Hello---Goodbye.

I was trying to come up with a title and that old song popped into my mind. Yes, today is New Year's Eve, so its good bye and in the morning it will be 2017. So glad to be here right now.

For Christmas this year, Peter gave me a Fit Bit. To say I am obsessive-compulsive would be an under statement. It rained all day yesterday. All day. I couldn't go walk. I walked around the porches and around the house. I went to bed feeling like a failure because I didn't reach 10,000 steps. It was a rest day too. Ron got one a fit bit. I have to tell you about what happened today. We both started a challenge.  We are supposed to take as many steps as it takes to walk around New York City. Ron keeps stopping saying, " Wow, I just got a jewel or look I got another jewel or he passed another milestone.

 

We were talking down the Christmas lights and I left the light box in the garage so I could walk back and fourth getting extra steps so I can make it to NYC. I am not getting that nice little buzz on my wrist to tell me I just left Grand Central Station. I went and walked around the pasture a few times. Finally I came in the house and looked at my fit bit. Guess what? If I want a jewel I have to do pushups. For thirty seconds. Then If I want another jewel, I have to answer some questions and drink some water. I told Ron it is just how my life works. I am hoping his fit bit turns mean next week. Thankfully it sent me fireworks when I passed 10,000 steps.

 

 

 I want to design and draw out my own rug patterns this year. I am not making a resolution its just something I would like to do and push myself in to drawing more. I really do like drawing. I spent a whole week last week just doodling pictures and it felt so good to my brain. I would like to do more. Would you like to see my first two rugs of 2017?

This rug Kessie drew a picture for me when she was here in May. I had not got it on burlap yet. The rooster is from my very first Mille Fluer rooster. He was such a favorite, but I was so scared he was going to hurt my grandsons when they were two I had to get rid of him. Emilie drew a picture of him and that is what Kessie used as a reference. It will be nice to hook him in wool.

My second rug, is of course my drawing. I wasn't trying to draw a fat hen but that is how they all come out. Just plump hens. It could be because I have been watching my hens in the yard and they are all kind of plump this time of year.

 It will be nice to get back to my hook and my wool and all of that. I will have to get my steps in so I can sit in peace.

I hope you have a delightful new year. I hope that 2017 is a great New Year!

Thank you for spending another year reading along with me. I appreciate it very much.

~Kim~

"Lord, give to me a quiet heart
That does not ask to understand,
But confident steps forward in
The darkness guided by thy hand."
(From Keep a Quiet Heart pg. 12)
Elisabeth Elliot, Proverbs 3:5-6

Almost a New Year

 

I hope you have had a nice week. The week between Christmas and New Year is always my week for reflection. To look back on the old year, to see what I was able to achieve, what I didn't accomplish. What was good and what caught me off balance. We began 2016 with the wedding. I would say that 2016 was the year that I felt that I never got caught up, I never got my feet under me. I have always thought of my life as pretty calm. Last year wasn't. I spent most of the year responding rather than giving myself margin, I seemed to always be responding to the tyranny of the urgent. This week as I have wrote. (With a pen and paper.) Walked, and thought and prayed. I know that I don't want a year like last year.

This is a gardening blog. In 2016 I didn't garden. This year for Christmas Ron gave me what I most wanted.

 

 A giant mulch pile. Isn't it lovely? I think it is and it smells so nice. I will keep adding my chicken manure and Ron will keep working it with his tractor. By the time spring comes, we will have a big garden again. That makes me feel settled again. To anticipate being out here, to think of all of the wonderful things I love about being out here in this field of dreams.

 

He bought me a brand new tarp. I was so happy and I think its the best present ever. So this year as I was naming 2017 for myself. This year for me is going to be called Back to Basics. I want to return to those things I love. Gardening, canning, loving my family, taking care of all of those gifts the Lord brings in to my life daily. To keep my focus and not become distracted. I think distraction is one of my biggest faults. I have never thought of myself as a depression person, but distraction can bring depression in like a flood. I will then loose my footing and I can loose whole weeks at a time. I look back and wonder where have I been.

Christmas Eve was spent at Emilie's house. It was so nice to go there and not have to cook or plan. In fact, I think this was our nicest Christmas. Ben and Megan and the kids were sick so that was a bummer. But everything else was good.
The kids draw names among each other so it isn't so hard on them to buy for everyone. This year, Ben got Makenzie's name. Earlier in the summer she had a bunch of wood she gave to Ben. It was birch and really nice wood. Ben made Makenzie shelves for her kitchen. I managed to get this picture of her opening them.
It was such a fun thing to get to be apart of.

 

 He made five of them for her. It was such a surprise for her too. So it was all good. I feel very contented and thankful to have made it another year.
I wish you a wonderful 2017.

Blessings from me to you,
~Kim~

“A dog’s New Year’s Resolution: I will not chase that stick unless I actually see it leave his hand!” – Anonymous

Christmas---Its a Wrap!

Its been a week of magnificent sunrises and sunsets. Last night this sunset just kept getting redder and more beautiful. I was cooking dinner and I had to go grab my camera and run outside. You know a camera just can't capture the majesty. I was outside taking pictures when Ron got home from work. One of the things I love about him, is he knew just where I would be, and he came outside and we watched the sunset together.
Its the simple things in life that make me the happiest.

Here is the other morning sunrise. It too was beautiful. Lots of red.

 

When you can see Bear Mountain that clear in the distance, you can almost bet on it that we will have rain.
We did and it was lovely.
We have more rain in the forecast. Its seems like its been years and years since we had rain like this. I love every bit, even the cold. I can now say, that having such nice cold temps, I won't have to relocate to the North Pole. We are supposed to even have snow in our local mountains Christmas Eve which is really exciting for us.

 

This week I have been mixing and baking and just having fun in my kitchen. I have made jam and different flavored mustard and today it is going to be a little more of the same. I haven't got it out of my system. One day I made 9 batches of boysenberry jam. I made cranberry too. I always wondered why people don't make cranberry jam this time of year, so I did. I have made bread and plan to make more tomorrow.
Its so nice when its cold and cloudy and foggy. I just want to cook. I wish I didn't want to eat but there it is, I have to keep up my strength, know what I mean?

Do you remember when Ron and I took our beach trip?

 

We picked up lots and lots of rocks. For a month now, Ron has been polishing the rocks we picked up in his rock tumbler. Today, they were finally finished. He used four kinds of grit on them. Course, medium,
fine and polish. Today here they are all polished.

 

Aren't they pretty? It was worth picking up all of those rocks. We need to go back and pick up some more.
When he starts making trees again he will have rocks for bases. Not to mention our grand children really like rocks. You wouldn't guess what a plain ole rock can turn into with a little grit and polish. I can just make all kinds of spiritual applications with these rocks. I will just say, I feel like these rocks and hopefully the tumbling of 2016 made me just a little more shiny.

 

Can you believe that last year at this time, we were planning that secret wedding? They are going to celebrate their one year anniversary pretty quick. I can tell you they haven't let any grass grow under their feet. My point is this year has been slow paced, and I have had such a nice slow Christmas this year. Our youngest grand daughter is a year old and I am so thankful and look forward to 2017.

I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas. I hope you all have a white Christmas. Thank you so much for following along with me in this last year. Thank you for your comments and your thoughts. I am thankful for all of the wisdom and love and kindness you have shown me.
I hope your days remain Merry and Bright.

I wish you blessing upon blessing from all of my heart.

~Kim~

My 2017 goal---Windmill in the pasture. I don't think Ron would let me put up an old barn, but it would sure be nice. ;)

Today At My House

 

Today at my house, it was just cold enough to have to wear a coat yet not so cold to take my breath away. The weather man says we have storms lined up past Hawaii. Do you know how happy that makes me? It makes it feel like Christmas. This morning, I was standing and watching the sunrise, while Ron was getting ready to go to work and I said, " I am so glad I am alive today!" He asked, " Why today?" I said because the sky has clouds, there are still colors on the trees and all of the shopping is done and all I have to do is bake and play in the kitchen.

 

Before I can bake though, I must have a clean house. Today I cleaned and straightened and went on walks out in the pasture and looked at the gold falling from the trees. The ground is packed but still damp from the rain and the fog. Its lovely and the air is crisp like a tangy apple. I find myself counting my blessings one by one. Both boys are out of school now for winter break and we all had dinner together tonight. It was so nice to have them home at night. They both work during the day and go to school at night.

 

This morning when I went out back to take care of my hens, one of the trees had this lovely carpet underneath it. Yesterday when I had gone out back to water my chickens before sundown that tree was filled with leaves. So I stood there looking and all of the leaves must have fallen during the night. There were a few leaves that hadn't fallen but most were here. I wish I could have seen them falling.

 

I have all of the shopping finished and wrapped. I am never this far ahead. I don't know how it happened.
Its a nice feeling. The weatherman also said there is another polar vortex coming. I promise I will be sending you warm thoughts from here, because no matter how cold I think it might be here it is nothing like some of you on the east coast have to put up with when it hits.

 

I just wanted to stop in and say hello. I really hope all of you are doing well. I wish you a lovely week.
Thank you for stopping by and visiting. I know you are busy too.

~Kim~

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather. John Ruskin

Twaddle on Tuesday

 

Happy Tuesday!!! How are you today? Have you been busy getting things done for Christmas? I always think Christmas begins with a sprint. I turn that calendar page over and then everything is a blur. Though this year I made up my mind, no more running. Things always get done, packages always get wrapped. Food gets cooked and nothing mattered that didn't get done.  I do this all to myself, so I can blame no one.

 

I don't know when it changed. When I was young, our emphasis wasn't about gifts, but about the people and how we would have a wonderful meal and we would all be together. My Mom had a rule, we could ask for three things. Something we needed, something we wanted and something others could get us. I found one of my Mom's old Christmas lists in a old purse I have of hers. My list was a leather purse, an Anne of Green Gables book and a Raggedy Ann doll. My grandmother got me the book. I wish I still had the purse. I do have the Raggedy Ann doll. It was a lovely Christmas.
The next year she was gone and that Christmas was awful. Just awful. Mom had died in September and by December my Dad had a girlfriend.
He left us on this rainy, cold Christmas day and went to spend Christmas with his girlfriend and her family. They married on Valentines day 1970.

 Have you ever read about things that happen in your life that defines who you are? That is what defines me and my life. Always wanting my Christmas to be the best ever. Better than the last.
I spend December running from that memory and here I am writing it down for all of the world to see.

That is what happens when I try to write a post with Christmas carols playing in the background. How about something fun?

I hung my Minons on the tree!!! I thought they needed to have some fun this year. They make me laugh.
Its a secret but I even put one tiny minion in the Nativity scene. No one has spotted it yet. I keep waiting. I am hoping for the, " What the heck is this Minion doing here!!!"

See that tiny gourd? Doesn't it make the best decoration. I keep trying to grow these but I still haven't had any luck. They are so hard to grow. Maybe this year. (Where on earth did a gardening thought come from already???)

This morning, I took Sasha out for her early morning constitutional. I have got in the bad habit of giving her a treat when we come back inside. At Thanksgiving everyone complained about her weight gain. So I have been cutting way back on treats. This morning when she came in, she went to the pantry and stood there.
I looked at her and said, " Go sit down, you aren't having a treat this morning. " She gave me this look, like really?? Ron was eating breakfast, and I sat down while he ate. We heard this rustling sound. We looked at each other, and he said, " Did she get herself a treat? I said, No, I don't think she could." I got up and sure enough, she had got in the bag and had carried her treat in the living room and was eating it with a very smug look on her face. I laughed and laughed and I still laugh as I write this. That is what happens when I let my dog get out of control.

I finished binding this rug, now to steam it. So it will lay nice and flat. Winter is the best time to bind rugs.
It has kept me so nice and warm. I don't think I will hook any more until Christmas is over. I think it is so nice to have all of my 2016 rugs finished and bound. I will start new ones in 2017.

I hope you have a lovely week. If I could ask. If you are a person who prays, could you pray for a young girl named Jourdan. Last week, on Thursday, which is my Bible Study day, Jourdan was turning into the parking lot and a drunk man in a truck ran the stop light and hit her as she was making a left turn into the parking lot. She is still in a coma with lots of injuries. Could you pray for her healing and restoration?
Thank you,
~Kim~

Our first Christmas tree and our first fur baby. 1980

“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.”
― Hamilton Wright Mabie

“The reality of loving God is loving him like he's a Superhero who actually saved you from stuff rather than a Santa Claus who merely gave you some stuff.”
― Criss Jami, Killosophy