WIP: Single Rose 7

Rosey continues to take form.

This weekend I was able to stitch for a few more hours. The frame around the rose is taking shape nicely.

This sure is a lovely piece to work on. Not at all frustrating. Puts me in a Zen state.

I think it's odd how some pieces I stitch flow so simply and beautifully, and others just about send me to the nut house. This is one of the nice charts.

Be sure to click on the image to see a larger version.

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I had such a nice long weekend with my husband. Too bad he has to go back to work tomorrow. When he's home, there's a calming vibe in the house.

At My House; On My Mind

Outside my window...
The neighbor kids
flinging golden leaves at each other
running wild in the crisp air

I am wondering...
why I don't read blogs more often
so full of creativity
and inspiration

I am thankful for...
For this quiet day, reading,
sitting across the table from my husband
clickity clicking on our laptops

From the kitchen...
the refrigerator fan is whirring
tortillas wait on the counter
to be eaten for dinner

I am wearing...
comfy clothes, my fleece vest,
my favorite blue shirt
even though it's not Thursday (Jodie)

I am creating...
ideas for a tree trimming party
over Thanksgiving weekend
extended family fun

I am going...
nowhere today
except in my imagination
I'm traveling the world



I am reading...
my favorite blogs
Steve Martin's autobiography
Dale's expressions






I am hoping...
my eldest is peaceful today
building friendships with Club Med
spending time with her husband

I am hearing...
the cooling fan on Dale's  computer
the clickk of a mouse
the "ahhhhhh" after a swallow of cool water

Around the house...
quiet
a bit of a breeze
a blanket of leaves and pine needles

One of my favorite things...
my husband's smile
and the way he lights up
when I tickle his brain



A few plans for the rest of the week...
bring the paint in from the garage so it doesn't freeze
get a haircut
express gratitude

Movie Review: The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn

It's not often I start out the day with a movie and a bowl of popcorn, but I made an exception today -- and I'm glad I did! The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn is worth watching.

This was truly a wonderful, heartwarming film. I don't recall how I heard about it (a preview from another movie? an excellent movie review? a mention from one of my movie-loving friends?). Somehow this title came to the top of my Netflix DVD list, and am I glad it did.

Here's the synopsis:

Small-town farmer Noah Dearborn (Sidney Poitier) lives an uncomplicated existence until shady developer Christian Nelson (George Newbern) tries to usurp his family's land. Nelson will do anything to take Noah's property, including hiring a shrink (Mary-Louise Parker) to have him declared insane. But Nelson doesn't anticipate Noah forming an unbreakable bond with the doctor, which proves stronger than anything the land baron can dish out.

Simple enough plot, yes. Big city company comes in to rural area to 'help' the people ramp up and earn more revenue. The potential building of a shopping center knocks the country folk off balance. Tension ensues.

It's the character development and performances that make this movie shine. But then, I'm usually drawn to movies and books that center on interesting characters that change and grow.

Sidney Poitier is exemplary, as always.
Mary-Louise Parker is beautiful and complex, in her usual style.
George Newbern has a fairly conventional two-dimensional role.
And Dianne Wiest is a well rounded and integral character, wonderfully cast.

This movie was released in 1999. I'm only a little over a decade in seeing it. A good showing for me!

WIP: Single Rose 5

I was able to put in some more hours on Single Rose. I find it humorous that my stitching seems so haphazard. I ordinarily 'grow' my stitching from the bottom left corner on up to the top. But with this piece, I seem to be jumping around by color much more than usual.

Today I realized that I made an error that I don't think I'll bother correcting. Many of the half cross stitches are to be stitched with four strands of thread. I missed that fine point. But since it that is more of a texture change than a 'makes the picture look weird' change, I will probably leave it as is.

I must admit that it was worth it to grid my fabric this time. It's saved me from many counting errors.

I am enjoying stitching this piece quite a bit. If I'm lucky, I'll get my work around my home done early this week and allow myself the pleasure of several more hours of stitching.

I dare say this is going to need a good deal of blocking when the stitching is done and before the framing begins!

Happy Halloween!

 Yeah, well, I don't know what I am either. 

A punkinhead, I suppose.

Poet Love

Every time I see this poet, I fall in love again.

Here Sarah Kay performs at  The Nantucket Project speaking on the topic: "Rethink."

The images in her spoken poetry are vivid and evoke memories of my own past.

Gravy for Your Health

This afternoon I got a hankering for some bacon, biscuits and gravy. I took out my favorite trusty cookbook: Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book (reproduction of the 1950 classic).

 I found the gravy listed with other sauces. In a section called "Gravy-Wise" was this important bullet point:

• Remember gravy contains some of the precious vitamins and minerals from the meat. Bread and gravy is a nutritious dish we can profitably enjoy.

Valuable information!!

Betty Crocker's 
Picture Cookbook

The one I grew up with!

Reading Today

I'm trying to get myself to sit down and read today. I love reading. I really don't know why it's been such a struggle for me to just sit down and enjoy it. I've been like this for months!

I'm actually reading this book on my Kindle ... but the software is in the process of updating on my device, so here I am, back on my laptop.

The book?

The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical
by Shane Claiborne

A friend and I have a "bookclub for two" and this is a title he recommended. I find the book quite a challenge. First, because it's written from the perspective of a Christian. I am just not sure where I fall on the Christian scale any more. I'm a cultural Christian. That is my background, was my strong belief system for most of my life, was the framework in which I took action, and those are the holidays I celebrate. But this modern Christian world is not something I recognize as being very Christ-like. A predominance of American Christians seem to have gotten faith and belief mixed up with ideology and politics. I can't be a part of that. So I wonder how this Christian-based book can be translated for a more secular audience that still is drawn to the idea of social outreach and equity.

Beyond that, this book is challenging for its message. What would it be like if we as a people actually LIVED the teachings of Jesus? What if we dwelled with the poor and disenfranchised? What if we cared for the sick, dying and homeless personally? What if we shared all our meals? What if we loved our enemies every time? What if we lived the Beatitudes?

Challenging indeed. In many ways, not very practical while raising a family and trying to provide health insurance. But challenging, nonetheless, to do what we can in our ordinary lives to be as servant to one another.

Perhaps it's taking me a long time to read this book because I can only take so much of this kind of challenge at a time. Then I have to stop. Think. Pray. Mull. And dive in again.

100 Kiva Loans!

Today marks the 100th time I've made a loan through Kiva. Today I loaned to Yana, a woman in the Ukraine who owns a needlework shop.

I absolutely love this organization that helps folks in the developed world give small loans to small business owners in the developing world. Kiva now even facilitates loans to the working poor in the United States.

Folks in need turn to Kiva when they cannot obtain loans from the usual banks and financial institutions.

Folks with means turn to Kiva to help others collectively in ways that they'd not be able to do individually. So even gals like me that have limited funds to give away can become micro-philanthropists! I give because giving feels good!

So, why Kiva? And how does it work?

Kiva is a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, Kiva lets individuals lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world.

1. You make a loan on Kiva. All Kiva loans are made possible by Field Partners, who vet, administer, and disburse each loan. The Field Partners are little community financial institutions located right in the region where the loan is needed.
   
   
2.  Get Updated. Throughout the life of the loan, you will see progress updates from Kiva through your email, and if you come back to the site.
   
   
3. Get paid back. As the borrower repays the loan, the money becomes available in your account. This is called your Kiva Credit.
   
   
4. Repeat.You can now use your Kiva Credit to fund another loan, donate it to Kiva, or withdraw it to spend on something else.

I was able to make my very first Kiva loans because I was given a Kiva gift certificate for Christmas a couple years ago. Over the course of several months, the money I lent was paid back. I loaned again. I was given another gift certificate. I loaned some more. Gradually, I've added to my loan amount so that I am now able to make one loan per week without having to add any more money into the pot. I can loan and reloan and reloan.

For now, I get to help the world economy grow $25 at a time. But should my own circumstances change, I can always withdraw the Kiva Credit as it is repaid to my account and use it for my own needs.

This is a world-class organization ... people helping people ... heart to heart.

Kiva. Loans that Change Lives.
Let it change yours!

WIP: Rosey

The Single Rose is back on the workbench! And I'm back to stitching.

Here's what she looks like this morning.

Circumstances around the house should allow me to have lots of stitching time this week.

I hope to post several updates and, who knows, a finish by Friday?

No promises.
Except to myself:
"Margaret, I promise. You get to stitch and blog this week!"

Not Posting?

LIFE has gotten in the way of blogging.

I'm an empty nester now ... 

two daughters flew the coop this summer.

My husband and I get to be "just a couple" 

for the first time in our lives.

We're going through a time of transition, 

rearranging, 

refocusing our energies.

But I'll be back. I promise.

I like blogging too much to stay away for very long.

Moose on the Loose

For the last few weeks, a humongous and hungry moose has been wandering our neighborhood.

My next door neighbor, Mike, caught him on video and shared with me. I captured these two photos from Mike's video.

He's peeking over our neighbor's 5 foot tall fence. Mike said that when he was done eating, he just hopped the fence like it was no big deal.

What a rack! Incredible, huh?!!!

A Corner of Beauty & Hope

Today was one of the BEST days my daughter Jodie and I ever spent together! And it was no one big event that made it grand. It was moment after moment of small tasks that we muddled through side-by-side, laughing and talking and noodling things out.

From a two mile walk to plucking eyebrows. From a breakfast of vanilla protein shakes infused with fresh hand-picked raspberries to a lunch of fish sticks and turkey burgers at Carl's Jr. to a dinner at home of fresh honeydew melon and bread bowls filled with chili and cheese.  From taping a window frame to prepare it for painting to purchasing clothing online. From researching wheel barrow prices to getting an astounding, on-the-spot 40% discount on the purchase of a $150 sewing table.

If there is one highlight of the day, it was building our first flower garden together.

You see, our home is currently one of the homeliest on the block. Our grass is dead, the front yard full of moss. We're in the process of revamping the yard, but it's been a slow, slow process.

At the moment, you can see painted lines where we intend to install curbing and sprinklers.

There are 15 holes in the yard where pine trees used to stand, the stumps ground out just yesterday.

The roof and rain gutters are covered in pine needles that need to be swept away with the yellow jacket nests.

But as of this evening, there is one spot of calm and color that you see as you approach our front door.

Jodie and I tilled the soil, pulled out as many tulip, hyacinth, crocus and grape hyacinth bulbs as we could find. (We're sure there are still many hiding that will surprise us next spring). We headed over to Lowes to check out those wheel barrows, but drove away with a car full of purple flowers and bark mulch. Then still side-by-side, we built a garden, including some ivy that I'd been babying in my kitchen window all winter.

Now as we approach our front door, we have a spot of color and hope for what the rest of the yard might finally become. Our garden toad is contemplating the drastic change. I think he's smiling.

I know we are!

Poof!

These puffs of color caught my eye on my daily walk. The blue reminds me of buttons, the pink reminds me of bows.

Buttons n Bows

So vibrant in the morning sun.

At the DMV

In Idaho, when a teen turns 18 years old, they make a trip to the DMV to turn in their first driver's license and get a new one that shows they are an adult. That's what Jodie and I did this morning. It wasn't even a horribly long wait. Besides, Jodie and I always find ways to amuse each other when we're stuck in a line.

Today, we had fun watching folks with their frozen smiles while waiting for the official to take their driver's license photo and making up stories about the folks in the waiting room.

• There was the old guy who was sitting there nervously, wondering if he would even have a driver's license reissued. 
• There was the middle-aged British woman who just became a US citizen and was getting her first American license. 
• There was the Hispanic family whose son was having his license renewed for the first time, mother and sister nervously waiting. 
• There was the hefty impatient woman who hoisted herself up and waddled to the door, muttering and scowling. But then, she's one of those folks who didn't believe her father when he told her, "If you keep putting your face in a frown, it'll freeze that way." Because it did! Goodness, she was unpleasant.
• And then, there were these three friends ...

Waiting on Line at the DMV

Seriously, folks. Do any of us need to be exposed to this in a public building?

Post Graduate

This is my favorite photo from Jodie's high school graduation last month:

Shadows of Graduations Past

After the ceremony, the graduates processed to one area of the school to hug and say goodbye while the parents, relatives and friends meandered out a different door to wait for their student to find them. The sun was setting as we stood along the west wall of the school talking, waiting, laughing, crying.

Duh ..!

My daughters and I had lunch at Panda Express.

This was tucked into my fortune cookie:

Strange. 

I doubted an admirer could think any other way!

The Cross is Borne

In March 2009, our family took an exploratory trip to Bellingham, WA to see if we might like to land there when Dale retires. After a good look around, we decided it's not quite right for us. We did like the countryside, though. As the sun was setting one evening, we passed this crumbling barn. I loved the pattern the light made as the sun broke through the window.

The Old Rugged Cross

Sand in the Feathers

On that same warm evening in June 2009, the seagulls stopped to rest, preen and people-watch here on the edge of the North Idaho College campus where Lake Coeur d'Alene spills into the Spokane River.

 Posin' and Preenin'

NIC Beach

Just as the sun started to set on a warm day in June 2009, I took a break on the beach at North Idaho College. This is the spot where Lake Coeur d'Alene spills into the Spokane River. It's a favorite gathering place for both humans and geese.

Goose at Riverbank

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