Change . . . is in the air . . . .

Oh how I can feel all the big and more importantly little changes that are lurking out there.  Fall is I am afraid creeping up on us.  Everything always changes with August 1  . . . . These long light shadows are at 6 pm . . . The Cricket song that has taken over for early morning birdsong, the birds that have already left on their long trip  to the south.  Joe Pye Weed and Jewel weed are in their Glory.  The wild parsnip and Queen Annes Lace is fading on the roadsides.  The gardens are filled with Black-eyed Susans and Tomatoes are starting to grace the dinner table. Everything outside  is starting to soak up the sun, to feed upon the earth to prepare the beds and nests for the long winters rest.  Spring and Summer oh they are a fleeting.  Nature brings such joy and color and sound,  it pushes us to explore with all our senses and teaches us about the cycle of life.  The Golden Rod and Nettle lift their flowers to bloom and tower over us.  it is as if all the outside world is getting ready for a great trip.  So don't miss these changes, enjoy and take pleasure in each and everyone of them.  Get outside and soak up the sun, the wind, the sounds that fill the air and all the big and small beauty there is to behold. 

February almost over . . . . . .

And so it goes in Western New York in late February.  The days are getting a little longer and there are a few but very few sunny days.  We are still at the wrath of MotherNature and Lake Effect snow.  Everyday it snows in Western NY and it is the 1-5 inches daily that pile up in combination of larger storms that just pass through.  While I am writing this - there is thumpin on the roof of snow removal.  It has blown and drifted quite significantly.  This makes me very nervous  to have my husband up there but what can one do?  To add to all the blustery weather we had a chimney fire about 2 weeks ago and our warm wood cook-stove is out of commission until we can give it a full spa treatment.   The house has been colder than usual and we are running the furnace low as we need an Oil tank refill life at Chestnut Hill is never dull. 
           On the bright side this time of year is really lovely in the woods- the fresh fallen snow blankets everything and makes everything new again.  It can be ever so quiet while out there. Love to here the silence.  The birds are very active at the feeders and this year with all the deep snow the deer are feasting on our Christmas tree cast off. Every season has its beauty and I enjoy them all.

Advice from a Cardinal . . .

Stand out in a crowd.

Go out on a limb.

Be a bright spot in others lives.

Speak up.

Be home before dark.

Add color to your life.

Its ok to be a little Flashy.

Ilan Shamin  

( I could not clearly read the correct person to give credit to)

International Post Card Swap Jan. 2015 - the sent cards

So every year for a while I have participated in 2 different International  Mixed Media Post Card Swaps.  This one  right now is through Shannon Ganshorn from Musings on Reality    from Canada
These are the postcards that I made to send out.   I send out 10 and in return I receive 10.  I will show what I have received  so far over  the weekend.

                 It always seems that what I envision making and what I actually make are 2 very different things.  In the end what I make is similar to what I make other years-  First I start with a Masterboard, that I add base layers of paint to, maybe collage some papers onto it, add some stamps, at some point I cut it up into  4x6 size cards and then add more to them individually.   I started with acrylic paints light teal, dark teal and a salmon color.  Then later I used Pan Pastel in a mustard yellow that really brought warmth and tied it all together.  I also used some Liquid Pearls by Ranger that make a few things pop and some glitter Modge Podge which was because I could not find the plain Modge Podge.   I added a quote that spoke to me at that moment.  Then address them, write a note and stamps and out to the mailbox on the Tundra - that is what it looks like right now.   The last 2 have magazine cuttings from Swansons Broth ad/   " Why do I cook?"   So maybe you will want to try this some day, lots of fun and lots of good mail days!

Fabric Garland . . . .

So here is another little project . . . . a string of 50 White lights with fabric strips tied between them .
Strips are 6 inch long bu 1 inch wide and there are 7 strips between each 2 lights.  It was an easy mindless task, I did not give great thought to what strips went where.  It is looking great in our kitchen window.

Fall Fun . . .

Grape Sundae - Heavenly

Ghost Pumpkins and regular Pumpkins

Turban Squash- Natures bounty

Beautiful Gourds!

Looking North up Canandaigua Lake

 

Everyday October . . . . .

One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books.” 

 

J.K. Rowlings

The sock basket is the bane of my existence . . .let it be known - that I hate to match up socks and I have tried every "help" out there.  Rubberbands, bags clips etc...   It is what it is . . . . This too shall pass.  Perhaps then I will look back and yearn for the days that I had so many socks to worry about matching . . .

Everyday October . . . .

Lunch Boxes

We are a brown bag it family.  My kids never liked  buying  school lunches and my husband and I have always taken our lunches.   We have a fleet of freezer packs to keep the contents cold.   My husband brings his coffee cup back home in his lunch bag every day,  Since starting my new job - I have to be mindful to pack the lunches as best I can the night before.   I don't really like packing lunches. I love when there is school break and I only have to take care of my self!  Although I do not think on a regular basis my kids have seen the value in packing there own . . . but when they are at an event where they have to buy- they have then realized that they get very little food to eat for a lot of Money.  Are you a lunch bringer or a lunch buyer? 

Everyday October . . . . .

Every Sunday here at Chestnut Hill the Sunday Comics are a weekend routine.  Every one but me reads them cover to cover.   I have never been a comics reader. I don't really know why either.  When I was looking at this picture- I did have to think, how long until paper Sunday comics will be a thing of the past?  We still get the paper daily but I know we are in the minority with that.  Yes we can read it online but I like the connection of sitting at the table with paper and tea or curling up with a quilt and the paper to see what is happening. The paper version means we can all look at something together easier than crowding all around a screen.  Screens are all to common these days and the less we can be in front of one the better.

Everyday October . . .

 

“Round and round we spin, with feet of lead and wings of tin.”

― Kurt Vonnegut, Kurt Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle

 

Pumping up Tires . . . . Front right on one car Front left on another car . . .a daily event . . .

My October goal to post some everyday photos of life"now" . . . which will prove to be very different in no time at all. So just a fun documenting project . . . trying to mix in some fun quotes as well as regular things.

Just think - what did your phone look like 2 years ago, 5 or 10??? Time changes so fast these days.

Just Thinking . . .

"The more you are grateful for what you have the more you will have to be grateful for"

Zig Ziglar

26 years ago . . . .

September 3, 1988
We said "I do"  In a morning wedding with afternoon reception.  It was a lovely late summer / early fall day like today is in Western NY.  We had so many good friends and family present.  All our college friends from New England, some we have not seen possibly since then, but still in touch. Our Best Man, met our Maid of Honor at our wedding and then 3 years later . . . they were married!  Life could not be better.
               I made my wedding gown and would make it completely different if I had it to do all over again.   I also think about - Who do I know now that I did not know then but that I would invite to a wedding today.  That is kind of an interesting concept to think about.   So, no big plans for today- a nice dinner at home is all besides all the regular house chores and work etc..

Eagle Court of Honor

Bert = Big Red Truck that helped and worked on every Eagle project of each boy

Table with awards

The Fab Five- 4 on left receiving Eagle Charge from the 5th one who did his COH a year ago- All boys together since 1st/2nd grade

Certificate from Beneficiary for his Project

Waiting for Color Guard at closing- Hubby the Scoutmaster and TJ

Grandpa Bob and his Brother Dick- Great Uncle Dick - thanks for coming!

"ONE HUNDRED SCOUTS"

"Of any one hundred boys who become Scouts, it must be confessed that thirty will drop out in their first year.  Perhaps this may be regarded as a failure, but in later life all of these will remember that they had been Scouts and will speak well of the program."

"Of the one hundred, only rarely will one ever appear before a juvenile court judge.  Twelve of the one hundred will be from families that belong to no church.  Through Scouting, these twelve and many of their families will be brought into contact with a church and will continue to be active all their lives.  Six of the one hundred will become pastors."

"Each of the one hundred will learn something from Scouting.  Almost all will develop hobbies that will add interest throughout the rest of their lives.  Approximately one-half will serve in the military, and in varying degrees will profit from their Scout training.  At least one will use it to save another person's life and many will credit it with saving their own."

"Four of the one hundred will reach Eagle rank, and at least one will later say that he valued'his Eagle above his college degree.  Many will find their future vocation through merit  badge work and Scouting contacts.  Seventeen of the one hundred boys will later become Scout leaders and will give leadership to thousands of additional boys."

"Only one in four boys in America will become Scouts , but it is interesting to know that of the leaders of this nation in business religion and politics, three out of four were Scouts."

"This story will never end.   Like the "Golden Pebble" of service dropped into the human sea, it will continue to radiate in ever-widening circles, influencing the characters of men down through unending time 
A Look At 100 Boys That Join Scouting

 28 will continue lifelong hobbies started in Scouting

 18 will develop hobbies which will last a lifetime

 17 will become Scout volunteers

12 will receive their first time religious contact

 8 will enter a career based on Merit Badges work

5 will earn their religious emblem

2 will enter the clergy

1 will use Scouting skills to save the life of another person

1 will use Scouting skills to save his own life

Wedding Song...... Throwback Thursday

What was your wedding song?
 26 years ago - this was our wedding song.
The Best Man and Maid of Honor - our best friends,  met for the first time at our Rehearsal,  then several years later, were married. It has been such a good 26 years.

Nesting Birds at Chestnut Hill . . .

House Wren's

Blue birds and one is on a branch right above the house.

Blue Birds

Baby Blue Birds maybe 5 days old

Rosy Breasted Nuthatch's

 

 

Rosy Breasted Nuthatch - they are thinner than this picture depicts.

So it seems that our yard is a haven for birds and nesting birds which could not make us happier. My  college daughter is keenly interested in Birds and hopes one day to do research in Ornithology.  She said it is fine to check on nesting birds.  You first knock on the box so if there is an adult in side it fly's out, then you open up the box briefly. They actually learned all about this in one of her wildlife management classes. That is why I can show you a picture of baby Blue birds.  Our Hammock is between 2 big Norway spruce which is near the Nuthatch house and it is fascinating to watch the parents come and go feeding the babies.  The Nuthatch babies are older then the blue birds.  The box is not such that I can show them to you though. Watching these little birds carry on teh cycle of life is really a special treat and grounds you to what in the end is important in life. Shelter, food, family, Love.

Just Thinking . . .

" We can't all, and some of us don't.  That's all there is to it"

~ Eeyore

Volunteering . . .

                So this morning I am pondering  . .Why do some people volunteer their time while others sit by and watch?  Why are some willing to help where needed and others can actually poke fun at those that are doing an act of kindness or volunteerism?   " what - you don't get enough snow shoveling at home?  - as one shovels the walkways at church . . .  " Oh don't worry Jason will do that . ."  " Oh Jason can do that"  " Just ask Jason"   But why?  Why do these individuals not step up themselves? Why always think that someone else will?  Is our time not as valuable as theirs?  Do those volunteering have skills that others do not?  - I could agree for some specialty things but not general things.   ( ie being an EMT vs helping at a Bake Sale)   Are people intimidated by volunteering, are they nervous or are they just lazy-?  " Oh the Walton's will do it - they always do"  This article from Volunteer Maine discusses some of the thoughts about why people Volunteer.

Wikipedia defines volunteering . . .

Volunteering is generally considered an altruistic activity and is intended to promote goodness or improve human quality of life. In return, this activity can produce a feeling of self-worth and respect. There is no financial gain involved for the individual. Volunteering is also renowned for skill development, socialization, and fun. It is also intended to make contacts for possible employment. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the areas they work, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Others serve on an as-needed basis, such as in response to a natural disaster.



Why do people Quit volunteering . . ?

.Number 7: No flexibility in volunteer opportunities or scheduling
Number 6: Too much wasted time in useless or unproductive meetings
Number 5: Lack of communication
Number 4: Lack of professionalism
Number 3: The feeling that the volunteer is not really making a difference
Number 2: No feedback from leadership about how the volunteer is doing

And the Number 1 reason: The volunteer leader who doesn't know how to lead

            So as I look at the list above, I can agree with many of the points . . . in other-wards every organization that needs volunteers must be organized like a well run business, I can totally agree and support except  - that to get to that point it is a lot of volunteer hours.
            I think one of my big issues is those that complain a lot about what is not happening or information that they are not getting but those same individuals are never the ones that are helpers. Step up folks, make a difference, or at least give support and thanks to those that do.  But do not make fun of your volunteers, they give their time and talents to make the world a better place.