You Never Know....

Usually I stop at the Mennonite store on Thursdays to pick up a sandwich, milk, and some cheese or chicken salad. Two weeks ago, the Mister and I had lunch together there and found ourselves sitting next to a charming 'plain' couple. The young man was excited because he had seen an Osprey at the local airport taking off and had caught it on his cell phone. He was showing his companion (whom I learned was his sister) and jumped up to show it to the Mister.

He was such a charming young man --- curious, excited, and joyful. We had a delightful conversation and wished each other a wonderful week.

Today I was in that area and decided to stop. There, on the porch, sat the cute young woman, dressed 'plainly', rocking and looking into space. She seemed surrounded by sadness, so I thought perhaps her young man hadn't arrived yet and she was worried. After all, the weather today is dreadful and the traffic even worse.

As I got out of the car, I called up to her, "Hello! How are you today? We met two weeks ago; you and your companion were next to us in the dining room!"

She looked at me and her green eyes filled with tears. "That was my brother. I remember now."

"Are you okay? Is he meeting you here today?"

"No. He was shot. Gunshot."

Immediately my hand went to my mouth and I gasped.

"Is he okay?"

Slowly she shook her head "no." "He died." And she began to sob.

Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around her and tried to comfort her. Slowly, the story came out. He was killed when his gun accidently went off in his holster while he was fencing for a friend. He died almost immediately from a massive wound to the abdomen.

"I was just asking God to help me," she confided. "I just don't know how I will get through this."

We chatted for a while, sharing our faith, her grief, and my shock.

Her friends came out and sat to listen. Finally, I took my leave and went on to do my shopping. When I came out, she was brighter even though her eyes were still liquid with tears. She thanked me for stopping and talking.  I told her that I would be remembering her and her family in my prayers and that I knew God would use this tragedy to show His love and faithfulness.

As I drove off, she started rocking again and I could see she was praying. I was grateful that I was able to be there to listen. Here we were, two strangers, but connected through just a few moments of conversation and our mutual sadness over a life ended too soon.

You just never know where God will put you and when. But, when He does, listen.

Where Scaredy Cats, er, Dogs, Go...

Moose and Anabell are terrified of thunder and lightening. Personally, I think it is just a ploy to get to come in the house, but whatever the truth is, they do end up in the house at the first roll of thunder. We learned to just give in when Anabell took out the front door during a particularly rough storm. So, last night, when the storms started,  we could hear the prancing at the door and knew we had to give in.

You can see who is taking the storm with the best attitude... Moosie is just happy to be inside. Anabell passes out, I think to block the storm. If ever a dog could smile, it is our Moose.

I have promised for quite a while to show the mural over the stove.

An artist in Florida, who once was a neighbor interestingly enough, painted this for us. Don't you love the little chickens?

We also had tiles done with these little guys in various patterns of flight done:



They are randomly around the backsplash long with a variety of fruit sprinkled about. After all, we do have to keep the bees happy.

I am making relish and watching the rain fall. What are you doing today??

"Peeping" In

Doncha love home movies? I do!

Here are our latest babies. I think they are saying, "Cheese!" ... sort of...

Confessions

While I have been cleaning my house and around the farm, I have been cleaning my thoughts and mind as well. I have learned many things about myself... some which please me while others disappoint me.

Most of my life I have felt like an outsider. I wanted to be accepted, to feel that I had a place with others. Often I have sold myself short or followed the crowd just to make myself believe that I fit. This meant that if someone read a book, talked about an idea, or did something 'interesting' that I would have to do it too. I couldn't trust myself to be who I am; it just hurt too much to feel alone.

As I have cleared out the clutter, I have realized that I still do this. I still want to be the member of the "club" whatever that is. However, it isn't fulfilling who I am. You know, we ask God for guidance to be who we should be, but are we really listening? Seriously, are we taking the time to listen to what we are being told? Or, are we too busy letting others influence us so that we don't have time to listen to the Big Guy and be true to that path?? I know that I have let others influence me more than I should. And, I have paid the tuition to that school repeatedly. You do know that the definition of "stupid" is doing the same thing again and again expecting a different outcome?? Well, here is the picture of stupid: Me.

This farm is full to the brim of those useless followings and urges. We can't openly discuss the amount of money, time, and energy that has gone into trying to feel like a 'member of the club.' It is too depressing. And, to be candid, the frustration of this knowledge has left me feeling like I did when I lost my bikini top in Lake Wales when I tried to learn to ski. Embarrassed and foolish... and sort of wishing I were invisible.

So, here it is, folks, I am what I am. Just like Popeye. I am a failure at many things, but that is because they are not the things I should be. I am a success at being me. Just tonight we were watching this horribly campy movie, "Captain Smith and Pocohontas" (don't give up an hour of your life to watch this; trust me) and the closing scene was of the Pocohontas statute in London. The Mister asked me, "Have you seen this?" And, I had. In person. I thought for a minute. "You know, I have had a wonderful life, mostly," I told him. It has just been in the past few years that I have tried to find a way to fit in where maybe I don't belong and it has left me feeling like I am dressed for a day in the garden even though I am attending a grand ball. And, truth be told, I would rather garden.

So, here it is. My life. Take it or leave it. Me? I'm in with both feet!

Just a Note

Polly continues to sit on "her" eggs.

Capri continues to get her head caught in the fence. At 18 months old, she should be past this challenge. Not her. I think she is a slow learner or an optimistic one...

Baby chicks are fabulous. Only one died from transit, which is marvelous!

Fresh basil on the kitchen table for pesto tonight!

Four sachets knit for the demonstration I will be doing at Grayson Highlands State Park. I can sell any item that "matches" my demo. Thus, knitting... Portable, easy, and can talk while doing it!

Still in the 40s at night. My garden will never come in.

Sweet Pea, the bunny, explored the kitchen last night. He liked it all. And didn't poop on the floor. Joy abounds!

The rooster is singing to his hens. I need to find  way to share this... YouTube??

Soap to make today. I am nearly OUT of the 150 or so bars I started with in May. This is a good problem.... Made four batches last night. Today?? At least four or five more.... and I need to make two batches of base soap.

Finished another 12 aprons yesterday with my Cissie.They are so cute! Easy peasy.

What are you up to today? I love reading about it!

Holey Moley!

This past week has been a blur of activity, people, and surprises. Let's update and get to the fun stuff.

Done: More work in my studio. I am not sure why I have so much ribbon, but everything I do for the next seven years will have a bit of ribbon on it... Be prepared...

Cut out 24 children's aprons with my Cissie who is wanting to start craft shows with me. These are not like my friend Arwen's which are works of art and soooo very lovely! These are single cut aprons with ribbons for the neck and waist; they are sized for children two to six. They are reversible and sooo darling. Yes, pictures. I know. We got six sewn together. It was a tough learning curve, but we have it down pat now.

Finished the AngelWing Shawl AND Truly Tasha Shawl. Have nearly half of the Jane Eyre shawl (Ravelry) done. Started knitting sachets for a demo that I am doing at Grayson Highlands State Park the end of the month.

Made mint jelly.

Cleaned two more closets. Tossed more stuff. Again.

Picked up the things from Ikea and Container Store and put them to use Right Away. Bought a rolling tool chest to organize all the tools in the house. It will go under my stairs.

Mowed most of the yard between rain drops.

Baby chicks graduated to their new digs. They love it! And, they still split up at night to sleep with their "friends" from the brooder days. Since they were kept in separate brooders, they have bonded with a Certain Group. It is like teenage girls. What can I say? And, today,  a second order of little guys arrived, which I don't understand, so we start the cycle again!

Weeded most of the front flower bed until I discovered Polly the Pea Hen sitting on a nest of eggs. She is a pea fowl. The eggs are chicken eggs. There are going to be some very confused chicks one day...

Ruby the Tractor and I spent an afternoon together learning about each other,. We are going to be best friends. She hauls things. She cleans up messy places. She is going to make my life a lot easier! "Smooch" on your little diesel cap, Ruby!

This week... I am going to try to survive! Need to work on the little building, plant, weed, build a solar melter, and prepare for a Governor's School class that I just accepted due to the sudden illness of the instructor. The class has to be created from the Very Beginning, so I guess all things are going to have to wait while I do this. If it weren't for my Friend Bill, I would have not answered the phone! But, it'll be fun!

What's on your agenda!??

Finished my class.

Helped my friend Deniese prime her studio. It was a larger space than I thought. I got high from the paint fumes (Kilz oil based) in spite of the open windows and door.

Week Two Report

While Friday morning it seemed unlikely that I would emerge from the murky depths of The Mister Room, I have survived and we are still speaking.

The plan: To be able to open and close the door to the room, dust, knock down cobwebs, and sweep.

Strategy: Start at the door.... which wasn't easy since the door was behind three congas, two boxes of Austin Healy parts (think: interiors of the two car doors as this is what they are), an antique radio, and two boxes marked "miscellaneous stuff."

Attack plan: Don safety gear, update tetanus shot, call Mother and Daddy, text the Airman to tell 'em I love 'em, update will and dive in.

Result: Well, now, not only can we open AND close the door, but all the things in the hall (except the Healy parts --- they are going on the Healy This Week) are in the room. I started by looking in all the boxes. They were Willy Nealy with contents. Taking a hint from "Hoarders" and "Clean House", I categorized items in the boxes. There were five: patches from Hamm operators or motorcyclists; music; electronic and ham radio; instruments (sub categorized into brass, string, woodwinds, and percussion --- and yes, they were all represented. Remember, he is a musician.); and memorabilia.

Trashed: Four 30-gallon bags of trash (empty boxes and such) and 14 boxes that were no longer needed once categorization was complete.

In addition, this week I finished the Wingspan shawl and am now putting the lace edging on the Truly Tasha Shawl that is knit in a lovely black merino. It was started four years ago at a re-enactment when I needed some kind of handwork for demonstration. When I got home, it was put in time out and has patiently waited for me to retrieve it.

One day was spent at my darling MIL's working on cleaning her upstairs for her.

And, one day was spent with gal pals visiting, eating, and crying over my lost youth and innocence.

The rest of the week was the usual: hoof trimming, cleaning out the diddles (who are almost ready to graduate to the next level of chick life), caring for all the critters, and rescuing a poor little Easter bunny set out to fend for itself. More on that tomorrow.

Plans for this week:

Monday my gal pal Eleanor and I are going to Mecca -- the Container store and Ikea for more storage things (I need more of the little rails that go on my Elfa shelving to keep all the folded goods Straight and Good Order).

Tuesday and Wednesday will involve cleaning out a little building where the Airman has things stored and working in the gardens.

Thursday I am trading labor with a gal pal by painting her studio in exchange for the labor of my choice here the following week (I am thinking it will be painting the storage building to match the barn, chicken coop, and farm equipment buildings -- they are all purple).

Friday will be working more in the Airman's building by reorganizing it to hold all my outside decor stuff -- flags, wreaths, chairs and so forth. His stuff is mostly in the attic now, so I just have two things of his to move and then a bit of other things to move to the proper storage area. This is the "getting ready for the Market" day, too. I am making scones to go with the jam I have been making.

And, there you go, another week gone. Somewhere in there I will, of course, knit, finish dressing the towel loom, read, grade, and finish the class I am taking.

I am already tired.

What are you doing this week??