Rooster Guy

This is a counted cross stitch that came from a Bucilla Kit. Basically, counted cross stitch means that you start in the center of a blank canvas and work your way out of the center following the creator's stitch guide for color and the type of stitch you will be using. Once you get the basic stitching in, then the features are outlined to accentuate them. If you make a mistake, you take out the stitching and re-count and do it again.

It took me about 6 or 7 months to stitch it, but I really love it. The yellow background really makes the other colors pop.I was so excited to find the barnwood frame. What could be more perfect for this guy.

He is hanging in my kitchen. He has glass over the top of the stitching and I had trouble getting a good picture..thus the white spot on his leg...Perhaps I can get my photographer to take a better picture when he gets home from hunting.

Tallgrass by Sandra Dallas

The location of a new Japanese internment camp is just outside a small town in Colorado at the time of Pearl Harbor. The citizens of the town of Ellis are in an uproar. Most of the towns’ people, caught up in the tide patriotism that grips communities in the midst of a national crises and are suddenly very prejudiced against the Japanese even though most have never actually seen a Japanese person except for the exaggerated cartoon characters so common in the in the local newspaper. But the farmers of Ellis are hurting, their men and boys going off to war, girls who are old enough are off to work in factories. There is not enough help to plant the fields. There is worry about the harvest, if the fields do get planted. In a desperate and courageous move a few residents reach out to the relocated Japanese American citizens at Tallgrass Interment camp and hire them to help plant and harvest. Since her father is one of the men who has hired the Japanese Rennie can see, first hand, the sudden change of attitude of many of her neighbors and is subjected to harsh treatment that she finds hard to understand. When a local girl is murdered, fear grips the entire community and all eyes are on the camp at Tallgrass.
The author weaves a picture of the state of the union, the condition of a small town and the idiosyncrasies of a family all through the eyes of a little girl. The daily grind of farm life, hardships and family problems, taking place during a time of national unrest, gives Tallgrass a believable backdrop. Set in southwest Colorado, there are many names and places that will be familiar, which always makes a story interesting and fun to read.

Rural America

There is something to be said about living in a very rural community. Most folks are very friendly and we get to know each other by bumping into each other at the post office or at church. Over time we learn a little about families and farms, jobs and hobbies. We lend a hand when we can - and there is always a hand ready to help if we need it. We watch out for each other - and stay out of each others' way. There is an undeniable sense of independence that is both respected and revered. And -- there is mail delivered to your PO Box even if the sender isn't sure how to spell your last name or know what your box number is. Sometimes we even get mail on a federal holiday. (sshhhhh -don't say a word!) This is one of the things I love about living in a very small town. It is one of the things that I will miss when regulatory agencies finally get wind of our free spirited, bureaucracy free ways. But I will take this little nugget of rural living and cherish it as long as I can.

The Glass Castle

Janette, or Mountain Goat, as she is lovingly called by her father, begins her story at the beginning of her memory. As a small child her view of life is one of adventure – and that it is. Always moving because FBI operatives or the Gestapo were hot on their trail (which turned out to be bill collectors or the some branch of law enforcement) and living in very interesting places (sometimes abandoned buildings) was something that was normal. She grew up adapting to spontaneous travels to new towns, learning from her father about the land and the stars, and learning on her own new ways to find food, comfort and shelter in very unconventional ways. Both of her parents were intelligent but obviously common sense was not something either was endowed with. Her mother was, when she chose to work, a teacher – but more naturally a free spirit who obviously suffered from depression. And who wouldn’t be a little depressed with four young children and a very intelligent, alcoholic husband, who could never keep a job. As Jeanette gets older the family’s situation continues to deteriorate. As a teenager, the goal of escaping the dysfunction and poverty, that she could plainly see was not necessary, became a priority. Her story becomes one of personal strength and perseverance, dreams turned into reality. The ambition and fortitude with which she and her siblings develop and execute their plan to improve their life is incredible. You will enjoy some humorously told stories of childhood and some pathetic tales of kids being senselessly denied basic needs.
The Glass Castle, a memoir by Jeanette Walls, will prick your conscious but you will no doubt applaud Janette and her brother and sister for breaking the mold of dysfunction and creating a new way of life.

What came first.....?

Well - If you look back at the post on Sunday, April 10, you will see "The Flock". We have pampered and coddled these little hens. David has built a fortress to keep them safe from any predators. Four months later, on August 8th, one of the girls layed their first egg. I was so excited! David actually found two eggs in the nesting boxes and left them there so I could "find" them when I came home from work. I have tried for the last few mornings to find out who is presenting us with these beautiful gems but I have been unsuccesfull. When I go out just as soon as it is light enough to see there are no eggs. So I feed and water and tell the girls to be good and when I come home from work -- TaDaah!-a treasure awaits!

Wild Turkeys!

Chris and I have the pleasure of helping a friend of ours out with her yard work once a week. She has a beautiful cottage up in the hills and a wonderful yard. One of the many amazing things that happens there is she gets all sort of wild animals coming through her property. Yesterday it was two mother turkeys and their four babies. It was a really nice little visit from these guys. These are images of her feeding them, the little ones were still a little put off by someone throwing food at them, so the were hiding, but it was still fun!

Great Day for a Thrift Day!

I was ecstatic when I saw these at a thrift store today. Not only do I love vintage books (well, vintage everything really) but it was a complete set with amazing color. I LOVE the two tone people at the bottom, and turns out there are actually some good stories inside. Double yes! And Christopher was pretty happy when he found a vintage leather chair and ottoman. So everyone was happy on the last day of summer break.

Lab 33

Another fun drawing activity to spur on your creativity. In this lab you are supposed to listen to music or books on tape or a podcast and doodle absentmindedly until it is how you like it. I drew this on some packaging that was on a birthday present from my cousin.

Quote of the Day

"There is no boat, plane, train, or car that can take you as far away as art."

- Chris' T-Shirt

I think I am going to put this on my classroom door.

Hatching the Moth

About a month ago Maryhanna (our neighbor) pulled a huge green caterpillar out of her flower garden and was going to squish it so it didn't eat her plants. Having never had a big beautiful garden before, I had never seen such a thing. I mean, that sucker was 4 inches long, bright green and as fat as my index finger. It had this awesome Alice in Wonderland quality about it and I was not going to have it destroyed. So Chris and I, of course, rescue the caterpillar from it's demise. (Besides, we had just recently purchased a bug "house" from the thrift store just in case.) So we made a little home for him and he lived there happily eating stolen primroses from Maryhanna's side of the fence for about a week. He then ran around in circles (as fast a caterpillar can run) for a day and half, buried himself under the dirt and sat in a chrysalis stage for I would say a good 3 1/2 weeks. (We kept poking him to see if he was still alive.)

2 days ago he emerged from his humble abode and became a beautiful fluttering....... moth. Interesting though! It was fun while it lasted.

Lab 6

Drawing Lab for Mixed Media Artists by Carla Sanheim has quickly become my favorite book. It is a compilation of 52 drawing exercises. Lab six was to one dog, one pose, 20 times using a chisel tipped marker on notecards.

I used the picture of Max that my mom posted further down on this site. It was really interesting to see what I concentrated on the most and what I didn't mind leaving out. A great exercise for anyone!

Apricot Jam with Maryhanna

My next door neighbor is 84 years old. She has lived in her house since she was 14 when she came to live with her grandmother. There is so much beautiful history there and I love to hear her stories.

This morning I had the pleasure of canning apricots and apricot jam with her. It was probably one of the most delightful times I have had in a while and the jam is delicious!

52 Projects

Project #51

Ask your Grandparents to tell you some stories. Make sure to document these stories, either in writing, or on a digital audio or video file.

check.

My Grandma Latva, whom have corresponded though letters my whole life, and I have not seen each other in years. My wedding was the last time I saw her and anyone who is married knows that your wedding is not really a time for you catch up with people you haven't seen for a long time. The last time I went to visit her I was 18, I believe. I have always loved her dearly and have a ton in common with her. It has always been hard on me that we have never lived near enough to see one another.

Then I got to thinking about it and realized that my grandparents are getting older and will one day not be here any more. It is a strange realization when this finally crosses your mind. I asked her in one of my letters if she could send me some stories from her childhood. Not long after, I received a package with a book of 365 questions about your childhood completely filled out. She said that she had made it for her daughter, my aunt, that passed away and that I could have it. "I hope it answers some of your questions," she said in her letter. It was amazing to read and I feel like I know her so much more now.

Here are a few of my favorites:

What was the dumbest stunt ever pulled by you and a brother and sister? "Riding on the handlebars of a bicycle and falling and cutting my mouth with my teeth. - Donald did this to me."

"I was nine years old when the World War II started. I remember the Pearl Harbor bombing by the Japanese. I ran outside expecting to see airplanes carrying bombs."

and

"My first kiss was from Benny Brown at a birthday party. We were playing 'spin the bottle.' I nearly died of embarrassment. Besides, I didn't like Benny - he was mean! (I was nice!)."

Origami in the Garden

Here are some new origami folds I learned this week! When I was finished and wanted to take photos of them, I thought to myself, "Self, where would be the best place to take these photos?" in which I immediately responded, "The garden, of course!" Enjoy!

Bunny in the Pansies

Fluttering Butterfly

Swallows Over the Sea

Another Bunny in the Pansies

Vintage Dress by the Wood Pile

52 Projects

Project #20

Write some letters. Then, go to the library and place the letters in some books, preferably ones that aren’t checked out very often. Or, place them in books at a used bookstore, preferably books that might not be purchased for a long time. The letters can be about anything, to anyone, but keep them anonymous, untraceable. First names only, or no names at all. The people who find the letters get to imagine the lives outside of the words on paper.

Check. (Although it is a secret so I can't put any pictures up.....) :)

Raspberry Buckle

Every summer my 84 year old next door neighbor sells fresh raspberries from her friend's property in ice cream buckets and Folger's Coffee cans. Being her next door neighbor, I have to buy some. Last year I made Peach Raspberry Jam (which was probably the best jam I have ever had). This year I went with a simple Raspberry Buckle. (This photo was taken before the delicious sugar mixture covered the top.)

Here is the recipe if you would like to give it a go. You can also substitute blueberries if you have a Folger's Coffee can full of them. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 cups flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

2 cups raspberries

1/2 flour

1/2 cup sugar

1.2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x9x2 inch pan (but also looks quite lovely in a round cake pan). Mix 2 cups flour, salt, and baking powder - set aside.

In a medium bowl beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add 3/4 cup sugar and beat on medium to high speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Alternately add milk and flour mixture to egg mixture. Beat until smooth.

Spoon batter into pan. Sprinkle with berries. In another bowl, combine 1/2 flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and cinnamon. Using a pastry cutter, cut in butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over berries. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden. Serve warm.

52 Projects

I have been interested in the 52 Projects series for a while (you can go to the original page by clicking the title of the post) and thought I would try some of them out. Our dear friends Tim and Betony came to visit last weekend and I thought it would be the perfect time to start. Without further ado, here is.........

Project #2

Find a recipe for key lime pie. If you’ve already got a favorite recipe for key lime pie, even better. Make the pie. Take pictures of the pie. Invite some friends over, and take pictures of them eating the pie. Have a friend take a picture of you eating the pie.

Next, get a box and some key limes. Put the limes in the box, along with a handwritten copy of the key lime pie recipe and the pictures that were taken of your key lime pie party. Mail off the box to a friend.

And if you want to have a delicious (yet rich) treat for yourself:

Key Lime Pie

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick butter) melted
• 2 (14-ounce) cans condensed milk
• 1 cup key lime or regular lime juice
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon lime zest

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter with your hands. Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan, and bake until brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before filling.

Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

In a separate bowl, combine the condensed milk, lime juice, and eggs. Whisk until well blended and place the filling in the cooled pieshell. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Once chilled, combine the sour cream and powdered sugar and spread over the top of the pie using aspatula. Sprinkle the lime zest as a garnish on top of the sour cream and serve chilled.

Enjoy!

Max

Max, our little Miniature Schnauzer is gone now. He was a sweet sweet dog that was a part of our family for 13 years. I have pondered why it is that we have pets. Why we poor so much of our time and energy and money into animals. The only conclusion I can come to is that we have an inherent need to care for another living thing and that the affection and devotion they return is something that we yearn for.

They need us and we need them.

I still miss him - I think I always will.

Molasses Magic

Before................................................After

So here is a tip for all of your rusty things you don't want rusty anymore! Turns out that the sugar beet plant that molasses comes from continually collects iron from the ground while in plant form. When the plant is made into the molasses that we know and love today, the atoms in the sugar have not changed and therefore still continue to gobble up the iron that is nearby.

So in short...... the molasses will strip away the unwanted rust from the hummingbird feeder that your grandmother got you on her visit and make it look (mostly) shiny and new. Turns out there is copper under all that rust!

(Pardon the crappy photos..... still don't have a camera, but you get the idea.)

How to: 1 part molasses

9 parts water

mix in a bucket and put outside (covered)

Soak your rusty rusted stuff until rust is eaten off. (This feeder was soaking for about a week and scrubbed with a wire brush.)

Ozark Mountain Berry Pie

This one is from Cindy, but I am not going to risk the chance to not post something this delicious! Enjoy!

100% would make again!

I think the best berries in the world are grown in the Ozarks. We own a small berry farm, and this is one of my favorite recipes. It's delicious served warm. —Elaine Moody, Clever, Missouri

8 Servings

Prep: 15 min. Bake: 45 min. + cooling

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
• Dash salt
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• Pastry for a double-crust pie (9 inches)
• 1 cup halved fresh strawberries
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 3/4 cup fresh blackberries
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions

• In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon if desired, salt and water until smooth; add the blueberries. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom crust; trim pastry even with edge. Gently fold the strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and lemon juice into the blueberry mixture. Pour into pastry; dot with butter. Roll out remaining pastry; make a lattice crust. Trim, seal and flute edges.
• Bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°; bake for 45-50 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 piece equals 406 calories, 17 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 18 mg cholesterol, 248 mg sodium, 62 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein.

Ozark Mountain Berry Pie published in Country June/July 1992, p47

from TasteofHome.com

Broccoli Chicken Casserole

Five star deliciousness. Thought it would be a good one to post after taking a 3 month break! Enjoy!

1 pound chopped fresh broccoli

1 1/2 cups cubed, cooked chicken meat

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup

1/4 cup copped onion

3/4 tsp Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp onion power

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 slice bread

olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
2. Cut bread into small cubes and let sit to dry
3. Place the broccoli in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain.
4. Saute chicken in olive oil and onion, add spices. Cook until browned.
5. Place the cooked broccoli in small casserole dish. In a bowl, mix the soup and chicken, and pour over the broccoli. Sprinkle with Cheddar cheese. Mix the melted butter with the bread crumbs, and sprinkle over the cheese.
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly brown.

The flock

I am so excited about my new venture. Chickens! I have been thinking about it for quite a long time and now that David is "on" the project we are on our way. These little chicks are the cutest darn things. I have seven, two Amber Whites, two Araucana (egg shells are green!), two Barred Rock, and one Red Star. I am hoping that they are all hens because the goal is eggs -- but the Ranch store that I purchased them at "does not guarantee" the sex of the bird -- so we'll see. David has been working on the new fence and has the coop plans all worked out. He even ordered tiny windows that look just like the ones we have in the house (Yes - E-bay). I will post some other pictures as these little chicks grow. They are only about a week old now and will be the size of a large grapefruit in about six weeks!

How clean is your mirror?

I wrote to Kara’s friend Kelly Grenowich and asked her for her answer to mirror/glass cleaning. Kelly is well known for her cleaning skills and truly the “Cleaning Queen”. She sent me the answer today, and there was no window without a screen in front of it that was safe from me. I’m not kidding. This stuff got all the “film” off of the mirrors without effort and the windows are sparkling from the inside. SOT the wind is at a steady 40 MPH, gusting to 65, I didn’t attempt anything outside. I may have Tom take the screens off of the rest of the windows upstairs so I can get them clean (easy-breezy). I am so excited about this. Why haven’t I done this before, I ask myself? So here it the solution: 1 cup alcohol, 1 cup water, 1 Tablespoon non-sudsing ammonia That’s it! MAGIC!

Jane Eyre

I remember loving this story when I read it in high school, but admit that when I picked it up to read again I remembered little. After finishing it now, I am pretty set in the idea that even though I still do love the story, I believe you can probably cut 100 pages of Mr Rochester's rants and Jane Eyre's subtle observations out and still have a very lovely tale. With that being said, I am super excited for the new movie and hope that it lives up to expectations. Thank you Goodreads for pushing the Jane Eyre Challenge on me - I am glad I read it again!

Paper Flowers

Here are some origami tulips that I made for church. There is also a bigger pot that has a large bunch of Lilies in it, but the photo did not make the cut. Enjoy!

Gathering threads

I just wanted to share a great tip I learned years ago. Don't you hate it when you are gathering something? You have to make those two rows of gathering stitiches and then you start pulling and adjusting, pulling, adjusting and then the thread breaks? OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.....not good. My tip is this: Kite string. um hum...Kite string. Line the string up where you want to gather and use zig zag stitches to hold it in place. The zig zags are actually what determines the space between the gathers...anyway, after you've gone all around, pull the kite string and "walla" gathers. All you have to do is make sure you don't zig zag on top of the string because it won't gather if you do. BIG TIME SAVER!

New Felted Wonders

Here are a few new creations from my weekend home sick. I think the best part about felting is there are endless possibilities. As soon as I get sick of making something, I can make something else. I made some bookmarks too, but forgot to take them to school for the photo shoot. Enjoy!

Daffodils. I am not sure if I am 100% done with this one... I might come back to it. But it is cute all the same. I will probably mat it.

When we lived in Greeley, there was a little flea market store that we liked to go to. They sold bags of broken jewelry pieces. I have been holding on to them and found a perfect use for this little round guy. It makes quite a cute little necklace. I just have to figure out the clasp....

And here is my new favorite. Each bead is hand rolled with love. It looked great with my outfits the last few days too! This is another one, though, that I need to figure out something different with the clasp - a barrel claps does not work as good as I had hoped on a bracelet.

Have been having so much fun with this! If you have any ideas for me, please leave a comment! I am always looking for something new! Hope you like!

Until next time.....

Favorite Muffins

Here is a recipe from the vegan cookbook my very awesome and alternative friend gave me as a gift. I know, Mom, I know..... vegan? Don't worry. Perfectly wonderful and simply delicious.... and healthy too! Enjoy!

Applesauce-Oat Bran Muffins

3/4 cup soy or rice milk (I use vanilla)

1/2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

1 cup unsweetened natural applesauce

3 Tbsp. Canola Oil

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 1/2 cups flour (I use King Arthur's White Whole Wheat..... best flour ever!)

3/4 cup oat bran (get in the hot cereal isle)

2 tsp. baking power

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. cardamom

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup dried cranberries or dried apple pieces, or raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin.

In a large bowl, whisk together the soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Let stand for one minute to curdle. Add applesauce, oil, and brown sugar. Mix completely.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, oat bran, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet; stir only until moistened. Fold in the dried fruit.

Bake 28-30 minutes.

Spring Is Here.... and Oh! How I Need It!

I know we are a week early (officially), but the crocuses are out and (apparently) I have tulips in my yard! It has been 60 degrees the last several days and should remain that way for the rest of the week! In just a matter of weeks (giving the weather stays warm) we will start seeing green on the tops of the trees. Chris and I cleaned and organized our shed and it is so nice to be able to walk into it without bikes falling everywhere! I dusted off all the desert dust (we have a lot of that in Rifle) on our patio furniture and it looks lived in (or on) again! The sun is shining through the windows from the extra hour of daylight and I am just so happy to be alive. I know that is corny, but after waiting out our first winter in the mountains - with limited transportation - and paying my own heating bill for the first time in my life, I am ready to crawl out of my hibernation den and get to work outside! And what a perfect day for this revelation: Palm Sunday - the first day of the most beautiful week in history. Here I am spring! I am ready!

Last fall David and I attended a local wine tasting event. We had not been before and were surprised at the overwhelming selection of wines available to taste from a large variety of vineyards both local and international. Glass in hand, I was ready to dive in but as you can imagine, after several tastes, and various palate cleansing foods the flavors began to mingle and I was no longer sure what I really wanted to choose to keep on my list for future purchase. David, who is not as adventuresome as I when it comes to trying new food and beverage mentioned that he really liked a Rose that was featured by 3 Horse Ranch Vineyard of Snake River Valley, Idaho. Delighted that he tried something new and liked it enough to suggest, I took special note and added the Rose to my list.

I decided to serve the Rose with dinner one evening to my unsuspecting husband just to see if he would comment again – and he did. This wine is a blend of Merlot and Grenache grapes, the latter having less acid and tannin but more sugars, making it a perfect choice to create this slightly dry, very versatile French style Rose.

3 Horse Ranch Rose, Reserve 2009, is very nice, slightly sweet, yet with a touch of tartness that has just a hint of raspberry. The beautiful light pink color would be wonderful be to serve with brunch, lunch or early dinners as it’s light color lends to a pretty setting and its subtle crisp characteristic would not overwhelm lighter menu choices.

3 Horse Ranch Vineyard has several selections offered locally. All are moderately priced at an average of $13 a bottle. I have tried a few varieties and so far the Reserve 2009 Rose is the favorite!

Sisters of the Quilt

Sisters of the Quilt

by Cindy Woodsmall

Sisters of the Quilt is a trilogy which includes “When the Heart Cries”, When the Morning Comes” and “When the Soul Mends”. Three very well written stories of a Hannah Lapp , a young woman brought up in the Old Order Amish community of Owl’s Perch, Pennsylvania. Maneuvering the confusion and trials of the teen age years can be difficult for any young girl but Hannah has the added pressure of her strict religious upbringing clashing with the less stern secular society that she is being drawn to. The boundaries drawn by her church and family are stretched to the breaking point by forbidden love, an unforgivable crime and the yearning of a young heart to know something of the despised “Englisher” world that lay just a short distance away. On one of the happiest days of her life, a brutal attack forces Hannah to search deeply in her heart for understanding, forgiveness and the strength to find her way in a new and terrifying world. Facing the consequences of someone else’s actions, Hannah struggles to follow the rules and beliefs that she was raised with while facing a situation that will never be understood by those she loves. As she confronts the toughest trial of her young life, she learns to trust her own feelings. She discovers how to be honest with herself and in doing so she learns that to withhold her deepest feelings from others, as she has been taught, can often lead to deep, sometimes devastating and irreparable misunderstandings. Hannah grows in this knowledge and finds the balance of respect for herself and for those that she loves so dearly and the ability to share her inner most thoughts.

Cindy Woodsmall’s compelling study of the Amish lifestyle will lead you to admire the commitment and devotion that these communities must practice in order to live in a world that is often uncaring and insensitive to those who hold very strongly to their religious convictions.

I would recomend this to all readers, including young adult.

The Help

The Help, by Kathryn Stockett , is a carefully crafted, humorously told account of the struggle in the hearts and minds of women of different races, trying to bridge the gap placed between them for generations before they were born. The Help, referring to the black women who were the paid to serve their white employers, attempts to capture the weight of the struggle and the strength of the love that grew between them and the white children that they basically raised. White children who would eventually become just like their parents, looking down, from the lofty heights of cultured society, on the black people that lived just over the tracks or across town. Well to do women, hiring “help”, to clean up their homes and the messes that they made of their children, while staying an arms distance out of the ugliness that happens behind the beautiful entrance of every perfectly kept , smiling family’s home.

The 1960’s was a tumultuous time in our country’s history, no more deeply felt than in the south where the age old struggle simmering between love and hate, white and black heated up to a full boil during the height of the civil rights movement. Stockett’s tale stirs the reader’s heart and conjures a gripping sense of loss, not for what is to come – but what has passed between countless babies and maids for centuries. The longing for the love that binds and that is needlessly stripped away by misunderstanding and ignorant beliefs passed shamelessly from one generation to the next.

The erratic mood of the nation gives an unlikely handful of women, separated by color but bound by ties of moral conviction, the opportunity tell the amazing stories of their stations in life. Taking the opportunity to rid themselves of the poison of bitterness that had tainted their hopes and dreams, a few black women, with the help of young, aspiring white journalist, Miss Skeeter, courageously join forces to make known the conflicting emotions that is carried by the women – The Help. Believable and emotional – mixed with a good dose of humor – The Help made me wanted to stand up and cheer when I read the last page. I hope that you will feel the same sense of victory, for the hearts of all women and pause to consider our equality with all people when you read this encouraging story full of heart ache, love, and the victorious hope of the courageous human spirit.

Felted Magnets

So I LOVE felting! Thank you Mom! These were a few little felted circles that I made last weekend. The burgundy one with the blue and green circle I made into a pin and is now living on my purse. The other three are a little too big for pins, so I am going to go the magnet route on those. I took them to school to take photos of them (my camera is dead) and already have a couple of commissions! I think I found my second job! Now all I need is more wool..........

Recipe Cards

I am so tired of having ugly printed out versions of recipes! I usually scribble in my own alterations all over them anyway. I really like the idea of a recipe box, mainly just because my mom has a really cool vintage wooden one. But from what I have experienced with the cool vintage recipe box is: out of sight, out of mind. My substitution is a cheep plastic photo album. At least I can flip through that and see what recipes I have used and which I liked well enough to add to the book. I think it is time for a new one, but before I do that, I decided to redo all of the ugly written-on recipes and make them into something a little more presentable. Here are some links to free printable recipe cards that I liked. Now all I need is a little card stock and some markers. :) Enjoy!

http://www.lafujimama.com/2009/02/recipe-cards-with-little-fuji-flair/

http://www.erinvaledesign.com/leo_on_the_loose/2009/07/diy-free-printable-embellish-recipe-card.html

http://freeprintablesonline.com/2008/05/retro-fleur-recipe-card-template/

How Stuff Gets Created

I have recently been following author Donald Miller's blog and he has been writing about creations, creators, and creating. Love it! I read this and knew exactly how he felt. If you would like to check out the rest of his blog, the post title is the link. Enjoy!

"I’m learning the fruit of my creative effort often ripens instantly. I’ll sit down and get thousands of words, but then a week later, working with the same discipline, will have nothing. But my job is not to make the words come. Who am I to make the words come? My job is no different than a farmer. I till the land. I fertilize the soil. I plant the seeds. Unlike the farmer, though, I am surprised when the green shoots sprout in the spring. I think perhaps it is magic, and it will never happen for me again. But the farmer knows if he tills the land, and is blessed enough to get rain, the harvest will come."

Donald Miller, Feb 16, 2011