Sunday, September 24, 2006

Urban Legend and other miscellany thoughts...

It is an urban legend that only on the Equinox will and egg stand on end.

Rather harmless I would say of all the events and hoaxes out there - but a myth at best. BUSTED! Searched www.snopes.com where all good facts are found...

My egg stood until sometime Sunday morning when it became compost.

34 Anniversary Cards - how fun is that! Overwhelming and little hand written notes in some. One made tears flow alot. He trusts me with his life... that was a startling statement... always something to learn each day...

Purchased the yarn for Lori's sweater... Gingery persimmon - great color! warm and toasty looking... 3 months to complete a sweater - might me a life time best! I am all about winning the race here.

Working to finish the Shepherd's Bush Shepherd Boy that I started in March 2000. I have only a few flowers and leaves to complete and beads to sew and it will be ready for the framers. I found that when I stopped eating artifical sweetners my vision improved and I can once again see to finish this rather detailed piece.

Life also derailed my finishing this project - plaster dust and cross stitch are not compatible. Neither is moving or mud! Life had been on the wild side for these last six years to say the least! I find that I need a central peace to stitch and if anyone knows me well - the waves have been wild and crazy since I started this piece... but I will finish the boy soon and he will hang next to the herb gathering girl a perfect pair.

Sing a song of prayer and rejoice for this is indeed the day the LORD has made.

Saturday, September 23, 2006

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX, September 23, 2006



LOOK MOM NO HANDS
I have always wondered about this legend. Amy Stoehr told me her girls did it one year. My e-herbal friend Michele Brown (www.possumcreekherb.com) said she had an egg on her floor standing there. Well that was all I needed. So here are my results - obviously not all eggs will stand - witness the egg I ate for breakfast on it's side.
The list is getting done!
Dog bath - check
Reservations for nephews wedding - check
laundry - always
Off to accomplish this list
Clean church
Dog food
Shower present for new baby
I have other things to do that are written down on a notecard - because my memory is short and I am so excited that the egg is standing that I can hardly think of anything else!
WOO HOO!

Thursday, September 21, 2006

September 21, 2006

It has been a day or 10 in a row. The time has been full lately. No dull moments. No uscheduled time. No time for tuna sandwiches and laughter. Plenty of laughter and plenty of results from diligent work. Travel, planning, thinking, working, dancing, practicing, memorizing, sewing, cooking, loving and being loved, listening and caring. All these activities have filled the days.
John and I agree we are happy this way - full of life - full of activity - we have no clue what boredom is or what it looks like. Like Lori in her one year program - we have kept our heads down and our eyes on the goal.
Here is the sweater that I knit with a few hundred others on line with instructor Janet Szabo who has family in Ohio, but resides in Montana. Tomorrow with any luck you will see pictures of the couches that John and I have upholstered.
Like I said - no dull moments in our life and I have kept my promise to John that I made so very long ago - he is not lonely anymore....
I will get a picture of the sweater on me another day, today I thought something should enjoy the recliner because it sure was not going to be me.
Sleep well my friends
Make plans to visit your God this weekend - she has an amazing story to tell you - one of love and acceptance right the way you are - you will never be the same after you hear the story


Wednesday, September 20, 2006

while attending soccer practice... Ode to Emily

Mid-week and it had some high and low points I contemplated while attending soccer practice ...

I can retire at age 61 - - 5 years and 71 days but who is counting the days until attending soccer practice will be the highlight of my day!

The weather is definitely made for wearing sweaters while attending soccer practice ...

I got a nap while attending soccer practice...

I knitted a little while attending soccer practice...

Got the news that my Dad is in a regular hospital room and out of ICU while attending soccer practice...

Walked a mile while attending soccer practice...

Had soup and sandwiches for dinner after soccer practice and found out the soccer star probably had pancakes for dinner...

I finally got the last two cushions on Becky's couch correct... I think the material is on crack cocaine or something because it was non-compliant and just down right ugly to sew... I am not usually harassed by sewing - but I can tell you I had nothing nice to say about those cushions... and the material is so soft and pliable - it should not have given me the fits it did! I will appreciate sitting my arse down even more knowing what an effort that they were to sew!

I chatted with some friends while attending soccer practice at the LYS and found out the yarn I ordered is not going to give the affect I want - seems it will argue with the cables - I looked it up after I ordered it and decided that Saturday would be a day set aside to make the decision because I have the cables all worked out and I am ready to knit while attending - - - - soccer practice :O)

Seems what I have been missing was the 90 minutes necessary without distractions other worldly that attending soccer practice affords me. I have not had 90 minutes to myself in weeks and I love the solititude and time to think and sort things out.

I love attending soccer practice! Who'd a thought and I loved watching the game on Sunday also. Very relaxing and good to sit still!!!!

Who'd a thought indeed... off to rest because the bus comes in the morning oh so early and I am ready to get back on it because I had the time to contemplate just how good life really is while attending soccer practice!

Sunday, September 10, 2006

OH AH - The MUD has blossomed into a star



This is what I saw when I returned from Grace Mountain Retreat III. It made me smile really large.

John and I saw these stars in Logan, Ohio when we went on vacation in April, 2006, long before we started this project in earnest. I fell in love with them immediately and we talked about when the time came to build the shed/barn there would be a star on the front end. And here you have it sports fans - a star.

So I was just plugging along and thinking about the star and purchased star lights for the deck and star candle holders for the deck - - star dishes - - stars in my eyes - - you get the idea.

It tickled me so to see it hung up already. John is pleased with his work and loves the help he has received from his children, especially when the nail gun misfires and lands in his finger. Becky and Lori unplugged the necessary items and took him immediately to the ER. They called me afterward and I left work pronto. By the time I arrived the ER doc had taken the nail out and x-rayed him again and he was ready to go - no cast - no stitches - prescriptions in hand and things to do on the list. There has been some pain involved and a HUGE bruise. Here is praying that he heals fast and true.

The Grace Mountain Conference was in Lancaster, Ohio and our Deacon, Carol Callahan, invited me to attend and speak on behalf of IPM (InterParish Ministries). All the workshops were great. A local three piece band played and there was an Appalachian author as our keynote speaker, Richard Hague. Interesting thoughts from this conference: 1.) assimilation and transformation; 2.) the ministry of presence is the seed of all other ministries. I will have to write a piece for the newsletter - and when I do - I will post it here.

Lori was in for part of the week - Tuesday nite through Sunday morning. She came by way of Megabus. I miss her a lot more after she leaves - - - alot. She got some bad news about her friend Becky Keltch while she was here. Pray for peace for Becky and a miracle of healing. I annointed Lori and Becky and prayed on them to ease the pain and sorrow.

So much to do and so little time.

I watered the grass for an hour before God kicked in with lightening, thunder and rain...

Jesus love you this I know,
For the Bible tells you so...

Monday, September 4, 2006

BEEN A LONG JOURNEY (within inches of the end)


BEEN A LONG JOURNEY ON THE BODY SHOP SEGMENT OF THIS PROJECT. Throughout this journey all the knitters that did this Follow the Leader Aran Knit (FLAK) told stories about where they were in regards to the sweater - sleeve island - body shop - and we knew what we were talking about without blinking. Lori is getting one of these as a graduation gift and we are starting the last quarter together. Me knitting and she studying - I hope to be done as she is pinned on January 7, 2007 as she graduates. I have been working on this since January 2006 and I am almost finished - how I plan on doing one in 12 weeks is beyond me - - not too many long blogs coming your way... lots of pictures saying I am here now....
Of course while I do hers I will not be sweating through a hot summer nor doing foundation work or building a shed and gardening herbs. I may actually have time to knit - imagine that.
Back at it - hope for 8 more rows tonight so I can try it on - woo hoo!
I have another daughter signing up for college - so there are more sweaters to be made for each grade completed in college.... a four year program would be 4 sweaters! WOO HOO!

Labor Day or We are always giving birth to something at my house





New patio space with a new garden along the drive way. I wanted a garden along that driveway since the day we moved in here and throughout this project it came to reality.

John and I have chatted about how you have to break an egg to make an omlette and the concept of loosing or giving away something or your talents but always gaining something even better in return. I guess if there ever was a picture to explain that concept this whole page of pictures is just that. Luke 6:35 (I think) talks about blessings overflowing in you lap... this is what this looks like in my head - blessing overflowing in my lap.




Then there is the wet dog story. Casey is allergic to summer in Cincinnati and had a severe attack early this week. There were the ususal comments about his weight and then the doctor took the flea comb and John got the dirty dog comments on top of the weight comments and the reason he went to the vet anyway.... needless to say the dog bath got lifted to the top of the pile today


Here is a view from the driveway. Looks tremendous if you ask me. If you go back and see the piles of dirt earlier in the summer and then look today - you can see the miracle.

Yep always some form of birthing going on here. Thanks Sharon for giving me that image. I can use it well over the next few months.


So friends - rest from your labors so you can enjoy what you have accomplished. The family is gathering for meatloaf and potatoe salad and kale and chocolate cake. Tomorrow Lori comes home for the week and John and her will "whip" the shed into shape - - so more birthing ahead.

It is only 11 am and I have done a ton of stuff - so after the shower I will make meatloaf and clean the kale and then knit until 3 or so and then just pop the meatloaf in the oven and toss a salad and wait for the family to arrive. Woo Hoo let the rest and enjoyment of our labors sustain us through the days and weeks ahead.

We who birthed this project should be proud of our accomplishments. Like all birthing processes we were not in this alone. John, Chris, Paul, Jenn, Becky, Felecia, Emily you can rest in knowing your prints are all over this project and that makes it shine even more than any other we have ever done. By the end Lori will have imprinted her love on it and it will be completely our own.

Rest in the love of the Lord - she cuddles real good.

Friday, September 1, 2006

bigger than a bread box and a lot smaller too

First you see what is smaller than a bread box - sprouting grass - woo hoo I say woo hoo! All week long I have been cheering it on saying "Come on grass seed you can do it, I know you can and today the cutest green haze is just peaking through the straw. WOO HOO!
Here is what is bigger than a bread box and also wetter. We sat on it for a few seconds but the rains came. Tomorrow we will sit and have our pictures taken there. Tomorrow I will show you the rest of the patio too. The picture came out a little darkish and did not improve with the auto fix button.

So sports fans this is as far as we are. Oh tomorrow I will also take a picture of my sweater because it is within 6 inches of being done. WOO HOO!

This is Labor Day weekend - let us rest from out labors.... visit your God - she is waiting for you to stop by and chat - and maybe there is another human there that just needs your smile...