Tuesday, July 7

Crossroad


Seems I may need a bit more time before I am back to writing as usual...I am finding myself at a personal crossroad and it does not make for good reading material. So until the road to take becomes a clear cut choice and my heart becomes free and unburdened, I will be on a respite.

"There is a fallow time for the spirit when the soil is barren because of sheer exhaustion."
Howard Thurman

Wednesday, July 1

July...Welcome To My World





Monday, June 29

Fully Loaded

I finally am back online fully loaded and ready to go!! After almost 9 years with Windows 98 and crawling through the internet for the past 3 bugged and bogged down, I have a new computer...might I add my husband bought me the top of the line!

I have missed you and hope to be back to writing soon!

Tuesday, June 16

The Simple Woman's Gazette-Updated


UPDATE
Just a note to say that ordering is now closed. A special note of thanks to the 63 ladies who took advantage of this blog entry and ordered.

Also, thank you for your kind words!

Who knows what the future holds...another year of the gazette may return someday.

HUGS!
****************************
Cleaning out files and wanted to give one last head's up on my e-zine...you can get information here. IF you wish to get these last issues, please contact me asap. I will be removing the information from my blog on Saturday. Thank you.

Tuesday, June 2

There Is Just Something...





about guys in jeeps, but especially these guys...my guys.
James 23 and chum kid bro, Caleb 16

Monday, June 1

Moments Like These...


...need I say more

Tuesday, May 26

A Few Favorite Simplicities

~my husband and son who enjoy time together

~ phlox in jelly jars

~(more jars) homemade vinegars, popcorn, vanilla and salt

~ campfires at home

~ lemons, limes and vintage tableclothes

Friday, May 22

A Dither Bird


This is the last project, declutter, change I am planning for my kitchen this summer. It has taken me over a month to "almost" finish this change, but I am going (totally) glass in my pantry...actually my kitchen at large. No, not because of some kind of "green" hype, but because I love the look, the feel, the nature of glass showing on all my shelves. I have about 2 or 3 more of these shining beauties to purchase as you can see the 2 poor lingering plastic containers placed on the bottom shelf.

I have been buying one per week along with my grocery shopping. There are 3 sizes and depending on what is going inside will depend on which size I use. I am also using my canning jars and goodness knows I have alot of them :-) for smaller types of goodies such as; spices. I have the wide mouth size down to small jam jars and some pretty rings and discs to place on top. Ooh, I also found a really cool looking bottle for my vanilla! I took the above picture last week and already have this part of the shelving unit redone for the second time...must be the nester in me.

Speaking of nesting...I love to dither in my home as my mom and grandma always called it. I must be a dither bird!


Speaking of dithering...I just took this picture of the other side of our home, of course it was dusting and tidying or the toys would be all over the floor :-)...I show so much the other side with our favorite "greatroom", but here is where we spend alot of time too...which talking about time, I have ALOT of outside "play" time to spend right now.

Have a lovely and long holiday week-end!!

Wednesday, May 20

Let Our Lives Confess


"Take from our souls the strain and stress, and let our ordered lives confess, the beauty of thy peace."
John Greenleaf Whittier

Friday, May 15

Making Memories



Oh, how we have enjoyed our porch today. We spent almost all day out there eating, drinking, reading, playing, talking, hugging, napping... watching all of nature go around us and yet being a part of it...of course in between getting the boys haircuts, taking our first long walk to the "pines", creating a firepit out front to be used for evening bonfires, hotdogs and marshmellows...it seemed like a Saturday for sure.

What will tomorrow bring I wonder? I will wake with great expectancy...

I will sit down tonight and write in my journal these words..."We surely made memories today!", dating and timing the page that some day the children can read the words and remember.

Wednesday, May 13

Pine Mountain Diary Page~6

Dear Readers,

It feels soo good to be back...I just wanted you to know that I love and enjoy my blog very much...like another friend blogger, it is a "love/not like relationship" at times I have with the computer and have finally come to a place where I can take it or leave it and will post as such. I know that makes not a lick of sense to you, but I just wanted to get it off my chest since this is my little place to share to do just that :-)

With that said...

The mountain is finally seeing spring in her glory and today she is rejoicing with full bloom. The rainy season is ended and now with showers at times and thunderstorms at others, we will see the month of May at her very best. Our nights are still very chilly with still needing 2 quilts on the bed and sleep tucked real close to whomever happens to be in your nest...smile.

Mornings there is a slight chill and a small wait and then windows are opened a bit. The stove in the basement will now take a much needed break, while the little stove that heats our water works on the entire year. That little stove has been such a blessing and saves us sooo much money. It does take work for the menfolk, but we do have plenty of those on hand...yep, I continue having my entire brood at home with 8 lives being weaved together in a continuous motion of life and jumble. Makes my day busy with tiny grabs at silence. I believe one appreciates it much more when it does not come easily, atleast for me that is true.

The garden as you can see way out there in the distance is doing well and is off to a nice start. The early vegetables are growing nicely while the plants will not go in until this week-end. ALOT of painting has taken place...my entire back porch and landing, entry fence, clothesline posts, upper woodshed, lower woodshed, birdhouse posts, playhouse, my sweet garden gate and soon my chickenhouse. It all looks so nice in the colors I picked..."tropical nut, terra cotta and sand". I could not have chosen nicer ones as they go with all the porch furniture and chair pads! I could not have planned it any better!

We are in the blisters of spring fever with hitting the books very difficult. We have 4 weeks until evaluation time and while it is never hard, I still find it a chore (to stop and put things together for the state portfolio and turn it in to the district) and something that I am ALWAYS glad to have over and done! Whew...you would think that after this long, it would be like falling off a log and it is, but I dislike hitting the ground...lol. I do not have long though and will see this through to it's completion...in 6 more years :-) I think that the current 4 weeks shall be narrowed down now to 2...you know I AM the teacher after all. sshh...

Well, I need to get moving this morning and get outside in the sun...also, to write some long-needed letters to my dear writing friends!

P.S. I hope you like the new blog format and colors...I am in love with some of the prints and color combinations that I see...you should see my new purse, never would I have thought to buy one like it a few years ago!

Chat with you all later this week!

Sunday, May 3

My 20 Favorites~Join Me!

20 Of My Favorite Things

1. Color-
cornflower blue
2. Dessert-apple cake with walnuts
3. Smell-freshly mown grass
4. Flower-sweet honeysuckle
5. Animal-sheep
6. Month-October
7. Beverage-peach iced tea
8. Pair of shoes-currently...white gladiator sandals
9. Snack-currently...jalapeno Tostitos
10. Song-currently...Revelation by Third Day
11. Book-currently...Beach House by Sally John
12. Fruit-fresh cut pineapple
13. Hairstyle-French braid
14. Piece of clothing-currently...summery white peasant blouse
15. Store to clothes shop-Christopher & Banks
16. Season-Autumn
17. Hobby-hand quilting
18. Thing to collect-graniteware
19. Movie-Master and Commander (The Far Side of the World)
20. Restaurant-Panara Bread (hands down)

Care to join along for fun? Just cut and paste the above into your blog entry, remove my answers, add your own, link back and then sign the Mister Linky with the entry permalink and your first name.

Wednesday, April 15

Thinking Out Loud




Seems I have started a weaning process of sorts and have fully begun a time inventory of my own life's future and seeing what the very most important inside of that may look like...could have something to do with turning 50 years on Saturday!

You know...weaning can be a painful process...one that causes you to detach, root out or rid yourself from... that which you are a part of and have been a part of for a long time...it can feel like a cutting off if you will...a death...like when you are making a path in the woods and you have all these vines hanging down and briars tearing at you, weeds wrapped around your legs...you think you may never make it through, but inside your gut, you know it will take perseverance to keep going and a steadfast passion to get to the end.

It is a cost you must count if to make the new path...one that will bring you into a beautiful, sweet, simple meadow with lush grasses, wildflowers, fresh springs of living water, songbirds of all kind and quiet...the kind of quiet you strangely remember in your spirit, but you will be fairly alone in this walk or to stay in the same circle where the ground is broken in, easy to walk, comfortable, well worn, well known, but alot of people are there with you, grazing along the edges with blank glazed over eyes with wanting so much to see, but with so little sight to bring it into true focus...perhaps it is the wrong place to look.

just thinking out loud...
Talk with you all Monday over at the daybook!

Friday, April 10

In Case You Haven't Heard...


Wednesday, March 25

Peggy Asks The Question...


What is one thing that you would LOVE to accomplish this year that is new to you?
(share with us in the comment section)