This looks like the place....

**peering in through the cobwebs and dust bunnies**   I think this is the place?  Looks like it.  Same old blue "wallpaper" and photo of my flowerbed and look there's my list of wonderful followers and my list of favorite bloggers.  Yes, this is my Blog Home!

Ah Puffins... I hope you all found plenty to keep you occupied for the past 10 months while I was off being "too busy!"

I've missed you all so very much, but something had to give in my life and unfortunately it was this special place of writing and musing.  A girl can only do so much without imploding and I did plenty of that anyway.

I won't try to catch you all up on the past months today. Just wanted to come clean up the place a little and let you know I hope to be much more regular in my posting.
Instead I'll close with a note I wrote to my dear friend Terri (of Gentle Living blog fame) just today.  I think it sums up my life right now very well.

"Terri Dear,
I just now had time to read this message (Easter Sunday 2012) and you never cease to amaze me with your wisdom.  Through your revelation of how you had no more dreams anymore, I see myself and I am grieving.  I'm too busy, I'm too tired, somedays I barely am holding on-- it's only through the grace of God & the faith He gives me that I'm not a puddle on the floor.
I am looking ahead to a busy spring/summer/fall and even ahead to the holidays of 2012 and dread each and every "busy moment" that i know is coming.
All I want is time for myself to just 'be' and to recover from a past year of working full-time, peri-menopause, BIG stresses within my life and at work and cracks in my Christian walk.

But I have hope and faith.  I know I am not alone in this journey as a maturing woman.  I have my Heavenly Father and dear lady friends who truly understand.

And just as you saw the wisdom in writing again, I too, in the past few weeks, have missed my blogging days and plan to begin again.
Funny how God works things together like this...."

As always there is coffee in the maker and goodies on the counter.  Pour a cup and make yourself at home.  I hope this will be a cozy place for us all to rest and recharge.

Hugs
Kay~
**"You cannot persevere unless there is a trial in your life.  There can
be no victories without battles; there can be no peaks without valleys.
If you want the blessing, you must be prepared to carry the burden and
fight the battle."
~Warren W. Wiersbe~

Randomness Becomes Me on a Friday

Yup, another Randomness Becomes Me post....  Why?  Because it's Friday the 11th.

And because I've had more than my share of broken things in my life lately.... a tire on my Edge, my watch, my iMac (it's being getting a new hard-drive tomorrow), my Farmer (he's on his way to being well again, but's been a long road), my sleeping 8 hours per night, his chainsaw and tree cutter, my ability to not over-bake things, my Sun-heat heater and my iMac (yes I said it twice because it is That important!)

Because I'm in the midst of piecing 102-2 3/8" squares of 2 different colors into 204-2" half-square triangles and out of every 10 I sew in a set, at least 3 need to be frog-stitched and resewn and even then I end up with 1 in every 30 that is totally too wonked to be used.  **crazed look**

It's a blustery early Spring day and I'm going to wash the sheet and let them blow out all the germies into the wind!

I'm drinking Kona Seneo Coffee today.

I decided that I MUST eat breakfast everyday and I love oatmeal, just not the fussing with making it every morning.  So I made up "instant packs".  1/3 c. regular oatmeal, handful of dried fruit (raisins, apples and apricots that I dried, were my choices), handful of nuts (pecans, walnuts and slivered almonds), a good shake or two of Mulling Spices for "zing".

Packaged these in sandwich-sized ziplock bags so that in the morning when I'm barely able to make coffee, I can dump one bag's worth into a bowl, add 3/4 c. milk and microwave for 4 mins on 60% power.  A little more milk or half-n-half on top and wah-lah! It's breakfast!

I went to the thrift store yesterday and found sweet pink and purple clothes for my favorite girlies (jackets for the big girls and clothes for my sweet baby-kins for this summer and fall.)  I found a yellow coffee cup that matches the miscellaneous pieces my dear neighbor gave me.  I had a yellow saucer so now I have a yellow cup-saucer and a pink set.  I just need someone to come have coffee with me.

I also found a cool straw tote bag with a clasp.  It has yellow decorations.  Ok, so it's a cheesy tourist buy from Mazatlan, but it's got "leather" handles and is big enough to hold a laptop (if I had a laptop) or supplies for the beach (if I went to the beach) or maybe just my Bible and Study book for church this summer.   In any case, it made me smile, and I'll take a $2 smile any day during "mud season."

And finally....

Who are these people and why am I here??

This darling has stolen my heart.  She is there and I am here.  But we have conversed on the phone and I know she is saving all her sweetest snuggles for her Grammie... who will get there as soon as we are well and those danged cows all have their calves.


The laundry calleth and my coffee cup is empty and there are no elves to finish sewing those half-square triangles.


Enjoy your weekend Puffins.
Hugs
K~


PS  Please pray for the people of Japan and the islands in the Pacific and even our West Coast.  I cannot even imagine the tragedy and loss in Japan.  Please Father God... be with our Brothers and Sisters in that country.  Send aid, comfort, provide, save and give them strength in this time of need.

Randomness Becomes Me in January

My companion these cold winter days.

Hi There Puffins!

I’ve been scolded by several people for letting my blog sit stagnant these past few weeks.  I’ve had a bit of writer’s block. There has been either too many posts flitting about my brain and they all wanted out at once which would have resulted in pure chaos or nothing of any interest to write.

In any case, that is no excuse for just running off and leaving you all here bored to death.  ;o)

I'm sorry. 

So without any further adieu, here are a few things that have been on my mind lately (in a very random order):

1.  Reading the Bible through, chronologically.  I found a website that gives you different translation options and the formates/schedules.  I’ve always wanted to read the Bible chronologically, as we read most books that way.  Over the past several years we have gone through much of the OT in Sunday School and I like to know how the history fits together.  It makes more sense to me that way.

The website is:  www.biblestudytools.com .  Look for the Bible reading plans.  You can start at on any date, read the day’s selection from the site and have it marked “read.”  I’m in Job right now.  His “friends” sure weren’t very friend-like, were they?


2.  It’s cold here.  And we have 6-10” of snow on the ground. And ice in places.  And I fell on the ice again last Sunday at church so my ego was newly bruised and my wrist/hand is STILL not 100% healed.  Prairie Farm workman’s comp is a joke.  But the other benefits are great!  (warm showers and time to sew!)

BFF's "Roses" quilt top, before quilting

3.  Speaking of sewing.... !!  Did you hear the joyous celebration?  BFF’s quilt is pieced and quilted and as soon as I get my behind out of this desk chair, I’m going to continue hand-stitching the binding down.  AND... She likes it... She really likes it!!  (I knew she would... even though she had reservations about the initial fabric choices.)

I love these bright girlie fabrics!!

Dgd3 (who is still incubating inside momma) will have a birth quilt.  I started cutting out pinks and purples and bright blues and yellows yesterday.  It will be my first foray into fusible machine applique.  Oh my~~  Hearts and flowers and lots of bright colors.  And then the need to buy more as my stash of bright girlie fabrics is woefully sparse!  Cosmic Cow.. here I come!!

4.  More sewing... I received a gift card to Joann’s Fabrics because ds2 knows me so very well.  Along with a 40% off coupon rewarded me with 3 pieces of pink flannel (receiving blankets or quilts or ??) and a rotating cutting board.  I dislike having to constantly turn blocks I’m trimming or have to walk around my cutting table.  It’s not always handy. 
I’m also impatiently waiting for Cosmic Cow 2 to open in our hometown. Work continues on the inside.  Would it be too rude to put a note on the door that says “HURRY UP!  I need more Fabric!!”  I suppose it would.  lol
And thread!  Who knew I was low on dark colored thread!  Doggone it! Guess I need to do some online shopping at Signature Threads dot com.  Or Connecting Threads.  I like “good thread” as opposed to el-cheapo stuff from Wal-mart.  The lint is unbelievable from the cheap stuff and my Kenmore chokes and spits out thread wads then.  Not fun!

Told you my mind was a wild and wooly place these days.  This is just scratching the surface. 

Stay tuned as I churn out more in the days to come.

Hugs!
K~

PS  I LOVE my new windows.  Makes me sick to think of all the money we lost from our old drafty ones letting in the cold and letting out the warmth. 

(in)Sightful Saturday

One block from "Brenda's Roses"

Happy Saturday Puffins.... again, quickly (are you sick to death of me saying that?) as it's 11 p.m. and we had a big day and another one planned tomorrow.

We after yesterday's BIG SHOP, it was early this morning to take those calves to the vet where they were doctored (Vetted?) and then a brief stop at the Farm Store for sock for me (warm socks!) and a drill bit and bolts for him.  Home to let those beefers out with their cousins where they hopped and jumped and acted like giddy fools.

It was a chilly day with a brisk South wind.  I broke back down and turned on the furnace.  The Sunheat Heater just was not doing enough and I hate having the shivers.

While the Farmer-man was letting our other cows out into the newly fenced stalk field, I went through my Pantry and put all the boxed and bagged foods into Tupperware or Jars and a bunch of boxed foods in a large tightly lidded tote.  The only items not stored like this were my 2 60# bags of wheat berries.  Why all this work, you ask?   Because last year at this time I dealt with mice finding and tasting all the boxed & bagged foods and leaving a huge mess.  I'm sure the low-frequency noise repellents will keep the vermin out but just in case I wanted to be ready.

Farmer-dear watched the Nebraska game and I started organizing my hundreds of photos and putting them on my 1gb thumb drive.   What a fun trip down memory lane.

And now I'm ready for bed.  Before I go I wanted to remind you to comment on any post starting with Tuesday's and before 11:59 p.m. tomorrow evening.  I'll pick a name and that person will win a nice gift card to Amazon.

One last "insight":   "... 'a woman who fear the Lord, she shall be praised' - a wife rightly related to her Lord will be rightly related to her husband and others.  She fears the Lord, not society, not friends."

Hugs
Kay

** "There aren't enough days in the weekend."  ~Rod Schmidt

Random Wednesday

I didn't have a new photo for today, so I opened iPhoto, made the photos all small, closed my eyes, scrolled up and down and clicked.  I selected this photo from August 30, 2008.  

I love my Grain Master Mill and hard white spring wheat from Montana.  Yes, I'm a "crunchy" Christian Farmer's Wife, who mills her own flour.  We've even grown it and sold it, but when 2 of the 3 years were crop failures, we decided it wasn't worth the hassle of having it triple-cleaned and coordinating customers' pickups.

I hope to bake tomorrow or cook or do something fun in the kitchen and I WILL sew tomorrow, even if it's just for 15 mins.  

I've restarted my walking regimen, thanks to a dear friend who is hounding... encouraging me via text-messages.  2.5 miles for the week so far.  That east hill is a killer!  

And just a reminder, in honor of my 4th blogiversary, I'm showing my appreciation to all my loyal readers by giving away an Amazon Gift Card (denomination to be determined very soon).  Just Comment On This Post by 11:59 p.m. CST Nov. 8th.  I'll randomly draw a name and send out the gift card via snailmail, so be sure to give me some way of contacting you for your address.

And I'd love to know how you found my blog.

Hugs!

Kay~

** falling leaves
hide the path
so quietly
~John Bailey, "Autumn," a haiku year, 2001, as posted on oldgreypoet.com

He is in the little things...

God is in the little things of life as well as the big things...

The Blue-eyed Farmer's cousin asked if I would drive to Omaha and pick up his daughter from the airport on Friday.  Drive THROUGH Omaha!   My heart stopped, because I do not drive in Omaha... I just do not... all those other cars and trucks on the road and all those lanes of traffic merging in and off...  I Am a Prairie Chick after all.  Where my biggest traffic concern is the lineup at the elevator.

But Cousin K is harvesting also and to take 3-4 hours out of the middle of his day is foolish when I am physically able to do this.  I have been driving for alot of years and I have driven to the airport on a Sunday and across Omaha on the interstate before.  I just do not feel comfortable doing it.

So on Friday, as I started out, driving along my quiet gravel roads, I prayed hard.  "Please Father God, go before me on this trip.  Open the lanes I need to travel, guard me, protect me and lead me safely to the airport and home again."  

And then I placed all my concerns in His hands and turned on KLove radio station and sang aloud with the praise music on my drive.

Off I traveled.... through road construction on the interstate, into Omaha.  Where there was at least a car length between me and all the cars around me through the heavy traffic in town.  No one cut me off.  No one "pushed" me to drive too fast.  I was in the correct lane for every merge.  I didn't get lost.  

The one little bobble in the trip was when I had to quickly slow down to merge over onto the expressway & the person behind me was not "amused." 

But through the entire trip I was calm, even with the bobble and not (too) tense or panicked.  Found a parking place in the parking garage (that confusing maze!) and as I parked I thanked God for His mercies that again are New Every Morning.

I was at the Colorado cousin's gate with 20 mins to spare.  And praise God, she was used to driving from the airport, having done it with her dad every time he picks her up, so I let her drive home. 

It was a little thing, this driving through the Big City, and yet my fear/worry was important enough to my Father God that He answered my prayer and guided me safely through.

What good gift has God given you lately?  How has He answered your prayers?  I'd love to hear (read) all about it.

Hugs-

Kay

** "I believe God is managing affairs and that He doesn't need any advice from me. 
With God in charge, I believe everything will work out for the best in the end. 
So what is there to worry about?" ~Henry Ford~

Homing....

(I jotted this down one late afternoon last month while waiting on dear Farmer.... I'll try to get some photos of my little hometown.  I only wish you could see the "photos" in my mind of that day... )

Sitting in our small town at 6 p.m. on a week night....  

Watching the folks drive past on their way home...the blue-collar workers in their company trucks, tools of their labor hanging over and off-- wooden boards, ladders, unknown metal, resting also on the drive.

The white-color professionals in their cars coming into town from the big city... collars unbuttoned, ties loosened, maybe heels off for the women.  Relaxing in the late day sunlight.

The bowling teams arrive at the bowling alley... the jokes and teasing and laughter floating over the car.

Listening to the town slow down.... quiet down... from the hectic pace of a working day...

The cool evening breeze blowing the sun ever westward... toward setting .... toward the slanted, more golden light of Autumn... not quite here yet, but the promise is ...

And as the shadows lengthen, the Courthouse clock chimes the hours ....

Random Thoughts on the post by cookblog: "The Pig Dies At Noon"

cookblog: "The Pig Dies At Noon": "That's what the email said, just to ensure that the more squeamish guests would be arriving around 5. "
I just read this post by Peter....  about the progress of going from a living pig to a pork dinner.  (Note to the "squeamish"... there are photos of blood and gore, so you may want to hide your eyes as you scroll down.  But do read it.)

I was also interested in this statement:

"... I was surprised that more people didn't want to see a bit more of the butchering, or at least talk about what went in to bringing the meal to fruition. As it was, nobody at all in the house seemed to have any interest at all in what we were doing, let alone a desire to learn or hear about what we did."

I'm on the other end of the food equation ... in the birthing end of the beef... well, not me actually birthing any beef,... *grin* ... but our being the care-givers and midwives(mid-husbands?). We see the start of what will end up in our freezer and stomachs. We watch it grow and mature and fatten, caring for it along the way. Also knowing that if we neglect our responsibility, we won't be eating beef this winter.

I wonder if more people are not interested in knowing how their meat gets to their tables, because as a nation, we have never really been hungry or in want. There appears to be food galore in our grocers... most people not knowing that your average store only has enough stock on hand for maybe 3-7 days and that is not for everything on the shelves. You can find food (or what is marketed as "food") in almost every kind of retail establishment in the country. (Even Farm Stores have candy and nuts and a pop machine.)

I wonder what would (will) happen if (when) there would be a break-down in the transportation grid and the trucks could not get to the warehouses or stores? What if a huge natural disaster happened or national emergency and we were required by law to stay in a small area for our safety? What if the food ran out?
What would you do? Rely on the government to air-drop food in? Or could you forage, barter, grow, hunt for your own?

Just some thoughts running through my mind today as we continue harvesting corn and as I have been helping with chores-- feeding the beefers and as I looked in my freezer for something to defrost for supper. I see my the end of my garden and look at the filled canning jars in my pantry.  I smile at my various "kitchen helpers"-- grain mill, stand mixer, dehydrator, vacuum sealer.  I pat the bags of wheat berries and cans of beans on the shelf.  I think about my neighborhood and how we share not only food but life lessons.  And I thank my Father God again for how much He has truly blessed us.

I'm interested in what you have to say about any of these thoughts....

Hugs,
Kay~

** Maybe a person's time would be as well spent raising food as raising money to buy food. ~Frank A. Clark

I meant to

I meant to blog today... actually I've meant to blog for several days now. But I want to take photos of my "bursting out all over" gardens! And I have to take photos in the mornings or by noon because in the late afternoon, my veggies are in the shade.

But today I cleaned and made a few phone calls and weeded and made an apple pie and then mowed and then it was cloudy and coming on dusk.

So... hopefully tomorrow or by the weekend.

Other "news":

Today is my baby's 26th birthday!


Yes, I had him when I was 3 years old. (lol) Seriously.... HAPPY BIRTHDAY Baby Boy! We are so proud of the young man you have grown to be. You make me smile constantly.


And...

I went antiquing on Saturday with BFF. I took photos of a display I'd like to implement into my porch decor, but they are on my phone yet. And I came home with "old iron" and a lamp and some smalls. I'll try to get those photos taken this week too.

I have plants to plant yet out in the gardens and I need to get more to fill my old enamelware and get those set out where I want them in the yard.

And....

The grandgirlies will be here in 10 days, for 2 weeks (Mommy & Daddy will join us after the 10th day of their visit.) Grammie has some cleaning and organizing and planning to do before the 19th!

So, while I'm not blogging, I'm not just sitting around, twiddling my thumbs. I'll be back soon with those photos and more ideas for using vintage stuff in my house.
Like this:



Until then, I remain, truly yours...

Hugs!
K~

** "I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read and all the friends I want to see." ~John Burroughs

Our Prairie

Did you notice I updated the look of my blog? The green & tan background were so 2009. lol

The photo is looking north from our "other" farm, which we call "The 80", because it is 80 acres of farm ground and some native prairie grasses and 2 creek/timber areas. You can see one of the prairie fields in the above photo.

Notice the rolling hills. We live on the western edge of the glacier till from the last ice age (if you believe that) or more likely, from the climate change after THE Flood (which is my chosen belief.)

"The thick green lines in the east mark the western limit of the great Pleistocene glaciers. In these areas glacial till overlies the old rock: blue clay, then thick beds of loose gravel and boulders, with occasional buried soils where once forests grew."
(Copyright [2010] by Andrew Alden, geology.about.com, reproduced under educational fair use.)

Anyway, we live in the rolling hills, with some clay soil, some good, dark bottom ground, LOTS of rocks in some areas, creeks and woodlands in the low areas, grass on the steep hill sides.

It may not be mile-long flat row-crop land, but I think it's wonderfully diverse and beautiful.

...says the Prairie Chick....

Hugs,
K~

"He best expressed his preference for his wild homestead by saying that his Bible seemed truer to him there.
"If one stood ... and looked off at the rough land, the smiling sky, the curly grass white in the hot sunlight;
"if one listened to the rapturous song of the lark, the drumming of the quail, the burr of the locust against that vast silence, one understood what Ivar mean." O Pioneers! Willa Cather

Yes I know.....

Yes, I know the Mrs. Dash widget is so out of place and random. That's me... Ms Random.

Yes, I know it's been 32 days since my last "real" post. That's me... Ms. Forever Late-er

Yes, I know you are all STILL waiting for that video about the calves. Hope no-one was holding their breath, waiting on me, Ms. Procrastinator.

Yes, I know.... Spring is here and some of my Winter decorations are Still up. What?! Cardinals don't go with Spring Flowers? Those ice crystals could be rain drops if you squint at them and are going by on a fast horse.

But if you are still with me, I hope to have photos of my 2010 garden (The Spinach, Lettuce and Onions were up as of yesterday!!); the new compost enclosure (no more skunks in my compost pile!) and my newly organized & rearranged Sewing Studio (if that Farmer EVER gets that miter saw out of the room!)

And Yes..... I know.... that video....... s~i~g~h~~~~

Soon, Grasshopper, Soon...... (but don't hold your breath.... you know me.....)

Hugs!
K~

** "Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday." ~Don Marquis

The good and the bad

Let's start with the bad.... Both the Farmer and his Wife battling head/chest colds.

Good.... We're slowly getting over them. Zicam is a very good thing.

Good.... First calves of the 2010 season.

Bad.... Born on a COLD evening.

Good.... Twins & easily gotten to the barn with mama.

Very bad.... both contracted something and have died. Second after spending 2.5 days in the mudroom and having scours.
Very bad.... cleaning up the scours mess on Valentine's morning while sick with a bad cold. (or maybe that's a "good" since I couldn't breath very well.)

More bad.... blizzard warnings for Valentine's Day morning.

Good.... we were stuck at home and were safe and sound.

Good.... Taxes are done and away.

Good.... The sun shone today.

Good.... Cinnamon rolls are on their final rise.

Bad... My rocker chick was not in the Final 24 on American Idol. (Yes, I know, I'm pathetic that way.)

Good... Found 4 old high school friends on Facebook and the wife of a fifth.

Very Good.... at least 6 new babies or pregnant mommys in my circle of friends.

Good... Packages of books, new shoes, a new LBD and a new eye-liner that advances and works great for me.

Bad (or not as good).... new shoes are not cute, but functional. Winter/mud/snow means warm, sturdy shoes, not cute shoes.

VERY Good... Almighty God is still on His Throne and I am still saved, forgiven and free!

'Nuff said!

K~

I'm Random in 2010

Just a few thoughts--

A. Finishing up (ok...procrastinating) 2009 Prairie Farm taxes. I don't know why I put it off. It does go fairly quickly if I stay current. Stay current.... oh yeah.... that's why I don't like doing it. I'm can never stay current. It's a goal.

Maybe my pretty new file folders and desk assessories will help. They can't hurt.




B. My menu planning is in a boggle. It's not that I don't have the ingredients. We've refilled the pantry, fridge and freezer from the past months usage and I have an abundance again.
It's not a lack of inspiration or suggestions. Goodness knows I have plenty of recipes, cookbooks, blogs I read and subscriptions to Cook's Illustrated and allrecipes dot com. Folks I admire like Karen, Penney/Terri, Tammy and PW wet my appetite, cause me to lust over their talent by posting their menus.
Maybe that's the problem.... I'm on food overload! I need to take it one day at a time.
Here's what I have so far:
Monday- We ate "out" while running errands in the City.

Tuesday- (today) I'm stuck. Not sure what the Farmer-dude will want when he gets home from his very long over-time shift today. In consideration is Souper Steak (smothered cube steaks) or broiled sausages or PW's Cajun Chicken or Lasagna or take-home Pizza, but then a juicy cheeseburger sounds good too. (See?! I can't decide.)

Wednesday- Slow-cooker Pulled Pork on whole-grain buns, cole slaw, oven fries, chocolate mousse.

Thursday- B4S night : French Toast, ham, mixed fruit cup.

Friday- Salmon, roasted asparagus (me), cooked carrots (Farmer), any left over cole slaw, biscuits, banana cream pie.


C. I signed up for the Secret Sister ministry at our church. I haven't been a Secret Sis in a long time. I'm looking for new ideas on RAKs. Feel free to leave them in the comments.

D. My clothing amount is out of control again! I thought I purged plenty last summer but I've been noticing what I'm not wearing this winter. Time to purge the unwanted again. Someone else surely has more need of it than my closet and dresser!

E. I stumbled across the mention of a newer show on History Channel called "something" Pickers. (google it)
About 2 guys who drive the back roads in search of old farms, horded collections and then rummage through those places looking for "junk" to buy to resell.
At first I was intrigued at the concept, thinking it was was a bit like my thrifting or flea marketing. But as I watched the 3 episodes I recorded I started to get a bit uncomfortable with the idea. The guys are very nice and polite to their clients. They paid a fair price (I guess) for what was just sitting in sheds, barns, covered in dirt, hidden in the weeds.
I think what got under my skin was seeing the profit they make on these items. I know they need to make a profit to successfully run their business, but it still seems a little shady to me. They pay, say $75 for an old sign and flip it for $150.
Maybe if most of their accusations didn't come from elderly people, (some who didn't seem too sharp), I wouldn't mind so much. These folks were happy to get the money, but I wonder if they would have been as happy if they knew how much "Mike and Frank" made when they resold it? Maybe I'm looking at this all wrong and is it right to let these items just rot & rust away into nothing when someone is willing to purchase them and use them. After all no-one is getting any pleasure from this stuff when it's hidden away under layers of other stuff or buried in the weeds. Now the client has some cash in hand and the final buyers have some Americana. Mike and Frank are just the middle men.
Maybe it's the stories I've heard of one of my great-grandmas being swindled by an "antique dealer" out of all her nice things for very little money.

Your thoughts?

and finally F. Let me first say, if any of my church family reads this, please don't take offense. (That'll get everyone's attention. lol)
I've been feeling .... how do I explain it?...... that we're not being used to our full potential at my church. It's a past year of internal strife, hurts and angst. We're healing, we're growing and yet we continue the same.
I thought the Secret Sisters would be a vibrant, exciting ministry to participate in. And it will be for me, because it's right up my alley. But I was surprised to see how few ladies were a part of it at church. I know, it's not for everyone, but it still feels like another division taking place.
I've felt for a while now that we are a bunch of groups who all come together on the edges on Sunday mornings, but the "Christian Family" feeling we should have, is not something I really feel.
Don't get me wrong, we have some wonderful friends there we interact with and feel close to. But I don't feel a sameness of direction, of vision, a common goal from the Body in general. Alot of Sundays, I feel like Farmer and I are worshiping alone and alot of the rest are just "there." (boy doesn't that make me sound "greater than thou!" It's not meant to.)
I feel like all we do is concentrate on "us." We don't seem to reach out to our neighborhood beyond the Easter Pageant. We did do VBS in a local park for several years but that seemed stiff and forced. There was no relationship with the area.
Now, it's wrong to complain without offering a solution, isn't it? I'd love to see us have a monthly event, open to the surrounding area. Something "non-threatening." Some way to love on and minister to those who live & work around us. Use the yard and parking lot in the warm months. Send out postcards/mailings to the residential area around us. Hang posters in the near-by shopping centers. Have a place-card at the motel down the street.
Maybe all these things have been tried and failed... I don't know and that's my fault for not asking. I've asked about a few things that were not possibilities. Maybe it's just my small-town/rural mind-set trying to relate to a Body that resides in the City.
I guess I'm tired of looking at Us, at myself and wanted to be used. I want to be stretched and see God work through us, beyond our walls.

Please, if you do, would you pray with me on this.

And these are the thoughts flying around in my head today. Sometimes it's a varied and cluttered space.

Hugs
Kay~

** "The mind I love must have wild places,
a tangled orchard where dark damsons drop in the heavy grass,
an overgrown little wood, the chance of a snake or two,
a pool that nobody's fathomed the depth of,
and paths threaded with flowers planted by the mind." ~Katherine Mansfield

Musing on Monday

Nothing very new to report.... it's still winter, it's still cold & foggy and frizzle, freezing rain and a wintery mix are all in the forecast for the rest of the week. yippee.

I spent 2 hours figuring out the Wii Fit today. My Fit Age is 34. I feel pretty proud of that, considering my fluffy body and all.

I cooked a basic dinner of Meatloaf, Mashed potatoes, Gravy, Roasted Carrots and Biscuits this evening. Comforting and homey and good, but not very exciting.

So just to jazz up this post, I opened iPhoto to all my photos. I closed my eyes and scrolled up and down and then pointed my mouse and clicked. Here is my random photo for today:


Autumn leaves over our pond, October 2008.

Hugs,
K~

** "It is a good thing to be rich, it is a good thing to be strong, but
it is a better thing to be beloved of many friends."
-- Euripides (480-406 BC) Greek Playwright

Randomness still becomes me

I didn't write these but I resemble alot of them.

While you are reading these, I'll be making apple pies.

Have fun!

Hugs,
Kay~~

Random Thoughts for the Day:

1) I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die. (and burn old diaries, love letters and impulse lingerie purchases.)

2) Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

3) I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger.

4) There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5) How the h..... are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?

6) Was learning cursive really necessary?

7) Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8) Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died.

9) I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired.

10) Bad decisions make good stories.

11) You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12) Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don't want to have to restart my collection...again.

13) I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14) "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this -- ever.

15) I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? D..... it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?

16) I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

17) I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

18) Where do all the lost socks go?

19) I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

20) I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Margaritas than Kay.

Random Thoughts Again

This is not the post I hinted at yesterday... that one is still incubating or maybe it's hybernating or possibly postulating? Or maybe my brain is just too full of all this fun that I'm holding it over until later.

Randomness becomes me...

1.

"Cheerfulness and contentment are great beautifiers and are famous preservers of youthful looks." — Charles Dickens

There's hope for me yet, for I try to be cheerful and content in my life.




2. The Tractor Widow rocks my world! Pioneer Woman is so 2008. (and I have not really enjoyed her blog since she's become so much more "commercial." All the give-aways and now the cookbook. She's lost some of her 'rural-ness', IMHO)

Go HERE for The Tractor Widow's blog. It's fresh and new. Become one of her followers. It's lonely there, just the few of us.



3. I'm swooning over these: Nebraska made Batik fabrics! Mollie is the little sister of a quiltie/doll-making/fitness guru friend of mine. **waving to Anne** I want the whole line!

4. I did a little shopping this week. **big grin** Stacy & Clinton are right... you have to try stuff on!

Victoria's Secret
(sorry-- some articles of clothing just shouldn't be in public view, but this is the color. **wink**)CJ Banks

CJ Banks

Coldwater Creek (how I love that store!)

5. If you are shopping and are impatient; maybe if you give me the chance, I might say, "Please, go ahead of me. I'm not in a hurry." But if you assert yourself over me and are rather rude, I am going to give you a baleful* look and think unkind thoughts about you. And maybe write about you on my blog. Just saying....

*(baleful |ˈbālfəl|
adjective
threatening harm; menacing )



And lastly....

6. I want to wish my wonderful bosses, Richard & Carol, a Happy 25 years of The Green Magazine!!

They sent out the very first issue in November, 1984. We honored them today, as the 2009 November issue was being mailed. Congratulations Green Magazine!!



These are just a few of my random thoughts tonight.

Hugs,
K~

** "The only reason some people get lost in thought is because it's unfamiliar territory."
~Paul Fix

Stay tuned....

I have a post started and I do miss all of you.


We have been TRYING to get the corn out of the fields.


It keeps raining!





We keep having break-downs.




And we have cows/calves that need to be brought home from the pasture.





And I have been working more hours.






And cooking more.



And trying to get my Fall housecleaning done.


And the leaves fell all over the lawn.



I'm just a bundle of excuses, aren't I?

I will return... maybe sooner than I hope.

Hugs!
K~

Make MINE Freedom too!

Watch and think. How is our current 'Hope and Change' working out for you?





K~

Welcome!

Welcome Signs, Laem Tong Beach, Phi Phi Don Island, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

I feel so honored....

Have you noticed the FEEDJIT Live list over on the right? Every so often I take a look at it "Live" just to see when you folks come by for a visit. (Want to be sure the cobwebs are dusted and the dust bunnies fed, you know. lol)

This time I noticed several new countries have been accounted for. Canada has been here before, but now I see, Italy! (Benvenuti!) and Iran!! (wow! ) and Wales!! (it's such a pretty language, but I have no idea how to pronounce any of it!)

I wonder what they (you) think of my little place in the world? Is it very different from yours? Do you have a blog too? Won't you be my neighbor and leave a comment, please?

Hugs,
Kay

** I love my computer! (Most of) my friends live there.

Fall!

1. I'm still alive, but a bit congested in head and chest. My typical way of handling a cold is to have it settle down in my chest and hack/cough/bark for a while.

My dear Blue-eyed Farmer got before the crack of dawn and was kind enough to let me sleep. He reset the alarm so I would actually wake up for work. That was so nice. I guess I'll keep him. **grin**


2. The Wild Yeasties were Not captured in this first try, so I plan to buy a loaf of sour dough bread at the store today and leave a slice or two near my next batch.

I had such high hopes with the first one seeing all the bubbles right away. This time I'll try the pineapple juice route. Maybe the pastureized apple juice I used, didn't allow the yeast to live?

3. I forgot to mention that I have actually been down in the sewing room, working on more Brenda's Roses blocks. I had a siggie block to make for a friend (that will be sent off today) and worked for another hour on sewing triangles to center squares. I wish there was an easier way to do find the centers without finger pressing each piece. I'm over half done with that part and the rest will just be HST and block assembly.

I'd love to go down there now, but fuzzy cold-infected brains do not mix well with sewing machines, irons and rotary cutters.

4. Blue-eyed Farmer and ds2 worked more on getting the combine prepped for harvest. The rain we had yesterday and the cool weather now (46° this morning!!), should push the beans along.

I'm thinking of easy meals I can make for those evenings. Not huge meals because who wants that after 9 p.m., but something nutritous. Small well-balanced portions.
Mini meatloaf, individual scalloped potatoes, easy lasagna, individual frittata cups are a few of the recipes on my list.

5. With the turning of the season comes the end of the garden work for me. It is not entirely over just yet but it's time to start putting it to bed for winter.

I have a huge job of weeding to do first. Farmer-dear wants to just mow off my flower bed and I won't let him. Yes, it is a horrible mess and full of waist high weeds. Something had to give this year and that was it. (stupid horr0r-moans)
I am going to pull all those weeds and hope he has time to help me move the mulch to that bed.

There is a gate to be painted. And maybe some barn doors.

The Swiss Chard will be need to be cut and froze or dried.

My tomatoes are still going strong. I'll just enjoy picking them and eating them until they freeze

Potatoes are getting dug little by little. And the sweet potatoes will be dug at first frost.

Several herbs need to be potted up to be brought inside for the winter.

And the new day lilies need to be planted outside for next year.

Thankfully most of these jobs can be done in small increments of time so shouldn't interfer with harvest and some necessary Fall house-cleaning.


How will you be getting ready for the colder months? What jobs are on your To Do list?

Hugs
K~

** "Autumn, the year's last, loveliest smile."
-- William Cullen Bryan