sewing by the light of the window

Sitting in my sewing room by the curtainless window, I am given a clear abundance of light to sew by during the mornings and into the afternoon. With needle in hand I apply black piping, stitch ten buttonholes, and sew on ten black-covered buttons to a 1860's dress.

  The making of this dress was began in the fall and actually, it was Little Women inspired. Charlotte and I will fix a pot of tea on some afternoons and will sit in the living room and take turns reading together. This is delightful reading, the revisiting of this beautiful novel as an adult engages me even more so than when I read it as a child.

     "Go on with your work as usual, for work is a blessed solace. Hope and keep busy..."

                                                                                                              from Little Women

I am also sewing a melange of other *things* of which I will share soon!
 Remember, hope and keep busy!

my sweet creature and a yarn along

Knitting and reading in January fits, much like a horse and carriage, tea and honey, grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup...you get the idea. What pleasure to share one of my knitting and reading ventures on this Wednesday in January at Ginny's Yarn along.

Two Januarys ago, and all the way into spring, my husband and I watched the series All Creatures Great and Small (1978-1990). We absolutely loved it! From used book library sales I was able to purchase this book and its companion, All things Wise and Wonderful. What an engaging treat to read James Herriot's stories of his life as a vet in the Yorkshire Dales of England. These tales of his true to life vet practice beginning in the 1930's are heartwarming, witty, and makes one wish for the characters to come knocking on your door so you could meet them.

I am knitting a charcoal gray vest in this pattern. Because I am knitting and sewing on so many other projects (does anyone else have scattered projects galore?), it seems to be slow going at the present. But I do like to pick it up from time to time, and I take great store in believing I will enjoy wearing it when it is finished.

When Serena, one of my small creatures, moseyed into the sun room this January morning, and ensconced herself amongst my knitting with the book's title in full display, I thought it was a picture perfect scene.

eating my winter porridge...

My most favorite winter morning offerings, porridge with blueberries, a ruby-red grapefruit, a glass of whole milk, and His Word.

If I have mentioned before how to prepare the most yummy tasting healthy porridge, must allow me a moment to repeat it here and you can thank me later.

1 cup oatmeal
1 cup water, preferably filtered
1-2 Tablespoons whey
 Soak overnight, or at least 7 hours.
The next morning, add 1 cup water and a 1/2 teaspoon salt  with soaked oats, cook until done. It does not take long, so breakfast is on the table lickety-split!

Now, for some good things to know, you may use yogurt or buttermilk in place of whey. If you have a dairy issue, lemon juice or vinegar  works well too. I love to add about a tablespoon of butter, organic blueberries, and a fine drizzle of maple syrup, while Charlotte prefers home canned peaches in her porridge. Truly, just use your imagination and go for it.

CHRISTmas eve's eve

The day is dark due to the bouts of pouring rain and  heavily clouded skies, but two electric candle lights burn in my sewing room casting a sweet glow. I am here to share two musings on this day referred to by Charlotte as" Christmas Eve's eve. "

Musing of a serious note: As I was rummaging through stacks of old magazines in the attic with high hopes of finding a particular recipe, I found a letter dated 3 May 1985. As I picked up the lavender- shaded envelope my heart began to be pricked with a cylinder sharp prick when I saw the return address, Mrs.______ ____ _____. This a dear friend from college, we were sorority sisters and  bridesmaids in each other's weddings. I opened it with such a deep longing to call her. Instead I heard her voice across the pages of this ruffled letter. During the time she penned this letter we were both young mothers raising our firstborn children, sons. She was giving me details of Matthew's toddler life and heralding me with the news of the births of sons and daughters of other sorority sisters.
   "I think of you often and wish we saw more of each other. Love, Am-" 
 I slipped the letter into the envelope's pocket with thoughts this Christmas of her husband and three now grown sons. My dear friend, Amy, died three years ago. I do wish I could speak to her today.  But instead I see her handwriting, my memory hears her voice, and I remember her beautiful face. How thankful I am for the gift of inadvertently discovering that letter hidden under some old magazines this Christmas.

Musings of a funny note: The weather is the talk of all the Christmas gatherings this year. It has been...well...weird. These past days have been very warm, unseasonably so in the high 60's and 70's F.
Thunder and rain creating yards that even in the grass display deep puddles. I scooped up the vegetable scraps from meal preparations, slipped off my shoes and ran down to the raised garden beds to throw on for compost. The mud squished between my toes making me squeal and giggle with fun! Just think  bare feet and tepid mud to run through at Christmas!

Celebrating Jesus Christ at CHRISTmas with the joys as well as the sorrows life brings until HE returns.              

Monday Notes 2

An entire week later...

Housecleaning Notes:
Since today is a holiday and summer is chorusing its last siren song, my husband and I mustered up just the proper amount of motivation needed to continue with the ongoing window cleaning job. Now, keep in mind this housekeeping chore began Saturday before last, and we still have nine more windows to clean before we can shout, "We're Done!" But the joy we had when we could see the shine on those windows this afternoon as we sat down to have a cold drink was worth all the effort. Oh, I do not want to forget to mention something while I am about my housecleaning notes. Have you ever tried to clean with *Norwex* products? They are superb...just ask my husband...he is a new devotee after using them for cleaning the outside windows.

Baking Notes:
I love desserts. I love baking them and I love eating them. But common sense tells me that no one needs to eat dessert every day. At my house, in theory, that simply means we eat desserts on Sunday. But lately due to company, parties, and end of summer celebrations, dessert is becoming daily. So as soon as the Apple Crisp we baked on Saturday is all gone, we will do better. Enough said.

The crisp was made with the apple pie filling I canned last year. I have made this pie filling for the past two years and it tastes delicious as well as cutting the time it takes to prepare an apple dessert in half.

And please do not forget to serve it with vanilla ice cream!

Beekeeping Notes:

There is this notion that I think I could be an apiarist. But in year's past my reactions to bee stings were not good. And since I am highly allergic to Benedryl, watching my beekeepers at a safe distance seems the most sensible thing to do. I was outside earlier today and I could smell that woodsy smell of smoke from the smoker they use for quieting the bees, so I knew my beekepers were about working.

I hope your Monday was pleasant and you could work, rest, and play. Tomorrow starts a complete new routine, and I am ready.

Monday Notes

Nature Notes:
I drove my car parallel with a hawk this morning. The hawk was startled as I came around the curve and it flew right beside my car window for about 5 seconds, it was as if we were in a race. Magnificent beauty follows this bird. Yet, I know he is more than likely feeding on live prey in some one's back yard, unfortunately, at their stocked bird feeders.

Baking Notes:
I believe there is a link in the brain that is stroked whenever you enter your kitchen to bake something good to eat. Baking gives you feelings of comfort, home, warmth and love. Charlotte and I were so happy to bake some blueberry muffins this afternoon. A old recipe was scavenged, one that uses whole wheat flour and yogurt in its ingredients. Then we sat down and ate one warm from the oven.

Preserving Notes:
Two pints of cherry tomatoes were cut in half, mixed with 2 cloves of minced garlic, 3 tablespoons of basil, 2 tablespoons of oregano, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and a dashing of salt and pepper.  They were spread on a parchment lined cookie sheet and baked on a 220 degree oven for 2 hours.* They will rest in the closed oven overnight; tomorrow morning I will store my dried tomatoes in a glass jar and will receive pleasure to use them on homemade pizzas, appetizers, and salads in the days to come.
*adjust temperature and time accordingly, for example, 225 degrees for 1 -1 1/2 hour.

open-air knitting

As long as I am able to carry my knitting along from here to there, I am content. Summer brings such  multitudes of opportunity to knit out in the open-air. 

                      

 

My Opal striped sock was being knitted in the majority of these photos, the one exception being the black sock. If I could squeeze in a few more outside activities this summer, the striped sock would be completed. Then it can rest on top of my sock stack until cold weather makes its appearance and the need to dress my feet in wool is fully satisfied with a new pair of socks. I wish I could be like Elizabeth Zimmerman and fill a sock drawer with newly knitted socks, but I will be satisfied with what I have accomplished this summer.

“Now, have a good summer. Dabble your feet in the water, and fill the sock-drawer against next winter. I find this as satisfying as studying seed-catalogues by a roaring January fire.” – The Opinionated Knitter

And while not exactly open-air knitting, nonetheless, I knit as I travel. A new project was begun while in the car on the open road to Ohio two weeks ago.

a small state of chaos

I am discombobulated. This is due to the master bath renovation currently going on in my home. I am grateful for upstairs bathrooms  and upstairs bedrooms while the redo is going on downstairs. My husband vacuumed with a fierce spirit last night with frequent statements of how dirty the floors are under his feet. I grin inside because I know we all maintain ways of trying to cope with all the sheet rock dust, boards and paint as best we can, not to even mention the boxes of things moved temporarily upstairs causing great disarray there too.

As an attempt to take control, knowing it is useless to do my normal house cleaning duties at the present, I engage in a housekeeping duty of a small nature. I was thinking it would be beneficial to have a weekly housecleaning chore of those things I don't do on a regular basis. The other cleaning can wait to this weekend when the workers will be absent.

Housekeeping Duty of the Week:
Remove the kitchen faucet handles and scrub all the gunk that has accumulated around the edges. While you are at this job, be sure to remove the nozzle of the faucet, and likewise, clean the build-up gunk. This is one of those jobs that is not easily noticeable to the eye, but it makes one feel so much healthier after completing the chore.

And I might find it a good thing to consider a virtue to work on while I am evaluating how to make my home peaceful and calm in the midst of a higgledy piggledy state.

Virtue of the Week:
Generous, in spirit and in manner. I can afford to be understanding of others that live in the same house  and are living in the same chaos. If they want to run the vacuum in the evening with fierceness...I can smile even if I am tired and the vacuum makes my nerves go "BING". I can allow Charlotte a lunch break to watch an episode of House Hunters International. I can even take a cat nap after lunch if it helps with the sleepless nights due to being in a double versus queen bed.

What do you do when things of the physical nature are chaotic in your home?

lessons to learn

This mother of 32 plus years (my eldest son will be 33 in October) began another homeschool year with 12YO youngest daughter today. My second year of having only one student. My hats are off to those mothers with so many students to school in a day. I am slightly weary and worn around the edges this afternoon. I am taking a break from school instruction, laundry and household duties to post. I have a pretty teacup that Claire gave me setting by my side of freshly brewed tea with a dollop of "our honey" to sip for refreshment.

By seventh grade the holes in your child's academic record becomes more obvious, and a carefully laid out plan to remedy and close some of the gaps are devised. So much easier to speak about, but very difficult to bring about I must confess. I remember those days when my children were toddlers, the consistent discipline needed to  get them to obey was trying to the utmost, but promised to garner fruit in the end. The same principles are applied to schooling.

We will eat an early supper because ballet lessons begin tonight from 6-8. I think 7:00 is a perfect time for dinner, but 8:00 is simply too late to have a body digest a big meal and have a reasonable bedtime. I might just sit outside at the our local Food Coop and read, knit and do geography lesson plans for tomorrow. Or I might take my laptop and catch up reading some of my favorite blogs. Oh, the possibilities!

"Then let us all do what is right, 

strive with all our might toward the unattainable,

develop as fully as we can the gifts God has given us,

and never stop learning."

                                 ~Bethune~

                        honey harvest

I hope your day went well!

                 Cathy

more scattergories

B  Bridesmaid Dresses
        (August 1)                                

                                                                                                                               

Claire's sister got married on a beautiful evening on the first day of August. Three of the bridesmaids asked me to alter their dresses, which I so willingly and happily altered while listening to podcasts on the computer in my sewing room.

M Music Camp 

        (July 19-24)

                             Every morning Charlotte would travel to the next town's university to attend a summer music camp. She would leave home at 8:00 A.M. and get home somewhat weary at 10:45 P.M., full days of music for sure. My husband and I would take advantage of the time in the evening to dine out in a wonderful restaurant or sit outside at a campus coffee shop. On Friday we were able to be in the audience of two daytime informal student performance concerts, and one formal evening performance concert.

                    ballgame right outside restaurant's parking lot           practice room on old Baldwin piano

D Dip and Dots

                             

What can I say...they stand on their own splendid merit.

C Creation Museum

           (August 14)

Situated right at the Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana borders sets the most glorious museum. My advice is it is worth making the trip and experiencing this museum; God's Word is honored and upheld as total truth in this place. Ken Ham and his team ministry, Answers In Genesis, do a superb job of giving creationism validity. If you plan to go for a  visit, keep in mind it will take at least a full day to see this museum and planetarium.

O Ohio

        (August 15-16)

We visited with some dear friends that live in the middle of Amish country. As we sat outside on their side deck that morning, we were able to observe the horse and buggy wagons noisily ride by the road. Then later that day we rode through the green countryside and observed such wide open spaces and simple rural life living. We stopped at one farmhouse to buy a veneer basket and the wife offered to give us a tour of some of the rooms in her house. She was so kind and answered questions that must have seemed silly to her. 

It is Saturday, that makes tomorrow my Sabbath. I still have a few preparations to make to our Sunday meal, so I am signing off for now. Thank you for reading and leaving comments from time to time. I hope to visit your blogs this week and enjoy reading about what you have posted about recently. 

Lord willing.

scattergories

One of the things that keeps me coming back to this place is the knowledge that I am able to just open my computer and begin to post. No one slaps my hand for however many months I have not posted while my blog lies dormant and silent. Gracious are those of you who check my blog from time to time. Melissa simply writes..."missing you"...my heart felt good for days after reading that comment. Thank you.

I am  giving this post the title scattergories. Have you ever played that game? It is a truly fun game when a group of people are gathered at your house and you are looking for a game to entertain. Everyone must find a word in the categories given with a key letter. So with that in mind this is my weak attempt to entertain you with some of what I have been doing this summer. Due to its length it will take at least two days of posting. It is not my intention to overwhelm after all....

F Fourth of July Celebration

        (July 4)

 We hosted a get together on the Fourth of July at our house. It was hot and humid outside with threatening thunder storms so we stayed inside where the air-conditioned rooms decorated in red, white, and blue kept us in a happy mood.

S Swimming

     (June-August)

After many summers of no swimming I  made a plunge into the pool waters once again on a regular basis. From 10:30 to 11:30 I show up at the pool and I swim on the average of three to four times a week for the solid hour. 

P Pointe Shoes

      (July 7)

 The day arrived, finally arrived! Charlotte is dancing "en pointe". We made an appointment to have pointe shoes fitted at our local dance wear store. The sewing on of elastic and ribbons shortly followed enabling her to attend her first classes this summer on pointe. This was a very big deal indeed! I love seeing her on her toes.

T Tennis

       (July-August)

Charlotte picked up her rack for a week long morning camp to improve her skills at playing tennis. Then I would take her to play with her friend on Saturday mornings.

While at the courts I met a lovely woman who sews lingerie. I have plans to contact her this fall so we can get together. She would like to learn to knit while I am enthralled with the desire to learn to sew lingerie. O the glories of those people one meets while waiting for children at various activities. Wouldn't you agree?

I glance at the clock on my computer screen and realize it is 5:05, hungry people live at my house and tonight we have the addition of a six year old we are keeping while his parents are celebrating their anniversary. So I will stop for now and hope to get back soon.

Enjoy the rest of your evening!

Cathy