A Nice Week

 

I was weeding a tiny bit yesterday. Mainly so the bulbs I planted last fall could breathe. I always get a little to zealous, and broke one flower off. I just loved the color and the smell. So a bit further down the flowerbed I broke one on purpose. Hyacinths make weeding fun.

The only problem is I don't get as much done on my hooking and sewing, because I get all twitchy looking out the window at the work I should be doing outside. I did manage to finish one little mat.

From the book Rughooking by Kris Miller

 This was a fun project, I still need to steam it. I binding it last night. If I could finish The Spotted Hare, I might have three rugs finished for February. I just don't know though, Sasha is shedding so much that I have to clean house every day because it looks like a small animal has met its fate in my living room.

Speaking of The Spotted Hare, here is the little bit I have got done on him.

The Spotted Hare by Cammie Bruce

Right now he looks like he has a bad case of the measles. I think he is fun to work on, so I hope today maybe. If the flowerbeds don't keep calling my name. They also know my first and last name as well.

Here is the tiny little bit I have done on His Eye is on the Sparrow. That flower basket is going to be rough. I can't find the pattern yet. Once I can then I can do it. I always have to find patterns in sewing and hooking. I don't really know how to describe it but once I find it then I can get things done.

His Eye is on the Sparrow, by Beth Twist

Then I did get my March pattern drawn out. It will be fun I think. I do need to order wool soon and have a day dyeing wool for him. I wish I could just use what I have and I might do that for the border.

One Crazy Chick by Cottonwood Creek Primitives

This appeals to my nature. I think it will be cute to hook. In lots of bright colors. There is a pattern here, I guess I like polka-dots.

I had some dental work this week, and it really knocked me for a loop. The good thing is I haven't felt like eating much so that is always a plus. Today, I feel more like myself. Which is good. It is a bright and sunshiny day today.  That spring fever is creeping in ever so slowly, but I know one day it is going to hit like a ton of bricks.
Have a lovely day,
~Kim~

Never cut a tree down in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The spring will come. 

Home Again Jiggity-Jig

 

We got back from the beach today.  Just Ron and I. It was such a nice break to get to just be us. When we got home, Elliot said, " Gosh, I am so glad you are home, I am so tired of animals yelling at me. Every where I go I have cats and a dog following me, I never have a minute to myself. Then I go outside to take care of the chickens and they want me to stand there and talk to them. I am exhausted. " I guess that was how I felt, it was nice to be away from the demanding animals.

 Every morning the sea gulls would start crying and circling. I knew someone must be coming to feed them so I waited. Then a woman in a red hoodie would come up the path and start throwing chicken scratch for the gulls, but the crows would come and then the black birds and then the smaller birds.

 

Every single morning. She must do it all of the time as the birds are so tame that they will just come up on the railing and visit. Ron thought I was talking to someone on the phone one day, but it was just a little female black bird with cold feet. She kept asking me questions as she would pull one foot up into her feathers and then switch feet. She hung around until Ron came to see who I was talking to for so long. She really wanted a snack though.

 

It was perfect weather. I have never been to the beach, when the days were so perfect. It was so warm we slept with the sliding glass door open and all night there was the sound of the ocean on the rocks. It was just blue skies and warm days. Lots of sun. The drive was beautiful too, everything is green and the wild flowers on the hill sides are starting to be yellows, golds and blues and pinks. The almond orchards are filled with pink and white blooms. Miles and miles of almond orchards in bloom. It would be pretty to see it from an airplane I think.

 

I took sewing, and I took books and we even took movies. We didn't do any of those things. We talked and just stared at the ocean. We did take a drive to Nipomo, Ca. It was a beautiful drive. We went to visit Ron's friend George who owns a Bonsai nursery.  I have all of those pictures on my phone and I haven't got those off to my computer yet. It is always a great way to spend a day listening to George talk about Bonsai and look around his nursery and look at his trees. It really is something I love doing and I love now that Ron has trees big enough for styling in pots now. It has been five years of waiting for them to grow.

It was a lovely weekend. I am glad we had reservations made from back in January.  The weeds really would have kept me at home. I didn't feel so bad, with the first thing George did was say how sorry he was  for his weeds. It must be something gardeners do. I feel like that is all I do too.

Last night, I made sure I woke up so I could take a picture of the full moon shining on the water. I have wanted to do that my whole life. It was so pretty. This is my attempt.

 

As always is is so nice to be home. I don't think the animals ate or slept while we were gone. Everyone is curled up in a ball quietly snoring as I type this out. Silly animals.

~Kim~

For whatever we lose (like a you or a me), It’s always our self we find in the sea. e.e. Cummings

It Feels Like Spring.

 

It feels like spring here in California. Weeds are growing...well like weeds. I think it all depends on your perspective, some of the weeds, lambs quarter for one, has tiny little leaves that are in the shapes of little tiny hearts. There are others that all have tiny little flowers.

They are so intricate and so pretty that I even enjoy seeing them, even though, I know that they will be mowed down at some point.

Yesterday, my daughter Emilie came for a visit. She thought I needed a new wreath. That girl just amazes me.

I have wanted one of these forever, I tried making one but I had so much trouble with the hose. She of course, a child raised on playing with Legos figured it out. Her name means artistic. She is just that.
She also brought me an Hyacinthe.

It smells so nice. Last night it made the whole living room smell sweet. It really made my afternoon.

I got my little rug bound the other day. It turned out so cute. I am glad that I finally did this rug.

I told you I had bunnies on the brain. I wanted to show you my next two projects.

First this Mama Bunny Rabbit and her baby doll.

Pattern by Rock River Stitches

I enjoy Tammy's patterns, and I look forward to making this one.

I also ordered another rug by Primitive Junky. This one is called The Spotted Hare.

Primitive Junky---Cammie Bruce.

 

 

I hope to get wool pulled and to start this today. We are supposed to have wind and rain. So it is a good day to hook and sew. The sky was pretty red this morning. This sailor will be pretty happy.

I wish you the best kind of day today.

~Kim~

"When the snow is still blowing against the window-pane in January and February and the wild winds are howling without, what pleasure it is to plan for summer that is to be."
---Celia Thaxter

O Happy Day

 

I took a walk this morning. I found all kinds of new blossoms. I don't think there is anything that makes me as happy as seeing the new blooms on the fruit trees. I went and looked at my pictures from the last two years, and we are later this year with blooms. I hope that means we are returning to a more normal kind of weather pattern. So tired of nine months of summer.

I finished up a little rug. I have wanted to make this for 8 years. It was one of the first patterns I saw when I discovered the world of blogging. I also found people who hooked rugs like I had been dreaming of since of the early 90s when my hands were full of babies, homeschooling, and life. There was no time in those days for anything but looking at pictures. So finally eight years in the making.  Here is my bunny rug.

Pattern by Jan Goos---Antique Chalk Rabbit

The bunny wool from Lauren at Pugs and Rugs

I just have bunnies on the brain right now. I go through times like that sometimes but bunnies are new for me.
I loved hooking this bunny. I can always tell when I like hooking a motif, I can do a fast rug. Do you know, it wasn't until I was drawing this out that it dawned on me that this was an egg shape. All of the years I have looked at this rug, never once did I notice that it was an egg.

 

Isn't this red pretty? I never knew this either. This is tiny pomegranate leaves. I never knew that they started out red.

I wanted to share with you this mornings devotional message I got. In fact, it made me laugh, to know that the Lord knows me so well.

" (Kim)...Your Father knows what things you need before you ever ask Him.
Fret not thyself...
Sit still my daughter, wait...

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things,
...Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt? When ever I am afraid, I will trust in you---delight yourself in the Lord. 

I am happy that I can live in such times as these. Just because spring is around the corner, the trees are beginning to bloom. Rain is in the forecast. I can look back through the years in my life and see how those things that were so terrifying, turned out to be really good. It is work though, to keep my mind quiet and not play my favorite pass time, " The What If Game. " 

I really need need to weld the hula hoe to my hands for awhile. I need to be a full time farm girl and not a hooker girl. 

Have a delightful day,
~Kim~

Last years photo.

"There shall be an eternal summer in the grateful heart."
---Celia Thaxter

Just Life

 

I wanted to wish you a very happy weekend. With it being Valentines Day on Sunday.  With the price of gasoline being so cheap right now, it is playing havoc with the little economy in  our town. Since so much around here is related to the business of oil production, we are feeling the pinch.

For the first time in a lot of years, we felt the reality of it. The company that Ron works for had to tell them that they would be cutting everyone to 32 hours a week. Here is what I thought about. With it being Valentines weekend this is my list of what I am thankful for even with the cut in hours.

1. I am excited that Ron will be home every Friday. With all of the lovely rain, we will get to get a jump on the weeds and getting this place in shape. I have a new hula hoe. We have such fun.

2. I love Ron more than money. I would love him even if we have to live somewhere else or in someplace else because where ever he is, that is my home.

3. God isn't caught off guard, nor is He surprised. We have been fine in other down turns in the 36 years we have been married, we will continue to be fine now. Looking around me, I see the tiny gifts, I don't normally see, my eyes become accustomed to simple joys.

 

I was standing at the kitchen sink yesterday, staring out the window, watching the pear trees across the way, dancing in the sunshine with all of the pretty white blooms. As I stood there, I thought, " I can look at this one of two ways. I can either stand here and panic, or I can choose to see this as the most exciting day of my life. I will get to see what God will do and it will be far greater, and better than I could have dreamed." So that is what I am going to do, wait expectantly, and even if, nothing changes. I know it is all for my good and God's glory.

 

I have to say that the good things in my life far outweigh the bad things. I always have some Bible verse going around in my head as I go through the day. This  has always been one of my favorites.

Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.…Habakkuk 3:17

My life in the last few years has been a study in contrasts. All of it has though, gone such a long way into guiding me in places I have never been. I am glad that I have a shepherd that leads, because I know that I wouldn't follow. I am happy that, the gardener, cuts my vines and branches, even when it hurts, so I can have more fruit in my life.  I am thankful that even when it is the darkest, that tiny pinpoint of light, continues to light my path.

I have heard that when more is given, more is required. I believe that. I have been given shaken down, pressed together over flowing in my lap. I am really thankful to be here, right now, on this day. Because as John Bunyan said, " I am on the bottom, and it is firm."
"The blue of heaven is larger than clouds."

 

Have a wonderful weekend, Fridays are just the best, aren't they? Especially ones when the sun is shining and spring is just around the corner. I went out the other night, and I could smell the smell of spring. It may have been my imagination, but it was there just a taste of it in the air.

Thank you for stopping by,
~Kim~

"Difficulty is the very atmosphere of a miracle." Lillias Trotter

This and That

 

After a very busy, and productive week, I thought I would check in for a bit. It looks like February will be another fast month. We have our February warm-up this next week. I always think it is that cruel thing the weather does, you have these lovely, warm days and then ***POW*** the Arctic blast hits. I am going to be hopefully, on my hands and knees, cleaning my flowerbeds which look like this:

Poor little bulbs needing to be set free

You can't even see the flowers for the weeds.

 It will feel nice to be pulling weeds, and taking it to the chickens who are just starving for green. That is my plan anyway and you know how plans change, but we don't have any rain in the forecast for a week or so.

I told you on an earlier blog I was starting His Eye is on The Sparrow. I said I was going to work on it at least 10 minutes a day, every day. I have done pretty good, for doing 10 minutes, some days it might be more that that, and some days I might get four stitches before an interruption. This is the first page of the design. I got the border almost finished and then I can start doing the peacock. That is the plan for this week.

My Heartstring

The little tiny corner.

I thought you might like to see how big it will be when it is finished. I really, really love working on this. As slow as I am it might take me two years. I think it will be worth it though.

I am still doing my rug hooking too. I am not going for any goals with rug hooking this year like I was last year. This year, I just want to enjoy my hooking and working on my skill rather than quantity.

Here is Hearts by Cammie Bruce.

Primitive Junky

I had some patterns enlarged this week at Fed Ex. Gosh I love that place. They enjoy looking at my patterns as much as I do seeing them enlarged. Such sweet people. Speaking of sweet people. Megan and I gave Makenzie a bridal shower yesterday. When you have a surprise wedding, things are a bit backwards. Anyway, it was a very nice party. With just the sweetest girls. I felt so honored to have been a part of it.

So now, I think that is the last wedding thing that has to be done. We have a lovely week ahead of us. Next weekend, Ron and I are going to start painting the inside of the house. We are starting with the upstairs and in the loft. I am so excited. It needs it so bad. I will be cleaning out clutter and rearranging and getting the house in ship shape. So many nice things to be doing for awhile.

Have a wonderful day and even a better week next week,
~Kim~

“You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching,
Love like you'll never be hurt,
Sing like there's nobody listening,
And live like it's heaven on earth.”
― William W. Purkey

Happy Ground Hog Day!

 

I was interested in seeing that the ground hog didn't see his shadow this morning. Accuweather posted the spring forecast. I am pretty happy about it as for here on the West Coast it will be wet and cooler.
Emilie and Nik got home late last night. They had taken the kids ( Nik is a youth pastor) to winter camp.
They got snowed in and had to stay a extra day. It was a big storm. The one that is making its way across the Midwest.

What I really wanted to write about, is don't you just love the sweet little month of February? Don't you love seeing all of the Valentine things and red and white and pink and white everywhere you go? I do, I have always loved it. I loved making those envelopes out of construction paper and taping it to the front of my desk in grade school and seeing it fill up with Valentines. Remember saving the special one for a special friend? The Moms would show up with cupcakes with sprinkles and we would have our little Valentines party.

Here is a little list of things I love about February.

1. Red and white hearts.

2. Snowy weather and storms

3. Lots of birthdays to celebrate.

4. Wearing red every day. I love red.

5. It feels so nice to sit in front of a fire and hook a rug, or just stare dreamily into the fire.

6. Going to the beach.

 

7. Everything around here is turning green. The mountains have this lovely color of green and everything this year looks watered and happy. Compared to last year, when everything was brown and dead.

8. This one is a odd one, but I am going to add it anyway. Trials. There I said it. Trials help me keep my focus on what is important. With trials in my life, I see the small tiny bits of beauty I would other wise miss. It narrows my focus and reminds me of what is important, and keeps me from becoming ungrateful. It opens my eyes to all that I take for granted.

9. Ron, my sweet and faithful companion. Without him I would be off in never, never land. He talks me down off the ledge, it seems every day. He is patient beyond patient. Not to mention he still laughs at my jokes. Always a big plus.

10. Sunshine. As tired of it as I get in the summer, seeing it reflect off the foothills in the snow that we are surrounded by in the mountains is breathtaking. I love watching the colors, in the clouds, the breaking through and seeing a rainbow. All of it reminds me of how thankful I am to be alive. Right here, right now.

Happy February!

~Kim~

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire:  it is the time for home."
-  Edith Sitwell