Old Year

Many experiences...some good, some bad.
Like all old years.
and probably like all "new" years, but we continue to be enthusiastic about the change that we will see.
Lord, preserve our country in the face of those who would destroy it for their own selfish ambitions!
Help me to do what I need to do to inform myself and my associates, that we may work for the reestablishment of a republic in these United States of America.

Boxing Day

This has never been a special day to me. Our Canadian friends, and others in the Commonwealth, apparently have more use for it. It is a bank holiday there every December 26th. In the United States, it is just "the day after Christmas". This year, the banks were closed, but it was only to give the financial institutions a longer holiday, since Christmas was on Sunday.
I read in Wikkipedia that this day was celebrated more in earlier days than now. Apparently it has been the custom to give gifts to those who deliver goods to businesses. In England, it was the day when the wealthy gave gifts to their servants.
For me, today was the only day in the year when I could have pecan pie for breakfast. I've just started this tradition, but I think it's a good one!

December 23rd

My Mom's birthday is today. She would have been 94. She was born way out in the sticks and the doctor had to fight a blizzard to be there for her birth. She was the youngest of four children. She was named "Carol", I'm guessing because of her arrival at the Christmas season. She learned to play piano from her mother, who had been schooled in Boston. She sang, played, led choirs, and encouraged her children's musical careers, such as they were.
Of course, music was just a part of her life. She graduated as valedictorian of her high school class, and then stayed on for a "post-graduate" year. She knew there was no chance of her attending college, and there were still courses she wanted to take. She lived in the town where the school was for that year, in a room or boarding house. Travel between her home and the town was difficult; there weren't many automobiles around, and certainly none in her parents' rugged farm lives.
After she finished school, she became the private secretary for the vice president of the local knitting mill. He had asked her to join the staff after her graduation, but she put him off for a year. How many young ladies would have the nerve to turn down a good job like that? But she did, because her education was more important to her.
During her post-graduate year, one of the things she studied was business law. That would serve her well after she married and became the (unpaid) clerk-of- the-works for the joint farm venture of her husband and his two brothers. She kept track of all the income and outgo of three farms and was the paymaster for the hired men.
In the meantime, she raised three children, kept the local Baptist church running from the laity's point of view, and grew and harvested gardens for the benefit of her family. She also was the sponsor for the Kids for Christ Club, and planned many activities for these youngsters aged 8-12. Many times the activities involved going on hikes in the great outdoors, since there was a lot of that around and it didn't cost anything and it helped the kids use up their surplus energy. As you can probably surmise, I loved and respected my mother. She was one of a kind.

Blast from the Past

In looking through a very dusty box of cassette tapes, I found one that I had prepared with my children to send to their grandparents for Valentine's Day, 1982! I had sent it to Grandpa and Grandma at their winter home in Florida. Obviously, they had brought it home. When I was packing up Mom's "stuff" after she passed in 2006, I brought it home. Homemade tapes are sometimes fragile, but I couldn't just throw it away. At the time, my son was 8 or 9 and his sister was 3. We talked about making popcorn, read "Green Eggs and Ham", listened to the kids play music (recorder?) and sing "Mary Had a Little Lamb", discussed brother's misfortunes of stepping on tacks two mornings in a row, etc. etc. I don't know if my parents were impressed, but it's sure brought back memories for this Mommy!

Found....

Xanthan gum, tapioca flour, sorghum flour, cocoanut milk AND parchment paper were all located--after several false leads--and employed in the manufacture of "gluten-free zucchini bread". Despite the warnings to not use too much xanthan gum or the product could become either slimy or gummy, I believe we succeeded.
Of course, this did not taste like any other zucchini bread I have ever eaten.
It was rather dry and mealy. But it had cinnamon for spice, and was palatable.
We'll see if the recipient thinks it was worth the effort.

More Gifts

I have never made anything "gluten free".
But a close relative seems to have this need, so I will try.
First of all, I need to assemble the ingredients.
Needless to say, these are not items I usually have in the pantry.
In fact, some of them I never heard of.

I've sent the husband out to forage for them.
After all, he's the "hunter/gatherer", right?

SORGHUM FLOUR
TAPIOCA STARCH
XANTHAN GUM
COCOANUT MILK

In the meantime, I need to shred a zucchini.
Of course, I don't have a shredder.
We'll see how that comes out.
Then I will need to blot out the moisture of said veggie.

Oh, the recipe said to use "parchment paper" in the bottom of the pan.
Do you suppose it will be ok to skip that?
I mean, I don't have any parchment paper either.

I have waxed paper.
I have copy paper.
I have tissue paper.
I have toilet paper.
I have freezer paper.

Hmmmmm.....
Now to google "parchment paper".

gifts....

December

It's the most wonderful time of the year, so they say.
They also say that we should mortgage our lives to give gifts to casual acquaintances, in the name of the season.
"They" are not always right, but "they" are very persuasive.
After all, "50 million people can't be wrong."
Oh, really?
Who says?

Thanksliving

So thankful my family likes sticky buns.
So thankful that I have the ingredients.
So thankful that I have the time.
So thankful that I have the oven.
So thankful for the snow.
So thankful for the warmer temperatures coming.
So thankful for the daughter God gave us.
So thankful for her caring husband.
So thankful for their comfortable home.
So thankful for their canines that give them joy.
So thankful for the day to come.
So thankful for life and breath and all that God has made.
So very thankful for Jesus and His life and death and especially His resurrection.

Leaves

Every autumn the homeowner in the great Northeast is faced with the same situation. What to do with the piles of tree-refuse. It's such a dilemma.
Should they be bagged and discarded at the curb? Placed in the compost pile?
Encouraged to drift over to the neighbor's yard?

While at the grand-children's home, I helped them learn an old country game.
Raking leaves in a pile and jumping in them.
I know, this sounds pretty elementary. It's not rocket science, or they probably would have known it.

We made a pile.
I said, "OK. Jump in it."
They jumped in feet-first.
How much fun is that?

So, then I illustrated the "nose-dive" jump and threw leaves around me for fun.
It Was!

Requiem

This was the last post of my friend and fellow-blogger Stan.
Last week I was notified by his wife that he had passed into the next world.
Such a shock, but he obviously had a premonition.
And I do believe he will be back, but probably not blogging!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Last Post


I schott some words into the air and they fell everywhere.


Most unread.



Therefore we are taking an extended break.We may even come back!!


Posted by Stan at 6:20 PM

Retrospect

Been a long time. I went on a trip with a laptop, and it didn't choose to allow me to access this site.
Since we last spoke I have been rained on, snowed on, sunshined on, moonshined on.... And it's all been good.
Got to play in the leaves with my wonderful, adorable grandchildren. I even taught them how to "jump in the pile of leaves". They thought they should go in feet-first. Now they know about the "diving" aspect. I hope they enjoy lying in the pile and looking up through the partially-bare branches at the deep blue sky as much as I do.
Walmart parking lots are not just for the convenience of shoppers; they also exist to house overnight travelers in RV's. You probably have noticed some of these visitors when you went to your local Walmart. Thank them for their hospitality!
They truly are "ports in a storm". (And, of course, RVers generally turn out to be shoppers, so everyone wins.)

"Trust"

I'm going to speak on this subject tonight, since I attended a "break-out session" last Monday on the topic. I do have my notes, but they are sketchy. It is such a large topic. Our main focus was identifying characteristics that are either "trust busters" or "trust boosters". So that's what I'll do tonight. Hopefully the ones who listen will be able to take the next step and see whether their own actions can be identified as "boosters" or "busters". And then perhaps we can understand a little more about our relationships and what we, as individuals, can do to improve them.

Necessities

The moderator of our association has just sent out a missive, encouraging our churches to collect packages of new socks and new underwear for the folks suffering from the flooding. That sounds practical and not as expensive as the buckets. I do hope our pastor brings it up; I'm sure he got the same email that I did.
I'm just so glad I didn't have to go through what they have gone through!

Cleaning Bucket

Got info yesterday on making up "cleaning buckets" for the folks in the flood areas. The man who had been doing work there gave me this list. 1 5-gallon bucket with handle; 1 small bottle of Clorox; 1 bottle of 409 or similar cleaner; 5 large sturdy trashbags; 1 air freshner; 1 pair thick playtex gloves; 1 Bible; 1 gospel tract; 1 mop; 1 pack of sponges with scratchy side.
He also gave me his cell phone number as a contact person.

Flooding

I understand from TV and newspaper and facebook that being flooded out is even worse after the water has receded. Then comes the horrid job of "mucking out". If your first floor had had muddy water all the way up the wall, what would you have lost? What would you have saved? What would you need to replace, even if it does "work"?
I can't imagine (and I hope I never have personal experience) the hopeless feeling that you can't remedy the situation and it will be better to just start all over. Of course, when the insurance isn't there, or is allowing only so much, the depression would be even deeper.
Our state senator was, and is, taking donations for people in the flood-ravaged areas of our state. It seems so insignificant to give a package of clean socks and some Mr. Clean (with Febreze). But, I guess every gift is something a depressed person will not have to buy for himself.

Running

The daughter of an e-friend is participating in a team 200-mile run today and tomorrow. They are in New Hampshire, and there are apparently a lot of changes of altitude. The runners have been doing a lot of hill climbing.
Bless their hearts! I have no idea what the thrill is in doing such extreme activity, and my friend is equally mystified.

However, we e-friends have been encouraged to send texts or emails to cheer the team on. The girl we are discussing estimated her run times as 3:30-4:30 this afternoon, 2:45-4:15am tomorrow, and 1:30-2:15 tomorrow afternoon. I have already sent one e-note. She is probably riding in the van at this time.

I'm not sure if I will be up to send one tomorrow early morning, but I'll try. Of course, she doesn't know me, but she knows the Book I use for encouragement.
Go Team!

Philosophy of Education

Did you know that people actually have a philosophy for education?
It's not just...."get the books, pencils, computers, kids and put them all together and hope for the best?"
I have read some "philosophies of education", and they all sounded like so much gobbledy-gook. High and virtuous words which, being reduced to their smallest level, basically were meaningless and unrelated to reality.

Not so the philosophy of education of our founding fathers. They stated numerous times and in numerous laws of the land that education should include the elements of religion, morality, and knowledge. And they constantly put the three elements in that order.

They knew that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge". They were intimately knowledgeable with the Holy Bible as God's Word. And they knew that fearing Him was the first requirement for a person to become educated.

As George Washington said in his farewell address (and I'm paraphrasing), "Don't expect to be virtuous without being religious. Morality comes from knowing God, not from self-effort."

Did you know that, after the United States chose to pass legislation attempting to keep God separate from education, the SAT and ACT scores dropped precipitously? Not just one year, but for many years after. In fact, the powers that be were so embarrassed by the low scores, they "renormed" both tests.
So, by adding points to the students' scores, the scores amazingly went up.
How dishonest was that?

Religion, virtue, and knowledge are necessary for a well-educated person. People who rely on a Divine Power know that their lives are accountable to someone beyond and above themselves. This brings about virtue. And being virtuous, they have the time and inclination to learn more knowledge and the curiosity to create new inventions based on their basic knowledge.

Did you know that 90% of useful inventions were created by Christians? The religion is only 33% of the world's population, so you would think that they would produce 33% of the new inventions. However, studies have shown that they really outproduced people of other religions. I am quoting David Barton, America's historian, here.

In his "American Heritage" series, he states this and other astounding facts. If you ever have opportunity to view these DVD's, please do. They are informative and historically-based.

disappointment

Cake baked and eaten.
The recipe called it "food porn"....it's that good.

Only problem was, the cover did not fit.
Despite being manufactured by an American company, it appeared that the top was using the same mold as the bottom. Which does not work.

Oh, well.
Now we have some plastic stove tops.
Or place to put small pots of herbs.
Or.....

Who's on first?

Me: "Hi. (background diner noise) Can you go to the grocery or dollar store and get me a nine by thirteen disposable baking pan? I need to take a cake to the meeting tonight."

Him: "HI. I hate mornings.....What?"

Me: "Can you get me a throwaway cake pan? 9x13?"

Him: "A what?"

Me: "A disposable cake pan."

Him: "Where would I get one?"

Me: "At the Big M. Or the Dollar Store."

Him: "Okay, I'm getting out a pen.....How big?"

Me: "13 x 9"

Him: "13 x 9. OK."

Me: "Thanks. Love you."

Him: "Love you too."

Twenty minutes later. Ring. Ring. Riiinnngggg.

Me: "Hello"

Him: "Hi. They say I can get one at the Dollar Store. Or at the Big M."

Me: "Sounds good." (smothering urge to say "I said that.")

Him: "Ok. Aluminum throwaway pan, right?"

Me: "Right."

Him: "Okay. Bye."

Me: "Okay. Bye."

Thirty minutes later.

Ring. Ringg. Ringgggg.

Me: "Good Morning."

Him: "Okay, I'm looking at these. There's one 11 3/4" by 7 5/16"........And there's one 8 1/4" by 11 7/8"........Which one.......oh, here's one 13" x 9"........ummm.....you want permanent or temporary?"

Me: "Disposable. 9" x 13"

Him: "It's.....oh, that one's throwaway.....that's what you want, right?"

Me: "Yes."

Him: "There's two of them in there. How many do we want?"

Me: "I can use whatever you get, eventually. The future keeps catching up with us."

Him: "So, we need to spend 8 more dollars here so I can get 20c off a gallon of gas.......Let's see. $3.39. That would be, like........get three of them?"

Me: "Yeah. Get three of them. I can always use them."

Him: "Okay. Got it. See you later. Bye."

Me: "Bye."

Sigh of relief. . . . Uncontrollable laughter.

Is this 1/genetic? 2/gender-related? 3/A personal problem??


45 minutes later.

Me: "Did you get some?"

Him: "Yeah. Are they what you wanted? The lady there......."

Me: "Oh, yes!......And with covers, too! I didn't even ask for covers!"

Him: "Yeah!!"

Me: "You are soo good! Thank you so much."

And the hero marches heroically into the west, secure in the knowledge that he has once again Solved The Problem.

storage

OK, so "they say" we should be stocking up on essentials in case of any emergency or hurricane or terrorist attack or.....
So...today I purchased two large tubs with lids and have now instituted my preparedness plan. I will keep oatmeal, toilet paper, ibuprofen, and other assorted staples stored for the coming days.
Hope the days don't last too long. I may get hungry for pizza!

Omniverous

This morning about 7:30 I glanced out the window and saw dozens of black birds with yellow beaks hopping, flitting, preening on our freshly-mowed lawn. Apparently we are a pit-stop for a migration. I couldn't tell what they were looking for in the realm of snacks. Maybe tiny bugs? Maybe seeds? One enterprising avian appeared to find a real prize. It was desired by several at different times. When my husband, on his way to the diner, investigated, he found it was a baby frog!
What a way to start a Labor Day....

B.B.C.

Remember my mentioning the work I was doing on a Beginning Bible Curriculum? Well, it is now in use.

I received an email from the teacher, reporting that one of the students said, "I think this is really working" and "I like it" and "it's actually been helping me."

Praise the Lord for 9-year-olds who are open enough to appreciate their school class!

I am beaming for joy at being a part of this young student's learning process.
<>

partial

Does "integrity" have room for tardiness?

The person said he would have his article to me Thursday.
It appeared in my e-mail box on Friday morning, after I had sent a "nudge".

So, the question is, is there such a thing as "semi-integrity"?

Or do I just have a bad case of OCD?
(Or "CDO", where the initials are in alphabetical order)??

That Word

Sunday night's study somehow led to the word "INTEGRITY".
What does that mean to you?
I suggested "A person who does what he says he will do has integrity."

Now I'm waiting to see if it applies to a certain someone.
Wish me luck!

Irene

We had a "hurricane party" Sunday. It just seemed appropriate.
Of course, it was our 46th wedding anniversary, too, so we got to spend it with some friends.

The jazz concert was wonderful; the auction supporting the church school was fun.

Monday's trip to the State Fair was sunny and temperate, a far cry from the deluge of the day before. We saw antiques and one-of-a-kinds and many people. Of course, each one of them is "one-of-a-kind" too. There certainly were some weird getups!

All That Jazz

Looking forward to attending another Jazz concert tomorrow night.
It's over 3 hours away...but people do this for music, right?
My friend is coming up, and she hasn't heard this group.
So, as soon as she gets here, we will just change cars and keep on trucking.

If we are tired after the concert, we have permission to crash at a friendly house.
She hasn't seen the house either, so it will be a fun night.

The next day we're heading to a Mennonite auction.
Should be an interesting weekend.

Hope Irene does not hurry her course.

C'est fini!

Did I mention I was creating a Beginning Bible Curriculum for my grandchildren's homeschool?
My daughter-in-law wanted 37 weeks of 4 days a week.
So I wrote a page a day to be read by the 8 & 9 year-olds, with a review sheet for almost every day.
I had the skeleton of Children's Bible Drill.
So, I required that they learn all the books of theBible in order.
This morphed into giving a very brief synopsis of each book.
Then, after we finished that, we were on to memorize 25 verses.
And the location of 10 Bible Passages.
So, I went back through the Bible, elaborating on or adding to the stories we had met before.
And, of course, focusing on the verses and the Bible Passages.

I still ignored a lot of Old Testament activity.
And I basically talked about "what happened" in the New Testament.
I expect there will be time later for theology and doctrine and all that hard stuff.
But we did follow Paul and his missionary journeys all the way through the book of Acts.

I concluded with end times, but didn't focus on much of Revelation.
There will be time for that, too.

The last two days are centered on their Bible Drill.
I sure hope it all works out!

I printed a copy today.
Would you believe 287 pages and 48,340 words?
Thank goodness for good reference material...and MacArthur's Study Bible!

fichu

Yes, I wore one at the Vacation Liberty School. Also a short-ear cap and an apron and a chemise and a skirt made out of former curtains and a bodice. The latter gave the impression, according to one expert, of "a tavern wench". Hey, it was all for the good of the educable.
Not many folks liked the hardtack, but they were more positive toward the "Boston Brown Bread". Nobody told them it had rye flour and buttermilk in it.
John and Abigail Adams put in an appearance, as did Benjamin Franklin. We also had a guy show us how to make some knots, as the sailor would have. And a minuteman explained black powder guns and regalia, dressing the part as someone who would have left his home to fight for the cause of liberty, being ready to protect himself and survive in the wild.
It was a busy week, and I think the youngsters took away some new ideas.

VLS

My first-ever Vacaton Libety School will be happening next week. Our 912 organization is sponsoring it at a local jr. college. We will be focusing on 4 founders of the American experience...George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams. I have made hardtack, so the kids can experience the soldier's life during the Revolution. They will be meeting Geroge Washington and his white horse. They will learn to do a colonial dance. They will play some old games and hear some old music. The director is a very capable young lady with a degree in camping and children's activities, so it will really be something. I'm hoping that people will be dressing in period costumes to help further the fun. I'm excited!

Music?

What is your opinion concerning music education in the elementary school?
Should the teachers focus on the 3 R's and let music come to kids at a later time?
Can music be considered an asset for young ones?
Is it just one of "those courses" principals throw in to give their staff a break?
Is it too expensive?
Is not enough attention given to the arts, of which music is one?
In these days of budget cuts and soul-searching, how would you rate music?

So. Very.

Well, we got through our Homecoming. I was sooooo tired yesterday afternoon. It's not as if I'd been doing physical labor all weekend, like Lynn had. She is amazing. All I had to do was get breakfast for the resident guests, set up and man the "welcome" table, present the history, sing with our "pickup trio" again, get myself to the arena for lunch, take down the TV and VCR and "HisStory" sign, decide what to do with my leftovers, and get home and say goodbye again to the daughter and her doggies. I guess it was mainly the heat that was so debilitating. That and the fact that my darling husband was suffering with his activities, and it seemed like there was very little "healthy" help pitching in. Anyway, after napping all afternoon, I had revived enough to go to the drive-in and watch "Zookeeper". Cute. Not requiring any thought. Appropriate for all ages.

His story

Sunday I'm supposed to be reviewing the history of our church for our annual "Homecoming". I did this last year--and the year before. I guess they're trying to tell me I'm one of the elders. Actually, there are one or two older than I who remember from "the beginning", in 1961. My first attendance was in 1968, after the building had been built. It was the founding pastor's last Sunday before moving on, so the service was extended and rather emotional. I plan to emphasize the ministry to children and youth, since they are the future. The major problem that I see is that we educate our children, but when they graduate they move away for better jobs. So the church has to depend on others moving into the area. Oh, well. It's best to do what we know we should do and let God take care of the results!

P-R-O-J-E-C-T

My summer project is calling for more of me than I suspected.
But, it's challenging and all good.

I am preparing a Beginning Bible Curriculum for my home-schooled grandchildren.
I don't have an outline or a blueprint.
I'm just "doing it".

Well, actually, I'm working with Children's Bible Drill from the Southern Baptist discipleship curriculum as a basis.
I will have them learn the Books of the Bible in order.
They will practice with KJV Bibles that I provided in order to find the books.

They will learn 25 memory verses and references.
They will learn where to find 10 Bible Passages.
They will practice finding all these.

Of course, in order to complete 34 weeks of 4 days of 10-15 minutes a day, we'll need to do a lot of padding.

I started with a whirlwind tour of the whole Bible, giving them the opportunity to learn as they went. We mentioned brief highlights of all 66 books.
By the end of that time, they were to have learned all 66 in order and have been able to find each one as called in 10 seconds.

Of course, since this is a written curriculum, I have to depend on the teacher or another student to do the "calling". I'm sure that can be arranged.

Now we're concentrating on the memory verses, one each week, as well as the Key Passages. Since there are only ten of those, I intersperse them periodically. I have reviewed many Old Testament stories and miracles and teaching.

I'm finally up to the New Testament, so for the next 15 weeks I'll be emphasizing stories of Jesus and the early Christians.

Fun times!

Well

That last blog was really exciting, huh?
So, I punched the wrong button.
Things happen.

The roof is fixed.
Now we're into other projects.

Like, trimming bushes around the lawn area.
There go some of my apples for fall!
Oh, well.
At least the lawnmower person won't have to keep ducking.

Maybe that will even make the remaining apples that bigger and sweeter.
Hey, we can always hope.

Getting rid of some of the sumac was my main hope, and that has been done.
They were crowding out the lilacs.
While neither of them give me anything to eat, I do love lilacs in the spring!

Sooner or later we will need to cut some actual trees.
The fast-growing cottonwoods need to come down before they get blown down.
They can be quite destructive, if they land on residences or vehicles.

So glad it's summer!
Beautiful.

OK

slowly...

I never realized how much work goes into a barn roof!
Since our cupola was taken down, the project has been to repair the roof.
Of course, there was a hole in it under the cupola, for ventilation purposes.
Now we need a plain old roof.
So, we needed to put a patch over the hole.
Of course, that took 2'x4's and screws and metal roofing....and, eventually, tar.

When he was up there, all by himself, the husband also noticed some other loose screws, so he felt duty-bound to tighten them.
With the rope tied on one side of the barn to the tractor and the other side to the truck, he's buckled in and safe...or so I'm told.
It still looks very scary from the ground.

The tarring is still to be done.
It takes a long time when you're working alone.
So glad he is so deliberate; it's gotta be safer!

Unique Activity

My graying but capable husband has been engaged in something he very likely will never do again...and had not done until this week.
The violent windstorms of late had affected the cupola on our 40' high barn to the extent that it was becoming unattached.
The question was to try and save it or to dismantle it in such a way that it would do the least harm to the rest of the roof.
Hubby chose the latter.
Then the planning and figuring began, ensconced in "Better get it done before we get another windstorm" thinking.
We are owners of a gigantic lift, bought second-hand at auction prices.
So, the plan was to take the lift inside the barn and raise it up, with hubby on the platform.
Then "all" he had to do was saw and pound pieces off until the ancient cupola released its hold on the barn's roof and fell ignobly to the ground.
You'd never believe how many nails they used to attach a cupola, back in the day!
Of course, he was also balancing on a ladder on the platform on the lift for much of the time--planning carefully each movement of feet and tools, so they would all continue to remain in working positions.
Today he lost 1/his phone 2/his pen and 3/his pencil down the roof. The pen landed on the ground; the other two were caught in wreckage of cupola on an adjacent roof.
We picked them all up after he came down from his perch, with his mission accomplished.
We have a very strong magnet with wheels, so I was drafted to run that around the ground picking up nails and anything else magnetic.
My, there are a lot of small pieces of metal!
Each of which, I have been told, could puncture a tire on any one of a number of machines in our outbuildings.
It was a good day.
The weather held.
Now he is mowing the lawns!

Not "Wheels"...

Actually, the proverb is "The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceeding small."
I was seeing the big stone "wheels" at the grain mill in my mind.

Whatever the exact wording, the wisdom is the same.
God is never in a hurry, but He's never late.

We may think we're getting away with something, but the time will come when we have to pay.
It will affect us personally, and it may very likely affect our family or other loved ones.

The Wheels of God....

I read a short story once entitled "They Grind Exceeding Small". It's the end of the proverb, "The wheels of God grind slow, but they grind exceeding small".

That's the way I've been feeling this week, since the NY State Senate has put off voting on same-sex marriage. On one hand, I'd be glad to have it over and done with. On the other hand, I want them to reject the notion of such a bill/law. Maybe if we continue to wait, they will continue to find reasons to reject it.

Of course, they also have even more reasons to accept it, at least if the governor and the NYC mayor have anything to say about it.
How can people be so enamoured of such a sinful activity?

At any rate, there has been no official decision, so I'll continue to wait.

Tradition

Would George Washington have wanted to marry Thomas Jefferson?
Would John Adams have swapped his beloved Abigail for James Madison?
Would any of these men have supported the "right" of another man to marry a man?
Can we be less than adamant about what the Bible says?

Be not confused; the founding fathers believed and practiced biblical principles and expected that their countryment would do the same.
We are not more enlightened in this twenty-first century.
We are simply more jaded and calloused.

Morality is still defined by Jude0-Christian principles.
God is still the only judge who matters.
Let us creatures not presume to tell Him what is right.

God Help Us!

When You Can't...

When you can't be there......facebook comes to the rescue.
Brookfield Beavers varsity baseball team was in the final four for NY state
Class D championship.
The local paper was on facebook, reporting inning by inning.
Price pitched. He's a grandson of one of my classmates.
Jones drove in two runs in separate innings. He's another grandson of the same classmate.
The end of the seventh left BCS on the short end of a 5-3 score.
Sounds like it was an exciting event.
So happy for modern technology!

apicoectomy

Ok, I didn't know what it was either. And now that I've had one, I'm not in favor of them. Have stitches that will eventually dissolve. Have antibiotic pills for three times a day. Have some pain, but basically just a nuisance. Am holding ice on it every 20 minutes or so. Should be an interesting face tomorrow or the next day. Good that I'm not a "public figure" on TV.

Beavers!

The Beavers from Brookfield just won their regional baseball game, 3-2.
I'm sure there was a lot of support from the hometown.
As was mentioned at the school's alumni reunion yesterday, "Being such a small town, there's not a lot to do besides sports. So we tend to excel in them."

About 20 years ago the Brookfield Beavers' basketball team won a state championship. There is a sign that proclaims that fact as you come into town from the west. It was (and is) quite accomplishment for a town "that doesn't have even one stoplight!"

"We the People"

Cramming for tomorrow's course in the Constitution.
We're supposed to have memorized a page of Constitution Guide.
Don't have a clue why, but we're told "You'll be happy you did."
Which implies, we'll be sad if we don't.
Hope it doesn't involve public pillorying.
Sighh....back to the learning tree!

Ah...June

The month of weddings and graduations and alumni reunions.
Oh, and sectional baseball championships.
My alma mater's baseball team just won its championship game.
I'm not sure, but I would think a state championship game would soon be scheduled, if this works anything like basketball and football.
I'm sure it will be an object of conversation at our all-school alumni reunion this weekend.
If anybody cares.....GO BEAVERS!

Been a While

My laptop didn't want me to access my blog, so I had to wait till I came home.
We visited our son's family, which includes 3 grand-children and 2 new dogs.
Had lots of fun and food.
Lived on the USAF Academy grounds, so had to "check in" each time we came home.
We're kind of old for that, but it was definitely a safe feeling.

Our travels were wet and sometimes a bit wild, as we dodged thunder storms and tornados. No problems, other than being chilly and damp when we expected to be warm and sunshiny.

We came home to lilacs, appleblossoms, lilies of the valley, and our own red bud tree blooming. It was beautiful to see and smell! And the sunshine improved the sense of touch.

Well, Yes.....

The daffodils are budding in the front yard. The birds are yelling from the trees across the road. They must be talking about their long trips and the events they saw. There sure seems to be a lot to discuss. Some of them were on the back lawn, picking through the winter's leavings. There is some green grass showing through the matted brown stuff. Monday night there was a tiny (about the size of a nickel) frog attached to our glass door to the patio. I think he was watching the NCAA Final game. So, what's with this white stuff falling down from leaden gray clouds?? A VERY LATE April's Fool joke!!

rutabaga

It was round, purplish, and hard. I put it in the microwave for about 15 minutes, halved. I turned out soft and yellow. I added applesauce and a little butter. Smashed it all up. And served it to the lord of the manor. He ate it with no questions asked. I even ate some myself, just to set a good example. I'm hoping it was filled with all sorts of excellent vitamins and minerals and no calories.

"zairo"

My high school English teacher flunked French--several times, if her stories were to be believed. She said a lot about her expertise, and early 20th century teaching methods, when she quoted the French prof as saying, "Wetney, Wetney, Wetney....every day I giff you zairos and steel you know nuttink!" When our graduating class chose a quote from FDR as its motto, it appeared in the annual as "This generation has a rondayvoo with destiny." I guessed it was our homeroom teacher's proofreading that resulted in the strange look to the word "rendezvous".

Ethics?

What do you do when the organization you're a part of does not do things as you believe they should be done? When a self-appointed committee creates a new constitution without the request of the whole group?
When it is brought to a vote in the time-honored way, do you just "suck it up" and vote for it? It is, by the way, basically a fine constitution.
But it was not birthed in the accepted way.

In the United States, there was something called the "Articles of Confederation".
The new country was governed by this document for its first few shaky years, but everyone could see that it wasn't working.
Did a committee just up and decide to create something new?
Well, yes, some individuals did.
But, until the whole body requested that every state send representatives to a Constitutional Convention, these ideas were not put up for a vote.
And the early ideas were changed and refined by the debates of the whole committee.

I know my organization isn't as earth-changing as the United States of America.
But I still believe there are procedures that should be followed.

I voted "no".

Time of Year

Here we go....another Spring blog.

As I drove in the country this afternoon, I was startled by the numbers of large birds flying together. They were not in a pattern; they just flew up and then some landed.

As I neared the field where they had landed, I noticed it had been a corn field last fall. All the stalks were gone, cut to the ground, but there must have been some seeds. The birds appeared to be feasting on them.

The most impressive part of the scene was.....all the birds were WHITE!
I had thought it might be Canadian geese on their annual run to the northern climes. But this was exotic.

All of these birds were snow geese!

Benefits

Is this "bluejay blue"?
We had 6-8 blue jays in our tree this morning.
They probably would have stayed longer if I hadn't taken some oatmeal out to try and feed them.
I guesss they don't care for oatmeal.
But the only other seeds I could think of were popcorn, and I think that would be too hard to crack.
Of course, I could be mistaken.
I'm not a veteran bird feeder.

Then, shortly after noon, I saw 7 deer cross the road down by the corn field.
It's almost up to freezing, and the sun is shining.
It appears to be a good day for wildlife.

Wonder when the wild turkeys will come.
They've been in the area all winter.

Sure is fun living in the country!

Requirements

Required: nights below 32 degrees; days above 32 degrees.

When you're tapping maple trees to get sap, that's what you need.
It's getting closer!

If you try and boil down some sap in your kitchen, just be aware that it takes 40 gallons of sap to make one (1) gallon of maple syrup.
So, if you have wallpaper, probably not a good idea.
You will end up with wallpaper being steamed from the walls and/or ceiling.
And it won't add to the taste of the final product.

Woke up this morning to new snow on the ground and in the air.
That's how winterspring goes in this neck of the woods.

Fooled Again...

Every year about this time I get antsy for spring.
Yes, I know, the calendar says it arrives on March 21.
But, when we get some days of above freezing temperatures and rain, it seems to be pointing to another season than the one we're presently in.
Not that there's anything wrong with snow.
But...

So, I start looking at the bare bushes as I drive by them, looking for signs of new life.
In this case, "new life" would mean "pussywillows".
That was always my Mom's gauge of "spring".
That's why, as soon as I found some, I would pick them and deliver them to her.
So she would know the cycle was continuing.

This morning I drove past, looking longingly at the bushes that, in the past, have offered the desired harbingers.
"OH...look....stop....check it out!!"
It looked like tiny white fuzzies on the branches.
Stopped. Got out. Walked through the slush to inspect more closely.

Bummer. Just rain drops.

Oh, well. It's above freezing. And it's raining.
And, I bet the farmers are tapping maple trees, if they haven't already.
Will soon check out the next spring harbinger....maple syrup!

P DAY

Tell the kids. The reason for this holiday week is that two of our country's presidents (maybe more; I'm not sure) were born in February.

In the past, they each had their own day. Now, in the interests of conformity and commercialism, we have a week of "SALES" and very little remembering WHO we're doing this for.

I recently read a biography of George Washington. How very wise he was, to reject the offer to be "king". And how brave he was, to lead an "army" of fellows for a country that didn't even exist. We Americans are blessed to be the recipients of his courage and perseverance.

Not to mention the faith and prescience of Abraham Lincoln, the other president we are honoring this week and this day. He knew our country couldn't preach equality if we continued promoting slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation was a very gutsy move...and he paid with his life.

Politics was just as raucous back then as it is now. I pray that our presidents' vision for the United States continues to be true. "One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

bugs....

Many things carrry the appellation of "bug".
There used to be a car by that nickname.
Little kids are sometimes lovingly called bugs, I guess because they're small.
We get "bugs" in our computer.
The plans always need to have the bugs worked out.

The bug we're dealing with today is the dreaded "stomach bug".
It makes one feel crummy for 48 hours, I'm told.
There are lots of symptoms, each more disgusting than the last.

Basically, I've read that one suffering the stomach bug should get lots of liquid.
Dehydration is a very real possibility.
If one feels up to eating, he should focus on bland foods like banana, rice, applesauce, etc.
See? My applesauce supply is there for a reason!

So, I made banana muffins and brown rice.
Rescued some applesauce from the freezer.
Made coffee and got out the cranberry juice.
Took the temperature and gave out Tylenol, not aspirin.

The sufferer is laying low.
We don't want to share this, if we can help it.

Happy Sunday!

Give it away

"love isn't love 'til you give it away"
Of course, "love" has many definitions, just like "snow" in Alaska.
Today some of us "mature ladies" piled into a car and visited shut-ins.
We sang a "love" song and gave out valentine remembrances.
It wasn't planned.
It wasn't a committee.
We had bare roads and relatively good weather...and time.
So we went.
It was fun.

Pomegranate Anyone?

I remember when I was teaching I purchased a pomegranate, just to find out what I was talking about when we studied mythology. I admit I have not purchased one since.

Now I find out that, as well as being an oddity on my grocery list, pomegranates actually have lots of good nutrients. Vitamins B and C and fiber and anti-oxidants. Oh, and potassium.

The "8 Foods for Winter" article says that you can drink the juice or eat the seeds. In a salad. Hmm. That would expand my family's experience.

They don't grow pomegranates in my area. We are so blessed to have fruits from far away, trucked here by men (and women) who pilot those 18-wheelers across the country in all weather just to get our pomegranates to us.

I suppose I should (gulp) buy another pomegranate and see if I can encourage good health and new experience.

Alumni

Attended the first Alumni Basketball game this afternoon.
My daughter would have come, but she had work commitments.
It was interesting seeing people she had played with back in the '90's.
Some of them are still pretty good, and still in basketball shape.
Of course, some of them are now coaches themselves.

The next one is supposed to be during Christmas break.
Hopefully she'll be able to make that one.

They also had men's alumni game, so a few of the fellows my son played with in the late '80's and early '90's were there.
Interesting!
Not all of them have a middle-aged paunch!

"Automatic"

My hubby is checking out the automatic garage door opener.
It is not opening when the remote is pressed.
Of course, it is half right.
It is automatically staying closed.

He is so mechanical.
I'm sure it will be fixed by the time he comes back in.
Unless it "needs a part".
Then he will be taking a road trip to get the part and then come back and fix it.

God sure blessed me when He gave me him!

Bulletin

Needed: People who will march in a parade on February 12 under the banner "King Jesus, every knee will bow". It's part of the Saranac Lake Winter Festival, and there will be snow enough to go around. You can see this year's Ice Castle.
The parade is a mile and a half long. Make sure you wear warm duds.
You will be blessed!

More Blessings

A weekend full of blessings.
Road trip through some of God's most beautiful forests.
Stroll through the gounds of the annual Ice Castle.
Visit with musical friends in their winter accommodations.
Summer tourist town gets wintery...people do not leave at first snow!
Great seats to watch the tubist play during the afternoon concert.
Close fellowship and reconnecting with number one daughter.
Pizza thoughtfully provided by number one son-in-law.
Peaceful warm rest through the chilly night.
Orange juice and applesauce cake.
Watching the "Pickers" at a whole new time.
Benefits of knowing someone who got a Christmas bonus...ham dinner with all the fixins.
Final concert, appreciating trombonist soloist.
Home, through scattered snow showers and lights from Canada.
Truck phone call with son, unhurried and chatting with whole family.
Wonderful Weekend!

Blessings

It doesn't take much to scatter blessings.
Make a pair of mittens.
Give a couple hands full of seeds to a mission in Uganda.
Send some "survival" food items to a fellow going into Transition housing.
Write a letter.
Thank a friend.
Print out a devotion from the Internet for a fellow believer.
Crochet a scarf by taking some holes and attaching them together.
It's fun....and what better to do with your time?

...to the Skating Rink

And now that the temperature has arisen, the trucks have sanded, and the slush is replicating itself herewith. Yes, it's warmer. And, yes, it's more treacherous. On the back roads, the snow is being recreated, and it's not pretty. It's rather brown. The driving there is "purty greasy", as Dad used to say. SLOW DOWN!

...to the Deep Freeze

Well, it was below zero yesterday and today.
Schools were closed, despite the sunshine.
Of course, if your kid was walking to school, he might have expired on the way.
IF he wasn't wearing the appropriate cold weather gear.
That would include mittens, hats, boots.
Many kids today are too "cool" to wear those things.
You know. The weather has to bow to their desires, not the other way around.
I guess that's part of the reason for closing school.
Administrators knew the weather was not to be changed.
Unfortunately, some parents seem to think their children can call all the shots.
And no one was sad for lack of school.
Of course, this is the time of year for mid-terms and Regents exams.
I guess everything will be on schedule tomorrow.
And the weatherman is taking our wishes into consideration and bringing the temperatures up.

The Ice Box

I don't take any credit for this, but our temperature outside is right at the zero mark. That is Farenheit. Which means we are 32 degrees below freezing...and going down. Our weather person says Sunday our temps will not even rise above zero all day, no matter if there is sunshine or not. Of course, weather persons are not the ultimate authority.

If you know Suzy...

That's one we forgot to sing yesterday at a friend's 80th birthday party. I was part of the "entertainment" at the old folks' home, as we shared birthday cake and other delicacies and honored Carol, my friend's mother. Funny. My mom's name is Carol too, and I can never remember the birthday girl's!

We sang "You Are My Sunshine", "Let Me Call You Sweetheart", "Down By The Old Mill Stream", "This Land is Your Land", "Amazing Grace", "The Old Rugged Cross", "Shine on, Shine on Harvest Moon", and several others.

A couple of the fellows requested "The Wabash Cannonball", but it's not in my repertoire. One of the ladies knew it, so we hummed along on the verse and finished up with "The Wabash Cannonball".

It was fun.

...Twenty-four Little Hours....

"What a difference a day makes....!
Yesterday the sun was shining and the temperature was MINUS 23 degrees.
Today the clouds are gray and unyielding, and it is raining!
Must be global warming all over again.

Osteo

I took the questionnaire to see if I was a candidate for osteoporosis.
I got good grades on smoking, alcohol, weight and body build; not so good on age, race, and exercise. Some of these things I can't change.
What I can, I will try to do. Of course, that would include eating foods high in calcium and Vitamin D. No prob.
It's a lifetime plan.

Rise Up!

Since it is a "new year" and resolutions are expected, here's the way I'm dealing with that.

I have been going to NRB TV at 9am most weekday mornings. There smiles Jennifer Brindley, the energetic hostess for the "Rise Up Ministry" half hour show. She says she lost 80 pounds. I haven't read her story yet, but she looks like she's always been this size. Probably 10 or 12. At least there's no flesh hanging on her extremities, so she must have done some work before getting on this show.

She greets us in action. "March it out", she says. So, we do.
Then, we go into verious other planned movements that stretch our lazy muscles as she gives us Bible verses and other inspirations to keep at it.
"Go at your own pace"....but "Sitting down is not an option".

I appreciate the fact that she doesn't get into any really athletic activity; it's mostly all cardio and stretching. I'm hoping that as I continue to "rise up", it will get easier to complete the half hour.

About 3/4 of the way through, she leaves us for about a minute so we can get some water. How thoughtful! She also warns us that when we come back, she will meet us on the floor for stomach exercise. This gives us time to manage a sip of water and whatever contortions we need to do to meet her on the floor.
Good thing we don't have cameras in our living rooms. That would not be pretty!

So, this is how my "new year" is progressing. She has said several times that it takes 6 to 8 weeks for us to see any difference. I'm not sure what differences we should be looking for, but I'll let you know.

IF I continue for those weeks, and IF there are any differences!

It's a "coming-down, covering-up, staying-in" day.
Suggested activities include reading, writing, and returning to the bliss of bedtime oblivion.
This is what the bears think of just before they go into hibernation.
Peace and quiet to you all.

Violets

Shrinking Violets? OK. That's your prerogative as a "follower".
Feel free to join in as you get more comfortable here.

By the way, what's with the spelling of "prerogative"?
IF I hadn't checked, I would have spelled it "perogative".
That's the way I say it.
Heavens, does this mean I've been wrong all these years?
What a frightening thought!
And, look, it's even pronounced that way.
Wrong on two counts!

Today you have learned another little known fact of miniscule importance.
I'm not perfect.

From Whence...?

I see I have another "follower". Where do you folks come from? How did you find this poor excuse for a blog?

I've read some of your home pages. We have very little in common, other than being members of the human race. Why would you sign on as my "follower"?
It boggles my mind that people I've never met would go to the trouble.

I guess this is one of the blessings of the Internet. Kinda spooky!

Anyway...welcome to my world. I will never be an international traveler or a muslim or an artist. Well, I did go to Europe in 1964, but that's really not a qualification. I was with a tour group and I did not vary much from the brochure. And I have read a book about the Qur'an. And I create a few things in crochet, but generally not far from the pattern.

Nevertheless...the beat goes on!