Monday, June 29, 2015

Twins for a Day...

Today is Mom's 91st birthday! I was up a little before her and made us some French toast. It's my birthday, as well... I was her 30th birthday gift... Do math! Having a little party tonight for just the family and a friend.

 

We are having fried chicken, green beans, salad, watermelon, cake and ice cream. It was a spectacular day. Even had a lovely surprise visit with gifts from my Sister Cousin! I'll share those tomorrow...

 

 

Saturday, June 27, 2015

Just saying hello...

And that includes my beautiful blog sisters! I hope you all have a lovely weekend and week. I'll pop back by a little, but my mind is sorting out the many thoughts stomping through at random times. I'd say I'm overwhelmed, but that might be an understatement. No need to worry about me, of course.

Mom and I are doing well, and we hope that's true for you, as well...

Sunday, June 21, 2015

This and That...

Summery vegetables are my main idea of the joys found in this green, growing season. These came from Amish country on Saturday, my first trip of Summer 2015. Happy Summer solstice, by the way! I'm sure I saw the midnight faeries last night flying frantically back and forth on the lightning bolts that pummeled our farm. The Fire faeries like to be called ellylldan, or will 'o the wisp. I like to call them what they choose!

I bought this garden wire angel sculpture as a gift... Love the starry wand she is holding. I know she will be happy in the pretty garden where she's going to live.

Quiet Father's Day here since we are not fathers, and my son is not a dad either. It's always a pleasure to think on my daddy and his calm, steady joy apparent in the way he lived his days on earth. I think my son is a lot like my dad. They both find extra joy in their careers, but their hearts belong to their family and friends. Sometimes I imagine myself bout ten years ago sitting in a little porch chair and watching neighbors and farm renters put up daddy's hay. He sat there with me smiling, thoughts lost in the joy of recalling his haying days. July was Daddy's month. His birthday fell July 11th, and he always took as many vacation weeks as he could to put up the Timothy hay in small bales. I often drove the tractor pulling a heavy wooden sled or the old '47 Chevy pickup in "granny low." Daddy slipped on his gloves, grabbed his hay hooks and threw the bales up, up, up to the skies it seemed. There is something magical about a dad who seems to be able to do anything there was on earth. Electronics, plumbing. Woodworking, farming, making the candy-dark green 21-day sweet pickles... Mostly smiling, ever seeking to be of help, coming to my rescue too many times to count. Standing out bare-headed with his face to the sky, watching the tumult of approaching storms. I do indeed, Sweet Daddy, love you to the moon and back.

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Using the Good...

Star date 2015. My mission: to seek out the little things in life that make my soul sing! I have shared before the anxiety I've felt about all our "stuff" that fills both mine and mom's houses. I've decided to just "Stow it, Edith!" Ha ha. No, really. It's time I just enjoyed, pitched, and most definitely USED the things around me. I am a user. I come from a long line of hoarders savers.

 

When my gramma passed away, I opened her chest of drawers to find boxes of little nightgowns and sweaters, aprons with embroidery, powders, scarves... All tucked away in the gift boxes I'd carefully wrapped for her. She continued to wear old, old dresses as nightgowns, safety pin aprons to the front of medium old dresses for every day, wear old dresses that looked fairly like new for good times, and leave new things with the tags still on! It broke my heart then. Now I'm thinking that little golden stash made her happy right as she kept it. She loved to have it because that's how she rolled, a little woman who saved a thousand dollars in one year... In 1920 ... from a meager little paycheck so she could go back home from Missouri, which she didn't like...with my grandfather and live in Indiana... In 1941 she reversed that, saving money in buried fruit jars to buy a farm and move back to Missouri. That money was so damp and mildewed from the ground that she had to iron each bill...

 

Mom is a saver, too... She saves her best, including the best bites of food to the very last. I'm a rebel. Pure and simple. I want to be sure to use things... Except for my stash of pretty glitter and art supplies, which I admittedly hoard. I may have to wear those old dresses as nightgowns as an old lady, and I may have to drink out of ugly cups then, too. But I believe in using and enjoying my things, and as a matter of fact, my grandmother's things and some of Mom's ...NOW!

 

This morning I again began a campaign to live a beautiful life... Little by little. It made me calmly happy eight years ago when I lived at home. Oh, sure I don't really do it perfectly. I just can't do much about some of the worn, shabby things or the uglies that invade some areas... But I can plan to lenjoy a lovely little breakfast of Ritz, peanut butter, and Sarabeth's peach and apricot preserves... I grabbed my lovely glass from my grandmother's china cabinet for my ice water. I lit a Woodwick candle and spread out a quilted runner I made for my Mama years ago when I actually turned out some handwork. The rains beat down again today.

An idea from Pinterest to try...

 

My little mini-assignment for each of you is to find something in your stash of treasures and enjoy it...carefully! I'd hate to be the impetus for you to break a goodie. Let me know if you decide to enjoy a teacup or plate, a necklace... Whatever. I have gone on a one woman campaign to use dishware instead of paper plates. So far, I'm winning that battle... I've moved the good stainless flatware to the kitchen for daily use, and the super nice is next! No daughters or granddaughters await my things. I'm just going to explore some possibilities. I'm hoping you do the same.

Have a beautiful week!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Honk! Honk!



Have a spectacular Sunday. 



Whimsy and Hugs!

Thursday, June 11, 2015

I Tried

Note.... This post is more oatmeal than whimsy.


I have tried to remain silent and think my own thoughts. ..or preferably not. ...about the Jenner issue, which I wish had remained more private. But finally. .allow me one explosion of exasperation. 

Go to Wikipedia. Key in Bruce Jenner.. he never existed if you read the accomplishments of this person. . >1976 SHE won the Men's Gold ... She married. ..She  appeared as a guest star. .. ???

I am much more merciful and tolerant and kind hearted than I sound here, but for Heaven's sake. .. whoever won the silver medals should demand the gold. .. men and women can't switch and compete. .surgery hasn't even happened yet for the last, I'd say crucial, step.  Jenner was a man then or Jenner needs to give medals back.

I have other opinions and you do, too.. but come on, Wiki ....  This world is totally upside down and nobody will say anything  ...

Perhaps it's time to grab onto the things we believe and get as pushy as the next person.  In my opinion the earth that's left for the meek to inherit will be so confused they won't  even want it. I sure don't.

Rant over.  No pics on this.

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Strawberry Moon

Wasn't she a beauty last night? I tried to capture the soft pink glow even though I knew it was impossible. In case you wondered, here are some wonderful facts about moons upcoming...

 

Copied from

http://in5d.com/8-strawberry-moon-facts/

Everyone’s buzzing about the "Strawberry Moon"! Here’s what makes it so special:

• It’s a full moon, meaning the earth lies between the sun and the moon so the complete surface of the moon is visible.

• Each month’s full moon has a name and a meaning, dating back to Native Americans. June’s full moon is called the Strawberry Moon because the short season during which strawberries can be harvested happens in June.

• However, strawberries aren’t native in Europe. There, June’s full moon is called the "Rose Moon."

• June’s full moon is also called a "Honey Moon" or a "Mead Moon" because its position is low in the sky (in our hemisphere at least) and the earth’s atmosphere can give it a warm tint.

• The word "honeymoon" refers to marriage’s sweetness, in addition to the European custom of giving newlyweds enough mead to last them a month. But it’s also interesting that June is the most popular month to get married and, as a result, many couples take their honeymoons during the month of the "Honey Moon."

• And as if this month’s full moon didn’t have enough nicknames already, some cultures also call it a "Hot Moon" because it’s the start of the summer season.

• The Strawberry Moon for June 2014 was extremely rare because it happened on Friday the 13th. It hasn’t happened on this superstitious day since 1919 and won’t happen on another Friday the 13th in June until 2098!

• In fact, full moons that happen on Friday the 13th are pretty rare in general. The last one was in October 2000 (that would have been a "Full Harvest Moon" or "Full Hunter’s Moon" by the way!). The next one is expected in August 2049.

I ended up dropping Mom's Meds, then dropping her ice water, then dropping her Meds AGAIN! As I attempted to grab these pictures on my way to helping her to bed! Lots of cleanup and regrouping later, and she has no affinity to the moon, so it was actually kind of funny to hear her say for the one hundredth time, "A moon is a moon is a moon."

Oh, Mama... I beg to differ. Has it been cold where you live? We are just plain chilly here with rain and dark days. In the sixties today. Perfect, I'd say... Sweater weather.

My son is flying to a business meeting in Georgia Friday. The computer company he works for has a company plane. I loved flying myself, but I have to admit I'm a land lubber when it comes to my family. My cousin/ niece is in Stockholm on an Ag trip for her school. Another friend is headed to Italy tomorrow. A girl from our reunion bunch is in Paris. Think I might garner up enough spirit to go into town to my favorite store, Randolph Mercantile.

Here is my pinkest, mostest strawberriest Moon... Isn't she lovely?