Hold that thought...

This time of year has always been very special to me. A time to share with my sweet children. We bake. We listen to carols. We craft. We curl up under quilts- yes to stay warm, but it's a way to be close, too. A joyful frenzy. Feast days are celebrated with so much thoughtfulness and anticipation. Each child shining like the stars that they are. A time to really appreciate our many blessing, especially of each other. Just being together.

In some ways, this year is no different than past years. We are counting our blessings. Maybe more so. We are spending simple times together- a whole afternoon styling barbie hair, coloring pictures, no baking- but the "spice cake" candle makes us think that we are. The lights twinkle just as brightly. The snow is lovely- perfect for this time of year.

But we've made the decision to "hold that thought." A gentle abiding is in the air. Festivities will come. Celebrations will be renewed. But for now, it is enough to enjoy the snow, the quiet, the peace of the season.

Bunny Stew...

It was amazing. He is a great hunter and an even better cook. You'll notice the weapon is orange tipped- that means it isn't real. It's the latest thing in plastic pellet guns and he shot the bunny in the cellar after a mad dash ala Peter Rabbit and Mr. MacGregor. All that's just logistics after you add taters, onions and carrots! Simmered in a cast iron dutch oven... wow.

For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies;
For the love which from our birth,
Over and around us lies;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This, our hymn of grateful praise.

For the wonder of each hour,
Of the day and of the night;
Hill and vale and tree and flow'r,
Sun and moon, and stars of light;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This, our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind's delight;
For the mystic harmony,
Linking sense to sound and sight;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This, our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child;
Friends on Earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This, our hymn of grateful praise.

For Thy church that evermore,
Lifteth holy hands above;
Off'ring up on ev'ry shore,
Her pure sacrifice of love;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This, our hymn of grateful praise.

Some sewing, at last...

first sewing project in over two months. This measures 50x50" and is for my 3rd son, Jacob. He helped me lay it all out because the "simple" pattern was really beyond me. They had you start from the center and work your way out. What's up with that? Not the way my mind works on a good day, and these wouldn't be called good days. So we did one row at a time. Took me four days and now I need to grow it to 60x 76" so that it will fit the minkee blankee that I bought to go with it. I wish it could have been green, his favorite color, but they didn't have any green minkee when I bought it a while back, so this will do. The minkee is a lovely russett color. Lots of chopped off corners in those HST, but not one of my boys would ever even think to mention such a thing. The rust fabs are from my uncle's stash- I weeded some out that didn't call to me, and the backgrounds are from my own even if they did suggest you use the same, but you know me, I like it all scrappy.

I have a new med and it is helping. an improvement. and any improvement is a good thing. Hey, I did laundry, yesterday. wow.

Update...

My sister says she needs to see an update here. I was wondering how long I could get by without posting before she started nagging. But she only nags because she loves me.

I haven't been well. Trying to get some meds adjusted so that I can feel more normal. Normal-a tall order, my sister would say. I really would settle for anything in the general vacinity of normal. I can see improvements in some areas, but on the whole, I'm still pretty miserable. I'm hunkering down and just trying to weather it out. These things take time. That's what sweet William keeps telling me, but I'm so impatient to get back to my life. Like it's slipping through my fingers. My days involve reading a little, watching Hulu, avoiding the phone like it's the plague- I'm just not up to casual conversation, and not a single lick of sewing. Maybe it's the lack of sewing that has me so distressed, huh? I've wandered out there a time or two and I still feel a familiar fondness for the colors and textures, but no strength to do anything but turn away from it. Yeah, it's sad and it's getting me down. Basically, it's a waiting game. Increase this med and we'll see you in two weeks. That didn't work? Well, let's try this and we'll see you in two weeks. So this is my life- in two week intervals.

Son, John, drew that picture with one of his Etch-A-Sketches. He is so good at that. I have some of the sweetest, most talented, kids on the planet. I'm not bragging, I'm just stating fact.

Two weeks and no sewing...

Must be some kind of record for me. I haven't been sick. Not very anyway. Just still having to lay low with the allergies, but they are improving everyday that we move away from the harvesting that has taken place around our house. I love living in the middle of farm land, but the harvest- and the spraying- are not my most favorite parts. Beautiful and kind of exciting to see the fields cleared, though.

Oh, I guess I did play some with those puzzle balls, but that's it. OK by me. I have been entertaining myself just fine. Whodathunk?

Hmm... so what have I been up to? Can't rightly recollect! I have been reading some. After two years on a particular medicine that completely scrambled my brain and made my attention span equal to that of a hyperactive flea, it feels so good to be off it and onto another one which, so far, seems much more friendly. So I have lots of reading to catch up on and I have been doing just that. Oh nothing too deep, just dime novels, but I am giddy to be able to do that! I have been cooking more(the c's- cookies, casseroles and cupcakes!) and having the children help me organize some. Months of stashing things willy nilly does catch up with you, eventually. Time to rotate and reevaluate storage. Coming up with some exciting new plans. Things must be bad when you are excited about cleaning out cupboards, huh?

The same quilt has been setting in the quilting frame for the last two weeks. I think it might be responsible for my downward spiril into allergyworld. At least the catalist. Must have been one dusty top- circa 1930. It is gorgeous and I am two passes from finishing it, just happy to see it there for now. Looking forward to showing it to you. Have a great weekend!

A rather disappointing finish...

Bekah looks like I feel. No, she isn't pouting. That's the look she gets when she is concentrating. The bottom lip juts out and is too adorable not to snap a picture of. I surprised her, can you tell?

Now, I am pouting. I had such a glorious time sewing these little puzzle balls for my friends- flying up on the wings of anticipation, only to fall to earth with a thud. You'll notice that something is missing. They're rather flat, aren't they? I figured that I would make the balls and then buy the stuffing for them. Jenny Beyer recommends the cotton stuffing as it compacts better into a harder ball. None to be found locally. No problem as that is what the internet is for, right? Shopping. I found cotton stuffing at a wide range of locations- even some organic stuffing, which is what I preferred. It runs an average of $8.50 a lb. A price I was willing to pay. I needed 3 lbs. so $25 and my heart would be happy. Figured $8 for shipping. Nope. $16!! Really? I mean, are you kidding me? $16?? So the poor little balls will have to remain uninflated until I can justify spending $40 to stuff them! Think that will ever happen? I think not. I should have know Jenny would get me into trouble. And I'm kinda addicted to sewing them. Really wanted to try some of the more complicated balls now that I have my friends covered. Kinda takes the bloom off the rose. And to think, I was actually hand sewing! Oh the injustice of it! Waa! Somebody call the "waa-mbulance!"