For Today 7 February 2011

Outside my window I see blue skies, sunshine and just a tiny bit of ice in the shady part of the driveway.

I am thinking how quickly the beautiful day that was yesterday transformed into a cloudy, cold, rainy mess in the blink of an eye and know that it is going to do it again tomorrow. It makes me sad but I am trying to remember that it is winter, after all.

I am thankful for the fact that the powers that be decided it was too dangerous for people to be on the roads last week and schools and businesses were closed down to make it a safer place.  Not to mention that I enjoyed the entire week with hubby home!

From the learning rooms I am playing with my accuquilt cutter and enjoying cutting out quilt fabric.  I am going to try another "Disappearing Nine Patch".

From the kitchen I have discovered that we prefer bread made in the bread machine rather than store-bought which is a good thing because our store didn't have any bread yesterday after all the snow/ice and Super Bowl parties.

I am wearing -- uh, you don't really want to know.

I am creating some cross stitch ornaments for next year.

I am going to complete the project that I have started today even if it takes me all day -- which it might.

I am reading "A Piggly Wiggly Wedding" on my Nook which is named Tinklepaw.

I am hoping to get a number of things organized before the next winter event which is scheduled for Wednesday!  Hopefully I can read my way though the next storm!

I am hearing the aquarium behind me.  When we no longer have fish, we are taking it down and then I don't know what I will be hearing -- nothing probably!

Around the house I am in purging and organizing mode.  I am usually pretty good at this when the mood strikes and the mood has struck, thanks to my Dear Daughter who did the same thing last week and, honestly, I would rather be at her de-cluttered house right now than my own!

One of my favorite things is the feeling of accomplishment -- and a brushed kitty. That would be two things -- my bad.

A few plans for the rest of the week include a marathon dental appointment, watching the snow and probably babysitting the Bean.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing

Should We Revisit the Good Old Days?

The last several days have been a bit unusual and more than a bit stressful here in North Texas.  Ice, snow, bitter temps, and the Super Bowl have given us more than a small amount of grief.  One of the hardest things to deal with was rolling black outs, intentionally designed to take the stress off the utility system.  It worked and nobody really lost power for huge amounts of time but we were asked to try to conserve which required us turning things off, unplugging, putting things on hold, like laundry.

This made me think about what we used to do before technology took over our lives.  How did we accomplish things without electricity?  When I started making my mental list it was astounding how our use of electrical power has changed.

One of the first things that came to mind was hair styling.  Now we use blow dryers and curling irons or straightening appliances.  When I was young we used dryers occasionally and it became popular to have lovely hooded models that were portable and you could talk on the phone while you dried your hair.  However, many times we just rolled our hair on curlers and let it dry.  It took a really long time for the Dippity Do to dry, though, but I think our hair was healthier.  I might try it again -- wonder where I can find some Dippity -Do?

The way we wake up has changed a lot, too.  We used to use wind up alarm clocks that sometimes had glow in the dark hands so that you could see the time without turning on the light and they clanged like a fire bell with no snooze!  The only downside to these is that if you let them run down you had to call for the time to reset them.  They are guaranteed to wake up a stubborn teenager though -- ask my son!

Our morning java was prepared differently as well.  While many people used electric percolators, they were pretty new.  People still used percolators and tea kettles that they heated on their gas stoves -- again, no electricity.

Long before we were able to just slide a switch on our central heating, we heating our homes by turning on the natural gas jet to which a space heater like this one was hooked up to.  They were scary and probably not too safe but still, no electricity.

We swept our floors with brooms instead of vacuuming and we read books instead of Nooks and Kindles which have to be plugged in to use.  We now read our newspapers on a computer, again electrified, and we are entertained by more and more electronic equipment every day.  We used to hang our clothes on a clothesline to dry instead of using a dryer and we sat outside on a hot summer evening to try to cool off.  Things were a LOT different then -- we actually knew our neighbors.

 Would I want to go back to the "old days"?  No.  I. Love. Technology.  But, I have to say that reverting back to some of these things -- namely the broom and hand washing the dishes--for a while was actually relaxing and  felt good.  It made me think of my mother and a time when life was simpler and not so hectic and chaotic.   In fact, it made me feel so good that I might actually employ some of the old ways of doing things.  Hair curlers come to  mind but I am going to have to think long and hard about Dippity - Do.

LOL!  Looks and thinks like G. Rollie!

My Favorite Blogs



Hmm...that sounds like an old 50's television show  like  I Married a Witch or  I Remember Mama.  However, blogging is thoroughly modern and goes a long way to making our world even smaller.  It seems that blogging has replaced the cute little pink vinyl diaries of the 50's and probably even the multi-subject notebooks of the school crowd and possibly even the moleskine journals of the traditional academics.  It is sad, on one hand,  that pen, paper, penmanship, and all that goes along with writing has been replaced by a computer but, on the other hand, using a computer, ipad, itouch, ereader, whatever, to blog allows us to write on the go, write what we see, capture the moment, seize the opportunity...so on and so forth.

I use the word "diary" synonymously with "blog" because that is what it is.  However,  when we think of a diary or a journal we think of something private  to be shared with only a select few, if anyone.  It is something to be hidden from parents, siblings, or anybody with prying eyes.  It is almost revered as it contains our most private thoughts put into words.  A blog differs in that it is public, for the most part and the ability to share photos opens up new worlds and new ideas.  Blogs allow knowledge to be imparted across the globe and friendships to be formed like pen pal lists of years gone by.  So,  while we mourn the lost art of letter writing, good penmanship, good spelling and the ability to find really nice stationery it is hard to not be taken in my the allure of all the lovely blogs available for us to read. 

I have been reading blogs for quite some time now and I have acquired quite a blog roll on my own blog.  I do have my favorites, however and I would like to share them here.

My Mark Designs  (http://mymarkdesigns.wordpress.com) is written by Monique Keylon, a needlework designer.  Her blog links to her website and her Etsy store.  There are loads of needlework posts as well as life events and photos.  I am always cheered when I visit her blog.



Mary Kathryn has a fantastic blog at  http://marykathryn.wordpress.com.  She is also a needleworker and has a great online store called ehandcrafts.  You can link to the store from her site.  She includes lots of photos from the area she lives in and I have to say they are gorgeous -- nothing like reindeer strolling around a parking lot!

Amanda S over at Amandas Adventures in Sewing (http://amandasadventuresinsewing.blogspot.com) is a great little blog for home sewers.  She is young, interesting, takes great photos of her projects and shows us that home sewing is still a viable activity. Plus, she is from my home town, San Antonio, Texas!

The next few blogs take us away from the crafty side of things and more into the world of reading, thinking, ideas, religion and food -- tea to be exact.

Joysweb (http://joysweb.blogspot.com) hosted by JLSHall is a blog full of all sorts of interesting things.  She is a book lover  and shares her favorites  with lively reviews.  She also shares photos of all sorts of things so when you visit her blog, you never know what sort of treat she has posted -- from her doll collection to interesting shadows to photos of her home, Alexandria, VA.  Her site links to several of her other blogs and to blogs that reflect her wide array of interests.


Another spot for thought provoking posts is http://mlhalldotcom.blogspot.com.  Michael reviews classical literature, shares his thoughts on the cyberworld, his travels and his career.  Even though many of his posts are way beyond me, I love to read them because he is just so darn smart!

Brandon's Notepad (http://brandonsnotepad.wordpress.com) is a blog by a young man  who has a wide variety of interests.  He delves into the cyberworld, shares his journey of faith through his Roman Catholic beliefs and, one recent post, he reviews various teas.  This young man doesn't blog enough for he has a lot to say.

Last but not least is a new offering that promises to be very enlightening .  Lone Star Prep (http://lonestarprep.blogspot.com) is a new blog that reveals and reviews the preppy side of Texas.  I think this blog has huge potential as  it opens up the side of Texas that defies the stereotype.  The young woman hostessing the blog is off to a great start with a link to a shopping site that takes the reader across the state to visit a number of unique venues. I think that Lone Star Prep will give the world a glimpse of the depth of Texas -- it isn't all spurs and tumbleweeds!


So, that is my list of my favorite blogs.  I hope that you will enjoy a few of them as well and will share the links with your friends, too.  And with that, I am going to go enjoy of the wonder of the sun shining through snow flurries and be thankful that I don't have to go out in the 50 mph winds.

I have been pretty busy over the last several days.  I can't exactly say doing what but I haven't been reading too much -- except for some magazines.  So, I am still reading what I was reading last week but I will include a teaser anyway.

This is from "A Piggly Wiggly Wedding" by Robert Dalby.

"It was ten past five at the Victorian Tea Room.  Vester Morrow was in the midst of overseeing the exclusive cocktail party he and the Nitwitts had planned as the first step in the evening's progressive dinner for Petey and Amanda.  Only customers held in such inestimable esteem by the veteran restaurateur could have convinced him to close down his pride and joy or an hour or so on a Saturday night -- prime time in Second Creek."

Friday Fill-ins 2011 -04

1.  Up, up and away, in my beautiful balloon -- the springy weather this last couple of days has wafted me back to the 60's.

2.  Something must be going around so don't breat5he on me!

3.  Coats and scarves, mittens and boots are necessary evils of winter.

4.  I wouldn't mind having a nice back rub.

5.  I am thinking about being crafty.

6.  To be or not to be, somebody asked that question, right?

7.  and as for the weekend, tonight I am looking forward to going to bed early, tomorrow my plans include cleaning the house, and Sunday I want to go to church, lunch, relax and get ready for the wintry mix that should arrive on Tuesday.

Ok, I know it isn't Tuesday.  It's OK.

"The story of the church moves forward with the guidance, protection, and assistance of angels.  So do our lives.  The early Christians knew this.  That's why they could easily mistake a man for his guardian angel.  Since Peter was imprisoned, they would naturally be surprised to find him at the door, but they were not surprised to encounter his angel!"

Simple Woman Daybook -- 24 January 2011


Outside my window it is very dark except for the porch light on the temporary behind my fence

I am thinking that I would like to be a better blogger

I am thankful for good health, hubby, two kids, two inlaw kids, one grandson, two granddaughters but dinner -- not so much

I am wearing jeans, a plaid shirt and sneakers

I am remembering that I have a busy day tomorrow

I am going to prepare a handcrafted Christmas next year

I am currently reading "Signs of Life" by Scott Hahn

I am hoping that the weather stays nice

On my mind weighing heavily is the state of our church

Noticing that I seem to be mellowing out in my old age

Pondering these words "Among the liveliest traditions of the ancient church was devotion to the guardian angels."

In the kitchen I am trying new things, next in queue is Tarte Tatin.

 Around the house I am purging and cleaning and organizing

One of my favorite things is sleeping

From my picture journal

I haven't done a Teaser Tuesday in a while and, of course, I am a day late but no matter, here goes.

"That evening, Mr. Choppy and Gaylie Girl were snuggling on one of his well-worn sofas surrounded by several of her still unpacked boxes.  They were also in the midst of sipping cocktails and discussing Euterpe and her perfectly balanced poodle."

Excerpt from "A Piggly Wiggly Wedding" by Robert Dalby.

I started reading Jan Karon's works with the Mitford series published in the 90's.  The first three I read were a boxed set that I  received for Christmas.  I was hooked from the beginning.  I loved these books that involved this small town and all the characters that resided therein.  It was like coming home.  They were light books with the occasional heavy aside.  They were religious but not preachy.  They were like going home.  I hated to see the series end. 

Then along came the Fr. Tim series.  I was thrilled.    I looked forward to being back in Mitford but this book took Fr. Tim out of Mitford and back to Holly Springs, the town of his childhood.  It was here he had to face the things of his youth that he needed to deal with -- it brought out a darker side to Fr. Tim.  There was a bit of a mystery involved -- a complete new direction from the Mitford Series.  Karon's writing was deeper, more emotional, more involved than her earlier works.  It was Karon -- just better. 


Her newest work "In the Company of Other's" just takes her writing to new heights.  It is actually a book within a book, with mystery and family turmoil and emotion abundant.  Without giving anything away, it starts with Fr. Tim and Cynthia taking a long planned and well-deserved trip to Ireland.  Of course, the unthinkable has to occur and their plans get changed not once but several times.  They are caught up in the lives of the family they are staying with and become a part of the family drama and part of the solution.  All of this while they are reading the journal of one Dr. O'Donnell.  I can't say more for it would give away the story but let it suffice to say that Karon outdid herself with this one.  Her writing is so rich and the web is so tangled that she has created a page turner that can't be put down!

I am a slow reader but I really tried to pace myself on this one -- I didn't want it to end.  I was almost as teary eyed as Tim and Cynthia as they headed for their next adventure.  I hope there is another book.  And I hope it is soon.

Friday Fill-Ins

Well, what do you know -- it is Friday Fill in time and I am actually doing this on a Friday! Go me!

1.  It's 2011! I want to get skinny, read books, write blogs and make many crafts!

2.  Tuna fish salad just isn't right without pickles!

3.  Thankfully I have my family and my health -- if you ain't got those, you ain't got nothing.

4.  "Things" are not the best things in life.

5.  I am so excited about tomorrow!

6.  The Aggie's play their bowl game tonight -- 7 p.m.!

7.  And as for the weekend -- tonight I am  looking forward to Aggie football, tomorrow my plans include running around with the hubs and Sunday I want to do church and look for snow!






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