Two weeks in the life of a homemaker/mother/gardener

 Each morning Dash goes out to the coop and gets his breakfast.

Tomato off the vine the night before.

This is what you call a fresh breakfast

 The joy of mothering and growing a garden flowed well this week.

Dash and I really had a time of it pulling carrots.

He was such good pleasure and keeps speaking of it with the biggest grin on his face.t

 The last week has been full of fung shui as I reinvented the studio.

I love it! By shifting the sewing center north the beading center was able to shift into place.

No longer facing a window that could not even be open is huge.

The mirror and window bring added space.

 It is all a little messy yet but coming along.

 I just LOVE it!

 Facing into the room is wonderful. Now my monitor is in view.

 Outside the hens were vieing for the best spot after the coop was cleaned this morning.

The day of seed gathering was spent in 70* wonderful cloud floating by sky

It was so beautiful

After a three large loads of laundry on the line and time in the garden my soul was more than content.

 Carrot seed for next crop

 Dill seed for harvest and herb for the kitchen.

It is a very spicy dill.

 The best onion to seed for next crop.

 this is Leek

 Broccoli

 Narcissism

Just today as Dash was in his hiding place in the garden.

He had his Mac and cheese under the umbrella of the narcissism and the big leaves of the broccoli.

The chickens came to him and he was sharing his macaroni with them.

It was so dear.

 Radish seed pods were collected to dry.

Pick ten leave some.

The birds love them.

I love the birds, win win.

 radish

 Mothers day was wonderful over at my MILove's.

Steve's brother and his family were there.

Dash had me in class on Monday.

I did a painting demo and painted our dear Rena and spoke of deeper things to the children.

It was so fun. I was pretty wiped out afterward and a very sweet girl saw me and came offering to carry the Travel easel for me. Perfect timing. Saturday's infusion was a bit hard on me.

Dash told Steve that in Social Studies Monday they were talking about the Civil War (Steve and I are history buffs). He said in answer to why the war was fought...the South fought for their "rats...". It went over the teachers head. "dad why did they fight for rats"? Rolling in laughter "son...their rights".

"What are rights dad?"

Telling me this at shower time I could not stop laughing. Even after lying in bed a while so funny!

The South were fighting for thier RATS!!!

Ha!

 Doves grown up some after the three days at camp. 

She is doing so well. A real serious student.

We teach that education is a real gift.

These girls out of 99 kids won both camp awards.

She is a good kid to find peace around. 

Her kindness and humor are really treasured.

 Speaking of gifts the tomato plants are very happy.

Kissed by the bees daily a huge crop to come.

 Tonight I got the biggest compliment and joy from a neighbor.

She works at home and her office faces my front yard.

She called to me tonight just as I was finishing sweeping the front entry.

She told me how my flowers are the first thing that she looks forward too each day.

She opens her window first thing in the morning.

That is just why I planted them. It was my prayer as I dug that soil that in so doing that it might bring a little joy to all those who drive by too and from work.

Working on several things at the beading table. 

This is finished now.

We are happy and well. Hope all of you are as well. It was so nice to see your comments.

Susie, Amrita, Denise, Julie and David. Reighine and e-m0m your too beautiful. Hope that you all know that about yourselves.  I know I am forgetting names at the moment forgive me. Know that your sweetness touched my heart. Thank you for saying hello.

Life...it's all so beautiful.

Turning 50 tomorrow

In two hours at 3:20 a.m. 

I will be alive exactly half a century

Mercy my birth weight was 

9 pounds 11 ounces!

Steve has offered me a bucket list item

A hot air balloon ride!

He said "whats money for but to spend it sometimes?"

With IVIG on Saturday we have to wait, probably next weekend.

HE got a Wii fit for me last week. It is fun, even told me I was 47 today when I did my test for balance. Can't beat that. I even whopped it up a bit. Thank you all for the sweet support and cheers for my daughter. These kids are such a blessing. Dash's teacher has requested that I come and do a painting demonstration on Monday. It is the first time all year in a class room. My immune levels will be high enough to sustain a short visit. It will do Dash's heart so good. Mine too.
It is hard to stay up so late, at least in the morning it will have proven to be so. Better go to bed. 50 is just too old to stay up till 3:30 in the morning! HA!

Dove is home from science camp

She had a wonderful time! So grown up.

99 students from her school attended. She shared a room in the cabin with 5 cabin mates. Her and these other girls won the 'dress the cabin counselor up like a critter' competition. They also won the Spirit Award for best over all academic and class's participation. This was inclusive of behavior, citizenship and all. The ONLY two awards given! I am so proud of her and her friends. This group of girls really show such outstanding character. Oh that Dove has this circle...she is so blessed and such a blessing.

Out of 99 kids!

One of the girls in another room happened to fall the afternoon of the last day. Dove and her best friend were first responders. The child feel down an incline. She hit her head and was unresponsive. Dove and her friend stayed with her. She looks to have broken a leg. Goodness! Dove ran to get the adult who was just a few yards behind them on the trail.

She loved the food.
Today I kept her home to rest.

 Just as the mother plant kept covering the seedling.

Waits until it is established

It must then be cut away...

To revel the new growth of youth. 

Now strong the cover mothering allows it to thrive.

She is such a joy.

My Dove is flying home today!

It has been the most wonderful experience to have peace while Dove has been so far from me. Not to be afraid or worried of her or for her. Knowing that she was right where she was supposed to be. It is so wonderful to give a good report to her that mom did 'not freak out'. Mom trusted in her and in God toward her. This a wonderful testimony to mature her self confidence.
Dove will be home in just over an hour.
How fun. So many adventures to hear about.
Oh she is on a tour buss. Not a plain.

Dance in your heart.

Marriage Monday

Good morning

Once again a dear Lady asks for our hearts and minds toward topic. 

Come join us today as our topic is Faith in our marriage

It is good and a sweet thing to experience trials with a man who loves God. In New love it is that infatuation covers all it flows over faults found within each one of us. It is the faith of that union to love through the hard times. Those times when health effects our personalities and responses. Aging has its infatuations of Character. Memories of the heart of who we each are.

For us this is faith. Believing the best in one another. Trusting that God is more in love with your spouse than you are. He is for Him/Her is such a way that can empower. Seeing shadows of the strength of a man begin to change. No longer that 'new' marriage. Watching bodies begin to change. Although very young in this process ourselves it is a time of faith.

Twenty nine years days watch months pass into years. Faith gives them spice. A savor. When nurtured or even if a bit neglected faith pulls loose ends tough. Tying cords that bind us in each of the memories of days when needs, even wants were met. Months when presence of 'the divine' unmistakeably  apparent. Years of honing by trial, sharpened by wit and humor. Faith is the evidence of what is hoped for the development of trust in it's many stages. Character enough to know that when something is not right that your hearts 'for' each other must fight through those thing that hinder or hurt. Even if it is frightening to face, even it it is misunderstood and hurts others. Faith tells love to act knowing that the fallout is out of our hands. It is faith that hopes that honesty and rigorous love will prevail around us/within us.

Faith tells trust that eyes open character is there. Health can mask our action, thoughts and even behaviors.

Faith asks God for a glimpse of understanding. 

Many things will be faced through life. We are all temporal beings. 

When my husband began to respond unlike himself health showed signs. Hypothyroidism was for him a culprit. For me illness took over our marriage for years. Battles faced of mind, body and spirit will be there in each life. Faith sees them through. Believing in those things hoped for. Being 'FOR' each other takes more faith than you will ever have. It takes trust in the one who loves our mate more than we do. 

Faith is remembering the experience strength and hope that a life time together has proven out. It lifts those difficult times spices up the days into humor of the frailty of us all. It is the fallout when challenging the status qua. Loving others so much that misunderstands resolve over time. 

It is knowing that it will all work out even when things may seam hopeless. Hold on for the ride faith is an exercise. Trusting that the both of you can make it all work out 'when' you believe the best of the other. When your life is lived 'for' each other and not against. Caring about the other as well as self. It is not in caring for our individual need that we become self centered. It is good and imperative to mind your own heart and needs. When 'two become one' we care for the whole when we tent to our own heart. This is the honing to do so with mutual needs in mind. Challenging is faith in acting, giving place for HOPE. Then hope sees the fruit of lives matured together.

It takes two to make it so. It take one to act at times to overcome the others weakness and to build up the whole. We take turns at that day by month by years gone by. Acting on LOVE, building Faith through hope. We have a wonderful future together, no matter the challenges that come our way to hone us.

Please join us once again for Marriage Monday on May 2, 2011. Our group topic this time is “faith.” How does your Christian faith express itself between you and your spouse? Do you pray together? Or discuss theology? Do you lead or attend a couples Bible study? Perhaps you’re spiritually unequal, yet you're thriving nonetheless. Feel free to share any aspect of your spiritual journey with us, dear sister.

I’m looking forward to meeting you back here at Chrysalis on Monday.

See you very soon!

Blessings,

e-Mom @ Chrysalis

http://chrysaliscafe.com

Dove is off to Science Camp

Packed

ready to walk out that door

wings stretched

mine and hers both

three days

two nights

trust

low risk

fly

under His wing

safe

knowing who you are

trusting who He is

excitement

expectation

anticipation

wonder

tales of adventure to come

science in the forest

of the forest

a gift of risk

a gift of trust

a place to land softly

a since of self successful

new

bold

beauty

of freedom in inches

growth in miles

traveled up to the forest

back to my arms

all the while we both are in HIS

Emissions 'FAILED'!

Well, there is always a first time for everything. With 29 years of married life I suppose we have gotten off easy.
My plans for the day cut short.
Going on to the repair shop to get an estimate took up my morning. Choosing to go on ahead and get the estimate Steve met me there.

SHOCK!

So far $1000! with a possible few hundred more to come.

The old 1999 Chevy done met a tab 1/6 th of its value.

It is now that the debt free life style is a real gift. We had set aside an emergency fund that will almost cover it.

Our vacation is still set for the Disneyland tickets are purchased. 

The taxes just came back with an error. Seams they owed me $300 more and paid us that. So at least the expenditure is softened a little. Strange I was calm over it. When Steve got there however it was then that I realized that this was the same company that took us on the car. We sorta got our money worth but the issue never was resolved. We trust just a bad mechanic. This is the other branch of the company. We have faced all sides even doing it ourselves. The registration time line met with a 100 miles to put on it before compliance sets us to have to hire or risk ticket driving it to fix it ourselves. Over a barrel!

Still feel sorta calm, but not knowing what this suction test in the morning will reveal leaves us shaky.

Oh LIFE!

It is a good life. Just the every penny budgeting left me tired of the intensity of the task. We just can't deny the respite in June. Maybe we will cut it shorter.

Days are good here. Life is sweet, kids are well. Chores implemented have left a good since of mission and competence for the kids. They are really settling into it well. They are both respecting the education given them in this fine country. I delight in that. Leaves us feeling competent in instilling that in them. Today Doves teacher asked OUR Dove to tutor a kid with his Social Studies because she got an 'A' on her report. She is starting to think about College! Impressive student is just really encouraging us. Seams her Special Needs are not stopping her. Bless GOD!

Dove goes to camp for three days two night starting Monday. First time to ever do this sort of thing. Her 6th grade goes up North to do a science camp.

Dash touched my heart sweet. At supper prayer he told God "I hope everything is good for you too".

Felt like a warm blanket. Man I love it!

We had Steve's folks over on Saturday to watch the kids hunt eggs in the yard. I am unable to find the pictures Steve took. We had a nice evening on the cool of the porch. Peaceful.

 Easter was different but nice. The big meals of the past exchanged with a simpler style. The kids were happy to get some webkins. After a prayer request and a budget that was halved, there in a basket half price! Exactly the critters (and only those two) that I over heard the kids in play saying they wanted to "adopt". Two days later...chazam!

 Dove wore her dress to church as did I. Finally finished the blue dress for myself.

We had these eggs that were filled with confetti when your crushed it over the head confetti flew. We had a real kick until daddy man said "time for church" we had to get it all out of our hair. Wet blanket!

 

(We don't see Dash in shorts very often. His knees really show the scurvy of his infancy. He is VERY shy about it. Seams someone will always say something to him. Just cringe when they do.)

We were invited by my best friend and her family over for swim and feast in the afternoon evening. My other best friend and her family was there too.  A dear old friend we had not spent time with in years. Met two other families. One with an internationally adopted daughter. Girls really hit it off. This child had a missing limb, no matter children are blind to it when they get taught. We all have our strengths and our weaknesses. Let others be strong for us and we be strong when they are week.
It has been so so long that I have been a bit of a recluse. Times have hit me that way for a while here. Guess it has been a time to heal.
There is a time for everything under the heavens.

Sweet pup is not the same with Rena (our Golden) passed away. He misses her. He has now become my right hand friend. Laying now at my feet. He is a real good dog. Steve is really enjoying him too. Having to put Rena down really hit us all hard.

Well the emissions failed but God never has failed us. Even if it might seam we fail him.

Dove hit her goal!

With only a few weeks left our sweet daughter made her goal of getting 100% on a math test!
She has worked so hard and has not been able to get there and this time she did. This is very encouraging for she is in the lower level for her grade. Now she has more confidence to be able to move up to the next unit.
What a wonderful thing to see her have a mission and make competency after such a long hard efforts, were talking 8 months work here!

Morning in the flower garden

 Lightening rod

Great silence in the garden. 

Admiring beauty that slips through the cracks.

Those that might be yanked out by any other, me...well I like to water them.

They are seen on long drives through the forests.

Those majestic pines growing taller than any around them.

Those standing tall on the highest crest.

Beautiful, admired from a far.

Those that speak out of the soil of which they are made.

Those that are the lightening rods of this earth.

 Those that are to others weeds.

Annoying little things, treated as Credents (ancient city of Crete, despised).

If the bloom dare to rise up in a pristine disclosure the ugliness of life gets exposed.

Some neighbors see it as weed.

While others 

(who I believe are more enlightened) 

are grateful to be exposed to it.

 Beauty takes work. 

It takes work to hold on to ones own beauty as well.

 Beauty emerging from a shelter as a mother plant guarding a flower until it is established.

 Before beauty is the amazement of complexity.

 'Pinks' may be lavender yet non the less centered in beauty.

 Light captured shining through us.

It is then the glow be noticed.

As passers by slow to give eye.

 Focused up close looking deeper.

Being seen.

Can feed be excepted to soil when dust is dry?

Perhaps it will only burn any roots left living.

If feed be given to a life that needs only poor soil to survive...does it stop to thrive.

 Vantage...

It all comes down to vantage.

 We error only when we stop from trying.

Should soil be left alone for them who need no rich, nor want no fertile grownd to grow.

It is then set apart for another spot in the yard.

Non less to tend to...non less of beauty.

Pretense needs neglect to thrive, no truth no real exchange.

Self sufficient living only on what is within the soil underfoot.

 Bare spots  from soil to rich, to fertile...to honest.

One rich, one scraggly yet both beautiful.

 Reaching to the sky, shadowed left smaller.

Faces longing for the full sun.

Faces that will follow the sky are called proud.

That is how the sunflower is known.

Because it has the audacity to put it's face to the sun?

Yet look at those that linger there, in the shadows, not quite able to reach full potential.

 Ones mans vantage,

and then an others.

Lightening rods those trees that stand up tall exposed more than all the others.

Lightening rods risking demise death by just living.

These trees non better just sitting on higher ground or in the earth deeper than another.

Tapping deep into the life flow. 

Some even as a shelter to others. 

Yes they are exposed set to die if struck, and in so doing gives a grounding to the energy that flows.

That force that glows and cracks through the skies that surround it.

Once they are gone just think who will replace them?

Happy Easter

This is the most favored Holiday of the year for me.

May it be the day of great favor for you too.

The tasks at hand keep me so full each day that my presence here has fallen to a low priority of late. Having to measure my energy is challenging. Life is good. Each day our little family is growing and maturing with grace even in the most trying of days. Kids are doing real well in school. The three day weekend is a wonderful thing. They are a delight to be with. Bless you all

I trust your all under the sweet favor

Savor it.

told you so...

:)

See you later...

It will be a good homecoming.

Thankful Thursday

 This week is filled to the top as was last week.

Aimes testing all last week for the kids.

This week a sweet family pet died as well. Little Dino that belonged to our BIL and SIL. 

A dear old friend of Steve folks also passed away.

Steve will deliver these two bouquets I created today.

The hussup and the Batclar buttons are from the flower garden