Been a Running

These past weeks have been filled with running, running, running as our church prepared for its 125th Anniversary--we go to a little country church, so that means everyone does something and many do many things.  I was in charge of editing and putting together a 1 hour DVD of our church history (along with my mom who scanned in hundreds of photos), putting a hanging photo display back together (that we had to rip apart in order to make use many of the photos) in a way that would be acid free and conserve our church's photos for many more years, designing a set of church banners to go in the front of the church that reflected our church's theme chapter for the weekend (Hebrews 11) and also would be appropriate for use throughout other times of year at the church, preparing a special number or two for a Sat. evening service as well as leading it, and making a dessert for the Sunday afternoon meal--woooooeeeee . . . busy, busy!  There are many others who had just as busy, if not busier schedules for the weekend, so I am certainly not the only one who had much to do . . .

But . . . throw in the fact that with Friday evening came a big wind storm and a power outage at the church that lasted through Saturday evening, we can sure say we were kept on our toes!  We all pitched in and I think that everyone who was able to come out had great time (at least, I know I did).  Playing old fashioned picnic games (like 3-legged races and the like), singing songs with piano and guitar accompaniment and visiting with old friends doesn't take any power (and we had a generator running to keep the refrigerator and big chest freezer going, so our food wouldn't go bad). 

What a great weekend all in all--and I have had many compliments on the DVD I put together--only about 5 left and I believe they are all spoken for, so I'll probably be making a few more copies!

The Pastor who was my confirmation pastor and there while I was in high school was able to come back and visit as well as the Pastor who we had when I was first born--it was great to see them!

Hope your past few weeks have brought you joy!

And today I will start a new thing

or keep on going with what has been started.

Wednesday morning Dan took this picture around 6 am--gorgeous, huh?  He's so good at catching beautiful morning light (I'm better with the evening light--probably because I don't have to be at work at 7 am (and this week it has been even earlier for him)--and these mornings on the farm are the mornings he wishes he could stay home all day rather then head on the 20 minute trip two towns over to work)

That picture reminds me of a song I just heard on Radio Heartland -- don't know the name of it (I could look it up--found it Choose Joy by Buskin & Batteau--and downloaded it, too!), but the lyrics said that every morning when you wake up you have a choice to start the day with joy--what a neat song!

Anyway, I thought I would also show you some updated photos of things/critters on the farm . . .

My pretty blue planter fill with pretty flowers (I just love the combo I put in there this year--I love last year's as well, but this puts a smile on my face)

Little Donald is growing by leaps and bounds!  We figure (or Dan did) that he was at least 100 lbs when he was born and he has gotten SO much bigger!

Kittens are growing, too!  L to R: Dewey, Bunny, & Hughey  The ones on the left and right are brothers and little Bunny in the middle is a few weeks younger.  She is part Manx(?), so she has no tail.  She is really sweet.

Lastly, some knitting:

I started these Endpaper Mitt's (ravelry link) last week--they were all the rage a couple of years ago and now that I was finally able to purchase the yarn I wanted for them I am able to come a little late to the party.  I am always a year or two late on trends (or a few years early--never the right time)

 A little closer look.

So pretty!  Can't wait to finish them, weave in the ends, and block them!

Oh, and last night the Dairy/Berry Day events got canceled due to bad weather, so next Thursday we'll try again!

June, june, joon, joooooon

I like June--it's my birthday month--things are growing in the garden and I usually haven't lost my ambition to keep the weeds down yet--strawberries are ripening--school's out (not that it makes much difference in my life--no kids and I am no longer in school or work at one, but still I've always loved that feel of school being out)--cute critters are out and about--and on and on and on--now, Dan doesn't love June so much--it means work (really hard work) trying to judge when to cut hay, keeping the wildness in the pasture at bay, working on things out in the mosquitoes (I guess these things can be said for me as well, but Dan is the one who really feels the pressure of all of it and is the one who does the really hard labor of it all--I help him with the hard labor, but he's the one who really gets down and dirty--I drive the tractor:he picks up the bales, I somehow throw the bales onto the hay elevator:he somehow pulls the bales off the elevator, stacks them up in the heat of the hay mow, and comes back ready for more as I finally drag another bale onto the elevator) . . . but, I digress--I really came here to show you some pretty pictures, so  . . .

Strawflower--I'll have to get a photo of the whole pot of flowers I put together on the deck--yellow and white flowers in a pretty blue pot!

The old wooden manure carrier that used to sit out behind the barn just going to waste.  Now it is in the front yard with a couple of rose bushes, painted daisies, and some lilies.  I planted it full of canna lily bulbs and they are starting to poke through the surface now.  I can't wait to see how it will look!

Last year's kittens!  Murphy, Betty, and Maggie--Murphy's saying, "What aren't you petting me? You could be petting me if you weren't taking that picture!"

Well, that's where life stands at the moment!  Hope you are enjoying your summer beginnings!

It's Spring, so that means it is time for . . .

. . . millions of things to be happening at the same time.  Planting the garden, fresh kittens, a new baby calf, and pretty things blossoming outdoors.

  Molly's kittens!

Little Donald born on May 8th!

Donald and his momma, Bessie.

Flowering crab tree at one of the local parks!

It is officially tick season around here--I don't know that I really need to announce it far and wide and even if I did, I am sure there is someone far more important that actually knows when tick season really is or if there is an official tick season around here.  Friday and Saturday there were ticks abounding out in the pasture where Dan was working on a new fence line.  I was only out there briefly those days, but both days I had 3 on me.  Sunday ticks at the park where we went for a picnic in the afternoon and Monday I weeded through the weed patches right by the house (otherwise known as my flower beds) and ended up with two ticks crawling on me.

Aren't you happy that I spared you pictures of those?  I've been feeling all creepy crawly since then!

Chilly, Christmas-y Winter Days Are Here Again

Brrrr . . . I'm chilly today . . . and yesterday . . . and the day before

Do I use . . . too much?

I don't know . . . (he, he, he)

Well, this post hasn't said much so far, but I thought I would show you one thing I had designed in the last month that might be of some interest.

For the last couple of years, I have been designing and printing banners to be hung at my church during different seasons of the year. Our little country church gets decorated so beautifully at Christmastime with candles, wreaths, and greenery. It already looked so special, so I didn't know if anyone really wanted me to design anything to be put up in front for Christmas, but I asked the Pastor and he said that he thought people would like them during this season as well.

So this is what I came up with . . .


I split this picture in two and it is up on either side of the cross in front of the church. The thing I like about this picture most is the scene truly is from the hillside around Bethlehem. (Although a heavily photoshopped version of it all!)

Dan took a picture looking out over Bethlehem when we went to Israel a couple of years ago. Do you notice the tall mound on the far right. That is a Herodioan (built by Herod/Herod's people) from way, way, way back to before the time of Jesus (at least that is my understanding). Mary and Joseph would have looked out on those hills, the Magi may have had to have crossed those hills to get back home. Those hills were there when Jesus was born and, if hills could talk, could attest to have seen angels in the air announcing His birth. Anyway, those are some special hills :o)

Do you want to see the real picture Dan took?

Well, yes, you do.


The part in the banners is in the way back--I am doubting that Bethlehem currently looks much the same as it did in Jesus' time. I hope I did it all some justice in the banners (highly smooshed and manipulated is they may be).

***Me on my bit of a soap box***
I think that there are times when people today think that God doesn't really have anything to do with the world anymore (if He ever did). That maybe He just ended stuff whenever the Bible was done being written (or, that whole thing was faked anyway). He doesn't care about anyone, none of what He did (or was thought to do) can really be explained, so He must not really be out there at all. I get that. I can understand that people don't see things the same way as I do, but, I say, "What if . . .what if God truly is there and truly loves each one of us and truly has a plan for every single persons life on this earth? What if He truly has known you since before you were born?"

My mind and my heart say that we will see one day that God and all the science and everything out there really do work together. And that thoses hills that were there way back at Jesus birth will attest to the fact that He was born one night 2000+ years ago to really save the people of this world (before and after Him) from the sins that have separated us from our perfect relationship with God since the Fall of Adam.

But, I digress, I am not here to start some kind of theological argument. I just get thoughtful about things sometimes and don't know where to put those thoughts except for out here somewhere where they might cause someone else to think something or other.

Well, enjoy these special days and I hope that wherever you are (here in my hometown or out far away) that your fingers and toes are warm and will continue to be throughout the winter.

Pictures that have nothing to do with the Post

(a gallery pic)
Last night we had our monthly meeting of knitters at the local coffee shop, Latté Da. The coffee shop is owned by sisters-Diana, Sandy, and Judy-who enjoy knitting. We don't have any yarn stores really close by, so this is where we go for knitting. (We have a Ben Franklin about ten minutes from our town that has a nice selection of standard yarns and then there is a JoAnn Fabrics about 20 minutes away, but the closest full yarn store is 45 minutes away)
I worked more on my lilac ruffled hat, but it looks about the same as it did last week. Scroll down to check it out if you like. It has a few more rows and is close to being finished, but from most people's perspective-its the same.

(two of my drawings)
The wool I got from our local spinner (which is sold at the coffee shop) is still in ball form. I am trying to figure out exactly what kind of mittens to make with it. Isela asked if I was going to make Eunny's Anemoi mittens from it, but I'm not sure I would be able to figure out gauge very well. The yarn is pretty thick. I love those mittens, though. My eye looks at those mittens longingly wishing for a pair of my own. My other thought on the pattern I would use is making one up based off of other things I have seen. Maybe using the brown to make fair isle snowflakes, or something like that. Maybe I could even make a felted mitten with a snowflake pattern in it. There is soooooo much to think about sometimes.
Okay, I believe that I just put in my first links ever with this post-I'm pumped ;0)