Happy Easter

 

Happy Easter 

My favorite picture for Easter. I always love the idea of the women walking early in the morning to prepare the body for burial. As they walk, they are each thinking to themselves, " How will we roll away the stone?" I imagine that their hearts are heavy and the tears they have cried have left them spent and exhausted. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

I love to think that after Jesus cries, " It is finished" His body is handled by only those who love Him. When the women get to that tomb, I think of them standing there unable to move, spell bound, and you know how when you see things you can't explain, your mind just goes blank. I think that is what they must have done. 

The passage reads this way, "
And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.…"

 

" …He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you." And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples.…"

But the gospel of Mark adds a special gift to Peter, " Mark 16:7
But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'" I always love that part," and Peter". Jesus, has just gone through the agony of dying on a cross, all of the worlds sins, past, present and future placed upon his body, broken  and yet, He still takes time to say, " And Peter."

 The story never grows old for me. To me it is full of joy, because I know how great are the sins I commit every day and how many I have committed since the beginning of me, and I am thankful that if not for the shed blood of Jesus shed for me, I would have no hope.

Still when I get to heaven there are going to be a few things I will ask about that day. "And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.…"

Not only did just Jesus come back from the dead, so did apparently others who were walking around. I would love to know all about that.

 

  I wish you a wonderful day, I always love this day, more than any other day in the year.
I hope you have a lovely day, filled with joy,
~Kim~

"…When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher).…"
---John 20:15--- 

 

Now April

Happy April!

I have spent days trying to get new photos to my blog. I finally gave up and decided to just write with photos from the past. Today was a lovely spring day. We finally had rain last night so today is a puffy cloud day. We had a mixed up month March was like April, and who knows what April will be. I still love April though, the new lacy green leaves, the lovely smell of growing. I have some peppers and tomatoes growing under lights. I am pondering what other lovely things I can plant. Maybe some zinnias. 

We went for a week to the beach. It was fantastic. No people to speak of and we had the beach to ourselves. The weather was perfect and I did hook and I did do counted cross stitch. I did read. But we walked the most. We had Polly with us and she loves the beach. I also cooked. For some odd reason, I always feel like when we are camping in the trailer, I am back to playing house. I loved play houses as a child and I always could make one that would keep me busy and my grandparents farm always had something growing. So I could make dinners out of walnuts, pecans, or pinon nuts. 
 

When I was in kindergarten, In the corner of the class room was the cutest little house. I always wanted to play in it. The play house would be a total mess, and that was when the teacher would let me play in it to clean it up. She would say, "Kim, would you like to clean the play house?" I always did. So when we go camping I have that same memory and I finally get to play house to my hearts content. 

We walk that path 2 or 3 times a day. There are so many things to watch. The sea changes color with the different times of day. It was during a heat wave so it was about 75 every day. It was lovely. I can't show you any of my hooking because I can't figure out how to get my pictures to my computer. 

I am still around though. Its been a delightful week. Only four more weeks and I am off for the summer. I can hardly wait. 

~Kim~
  

Almost March

Spring is here! I find it nearly impossible to stay in the house when the birds are singing, and the hummingbirds are collecting spider webs to make nests. The flowers are beginning to open. The ground is so wet that as I traipse around the yard, I go through shoes because they are sopping wet. I should be wearing my rubber boots. Its a lovely time of year. 

My one finish of February. It should have only took me a week or so and it took the whole month. But its finished now. I worked a tiny bit on my turkey rug yesterday. It was the first time I picked up a hook in almost six weeks. 

Our oldest son Ben came home from North Carolina. We were celebrating the home going of my nephew, his cousin. He drove from there. He left from his house on a Tuesday and got here on Friday. Then drove back home last Monday and got back to his house on Wednesday. Its about 4000 miles give or take. We had the kids who live here all together on Sunday. It ended up being a perfect day. Only our oldest daughter wasn't here. But it was a gift to me and Ron to have them all sitting in the back yard laughing and joking. To get to have dinner together, just the brief lovely visit. Life is so filled with bittersweet moments. " Through my deepest waters, hottest fires and darkest valleys God has taught me the deepest and the most eternal lessons."( Elisabeth Ellot) I guess for the time being I am in school again.

This is from my garden and my Cilantro which is going to seed. This silly plant went crazy this year. Its loved the fog and the cold. There is no way I could eat that much. Our Celery went crazy too. 

Those lovely big stalks. My daughter said that when celery goes to seed it looks like Queen Anne's Lace. I am half playing with that to see it go to seed. We have to drive a long way before we see that growing in the wild. 

I hope with it being March tomorrow. There will lots more time to do those things I love to do. I hope your spring begins to show its pretty head as the ground begins to warm up. I know I will fall for it. I do every year. Thinking winter is gone and spring is here to stay. Then March, who is very fickle will blow and be so cold.

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and when wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade." (Charles Dickens, Great Expectations)

 

The little Japanese Maples are beginning to bloom. I have very slowly let my mind dream of gardens.

Very carefully, to dream of flowers and tomato plants, of food I would love to grow. Of, plans to make of summer and the wonders I feel when once again I have the energy to be creative. To find the joy in the gifts that come each day. To focus on what it looks like to have a whole field of dreams. "There is no month like March for making one believe in second changes."(Charles Dickens)

 

I hope your days are filled with blue skies, only occasional clouds and lots and lots of blessings.

~Kim~ 

 

 

The Blue of the Sky is Bigger than the Clouds.

Its almost Valentines Day. What another week it has been. The company my husband worked for was sold to a competitor. This week was the week when they tell you if you made the cut. Ron did, thankfully.  I have to tell you my little story about how the Lord works when you don't even know.

    Two years ago, the company Ron worked for was bought by a bigger company. During the merger process he watched a lot of people be let go. He had applied for a job with the bigger company and a smaller one, and got offers from both. He actually worked for the bigger company for a week before he got the final offer from the smaller company, a better offer, which he took. Last year, the bigger company bought the smaller company and he had to go through it again. Yesterday, the bigger company called to tell him he had a job. They had never filled the position he had for that week, and he back-filled that same position. The position he left was still open all that time. Just writing it out makes my head still feel weird.

There is this verse in Habakkuk 1:5. I know most people don't read much devotional stuff from there but it happens to be one of my favorite books. Because Habakkuk asks God three questions and God answers him. So I love that. Here is my verse.

 "The Lord replied, Look around at the nations; Look and be amazed!For I am doing something in your own day something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it"
 

Lots of very hard things have gone on, but I am still amazed at how God continues to work in our lives.

I wanted to share this latest thing that happened. Really, if I posted the stuff that goes on every day or week, I don't know if my blogger friends would believe it either. 

So the reason for this post is its almost Valentines Day and I love making Valentines rugs and I wanted to post some. 

When I was going to do our challenge rug, which I think today was the day. I thought I was going to use these reds for that. Not remembering I had used the reds for this rug. It wasn't till I dug this out, I thought, oh, that is where all of my red went.
 

I had to dig through my stash to find different reds. Its okay though, it was good to see how well my de-stashing is going. I still have to many worms but its as not as bad as it used to be. Though I don't think I will ever win that battle. 

This one is on my coffee table now. I made it one year when I wanted a rectangle for said rug. It always makes me happy when I can get my heart rugs out. 

This is a Cammie Bruce rug. I think I have done this rug twice. I also did it in blue. I enjoy this size rug. I can hook them really fast. Or at least I used to be able to until you know, my life for the last six years has been nuts. 

 We are going to finish up working in our last flowerbed and trim trees tomorrow. To me that is my favorite kind of romance. Working together and getting things done. 

I really like this verse when it comes to Valentines Day, "Love suffers long and is kind." 1 Corinthians 13:4 It always says it best for me. I hope your day is lovely, we will have our Presidents Day storm starting on Monday. We always get one big storm this time of year. Roads get closed, the mountains are covered in snow, the wind blows and its just lovely. Then March comes and its spring for us. 

Have a lovely week,

~Kim~
 
 

February- Once a month posts.

 Happy February! I hope the cold hasn't been to hard on you. You can tell this is a California bird. He looked so cold, I just had to stop and bother him by taking his picture. You know, my 2025 was hard, scary and really when I wrote my post for 2026, I thought I would be turning the page. I did, I just didn't know it would be a continuation of 2025. 

So needless to say, in order for me to be creative, I need a peaceful life. I don't have the brain space to do much creative things. I did dye wool last week.  

I was going for feathers for my newest rug I am working on. My daughter Emilie drew it out for me in October. 
 

I got that much done before I had to stop to dye wool. It isn't that dark. Plus you if you didn't know, I love hooking my kids art work. I guess you could say this is my newest project. 

I did finish this rug. I haven't bound it yet. Its on the list of things to do this week. Right after I finish my front flowerbed. I only have one flowerbed left. Then my spring training will be finished for awhile. Hopefully a beach trip is in my future. Maybe March. I hope. 

This is a rug pattern from Two Old Crows. Just because I have had it for a such a long time. I really wanted to hook it to hang on my walls. Now, it will maybe live in a cupboard for awhile. It also looks darker in the picture.

We haven't seen to many blue skies this winter. We have had lots of fog. When we have got a blue sky and the shine shines I just have to be outside. I can't even begin to imagine snow. I realize how Californian I have become. We are in February now, so hopefully as the days get longer each day, winter will loosen its grip. 

"The blue of heaven is larger than the clouds, Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.

It's about learning to dance in the rain." I wish I could give credit for those sayings but I just wrote them down in my journal and I didn't leave a name with it. My nephew passed away last week. 

Its been sort of a nightmare week. He had a brain tumor and now he is healed and in no more pain. 

I am glad I have hope that we will see him again. Its just grief is such a hard thing. 

I haven't had words to write. Nor the will to hook. I just wanted you to know, that I am here, just out in the space I have been living for the last half of year. 

So, I keep asking the Lord," to teach me to dance in the rain." 

Have a wonderful week,

~Kim~ 

 

January Cold

 

I thought I took a better picture of all of the Grackles in this tree. They really didn't like having their picture taken and started flying away. My daughter used to call them Walmart birds. They seem to love french fries. 

 

Happy Birthday to Edgar Allan Poe! 1809-1849

 

One of my favorite authors. Think of it, he didn't use AI he didn't have a computer. He wrote long hand and had so many more life experiences than I will. He had so many in his short 40 years of life. Albeit a much harder life than I think I will live. It just struck me today as I was reading my email. Yes, I belong to a Edgar Allan Poe reading list. And Yes, I have read all of the theories on his death. Such a mystery. I miss the man who started on January 19 1949 to put a bottle half-empty cognac and three red roses on his grave in Baltimore. For over 60 years. The morning he failed to show up, I grieved for that unknown man. Odd I know, to that man it was a service. It was that unknown man I thought of first this morning.

 

 

But this week, I have been reading books about Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr. The first book, (I don't normally read current fiction but this was good.) My Dear Hamilton by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie and the old book by Anya Seton My Theodosia. I have read a series of books by Kenneth Roberts and not being a New Englander,  I really loved them and his version of history. But how in the world how I have gone down this rabbit hole. 

 

I got this bound and steamed and put away for October. I guess you could say it was my third finish for 2026.

I finished my rug for the challenge too. 

  

I got it bound and steamed too. I think it turned out pretty cute. I tried to use only my old wool that I had. I did have to get into some of my newer wool a bit because I have used up so many of my old bags and bags of past projects, which was a very nice surprise. I always like having an excuse to buy wool. 

Then the rug that my daughter drew out for me when she was in college. Its called Rise and Shine. 

 

So that is my first finishes for 2026. Which should have been finished in 2025 but you know how life crowds in and plans get changed. We are having a real winter for us. Cold and foggy days. Its our version of snow I guess you could say. I always think its perfect hooking weather. Except of course, having Polly who thinks we need to go for walks. Which is why I got her. So hooking kind of takes a back seat. 

 

My plans are to play around in dye pots this week. I bought four or five yards of white wool and I need some colors. Nothing is quite so much fun to me is dyeing wool. Its like magic. Making such fun colors and then using them to make rugs. I do love rug hooking. 

I hope your week will be wonderful and full of creative endeavors. 

Thank you so much for stopping by to read my scribbles.
 

~Kim~ 

 

 

 

Rugs 2025/26

 

 

I finally got my I cloud pictures back. If I blogged all of the time I would notice things like that. So the fault is all mine. We took a quick beach trip in October and had the loveliest time. Perfect weather and camping was just perfect. I did take pictures, so I could have new ones to post and I did think I would come home and I would write a blog. Then of course, life happens. 

 

I will post a few of my 2025 rugs. I did write so many blogs on my favorite rug of 2025 so I won't go on and on about it. It was a challenge for myself and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  

 

I think it was because a friend of mine did our family genealogy which had always been sort of a mystery and I found out that the majority of the family had been farmers. So I had stories and pictures in my head. So this was the rug. 

 

I was able to finish this rug at the beginning of spring in 2025. I put it away and when I got it out I remembered how fun it had been to make it, in the winter while I was dreaming of April. I bought this off of Etsy and it is by Whimsy Rugs and its called April showers. 

 

I started this rug in October thinking it was such a small project I could do it in two weeks. Ha! I finished it the other night. It is the next rug to bind.

This is a pattern from Cotton Wood Creek. I enjoy doing this rugs and the way she has them on fabric so I can draw the pattern out myself. Not really happy with the colors but I am glad its almost finished.

 

Then last of all my challenge rug from Saundra at Woodland Junction . My husband drew it out for me and then life went completely crazy. We had to go to Arizona because of a health scare of our son in law. 

It seemed every time I picked up a rug hook, I would get a phone call and I would put the rug away. I have to be in a certain state of mind to be creative and stress causes my brain to just curl up and go away. I decided I would get this rug finished no matter how many things happened or the phone rang. It because sort of a test for me. Could I push my brain to do what was required? When I steamed it yesterday. It was sort of a victory for me. So against all odds. My challenge rug.

On Friday morning, Jan. 2nd. I had decided I would finish this rug. I had picked up my hook, put a piece of wool in my hand. My phone rang. I looked and it was our youngest son, and I knew something bad had happened. My mind, yelled  Oh no! I shot an arrow prayer up ward and said, please God. I answered saying, are you hurt? He was in the emergency room, he was okay but his car was totaled. At 6:24 A.M. he was on his way to work, in the middle of the intersection a woman ran a red light and there was a wreck. Thankfully his car a Tesla even though damaged beyond repair, it I think kept him alive from the impact. 
  He was bruised and cut and thankfully alive. We talk about that one second. Either faster or slower life could have been very different. The Tesla, is a big computer. It took pictures from all five angles. It had a thumb drive which the police knew about and had the information in real time. Then a day or two later the car sent a computer print out with graphs and information. He was going 40 MPH. and the pictures show her running a very red light.  

 

I had decided, I will finish this rug. I can't tell you how much I felt like a flake. I mean every single time I went to work on this rug. Something life changing happened. But now it is finished and I can move on to a new project. I went through my boxes of patterns and I think I could work for five years and have to never buy another rug. What a hoarder I have turned into with rugs. Finished and not even started.  But of course, never enough wool. 

 

 I guess the moral to the story. Hard things happen but there is always a rainbow. Life is full of surprises and twists and turns, but in the end, what can I learn from this and how can I use it to make me better through it. Its been a few interesting months but I do see that there are lots of sweet blessings in the midst of each and every thing. Its really made me slow down and take stock of what is important and what is not. 

Have a lovely 2026. As a friend of mind said, Wow, Kim you have already had a miracle in 2026. That is what I am going to choose to see. A year of miracles. 

 

~Kim~