lazy saturday . . .

It's absolutely lovely today -- I have the windows open to let in the most glorious autumn breeze!

Todd's on shift, so after making a run to the post office and securing the camp after the RA group left, I pulled out one of the new books I got for my birthday. Actually, my dear friend gave me a gift certificate to Patches & Stitches for my birthday, and I spent it last week! I got two Art to Heart pattern books. I really like their stuff. The books always have a nice variety of projects (from simple to more intricate), clear, easy-to-follow instructions, and good templates. The two I got were Tidings and Easy Does It For Autumn.

Anyway, I pulled out the Autumn book and started perusing the pages. There are so MANY cute and relatively simple projects in this book! One in particular caught my eye . . . it's just darling . . . I have the fabric already . . . let's DO it!

Aren't these guys cute? And then pair them with this group . . .

Just a teaser, for now. If it turns out nicely, it'll definitely be a Secret Pal gift!

I'd love to spend the afternoon working on this project, but I got a call from my son (whom I love even more), and they want to come up to the camp and take pictures of Sawyer and spend some time with me!! How lucky can a girl get? Plus, I hear that Sawyer is saying "Daa-daa" now! Can't wait!!!

And can you guess what kind of pictures will be on tomorrow's blog?

Life is GOOD!

:)

About One Hundred Autumns Ago

"The weather is only a little west of south for one of the last fair days of the year; and the gloom of the yew in the churchyard... which seems the residue of the dark past, has its antiquity full of little smouldering embers of new life again; and so a lazy man has reasons to doubt whether the millennium is worth all this hurry."
Henry Major Tomlinson, An Autumn Morning

I wish I could write like this author. Tomlinson was a veteran of World War I who was coping not only with post-traumatic stress of a war to end all wars, he was still young enough to remember the world that existed before his generation turned into soldiers; the world that was gone forever by the time the survivors returned home. The story begins in the Autumn of 1918. The war is over, but “life is real, life is earnest”.

Here’s how it begins:

“SEPTEMBER 28, 1918. The way to my suburban station and the morning train admonishes me sadly with its stream of season-ticket holders carrying dispatch-cases, and all of them anxious, their resolute pace makes it evident, for work. This morning two aeroplanes were over us in the blue, in mimic combat; they were, of course, getting into trim for the raid to-night, because the barometer is beautifully high and steady. But the people on their way to the 9.30 did not look up at the flight. Life is real, life is earnest. When I doubt that humanity knows what it is doing, I get comfort from watching our local brigadiers and Whitehall ladies on their way these tranquil Autumn mornings to give our planet another good shove towards the millennium. Progress, progress! I hear their feet overtaking me, brisk and resolute, as though a revelation had come to them overnight, and so now they know what to do, undiverted by any doubt…”

Walking on, he turns from the main road into a side street he last walked with his friend who never returned from war. It was “… a street which turns abruptly from my straight road to the station. It goes like a sudden resolution to get out of this daily hurry and excitement. It is a pre-war street. It is an ancient thoroughfare of ours, a rambling and unfrequented by-way. It is more than four years since it was a habit of mine to loiter through it, with a man with whom I shall do no more pleasant idling. We enjoyed its old and ruinous shops and its stalls, where all things could be bought at second-hand, excepting young doves, ferrets, and dogs. I saw it again this morning, and felt, somehow, that it was the first time I had noticed it since the world suddenly changed. Where had it been in the meantime? It was empty this morning, it was still, it was luminous. It might have been waiting, a place that was, for the return of what can never return. Its sunlight was different from the glare in the hurrying road to the station. It was the apparition of a light which has gone out…”

He sees a bookstore he used to visit with his friend. On impulse, he enters the store and sees the same old shopman who was always there. The shopman was pretty old school even before the war: “If you showed no real interest in what you proposed to buy he would refuse to sell it.”

Here is how the story ends:

“I came upon a copy of Walden, in its earliest Camelot dress (price sixpence), and remembered that one who was not there had once said he was looking for it in that edition. I turned to the last page and read: ‘Only that day dawns to which we are awake...’

"I reserved the book for him at once, though knowing I could not give it to him. But what is the good of cold reason? Are we awake in such dawns as we now witness? Or has there been no dawn yet because we are only restless in our sleep? It might be either way, and in such a perplexity reason cannot help us. I thought that perhaps I might now be stirring, on the point of actually rousing. There, in any case, was the evidence of that fugitive spark of the early summer of 1914 still imprisoned in its crystal, proof that the world had experienced a dawn or two. An entirely unreasonable serenity possessed me--perhaps because I was not fully roused--because of the indestructibility of those few voiceless hopes we cherish that seem as fugitive as the glint in the crystal ball, hopes without which our existence would have no meaning, for if we lost them we should know the universe was a witless jest, with nobody to laugh at it.

"'I want this book,' I said to the shopman.

"'I know,' he answered, without looking up. 'I've kept it for you.'"

autumn . . .

candy corn . . .

One of the MANY things I really like about autumn is candy corn. And not necessarily to eat, but because it just looks so - fun! It's orange, yellow, and white -- happy colors! And it's triangular -- happy shape! It makes great turkey beaks, nicely fills a clear glass candle votive, and, evidently, makes a great wreath, too!

I happened upon the latest Woman's Day on the newsstand this week, and this was their cover photo:

Cute, non? And since my Secret Pal *loves* candy corn, I figure this may be my next project AND secret pal gift! I'll post pictures when I've finished.

Instructions are easy and can be found on the Woman's Day site, HERE.

They also had great instructions for preserving the candy corn and/or the finished wreath HERE!

Bon appetit...errr...Happy crafting!

:)

loverly weekend . . .

Truly, it's been a lovely, long weekend! I do adore having Mondays off. It gives the weekend lots of depth, and makes the work week far more bearable! ;)

Plus, we get to pack a lot of stuff in! Saturday, Todd and I headed to South Huntsville to pick up a golf cart for Camp MACOBA. We got a *sweet* deal on this baby, and it runs great. It handles the trails out here very nicely, which means Todd was able to take me through the woods and all around -- places I haven't been able to get to since the accident. It was wonderful!!!

We also purchased a large (20' by 10') screened tent. This will give us a place to have both sets of kids and their families over to eat, and have bug protection, too!

All it needs is to have one of the picnic tables brought over. Todd's going to do that sometime soon. I even grabbed my red-checkered tablecloth from Hunter Road for use here! We've got our lawn chairs, too, that we'll put under there for coffee in the mornings. Fun!

Saturday afternoon I made chili and put it in the crock pot, then I made Todd and I some sugar-free gourmet hot chocolate. We took it up to the bedroom and watched the Alabama game on the flat screen up there. We rarely watch TV up there (I watch it up there when I'm alone), so it was like a party.

The hot chocolate (with whipped cream piled high) made it feel like a party too!

This morning, I asked Todd to bring me some Coffee Mate on his way home. What a darling ... he also brought me some flowers!

He said the orange just looked happy -- I have to agree! And perfect for autumn!

I found a pair of shoes at the Dollar Store that I can wear on BOTH feet!! You can't know how exciting this is for me. Never mind the fact that I had to buy a size larger so that my right foot could fit into it! I DON'T CARE!

They aren't the most glamorous of shoes, but they're functional and look halfway decent and they're the SAME! I'm smiling! You can tell there's still swelling in the right ankle, too, but I really think the Mobic is making a difference. It's been a lot easier to walk since I started taking it.

This afternoon I decided it was time to decorate with some fun, fall things!

I think I kept a good balance of fun and pretty things. This is my second fall to decorate in the RV; we moved in early in November last year, and I did put my fall things out (for just a little while). I can't believe that *I* didn't take any pictures -- Camera Queen that I am!

Finally, as I often do, I'll end with a little reminder of one of my favorite things in the whole, wide world . . .

He really *is* such a happy little dude!

:)

God is so good!

Not for any particular reason or because of anything particular that happened to me.  He just is.  :)

Joc and I had a lovely day together yesterday.  We hit the road at about 8:30 yesterday morning and took a trip to Franklin, Tennessee (about 88 miles or so) to cruise the aisles of the Whole Foods store there.  It was very easy to find; 3 minutes off of I-65 at exit 69.  It's a pretty store and full of lots of wonderful things!  The first thing we saw was a jackpot find -- local grown mums (that were quite beautiful) at $6.99 a pot!  I think the mums made it worth the trip for Jocelyn!

We started in produce and worked our way around the perimeter of the store, then when back and cruised the aisles.  They have lots of interesting organic foods.  Plus, both hot and cold food bars (lunch for $7.99/lb).  And a bakery, cheese counter, an olive bar, a meat/seafood counter that was really beautiful; we really did enjoy browsing (and putting select items in our cart)!  One thing they had which I've not been able to find anywhere in Huntsville (except as a bulk item at Garden Cove) is quinoa (pronounced keen-wah).  What else?  Oh yeah, they had sodas made with regular cane sugar instead of corn syrup.  Plus it was kind of neat to see what regular stores carry that actually is organic.  They even had vegan cookies! 

After our trip to Whole Foods, we went to Dave's BBQ and had lunch.  Please don't comment on what an oxymoron that is!  It gets worse.  We stopped at Wal Mart (cotton balls and some other details) and I got a Hershey bar with almonds.    But on a positive note, I did drink all my water!

Whole Foods aside, it was nice to spend time with Jocelyn, just chatting and enjoying each other's company.  I like what God has done with my children so far.  :)

I finished the table topper Sunday evening; I'll post a picture before it goes in the mail.  I was very pleased with it -- I hope my mom is as well!  I'd sent her a pdf file from a 2005 (?) issue of Martha Stewart's Living, that had instructions to make some really cute squirrel favor holders.  I think they'd be darling with the table topper!  The squirrel favor holders can be found here.

Tonight Todd and I are heading to Jason & Jocelyn's for dinner.  And I'll get to see the cutest kitten in the whole, wide world!  Only she'll have just gotten back from surgery, so she'll probably be a little delicate.  S'okay, can't wait to see her and cuddle her!  I only ever get to see her on FB!

Oooh!  In yesterday's mail I got a birthday card and check from my mom & dad!  What perfect timing!  I'd wanted to watch Babe in my laptop, but I don't have it on DVD.  Then I wanted to watch Hocus Pocus, but I don't have it at all!  So, me and my little birthday money hopped on to Amazon.com, and both those movies (dvds) and Arsenic & Lace *and* To Kill A Mockingbird are on there way to my collection!  Whoohoo!  So what did I watch instead, you ask?  Twilight.  Don't laugh.  It goes with my Hershey bar.  Thanks Mom & Dad!

Fiddle-dee-dee, tomorrow is another day!

:)

time!!!!

I do not have it!!  Do you ever fall victim to the conundrum of not having the time to blog about the things you're doing / thinking / feeling, because you're too busy doing / thinking / feeling the things you'd blog about?  It's where I am!

I didn't have a "Sew-freely Monday" because my boss, who had been out of the country for a week, returned to work yesterday and wanted me there to help catch him up.  Understandable.  I have today off instead, which is a pretty decent trade! 

I'm still working on finishing the table topper I started for my mom two weeks ago.  I've finished quilting the appliqués, and now I'm quilting "leaf swirls" in the center.  I'll probably machine quilt the sides . . . or not.  I haven't quite decided on that yet.  I'd like to have it ready to sew the border on tonight, though.  I have until Saturday to get it into the mail.  My folks leave today for Texas, to visit my youngest sister and her family, and they (mom & dad) won't be back until next week.  So I've bought myself a little time there!

I got a sweet call from sister Cynthia this morning.  She returned from Israel on Sunday evening.  I got a brief glimpse of her trip, but can't wait to hear more about it and to see pictures!!!!  I love to see the pictures people take on their trips.  The things people take pictures of gives one an idea about the picture-taker's perspective.  When I see Cynthia's pictures, I won't just be seeing Israel, I'll be seeing it as she saw it.  Interesting.  And, I can't wait!

Then the oldest of my younger sisters -- Julia -- called at around 8 am.  I'm sending BBSQ to her today.  She's using it in a display this weekend.  I need to get busy!!!!

I did something I've never done yesterday; a NEW thing!!  I entered an online quilt swap!!!  Doesn't that sound like fun?  It's a mini-quilt swap -- the largest it can be is 24" X 24", so it's not too overwhelming.  And the deadline for mailing is January 29th, so it's all cool.  I may use the topper that I've patterned and do a fourth.  I dunno.  I'll post the link for the swap this week -- it's a pretty cool concept.

What else?  Let's see, hopefully we'll hear something about Camp Macoba this week.  In the meantime, I just keep praying the prayer that never fails:  Thy will be done!  :)

I forgot to get a picture of my secret pal's gift this week.  It was cute!  I found some fun fall stuff at the dollar store -- a pretty stuffed pumpkin, a leaf-shaped votive candle plate, a bag of Hershey's kisses (ok, they weren't fall, but they were chocolate!), and an autumn angel with maple leaf wings -- very cute (and my sp collects angels).  I found a basket I'd had and arranged the things prettily and wrapped it with clear cellophane draped in fall-colored curly ribbons.  It was pretty!  I may have mentioned this, but I truly believe that half the fun of the gift is the packaging.  A simple gift, thoughtfully packaged, feels extravagant!  :)  At least, that's how it feels for me. 

Goodness.  I feel like there's so much more for me to say, yet if I stay here to write (type) them, I'm not quilting, or scanning more clippings, or going to the post office, or getting laundry done (which wouldn't hurt my feelings too bad)!  And the more I do today, the more I'll have to talk about later!

Enough!!!

:)

MR. MOON!

Todd surprised me with two containers of yellow mums! Yay! Fall is truly one of my favorite times of the year! Anyway, I came home from work to see them sitting so prettily on my front porch. It was like getting a smile and a hug all wrapped up in one. I dearly love happies! And my darling husband is so obliging. Again, I am blessed.

Last night coming home I almost hit a deer. She jumped *right* out in front of me! Luckily, I was so entranced by the moon, that I really didn't have time to react. This is a good thing. My natural inclination would have been to swerve, or slam on the brakes or some other dumb move. As it was, she leaped out in front of me, and lickity-split, leaped onto the shoulder and into the field! Good think that big, beautiful full moon was there!

As I drove down the road to our home, I had such a sweet memory of driving through the tobacco fields in the fall in Maryland. Crisp cool air; the yellows, browns and oranges so prevalent to the autumn landscape; little indicators of the earth mellowing and preparing for harvest. Isn't funny how a quickly one can be transported back to a distant memory? And more than a little ironic. I sometimes have a tough time remembering what I did yesterday, but I sure can dredge up those memories from my childhood!

Enough of the reminiscing. Memories . . . light the corner of my mind!

:)

Remember Me, but ah!

"When I am laid, am laid in earth,
May my wrongs create
No trouble, no trouble in thy breast;
Remember me, but ah! forget my fate,
Remember me, remember me, but ah! forget my fate."
- Henry Purcell, “Dido’s Lament”, from “Dido and Aeneas”

Yeah, yeah, I know. The season of autumn has descended on the Northern Hemisphere. Stuff is dying all around me and change is in the air. So, I could post some melancholy seasonal whine about how gardens are just reminders that everything is temporary, and that everything ends. Some totally awesome seasonal buzz kill after the parched wild summer. But I won’t.

Instead, I meditate on the parable of seasonal change as Summer jilting Autumn, the way Aeneas jilted Queen Dido. She died alone, like Mother Nature in Autumn. But More particularly, I try to avoid her fate and enjoy what's now. And now, it's Autumn. I'm darn sure not going lament about Autumn's pathetic, lonely fate once Summer blows town.

So heed Dido's warning and remember Summer fondly, not mourn her passing. Meditate about spending less time observing the solemn passing of the seasons, and more enjoying the present. Winter may be moving in on Autumn, but I'm I'm paying attention. I am memorizing Autumn.

I’m more interested in the good stuff; in the golden hour of the day; in one final blaze; one red moment. This is the time of year to enjoy how Mother Nature ages gracefully. Done this way, growing old isn’t so bad. Nature has cloaked herself in the fiery splendor of autumn – even here in my sweltering desert, Summer bows out gracefully to Autumn.

Likewise, I meditate on the garden. Summer's youthful garden is cloaked in a million shades of green. Now, is is old and red and brown. Summer's departure eventually leaves the aging Gardener cloaked in the fiery colors of autumn. I'm trying to avoid Dido’s mistake, but not her lament. Don’t just forget my fate, but also remember me. The fortunate learn to enjoy getting old before they die.

Godzirra

Autumn – in the Northern Hemisphere – is a season that often leads to rather melancholy contemplation of time's passage. While we celebrate the bounty of the harvest, we are mindful of the empty fields, settling down for a long winter’s nap beneath a blanket of snow.

It must have been October when Godzilla destroyed Tokyo. At any rate, it was October when a vengeful sandal-clad goddess destroyed old Ann Arbor. So here’s my illustration to evoke a not-so-graceful seasonal allegory of the cycle of life and death.