Thanksgiving outing

Hoping you had a pleasant Thanksgiving!

I haven't been online much for the past 3 weeks.  My mom passed 3 weeks ago and all the confusion of my step-dad and his overwhelm, my fears of "all the stuff to go through" and knowing family would be coming I hadn't seen in 20 yrs, well...let's just say I decided to back off from being very social.  

Until Thursday!  My girls and sister-in-law

wanted to host this year and all I had to do was make my popular Pecan Pie made with maple syrup.  I can do that!!  So after mass Thursday we decided to start a new tradition and went on a short walk (some folks say a hike, but I'm not physically to that point - yet).

We took Max and he had so much fun.  On our way back my husband spotted purple catcus'.  I didn't know Colorado HAD cactus'.  He got some amazing pictures.  

Tiny purple cactus all over the hillside. Isn't my husband an amazing photographer!

Max wanting to know why we stopped.  We didn't get much past those shrubs ahead.  Bears are still out and about and it was early enough I didn't want to see any.

This cliff side was made of a bazillion rocks.  So fascinating.  

Daughter and grandchildren with her ducks.  I hear they are supposed to be Christmas dinner but not sure that's going to happen.  

Making the paper chain with nephew and grandkids.

I wanted to do a craft with the grandkids and thought of an Advent chain.  I was looking for traditional things to make that would be easy for a 3 and 6yo.  What was fun was both my daughters joined in, my nephew and my sister-in-law.  Everyone wanted to do a craft!  How fun ! So next year I may plan something for everyone - optional of course.  I don't see the guys in on this :-) 

Have a lovely week!  

PS - We went to a gathering of couples from Church and one couple bought a 30 lb turkey at the school auction, but the person that showed up for Thanksgiving was vegetarian!  So she thought of me and brought a whole bag of turkey. Yeah! I love leftovers and getting creative to use them. I hear Turkey enchiladas are very tasty.

Wordless Wednesday

I don't even have to hunt for happy faces anymore...they just pop out at me.  Maybe you too will start noticing the simple things and remember - don't take life too seriously and always know you are Loved!

This little one was in zucchini I cooked up.

Last Sunday in church, I was telling a joke I heard to a fellow who is a natural joke teller (I am not).  He didn't laugh at my joke and I was bummed.  Only to look down at my feet and there on the floor was a smiley sticker. I love stickers! So a smiley sticker was a double blessing.  I think God liked my joke :-) Want to hear it:
"Need an ark?"......"I Noah guy."

This happy one fell into place when I was eating my crackers for snack. 

And this one, I will leave it to you. Do you see it?  It was in last month's Victoria magazine.  I just had to smile.

Have a blessed week!

Embracing Rhythm

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"You have set all the borders on the earth. You have made summer and winter." Psalm 74:17

Recently with the changing of seasons I have been thinking a lot about rhythm. God created a rhythm to the seasons.  And within each season there are herbs, plants, veggies that are available.  From my past years of studying herbs, there is a reason for each where and when you find them.

Such as root veggies.  These are typically more abundant in fall and winter.  This is to help our bodies store the nutrients needed for cold weather.  While we still need greens, they aren't as readily available.  Also root veggies give a comfort when roasted or mashed.

Here is another example: dandelions. These little gems are EVERYWHERE in spring.  Why? Because they are good for the liver and help "clean out" the stored stuff from winter.  Those foods that can create heaviness in our bodies in the spring and summer season. (And we thought they were weeds!)

I love to sit and ponder God's creation.  This brings me to the Rhythm of the Home.  I know many friends through the years that just "wing it". They don't bother with lists or they have a list but choose to not have a weekly rhythm that gives the home a feeling of "all is taken care of".

I have tried their way and found it's not for me.  There is nothing wrong if you are they type of person that can "wing it" and keep your homemangement...manageble.  I need rhythm.  There is a part of me that loves nature, loves to be in nature, loves to pick up a fall leaf and know - the earth is settling in for a long winters nap.

Through the years I have found my Temperament   and that I need lists and to be organized.  It's part of my makeup.  Now that I've learned this, I've stopped trying to embrace "others ideas" and learn to embrace my own.  It's part of my self-acceptance.

I have long been interested in the Waldorf system, mostly because the system uses rhythm and routines, nature and a less "structured" approach to educating children.  I also love several others, but that's not my topic today. I need reminders to not get too ridged - that too is from learning my temperament.

Learning and embracing rhythm, it's easy to follow a pattern in my homemaking day.  When I have a weekly rhythm my home feels more balanced (my Word for the Year) and my husband and I can find most anything because things are caught up and we know when something will get done, God willing.  We know when and where, just like the things God sets in the seasons.

I used to fight against rhythm, I wanted things exact.  People say rhythm feels stifling.  I say it creates self-discipline.  A virtue that I have let go in recent years...trying to follow others ideals.

My home is coming back to order and beauty and I am loving having a weekly rhythm.  I pray that we each listen to our heart and follow what method works for each of us and not what someone has posted is "THE" way to manage your home.

Have a blessed week.  Enjoy the next season...November brings much to embrace. What will your rhythm be as we enter into the last of the Fall season?

Wordless Wednesday - Smiles

While I haven't been posting regularly, I do think of many things I want to post.   This is one of them. Wordless Wednesday!

I have read about this on several blogs I have followed through the years. Since I love to capture creative Happy faces I would love to share.  I see them everywhere.  It's like God reminds me...don't take life so seriously, just smile.  :-)

Here are a few recent ones:

Most of the time the picture is just as I saw it...this is one of those times.

Love it! This was on the road.  Someone doing patch work did the smiley face then someone came by later and added the teeth.  I had to laugh out loud at this one. This is by far my favorite.

I hope you enjoy the pictures and that they inspire you to keep an eye out for ways God sends a smile.  

Have a blessed day!

PS Please don't copy my photos without asking first.  It is most appreciated.

Being Creative in the kitchen

I have always enjoyed making do with what I have. It brings me such great joy.  

Today was no exception.  

My husband likes apple cinnamon muffins for breakfast and since Fridays are usually my baking/kitchen prep days, this was on my To Do List.  As I prepared the gluten free batter and already had the butter melted...I realized I had tossed my muffin pan a few weeks ago because it rusted.  I was so frazzled.  

We don't live close enough to town to just make a run, so I got on the internet to do some searching.  There are so many creative women and blogs out there that I just knew someone has run into the same situation.  

LifeHacker.com had the answer.

They suggested using the rings from your mason jars!  I got so excited because I just knew I had plenty.

I was so excited my husband came out of his office to ask what the commotion was.  Being that I had the butter melted and batter ready and no pan, I was upset.  But now!  Now I discovered a way to make do with what I have and it worked!!!

Check it out...

I like to use the brown parchment cups, as they don't stick with gluten free baking.

They came out beautifully. I am so grateful.  

There are days I just curse the internet because the ways things are set up to get you to "click", I get lost.  Way to easy.  

I am learning and trying to practice one of the Fruits of the Spirit, Self control.  I will save that for another post, but I will say, it's tough.  

Anyways. I hope you enjoy this little tip for being creative in the kitchen.  It was so much fun to try.

Wishing you Peace,

Dee

Tea Cup Exchange

Hello!  I am so excited to share of a wonderful Tea Cup exchange I got to participate in.  Below is the amazing gift I got from Denise.  She was so thoughtful and I love all the wonderful things.

Tea Cup Exchange hosted by The Enchanting Rose

This is the 10th annual Tea Cup exchange and though I had just heard about it, it was so much fun.  I shopped for the woman to receive my gift at the local antique shop.  The ladies there were so excited I had 3 of them hunting for a small silver spoon and doilies.  They even let me in before they were open, to help me hunt!

I must say, my favorite is the book Tea Time with God.  It is all about an afternoon break, with God, and resting and rejuvenating before the evening hours.  The amazing teacup and tea have been a wonderful treat to use while reading it.

And you see those cute note cards...she made them! WOW!

Thank you so much for stopping by.  I love the idea of a teacup exchange, even if it's with someone at church or a couple neighbors.  I'm learning that women don't give themselves "permission" to enjoy the little things in life, like a beautiful tea cup and a quiet moment with God.

Cutivating Happiness

In recent days I am reading "The Joy of Living" by Orison Marden and the chapter that has caught my attention is called Happiness can be Cultivated.

I am so moved by this that I have pondered a lot about what he writes and am starting to put this into practice.  I have already seen a difference.  Let me share a bit with you.

Early on in the chapter Mr. Marden writes: One of the most difficult lessons of life is to learn that we are largely the product of our thought.  This got me to thinking of the phrase I've heard "Change your thoughts and you change your life" and "Changed attitudes can aid recovery".  Mr. Marden goes on to talk about how the brain CAN change.  Even if we were brought up with "stinkin thinkin" as I like to call it, we can practice and choose to look for the positive or happiness in daily events.

It's hard, no doubt.  But possible.

I love this thought that Mr Marden writes:

 "It is a curious fact that most people think that while they are obliged to spend many years preparing for and developing a specialty in there careers, happiness, which means more to them than almost anything else, should be a haphazard development that it should come with practically no training, no special study, while everything else in life is worth while requires such infinite pains.

It is a great thing so to cultivate the art of happiness that we can get pleasure of the common experiences of every today.  The happiness habit is just as necessary to our best welfare as the work habit or the honesty habit."

The habit of complaining, criticizing, grumbling, or wallowing is unfortunate.  And while most naturally tend to lean on the negative, it is of great virtue to practice looking for the blessings and happiness in things.

Our hearts get lifted and before we know it, happiness is the product of our work.

Today, as I said, I am practicing this.  We lost our beloved little dog Koda 2 weeks ago, and the same day my husband injured his back.  Now, with my physical healing still and limits, this was a lot to take in. I found myself over tired, overwhelmed and sadness kept trying to take over.  I found myself in sweats and wanting to give in to the sadness.

Then I read this chapter.  Um, finding happiness?? In the loss of my dog, and my husband injuring his back (and I had to drive all the time for about a week).  I struggled, so I turned to my husband and asked.  How? How do you do this?

My husbands says "Well, Koda is not in pain anymore.  He was very ready to go.  And my back, well, I get the chance to live a much slower pace of life and give praise to God for the days when my back is great.  There are many people who live with this."

I was stumped. Why couldn't I see that?  So I have made it my work.  To cultivate happiness.

Today I found I was in a lot of pain and wanted to stay in sweats all day. I did too much yesterday and my body is letting me know it. (Also learning to cultivate a slower pace of life)  But as I lay there resting, all I could think of was a pact I made with myself.  No sweats or lounge clothes from lunch on.  No matter what.  I am to get dressed and do something that makes me feel pretty.

Wow! What a shift in my thinking and attitude!  I immediately got up, showered, dressed, did my hair, and even a spritz of my new favorite perfume. And with it I have been able to look for the happiness in my pain and discomfort.

Making lunch for my husband and me.

You see, in my change of clothes, my thinking started changing and rather than focus on what I can't do or how much pain I'm in, I have been practicing looking for what I can do.  Like practice my new hobby of silk ribbon embroidery, or read the rest of this chapter, or sketch out some ideas of craft projects I am wanting to make, or even get the little crochet Easter baskets done for my grandkids.

I see happy faces in the oddest places, but they always make me smile.

You see, I could cultivate happiness.  But it starts with making the choice.  For me, today, that choice was to stick to my pact of no sweats by lunch.  (I usually change after my walking in the morning) And always make sure the laundry is hung to dry by lunch.  If I do those 2 things, it shifts my attitude.

We almost have a duty to ourselves, to our spouse, to our kids, but most of all to God to cultivate happiness.  To find ways to chase off the negative and give Him praise for all His gifts.

I will close by this quote from Abraham Lincoln (who I have learned in recent years is a relative!)

                "Most people are only as happy as they make up their minds to be" 

Whatever is pure, lovely and true

Seeking shelter from the rain. 

"What danger is there if you don't think of any?" Thoreau

I have been pondering this for days.  I am working my way, slowly, through Walden and I came upon this.  He was speaking of those who worry.  Worry about sickness, worry about others...what ever we may think of that is not right now.

If we don't think on those things, we can change our thinking to "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is pure and whatever is lovely." Phil. 4:8

Think about that for a moment. I have.  What ever my mind is on, what ever future worry or future conversation, or whatever is not right now...is a worry.  And I am missing what is happening right now.

Thoreau's writings on being present to what is going on right now, the sun rays through the trees, the visitor that happens to drop by.  He is present in that moment.

As my journey to listening to Him and "balance" continues, I am learning to be in this moment.  To be mindful of my thoughts and to practice or choose to think on those things that are pure, lovely and true.

Enough hours in the day

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I have been thinking a lot lately about the Scripture verse in John 11:9 "Are there not 12 hours in a day?"

Though He was using it in a different context, God put this on my heart for a reason.  I tend to try to squish 20 hrs in my "12 hour day".  And as a result have struggled with adrenal and hormonal imbalances.

You see, I have learned that even though we may not have physical stresses, we can create them in our mind.  Pushing ourselves to do more, getting that checklist done, rushing here and there.  Truly though,  we don't get anymore accomplished and we are actually harming ourselves physically and emotionally.

Lydia of HomeLiving often writes on the need to do some work, but just as important is to take time to rest and rejuvenate.  As women we have a lot on our plates.  It almost becomes imperative that we do take the time to rest and rejuvenate, each day.

For example, I can create a "perfect" schedule that I can accomplish all the things I want done that day at home, an errand or event at church, and try to cook 3x that day.  At the end of the day, where does that leave me when my husband gets off work.  I'm exhausted, grumpy, and really not interested in him or his day.  How does that help me, or my marriage?

Yesterday the Lord put the hours of the day subject on my heart again.  I am seeing how much I try to force me will into the day and hardly have time to "listen" to Him and see where He wants my attention and work.

A daily reader I use says this:   "We forget we need deal with only one day at a time, and try to crowd too much into the waking hours of that day - or we even extend it beyond the point of weariness."  Later it speaks of living in the 12 hours we are given, slowing our pace and, this part I love, "If I am under pressure and setting myself deadlines ...I will stop and think, for this one day what can I do."

This too was a recent addition to this insight: Chinese medicine says we should live according to the day given, the seasons.  Rising with the sunrise and resting when the sun goes down.

All of these are really causing me too look at all the things I try to get done, according to my will.  And seeing how I feel at the end of the day, how my body reacts to such constant stresses.  As a homemaker, I joke that I am busier now than I was when I worked full time!  How true, but a shame.

When I worked long hours I used to dream of keeping a tidy home, decorating, a nice simple meal set at a table with a pretty place setting and being happy, dressed with feminine flare, and a smile when my husband came home.  As soon as I started making a schedule that was too full, I lost that.  All of it.

I'm not saying don't make a schedule, they are invaluable to me.  I'm saying God gave us 12 hours to do work and be active, the other times are meant for resting and rejuvenation.  Quiet time reading a book with my husband reading his book is an amazing way to end the day. Or he watches football to unwind and I do some crafting.

Just two nights ago my husband shared all the "things" he got done that day, and while he got a lot done he felt frazzled and was looking forward to down time.  Thank goodness I had dinner done and I too was needing quiet time.

Changing my thinking, changes my choices in my day. Another tip I've learned from Lydia is to make a list, just a few things, get them done before lunch, then I have the afternoon to myself.  That is what I try to do.  That gives me a chance to rest in the afternoon and do something that lifts my heart.  Like tea time with a pretty cup and snack!

I'm seeing that so many things I want done, really don't need done, I just want it that way.  Is it worth the stress on my body? Is it worth loosing my peace and my smile over?

Light in the midst of Winter

Today I want to write about a neat idea that relates to Christmas.  Christmas is traditionally right around the Winter Solstice. The time of year that is the darkest and cold.  Seems awfully dismal.

Yet when we celebrate Christmas, we celebrate Jesus' birth, the Light of the world.  The One who brings promise and love beyond our imagination.  He IS the Light of all. How appropriate then, that Christmas (the Light) is near the Winter Solstice (the darkest day).  Jesus is our Light in our darkest times and our coldest times.

Now, growing up, the weekend after Christmas we took down decorations and the house was empty.  After all the beauty and twinkle lights for weeks, gone.  Blank. Empty.  Right after we just celebrated one of the two most important holidays of the year.

Several years ago it was brought to my attention about the 12 days of Christmas.  These days are the days FOLLOWING Christmas.  They go to Jan 6th when the Epiphany is celebrated, also known as the day the Three Kings came.

The continued celebration (hundreds of years ago) went until Feb. 2nd. Traditionally known as Candlemas or the Presentation of the Lord.  The day He was presented to the temple. The day Mary would have completed the required time for Purification (Old testament) after giving birth.

We have in the past left our decorations up until Feb 2nd.  But I am WAY over all the decorations for that long.

I have found a new way to celebrate the Light of Christ coming during this long winter.  We take down everything except the white twinkle lights on the tree.  You can see from the picture, no decorations, just the tree.

It is so bright and cheery every night to turn on.  This is something I enjoy and so does my husband.  We will leave it up until Feb 2nd.

Then on Feb 2nd, Candlemas, we have beeswax candles (or any candles if available) blessed...enough for the year, and each night during dinner we light it. As  a reminder that Christ is our light and we give thanks.  The candle is worked into what ever table decoration we already have, or one I create.

It is such a joyous time.

I share this as a way to bring joy and light to the home in the midst of what we hear "the dead of winter".  Winter is the time to snuggle in, to rest, to ponder what we will grow, or places we will go.
It's also a time to find joy and celebrate Christmas beyond one day a year.

Blessings.

New Year

I am so excited for this new year.  Many people talk about resolutions, but I have learned that resolutions for me equals failure.  I like the term I have heard about goals.  Having goals and working towards them.

Last year I met most of my goals, except camping.  We only camped once...the week before Memorial Day and it was 30 degrees.  That sort of put a damper on my camper spirit.  The other goal was to find the root cause of why I have felt so bad for years.  I did.  It was two layers.  The first being, I had Lyme. Note the word HAD.  Please praise God for His goodness.  The second layer is that I have a hormone imbalance that I have had most of my life, and these last few years I have experienced worse symptoms, but never knew because of the Lyme.

God is so good!  Now that the Lyme is gone, I have found a practitioner to help me with the imbalance of hormones, and she understands hyper-sensitive people.  Yeah!

This year, I am looking forward to balancing those hormones, decluttering our "stuff" to the things that bring joy or are useful.  My mottos is "Beauty and Useful".   Another goal is to read more inspirational books and less health related.  I find the power of inspiration to be....inspiring. 😊  I love how we can change our world by changing our perspective.

I hope to turn this journey into a blogging adventure.  I don't get on here much anymore, but have enjoyed looking back at years past.  A sort of online journal.  Not someone else's thoughts, or trying to please the reader, but honesty and simple.

I pray this new year will bring many blessings to you.