Packing Up to Move

It's March 30, and the snow flurries are wafting down and leaving their mark on the grass.  As I pack up the material evidences of many years of living, along with the myriad memories that go with each piece and parcel, I gaze out the window at this:

Many things have been carted off to the church for the bazaar or to the goodwill store and Salvation Army pick up, while others are carefully wrapped in packing paper or bubble wrap and placed in a box.  How can we manage to have so much 'stuff' anyway?  Yes, over seventy years of living, forty-six of which were spent in married life raising four children and now the last nine years of widowhood, but my goodness!  I am convicted of being much too materialistic.  Is this what I have to show for living?  Dishes ... pots and pans ... furniture .... lamps... books ... towels and sheets?  Oh yes and then there are photo albums, precious pictures, boxes of letters and diplomas and memories.  And the books - the precious books.  Boxes of books.  Some carted off to the above-mentioned destinations, while others were hauled off to Half-Price Books to be sold to another reader somewhere!

Empty bookcases.  Boxes stacked in the library, in the dining room  - everywhere boxes.

One thing this moving and packing has certainly done is make me realize again how brief this life is and that we should use that good china, the delicate goblets, the good linens, the embroidered pillowcases.  Light the candles and enjoy what we have - every day - don't wait!!!!

Love,
Janet

50th Birthday!

The Monday night sewing/crafting group celebrated Little Miss Witty's half century of life last Monday evening.  One of our members had work-related, out-of-town duties, so we only did a half celebration.  The BIG PARTY will be tomorrow night when all of us will be present for a sit-down dinner and all the fixings.

 The special Happy Birthday teapot was put to good use and filled with Cranberry Apple tea. Miss Exactly Perfect made an almost sinful dessert, which we carefully placed on the Sweet Treats plates purchased almost nine years ago from the Crabtree and Evelyn store in Chicago. That is a whole other story I will have to share with you on a separate blog!!!!

 Look at those beautiful hands of our Little Miss Witty, the birthday girl.  They certainly don't look like they belong to someone who is fifty, do they???

This was Miss Exactly Perfect's sinful blond brownie dessert with chocolate and peanut chips and who-knows-what else to make it even more decadent!!!!

Stay tuned for the news and pictures after we have the BIG PARTY tomorrow night!

Janet

Back in the saddle again!

Thanks to a wonderful, talented, extremely creative young man I know from working at the same company for many years, I now am able again to add photos to the blog!  He walked me through some changes, mainly in the browser, so that the pictures could again be inserted into the blog.  What a frustrating time it has been these past weeks.  Now I am happily back in the saddle again!!!

Relentless frigid air seems to want to 'sweep down from Canada' and then just camp here in the Midwest. Tonight there are below normal, near zero temps again forecast.  A storm is looming for the weekend, and all of us are praying it doesn't turn into a crippling ice storm.  We are so ready for spring.

While mostly kept in our warm houses for weeks (or months?) on end, I have tackled several sewing projects.  A few had been started and abandoned, laid aside and left sitting in a closet, while some were brand new.  Take a look at what winter weather produced from the sewing room.

One (or was it two?) years ago, Knitting/weaving daughter and I attended a fiber show together and feasted our eyes on these beautifully hand sewn and embroidered little rectangles made from felt.  The French knots and tiny stitches are amazing.  A darling little bird of a lady was quietly sewing these in a booth where many of her other exquisite designs were being sold.  I bought six and started to make pillows but never finished both of them.  Finally, when snowed/frozen into the house, they were finished.

 On a cold February Saturday when we were actually able to get around in the snow, Wonderfully Kind and Constantly Joyous joined me here for lunch.  Then Wonderfully Kind presented us with a lesson on using our machines for appliqueing.  Wonderfully Kind brought scraps of fabrics, books of designs, applique paper and patiently walked us through the process.  My learning/practice piece was an apple which I decided to turn into a little hot pad for the kitchen.  We learned a new skill, feasted on a simple lunch and enjoyed precious fellowship together.

Last of all, I wanted to share with you a project that really reminds me of Grandma Holton.  She was such a dainty feminine little lady - this antique lace collar which I found in my hunts of old through flea markets and antique shows made a perfect collar for a little 'old fashioned looking' sweater.  I carefully repaired some of the areas that were 'broken' on the lace and then tacked it gently to the neckline of the sweater.  I like it - looks old - quaint - sweet - reminds me of Grandma.  I love her so!

Love,

Janet

A prayer for January

This was printed in our church bulletin recently.  It is written so beautifully, it deserves to be shared:


Merciful God, in great love you have claimed us as your children.  We confess that we have not loved you as we should. We have not loved our sisters and brothers as you intend.  Forgive our misuse of power against people and against your creation.  Help us to praise you by loving fully in harmony and peace.  Set us free from fear that we may wholly trust you.  We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who shared our flesh and blood.

Amen

Blessings!
Janet

Snowed in but warm!

The weather men were right - the snow began in earnest on Sunday - and the frigid -16 degrees below zero temperatures followed on Sunday night through Tuesday night.  Commentators kept warning not to go out - frostbite will occur within minutes and very dangerous - temperatures and wind chills too low to even register in our brains.  However, through this all, the views out the window were something to behold.  The scenes were just spectacular ...stunning ....artistic...graceful...even serene.  I wanted to run outside and take pictures, but remained inside and clicked off some shots through the windows.  I ran around to the front windows .... side windows.... back windows.... looked like Christmas card settings everywhere I went!


I have tried unsuccessfully three or four times to get these photos inserted on the blog so you could see the artistic snow drifts and trees mounded with big puffs and plumps of sparkly snow.  Every time I try to get them over to the blog, the whole thing locks up.  So .... I decided just to write a few thoughts and try again tomorrow on the photos.


As we (at least so many of us in the country right now) are snowed in or kept inside by frigid temperatures, it is too easy to get bogged down in 'cabin fever' and an urge to break out!  I decided to start a list of things I am so grateful for right now and stop fretting over possible frozen pipes or an interruption in electricity.  I decided to enjoy this forced break in routine and make a gratitude list.  Here are a few items on my list:


Thank you, Lord, for a warm house
For a bed to sleep in
For fresh drinking water
For food supplies available
For children who call and check on me
For friends who contact me through e-mail and check up on my welfare
For warm clothing
For eyes that see and contact lenses
For ears that can still hear
For a body that works, legs that walk, arms that move
For the cat who cuddles on my feet at night
For the rabbit who gives his fur for spinning
For a radio with good music
For the library with a supply of good books and materials
For my neighbor who came over to plow the driveway
For a phone to communicate and Internet to connect with the outside
For fabric to sew and a good sewing machine


Well, you get the picture.  How about you?  Do you have a 'thankful list' going at your house?


Keep warm -


Janet

Day after Christmas .....

The day after Christmas and all through the house!!!!  After returning from an appointment at the hospital with the doctor this morning, the house felt empty and sort of hollow.  All the guests have departed, gifts presented, recipes baked and cooked and leftovers stored away, cards mailed.... the tree looked a bit lonely with no ribbons shining on presents or gaily colored boxes beneath it.  Here are a few photos of the night before Christmas, though, to remind me of all the anticipation!

This was awaiting delivery on Christmas day.

One special lady has a birthday just a few days before Christmas, so she gets a birthday present along with the Christmas gifts.

 Such fun to wrap and decorate .... and anticipate just how the receiver will react when opening each gift.

Now just memories remain of visits from out-of-state family and grandchildren, and trips to the homes of the in-state family the following day to share good food and exchange gifts.  I think the most fun is seeing everyone and being there to witness the gifts to each other and feel the joy of this Christmas.  The food was scrumptiously good.  We are blessed with bounty in this country for sure.  The day after is kind of a letdown, but memories remain.

My plan is to take my camera to church to photograph the beauty present in the sanctuary and chapel - the holy presence there .... the stained glass windows inspiring worship of our Lord and King.  Perhaps I can slip in during the week when a service is not taking place to shoot some photos to share with you.  It did not seem appropriate to photograph anything during the Christmas services or during a Sunday service - but maybe during the week I can do that.  During Christmas the banks of poinsettias and stately evergreens add a beauty all their own.  It would be nice to share that with you.

Hope you had a joyous and blessed time with your friends and family.

Janet

Priceless Ornaments!

In the 1940's when I was growing up, our tree decorations consisted of construction paper chains we glued together, popcorn strung on thread, a few glass ornaments and lots of tinsel hung everywhere.  Today we have such a variety of ornaments available, beautiful but not the same as a 'real Christmas tree' of years past.  The tree in this house is full of homemade items from the children over the years, some from friends, and 'store bought' ornaments received as gifts with memories attached.  Take a glance:

 A quilted ornament from one of my sewing friends who meets here weekly.  Look at those points - perfect.  Next to that is a gingerbread shrink art ornament from one of the children years and years ago.

 A photo of our first grandson who is now over 21 years old!!!!

 A dough ornament from another of the children, hanging proudly next to a mouse in a thimble ornament from a co-worker over 25 years ago.

 Then that precious grade school ornament photo glued on construction paper and decorated with glitter.  Oh, the memories!

 And a dough star all painted yellow - next to the tiny doll ornament from my mother so long ago.

 A two-colored hand knitted bell from our daughter when she was practicing her new knitting skills - what forty years ago??

Finally, a felt ornament gift from my new little grand nephew who just celebrated his first birthday.  Isn't that precious!  Look at his little hand print!  Love it.

All decorations for the tree that money cannot buy.  Priceless.

Watch for more tomorrow!

Love,

Janet