Just now . . . .

Just now . . . .

         The Weather  -  it is very cold 21 but getting colder - temperatures will fall to 0 degrees by tomorrow night.  90% chance of snow tonight and tomorrow- but only like 2-5 inches.   We get a lot of snow here in total but often in smaller amounts but like every day at times and then we don't see the sun for days . . . .

        The sounds here at the computer  just now are:  are the hum of the washer and dryer running, the tea kettle on the wood cookstove  hissing,  Edna the yellow lab  huffing and her collar jingling.

           What we are eating just now . . . . Dinner was Turkey, roasted green beans, mashed potatoes, fresh strawberries and cranberry Jelly.  Making cookies and muffins for work tomorrow morning, and for weekend Robotics.

           Life is full just now, work, medical appointments, kids doing midterms, starting the college semester after moving home, pets with medical issues, family and friends passing on, un-relenting cold and snow, paperwork . . . . .

           I am creating just now . . . . not very much- not much time for that.  I am participating in a Intl. Multimedia postcard swap, a very little knitting, and dreaming of all that I want to sew, draw, paint . .
           Just Now, I am reading  Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

What are you doing Just now?

Hoping to get back to semi-regular blog posts . . I never mean to step away, life just steps in.

Just Thinking . . .

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

Zig Ziglar

Thoughtful Thursday . .

“The thing I remember best about successful people I've met all through the years is their obvious delight in what they're doing and it seems to have very little to do with worldly success. They just love what they're doing, and they love it in front of others.”
― Fred Rogers, The World According to Mister Rogers

 I would agree with this quote. 

The Moments: No. 8

God is Great, God is good

Let us thank him for our food

By his hands we all are fed

Give us Lord our Daily Bread

Amen

A daily moment I want to remember.  This is the grace we say most often but Holidays and Celebrations often call for more thoughtful and individualized Thanks and Grace.

Christmas is Love

Post - Halloween

Another Halloween has come and gone. Some things never change like carving pumpkins in the kitchen, roasting pumpkin seeds, dreaming up Costumes, sorting candy, cut out cookies, decorating . . . . then it all changes as kids age out of trick or treating and we are left with just one that goes out . . . finding a new location and friends to go with. It was a cold one last night complete with snow and ice and rain. Yoda was Jack O'Lantern for Halloween. Flowergirl stayed home and had a bonfire with her Dad. Hallow's Eve when we are between worlds- Oren our red cat was wild last night, was it the weather or was it the Night?

Random Fall moments

Canoeing on a fall Night
Getting back into the Music Groove!

Hand Quilt

Ok So the middle picture is on its side. The Hand really faces upward. The others just show detail of Quilting free motion. This was a lot of fun to work on . My mom gave me the batik with the Hand on it for a birthday gift. I Added all the other components over time and then in march this year when I went to Canada with Quilting girlfriends I did the Free motion Quilting. I do love how it turned out and I hope to hang it up at work. Love all the bright colors!!

Family Reunions

After arriving home from vacation it was a very busy week. Soldier camp, Soccer, work, packing for going away again for some of us, laundry, un packing, all the regular rhythms of life that needed to be kept going. Lets say the Blog has not quite yet made it to a regular rhythm so when things get busy- It takes a rest. Last weekend we had a graduation party, friends gathering, and family reunion to attend - all was good to see and spend time with so many wonderful friends and family.
We gathered at a State park outside of Ithaca NY for the reunion. Many generations present. Some good stories told, good food and fostering of friendships that go on Hiatus year to year. Looking at our past we can see the future. While our way is different in the present, it still all starts and ends with Family. We never know what path life will take us but we can be sure that we are not meant to go it alone.


“In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future.” Alex Haley quotes


So we go back to our individual lives, strengthened by time shared. We move through our days separate but together, not knowing what we are each doing but yet doing many things the same. Family and extended family is important. My youngest listened and observed and said wow " are we really related to all those people there today?" Yes, you are, you are not alone. Like a bundle of sticks- one stick alone is easily broken but bundled together is stronger than cement. If you have the chance to gather with family, don't pass it up. They are your past, present and your future. All is well.

Were going to the zoo, zoo,zoo

You come too, too,too were going to the Zoo, zoo, zoo

For a spontaneous 24 hour International adventure we took off for the Toronto ZOO in Scarborough, Ontario approximately 3 hours away depending on getting over the border.

Yoda reaches down to pet the Sting Rays - this was a fun and memorable event. Especially when we were feeding them and got soaked by being splashed by Sting Rays.

This is in front of Darwin's Pond- all fish you see are in the same family but changes due to in breeding. It was cool to see so many fish in one place.

My personal Favorite was this big guy, he had a grooming session and then he took a nap.

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree, merry, merry king of the bush is he , laugh kookaburra laugh kookaburra gay your life must be. . . .

A mold of the Gorilla's Hand . . . I think he needed a manicure. Remarkably looking like our hands.

yum yum Small Vanilla Bean Scones

Small Vanilla Bean Scones

On the Needles

This is what is on the needles currently. It will be a hooded jacket with a front zipper. This is the beginning of the back portion. It is made with NORO yarn Kochoran this link is actually to the real Noro site so it is in Japanese but there are lots of American sites with their yarns. They are Noro - the World of Nature. They have the best yarns, both in combos of fibers and in colors and transitions. I have knit with their fibers and patterns before and it is always very enjoyable. Their patterns are easy to follow and well written. They are however not cheap! I have been planning and saving for some time to make another Noro garment. I will post as it progresses. However it will not be near as fast as some of you out there that can finish a sweater in a weeks time. I find a little knitting improves my concentration. Right now that is a much needed thing in our house. this is straight garter stitch which to some might be boring or not challenging enough but for a busy distracted mama much of the time, it is just right for me.

Feeding the Chickadee's

This is a favorite winter activity but you can do it all year at a nearby park. On this day we had Chickadee's, Tufted Titmice and Rosy breasted Nuthatches feeding out of our hands and many other songbirds nearby. When the Chickadees Land their little toe nails grip your hand and when they fly away there is a cool flutter of their wings that is hard to describe. This is just another good reason to get outside.
It is not a good day without ink on your fingers or time spent outside. Get out and enjoy the day!!

Reading Fun

Sometimes the results of reading are measured in a test or written paper.
Tonight they were measured in the pure fun of creating paper boats like Calvin and Hobbes.It started with one for Yoda who was in the Tub . . .then it progressed to each of the older children . . . . and races to see whose would float teh longest etc.. We learned in Japan they make them out of Rice paper and put a candle in them and float them down the rivers. Oh the places a good book will take you.
I am glad for the place of Paper Boats tonight.

Summer Adventures

Ginkgo Tree- our favorite and soon to have one in our yard.

Leaving 19th Century behind

Weaving a shawl - Dressing the Loom class at Genesee Country village.

School of the Soldier at GCVM

Wounded and waiting for one of the civilian life Girls to come tend to him. GCVM 2009 A nice cool week for a change.

Summer Solistice

Summer Fun begins here!

Never enough Ice Cream

The First of the Lilies

Stacking wood for the fall, hard to imagine when it is 85 and humid but come fall/Winter we will be loving it every minute.

Marvelous watermelon on hot summer days.

On the Needles

Currently I am knitting a Swing Jacket by Noro. Noro is a yarn made in Japan. It is beautifully dyed wool in very natural colors. My choice is quite representative of the spring colors herein Western NY
When it is finished I will post a finished picture. I am on the yoke and then I need to do the collar and sew up the seams. I have not made a knitted garment in a very long time. It has been very enjoyable.

Summer Theme Days

What are summer theme days you Ask???
They are simply a day devoted to one particular topic.

Examples"

• Fish
• Ice Cream
• Rainbows
• Flowers
• Mexico
• Leaves
• Colors
• Things that Fly

Then there is:

• A field Trip
• Craft/Art project
• Foods to go with theme
• Books to go with theme
• Other activity

So - Fish Theme
Go to Fish Hatchery or Pet store
Eat Gold fish, fish sticks, fish shaped cookies
Make edible fish tank
Print Fish
Fish T-shirts
Make a book about fish
Make Rianbow Fish
Fish windsock
Read:
One fish two fish
Little lost fish
Coral Reef
Rainbow Fish
Watch: Rainbow fish or other. .. .
Actually Go Fishing

When my kids were younger I did this quite often. Now they are older it is not frequent but they are a creative bunch and with some modifications it can still happen.
When we did Ice Cream day- we inventoried all the Ice Cream in the house adn they made a big poster with what was available just like at the Ice Cream store. We made homemade ICe Cream and foam Magnet Ice Cream cones.

Oh and I remember Watermelon day too!!
Not every day is a theme day but now and then keeps you focused gives you something to plan and look forward to! Kinda like Field trip Friday- we are going somewhere near or far but always an adventure!

April Showers bring May Flowers

Bleeding Hearts

Spurge from my Grandparents Farm also called Pot of Gold

Crown Imperial - bueaty of a bulb and the scent deters moles and other Bulb destroying varments.

Lilacs are a coming, a little more each day!!

There is so much happening outside right now it is hard to keep up. Everyday or night the Trees unfurl a little more. by weeks end we will have shade again. The flowering trees are fast at work. So many shades of pink and white. so many early spring wild flowers that blossum and then are gone. I totally love this time of year and wish it would last a little longer. So many adventures to go out and be seen, so many changes. So many good scents. Make sure you make room for outside time green time each and every day!! Love hanging that laundry out- gets you outside and it costs nothing to dry your laundry!!