit... I was also happy to get home.  :)

More scenes of autumn

I am so glad I picked up the camera and snapped these pictures a couple weeks ago.  Within days the leaves were on the ground!   I can now see my neighbor's red barn from the front porch.

There is a feeling of impending winter in the air, which I really don't mind except I still have a dark kitchen!  I never thought that would still be happening so long after the lightening strike.  We're hoping the electrician can at least fix the kitchen lights with the insurance money left, he is to check it out soon.  Thankfully, everything else is back to normal and replacements were all shipped and received.

 

 

I just love the way autumn sunlight makes everything a shade of gold and night become... crimson?

Above is one more picture from "Downtown"...

I am listening to Christmas music on Pandora as I write. Yes, I heard parts of the country were expecting snow!  :)

Added clarification:  The deductible is taken from the repair costs, the insurance company ordered most of the new appliances and had them shipped to us (Christopher opted to receive cash for his sound system).

A little here and there and questions answered

Miss Victoria would love to "help" in the garden

That's how I'm getting the house and garden ready for the winter.  I spent awhile this morning pulling the 2011 garden out of the raised beds, thinking already of the 2012 garden and hoping to better conquer the weeds.  I have heard via people who should know... weather type experts... that we may be in this weather pattern for awhile which would make for other hot and wet summers.  Rather than shutting my eyes and hoping it all works out... I can see some garden books stacked in the winter reading!

The weeds were already out of control when we left for ten days.  I now know why farmers do not take vacations until after the harvest is in.  Anyway, the first two-thirds of the garden season went well... kind of... what did not yielded its' own crop in lessons learned and wisdom gained, which will be written in my Scrapbook Journal soon.

I need to answer a few questions now for if I don't, they tend to get buried and then I forget all about them... only to have one or two pop up in my mind many months later when I have only the haziest of recollection what they were.

The name of the dish pattern that I'm giving to the future Mrs. Christopher is Royal Albert's Lavender Rose... one of the best thrifting deals I ever found by far.  Her favorite colors are lavenders-purples and these are very feminine. She has one of the cup-saucer sets sitting in her room at home already.  :)

The pattern on Great Grandmother's china is Raddison by W. S. George, an American company.   Probably around the 1920s.

The silverware was purchased at a garage sale along with a felt lined box that keeps it pretty much tarnish free.  I have heard that silver does not tarnish if used regularly but I've never put that to the test.

I wash my good china and silverware by themselves (I have also read one should not wash silver or silver plated (as mine is) silverware with stainless steel or it causes a bad chemical reaction on the silver). I only polished the silverware shown with the place settings when I first brought them home and so far they have not tarnished.

I do have a few silver serving pieces that are not kept in flannel (like a silver plated ladle) which I do need to polish now and then but not often.  My candlesticks and tea-coffee servers have to be polished often but I figure that is the cost in time to enjoy them.  I think of them more as pieces of beautiful sculpture than any burden.  Air and light contributes to tarnish so my few silver plated serving trays I have left are protected enough that they rarely need polishing. 

I put a towel in the bottom of the sink (after filling it with sudsy water that is just a little hot) to cushion the china and it is the one time that I do not ask for help in the kitchen!  I wash and dry everything and stack it on the dining table to be put away as soon as reasonably possible.  It is worth all the extra "trouble", at least for me.

Yes, it is true!  Once you start "seeing" a certain pattern then it just seems to jump out at you while thrifting.  I can "see" an English teacup on the shelves from an aisle away and now I can "see" brown transferware.  Although both are somewhat rare in my area.

However, even with the rising prices at Goodwill and the local thrift stores, I still have seen excellent prices on dishes... probably because they get so many of them... so it is quite possible to find what you need to set a pretty table for less than the price of one DISH at a department store.

Photo from Hummingbirdworld.com

When I mentioned the hummingbirds we have in our area, a blog friend from another country asked what kind of bird that is...  They are teeny tiny little birds which (to me) sound so much like a wasp that I have given the the little guys quite a scare swatting at them before I know it is not a wasp.

The most common color in my yard is a greenish-yellow combination but I have seen a hummingbird with reddish highlights in my garden.  They are truly one of God's tiny but magnificent creations.

I've also had comments and e-mails about my friend Manuela's blog... she is taking a blog break for awhile!  I have already told her that I hope she is back for the Holidays so I can steal her ideas... enjoy her lovely decorating and creative ideas.

However, most of us write our blogs as a labor of love so I never want to put a burden on another to blog when the time is not right.  As a writer of a blog, you really put yourself out there emotionally and one does tend to judge themselves on comments (and lack of them but I have found the entire Blogdom is... for the most part... getting a lot fewer comments).

Just recently I had a number of people drop off my rss feed and for awhile I was second guessing myself about what I possibly could have said or done... but then the realization came all over again (as I have been told so often), I just have to be myself ... for better or worse... as people come and go and many remain.  This especially happens because I write about so many different subjects.

Sometimes one has to step away for awhile and this is such a time for Manuela.  I do hope temporarily.

Sunday Afternoon Tea

Table set for Easter dinner a few years ago with the china I inherited from my mother-in-law... which belonged to her mother.

Recently I was reading Tea Celebrations (by Alexandra Stoddard) while sitting in the car waiting for my husband to finish photocopying receipts needed to keep on file.  When he returned to the car, I read him a sentence from the book which made us both smile... "My hair was combed in a page boy, held in perfect place, I recall, by Elizabeth Arden's Blue Grass hair spray."

For Blue Grass was the cologne we gave his mother one Christmas when she was no longer able to find her tried and true favorite of decades (I can't recall what it was).  She loved the scent but we would return year after year and see that bottle of Blue Grass, along with other perfumes, sitting pretty much unused on the vanity in the bathroom of the new addition to the house.

She had a tendency to wait for the perfect time to use her good stuff and that perfect series of circumstances never occurred.  When I went through her wonderful collection of vintage linens after her death, most fell apart in my hand where they had been folded and left in a box... unseen for who knows how long?  I remember right then I made a decision not to hide the good stuff away in a closet... ever.

My own mother had her own idiosyncrasy about using some items as I remember her nightgown was kept together with a safety pin but upon receiving a lovely gown from one of my siblings, she kept it in a drawer to use "in case she went to the hospital".  Of course, when she did go to the hospital, she wore the gowns they provide. 

I must admit perhaps my greatest vice is that of procrastination... made worse by this battle with fatigue which is fought in the trenches of chronic illness on a daily basis.  Still, there is no excuse for waiting on a perfect day or perfect occasion or when the weather is just right to celebrate that which is good and lovely and special on an everyday basis.

Oh, there are some things I do keep for special because one must be gentle with them.  Such as the Victorian china inherited from my husband's mother.  Still... I use it much more than she did which was mainly on Easter and if I take good care of it, perhaps Faith will use it some day for her family (Faith loves flowers).

Although the many serving pieces (the Victorians certain liked a lot of dishes!) are put away for most of the year, the plates are kept on a shelf in the kitchen... high enough to protect them but low enough to make them easy to reach when I want to set a special Spring-like table... set with the silver plated spoons, forks, and knives purchased while thrifting one year.

We have no furniture in the house which is not used as our collection of inherited antiques all sit next to garage sale finds.  The thrifted silver services are displayed (recently moved to their own little table), candles are lit, bone china mugs find their place beneath apple cider K-cups (they fit perfectly), and... as mentioned before... Christmas plates are used all year long because they are jolly and cheerful and a nice size.

While there will always be books unread... for I most certainly have lots and lots of books... there are none waiting for a special time.  Except perhaps the Dostoyevsky for such a day I'm willing to commit that amount of time.

Although the sentence from the book sparked these ponderings, so did the realization that Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner.  I am already giving myself a pep talk, a reminder that just because we do not "entertain" as we once did... although the children are on their own... and with the knowledge that it will be just the two of us here most of the time... it is important to get out the good stuff and decorate.

I am reminded of a few different years when we were in the midst of great trials and I didn't want to decorate, even with children at home.  But then I would remind myself that "This is their good old days", shake the mental and emotional cobwebs off, get out the boxes, and make the house as festive as possible.

For I realized that it is those very years when life is rather bleak that we need the joy which comes from being festive even more than usual.  We need to get out the favorite decorations and remind ourselves that there is nothing more special than family and friends and that even when we are alone we feel better when the candles are lit, the music is playing, the china is sparkling, and the food we have cooked is simple but delicious.

For even the small stuff makes a big difference in our emotional and spiritual health.  Upon returning from vacation, I bought two small mum plants to place on the deck table where they were seen for weeks whenever one of us sat in the recliner.

In a little over a month, I will decorate the Christmas tree and plug in the lights every morning as I have done for years and years and years... saying morning prayers and thanks by its' magical lights.

I never want my children to look through my things and wonder why their mother saved such beauty for a day which never came about.  Carpe Diem... :)

Recent reading

It has been a long time since I wrote a "reading post" so I'm certain some titles have slipped through the cracks in my memory... which was never all that good but now is pathetic.

Sooo... here goes from the most recent to the farthest which my memory takes me (vacation reading).

Last night I finished Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith & Art by Madeleine L'Engle and yes... it has been on my reading stack for quite awhile.  I really, really liked this book but found myself having to think about what I was reading so I could only get through a little at a time.

Most of it was excellent but there were just a few sections here and there in which I said to myself... "Huh?".   I suppose when I re-read through those sections, I will understand them a little more... or not.  Still... a wonderful book.

The Goudge book I am re-reading is A City of Bells which is one of my very favorites of her books read (so far).  I am at a loss for words in why I love this book so much other than to say it is like a warm hug from a friend who understands what makes me happy.  Of course, the reading of any Goudge book must be accompanied by the sipping of good tea in an English teacup with a scone (or a packaged cookie) on the side.  :)

I have been interested in studying the history of the American Revolution since I can remember but our visit to Colonial Williamsburg peaked my curiosity about Virginia and Virginians of that era.  Of course, I knew it was the largest state (Commonwealth?) and that important Founding Fathers came from the state... but I had mostly studied what actually happened in New England.

Soooo... a little research provided titles to read and one of them was Bound Away: Virginia and the Westward Movement.  It peaked my interest as it was about those who came to Virginia from Europe, the importance of Virginia in the beginning of America, and then their history in moving towards the Frontiers (with an excellent discussion on the two different historical thoughts about what constitutes the American Frontier).

I have found it quite interesting even if it must be read slowly to take in all the facts and figures... and now that it is my only nonfiction book on the reading stack, it will get a lot more attention.  I'm not sure I will read all of it as I'm mostly interested in the chapters leading up to the movement West into the Frontier..

I have visited the East Coast enough to know my part of the United States is still seen by many as a Frontier land.  I think Eastern students were brainwashed by early American maps.  One time Stephanie introduced me to a friend of hers at church and when I told her where I was from, she had a surprised look on her face and said, "You mean people really live there?".

Now, I can understand if we were talking about Wyoming or other places with more land than people but I mentioned we even had cities such as Chicago and Indianapolis and Detroit and Cleveland... but by that time I'd lost her.  It gives a new meaning to the term "fly over country"... sigh.  I still get people who find it hard to believe that Northwestern University is in Illinois and that Notre Dame is in Indiana.  But I digress...

I decided to read Rumors of Water:; Thoughts on Creativity & Writing by L. l. Barkat when it was recommended by Ann Vaskomp.  It is a story of Barkat teaching her own two girls the art of not only writing but seeing life as an artist and creative person.

On the whole, I enjoyed the book very much but with one annoyance.  The book is published with blank pages between the chapters.  I'm not sure what the publisher intended but it made me feel the book was more choppy than it was.  Anyway, it is a good book especially for those interested in children and writing and homeschooling. 

I took a few books with me on vacation but the only book I read through all the way was Amanda Soule's new book The Rhythm of Family: Discovering a Sense of Wonder through the Seasons which was written with her husband.  I loved this little book!  The Soule's take on everyday living is much the same as mine, it has lots of colorful photos as well as prose and creative projects and a couple recipes here and there.

If you read Amanda's blog, you will already have a sense of the "look" of this little book.  I would have read it through again but I wanted to give it to Stephanie to take home with her.  Only one warning... there is a chapter about teaching your children to meditate which I didn't read at all... not being one who believes in that kind of meditation.  But if you read the blog, you already know they lean into this kind of spirituality.  However, if I remember... that is the only time in the book it shows up and it is easy to ignore for we who lean toward the Evangelical Christian perspective.  This is the kind of book one wants to pull out of a basket and re-read on cold winter nights.

Tea Celebrations by Alexandra Stoddard has been the book which kept me company in the car and while waiting for my husband now and then.  It is a lovely little book about tea and tea time with many stories taken from Alexandra's life.  It is also highly recommended with just the slightest of warnings that... as all of her books which do not deal directly with decorating... it does contain some of her influence from Eastern religions.  Nothing I personally could not overlook and there is so much more to enjoy in her writing.

The only new cookbook I've been perusing is one I found "used" written by John Gonzales, the chef from whom we enjoyed the cooking class-gourmet dinner in Colonial Williamsburg.  It is called Holiday Fare; Favorite Williamsburg Recipes.  It contains numerous Christmas and Holiday recipes as well as pictures here and there of Colonial Williamsburg decorated for the Holidays.

This is an excellent cookbook for the experienced cook who wants to serve special dishes to guests but also for the newer cook who would like to try what one would call "fancier" dishes.  The recipes are well written so they are easy to understand and the dishes are accompanied by photographs of what they are suppose to look like when finished (which I always appreciate).

I have given away most of my "gourmet" cookbooks through the years but this one is a keeper.

Hmmm... it appears I got in more reading than I thought the past couple of months!

Note:  I do plan to work on the Recommendations List when the autumn list of "gotta do's" are gotta done.

Picture:  Book Shop; allposters.com

Wind, rain, and lots of cooking!

Colder weather makes for lots of time in the kitchen!

The weather here would have put Pooh and the Hundred Acre Woods in a tizzy!  It has been absolutely freezing (at least it seems that way after higher than normal temps) and blustery and rainy... quite dreadful for even walking to get the mail.

We had to run a few errands yesterday but today has been spent indoors where it is warm and cozy.  So far I have made chicken noodle soup over the weekend and chicken veggie soup yesterday... and pumpkin bars today (that recipe... here).  They are one of our favorite autumn desserts and very easy.

Christopher called on Sunday with a voice so raspy, I could hardly hear him.  He ended up driving home and propping a pillow up on the family room sofa to watch TV and eat homemade soup and drink hot tea.  He said he could feel life coming back after two bowls of the chicken noodle soup.  It is a good thing when a college student lives close enough for Mom's cooking.

He felt well enough by Monday night to drive into Chicago with his best friend to represent the University at a computer conference.  Well, they actually drove to one of the train stations and parked their car there to take the train into Union Station. The weather there has been worse than it has been here with windows being blown out of a high rise from gale force winds.

My other child has also been sick but I could only offer emotional support and encouragement.  So far we haven't figured a way to send chicken noodle soup through the phone.  :)

This evening I am curling up with a blanket on the sofa (and perhaps a cat) to re-read a favorite Goudge book.  It is that kind of evening... brrrrr.

Note:  Sorry for the dark photo but even with the flash that is as bright as I could get it.  The kitchen lights are not repaired, yet.

... and the winner is!

I ran the total number of comments through Random.org and it came up with #46, which is...

Karie said...

I would love to have a copy.

Please contact me at coffeeteabooksandmeathotmaildotcom with your address.  I will give it to Whole Heart ministries.

Thank you to my friend, Sally, for the book.  I know the winner will love it.  Please remember the Clarkson's in your prayers.  As some of you know, Clay is recovering from back surgery and it has been a difficult journey.

Regular posting will return this evening or Friday... God willing and the creek don't rise (and we don't get blown away from all this wind!).

Educating the WholeHearted Child give away

Being a die hard bibliophile... when I first started homeschooling, I read everything I could that was written on the subject.  There were a few books that I read over and over but only one which became a true reference book.  That was the original Educating the WholeHearted Child by Clay and Sally Clarkson.

I loved that book, it was full of information about homeschooling, parenting while homeschooling, books to read and use, other reference materials, different styles of homeschooling, etc.  So, when I heard Clay was spending a couple of years updating and rewriting the book, I wondered how he could improve upon it (other than updating it with more current information).

That is, until I read through the new book when they sent it to me recently.  Oh, my friends... it is fabulous!  It is a big book full of information which you will go back to read over and over (perhaps daily!).   I would go so far as to say it should be on the desk of every homeschooling family... not on the bookshelf because you will find yourself referencing it quite often.

Although it is a book about homeschooling, it would also be enjoyed by those thinking of homeschooling as well as anyone who enjoys reading about parenting from a Christian perspective.

Some of the areas covered are...

Home
The Christian Home, The Christian Homeschool, Home Nurture, Home Discipleship, Home Education

Learning

Living and Learning Together at Home, Creating a Home You Can Learn Within, Understanding Your Child, Beyond the WholeHearted Child

Methods

The Study of the Bible, The Study of the Basics, The Study of Ideas, The Study of Learning, The Study of Living

Living

Keeping the Vision Alive, Keeping the Homeschooling Together, Keeping the Home Together, Keeping the Spirit Strong, Keeping Faith in the Family


There are pages upon pages upon pages of book lists as well as forms which can be copied.


No wonder it took Clay years to revise this book.  I can't begin to tell you how useful it would be but think encyclopedia... mixed with "how to" information... mixed with years of homeschooling wisdom... and all written in such a way you can curl up with a cup of tea and read it for enjoyment.


If you only had one book about homeschooling, this is the book to own... and I thought it could not get any better than the 1990s version!


Sally is offering to give a copy to one of the readers here at Coffee Tea Books and Me!  All you have to do is leave a comment before noon on Thursday and I will draw a rabbit name out of the hat.


Should you not be the fortunate winner, this book is available through Amazon.com.


Of course, you can also purchase it through the Clarkson's Whole Heart website... here. 


Remember... noon on Thursday is the deadline to leave your comment.

Sunday Afternoon Tea

A number of years ago, I lived close to a quiet neighborhood where I used to walk my three miles a day... one and a half miles out and one and a half miles back.  There was a house which I passed soon after starting my walk and as I was just slowing down upon my return.

The house had such pretty landscaping which I quite admired but what really drew my attention was the gate to the backyard.  When it was opened, one could view beautiful rose bushes and one had the feeling that far more was to be discovered "out back".

One day the home owner was outside when I was returning home and I stopped to ask her about her backyard.  She smiled and told me whenever the gate was open, I was free to make my way through the gate and "stay awhile" where it was peaceful.

For the woman ended up being a psychologist and the garden was created especially to bring peace to one's soul.  She led me into the backyard where I soon found a Secret Garden... which one would not expect in a regular subdivision in town... blooming in its' full glory.

She explained that many of her patients knew about the garden and would stop by even when she was not home.  When the gate was open, they could enjoy the healing powers of her garden by sitting alone and thinking.

I can't remember exactly what it looked like but I do recall the peace I felt sitting in the garden on one of the benches... at a time when I was going through a particularly difficult season of days and months and years.

It was after the diagnosis of ill health... after having to sell our dream home... after moving to Detroit... after living by the Pond... after a year or more of unemployment... after moving back home with no money and no prospects but many miracles... before buying our home here at the edge of the forest.

I was thinking of that garden these past weeks, as the forest was ablaze with golds and yellows and crimson and all the various shades of green.  Walking down the gravel lane and taking in such Beauty... loving the aroma of woodsmoke... and hearing the sounds of squirrels and other small furry creatures scurrying through the woods (at last I hoped they were small!)... all bringing such peace and reminding me of that garden.

All of this to say... my ponderings came full circle and caused me to think of the people who have been the gardens of my life.  Those who have made the journey easier with their love and compassion.  Whether a much needed vacation (a gift from our daughter's family) or a book in the mail... whether a party in a box which contained lovely items to make autumn warm and cozy or a visit to Starbucks to experience a pumpkin spice latte... all gifts from Him through others.

I don't think this side of Heaven we will ever know how big the little things were... the importance of the cold cup of water given in the desert or the simple gift of a hot cup of coffee on a cold morning.  We only think of the big things we do for others or they do for us without realizing it is the lifetime of little things that really matter.

For the big things are seldom but the little offers of friendship... the helping another carry their cross along the way even if just for a moment... that is what I believe He notices the most.  As much as I enjoyed that garden when the gate was opened, how much more I have come to realize I could not have made it through this journey if not for those who shared... not their gardens but themselves.

How truly lovely are the feet of those who bring good news of Peace and Love and Joy and lift the burdens of others by just a little... but enough to help them make it to the finish line and to never ever give up.  I have come to realize how much we need each other on this journey and He is the one who made it that way.  :)

Even more dish talk...

Okay, the above picture has nothing to do with dishes but I think it is beautiful.  It was taken standing at the end of my gravel lane and looking down the county road.  I have more pictures to share next week.  Most of the leaves are now on the ground...

I love hearing about your great thrift store, garage sale, and Goodwill deals.  It doesn't happen often but once in awhile I get this "feeling" that I should stop by Goodwill or a thrift shop, usually I just can't get it out of my head.  Sometimes I give into it and find exactly what I've been wanting, too!  I think those times are usually God winks... when He wants to show us He is listening in a rather unorthodox manner.

I say usually and sometimes because to be quite honest... it's the same feeling I get when the subjects of chocolate or pizza or ice cream land in the nest of my thinking and attempt to stay there until I give into temptation. ;)

I knew a Friendly Village teapot existed so I did a search on Amazon.com and found one at a great price.  (Teapots can be outrageously expensive and I don't even look at those.)  I saved up Amazon credit to purchase it, thinking by having a teapot I can use the thrifted china for much more than just dinners.  As some of you know, I am a huge believer in having a proper tea at home once in awhile, even if it is for one or two (these days that being hubby and moi'... or just moi' and Victoria).

I haven't seen Friendly Village at Tuesday Morning but they carry Churchill china and this time of year they have one or two of their autumnal place settings featured.  As shared before, I found the bowls really cheap on their clearance racks after Thanksgiving one year.

My tastes have changed through the years, too.  I cringe to think of it now but I once saw a complete set of Friendly Village at Goodwill and passed it by.  At that time I was still using my wedding china for Thanksgiving and Christmas and I wasn't thinking of adding any more dish sets.

But then I began to take a second look at the brown transferware and I realized they would be great not only for Holidays but for the entire season... September through November.  I have long decorated for autumn and I love the way the dishes add to the "look".  This year I plan to add them to a shelf in the china cabinet as Miss M. (soon to be Mrs. Christopher) is getting these...

...as a wedding present from her future mother-in-law.   Except for the teapot, which was my very first pretty teapot and a gift from Stephanie when she was in college.

My inexpensive Christmas dishes

My "Christmas" dishes are a very cheap set of Pfaltzgraff (not from their expensive line of stoneware) that I bought at a Meijers store long ago.  I only have four place settings and I use the plates all year long because they are so nice and big.  They are also cheerful and make me happy... which I need more than just at Christmas time.  I usually use my wedding china for Christmas Day.

China cabinet last year

There will always be my collection of pretty china cups and teapots.  Most I purchased really inexpensive while thrifting but some are gifts from beloved family and friends... like my birthday (July) cup Stephanie bought me at Old Sturbridge Village when we spent a lovely day there and the pretty floral cup Sally Clarkson gave me when we finally met in person.

I also have the china I inherited from my mother-in-law (which was her mother's good china).  It will most likely be passed down to one of my granddaughters.

Stephanie at a tea room two or three years ago

Faith and Elisabeth at the same tea room

The girls are growing up!  At the tea room we visited in September.

We are raising a new generation of tea time and pretty china enthusiasts.

Stephanie and I have had different favorite tea rooms but we both agree the ones we love the most (as far as decorations) are those which mix and match the china (teapots and teacups).  I wish I'd taken pictures at the tea room near her which we visited the first time I flew to New England.

Elisabeth was just big enough to join us (small enough for us to be a little nervous about her using the fine china cups) and each place setting and every teapot were different... so cute.  Unfortunately, it went out of business before I visited again.

That same tiny girl now makes scones on a regular basis for her mother!  Time goes so fast, we must make memories while we can.  I love the way Stephanie has tea time with her children (if it includes a strong cup of coffee along with a sweet scone, I expect their Daddy will gladly take part, too).  ;)

Now... for all those who do not share my obsession love of dishes... I will go onto other subjects, at least for awhile.  ;)

The many faces of brown transferware

There were so many comments about the transferware, I thought I'd show you individual pieces.  I love the way they "mix and match" so much, I am happy that I've found it necessary to collect a piece at a time.  Most were found by thrifting.

The bowl is Thanksgiving by Churchill.  I bought six of them at Tuesday Morning on an "after Thanksgiving" clearance sale a few years ago at a fraction of their original price (they were $2.00 or $3.00 each... can't remember exactly).

If you have a Tuesday Morning store near you, anything they sell is already less than the original (and often expensive) price so a clearance makes it really affordable.  I call it the upscale Big Lots.

The plate underneath the bowl is called The Brook by Franciscan.  I only have two of them and they are beautiful!

 

The teapot is Friendly Village by Johnson Brothers (perhaps the most recognized of all brown transferware in America), the teacup is Royal Mail by Myott,  and the mug is Vintage Game by Churchill.

I purchased the teapot from Johnson Brothers on Amazon.com by saving up credits (again, thank you!!!) and the mug is one of two purchased at Tuesday Morning this year on sale for about $4.00 each.  I am normally not a fan of fine china mugs but these have a beautiful "feel" to them.

Here is the Royal Mail by Myott plate.  I have one of them hanging on the wall for the autumn season.

This is not a "view only" collection, they are my autumn dinnerware and the teapot and mugs will be used all year (the Myott cups will be used sparingly to prolong their life).  I believe the Royal Mail china was continually put through the dishwasher by their previous owner as the dishes and cups have very fine hairline cracks but their price was inexpensive enough that they were still worth the addition to my collection.

I hand washed most fine china, even when I had a dishwasher (although my wedding china by Noritake seemed to take the dishwasher fine but I only used it a few times a year).

When not in use, the plates have a home on the top shelf of my kitchen china cabinet with a paper plate placed between each individual plate to protect them.  I think they are even more special when brought out seasonally.  There are many more patterns of brown transferware and I will be keeping an eye out for them, especially at thrift stores!

Just in case you wonder:  The reason I tell you the price on objects is to show you... if I can create Beauty in the home on my limited budget... you can, too!  I use gifted funds and Christmas-birthday gifts for Books and Beauty... and Coffee... and sometimes Tea.

Hubby has given me a gift certificate to my favorite Primitive Decorating store for over a decade (except when we lived in Detroit)... back when it could be $75 or more when we were prosperous and now often $25 which I combine with their after Christmas sales and coupons.