Today's Praise

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The sunbeams stream forward , dawn boys,

with shimmering shoes of yellow.

~ Mescalero Apache Song

 A beautiful day to praise God & His creation.

Top 10 Lessons Learned

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I can't believe I've managed to post every day this month! Just one more to go. . . .

Thanks to this great challenge, I've learned a few things about blogging. . .

1. This "quilting blog" is not in fact about quilting, mostly because I hardly ever quilt. Hmm, that may be more about my life than my blog.
2. The day-to-day details of my life are pretty mundane, and I don't really want to write about them. 
3. I WANT to write about creativity and/or blessings.
4. I fantasize about having a kind of posting routine--WIP Wednesday, Finished Friday, etc. Problem is, my life is just the opposite--WIP Friday, possibly finished Wednesday.
5. Posting on something other than real time is very difficult to get my head around. In other words, writing about a WIP on Wednesday if in actuality it is finished.
6. My biggest obstacle to posting, at least in my mind, is a lack of decent photos. When the light is best in my house, I am usually at work.  Plus, I'm just not that good with the camera.
7. I don't have enough moodling time for making stuff, let alone writing stuff. (see October 28)
8. I seem to think in terms of obstacles instead of challenges.
9. I need a new blogging "picture" in my mind to make this workable.
10. I would like to have blogging be about developing relationships; this, of course, would require that I comment on other blogs more and lurk less.
11. I hate exclamation points, mostly.

With all this in mind, after tomorrow, I'm going take a break and re-think my blog. Of course, I've taken many breaks before, but that was through neglect not reflection. I'm also going to visit my grandmother in Washington state--a little road trip! So here's a toast to blogging and all its possibilities. Thank you to tinniegirl for the blogtoberfest challenge and to any of you who have left comments (or not). I'll post tomorrow and then see you in 2 weeks.

Today's Praises

• Enough time to contemplate lessons learned :)
• Beautiful sunshine
• Paying someone else to suck up all our leaves instead of raking them ourselves. Lovely!

Boys in Uniform

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Last marching of the year and probably forever for DS1 (the grumpy one on the right). They gave an "indoor marching band" concert, playing everything they know.

The last piece all the seniors left their shoes (their "legacy" footprints) and passed their hate onto an underclassman. DS2 received one from the 1st chair tuba.


Waving goodbye for kindergarten was a piece of cake compared to this. I kept thinking, "oh, she was so cute in 3rd grade" or "wow, he's gotten so tall." Most of these kids we've known since elementary.

Plus, I'm an absolute sucker for marching band, as I loved it in high school. My two best friends, even 32 years later, are from marching band.

These 2 young men complain about marching, but their best friends also come from that group of 140 band members--all pretty tight after many hours of sweating on the field and riding the bus to competitions. If nothing else, they have learned "do it right means do it less."

Today's Praises

• Incredible music in our schools, despite heavy budget cutbacks
• 2 handsome men in uniform
• no snow during marching band season!

Moodling

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So you see, imagination needs moodling - long, inefficient, happy idling, dawdling and puttering.  --Brenda Ueland

How does one moodle in 15 minute snippets of time?
Can one moodle while doing the dishes, chauffering the kids, folding laundry?

For me these are the perennial questions. Granted, a "studio" or room of my own would simplify the process, allowing me to leave things out and to come and go as I'm able, but even then I find I need a kind of "warm up" time to get in the zone.

What about you? How do you get your creativity going? Do you need to be in a certain space, mind frame? Do you need peace and quiet or blaring music or the pitter patter of little feet going to and fro?

Gratitudes

• morning coffee
• morning coffee
• morning coffee

Cheer Up

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Since today is sideways gusting rain & sometimes snow, I spent lunch crocheting a sunny, cheery hat for a Christmas present. Still channeling Grandma!

Spooky Music

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Tonight we have DS2 in an orchestra concert--the high school kids get to wear Halloween costumes.

They love it, but now at the last minute he's changed his mind on the costume! The workings of the 15 yo mind.

Regardless, his cello will sound so cool, so rich. And they always play interesting music. Looking forward to a nice evening.

AARP

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Oh. my. word. It's finally happened.

After relentlessly  lightheartedly teasing my husband for over 7 years for receiving his own cards, it's finally happened to me. I turn 50 in 7 days. Just my luck.

Today's Praises

• I don't feel 50!
• Grilled cheese for supper on a rainy day.

Today's Praise

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"Satisfaction is the paralysis of the church. While relentless grace works to take us further, we are all too satisfied just where we are."  ~Paul Tripp, Twitter Post

Gratitudes

• Good general health
• Work to provide for my family & care for others
• Opportunities & success for my children that they may continue to learn the value of hard work

  

Pedal to the Metal?

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Finally have this quilt started 3 YEARS AGO ready to quilt. My hope is to speed right through it (I know, I probably jinxed that :)

The recipient will be driving through town in a week. Can it be done?


Vroom, vroom!

Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah

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Day 22 and I have nothing to post about except the tedium of everyday life. blah, blah, blah (although I've had a nice quiet day off).

While I'm happy I've posted every day this month as challenged, I'm disappointed that I have no sewing to post about. This is "supposed to be" a quilting blog, or at least a creative blog. . . .

Alas, I spend more time thinking about quilting than actually quilting, or crocheting, or whatever I could manage to create. Hmmm. . . .I may have to mull that all over a bit.

Today's Praises

• Probably the last day of Indian summer--still lovely
• Music Boosters Soup & Pie tonight--always good food
• I'm ready to sew something! I'm hoping for Sunday!

Thoughtful Thursday

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 To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.

Joseph Chilton Pearce  

Working on this hat, I've been WRONG at least 5 times so far. In fact, I finally just started over because I didn't check my gauge--it would have fit King Kong the way I was going.

On the other hand, fear of making a mistake, of wasting that beautiful fabric, of using up time--that all can get in the way, can't it? Another reason to love swaps--they impose a real deadline so one just needs to make a decision.  What gets in the way of your creativity? Fear? Space? Time?

Road Trip

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How cool would it to be 15 years old and have an entire fall day to skateboard. . . wish I could manage that kind of balance. It looks so fun to have speed and air all at once.

As the last bit of Jack's birthday, we hit the road with two of his friends so they could skate in Spencer, the town with the GOOD skate park.




They got several hours in with a break at Pizza Ranch for lunch, highlighted by a celebrity sighting--the bass player from "Chapter" a semi-local band they love. DS2 even mustered up the courage to talk to this guy, who just happens to work at Pizza Ranch. Who knew.



I spent the day basking in the sun (inside the car, out of the breeze), crocheting Christmas gifts. Quite pleasant. Plus it was nice to spend time with these guys--they can be pretty funny, and they look WAY COOL with their ollies and whatnot. . . .still don't know the skating jargon, and I certainly can't spell it.

Today's Praises

• Unbelieveably beautiful fall weather
• Curried Cauliflower--yum, yum
• Keepin' up with the laundry--it makes me smile to think that's a blessing!

Harvest Time

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This is the time of year to make THE BEST COLESLAW, or some of you may just consider this cabbage salad. DH & I love this; the boys hate when I make the dressing because it stinks (you'll see why). This cabbage is supposed to keep 1 week, but it never lasts that long.




One Week Coleslaw (serves 8-10)
adapted from The Frugal Gourmet's Whole Family Cookbook

• 2 1/2 lb head of green cabbage, shredded*
• 1 cup shredded carrots, green pepper, onions, whatever veggies you like

Dressing

• 2 Tbl sugar
• 2/3 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tsp celery seed, whole
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• 1 tsp salt

In a small stainless-steel saucepan, add the dressing ingredients togther; heat to a boil (this is the stinky part) and simmer 2 mins. Allow to cool. Pour over veggies, along with about 1/2 cup olive/veggie oil. Toss. Salt & pepper to taste. Chill a couple hours before serving.

*I often use the bagged coleslaw mix. This recipe is also easy to divide and just make 1 lb's worth.

This is a great potluck dish. DH & I will also eat it during the week for lunches with cheese & crackers or tuna or whatever. It's nice with sunflower seeds sprinkled on top, too.

Hope you enjoy this!

Today's Praises

• Frost = less kleenex
• a Tuesday night WITHOUT meetings

BOO!

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Or maybe that should be "Caw! Caw!"
I never thought I'd ever go through a haunted house, not at 49 & 11/12, but our church youth group wanted to go. Susan (the other leader) and I were just going to stand outside, waiting patiently . . . .

Then this clown with green skin ran up and pounded on the car windows. The girls screamed. Emily wouldn't go unless I went. So I bought tickets, we went through the door, and a zombie popped out of a trap door. The girls screamed. . . . and went back to the car. I was already commited.

I did appreciate DS2 holding my hand the entire way (he's quite gallant). And it really helped that the girl in front of me screamed each time something scary happened, so I knew when something was coming. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks . . . .

Today's Praises

• A new-found appreciation for teenagers
• More lovely fall weather
• key lime vanilla chip cookies, courtesy of the choir fundraiser

Today's Praise

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Thou that hast given so much to me,

Give one thing more, a grateful heart.

Not thankful when it pleaseth me,

As if they blessings had spare days;

But such a heart, whose pulse may be thy praise.

~ George Herbert

 I'm grateful today for awesome kids, both at home and at church.  Sometimes it is so easy to be cynical about teenagers (or maybe we are just embarrassed remembering our own teenage attitudes), but I have really enjoyed time yesterday and today with these guys. Our youth group hosted fellowship today, brought yummy treats and were just plain pleasant to be around. Tonight: we go to the Haunted House, somewhere I would not have gone on my own. My thanks for this fellowship!

Zzzzzz

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That's what I need before I post about today's road trip. All I can say is I wish I could skateboard.
XXOO

No Time to Stop & Talk

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Well, for my 101st post, I have no time to stop and talk . . . my day off was full of errands and driving to and fro . . . I was so hoping to sew this afternoon, but I was only home about 15 mins.

However, my brain has been busy planning a variety of projects. Aside from seriously finishing some WIPS and starting some swap postcards, I think this will be the year of crochet for gifts. I would sorta prefer to sew, but that takes time and concentration and space.

We'll see how it goes tomorrow when I spend the day watching 3 fifteen year old boys skateboard at the "best" skateboard park in the area--90 miles away. Part of DS#2's birthday. I figure I can make at least 2 hats and 3 dishcloths unless I decide to take a nap in the beautiful fall sunshine ;-)

Today's Praises

• Actually enjoying scoping out possible cars to replace Ginger
• Beautiful weather for the last X-C meet
• Pumpkin spice latte and lunch with a new friend

Thoughtful Thursday

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from The First Importance

    What the gospel rests on

 “Do you require yourself to remember? In order to live as you can and should, you first must remember who you are and what you’ve been given.”

- Paul David Tripp, Twitter post

W.I.P.

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Well, not work-in-progress, more like work-in-brain. However, I AM going to sew Friday afternoon no matter what. I'm in a fabric postcard swap (Christmas or Winter), and I have an idea for a table runner.

Today's Praises

• Gorgeous sunshine!
• Busy time = not boring :)
• Split pea soup & grilled cheese for supper

R.I.P.

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Rest in peace, Ginger.
Ginger is was our '97 Escort, 235,000 miles plus (nearly to the moon!) and 12 years in our household.
Fortunately, DS#1 is unharmed and brimming over with lessons learned.
Fortunately, it was a one-car accident.




Today's Praises

• All in our household are safe
• All in our household are humble (!)
• Ginger served us well & protected my boy