Random Musings

a busy Monday

2012-02-12T19:42:00.000-05:00

After my morning gym class, I'll be heading to Duke University to visit Little Miss Emma (she should be finishing up surgery/in recovery by the time I get there...see the Feb 1 post for surgery details) and spend some time with her parents. Prayers have been going up for her doctors, her parents, and her the last few weeks, and will continue to do so as she will be in an extensive cast these next 2 months.

Meanwhile, in my home state, my cousin's daughter Rachel is heading in for round 2 of chemo today. A 29 year old mother of 2, she lost her own Mom to breast cancer not quite a year ago, and her grandmother (my aunt of whom I am just a very stockier, shorter version) to breast cancer several years ago. Prayers going up for her, her husband, her kids, and her Dad and Grandad...so many hurts, fears, and memories right now, on top of the sickness.

Praise going up that Mom has a doctor who isn't happy with simply diagnosing yet another infection, but wants to get to the WHYS of the almost continuous year-round infections. In the same town where Rachel is getting her treatment, Mom will be having an in-office procedure done. Trying to rest in the knowledge that our Great Physician already knows what the underlying problem is, and nothing we learn tomorrow will take Him by surprise.

And later this week, we head to the County GOP precinct meetings. The debate over the NC's constitutional amendment to solidify marriage between a man and a woman is receiving non-stop newspaper coverage and some news media coverage as well. Some of the booths on display at Thursday's meeting will be addressing this very issue. Prayers going up that Christians will show Christ's love and compassion while taking a bold stand for the truth at the same time. I fear if the bigotry, ignorant, and racist remarks are coming out this early, then things will only get uglier as the time comes. And sadly, it's not just those who want same-sex marriage being ugly.

Peace, wisdom, and direction...those requests are going up for my older sister and family as they face yet another round of life changes. So thankful that God is in control even in times of chaos, and so grateful for their gratitude attitude they've had since life went topsy-turvy for them right before Christmas.

And when my day is said and done, there'll still be ironing and dirty dishes. Some things in life never change. :)

I'm H-A-P-P-Y

2012-02-09T15:07:00.002-05:00

That children's song always makes me laugh (because all the kids get tickled and shocked about singing "P-P" together). But today, it fits!

Last year was a difficult year. Through all the different things we faced, I re-gained every pound I had lost over the last year and a half, and then some. The second week in December, I had a wake-up call of sorts. With my husband's support and encouragement, we made some adjustments to our diet. I thought I would never get through the holidays, but I did, and didn't gain a pound. The weight is not coming off as easy as before, but my blood pressure is slowly coming back down (110/82 today!) and I have to keep my mind focused on the road ahead and not the path behind.
I do not enjoy exercise. Never have, and probably never will. But then, I also don't enjoy cleaning the bathroom, but it still has to be done.
Monday I got a phone call from one of my doctors. I was expecting part of the news, but was quite upset to hear the other: she was unhappy with my cholesterol levels (both the good and bad have dropped 10-15 points - good in my book, but the ratios made her unhappy). I felt like the last 2 months had been in vain. The next day I bought a chocolate chip cookie and a Dr. Pepper. The cookie tasted salty and the Dr. Pepper didn't have quite the same flavor it used to have. I wasn't sure whether to be happy or disappointed. I ended up only drinking 1/4 of the drink that day. Today I had a follow-up with my general practitioner, only to find out he is temporarily satisfied with the results. I did get the usual "You've got to be good" lecture, but this time he gave more basic food principles, which I already knew, but it was good to be reminded that I'm on the right path. As for the cholesterol, he said they were still within normal levels and if I continue to eat right and exercise I should be okay.
The coolest thing...seeing the frame in his office today. It's a duotone painting that resembles a child's drawing - a blue tree that has been chopped in half, with a small green shoot coming from the side. Above it is the Bible verse "He makes all things new." (from Rev 21:5) I SO needed that reminder and encouragement today! No matter how frustrating, how hard, or how challenging, with God's help I can do this! And I like the reality that a growth is always smaller than the stem or original product. Growth is small and hard, but that doesn't mean it's not there.
Now if there were just some way to make bread and sweet tea taste bad...

roller coasters

2012-02-08T10:06:00.000-05:00

I'm not a fan of roller coasters. I don't like the way they make my stomach lurch. In my book, that's not excitement.

Emotionally, these last few weeks have been a roller coaster. It reminds me of that song from Audio Adrenaline (which I've never really liked until now):

But unlike roller coasters, he leaves us up. And that's quite cool, even if I don't like heights. :)

upcoming events

2012-02-06T09:57:00.001-05:00

For those of you who weren't aware of this historical tidbit, we are now in year two of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War (or the War Between the States as my husband calls it). Since he's an avid history lover and this is one of the many time periods he enjoys reading about it, I visited the www.nccivilwar150.com website for a list of upcoming events that we might be able to attend.

And I found one that I would interesting, for this next Monday. During all my quilt show forays, I've found a newly released book that has not only quilt patterns but also historical information on how quilts were used in the Underground Railroad. If you like spy stories, you'll definitely find this intriguing.

And while Monday's lecture is not about quilts, it is about a slave escape. An author will be giving a guest lecture at the History Museum (and of course selling and signing her book) based on the story of Mary Walker (who the American girl doll Addy comes from). This is more my type of history lecture. :) Had my history classes been filled with more personal stories and less dates, names, and facts, I might have found it a lot more interesting. It's funny how our tastes change and our horizons broaden as we age.

abiding

2012-02-02T12:25:00.000-05:00

With all the warm weather, I'm pruning a little early this year.
(You can click here for pics on what that looks like.)
Every year when I do this, I can't help but think of the many passages that deal with pruning and vines. But both yesterday and today, this verse kept running through my head:
John 15:4
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

a·bide [uh-bahyd], a·bode or a·bid·ed, a·bid·ing.
verb (used without object)

1.to remain; continue; stay: Abide with me.
2.to have one's abode; dwell; reside: to abide in a small Scottish village.
3.to continue in a particular condition, attitude, relationship, etc.; last.

So many times I have focused on the latter part of the verse, the reference to fruit bearing. But the abiding...it's so simple, but so necessary. I just need to hang out with Jesus, to chill in his forgiveness. My Mom would cringe at that statement. I don't mean it disrespectfully, but just more that I need to simply be at home both Him and IN him. Abide in me...such a simple statement, and yet so profound.

geometry was not my best subject

2012-01-27T11:08:00.002-05:00

I did not enjoy geometry very much in high school, especially the theorems. So my husband is often bemused at my quilting because in many ways, it is simple geometry.

Last week's square (from the link on the left of my blog) which I just finished today.

The corners didn't match up on part of this making it a little wonky.

And both squares together...not too bad from a distance!

And this one is from Bernina's (a quilt store in Raleigh) Saturday Sampler. They provided all the fabric (except the green). Curious to see what next month's pattern will be.

And my goal of finishing the twin size quilt...I do hope to work on it today and some tomorrow, and maybe next Tuesday, but I seriously doubt I'll finish it before January 31...although you just never know.

and back to the grind

2012-01-24T08:06:00.003-05:00

Saturday morning we left early for Huntersville (a small suburb of Charlotte). We had a two purpose mini-vacation: for Bobby, visit the church his niece/nephew are starting, for me...shop! Ever since IKEA had its grand opening in Charlotte I've wanted to go. I think the Charlotte area is just a cool place to shop anyway, but other than a trip to Concord Mills with some friends a few years ago I've never had that privilege.

On the way, we started seeing signs for THE Depot...largest antique collection in the south! We joked about how most antique places advertise in a somewhat similar manner, and I made the comment, "Wouldn't it be cool if we could stop?" Then it hit me: we COULD stop. Normally when we travel, the drive is long and time is short and we only stop for absolute necessities. This day, our drive was short and time was ours. So stop we did. And I am SO glad we did! We probably spent about 3 hours in this cotton mill converted into an antique consignment shop. At one point Bobby hesitantly said, "If you really want to go to IKEA, we probably ought to head on." I told him it was okay if we didn't fit IKEA in on that trip. When all was said and done, we did manage to go to IKEA, spent about an hour there, and that was more than enough.

IKEA...is not my kind of store. I liked the concept on the showroom floor...displaying how their products can be used in a tiny apartment or space for maximum usage of space (although such spaces are not conducive to wheelchairs, strollers, nor crowds). I think a store like that would do great in a place like China where the apartments are less than 700 sq ft. If you like avant garde or modern-style furnishings, then this is definitely the place to shop. If you like sturdy, traditional furniture that might one day survive to be in an antique shop, avoid this place like the plague. I will say their kitchenware stuff (utensils, cutting boards) were very decent prices, though there's not multiple choices in types or brands (except in the dishes) and for things like toddler beds and such they seemed sturdy. The place was crowded; the parking lot reminded me of Christmas. On top of that, they have a MAP with arrows pointed on the floor showing which way the crowd is to walk. That bugged me. Bobby liked it, as with the huge crowd it made it a little easier to all be going the same direction. Except this is America, where people almost never follow directions. All the international customers were following the map; the Americans were going wherever, causing some chaos in the narrow aisles with their strollers and Bobby's wheelchair. So between the crowd, the inability to just browse, and the design of the ceiling and things being stacked up way over your head, I started feeling a little claustrophobic, which has only happened once before in my life. It wasn't a pleasant feeling. I finally told Bobby we needed to leave the showroom and go downstairs to the market place. That was much better, much less constricting, but still crazy. The craziest part was trying to find a way out. The ONLY way to escape that store is by getting in a LONG line to go through a check-out lane. I guess they expect everyone to buy something. I don't think either one of us have any desire to head back to this store, which is funny, considering that is the one store I really wanted to visit.

But come April, when things hopefully slow down a little bit, if anyone wants to make a day trip to an antique store, I'll gladly go. :)

project 2

2012-01-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

I had three goals for this month: conquer the ironing mound, crack ALL the pecans, and finish the quilt I started last August. Numbers one & 2 are done! :) Number three, well if I finish it by February 1 I will consider myself very, very successful. (And yes, this is the quilt I was going to finish in September, October and December of 2011).

Pecans... About 15 years ago my father-in-law noticed that there were small trees sprouting throughout the fields, courtesy of Hurricane Fran. He wasn't certain, but he thought they might be pecan trees. So he started mowing around them. At least 7 of those are on our property. The first year we were married, I came home on day and walked straight into a stick! I looked, startled, and we had 6 sticks sticking up in a semi-circle across our back yard. I went aside and called Bobby. He laughed and said his Mom had called him at work, saying his Dad and Uncle were planting pecan trees at our house. I was a little startled. The next time I saw him, he asked me if they had planted them in the right place. I smiled and nodded, thinking "And what would you do if they weren't? Dig them up, which would kill them?" For the record, they were artistically placed. Not too close to the house for when they are full grown, and also nicely spaced for shade and still giving us a decent yard in the back.

Since then, I've learned several things. There are many types of pecan trees. Like most fruit or nut trees, there has to be more than one type planted for cross-pollination. Pecan trees take 10-15 years to reach nut-bearing maturity.

Three years ago we had our first "crop" and it was pleasingly a decent sized one. The next year, about 1/3 of that. BUT, we learned that is common with nut trees. Every other year is supposed to be a decent crop year. I had 3/4 a peck bucket, and them Bobby was able to get a grocery bag full from someone at work. I never got around to shelling them. This year, we had 3/4 a peck bucket again. I was determined that ALL of them were going to be shelled before the month was out (and get them out of my laundry room and hallway!)

I had forgotten when we had to replant some of the trees that died we went with 2 additional variaties. I know that one is supposed to be small, but I hope they do grow to be bigger than the smallest one here! It's only twice the size of my smallest fingernail! We had some that were wider than the others, the normal size, and then skinny, unusually long one. And no, other than Cape something and one started with a B, I don't remember the names.

And while I shouldn't be thankful for this, the 2011 bucket (the bag on the left) was 70% bad. That made shelling go much faster. Between extra weights at the gym this week and 2-4 hours of shelling a day, my arms are tired!

one of my favorite hymns

2012-01-19T11:33:00.000-05:00

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed (as a kid I thought it was tempted-n-tossed)
When you are discouraged thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings; name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Count your blessings; name them one by one.
Count your blessings see what God has done.
Count your blessings; name them one by one.
Count your many blessings; see what God has done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care.
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings; every doubt will fly.
And you will be singing as the days go by.

Count your blessings; name them one by one.
Count your blessings see what God has done.
Count your blessings; name them one by one.
Count your many blessings; see what God has done.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold.
Count your many blessings money cannot buy.
Your reward in heaven nor your home on high.

Count your blessings; name them one by one.
Count your blessings see what God has done.
Count your blessings; name them one by one.
Count your many blessings; see what God has done.

So amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged God is over all.
Count your many blessings angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end.

Count your blessings; name them one by one.
Count your blessings see what God has done.
Count your blessings; name them one by one.
Count your many blessings; see what God has done.

Sanford quilt show

2012-01-17T09:35:00.005-05:00

Last Friday my mother-in-law and Bobby's Aunt Doan went to the quilt show in Sanford, NC. There weren't as many vendors as last year, but we still had a good time. Here is one of the quilts they had on display. The closer I looked, the more impressed I became. Mary Booth is always telling me that cutting is not only the first step, but is also the most important step. Boy does this quilt illustrate that! While Mary means that if you don't cut your pieces out correctly the blocks won't sew up correctly, the way these pieces were cut out and placed totally changes the look of the quilt. Yes, planning HOW to cut is just as important as the actually cutting.

The Quilt. Circular patterns have always intrigued me. Notice every circle is the same pattern.

A close up of a circle. Notice how the flower on the leaf is cut in almost exactly the same spot, creating a design?

Same pattern, same fabric, but by using the tail of the leaf, it creates a totally different look. Love the starburst in the center.

Again...same pattern, same material...totally different look! Not sure if I like this one or the first one the best, but it certainly got me thinking about placement of fabric within a pattern!

Maybe perhaps possibly?

2012-01-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

IF I work really hard, I think I can conceivably finish at least one of my current projects by January 18th. That means I can start another one. :)

Starting Wednesday, January 18th, Fresh Lemons Quilts is having a five week quilt along. Every week she'll introduce a new quilt block, along with instructions and links that help teach you the technique for that block. It's like taking a quilting class, except it's in cyberspace. Even if I only make 5 blocks (which is 1/5 of what you need for a full size quilt), it'll still be five blocks I've made while learning a new technique. AND, I'm not buying new fabric, but am using what I already have in my stash.

I'm doing something similar with a quilt shop in Raleigh. They have this program called "Saturday Sampler" (It's the fourth item listed under the NEWS section on their homepage.) Basically you buy one kit for $5. You choose a class time (from 4-5 time slots) where you sit through an instructional session on how to make the block. You have one month to go home and sew the pieces in your kit into that block, and the next month you take the completed block back and receive the next block kit free. IF you don't finish the block you have, you can pay $5 to get the next one. I'm a little excited by it.

And hopefully my next post will be showing at least one of 2 finished household projects that I'm working on.

it's not helping!

2012-01-13T10:49:00.001-05:00

I will not start a new project until I've finished the two I'm currently doing..
I WILL not start a new project until I've finished the two I'm currently doing.
I will NOT start a new project until I've finished the two I'm currently doing.
I will not START (does this mean I can just think about one) a new project until I've finished the two I'm doing.
I will not start a NEW project (but can I work on another unfinished one?) until I've finished the 2 I'm doing.
I will not start a new PROJECT (may I should just say it's an activity) until I've finished the 2 I'm doing.
I will not start a new project until I've FINISHED (define finish) the 2 I'm doing.
I will not start a new project until I've finished the TWO (I've completed one, shouldn't I always have 3 going?)
I will not start a new project until I've finished the two I'm doing....

Sometimes resolutions just stink.

the runaway bunny

2012-01-10T15:22:00.001-05:00

Once there were two rabbits who lived in a cage.
Once a week they got to visit the great outdoors for exercise.
But one Saturday they decided not to return to their place of living. Every time the big bad human moved to catch them, they hopped. Fast. The big bad human would sit very still, tempting them closer. They would come, put their front paws on her jeans, then before she could blink, they would flip 180 and hop away. They spent the night in the big outside world. And the next morning, there was only one rabbit.
The big bad humans surmised that poor little Sally must have been eaten by an owl. There were no holes that she could have crawled out of, and there were no signs of a struggle. It had to have been a bird that swooped down in the night and took her away.
Sunday went by, then Monday.
On Tuesday morning, this what the big bad human saw:

Sally has hopped in the garage. She's hopped up and down the front ramp to the porch. She's hopping all over the front yard. But she will not hop back into her cage.
She is a runaway bunny. :(
Meanwhile, poor little Thumper sits all alone.

my swiss cheese education

2012-01-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

I can't say that if my school had it in a book I learned it. Far from it. I hated history, tolerated science, and wasted way too much time writing silly poems and letters to people. But I have realized that much of what I do know comes from books and not real life.

For example, my senior year of high school, my younger sister and I had the glorious (depending on who you ask will determine which adjective is used there) opportunity to work together. After a pay day, while we headed to the bank (in the next town), and my sister who was not yet driving pointed out a car, called it by name, and said "I wouldn't mind getting one of those one day." I was flabbergasted. My littler sister could recognize a car's name just by seeing it? Then she asked me what kind of car I wanted. Other than wanting one that didn't stall at stop signs and didn't require one foot on the brake and one on the gas to keep it running during such times, I really didn't care. Perhaps that is why I had never really paid attention to cars. But I felt like there was a whole chunk of life I was missing out on that she had caught.

It happened again in college, as kids from more advanced high schools would discuss current literature and newspaper articles. I felt totally lost, as if I were a child in a grown up's world. When I came home one weekend, my brother wanted to know exactly what I planned to do after college. When I told him I would live overseas and learn about other cultures and how to best tell them about Jesus, he harrumphed and told me I needed to learn my own culture first. That night he introduced me to a world I never knew existed - the race track.

And twice in the last month, it's happened again. I know that I don't see colors the same way other people do, and I never had the advantage of art classes growing up so am ignorant of the art fundamentals others know. But while showing a quilt to someone and while taking a quilting class the other day, both people talking said "Oh, it's in jewel tones." (one talking about the quilt and the other talking about material being used) I was clueless. Jewel tones? I understand the "spice colors" in quilting (greys, browns, blacks) and "earth tones" but jewel tones? I am SO out of the loop! Perhaps that is why I think brown and black match perfectly (but have been informed by a cousin, a niece, and a friend on facebook that they don't). I can simply chalk it up to another hole in my real-life education and go on with living.

I'm just a walking slice of swiss cheese. :)

a thousand years = yesterday

2012-01-09T10:43:00.001-05:00

Psalm 90:4
For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

As a child I never understood this verse. The older I get, the more I comprehend how quickly time passes. Just this last week a friend commented that Disney's Arial/mermaid story is not classified as a "classic" or "antique" because it is officially 20 years old. WHAT? I remember when that came out! I was in college and we watched it in the dorm lounge and laughed because one of the girls had the poster up in her room and the residence hall monitor made a construction paper top and covered Arial's top half during room inspections and that was...20 years ago. Sometimes it still seems like yesterday.

And in the midst of all this reflection, I read Genesis 5 that talks about Enoch/Enos (depending on the translation) who "was not, for God took him." I've read that many a time, heard several sermons on it (Side Note: my favorite from age ten, hearing Connie Carriker's sermon at the Alabama State FWB meeting, where he was doing high kicks back and forth across the stage and pumping his arm with every point, and never missing a beat while yelling: "The Russians have their cosmonauts, the Americans have their astronauts, but we Christians should want to be the WASnots!" On the way home I told Dad that man was WAY fatter than him, so why didn't Dad whoop and holler like that while preaching? It would be much more exciting. My Dad just replied "Hhmmpph.") but as a child had always pondered why it was such a big deal to be taken at such an old age. Reading that passage through this time, along with a historical footnote or two about other historical documents (non-biblical) that dealt with the longevity, the flood, and the decreasing life spans, it made me realize that Enoch's life ended 1/3 earlier than most people. That would be like a 20 year old dying today.

Years ago when our friend Will died, a senior in college, our church grieved and hurt like nothing I had ever seen. It didn't help any that he was an only child. That pain is still very poignant for those who were very close to him, though nowhere near like it was. I remember the questions, the shaking of heads, the tears...such a fervent,Christ-filled life...suddenly gone...and so young! And yet, that was the way it was with Enoch. It suddenly gave me a different perspective on Will's death, as well as the death of 7 year old Lydia Byrd. Don't you think Enoch's friends and families felt the same way, even though he had lived many years? But God took him because "he walked with God." Even if I live to be 100, I hope my name will not be listed with just a date and the fact I had no children, but that my life will be so extra-ordinarily different that people will have to make note of it.

My mother-in-law made the statement recently that a long obituary really isn't necessary when a person dies, for people who know you will remember greatly how you impacted their lives and won't need to be reminded. I agree with her point. The things I remember about people are usually not what is mentioned in the obituary, but I also remember how important it was for me to have a clipping of my grandparents' obituaries in the paper. It was like learning about a secret life they had that I didn't know existed.

When I look at the time perspective, I'm certain the things I pester God with day in and day out seem like the petty whining of a child: it will all be irrelevant in a few years, which to him is just the blink of an eye. Which makes me wonder: do angels travel through time?

off with a bang

2012-01-04T13:59:00.002-05:00

What's the next best thing to actually DOING a project? Making plans for one!
There are TWO quilting events happening this week that I hope to participate in. One of them is a quilt show (where you go and dream and drool and clean most of the cash and cards out of your purse before you go), and the other is actually a lecture/demonstration at a quilt shop. After the lecture, if I decide the quilt pattern is something I like, then I can pay $5 for the pattern. At the end of the month, if I bring the completed quilt block into the store for the next lecture, then I get the next pattern free. At the end of the year, there should be enough quilt blocks pieced to add a border and make a decent-sized quilt. I may get there and decide that it's not something I wish to pursue.
BUT, last month on the way to the church's ladies' Christmas party, I got lost and found a fabric store in Clayton that I did not know existed. Since I was running late, I didn't stop and see if they were still open or what their hours were. And since then, I had forgotten about it. Today while meeting with old colleagues (two of whom are fellow quilters), one of them mentioned this shop. She had recently discovered it as well, and found out that is 2 years old. While their website isn't overly impressive, I was quite pleased with their pictures and class offerings. Hooray for new places to shop and dream! :)
And speaking of quilts, my latest is now posted on the quilt page.

I am my mother's child.

2012-01-03T10:22:00.000-05:00

I am my mother's child.

I like things organized.
I start to clean something, and get sidetracked.
It's very simple.
The Christmas wrapping paper needs to be put away.
The closet where it goes is a mess.
So you stop to clean that closet.
In the process, you have to take out the trash.
While taking out the trash, you stop to feed the chickens.
The chicken house needs a little cleaning, so you stop to do that.
When you finish, you gather the eggs and head to the kitchen.
In the kitchen you realize the Christmas dishes need to be put away.
One of them is dirty in the sink.
So you wash dishes.
And then it's time for lunch.
At lunch you see the bills on table and go to put some of them in the mailbox.
On the way to the front door and the mailbox you see the open closet.
It still needs to be cleaned.

Sometimes I am amazed that I ever finish anything.
And I cannot comprehend why adults do not like Laura Numerhoff's books. They are definitely a reflection of my life.

I'm in a hurry.

2012-01-02T17:23:00.001-05:00

Today while running errands, we came out from a store to find a lady had parked 1/2 over into the wheelchair lines beside our parking space. Had it been just 1/4 of the way over, I would have tried to lift Bobby's chair up over the edge of the ramp. My neck and head (which have hurt the last 2 days) were thankful that was not an option today. This place is fairly busy and has a lot of teen drivers, so it's not one of those parking lots where I feel comfortable stooping over and attempting to correctly use the van's hand controls to back the van out and pulling the lift down. I headed inside to Customer Service with the make and tag number and a request to page the owner. Would you believe the girl didn't want to do it? "We only use the paging system for missing children and elderly." I responded (a little but huffily) "You have a customer in a wheelchair who cannot leave because someone has illegally parked." The manager came up about that time, and she gladly paged the person. The lady was nice about it, moved her Tahoe without speaking to Bobby, then got out and said "I'm in a hurry."

I understand being in a hurry. I really and truly do. But she obviously has NO CLUE how many times we've been forced to wait (and usually in inclement weather) because people are always in a hurry and park inappropriately. They have NO IDEA what it's like for everything in life, even the simple act of getting in a van, to take longer than normal because of a wheelchair. They are clueless that getting up in the morning, or eating, or shopping, always takes longer with a wheelchair and paralysis. We have even less available time than the average person. So when an able-bodied person tells us "I'm in a hurry", I want to throw something at them.

It's a very good thing that God did not put me in charge of earthly punishments. Being the vindictive person that I am, I would punish every idiot who has ever parked illegally in a handicap spot or zone with two months of paralysis. I'd like for them to see how important and necessary those spots, and especially those striped "wasted spaces" truly are.

And that's my soap box for today.

a holiday wrap-up

2012-01-01T18:56:00.000-05:00

the finished project (my birthday puzzle)

and the cool non-straight borders :)

We got a new surprise this weekend! One of our youngest hens laid an egg! She wasn't supposed to start laying until spring, so we were quite surprised! (it's the tiny one on the left). Can't wait to see if she lays any more!

Sally and Thumper

We took advantage of the warm weather and put the rabbits out for some exercise. The chickens were most curious, and at one point we had almost all the birds around the old dog pen checking out the new animals.

Thumper taking in all the smells and sounds.

jigsaw puzzles

2011-12-30T11:31:00.001-05:00

One of my favorite things about being with family over the holidays, is the ability to work jigsaw puzzles with people who love the insanity as much as I do. (Well, my siblings do complain about the ones I bring, but they've yet to start bringing other options so I think they secretly love the challenge.) Last night at my mother-in-law's house I looked at my watch at 8pm, and then when Bobby said we needed to go and I looked at my watch it was almost 11pm. I was totally flabbergasted.

Tonight will end the last of our Christmas celebrations, and a small part of me is ready to get back to a routine and normalcy. The other part of me feels as if this holiday season has been one emotional roller coaster and I would love a check-out time from reality and life to just emotionally recharge. And yet I know that life, like puzzles, work best if you take small breaks but keep working toward completion, even if you do feel like you're the missing piece (that your brother stashed in his pocket and took home until the next day) and nothing is ever correctly finished because of you.

Meanwhile, I'm not sure which I like best: borderless puzzles, or puzzles with countless objects inside the picture. We've done both the last two weeks. Straight color scenes/backgrounds continue to be my non-favorite. And if I ever get our last bag unpacked, I might actually post pictures of some of our holiday projects.

packing

2011-12-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

Every time I pack for a trip longer than two days, I can't help but hear my nephew's voice as he helps unload the van..."This is like moving!" Oh dear one, you have no idea just how much stuff your Aunt Monica has!

But it does sometimes feel that way. Clothes (both church and everyday), medical supplies, Christmas presents, a bag of things to do/read on the way...it adds up fast! And this time there's the extra unusual things: a rabbit cage, a huge bag of food & bedding. Needless to say, our little van is often full!

This trip will be one of the two we've made in the last 12 years where I've NOT been overly stressed or exhausted before leaving, and I'm looking forward to it. Traveling is so much easier (in my mind anyway) when I'm not already exhausted before we even leave.

So tonight I'm rejoicing that this trip has the potential to be so much easier, and that 38 is FINALLY over! Broken bones, overcommitment, pain, disaster, I bid you adieu!

a birthday story

2011-12-23T08:00:00.001-05:00

What do you get when you combine Christmas caroling in the back of a pickup with a very pregnant deacon's wife?

Me.

They say the other deacons and the pastor followed the trail of hay to the hospital.
Somehow they convinced the nurse to carol in the nursery with "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear".
They claim I screamed through it.
I'm still not crazy about that tune.
The words, however, are lovely.

I don't miss that story being re-told every year at church. Some things are worth hearing just once or twice.

cookie bake

2011-12-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

This last Saturday afternoon Mary Booth and I had the privilege of having a "cookie bake" with the girls from the oldest Jr. Church class. (Kimberly had already left by the time we started the photo shoot.) We had a good time, even if I was exhausted when it was over. :)

This is one of our two mishaps. My Mom's recipe calls these "russian tea cakes" and they are a very caky-type sugar cookie. There was a miscommunication on which container had flour and which had powdered sugar, so we wound up with almost 5 cups of powdered sugar in this recipe. :) Needless to say, they were super-sweet, a tad chewy when they came out of the oven, and next to impossible to get out of the pan. None of the girls wanted them. By the time they cooled, it was impossible to get them out. Thankfully Mary had the bright idea to soak the whole pan, cookies and all, in hot water. After a few minutes, the whole sheet came out. We had a good laugh over it. Note to self: next year label all containers.

Gingerbread man.

And a plate of cookies I saved for Bobby.

My favorite comment of the day: "Let's make these cookies REALLY big, so if Mom says we can have one cookie we can obey but have what we want." When I went to get the pan, I realized they were NOT joking! One chocolate chip cookie recipe only made about 12 cookies. Yes, these girls know the meaning of supersize! :)

Mary suggested next year we bake gingerbread and sugar cookies in advance, and then just have a decorating party (we didn't have time to decorate anything). I'm thinking that might not be a bad idea.

May your holiday baking days be joyous and filled with laughter!

the NC Governor's Mansion

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

My camera batteries died while were at the Open House, but here's what few photos I did manage to take.

This pic is a little blurry, but the eagle supported tables in one of my favorite things in the Governor's Mansion.

The first tree you see upon entering.

And a close-up of the dogwood flowers that adorned it.

The stair case has always impressed me, even though it's heavily masculine-looking. I know such detailed work in wood was not easy to do during that time frame, so that makes all the ridges even more impressive. The finials at the end of the staircase have Raleigh's oak symbol craved into each side, and for some reason, that always makes me think the staircase resembles nutcrackers.

From the NC room...(again, sorry for the blurriness) a wreath made from dried tobacco leaves.

The mantel in this room is covered in dried flowers and cotton balls. Notice the North Carolina trees below instead of the poinsettias that graced the rest of the mansion?

And the table centerpiece...made from an Apex bakery, the gingerbread house is in the shape of a tobacco barn (and looks like wood!) and is placed on top of a burlap (tobacco) bag.

Not sure of the schedule, but various school groups were singing (and they sounded good!) A new group was coming in to look around before singing as we were leaving.

The poinsettias were HUGE...the largest I've ever seen. At first we thought there were several plantings in one pot, but it wasn't. This is ONE plant.

I hate I missed getting photos of the dining room and front room. The dining room was done in an apple/lime green color. They had those tall cylinder vases all along the table, filled with assorted green ornaments, then the next one would be a different type of green ornaments, followed by green apples. The mantle there was also decorated in the same shade of green. The front room also had a huge tree (matching the other tree in height) but was decorated in majestic colors of gold, silver, purple, and mauve...very ornate.

Oh! I forgot the sunroom....it's tree was covered in ornaments made by children of parents serving overseas (the ones stationed at Ft Bragg and Camp LeJuene). It was very patriotic, bright, and cheerful.

And outside? Next to the entrance/security gate was a winter-garbed tree (void of leaves) covered in red ornaments. I told Bobby that must be their Charlie Brown tree.

If you've never been to the Governor's Mansion, you can either schedule a tour or watch for Open Houses in the spring or at Christmas. I think it's something everyone would enjoy. Granted, you don't get to see the actual living corridors upstairs, but it's still quite impressive.

the Wicked Chicken Auction

2011-12-20T09:10:00.000-05:00

Every one in a blue moon we head to a small town called Wilson's Mills, where the Calamity Jane's store has a Wicked Chicken Auction every Sunday afternoon. Bobby's geese (we have 4 females left) have started fighting lately, something they've not done in the ten years we've had them. Even the chickens and rooster get upset and try to separate them when it happens. So we headed to the auction in hopes of finding a male goose. They actually had a goose that matches ours, and when the held it up before the bidding started, I was unable to see the tell-tale pouch (females have a saggy bottom on one side after they've laid eggs). We got the goose for a VERY good price, got home, and realized it was a GIRL. On the bright side, the four original geese are now so busy trying to keep away from the new goose that they are forgetting to fight.

While there, someone had brought in several boxes of 6 week old animals. Every pair had gone for at least $2 (some as high as 25), so I laughed and told Bobby I was going to bid $1. I did, and the person behind me bid $1.50. I thought I was out of the running, but after I turned from laughingly saying something to Bobby, the auctioneer pointed at me and asked for my number. I NEVER in my wildest dreams anticipated bringing these home, but we now have them. Bobby's now threatening to return my birthday presents since we have our new "pets". The first night they slept in the brooder box, and yesterday afternoon I got them a cage as we'll most likely take them to Alabama with us. After we got home last night, I fixed their cage and brought them inside. They keep us up most of the night. And now that Bobby has left for work, they're calm.

I have a feeling I may be in BIG trouble when we get to AL. 8 of the 10 items on my niece's wish list were animals. One of those animals was a rabbit. If it weren't for the fact I want to keep the relationship with my sister happy, I'd put two ribbons on this cage and two tags with the names of her two children and stick it under the Christmas tree. But I have this strange feeling that we might not be quite so welcome at their house if we did that.

At least life is never dull.

a happy exhausted

2011-12-15T16:53:00.000-05:00

For those of you who don't live near us, the property adjoining ours was sold about 6 years ago to our county for the purpose of building an elementary and a middle school. The town of Garner denied the building permit on the elementary school because of a political issue, then politics got VERY ugly around here with the school board getting a Republican majority that behaved very rudely and the NAACP came in full force and responded just as rudely back. Numerous lawsuits and newscasts later (plus a downturn in the economy), the plans for both schools are no longer even listed on the county's website as future school sites. Meanwhile, the county has leased the land to the city of Raleigh as a place to dump storm debris (trees and such) from government locations during the next five years. Our discussions of "what we want as a fence" on the property line stopped being discussions and are now 95% reality.

After evaluating prices and dreams, we finally ordered trees from the National Arbor Day Foundation. Granted, these are seedlings, so it will take at least 5-10 years before they actually look like real trees, but we were able to order ALL of them for the price of one grown tree from a local nursery. The downside? We have to do the work. Needless, to say, I'll be barely moving at the gym tomorrow (if I make it all!).

However, and here's my happy dance coming:

Our property line now consists of 6 hydrangeas, 6 forsythias, 6 crapemyrtles, 4 dogwoods, 1 Japanese maple, 1 smoketree, 1 sassafras, 6 rose of sharon, 1 red maple, and a weeping willow.

5 giant steps away from our property line is 16 southern magnolias (for a natural fenceline) with 10 red cedars on the way. I figure if the county is going to take their time about building, and their "buffer zone" between us and the school was only going to consist of 4 dogwoods and some shrubs, then I could spend $20 and help them out and plant trees in their buffer zone for them. By the time they ever get around to building/or selling, I should have a semi-decent tree/privacy fence in place on the buffer zone they promised in the plans. And if they tear it down, I'll only have lost $20 and one day of my time.

If every thing lives, I should have cool pictures in the spring! :)

FYI: And if you ever wondered, chickens are almost as bad as dogs for digging in the spot you just planned.

use your imagination

2011-12-12T12:26:00.003-05:00

I'm at the public library where the computer screen tilts down at you in the most unfriendly fashion and am REALLY missing the comfort of my home "library". We fried our internet modem Saturday, so it will be Thursday, at the earliest, before you can expect any more posts. I had planned to upload a few pics from our trip to the Governor's Mansion Open House on Saturday, but that will clearly have to wait. Meanwhile, I expect to get quite a bit done this week without the lure of checking e-mail biting into my free time. Hope your holidays are moving according to schedule and that you are remembering the reason we celebrate like crazy. :)

strange gifts :)

2011-12-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

I have an unusual sense of humor.
Last year Bobby got a gift that was hysterically funny.

Even funnier was his almost-a-vegetarian niece's facial expression when she found out he actually ATE it. :)

I won't tell you what it REALLY was. You'll just have to wonder. At least until after Christmas.

the most shocking Christmas book

2011-12-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

Skipping Christmas by John Grisham has to be the craziest, most thought provoking, and insane Christmas book I have ever read. It's short. It's not a legal thriller or a "call to reform the justice system" as many of his books are. It's simply about what happens when a modern American family who celebrates Christmas in the traditional American way decides to skip Christmas. Literally.

Like anyone who's ever seen a show on hoarding suddenly decides to clean house, this book will totally flabbergast you into evaluating what you do that is and isn't important about the holidays.

a blow-up Frosty for your roof, anyone? :)

my favorite Christmas book

2011-12-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson remains my all-time favorite Christmas book. Yes, it's a child's chapter book, but I've not found one to beat it. I found a movie of the book, but we were very disappointed in it. It was made in the 1980's, and I thought the script writing was lame, especially after seeing the Garner Towne Players Youth do a great production based off of this book a few years ago. Evidently, a media group started making plans to write a screen play based off of the book last year, but there's been no word yet as to where or if it will actually be remade. So meanwhile, I'll just continue to read the book every year.

I'm actually getting my Mom a copy. My niece, who is 7, is the angel in their church play. While learning her lines and finding out that she "suddenly appears", she has become convinced for the play to be realistic she MUST be dropped from the ceiling somehow. According to her, everyone knows angels do not just pop out from behind a curtain. She's now on a mission to figure out who is "in charge" at the church so she can get help in being dropped from the ceiling by a rope or bungee cord. Seriously. When I heard this, it reminded me SO much of this book! If you've never read it, I challenge you to do so. You'll never view children's ministry, Christmas programs, or the Christmas story the same way.

searching

2011-12-05T08:00:00.001-05:00

Last Wednesday night our church looked at Psalm 139. I've read and known many of these verses most of my life, but have never really broken them down into a contextual analysis. Needless to say, those verses have been on my mind A LOT since this past Wednesday.

A few of the reality checks that brought them back to mind: a blog friend who is fighting cancer mentioned that one of her Thanksgiving praises was also her Christmas wish: more time with her family.

And yesterday, I received an update on a fellow believer, an imprisoned pastor. He was thankful for being allowed an extra 5 minutes every month with his wife. Instead of the allotted 15 minutes a month, the guard was letting him have 20. And this past month, they let him see his wife and small child from behind bars where he could actually semi-hug his son instead of only seeing them through glass. And why is he in jail? He preached and practiced God's Word in a land where it is illegal.

So in the midst of the craziness in this holiday season, while I'm fighting headaches and more pain than usual, these were very poignant reminders of just how quickly and easily my priorities can slip out of focus.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.

my favorite Christmas movie

2011-12-03T08:28:00.000-05:00

I love Schulz's Peanut gang, and there's nothing better to capture the total American spirit of Christmas than this movie. It gives you the misplaced priorities, the funny scenes, the hyped emotions, out of control Christmas programs and the simple reminder "That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown." There's one or two Christmas movies I've never seen that I hope to watch this year, but I have a hard time foreseeing anything replacing this one!

Christmas memories: Santa Claus

2011-12-02T07:58:00.000-05:00

I don't remember ever believing in Santa Claus. I know we never sat in his lap. (Walker County didn't have a mall until I was in middle school!) I know my parents weren't opposed to the notion of Santa, as many of our presents were signed "from Mr. and Mrs. Claus" or "From Santa & His Wife" but I never believed. Maybe because I recognized Daddy's handwriting, maybe because I knew Santa used the same wrapping paper as my parents (or maybe because my little sister found the hidden stash of presents EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR). But I do know by the time I was in middle school if any of my siblings joined me in making a gift for Mom and Dad, we would sign it "From Santa's elves".

One Christmas I watched my brother-in-law set things up for his girls, and I asked him if he needed help wrapping presents (a lot of the gifts were unwrapped under the tree). He looked at me like I was crazy and said "Santa doesn't wrap his presents. He doesn't have time." I was a bit discomforted at the level to which they took the whole Santa thing, but like a good aunt, I would just listen. When my nieces asked me if Santa was real, I borrowed my cousin's example and replied, "What do you think?"

I think if we had our own children, I would probably be like my parents and let them know about Saint Nicholas and the myths, but I don't think I'd push it as something true that required letters and such. My first year in China, when we had an open house so our students could see American Christmas decorations, almost every group of students would have someone point to the wooden nativity and ask which one was Santa. It was quite sad. Seeing how people the world over know about our beliefs in Santa Claus but not our beliefs in Jesus really bothered me. To this day, the only Santa in my house are two small tree ornaments. Reindeer, snowmen, bears...yes. And I recognize this is a very personal decision and I certainly don't have a problem with anyone else having Santa decorations, but it's just not for me. My husband was laughing at me yesterday asking just how many nativity sets I was going to use to decorate with this year, and found it funny that I forgot how many I had. But that's a post for another day. :)

a Jesse tree

2011-12-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Jesse Tree was created as a response to Christian parents who want their child to fully grasp the meaning of Christmas: the whys and hows of Christ's coming. I have a family member and many friends who do it yearly with their children, and there may come a year when Bobby and I do it together. Who knows?

Here's what I've written about the Jesse Tree in the past: http://burdenbearer.blogspot.com/b/post-preview?token=HoxC9TMBAAA.MCwjFX8qWGdgwYFe5whHWQ.Q9okP5lCGwGtxJL71Q9WdA&postId=7400376427115699136&type=POST

And if you're interested in starting this Christmas devotional with your child, this website has free devotionals and ornaments. You do have to subscribe to either her blog or to have it e-mailed to you, though.

Let the Christmas posts commence! :)

NaNoWriMo

2011-11-30T03:35:00.001-05:00

National Novel Writing Month officially ends tonight at midnight. Yesterday I received an e-mail telling me I need to validate my final word count. Because I've signed up in the past, I still get e-mails from them, even though I'm not participating. For one brief, crazy moment, I wondered if I dropped EVERYTHING and did nothing but write for 24 hours straight, could I complete 50,000 words and still post. Of course, the answer to that is a big, fat, resounding NO!

I seriously considered participating this year. I even mentally tossed around plot ideas for different books. But seeing as I'm downsizing in other areas, I decided that the month of November probably wasn't the most prudent time to tackle such an assignment. And I have no regrets about that decision.

So while I won't have a novel rough draft to in my stash by midnight tonight, I do hope to have all my Christmas decorations up and all props for Sunday's Christmas play near completion. For me, that will be enough success.

checklists

2011-11-29T10:33:00.001-05:00

I'm a checklist kind of girl.
In college, one of my friends complained that our conversations felt like I had a list of things in my head to ask, and we simply jumped down the list. Sadly, many times that was the case. I was taking too many classes and working too much, and there simply was never enough time in the day to get everything done. I lost most of my neatness-freak characteristics during those years.
Yesterday was one of my checklists days, where I didn't have things down on paper, but I do have a huge mental list of things that need to be done this week. And last night when I finally crawled into bed, I was very happy because a lot of those things were mentally checked off. Yeah, I'm weird that way.
But day planners and written checklists don't work too well for me. I figured out how to cheat. :)
It's simply, really. You have this list staring at you, and at the end of the day, many of them are STILL staring at you because you simply don't want to do them. But you can't end a day where it looks like you've done nothing. So you quickly write down all the things you DID do, and cross lines through them. After all, no one is superwoman and can accomplish EVERYTHING. And you got a lot done, see? So all the un-finished things simply carry over to the next day, and the next, and the next. Some people call that procrastination. I call it an unfinished checklist.
So if I don't post pictures of my Christmas tree by the end of next week, you'll know it simply came off of my checklist. :)

reminiscing

2011-11-28T16:38:00.001-05:00

Today I've been thinking a lot today about my maternal grandmother.
She was married to an abusive alcoholic.
She was a Christian.
She stuck with him to the day he died.
When she met Bobby, I remember her telling him that she was miserable until the last 7 years of marriage. Then her Pug (never did find out how he got that nickname) became a Christian, and those last 7 years were the sweetest years they ever had.
One of her sayings was "Love is not a water faucet that you turn on and off."
We were the same height, and I fear have a lot of the same personality characteristics.
I don't know why God blessed me with wonderful godly examples and the family he has, but I am truly blessed beyond measure. I hope I can leave behind half the legacy that she did.

a day of rest, a day of work

2011-11-25T19:09:00.001-05:00

Thursday found us up early (after a very late night!) and headed out to be with family. It was a great day, and I enjoyed playing with my great nephews (the nieces were a tad occupied). When we got home, I got to talk with 2 of my 3 siblings, and then we headed out to "black Friday" shopping...a first for both of us. We were home and in the bed by midnight, with only minor complications. (Some idiot decided to play with Bobby's van; we had to take two parking spaces since there were no handicap spots available; thankfully everything was fixable.)
This morning we were up and at 'em at our normal time, and I was very pleased with the amount of work we accomplished today.

holes dug for property line seedlings coming soon

and the hole size

outdoor nativity set up, minus light

my new nativity window clings

Christmas tree #1 is up...the nativity

More early shopping in the am, then family stuff, and Sunday we head back to the normal routine!

a note

2011-11-22T11:34:00.001-05:00

Dear Squirrel,
I'm sorry I laughed at you yesterday morning when you almost fell out of the tree. Your gymnastic feat was truly quite amazing. When the tip-top outermost branch you were on started to fall downwards and you began stretching and clawing at the air, I thought for sure you would have to grasp at the branch below. When you instead flipped upside down and started climbing the underside of the limb, I was most impressed, even if I did laugh.

I see you've been enjoying the pecans. That's nice. We like them, too. So would you PLEASE stop throwing the remaining 3/4 of the nut you've already nibbled to the ground below? It's not very appetizing to pick up a wet shell that has the top eaten off. Why don't you bury that one in your holes? I'd leave those alone if you did.

There's already been talk of acquiring a dog or a cat by a member of this household. I'm not in favor of the proposition.But if you don't behave a little better, there may not be an option. I really don't care to find your tail on the doorstep. That has happened to some of your relatives in the past, you know.

This world is nutty enough for everyone, but you have to share more than just what you've already chewed.
Just thought you'd like to know.

little stuff

2011-11-18T20:52:00.001-05:00

Fisher Price toys....I love them. They were my favorite as a kid, I delight in watching the toddlers in the nursery at church play with them, and I was thrilled to find two almost complete sets at a consignment sale today (for Christmas presents). The Noah's Ark was missing half of its animals, but I was able to find them plus some extras at a store online. :)

Quilting...it's fun, but I'm finding I love it when one of two things happen: 1) it's a crazy quilt and there's no pattern to worry about it, or 2) there is a pattern that tells you EXACTLY what to cut and HOW to sew the cut pieces together. I'm working on a baby quilt for someone, and the "easy" pattern I chose is missing some very vital instructions. Let's just say my bear currently has one arm, one leg, a belly, one ear, and one cheek, though not all connected.

Hammering...I've spent several hours the last few days pounding at the outer shells of black walnuts. While it's messy on the fingers (my thumbnails are stained black), there's something quite satisfying about the smashing the smothereens out of something and finding something worthwhile inside.

Coldness...we've had "mild" winter weather this week (several mornings of heavy frost), but several of our trees still bear leaves. We've still got a LONG way to go before the depths of winter, but somehow I find myself looking for daffodil shoots, as if it's mid-January. Perhaps I really am mental.

And last, but certainly not least...I am so blessed to be married to my best friend and to walk this life journey with him. I had to wait a long time to find him, but he was clearly worth the wait.

one of my weird favorites

2011-11-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

I don't know what is, but almost anything you're drinking tastes better with this:

Last year Kohl's had a machine on clearance (and I had a coupon) that will crush ice. I was so excited about it, and one of the kids (not sure if it was a relative or a friend's kid) gave me one of those you're-so-old-are-you-crazy-or-just-plain-out-of-touch looks and said, "Why did you buy a machine instead of just getting a new refrigerator?" Why, indeed.

But regardless, if you want to feel better, just add crushed ice to your drink. :)

pumpkin rolls

2011-11-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

I tried a new recipe this past week. I want to experiment with some spices as it didn't have quite the flavor I was expecting, but the texture was good.

And I was a tad surprised by the powdered sugar. The loaf absorbed it while in the refrigerator instead of accepting its "dusting". This is one of those recipes I would only use if I have time when I'm working around the house (it took me a little longer than the recipe said).

You can see the recipe here. What do you do with your leftover Halloween pumpkin?

a crazy time of year

2011-11-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

This year we're not battling beagles for pecans: we're battling crows and squirrels.
We've read every other year the trees are supposed to bear well.
This was supposed to be a good year.
It's not.
I know my father-in-law planted two different types of trees in the yard 12 years ago, but I was amazed at the difference in the nuts:

and just to emphasize how large and small they truly are, I stuck an average size nut between them:

I guess nuts, like people, come in all sizes.

update

2011-11-14T13:47:00.001-05:00

today's update is on my quilt page. :)

while I'm waiting

2011-11-10T08:48:00.000-05:00

I will move ahead, bold and confident
Taking every step in obedience
While I'm waiting I will serve You
While I'm waiting I will worship
While I'm waiting I will not faint
I'll be running the race even while I wait.

Several years ago this song came out for the movie Fireproof. For the longest kind of time I only associated the song with the movie's theme (marital problems and selfishness), but yesterday some of the words came to mind while I was waiting to hear a response from a friend. I am so much like a child on Christmas Eve. I think the world is going to end if Christmas morning doesn't come soon, and I can hardly focus on anything else besides what I want. But life doesn't stop. At one point this song went flitting through my mind, and I realized how appropriate it was for EVERYTHING. No matter what I'm waiting on - an e-mail, a phone call, situations, exciting events - my job to praise, serve, worship and persevere continues. It seems such an oxymoron to be waiting for something but be busy at the same time. But I'm finding that's one of the best antidotes to not worrying and becoming anxious. It re-focuses me on what is important and what I CAN do through Christ. And that is freeing, indeed.

my new jokes

2011-11-09T11:39:00.000-05:00

During the slow elections yesterday, one of the polling places I had to inspect shared a "Joke" a voter showed them. I found it VERY funny and shared it at another precinct. The poll workers my age and older really liked it. The college kid Chief Judge stared at us like we had three heads and DIDN'T FIND IT FUNNY NOT ONE LITTLE BIT. Although, I don't think he had quite recovered from the shock that grown-ups were carrying around change when I started telling it. Either way, I'm sure he had a lot of crazy stories to tell his whipper-snapper friends when he got home. (But I was very impressed with the job he did and his seriousness and energy toward the job.)

Look closely at the penny. Check it out slowly. Ready?

What is its smell?

(It's just a plain cent). hahahahahahahaha

Think carefully.

What fruit is this?

(Oh, come on! It's a pear!)

Don't give up! You know this!

What three animals are here?

(Watch out! Three copperheads!!!)

And last but not least...

What four cars are here?

(Seriously! You don't see four Lincolns?)

If it makes you feel any better, both Bobby and I missed all four questions, too. :)

conversations from yesterday :)

2011-11-07T09:09:00.000-05:00

Me: Good morning! How are you today?
Girl: Great! Guess what happens to me this week?
Me: I have NO idea! What?
Girl: I have a birthday. I turn six.
Me: Six. Wow.
Girl: And then guess what happens the next day?
Me: I don't know.
Girl: He has a birthday. (pointing to her friend)
Me: (looking to her friend) And will you turn 10?
At this he laughs hysterically and the girl gets indignant: NO! He turns six, too! Looking to him, But since I turn six the day before, I'll be six and a half when you turn 6.

Me: Did you tell Mr. Bobby about your big week?
Mr. Bobby: What happens this week?
Br: I'm having a birthday! to BW, Then I'll be six, too! I'll be 6 AND taller than you!
BW: Well, I still be 6 LONGER.
Me: Did you know that my little sister AND my little brother are both shorter than me?
BW: Some people are just born that way. I'm 26 seconds older than my brother, so I should be WAY taller, but I'm not. It's just the way we're born.

the big question

2011-11-04T08:00:00.000-04:00

13 years ago last night I came home from work, tired as usual. I started supper, then went to work on grading essays, knowing that report cards would be going out soon. Bobby arrived after work like he normally did. The chicken was VERY dry, and the vegetables weren't all that great, either. After supper I dumped the dishes in the sink and he watched election results while I continued to grade papers. During one of the commercials, he asked me to get my calendar and see when would be a good time to head to South Carolina and see my parents. The closest date was around Thanksgiving. That didn't thrill him. He kept wanting to know why we couldn't shift some things around and go that weekend. I kept looking at that non-shrinking stack of essays and wondering where on earth his head was.
After he realized we weren't arriving at the same destination, and he told me to look in his wheelchair pouch. There I found a ring box, and it was already sized!!!
I promptly made arrangements to visit SC that Saturday, but I wore the ring the rest of the week (even though we weren't telling my parents over the phone!) The next morning at school one of the teachers spotted it between classes, and the news spread like wildfire throughout the school. My tenth graders wanted all the details, and they were more than a tad disappointed. They were totally convinced I was the most unromantic person on the face of the earth when I told them to get out their grammar books.
"But Miss White, HOW can you teach GRAMMAR when you're so much in love and you just got a ring?"
I don't think my answer of "I'm thrilled, but life still goes on." impressed them too much. But that night, before Wed night church, we headed to our favorite little hole in the wall, Eldorado's (which was then on 401) to celebrate.
And my romantic husband always remembers this date, and we almost always go there to eat on November 3rd now (even though it was actually the 4th when we ate there) to remember the night he popped the question.

a snapper

2011-11-03T10:06:00.001-04:00

While cleaning out e-mail this morning, I found a picture my sis-in-law sent after one of their summer NC visits. My niece, who wanted to throw away the worms and save them from their tortuous fate of being stuck, live, on a hook, and then swallowed by a fish, was the fortunate/unfortunate one to hook the huge snapping turtle. Everyone was excited by its size, except her. She cried. The poor thing had a hook stuck in its throat. The "poor thing" doesn't actually look that big in the photo, but you have to remember, this was taken with a camera phone with no zoom lens and from up on the pier. I don't think she'd be crying "poor thing" if she knew how dangerous these creatures can be, or had seen them demolish a baby goose. Regardless, with its heavy weight, it snapped the line before we could get it near the shore.

I'm thankful this thing is not my pet.

2011-11-01T13:45:00.001-04:00

My new wonder drug. Took away my sinus headache and helped me breathe better, too! :)

chow chow

2011-10-31T08:21:00.001-04:00


DISCLAIMER: Seeing as I'm having a puny day, I didn't actually photograph my jars, but found a picture online that looks like mine.

The purpose of chow-chow is to use up all your vegetables in the garden before the first frost. It is basically a relish, and can be made of whatever raw or unripe leftovers you have. You can make it hot and spicy, or you can make it sweet, or vinegary. I've seen recipes use green beans, cauliflower, broccoli...you name it. Below is the recipe I used.

Ingredients:
Onion (I used 1 red and 2 yellow, though my base recipe called for 10 green onions)
Green peppers (which I also had some orange peppers I used as well)
1 cabbage
1/2 c canning salt
1 T celery seed
1 1/2 tsp tumeric
2 T mustard seed
6 c sugar
4 c vinegar
Green tomatoes

Chop or shred all your vegetables, and mix with canning salt. Let stand overnight. Rinse and drain well. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Heat until it boils, stirring occasionally. Put in jars. Seal. Place in canning bath for 10-15 minutes (once boiling).

I did discover after I was finished that many people use pickling spices in place of the seeds and tumeric. That might have been the cheaper way to go (although I already had the celery seed on hand). I sampled little while I was jarring it, and was pleased with how it tasted. Reminded me of what the ladies in the Cordova church used to make, and was a small reminder of my childhood. My family ate relish with peas (black-eyes or pink-eyed purple hulls), though I've seen people ate church gatherings eat it with collards, or cornbread, or even meatloaf. I suppose like any food, it's all in how you like it.

salt

2011-10-28T07:55:00.003-04:00

Sometimes I think my high school teacher was right: we really do live in pockets of ignorance.
Yesterday, while reading various chow-chow recipes, I kept coming across this ingredient: canning salt.
Now, I know there are different types of salt:

iodized table salt - what I use
non-iodized table salt - looks the same, but without iodine in it or on the box
sea salt - which comes from the sea, looks like little rocks and is very popular in France
kosher salt - which I've only seen and heard of, but have no idea how salt could be clean or unclean
and rock salt - which is absolutely necessary for making homemade ice cream :)

So while I was at the grocery store, I looked, and sure enough there were boxes of canning salt. According to the box, it's best used when canning vegetables. For some reason the salt is absorbed better and doesn't discolor the veggies nor sink to the bottom of the jar. I decided to google it and see what more I could learn, but after reading one page decided I have no desire to be a salt connoisseur.

And now I'm curious: what kinds of salt do you use or prefer?

for every thing there is a season...

2011-10-27T14:44:00.003-04:00

This week has had a lot of season changes.
For our church family, as we faced a sad, but necessary decision. For every thing there is a season...
For a friend, as she heard unwelcome words that sometimes love is a choice and any marriage is worth fighting for...a time to love, a time to heal, a time to cast away stones...
For a Christian acquaintance, who bid her 7-year-old daughter farewell...a time to die, a time to mourn...
For an old roommate who is grieving the loss of her triplets 13 years ago today...a time to be born, and a time to die...
For a Christian blog friend, receiving bad news with a 2nd opinion...A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance...
For my garden...a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.

For something I didn't plant this year, my voluntary watermelon vine did quite well. Better than the vine I DID plant last year, actually. The three smaller melons aren't ripe yet, but seeing the low temps coming the first of next week, everything in the garden got picked or mulched yesterday.

And I'm trying something new this year. Instead of waiting for all these green tomatoes to ripe/rot, I'm trying my hand at a pickle-dish called "Chow-chow". Growing up the older ladies would sometimes sell this at bake sales or give us a pint at Christmas, but I never knew until this year it was a way to use up last minute items from the garden (when there's not enough to put away but you don't want it to go to waste). We'll see how it turns out.

I'm finding the passage of Ecclesiastes 3 especially comforting these days. As the vibrant colors of summer give way to the decay of fall and the marvelous temperatures (and brighter night skies!), I'm amazed yet again at just how relevant (and timely) Scripture is to our lives. For EVERY thing...how cool is that?

essence of insanity

2011-10-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

You walk into the bathroom, and the toilet lid automatically lifts, playing music while the touch screen comes on. It has a seat warmer, a bidet with dryer (a sprayer that will wash you and then with the touch of the screen turn into a hair-dryer like apparatus to dry you), it requires occasional re-booting, has no levers, and is rectangular in shape. It also costs over $6,000 (just verified on the website...it's currently on sale for $4,000). To read more about this contraption you didn't know you needed and absolutely can't live without, here's a link to the article in yesterday's paper: toilet review.

full speed ahead!

2011-10-24T08:39:00.001-04:00

the ever-growing stash

glow sticks from Mr. Hanks

candy and treats

the gun

the ammo: foam with suction cup "darts"

the not quite finished turkey

Friday is coming.

Last 2011 State Fair post...(unless I go back!)

2011-10-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

Drumroll, please! :)
Even though I didn't finish my quilt in time to enter (but am already planning what I want to do for next year!), here's my personal favorites from the best exhibit of all times: quilting!

Geometric designs are becoming more and more popular, especially as more men enter the quilting field. I love them!

This quilt captures three of my favorites: country living, landscape, and a silhouette. Notice the tobacco leaf in the corners, and the detailing of the tilled soil. Someone spent a LOT of time on this. Very deserving of its yellow ribbon (not sure what place that makes it).

Stars aren't my favorite pattern, but I absolutely adore the colors here! The checkerboard/striped border adds to the playfulness, and reminds me of the Eric Carle line of fabrics. (He's the Hungry Caterpillar author and illustrator, for those not familiar with the name.)

A very elegant black and white pattern. I recently had a request for a black and white quilt, so this especially caught my attention.

HARRY POTTER! and DETAILS!!! two of my many favorite things!

Almost all the books had titles machine embroidered on the spine. I can't even begin to fathom the amount of time spent piecing, appliqueing, and planning on this quilt! This quilter earned their Blue Ribbon!

A star pattern I actually like - the diamonds and squares seem to set enhance the design, and I love the colors.

Again, a landscape quilt, and one that clearly earned its ribbon!

Duotone quilts aren't all that common, but they always make a splash. This one clearly deserved its place among the Best of Show!


Another black and white in a pattern I think is marvelous!

Lord willing, next year, the 2012 NC State Fair will be hanging one of my quilts! :)

NC State Fair, part 3

2011-10-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

The following pics are a mixture of exhibits from the Hobby & Crafts contest entries and the 4-H entries:

For Kimberly, who loves fairies:

A close up of a fairy with her mushroom...don't you love the acorn hat and leaf wings?

Steps lead up to the pebble path and mailbox.

And the walnut wheelbarrow with tiny vegetables...

And the fairy in front of the grape vine porch and pebbled pool.

An origami dragon..too cool! I think this was in the youth division, but I didn't look to see what age range.

The Temple of Heaven from China...one of my favorites! It was positioned too far away to read the tag, but I'm assuming adult level.


Not sure if this is a wood carving or a stone/clay work. Either way, it makes me think of Lord of the Rings!

I hate we didn't make it to the vegetable exhibit. One of my neighbors won the blue ribbon (2nd year in a row!) and set a new state record this year for his giant watermelon. He's already prepping the soil for next year's crop! Way to go, Todd!

NC State Fair, part 2

2011-10-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

Cake decorating...one of my many favorite "must see" exhibits at the fair. Here's some of my personal favorites, though I don't think I saw any that weren't nicely decorated.

From the 4-H youth division...LOVE the creativity here! I've heard of 'possum cakes before, but never a porcupine!

One of my favorites...This cake is one of the two that looking at it makes you feel elegant!

And this is the other elegant cake. While I know they probably used the machine fondant cutter, it's still a lot of detail and time on the lace and ribbons!

And I had to take this one for my family...you'd never know it was a cake!

Look at the details! Who from my generation doesn't love the Smurfs? Makes me want to sing La-la-la-la-la....

Gorgeous fall basket. The baby with the apples behind it seemed to mix too many themes for my taste.

Absolutely gorgeous...but how would you cut/eat it?

And for the pirate lover....fabulous! Lots of detail here!

So this wraps up the end of one building (which we thankfully walked through while it was raining outside)!

state fair, part one

2011-10-19T11:14:00.001-04:00

While I didn't see half the exhibits I normally see while visiting the fair last night, I got to eat twice as much as I normally do! ;)

Lydia, my friend who likes to pose in crazy positions with food, eating her traditional chicken pita wrap.

And my special treat for the night...gator on a stick! No, it didn't actually look like this, though it did taste a lot like chicken! :)

Would you believe that ALL of these are cupcakes? I got the hotdog one (center). The bread is actually the cake, and the dog and icing are chocolate icing and yellow-colored buttercream icing. Not only was it cool looking, but it tasted good, too!

To help cut costs (and save our appetites), several of us split items, giving us the opportunity to try more things for less money! My new fair favorite...mozzarella sticks. I had tried them once in a restaurant and wasn't too crazy about them. But the one I had at the fair was absolutely wonderful! Deep-fried macaroni and cheese...don't think I'll try that one again, though it wasn't bad. But I did try a bit of Lydia's deep-fried snickers bar and was surprised...it was good! I might even consider replacing the Amish fudge with that next year.

And while the following picture isn't food we ate, it's food related so I'll show it here:

Carroll and Lydia with the hot dog statue. :)

the freedom to try

2011-10-18T08:50:00.000-04:00

I recently ordered Chris Baty's No Plot? No Problem! (He's the creator of National Novel Writing Month.) I absolutely loved the opening:

The era, in retrospect, was very kind to dumb ideas...In a more grounded age, my novel in a month concept would have been reality checked right out of existence...We were in our mid-twenties, and we had no idea what we were doing. But we knew we loved books. And so we set out to write them.

Later on in the book he addresses the very reason why the month-long, do or die, mentality seems to work for writing the first draft of a novel. And I found the following paragraph quite thought-provoking:

In the workplace, the emphasis on professionalism makes great sense. No one wants to have his or her cerebellum doctored by a dilettante brain surgeon. But the the emphasis on mastery has certain unseen psychological ramifications on the rest of our lives. You'd think, for instance, that this workday obsession with competence would make our weekends a refuge for floundering forays into uncharted territories. But what do we do when we have free time? The tried and true activities we've already perfected.

Sometimes I think those of us who grew up in evangelical households had the Biblical emphasis of "Whatever your do, do it with all your might." and "Whatever you do, even eating or drinking, do it all to God's glory." driven into our psyche to an extreme. We are so afraid of giving something second-best to God that we often fail to try new things (as if our Creator wouldn't love our whole-hearted attempts).

I used to marvel at my older sister, who was never afraid of anything. Sometimes it aggravated me because she would tackle things she had absolutely no experience in. Many times she had good degrees of success. Sometimes she shrugged and chalked it up as a learning experience. But she NEVER quit trying new things. The older I get, I find myself adopting a few of her mindsets. I laugh when people say I'm talented. I'm not talented. I'm just stupid enough to keep trying new things. Some of them I laugh and leave behind. Others I pursue with a passion.

I've not totally mastered the concept that the learning process (trying things) is not irreverent, but I'm getting there. The emphasis is doing MY best, NOT being the best, and recognizing God gets the glory for all of it. And that is freeing, indeed!

time travel

2011-10-17T13:45:00.000-04:00

When my husband was five, the church he grew up in celebrated their 100th anniversary.
This past Sunday, at the age of 56, they celebrated their 200th anniversary.
Confused?
He was, though some of the materials and the historical play offered the explanation for the time travel forward/backward (however you want to look at it). Evidently, when an older member passed away, she had a box of papers she had saved from the church over the years, and the family gave it to the church leaders. Included were minutes from the early 1800s. In light of the information, the church decided to celebrate the time it was originally started, and not the time the first building was put on the current property.

Here's some tidbits you might find interesting:

The church was established sometime between 1805-1811 as Wake Bethel.

1825-1859    Men had to sit on one side of the church; women on the other.
1849             First missions offering to send a couple from Apex to China.
1859             4.5 acres donated for the present site of the church, and the new building was called New Bethel.
1861             A $20 gift was given for the spiritual benefit of Confederate soldiers.
                     Church resolution admonishing members to not partake in "frolicking" (dancing) or to have such activities in their homes.

1864             Licensed their first preacher, a black named Turner.
1865             Church roll (male members only) consisted of 34 slaves and 32 whites.
                     Sherman's troops shot the church en route to Raleigh. (The front door with a bullet hole was    saved and made into door frames when the church was remodeled. The shattered window and framing were unsalvageable).

1873 After a disagreement over use of church property (refusal to build a schoolhouse on it), the freed slaves withdrew and established their own church, Juniper Level Baptist. (So this would be 8 years after the war)
   William J. Bryan was excommunicated for attending a dance.

1891             Purchased an organ and started singing classes.
1912             Approved to have both honey and bees removed from the church building.
1915             Motion made to buy new well buckets.
1917             Due to church growth, voted to add more posts for horses.
1927             Church building was wired for electricity at the cost of $30.45
1929             Gave their old hymnals to the new First Baptist of Garner.
1930-            Depression Years...Church was turned to face the East, renovated from 1 room to 9 rooms, and the pastor asked members to set aside a portion of their crops to help pay for it. Baptist Sunday School Convention was held at the church, and due to lack of funds, everyone was asked to bring their own dippers so they wouldn't have to buy paper cups.

1953             Appointed the first ushers.
1954             Began clearing trees for a cemetery.
1961             Church split, with 50 members withdrawing to start Turner Memorial Baptist Church.
1963             Installed a baptistry.
1965             Locks installed on the church doors. Bobby remembers this (he was 10) and was HORRIFIED that a church would even think of locking its doors to keep people out.
1975 First pew cushions!

The more recent items were things that don't sound so unusual for us, but the above, while routine matters at the time, made us chuckle! The funniest part was when during the play a teenager read the part about "frolicking". You could tell by the look on his face just how crazy he found that! Makes me wonder what people will 100 years from now will think about our church minutes!

still waiting

2011-10-14T12:11:00.002-04:00

Toward the end of last year we encountered a problem never had before: no medicine. I have to hand it to Target Pharmacy at White Oak...they did everything in their power to find it. The pharmacist was calling the manufacturing company herself twice a day (instead of going through Target headquarters), and ultimately started calling pharmacies in Wake and Johnston county until she found one that could fill the order. We've had insurance issues before, but never unavailability problems. A few months later we read a news article that hospitals were running out of certain medicines and having to tell patients to either switch drugs or stop treatments. We were a little alarmed, but then every month his refill was available...until now.

I am so thankful for a pharmacy and its pharmacists who go above and beyond the call of duty in trying to find needed medicines, and I'm a bit puzzled as to the manufacturing "backlog". If the reports are true, then I'm thankful contaminated batches are destroyed, but it also makes me wonder why in 30 years this was never an issue, but suddenly contamination is such a problem that it prevents medicines from being delivered to where it's needed most. Is this a result of people not taking pride in their work or jobs and being lazy, or is there something else going on?

We'll never know. So meanwhile I keep praising God for two pharmacists who call with daily updates and persistently seek solutions.

and life moves/grows on...

2011-10-13T15:37:00.002-04:00

Hawk & Eagle as babies (except then we called them Chip & Dale)
Easter 2011

and Eagle grew up to be a true Easter Egger, laying blue-green eggs.

and because she kept hiding her eggs, we had to incubate a batch.

And here are her babies now.

all but one huddling as a buzzard flies overhead.

and cornered in the pen by their Momma and aunt, whom they don't know.

design lines

2011-10-12T13:44:00.000-04:00

20 years ago, if anyone had told me I would be a person to seek out "designer" things, I would have laughed in their face. And now twice in the span of one year I have actively sought out fabric by a certain designer. Who'd a thunk it?

One of my new favorite designers is Leann Anderson. During the Quilt Carolina! Stash Dash, I found a fat quarter (a small piece of fabric measuring 18"x22") of the most adorable Christmas fabric I have ever seen.

I recently went back to the shop to see if there was more in the line (many quilt fabrics have 4-6 matching prints in a design line), but the owner said other than the print above it was sold out and they had been unable to re-order it. I did get the name of the design line "The Great I AM" and googled it today.

The designer is Leann Anderson, from Iowa, and she has an entire website. I am most impressed! After seeing the entire fabric line, I hope to get some projects done and finalize a pattern in my head so I can order some material! And yes, I recognize I never finish projects in the time frame I hope so this could take a while!

Too bad I don't have a small kid...her creation series is cute beyond words!

So now my secret's out...

timing

2011-10-10T12:14:00.000-04:00

My sons, do not be negligent now, for the LORD has chosen you to stand before Him, to minister to Him, and to be His ministers...2 Chronicles 29:11

In 3 hours I go on call and begin my "work" for the next 2 days. Since 2004, I have worked with the Wake County Board of Elections. After the first two years, I went from a general worker to the "Help Table" (meaning I got to deal with all the non-traditional voters....names not in the poll book, unregistered, lost, etc). I actually enjoyed that position. Then last year they asked me to step in as Coordinator while someone was on leave. In theory, it was for one election. Tomorrow will be my second election in this capacity, and I'm still a tad uncertain how I feel about it. It's one thing to follow step A, B, and C on a laptop with a phone by your side and a private number to dial should you have any questions. It's another thing entirely to drive from place to place and check out polling sites and assist workers with any problems they have, sometimes re-training workers on the spot. I'm praying I feel more confident and competent than last year when the phone starts ringing at 5:59am tomorrow.

Confidence...it really makes a difference in how we do our jobs. I've been thinking about that a lot lately, as North Carolina is gearing up for one of its most controversial and divisive election campaigns ever. For those of you not from NC, we have a marriage amendment on the ballot in May 2012. The rhetoric has already started, though the NC Values and Christian community is being somewhat silent. This last week I've seriously been thinking about ways I can be involved in doing my part. I am very concerned about the infringement upon religious liberties, and I fear that if we continue to be complacent and apathetic to the unscrupulous world of politics then within ten years we will find ourselves facing a quandary of openly serving God or being persecuted.

We all have areas in which God has enabled us to serve. I'm challenging you to join me in praying that God will directly show you how you can best serve Him in our ever-changing world. Our areas of service seldom look the same as another person's, but that doesn't make it any less vital. I'm looking forward to seeing what God has in store for us.

not close, but pleasantly coming

2011-10-07T23:03:00.002-04:00

Quilt update:

My crazy animal quilt is not going to the NC State Fair. And I'm okay with that. Even after taking out the mistakes and feeling like there was potential for the quilt, life and time simply got in the way. I was afraid I'd feel disappointed if I didn't make the deadline, but realistically I know it's not a feasible task. AND, quilting is my hobby. It's okay if a hobby project has to be temporarily put aside.

I have learned a few things in the process. One, the opinions and advice on sewing with invisible thread are all over the place. (And if you want your husband to wonder about your sanity, ask him a question like, "Do you know how hard it is to take out invisible thread?") Some quilters say "don't use it". Others say "it's okay to use on top but never in the bobbin" (the thread that goes in the bottom of your machine). And some quilters say they use it in BOTH, but you have to play with the tension dial on your sewing machine quite a bit. 1/4 of my quilt did just fine with it on top and bottom. But then my sewing machine went absolutely ballistic. I spent more time UNquilting than I did quilting. I spent two days with friends on the Carolina Stash Dash (redubbed Quilt Carolina! this year) garnering information on the various types of sewing/quilting machines out there. I asked a lot of questions. The next week I did what all mature hobbyists do...I started quilting a different section with different thread. And my machine has worked like a dream 90% of the time.

SOOO....now that my machine is working again, I'm on to lesson two. And that is the press and seal Glad wrap that works so wonderfully as a sew-over template on LARGE, open patterns, is TERRIBLE for small detailed work. Oh, it still sews over just fine. But removing it is the problem. My poor little corn stalks will take several days just to remove all those little pieces from the leaves and ears of corn.

And speaking of patterns, I'm now in the process of learning lesson three. It's not enough just to have cool backyard bandit fabric. I wanted to quilt the varmints' footprints over their window openings.

So I found this online, pulled it into photoshop to make multiples on one sheet of paper for my template, and quilted one window. I like the fact that it doesn't overshadow the really cool fabric, but it doesn't quite have the pizzazz feel that I wanted. There's this thing called continuous line that is common in machine quilting that I didn't use, and now I'm wondering if perhaps I should have. But not to worry...there's 23.5 windows left to experiment on.

My target completion date is the end of November, though I hope to have it done much sooner than that. Meanwhile, I'm excited. It's far from state fair status, but I'm very pleased with how it's turning out, I'm learning new techniques, sorting through my thoughts on the machine that is best for me and my needs, and having fun in the process.

My mother-in-law is right. Quilting ain't what it used to be. And personally, I'm quite thankful for that.

a general update

2011-10-06T08:18:00.002-04:00

My sister, after dealing with the loss of husband's job and their home (with only one month to find a new place to live...gotta love/hate "ministry" jobs), now has a new rental place, my bro-in-law has found a job serving as an interim nearby... now she has a broken knee cap.
Our stupid economy...this whole Wall Street protest, while it has its merits, is both stupidity at its worst and democracy at its best. I'm more than a tad angered. I'm tired of people not willing to work and expecting the government or others to bail them out, while I'm also frustrated with business leaders (should we insert the KJV term "Masters" here?) who do not think/treat their employers as fellow brothers. We have found the enemy...and it is us.
Melissa, mother of 2, and future church planter to TX, found out that chemo did not shrink the tumors and is now heading back for more. It's bad when it's someone you love or an old person, but when it hits a young person with small children, my heart cries out "why?"
One of my closest friends from HS whom I had lost touch with, shared that she had lost a child in 2004. The anniversary of his death on the football field is next week.
I've had three good friends lose parents in the last four months. It's hard figuring out ways to let them know you care without re-opening wounds.

I know that my Redeemer lives...and that makes today, with all its turmoil and jumbling thoughts, the day that He has made, worth dealing with.

an evil plot

2011-10-05T12:08:00.000-04:00

Scenario A: In a desperate attempt to make me do laundry & housework, someone has replaced the motor in my sewing machine with an old, run-out part that makes it run slower and slower and smell bad.

Scenario B: Because I told one too many people "I am going to enter this quilt in the State Fair" God decided I needed a lesson in planning (James 4:13-17) and therefore my sewing machines is finally in its last throes.

Scenario C: Oil? As in maintenance? You mean dusting out the parts and changing needles isn't enough? I have to OIL the thing?

Scenario D: There are always hurdles thrown into any good plan in the last lap. I just need to kick it up a notch and figure out a way to make this happen!

Scenario E: Acknowledging the inability to accomplish a task is failure. Failure is a part of life. Failure is not always a bad thing. We can't chop out part of life just because it doesn't sit well with us.

Today is Wednesday. Tomorrow & Friday are doctor appointments, half of Saturday is a BOE work day, Sunday church, and then Monday is the last day to turn in the quilt. I think it might be time to concede defeat and at the fair make plans (Lord willing) for 2012.

heartaches and happiness

2011-10-04T16:13:00.000-04:00


Heartache- seeing this much open space that used to be a hill full of trees and houses Happiness - seeing this many cars turn out, more than I ever remember, for the Homecoming Parade. Yes, Cordova is STILL a community!

the Long House, built in the late 1880s. Crews are working in hopes of restoring it, though after seeing the sides, Bobby wonders if it's even possible. Even more heartwreching (besides the fact a classmate of mine from high school used to live there), is that the view of this house should be obscured by the Methodist church, now demolished.

The "Pig" (Piggly Wiggly), which was a Son's Supermarket when I lived there, was where I had my first official job. FEMA says it's in a 100-year flood plain, meaning the town's only grocery store will receive no assistance if they decide to rebuild.

While happy my town finally erected a monument to honor its fallen, it made me VERY unhappy to see it still in pieces 5 months after the tornadoes. I wanted to find some tubs of crazy glue and put it back together, at least until it can be replaced. I recognize finding people places to live and restoring homes and businesses are top priority (and still an on-going process), but couldn't we at least pick up these pieces?)

The library...and now at this point the tears are rolling.

The drugstore where all the rich kids went for ice cream after the pep rallies
and where the old men went to drink coffee and read the paper in the morning.

The old devil ain't what he used to be...much smaller head and no costume on the bottom!
But...he has a much cooler pitchfork than he did two decades ago.

Rural areas...being a school superintendent is a BIG deal and worth riding in parades! Of course, he is a Cordova native.

New from a previous decades, teachers walk in the parade! Here is the current CHS principal, Kathy Vincent, dressed as Minnie Mouse. Mrs. Vincent was my HS typing teacher, and a Christian who truly cared about her job and students.

Definitely new to CHS--girls' volleyball! Back in the day, cheerleading, softball and band were the only activities available for girls.

It was great to see that Cordova's Fire Department was well stocked with firetrucks after losing 4 of the 5 engines in the spring tornadoes. The "new" trucks might still bear the names of other towns, but they are present and functioning. The fire chief, on the left, is Dean Harbison, and a former band buddy. He's helping co-ordinate the recovery efforts.

What's left of the Hardware store where my Uncle Charlie worked.

A new and pleasant addition to the press box.

All but one of the classmates who showed up Sat night. We actually had a few others at the game Friday night. It was so good to catch up. So much has happened in everyone's life, both good and bad. We also lost a classmate 10 years ago.


And classmates with spouses and friends. It was a wonderful night and fun weekend.

Football Friday

2011-09-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

Pictures will come next week.
Tonight, I will join classmates of 20 years ago at a reserved section of a football game.
I will cheer and clap.
But I will go home happy, regardless of the outcome. I'm weird that way.
Then tomorrow, we will all meet to talk and catch up, eat dinner, and....watch football.
That's what happens when you live in Alabama.
Go Blue Devils and Roll Tide!

here we go again

2011-09-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

This time last week we were en route to Alabama for Aunt Margie's funeral.
Today we are making the 12 hour drive once again, but this time for a high school reunion. Bobby semi-joked last week while meeting 3/4 of the White clan that he at least knew a few people, but this week he wouldn't know anyone.)

So what do I do on a 12 hour drive?

Sleep
eat breakfast
fix the radio for Bobby
sleep
restroom/gas break
fix the radio for Bobby
sleep
read
talk
sew
fix the radio
threaten to drive
sleep
lunch
read
gas/bathroom break
sew/and or sleep
bathroom break
arrive

What occupies your time while traveling?

oh.my.word.

2011-09-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

If you visit http://wral.com and scroll down to the bottom of the page where it says "strange news" you will be startled and shocked beyond belief. Seriously. And for those of you who like warnings: read/see this before you eat and it will help your diet tremendously.

Between the non-sense happening here in NC over the gay marriage bill, seeing what is happening in Utah and California makes me say "Come quickly, Lord." But honestly, even if I wasn't a Christian, I would have no desire to run around "au natural". Just as some men proclaim all babies are ugly, red wrinkled things, I think the naked body makes the saying "Beauty is only skin-deep" laughable. Just saying.

full

2011-09-26T22:20:00.000-04:00

too much on my heart to write...so this will suffice

light pollution

2011-09-26T09:56:00.001-04:00

When I first moved here, the sky wasn't too terribly different from Alabama or China. The stars weren't quite as bright and the sky not quite as dark, but not by much.
And then the 40/42 area started building up quite rapidly, adding nightlights around buildings and parking lots, and one corner of the sky became a bit brighter at night. Then the property at White Oak was sold, and now thanks to the White Oak Shopping Center (which I happen to love), a huge section of the sky became bright at night.
Saturday morning as we left Alabama very early, I took my time walking to the van with my head titled backwards, glorying in the bright little specks I seldom distinctly see here. I must have been dwadling more than usual, for Bobby stopped and looked up and exclaimed "Wow!" I think he was amazed at the difference.
And that's one of the many things I'm looking forward to seeing again this weekend: stars. You wouldn't think that fake light cancels out real light, but it does. The scientific neighborhood calls it "light pollution". Either way, once you finally see the real thing again, it's totally breathtaking.

the best things in life...

2011-09-21T08:32:00.001-04:00

The best things in life come in small packages.
~ Margie Ingle

She was the second-born, but the first to live.
She was the shortest child of 8 siblings. I bet the closest she ever came to being 5' was when she wore exceptionally high heels.
She was valedictorian of her senior class, but demoted to salutatorian because she was "starting to show". Unwed mothers were not welcomed in society in those days. The principal didn't even want her to graduate. Years later he would apologize.
She was positive, no matter what life threw her way.
She loved to sew, and was an excellent quilter. She actually preferred piecing, and would send her quilt-tops away to be quilted.
She was feisty.
Two weeks ago, as hospice came to help, her eldest described her as "a wrinkle in the sheet". Her tiny frame seemed to be shrinking with each failure of the heart, with each round of infection and pain from her broken hip.
At 3am this morning, with her daughter-in-law by her side, she entered the presence of her Lord and Savior, 2 months shy of being 83.
I imagine she's enthralled with all the colors of heaven this morning.
And I can't help but wonder if her new body is as tiny as her old one.

just for Jen

2011-09-20T08:16:00.001-04:00

I didn't grow up with cable. PTL and the 700 Club sounded like golf clubs to me the first time I ever heard about them. And tele-evangelists? They were for people like my Grandma who didn't have a driver's license and was stuck in her apartment, lonely, without a way to church, or for people in nursing homes or hospitals.
So suffice it to say I'm not up to par on the television church world.
So when a friend sent me a comment, surprised that I hadn't blogged about Pat Robertson's divorce and Alzheimer's comments, I actually had to Google and YouTube it to find out what all the hurrah was about. Here's the link, in case you're like me and are willfully ignorant of such http://youtu.be/vsaqfP87Z58.

My first encounter with Alzheimer's was at the age of 5. A great uncle had it, and we were unable to unlock any door at that house or use any door except the front (and then after a parent unlocked it) because Uncle Silas would wander off. Each door had multiple locks on it, so Aunt Fanny would hear the rattling and could get there before he would be gone. The bathroom walls and floor were covered in layers of taped newspaper, because he sometimes forgot what indoor plumbing was and would just go wherever. Such a life is not easy on anyone, neither the patient nor the caregiver.

My second encounter with a spouse unable to communicate normally was in high school. A man in our church had a stroke and was not able to talk or move. His wife recognized she was physically and medically unable to take care of him, so he went to a nursing home. But every morning she packed her bag and joined his side for the day, then left at night. It was hard for her, and if he was cognizant, I'm sure it was equally hard for him.

I was blessed with many godly examples of spouses who honored their vows of "in sickness and in health" growing up, as well as the difficulties of what that truly meant.

Robertson's comments illustrate very clearly the problem of seeking advice from someone who does not know you nor the situation. A pastor would be more attuned (hopefully) to the person's spiritual health and could ask probing questions and help give direction. All we know is the scenario as the person asked it. And as the scenario was presented, beside the ponderings of has this person been given emotional support from his church or received information from a local Alzheimer's support group, where are their children, has this person been in faithful in church and seeking God, has the spouse's Alzheimer's been the violent sort, etc I had to wonder "which is the lesser evil?" If a person is cheating on their spouse, whether the spouse is in their right mental capacities or not, that's still sin. When the person is not in their right mental mind, we tend to be more forgiving or understanding of the sin, but it doesn't erase the fact that sin is sin. So which is worse, to sin by breaking your marriage vows, or to say "I'm going to sin anyway, so I'll just sin by divorcing them and go commit adultery with someone else." Or, do we recognize it as sin for a person to be "angry with God" as the caller stated in her opening words?

Such scenarios are not new to the world. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte tells the story from the woman's point of view who finds herself in love with a man who has hidden his crazy wife. I personally know of three situations where a mental illness has wreaked havoc on the marriage, prompting adultery in one situation and severe problems or separations in the other two.

If anything, the sadness of such reality reminds us that living a righteous life in a sin-cursed body is never easy. Sadly, we tend to follow the OT observation "every man did that which was right in his own eyes" (always mentioned when telling of the depravity of Israel), instead of digging deeper and saying "The LORD says..." and doing it, regardless the cost. Living right is hard, but when it comes at the cost of our time and emotional state-of-being, we sometimes find it harder than normal.

It would have been great if Robertson had emphasized the importance of honoring the marriage vows, directed the man to a local pastor and support group, addressing the anger as part grief and part sin, but also challenged the church to help the hurting more than we semi-adequately do. If his local body of believers (assuming he had one) were faithfully socializing and reaching out to him, the emotional need to see others would not likely have been so great. And it's also very important to recognize that not every situation is the same. While some people are able to care for their loved ones at home, there are also situations where it is simply not feasible. Like with parenting, care-giving is very personal and individualized, and ultimately it is only the care-giver who stands before God and gives the account of their responsibilities, not the on-lookers.

I would never recommend a person seek advice from a tele-evangelist. Your local pastor who knows both you and the situation would be a much better person to seek advice from. They're seeing the situation, and are seldom just making a judgement call with the one-sided information being provided.

So that's my two cents worth on the issue.

reflecting

2011-09-14T08:56:00.001-04:00

When I was 14, I got very sick at church camp one year. Sick enough that I was allowed to miss services and all activities. One afternoon while in and out of sleep, two counselors came in and were talking. They must have checked on me at one point, because I don't remember them coming in, only their low voices. Initially they were discussing the normal pastor wives/mom topics, but then they got on the subject of the future of the church. One of the ladies, whom I greatly admired, said her husband believed (and bear in mind this was almost 25 years ago) that the day was coming when the church would be persecuted in America for its stand on homosexuality, and that the church would have to choose whether or not to remain publicly recognized or go underground. I wasn't even sure what homosexuality was! When I told my Mom about it a few weeks later,she sighed and said, "No, I don't see that. I hope not."

Today, as I see more and more billboards going up equating religion with bigotry and then saw the picture in today's newspaper about the upcoming campaigns for the NC Constitutional Amendment and read the President's comments about homosexual marriage, I fear that pastor's predictions may come true within my lifetime.

The scary thing to me is that I know more and more people who profess to be Christians but who are openly practicing homosexuality. Thankfully many of the churches have dealt with the issue and situation, but there are just as many who call themselves Bible-believing who have not.

Several years ago the Christian Law Association ran an article that today's churches and their failure to follow Biblical mandates have made it very hard for them to defend this issue on religious grounds and the freedom of religion. So many churches have not disciplined families for divorce on non-biblical grounds, so we've failed to uphold our own beliefs about the sanctity of marriage. That's one area where Protestants can learn from the Catholics: they are unwavering in their requirements for marriage and divorce.

These past few days, I've kept going back to Joshua's saying to the nation of Israel: "Choose today who you are going to serve." As our state now embarks on a multi-million dollar fight before the November 2012 election to decide how we will define a marriage in our state constitution, it is time we decide where we stand.

"All that it takes for for evil to triumph is that good men do nothing."

blessings

2011-09-13T08:20:00.002-04:00

Some days, you just don't feel up to snuff. That's what my Granny used to say.
Yesterday was one of those days, and I am so thankful for a loving husband who comes home and doesn't complain about what I didn't get accomplished.
I'm thankful to have friends who read my blog, are an e-mail or phone call away, should I decide to call them.
I'm thankful my friends aren't "yes people" who only tell me what they think I want to hear. I like the fact they shoot straight with me.
Modern appliances...can you imagine how difficult life would be without a washing machine, dryer, electric oven, electric-pump well, car, telephone, computer, or hot water heater? Blessed, indeed! :)
Positive attitudes...my sister who continues to count her blessings even though her life is one big unknown at this point, a high school friend who is praising through pain after burying her mom last week, a church friend who smiles while hurting and watching her mother steadily decline in health, and the list goes on and on and on...Do these people realize how much their steadfast faith encourages me?
A secure job...yet another niece posted last night that their only source of income is now on the line. Sometimes we groan about getting up on Mondays and Thursdays (after a weekend and late for us night at church), and yet I should be praising God there's a job for us to get up early for.
And the list goes on...
Isn't it great that God's mercies are new every morning?

sigh...

2011-09-10T21:04:00.001-04:00

There's nothing worse than ironing the LAST piece of fabric and beginning to pin layers together when you realize that you have THREE pieces in places that you don't think should be. Two clouds side-by-side in rows 2&3 and TWO fox windows in row 3 and TWO night skies in row 3. Where was my brain? What was I thinking? And I actually tape-labeled everything together this time so the pieces would be correct. I double-check my tape, and yep...exactly as I laid them out. But life goes on. Whatever bed this quilt winds up on will just have to deal with multiple foxes in the same row. They do attack more than once in the same night, you know. My former chickens would tell you about it if they could.

on the brink no longer

2011-09-09T11:10:00.001-04:00

I have officially fallen over the edge.
I am INSANE.

As of now, I am committed with an invoice and confirmation number to deliver a quilt no later than Oct 10 at 3pm to the NC State Fair.

a little bit of excitement

2011-09-08T07:49:00.000-04:00

We're on Day 19 of the egg chart (21 is the latest hatch day and 22 is the extra day added in) and 2 of our 9 eggs are piping and peeping! :)

trashy Americans

2011-09-07T10:28:00.001-04:00

Well, it's been talked about for years, but this morning it made the news (thanks to NASA releasing new photos). We've trashed the moon. Not only did we leave behind tracks and crash/landing marks, but astronauts also threw out backpacks and other such items. Leaving them for the moon people's goodwill perhaps? Evidently they didn't want them either, for everything is still there.

They claim our space trash has become such a problem that it's now a hazard for satellites (the ones that are working and not just aimlessly floating around, that is). So I wonder if garbage companies who are running out of landfill space will attempt to make the moon their next dump site?

sslllooooowwww progress

2011-09-06T14:14:00.002-04:00

It started as a joke.
I saw some fabric in a newsletter that I thought was insane.
I posted about it on Facebook.
A friend made some offhand comment, joking, about how bizarre it would be to see that in a quilt.
A month later my brain was still creating ideas.
Two months later at a quilt show I found the very same fabric I had made fun of.
I bought it.
I bought the other fabric in the same series as well.
IF I can get the top finished this week, I'll not only start frantically quilting next week, but will also submit two sheets of paper to the Home Furnishings Department of the NC State Fair, obligating me to finish this entire project by October 10.
So if you don't hear from me much these next few weeks, you'll know why.
It's all Carroll's fault. ;)
She's birthed the idea for not only THIS year's quilt, but 2012 and 2013 as well!

heresy

2011-09-02T07:51:00.000-04:00

With all the UNC football scandal, I've been reminded of one thing: I don't totally "get" football.
I think if I were in charge of a school that had a football program, the school would either a) have to cancel the sport or b) pay a lot of fines because I don't think any sport should have so many rules about off-the-court stuff that it would take at least a 3" binder to fill them. Really people?

Granted, I think all these extra-specialized, non-job enhancing departments (one or two classes is okay, but a WHOLE department?) on things such as women's studies, gay studies, African-American studies, angry white male studies (okay, I just made that last one up), are ridiculous and a waste of tax-payers money. They're not helping our economy nor the sense of unity in our country and therefore don't do a whole lot towards the betterment of individuals or our nation's job force. BUT, having said that, since such departments do exist, I do think the department heads should be able to hire the people WHO ARE QUALIFIED to teach the classes, regardless of any football rules.

Mr. Nyang'oro at UNC's hiring of a summer teacher who was more than qualified for the position has now cost him his position of department head (which was making an obscene salary of $159,000....REALLY?) because....get this...the man he hired had a part-time job as a sports agent.

In my non-athletic mind, that's comparable to saying someone can't teach a class on religion because he's an attorney for the state. There may be some valid concerns about a sports agent attempting to recruit or manipulate athletes, but the same could be said for any professor attempting to recruit or direct a student to their way of thinking or lifestyle or job field. We don't penalize them.

I don't think we should do away with sports or football, but they should have absolutely no role or bearing in the classroom. I think UNC and the NCAA have all shown to the world just how out of touch they are with reality. This whole fiasco goes to show how warped and misguided America's priorities truly are. Pigskin and pads are fun to watch, but that's it...it's just fun. Let's put it where it belongs and quit making it oh so much more.

scrappy

2011-09-01T08:09:00.000-04:00

In the beginnings of my entrance to the world of quilting, I kept hearing/reading this saying, "If you find a piece of fabric that you REALLY like, buy a yard. If you LOVE it, buy at least two." I did that with a piece or two, but then started abstaining. If I did that every time I saw fabric I liked, we would be both broke and our home would be over-run with fabric.
But this week I've thought about that saying. I'm racing a deadline to complete a quilt top (hope to post more on that by the end of the month), and there's a piece of fabric I've seen in the past that would work perfect in two of the blocks. I've been to two stores recently, and neither one of them had it. I don't remember which shop had it, if they still carry it, and don't really have the time or gas money to drive around looking for it. If I had followed the "rule", it wouldn't be an issue.
And actually, considering that our ancestors didn't buy fabric for quilts, they simply used what they had, I think it'll make this quilt a little more creative (bizarre?) if I don't have it. I'm a little nervous about this one anyway. So many times in design work the image I have in my head doesn't translate to the computer screen very well, and I'm afraid that might turn out to be the case with this quilt. With quilting that could be costly, both in terms of time and fabric.
So meanwhile, I'm still cutting and mixing fabrics, hoping everything will line up correctly in the next few days.
Onward, ho! :)

:) progress

2011-08-31T08:16:00.000-04:00

After a LONG day in training with the Board of Elections, I had an appointment to give blood last night. Bear in mind that with my long-standing fight against iron deficiency, it is not unheard of for me to be unable to give blood because my iron count was too low. Yesterday it 42! (It has to be over 12 to give, but a "normal" reading is over 35.) I was so happy! And my bp was in a very healthy range, not bordering on too high. So even though I'm not losing all the weight I want, all my exercise IS paying off in other ways!

I will never be rid of my freckles, will never grace the cover of a magazine because of my beauty, will never have a man do a double-take when I walk by, BUT it is very nice to be heading in the right direction for a healthier self. Who knows? I might actually have more energy by the time I reach the big 40 than before I hit it! Hey, a girl can always dream.

I just might pop

2011-08-29T10:48:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday I had the following conversation with one of my little friends who was being VERY still in a chair:

Me: How are you this morning?
B: Both good and bad.
Me: Really? Tell me what's good about this morning.
B: shrugging, mmm, Life's just good.
Me: Okay, what's so bad? expecting to hear he just got in trouble for running at church
B: My stomach hurts. Clearly NOT what I was expecting!
Me: That is bad. Is it a "I ate too much" hurt or an "I'm hungry" hurt?
B: looking very serious, Well, I did eat half a bowl of cereal this morning.
Me: uncertain as to whether he's full or not and holding jr church candy: Would a piece of candy help?
B: sitting straight up in his chair, NO! That would make me hurt even worse!!!

I guess I certified myself as crazy, offering candy to someone with a hurt stomach. Doesn't Mrs. Monica know ANYTHING? While I've laughed to myself some over that interaction, I've thought about it quite a bit these last two weeks in other ways.

These last two weeks have been both good and bad. It's been a great time of reflection and thanksgiving, of rejoicing over the growth and baptisms of new converts in our church, and simply enjoying life. But in the midst of all that there's also been reflections on situations beyond our control. Sometimes it seems like my life is this neatly bundled package, and I'm interacting with people whose packages aren't so tidily put together. I know what Scripture says, and what the morally correct thing is, but sometimes I fear others only focus on our package and not the One who wrapped it. They want the pretty package, but they don't want to hand over the ripped paper or strings to the One who can take ripped things and tape them or tie them in ways only He can do.

And I hurt for them. But in the midst of it all, I'm reminded again of John 6. After performing miracles and speaking truth, many of Jesus' disciples quit following him. They just up and quit. They didn't like what he had to say. Jesus turns to his 12 and asks "Are you going to leave, too?" and they respond "Where would we go? You've got the Words of Life." In the midst of hearing people say, "I don't like this; I don't fit in; this isn't for me; I don't want to believe this" I am comforted by the fact that the words of life have not changed, and the WAY has not changed. No matter how many quit or leave, it's a bit comforting to know there's nowhere else to go but to Christ. And even if He decides to decorate my life's package with methods that aren't pleasant to me, I can rest assured that He's in charge of the tape and the scissors, making things as they ought to be.

And in the midst of all these rambling thoughts, a friend of mind posted a VERY challenging post on prayer, reminding me that my greatest duty to these friends is not so much what I say TO them, but FOR them. And so I continue to feel like that pop rock candy we ate as kids: popping with too many thoughts, feelings, and emotions, both good and bad, but SO thankful I can talk to the one who has the power to say, "PEACE...be still."

getting ready for Irene

2011-08-25T13:17:00.000-04:00

It's coming.
We had an earthquake on Tuesday, which had almost everyone all excited.
Friday/Saturday Hurricane Irene will make her presence known, though of course no one really knows how much.

So today's list is my hurricane prep:

cutting grass (because it needs it BEFORE it rains)
adding some roofing to the chicken house
bringing in the chairs and hammock from the pond
taking down what is still remaining of the old goose pen
buying batteries
stocking up on water

and that's it. At times like this I am very thankful I don't have a place at the beach to worry about. I can simply go about my normal life and not have an extra house to weatherize or clean-up. :) Although I have to admit, I did tell Bobby it would be REALLY cool to head to the beach after church Sun AM and spend the night so we could get shells churned up by the storm on Sunday night and Monday morning. Unfortunately, I don't think that is going to happen. But it's nice to dream.

an exciting august

2011-08-23T16:30:00.000-04:00

This month is not even over, and so far it's held:

an earthquake felt here in NC, prompting Bobby's building to evacuate
a snake in the hen house
two mice in the house, one of which managed to eat all the bait off the trap without being caught for 3 nights running (and Bobby watched it do it the first night!)
a chicken who laid about 10 eggs out in the field before we could find her nest, prompting us to pull out the incubator
the beginning of Christmas shopping! :)
some major cleaning in the Bryan household
a 24 hr stomach bug
a new great-nephew, born Sunday am
some interesting discussions with friends

Before the month is out, we'll have also faced a hurricane, election training and interviews, a football game, and weather permitting, a baptismal service. And I thought August was going to be a quiet month!

grace

2011-08-18T15:59:00.000-04:00

Today while waiting at Duke Eye Center for a friend to have surgery, I was able to read To Fly Again by Gracia Burnham. Her testimony, recorded in the book In the Presence of My Enemies, challenged me like few books do. Today's book was a much easier read, though just as thought provoking.

Maybe because last night's Bible study was from James 4, [dealing with how God's grace is bigger than anything we face, and I realized I don't always (okay, seldom is more like it) actually live my life that way], but it was like God was gently reminding me of last's night lesson in a different format. I told Bobby on the way home that so many times I focus on the problem, the sin, or the temptation, and not on God's available grace to see me through. Is that a lack of faith, perspective, doubt, or what?

Gracia ended her book on the same note. After her husband's death, she said she was living her life in survival mode, as if the best of her life was over. Only after a fellow Christian in ministry, who had also suffered, challenged her on this point that she realized "the best" in life is not over. That's a radical change in mindset.

This whole concept is not new. I've applied it in other areas of life: singleness, childlessness... but have never applied it to more personal areas such as weight or emotional issues. Sometimes it's easier to say, "Oh, but this is bigger than me." And the problem is. But it's never bigger than God's grace. And while that's a very humbling thought, it's a comfort as well.

all things chicken (or at least somewhat related)

2011-08-16T13:13:00.001-04:00

Did you know that chickens take baths? They do. Only with dirt, and not water. So now instead of the Beagles digging holes, my chickens are building dirt bath spots near the house. At least they're not ankle breakers and are up against the house or under the ramps.

Leif, the head rooster, taking his bath in front of my puny (thanks to scratching chickens) hosta. See how they fluff their feathers up? Sometimes they look like they're having convulsions as they flip around.

And the nesting saga continues. Above is the nest under the shed where at least one hen continues to lay.

And here is one of the nesting boxes with the plastic egg.

And that same nesting box after the chickens found the egg, kicked it out, and then pecked it apart. No funky colored eggs, for us!

Until two days later, and then we'll lay an egg or two near the plastic eggs we've kicked beside the feeder. And then Joy, oh joy, we had FIVE eggs laid there! So I bebop out there at goose feeding time for one last check for new eggs, bend down, and find...

GROSS ALERT!!!!! Do NOT scroll down if you are squeamish or faint of heart.

This creature (known as "the farmer's helper" (because they eat mice), chicken snake, or black snake) was INSIDE my hen house, beside the nesting box with the eggs. He moved quickly, going from one end of the house to the other, sliding over the hoe, under the hen house, and then up the side, on top of the roof, and into the tree. We finally had to leave him, hoping I had inflicted enough damage that he would not survive. It was not to be found this morning, and I hope it never returns.

I hope that's all the excitement we have for a while. Oh, and all but two of the birds are now back to laying in the garage. Thanks a lot, Mr. Snake!

life is never boring.

2011-08-15T10:27:00.000-04:00

In the words of Charles Dickens: It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.

You know how sometimes you get that burst of energy and you get a lot of stuff done and you're feeling on top of the world? Most of last week was like that. I love those kinds of week. We were planning to do something on Saturday and I was actually on top of housework so that could happen (gasp!), and then things started to get a little crazy.

Thursday night Bobby found a war movie about the holocaust on tv. While I'm not crazy about the holocaust, I do think it's a somewhat good thing for us to be reminded of the importance of taking a stand against evil. But for those of you who know me, I don't handle war/violent movies very well. I can seldom sleep after watching them, and when I do sleep it's full of nightmares. We're 3/4 of the way through this movie, which I stupidly keep watching in between loads of laundry and sweeping/mopping floors, when out of the corner of my eye comes this image that terrifies me like nothing else in this world. And Bobby doesn't even see it! I stand near the kitchen corner, aghast, watching the television and the ceramic piggy bank, desperately hoping I was wrong, when the flurrying nightmare comes scampering back and into the back hallway. By this point I'm crying.

I suppose I should interrupt and tell you that my mother-in-law, who is also a mouse hater, finds it really funny that I can kill a snake, I can slam a spider, swat a fly, spray an insect nest, or shoot at a coyote/fox/wild dog and chase off a raccoon with a broom or an opossum with a shovel, BUT I cannot face a mouse.

So about 1am Friday morning, I'm listening to my husband's breathing, trying not to think about the varmint that has invaded my house and stolen my peace, trying not to think about evil and the movie, trying to remember a Bible verse in my fuzzied brain and only remembering "What time I am afraid I will trust in thee. Psalm 56:3" and telling myself I'm a grown-up now and it's time to suck-it-up and contemplating borrowing a cat from a friend and all the damage it would do to the house when I finally got to sleep.

To make a long story short, I've only been in my sewing room 2x as opposed to spending my planned hour in there Friday, the trap caught the mouse about midnight Saturday, and all my mental pep-talks to myself on how I was going to be a big girl and get the mouse out of the trap went out the window Sunday morning when my wonderful, adoring husband told me to just take the dustpan, scoop the whole thing up, and throw the entire thing in the trash. I did; I cried; and he laughed at me when I made him put part of the newspaper over our open trash can so I didn't have to look at it any more. I know it came from the hallway; I know it did not make it to the kitchen, but I have NO idea where it got in the house. And that unnerves me.

Meanwhile, our chicken saga continues, but in the sakes of giving this already too long post an ending, that part of the story will have to wait until tomorrow.

If you give a chicken an egg...

2011-08-11T13:06:00.000-04:00

(my apologies to Laura Numerhoff for stealing her writing concept)

If you give a chicken a plastic egg in hopes that she will lay one beside it,
she will want a clean nesting box to go with it.

And when you gather the cleaning supplies for the hen house,
you'll realize their nesting box needs a larger border.

When you pull out the scrap wood and jigsaw to cut the border,
the hens will get upset because you're making too much noise in the garage.

But when you quickly finish in the garage and move to the hen house,
they'll be curious about what you're doing and will come to supervise and to squawk.

So to help them calm down, you'll move their food outside.
And once the hen house is ready and clean, you'll realize they need more food.

When you get more food from the garage, you'll see them nesting in the brooder box in the garage and realize you forgot to put the plastic eggs (now separated and scattered throughout the pen) back into the nesting boxes.

And when you finish placing the plastic eggs back into the nesting boxes, you'll notice that the pen could use cleaning out as well. But that means you need a place to put the compost.

And before you start shoveling compost around the shrubbery, it needs to be weed-eated and trimmed.

But before you begin to do that chore, you need a bathroom break. And while you're inside cooling off, you realize you haven't gathered eggs for the day yet.

And when you go back outside to gather the eggs, you'll realize that you need to finish cleaning the pen in front of the nesting boxes, so maybe they'll lay an egg where they're supposed to. Maybe.

my new project

2011-08-09T08:32:00.000-04:00

It's finally happened to us. People always ask me about it and what we do, and I've never had an answer for them. But this past week, it hit us.

For 2 weeks now we've been getting 3-7 eggs a day. And then, one egg. The next day...nothing. I knew that meant one of three things: 1) the heat had finally gotten to them 2) they had a virus or 3) they were laying somewhere else. Bobby was convinced it was number three and took several short trips outside in the heat trying to find their new nest. We kept hearing the "bwak, bwak, bwak, BWAAAK" cry they make right after laying, but would go to their nesting sites and ...NO eggs. At the end of Day 2 of this, I saw a group of hens huddled behind the little red shed, which is very odd. Yes, all the grown-ups had laid two days worth of eggs UNDER the shed.

I've never had to teach a hen where to lay before, but according to my chicken Bible, it is possible to do with these little clay or stone eggs called "nesting eggs". Since hens tend to share a nest, it only requires placing one or two into the spot where you desire them to lay and they'll put their eggs near the sample. Some people use golf balls, others actually use the plastic eggs. I happened to have a few plastic eggs left over from a kids' activity, so I placed them in various places throughout the hen house. I'm happy to report that we're now getting 1/2 the eggs in the brooder box (where many of them had been laying before) and some in the hen house, and two a day under the shed. I'm hoping this craziness will end soon. The sad news is that since all this began, we've had NO green eggs, and we should be getting at least one a day. In another two weeks we should start smelling them as hot as it's been.

So if my plastic egg project works, I'll post pictures. Meanwhile, they're just getting pecked at and pushed around.

a way with words

2011-08-04T09:13:00.001-04:00

Several years ago I offended two fellow believers by laughing when they said Jesus was a peaceful person. I asked them what was polite or peaceful about calling people stupid, or a cemetery, or a hypocrite, or a poisonous snake, ESPECIALLY when those people were the respected rulers of the day? I often wonder if people who go by the name Christian a) actually read the Bible or b) think about what it's actually saying. Our church has been doing a "read through the Bible in 3 years" study, and today's passage had God telling Israel because of their violations of his law that he would smear their own feast "feces" in their face. EWwww.

But it also reminded me of our trip this weekend. If I lived in a country where it was wrong to disagree with the leaders of the day, where it was illegal to own a copy of the Bible, and to dare believe anything different amounted to either torture or death, what would I do? The Valdensians (also called Waldensians as it translates from Italian/French to English) would poke holes in their bread to hide their small copies of the Scripture, get down on their hands and knees to crawl through damp caves in order to meet and worship God, and send people to a "college" for 3-6 months. The only thing they studied was their assigned book of the Bible, memorizing it word for word. Their job upon graduation was to recite it daily so as not to forget. Whenever a raid resulted in all the Bibles being destroyed, each member would then gather and write down the words to their assigned book, in essence writing a Bible from memory. One of the tour guides we had at one of the spots (who was of Catholic/Lutheran origin, creating an interesting conversation) made the comment "If they had just kept to themselves instead of trying to evangelize people a lot of their persecution would have never happened." (In other words, they brought it on themselves.) We were flabbergasted. She clearly was missing many points.

As we visited the Waldensian church this past Sunday (the main building is still the original from the 1800s), we were saddened at how watered-down the Scriptures were, and contemplated as we left what their ancestors would think today of their descendents. Today's passage (linked above) made me think of that church, and so many others like it in America today. I hope I never see the type of persecution they faced. But as I see so many fellow believers compromising on clear-cut teachings of the Word, I wonder what is to become of our nation. Potentially coming before the Supreme Court this year is whether or not a Christian pastor has the right to pray in Jesus name or use Scripture in his prayer when praying before a government body such as a city council or legislative assembly. How can we pray without recognizing the One who gives us the very right to speak to an Almighty God? Maybe I'm over-reaching parallels, but that doesn't seem too different than taking a holy vessel and using it in an unholy way. I fear for many Christian leaders "formality feces" is coming.

fun...funny houses

2011-08-03T11:37:00.000-04:00

We saw the above house in Pittsboro while on our way to the mountains. It was the strangest house I've ever seen. Evidently this isn't a modification, for Bobby remembers thinking it funny as a child. Evidently a governor lived here at one point. I think the sign said it's now a Masonic lodge. And if seeing one funny house wasn't enough, the latest issue of This Old House had a link to their website that had several galleries of funny (or strange houses). Here's my favorites from their collection:

Szymbark, Poland This just makes me laugh, and I would love to visit this house in person. Created by a designer who wanted to demonstrate "wrong-doings against humanity". Visitors have stood in line for as long as 6 hours to tour the house, and many come out feeling "sea-sick".

Kalambaka, Greece...This 1,000 foot cliff drop has housed monastaries since the 11th century. Six of them are open to the public, "assuming, of course, that the public has the fortitude to make the climb." Can you imagine the view? Being scared of heights, I could never, ever live there, but I have to admit it's both impressive and incredible!

Margate, NJ..."Lucy" can be seen 8 miles away and was created by a developer as a way of luring people to the subdivision. Yes, you read that correctly. As a kid, I would have BEGGED my parents to not only buy this house, but I would have also found it quite cool to even live nearby. Now? Not quite so much.

Glendora, New Jersey Built in the 1940's this was supposed to be one of many "cookie jar" houses. The others were never built, and the builder admitted the circular design made the house to furnish. If I were a carpenter, I would be tempted to tackle the project of creating round room furniture just for the sake of doing it. However, I have to admit I think more of a pot-bellied stove than a cookie jar when I see this. Perhaps if it were brown stucco with darker brown stones thrown in periodically I might think cookie.

West Creek, New Jersey No one knows why this house has a chair on top, though it has fueled countless urban legends.

Cappadocia, Turkey Carved out of volcanic rocks, these holes were used as early as the 7th century by early Christians escaping persecution, They are presently used by Turkish farmers who have upgraded the dwelling places into more traditional homes. Some of these farm-houses have ten floors!

Wadsworth, Illinois It's one thing to be fascinated by a culture or nation, but this is just too much! Originally built in the 1970s, this gold-plated home with statues is now behind iron bars and gates. One must wonder if the designer forsaw the problem such a lavish decoration would cause in times of poor economy. Wonder what it's worth today?

Alnwick, United Kingdom This 6,000-square-foot treehouse was commissioned by a duchess who read that 1/3 of British kids had never climbed a tree. It has a restaurant, educational facilities, rope bridges and get this: it's wheelchair accessible! Personally, I think the kids would learn a whole lot more if they were given scraps and had to build their own tree houses.

Klagenfurt, Austria... This dude has a desire to drive Sara Mincy crazy. :) Reading that blue is a calming color and has healing and creative side-effects, the owner painted both the outside AND the inside of his house ONE SHADE of blue. He thought it was great. It seemed to have a non-calming and non-creative effect on his neighbors, though. As much as I dislike homeowner's associations, something like this might make me consider the value of such a group.

Simi Valley, California For 25 years the owner of this house collected bottles and has totally sided her house with bottles. Not sure what it does for insulation, but it is certainly unique.

Cottonwood, Idaho I like beagles; I like woodcarvings, but a beagle wood-carved inn? Again, as a kid I would have been thrilled to stay in something like this, but now, not so sure. The owners, wood-carvers who financed this in 1997 through the sales of their woodcarvings, have two such inns (you can see the second in the background of the picture) and have beagle carvings throughout the inn. (some of them are shown on the website).

Hillsborough, California Another house derisively named by neighbors, the "Flinstone House" was created by pouring cement over nautical balloons. The second owners painted it orange, (it was the normal cement color) making neighbors even more upset. It's certainly a landmark.

Wales, United Kingdom The man who created this house was simply trying to be efficient, organic, and use natural materials. He's not the least upset that people call it a "hobbit house". Personally, I think it's kind of cute and would live there.

Suffolk, London Created in the 1920's to cover up an ugly water tower, the structure remained even after the town replaced its water structure. It's now an inn. Creative, indeed. I think this is as cool as the towns who put something creative on their water towers (like a peach, or baseball) as opposed to an old grey tank with the town's name.

La Jolla, California This is what remains of the original "house". The owner instructed the builder to come up with a futuristic-looking, earthquake-proof house in the 1950s. Evidently their used to be a house dwelling at the top of a cliff and a tram that came down the hill to this part by the ocean, but this section is all that remains now. For some reason it reminds me of Star Wars. Perhaps this where some of the Star Wars designs originated?

Kailua Kona, Hawaii... Ever heard of McCormick spices? One of the company owners commissioned this house with the request for something "as eccentric as she was". Neighbors derisively call it "the onion house". It is currently available for vacation rentals. I think I'll pass.

Isla Mujeres, Mexico Also available for vacation rentals, this house was created in 1997, and they say all the fixtures inside (sink faucets, etc) resemble seashells. This is a house I would rent for vacation if it were closer and cheap.

Netherlands...And this is just ugly. Created out of totally recyclable products (mainly old tires) it may save the environment but does absolutely nothing for the soul, in my not so humble opinion.

When all is said and down, there's no place like home. During my vagabond years, I used to laughingly say that home was wherever I unpacked my suitcase for longer than 2 weeks. I suppose home truly is where you are and what you make it, but I have to admit that some of these places I would NOT want to live inside!

Abele's Family Restaurant

2011-08-02T11:16:00.000-04:00

Near our hotel was this family restaurant that was ALWAYS crowded. We decided to check it out, and I would rank it as one of three best places we ate all weekend! One of their options was to order a meat, and then you could add either the salad bar, soup bar, or vegetable bar (or all 3). We chose the vegetable bar. I should have just ordered that! They had 12 vegetables to choose from, and it wasn't things like sliced tomatoes that you see in so many country places. I'm talking collards, lima beans, corn, squash, okra, stewed okra & tomatoes, peas, green beans...and on and on and on!

Somewhat amusing (and also a little horrifying) was the decor of the place. Tightly packed, every inch of the walls and booths and ceilings were decorated with old metal advertisements, wooden decorations...and sayings. I would say 90% of the sayings were derogatory towards men. For example: God created men first so he could correct the rough draft. or The only difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.

There were a few sayings that were men-friendly, but not many! We debated whether the owner was a woman who had a bad marriage, or a man with just a terrible advertising idea of getting women to come eat! But if you ever pass through Morganton, NC and are looking for somewhere to eat, I highly recommend this place. Reasonable prices and GREAT food.

high class dining...of sorts

2011-08-01T13:25:00.000-04:00

Normally for our anniversary we go out to eat. And it's normally not a high class place. At least not by intention. A little higher class than Smithfields or Bojangles but not by much. The three times we have traveled during our anniversary (twice to the mountains and once to DC), we ended up in a high class restaurant by default. And of course it was after a day of walking/touring/hiking and I was in tennis shoes and hot and sweaty. Not exactly what you have in mind when you think of an evening in a nice place. (The first time it happened was pre-GPS and we were driving and driving and driving and looking for ANYWHERE that had a bathroom or restaurant, and this was the first place we found open after 2 hours. They wanted to know if we had reservations. I'm not sure why, as the place was barely even half full. Once seated, we looked at the menu with its prices, dismally looked at each other, and Bobby made a face and said "hmm. happy anniversary.")
So this year, I was a little more prepared. I had a bag of snacks packed in case we wound up on another winding road with nothing open, AND we have a gps device that will find restaurants. :) Turns out we needed neither. While quickly passing through Blowing Rock (the city, we didn't make it to the rock itself) we stopped at the only restaurant that resembled something we would like: the Speckled Trout (or something like that). It looked like a place for normal people. The decorations near us, dangling from the ceiling, were wooden fish, painted in the colors of our living room. We joked about asking them if they would sell them, but I'm not sure that's quite the look we want. :) This was the first time we've eaten in a pricier restaurant that I've actually enjoyed the food and not felt out of place/unwanted. Here's our dinner for that evening:

Appetizer: frog legs (one for each of us!) And even though Bobby has always told me they taste like chicken, I think they taste more like fish.

Meal: Fish (I don't remember what kind) wrapped around a crab meat dressing with 2 veggies each AND fresh bread. It was great.

and we were both full so didn't get dessert. But it was good, and I would probably eat there again if we ever drive through Blowing Rock (but only after stopping at the Fudge place which we didn't visit due to the rain and it being on the other side of a heavily trafficked street).

and tomorrow...tomorrow I'll tell you about Abele's Family Restaurant.

Waldenses

2011-07-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

Twelve years ago today I married my best friend of 2 years.
In honor of that momentous and life-changing event, we're taking a vacation! By the time we get back next week, I should have pictures to show of the wonderful town of Valdese, NC.
One of the things I love about my husband is that he loves history, which is quite funny considering I hated history in high school.
The town of Valdese was created by Italian immigrants, known as Waldensians, who were escaping religious persecution from the Catholic Church in Rome and France. Here's an interesting excerpt from a Catholic encyclopedia about them:

Among the doctrinal errors which they propagated was the denial of purgatory, and of indulgences and prayers for the dead. They denounced all lying as a grievous sin, refused to take oaths and considered the shedding of human blood unlawful. They consequently condemned war and the infliction of the death penalty.

Sorry for all the underlines, as I copied and pasted, but that also allows you to click on the word and it will take you to the source. I don't agree with all their doctrines (vowing a life of poverty, divorcing a spouse once you convert in order to live a life of poverty and evangelism), but were it not for people like them, willing to acquire copies of the Scripture in their own language and determine for themselves what God's truth was, then the church as we know it today might not exist. I'm curious to see how much of their outdoor drama about their history includes religion, and to see how secular the town is.

So until next week, ciao!

and it's done...

2011-07-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

I don't know that I will ever attempt this again. After running out of the specialty thread last Friday night and waiting until I was back in Raleigh to get more, I was relieved the bag was finished and disappointed with the outcome. We'll know in a few days whether or not it actually works. If it doesn't, then it's back to scouring the internet in hopes of finding something that works. Maybe I just need to find a class in PatternMaking 101, get a decent sewing machine, and start practicing for my own line of wheelchair bags. Hahahaha...not.