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Meaningless Drivel Monday: Viewer discretion is advised!

Yep, the photo below ain’t for the squeamish.  I finally got a live animal with my compound bow!  I shot a cottontail in my backyard and have the photo to prove it.  Poor old Peter Cottontail didn’t hop down that old bunny trail fast enough.  And before you start grieving and complaining and whining about me killing a poor defenseless rabbit, let me tell you that we are OVERRUN with them.  They are really cute to watch but they wreak havoc on our gardens, so whether the cats kill their babies, the cars hit them, or the bowhunters use them for target practice, it helps keep the population under control.

Dead rabbit, me, and my Mathews Mission Craze bow.  

Rabbit stew, anyone?

XOXO


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Teacher Tuesday: Worth Remembering (FOLK Magazine Journal Challenge)

Today marks the beginning of the Jewish Passover, and FOLK Magazine’s 2013 Journal Challenge urges us to reflect on the importance of remembering.  It has been said that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.  Remembering past mistakes and making corrections is critical for eventual success.
 
But what about remembering family and/or religious traditions?  Are those important?  The Jewish and Christian faiths place great importance on remembrance of religious traditions.  The Passover itself was instituted by God as an annual remembrance of His deliverance of the Israelites from Egyptian bondage.  So is it important to remember family or religious traditions?
 
I say, yes, very much so.  Just as the Christian church observes traditions such as the Lord’s Supper, baptism, singing familiar hymns, and having Sunday School classes, families observe certain traditions as well.  What would Christmas and Thanksgiving be without traditions?  How many families do we know who put up a Christmas tree every year or have a turkey dinner every Thanksgiving?
 
 
 
Are these traditions important?  I believe they are very important, especially to children.  They provide security–a constant in an unpredictable world.  They provide connections to previous generations, and opportunities to spend time with people we would ordinarily not take the time to visit.  We often do not even realize that we are creating traditions with our families when we really are.  
 
I started a simple tradition in my home to help celebrate our birthdays.  One year I bought a cheap foil banner with the words “Happy Birthday” and placed it across the top of our entertainment center over the television.  I had gotten into the habit of placing birthday cards received on the top of the entertainment center and thought a banner would be a good way to show them off.  I have done this every year for each birthday since the children were small.  One year I couldn’t find the banner, and my daughter asked where it was.  I dug a little deeper in the drawer where I keep it, and there it was, so up it went.  Traditions do matter.  Our children count on them.
What traditions do you feel are important?
 
XOXO
 
 
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Meaningless Drivel Monday: Sick and Repurposing

Yesterday I found out that a person can sneeze so much that it makes their abdominal muscles sore the next day.  I know because I did it.  Saturday night I sneezed so much I thought I would never stop.  Then yesterday my stomach muscles hurt!

People who live in areas of the country where it is still snowing may not realize that there are drawbacks to living in a more temperate climate like ours in Texas.  In addition to the first days of a green Spring, we are also having an onslaught of pollen, so much so that our cars are completely covered in yellow dust.  Even two days of rain which made little yellow-rimmed puddles in the roads and streets didn’t stop the trees from spitting out their sperm. Ew, my students said last year when I told them that pollen was plant sperm.  Well, it’s the truth.  And lots of people are highly allergic to it!  I even take prescription meds and they didn’t do the job!

So I stayed indoors all day yesterday and today in defense from the pine trees and blustery winds and today felt a bit better.  I actually did some cleaning and finished up some projects for my booth at Uniques & Antiques.

This one I made from a yard sale purchase.  The frame caught my eye.  It made a cute chalkboard, don’t you think?

Then I made this little wall hanging from a piece of house siding my dad had left over from a building project.  I just added chalkboard paint, cup hooks, lace, burlap, a button, and some twine.  It would be cute in a bedroom or closet holding necklaces or scarves.

This little footstool I made from a tattered old wooden tapestry stool.  With more foam, a burlap cover, and rags tied to jute twine glued to the edges, it is totally transformed.

I hope to feel well enough tomorrow to place these items for sale in my booth.  There’s a freeze warning tonight.  Maybe that will slow down those tree gonads a bit!

XOXO





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Wedded Life Wednesday: BFF!

I have a pretty great best friend.  He allows me to stay home even though the budget is a little tight since I retired from teaching (thank goodness for the pension, although it’s only a little more than half what I used to make).  He encourages me to pursue my dreams even though some were quite costly–namely getting my master’s degree, remodeling and adding onto our home, buying copies of my books, setting up vendor spaces at the flea market, book festival, and antique mall.  The most costly dream of all was his, too–having children!  That was worth it, though.

Back in the day. . .1979!
  

I encourage him to pursue his dreams as well.  For example, he bought his first dirt bike right after we got married, which almost caused his mother to disown him!  He has been into motorcycles, vintage cars, horses, mules, dog breeding, and guns, all of which were costly.  One of his favorite dreams fulfilled was to ride a loop around the state of Colorado, which we did a few years ago.  I still can’t believe I was able to ride behind him on his Honda Valkyrie for four solid days for 700 miles through sunshine, thunderstorms, and sleet.  What an adventure that was!

One of Colorado’s tall passes in June of 2008!


  The give and take of dreaming and let dream has been one of the cornerstones of our marriage–that and faith in Jesus Christ our Lord.  I’d have to say that we are pretty good friends, and that is pretty important to a successful marriage.

Time to close this post now.  Gotta get those work clothes clean for my BFF (that’s Best Friend Forever for the tech-challenged out there). . .

That’s me and my bestie. . .
XOXO




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Teacher Tuesday: FOLK Magazine 2013 Journal Challenge

Today’s challenge prompt (no doubt inspired by St. Patrick’s Day):  Do you believe in luck?  When have you found a rainbow and a “pot of gold” at the end of a gloomy day?
 
I’ll address the first question first.  No, I don’t believe in luck.  What? Why?  If we believe what the Bible says about the providence of God, and I do, then there is no room for luck.  The Bible teaches that all things are engineered by God, in His time, and for His purposes.  Oh boy, that opens up a can of worms.  You mean God engineers bad things, like the attacks on 9/11?  Like abortions?  Like horrible accidents, painful disfigurement, and sickness?  Like war, hunger, torture, neglect, and abuse?
 
If you read the book of Job, you find out that God allows suffering in order to bring about His purposes.  He did not invent sin, but through sin, suffering and death entered the world.  He doesn’t cause bad things to happen, but He does allow the consequences of sin to take their course.  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Romans 6:23.  Study the books of Genesis and Exodus, and read the books of Job and John if you are interested in delving deeper.
 
So, instead of telling someone “Good luck,” I should say, “May God’s will be done,” or “Go with God.”  
As for when I have found a rainbow and pot of gold at the end of a gloomy day, that’s an easy one.  I remember coming home to my darling babies at the end of a hard day at work, and there they were, my little rainbows who brought me tremendous joy as I saw their little faces.  I still find my rainbow when I come home to find my husband already home, and when my three dogs greet me with wagging tails and rejoicing.
 
 
 
The pot of gold at the end of a gloomy day is my beautiful family and my humble home.  I am indeed blessed, and I will never take that for granted.  Thank you, Lord!
 
XOXO