Gathering in April

This month's gathering in which I join Cheryl at Thinking About Home for her monthly link up is slightly different than previous months.  Although this doesn't strictly follow the "rules" that she outlined, I think I know Cheryl well enough to know that she won't mind... just this once.

April has been a month of moments holding great joy for me.  I don't use the word joy lightly since it is not only a word that Scripture attaches holy meaning to, but it was also my mother's name.  So I say JOY with its fullest span of meaning.


So many moments that string together to make a season...

** that moment when I took off a pair of jeans, knowing I'd never wear them again because they are way too big.

**that moment when I whispered "Help me" to a friend and she immediately covered me with prayer and spoke live-giving words.

**that moment when that same friend called and said "We are moving.  In three days," and my ability to rejoice for their opportunity overshadowed the sorrow I felt at our separation.

**that moment when I stood atop a massive pile of composted horse manure and laughed out loud at this unexpected development in my life.

**that moment when my 2-year-old twin grandsons locked their arms around my neck, not wanting me to leave, and saying "Mommaw" over and over.

**that moment when I was about to take a deep drink from that pit called Anxiety and a notecard arrived in the mail with knowing, meaningful words of encouragement written inside.

**that moment when my husband gave me a look that means the same thing it has always meant but seeing nearly 26 years of depth supporting it.

**that moment when a friend and I shared an afternoon of laughter over a couple cups of tea out on her patio in the spring sunshine.

**that moment when a bad situation took a turn for the worse and a sense of peace flooded into my mind as a balm for the stinging.

**that moment when  a root of bitterness released its grip on my heart and I felt the full impact of love flow into that space.

**that moment when an old fear turned into a new confidence.

**that moment when I leaned into the discomfort of true vulnerability that forged a stronger bond with both old and new friends.

**that moment when I realized that I am developing a trust response toward God in stressful seasons.

**that moment when the scent of lilacs reminded me to appreciate the simple things.

All I can say now is... May has some big shoes to fill. 

Gathering in March

Ah, it's the end of the month and once again time to gather the moments via pictures.  I've had a ton of photo ops, now if only I had remembered to use my camera!  February and March brought a change of routine for me (all good stuff!) but since I adjust to change quite slowly (even the good stuff!), I'm just now finding a groove.  But the chaos upheaval meant that my camera was left behind.  Or left unused.

Much of March has been gray, cold, and snowy....

But we ate well...

And I saved seeds from the gorgeous Seminole Squash to grow my own for next year...

And amped up my nutrition with these berry/kale/beet/coconut smoothies...

And was gifted with a dozen beautiful eggs...

That were bright and luscious...

 

 

On yet another snowy day...

 

 

On which I made coconut-maple snow cream...

 

 

 Then the new season asserts itself...

Only to be assaulted yet again...

Despite the snow, I know Spring is coming!

Sort of like life, yes?
 

Gathering In February

This month's Gathering, hosted by Cheryl at THINKING ABOUT HOME(link to her blog below), is a bit different than last month's since almost all of the pictures I took this month were to fulfill a Photo-a-day Challenge hosted by Kati (link to her blog below).  I do believe that between the two of them, Cheryl and Kati are determined to make us all into photographers.  And I am thankful to them!  Below you will find thumbnail photos of each week's photos with a link to those posts. 

 

 

CLICK HERE TO VIEW WEEK ONE PHOTOS

 

 

CLICK HERE TO VIEW WEEK TWO PHOTOS

 

 

CLICK HERE TO VIEW WEEK THREE PHOTOS

 

CLICK HERE TO VIEW WEEK FOUR PHOTOS

 

 

 

CLICK HERE TO VISIT KATI'S LITTLE CORNER OF THE WORLD

 

 

Photo-A-Day... Week 3

These photos are for week 3 of Kati's Photo-a-day Challenge.  Make sure you visit Kati over at Kati's Little Corner of the World  I'm really enjoying the search for ways to photograph things differently than what I normally would.  I hope you enjoy these glimpses into my life.

Week 1 photographs can be seen HERE.

Week 2 photographs can be seen HERE.



Day 15... phone...

My phone is practically pre-historic, but it works well for what I need.  Believe it or not, my husband's phone is older than mine!
(And the wallpaper picture...  That's Liam at about 10 months old modeling a new hat.  Makes me grin every. single. time!)

Day 16... makes me smile...

You already knew that this would be a picture of my grandsons, right?  They do make me smile.  A lot!  They like to push these end tables around the living room and sit on them as if they are desks.  In fact we call them desks when speaking to them.  And they love to look at books!  It hasn't taken them long to decide which are their favorites books.  They even have favorite pages.  The "glasses" page in the blue book.  The "duck" page in the yellow book.  The "puppy" page in the animal book.  The seek and find pages in their Highlights magazines.  I'm smiling right now!

Day 17... time...

This clock hangs in my kitchen.  It was a wedding gift.  For my parents.  Both of my parents have passed so having this clock in a prominent place in my house reminds me to think of them often.

Day 18... drink...

This is something I drink almost every day... hibiscus tea.  It is a natural tonic for lowering blood pressure.  And it is a beautiful shade of crimson.

Day 19... eyes...

I decided to go with the dreaded selfie on this one.  I do not like to have my picture taken.  Ever!  But I'm trying to be a good sport about it.

Day 20... handwriting...

This is not my handwriting.  It is my mother's.  Most of the recipes in this box are in her handwriting.  I don't often cook Mom's recipes but I like to look through them from time to time.

Day 21... pattern...

This is the carpet pattern in our basement living room.  It is a bit busy, but it works for us!

Photo-A-Day Challenge... Week 1

For the month of February I accepted Kati's Photo-A-Day Challenge.  My young friend is quite the photographer, having had several of her nature pictures featured in the local newspaper.  If you follow her blog you'll see that she really enjoys capturing God's creation on "film" with a gentle eye.  Really, check out her blog to see for yourself!  Kati also hosts a monthly photo linky party that you might enjoy joining.  Fun!

Day 1... your view today...

This is my view every morning as I read my daily devotional.  I am currently reading "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers.  My son and his wife gave it to me for Christmas.  I had one long ago but I lost it somehow, so I am thrilled to read it again!  This cup and saucer was given to me by my daughter.  I never had a chance to use it because a huge chip happened on the occasion of its first washing.  But I loved the color, so kept it as a container for the balls of ribbon my husband gave me.  So every morning as I ponder God's Word and the words of a man who devoted his life to teaching, I look at these gifts and think of how blessed I am! 

Day 2... words...

"Cowboy Up" is one of my husband's favorite phrases.  When I found this rustic metal sign for a bargain, I couldn't resist getting it for him to hang in his bathroom.  My husband is a cowboy at heart having grown up with horses, lived on a farm in Oklahoma, and worked in a local Western theme park. 

Day 3...  hands...

My grandsons' hands are always busy.  I'm not sure how it started but every time they visit we look for blanket fuzz to play with.  Both boys call it "buzz" and think it is hysterical when I lay a piece of it on the back of their hand.  And sometimes it will "gickle" if I do it just right.

Day 4... a stranger...

How do you take a picture of a stranger?  I contemplated just walking up and asking someone if I could take his or her picture, but chickened out.  So stealth was the way I chose.  It felt a little creepy voyeuristic. 

Day 5... 10am...

I was sitting in a Walmart parking lot waiting with my husband for my son and grandsons to arrive.  Right in front of us was this tree that had really interesting twig shapes.  I didn't even notice the contrails in the sky until after I put my pictures onto my computer.  I think they add a little interest.

Day 6... dinner...

Confession time!  This is not a picture of my dinner on day 6.  I simply forgot to take a picture!  I took this picture of "Green Beef Stew" last month.  It is a Whole30 compliant beef stew that is  filling and absolutely delicious!!! 

Day 7... button...

This button is from a cowl scarf that my daughter made for me while she was home for Christmas break.

Gathering in January

 I was so glad when Cheryl decided to host this Gathering of Moments because I was looking for a way to use pictures from my 2014 calendar for my blog.  I've also been in a writing slump lately and this is the perfect way for me to keep me connected until this... season... is over. 

I could have chosen a theme of "cold" or "snow" for this month because the weather has been, well, cold and snowy.  But, for me, this month has been all about food.

On January 2nd my husband and I started a food plan called Whole30 and I have had to learn a whole new way of cooking.  I've really enjoyed it but boy, oh boy, did I spend a lot of time in the kitchen at first.  I was creating recipes left and right!  And I learned to make my own mayonnaise, too!    Here are just a few pictures from this month's menu...  rutabaga fries with (homemade!) mayonnaise, zusketti (spiralized zucchini) with meatballs, and a hearty breakfast of eggs, (homemade!) sausage patties, roasted sweet potatoes, and sweet cherries.  Yum!

 

 

 

Due to several peoples' interest in the spiral zucchini, I've decided to post a link to the one that I purchased.  It isn't an endorsement for the brand since I've not compared it with other brands, just simply "this is the one I have."  http://www.amazon.com/Paderno-World-Cuisine-A4982799-Tri-Blade/dp/B0007Y9WHQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1391200314&sr=8-1&keywords=spiralizer

Ladies' Girdle, 1 owner, good condition, FREE or best offer

I should've known it wasn't going to be the best relationship before I even purchased it.

I had bought a pair of black slacks that, although not tight, were made of a fabric that was a bit too clingy for my comfort and decided that some sort of compression-type foundation garment was in order.  I've never owned one, never worn one, and had certainly never been instructed in any aspect of girdle ownership.  My mother, to my knowledge, never wore one (the woman was a twig and had no need for such things!) so I remained uneducated about them.

Imagine my surprise when I realized just how many choices there were!  Yikes!  I'm sure the people manning the security cameras at Khol's that day got a kick out of my facial expressions as I did my best to conceal my ignorance and perused my options.

I didn't even know what size to buy.  Do you  get one the size that you ARE or the size you want to be compressed into? 

I decided to split the difference.

After choosing one that looked like it would cause the least amount of injury should something unexpectedly snap loose, I headed to the dressing room.  I'll spare you the details and just say that I think that was the day that I had my first real hot flash.

With purchase in hand, I headed home, put the girdle in a dresser drawer and forgot about it.  I never did wear the pants.  Unfortunately I put on a few pounds and they became uncomfortably tight, so they are still hanging in my closet awaiting a loss.

Fast forward about a year or so.

I bought a dress.  Notice how the girdle comes into play when I buy things that I rarely wear?  That's another sign that it isn't going to work out!  It is a cute dress.  I actually bought it for my daughter but it was (way too) big for her so I decided to keep it for myself.

I wore the dress to church.  I don't know why.  I always wear jeans but figured I'd dress up a little this day.  A short black and white dress with over-the-calf black dress boots.  Cute, but the girdle (AND pantyhose) was needed to smooth things out a bit.

Between Sunday school and worship service I had to visit the ladies room.  BIG mistake.  Those stalls have zero clearance.

Again, to spare embarrassing you with details, I will just say that I left the bathroom feeling misaligned. 

Now any thinking person would've done an about-face and fixed what needed to be fixed.   I, however, went straight to my seat and THEN began to wonder "Is something tucked that shouldn't be?!?" 

As we stood to sing, my aunt gave me a quick once-over and assured me that I was tuck-free.

Services over, after-service chatting done, we headed to lunch with my aunt driving.  And I needed my freedom.  NEEDED!

By the time I was done, my hose and girdle were wadded up in the floorboard, my half slip was around my knees, my dress was up around my waist, and I had somehow engaged the extra traction feature on the truck!  I sure hope the good people at Google Earth had their cameras pointed away from Delaware...

Partially defeated, I gave up trying to rearrange myself and asked if, when we got to the restaurant, we could park in such a way that I could discreetly exit the vehicle and put myself to rights.  By the time we got there, the driver forgot... FORGOT?!?... and parked us right in front of the door.  Ugh!

Thankfully she moved and I was able to retain what dignity I had left. 

But I think my adventures with girdles are over.

Unless they develop baggy Spanx.

Sandals or Steel-toed Boots?

There is a part of me that loves to have my proverbial toes stepped on, but only when I know that the stepper isn't aiming his stomp specifically at MY toes.  It is a perfect opportunity for me to do some self-evaluation without feeling as if I am being personally attacked.  It really is easier to see myself more clearly when emotions aren't fogging up the mirror!

Like when I read a book (particularly the Bible), watch a video, attend a lecture, or read a blog post that I just happen to stumble upon.  These are the perfect places for me to be completely vulnerable to what I need to hear.  "Lord, show me what I need to know!  Grow me up!"

Things get a little more sticky when someone who knows me decides that they also know what I need to learn.  And that's when I have the choice.  I can either slip on some sandals or lace up my steel-toed boots.

Now I will be up front with you.  Humility isn't my natural response. 
Can I be self-depreciating?  Yes.  Humble?  Eh. 

I'm pretty sure that my toes line up a bit too close to the edge of a ledge looming over a pit called Pride.  Not because I think that I am better than anyone else.  I don't.  And not because I thought I was doing a good job at hiding my faults.  I'm not that slick.

Chances are, if I am offended it is either because I am already aware of the problem and am in rebellion against repentance or the said stepper is seeking to cope with their own faults by amplifying mine in some way. 

Still, it is up to me to choose my footwear.  And I don't always choose wisely.  I don't even have much wisdom to share about accessing humility.

I do, however, know for sure...

When I wear my boots, I can easily convince myself that my feet are clean.

But Jesus washed feet.  Dirty, nasty, stinky, gnarly-nailed feet.  Feet that wore sandals. 


"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!" --John 13:9.
 

Shhh! Be Verwy, Verwy Quiet...

One night I was pretty sure I heard it.  That old familiar scratching. <shudder!>

The next night I saw what I hoped was only imaginary... a dark FLASH! across the floor. <SHUDDER!>

The following evening as Hubby and I curled up under a blanket together to watch some TV, I definitely saw a small shape on the carpet where there shouldn't have been a small shape.  I leaned forward to get a better look and ZOOM! it sped away, under the sofa.

I felt an overwhelming need to bleach-scrub my house from top to bottom.

We had a mouse.
And the mouse had to go!

That very same evening, Hubby put out the traps.  2 downstairs, 1 upstairs.  There would have been more but some of them were no longer in working order after having been stored during the summer months.

Two mornings later and the mouse had been adequately dispatched.  And I felt not one twinge of guilt about participating in its demise.  Nasty creatures!

It put me in mind of a humorous moment that occurred this past summer...

As I mentioned, we store our mouse traps over the summer in the back corner of the pantry after they have been thoroughly washed and air dried, ready to be brought out for the killing season.  Which is any time a mouse enters my house.  But predominantly in fall and winter.

Hubby had scrubbed the little black traps and had set them lined up on the floor between the stove and cabinet, near the kitchen sink.  I was to put them away later on in the day.

My son dropped in for a quick visit and stood, leaning against the sink, while we chatted about one thing or another when he looked down to his left and saw a line of 6 mouse traps, did a double-take and immediately asked "Expecting a stampede?"

Pumpkin Babies 2013

Last year during my 31Day series I posted some picture of my grandsons on "Pumpkin Babies 2012".  This year my series does not lend itself to posting those kinds of pictures so this is another bonus post.  Enjoy!

 

 

The day was very warm, not a bit "fallish", but we wanted to take the boys somewhere that they could run around outside and get a little dirty.  As usual, Levi took the lead and Liam hung back, taking it all in.  At first.  Then a not-so-usual thing happened.  Liam became the explorer and Levi became more of an observer.

 

 

 

The boys did a pretty good job with letting me take a few staged pictures.  Levi wondered where the pumpkin went.  Liam thought it great fun make the pumpkin roll around with his bum.

 

 

Grandpa was vigilant about watching the boys so that they wouldn't wander off into the high weeds and corn.  Levi was perfectly content to be carried or to hold Grandpa's hand.  Liam, not so much.  He wanted to go, go, go! 

 

After we got back to the pumpkin stand, the boys were pretty tentative about touching things for about, oh, 15 seconds.  I love Levi's face in the picture of him after he snatched a gourd from a basket.  It is his "I'm pretty sure I am not supposed to do this, but I'm gonna because it is fun!"

At first the wheelbarrow ride wasn't their favorite but once Liam figured out that they could go fast, he loved it.  Just look at the happiness on his face...



 

 

We fully expected the boys to get dirty and they did not disappoint.  Levi did a face-plant in the parking lot so his face should have been much dirtier than Liam's but as the pictures show, that was not the case...

 

We had great fun with the boys that afternoon.  I'm not sure that Mommy had all that much fun cleaning them up afterwards, though.  I just love being a Grandma!