View

 The view at the cottage is changing. What once was one little run down cottage waiting for a transformation has now turned into four. Four in a row, we can't believe that in eleven years  we have purchased this bit of heaven on earth. You can stand by the waters edge and as far as you can cast its now in our family. So many happy memories have happened at the lake. I am looking forward to all the giggles ahead. And...the spectacular lake view! 

Content

Content is my word that has followed me around like a shadow. I picked this word months ahead of time. I just think its the coolest thing that a word picks you, but it truly does, pick you! This word keeps popping up in my mind...a little voice inside my head that says very softly to me...be content. When I started the school year off teaching as the lead teacher in first grade for 9 weeks. There were many things I had to learn all over again after retiring three years ago---Be content
When I had to relearn my retired life all over again after I finished that job---Be content
When my husband goes to work and I'm home alone---Be content
When my groups are all on hold because of this virus, sewing, cooking, writing, cards,luncheons---Be content
When I cant see my own family or go to town for weeks upon end---Be content
Be content ---Be content---Be content
So I am saying that, then I smile...Because I made many new friends going back into teaching for those few weeks. I have my routine back on track. I love spending time with our dogs and chickens. Every person in all my groups I have heard from by, letter, call or text. I Zoom people to see them or stand across my driveway locked in conversations. I do not miss going to town and my freezer is getting emptied. I am being creative at home by myself, sewing, cooking, painting. I walk in the woods and I think to myself how lucky I am, how blessed I am, how fortunate I am...
Yes I am Content! 

Bloom

The spring rain is falling down this morning gently. The soft pats as it splashes on the ground put me in a subdued mood. Outside lining my driveway are hundreds of daffodils in full bloom. They are in every shade of yellow on the color wheel. When I walk to the mailbox I feel like a queen as every one of them is standing at attention. Their center trumpet facing me bellowing a cheery hello as I pass by smiling. When people drive up my driveway they all feel the same as each one has  a lovely comment about those yellow flowers. So every Fall I plant more and every year they emerge and bloom... putting an a bright ray of color for all to see. Blooming over and over.

Hard

This past week I have been reading a friends blog that talks about a hard subject. I has had me thinking daily of hard things in my life. Things that you push down deep as they make you feel inadequate, unloved, and unsure of yourself. When thinking of it you have many tears, making your heart ache feeling sore. Dealing with these feelings you ponder about it , talk about it, deal with it. Finally after years of your heart pushing them way to the back of your mind. However they do reemerge from time to time. My grandmother once said hard times are always followed by good.Sometimes it takes awhile but the joy does come. As joy always follows around behind, hard times. Its waiting to show a ray of gladness then a full blown out blast of happiness. So the joy is coming we just need to look for it, wait for it. So keep looking and SMILE!

Walton's

Everyday before noon I catch myself looking at my watch to see if its time. Time to turn on the T.V. to watch the Walton's. Its the only show that is interesting to me right now during the daytime. Enough for me to stop what I'm doing and eat my lunch while listening to John Boy's writing. That family was going through the great depression and still they found joy in each day. I used to watch this show as a child but I find myself hanging onto each lesson the writers are trying to get across. Each character has a special place in the family, living, working and learning  from one another. Its all the life lessons that I love watching, the bonding this family has with all the generations living under one roof. The meals at the table, and sitting around the radio remind me of how times can be simpler if we allow it. The parents and grandparents are just trying to raise the children to be good adults, with kindness and love. After each show I just sit there and smile, thinking to myself... oh I wish there was another episode. Until tomorrow at noon! Then I can climb to Walton's mountain once again.

Voice

On Easter we are to think of Christ - He is risen. A friend sent me a text early in the morning that day before the birds started their chatter reminding me of just that. It was Easter, one of my favorite days to go to church, to sing the hymns. I love the energy that day, the spring dresses and Alleluias! Singing in the pews as loud as you can, together as a choir. I think our pew of girls sounds absolutely beautiful. I  have a harmonizing voice next to theirs. Generations of families singing side by side what glorious music.
After thinking about those beautiful songs I decided to sing my favorite. Jesus Christ Has Risen Today Alleluia! I went and dug out Great Aunt Emma's Lutheran Hymnal and there it was on page 199. In my old farm clothes I took that hymnal out by the chicken yard, stood tall on a rotting tree stump. Singing every verse as loud as I could, my voice was not as sweet and smooth as in church with others voices engulfing mine. It was pitchy and crackly. The chickens stood silent as did the dogs,  listening- giving me their attention. I think the Lord liked my singing. So did the 2 men fishing in the pond across from my house as they gave me a wave. We have a voice and should sing out more often even if we aren't on key. Sing we to our God above, Praise him...Alleluia... 

Assignment

It has been five years since I have been on this blog. To me it seems like a year ago. When I wrote on this yesterday I kept saying , "five years I just can't believe it, five whole years." My goodness I had a lot to say in five years and maybe someone wanted to hear it! I told myself that should never happen again. I'm retired and I should find the time. Someone recently told me...We all are given the same gift of 24 hours a day, its what we choose to do with that time that makes the difference.
Back to the topic: I really don't like assignments, I'm one who drags my feet until the last minute. This year I have been writing a story every week starting January first. I didn't want to do it, I kept thinking this is a terrible gift for me. My daughter got me this book online as a Christmas gift. I have to write stories about my life given an idea if I choose to use it each Monday it comes on my email. I think about it all week then I write. Really its a gift for my girls someday, but also a gift to me to remember events and sometimes I'm surprised by what I remember. It has made me write, which as you know I don't like pressure. So I did it with lots of complaints to Rex. Then as the stories went out and I got little replies I started enjoying it more. Now I even read them out loud to Rex before I push, send. Our daughters are the only ones who can see them and at the end of the year they will be bound into a book for them. Its an assignment!
Then last week at BONS, we were assigned by the next meeting to write on our blogs. I wasn't even sure mine was out there in space anymore. So the idea quickly was placed far back in my brain, where the cobwebs reside. Then a text was sent...two people had wrote. UUGG. Then another text...did you see another one  has written! I said to myself, I'll do it if they all end up writing. Well surprise, surprise, they DID. So out came the dusty laptop. I worked for a long time, but in the end there it was my old Blog, like an old friend. Five years... but I'm glad now, I had the assignment and everyone did it. So I'm enjoying writing because of these assignments. 

PUZZLE

Our family loves to put together puzzles. In our basement we have a round table with four chairs, its the puzzle table. Almost anytime of the year you can go downstairs and there will be a puzzle on it. It is something everyone can participate in. I remember doing puzzles at my grandparents. It was a time to speak quietly with one another , building something together, Then at home as a child we did puzzles in the winter. We would get out the card table and puzzle away . Sometimes you sit for hours then other times you walk by and see apiece to put in. Puzzles are  good at concentration, problem solving, determination and aggravation. We get most of our puzzles at garage sales. Then pass them on to other family members and friends who enjoy them like we do. Since we have been home, we are like the puzzle library. People call and ask for 4 or...6. Sometimes we say pass that on you don't have to return. Then at other times we say, return that one and we will do it again next year. (if its a really good keeper)
Life is a puzzle sometimes our pieces fall perfectly into place, other times we try to force parts of or life into place as we would like. There are days when we feel like we are missing a few of our pieces . But when its all said and done, we are a complete picture to enjoy. Enjoy all the pieces in your life.

Sky

Each morning as I drive to work the past few weeks have been beautiful. There is no better word for it than that- beautiful. The colors of an artist palate are brushed across the morning sky. Reds, blues, greens,pinks and purples  are on the backdrop of blue with a  wisp of white. It sure is a sight that fills my soul with happiness as I drive to work. It is a sign that I can make it through anything with a lovely sight to hold me over until I get home. The morning sky is silhouetted with a farm deserted with no cows in the lot. But towering over trying to touch the vibrant upward color, is three perfectly aligned in height from the tallest to the shortest grain silos. Needless to say I am looking forward to my drive in the morning. 

eggs

One of the highlights of my day is going out to talk to my chickens. When I talk, they listen. When I bring them scraps as a treat, they squawk at me happily. When they see me coming toward their coop they run as fast as they can to greet me. They give me joy. They also leave me gifts. Eggs! Each day I can't wait to count those oval wonders. Today 10, that is amazing as I only have 13 hens, plus 2 roosters. I give my daughters a dozen, my parents, friends...then sell the rest for a good price. I have given up having beautiful flower beds, as they eat them. I have given up strawberry beds, as they eat them. This is in exchange for them eating thousands of bugs. Running around my yard making me laugh. Cackling a tune that only they can sing. Plus those beautiful oval perfect delicious eggs they leave me. I sure like my chickens!      

Baked

This week on my way to Shipsewana to grocery shop in bulk I stopped by a few Amish garage sales. Everyone of them were held in a heated garage or basement. It is sorta chilly outside so that felt nice on my oldish bones to be warm as I searched for treasures. What I was most excited about was the baked goods I bought. My car just filled up with chocolate chip, sugar, and molasses cookies, a loaf of bread, plus cinnamon rolls. Which I put in lunchboxes the next day. When friends stopped in they enjoyed a treat too. Another goodie I got was 2 butternut squash for a quarter each. My family loves squash. I can't wait when I bake them for the house to be filled with deliciousness aroma of Fall. Well... I had a wonderful time shopping. Oh I asked one lady what time she got up to start baking the cookies as they had just came out of the oven...4am was the answer! I thanked her for making them as would my family.  

Patch

Yesterday I went outside to check on my chickens and ducks. I knew with all the warm weather I would not need to water them. I was right, water puddles were everywhere. We have a low spot in the driveway there was a duck swimming party going on . Wings flapping, bills dipping, tails wiggling , water flying all around. So while the ducks were having a good time the chickens were too. There in the yard was one patch of grass showing green around the white snow. There were the chickens scratching the heck out of that patch. dead grass was flying in the air with bits of dirt. Their feet were using muscles that needed exercising from winter dormancy. What fun they were all having on this warm spring day!

Zero

The book 50 Degrees Below Zero is how it feels outside today. It is so cold out. How do you know? Well when I went out, I first slid and almost fell as the snow was ice. Then my face felt frozen. My skin was tight red, burnt by the wind. My dog ran out of the garage then turned around and came right back in. She was cold, she wanted back in the warmth. Once to the chicken coop I opened the door to see frost crystals on the inside of the walls. It was like a disco ball, glitter frost from the chickens breath was on the board wall, beautiful. I was out only a few minutes, however it felt longer. Like the book Below Zero , I felt frozen stiff and was so happy to be inside my warm house.    

Time

It seems like when you have days off they go by so quickly. They also seem like I never stop working. As soon as I get up I see something that needs done. I cook yummy dishes for my family, You know the things that you never have the time to cook or prepare except on a snow day?  I see the dirt and dust around my house so I clean. I pick up, then put away what I see out of place. If I take a nap it's dark by the time I get up because of the shorter days. Therefore I try hard to just keep moving. So I go gather the eggs and fill the hens feeders. By the time everyone gets home, I feel like I have worked harder than if I was at my job. Time sure went fast on this day, I'm exhausted, ready for bed and thankfully a 2 hour delay  in the morning so i can sleep in!     

White

Today we are getting a snowstorm, everything is white. The ground yesterday was brown/green  with grass for my chickens to peck on. Today all is white, the ground, branches on trees, my house even looks like an igloo. I took a walk out to the barn stopped and smiled. Everything is so white and clean. It looks like a blank canvas, in a few days the snow will melt and colors will again appear, causing the canvas to fill with colors once more. But for now I'm enjoying the white canvas, clean and bright for the eye to behold . Let it snow.

VHS

Today while home I decided to clean out the VHS movie tapes. I had them since the girls were little. They were taking up lots of space. I had seen many of them over and over.( I still kept all the favorites) I remembered the We Sing Along's , Thomasina, Barney and many, many Disney movies. Then there were the sets of Anne Of Green Gables, which we watch every winter to this day. Sound of Music, including Titanic , which was so sad I vowed to only watch it once. I have a pile of nearly forty on the floor waiting for the girls to go through to see if they want any of them first. Then they will go in the garage sale pile. Every thing now is on DVD . In my lifetime I have seen 8tracks, cassettes,VHS and now blue ray DVDs what will be next . I guess that's how they keep us buying things as consumers.

Ducks

It was my turn tonight to go out and do the chores. Feed the dog, feed the chickens and ducks , fill the wood stove for the evening. The past two nights I have been late getting home, so it was my turn. It was dark  with the moonlight illuminating the sky enough so I could see fairly well. I turned the corner and couldn't believe it. There in the back yard snow were hundreds of tracks all over the yard. Upon a closer look I saw it was chicken and duck tracks. Well when there is snow on the ground they always stay near the coop never venturing very far. This is because their feet get really cold. But that's the tracks they were! What had happened while I was at school all day? Did they have races in the snow? Was another animal after them? Did they invite other ducks from the sky to visit and have a duck party in my backyard. I went in the coop to gather the eggs and asked them . But just received a quack and cluck answer. I guess it will remain a mystery. Hum????     

Recipies

I'm sure we all do this, the older I get the more I try to pay attention. I have always been frugal raising four daughters. Now I'm starting to pay attention to a few things on how I eat. I think my family does not eat enough fruits and vegetables. I am looking at recipes that target these ingredients. I sneak them in recipes hoping my family doesn't notice. Then I tell them," surprise you ate bok choy"." What in the world is that?" It's a veggie. We are also drinking smoothies filled with fruit and spinach. I feel better. My hope is that my family is also.
The other thing I'm trying to do is when we go out to eat I pay attention to the food and look closely at how it must be made then I try to remake it at home. Then we do not have to go out to have it. Going out for us is at least $60.00. I can buy a lot of groceries for that. Bunches of fruits and vegetables.

Magazines

All the BONS are reading books. Some read the same book as their older children then they have conversations with them about the book. Some are in book clubs so they have to read to keep up the pace and chat about the happenings in a circle of  book love. Some have stacks in their homes waiting to be read as others have suggested them , therefore they must read them.  Whatever the reason they are reading constantly, tired eyes scanning the pages. Then there is me! MH was at the teacher store with me and had them stacked in her arms I swear up to her chin. "They are free, aren't you going to read them?" I said no, I can't remember the last time I read a book to be honest. I big thick smelly old book. So what am I reading? Magazines! I absolutely love them. They are short. I can watch TV and glace at my magazine. I read everywhere as they are skinny and lite weight. However I made a rule that the only ones I keep are my Chicken and Mother Earth News magazines. Everything else I read then I pass on to someone else and I tell them they have to pass them on too. Pay it forward. I have found somehow this site that I do not pay more than $4.99 for a yr subscription. So its fun buying them as gifts and send to my family too.
Mother Earth News
Chicken
Poultry
Grit
This Old House
Rachel Ray Cooking
Bon Appetite
Southern Living
Self
Seventeen
Fitness
Biking
Log Home Living
Family Circle
Weight Watchers
Garden and Gun
Architecture Digest
Mary Jane
Photography
All You
So I have been reading just not books. Anyone want a magazine?

 

Listen

I just finished reading Ruth's email about a conversation she had with a student in the hallway. Then I jumped right over to my blog. I am very guilty of this- I do not take the time to listen. It is true, I get so caught up in time  I hurry, hurry, hurry. I go, go, go so fast on full speed that I do no listen. Humans big and small come up to tell me something and I move on or I say I don't have time and we will talk later. But later never comes during the busy day. So I will try to listen better, more intently, more thoughtfully. I have been missing some good moments I am sure. I need to Listen!