Twaddle on Tuesday

 

Hello there. How are things where you live? I watched the weather report this morning. Cooler days might be around the corner. It will be October by then so of course. Wasn't that Blood Moon spectacular? I have enjoyed all the the photos online. We had a cloud bank so the eclipse was almost gone and the moon straight up before we got to see it.

Feed My Sheep by Me

Here is my latest finish. Feed My Sheep. It is a pillow. A big pillow. I took it to the post office to mail it yesterday. The post office said it would be sixty dollars for postage. I ended up getting a much smaller box and stuffing that pillow in the box. Not happy about that. I got it mailed though. I don't think I will be doing anymore pillows. It was a interesting project. I do pillows for my house all of the time. In fact, I need to do a bunch for the fall even now. Just not to mail.

 

It was pretty warm in the afternoon yesterday. I let my chickens out in the yard. I was out in the pasture watering everything and I looked up. There was a red tailed hawk, zeroing in on my hens. I couldn't believe it. I am sure if I hadn't been out there he would have had chicken dinner. He circled around and around and since I wasn't going any place he finally gave up and flew to the south, like he was just out for a day of soaring around the skies. All the chickens were put back in the coop. It is almost October and with the fall migration happening, I will have to be more diligent as the red tails and the sharp shinned hawks are looking for winter hunting grounds. We have a million doves, so I know that will make them stick around. You can tell though, they would like chicken to eat as a way of mixing it up.

 

I am thinking today might be a nice day to dye wool. It is cool enough so that I can open the house this morning. As soon as all the boys go to work. They all get so depressed when I dye wool. Even Ron, they just hate the smell. When Megan comes over and I have been dyeing she likes the smell like I do. I think it is funny that the girls like the vinegar-wool-dye smell and the boys don't. 

Okay, Tuesday Twaddle is over for today. I hope you have a lovely day,

~Kim~

“Perhaps, after all, our best thoughts come when we are alone. It is good to listen, not to voices but to the wind blowing, to the brook running cool over polished stones, to bees drowsy with the weight of pollen. If we attend to the music of the earth, we reach serenity. And then, in some unexplained way, we share it with others.”
― Gladys Taber

A Fall Day

 

Here is the truth about living in California. In the Fall. Autumn  really is only in my mind. It is still hot, and still dry and dusty. This fall the trees are loosing leaves, but only I think to water starvation. The sunshine is abundant and the air you breathe is still crunchy and brown too. Walking in the mornings, is like pulling a loaded wagon. All up hill. But this morning, I saw that the  Northern Flickers have arrived!!! I had heard them screeching in the trees about Wednesday. They always scare me at first because they sound very much like a hawk. I had let my chickens out in the yard that morning, so when I first heard it I start scanning the trees.

Not my Picture.

This morning, I was watching Mr. and Mrs at an ant hill. They were just vacuuming up those unlucky ants this  fine morning. I guess they were tired and hungry from their trip.

 Mr and Mrs Pointy Head ( Black Phoebe)  are back too.  They also have Junior Pointy head with them and they had a terrible row in the back yard. It seems Junior wanted some food, and Mom and Dad have decided enough is enough. So while I ate breakfast with my binoculars in one hand, I watched Junior cry his heart out at the top of the redwood. No one listened. Well except me, that sound he makes drives me crazy. I did notice him fly off and do a double back flip,  to catch a bug in mid air so he does know how to feed himself.

Not my picture either.

The Blue Jays are extremely put out because of the new comers.

Also not mine.

They sit around on the fence and make that sound of two marbles being ground together. While cussing and complaining under their breath. I have one blue jay who has found the cat food dish. First it flies to the swimming pool fence. Sits there and watches and makes sure no one is watching. (I am crawling around on my knees peeking out the window so this is how I know.) He then flies to the back of a chair on the patio. He flies down to the table, eats some cat food then grabs a beak full of  food to eat on the road.  He flies off like a bugler, laughing all the way.   Every single day, unless of course I forget to fill the cat food bowl. Then he sits on the swimming pool fence and yells at the house. Birds are very bossy.

This morning while watching the flickers. The male flew towards me like this.

How I wish this was my image.

It was lovely. I can tell you honestly, being able to see birds in the fall. Is such a gift!! To be able to see that color, I just stood there and said, "Thank you God for giving me back my sight." It is so nice to be here, right now.

Have a lovely weekend,
~Kim~

This photo is mine.

“After the keen still days of September, the October sun filled the world with mellow warmth...The maple tree in front of the doorstep burned like a gigantic red torch. The oaks along the roadway glowed yellow and bronze. The fields stretched like a carpet of jewels, emerald and topaz and garnet. Everywhere she walked the color shouted and sang around her...In October any wonderful unexpected thing might be possible.”
― Elizabeth George Speare, The Witch of Blackbird Pond

Finishing Stretch The Dog

 

I finally finished Stretch. I think I am going to stop making such big rugs. Even though I think this one would look great in front of a fireplace.
Here he is in all of his glory.

Stretch The Dog

Very primitive. I need to do something fallish a rug. With pumpkins and crows.

 

 Do you ever have days where you wonder, " Soon very soon, I will grow up and not be an idiot?" No, you don't? Well good, it is just me. My car had to go in the shop. With everyone's schedule not fitting together. I decided I would take my car to the shop myself and just walk home. Not a big deal all this sitting around hooking rugs is harder than walking home.

Yesterday the car was finally finished. One of my sons got home from work before he left again, I asked could he take me to pick up my car? He said of course so he drove me there and dropped me off. I knew I was leaving to pick up my car, I thought I was safe leaving my phone at home.  I wouldn't be gone 10 minutes ( Or so I thought.)  I really don't like being so dependent on that thing. I also just took my wallet with my charge card in it. I had every thing I needed in my hand.

My son had driven away because he had another appointment. Ron was going to be in meetings all day and unreachable. I handed the man at the counter my card. It was declined. Now every time this has happened before it has been because someone has stolen our number and used it to buy things like computers and send it to the countries in the middle east. My heart fell to my toes. The man behind the counter so sweetly, tried it again. Nope, didn't work then. Did I have my phone? Nope, do I know anyone's phone number in my head? Nope. I realized it is over 100 degrees and I am going to have to walk home again.

I couldn't think of a single thing to do. The man behind the counter again hands me my car keys. He said, "take your car home and fix the card problem and just call me back." I wanted to cry. I zoomed home, wrote a check, zoomed back and handed him a check. That is one of the things I love about local businesses they know you.  I came home went through all of the bank prompts got it all straightened out. I guess this weekend we did things that was out of our normal pattern.
 The thing that pushed it over the edge was, I do an online Bible Study. I pay for a session each week, that is 4.99 in Tennessee. That looked fraudulent to them so they froze my account.  ( You know how bad people do Bible Studies, and steal credit cards.) :)

I am glad they keep watch on our account so close. We always have to remember to call them when we go out of town and tell them what and where we are going. We forgot this time. I think the hardest part is I couldn't think of a single person to call because everyone's phone number was in my phone sitting on the shelf at home. I have really become too dependent on that idol I carry in my pocket. That makes me really mad at myself. Depending on technology again and not my brain.  Just once in my life, I would like to have that air of being calm, collected and able to jump buildings at a single bound. But I am not, still me who things happen too, so I can have stories to tell.

Have a lovely fall day,

~Kim~

“I suppose I am a sparrow, a stay-at-home bird.”
― Gladys Taber

Almost Fall

 

It is almost Fall, I am happily anticipating its arrival.  Going out of spring into summer this year, I barely kept myself sane, being afraid that the summers heat would be so much worse than 2014. Thankfully it hasn't been that hot and we haven't had as many over 100 degree days like we did in 2014. With fall around the corner I feel like I can breathe. We did loose trees, all of our redwoods will have to be cut down, as will our cherry tree and our nectarine and peach trees. Four years of drought and heat just took their toll. Ron has been growing so many replacement trees, I think we will have plenty to replace the ones that died.

 

This summer has been one where I went down to the city planning offices and talked to the powers that are about the road out in front. I think they came up with a very nice solution and when the road is finished and expanded it will be much nicer than it was before. I told them my concerns and they are going to give us our own lane and sidewalks and street lights. I have found, that for the most part, people are very nice when you explain things slowly and carefully. We will even get a stoplight at the end of the street, which will be such a nice improvement over what it is now.

 

In June, along with Ron's spider bite, my sister being on life support and having 0 percent of living. I can say that Ron is fine and my sister is walking and getting around and getting better day by day. What I didn't tell you is that Kessie, my oldest daughter, found out that she was carrying the genetic marker for Cystic Fibrosis with this baby she is going to have in November and she had hypothyroidism. June was like living on the edge.

Kessie has written a lovely post here. She describes what she did to heal herself through diet and vitamins and mineral supplements. When she got the results back on Friday from all of her lab reports, I feel that it is nothing short of miraculous.

 

I was looking through my prayer request lists on Friday. I do that from time to time so I can write down all of the answers that God gave. All of them He answered, in ways that were better than I could have dreamed. I feel very small when I look at those requests that seem impossible and so big. 

 

I am closing the books on this summer of 2015.  In May, looking at what I thought was going to be a perfect summer and seeing all of the ways it wasn't, but so much of it was filled with unanswered questions and trials and tests and tears. I can say, that God was always good, and faithful. Even when I was not. I go into this new season, already with some new things on the horizon. It is okay, though, because I know, that I am loved. Have a lovely week.

~Kim~

“Well, any love makes us vulnerable. Whatever we love will give the gift of pain somewhere along the road. But who would live sealed in spiritual cellophane just to keep from ever being hurt? There are a few people like that. I'm sorry for them. I think they are as good as dead.”
― Gladys Taber, Harvest at Stillmeadow

Odds and Ends

 

Our trees are beginning to change. I guess this has been a hard summer and a hard year for them. This has been just a perfect week weatherwise. Lovely cool days and nights. Next week is the most beautiful time of year. Autumn begins on Wednesday!!! I read this today, I think it fits:

"Oh how we love pumpkin season. You did know this gourd-ish squash has its own season, right? Winter, Spring, Summer, Pumpkin.... We anxiously anticipate it every year." ~Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer, October 2010

I love the richness of these colors, and will be using them right away.  The one heart stopping minute I had, was I had them drying on the swimming pool fence. I also had my chickens out in the yard for a little me time. It was kind of breezy yesterday. After the wool was dry some of it had blown off the fence. I went out  and gathered it and brought  inside. Much later in the afternoon, when I went to put my hens back in the coop, I noticed something in the pool. The way it was laying I thought one of my little hens had fallen the pool and drowned. I went running, and thankfully is was just a dark piece of wool that I had missed. The funny thing about wool is that piece even though it had been in the pool, it was barely wet. That is why when you dye wool you have to soak it in Dawn so it will make it so the fibers adsorb the dye. 

After I got my kitchen cleaned I finally got to use my new wool on the back ground of my dog, whom I am now calling Stretch in my mind.
Here he is after he got some background wool hooked around him, I love how the pattern looks once you get to that part of rug hooking.

I hope to get to work on it some more today. Our microwave broke a couple of weeks ago. It is a built in kind and today is the first day Ron has had time to look at it. Now there is lots of banging and the sound of tools and drills going on so I just can't remember what else I was going to write about. One thing that has been interesting is making myself remember what life was like before microwaves. I don't mind it too much but the boys have really had a hard time with it. I am still old fashioned in that I heat water in my teapot to make tea. Things like that. I get mad at myself and my dependence upon things like microwaves.

Have a lovely weekend. This is grandma and grandpa Friday night, movie and pizza night with the the grands. I believe the other day, they told us our movie would be Planes. I really hope they bring Despicable Me 2

~Kim~

October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came,—
The Ashes, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The sunshine spread a carpet,
And every thing was grand;
Miss Weather led the dancing;
Professor Wind, the band....
The sight was like a rainbow
New-fallen from the sky....
~George Cooper, "October’s Party"

Dyeing For Color

Last Year's Photos

Today is the day!! I have lots of new wool. Lots of new colors. I bought a gallon and a half of white vinegar so I won't run out like last time.  I will wait until the Ron and the boys are all gone. The really don't like the smell. I think it is heavenly and fun. They just don't see it the way I do.

Heavens To Betsy Wool

Isn't this a luscious stack of wool! All washed and dried and ready for all kinds of uses. I just love getting new wool. Getting my things assembled for a great day. One spent in the kitchen dyeing all sorts of wonderful colors.

My Dye Book for Today

Dye packages for all of the wonderful colors

My favorite items assembled for a fun day.

Wool soaking in the sink.

I was walking back and fourth this morning getting every thing ready.Yesterday, I worked on this rug a little bit. I have it sitting in the living room on my free standing frame. As I walked, my eyes kept falling on the word Thanks. I just have to tell you what God did. As I was sitting yesterday, thinking about my life. I have to tell you that September 16, 1969 was the darkest day of my life. Ever. I have passed through many days but by far, that one was the darkest of my life. The day that defines who I am today.

Then As God is so good, yesterday On September 16, 2015 God turned it around so now I will remember it as a wonderful, and great day. Our son Peter, is twenty years old. He is the youngest of the clan. He has gone on a couple of job interviews. His first interview at this place, they had him meet every person in this company. So everyone interviewed him. Then on Tuesday morning they called him back for another job interview. They told him they would let him know. They called him yesterday. He was hired.

 They hired him not for what he knew, but for who he was. For him. As a Mom, I am over the moon. So I am giving thanks in so many areas. You know, it makes all of these hard things that have been going on behind the scenes here, worth it all. I am humbled and rather in awe. You have no idea how many times I wondered when homeschooling, if I had damaged my kids and would they ever be able to excel in life. I got my last report card yesterday. Yes. They can excel. They can succeed. So enough of my bragging. What I liked best of all, was when he got home, he very sweetly said, " God deserves all of the glory, because it is Him who opened the door. I just had to walk through it ." He also added, " All I have ever done is listened to Dad, my life has worked because I listened to him." Which is the second best thing don't you think?

God is so good, in all things.

"Christians are people whose lives don't make any sense---except in terms of another world. We march to a different drummer. We take as our rule of life not the popular quotation of the day but the ancient and eternal Word of God." ( Elisabeth Elliot)

Almost Halloween Story

On this day a long, long time ago, my life changed. For good I believe. Even though as that verse says,
"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you."( Isa. 43:2)

As  I stand from this lookout, there were many times I look back and see the road and its twists and turns. I wanted to share this story, maybe a bit metaphysical.

In 1978 I was working in my Dad's grocery store. Since the place I worked was near to the cemetery where my Mom was living, and it was her birthday, like today. I wanted to go there and take her flowers. For some reason, now that I can't remember someone who was supposed to work had not showed up. I had asked my manager for a bit of time to run up there and visit. As so often happens, it was a day being super busy, we were short handed and I hadn't even been able to take a lunch hour.

I had decided that I didn't think I would be able to go that day. We had a lull in customers and my manager said, " Go ahead run to the cemetery and take your flowers but hurry right back." I got in my car and drove and parked next to the Rock of Ages. She is under a Mimosa tree. To my right are the mausoleums. It is a very peaceful place. The sun was still up, but starting to go down a bit. It has been completely still when I got there. I sat my flowers down and began to talk to her, you know how you do. When I felt the wind to begin blowing. I looked up and I didn't see anyone or anything, then low began a song. Not with words that I knew, but voices. I looked up and around again and I didn't see anything and I couldn't explain the song. It began to build and it was if the voices were coming from all over the graveyard.

I wanted to visit with my Mom but the voices were getting louder and the wind was blowing harder and it felt and seemed like the whole graveyard was singing a great chorus. I have never heard nor experienced anything like that before or since in my life. I turned and ran to my car, and drove back to work like a woman possessed.
The store was so busy when I got back that I just ran in and went to work. I didn't say anything to anyone about what I heard because it sounded then as I am sure it does to you, crazy.

The next day, I was back at work and when I walked in the door, my manager gave me a long searching look. He asked me, " Did you go to the cemetery last night?" " Yes, I answered, why?" He looked so long and so deeply at me, I felt kind of weird. I asked, " Why? What is wrong?" So I told him about the voices and the wind. He kept looking at me and then handed me the newspaper. There in the headlines was the story of a  the murder of a girl about my own age in the area I had been and her car was found next to the mausoleums. They had put the time of the murder close to the time I had been there.

He called the local law enforcement and they came to see me, I told them my story. You know they didn't treat me like I was crazy and they listened intently, but of course, I didn't see anything but the wind and I didn't hear anything but the voices. I was really no help. Even today, that crime has never been solved. I woke up thinking about it today. Was it real? Did I really hear that angelic chorus? The wind wasn't blowing when I got back to work. It was just a still and normal September day. I have thought, what if it had been me? Did the voices happen because it wasn't my time? I don't know.

So that is my story, as I still feel there are no accidents nor coincidences. I still wonder though, what were the voices? Has that ever happened to you?

~Kim~

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

(Deuteronomy 31:6)

A New Week

 

A new week and the last week of summer!!! We have a weather change coming, it is so nice to see clouds that aren't smoke. I hope the rains come and put out the fires that are burning in the west. At least cooler temps might help.

I made a big mistake in my rug hooking. I ran out of wool. I have rugs in various stages of work. I should get my wool order this week though and I will be working again. I also ordered all kinds of fall colors of dye to make luscious wool colors this week. I am excited.

Here is my newest chicken rug.

Sometimes I just have to hook a chicken.

I had to draw out my some more patterns, which finished off my backing too. A person who buys my rugs, asked me this weekend, if I could turn these next two patterns into pillows. So I will try my hand at hooked pillows.

I like these patterns so I hope they look good as pillows. I rarely sit down now that I don't have wool and a hook in my hand. In fact, I feel strange when I am doing something else without a hook in my hand.

Ron very sweetly drew out a fall pattern for me. I think I would have to use as size two or three blade for the wool for this. I think it might be fun to try.

It makes me happy when he sketches out rugs. I wouldn't ever be able to put it in my store. As soon as it cools off we have other things we would like to be doing again. Like wood projects.

I hope you have a lovely week. All I do and all I think about right now is wool, and hooking and rugs.
I need to be thinking about hula hoes, and weeds and getting things put to bed for winter.

Thank you so much for stopping by today,
~Kim~

“Trees were so rare in that country, and they had to make such a hard fight to grow, that we used to feel anxious about them, and visit them as if they were persons.”
― Willa Cather, My Ántonia