Winter

Winter

Monday, February 28, 2011

Daily Adventures


I finally got my new copy of Flea Market Style.
As always it is worth the wait and I read it cover to cover,
trying not to drool on the pages.

But reading it causes things to happen inside of my head.
I start dreaming of finding junk and bringing it home to
refurbish, refinish and redo. Knowing all the while that my
husband hates antiques and the only way I have got them
in the house is because he will let me do reproductions.
So I have shown you the things I have made which he is okay with.
He likes barn wood.

My son works in a well... a different part of the world from where I live.
Now my library is there and I went to high school there and our first
house is in this part of town. It is just through the years this side of
town has gotten rougher and well, just different. I don't notice it much
but lets say odd things happen every time we take my son to work.

A week or so I had my husband drive me down the main part of the area,
so I could see if there were any used furniture stores. I saw one and thought
to myself I will come back.
After reading Flea Market Style today I was on a quest. I wanted a few more
blue canning jars and some glass doorknobs and maybe some old wooden sewing
spools. If I hit the mother lode maybe some old keys.

I dropped my son off at work and drove to the place. Now I hadn't noticed before
that next door to the used furniture store is a bar. On the other side of that is a
Tattoo parlor. People are milling about and lets say, they were a bit rough looking.

I parked my car and now I knew that it was a different side of town so I didn't dress up.
I wore my old pants and my shoes I feed my chickens in, I had a work shirt on and of course
I had makeup on because I never go anywhere without makeup. Not even to do school
in the morning and only the boys see me. But, I stood out like a sore thumb because I
was so dressed up.

Now in the window was a old wing chair some tables and a old love seat. They were in pretty
good condition. But that was it. Everything else was dirty, old and the place was a mess.
I couldn't tell if they were remodeling or tearing the place down.

I walked in and I peaked around the corner and there was a older gentleman sitting
in a old rocker. I said hi to him and looked around and there was a couple of beds
made up like some one sleeps in the back of the store and then the other rooms
had broken down pieces of furniture.
I asked him how much did he want for the wing chair.
He leaned back and sized me up and said, "Well, the chair is part
of the set and I really can't break it up."
I walked back and looked at the love seat and I knew if I brought that home
I was going to have to go live in my shed with the love seat.

I said, well, I really can't use the love seat. He looked me over again and said,
"Well, just today, I will... now it is going to hurt me... but just today, I will let you have
it for 300 dollars."

I didn't like it that much. So I said well, I don't know, and I sort of was looking around
trying to figure out how to get out of there and be nice too.
" He took that to be me showing more interest so he said, " You know a man came in here
and sold me that love seat and the four tables and the wing chair for 15 hundred dollars.
I can let you take it today for 1000."

In the first place he was a smart ole bird and he never gave no one that much. But I told him
I was just looking for something else. He asked me what and I told him a rocking chair.
He told me he had one out back. So I wandered around through this store and out back and
it got weirder and weirder so I decided it was time for me to get out and go home. I had this very strong desire to go home and cook dinner.

So I told him I couldn't find it and went and got in my car and started driving for home. Now of
course I didn't have my camera but I am going to go back with it, because as I was driving
by this place, in the back there was people milling about and on the sign in
front was the Red Cross sign so I thought it was a place to give blood, but on top of the sign
was another sign that said, " Cannibals." So I came home and tried to sound out words
that I might have misread, maybe it said Cannonballs? I can only guess.

I was telling my family around the dinner table about my adventure and they started
yelling, " Mom, what if you had got killed, You might have been a episode of CSI, You didn't
tell us where you were going."
You know it never crossed my mind to even be afraid, until after I got home.

I just thought I would share about some of my adventures today. I never knew there
was so many tattoo shops. There are such adventures all of the time.

Have a wonderful Tuesday,
I think I will stick to my antique stores from now on.

~Kim~

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Monday Dessert First


I decided I would give you the dessert picture first
as it looks yummier than my dinner pictures.
Though dinner was really yummy too.
The picture of the cake looks good and it was as good as it looks.

This is from my cook book called, "Very Merry Christmas
Cookbook" By Goose Berry Patch. It is one of my favorites
and I go to it anytime I am drawing a blank on cooking.

Chocolate Chip Pudding Cake
3.4 oz pkg. not instant chocolate pudding mix
2 cups milk
18 1/2 oz. pkg. chocolate cake mix
12 oz. pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips
Vanilla Ice Cream

Bring pudding and milk to a boil in a 2 quart saucepan over medium
heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in cake mix just until
blended. Spread mixture into a greased and floured 13 by 9 baking dish.
Sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips. Bake at 325 degrees for 35 minutes.
Serve warm with ice cream. Serves 15
*** you could use any kind of chips you had on hand, my daughter thought
that peanut butter chips might be really good.
It is very easy to make


Ziti with Spinach and Cheese


This is what I fixed for dinner. It was really good too.
Here is the recipe:
2 (10-oz) pkgs. frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained
15-oz container ricotta cheese
3 eggs beaten
2/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

12-oz Ziti pasta, cooked
26-oz jar spaghetti sauce
2 t. dried oregano
16-oz pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese

Combine spinach, ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Combine pasta, spaghetti sauce and oregano; place half of pasta mixture in an
ungreased 13x9 baking dish. Layer with spinach mixture and mozzarella.
Add remaining pasta mixture. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees
for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes or until bubbly.
Remove from the oven and let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.
Serves 8

**** I didn't change anything about this recipe. I liked it the way it was.
I liked that it went together fast and that it is easier than making shells
it was so much lighter than Lasagna. I will make this recipe again. Not
to mention it feeds a bunch. After feeding my family we had one half of
the pan left.

I hope you have a really good week this week.

~Kim`




Befores and Afters


I thought that since we are finally finished I would
show you the before and after pictures. This was earlier
in the week.

This is now. Finally finished and all put back. I told
my husband that now I feel like my clothes are all back on.
Funny thing with the fence being broken I felt exposed and
I had to work really hard at telling myself over and over that
it is a split rail fence, I have gates and a huge driveway, but
something about having the fence broke down messed
with my mind.

This is looking down the road after it was broke.

Now it looks the way it is supposed to one long
straight fence.
I did have some very interesting thoughts as I watched
my husband and my boys. First of all, I am not as strong
as a man anymore. I have turned to be more girl like. That is a drag.
I used to be able to keep up.
Next watching the boys the scary thought was my youngest
is going to be 16 in May. Then all that is going to be left is me.
The scary thought crossed my mind, I need to get busy and
have some more boys. By the time my youngest is 20 then
the baby would be 4 and we wouldn't be out of boys.

Just kidding, I did tell my husband and he thought I had lost my mind.
I guess it has been a hard week.

I thought I would show you what We did this weekend.

~Kim~

Friday, February 25, 2011

Today On Saturday


I didn't want you to think that I took these today.
No, it is rainy and stormy looking. These are old
pictures from two years ago. When I was afraid to hold
a camera, so my daughter took them. I really hid from
cameras, I didn't have my picture taken and I didn't take
pictures. Blogging has changed that. I think too, Blogging
has changed my life.


Who knew I would have friends in every state and in other
countries? Who knew that I would care about their lives
as much as I do. I surely didn't know that by the trials
in their lives I would sit at my keyboard and cry for the pain
that I felt for them and being so far away I couldn't hug them.

Who knew that I would be excited when one of my friends would
win a give-a-way. I didn't that is for sure. Who knew that
I would miss my friends when they were away and when the
weather man said a terrible storm was coming toward someone
I would watch the weather all day and pray that the power would
stay on and that they would be warm.

I never knew that I would watch the ground hog to see if
it was going to be a short winter because my friends were tired of snow
and needed some green. Who would know as I walked around
to take pictures of the things I see I would feel sad because I
didn't want anyone to have spring fever because of the spring
that I see all around me.

I never knew that by blogging and visiting other people they
would come visit me and every day leave me the sweetest
notes of encouragement and make my day so bright and if
I could I would take each one and put it in a bottle and keep them
forever, like God does to our tears. But mine bottle would be filled
with joy because of the the time you give to me each day.

Who knew, not me of course. Never did I know that I would
be given such a sweet and precious gift and thank you so much for
giving of yourself and making my life filled to the brim with joy.

My life has changed and I hope that you receive a hundred fold
back for all of the love, joy, kindness and encouragement you have given
to me.
I love you all,

Have a lovely Saturday!

~Kim~

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Farm Friend Friday with Verde Farm


Today I am linking with Amy and her Farm Friend Friday.

I have been so blessed visiting each of these sweet ladies,
and the stories of their lives. I have always loved books because
of the stories of the lives on every page.
I think that is why I love reading blogs because I am reading about
real life stories each day. It is a lot more fun to interact with real
people. So thank you Amy for having such a nice way to visit new
friends.

My picture starting this blog is my rooster that I don't have anymore.
I did love him and I did want to keep him. He was such a nice guy. Then
I got grand children and he turned into monster. I couldn't take the chance
of him really hurting one of them. So he had to go visit the chicken pot pie man.

I do dream of getting one more rooster. But I know that it would be too heart breaking
for me, if one morning he flogged my grandchildren. No matter how nice I just
don't think they will ever be nice and cuddly. Well maybe if there are no hens.

This is just a few eggs I collected today. It has turned cold
again and I think today they went on strike. But at least
I did have a bit to bring in the house.

Sorry this is totally boring. Today, I meant to go out and hang
around with the hens and see if I could get a shot of my four hoodlum
chickens attacking my dog, but it was so cold I figured I would just
wait until it is a bit warmer.

So go visit the other blogs that I know that will have lots more interesting
stories than my blog today.
Thanks again for Amy and her Farm Friend Friday.

~Kim~

Broken Fences


This is my front fence as of yesterday about3:30 in the afternoon.
I had decided that I was going to have a cup of coffee with my
daughter and then I was going to sew until it was time
to cook dinner.
As we are sitting and talking, we hear this huge crash.
We both jumped up and started running for the front door.
The boys who are upstairs got to the door first. My sister-in-law
was out spraying her walks off because my brother was mowing the
lawn.

There was a lady trying to get away and she backed up and took
off. She lives in the neighborhoods near my house. I called the
Highway Patrol because it was a hit and run. They came
but told me that it really wasn't a big deal as no one was hurt.
"After all it was just a fence." I agreed that of course, we can
fix a fence.
It does present all kinds of problems for me though. I have taught my
kids that if you do something like this you admit what you did and take
responsibility. The Policeman by his attitude leaves the message, well,
if you get away fast enough then you are not responsible.

My kids kept saying over and over, you mean she just gets away with it?
I think though what I pondered was, when something happens to me I want
justice. If I had done it, I would want mercy. It has presented me with interesting
things to think about. It was hard to sleep as I feel violated. I don't think
I would have felt like that if the lady had just said she was sorry. Heck, I wouldn't
even make her pay for it. I would have liked to have know she was okay.

When I went to get my camera and walked back outside, there was a man parked
looking at the fence. When he saw me he took off real fast and turned his head so
I couldn't see his face.
I was thinking and maybe I am wrong but I have a conscience that never shuts up.
I know that if it were me, the torture would be more than I could bear. So while
I got up this morning with this broken fence out in front, the fence can be fixed.
(Though my kids were groaning about all of the work they know they will be doing.)
To me, I think living everyday driving by, would be much harder than stopping and
saying sorry. I am so glad I am not her.

I know that God will teach me lots about this, one is knowing as I have seen
Him so often in the past, He will turn it around for my good and His glory.
Even a broken fence.

~Kim~

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Thoughts Today


We will soon be to March. My husband was telling me this morning.
I panicked inside. You see, that means that in a couple of months,
my son Elliot will no longer be my student, he will start college.
My report card will become evident to the whole world. My biggest
fear of the last 22 years might be out on the stage for all to see, have
I ruined my fifth child's life. What made me think I knew how to teach.

I feel like I am pouring all I am and all I know about God into Him, I sound
like a broken record, If you want to know God, you have to know Him though
His word, you must read it for yourself. You must first have a relationship with
Him so no matter what your professor tells you, you can discern truth from error.


Your two brothers and your two sisters have remained believers through college.
What tools can I give him when the doubts creep in, so I am reading and praying
and thinking back on all of the 4 other times I have done this.

One of the things I want Elliot to know is that God is our plumb line for truth.
In the first page of Genesis it says, " In the Beginning God." If you don't remember
anything else, remember that.


I also wanted to show him something. When I learned this it changed my whole life.
When I first started home schooling someone told me all I needed were books by a
lady named Ruth Beechick. I have read and reread her books over and over.
She wrote a book on the book of Genesis and in it she explained of using source
documents when you study. One of the things that will be in a source document will
be the signature of the author so you can believe the authenticity of the document you
are reading.


So she showed in her book that in the book of Genesis that there are lots of little books
that make up the whole of it. She went on to show where God's signature is in Genesis.
Did you know it was there?
The portion God wrote because he was eye witness to creation, is Genesis 1:1-2-4.
His signature reads, "These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.

Then Adams portion begins in the second part of 2:4 that says, "In the day the Lord God made
the earth and the heavens." It ends his portion of his book, at Genesis 5:1 with "This is the book of the generations of Adam.

Why were the disciples the ones who wrote the New Testament? Because they were eye witnesses to the things Jesus said and the things Jesus did. The same thing happens in the Old Testament the people who were there to give testimony to what they saw wrote it down.

Then next section is written by Noah himself. Genesis 5:1 to 6:9 Noah's portion starts, "When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God." It ends in verse 9 " These are the generations of Noah.

Shem, Ham and Japheth start their book at Genesis 6:9 starting with Noah was a righteous man blameless in his generation Noah walked with God. Noah had three sons Shem, Ham and Japheth. Their signature is in Genesis 10 :1 These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem,
Ham and Japheth.

It goes on through and you have the signature of Shem. The signature of Terah, Abram's Father.

I have had my son mark it in his Bible and I will keep talking and praying and teaching. Because really, when I started so long ago, Elliot wasn't even born. Now he will be finished and my class room grows smaller. Until I will be the only one left the birds will have all flown from the nest and my job will be finished. As long as my children walk in truth only then will my report card finally arrive.

I will finally see if my work lasts or will it be hay, wood and stubble. I started teaching my children myself because of that little saying that said, " The hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world." I wanted to change the world one baby at a time.
Even though in the beginning, when God called me, my response was couldn't we do it some other way God? Now, I am so very thankful that I was given that gift. Because really, God really does use the foolish things to confound the wise as in the case of me teaching.


As I have been going through all of my books this week. I have a lot of books. It dawned on me the reason I have so many was I really considered myself dumb and I had to educate myself.
The even scarier thing about all of my books, is that I have read them all, some of them over and over.

So I need to get transcripts made and placement tests need to be taken and all of those things
that make me shake in my boots. Because I am almost finished.


Oh yes, I am so thankful for the journey, and I do not regret one bit.
Only one I guess, it was over faster than I thought it would be.

Thank you God for knowing me better than I knew myself.

~Kim~

Wedneday Words for Weight Loss


Do you remember that song by Hank Williams, " Back in The Saddle Again."
That is my theme song today. So without further ado,
Please go by and visit my friend Patrice at her great blog, Everyday Rurality.
She has some great posts.
Okay here to this weeks questions.
Questions:
1.Have you tried various diets or programs? What works best for you?

Yes, I have tried lots and lots, I started when I was 10 years old and my first
diet was the Adkins Diet when you ate hot dogs and lots and lots of bacon.
Me and my cousin about died. Really the most success I ever had was a group
of ladies from my church and we had a little group that met together week to week
and it was called "The 9th Fruit." Which is from Galatians and the 9th fruit of the spirit
is self-control.

2. Have you ever dieted or exercised with a buddy?

Yes, my oldest daughter. Before she got
married and still lived at home, she was my walking buddy. When she got married and moved away I was lost because she always was ready to go for a walk. Now I have my dog, but she
doesn't demand quite the same way.

3. What's your favorite type of salad?

Anything with Spinach. I could eat raw spinach with anything. I don't like cooked spinach so it has to be raw. I love it with mandarin oranges
and strawberries and red onions.

4. What's the first place you start to notice that you're losing weight? (ie. tummy, arms)

My face, I think, then my legs.


5. What's one thing you can do to pamper yourself this week?

I scrubbed my shower with a pumice stone and it really tore up my
hands, I think I am going to make a lemon scrub and then put my hands
with oil and gloves and sit for a bit. My hands really got rough.
The recipe is from my dear friend Sue you can get it here.
The Pear Tree Farmhouse.

Thanks to Patrice for hosting another linky party.
Have a great Wednesday.
~Kim~




Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Wednesday Confessions


I hope you don't mind confessions. I needed to share one.
My usual post is the Wednesday Words for Weight Loss.
But I thought that you really needed to know a few things
about me. Total fraud. Yep, that is me.

I was doing pretty good on my weight loss. As long as I stayed
ahead of my husband. He is and has been dieting with me.
My husband is thin. Always has been. When we were going to get
married, I starved myself so that I wouldn't weigh more than him.
I did weigh less for a time.

But most of our married life I out weighed him. Especially when I was
pregnant.
He has gained a few pounds. He is still in a normal weight range for his height.

Well, so he started loosing weight. He is the most disciplined person I have
ever seen. Not wanting to be called a Saboteur I have not fixed goodies.

But, at Christmas I did. I put them in the freezer and there they have been
until last week. On the morning he officially weighed less than me, I snapped.
late in the afternoon, I poured a cup of coffee and went out to the freezer in the
garage. I opened one of the bags I had saved. It had cream cheese brownies in it.
They were moist and chewy. I ate about 10

I told myself, never again I won't eat anymore. Then the next day.
There was a bag of these Almond Joy things I made complete with its own
little almond in each chewy bite. I ate about 10 I told my self really, really no more.

Then low and behold I found a bag I had forgot about in the front refrigerator.
I was starting to get braver and more shameless. He got up to go do something when
we were watching a movie. I grabbed a couple and wolfed them down.

But later I was standing in the kitchen and he looked at my shirt and picked off what looked
like a small grain of rice. Then another one. " He said, Did you need to eat some rice? " You
got it all over you." I mumbled something then my conscience got the better of me.

So the next morning I told him what I had done. He laughed and laughed. So I thought
before I did a Wednesday Words for Weight Loss I needed to come clean.
So really there is a madness behind me working like a crazy woman. I am trying to burn
off all of those extra calories I have consumed.

I just wanted you to know who you are dealing with here.

~Kim~

Monday, February 21, 2011

No Sew Weekend


This has been a no sew weekend. It has been a very nice
4 days. Just no sewing because I was cleaning. I am so sore I can hardly move though.
My husband took Friday and Monday off so we could get to
chores that we seem to over look. But spring is coming so we
are racing the clock to get our tree work finished.

So this weekend we did this:
1. Plowed pasture
2. Moved railroad ties and moved them back after we got the
grass cleaned out from under them.
3. While he was plowing I was chopping all the weeds in the garden
area he couldn't get the tractor next to, due to my herbs.


4. Cleaned and rearranged my daughter's bedroom and boxed
a bookcase full of books.
5. While I did that, my husband cleaned my shed, which really should
be called Kim's Attic.
6. My husband moved the bookcase over to my daughters house. You can see
it here in her before and after.
7. My husband went to the feed store and bought feed for me.
8. Removed two trees.
9. Planted two trees.
10. My husband helped me to rearrange our bedroom.
11. We moved two bookcases and reloaded them.


12. I have done laundry all day.
13 Moved a computer desk and cleaned behind it.
14. I have vacuumed the whole house.
15. We ran kids back and forth to work.

I think one of these 4 day weekend though, instead of
working we need to go to the beach.

Thanks for stopping by,

~Kim~

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Simply Sunday


Today before the storm came I chopped weeds in the garden
and moved all of the railroad ties that go around the outside of
the garden. My husband plowed everything again and the soil
is getting nicer and nicer. As I sat out there I dreamed of gardens.
Do I want a garden that looks like this.

Or one that looks like this?

Do I want to have a job like this again?

I know that being in the garden makes me really happy,
because I have this to look at in the morning.

I walk around and my heart sings as I see all of the bees
and the colors and the suns reflection inside of flowers.

I tell myself about the work and the... well... the work
and then I remind myself of this.

Then I think oh well what is a little work, I have a nice
strong back, and it is cheaper than a gym membership.
Not to mention, the lovely little voices the come to find
gama in the garden and the voices asking if they can eat this
and I know right away, Of course I will have a garden, because
I just think it is worth it. Because really, when the world was perfect,
God made a garden. Then He made man to tend it. So for me
I think it is the most perfect place to be.

Have a lovely Sunday.

~Kim~

Friday, February 18, 2011

Odds and Ends of Saturday


I thought I would let you know that this is sort of a rambling
post. I don't have any deep thoughts tonight. To let you know
how un-deep my thought are tonight. I am reading Twilight.
Yep, my husband and sons are busy playing a video game together,
and my mind is so tired, I thought it was a good weekend to read
Twilight for the umpteenth time. So just so you know, part of
my secret life. :) I am a big Twilight Fan and I do think the books
are better. :)

One of the things I have done has been collect odd things.
I have always liked tiny things. The little teapot was my
husband's grandmothers. She had a whole collection of little
tiny teapots and cups all made of brass, but I felt funny taking
more than one when her things were being gone through.

The other tiny set is from my husband's Grandpa. It had been
his mothers and when he got sick and he was giving his things
away to my husband and my kids he asked me if I wanted it.
I just loved it.

That is written on the side of it so I guess this must
have been a souvenir. It is made of silver.

Can you see the little designs on the sides. I thought
maybe they might be salt shakers but I don't know.

This is the tiny little spoon that goes in the tiny little
pitchers. There are two.


These are the little teapots or maybe for cream or something.
I have no idea I am just guessing.

This is another thing I have had all of my life. When I was
little and my grandparents had their mountain cabin, this hung
in it. When they sold it and I went with my Dad and Grandpa to get
the stuff out of the cabin I asked if I could have it.
It has been with me my whole life. It is instead of a silver
tintype. It is on gold. It is of the falls in Yosemite. It is a picture
taken by Ansel Adams.

I was thinking about when I was a little girl and Barbies came out.
I loved Barbie and Ken. My Mom got me Midge. Do you remember Midge?
She was dark headed and I think I was the only girl in the whole school who had
Midge. I played with her and imagined she was blond.

My parents had these friends. We would go to their house on Saturday nights
and our parents would play cards. The peoples house was like going to the best and most
expensive toy store. The toys they had would take your breath away, if you are say
6 or 7. The girls had beautiful clothes.

My Mom would buy my clothes at Montgomery
Ward or J.C. Penney's and put them on lay away. I think they were like 5 dresses for 10
dollars or something. I have thought about that now that I am grown up. The people were
my Dad's business partners. When my Mom died, she had paid off the house we lived in and she left my Dad completely debt free. She was a very good manager.

You know, maybe my Mom was all about building character.
She also wouldn't let me eat cookies, I had to eat a apple. She was the kind of mom who
made us stay outside and play. She never let us turn on the T.V. either. She made us read
books. You know she was that kind of mother. :)

But what I was going to say, was this little girl had the most beautiful Barbie clothes I have
ever seen. Those Barbies had real fur coats, they had ball gowns and they had furniture
that the clothes fit in in giant hand made houses. She had lots of Barbies all kinds. She didn't
have Midge though.
When we would go there, I would beg to play Barbies. She hated her Barbies, we had to
play board games, or watch T.V. or play outside. She did have the most amazing play house
too. I always wanted to play house. She hated it. She liked scary movies so after
I would be at her house I would have nightmares for weeks. She seemed to enjoy
making me play these games and then it would be time to go and I would not
have played with the Barbies.
I think that was when I learned I was a freak. I know for sure I learned I wasn't cool.

I think about her from time to time. I ran into her sister and we talked about old times.
I did remember to ask what did they do with all of the Barbies and the clothes and all
of the wonderful things in those houses. She shrugged and said, "Oh she thought
her Mom gave it to Goodwill." I am 52 years old and I still wished I could play with
those Barbies and dress them in furs and I still would not play with Midge.

I don't think I am a hoarder, but there are times, you know, maybe it lurks within me
somewhere.

Have a wonderful Weekend.

~Kim~

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Friday Linky Day



Today I am linking with Amy at Verde Farms for Farm Friend Friday
and my friend Joyce at Friday Pretties and her blog I love Pretty Things.
I love both of them very much, these dear sweet ladies and the lovely blogs they have, so I thought I would link to them both.


I am sharing about my chicks from last year. I learn so much by observing chickens.
As I sit and watch them my mind is free to think of so many things. When I wrote this
blog post, my Mom had recently passed away. I was still trying to come to grips with
the grief and the loss. My brother who owns the feed store where I purchase my chicks
called to tell me that he had chicks. I think for us both it was a way we coped with our loss.
He is a nutty about chickens as I am maybe even a bit more as he keeps the ones that get
to big to sell in back of his store with these really nice chicken pens.
Anyway it helped us both to talk of chicks and to talk about different breeds and to
just be together without having to talk.
Thank you to both Amy and Joyce. You both have added so much to my life by your
sweet words of encouragement.

Observations About Chicks.


I was watching my chicks, and I made some observations.
I took them out in the cage and put them on the nice
green lawn. I put the little door down thinking that
they would hop out and run and flap their wings.

They didn't. They would flap their wings and go from
side to side and up and down and hit their heads on the
top of the cage, but would not leave the confines of the cage.

I was puzzling over this and I went inside and got the water,
the food and a plate of grit. I put it out in the grass and watched
some more. A few brave souls would venture out to the edge of
the door but would turn around and run back in.

As I sat there I found myself asking, " why won't you trust me?"
I said those words to myself then it hit me. I am just like those chicks
I live that way so often, being afraid to try new things. Always,
God is standing near, saying to me, " Will you trust me." It sort of hit
me hard. I find I hold onto things to tightly, my life, my kids, my husband
even to fear itself, because of being like the chicks and leaving it all
and trusting my life to God.

C.S. Lewis said, "
We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
The Weight of Glory and other addresses, by C.S. Lewis. (The Macmillian Company, New York 1949).

I just love that and today I decided no more cage and took each chick out and put them on the grass. I wondered then am I like that too? God has such amazing plans that He has to reach out sometimes and bring trials, and other things, because I refuse to move.
That is what having chicks does, it makes me sit and ponder life.

~Kim~

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Just Thinking


The wind is blowing from the north today. We don't have cold north
winds very often. The wind chimes haven't stopped ringing all day.
Across the road from me as I watched out the school room window.
The tumble weeds were marching across the field like some fuzzy
looking army of gnomes. I don't know why they make me laugh but
they do, and with the wind pushing them along, they will overtake
a slower tumble weed and they look as if they join arms to continue on
the journey. I watched until they were out of sight wondering where they will
end up. Knowing all to soon the wind will change direction and they
will end up in my yard to dispose of along with all of the Starbucks cups,
the Vons bags, the palm tree fronds and used napkins.

With the wind howling outside the window, begging to be
let in, I sat and finished this little punch needle rug. I enjoyed working
on it and now I am glad I am finished with it. I like working with
wool yarn. I think though I prefer using wool strips. But each kind
I like and now I pulled some loops in my next rug so I could say I started.
I am feeling like I would like to make something out of wood and I have
a project I want to make but I don't think my husband would let it in the house.
I have a old rabbit hutch door that has been chewed on and has chicken wire
in the door and I think it is just lovely. I am afraid, it will be to0 rustic for my dear husband.
I have it hanging outside on my shed and the more I stare at it the more I want
it to be on the wall in the house.

I could paint some old words on it and it
would be great. I stand and stare at it every day when I feed my chickens.
Then I got my Country Living and what should be in it but a whole page
of chicken wire things. Who knew, I have so much out behind my shed just
rusting and looking really nice for some crafty projects.

I could hear Mr. Pointy Head on the porch today.
He is a Eastern Phoebe who moved to California for the
easy living. He keeps my porches and my swimming pool
bug free. I thought he had changed his tune a bit and I have
heard him singing love songs. I had a idea that there must be
a Mrs. Pointy Head. So I went out with my camera, and he flew
off. I then heard behind me a sound and there sitting on my rocking
chair was the new Mrs. She looks young. She flew off too and I thought
I could get a picture of her on the fence. As you can see, I could not.
But there are two, and I am hoping for babies.

I have noticed all of the birds going crazy this week. Blue Jays trying
to rip all of the branches of the Crate Myrtle. Sparrows, are just
disgusting. Little creeps. The dove are looking around to try and build
their almost a nests in trees. Can you imagine having your sweet baby come home
to a tumble weed cradle? I think of that every time I see them with bits of
tumbleweed in their mouths. I have chicken feathers out side for nests but they
don't seem to notice.

These were just things I noticed this week. I hope your
week is going good.
Blessings to you,
~Kim~