Spot On Cedar Pond

Ice Storm

2012-01-25T01:50:00.000-08:00

Every tree limb, branch & twig was encased in ice.We lost our electric power the day before , but we were warm and snug inside as we enjoyed the Christmas card scenery from our living room in front of the wood stove. Base camp the past few days was this spot in the living room. Look at how much light candles put out. We did a lot of reading, and we listened to our battery powered radio from here.

I had clusters of candles in places we needed light. These candles lit our rummy games. ( My husband was the big winner.)

Can you see the little chickadee amidst the iced branches ?

Hearth and mantle.Warmth & light.

With so much ice encasing them, the trees began to pop, crack, burst, explode, and shoot everywhere, or just drop and shatter.For a full 24 hours it was not safe to venture beyond our porch. The animals too, stayed under cover.The bird feeding area in the front of our home was destroyed.

The flowering plum tree and the vine maple will not live to see spring.

The goats could not get into their sleeping loft, but they did enjoy snacking on the barriers.

This broke my heart, one of my husband's bee-hives was shattered by cottonwood limbs, the bees were huddled together for warmth , to no avail.

Well, I guess we have to start all over again around here, but there is so much hard work, so many labors of love my husband invested in Cedar Pond.Now the clean-up begins, and I know this will take awhile but we'll get it done. Meanwhile, I am keeping the fire going in the wood-stove. The power blipped out as I was down-loading pictures for this post. Winter has only begun and the wood stove has already worked hard to provide warmth. We cooked our meals on it and heated lots of water for baths and washing up. "It's not the case, though some might wish it so, Who from a window watch the blizzard blow. White riot through their branches vague and stark, That they keep snug beneath their pelted bark. They take affliction in until it jells To crystal ice beneath their frozen cells.." Richard Wilbur ~Orchard Trees, January

The Ice Storm Has Taken It's Toll

2012-01-22T17:51:00.000-08:00

We have been without power at our place since last Wednesday night between 6:00 & 7:00. I was in the process of downloading photos to my blog when everything went black in the house.We have a warm home and hot meals because we have a wood stove, and a good supply of firewood. A battery powered radio keeps us in touch with the outside world, a well stocked pantry , bottled water, and candles keep us going when it gets dark.The first night without power was beautiful. Lots of snow outside gave us bright and quiet scenery ,all was as pretty and cozy as a Christmas card.Thursday night the ice storm came. We had a full 24 hours of trees popping, exploding, and bursting all around our property. We did not venture past the porches , nor did the animals venture out of their shelters...the falling branches were weapons, and there was no time the branches were not falling. Some of the limbs that fell were themselves the size of large trees. When the temperatures began warming yesterday it was still dangerous outside because branches are falling with each blast of wind. Tonight and Tuesday we have windstorms forecast, with gusts up to 55 MPH. If I could download pictures of our place you would see it looks like a war zone. The devastation is daunting, but our house escaped any damage, and although some of the animal pens sustained branches through their roofs, not a single animal was killed, a true miracle. The picture above is courtesy of my daughter, A.Joy, whose computer I am using tonight.The ice storm has taken it's toll, and I think it will be collecting from us for a very long time to come. I am praising and thanking God for keeping us safe. I hope you are all well and safe during the storms of winter too.

Chintz Teacup, Snowy Day Dreaming

2012-01-17T01:07:00.000-08:00

It snowed yesterday, today, and is supposed to snow tomorrow and the next day. The weather man said our particular area can look forward to 8 to 10 inches of snow. Since I have a warm home and a full pantry, I have the luxury of looking forward to snow days with a happy heart.I filled my teacup not with tea, but my choice of hot beverage, good coffee with real cream ( no just plain milk or half-in-half for me thank-you ) . I then hummed as I looked through my stash of fabric and dreamed about what kind of quilt I might make with these prints.

This tea / coffee cup shows colors very much like the fabric I have pulled out .

This teacup is one of a set of 4, each one is a different chintz pattern and color.The teal chintz is my favorite though, and I have already used it often. It just makes me happy.

I have grown to like these colors more and more. I am thinking of making a quilt for our bedroom of these colors, but first I have to collect quite a bit more fabric (oh fun!) I will take my time doing this all the while thinking about just what quilt pattern would be most pleasing. It really is a rare time to be home bound with such beauty outside and pleasant ways to spend my time indoors. I wish my husband could stay home today too, I will pray for his safety while he drives to work along with all the people who don't know how to drive in the snow and ice .

Did I mention the snow? Oh yes, snowy day dreaming. Please check out the blogs listed below for other Tea Time Tuesday happenings !

"Why not seize the pleasure at once? How often is happiness destroyed by preparation, foolish preparation." Jane Austen

His Sheep, His Lambs

2012-01-14T01:30:00.000-08:00

Lambing time for my sheep should start the end of next month. These are pictures of 2009 lambs that are now grown. One of the twins from the picture above is a ram lamb that is still here with us and his very large horns are formidable. His half brother, shown below, is Barbarian, and he too still resides with us.Like his half-brother, his horns are very large.Look at how cute and tiny they started out. I have framed this picture and hung it on the wall, I love it. The tender love of this ewe for her little lamb. This little lamb grew so quickly that he was as big as her before he was 5 months old, his 4 horns were at least 6 inches long. He would head- butt her udder to let down milk and then when he nursed he would literally lift her off the ground. She was still protecting him when he was big enough to take on the whole flock by himself. That's a Mom's love, but for her own protection I had to remove her beloved ram lamb from her presence. Most parents would readily give their lives to protect their children, yet our protection and love is so imperfect and flawed. There is One only we can receive true love and protection from, the Maker of us all, the Shepherd of us, His sheep.Are you one of the flock of the Shepherd? The Bible says "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand." John 10:27,28 ~ "Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture." Psalm 100 : 3 ~"God is the shepherd who guides, the Lord who provides, the voice who brings peace in the storm, the physician who heals the sick, and the banner who guides the soldier." Max Lucado ~

Tea Time Tuesday & A Secret Santa Mystery

2012-01-10T00:56:00.000-08:00

Isn't this teacup lovely ? I received 2 teacups of this pattern as a gift from my Secret Santa last month. My Secret Santa did a wonderful job of choosing gifts for me, I just wish I knew who she was...please come forward , I love the gifts you chose for me. I made myself a cup of tea and drank it out of this teacup. Although the very old teacups came without saucers, I do have a supply of old Japanese made saucers on hand that go very well with these teacups.I think the blue saucer goes very well with the blue flowers ringing the rim of the teacup, don't you? I took this short tea break to catch up on reading my magazines, especially my poultry magazines, as my Grandson & I are raising bantam D'uccles (a small breed of chickens) together .Of course I had to have some of the berry butternut cookies my husband made for Christmas. I ate the last 3 cookies , with no regrets! I was also able to read my 'Tea Time' , 'Country Living', & 'Victoria' magazines with all the inspiring tea settings and recipes. My lovely teacup is titled 'Cherry China', Made In Occupied Japan. I searched on-line for any info on this beautiful china but could not find any apropos to this pattern and style. What I appreciate about these cups is that I can use so many different saucers and table-setting colors with them. For now though, I will eat my cookies, drink my tea, dream about future tea parties, and then get on with my January house-cleaning & organizing.I hope my Secret Santa reads this so the mystery can be solved.~ To see other Tea Time Tuesday inspirational ideas, please visit the ladies listed below.

There are many reasons I love January. The weather outside is so cold there is no gardening to be done. I can focus on what needs doing indoors. After feeding my sheep, poultry, dogs, cats, & goats ~ making sure they are well, warm & dry, I come indoors and hum as I bake, clean, craft and write without feeling I am neglecting other duties.The wood stove needs to be fed often to keep the house warm. I am so grateful to God who has provided my family, home, hearth, health, and blessings more abundant than I can write. Tea time and blogging friends are icing on the cake of such abundance. I hope you're able to see all your blessings and be thankful, for even if you're suffering hardships and loss, you are still abundantly blessed, really! ~"Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow. " James 1:17 ~

Happy Birthday Baby Sister!

2012-01-07T01:00:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Baby Sister!A whole year has come and gone since we shared your 50th birthday together in Hawaii.I am on the far left ( wearing green ), our youngest sister is on the far right. What an amazing time we had and a whole year has passed by so quickly with so many changes in each of our lives. It is a comfort to me in the knowledge that no matter our differences and circumstances in life, we are there for each other, thank-you. Happy birthday Tricia, I love you !

Now I Love This Room, It Works For Me! ( craft room update)

2012-01-06T01:16:00.000-08:00

This is what beckons me in as I pass it from the bedroom to go downstairs and get my first cup of coffee. " Hurry back Kathy, you have so much fun and inspiration awaiting you here...". This is one of many pictures before I started making this room a place I wanted to be.(Click here * to see previous post on this room ) This room was quickly becoming the room I avoided , it was full of bins of fabric and projects I wanted to finish but moving bins and boxes to do simple tasks made it a dreadful room to be in. I knew that if I did not get this room in order and make it a place I wanted to be in , well, it would fill up with things that would turn out to be clutter and also useless, fit only for landfill. Before(above )... ...after.My precious husband was quick to be upstairs measuring and figuring out how we could use the space efficiently. Our first plans fell aside because the store we chose to supply the storage needs was out of our choices. We shopped around and although this is not as pretty as our first choice, it was perfect for my needs and saved us at least $100.00 or more. Before...this space was truly ugly and hard to use for many reasons. It is also one of the spaces I tend to use most frequently, making this room a place I dreaded using, but NEEDED.What to do, what to do? Well, again, our original plans fell through, but my husband came up with this.... ...look , my fabric fits here, no more stacked bins!There is also a place between the units where I can store long narrow items, canvas I need for locker-hooking, the type of canvas that will not fit into little cubicles.This space also allows me to store loom accessories that are long and narrow . I can see what I have and store it in a way that makes it all accessible and to me. I love seeing fabric folded, rolled, stacked, and waiting for me to choose just which one or two will be perfect for my next project. The basket was purchased from Goodwill for $3.00 and holds all my laces, trims, and brick-a-bracks for fabric embellishing. The boxes are free from the grocery store and hold my Wee Little Sheep, all wrapped in tissue paper and ready for adornment and carting off to bazaars. Maybe not as tidy and picturesque as a magazine spread on craft-rooms and studios would show, but this room is organized, comfortable, warm,affordable, and works very well for me. It beckons me , I want to be in this room. I put my music on, or watch recorded programs that inspire me here. I teach my granddaughters how to sew here, and give them a place to use the assembled art products such as beautiful paper, glitter, glue, paint, beads,fabric & trims ...embellishments and many other things they choose to use. The last place left to get in order is the sewing area. The place to the left of the sewing machine holds projects I and my granddaughters are actually working on. This means these projects will be finished and the wire baskets will quickly be re-filled with new projects. So much more organized and efficient for me. The sewing machine pictured here was retired just this month, replaced by a new /old Singer sewing machine from a friend, and an industrial Singer sewing machine I bought brand new. I wore this Kenmore sewing machine out. Although the motor is fine, most of the stainless steel attachments have worn out and broken off. I was having to put bits and bobs here and there to make things work and breaking at least 3 needles for every purse made of handwoven fabric. Time to make the sentimental give way to the practical. I am keeping my old Kenmore, gift from my Grandmother via my mother, but moving on to new things here. I have been getting things in order around our home and am currently going through paper-work and re-organizing our study & filing system.Within the next week I should be done, the shredder will have made much more nesting material for our chickens and helped us free more space to use for LIVING. After the craft room & study are done I will breathe a sigh of relief and feel more free to again be involved outside our home and in the blog-o-sphere. The new year around here is one of purging and expectation, how is your new year coming along?

Yikes , What a Year ! ( There's always hope for the coming year.)

2012-01-01T23:34:00.000-08:00

Yikes, and how was your year? I hope your year was one enabling you to take not only the good, but the bad and all the in-between with a perspective allowing for optimism and hope. Optimism because this world can be a rough place, a sad place, a place of fear , worry, and evil, but in spite of all this, it is a world of beauty , kindness,small mercies...fun,laughter, and hope."we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ...and we exult in hope of the glory of God, and not only this, but we exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance , proven character, hope ; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:1,3-5 ~picture above taken in our home and in front is our great-nephew.

The Cat at Christmas

2011-12-29T03:36:00.000-08:00

Oh the joy of so many sparkling and moving things.Mesmerizing ! Where do I start?

Should I grab that reindeer as he slowly swirls ...

...or the Santa that clinks against the other ornaments, just asking for a good time with me, the family cat?

Hey look, a sheep in a size I can grab and toss around...

...even though I can't snag a snow globe, those little trees are easy to catch & carry.

I like to meow to the sounds of the snow globe music, and the wind up key is so much fun to watch go 'round.

Of course, there are stockings swaying over the wood stove, so much fun to watch as I warm myself near the fire. Ahh, Christmas fun for cats, a most wonderful time of the year!

Sit A Spell & Visit

2011-12-27T05:38:00.000-08:00

The view from my kitchen and living room, out this window and looking at the lawn and the pond. I view this as I cook, as I clean, as I talk on the phone.This view is especially enchanting and interesting to me when it is snowing or raining. I watch my flock of ducks waddle around our lawn from here, I watch my doves from here. I see wild rabbits hop to and fro and Towhees ( birds) flick from the bushes to the lower branches of the trees from here. Our living room is really part of a big room. The living room, dining room, and kitchen are all one room. My husband and I designed the room this way so we could be part of all that goes on as we cook , visit, and partake of meals with those we love. Sharing your home, your heart, and a meal with others really is a personal matter.For my husband and myself this is a pleasure and a blessing.We designed our home to offer hospitality , heart-felt hospitality. When we have people over to share a meal with us it is a time to not only share a meal, but to share our lives . Isn't this really what sharing is? My husband and I are always striving to make our home a friendly home. One that does not intimidate others, but is welcoming and also forgiving of children's and adult's spilling ( also forgiving of pet dogs & cats). One that is open enough to move about, one that says "sit a spell & relax, you are among friends." We mean this, really. Truly though, hospitality is from the heart, and does not require anything more than a host / hostess who means this. A big house, lots of food and drink,fancy doings, are not necessary and are often a hindrance to true hospitality.Did you know hospitality is commanded by God? "Be hospitable to one another without complaint." I Peter 4:9 , "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers.." Hebrews 13:2

Christmas & Traditions

2011-12-25T01:26:00.000-08:00

Since my husband and I were first married in 1973, I have made lefse for our Christmas breakfast. This means I am usually up very late , or very early making lefse. I suppose this means it is a tradition for our family. Opening our presents on Christmas morning, with fresh brewed coffee at hand, a plate of lefse near-by, and plenty of butter and cinnamon & sugar to cover each piece of this very Norwegian food just adds to all we enjoy on Christmas morning. Continuing many family traditions is a way of reminding ourselves of all that is important within a family, within a culture, within a history we deem important and well worth reminding our children and grandchildren of. Of all my husband and I hold dear, the one thing we would hope and pray is for our family, and especially our children and their children on down to many generations...remember, "..for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you; you will find the baby wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger." Luke 2:11,12 ( art by our granddaughter KN)

My Secret Santa Box!

2011-12-21T00:50:00.000-08:00

My box of goodies from a Secret Santa arrived! Suzanne Melkoski * ,( Colorado Lady) hosted and coordinated this blogging event and I thought it sounded like fun.She assigned each of us a fellow blogger to send a package to. We were not to reveal who we were, the package is from a SECRET Santa. Since I did not know the lady to receive a package from me I had to read over her blog to figure out what she might like, and this was fun. Kind of like being a detective, a mystery. Suzanne also e-mailed each of us a list of likes from the person we were to gift.That helped a lot.I hope the lady who received my package was as pleased with hers as I am with mine ~ Blizzard my cat made sure he was comfortable under the wrapping paper he shredded as he watched me unwrap and ooh & ahh over my goodies. Look at how clever my Secret Santa is. The gifts came wrapped and numbered, each with its own note. "It's all about the Christmas cheer. This little box that we have here. I hope you do enjoy the gifts, Ive sent you for your spirit to lift." ~The gifts did indeed lift my spirit! "I know you like a cup of tea, or tea for two as the case may be. The cups are pretty, vintage too, This first little gift from me to you." Oh the teacups are exquisite. I will do a Teatime Tuesday post very soon featuring these precious teacups made in Occupied Japan, yes, they are vintage! "And what is tea without a treat, some Finnish bread for you to eat. My Grandma's recipe, I did bake. Called "pulla", sort of tastes like cake." ~ My Secret Santa BAKED bread for me !Isn't it beautiful bread? It smells so yummy , perfect for breakfast this morning. "And then of course, what good is tea without a bit of sweet you see. Some M & M's , the almond kind I heard that you had these in mind." ~Oh yes, I did, I did! I ate most of these right away too. "And if you're hungry after that, Then take your coat, take your hat, And off to eat egg rolls and test your Chinese at the Panda Express." ~ I will, very soon!

"And finally, when all is done, And gifts you've opened , one by one. You can place this last one by your tree. The real reason for Christmas, for all to see."

"And when they saw the star they rejoiced exceedingly with joy," Matthew 2:10

Thank-you my Secret Santa. You are so creative and thoughtful. I love all the gifts you packed into this box that came all the way from Romeoville, Illinois. Merry Christmas to you and yours as we Rejoice exceedingly this season and all through the year because God chose to send His Son to save us from our sin and bestow on all who believe in Him eternal life. "...for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:11

Small Blessings

2011-12-15T03:42:00.000-08:00

This is a busy time of year, when isn't it though? Do not be so carried away by the activities surrounding a time we say we are celebrating because of the birth of Jesus that you forget to take time for what is truly important.A lavishly decorated home filled with an abundance of presents, too many parties, frantic comings & goings, spending too much money on gifts that will be forgotten too soon all lead to being worn out and an empty heart. Treasure the true gifts of your family and friends, remember the One who gave His Son to save you, rejoice in your blessings. ~ Above, our grandson holds one of his new little Christmas bantam chicks. I think he knows how to take joy in the small blessings before him, and my husband & I take joy in his excitement and wonder over the chicks. What every day blessings make your heart sing this time of year?

Welcome Home!

2011-12-11T00:33:00.000-08:00

This post contains pictures I think will not be as photogenic as I would like, but these are pictures that make my heart sing with joy. Our two sons and their families are here this weekend for a quick visit. We try to cram a lot into these visits and with so many children there is always a lot of commotion , clutter, and fun! One of my great pleasures is sitting at the table with the children with only Christmas tree lights and candles glowing, and talking with them as they sip hot cocoa, or eat ice cream. ( This makes them very happy and more prone to sharing their childhood joys.) Our oldest son holding his youngest daughter while the oldest daughter sleeps next to him on our sofa.His other two daughters are playing with the big doll-house in the study. The wood-stove has a nice fire within and the house is warm and cozy. We are all full and drowsy from dinner and snacks. I found these words in a very old book on our book-shelf. The book was published in 1909 and translated from Norwegian. The book is titled 'Our Homes and Our Children', by O.Klykken. ~ "A wonderful power is in the word home: the home of mother, our childhood home. This holds good of the child, the youth, the man. Nay, even in old age the word home is able to call up a world of memories and sensations." ..."And God bless your coming and going every time that you really return to take your parents by the hand and hear the familiar and precious : "Welcome home." I say, welcome home sons, welcome home granddaughters, welcome home !

Chickens For Christmas !

2011-12-08T18:59:00.000-08:00

Our first-born grandchild C.T. is passionate about animals, especially horses, reptiles & chickens.He gets pretty excited when talking about certain breeds of bantam ( tiny ) chickens. He has been raising Mlle Fleurs to show but his parents' hunting dogs have thwarted his loving and hard work by breaking into the pens and killing the chickens our grandson loves. For his Christmas present his grandpa & I decided we would order chicks for him, to raise here. C.T. & I ordered a variety of Mlle Fleurs, D-Uccles, Porcelains, and 5 black bantam Cochins for me.

The chicks arrived almost 2 weeks ago in a box via the U.S. mail.

Aren't they cute? ! ?

C.T. was so excited and very eager to share his enthusiasm over the little bundles of fluff with his baby brother, Little 'J'.

The weather here is very wet & cold. The temperatures have been below 30 degrees most nights, so the chicks are being raised in our sun-room for now.Because we have indoor cats who stand over the brooder and lick their lips, we protect the chicks by placing old barbecue grills over the stainless steel bucket. The aluminum foil is used to cover the bucket to keep the heat in (without risking the fire danger other coverings might cause) as this is the coldest room in our home and baby chicks need to be warm to thrive.

It is kind of hard to decorate for Christmas around a batch of baby chicks who need their brooder cleaned at least twice a day...the parakeets in the cage to the left seem to be enjoying the chirping chicks though.

...but the happy smiles and joy it brings from our oldest Grandson make it more than worthwhile. C.T. is going to keep a detailed record of these chicks and help me at least once a week with the cleaning and set-up involved with keeping them here. His ultimate goal is to move the best of them to his back yard, raising and breeding them for show. Another part of his present is that after Christmas, he and I will work on a joint blog all about our poultry raising endeavors.

Sleep Like a Cat ~ Boldly & Peacefully

2011-12-06T01:26:00.000-08:00

What is this?

Only a cat or a sociopath can boldly sleep peacefully in a forbidden place , be awakened upon being caught, and turn on you with a glare that says "how dare you wake me up ?" ! Blizzard is a naughty cat.

Messiest Room In The House Re-Do ( Craft Room)

2011-12-01T20:32:00.000-08:00

I keep setting aside blocks of time on my calendar to clear out & re-organize my craft room, but life keeps re-arranging my schedule. ( Grrr) What is it about MY planning and reality that conflict? Anyway, I have finally started while the season of extreme busy-ness is upon me...what can I say, I am a glutton for frustration. Here is the start ( above). My goal is to weed out items I know I will never use, re-organize and efficiently store items I use all the time, and make the room I work in many hours a day a pleasant and inspirational place to be.You can see the shelves hold wool and yarns, but what you don't know is that my wool supply is at it lowest right now. Soon, more of my wool will be back from the fiber mill where I have taken my skirted and washed wool to be turned into batts and rovings. There will be so much wool it will sit in bags in front of the shelf. That is not even taking into account the wool from next months' shearing.... This wall holds work and storage space. I am trying to make it pleasing to my eyes and heart. The table is an antique high school home-ec table. The wood surface the teapot is on once topped a voc-ed drafting table, the filing cabinets were re-claimed from an old desk our brother-in-law gave us. They hold patterns, ideas, crafting books....all in order now of course. :)

These shelves hold boxes clearly labeled with things I really do use frequently.

I am excited about this little shelf ( above ) because it allows me to position things I want to photograph by simply removing these items, arranging whatever I am photographing ( little sheep, miniatures, etc, ) positioning the goose-neck lamp for the right lighting, all inside my warm room, not completely at the mercy of outside natural light anymore. ( Even though I prefer natural lighting) This is my favorite place to write, read , think. This window looks out onto our big front lawn and our pond. I watch my flock of ducks swim in the pond from here, my doves in their beautiful dovecote from here. However, this is also usually my most cluttered place, my messiest place. My husband is helping me fix that problem. He has measured the area and thought about the need for storage.He came up with a plan, but when we went to purchase the needed storage the store was sold out and maybe in 2 weeks we might be able to purchase our desired solution.

So, for now, this temporary shelf on the right holds needed wool processing equipment and my T.V. It works, and I am fine with it...

..on the left, where the major storage is needed, well, things are stock-piled because I removed the very inefficient shelving in preparation for the new.There is another wall I haven't shown where my sewing machine sits, that is for another time.~I have several big bins of fabric that will be stored in the shelving that will fit into this space.

Boxes that please me hold things I use frequently, and I have clearly labeled each box. I love these sheep tags* and originally bought them from an Etsy site to use as gift tags. I could not give them up and decided to use them to label my boxes. The tags make me smile, and smiling is good for you the health professionals say. Of course, a cup of tea and my notebook for jotting down my thoughts, ideas, and inspiration for possible future projects is important to have in my craft room, my workshop, my room of busy-ness and creativity. I have titled this notebook Snippets.~My mission is to fit this room only with items that I will use in the near future and edit the things I am very unlikely to use. I have already taken out a lot of things I know I will never get around to using, projects I will never do, things that have become just clutter. The only things that will remain must be able to fit into this room without impeding my ability to work and move around in it.. I know I will not be getting a bigger room, or shop, nor do I want one now.All the space I have right now is more than sufficient for my needs...so what I have to do is be creative in editing, storing, and using the abundance I already have. Creative being the key word.I am hoping anyone reading this who has also posted pictures & ideas about their own creative spaces will let me know so I can view theirs and maybe pick up a few tips.

The Gift That Really Keeps On Giving, and it's FREE!

2011-11-27T02:02:00.000-08:00

Our firstborn, our daughter~ and her husband. Thanksgiving day more than 3 decades ago ( very close to 4 decades but , shhh!) I was in the hospital after just giving birth to her, and now we celebrate Thanksgiving with her, her husband, their 4 children, and her husband's family.What a gathering, what a feast.Who could have known so many more blessings were to come when I held our tiny firstborn daughter in my arms and knew the very second I held her I would die for her if need be. Fortunately things have never come to that, and she has been a gift from God that gives back...kindness, love, fun...more blessings of the good kind than can be contained in this blog post. And she is the gift that keeps on giving of herself to her family and friends. This is how she chose to spend her birthday, bow-hunting for elk! Her husband snapped this picture of her while they were hunting. I was snug at home with their 4 children. Happy birthday daughter, gift from God. ~"Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above,coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow, " James 1:17 ~ The best gift is from God, who gave His Son that we might have eternal life. This is the gift for all eternity - free, bought with the shed blood of Jesus. You cannot do anything to earn this gift, this pearl of great price. You have nothing to offer at all. Truly, this is the undeserved, unmerited, gift that keeps on giving. "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." Ephesians 2:8 ~ "....the proof of your faith , being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls." I Peter 1:7-9

Tea Time Tuesday , From My Sister!

2011-11-21T12:44:00.000-08:00

My sister Joni travels a lot and when she is in towns that hold special family significance she often picks up a souvenir. When she was in Minnesota she decided to travel to Little Falls to see the town that was part of our Mother's heritage.She stopped at an antiques & collectibles shop and bought me this teacup! Thank-you Joni. On this day I picked some grapes from our vines and served myself a piece of Black Walnut Pound-cake I baked using a recipe from blogging friend Mildred. ( delicious!) I made a pot of Red Rose tea and took some time to catch up on some reading.

Mikasa Bone China~ Chippendale.

During this week of Thanksgiving I am hoping you remember all the many blessings you have , no matter your circumstance, there must be some blessings! I am thankful for my family, for sisters, children, grandchildren. I am thankful for my dear husband, for a home and food to eat. I am thankful for my God, and that He showers His blessings on the just and the unjust, that His love for me is unconditional.I could go on & on but you get the picture. Happy Thanksgiving to you ! ~"You say "if I had a little more I should be satisfied'; You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled." Charles Spurgeon ~"In everything give thanks.." I Thess.5:18

Visit the ladies below to see more things Tea!

Comfort Comes In Dog & Cat

2011-11-19T03:41:00.000-08:00

My Bea, she loves me, she lives for me.I love her.

~Our granddaughter's cat Blizzard who lives with us.A dog in cat form.I love him too.

These two cuddle on the hearth in front of the wood stove, adding an air of peace and comfort to our home. Who can measure ,really, all the company of a beloved pet adds to our well-being, our sense of contentment? The world may be scary, our personal trials many, but the cat purring against our heart, the beloved dog leaning firmly in at our side gives a comfort words cannot describe. "A cat improves the garden wall in sunshine, and the hearth in foul weather." Judith M. Riley

Art From The Heart, Children's Art

2011-11-18T01:12:00.000-08:00

Two of our granddaughters came running up to me at church with pictures they had painted for me.Now this is art from the heart! They both know I love this season best, and they know I love blue. I love my grandchildren, and the gifts they create themselves for me are the most special gifts I can receive, gifts from the heart! ( I think I am going to frame the picture above, and hang it on my dining room wall.)

"Grandchildren are the crown of old men ( old women too).." Proverbs 17:6 Thank-you Granddaughters !

Lake Lawrence Christmas Bazaar, Bazaar Booth Design Ideas

2011-11-13T19:20:00.000-08:00

Lake Lawrence Christmas Bazaar 2011 took place this past weekend. This marks the beginning of the holiday season for me, Thanksgiving , Christmas, New Year's, a few family birthdays...I hope you don't mind, but I am going to write about something I have looked for with little result on-line. Creative booth design ideas and some personal opinion on things that help make any bazaar, Farmer's Market, etc., work for you and others. One of the most perplexing things for me regarding bazaars is how to display the items I have for sale in a way that shows them off in the minimal space I am renting ,and really, when you pay for space at a show or bazaar you are renting it and even inches matter ! The spaces for rent here are 8ft. X 6ft. Some people rent 2 or more spaces. Here is a very beautiful display of baskets handwoven by Laurie of Laurie's Handcrafted Baskets . The open wood shelves, the rustic interior of the lodge itself, combined with the lights all compliment the beautiful baskets she weaves. The "basket lady" is one of the big attractions to this bazaar and she demonstrates basket weaving here. Connie Barclay from Olympia is selling her pottery. She had a few pieces for sale I coveted. Notice her open wood shelves providing a clear view of her wares, and she also had a nice table-top display, clean and uncluttered. This is my booth and I am still trying to figure out how to display a lot of fiber art without having the space claustrophobic for me. The rack displaying weaving is actually two crib rails from the baby crib my husband and our children slept in. The crib rails are simply zip tied together at the top.The crib head-board is used as an attractive half-wall separating my booth from that of my neighbors. The rails and head board are precious to us and I am happy to be able to use it to display my fiber art.What you cannot see behind my weaving is a comfortable chair that matches my colors, my spinning wheel, and 3 small drawers where I keep my cash box, wrapping paper, boxes, business cards.You have to be able to move around in your small place and also make it open enough for people to browse your items for sale. I am still learning. Some sort of lighting is always necessary and I find most places that rent booth space are lovely, but lacking in lighting.I used what I had at home, an IKEA lamp, but have ideas for next year that will make better use of space and not be so obvious. This booth sits next to mine. Terry Halverson (Scent With Love Candles) & her husband have been my "booth neighbors" now for 3 or 4 years. She makes the most heavenly scented candles and creative gift items.Look at the ingenious and efficient use of space here in this little area. Her husband designed and built the shelves to display her candles and creations. They have a corner booth and make wise use of the space. This peg board display Terry's husband made is right next to my booth, separating us in a way that makes it clear where each booth ends & begins, yet is still a "courteous" display, taking into account her neighbors . This is the other side of Terry's display, her husband also built this and it breaks down and folds up for efficient storage in the car.The whole display is attractive, calls attention to what she sells, and also enables her to move about inside her 8' X 6' space...and very important, be a GOOD bazaar neighbor. I am so sorry the lighting did not allow for me to get a good picture of this pretty lady. She always had a big smile and friendly demeanor , making you want to stop and browse her lotions , creams, and centerpieces.I lost the info I gathered on her products but will add it to this post when I find it.Look at her display. She is in a center space and the table is her display. She has a creative and attractive arrangement showing everything off to advantage. I like her rustic centerpieces too.I hope she did well here. You can see, simple table-top display works very well, especially when you combine ways to display items by adding vertical display . This lady is selling many little things that are hard to display but I think she succeeded. The table sits to the back side of her little area,she mounted many of the hair accessories on vertical display boards, and off towards the front/side she had her racks of children's clothing.She too was always cheerful and pleasant. When I would walk by I would see her smiling and talking quietly to her "booth neighbor". The only thing I can see that would help her booth would be lights. Lighting seems to be dim to low at every inside bazaar I have ever participated in. Fortunately,it is easy to remedy once you figure out what kind works for you. ( I haven't figured that out yet!) This is Joyce's booth, directly next to the previous booth. Look at how creatively she has used her 8' X 6' space.You actually feel like you're in a little shop when you stop here, and there is so much eye-candy at reasonable prices you have to browse for quite awhile.Joyce uses old crates, old lace curtains,hat-boxes, lattice, re-purposed kitchen and farm items to display her wares. I always find something Joyce is selling that I know just needs to come home with me. Joyce too, is a kind and easy person to be next to at a bazaar. My other booth neighbor is Hallie of Hands On Fun Toys *Hallie's puppets were a hit and seeing the little children and adults smile at the puppets made me smile too. Hallie and I discovered we were not only booth neighbors, but live very close to each other too and have a great deal in common.This allowed for some pleasant conversation during the quiet times of the bazaar. When you are going to sell at a bazaar, it helps to not only consider efficient, open, and attractive ways to light and display your wares, but also remember you are actually becoming part of a little community for a few days. The more pleasant, courteous, and kind you are, the more encouraging you are...the more it helps your booth neighbor and YOU! If you are kind to your neighbors at bazaars, and your neighbors are kind and encouraging, it is contagious.There have been so many kind people I have met over the years of selling at bazaars who could have resented me for possibly being competition but instead were helpful, giving me tips to do better, and I in turn am quick to refer people back to them if I find my products are not what the customers are looking for. Being enthusiastic for everyone to succeed helps the whole group and people shopping cannot help but feel the atmosphere is friendly, and maybe decide they would love to spend their money there, supporting the community and getting unique gifts and items too. I know this because I have also browsed and shopped at many bazaars, shows,and markets. I can feel tension and spite, and see it on vendor's faces. I have had vendors be rude to me or seen rudeness shown to other shoppers. I flee such booths, they won't get my money no matter how much I wanted to buy what they were selling. I hope a little bit of this post is helpful to you, and I would love to know if anyone has some great ideas for creative ways to display fiber art that use little space. I would also like to say I love being able to sell at Lake Lawrence Christmas Bazaar- look at the lovely lake outside the window of the lodge! Our daughter and her husband were married here so the lodge holds fond memories for me. ~"We should give as we would receive, cheerfully, quickly, and without hesitation ; for there is no grace in a benefit that sticks to the fingers." Seneca

Remove Vexation , Life Is Fleeting

2011-11-06T01:29:00.000-07:00

I have been getting ready for the annual Lake Lawrence Christmas Bazaar which is this coming week-end.My home looks like a wool workshop and I am hurrying to catch up with all I did not accomplish this past summer because I was busy playing and having fun with my grandchildren. This nativity shepherd has a very large flock of sheep, many of these sheep will be adorned with bells, leaves, or stars, many will also be left unadorned, and these little sheep will be for sale at the bazaar. The weather has been cold, but the days have been sunny and beautiful. I have wanted to spend the days walking in the crisp autumn weather with my husband and my dogs. I have wanted to take walks at Alder Lake, drive around our beautiful country-side, sit in the sunshine and take in the last days of this year coming quickly to end...but I am instead busily crafting away for an upcoming bazaar.Next week I will take the time even though the bazaar is next week-end. But I ask,what if this is your last week here on earth? What if your busy-ness keeps you from what is important right now? Only you can ask and answer these questions for yourself, but I have decided I will enjoy this time of crafting AND enjoy time outside in the fall weather I love, and most importantly, with the husband and family I love. "So, remove vexation from your heart and put away pain from your body, because childhood and the prime of life are fleeting." Ecclesiastes 11:10

Skull and Horns, Tragic Tale of Two Brothers

2011-10-29T00:18:00.000-07:00

~~~Poor Thistle, this is all I have of him, his skull, complete with his amazing four horns! He died a tragic death at the tender age of 16 months. Victim of his brothers violence!~~~

~"Look on it's broken arch, it's ruined wall, it's chambers desolate, it's portals foul; yes, this was once ambition's airy hall. The dome of thought, the palace of the soul-" Lord Byron~Here is Thistle(below), shortly before the dastardly deed was done. I WAS going to take Thistle to the Fair for exhibit. Thistle was my choice of ram for the honor of being admired and gawked at for 5 days. Alas, his brother way laid my plans. Mind you, I do not credit Goth with devious plans , just being guilty of being bigger, badder, and goring his brother to death!

~"Beneath this stone there lies a skull, Which when it breathed was monstrous dull, But nor tis' dead and doomed to rot, this skull's as wise, pray is it not ? " Shakespeare

~Here ( below ) is the big guy, the bully, the goring , ramming destroyer . ( you should see our fences ! ) Goth and Thistle were playing the way rams do, that is to say...they were head butting and ramming each other. Really, rams do this for FUN ! Goth runs full force into humongous trees just for fun. Well, poor Thistle got his beautiful horns stuck in a hay feeder and Goth pierced Thistle's lung with his horns. Poor Thistle, he died. ~The day of the foul deed was foul indeed. It was one of those rare summers that temperatures exceeded 90 degrees. My beautiful ram was dead. But there was no way I was going to bury those magnificent horns and skull. I wanted to keep them. My poor Hubby was outside in the heat, untangling Thistles horns from the feeder, while trying not to inhale the smell nature takes on when decomposing an animal, and then he saved the head for me....I love that man ! ~Thistle AND Goth went to the fair . Goth entertains the crowds, Thistle hangs on the wall behind him over a picture of himself in better times, as a grim reminder of the power of a ram, EVEN WHEN HE IS HAVING FUN !

~" Are you talking about me ? "~

~I thought I would end this post with a very interesting tale from the Bible. A tale that has bones and skeletons coming to life ! "Then he said to me, " Prophesy to these bones and say to them; 'Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the sovereign Lord says to these bones; I will make life enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord. So I prophesied as I was commanded;And as I was prophesying there was a noise, a rattling sound,and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them, and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. .......Then He said to me, ' Prophesy to the breath, prophesy son of man, and say to it, " This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds oh breath; and breathe into these slain, that they may live." So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath entered them, they came to life and stood up on their feet- a vast army." Ezekiel 37:4-9

~You can read the rest for yourself!~ ~Be safe and thankful this season . Thankful for the bounty we have and the life you've been granted. Use wisely...and if you find yourself face to face with a ram....well....DON'T !~ This is a re-post of a true tale from Cedar Pond.

She Chose This Teacup ~ O Happy Day !

2011-10-25T03:55:00.000-07:00

She chose this teacup. I laid out the teacups and the pot of peppermint tea and told her to choose her teacup. This delicate pink and white teacup is very simple, and I believe, elegant. I found it at a thrift store for $5.00. My granddaughter and I had the whole day to ourselves, and what a sweetly happy day it was. This 4th of 6 granddaughters is a very happy little girl and she brings her big smile and happiness with her. She is quick to cuddle her grandma and share whatever is going on in her life. We spent the day at a few places that especially please her, but her favorite place besides her own home is MY home!

The simplicity of this Royal Stafford bone china teacup appeals to me. The inside of the cup and part of the saucer is a very pale pink , the photograph does not do it justice.

My granddaughter and I drank a total of 3 pots of peppermint tea. She likes a lot of sugar in her tea and I think she also likes the sound of the tiny silver spoon clinking against the china as she stirs the sugar in. I put a program on T.V. for her to watch as she snuggled on the sofa and sipped her tea. It was raining outside, we were warm and happy inside. " Pleasure is spread through the earth In stray gifts to be claimed by whoever shall find." William Wordsworth

"If you are not happy here & now, you never will be." Taisen Deshimaru "What a wonderful life I've had ! I only wish I'd realized it sooner." Colette

"If you search the world for happiness, you may find it in the end, for the world is round and will lead you back to your door." Robert Brault Surely you all know someone to share a cup of tea and a smile with. Maybe someone who can use a word of encouragement with their tea, or someone who'll encourage you. A friendly cup of tea is so simple, yet offers more to the soul than words can express. Share a cup of tea with the ladies listed below and take away some good cheer , maybe a recipe or two, an idea for your own tea time with a loved one. Remember, no matter your circumstance, you are blessed !

I know one of my great blessings, a blessing often taken for granted, is having an abundance of very precious people in my life to share a cup of tea or coffee with. People who share their lives generously with me, people who take time to be uplifting and encouraging.God is so good to me. Are there special people in your life you can encourage? Are there special people in your life who encourage you? Praise God for them all ! "Every now and then, when the world sits just right, a gentle breath of heaven fills my soul with delight..." Hazelmarie 'Mattie' Elliot

Be Thou My Vision ~ Slane

2011-10-23T01:12:00.000-07:00

Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art-

Thou my best thought by day or by night,

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my wisdom, and Thy my true Word, I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord; Thou my great Father and I Thy true son, Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee one.

High King of Heaven, my victory won, May I reach Heaven's joys, O bright Heaven's Sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, Still be my vision O Ruler of all.

Thou and Thou only, first in my heart, High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

"Therefore we have as our ambition , whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him."

II Corinthians 5:9 * Old Irish melody. There are many more verses, some worded differently, but I love them all .

Blizzard, The Cat

2011-10-22T00:59:00.000-07:00

This is Blizzard, formerly called Buddy. Blizzard is technically our granddaughter's cat but her allergies have ordained Blizzard live with us. We are happy to have Blizzard stay with us, but his transition from kitten-hood to adult-hood is trying, for me. This is Bliz in a restful state. Here is the first time I have seen Bliz and Miss Marple nap together. Usually they have mighty wrestling matches that sound like two Tasmanian devils battling for their very lives, and taking out a lot of furniture as they wrestle and run around the house.Miss Marple has become a more sedate cat now-a-days and only attacks teddy bears once in a long while, but Bliz is taking her place as resident teddy bear stalker. Bliz is determined to catch my parakeet Bob. I am trying to get some crafting done for an upcoming Christmas Bazaar but rescuing Bob is becoming an all day thing. I keep a spray bottle of vinegar water for discouraging Bliz, but it only lasts as long as it takes me to put the bottle down and resume crafting, then Bliz is after Bob again.

Bliz, leave the parakeet alone!

"Who me? I'm not even looking at Bob".

The other night I heard strange noises in the kitchen coming from above, and there was Bliz on top of my refrigerator. I saw he had rearranged some of my precious pitcher collection on the high shelf close to the ceiling. This isn't good, but at least he is also getting the cobwebs I can't reach. Blizzard was re-named by our granddaughter because of his arctic coloring, blue, gray, and white. I think his personality fits a snow storm too...quick and destructive! Actually, I am enjoying him. He is fearless and follows the vacuum cleaner around. He loves the dogs, and anyone who comes over is treated to Blizzards' love and affection. Kind of like a dog in a cat's body, he even retrieves thrown objects, but this dog climbs the drapes and rests on top of the refrigerator.Good thing I have a cozy room with a litter box to confine him.

Granddaughter's Fairy Tea Party

2011-10-10T17:37:00.000-07:00

Our oldest granddaughter wanted to host a Fairy Tea Party this summer for her sisters and her girl cousins. What a great idea ! Granddaughter planned the menu, made the fairy costumes for her sisters and herself, then invited her 2 cousins.

Granddaughter used this book as inspiration.

Look at the costumes she made using scraps of fabric and tulle I had stored away, and her own creativity. Her sisters were very happy to wear the Woodland Fairy costumes their big sister made for them. On the menu, mini-pizzas. These were made by Granddaughter using a pop-up biscuit , spreading a little tomato paste mixed with olive oil and basil on top, adding pineapple, pepperoni, and grated cheese. Bake according to the directions on the pop-up biscuit package.

The granddaughters, um, excuse me, the FAIRIES, loved these mini-pizzas granddaughter made, there were no left-overs.

Granddaughter also made a snack mix consisting of popcorn, pretzels, popcorn flavored jelly-beans, raisins, and chocolate chips.Another success, no left-overs.

She chose my butterfly teacups by Yedi for the tea. This set of butterfly teacups is a favorite with my grandchildren.

Granddaughter set the table herself, making sure the goblets for the orange juice punch are clean and clear.

The table is set, the food prepared. The cousins are here. I took a few pictures, but this party was prepared and hosted by our oldest granddaughter. After I took some pictures I went upstairs to get some work done and left the 6 granddaughters to tea-party on. ( I forgot to mention, she cut and arranged the flowers on the table too.)

It was a joy to my heart to hear the laughter of little girls echoing throughout the house. When I came downstairs to re-fill my tea cup I also spied the girls dancing sweet fairy dances as they laughed and talked amongst themselves.I think they had a very good time together and this was a good way to end the summer before the 4 granddaughters from the other side of the mountains returned home to begin school.

Yedi butterfly teacups.You might have noticed I have used these tea cups a lot in my Tea Time Tuesday posts, but they are my grandchildren's favorite choice for their tea parties. They are so colorful, and the set has 6 different colors, perfect for boys and girls. They are especially nice in garden tea parties. These are easy to find on-line by googling the brand name. These ladies are having an on-line party for all things tea, check them out!

Justice ?

2011-10-09T03:21:00.000-07:00

One thing I have learned in my life - not to expect justice, or fairness. ~ Life has shown me quite the opposite. Innocent people are often convicted & imprisoned for crimes they did not commit. Unborn babies are murdered because they are inconvenient. Harmless animals and children are abused and killed because they are harmless and vulnerable. The evil commit crimes for which they do not seem to pay, and brag about their gains. Where is the justice? I know people who have gone through terrible injustices at the hands of the very police and legal system they trusted to do right. Shame on you guardians, enforcers, and custodians of the law , disregarding and abusing the very people and children needing you to do what you have taken a vow to uphold ~ justice! "This is a court of law young man, not a court of justice." Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. ~ "The sad duty of politics is to establish justice in a sinful world." Jimmy Carter ~ In many countries now-a-days, as in old times, people are being imprisoned , tortured, and executed because they are Christians and have proclaimed their faith.At the same time I see the unjust, the unkind, the evil-doers, be lauded with fame and fortune. I see those who profit from the pain and misfortune of the innocent have wonderful and happy lives. The unjust seem to sleep very well with no hint of remorse. ( Don't expect any either ) Where is the justice? Justice, true justice , comes from God alone." Evil men do not understand justice, But those who seek the Lord understand all things.Better is the poor who walks in his integrity, than he who is crooked though he be rich....he who turns away his ear from listening to the law, even his prayers are an abomination....the blameless will inherit good." Proverbs 28 : 5-10 ~ "Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Thy throne O God, loving-kindness and truth go before Thee." Psalm 89:14 Maybe this is not a comforting post, but I have finally learned life in this world is more often than not, unfair. Good people get sick and die young. Rotten people live long and prosper. Each of us is given a life , our years here are numbered. We will all die, the good, the bad, the indifferent ( did you think I was going to say "the ugly"?). How we live our numbered days here on earth do matter. If we have been unjustly treated and abused, we still have the chance to rise above our hurts and the injustice by choosing to live each day God has granted us for Him, forgiving those who hurt us, and seeking ways to encourage and uplift those in our lives each day. " Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. For he who has done wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality." Colossians 3:23-25

Puyallup Fair 2011 ~ Fun & Done

2011-10-06T03:18:00.000-07:00

The Puyallup Fair is over, and I can say the last 5 days of the fair were fun. Hard work for me and mine, but fun! My husband Jim helped me so much and he also kept things at home in check. Someone has to be home to feed all the animals left behind.Thank-you Jim. Our oldest grandchild C.T. helps me every year at the fair. He looks forward to his time here and he works hard for the privilege. C.T. cleans out the pens in the mornings before the fair opens and sits at the table answering the public's questions about Jacob sheep.He also sweeps around our exhibit during the fair and helps me keep it clean all through the day.You can see my ram, Goth, looking through the bars of his pen.

A view of my little nook of the 'Animals of the World' barn.What is that I see in the back of the picture ?

My grandson, eating a delicious vanilla ice cream cone from the dairy and milking barn on the fairgrounds.Oh so very tasty, and already I am missing a truly good vanilla ice cream cone.( Next year at the fair, for sure!)

Another view of my exhibit at the Puyallup Fair.

Our daughter came for a visit and brought C.T.'s sister.One nice thing about the fair is I get to visit with people in my little area. I also get to see so many people I know , but rarely see,passing through this barn .Of course I have to invite them to sit a spell and visit, that is one of the best perks of being here. The girls, my Jacob Sheep ewes are posing for me. Well, actually, they are lined up and hoping to receive the soda crackers I am dangling overhead. Here from left to right are Buttercup, Mahlon,Thora, and Valkyrie. Then there is Goth. He seemed to strut and pose the whole week,surprising me by being so mellow. He did not ram the bars of his pen. He did entertain us often by kicking or butting his ball, accepting soda crackers, leaning his head into the spaces between the bars for my husband to scratch behind his ears or under his chin.He did not seem to mind in the least the hundreds and hundreds of people taking his picture. Good boy Goth. May you produce many more lambs and be with us many more years. Hopefully we can "do the Puyallup" together again too !

Baking Bread Together To Break Bread Together!

2011-10-02T15:44:00.000-07:00

My grandchildren love to cook and bake with me. Since we were hosting church in our home our granddaughter delightedly agreed to help me make the communion bread. ~ "And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts." Acts 2:46 ~

I have used this recipe successfully well over a hundred times and am always happy with the results. ~"Bread-baking is one of those almost hypnotic businesses, like a dance from some ancient ceremony. It leaves you filled with one of the world's sweetest smells...there is no chiropractic treatment, no yoga exercise, no hour of meditation in a music throbbing chapel that will leave you emptier of bad thoughts than this homely ceremony of baking bread." M.F.K. Fisher 'The Art Of Eating' ~ This recipe is also very easy for children to make, and with supervision rarely fails to turn out delicious, making everyone happy, especially the child who bakes bread the first time! ~ "I am going to learn how to make bread tomorrow. So you may imagine me with my sleeves rolled up, mixing flour, milk, soleratus, etc., with a deal of grace. I advise you if you don't know how to make the staff of life to learn with dispatch." Emily Dickinson ~ The bread dough rising in the warm sun-room. ~"Love just doesn't sit there like a stone, it has to be made, like bread ; re-made all the time, made new." Ursula K. LeGuin ~ Voila! Every bit as delicious as it is beautiful and just look at my granddaughter's happy smile. What is the recipe you ask? I would write it out here but instead am going to allow you to click onto the blog of author and farm woman Suzanne McMinn, where I discovered this amazing bread recipe. She gives the history, many pictures , how-to's, and variations of this bread on her delightful blog,* "Chickens In The Road". ~"All sorrows are less with bread." Miguel De Cervantes ~

I Know God Protected Me

2011-09-29T02:44:00.000-07:00

~Old style ( best) buckskin Morgan horse, belonging to my neighbor. Isn't she pretty?~

Yesterday afternoon I came inside from my back porch and entered my hall-way to come face to face with an intruder intent upon burglarizing our home. We scared each other, then he ushered me into another room of our home and told me "we have a gun, put your head down and count to 100", whereupon he yelled to his partner and they fled my home. THEY fled my home. I am thanking and praising my God who protected me. My family could be making funeral plans today as the intruders left with a loaded gun. "Do not be afraid of sudden fear, nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes ; for the Lord will be your confidence, and keep your foot from being caught." Proverbs 3:25, 26

Demolition Duo

2011-09-20T20:18:00.000-07:00

Need any demolition done ? Want any fences taken out, trees knocked down, or walls busted?

These are your guys then.Brothers Barbarian & Viking work for hay! ~

I have spent the last few days getting ready for the Puyallup Fair. I am taking Goth, the father / grandfather of these handsome rams, along with a few of my ewes. My husband and I actually gave Goth a bath, so he is a very clean ram, though not a happy ram. If only he was able to understand that when I return home with him from my week at the fair he will be released to spend the fall with the ewes.That would perk him up, especially since he has been trying to remove the fence separating him from them. Meanwhile, my husband gets to stay home and care for the gardens and animals left behind, including the Demolition Duo, also trying to ram down fences to get to the ewes. Anyone out there need a good ram?( Or a one ram demolition crew?) Come on out to the Puyallup Fair if you're in the area and see us in the 'Animals Of The World' barn, be sure to say "hi".

Delilah's Rugs ~ Wool Transformation !

2011-09-16T00:47:00.000-07:00

I started with her, Delilah, my Jacob / Romney sheep.

Delilah was sheared, her wool was skirted, picked, washed & carded into rovings, meaning the wool was turned into strips ,( shown above) then woven into rugs on my loom.

Here you can see the roving becoming a rug on my loom.

Done!

Turning the wool from my sheep into rugs seems like magic.The wool was simply washed and "brushed" to make it ready for weaving. Nothing was added, the wool is still all it was before it was sheared off the sheep ( minus the dirt & debris) , yet it bears little resemblance to the sheep now. I never tire of working with the wool from the sheep I love.Each fleece is as unique as the sheep the wool comes from.I think Delilah's wool makes a pretty nice rug.

"Transform:to change in outward shape or semblance ." Webster's "..be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2

Tiny Teacup ~ Blue Willow

2011-09-12T23:08:00.000-07:00

I found this tiny teacup at an antique store yesterday,and the price was $5.00. I had $5.00 in my purse and decided I would be sorry if I left the store and did not take this little teacup with me. Blue Willow is one of my favorite patterns, and this particular blue is one of my favorite colors. Have you noticed how many different shades of blue there can be in Blue Willow dishes , depending on who makes them, and where & when they were made? To show how tiny this is I placed it next to my favorite tea/coffee cup, another Blue Willow cup & saucer I bought in an antique store years ago.See the difference in the color of the two ?

The tiny teacup fits inside the standard cup.

"Maruta, Made in Occupied Japan "

Today, after I am done with my chores, I am going to sip some tea from this cup and ponder something that has been on my mind, the need to PRACTICE kindness. This summer it finally penetrated my thick skull that good and noble things, be they art, writing, stitchery, music, sports,keeping a home, cooking & baking, (the list goes on) all get better with practice. Why not good character qualities too ? "Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. " Mark Twain ~ " Kindness is in our power , even when fondness is not." Samuel Johnson ~ When I was young I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people." Abraham Lincoln

I am joining these ladies of the teacup this Tuesday for a celebration of all things tea, come along, you're invited too .~

He Gives Strength To The Weary & Wipes Away Our Tears

2011-09-11T01:06:00.000-07:00

"Do you not know ? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not grow faint." Isaiah 40:18-31

"He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain..." Revelation 21:4

Coffee With A Frog

2011-09-08T23:14:00.000-07:00

I took my first cup of coffee of the day out to the pond. I wanted to sip it there, viewing the pond as I enjoyed the warm morning and thought about my summer, and what the rest of the year might hold. As I walked to the wood chairs sitting pond-side I scared up a few red-legged frogs. They squealed loudly as they leapt into the pond. I sat down in the chair ( on the right) and then noticed a very plump red-legged frog sitting in the chair on the left. He seemed to own the chair and was almost kingly in his demeanor. The frog was not the least afraid of me, and why should he be? I was not in the company of the 4 granddaughters who were constantly laughing, wrestling, and playing all around the pond ,searching for frogs with zeal. The kingly frog had no reason to fear I would capture him and view him for a few days before returning him to the pond as the granddaughters did. The granddaughters have returned home. I sipped my coffee. I pondered my summer. I just sat and enjoyed the simple beauty of my surroundings. I relished the quiet, the bird sounds, the play of sunlight on the pond. The frog remained still on his throne, the chair. I finished my coffee and as I left for the house and the beginning of the day's chores, the frog remained. Coffee with a frog, delightfully peaceful, for both of us.

Summer Turns To Autumn, Quickly !

2011-08-26T01:46:00.000-07:00

Mount Rainier, seen from Alder Lake. We see this amazing and awesome ( in the true meaning of the word) view from many perspectives all around our home and as we travel to town to shop, or drive practically anywhere. It becomes very easy to take this view for granted, but I don't. To see this mountain and the surrounding country-side only makes me cry for the beauty and ponder the God, my God, who has created it. To me, more precious than the beauty of the mountain, 3 of my granddaughters sitting on the dock of Alder Lake gazing out at the lake and mountain. God Himself considers the little ones precious. I hope in this busy time, this summer time, you too have time to ponder and give thanks to God for His gift of a beautiful and awesome creation...the amazing forests, oceans, deserts, mountains, and even simple meadows and flowers in your own backyards. Even more precious, the children God has blessed you with, be they your own children, grand-children, nieces & nephews, or little ones God has placed in your lives who need an appreciative voice, a caring voice, someone who will love them and pray for them no matter what. "Do you not know, have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired, His understanding is inscrutable, He gives strength to the weary..." Isaiah 40:28,29 This summer has been one of great joy, but also much busy-ness and activity.Balancing home duties, caring for my animals , crafting with my wool to provide weavings and rugs for upcoming bazaars, and remembering to take time to actually enjoy my family , especially my grandchildren, before they grow up so very quickly, as quickly as my children did...well,this has left me little time to blog.My head is swimming with things to write, and the urge to write has been bubbling up within me. My body though is screaming "SLEEP!". So, the flesh is weary and giving in to sleep which enables me to wake up and enjoy another wondrous day with grandchildren who will grow up too quickly. Summer is coming to an end, the granddaughters will return home and to school. Already the scent of autumn is in the air, the leaves are turning red and yellow. My favorite season is so close and as summer quickly turns into fall I will miss the 4 little girls who giggled and laughed and kept me and the washer & dryer humming all summer long as they spent their summer here on Cedar Pond.

Fairy- Garden Tea Party

2011-08-16T00:47:00.000-07:00

"Fairies sweet they will be, dancing under the bower, hung by a tree. Pink and swirling to and fro, Oh where oh where will these pixies go? "Colleen Mullaney

The granddaughters helped host a tea party and decided a Flower Garden theme would be nice.Every garden needs butterflies, and fairies! Here is one of my butterfly teacups. I love this set of teacups, the background color of each teacup is different.The teacups come in a set of six , they are labeled "CLASSIC, coffee & tea. Made In China ". I purchased them from Amazon.com. These are my most-used set of teacups because the grandchildren love them.

Our oldest granddaughter made these cupcakes all by herself. She told me to make sure the gummy worms I bought were NOT sour. After she baked the cupcakes she inserted a gummy worm into each one.

She frosted around the worms using a Ziploc bag with a corner cut out as her frosting dispenser.

She also set a tea table for the dolls. There will be six dolls for tea.

The granddaughters set the table outside under a pop-up shelter, it might rain or be too sunny and great-grandparents shouldn't sit under rain or the hot sun. The fairies danced and swirled over the tables.Notice the varied colors of the teacups. Little boys love the frog- green and pumpkin- orange colors. Cupcakes, ice water with a skewer of blueberries and mint for delicate flavoring. Mint tea in the teapot under the tea-cozy. Barbecue potato chips to go with the sandwiches ~ egg salad, chicken salad, tuna, and the all time favorite, peanut butter & jelly.

Let the tea party begin! All 8 of our grandchildren enjoying a tea party with their great-grandparents and me, this is a true blessing to be savored and remembered.

A butterfly came for tea and fluttered around and on the nearby pink flocks throughout the day.

Each little girl took one of the fairies home and the 2 little boys took home a small teddy bear holding a butterfly. Fairies, cupcakes, teddy bears, flowers and butterflies are special and sweet, but none are sweeter or more special than the children who dream about them , read and tell stories about them, then throw their arms around me and give me big kisses before they skip away to play with each other, my grandchildren, the most amazing little beings at the fairy -garden tea party. Please be sure to check out what is going on around Blog-Land on Tea Time Tuesday by clicking onto the links below.

But Where Are The Birds?

2011-08-09T04:25:00.000-07:00

Birds tried to move into this bird house, but the wasps chased them away and set up housekeeping. We chased the wasps away and now this little home is vacant.

A pair of chickadees and a pair of swallows raised a family in this humble bird house. This home is now vacant.

Another pair of chickadees raised a family here this spring, bumblebees have taken up residence and now are buzzing busily in and out.

A small greenish-yellow pair of birds lived in this birdhouse overlooking the sheep pen. They flew away leaving a spider to help keep the pesky fly & mosquito population in check.

This bird apartment saw families of chickadees and sparrows come & go. It awaits new residents next spring.

An old birdhouse built by our son many years ago lost it's roof. I planted sedums in it. A chickadee checked it out many times this past spring but the lack of a roof must have been too much of a problem to actually move in, however a frog has taken up residence.

See? So where are the birds?

Here, inside our chimney! Since early spring right on into the summer there has been a continuous chirping and swooshing of wings in and out, in and out, all day, every day. We fall asleep to bird sounds magnified into our bedroom, and wake up to them. These swallows never seem to quit raising babies. Sometimes we even have a fledgling fluttering around in the bedroom fireplace and we have to rescue it. The cat loves to sleep on our bed facing the fireplace.Since there is a glass screen in front of it, she can only dream her kitty dreams of catching the birds she hears .

Nope, no birds here either... "The bird also has found a house, And the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young." Psalm 84:3

Farm Junk & Sedums

2011-08-01T00:49:00.000-07:00

Old farm junk, the kind of junk cast off into fields, barns, the dump. The milk cans were given to me by my father after he saved them from the metal salvage place he worked at.The old stove would still work fine if there was a need for it , but now serves me well in my back-yard as a place to grow sedums in thrown away pots & pans.

This little nest was found in our driveway after a windstorm.

This sedum is growing in an old pan stuck into an old metal chicken feeder.

A chicken bucket makes a handy-dandy planter for sedums too.

Sedums grow in arid conditions, and in the too-wet conditions we in the Pacific Northwest are used to. This has been an unusually wet year for us and my sedums are proving invaluable as a source of color and bloom. The honeybees especially are flocking to the sedum blossoms in droves, and for that alone the sedums deserve their right to grow where they please around here. Right now I have many white blossomed sedums showing their splendor, but the bright pink sedums are starting to show their color, as are the yellow blossomed sedums. All the rusty, hole-in-the-bottom buckets, old cast away pots & pans, old chicken feeders & waterers, old boots, interesting planters and wire baskets, are perfect for planting sedums. After planting, the care is simple ~ water when I remember and they will thrive, bloom, and make me and the bees happy ! Simple blessings are among the best of blessings.

Decades Of Love ! Happy Anniversary Jim ~

2011-07-21T02:11:00.000-07:00

I have been married to the man of my dreams for almost 4 decades. I have known him that long. We were high school sweethearts, and married while we were both in college and working part time jobs to support ourselves. My beloved was still going to college and working two jobs when our first born , our daughter Autumn , joined our family. Shortly thereafter our two sons were born and we were still working part-time jobs , my husband was still attending his college classes. I am amazed when I look back on our lives to see how hard my husband worked for us ( often 2 jobs at a time), and still took time to play with our children, help me out with the children, keep up our home, and enjoy many simple yet rewarding family times, the times that count in the grand scheme of things that matter. My husband also made sure we were at church every Sunday morning, often helping out at church too.He supported our homeschooling the children in a time when home-schooling was unheard of and friends and family were not so supportive. Without the quiet strength and love of my husband, my beloved, I do not think we would have fared as well and God was so kind and gracious to me to give me my Jim. Happy anniversary Jim, I love you.~ ~" For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother , and shall cleave unto his own wife; and the two shall become one flesh..." Ephesians 5:31

Kitten Playground

2011-07-20T00:18:00.000-07:00

Our granddaughters' kitten. 'Bubba', looks so cute playing with my weaving while it is still on the loom, but cute got out of hand quickly... This is what happened when I went to get myself a cup of coffee. I came back to a kitten wedged in the warp & heddles of my loom. I had to open the heddles and help him extricate himself. Of course I did take a moment to capture a few pictures.

This really can't be good for the warp threads, or the kitten.

He kept playing under the loom and in the weaving, climbing my legs too. OUCH !

After this picture I put him in the craft room and closed the door, somebody had to get some weaving done and it wasn't going to be him.

Summer Weaving

2011-07-16T23:51:00.000-07:00

The warp (fiber I thread my loom with ) threads are chosen,

with help from the granddaughters' kitten.

The loom is threaded and I begin weaving rugs, using wool roving, which is long , continuous strands of carded wool from my sheep .

Weaving is for me a peaceful pursuit when I have successfully threaded the loom and am happy with the end result. I was able to produce 4 rugs from this warp and am looking forward to again threading the loom in different warp colors. Each time I weave I learn so much more about the craft, and the process causes me to think about life in general as I throw the shuttle back & forth, back & forth. " My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle." Job 7:6

July Celebration

2011-07-13T23:10:00.000-07:00

How many kids can you fit into a kiddie pool? This is really family togetherness.

My husband and I had the privilege of hosting a 2 day Sister's Reunion with my sisters and their families. We gathered here to celebrate being family and the 4th of July. We had gunnysack races...

...water balloon toss and fights.

Children marveled at frogs,

close up,

and snakes too. Here my husband is showing the children a snake he found, and being the big kid he is, he chased my sisters around with the snake, to the great delight of the children. They loved seeing my sisters running and screaming. ( Sorry sisters )

The children made their own stick horses,

then raced them.

There were 3-legged races,

An aunt chatting with a niece...

...an uncle cuddling a nephew.

Slip n' slide,

painting bird houses,

a 4th of July parade,

a make your own ice cream sundae buffet with all the toppings and whip cream any kid ( or grown-up ) could want, as much as they wanted.Of course there was barbecue. We had boat rides, lawn games, just sit & visit time.

" Celebrate :..commemorate or rejoice over..." Funk & Wagnall Dictionary Celebrating family and our country's Independence Day with love and thankfulness, truly a blessing not to take for granted.

Treasure in The Mail !

2011-06-30T22:59:00.000-07:00

I received a box full of treasures in the mail the day before I left for a week away from home. These little kissing parakeets salt& pepper shakers were among them. Aren't they cute? How did Constanza ( Peregrine Blue) of Por Amor Al Arte* know I like parakeets? I have two ( Bob & Betty ). Look at the items I unwrapped from the tissue paper pleasantly fragrant from the soap , sachets, and scented candle inside ! I displayed them on the antique Kitchen Queen in my sun-room and the treasures look as if they have always belonged there.

This little Teddy Bear will be attending many tea parties this summer.I am sure she will want honey with her tea.

I have never seen such a box as this little ram's head , the size of a walnut, exquisitely carved.I wonder what teensy treasure I can hide inside it.All the items are sitting on a fabric tea towel I am going to leave atop the Kitchen Queen. I love the colors and they are perfect for my home.

The pot-holder colors are pleasing to me , Constanza made it herself. I might have to hide this because the granddaughters were making plans to turn it into a doll dress. The true treasure here is the heart of the lady who sent me this box of gifts, each item was obviously well thought out and packed with care. Thank-you Constanza! No, this goat did not arrive in the package but is fast becoming a treasure around here. He was not intended to be a pet, but has endeared himself to us all, especially the granddaughters. Buddy loves to snuggle and play with us. He also bonded with the granddaughters' pet kitten, sleeping with the kitten, playing with the kitten, and bawling pitifully when the kitten is taken away to play.Buddy also perked up my 10 year old goat Thorin,who leaps about like a baby goat with him. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:21~ "Treasure: Something very much valued." Amer. Dictionary of English Language ~ I have been having trouble with Blogger lately and although I was able to read your blogs, I was unable to comment on them. I was also unable to write and post my own. It is good to be back to blogging and although sometimes I get frustrated by Blogger, I remember what LindaSue of Buhl-A-Land said to me a long time ago, "It is hard to complain about a service that is free. " Also, Blogger does try to fix the problems quickly once they are known. Blogging is a treasure to me too, it has brought me the pleasures and treasures of friends like you . We are blessed, aren't we?

"It's A Gift To Be Simple, It's A Gift To Be Free.."

2011-06-25T01:00:00.000-07:00

It's a gift to be loved...

...it's a gift to be happy...

...it's a gift to have enough food, and a place to call home...

...it's a gift to have family and people who love you...

...it's a gift to have sisters, a gift to have a parent or two who love you more than life itself, it is a gift to have Jesus as Savior. What more can we want for ?

The pictures above are of 4 of our granddaughters,the daughters of our oldest son. My husband and I have been away for more than a week, over the mountains and far away, visiting them.We had no television or internet, and spent the time just being with our granddaughters and sons, and youngest sons' wife Breezy. We brought the granddaughters home with us for summer vacation and are looking forward to fun times, sweet times, family times ~ building memories times. The trip home was enjoyable (excepting the blinding rain squalls ) as these little girls love to sing about Jesus and although they do have their sisterly spats, my husband and I have noticed these little girls love each other fiercely and are perfectly content with each other as friends and playmates. Makes our hearts glad."It's a gift to be simple..."

Saying Good-Bye To Someone Who Matters

2011-06-17T12:20:00.000-07:00

My friend Pam has cancer, and more than a year ago was told she had until last summer to live. Well, she thoroughly enjoyed her days and made plans , and continued on taking trips, showing her miniature horses at the fair, enjoying family and friends, having tea parties . After surviving, and LIVING through the summer, she enjoyed the beautiful fall we had. The doctors told her to prepare for the end by Christmas... ...and she had a great Christmas with her husband, son and his wife, and her two grandchildren. Pam planned a trip to Europe and we fully believed she would be sending us postcards from England next week. God is taking her home to be with Him instead.Pam is amazing. Throughout this scary time she has not complained.She has enjoyed life to the fullest and the other day after visiting her in the hospital I realized what a big part of my life she has been, what an important part of my life she has been. Although we knew she was "terminal", I somehow never expected to have to say good-bye to Pam. Above is one of her horses & cart, her grandchildren and some of mine. She will be greatly missed by them, they all love her. "He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning until the end. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good in one's lifetime." Ecclesiastes 3:11,12

Tea Time Tuesday ~Royal Albert Dorchester Series

2011-06-07T02:11:00.000-07:00

Tea time Tuesday is here again and I am having tea in my weed filled herb garden. Do you think weeds might have herbal qualities? Maybe I should check up on that, I might be wasting energy and time weeding needlessly. Anyway, back to teacups.Here is my teacup, from the Royal Dorchester Series. I had mint tea of course, but we are not growing mint in the herb garden, it would take over. The mint is growing near the front porch steps. Did I mention my herb garden is very weedy? My husband and I spent most of our weekend working in our gardens because this was the first nice weekend ( weather wise) we have had since last October. The weeds don't seem to mind the wet and cold weather and apparently partied all winter and spring. They invited their families and friends too. The extremely wet, cold winter and spring took their toll on my rosemary bush, and also killed off much of my thyme and sage. Why not the weeds too? I suppose my chickens & sheep are happy with the weeds as we toss wheelbarrow loads of them into their pens. The sheep and chickens gobble them up like kids eating ice cream and candy. Oh, sorry, back to my teacup. This teacup is from a series made by Royal Albert. The Dorchester series consists of 6 cups and saucers , each a different color. This is the only one in that series I own but I do covet the teal set. Please enjoy Tea Time Tuesday by clicking onto the links below . You will see some very pretty tea cups, tea parties, and tea times...maybe even some lovely WEED FREE gardens. "My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view." H. Fred Ale

Terri ~ Artful Affirmations *
Martha ~ Martha's Favorites *
Lady Katherine ~ Lady Katherine's Tea Parlor *
Sandi ~ Rose Chintz Cottage *
Wanda Lee ~The Silken Purse *
Pam ~ Breath Of Fresh Air *

Dewdrop Delights

2011-06-04T01:27:00.000-07:00

"Gamma, what's dis?" Little 'J' was fascinated and excited by the dew drops in the Lady's Mantle we have growing all over our property. I told him they were dew-drops. "Shrewshrops?" Although he did not master the pronunciation of the word, his excitement and delight over dew-drops did not cease.He carefully emptied each little dew-filled leaf he encountered. We have a lot of Lady's Mantle around here, so Little 'J' had a very good time. "Earth's liquid jewelry, wrought of air." Philip James Bailey on dewdrops "The leaves of Lady's Mantle are like shallow pleated cups. The soft hairs make water form droplets that roll around on the leaves." About.com ~ I have always thought the dew-drops in Lady's Mantle look like diamonds when the sun shines on them. In the morning there are tiny dew-drops all around the edges of the leaves, making the whole leaf appear sparkly and jeweled. "Lady's Mantle ( named for the Virgin Mary ) is an old-fashioned flower still popular today for it's fuzzy, cupped leaves that hold water droplets after a rain." About.com ~ Little'J's delight over something so simple, yet amazingly beautiful ,makes me happy to be part of his life and also reminded me of the simple joys we forget to appreciate as we get older.Raindrops, dew-drops, miracles of God's creation. ~"The dew-bead. Gem of earth and sky begotten." ~George Eliot

"Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants." Deuteronomy 32:2

Blue Willow Ware , Tea Time Tuesday

2011-05-30T19:48:00.000-07:00

Blue Willow Ware is one of my favorite patterns of china and I have been collecting bits and pieces of it since I was in my teens. Usually I would buy a saucer or bread plate found in thrift stores and the great quantities of Willow Ware seem to vary quite a bit in quality and price. I am very pleased and thankful for the Blue Willow Ware teapot my Father-in-law gave me recently. He knows I love the pattern, thank-you Dad ! Blue is my favorite color and I never tire of blue and white on my table. Blue Danube, Blue Willow Ware,and any other pieces of blue china that find their way to my home will also be used frequently. Many of the pieces shown here are gifts given to us with love from family members. My husbands' sister Judy sent me a box of lovely blue and white plates and saucers a short while ago, some of them pictured here. I was not expecting any packages in the mail, and when I got the package home and opened the box ...oh my, a true surprise and delight to my heart ,thank-you Judy! This is a tea/coffee cup I have shown before. It is my favorite tea cup and I use it often, drinking ONLY tea from it. My sister JoAnn and I spotted this tea cup in an antique store in a mountain logging town in Oregon a few years ago as we were driving home after visiting our Grandmother. See, a favorite teacup with many fond memories attached. I googled Willow Ware in researching it for this post and google alone pulled up hundreds of thousands of articles about the pattern. The pattern is commonly believed to portray the story of two doomed Chinese lovers meeting on the bridge and after death they are turned into birds. The story on Blue Willow Ware is supposedly Chinese but Blue Willow Ware was first made in England in 1780. It is still being made today. "The pattern would prove so popular it would be copied in a dozen countries by hundreds of manufacturers. Even the Chinese copied it in their hand-painted decoration." Wayne Mattox The options for collecting Blue Willow Ware are endless, thrift stores, garage sales, and even newly produced Willow Ware are readily available. The most beautiful Willow Ware I have ever seen was a child's tea set displayed in an antique store. The little tea set was in perfect condition, and the cups and saucers were egg-shell thin. The little set took my breath away. The price was very high and of course I could not justify spending so much money on a toy tea set and if I had I know I would not actually ever use it. However, I DO use all my Blue Willow Ware, and enjoy it every time I sip tea from the cup and saucer, or eat cookies and sandwiches from the little plates. Pour yourself a cup of tea in a favorite cup and visit the ladies listed below:

Scenic View On The Way Home ~ HOME !

2011-05-24T00:49:00.000-07:00

My traveling companions Beatrix and Hawk peer from the back of my car as I take a walk down to the scenic view outlook.We have been gone for more than a week visiting the granddaughters who live 6 hours away on the other side of the mountains. On the way home I stopped to buy coffee for me and cheeseburgers for the 3 of us. Hawk and Beatrix look forward to their plain cheeseburgers! I also took time to take in the beauty of the mighty Columbia River across from the Wild Horse Monument just over the bridge from Vantage, Washington. Breath-takingly beautiful .The scenery here seems almost barren, yet just a few miles from here the freeway heading home takes me through the highest snow-capped mountains filled with lush vegetation and evergreen trees, then down into King and Pierce Counties in Washington where there is so much green it makes my heart sing ! I do love the place I live ~ even the rainy days, especially the rainy days. Hawk , Beatrix, and I will be much happier to get home so I do not linger long at the scenic outlook. "Where we love is home.Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts." Oliver Wendell Holmes I am looking forward to reading and posting blogs again after being away from the internet, but now, a good night's sleep in my own bed !

Frogs & Fairies ?

2011-05-14T01:54:00.000-07:00

Cedar Pond is a small pond, but big enough to have a tiny island in the middle. This little island is rarely visited by us and requires a boat ( albeit a very small boat ) ride. The grandchildren all covet that special ride to the island and when on the island , they have to explore thoroughly. You never know what you might find there, a frog or a fairy, and adventure is always there for anyone with imagination. Poppa came home early on sewing day. KN was almost finished with her sewing project and she said excitedly "Maybe he will take me on a boat ride around the pond!" The sun was shining and warming Cedar Pond after weeks of non-stop rain. How could he not celebrate such good weather with his granddaughter? We drained the little boat of many inches of rain water and Poppa and KN paddled around the island in the pond. Poppa chose this time to plant some little trees on the island. KN tied the boat to a tree while she and Poppa explored the tiny island. KN was thinking about fairies and looking for frogs.

Could there be fairies here? Such a miniature and complete little world, just on the other side of the island.Often overlooked, rarely disturbed, perfect.

There are holes and little doors all 'round this stump. Fairies and frogs would rejoice in such a shelter, don't you think? Ferns to shade and hide a secret entrance, the pond at the door , the sun on the side . Rarely trod by human feet. Places to float a fairy boat, especially one made of fir cones and feathers. Safe harbors in the miniature coves formed by water-sodden moss covered logs framed by Lily of the Valley and ferns.

"Happiness flutters in the air whilst we rest among the breaths of nature." Kally Scheaffer "The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful." e.e.cummings "Stand still and consider the wondrous works of God." Job 37:14

* This past week I have been having trouble with our internet provider , the service has been down, missing, AWOL, zilch, when I have attempted to post or comment. This coming week I have family responsibilities to attend to, but will hopefully be able to read and comment on many of my favorite blogs nevertheless. Thank-you again for taking a moment of your precious time to read musings on our little spot here on Cedar Pond.

Tuesday, Not Just For Tea - We Sew Too!

2011-05-11T01:21:00.000-07:00

Our granddaughter KN and I sew together most Tuesdays. Tuesdays are not just for tea, but for sewing with KN and sharing a cup of tea together. My sewing skills are very basic. I figure if I teach KN some basic skills she can then take these skills to even higher levels, and sew with the intensity, joy, and creativity she has shown since she was very little. Here she is using my sewing machine, the Kenmore sewing machine my Grandmother gave me. It is as old as me- more than half a century, and working just fine.

KN has chosen a blue flannel material with clouds for the pajama bottoms she will sew.

Voila! I think today she did very well, and tonight she will wear these warm flannel pajama bottoms to bed.Next week's assignment, sewing matching pajama bottoms for her American Girl doll, Josephina. ~"Creativity is the quality you bring to the activity that you are doing. It is an attitude, an inner approach- how you look at things..Whatsoever you do, if you do it joyfully, if you do it lovingly, if your act of doing is not purely economical, then it is creative." Osho

Sometimes Mother's Day Hurts

2011-05-08T00:46:00.000-07:00

Mother Hens Dora ( black) and Lucy ( red) protecting their chicks from me as I take pictures.These little tiny balls of yellow fluff are so cute,but it is easy for me to resist picking them up because as soon as I get too close to the chicks both mama hens fling themselves at me and squawk and scream , making a horrible racket. Though neither of these hens weigh more than a pound , they are scary when they attack me like that. Bantam hens are notoriously very good mamas . In Matthew and Luke Jesus compares Himself to a mother hen as He laments "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her ! How often I have wanted to gather your children together , just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it !" What a blessing mothers are to so many, most mothers love their children more than words can adequately express, and strive to provide the very best for their children often with self-sacrifice.Most mothers would not think twice about saving their children from danger at the risk of their own lives. These little bantam hens react instantly to perceived danger to their chicks , and almost every danger to their chicks is easily able to dispatch a tiny, angry, protective hen. We live in a fallen and imperfect world. There are mothers who are not so loving, there are many who do not have a mother in their lives. Mother's Day can be a painful reminder to many they are unable to have children of their own, or that their beloved mother is dead. Some mothers mourn the loss of children, or estrangement from the children they love more than life itself.Sometimes Mother's Day just plain hurts. God in His wisdom knows this. He can take the hurts and loss and hold you tight. He loves you and your children more than any human mother ever could. "He will cover you with His pinions, And under His wings you may seek refuge;" Ps. 91:4 "Can a woman forget her nursing child, and have compassion on the son of her womb ? Even these may forget, but I will never forget you." Isaiah 49:15 ~

"Mother : An appellation given to a woman who exercises care and tenderness towards another, or gives parental advice ; " Webster Dictionary

-Thank-you Lord for the wonderful children you blessed me with, and most importantly, they claim You as Savior ! Thank-you for the 8 grandchildren You have given me through them. You are kind and merciful beyond what I deserve. Thank-you Lord for my husband who is also an amazing father , making it possible through great sacrifice for me to be able to stay home and raise our children, a choice I will never regret. Thank-you Lord for the mother you gave me.

Trillium Tea Cup ~ Tea Time Tuesday

2011-05-03T01:08:00.000-07:00

Another cold and rainy day with few sun-breaks here in the Pacific Northwest, not the best weather for the honey bees my husband tends. I decided to cheer up my dining table with oranges from our nephew and his family's trees in sunny California, and a honey bee teapot , sugar & creamer. Just a spot of cheery yellow for a cold, wet day to remind me this really is spring. This is my White Trillium teacup, bone china, by Royal Albert. This teacup is perfect this time of year because we have blooming trilliums all over our property. Some of the trilliums are in very big, lush clumps. My teacup is held up to a trillium from our woods.A trillium seed may take 2 years to germinate and another 2 years to bloom. Trilliums bloom from April to June. "Picking a trillium seriously injures the plant by preventing the leaf-like bracts from producing food for the next year. A plant takes many years to recover." wikipedia ~This is why my husband is very protective of the trilliums in our wood-land and makes sure our grandchildren all know picking trilliums is forbidden. "Trillium is one of the many plants whose seeds are spread by ants. At maturity, the base and core of the trillium ovary turns soft and spongy. Trillium seeds have a fleshy organ called an elaiosome that attracts ants. The ants extract the seeds from the decaying ovary and take them to their nest, where they eat the elaiosomes and put the seeds in their garbage, where they ( trilliums) germinate in a rich growing medium." Wikipedia Our trilliums start out white, and as the blooms age , the petals become pink, starting out a light pink and ending up a very dark, almost purple-pink.

Trilliums have 3 leaves, 3 petals, 3 sepals. Tri means three,hence the name 'Trillium'. I am sipping mint tea from my Trillium Teacup. Why don't you brew a pot of delicious tea as you read the blogs of the ladies below who love to explore teacups, teapots, and all things tea!

* Pictures of trilliums in this post were taken by me in our wood-land.

Keeping My Teeth Can Be A Real Pain

2011-04-29T13:11:00.000-07:00

This granddaughter is very happy about losing her pretty little front baby teeth. She was rewarded nicely by the Tooth Fairy and is looking forward to her shiny new "grown-up" teeth. I am recovering from dental work done today to hopefully save my "grown-up" teeth and the Tooth Fairy didn't even give me pain pills. OUCH ! My mouth hurts, keeping our teeth can be a real pain. "Every tooth in a man's head is more valuable than a diamond." Miguel de Cervantes

Would You Like Some Tea With Your Turkey?

2011-04-26T00:13:00.000-07:00

My teacup for today is one I especially love. It is my favorite color, a bright and happy blue, with a beautiful rose painted inside. This teacup shouts "springtime!" to me. How can you not imagine the turquoise-blue sky and roses of late spring when sipping tea from this cup? Oh, look...

...one of my baby Midget White turkeys has discovered the teacup !

Here comes Tom, the other little turkey poult hatched from the eggs of the turkeys ( now grown up) I raised last year. Guess these little ones have inherited their parents' penchant for teacups*.

"Hey Tiny, what are you doing?

"Tom, look at this beautiful teacup, I love it! When I roll around and curl up in it I feel like I am back in my cozy egg.You should try it."

"I dunno Tiny, it seems a bit too small for me...hmmmm."

This teacup is bone china, made in England by Aynsley.Click onto any picture for enlargement.

"Tom, Tom? Where did you go?"

"Look at this beautiful teacup,turquoise blue with gold-edged cup and saucer, contrasted with white and the beautiful rose inside( what can I say, these are very intelligent turkeys with extensive vocabularies). Now where is Tom?"

"Here I am Tiny ! The tea pot is roomy, I think it fits me nicely, I hope Kathy doesn't need this pot for tea anytime soon."

Happy tea-time to you. Any time for a spot of tea is a bright spot in our day. If you share your tea- time with turkeys, well...you can't help but smile. Maybe you might even laugh out loud! Either way, turkeys and tea make a heart happy. For more Tea Time Tuesday fun and inspiration check out the links listed below.

If He Had Stayed

2011-04-24T00:19:00.000-07:00

If He Had Stayed

If He had stayed where tender, caring hands had put Him, Wrapped around with linen and aromatic preparations, Stayed enclosed in the cool, dark rock, to sleep on, decayed and forgotten, while eternity rolled away into forever-ness. If He had stayed imprisoned behind the Roman seal, soon to be but another set of bones added to the numberless skeletons bred of earth, If He had stayed down where tradition laid His head, done with sight, and touch, and voice; Oh Beloved ! If He had stayed...excruciating contemplation! Hopelessness behind doom ahead, no gathering here today. Yet here we are, and it can't be said without enough power, not by human voice anyway; No, imagine it ringingly proclaimed by heaven's angelic hosts... ( He didn't stay ) He is risen ! poem by Audrey Yeager

"...and if Christ has not been raised , your faith is worthless; you are dead in your sins." I Corinthians 15:17 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable..." I Peter 1:3

"Before I Kick The Bucket"

2011-04-21T01:16:00.000-07:00

"Before I kick the bucket", my husband's mother said as she was handing out dolls to our granddaughters, her great-granddaughters.

"Before I kick the bucket I want to give away my dolls to my great- granddaughters." She has a lot of great-granddaughters , we are the grandparents of only 6 of her great-granddaughters. She has a lot of dolls too, so each great-granddaughter will be given a special doll chosen just for them. Each doll has a name, and Great-Grandma took time to talk to each little girl about the doll. My husband's mother has collected these dolls over many years and had them on display in a special cabinet in the basement. The dolls are very important to her. There have been a few times over the years we have had scares regarding my mother-in-law's health and on one occasion grown children and grandchildren rushed back to Washington from all parts of the U.S. to visit her in the hospital after being told she was "not going to make it" after a stroke. Well, the doctors were wrong, and often I tell my husband his mother is going to outlive us. It seems she has chosen to give her prized and beloved dolls to her great-granddaughters now, while she can choose just the right little girl for each doll. We know she has given the little girls something precious. The great-granddaughters know this too, because she handed the dolls to each of them after beginning with the words "before I kick the bucket". The day after the granddaughters received their dolls they had a doll tea party, hosted by our daughters' daughters. Click here* to view her blog post about it. "Our days are numbered. One of the primary goals in our lives should be to prepare for our last day. The legacy we leave is not just in our possessions, but in the quality of our lives. What preparations are we making now? The greatest waste in all of our earth , which cannot be recycled or reclaimed is our waste of the time God has given us each day." Billy Graham

Sorrow Becomes Joy

2011-04-17T00:14:00.000-07:00

Our son's 4 daughters were able to travel to this side of the mountains for a glorious week with us and their 4 cousins ( our daughter & her husbands' children) who live close-by. As a grandma who loves to share her faith with them how could I resist spending every day with all 8 of our grandchildren? I decided to have a week long Vacation Bible School here, complete with fun crafts and of course leaving time for the 8 cousins to play together. Our Bible lessons centered on Jesus' triumphal entry on a donkey colt into Jerusalem, His last supper, His betrayal, crucifixion, and resurrection. On the day of the Butterfly Tea party ( previous post ) we watched an animated DVD of this Bible story after we had lunch. Above is a picture of one of our sweet granddaughters' reaction to the abuse Jesus suffered just before His crucifixion.

All 8 of the children ( and we adults too) became very quiet at the animated scenes of His crucifixion , some of the children hid their faces...

...but happiness and relief as we remembered He did not stay in the tomb. He's alive !

I taught Sunday School for many years and over those years I noticed the story of Jesus' death began to disappear from the Sunday School curriculum, instead focusing almost exclusively on His resurrection and the delights of spring time . The crucifixion was greatly minimized and sanitized so as to hold little or no importance at all. One curriculum went so far as to explain that we should not disturb the children with such sadness. I ask you, what then is the purpose or point of our faith ? Where is the hope,miracle, and joy of resurrection if there is no death? (Please know I am not speaking of graphic pictures and descriptions for little children, but a knowledge of the Bible story as it reads). ~"Fifty years ago, when some underground Christians in the church in Germany were asking many of the same questions about the cross, a man who would become a martyr asked, "How could something become cheap which cost God everything ?" Dietrich Bonhoeffer gave his life to remind us that the cross of Christ will forever remain the center of our faith. From the greatest of negatives flow all the positives of our new life in Christ : from conflict, peace ; from pain, healing ;from death, life." ~Michael Card- A Violent Grace "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day; and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations," Luke 24:46,47 "

Butterfly Tea Party

2011-04-11T23:54:00.000-07:00

It might be April, but the weather around here says we are still in winter. Rain, snow, hail, sunshine, and tonight below freezing temperatures. No spring weather for enjoying butterflies outdoors, so we had our butterfly tea party indoors. "The butterfly is a flying flower.." Ponce D. Lebrun All 8 of our grandchildren, our daughter, and my husband's parents will be seated around the table to celebrate being together, with tea, sandwiches, salad,french fries, and angel food cake topped with strawberries and whipping cream. This is a spring time tea with butterflies as the theme. These teacups are so colorful and all sport butterflies. The table is set, simply. There will be 8 children around the table so we need lots of elbow room . The cake platters are ready for the egg salad and tuna fish sandwiches I hung little silk butterflies from the lamp above the dining room table."Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life." Jeffrey Glasskey We gather together to eat and sip tea or hot coco from the butterfly teacups. The grandchildren are of an age where they love to be together and have much to say to one another. There is always a lot of giggling when the 8 cousins visit with one another.How special to be able to share tea time with them, and their great-grandparents, my husband's parents.

My husband's parents seem to enjoy tea parties too, and they brought special gifts for these great-grandchildren, but that is for the next post.

Our daughter pours tea and hot chocolate, filling and re-filling the butterfly teacups.

The colors of this set of teacups are bright and cheery and not too feminine or delicate for the boys at the table. Look at this, froggy green and dandelion yellow teacups.

Sky blue, dark stormy blue, sweet pink, and there is also a pumpkin orange teacup. They go so well with the bouquets of flowers the granddaughters chose from the floral section of the supermarket.How could I resist buying these cheerful flowers to add to the table, especially when the cold weather has stalled all but the bravest and hardiest of flowers ( mostly weeds) outside . The tea party is over, there is more I will tell in another post. The teacups are packed away in their special box. These cheerful teacups are Yedi Houseware Classic Coffee & Tea Butterfly Teacups.* I use them frequently as they make me smile and my grandchildren like them too. Please take the time to visit the links listed below to see other teacups and tea parties, you will be surprised at the variety, creativity, and passion these ladies have for serving tea , sharing their tea treasures, and gracious hospitality.~

" Sometimes , I think, we rush so, we finish a schedule only to make a newer and busier one. We do not,ever, live deliberately and fully, for we haven't time. I know few people who go outdoors now and sit quietly for a couple of hours just looking at the miracle of spring." Gladys Taber ~Take time for tea today. If the weather is kind,sit outside and sip a cup of tea from a lovely teacup or mug while rejoicing in the good things and the lovely things God has given to you and you will be refreshed in body and soul.