Have you come out of a store or warehouse facility and had to lift that 42 pounds of litter up into your car or truck? Or that very heavy, bulky, unwieldly case of bottled water?
I did the other day.
Now getting it into the cart isn't as bad, as you are usually dropping it into the cart as opposed to lifting it up out of the high walled/sided cart into the vehicle.
Imagine my surprise while at the Coon Rapids, MN, Costco this past week and I heard a shout from the cart corral asking me if I wanted help to get the litter into my truck.
I turned around and here was a young man, Sam by name, and he was asking ME the question. At first instinct I thought no. Then as instantly as that thought came to mind, I turned to him and said that I would love some help.
Sam easily hefted both into the truck cab and I told him I could take care of the rest. And Thank You! He gave me a look that said that he was more than willing to finish the rest, but acquiesced nobly and went back to his work.
While getting into the truck after all was said and done, I dug out the cell phone and dialed Free411 to get the phone number of that particular Costco.
I called and mentioned what just had happened to me. I told the lady that answered that Sam was a great help to a 5'2.5" 68-year old woman. She was so surprised and asked me if I wanted to talk to his manager. I said that I definitely would and did so. He mentioned that the young man was standing right in front of him and I repeated that I was so grateful for that bit of common courtesy and to please Thank him again.
Sam, you will go far in your career, simply because your work ethic has allowed you to see beyond corralling carts. Your parents raised you very well. I am pleased to have been part of your life, you certainly lifted my day to the best quality for that particular incident.
Thank You.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Angel food cakes
When I was a youngster, I would ask my Mom to make angel food cakes for special occasions. Angel food cakes with berries, whether those were fresh or not, didn't matter. It was the cake, pure and simple. Now don't get me wrong, I love a chocolate cake or white cake with lemon filling along with the best of them, but the angel food cake had a special appeal for this kid.
When the cake was resting on that pop bottle, I called for dibs on the pan. Now my next youngest sibling didn't have a clue. Dee was all for the cake, berries and whipped cream. I, on the other hand couldn't wait for the pan, and I wasn't about to share that secret.
All this is brought back by today's program on PBS"s 'Cook's Country', the sister program of 'America's Test Kitchen'.
Now these two programs are the best thing to watch and learn by if you want to know the reasons why your food/meal comes out, or not, the way you want it to. Really an important method of schooling for all of us that have leanings to being called a 'foodie'. They also publish a magazine that solve all sorts of really terrific and important cooking issues, solved and perfected. Their equipment corner is a marvelous way to find equipment that will work in your kitchen, and not fall apart with usage, the best of the best. Look for it and see if you aren't intrigued by it and will buy it. A good read for any cook or budding culinary scientist.
Today's program, you guessed it, the seven rules to make a perfect angel food cake.
All said and done, for me, it is still about the dibs on the ooey, gooey remnants in the pan. The one I got dibs on. I don't know what it was and is about that part of the cake, but the cake runs a close second to the absolute delight to a child to get that part left on the pan.
Really!
Next time you make an angel food cake, snitch a bit of my childhood and sample that ooey, gooey remnant left in the pan. I still like it even when you buy an angel food from the store. Sometimes you will get lucky and that remnant left on the carton bottom is there.
You might just agree with me and bring back a wonderful memory of childhood....or create your own good memory for your adulthood.
When the cake was resting on that pop bottle, I called for dibs on the pan. Now my next youngest sibling didn't have a clue. Dee was all for the cake, berries and whipped cream. I, on the other hand couldn't wait for the pan, and I wasn't about to share that secret.
All this is brought back by today's program on PBS"s 'Cook's Country', the sister program of 'America's Test Kitchen'.
Now these two programs are the best thing to watch and learn by if you want to know the reasons why your food/meal comes out, or not, the way you want it to. Really an important method of schooling for all of us that have leanings to being called a 'foodie'. They also publish a magazine that solve all sorts of really terrific and important cooking issues, solved and perfected. Their equipment corner is a marvelous way to find equipment that will work in your kitchen, and not fall apart with usage, the best of the best. Look for it and see if you aren't intrigued by it and will buy it. A good read for any cook or budding culinary scientist.
Today's program, you guessed it, the seven rules to make a perfect angel food cake.
All said and done, for me, it is still about the dibs on the ooey, gooey remnants in the pan. The one I got dibs on. I don't know what it was and is about that part of the cake, but the cake runs a close second to the absolute delight to a child to get that part left on the pan.
Really!
Next time you make an angel food cake, snitch a bit of my childhood and sample that ooey, gooey remnant left in the pan. I still like it even when you buy an angel food from the store. Sometimes you will get lucky and that remnant left on the carton bottom is there.
You might just agree with me and bring back a wonderful memory of childhood....or create your own good memory for your adulthood.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
All in a day's work
While in the Twin Cities the other day, I saw the cutest thing.
A lady was out jogging with her fairly large dog along side her on its leash.
What made it so memorable was that the dog had a water bottle in its mouth, and carrying it very proudly with its head up. AND there was water in the bottle. Now I am not sure if the bottle was for the dog or the lady jogger. Unfortunately, I was in a stream of traffic so that I wasn't able to pull over and ask.
The sight of the two of them out for a wonderful days jog made my day. It wasn't much, and I am not rubber-necking as I drive, I was stopped at a light and that's when the observance took place. I see so many things when I am out and about. It just takes a bit of time to absorb the world around you. Keep your eye on the traffic, mind you, but when you have the time, watch the Good Lord's world around you. You might be surprised at what you see and can learn.
A lady was out jogging with her fairly large dog along side her on its leash.
What made it so memorable was that the dog had a water bottle in its mouth, and carrying it very proudly with its head up. AND there was water in the bottle. Now I am not sure if the bottle was for the dog or the lady jogger. Unfortunately, I was in a stream of traffic so that I wasn't able to pull over and ask.
The sight of the two of them out for a wonderful days jog made my day. It wasn't much, and I am not rubber-necking as I drive, I was stopped at a light and that's when the observance took place. I see so many things when I am out and about. It just takes a bit of time to absorb the world around you. Keep your eye on the traffic, mind you, but when you have the time, watch the Good Lord's world around you. You might be surprised at what you see and can learn.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Carolyn NC
Hi Carolyn,
I just looked around the page and saw the 'comments' on the tab under title on the compose page. I can view your comments there.
Daughter and husband were over yesterday to deliver some of her fabulous bean soup and I showed her the prayer shawl. That may have been a mistake. She commented on how well it would go with all her colors and that more importantly, she is always so cold now since her Rouen-Wye (?) surgery when she sits and watches tv.
I hadn't thought of giving it to her, as I was looking at it as a comfort for me. I knit it as I do my devotions, and every stitch is wrapped in an Apostle's Creed, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Fatima Prayer, St. Bridget's twelve year devotions from Our Lord, St. Bridget's Seven Sorrows from Mary, my Universal Living Rosary decade, and the daily devotions interspersed within all of these.
I mentioned it to Hubby, and he chuckled. His solution, give it to her and knit yourself another! O.k., I guess he had better consider how long it takes me to knit. I started it at my Dad's side knowing how long it takes me to do anything, as well as wanting to do something while sitting with him, So, I guess I had better put off that bib, burp and change pad for Dottie's baby. Which is OK, I really wasn't into doing that anyway. That was another of husband's suggestions.
Maybe I will remember to talk over these suggestions with hubby before he has me committed, like doing Pooh for her sister's baby. If you have ever done Pooh Patterns, you will know why I am sparse-haired on the head. Comes from pulling out hair while doing a Pooh pattern with all those white spaces. And I am a pretty darned good stitcher!!!!
Oh well, time to get ready for Dad's Memorial service.
Thanks for the comments, and hopefully I will enable them sometime to show to all.
Huggs everyone.
I just looked around the page and saw the 'comments' on the tab under title on the compose page. I can view your comments there.
Daughter and husband were over yesterday to deliver some of her fabulous bean soup and I showed her the prayer shawl. That may have been a mistake. She commented on how well it would go with all her colors and that more importantly, she is always so cold now since her Rouen-Wye (?) surgery when she sits and watches tv.
I hadn't thought of giving it to her, as I was looking at it as a comfort for me. I knit it as I do my devotions, and every stitch is wrapped in an Apostle's Creed, Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, Fatima Prayer, St. Bridget's twelve year devotions from Our Lord, St. Bridget's Seven Sorrows from Mary, my Universal Living Rosary decade, and the daily devotions interspersed within all of these.
I mentioned it to Hubby, and he chuckled. His solution, give it to her and knit yourself another! O.k., I guess he had better consider how long it takes me to knit. I started it at my Dad's side knowing how long it takes me to do anything, as well as wanting to do something while sitting with him, So, I guess I had better put off that bib, burp and change pad for Dottie's baby. Which is OK, I really wasn't into doing that anyway. That was another of husband's suggestions.
Maybe I will remember to talk over these suggestions with hubby before he has me committed, like doing Pooh for her sister's baby. If you have ever done Pooh Patterns, you will know why I am sparse-haired on the head. Comes from pulling out hair while doing a Pooh pattern with all those white spaces. And I am a pretty darned good stitcher!!!!
Oh well, time to get ready for Dad's Memorial service.
Thanks for the comments, and hopefully I will enable them sometime to show to all.
Huggs everyone.
The first day of fall
Today is our Anniversary.
We were married 32 years ago (in 1978) on a bright, beautiful, sunshine-y day. I made my dress and bought dresses for our two daughters in shades of pink. Our son disappeared for the entire ceremony and never did find out where he went. He did show up for the food, however, he was twelve and always hungry.
Today as I woke up, my DH wished me a Happy Anniversary, grabbed his watch, phone, wallet and a couple of waters from the fridge and headed down to the cities to see what treasures he could find today.
I have a memorial to go to for my Dad at the residence chapel where he had lived for the last year, this afternoon.
Somehow it seems rather fitting.
It is raining today, and I will not complain about the rain. It makes me want to just sit and stitch or knit. Both are constructive and calming.
To say that I need it is an understatement.
But life goes on and so will I.
Happy Anniversary dear Husband.
We were married 32 years ago (in 1978) on a bright, beautiful, sunshine-y day. I made my dress and bought dresses for our two daughters in shades of pink. Our son disappeared for the entire ceremony and never did find out where he went. He did show up for the food, however, he was twelve and always hungry.
Today as I woke up, my DH wished me a Happy Anniversary, grabbed his watch, phone, wallet and a couple of waters from the fridge and headed down to the cities to see what treasures he could find today.
I have a memorial to go to for my Dad at the residence chapel where he had lived for the last year, this afternoon.
Somehow it seems rather fitting.
It is raining today, and I will not complain about the rain. It makes me want to just sit and stitch or knit. Both are constructive and calming.
To say that I need it is an understatement.
But life goes on and so will I.
Happy Anniversary dear Husband.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Comments
Well, I think I screwed up.
Carolyn, you have graciously posted twice now, and I can't read them. Somehow I have figured out how to disable something without knowing. I published an answer to your invisible post, and that didn't come up either. May have to take this out of RSS feed. That is the only thing I know I deliberately did. Will see.
Am slowly re-joining the human race, and have forgone the cross stitching for a bit in choosing to knit myself a prayer/comfort shawl in Homespun yarn. It is easy, just knit, knit, knit. No purling required, and my concentration level is so out of whack and continuing with counted cross stitch while riding in hubby's little truck, that it is not an activity that works. There is more 'jounce to the bounce' in his little Colorado than is conducive to counted cross stitch needles and I can handle at this point.
Hopefully I can figure out how the comment form works and who knows, I may have to shut down the computer and restart to get it to work. But not right now. Have to get some food in the body.
Carolyn, you have graciously posted twice now, and I can't read them. Somehow I have figured out how to disable something without knowing. I published an answer to your invisible post, and that didn't come up either. May have to take this out of RSS feed. That is the only thing I know I deliberately did. Will see.
Am slowly re-joining the human race, and have forgone the cross stitching for a bit in choosing to knit myself a prayer/comfort shawl in Homespun yarn. It is easy, just knit, knit, knit. No purling required, and my concentration level is so out of whack and continuing with counted cross stitch while riding in hubby's little truck, that it is not an activity that works. There is more 'jounce to the bounce' in his little Colorado than is conducive to counted cross stitch needles and I can handle at this point.
Hopefully I can figure out how the comment form works and who knows, I may have to shut down the computer and restart to get it to work. But not right now. Have to get some food in the body.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
new color backgrond
In case you are wondering, I signed up for an RSS feed and yellow print doesn't show up well, sigh. So will opt for a lighter background so I can either leave it black or dk green. Took me forever to figure out where I accidently stumbled on it last week. Hmmph! Got to get more computer savvy here!
Missed the monarch's flight
Well, saw hundreds and hundreds of Monarch butterflies landing in the trees last night before the cool temp didn't allow them to fly anymore. Set the alarm for 8:30 in hopes of hearing them fly off this morning. 8:30 was too late. Once the sun started hitting those tree tops this morning and warming up their tiny bodies, they were off. By the time I got out there with the binoculars, there was only one I could see on the tree top and two others flying around. When I looked back, the one on the tree was also gone and flying around.
I wished all of them a safe journey to Mexico.
This hasn't happened for several years now, and wasn't sure we were still on the flyway for them. I think I just missed the night gathering by being in the house and didn't see them each year they came.
I still remember when they all started flying away that morning after they warmed up that first time. It was the softest swishing sound you ever heard.....like angel's wings.
I so wanted to hear it again, but wasn't able to. At least I got to wish the few remaining to take off, a safe trip. 'God speed ye' little ones. Safe journey.
I wished all of them a safe journey to Mexico.
This hasn't happened for several years now, and wasn't sure we were still on the flyway for them. I think I just missed the night gathering by being in the house and didn't see them each year they came.
I still remember when they all started flying away that morning after they warmed up that first time. It was the softest swishing sound you ever heard.....like angel's wings.
I so wanted to hear it again, but wasn't able to. At least I got to wish the few remaining to take off, a safe trip. 'God speed ye' little ones. Safe journey.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Back to normal
Ok, I went back and fixed all the screwed up posts. So all the 'complaining' I did (keeping in mind how crappy I am feeling) can be taken with a grain of salt at this point. Got my MOJO back and it's working!
Oh if life were that simple......
Oh if life were that simple......
I think I figured out this thingee....
Well, let's see if this works. It seems that the compose button lets me get back to what I want and love on my site. That edit HTML crapola is just that. Why would anyone ever choose that? What purpose does it serve?
OK, I am not a computer geek and have tons of things to learn. But at least I have my preferred font back and I will be able to get the color I want back. I see that there are a few new settings on the task bar, but I am only going to choose those I know!!!!!
Not feeling the best today, think it may be a bad mouse (in not-cat owners vernacular, I think I may have eaten something not good and it is rolling around and out in the gut....'nuf said). But just in case, am not going in to see if I can get Dad to eat.
With that said, perhaps I should stop making words here, I seem to be getting a bit 'T.M.I.'
Hope everyone is having a good day and is experiencing what we are not....sun, cooler weather out of the upper 90's and beyond.
OK, I am not a computer geek and have tons of things to learn. But at least I have my preferred font back and I will be able to get the color I want back. I see that there are a few new settings on the task bar, but I am only going to choose those I know!!!!!
Not feeling the best today, think it may be a bad mouse (in not-cat owners vernacular, I think I may have eaten something not good and it is rolling around and out in the gut....'nuf said). But just in case, am not going in to see if I can get Dad to eat.
With that said, perhaps I should stop making words here, I seem to be getting a bit 'T.M.I.'
Hope everyone is having a good day and is experiencing what we are not....sun, cooler weather out of the upper 90's and beyond.
new blog style
OK. It is official. Someone messed up my blog settings. It may have beeen me, but the jury is out on that one yet. I can't get the beautiful golden color to publish the words anymore, just a pale, icky yellow. I do hate the HTML and would never choose it. I can't choose the font any more, and I love trebuchet font. My apologies.
FLOSS BOXES
Well it started when I was packing the carry-on for the plane and was pulling the floss for the Danish Country Christmas.
Instead of being filled numerically, from box one to box two etc., I was literally checking 6 floss boxes with floss in numerical order, and each box was in order but having different floss colors in each, and having to check each box over and over to see if the color wanted was in any of them as I went down the list of floss.
I got frustrated.
Now mind you, when the tree came down on the bedroom and kitchen, Hubby put all my stitching and floss in one area of the living room, or maybe it was put in the barn, so I could find it. Anyway, all my DMC floss, and I had all the colors, are not found yet, admittedly, I am slow. So I start with new floss whenever I get a new pattern.
But I had 5 or 6 boxes of new floss to go through to see if I had all the floss for the two patterns.
So when we got home, the plan was to combine all the floss from the various boxes and put them in numerical order to flow from box one to eventually now to box three.
I finished this morning after working on it off and on for the last three days.
What a feeling of accomplishment! And what a timesaver it will be!
For those of you that don't stitch, it is like trying to find your new toothbrush in your linen closet, in one or the other places you place new toothbrushes in the linen closet drawers.
Or, like trying to find that spatula for cleaning out that bowl of potato salad and having to go through all of your kitchen drawers. Frustration level------inordinately high.
So the job on Monday's 'ToDo' list is finally done and back in the bookcase ready to be used when needed again. I even have two extra boxes to expand now. Although I just thought of something, I didn't leave room for the Danish Country Christmas floss and the new floss I bought for the Gnomes to be put back into the three boxes! LOL
Good thing I have an extra, empty box. 'Tis a tedious job to move 6 skeins of floss into the next compartment. Guess I am not done yet.
Isn't there a saying of "The best laid plans of mice and men...."?
Will take the Scarlett O'Hara of Tara approach...."I'll think of that, tomorrow..."
Instead of being filled numerically, from box one to box two etc., I was literally checking 6 floss boxes with floss in numerical order, and each box was in order but having different floss colors in each, and having to check each box over and over to see if the color wanted was in any of them as I went down the list of floss.
I got frustrated.
Now mind you, when the tree came down on the bedroom and kitchen, Hubby put all my stitching and floss in one area of the living room, or maybe it was put in the barn, so I could find it. Anyway, all my DMC floss, and I had all the colors, are not found yet, admittedly, I am slow. So I start with new floss whenever I get a new pattern.
But I had 5 or 6 boxes of new floss to go through to see if I had all the floss for the two patterns.
So when we got home, the plan was to combine all the floss from the various boxes and put them in numerical order to flow from box one to eventually now to box three.
I finished this morning after working on it off and on for the last three days.
What a feeling of accomplishment! And what a timesaver it will be!
For those of you that don't stitch, it is like trying to find your new toothbrush in your linen closet, in one or the other places you place new toothbrushes in the linen closet drawers.
Or, like trying to find that spatula for cleaning out that bowl of potato salad and having to go through all of your kitchen drawers. Frustration level------inordinately high.
So the job on Monday's 'ToDo' list is finally done and back in the bookcase ready to be used when needed again. I even have two extra boxes to expand now. Although I just thought of something, I didn't leave room for the Danish Country Christmas floss and the new floss I bought for the Gnomes to be put back into the three boxes! LOL
Good thing I have an extra, empty box. 'Tis a tedious job to move 6 skeins of floss into the next compartment. Guess I am not done yet.
Isn't there a saying of "The best laid plans of mice and men...."?
Will take the Scarlett O'Hara of Tara approach...."I'll think of that, tomorrow..."
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Vegas
Well, I did the annual trek to Vegas. Why I go in the summer is beyond me. I know, there is a screw loose in the thinking department.
But I did make my annual trip to Stitcher's Paradise and spent some to help keep a LNS store going.
I got three patterns from Imaginating. The first is "We Thank Thee Lord" which is a beautiful sampler type with a marvelous basket of fall fruits and vegetables. It is #1298 if you want to look it up. (www.imaginating.com)
The second is "Halloween Delusion" #SG-43. I got it because I thought it was part of the 'Kelly's Cats' series. It looks like it, but after careful scrutiny, didn't see any mention of her at all, as this was designed by Holly Gordon and Judy VonStein.
The third was "Tricky Treat Cats" #SG-23, designed by Holly Gordon. Of the two cat offerings, hubby liked Halloween Delusion best. It was also the one stitched and framed next to the register counter and caught my eye.
The fourth pattern is one I saw on Mary Salvi's blog and fell in love with, and is called "Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow by Carriage House Samplings". Of course, having pumpkins on the top kind of cinched the favor, and I am going to have to contact Mary to get particulars from her. I agree with her and will do it in DMC, as that is what I have most available, not to mention the cost. It calls for 60 colors, and sorry, I will keep the silks called for, for for a smaller project at $6.00/skein. I can hardly wait to start this one, and will have to figure out if I can do some type of rotation to get all the projects worked on and still keep going on all that I want to stitch. Maybe that is the secret to keeping things fresh and not stagnating on a project. Yes?
Let me know how all of you do it with multiple projects going.
I brought out only one leaflet and floss with me so I could start on Jeremiah Junction's Danish Country Christmas, leaflet # JL117, 1991. I picked it up during an early spring garage saling venture for 50 cents. I liked the sampler aspect of the two pieces, and it had two gnomes! While in Vegas, I bought 18ct Aida to work on it. I had fabric, but wasn't comfortable with the shortage on the width, I was one inch short. (I know, a bit 'anal retentive' here). However, in buying the piece of fabric for $22.00, not only did I get both patterns pieces cut, but I have a large hunk leftover to do other things with. WooHoo!
I did spend .70/ per skein for DMC, but it only came to $12.00, and I really wanted to get both pieces started, and didn't have the floss for the Gnomes. I had all the floss for the skating winter sampler though.
All in all, Hubby let me stay in the hotel room and stitch for two days before I was required to help pack. I was in heaven. It is a good thing we only eat twice a day there, it left me more time in the middle to start things.
Well, that is the report on my stitching for now.
Would love to hear your comments if you have time.
But I did make my annual trip to Stitcher's Paradise and spent some to help keep a LNS store going.
I got three patterns from Imaginating. The first is "We Thank Thee Lord" which is a beautiful sampler type with a marvelous basket of fall fruits and vegetables. It is #1298 if you want to look it up. (www.imaginating.com)
The second is "Halloween Delusion" #SG-43. I got it because I thought it was part of the 'Kelly's Cats' series. It looks like it, but after careful scrutiny, didn't see any mention of her at all, as this was designed by Holly Gordon and Judy VonStein.
The third was "Tricky Treat Cats" #SG-23, designed by Holly Gordon. Of the two cat offerings, hubby liked Halloween Delusion best. It was also the one stitched and framed next to the register counter and caught my eye.
The fourth pattern is one I saw on Mary Salvi's blog and fell in love with, and is called "Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow by Carriage House Samplings". Of course, having pumpkins on the top kind of cinched the favor, and I am going to have to contact Mary to get particulars from her. I agree with her and will do it in DMC, as that is what I have most available, not to mention the cost. It calls for 60 colors, and sorry, I will keep the silks called for, for for a smaller project at $6.00/skein. I can hardly wait to start this one, and will have to figure out if I can do some type of rotation to get all the projects worked on and still keep going on all that I want to stitch. Maybe that is the secret to keeping things fresh and not stagnating on a project. Yes?
Let me know how all of you do it with multiple projects going.
I brought out only one leaflet and floss with me so I could start on Jeremiah Junction's Danish Country Christmas, leaflet # JL117, 1991. I picked it up during an early spring garage saling venture for 50 cents. I liked the sampler aspect of the two pieces, and it had two gnomes! While in Vegas, I bought 18ct Aida to work on it. I had fabric, but wasn't comfortable with the shortage on the width, I was one inch short. (I know, a bit 'anal retentive' here). However, in buying the piece of fabric for $22.00, not only did I get both patterns pieces cut, but I have a large hunk leftover to do other things with. WooHoo!
I did spend .70/ per skein for DMC, but it only came to $12.00, and I really wanted to get both pieces started, and didn't have the floss for the Gnomes. I had all the floss for the skating winter sampler though.
All in all, Hubby let me stay in the hotel room and stitch for two days before I was required to help pack. I was in heaven. It is a good thing we only eat twice a day there, it left me more time in the middle to start things.
Well, that is the report on my stitching for now.
Would love to hear your comments if you have time.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Stitchings I have actually done
This is just a small floral motif I did on a towel. A bit small for the towel, but I guess I could call it 'delicate and feminine' instead.
This little ornament is one of my favourites. I can just hear him laughing with glee as he is scooting down that slope on that saucer sled. It was a small DMC chartpak bought at least 18 years ago.
A strawberry fingertip towel that was a super easy pattern to stitch and a bright cheery spot in the bathroom towel bar.
Probably one of my favourites. Verse reads: "Take one can of biscuits. Twock on edge of counter. Bake in a 400* oven. Serve in a fancy basket."A/C!
What would we ever do without air conditioning in the house?
We live in a 94-95 year old farmhouse. Yup, the house was born the same year as my Dad.
So, that being said, we do not have whole house air as there just is no way to install it without gutting the entire house.
We have a room a/c in the north window of the bedroom.
I can stitch again.
I have a magnifying lamp with a regular light bulb.
My beloved Daylight magnifier light died.
Well, the metal parts did, totally made a noise like a gunshot when the metal parts stripped and quit. The magnifier was still working as well as the light. But it just wouldn't stay up to swivel, nor stay put in the right spot, so it had to go.
The one I am currently using was a gift from the auction house. Bless that auction house. Bless The Lord. I needed a stitching light, and He provided. But in the summer, we have to have the a/c going because it is just too darned hot to stitch without it. Those little lamps do put out a lot of heat.
Not to mention not being able to sleep in this hot, humid weather. Hubby works very hard in this hot, humid weather and he really needs to be able to sleep. I also have a problem in that I simply have a problem breathing if it is too hot and humid. Plus being older, well, I thank The Lord for a/c and the ingenuity He gave to the person that invented it!
We live in a 94-95 year old farmhouse. Yup, the house was born the same year as my Dad.
So, that being said, we do not have whole house air as there just is no way to install it without gutting the entire house.
We have a room a/c in the north window of the bedroom.
I can stitch again.
I have a magnifying lamp with a regular light bulb.
My beloved Daylight magnifier light died.
Well, the metal parts did, totally made a noise like a gunshot when the metal parts stripped and quit. The magnifier was still working as well as the light. But it just wouldn't stay up to swivel, nor stay put in the right spot, so it had to go.
The one I am currently using was a gift from the auction house. Bless that auction house. Bless The Lord. I needed a stitching light, and He provided. But in the summer, we have to have the a/c going because it is just too darned hot to stitch without it. Those little lamps do put out a lot of heat.
Not to mention not being able to sleep in this hot, humid weather. Hubby works very hard in this hot, humid weather and he really needs to be able to sleep. I also have a problem in that I simply have a problem breathing if it is too hot and humid. Plus being older, well, I thank The Lord for a/c and the ingenuity He gave to the person that invented it!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Giving up part 2
I give up 'part 2'.
Feeling really icky today so I am going to do what I feel like doing.
If I don't get the clutter done today, guess what? It will still be there tomorrow.
Am watching Martha Stewart and her guest is making wallets! Am going to download pattern. I can NEVER find a wallet that works! They never are big enough to let you put a checkbook in. The wallets from China or Taiwan or where ever, must think our checkbook blanks are a lot smaller than they actually are.
The guest is using Martha Stewart's scrap booking paper as the decorative part of the wallet, but I think I would rather use a thin cloth. Or a cross stitched pattern! Woo Hoo! Great idea there!
Her next guest went to Tuscany! Oh, be still my heart. I want to poke around the Tuscany region for a month or two. Want to join me?
Feeling really icky today so I am going to do what I feel like doing.
If I don't get the clutter done today, guess what? It will still be there tomorrow.
Am watching Martha Stewart and her guest is making wallets! Am going to download pattern. I can NEVER find a wallet that works! They never are big enough to let you put a checkbook in. The wallets from China or Taiwan or where ever, must think our checkbook blanks are a lot smaller than they actually are.
The guest is using Martha Stewart's scrap booking paper as the decorative part of the wallet, but I think I would rather use a thin cloth. Or a cross stitched pattern! Woo Hoo! Great idea there!
Her next guest went to Tuscany! Oh, be still my heart. I want to poke around the Tuscany region for a month or two. Want to join me?
I gave up.
We are starting to smell lake shore.
Wouldn't it just be like Murphy's Law.
Put up clothes line and all it has done is rain.
So brought them in and since most of them dragged on the ground, will give up and re-wash. (oh to have a regular clothes line 't' bar to run the lines on.)
Bonnie Hunt's Mom, Alice, is just a hoot.
Her joke today was:
'What did one mountain say to the other mountain after an earthquake?
Answer: 'It wasn't my fault'.
Get it?
I just did after I typed it!
FAULT as in the famous San Andreas Fault where all the earthquakes are! LOL, no one said that I was the brightest bulb today.
Tune in that show if you can get it, we get it on our local Fox station. She is the most gentle woman host for a talk show. Loves her Mom, and her crew is 'unique'. I have mentioned her before and try to check her out for a week.
She genuinely likes people and isn't mean like Leno and Letterman. Her jokes are usually self-effacing, and that is such a relief.
We are starting to smell lake shore.
Wouldn't it just be like Murphy's Law.
Put up clothes line and all it has done is rain.
So brought them in and since most of them dragged on the ground, will give up and re-wash. (oh to have a regular clothes line 't' bar to run the lines on.)
Bonnie Hunt's Mom, Alice, is just a hoot.
Her joke today was:
'What did one mountain say to the other mountain after an earthquake?
Answer: 'It wasn't my fault'.
Get it?
I just did after I typed it!
FAULT as in the famous San Andreas Fault where all the earthquakes are! LOL, no one said that I was the brightest bulb today.
Tune in that show if you can get it, we get it on our local Fox station. She is the most gentle woman host for a talk show. Loves her Mom, and her crew is 'unique'. I have mentioned her before and try to check her out for a week.
She genuinely likes people and isn't mean like Leno and Letterman. Her jokes are usually self-effacing, and that is such a relief.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Hubby at home
I love my husband.
I love my husband.
I love my husband.
But, there are days when he is home all day, and my normal routine and schedule gets disrupted.
I now know how wives feel when their husbands retire and say that they seem to be 'underfoot' all day.
This is hardly ever a problem, except when my mind is concentrating and in 'running mode' with the bib I really need to get stitching on. The baby isn't due until the time around the Thanksgiving holiday, but with my stitching speed, I find that I am not what is called a 'fast' stitcher.
I am constantly amazed at the speed and amount of projects that some of my stitching friends can accomplish.
When he is home I tend to stay in whichever room he is in. I feel guilty if I sit in the bedroom and stitch.
He did however, mention last night that if we go out for breakfast in the next town over, we could go to the German bakery in that town and load up on our favourite bread. Sounded like a marvelous idea.
So what happens when I know we are going to do something special the next day? I can't sleep. He is up and ready to go at 8. I have finally gotten to sleep at 5.
Did I mention that I am rather grumpy when I first get up. He is so cheerful, it stinks!
That started the day. The breakfast was marvelous, they cooked the veggies before they filled my omelet, just the way I like them.
After we got home, I started a load of bleach laundry.
In between checking on him as he watched his Judge shows in the bedroom, two loads were all I got done.
It is amazing at the mentality of the people on the many 'judge' shows.
I finally gave up, sat and asked him if he minded if I stitched a bit. Still felt guilty about it, but he said he didn't mind. I did manage to pull out some floss as I wasn't fond of the way the accent color was going in this large weave. In total, I think I got around 1/2 hour of stitching, let me rephrase that, ripping out floss.
He has sales tomorrow.
I will get a lot more done and will feed myself.
I love my husband.
I love my husband.
I love my husband.
I love my husband.
I love my husband.
But, there are days when he is home all day, and my normal routine and schedule gets disrupted.
I now know how wives feel when their husbands retire and say that they seem to be 'underfoot' all day.
This is hardly ever a problem, except when my mind is concentrating and in 'running mode' with the bib I really need to get stitching on. The baby isn't due until the time around the Thanksgiving holiday, but with my stitching speed, I find that I am not what is called a 'fast' stitcher.
I am constantly amazed at the speed and amount of projects that some of my stitching friends can accomplish.
When he is home I tend to stay in whichever room he is in. I feel guilty if I sit in the bedroom and stitch.
He did however, mention last night that if we go out for breakfast in the next town over, we could go to the German bakery in that town and load up on our favourite bread. Sounded like a marvelous idea.
So what happens when I know we are going to do something special the next day? I can't sleep. He is up and ready to go at 8. I have finally gotten to sleep at 5.
Did I mention that I am rather grumpy when I first get up. He is so cheerful, it stinks!
That started the day. The breakfast was marvelous, they cooked the veggies before they filled my omelet, just the way I like them.
After we got home, I started a load of bleach laundry.
In between checking on him as he watched his Judge shows in the bedroom, two loads were all I got done.
It is amazing at the mentality of the people on the many 'judge' shows.
I finally gave up, sat and asked him if he minded if I stitched a bit. Still felt guilty about it, but he said he didn't mind. I did manage to pull out some floss as I wasn't fond of the way the accent color was going in this large weave. In total, I think I got around 1/2 hour of stitching, let me rephrase that, ripping out floss.
He has sales tomorrow.
I will get a lot more done and will feed myself.
I love my husband.
I love my husband.
I love my husband.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Wildlife
This year is an interesting year for wildlife on this small farm.
As I looked out the front door today while on the phone, I saw a chipmunk just whizzing around under my parked truck. We seem to have a small flock of goldfinches that have flown onto the farm this week. It is sure a bright spot to see them here with their bright gold bodies flitting around the yard.
As I was watching, I saw a movement about 25' to the south of the robin's bathing puddles. I spotted a very young bunny just venturing out of the grainery. He was no longer than 7 inches as he sat on his haunches an chewing on the young, grass leaves.
Then as I got home and was pulling the key out of the ignition, I noticed a movement in the grainery window directly across from the truck parking area. There was a chipmunk just pulling an pulling some soft fiber from the corner of the window. Once he freed it, he took off back into the grainery like a shot. Of course, since he was most likely using the puffy stuff for a nest, it was most likely a she instead of a he.
I also have been noticing that we have a small flock of four crows inhabiting the trees of the farmyard. This is the first time since we moved here that we have had resident crows.
When we moved here, we used to be in the shop/barn until about 4 a.m. Working at night was better suited to the using of the kilns. It simply was cooler. In the winter, it simply made sense so the clay and glaze didn't freeze.
Anyway, one fine spring morning we had just gotten to bed and about two hours later were awakened by a raucous 'cackling' of a whole bunch of trees inhabited by crows. Noisy crows. Bobby and I looked at each other and wondered if this was going to be the pattern here. I was a city girl and he came from the north woods. He usually had song birds and fish outside his cabin window on the lake to listen to. Not raucous crows.
They left in about a week, and this is the first time that I have heard any crows within our yard since then.
I still keep sleeping hours from about 3 a.m. to 11, but lately have been getting up at 9:55 so I can listen to Father Corapi on our Catholic Relevant Radio station out of St. Cloud. The crows are still vocal. But not to the extent of a replay of the Birds movie of old.
We also have a very vocal something or other around the pump house. I have seen opossums on the road just south of our barn, and am wondering if that is what I am hearing. I like the little buggers, but, and this is a very respectful but, they have a mouth full of very sharp, little teeth. I don't think I want to tangle with any of them.
As I looked out the front door today while on the phone, I saw a chipmunk just whizzing around under my parked truck. We seem to have a small flock of goldfinches that have flown onto the farm this week. It is sure a bright spot to see them here with their bright gold bodies flitting around the yard.
As I was watching, I saw a movement about 25' to the south of the robin's bathing puddles. I spotted a very young bunny just venturing out of the grainery. He was no longer than 7 inches as he sat on his haunches an chewing on the young, grass leaves.
Then as I got home and was pulling the key out of the ignition, I noticed a movement in the grainery window directly across from the truck parking area. There was a chipmunk just pulling an pulling some soft fiber from the corner of the window. Once he freed it, he took off back into the grainery like a shot. Of course, since he was most likely using the puffy stuff for a nest, it was most likely a she instead of a he.
I also have been noticing that we have a small flock of four crows inhabiting the trees of the farmyard. This is the first time since we moved here that we have had resident crows.
When we moved here, we used to be in the shop/barn until about 4 a.m. Working at night was better suited to the using of the kilns. It simply was cooler. In the winter, it simply made sense so the clay and glaze didn't freeze.
Anyway, one fine spring morning we had just gotten to bed and about two hours later were awakened by a raucous 'cackling' of a whole bunch of trees inhabited by crows. Noisy crows. Bobby and I looked at each other and wondered if this was going to be the pattern here. I was a city girl and he came from the north woods. He usually had song birds and fish outside his cabin window on the lake to listen to. Not raucous crows.
They left in about a week, and this is the first time that I have heard any crows within our yard since then.
I still keep sleeping hours from about 3 a.m. to 11, but lately have been getting up at 9:55 so I can listen to Father Corapi on our Catholic Relevant Radio station out of St. Cloud. The crows are still vocal. But not to the extent of a replay of the Birds movie of old.
We also have a very vocal something or other around the pump house. I have seen opossums on the road just south of our barn, and am wondering if that is what I am hearing. I like the little buggers, but, and this is a very respectful but, they have a mouth full of very sharp, little teeth. I don't think I want to tangle with any of them.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
MURPHY'S LAW!
Murphy's Law hit again.
Got a clothes line up between a couple of trees and have been hanging clothes out. At least the sheets. The small dryers in house are just that, too small. Needed a clothes line.
So hung out some towels etc., yesterday, and it was a load of whites to sun bleach over the night/morning.
Can you guess what happened?
Right.
It is raining. Not just a gentle, spurty rain, but a long, drawn-out rain. Instead of the three puddles in the circle, I now have enlarged the three and am working on the fourth.
I am watching the load on the line sag.
I will, however, not take these in and rewash. I am going to just let the rain soften them up and forget about that molecule of dirt in each raindrop.
Hmph!
Got a clothes line up between a couple of trees and have been hanging clothes out. At least the sheets. The small dryers in house are just that, too small. Needed a clothes line.
So hung out some towels etc., yesterday, and it was a load of whites to sun bleach over the night/morning.
Can you guess what happened?
Right.
It is raining. Not just a gentle, spurty rain, but a long, drawn-out rain. Instead of the three puddles in the circle, I now have enlarged the three and am working on the fourth.
I am watching the load on the line sag.
I will, however, not take these in and rewash. I am going to just let the rain soften them up and forget about that molecule of dirt in each raindrop.
Hmph!
Friday, June 4, 2010
I was driving home from town yesterday.
Since we live in an agricultural area, new home construction in the last 10 or so years has greatly increased and farmland has alarmingly decreased as more and more farms have gone up for sale as the farmers retired and their youngsters have decided that farming is not for them.
As I was driving home, I noticed that the first cutting of hay has occurred on one of the farmlands outside of town.
I was overjoyed.
It also brings a certain amount of sadness that the summer, even though it technically still spring, is quickly passing by with that occurrence of the first cutting. (I know....as I get older, it seems like the years passing gets quicker and quicker.)
But in observing that first cut hay field, I can't tell you how sweet that smells.
It is like being in the haymow with all the new 'squares' of hay that were loaded up there. There is nothing else like it. Yes, 'haying' is an itchy, really itchy, hot, dirty job, but when you are done, there is really nothing else like it. The aroma is comforting and sweet smelling.
I remember climbing up into my grandparents large barn and scrambling up the vertical ladder attached to the wall and being in that wonderful sweet smelling world. Grandma was always worried that a bale or two would fall on me and smother me being such a small person. But when it was recently filled, the bales were solid and stacked well. As the season progressed, the stacks might have gotten a little less solid as they were pulled and dropped for the cows to eat or use as bedding for the new calves. I still like to cling to the thought that my no-nonsense grandma would sneak up there occasionally to have a special bit of aromatic peace.
If you were lucky, a momma cat had her babies up there in a special little nest. If you were quiet enough while climbing the ladder, you could hear the babies and pinpoint where they were. Nothing better on a summer afternoon than to be playing with baby kittens in the haymow.
That memory was precipitated by the cutting of a field. Judging by the amount in the ground rows, it was a pretty generous cutting.
I woke up last night and listened to the gentle rain falling and thinking that it was good that the cutting was yesterday or the day before while the cutting was still green. If the cutting had been earlier and the cutting drier, that wouldn't have been good to get rain on it.
I think that dried hay is why I enjoy the fields in winter when there is snow on the fields and you have these beautiful golden stalks above it. It brings back the beauty of all that golden stacks of hay bales in the haymow.
I would like to make a suggestion.....instead of just rushing around from point A to point B, when you can do so safely, slow down a little and observe the country where you are.
Is that a kestrel hawk on that telephone pole?
Are there geese flying around and testing their adolescents how to form a 'v'?
Do you have an area where you have redwing blackbirds nesting? Pull over and listen to their song.
Do you have any farmland near? Take the country side roads instead of the interstate and just leisurely drive along with the windows open to take in the lovely smell of our rural areas. Yes, even manure has a good smell to it when you get receptive to it.
Before I met husband-to-be Bobby, I used to have a boyfriend that had a Harley. On our trips around on Sundays, we seldom took the highways, we used to weave in and out of the countryside. You got the beautiful scents of our wonderful country the best that way. I always appreciated the drive through the country with him.
I am so glad that Bobby loves it as much as I do. He will always point out a hawk or deer or fox or geese flying as we drive our country roads if I should miss it. It is amazing, even in the areas surrounding Minneapolis and St. Paul, the abundance of wildlife out there.
Sometime during this summer, take your little ones on a Sunday country drive and see if you can't slow down a little and open the windows and really 'smell' our country. Sometimes if you happen upon a skunk that has unfortunately gotten hit by a car, the smell is pungent, but really not so bad. But the smell of earth and growing things is the best. It is like going into a greenhouse in the dead of winter. Nothing else like it.
I hope, even if you haven't any little ones anymore, that you give yourself that gift of driving around farmland and slowing down. I guarantee that gift will be a treasure. Stop in a small town and see if you can't have a burger and an iced tea or malt or shake at one of the little cafes there. Or try one of their specials of the day.
Build up your your own memory to treasure when you need to pull it out on a particularly bad day. And the best tip, take a special journal along, stop every once in a while and write down what you smelled, saw, and enjoyed. One of the cheapest, most durable and yet nicest journals to buy is one of those black and white print-covered notebooks you can get at Walmart, Target and just about anywhere. They are found in the shool supplies department. Leave it in your vehicle with a pen clipped to it.
You are ready to record the treasures of your life as you pass through it.
Sometimes we forget to give ourselves a gift. We need to be mentally and spiritually healthy to be able to give continually to others. This will do so.
Huggs, and enjoy.
Cait
Since we live in an agricultural area, new home construction in the last 10 or so years has greatly increased and farmland has alarmingly decreased as more and more farms have gone up for sale as the farmers retired and their youngsters have decided that farming is not for them.
As I was driving home, I noticed that the first cutting of hay has occurred on one of the farmlands outside of town.
I was overjoyed.
It also brings a certain amount of sadness that the summer, even though it technically still spring, is quickly passing by with that occurrence of the first cutting. (I know....as I get older, it seems like the years passing gets quicker and quicker.)
But in observing that first cut hay field, I can't tell you how sweet that smells.
It is like being in the haymow with all the new 'squares' of hay that were loaded up there. There is nothing else like it. Yes, 'haying' is an itchy, really itchy, hot, dirty job, but when you are done, there is really nothing else like it. The aroma is comforting and sweet smelling.
I remember climbing up into my grandparents large barn and scrambling up the vertical ladder attached to the wall and being in that wonderful sweet smelling world. Grandma was always worried that a bale or two would fall on me and smother me being such a small person. But when it was recently filled, the bales were solid and stacked well. As the season progressed, the stacks might have gotten a little less solid as they were pulled and dropped for the cows to eat or use as bedding for the new calves. I still like to cling to the thought that my no-nonsense grandma would sneak up there occasionally to have a special bit of aromatic peace.
If you were lucky, a momma cat had her babies up there in a special little nest. If you were quiet enough while climbing the ladder, you could hear the babies and pinpoint where they were. Nothing better on a summer afternoon than to be playing with baby kittens in the haymow.
That memory was precipitated by the cutting of a field. Judging by the amount in the ground rows, it was a pretty generous cutting.
I woke up last night and listened to the gentle rain falling and thinking that it was good that the cutting was yesterday or the day before while the cutting was still green. If the cutting had been earlier and the cutting drier, that wouldn't have been good to get rain on it.
I think that dried hay is why I enjoy the fields in winter when there is snow on the fields and you have these beautiful golden stalks above it. It brings back the beauty of all that golden stacks of hay bales in the haymow.
I would like to make a suggestion.....instead of just rushing around from point A to point B, when you can do so safely, slow down a little and observe the country where you are.
Is that a kestrel hawk on that telephone pole?
Are there geese flying around and testing their adolescents how to form a 'v'?
Do you have an area where you have redwing blackbirds nesting? Pull over and listen to their song.
Do you have any farmland near? Take the country side roads instead of the interstate and just leisurely drive along with the windows open to take in the lovely smell of our rural areas. Yes, even manure has a good smell to it when you get receptive to it.
Before I met husband-to-be Bobby, I used to have a boyfriend that had a Harley. On our trips around on Sundays, we seldom took the highways, we used to weave in and out of the countryside. You got the beautiful scents of our wonderful country the best that way. I always appreciated the drive through the country with him.
I am so glad that Bobby loves it as much as I do. He will always point out a hawk or deer or fox or geese flying as we drive our country roads if I should miss it. It is amazing, even in the areas surrounding Minneapolis and St. Paul, the abundance of wildlife out there.
Sometime during this summer, take your little ones on a Sunday country drive and see if you can't slow down a little and open the windows and really 'smell' our country. Sometimes if you happen upon a skunk that has unfortunately gotten hit by a car, the smell is pungent, but really not so bad. But the smell of earth and growing things is the best. It is like going into a greenhouse in the dead of winter. Nothing else like it.
I hope, even if you haven't any little ones anymore, that you give yourself that gift of driving around farmland and slowing down. I guarantee that gift will be a treasure. Stop in a small town and see if you can't have a burger and an iced tea or malt or shake at one of the little cafes there. Or try one of their specials of the day.
Build up your your own memory to treasure when you need to pull it out on a particularly bad day. And the best tip, take a special journal along, stop every once in a while and write down what you smelled, saw, and enjoyed. One of the cheapest, most durable and yet nicest journals to buy is one of those black and white print-covered notebooks you can get at Walmart, Target and just about anywhere. They are found in the shool supplies department. Leave it in your vehicle with a pen clipped to it.
You are ready to record the treasures of your life as you pass through it.
Sometimes we forget to give ourselves a gift. We need to be mentally and spiritually healthy to be able to give continually to others. This will do so.
Huggs, and enjoy.
Cait
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sense of boredom and loss
This is going to be a long one, so get that cuppa and sit and sip with me....
Well, I finished Caleb John's bib, burp and change pad. Yesterday, in fact. I put in the last stitch, signed and dated, bathed, and pressed them. They didn't get the boxed, papered and ribboned gift, they ended up in the proverbial ziplock bag. (Where would stitchers be without that gem of a tool?)
Then off to Margaret and Jack's for a Memorial Day lunch with Kory, Ady, Caleb and Aaron. Met Hubby at the auction house, and both drove to lunch. Bobby wanted to drive as he didn't think he should stay long since he was in the middle of a nasty cold. So, got there and was treated to some marvelous Margaret-prepared food.
Saw Caleb for the first time, in person, and was granted this marvelous sense of peace looking at this little one.
I watched as he was passed from Mom to Dad and back and forth and to Grandpa and Grandma with such ease and love.
The gift I stitched was received with graciousness and I hope with gladness. It was only 5 months, 11 & 21/31 days late. (He will be 6 months on the 8th of June. I really had to work hard on that one and probably got it figured wrong or theoretically wrong, anyway....)
Caleb is at the stage where he is drooling and blowing bubbles. Dad grabbed the burp towel and mopped up. So it got used. Will see if I can get the pictures in here somewhere. I seem to have a problem with finding my pictures once I get them in the computer. And Today is Computer Problem Day evidently. I think it is either the battery cord, or the connection port on the back of this laptop. It kept closing down. Finally after trying several things, I noticed that when the cord is pushed in one certain way, I have the lightning bolt indicating power comes on, stays on, and is charging the laptop. Hmmmph, don't need problems with this, and Hubby will come home and have a problem and be unhappy camper in the house.
Getting back to last night after arriving home.........
I sat in my chair by the bed, hubby was on the computer, I was watching what little programming on the boob tube I could find. I didn't scroll between stations to see what was offered, just watched what Hubby pulled up before the computer went on.
I had this sense of boredom and loss.
I sat there and felt rather crabby and out of sorts.
I finally figured it out.
I didn't have any stitching to get done and look forward to as Hubby was on the computer and I was ensconced in my stitching/devotional chair.
I had completed all three of Caleb's gifts.
The pattern book, corresponding floss and needle had been put away.
I didn't know what to do.
Sure, I have UFO's to do, but where to start? What do I pull out to do for me? I have Chat Noir from Mystic Stitch, Tracy Horner's BoInk, Dimension's Walking to Town, The Witch's House, Alex's ABC Sampler, etc., etc., etc..
I have also received a couple of marvelous patterns from a dear friend in on of the stitching groups I belong to. One is of a Norwegian angel. I might get all the things ready for that one, as I think I remember that it was stitched on Monaco. I have several tubes and packages of that fabric available as it is my favourite stitching fabric.
I really don't have any stitchings that are to go to anyone to do any more, and sometimes when we have the ability and time to do things for ourselves, isn't it funny that we put them off?
Will let it float around in the subconscious today and hopefully I will figure out something to stitch by tonight's boob tube adventures with Hubby.
By the way, today is Memorial Day and he is at the auction house, working. He called the auction early on Saturday, he doesn't usually have an auction on Memorial Day Saturday, but decided to try it. He might not do that next year.
But I had dinner all ready, so he had a good mac and turkey cold salad to enjoy. What is with it with macaroni salads? I absolutely love them and so does he. To us it is one of those comfort foods from our childhood. Thanks Moms, you gave us the best you knew how with your minimal budgets, and we still love those foods.
Well time to sign off. got the computer working and we are currently at 93% of full charge. Hubby will be happy. That's about all I want.....a happy Hubby and macaroni salad for breakfast, lunch, snacks or dinner.
Have a great day everyone, stay safe, and remember the reason for this holiday.
Huggs, Cait
(P.S. I still prefer tuna mac salad, but Hubby wanted canned turkey......not much flavour there.)
Well, I finished Caleb John's bib, burp and change pad. Yesterday, in fact. I put in the last stitch, signed and dated, bathed, and pressed them. They didn't get the boxed, papered and ribboned gift, they ended up in the proverbial ziplock bag. (Where would stitchers be without that gem of a tool?)
Then off to Margaret and Jack's for a Memorial Day lunch with Kory, Ady, Caleb and Aaron. Met Hubby at the auction house, and both drove to lunch. Bobby wanted to drive as he didn't think he should stay long since he was in the middle of a nasty cold. So, got there and was treated to some marvelous Margaret-prepared food.
Saw Caleb for the first time, in person, and was granted this marvelous sense of peace looking at this little one.
I watched as he was passed from Mom to Dad and back and forth and to Grandpa and Grandma with such ease and love.
The gift I stitched was received with graciousness and I hope with gladness. It was only 5 months, 11 & 21/31 days late. (He will be 6 months on the 8th of June. I really had to work hard on that one and probably got it figured wrong or theoretically wrong, anyway....)
Caleb is at the stage where he is drooling and blowing bubbles. Dad grabbed the burp towel and mopped up. So it got used. Will see if I can get the pictures in here somewhere. I seem to have a problem with finding my pictures once I get them in the computer. And Today is Computer Problem Day evidently. I think it is either the battery cord, or the connection port on the back of this laptop. It kept closing down. Finally after trying several things, I noticed that when the cord is pushed in one certain way, I have the lightning bolt indicating power comes on, stays on, and is charging the laptop. Hmmmph, don't need problems with this, and Hubby will come home and have a problem and be unhappy camper in the house.
Getting back to last night after arriving home.........
I sat in my chair by the bed, hubby was on the computer, I was watching what little programming on the boob tube I could find. I didn't scroll between stations to see what was offered, just watched what Hubby pulled up before the computer went on.
I had this sense of boredom and loss.
I sat there and felt rather crabby and out of sorts.
I finally figured it out.
I didn't have any stitching to get done and look forward to as Hubby was on the computer and I was ensconced in my stitching/devotional chair.
I had completed all three of Caleb's gifts.
The pattern book, corresponding floss and needle had been put away.
I didn't know what to do.
Sure, I have UFO's to do, but where to start? What do I pull out to do for me? I have Chat Noir from Mystic Stitch, Tracy Horner's BoInk, Dimension's Walking to Town, The Witch's House, Alex's ABC Sampler, etc., etc., etc..
I have also received a couple of marvelous patterns from a dear friend in on of the stitching groups I belong to. One is of a Norwegian angel. I might get all the things ready for that one, as I think I remember that it was stitched on Monaco. I have several tubes and packages of that fabric available as it is my favourite stitching fabric.
I really don't have any stitchings that are to go to anyone to do any more, and sometimes when we have the ability and time to do things for ourselves, isn't it funny that we put them off?
Will let it float around in the subconscious today and hopefully I will figure out something to stitch by tonight's boob tube adventures with Hubby.
By the way, today is Memorial Day and he is at the auction house, working. He called the auction early on Saturday, he doesn't usually have an auction on Memorial Day Saturday, but decided to try it. He might not do that next year.
But I had dinner all ready, so he had a good mac and turkey cold salad to enjoy. What is with it with macaroni salads? I absolutely love them and so does he. To us it is one of those comfort foods from our childhood. Thanks Moms, you gave us the best you knew how with your minimal budgets, and we still love those foods.
Well time to sign off. got the computer working and we are currently at 93% of full charge. Hubby will be happy. That's about all I want.....a happy Hubby and macaroni salad for breakfast, lunch, snacks or dinner.
Have a great day everyone, stay safe, and remember the reason for this holiday.
Huggs, Cait
(P.S. I still prefer tuna mac salad, but Hubby wanted canned turkey......not much flavour there.)
Monday, May 17, 2010
Living in Minnesota, you get to appreciate the small things in our 'spring'.
This year the spring evolved slowly, tantalizingly, with a summer snap, and then back to our normal cold and rainy spring. But that is OK, as I would prefer that than to the normal two day spring and the third and following days are right out of a New Jersey summer! (Hot and with our abundant lakes, humid.)
While gathering courage to get out of a cozy truck one day after a rainy spell, I noticed the robins in our farm yard. We know we have a decent rain when we have puddles, three in fact, in the center of our drive-around.
Have you ever watched a robin's legs when that robin wants to get somewhere? Those beautiful songsters can really get their mojo on when they want that bath in the center of our yard! Their legs move at warp speed as they move to that desired spot. (O.K. I am an adult child of Star Trek.)
'Tis a beautiful thing, that tiny bird with a mission.
They do not waste any time.
Huggs,
Cait
This year the spring evolved slowly, tantalizingly, with a summer snap, and then back to our normal cold and rainy spring. But that is OK, as I would prefer that than to the normal two day spring and the third and following days are right out of a New Jersey summer! (Hot and with our abundant lakes, humid.)
While gathering courage to get out of a cozy truck one day after a rainy spell, I noticed the robins in our farm yard. We know we have a decent rain when we have puddles, three in fact, in the center of our drive-around.
Have you ever watched a robin's legs when that robin wants to get somewhere? Those beautiful songsters can really get their mojo on when they want that bath in the center of our yard! Their legs move at warp speed as they move to that desired spot. (O.K. I am an adult child of Star Trek.)
'Tis a beautiful thing, that tiny bird with a mission.
They do not waste any time.
Huggs,
Cait
Friday, April 30, 2010
Truly spring
It truly must be spring here in our northern climes.
I had no decaf green tea yesterday at 9:25 p.m. last night, and didn't want to consume any more regular caffeinated tea that late at night. So off to the grocery, 7 or so miles away.
On the way there, I wasn't paying too much attention to the roadside things, which is what I normally do, such as looking for deer, but was more concentrated on the time as the grocery store closes at 10 p.m. now that the new owners took over.
But on the way back, I noticed the first night-flying insects. Then came the thoughts of how do they 'see' at night? Their eyes are so small! With most 'night' animals, their eyes are just huge!
Then the thought was that it must be heaven to just fly around the farm communities with nothing to obstruct their flight
It was then that it became a realization that spring is finally here and the bugs are out, even in this cooler weather. When I got home and ensconced myself in the bedroom again, I could hear the bugs hitting the screens and windows. I don't like that, as I don't like hurting any living thing, even bugs. No matter the season, if I encounter a spider or bug that I can trap, it goes outside to live. I have my Cool-Whip container at the ready. I can't quite trap them in a hanky or tissue as the Navajo or Hopi do (just not that adept), but they get caught in a Cool-Whip container and are encouraged to live outside.
Mice on the other hand........I have an electronic mouse 'zapper', and am up to about 20+ so far this winter........cats have 3. Problem is that they like to get in the drawer of the stove and the cats can't open the drawer. Don't know why not, they can open my cupboard drawers to climb on the counter!
But a cool spring finally has arrived and we will be seeing May soon!
Huggs to all.
I had no decaf green tea yesterday at 9:25 p.m. last night, and didn't want to consume any more regular caffeinated tea that late at night. So off to the grocery, 7 or so miles away.
On the way there, I wasn't paying too much attention to the roadside things, which is what I normally do, such as looking for deer, but was more concentrated on the time as the grocery store closes at 10 p.m. now that the new owners took over.
But on the way back, I noticed the first night-flying insects. Then came the thoughts of how do they 'see' at night? Their eyes are so small! With most 'night' animals, their eyes are just huge!
Then the thought was that it must be heaven to just fly around the farm communities with nothing to obstruct their flight
It was then that it became a realization that spring is finally here and the bugs are out, even in this cooler weather. When I got home and ensconced myself in the bedroom again, I could hear the bugs hitting the screens and windows. I don't like that, as I don't like hurting any living thing, even bugs. No matter the season, if I encounter a spider or bug that I can trap, it goes outside to live. I have my Cool-Whip container at the ready. I can't quite trap them in a hanky or tissue as the Navajo or Hopi do (just not that adept), but they get caught in a Cool-Whip container and are encouraged to live outside.
Mice on the other hand........I have an electronic mouse 'zapper', and am up to about 20+ so far this winter........cats have 3. Problem is that they like to get in the drawer of the stove and the cats can't open the drawer. Don't know why not, they can open my cupboard drawers to climb on the counter!
But a cool spring finally has arrived and we will be seeing May soon!
Huggs to all.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Jobs
Good Morning,
Watching the local cities news shows and wondering if the anchors get assignments based on nerves, guts or a combination of the two. Or just plain stupidity. Nah, these people are smart.
Alix Kendall on our channel 9's Fox affiliate morning show is doing gymnastics on a trampoline in a controlled environment with a trainer to the side. It looks like she is flying at times.
She is now on a bar, one of a set of parallel bars.
We all watch them on the Summer Olympics and now I can see how much training is involved.
We all know that they have intense training, but to take a young news anchor-woman-wife-mother to try to do just some general moves has my admiration level at the max.
I am sure Alix said "What!?" when the assignment presented itself.
Then we have had Hoda and Kathie Lee doing rodeo.
Maybe I have had the wrong job all my life.
Not that I would trade the life I have had, but inside each one of us is that secret, phantom desire to try a dangerous, scintillating, risky 'something-out-of-the-ordinary'.
I have always wanted to be a dancer.
I remember twirling, hopping, stretching arms and legs in our tiny bungalow house as a kid.
Not a lot of room, but did I ever take this activity outside to the backyard where I had an acre of grass to do this. Uh, uh. Nope. Neighbors too close.
That would have been toooo embarassing for a pre teen. Even my frenzied hopping around resulted in an activity done in private when everyone else was OUT of the house.
I admire those news anchors that bite the bullet and show us their willing-ness to get 'outside themselves' and allow us to dream again.
Or, Maybe Alix said "Yeah, let's do it!" and allowed her secret phantom desire to come to the outside and then she thought "And I get Paid for this!"
Maybe I should think of taking up courses in broadcasting.........hmmmmm.
Watching the local cities news shows and wondering if the anchors get assignments based on nerves, guts or a combination of the two. Or just plain stupidity. Nah, these people are smart.
Alix Kendall on our channel 9's Fox affiliate morning show is doing gymnastics on a trampoline in a controlled environment with a trainer to the side. It looks like she is flying at times.
She is now on a bar, one of a set of parallel bars.
We all watch them on the Summer Olympics and now I can see how much training is involved.
We all know that they have intense training, but to take a young news anchor-woman-wife-mother to try to do just some general moves has my admiration level at the max.
I am sure Alix said "What!?" when the assignment presented itself.
Then we have had Hoda and Kathie Lee doing rodeo.
Maybe I have had the wrong job all my life.
Not that I would trade the life I have had, but inside each one of us is that secret, phantom desire to try a dangerous, scintillating, risky 'something-out-of-the-ordinary'.
I have always wanted to be a dancer.
I remember twirling, hopping, stretching arms and legs in our tiny bungalow house as a kid.
Not a lot of room, but did I ever take this activity outside to the backyard where I had an acre of grass to do this. Uh, uh. Nope. Neighbors too close.
That would have been toooo embarassing for a pre teen. Even my frenzied hopping around resulted in an activity done in private when everyone else was OUT of the house.
I admire those news anchors that bite the bullet and show us their willing-ness to get 'outside themselves' and allow us to dream again.
Or, Maybe Alix said "Yeah, let's do it!" and allowed her secret phantom desire to come to the outside and then she thought "And I get Paid for this!"
Maybe I should think of taking up courses in broadcasting.........hmmmmm.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
CMA
I am watching the Country Music Awards, set in Vegas! (We all know my love affair with Vegas....)
I have forgotten how much I love country music.
It is at the end of the show and Darius Rucker(?) is now singing. He is the one that sang the solos for Hootie and the Blowfish in case you don't remember. Made the transition to country absolutely beautifully!
I haven't listened to country in a while, and there are some wonderful new singers I have yet to discover. I am the 'old' school, Willie, Dolly, Waylon, George Jones, Hank Williams, Sr., etc..
However Josh Nichols is one of the newer gentlemen I adore. On my way to mass in Grand Rapids, my sister-in-law loaned me her car and had his CD in the player.
Mind you, I was on my way to church and wondering if Pat would notice if I 'borrowed' the CD. (Guess that old 'evil one' will creep into the mind at any time he can sniggle in. We have to be careful of that one.)
Anyway, when I got back to her house, I asked her the singer, album's name and where she got it (I was not about to take a CD out of the player in an unfamiliar car and especially since I noticed that there were 5 Cd's in her player!). Took me a while, but I finally found it, and he and his songs are among my favourites. How that face can come out with that voice is amazing, it is something you really don't expect.
OK, well I guess I am getting a bit too over the top here.
I will scour the country radio waves and start listening again. I will have a lot of good listening to go through and learn the new people and their songs.
Rock 'N Roll of the 50's-70's, I haven't forgotten you and will always be a dyed in the wool Hippie (if only in my mind), but Good-Golly Molly, country is so dog-gone comforting at times.
Hope your day went well, take care of yourselves and your loved ones.
I have forgotten how much I love country music.
It is at the end of the show and Darius Rucker(?) is now singing. He is the one that sang the solos for Hootie and the Blowfish in case you don't remember. Made the transition to country absolutely beautifully!
I haven't listened to country in a while, and there are some wonderful new singers I have yet to discover. I am the 'old' school, Willie, Dolly, Waylon, George Jones, Hank Williams, Sr., etc..
However Josh Nichols is one of the newer gentlemen I adore. On my way to mass in Grand Rapids, my sister-in-law loaned me her car and had his CD in the player.
Mind you, I was on my way to church and wondering if Pat would notice if I 'borrowed' the CD. (Guess that old 'evil one' will creep into the mind at any time he can sniggle in. We have to be careful of that one.)
Anyway, when I got back to her house, I asked her the singer, album's name and where she got it (I was not about to take a CD out of the player in an unfamiliar car and especially since I noticed that there were 5 Cd's in her player!). Took me a while, but I finally found it, and he and his songs are among my favourites. How that face can come out with that voice is amazing, it is something you really don't expect.
OK, well I guess I am getting a bit too over the top here.
I will scour the country radio waves and start listening again. I will have a lot of good listening to go through and learn the new people and their songs.
Rock 'N Roll of the 50's-70's, I haven't forgotten you and will always be a dyed in the wool Hippie (if only in my mind), but Good-Golly Molly, country is so dog-gone comforting at times.
Hope your day went well, take care of yourselves and your loved ones.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
There are a couple of days that I absolutely love on our farm.
First of all, let me tell you that we live out in the country on the top of the highest hill around. It is a non-animal farm, and we have a gentleman that does the crops..this year it most likely will be corn. Hubby and I like it better when it is in alfalfa. We love the smell when it is cut and it is easier to walk the field in the summer with alfalfa.
Every spring and fall I wait for the redwing blackbirds to come. With us being on top of the hill, when they come, the ladies and some gents congregate in the tallest trees on top of the hill, which happens to be on our farm.
For about an hour, they sing, cackle, whistle, and just generally seem to gossip before they disperse to their chosen spots around the area.
I knew they were coming because the first male scouts have appeared in the area the last few weeks down at the four corners 1/4 mile south of us. We look for them every spring as we drive around the country side to and from town on the countryside around.
This year we seemed to have had two waves so far of the ladies. They came first yesterday, Easter Sunday. This morning as I went out to check the mail, I heard them in the trees again.
They were not as plentiful as in previous years, but maybe that was explained by the two waves of redwing blackbirds.
The second time they appear 'en masse' is in the fall when they gather again before they start their journey south for the winter.
These are the two days I am just beside myself with joy. I love their 'kong-a-rhee' song.
They usually congregate where there is water, and to have them here on top of the hill for that brief time before they settle in down in the swampy area to the south is just a joy. I know I have mentioned them before, but it is such a rite of spring for me to experience their tweetings, songs, cacklings and general gossip of these lovely birds.
So, they are finally here safely from their trip from the south.
I have been known to stop at the four corners to the south, roll down the windows and just listen for a while. I have had lovely people stop and ask me if I need help, so I usually try to do this when I can see no other cars coming because to give them an answer that I was just listening to the birds can be somewhat embarassing.
My two favourite days in the year. I hope when you see the redwing blackbirds in your area, stop and listen to them. Robins have a beautiful song, so add the redwing blackbird to your list of birds to listen to and enjoy.
First of all, let me tell you that we live out in the country on the top of the highest hill around. It is a non-animal farm, and we have a gentleman that does the crops..this year it most likely will be corn. Hubby and I like it better when it is in alfalfa. We love the smell when it is cut and it is easier to walk the field in the summer with alfalfa.
Every spring and fall I wait for the redwing blackbirds to come. With us being on top of the hill, when they come, the ladies and some gents congregate in the tallest trees on top of the hill, which happens to be on our farm.
For about an hour, they sing, cackle, whistle, and just generally seem to gossip before they disperse to their chosen spots around the area.
I knew they were coming because the first male scouts have appeared in the area the last few weeks down at the four corners 1/4 mile south of us. We look for them every spring as we drive around the country side to and from town on the countryside around.
This year we seemed to have had two waves so far of the ladies. They came first yesterday, Easter Sunday. This morning as I went out to check the mail, I heard them in the trees again.
They were not as plentiful as in previous years, but maybe that was explained by the two waves of redwing blackbirds.
The second time they appear 'en masse' is in the fall when they gather again before they start their journey south for the winter.
These are the two days I am just beside myself with joy. I love their 'kong-a-rhee' song.
They usually congregate where there is water, and to have them here on top of the hill for that brief time before they settle in down in the swampy area to the south is just a joy. I know I have mentioned them before, but it is such a rite of spring for me to experience their tweetings, songs, cacklings and general gossip of these lovely birds.
So, they are finally here safely from their trip from the south.
I have been known to stop at the four corners to the south, roll down the windows and just listen for a while. I have had lovely people stop and ask me if I need help, so I usually try to do this when I can see no other cars coming because to give them an answer that I was just listening to the birds can be somewhat embarassing.
My two favourite days in the year. I hope when you see the redwing blackbirds in your area, stop and listen to them. Robins have a beautiful song, so add the redwing blackbird to your list of birds to listen to and enjoy.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Auction house kitchen & Carol's comments on it
Thank you, Carol, for your comments.
I have a few pics in some older posts if you would like to look at them.
I see your picture came with a ribbon for your sampler!
Congratulations on the ribbon!
It is a passing thought each year when I attend the MN State Fair that I should try and enter a piece. The trouble is that there are so many extraordinary pieces submitted. I don't know if I would have a chance. BUT just seeing a piece behind that glass display would be an enormous thrill.
Again, hearty and sincere congratulations on the ribbon.
What is the piece's name and designer?
I am toying with samplers as stitching since completing The Hen Sampler by Bent Creek. She was such a joy to do and she is a hoot! Check out Bent Creek's catalog to see her other patterns.
Roxy seemed appreciative when she got it at the Auction House.
Found her and posted her picture at the start and now you see why I got such a chuckle over the pattern at the store in Las Vegas. The rule is: that if I chuckle, smile or laugh at a pattern, it gets purchased. I laughed out loud in this tiny Las Vegas Stitcher's Paradise store.
I am getting more content to stay at home on Saturday nights now, and the "Lost" feeling is getting lessened more and more.
Sorry it took so long to review your comment and publish it. Your kind words mean so much.
Huggs, Cait
Internet in the morning and farm yards
Good mid afternoon all!
I haven't posted in a long while and for that I apologize. Life happens to get in the way.
Plus getting on the net in the morning is trouble.
The trouble is that when I am on the net, I get sucked into this site and then into that site leads to another and repeat that forever! Most of the time it is time wasted, do you know what I mean????
I have two cross stitch projects going and I really have to get that bib, burp and changer done before Caleb starts on steak! I switched from the elephants I was doing as the pattern just didn't seem to have ANY appeal to me and was a drudge to get stitching on.
This set of patterns is going to be animal pull-toys and found them in a Vanessa~Ann Collection 'An American Sampler', 1992 book. The Book is by designer Susan Winget and called 'Susan Winget's "The Changing Seasons".
The second project is a weather vane for a friend to make into a luggage tag with her name on the back second piece fabric. Since most luggage is black, we have found these little stitched luggage tags identify your bag at once coming around the baggage carousel.
I was in the second hand book store here in town by the name of 'Cover 2 Cover' and was going through their stitching magazine and leaflet area and found the weather vane pattern I have, but can't find. For a quarter I now have it again. It is simple and can change the colourways so easily as it is only four colors of DMC.
Huggs to all, hope your weather is good, our farm yard has most of the frost out and I DIDN'T GET STUCK ONCE! In fact the ground is almost all dried up with those marvelous March winds this week. Yaaaay! In case most of you don't know, I live on a 40 acre non-animal farm and we have the typical farm yard drive. We have had gravel added to the dirt, but most of it has disappeared into the dirt. The last time we added gravel was 20? yrs ago? Guess it is time. I need to get the number again and size and grade of gravel, but as with life happening, something else will come up to gobble up that funding. Makes life interesting, yes?
Mary W. will know what farm yards are like, I think. I think years ago she mentioned what farm yards are like.
I love farm yards, everyone is different and has it's own individuality. I still remember getting up in the middle of the night and looking at my grandparent's farmyard lit by the center pole light. Theirs was three times the size of mine. It is a comforting thought to look out at your barn in the middle of the night with your yard light lit and look for a bunny or two or three.
I don't throw my produce away when it has gone that one day over the time for human consumption anymore. I have a patch dedicated just outside the kitchen door where I put it for the bunnies. I found that they don't like herbed stuffing mix much, but will eat the cranberries that are in it first. It takes them a while, but the stuffing mix eventually disappeared. They had the same reaction to some very, very stale rye crackers. But they get fed and it stays out of filling up the dumpster. All my potato peelings, tops and bottoms of radishes, tomato cores, old, wrinkled apples from the apple bin in the fridge, even banana skins get made into bunny muscle, blood and bone. Good for them, good for me. It all started when I was re-arranging the kitchen and found a whole Tupperware container of stale peanuts in the shell. It went out in a pile out on the snow and it took them a while, but they ate them. Was a lot of fun to see them put the peanut in their mouth and work it around until they extracted the peanut and then spit the shell out. My German Shepherd, Molly Brown did the same thing. Brought back memories of her.
I get such great delight in seeing them in the middle of the night, just outside my kitchen door by about 20 feet away when I can't sleep. Thank you, Lord, for whispering the idea into my head. They even ate a mango, but left the seed. I can see the teeth marks on the pit. Guess I will have to put that part of the mango in the dumpster. But it is a nice reminder of what my bunnies will eat. I think we throw away so much and it could be fed to the bunnies. Well, guess I am through ruminating for the morning, have some computer chores to do as well as eat breakfast. (Well I guess I could term it brunch since it is now after 12.) Going to have leftover brown rice with pork and pork gravy with added broccoli and carrots and serve it with some lemon soy sauce. Kikkoman brand, Ponzu Citrus Seasoned Soy Sauce & Dressing. Good stuff. It has natural lemon and orange flavours in it, and the sodium is 400 mg for 1 tbsp!!!!!
Well, guess that is all for now. Hope to post a pic or two of projects going on.
Huggs to all, Cait
I haven't posted in a long while and for that I apologize. Life happens to get in the way.
Plus getting on the net in the morning is trouble.
The trouble is that when I am on the net, I get sucked into this site and then into that site leads to another and repeat that forever! Most of the time it is time wasted, do you know what I mean????
I have two cross stitch projects going and I really have to get that bib, burp and changer done before Caleb starts on steak! I switched from the elephants I was doing as the pattern just didn't seem to have ANY appeal to me and was a drudge to get stitching on.
This set of patterns is going to be animal pull-toys and found them in a Vanessa~Ann Collection 'An American Sampler', 1992 book. The Book is by designer Susan Winget and called 'Susan Winget's "The Changing Seasons".
The second project is a weather vane for a friend to make into a luggage tag with her name on the back second piece fabric. Since most luggage is black, we have found these little stitched luggage tags identify your bag at once coming around the baggage carousel.
I was in the second hand book store here in town by the name of 'Cover 2 Cover' and was going through their stitching magazine and leaflet area and found the weather vane pattern I have, but can't find. For a quarter I now have it again. It is simple and can change the colourways so easily as it is only four colors of DMC.
Huggs to all, hope your weather is good, our farm yard has most of the frost out and I DIDN'T GET STUCK ONCE! In fact the ground is almost all dried up with those marvelous March winds this week. Yaaaay! In case most of you don't know, I live on a 40 acre non-animal farm and we have the typical farm yard drive. We have had gravel added to the dirt, but most of it has disappeared into the dirt. The last time we added gravel was 20? yrs ago? Guess it is time. I need to get the number again and size and grade of gravel, but as with life happening, something else will come up to gobble up that funding. Makes life interesting, yes?
Mary W. will know what farm yards are like, I think. I think years ago she mentioned what farm yards are like.
I love farm yards, everyone is different and has it's own individuality. I still remember getting up in the middle of the night and looking at my grandparent's farmyard lit by the center pole light. Theirs was three times the size of mine. It is a comforting thought to look out at your barn in the middle of the night with your yard light lit and look for a bunny or two or three.
I don't throw my produce away when it has gone that one day over the time for human consumption anymore. I have a patch dedicated just outside the kitchen door where I put it for the bunnies. I found that they don't like herbed stuffing mix much, but will eat the cranberries that are in it first. It takes them a while, but the stuffing mix eventually disappeared. They had the same reaction to some very, very stale rye crackers. But they get fed and it stays out of filling up the dumpster. All my potato peelings, tops and bottoms of radishes, tomato cores, old, wrinkled apples from the apple bin in the fridge, even banana skins get made into bunny muscle, blood and bone. Good for them, good for me. It all started when I was re-arranging the kitchen and found a whole Tupperware container of stale peanuts in the shell. It went out in a pile out on the snow and it took them a while, but they ate them. Was a lot of fun to see them put the peanut in their mouth and work it around until they extracted the peanut and then spit the shell out. My German Shepherd, Molly Brown did the same thing. Brought back memories of her.
I get such great delight in seeing them in the middle of the night, just outside my kitchen door by about 20 feet away when I can't sleep. Thank you, Lord, for whispering the idea into my head. They even ate a mango, but left the seed. I can see the teeth marks on the pit. Guess I will have to put that part of the mango in the dumpster. But it is a nice reminder of what my bunnies will eat. I think we throw away so much and it could be fed to the bunnies. Well, guess I am through ruminating for the morning, have some computer chores to do as well as eat breakfast. (Well I guess I could term it brunch since it is now after 12.) Going to have leftover brown rice with pork and pork gravy with added broccoli and carrots and serve it with some lemon soy sauce. Kikkoman brand, Ponzu Citrus Seasoned Soy Sauce & Dressing. Good stuff. It has natural lemon and orange flavours in it, and the sodium is 400 mg for 1 tbsp!!!!!
Well, guess that is all for now. Hope to post a pic or two of projects going on.
Huggs to all, Cait
Monday, February 1, 2010
Auction house kitchen
Last night I started to clean out the auction house kitchen.
I will no longer be there in the kitchen.
I have retired, so to speak and have turned over the reigns to a couple that does catering.
In order to have food at the auction house, it has to be catered.
So, last nite was a closing of a part of my life that was a great part of my weekends.
I had many of the customers come to tell me that they will miss me, and I am sure a great deal more glad that I will no longer be there so they can have hot food again.
Either way, it is a sadness of note, but also one of happiness.
Even though I only served pop, candy bars and chips, it gave me a way to connect with humanity.
I listened to a lot of woes, shared a ton of happiness and learned about their lives. I made a lot of friends, and tried to remember the names of all the regulars.
In each transaction, or connection, you realize that we are all a part of a skein of life that interweaves with others. We can no longer be a hermit and live a life of seclusion. Each person leaves a mark on our life and we can only hope that we leave a good mark on someone else's life.
I will miss the kitchen, but it is time to move on.
Maybe next week, after 5:00 mass, I will be lodged in the corner in Bob's old desk chair and will be finally finishing the bib, burp and changing pad that should have been done before Christmas. I do want to get it to Caleb to use before he starts on that steak!
Thanks to all that were part of my life in that kitchen, even though most, if not all, will never know of this posting.
I will miss serving you in that small way of a life connection.
But stop in at the other side of the auction house and visit for a bit.
I will no longer be there in the kitchen.
I have retired, so to speak and have turned over the reigns to a couple that does catering.
In order to have food at the auction house, it has to be catered.
So, last nite was a closing of a part of my life that was a great part of my weekends.
I had many of the customers come to tell me that they will miss me, and I am sure a great deal more glad that I will no longer be there so they can have hot food again.
Either way, it is a sadness of note, but also one of happiness.
Even though I only served pop, candy bars and chips, it gave me a way to connect with humanity.
I listened to a lot of woes, shared a ton of happiness and learned about their lives. I made a lot of friends, and tried to remember the names of all the regulars.
In each transaction, or connection, you realize that we are all a part of a skein of life that interweaves with others. We can no longer be a hermit and live a life of seclusion. Each person leaves a mark on our life and we can only hope that we leave a good mark on someone else's life.
I will miss the kitchen, but it is time to move on.
Maybe next week, after 5:00 mass, I will be lodged in the corner in Bob's old desk chair and will be finally finishing the bib, burp and changing pad that should have been done before Christmas. I do want to get it to Caleb to use before he starts on that steak!
Thanks to all that were part of my life in that kitchen, even though most, if not all, will never know of this posting.
I will miss serving you in that small way of a life connection.
But stop in at the other side of the auction house and visit for a bit.
Expired
Good morning All!
I guess I made myself pretty clear on the Grammys that aired last nite. I am sorry that I missed Andreas Bocelli and Mary Blige and their song. I love that man's voice with anything he sings.
But O.K., I admit I am old.
Most likely as old as dirt in my kid's eyes.
But I am still alive!
And with that said, I still believe that proper behaviour is how our society will continue to function and go on.
Like trying to access my old Twitter account.
I evidently hadn't used it for a period of time, and it was deleted!
Can you believe that? I have an expiration date, and my account expired!
Ouch!
Then I tried to rejoin. Used an old email address. Guess what? That expired because of non-use too! Second swing at the bat?
Trying to tell me something?
O.K. I guess I will just have to think of a new name and address, don't know if I can do it, but that may be my only option.
I hate to think that I may be 'expired' without my knowing it! But isn't that the way life sometimes manifests itself?
I know I was very sick the past two weeks (read that as flat on my back in bed for fourteen days), and really thought that I really wanted to 'expire', but I didn't, and have regained some of the ten pounds that I lost.
Let me tell you that this is not the way I envisioned losing weight.
But I must be on the mend, I am actually thinking of food in a good way the last few days, and have actually been hungry. For me not to be hungry means something drastic is going on. My life revolves around food.
Being a diabetic makes me look at food differently, but I still enjoy good food. My cooking is a pretty poor substitute for what I want to cook. Just need to update my skills. At least while I am still alive, and not expired. I did get a good chuckle out of it, but not being so computer literate as I would like to be, am at a loss as to how to do some things. Ohhhwelllll, sigh, back to my mundane world and the need to feed the belly with breakfast-type foods. Hmmmm, do have some pancakes in the freezer. Off to the kitchen!!!!!
Enjoy your day. Look forward to each minute. It can never be recovered. Life your life with honor.
CJ
I guess I made myself pretty clear on the Grammys that aired last nite. I am sorry that I missed Andreas Bocelli and Mary Blige and their song. I love that man's voice with anything he sings.
But O.K., I admit I am old.
Most likely as old as dirt in my kid's eyes.
But I am still alive!
And with that said, I still believe that proper behaviour is how our society will continue to function and go on.
Like trying to access my old Twitter account.
I evidently hadn't used it for a period of time, and it was deleted!
Can you believe that? I have an expiration date, and my account expired!
Ouch!
Then I tried to rejoin. Used an old email address. Guess what? That expired because of non-use too! Second swing at the bat?
Trying to tell me something?
O.K. I guess I will just have to think of a new name and address, don't know if I can do it, but that may be my only option.
I hate to think that I may be 'expired' without my knowing it! But isn't that the way life sometimes manifests itself?
I know I was very sick the past two weeks (read that as flat on my back in bed for fourteen days), and really thought that I really wanted to 'expire', but I didn't, and have regained some of the ten pounds that I lost.
Let me tell you that this is not the way I envisioned losing weight.
But I must be on the mend, I am actually thinking of food in a good way the last few days, and have actually been hungry. For me not to be hungry means something drastic is going on. My life revolves around food.
Being a diabetic makes me look at food differently, but I still enjoy good food. My cooking is a pretty poor substitute for what I want to cook. Just need to update my skills. At least while I am still alive, and not expired. I did get a good chuckle out of it, but not being so computer literate as I would like to be, am at a loss as to how to do some things. Ohhhwelllll, sigh, back to my mundane world and the need to feed the belly with breakfast-type foods. Hmmmm, do have some pancakes in the freezer. Off to the kitchen!!!!!
Enjoy your day. Look forward to each minute. It can never be recovered. Life your life with honor.
CJ
I clicked on the Grammys last night briefly to see Taylor Swift receive one of the Grammys, and then Beyonce came on with her military-style take on a song.
I watched and saw her grab her crotch.
We tell our little ones that no one is supposed to touch them there, but it evidently doesn't equate to 'touching yourself' there in public.
As far as I know, only toddlers, and young children up to the age of 6 do that when they have to 'go'.
I lost any respect I had for the young woman at that 'gesture'.
When did it become acceptable for performers to grab their crotches?
Oh, yes, Michael Jackson started it.
Well, I guess that explains it.
The fallen 'hero' started it. That makes it acceptable.
Sorry, not in my book.
It is still a private area that should be kept and honored that way.
How can we tell our youngsters that this practice is such a second-hand way to grab unwanted and negative attention, and no pun intended.
I watched and saw her grab her crotch.
We tell our little ones that no one is supposed to touch them there, but it evidently doesn't equate to 'touching yourself' there in public.
As far as I know, only toddlers, and young children up to the age of 6 do that when they have to 'go'.
I lost any respect I had for the young woman at that 'gesture'.
When did it become acceptable for performers to grab their crotches?
Oh, yes, Michael Jackson started it.
Well, I guess that explains it.
The fallen 'hero' started it. That makes it acceptable.
Sorry, not in my book.
It is still a private area that should be kept and honored that way.
How can we tell our youngsters that this practice is such a second-hand way to grab unwanted and negative attention, and no pun intended.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
