Celebrate good times, come on....

Heidi over at Mt Chronicles has challenged us this week to live lovely by using our "good stuff".

We chose to do something extremely rare around here, and BOUGHT flowers and put in our silver teapot. We used "the good dishes" and silverware, and had goblets for sparkling cider......
for a weeknight supper.

We decided to have a celebration supper for Miss Victoria, to kick off her new school year.

The guest of honor needed a crown, so made her one while she was gone to orientation.

She got a favorite meal of mac 'n' cheese, fresh tomatoes, and green beans, with cake and icecream for dessert. (We have discovered, Papa is not a fan of soy icecream)

Since it was "her" day, she took full advantage of being silly.

There were prayers over her and the new school year, and prayers for other new beginnings as well.

Our balloons soared up to heaven with our prayers in tow.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

~~ Galatians 5:22,23

Summer Smidgens

When Jim came home from town, he came in the kitchen door proclaiming how wonderful dinner smelled, he was a tad disappointed to find out it was for in the freezer. There were 2 bags for winter dinner accompaniment. It's an Italian concoction of bacon, tomatoes, garlic, onion, zucchini, peppers, fresh basil, oregano and italian parsley.


It definitely smelled better than the pkg. of broccoli/cauliflower mix that I had blanched and frozen , right before.

Also blanched and put up 2 family paks of corn, and 1 company pak.
OH, and a pkg. of plain mixed baby summer squash.

Then I decided to put up something new this year, and the remaining cauliflower went in it.

Cauliflower, celery, carrots, peppers, and cukes, soaking in brine. Jalapaenos waiting to the side.

CALIFORNIA HOT MIX

Then I made 2 bags of sliced strawberries, and 4 batches of strawberry freezer jam.

There was chicken noodle soup simmering and bakery potato rolls with fresh jam for supper.

Today was a overcast/drizzly day. Perfect for being in the kitchen.

Sometimes I think it's more work and time consuming to do up lots of bits of this, bit of that, than to do say....50 pkgs of corn, or broccoli or whatever. I know I dirty up a lot more stuff this way......just ask Jim! (Actually, we worked together to clean up the aftermath.)

Bless him, Lord. Bless him.

an Exercise in Discipline

Time to shake off the dust:

My oncologist called. I have battled the bulge, for a long time. I haven't ever had any issues with high cholesterol though......another crummy side effect of meds...now I do. Evidently just a low fat diet isn't going to be effective by itself. Next plan of attack:

EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISE!

1. Equipment - check
2. Shoes -check
3. Sweats-check
4. DVD's - check
5. Water bottle - check

No more excuses--Check

The Love Between mothers & daughters

Having a dear Mama, three daughters of my own, and their each having daughters now also, this special bond is near and dear to my heart.

When going through the pictures I had taken this weekend, I came across these of Michelle and Ava. Such a sweet Mommy and baby girl!

This is my favorite ^

"Gradually I began to realise that she liked me,

that she had no option to liking me, and that

unless I took great pains to alienate her she

would go on liking me, for a couple of years at

least. It was very pleasant to receive such

uncritical love, because it left me free to bestow

love; my kisses were met by small warm rubbery

unrejecting cheeks and soft dovey mumblings

of delight."

~Margaret Drabble~

from "The Millstone"

"I have so much I can teach

her and pull out of her. I

would say you might

encounter defeats but you

must never be defeated. I

would teach her to love a

lot. Laugh a lot at the

silliest things and be very

serious. I would teach her

to love life, I could do that."

~Maya Angelou~

A best friend

This is a difficult post.
Our home and family are sad; experiencing the loss of a best friend.
Please forgive me, extended family members, for hearing it here first....i just don't relish the thought of re-telling this over and over on the phone, and in the ever-presence of little girls.

Today, I was watching out our kitchen window, as the girlies and Mac, played "Fort". They were having a grand time.

A few minutes later, Victoria came in the house sobbing. Ashlyn was right behind, upset also. All I could make out was "Mac"......

Because of his strong herding instinct, our border collie; Mac, has always struggled with his impulse to chase anything that moves. As a result he is usually confined if we can't be out there with him. He and the kids were having so much fun; we left him loose. He heard a big truck coming down the road, and ran down to the bottom of our lane.

The girls were calling him back, to no avail, and they watched in horror as he was struck and killed. (The truck didn't stop.) When the girls called out to Mac, and he didn't get up and come up the lane to them, they came running to the house for help.

It's been a troubling time, as they work through this process. Bad dreams, difficulty sleeping, so many questions, and tears.

Please keep us in your prayers.

Mac, "Mackie", "Macintosh", "Macklaroo"......you are missed.

Rest in Peace
August 24, 2009

Pirates and Pixie Dust

(*Remember* : You can double click on the pictures/collages to see a larger version)

Aye, Aye, Captain!

The Tinkerbells Two

Kate made Peter Pan's hat for him. Isn't it cute?

AARGH!

Handpainting: a treasure for parents to take home.

Not feeling so great. Bless his heart.

Goodie Bags for the kids....many hidden treasures...including a few pixie stix......

Another awesome party!

We love you Joe!

But [the time is coming when] the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord,

as the waters cover the sea.

Habakkuk 2:14

(Amplified Bible)

Destination: Depot Bay

Wednesday was another toasty day in the valley, so we decided to cool our heels, and spend the day at the coast. We had lunch at Depot Bay, and the girlies had fun filling a bag with all of their favorite flavors of salt water taffy. We ventured north to the beach. There was burying each other in the sand, sliding down a sand bank, wading in the surf, and chasing waves (they won).

Extra clothes had been packed for the girlies, but Papa and Nanny had to sit on a quilt all the way home.

School will be starting soon........melancholy sigh

The "C" Word....Closet Cleaning

With it being soooo warm in the afternoon, yesterday....


I decided to stay inside and take care of a much needed task.


Our Walk in closet.....that you couldn't.....


......walk in.


It was like an archaeological dig.

I just kept peeling back the layers.

Until I ended up with this!



There were lots of reminders of the "cancer" year. Special comfy clothing, my cosiest hat, annoying, scratchy wigs, pretty scarves, and I came across this container that I had packed up of hair accessories from my former long hair days:

Definition of superfluous (adjective)being more than is needed; excessive; unnecessary

Victoria is always after me about growing my hair out again, but that's not going to happen. I'm getting to that age where long hair just makes me look older and more tired...(is that possible?)

It was sort of nostalgic holding my old french hair pins though,

and I still like the quirky chopsticks! ...... Maybe I'll stick them in HER hair.

Finding these items yesterday, and going to a routine appointment at my hemotologists office today, seeing so many "sisters" in various stages of hair loss, and re-growth, reminded me of one of my favorite stories:

*********************

A woman woke up one morning looked in the mirror and noticed she had only three strands of hair left on her head."Well", She said, " I think I'll braid my hair today." So she did and she had a wonderful day.

The next day, she looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two strands of hair left. "Hmm," she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today." She had a fun, happy time.

The next day, she found she had only one strand of hair left. "Well," she said, "Today I'm going to wear my hair in a ponytail."

"When there wasn't a single strand of hair on her head on the fourth day, she exclaimed: "Yay, I don't have to fix my hair today!"

****************************

Whether it's cancer, or anything else in our life...it's just all about the attitude.

Tonight, we had a favorite "C" word of mine CURRY. Jim and I went to dinner at our favorite local Thai resaurant, and then to a movie together. In the movie, the couple rendevous at THEIR favorite Thai place, named "Beau Thai"......cute. Can't you just imagine that "aha" moment, when the book author or scriptwriters came up with it?

Bread and Butter Pickles

I've heard that bread and butter pickles got their name during the depression; when they were served between buttered slices of bread as a sandwich. Not sure if that's honest to goodness, factual or not, but here is a true fact:

These were the first thing I ever learned to "can" in High School Home-Ec. I still use this recipe, Jim and I both love them, and we go through alot of them during the year.

Bread and Butter Pickles

4 quarts slice, unpeeled, medium cucumbers

6 medium white onions, sliced (6 cups)

2 green peppers, sliced or chopped (1+ 2/3c.)

3 cloves garlic

1/3 cup canning salt

**Cracked ice**

5 cups sugar

3 cups cider vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons turmeric

1 ½ teaspoon celery seed

2 tablespoons mustard seed



Combine cucumbers, onions, peppers and whole garlic cloves. Add salt; cover with cracked ice; Mix well. Let stand 3 hours; drain thoroughly. Remove the garlic.
Combine remaining ingredients; pour over cucumber mixture. Bring to to a boil. Pack into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/2" headspace. Adjust lids. Process in boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes. Makes 8 pints.

Alibris

My love of books was inherited from my Mama. She's a reader and had a collection of books from her childhood. When I was just a baby, she purchased a set of Childcraft books that cost dearly. I learned Mother Goose nursery rythmes from them, read stories from around the world, sang songs from them,and have them to this day.

In the first grade, I was ecstatic at not just being read to,but actually being able to enter in to the world of Dick and Jane all by myself. In fact a whole new world was out there; just for the taking. New friends were there to be made, places were there; waiting to be traveled to, all at the turn of a page.

As an adult, my philosophy has pretty much always been:

1. If there was something I wanted to do, and didn't know how....
2. someone else did, and had probably written a book about it
3. i knew how to read.

My sisters and I wore out many of my Mom's books. Most of the favorite books in my personal collection are in pretty sad shape too. They're not crisp and clean anymore. Instead, they're dear old friends, bringing back memories of not just the information they hold between their tattered and torn covers, but of the many times and places in my life that they've been a part of. They are much loved.

My children, and now their children as well, have been read to, and in libraries since they were in snuglis, backpacks, and strollers.
Your legacy lives on, Mama.

Maid of Honor

I had some fun taking pictures of Anna when she came home from the wedding yesterday. She said Julianne's wedding was wonderful. Ashlyn pulled off one my big hydrangea blossoms, so she could have a bouquet too!

Now showing at a theatre near you......

The Maid Of Honor