V is for Vine

V is for vine.

 He dug it up and cleared out its stones, And planted it with the choicest vine. He built a tower in its midst, And also made a wine press in it; So He expected it to bring forth good grapes, But it brought forth wild grapes. Isaiah 5:2

We found it all but impossible to keep wild vines from growing in our apple trees. The grape vines had a stranglehold, and the wild roses were nothing short of vicious!

To see the other participants in the new round of 
ABC Wednesday, click here!

Once Upon A Time

Once upon a time, a lifetime ago, the little boy moved into the house not-quite-next-door. We were just five years old and rode our tricycles in circles in the street in front of his house until his parents noticed called him inside. Little boys were to play in the backyard, not outside in the street and so, in days to follow, I rode my shiny new tricycle to his house and pulled it through the wire gate into the backyard where I traded my shiny new one for his older, smaller tricycle. This is the way it was, day after day, and I didn't mind because we were friends.

In the boy's backyard was a mud hole dug with sticks and old spoons. It was cone-shaped, perfect for stirring up a batch or two of mud pies, especially after a good rain or a thorough drenching with a pail of water. The boy and girl spent a good number of sunny, summer days cooking up mud pie cookies and cakes. Years later the girl scanned the backyard with longing eyes for a sign of the old mud hole but it had vanished.

There were dandelion and buttercup bouquets picked from the grass along the fences bordering the backyard kingdom, and delivered with a smile to the boy's mummy who took them inside with great appreciation. Each new day brought new flowers to pick, fresh mud pies to mix, and more tricycle rides through the backyard.

The days of time spun on, and the little boy and the little girl grew up. They gradually went separate ways, but each one carried with them, tucked deep inside, the days of  mud pies, tricycles, and dandelion bouquets.

What to Say?

What can I say? My mind is full of memories, a whole childhood of them. I manage to shut them down for a while, and then I find myself sorting through them all over again. Sometimes I feel numb, and other times I am driven to tears. Thankfully the newspapers have been silent this weekend. My favorite mom in law will fly into Toronto Tuesday morning and be here probably Wednesday.

U is for Umbrella

 U is for Umbrella, and what nicer one than pink with Scooby Doo?

It should be snowing now, but we've had more rain this December than snow. No worry, it's much too cold to rain today! It isn't trying anyway. In spite of a bitter wind, the sun is bright and cheery.

 To see the other participants in the new round of 
ABC Wednesday, click here!

Perspective

It's all in how one looks at things, and sometimes a good hard kick in the head can put the whole world into an entirely different perspective...

Sad

It is a sad day here. The story will be in the news for weeks to come. It won't go away, and what we wish to be nothing more than a nightmare, is reality.

It could be just another unknown family's tragedy, but this time we are strangely connected. A house fire set by a teenage son intending to kill his family. He succeeded in killing three; his father and two brothers. The mother is in guarded condition, his sister will survive. But the family doesn't end there. There are other children, adult children, six of them. It is the oldest three who connect us to this family. They are the reason we call him "Uncle Carmen..."

So, if I'm absent for a while, it will be because I just don't know what to say...

Little Boys

What are little boys made of, made of? 
What are little boys made of?
Snakes and snails and puppy dog tails
That's what little boys are made of.

This is Alex. He comes to visit me each day. He likes tractors, cows, and playing outside.

No Snow? No Problem

It is December. It is raining in Rochester, NY. It is snowing in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I don't know how they got our snow... We will have to make due. Snowman craftiness is in order. Somewhere between the changing of stinky diapers and the wiping of snotty noses, there should be some time for making snowmen. (I promise to wash my hands and use hand sanitizer, if I can find some.) Here are some crafty ideas...

Today

I stayed up late and woke up early. My tired eyes fought to stay closed as I reasoned my options; stay home and sleep a little longer or meet the ladies from church for breakfast. I pried my eyes open and stumbled out of bed.

The second snowiest American city is still without snow, but we are not without early morning frost. As I headed out the door to meet my friends, the thought suddenly occurred that I just might need to scrape my windows. I was thankful for warm mittens, a readily accessible ice scraper, and a restaurant that wasn't far off.

James, Ben, and Hannah have worked hard all day painting the living room. We've washed walls, vacuumed cobwebs, filled holes, and moved furniture. Hannah likes painting and does a great job. Me? I can paint snowmen freehand on four foot stockade fences, but somehow a flat wall and one flat color are intimidating.


After cooking breakfast for my family, I headed out to the bank, Home Depot, and the grocery store, nursing a headache and aching muscles the whole way. Now that my upstairs bathroom is clean, supper is eaten, and the dishes done, I'm ready to take some Tylenol and crawl back into bed. I'm pretty sure we've got another busy day ahead of us tomorrow.

The Day to Day

Days with Mom blur from one into the next. Nothing too exciting is happening and what does often leaves me baffled and struggling with my own thoughts and emotions. I behave badly more often than I care to admit, but the past few days have been better than most.

It's quite evident that my mom is suffering from some type of dementia. She repeats herself often, asks the same questions over and over, and second guesses what was once second nature. Mom once did 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles with ease, now she struggles with obvious pieces. Sometimes she questions my ability or knowledge of things and situations. She forgets the names of the children I babysit although they come weekly and have since September. She has difficulty following conversations and often appears disconnected.

Not all is negative. Mom still enjoys doing word search puzzles, reads her Bible each night, and devours the daily newspaper. She seems to enjoy folding laundry and occasionally washing dishes or putting them away. Sofie is her all but constant companion and Mom worries if the little dog appears to be missing. She is not combative or disagreeable, doesn't often complain, and is still able to care for most of her own hygiene needs even if she does need an occasional reminder.

I've settled into a basic daily Mom routine which includes writing the day of the week and date on a white board (along with any information pertinent to that day), setting out her morning pills, and fetching the newspaper. She wakes up whenever, dresses and straightens her bed, and makes her powdered coffee drink. Then she settles into her chair to drink her "coffee" and read the paper. Breakfast is typically eaten at lunchtime and a snack consumed somewhere around 3 pm. Sometimes I feel bad there isn't more interaction between us as it seems I go about my day around her rather than with her.

In spite of my struggles, I trust God is working in my heart and growing me in ways I cannot see. I do not understand His ways, and marvel at how He is able to use my weaknesses and failures to mold me into a vessel fit for use. The pressure can be painful, especially if I resist His touch. This only brings more pain and frustration. I am learning to cry out before the pressure brings me to the breaking point and find He quickly answers. I am treading unfamiliar ground once again with questions that often go unanswered, forgetting that He who holds the universe in His hands also holds me.

Mitten Making

Many years ago I began the long and tedious process of learning to knit. I didn't get far. In spite of my lack of knitting skills, and my rather shady sewing ability, I have put together several pairs of wool mittens. I have found the sleeves can produce a couple pairs of child-sized mittens, while the body of the sweater is great for an adult pair.
I'm not quite certain who will end up wearing these warm fuzzies, but whoever does will have toasty warm fingers.

By the way, I have delivered three Snowman fence sections to two of my friends. Not sure if I'll venture to paint any more, but there remains that possibility. Then again, maybe I'll paint some smaller snowmen instead.

T for Two

T for two, and two for tea.

I'll take a cup of cinnamon spice tonight, and maybe a couple of gingerbread cookies. Anyone care to join me? What will you have? A slice of pie? A piece of cake? (Don't worry, they're calorie and fat-free.)

The tea cups were at the antique shop I visited the other day. I didn't buy them, but I think they're pretty.

To see the other participants in the new round of 
ABC Wednesday, click here!

Stepping Backward

Frantically clawing to keep from falling in, I fight to escape the pit of holiday madness... There will be gifts to buy or make, presents to wrap and cookies to bake, and those favorite movies to watch.

I took a ride by myself Friday morning, but not necessarily Christmas shopping. There was no Black Friday rush where I went. I poked my way through Goodwill and took a leisurely walk through an antique shop. I bought little to nothing, at least in those two places. We won't talk about the grocery store...

In the antique store I found myself strangely drawn to old children's books and an intense desire to curl up in a corner and lose myself in a book. I resisted the urge to purchase this time... Do I really have time to abandon my house and family to read?

Upstairs I found myself smiling at vintage pull toys and wondering again how hard it would be to duplicate them. It's the old Fisher Price toys that always catch my eye. We never owned a chicken pull toy, in fact, I'm not sure I'd ever seen one before, yet they make me smile. (I truly am a hopeless case.)

Then there were the dishes. Lest you think I have suddenly matured, I will have to confess that almost every "little" girl loves a tea party and a fancy table. They are fun to look at and probably even more fun if the tea party actually becomes a reality.

I'm not certain what draws me to antique stores. They are expensive, smell musty, and are full of old things I don't need, yet I wander about taking in the sights and feeling comfortably nostalgic in the process. I like antiques. They take me back to safer childhood days, visits to grandma's house, and days spent on the farm, usually Uncle Joe's.  Hey, I've got a table almost just like that in my kitchen!

The Frosting On Top

 He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes;

Psalm 147:16

We woke up to frost on Thanks- giving morning; cold and pretty. It doesn't last long, so on my way to tie out the dog and fetch the newspaper, I grabbed my camera too. The orchard across the street was filled with a smokey haze and the sun was working it's way into the sky.

There is nothing quite like early morning. Whether I am squeezing my eyes shut and snuggling back down under the covers or heading out the back door, a new day always to holds fresh treasures. Even frosted blades of grass are gifts if we just take the time to notice the beauty. I'm learning to stop, if only for a moment, and soak it in.

My list of "1000 Gifts" continues to grow. Little things like frost covered blades of grass seem almost insignificant at first glance, but shine like jewels written on the pages of my Thankful Journal. Sunshine and shadows, ripples on water, scent of lilacs, snow covered branches...

S is for Snow

S is for snow. There is no snow on the ground today, but by the time the letter S comes round again, it will be July, and I don't want snow in July.

Winter is not my favorite season, but then again there are only four to choose from. Although freezing temperatures and snow keep me inside the house, I've decided to make the best of it and enjoy my time inside. There will be plenty of time for baking, cleaning, crafting, planning, playing, and sleeping. (A long winter's nap is always nice, isn't it?) It's cold enough outside and we've a fire in the wood stove. Bring on the snow! (Sorry, Stacy.)

To see the other participants in the new round of 
ABC Wednesday, click here!

It's A Snow Day!

I didn't have enough to do, so I decided to paint some more snowmen on another fence piece. I did have a little inspiration from a friend who said she might like to buy one. I think I like this one better than the first. I have a whole lot of fence sections out there. I could fill up my entire yard!!!

Making Snowmen

It was another beautiful fall day. I felt like being creative. Next to Hannah's little house sit some abandoned fence pieces. I decided they needed some help.

I picked out two paint brushes, some white paint, filled my paint pot with water, and headed outside. Sitting on the ground wasn't too uncomfortable, but pretty soon the wind kicked up a bit and I didn't think my paint was drying well. Besides, my hands were cold. So much for being a plein air painter... I dumped the water out of the pot and gathered my supplies. After hoisting the fence section off the ground a few inches (it wasn't heavy), I headed for the house.

Once inside I coerced Hannah into helping me out, and we each worked on a character. I don't know about Hannah, but I thought it was fun, and I think they're cute. Maybe they can live out in my yard this winter. Maybe I can make them some friends.

:0)

Imagine That!

Ever wonder where the gnomes and fairies live? It all depends on where you place the door. I really like this one out by the Weeping Birch tree, but tucking it up against the trunk is a little tricky, and I think it needs a little bit of weather-proofing, so I brought it back inside. It tucks up against the wall rather nicely, but ends up four to six inches off the floor... Do you think the Little People will mind?

Thrifty Thinking

I had a free afternoon. I probably should have taken a nap, but Hannah and I went out to the thrift stores instead. Sometimes it's fun to look and on rare occasions we find something good.

A couple weeks ago I knocked a lamp off the end table. It had once been a thrift store find, and though the lamp itself was pretty, I had purchased the wrong type of shade which always sat at an angle. I've meant to replace the light, but kept forgetting when I was out.

I glanced around Goodwill today, but nothing caught my attention. (Truthfully, they were all hideous...)  Since we weren't in a hurry, we decided to stop at the Volunteers of America store. Although the day was cold, the weather was dry and there were a few items strategically placed outside the store; two small desks, a rocking chair, a lamp or two and several other things. One lamp grabbed my attention right away. I checked the price, $12.99. It seemed pretty fair to me, so I scooped up the treasure and headed inside.

I think it looks rather nice on the end table.

My New Mittens

I decided to embark on a new project, not that I've finished any of the old ones or anything...

It looked like a fairly easy project involving a thrift store sweater and a little bit of sewing. I searched the racks of sweaters at Goodwill and came home with three wool sweaters. They needed to be felted before I could turn them into mittens. I threw them into the washing machine, set the water temperature to hot, and waited for the machine to do its work. Next they went into the dryer on the hottest setting, and when they came out they were ten sizes smaller!

With the easy part of the project finished, the one where I could hardly fail, I set the sweaters aside, ... for a couple weeks. Yesterday, after tracing my hand to make a pattern, I pulled my old sewing machine out of its suitcase home and put it to work.

Not too bad for a first try. They're thick, warm, and pure Italian wool with a nice synthetic black cuff.  I think I'll keep them.

I have two sweaters left. One is gray and will have to be made into rather smallish mittens. It has some great sleeves that I imagine as the legs to some really cool baby leggings. The other is a beautiful green and red Christmas sweater with silver hooks down the front. I'm not sure I can bring myself to cut it up. It really looks like it needs a red satin liner and a little girl to wear it.