Tag: my crochet story

Empty Threats

Published on by yvonneannetteLeave a comment

The threats must be working, because Honey has been sitting on my lap for a spell first thing most mornings. A couple of weeks ago my alone-life was driving me to the puppy stores. So I began looking. Looking at Border Terriers, Rescue puppies, and Shih Tzus. I keep telling her that if she doesn’t take to cuddling some, I will find one that will. They are all empty threats until I actually took a call from on of my soft inquiries. Soft, literally.

The “craving” for a cuddle – bug- dog was getting pretty rough. Ruff, ruff. I actually saw a little Shih Tzu in town one day and spend a few minutes purring over the soft fluff. I asked all kinds of polite questions and found the little gal to be quite nice.

Home I went to do my idle threats. I looked, and searched, and found several local puppy breeders. Just empty threats

Like my mother’s threat to break my plate when I left home. Really? It’s probably why my dad’s graduation gift to us was luggage not the furniture in our bedroom. I tried to beat my mother to it. One day while unloading dishes from the dishwasher, I broke six plates all at once by catching my elbow on something and dropping them back down into the dishwasher. I broke a lot of things while a teenager because of ny hasty activities. The chandelier glasses were no match to the table leaves. The stairwell window was no match to my speed in rounding the corner and my shoulder. I don’t know why parents of my era said such mean things like threats to break plates, but it felt like rather than helping us to fly out of the nest, I was being pushed out of the nest by them cutting the tree down.

So here I sit in the background of all my daily activities, wondering what on earth I would want more chores for. My life is pretty peaceful right now. The garden will require more energy soon, I tell myself. Enjoy the lull before the storm. (Really, I ought to try to sell some of this crochet stuff.)

So I began an easy C2C again. This time it is the gingham pattern and it will have a smaller scale checked border. I have seen the pictures several times and really wanted to do this. So now that I have some yarn stash on hand, I was able to put together the three tiered color scheme. I do love how easy this patter is to crochet and it keeps my fingers occupied while i listen to books.

We found another movie worth mentioning last night. It is the life of Beatrix Potter. I had forgotten that I actually had the tales that she wrote in my audible books library for the little kiddos when I am with them. Lots of tales of things with tails. All sorts of childish imagings and critters with clothes! So I took some time to listen to some of her wonderings.

Toddlers are pleasant things to display cuteness. It’s the hungry, tired, or cranky child that drives mothers mad. Their little minds are so busy with thoughts and feelings. I wonder at times that I ever really grew up. It is so enjoyable to pick their little brains and prick their imagination.

The greenhouse is a maintenance mode right now. I learning that certain size containers are on a Monday-Wednesday-Friday water schedule. The rest of the house is once a week depending on the sunshine and the heat. Some days it can get up to eighty degrees in there. I don’t like working in there when it is too hot. the other day this little pink geranium greeted me. I am so glad most of the cuttings have taken root. I lost so many to water rot that I had to switch tactics and root many in direct soil.

Miss Potter‘s success during her era has really inspired me to keep writing. I love movies’s and books about writers. Though we have hit the garbage pail a few times on the ‘writer’s death mystery’ movies. Those will just have to stay a mystery. Not enjoyable at all. Sorry for the suspense and thriller films.

Meanwhile, I let not my own little wishes be a constant temptation. Solitary confinement has a way of reflecting the inner sanctum. Why does spending so much time alone seems to muddy the mirror? So I went back to the Hearts of Fire entries and listened to the story of Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand. They are the founders of voice of the martys publishing. What an inspiring story of faithfulness and fidelity. I suddenly feel so very insignificant and small.g

I John 3:3, “And everyone who thus hopes in Christ Jesus purifies oneself as He is pure.” And so I began where I best, by cleaning the house that I live in. The boxes and such need to be removed I told myself. They are empty and are no longer needed. Their purpose fulfilled by carrying some forgotten shipment, I stacked them all to carry out to the dumpster. I went back in to check the room for any more stray objects and found the wall with my head.

A day later, my brain fog and dull headache are still ailing me. Why must I hit my head every time that I try to clean house? Because my eyes get tired and fail to sweep the projected travel plans for oncoming traffic. Ugh. I actually ended up falling asleep early last night, and my husband did his version of cleaning. (He cleans with disinfectants and solubles that make the air smell fresh. However, mush of the out of place items are left for me to put away or dispose of-not complaining.)

Last time I went to the chiropractor for an adjustment I decided it was harly worth it to feel better, for then I usually hit my head, run into a half open door, or fall. Thus, misadjusting the previous betterment. Why bother? Here’s to purifying the smudged mirror.

Begin Again

Published on by yvonneannetteLeave a comment

“There was an old man named Michael Finnagin, He had whiskers on his chin-again, they fell out, and then grew in again, Poor old man named Michael Finnaging, begin again…”

Don’t know why I though of this silly little song, but it’s there. February seems to be a “Begin Again” kind of month so far. I pulled out the trifle that I am crocheting nearly five or six times now. I just don’t seem to have my beginnings right. So begin again I must until it looks right.

The little seedlings are taking my daily watch care alright. Thank goodness it looks like there are only a couple seedling types that are not popping up. Cone flowers… hmmm. I’ll have to do some more research.

In order for one thing to start another has to end. Sometimes those endings are rather rough. Like falling down the stairs and finding the end of the steps. The bottom does not make for much of a landing. Why beginnings seem so much easier than the last page of a book. I finished “The Story Girl” this past week. Looking through my audible list I found “Hearts of Fire” on my list and got then one started. However, in the beginning stages I realized it is a difficult read. One chapter every few days is enough for my constitution. And meanwhile I am still trying to ‘ms.google’ read the book that my mother gave me on the OT Tabernacle.

Why do i find difficult reads this month? February is a month full of hope generally. The weather is on the warming trend, the snow is meting, and the seedling starts are in constant attention mode. Then along with the book on my smart phone, now the library sent me a native American history of the westward expansion of the white people. Knowing that I live on one of those homesteads makes it intriguing to me. But the atrocities of the conquering country and the sadness of the people is so fresh in my mind.

Why do the sins of the fathers seem so much worse one hundred years later? Yet, through mankind‘s history, people are still doing the same horrible sins upon their fellows. All around the world people still suffer at the hands of other people. Oh, this is all such awful listening for the month of February with Valentine’s Day in it.

Beginnings can be rough, exciting, tragic, or filled with joy and happiness. This month I hope to keep my wits about me and look for the hope in the trickling spring. The other day it warmed enough for the water to run down the eaves. The sound of trickling water hitting a puddle of water hit my ears and I simply had to find the source of the sound and watch it for a bit. That’s when I realized that I was so happy for temperatures to be above 32 degrees, I did not care that the puddle happened to be just at the bottom of the steps. (Don’t worry, my husband got the rest of the eaves spout attached and it now drains away for the house properly.).

It’s something like stopping to smell the roses. And I am so thankful that I actually have a rose bush in the greenhouse. The beautiful bush has given me a consistent rose each month. So the old saying “Take time to smell the roses” is part of my every day lifestyle!

Snow day scarf

Published on by yvonneannetteLeave a comment

Fifty one days until the first day of spring! And we had a real nice snow on Saturday morning. About eight inches of the white fluff to blanket our whole area. With my eye sight finding the way from the barn back to the house was a challenge. Everything was white. The fire pit was even buried now. And that butterfly garden winter interest was no longer visible. Thank goodness the ‘ugly’ old lilac bush was still sticking above the snow for something to aim at. It made me think of the winter days of long ago. The stories of Great Grandpa shoveling himself a tunnel to and from the barn each time he went out to milk the cows. I am thankful my milk comes in a jug in the fridge!

Practice stitch study has been a long time coming. I don’t think there is a crochet stitch that would be new to me. But practice I did. The idea is to make a reversible item. For those unfamiliar with the art, the front and back looks fairly identical. Of course, I can even find the backside of the oldest crochet doilies, because I know the stitch directions. But, my husband can only tell the backside by the stripes of a mosaic crochet pattern. So study I did.

In this technique the stitch is wrapped around the whole previous row so that the back mirrors the pattern. There is a technique of continuous flow that uses blank spaces to create a true reverse imaging affect. I find that option to be much “pixelated” and the pattern seems less defined to me. It took me a couple rows to figure out where the stitch should be placed. I am happy with the result.

Then after two sleepless nights, still not sure why, I found Sunday to be a day of complete rest. Yes, I played piano for church. No, I did not help my hubby with any of the kitchen duties. Yes, I tried a nap. It was unsuccessful.

In defiance of winter, my life always has some touch of spring. Here below is the window planter in the library. The aloe, and mother in law plant are doing well. The kalanchoe is putting on some blooms to wag it’s tongue at the snow outside. The little canna seeds are sprouting. Some took longer than others. So thankful my hubby could score all the seeds with a razor to get the process jumpstarted. The canna lilies in the greenhouse look a little tough. Giving them some bulb tone fertilizer has helped. Though it took nearly a month for them to bounce out of their winter duldrums.

February is literally just around the corner. This month is more seed started. And the greenhouse gets rearranged to make room for seed started in the grow beds. So it’s time to put January to rest and find new happenings to consider in February. Unfortunately it is not time to say goodbye to the bitter cold as this week proves to put on some more records. Brrr.

Counting in sequence

Published on by yvonneannetteLeave a comment

Define sequential : forming or following in a logical order or sequence thus the Oxford Language Dictionary states. And therefore I submit, that counting in sequence is the format that the order of my counting makes logical sense to me. I love counting in sequence according to the projects of my crochet stash.

Forming order and logic in this world of chaos and happenstance must be important to me. I spent a whole lot of time doing it! Somehow, crochet to me is relaxing. The methodical repetition keeps me sane. When I complete one project and find “nothing” to do with myself for a moment in time, I feel lost. Everything feels out of order. I feel out of place. Crochet is my comfy spot, I guess.

Logical steps involved in gardening and crochet do not translate into good housekeeping for me. While my mom has her “day of the week” for cleaning, cooking, baking, crafting, I am not near so set in my ways. I still find a lot of random behavior in my role as house keeper. Keeping watch over my plant babies is more satisfying. They grow! They respond to my care. The house only gets dirty agin. The floor only needs swept constantly. The dishes must be done daily. The laundry only gets done when the basket is full. Watching the project that I crochet grow in my lap is very satisfying!

Counting in continuum I see the rows of yarn gradually change the pattern. The mosaic crochet technique is very addictive. It really does not matter which pattern I pick. It’s like the continuous motion of the pendulum. The ticking of time does not even seem to occur to me. The rhythm of the hook and the yarn in my fingers becomes like breathing. I think of nothing else, until the cell phone rings and interrupts my counting!

“What’s next?” I ask myself each time a project is completed. And here you can see, the little Canna Lily sprouts are coming out of the soil. Most of the seedlings are up in the growing tent. I am so thankful that my husband is such a good production manager, an excellent warehouse engineer, and my better half. When I have a need, all I have to do is ask. It seems like the only thing he will not do for me is jump and run. Anything else that is possible for him he does. And so he made for me a little indoor station to begin seedlings.

Meanwhile, I get to watch things GROW! The rose bush meant for zone seven (we live in zone 5) is putting on another rose to enjoy. I nearly killed the poor bush by overwatering. All of a sudden one day I noticed many leaves falling off the bush into the pot. I checked the soil and it was so soppy wet. OOPs! I removed the tray underneath and flipped it over so that the clay pot bottom could breath and dry out more. That whole scenario made me so worried. Uff dah! It seems to be on a better path now.

Inventory in the greenhouse was rather challenging. The geranium starts and such are in every location, from east, west, middle beds to the center stand and the tank plant stand. There are 52 hanging geranium baskets. The floor has 14 large containers some with multiple plants. There are 20 half gallon sized containers much for my own purpose of growing on new “bushes!” And there are well over 97 starts in pint sized plus containers. Some of the starter dishes have multiples as well. So while that number additions sums up to 241, the generous actual number is probably 250 or above. I think I shall have enough to share.

Again, I find myself in the ‘what’s next’ stage of life. I have to decide what the next project color should be. The choice is spring berries, or salsa colors of fall. It is suppose to be rather bitter cold this next week, so the greenhouse will be is “sustained” mode. Though I am finding the small pint containers have to have water thrice weekly, other containers go two times or once. Surprisingly, it got rather warm in there today. Nearly 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The sun was shining and it was 30 degrees outside. So here’s to another week, another book, and another basket of yarn!

Carpeting day

Published on by yvonneannetteLeave a comment

In the greenhouse it was carpeting day recently. The geraniums were beginning to shed their petals all over the place, so to beat them at their game, I helped. Usually carpeting day is done monthly, but this time six weeks had passed. Winter is like that though. The cloudy days of this cold time don’t produce as many flowers. So by the time the “beheading” occurred more flowers were poking through. The little I-think-I-can blooms are so fun to see after the floor is all swept up and I make my rounds checking soil moisture et cetera.

In the cat huts the felines take up naps at sentimal watching. It never ceases to amaze me how many kittens can be in one hut. One day their were four in one hut and the last one had to keep poking a head in to see if there was room yet for him. It is funny to watch. This boxed foam cooler makes a “pur-fect” watching spot for Tabitha. She has become my new petted pet after Autumn left us.

In the barn, or shall I say “mouse house” we are busy watching out for the rodents now. They recently ate a hole in the horse feed bucket. Might have to get a metal can with a lid to keep them out.

In the starting tent installing lights was not cheap. I am considering letting them go much longer on. I think tomorrow is one week and nothing has popped through the soil yet. Patience is difficult when it seems like time is wasting away while I wait. There are so many more seedlings to start in the next month. I have an empty shelf at the moment and may find something to begin there.

In the people house the blanket is just about complete. Of course deciding how big to make it is the question. I am still doing a google reader on the tabernacle book that my mom gave me. But I also began L.M. Montgomery’s “The Story Girl.” It keeps my mind occupied when my hands are twiddling.

Allergic reactions are part of my new normal, I guess. And I had another one last night that required a Benadryl for relief. So I am missing out on my usual weekly visit with the grand children. It’s making me feel a little bummed. But the allergic reaction about had me in tears. So much for planning my days and weeks.

This entry took me a few days. The blanket is finished. And there are seedlings popping out of their tomb’s in the growing tent. The rose bush in the greenhouse nearly died of over watering-oops! And we are are now on season 2 of the Chosen. Now what? I ask myself this often these days. Now really following a daily list of any sort. I hear my hubby’s work calendar and my head spins. Simple life for me please.

A Glimpse of God’s Grace

Published on by yvonneannetteLeave a comment

This week we started out with our first biatch of English muffins on the new stove griddle. And a might bit of smoke and some discoveries of old mistakes. First of all, my Husband got brave and made the bread dough all by himself! Scary, right. It took 24 hours to let the dough rise and make them into the circles and then finally fry/bake them on the griddle. They are so good! My brother gave me his recipe to try.

The third biscuit later, I was suffering my yeast sensitivity. Wow. That is painful. So I haven’t had any more for a few days. Yogurt, carrots and smoothies for me to knock out the yeast overload. Ugh. I don’t like my body somedays.

Then we left the smelly house and went on a road trip to see my mother. It is not that far, but with the winter being a snowy record year, it was the first opportunity we had for the drive. She gave me this book for the “gifting” holiday. And I am glad for it, and it’s rich back story.

My mother claims to have come to the Lord Jesus Christ as a result of the way that I came into the world. Knowing that we both nearly died is quite a tale in itself, but this book tells another one. She was directed after her brush with death, to begin listening to a radio program called “Back to the Bible>”. You know the radio is what people listened to before there were podcasts! The main teacher on the broadcast at the time was Dr. Epp.

This is one of the first books that she purchased after coming to the Savior’s call in her life. It is rich with Bible facts and explanations of the Old Testament covenant. The idea that Christianity has it’s roots in Judaism is not often discussed today. I think the church today is missing out on all of this rich history. So after using ‘ms. Google’ to help me read the first two chapters, I remembered my blog promise.

The Portraits of Christ in the Tabernacle are full of symbolic tradition and hope ofr the believer. While at the same time we are trying to do the Chosen challenge and watch the series, my mind is full of scripture and my heart is being saturated in the depths of God’s great love for the world that He created.

Meanwhile, I am reminded that we all bear His image and His creativity is visible in each and every human being. This blanket does not have a name. The pattern is borrowed from one that I say in another blanket. So I decided to reverse and flip the maze and watch the affect as it takes shape in my lap.

And what better way to stay warm than to crochet an afghan? I just had to remember the “three little kittens!” This image is on the park bench in frount of our house. Kittens: Company, Lava, and Latte are happy to have the snow removed so that they could watch the happenings. I was out with the dogs playing frisbee when I spied them keeping watch on us. And I am also documenting the snow piles out by the greenhouse. It won’t be long and the pile will be as big as the geodesic dome garden room.

Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” has been on my listening pleasuire this week. I don’t know whay I can never remember which on eis playing. So thin I have to repeat one of them to remember the differences. Perhaps it is because though the girls played them in chamber groups, I never did play the music. Just listen. It is always good to remember winter will not last forever. There are truly four seasons in the year even if it seems like one of them gets replaced by WIND. Last year we did not get spring, we got wind. And some of it over 30 mph sustained for days on end.

Glimpses of God’s grace are everywhere for me. I am so undeserving of all the blessings in my life. Yet He gives and gives His creation for me to look at daily. He opens my eyes to be amazed at how everything points to Christ if we just look for Him. I am thankful that while I can look back at history and see The fulfilled Messisah and can also look forward to the Hope of His return.

My yarn year in review 22

Published on by yvonneannetteLeave a comment

My yarn year in review is just a peak at the projects that my hooks have created this year. Mosaic crochet takes the win with nine of the eleven projects having some mosaic stitches in them. Of course this is only the skimming the top of all the time I spent crocheting. And remembering that most of the time is also spent listening… well, I could maybe pick up the book with the project. This next year I hope to keep a better journal of the books and the projects. Journaling the books that make me “me” is also important.

January began the year with a prayer wrap. Making the mobias twist prayer shawl made me think of pretzels and the story behind the pretzel. Starting the year out with a prayer focus is something that our faith journey remembers well. We were involved in a church for about ten years that began the new year off with meetings in warm homes during the coldest first week of the year. Then February I finished my favorite project of the whole year. This “table runner” has graced my coffee table most of the year. The pattern is the first mosaic that I purchased. I really have to do another runner with this pattern.

My favorite patterns turned into not so good results in the next couple of months. March and April turned out struggles rather than fair prize winners. Oh well. Sometimes I actually don’t rip the results out and leave the bad vibes. There were a couple other hats and mittens but these were just ugly to me. And the wrap/poncho was not the best either with the angle in the middle of the pattern. That part is on the back side. It was hard work and so I left it in.

Favorite patterns returned me to another project that I have wanted to do for a while. The C2C is an old stand-by for me and this blanket is one of my favorites even though the colors turned out a bit wonky. It’s still warm and the “Linus” blanket is an real winner.

The hand bag or back-pack is a new fun one for me. Not really sure on the count ofr how many I made this year. Around six or seven. I forgot to take pictures of some that I gave away. There is an ugly browns one that I am using right now as my own what-nots bag.

Half the year would not be complete without another virus shawl completed. This yarn came from a thirty year old stash in someone’s attic. That was rather fun to sue such old yarn. The smell was a bit much for my nose. I ended up keeping some essential lavender oil nearby to rub on my hands so that I did not have to smell the old mildew.

And of course the year would not be complete without some hats for the grandees. These three hats were made by choice and request. It was fun to go shopping and let them pick out their own yearn and come back with hats that sort of match, but fit just so!

Making the C2C Linus blanket for my newest niece was really enjoyable also. This time I decided to make the color choices very random. I loved the outcome so much. And hope that as Texas baby in winter, she gets to use the blanket a little bit!

Fall came and went so fast it was hard to believe that already time for Christmas decorations and goodies had come without much of a plan for projects with purpose. Oh, well. Maybe next year I will plan ahead a little more with my crochet year. Meanwhile what better way to sandwich the year with another prayer shawl. This one had the right color choice for the season, but the goof up on the number scheme has me wondering if it might turn into a rip-and-redo.

Yep, my twelve months in review ended with only eleven pictures of projects. I probably could have found another picture, but I have just not been on my game lately. This past year the garden veggies were a bit of a flop, some of my attempts to seedlings were a white fly disaster, and I also added to my health restrictions. Though my health is not awful, taking away coffee and tea the last month or so has been tough. Coffee it seems is what gave me all that energy to do all those things. So I feel a little like an old stubborn mule with a halter that is too loose. Pull with all your might, but my days will still be a bit on the low production list.

I am so thankful that I have my hooks to keep me occupied. Life without crochet would be really dull. Life without coffee and tea might be boring, but there are still books. And if I can’t find a new read to keep me going I can always go back to the favorites.

Ecclesiastes 12:1 “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them.’” In deed I am thankful to find some pleasure yet in my year past and looking forward to the new year with renewed hope.

Gardener’s Hiatus

Published on by yvonneannetteLeave a comment

Another litter of kittens found their way into the dog hut next to the house. Our poor old Eva was kicked out once again. She usually sleeps in the hut on the old house porch though. Lela is the mama kitty. She and Stitch were sister kittens a few years back. Both are quite wild. I cannot catch Lela, though she does come for extra milk and fat the last few weeks.

So there are five little kittens to name and play with and pick up. The little fur balls were not too keen on the handling today. A good pair of sheep gloves came in handy. Two of the little hissy-fits were pretty scary. But I picked them up with out much damage to their pride or my fingers.

The “Complete Sherlock Holmes” has been keeping me company this past week. And the last few days I fell ill with some sort of flu bug that gave me none other than extreme fatigue. Of course, I had to look up sleeping sickness and found there is a real thing. So thank goodness it was not that. But after three days and nights of such lethargy, my hubby dragged me off to the doctor for some blood work and a check up. All is well, just busy fighting off some virus or another.

Glad, to say that I have actually been upright for nearly three hours now! The heavy limbs and head ache are a bit nagging, but none-the-less the symptoms are so few, that I was quite nervous at the amount of sleeping one can achieve when fighting off some viral bug. Much fluid intake at least kept me rising to use the facilities.

Upon some further investigation, we presume perhaps a flu bug just had no chance with all my fluid intake and vitamin consumption. I am rather thankful not to suffer the stomach bug as the some other extended family had the misfortune to befall.

So, inspired by the little hats that I conjured up about a month ago, I began this little prayer shawl. Not sure how many I will make after this fashion, but the pattern is an easy one to attempt and does not require much for concentration. My faculties have been in the dull-drums of late, so it was smoothen to do as I work back into my house keeping chores. Even, the laundry lady suffered. She is nearly exhausted jut over the sorting!. (I am the laundry lady and took a short snooze after that chore completed!)

The chief cook and bottle washer have gone on vacation. The gardener left the morning’s work unattended. The maid has not tended to any of the house hold duties. The dog trainer was under the covers for nearly three days and may return by the morrow. The grandchildren’s Oma even lost tuch with reality for nearly a day or two. None of the text messages were answered. And finally, the hubby’s dear even advised perhaps he should sleep in the other room. She thought the flu bug would result in some unpleasantness. However, the capacitor of all those roles survived with nothing more that much work left undone. Only a few days of catch up required.

All those people are one and the same. The roles I play are not stage perfect. And the occupations that call me back to the present life are beginning to scream louder than the heavy limbs that returned me to my cot. On we go in this life of ours. The bell on the washer is ringing out for the laundry lady to rise from her slumbering ways…

Monday Mumblings

Published on by yvonneannetteLeave a comment

Watching “Mayo Clinic Minute: How weighted blankets “lift anxiety” on YouTube this morning, I learned all about those little sleep hormones and the feel good hug.

One week has passed since I began sleeping with my gravity blanket that we purchased a few years back. I had tried it off and on but never just in itself for a full week trial. It is pretty amazing how a full week of rested sleep changes one’s mood! It must be knocking my anxiety hormones down a bunch, because for the first time in fur-ever, Honey took a nap on my lap!

Unfortunately her “serviceability” goes way down when she senses anxiety . She feeds on it and gets more hyper! This is not very helpful to say the least. So, in spite of the fact that she is now five years old, I am going to look for a trainer that can give me the right response commands to get this crazy dog down on all fours when the her hyper kicks in.

Saturday morning my dear helper hubby found the aphids moved into the pansies that i multiplied to hundreds. We spent a few hours treating them with some nnatural remedies. They look a little tough but I will be spreading them out into some more spacious quarters today and hopefully things will go well with the proper treatments. It’s so difficult to keep on top of it all once the nasty bugs begin their residency.

This is Holy week for the Christian and Jewish populous. It is always such a special holiday for me. Both of my daughters were baptized on Easter morning during their teen years. Easter has so much triumph and hope. How can the rest of the world live without that joyous celebration? I am so glad that we are back to church gatherings and that the “pandemic” shifted to endemic and everyone is just kind of “over” all of the talk. Yes, there are some rough memories, but not gathering has to be the worst. People are meant to live in community. And not being together makes everyone so depressed and cranky.

The wind blew something fierce the end of last week, and I though all of the old anxieties would come back also. Then I found Amy Carmichael’s book “The Edges of His Ways.” Though it is a daily devotional, I listened to nearly a full month. One of her notes was about the wind. And she encouraged me to look for inspiration from the wind that the Lord blows my way. So rather than fighting the blustery forecast for another day, I took up the “inspired by” list that i could find. The first one was comforting classical compositions that were inspired by … you guessed it-The Wind! Some of the pieces I have heard before but many were new to me. So the next time that I feel overwhelmed by my circumstances, I am just going to begin with looking for inspired by… a list that helps me turn the thing around and lifts up the mood.

This morning, I uncovered the rose bush that I planted in the tire flower bed next to the greenhouse. Today is going to be another beautiful day here. Without that nasty gale to knock me over. I also went out and zip tied the wind wheel at the Hydrant flower bed to the water meter pole there. The poor wind wheel has been knocked over so many times from the westerly hurricane breezes. (And we do not have hurricanes here… just the wind.). That made me FEEL like I had really accomplished something.

Then, I spray painted the basket that I had crocheted. The dye in the wood glue had not worked entirely to color the basket green. So I emptied the black spray paint on it. The rest of the paint was used on the wire baskets in the greenhouse. I had not done anything to them since purchase. That too FELT like I was really doing something. Then I repotted the little holiday cactus starts into two beautiful red pots that I found while shopping the other night at our local wally world. They look so happy. And now they will thrive. The other containers had proved to be too small over the long haul. The little plants had been in their since Thanksgiving and I would constantly forget about them. So they were either too hot, too wet, or too dry. There you go little holiday cactus starts. And I even decided who I am giving them to as gifts. But I am not telling you.

It’s not Monday. Thank goodness. You would not have wanted to talk to me this Monday. My visit to the greenhouse found the pansy stats much worse than before. I tossed quite a number of them due to some nasty little fly of some sort. We treated them again last night at sundown so I hope there is not burn from the spray. It is just not fun growing plants to just toss them out. Part of my eyesight problem, part of the learning curve.

So here goes to a lengthy post again. Today, I hope to get a new mosaic crochet project going. My last two project attempts were a bit lacking. I did not like the outcome. Yep, I feel like I spent the whole time mumbling. But I got it all out right? And the gravity blanket is still working to help me sleep. Yay!