If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking. Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk. ~Raymond Inmon
Creating a beautiful home-life on a budget...
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Around Our Home
My new American climbing rose that now graces my garden.
A bright and cheery welcome flag...
The small garden plot Mama and I put in the old-fashioned way - by hand. We have 6 heirloom tomato plants, 3 heirloom bell pepper plants, and 3 cucumber hills.
Neighbors to the right of us gave us their swing and cushions {not shown}. I am going to sand it down and repaint a raspberry pink!
Alfred and I before we left to go on our "date" Saturday night. We had an enjoyable evening out to dinner and then browsing around Barnes & Noble.Have a pleasant day!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Authenticity
"It is better to be disliked for who you are than to be liked for who you are
not. How much easier to be authentic than to pretend to be someone you are not.
What a relief just to be. How clear and simple. How honest. How real. The only
thing you really have to share with anyone, anyway, is your own state of being."
~ Judith Ann Parsons
I spent much of my younger years trying to be what I considered to be perfect. I thought if only I could be the perfect wife, mother, and homemaker. If only I could be more outgoing, less shy, gain weight, lose weight, get fit, be prettier, wear the right clothes, etc. And on and on it went. I continually beat myself down with my own thoughts of self-criticism.
Now I am a little older and wiser. I am not perfect, but I am now comfortable in my own skin and I like who I am. I prefer to dress for comfort rather than trying to make a fashion statement. Most of the time, I wear no make-up and my hair is long and loose or pulled up in a clip. Sometimes I even wear a bandana to hold my hair back out of my face.
I don't fit in with mainstream society and I am okay with that. I am my own person and celebrate my uniqueness. Being authentic really is so much easier than trying to be something you are not.
What a relief just to be. How clear and simple. How honest. How real. The only
thing you really have to share with anyone, anyway, is your own state of being."
~ Judith Ann Parsons
I spent much of my younger years trying to be what I considered to be perfect. I thought if only I could be the perfect wife, mother, and homemaker. If only I could be more outgoing, less shy, gain weight, lose weight, get fit, be prettier, wear the right clothes, etc. And on and on it went. I continually beat myself down with my own thoughts of self-criticism.
Now I am a little older and wiser. I am not perfect, but I am now comfortable in my own skin and I like who I am. I prefer to dress for comfort rather than trying to make a fashion statement. Most of the time, I wear no make-up and my hair is long and loose or pulled up in a clip. Sometimes I even wear a bandana to hold my hair back out of my face.
I don't fit in with mainstream society and I am okay with that. I am my own person and celebrate my uniqueness. Being authentic really is so much easier than trying to be something you are not.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Gratitude List ~ Week 16
~ My sister loaned me her large keyboard so I could teach myself to play piano.
~ I have a caladium growing in my garden. Those are annuals that only grow for a season, unless you dig up the bulbs (which I didn't). But it, too, has defied the odds!
~ A daily to-do list so I don't have to worry about everything that needs to be done. I just check things off as I go along.
~ Gel pens that are so pretty and sparkly to write with.
~ Laughter, for it really is the best medicine.
~ I have a caladium growing in my garden. Those are annuals that only grow for a season, unless you dig up the bulbs (which I didn't). But it, too, has defied the odds!
~ A daily to-do list so I don't have to worry about everything that needs to be done. I just check things off as I go along.
~ Gel pens that are so pretty and sparkly to write with.
~ Laughter, for it really is the best medicine.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Food
Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity. ~Voltaire
What a blessing it is to gather around a bountiful table each evening to eat dinner with my family. I love to look at each of their happy shiny faces after we bless our food. Silently, I offer up my own little prayer to God thanking him for the gift of a family of my own to love and care for.
The most pressing daily need is nourishment. As I prepare each meal, I do so for the good of my family...to nourish them physically, mentally, and emotionally. I always try to prepare foods that my family loves and set the stage for a peaceful dinner. The evening meal brings us all together again at days end.
Meal preparation is an art in itself. I like to search through cookbooks for mouth-watering recipes, experimenting with flavors and spices...adding a bit of this or that, and watching my family eat heartily. It does my heart good. I've come a long way from being the microwave queen in the early years of my marriage!
Yes, food is a necessity. But looking at the array of fresh fruits and vegetables at the grocery store or farmer's market, and you will see a rainbow of colors and a variety of flavors. God loves beauty so much that He even our foods are pretty. How blessed are we to have such beauty and pleasure in the ordinary.
What a blessing it is to gather around a bountiful table each evening to eat dinner with my family. I love to look at each of their happy shiny faces after we bless our food. Silently, I offer up my own little prayer to God thanking him for the gift of a family of my own to love and care for.
The most pressing daily need is nourishment. As I prepare each meal, I do so for the good of my family...to nourish them physically, mentally, and emotionally. I always try to prepare foods that my family loves and set the stage for a peaceful dinner. The evening meal brings us all together again at days end.
Meal preparation is an art in itself. I like to search through cookbooks for mouth-watering recipes, experimenting with flavors and spices...adding a bit of this or that, and watching my family eat heartily. It does my heart good. I've come a long way from being the microwave queen in the early years of my marriage!
Yes, food is a necessity. But looking at the array of fresh fruits and vegetables at the grocery store or farmer's market, and you will see a rainbow of colors and a variety of flavors. God loves beauty so much that He even our foods are pretty. How blessed are we to have such beauty and pleasure in the ordinary.
Friday, April 24, 2009
My Happy Place Collage
1. Rose Covered Cottage, 2. corner of bedroom, 3. Chez Fifi 8, 4. pink chair, 5. Milk n cookies, 6. Morning Light, 7. Endless love, 8. May 22 (more advice to myself), 9. hey lady, you lookin' at me???, 10. Chez Fifi 8, 11. Enchanted Dreams, 12. bird's nest with glittered eggs, 13. Pink Roses!
Christine encouraged us to make a collage of our happy place and these Flickr images make me happy. Life should be filled with beauty and things that make us smile.
Love and Giving
When you arise in the morning,
think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive -
to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.
-Marcus Aurelius
My life feels so wonderfully right at this moment in time. To love and be loved is life's greatest gift. I have found the more I give of myself {my time, affection, and attention} to Alfred, the more he then gives of himself in return.
Our marriage today is beautiful. We laugh over the silliest things. Saying I'm sorry comes much easier for us both these days. If I'm not feeling well, he'll tell me to get off my feet or to wake him during the night if I need him. Saturday night he's taking me out on a date...something we have not done in nearly a year while I was having frequent panic attacks.
I bubble over with joy each day when I see him pull into the driveway after a long day apart. I love to spoil him by cooking his favorite meals and desserts, giving him a back massage, make sure his clothes are freshly laundered, and meeting his needs for intimacy.
I don't feel that I am being taking advantage of or I am less than. I receive his protection, provision, and tender loving care. This is the life I chose and when I set my feminist views aside and made Alfred the King of our castle, I became his Queen.
There really is such a thing as happily ever after....
My life feels so wonderfully right at this moment in time. To love and be loved is life's greatest gift. I have found the more I give of myself {my time, affection, and attention} to Alfred, the more he then gives of himself in return.
Our marriage today is beautiful. We laugh over the silliest things. Saying I'm sorry comes much easier for us both these days. If I'm not feeling well, he'll tell me to get off my feet or to wake him during the night if I need him. Saturday night he's taking me out on a date...something we have not done in nearly a year while I was having frequent panic attacks.
I bubble over with joy each day when I see him pull into the driveway after a long day apart. I love to spoil him by cooking his favorite meals and desserts, giving him a back massage, make sure his clothes are freshly laundered, and meeting his needs for intimacy.
I don't feel that I am being taking advantage of or I am less than. I receive his protection, provision, and tender loving care. This is the life I chose and when I set my feminist views aside and made Alfred the King of our castle, I became his Queen.
There really is such a thing as happily ever after....
Thursday, April 23, 2009
An Enchanted Place
There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colors are brighter, the air softer, and the morning more fragrant than ever again. ~Elizabeth Lawrence
I am thankful for my little half acre homestead. When we moved here it was an overgrown patch of land filled with junk, briars and weeds that hit mid-thigh. Nearly two years later, there are now plants and flowers and a soon-to-be vegetable garden.
The time and care I give to our home also extends to the yard and garden. It is my hope to create a magical, enchanted place for my children to run, play, dream, and be in touch with nature.
I like to point out new bird species I notice to the girls. Then we look it up in our field journal. Or we walk around the yard together noticing new flower blooms and growth. It is nice to sit outside and watch the clouds pass by and listen to the wind in the trees. It never gets old or boring to me.
I have many outdoor projects that I want to accomplish as the money becomes available. I want to build covered front and back porches, put in sidewalks from the porches to the driveway, clear away all the pine straw and leaves beneath the pines and plant hostas, put up a picket fence around the front yard, put up a mailbox, build a tree-house for the girls, and more!
Beauty is the goal, inside and out. I am not trying to achieve a perfectly manicured lawn. I like a little wildness and whimsy. My home and garden may never be featured in a magazine, so long as it brings a sense of comfort and security to those I love then I am content.
I am thankful for my little half acre homestead. When we moved here it was an overgrown patch of land filled with junk, briars and weeds that hit mid-thigh. Nearly two years later, there are now plants and flowers and a soon-to-be vegetable garden.
The time and care I give to our home also extends to the yard and garden. It is my hope to create a magical, enchanted place for my children to run, play, dream, and be in touch with nature.
I like to point out new bird species I notice to the girls. Then we look it up in our field journal. Or we walk around the yard together noticing new flower blooms and growth. It is nice to sit outside and watch the clouds pass by and listen to the wind in the trees. It never gets old or boring to me.
I have many outdoor projects that I want to accomplish as the money becomes available. I want to build covered front and back porches, put in sidewalks from the porches to the driveway, clear away all the pine straw and leaves beneath the pines and plant hostas, put up a picket fence around the front yard, put up a mailbox, build a tree-house for the girls, and more!
Beauty is the goal, inside and out. I am not trying to achieve a perfectly manicured lawn. I like a little wildness and whimsy. My home and garden may never be featured in a magazine, so long as it brings a sense of comfort and security to those I love then I am content.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Nature
I remember a hundred lovely lakes, and recall the fragrant breath of pine and fir and cedar and poplar trees. The trail has strung upon it, as upon a thread of silk, opalescent dawns and saffron sunsets. It has given me blessed release from care and worry and the troubled thinking of our modern day. It has been a return to the primitive and the peaceful. Whenever the pressure of our complex city life thins my blood and benumbs my brain, I seek relief in the trail; and when I hear the coyote wailing to the yellow dawn, my cares fall from me - I am happy.
~Hamlin Garland, McClure's, February 1899
~Hamlin Garland, McClure's, February 1899
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Not all of her dreams...
Not all of her dreams came true,
but she was never sorry she had them.
~ Jodi Hills, An Imperfect Life
As a child I had many dreams. I dreamed of being a singer, a model, an actress, and a teacher. In high school, I had decided I didn't want children as they would hold me back from the life I wanted - power, prestige, and all that money could buy. But God... He had a different plan for my life.
The path He chose for me isn't always easy. I have been stretched to the limit and seemingly broken, but looking back I can see He has always walked with me through the shadows. He lifts me up out of the mire and onward I go.
My life is not glamorous. As a wife, mother, and keeper of the home, my work is never done, but I find fulfillment and satisfaction in a job well done. Being a one-income family, finances are often tight, but it helps me to be creative in my every day life. Necessity is the mother of invention.
As I look all around me and see my children run and laugh, see my husband smile as he takes me in his arms, prepare a meal from the food in my pantry and freezer, watch my flowers bloom, notice the birds in the trees, and the sun, moon, and stars in the sky and somehow my former dreams of power, prestige, and money does not matter so much.
My life is full with love, creativity, nature, beauty, spirituality, joy, peace, and the work of my hands. And that is all of the riches in this world that I need...
As a child I had many dreams. I dreamed of being a singer, a model, an actress, and a teacher. In high school, I had decided I didn't want children as they would hold me back from the life I wanted - power, prestige, and all that money could buy. But God... He had a different plan for my life.
The path He chose for me isn't always easy. I have been stretched to the limit and seemingly broken, but looking back I can see He has always walked with me through the shadows. He lifts me up out of the mire and onward I go.
My life is not glamorous. As a wife, mother, and keeper of the home, my work is never done, but I find fulfillment and satisfaction in a job well done. Being a one-income family, finances are often tight, but it helps me to be creative in my every day life. Necessity is the mother of invention.
As I look all around me and see my children run and laugh, see my husband smile as he takes me in his arms, prepare a meal from the food in my pantry and freezer, watch my flowers bloom, notice the birds in the trees, and the sun, moon, and stars in the sky and somehow my former dreams of power, prestige, and money does not matter so much.
My life is full with love, creativity, nature, beauty, spirituality, joy, peace, and the work of my hands. And that is all of the riches in this world that I need...
Monday, April 20, 2009
Exploring
Friday Mama, the girls, and I went to the feed store. A lively employee said to the girls upon our entering the store, "I know you girls want to take some baby chicks home with you." And of course, they did, but we are not prepared for chickens just yet. Instead they were content to watch and pet the chicks while giggling and lots of oohs and aahs could be heard.
We browsed through the flowers. I found a beautiful rose bush called Tropicana. It's a beautiful pinkish-coral and had such large blooms. I was in love! I may go back and get it at a later time. I bought three packages of perennial seeds: sunflowers, hollyhocks, and foxgloves. These will come back year after year.We did buy heirloom tomato and green bell pepper plants. Mama and I will get those put in the ground sometime this week. I wanted the heirloom rather than the hybrids so I can try to learn how to save the seeds - if they can, indeed, be saved. I imagine they can. I need to read up on it. I'm looking forward to having home-grown tomatoes in my salads and bell peppers to help season my dishes!
Later that afternoon, I took the girls to another local park to play. It was warm but there was an occasional breeze to cool us. The girls enjoyed playing on playground equipment different from our town park. While they played I took in the sun while deep in thought with the breeze blowing about my hair and face. Afterwards we returned home calm and happy. Being outdoors is always so soothing to my soul.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Gratitude List ~ Week 15
~ A new Paula Deen skillet. Good cookware makes cooking so much easier.
~ Thrifting treasures. I love finding needed items for a fraction of the retail price and being able to stretch my husband's hard-earned pay.
~ Having the extra money available to stock my pantry, freezer, and toiletry items. I use coupons and shop the sales to get the most I can at the lowest prices.
~ Earning $16 in ECB at CVS this week, which can be used on my next shopping trip.
~ Heirloom tomato and green bell pepper plants and a pretty new welcome flag for the garden.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Nature
I walked out with Alfred this morning and as he opened the shed to get his motorcycle, this little corn snake fell off one of the doors. I just about broke into a run! Thankfully, he is not poisonous so Alfred just shooed him away.
We found this little toad the other day. Kenzie wanted to catch him but was afraid to pick him up so it was Daddy to the rescue. On his right he has two front legs....very unusual!
This is one of my roses. Isn't she pretty?
These are my yellow violas in the large container next to the front steps.
On the other side of the steps are my miracle petunias that I planted last year. I say miracle because they are annuals meaning they do not come back the following year, but these did!
Thank you for visiting my blog! Wishing you a weekend of wonder...
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Courage
Yesterday I drove the kids to Target because the girls needed a few clothing items I had not been able to find at the thrift shops. It took courage to try, but I knew I needed to step out and test myself. The medicine has really helped as I have had no panic attacks while out & about recently. I can't tell you how good it is to feel like a normal person again!
I stopped by a thrift shop I'd seen many times before but had never visited to see if there were any treasure to be had. I found myself six cute tops, two pair of shorts, and a white feminine skirt for $11.66. Several items were name brand clothing such as: Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Old Navy.
In the afternoon, I took the girls to the park to play. Sadly it's been way too long since we've visited the park and we plan to go to another local park tomorrow.
Today, however, there is grocery shopping to do, house-cleaning, and karate practice. I hope to squeeze a nap in there somewhere, too. .::grin::.
Hope you have a lovely day!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
An Imperfect Life
Understanding that
heavy things can't fly,
she let go of what was weighing on her heart,
the things she could no more control than carry,
and she gave herself a chance,
a chance to reach into the unassuming blue,
to embrace the possibility of an open sky,
with an open heart.
She gave herself a chance to soar.
- Jodi Hills, An Imperfect Life
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Three Essentials
Three grand essentials to happiness in this life
are something to do, something to love,
and something to hope for.
-Joseph Addison
Something to Do:
Prepare delicious meals & desserts from scratch, home-caring, make my own home cleaners, set a pretty table, write & mail real letters, stitching, making out a grocery list, visiting family, offering hospitality, Bible-reading, gardening, be a facilitator in my children's educational and creative pursuits, laundry, run errands, search for the best prices when items are needed for the home & family, go walking, read a good book, take a nap, relax in a steaming shower, listen to music, bird-watching, pray...
Something to Love:
My husband and children, pets, family, friends, the sea, nature, writing, reading, the sunrise, the sound of rain on the roof top, good food, receiving letters from friends, trips to the library, scented candles, flowers, the fresh scent of line-dried laundry, the color pink, solitude, receiving a compliment, a good night's sleep, Spring & Autumn, holidays, family gatherings & celebrations, life...
Something to Hope For:
To become debt-free, a handmade Christmas, summer cook-outs, inspiration & creativity, to see an owl, to finish my book & become a published author, to grow old together with Alfred, to watch my children leave the nest and start families of their own, abiding joy, peace on Earth, an end to hunger, homelessness and abuse against animals and children, the elderly, and those with disabilities, that I may be a light in the darkness, to meet Jesus one day...
Something to Do:
Prepare delicious meals & desserts from scratch, home-caring, make my own home cleaners, set a pretty table, write & mail real letters, stitching, making out a grocery list, visiting family, offering hospitality, Bible-reading, gardening, be a facilitator in my children's educational and creative pursuits, laundry, run errands, search for the best prices when items are needed for the home & family, go walking, read a good book, take a nap, relax in a steaming shower, listen to music, bird-watching, pray...
Something to Love:
My husband and children, pets, family, friends, the sea, nature, writing, reading, the sunrise, the sound of rain on the roof top, good food, receiving letters from friends, trips to the library, scented candles, flowers, the fresh scent of line-dried laundry, the color pink, solitude, receiving a compliment, a good night's sleep, Spring & Autumn, holidays, family gatherings & celebrations, life...
Something to Hope For:
To become debt-free, a handmade Christmas, summer cook-outs, inspiration & creativity, to see an owl, to finish my book & become a published author, to grow old together with Alfred, to watch my children leave the nest and start families of their own, abiding joy, peace on Earth, an end to hunger, homelessness and abuse against animals and children, the elderly, and those with disabilities, that I may be a light in the darkness, to meet Jesus one day...
Monday, April 13, 2009
New Beginnings
"I'm thinking, as I sit here and drink in this scene, how little it takes to get by, how simple life really can be, how pleasant to think only of necessities, eliminating the luxuries."
~ A Year By the Sea by Joan Anderson
The necessities of life are shelter, food, clothing, air to breathe, and clean water. Why is it, then, that we fill our homes and lives to the brim with things and activities that are supposed to make our lives easier or bring more fulfillment? This is what I've been pondering as of late.
~ A Year By the Sea by Joan Anderson
The necessities of life are shelter, food, clothing, air to breathe, and clean water. Why is it, then, that we fill our homes and lives to the brim with things and activities that are supposed to make our lives easier or bring more fulfillment? This is what I've been pondering as of late.
I have been distracted from my pursuit of simplicity in recent months while dealing with my panic attacks. One thing I realized during this time involuntary home confinement is that I do not need a lot to be happy. I also realized I do not need a lot of things in my life. I have a lot of things, but I do not need them.
Now that I am on this new medication that has really helped my anxiety, I am ready to refocus my efforts on simplifying my life. It is time to let go. I am letting go of things I no longer have use for and hold me back from living the life I have, up until now, only dreamed of.
It is the day of new beginnings...
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Queen of the Blogs Award
Pamela from A Touch of Inspiration has awarded me with the Queen of Blogs award!
Thank you Pamela! I am so honored!
Thank you Pamela! I am so honored!
Gratitude List ~ Week 14
~ A pair of Vera Wang jeans Mama picked up for me at a thrift store for $5.38.
~ A new freezer that will enable us to stock up on meat and frozen foods.
~ Angel Food Ministries
~ Keeping an Abundance journal.
~ Jesus, who died and rose again!
Happy Easter!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Wonder and Gratitude
Today kicks off the beginning of Spring Break and my home is bursting with family, games, laughter, conversation, music, and togetherness. It is my hope to create an atmosphere that fosters love, peace, security, a feeling of abundance, learning, and connection for my loved ones.
Anne Ohman's writings have been instrumental in changing my outlook on life and has helped me see the beauty of living in freedom and learning naturally. Her writings stir my soul and spirit and I come to the realization that our life is rich and full as we open ourselves to the possibilities and maintain our sense of wonder and gratitude.
Anne Ohman's writings have been instrumental in changing my outlook on life and has helped me see the beauty of living in freedom and learning naturally. Her writings stir my soul and spirit and I come to the realization that our life is rich and full as we open ourselves to the possibilities and maintain our sense of wonder and gratitude.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
Treasure Hunting
Yesterday I picked the girls up a few inexpensive goodies at the dollar store - a pink ball, paddle ball, rainbow colored jump rope, and handcuffs {at Kenzie's request!}. Then, Mama and I headed to a local church's thrift store where all clothes over $1 were 50% off.
I was able to get the girls several cute shirts, dresses, and jeans for under $30. Name brand clothing, too, such as Gap, Limited Too, Guess, Old Navy, and Tommy Hilfiger. I also picked up a few children's storybooks, too. I love finding treasures for pennies on the dollar!
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
So Blessed
The warm weather returns today in all of its golden glory. After my homemaking tasks are completed and a nap, the afternoon will be fully enjoyed out-of-doors.
I love to stroll through the yard checking on all my flowers and plants to see if there is new growth or blooms or stand looking out upon the creek, which is rich in wildlife, and take in the beauty of nature's handiwork.
I feel so very blessed and abundant. My circumstances have not changed dramatically, but I can say without a doubt that life is good. We have a home. Alfred has a job. We have food to eat and clothes to wear. We have family that loves us and good neighbors. We have pets that offer companionship and make us laugh. We are close to our children and life offers us something new to experience and learn from each day.
It's a wonderful life!
I love to stroll through the yard checking on all my flowers and plants to see if there is new growth or blooms or stand looking out upon the creek, which is rich in wildlife, and take in the beauty of nature's handiwork.
I feel so very blessed and abundant. My circumstances have not changed dramatically, but I can say without a doubt that life is good. We have a home. Alfred has a job. We have food to eat and clothes to wear. We have family that loves us and good neighbors. We have pets that offer companionship and make us laugh. We are close to our children and life offers us something new to experience and learn from each day.
It's a wonderful life!
Monday, April 06, 2009
Catching Up
We woke up this morning to much cooler temperatures and a 15-30mph winds out of the northwest. It feels more like Autumn than Spring and this cooler weather will be with us for a few more days yet with the possibility of breaking records for April.
Over the weekend, I got the rest of my plants and flowers {chard, flowering kale, violas} planted with Kenzie's help. She is my little garden helper and is learning quite a bit about gardening. We also planted morning glories and moonflowers from seeds. Then my neighbor gave me a few purple heart plants! They will have to wait for another day, after I figure out where on earth I'll put them!
Kayla spent the weekend curled up reading Twilight. She finished it in three days and will likely start New Moon today.
Friday, Mama and Kendall left to go to Iowa to help move my sister, Chelsea, back down here. They were supposed to leave yesterday to head back home, but it snowed. Hopefully, today they will be able to leave. Please pray for travel mercies.
Alfred's birthday was yesterday. He is now 37 years old. He had drill this weekend, but we had a quiet celebration last night with chocolate cake with triple chocolate fudge chip frosting...talk about chocolate overkill...but it was what he wanted!
Now it is Monday - the start of a blessed new week. It is the time to slip back into my regular daily rhythms of homemaking and home education. Being on this new medicine, I go about my work more slowly and mindfully. I am finding comfort in this new daily rhythm.
Over the weekend, I got the rest of my plants and flowers {chard, flowering kale, violas} planted with Kenzie's help. She is my little garden helper and is learning quite a bit about gardening. We also planted morning glories and moonflowers from seeds. Then my neighbor gave me a few purple heart plants! They will have to wait for another day, after I figure out where on earth I'll put them!
Kayla spent the weekend curled up reading Twilight. She finished it in three days and will likely start New Moon today.
Friday, Mama and Kendall left to go to Iowa to help move my sister, Chelsea, back down here. They were supposed to leave yesterday to head back home, but it snowed. Hopefully, today they will be able to leave. Please pray for travel mercies.
Alfred's birthday was yesterday. He is now 37 years old. He had drill this weekend, but we had a quiet celebration last night with chocolate cake with triple chocolate fudge chip frosting...talk about chocolate overkill...but it was what he wanted!
Now it is Monday - the start of a blessed new week. It is the time to slip back into my regular daily rhythms of homemaking and home education. Being on this new medicine, I go about my work more slowly and mindfully. I am finding comfort in this new daily rhythm.
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Gratitude List ~ Week 13
~ Delicious meals prepared in the crock pot.
~ A well-stocked pantry.
~ Warm weather, bird-watching, flowers blooming = Bliss!
~ Naps in my dark, cool cocoon-like bedroom.
~ Books that take me on adventures to far away places.
~ A well-stocked pantry.
~ Warm weather, bird-watching, flowers blooming = Bliss!
~ Naps in my dark, cool cocoon-like bedroom.
~ Books that take me on adventures to far away places.
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Birds
Those little nimble musicians of the air, that warble forth their curious ditties, with which nature hath furnished them to the shame of art. ~Izaak Walton
Friday, April 03, 2009
A Glorious Sight
At last, the sun returns to brighten the sky after many days of rain and it is a glorious sight! The birds are singing merrily as they go about their daily business of searching for food. And the flowers stretch eagerly towards the sun after their thorough watering they received from nature's bounty.
Today finds me cleaning and putting things in order around the house. I am taking my time as I still feel a little fuzzy headed and tired from my new medicine. Tonight, Alfred will take me grocery shopping. I'll be glad to fill up my pantry, fridge, and freezer with supplies to concoct nourishing meals and delightful desserts.
I'm hoping to spend some time out in the garden this afternoon. I want to plant my morning glory seeds. I have a small flower bed that needs weeding and more flowers to plant. That all depends on how I'm feeling. It will all get done sooner or later.
Hope you're having a wonderful day!
Today finds me cleaning and putting things in order around the house. I am taking my time as I still feel a little fuzzy headed and tired from my new medicine. Tonight, Alfred will take me grocery shopping. I'll be glad to fill up my pantry, fridge, and freezer with supplies to concoct nourishing meals and delightful desserts.
I'm hoping to spend some time out in the garden this afternoon. I want to plant my morning glory seeds. I have a small flower bed that needs weeding and more flowers to plant. That all depends on how I'm feeling. It will all get done sooner or later.
Hope you're having a wonderful day!
Thursday, April 02, 2009
enCouraging Bliss: Return to Your Garden of Eden
Christine's assignment for this week: We're going to do a visualization and writing exercise, and we are going to build ourselves an internal Garden of Eden, an internal sanctuary surrounded by whatever it takes -- high walls and a moat with scary creatures in it.
***
I see myself wearing a long flowing dress in layers. It is sheer and white and appears to glow in the dark. My hair is the color of dark chocolate and my long curls are caught up in the wind, blowing back away from my face as I walk into the night's mist.
I carry only a small lantern to light my way in the fog as I walk along the sandy seashore with the waves crashing against my bare feet. The roar of the ocean is hypnotic. I forget all space and time. I just continue to walk slowly and let the sound of the waves soothe my spirit.
In the distance, I see a small light. My curiosity piqued, I begin to walk toward the light. As I move closer I realize it is a candle in the window of a small stone cottage. Around my neck is a chain with a skeleton key which unlocks the door of the cottage.
I turn the door knob and let the door swing open. My breath is caught in my throat at the sight! The one room cottage is aglow with a warm fire in the stone hearth. I am instantly drawn to it in an effort to ward off the chill in my bones. My eyes sweep the interior a second time.
The quaint cottage is cozy and perfect in every way. There is a bed covered in romantic linens with a wooden head board with carvings of flowers and birds. The windows are dressed with lace curtains.
The table is covered with a pretty cloth and set with an eclectic mix of vintage dishes and glassware. There is a pot of soup bubbling on the wood stove, a loaf of homemade bread cooling on the sideboard along with an apple pie.
In the bathroom is a deep, claw-foot tub, homemade soaps, and a variety of homemade lotions and potions. White fluffy towels and a thick terrycloth robe make me yearn for a long luxurious bath.
There is a quaint desk filled with stationary and writing instruments. There is a vase of roses on the desk along with a leather journal. I take a peek at it and notice my own handwriting. I have at last found my home...my place of belonging.
***
I see myself wearing a long flowing dress in layers. It is sheer and white and appears to glow in the dark. My hair is the color of dark chocolate and my long curls are caught up in the wind, blowing back away from my face as I walk into the night's mist.
I carry only a small lantern to light my way in the fog as I walk along the sandy seashore with the waves crashing against my bare feet. The roar of the ocean is hypnotic. I forget all space and time. I just continue to walk slowly and let the sound of the waves soothe my spirit.
In the distance, I see a small light. My curiosity piqued, I begin to walk toward the light. As I move closer I realize it is a candle in the window of a small stone cottage. Around my neck is a chain with a skeleton key which unlocks the door of the cottage.
I turn the door knob and let the door swing open. My breath is caught in my throat at the sight! The one room cottage is aglow with a warm fire in the stone hearth. I am instantly drawn to it in an effort to ward off the chill in my bones. My eyes sweep the interior a second time.
The quaint cottage is cozy and perfect in every way. There is a bed covered in romantic linens with a wooden head board with carvings of flowers and birds. The windows are dressed with lace curtains.
The table is covered with a pretty cloth and set with an eclectic mix of vintage dishes and glassware. There is a pot of soup bubbling on the wood stove, a loaf of homemade bread cooling on the sideboard along with an apple pie.
In the bathroom is a deep, claw-foot tub, homemade soaps, and a variety of homemade lotions and potions. White fluffy towels and a thick terrycloth robe make me yearn for a long luxurious bath.
There is a quaint desk filled with stationary and writing instruments. There is a vase of roses on the desk along with a leather journal. I take a peek at it and notice my own handwriting. I have at last found my home...my place of belonging.
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Welcome April
I'm so tired and sluggish today. I started a new prescription medicine for the panic attacks called Pristiq. My pupils are even dilated, so I don't know yet if I'll be able to continue taking it. I'm hoping my body will adjust to the medicine, but I tend to be hyper-sensitive to medicine, whether it be Rx or OTC ones. I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
I have a couple of books I'm in the process of reading. Mitten Strings for God by Katrina Kenison which is a lovely little book that ever reminds me to slow down and to find beauty and joy in simplicity. I'm also reading The Secret Things of God: Unlocking the Treasures Reserved for You by Dr. Henry Cloud. It is kind of like The Secret, but from a Christian point of view. In essence, it shows how God's Word can be practically applied in our daily lives.
We've had a break in the rain today and the sky is overcast, but the rain is to return tonight. April showers are supposed to bring May flowers, but these recent rains have also brought flooding and severe thunderstorms!
Well, I am off to fix lunch and then lay down for a nap. Hope your day is lovely!
I have a couple of books I'm in the process of reading. Mitten Strings for God by Katrina Kenison which is a lovely little book that ever reminds me to slow down and to find beauty and joy in simplicity. I'm also reading The Secret Things of God: Unlocking the Treasures Reserved for You by Dr. Henry Cloud. It is kind of like The Secret, but from a Christian point of view. In essence, it shows how God's Word can be practically applied in our daily lives.
We've had a break in the rain today and the sky is overcast, but the rain is to return tonight. April showers are supposed to bring May flowers, but these recent rains have also brought flooding and severe thunderstorms!
Well, I am off to fix lunch and then lay down for a nap. Hope your day is lovely!
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