Pretty Prairie Rose Dress

At this point, I've decided not to totally abandon my blog. But I do need to exercise some self control and get more things done then just sitting at my computer.

I decided to show you what I finished today. It is a pretty prairie dress with little pink roses for my daughter. It reminds me of a brown dress with roses that Laura Ingles Wilder said she wore in one of her books, but I can't remember which book it was in. The dress turned out wonderfull, but unfortunately this one has taken me so long to make that the bodice in the shoulder and arm area are too tight to move comfortably. Emily Rose has grown quite a bit over the summer, and alas not much fits her anymore. I'm going to see if I can make some adjustments in the seams to give her more room, but I'm afraid I may have been too confident in zig zagging edges and cutting off extra seams, so I don't know what I'll be able to get away with. If it isn't going to work, I may put it up for sale. Do any of you have a girl who needs such a dress? (24 inch bust.)

I did get Emily Rose into the dress and outside in the sunshine for a few photos. She clearly enjoys it in spite of the restrictions.



Here is a close up of the fabric, buttons and sleeve.

Small Town Living

I just learned about a free online magazine that I think some of you might also enjoy. It is called Small Town Living. It is about living a simpiler life in small town America, with a wide range of topics. I have skimmed the most current issue and look forward to downloading more. You can click on the issue you wish to read, and then download a pdf version to your computer to read.

A Thoughtful Pause

I am in a valley of decision about my blog. I am glad I've learned about blogging. "Blog" is no longer a strange word to me. I have enjoyed writing about the daily things in my life. I have been inspired by other women's blogs. But now it is clear I am spending too much time on my computer, and I'm not happy about that. I'm also not sure, if I were to keep writing a blog, what the content of my blog should be. I feel it should be so much more then just the reporting of all that is new or cute or fun at our house. I love things of beauty, but so much of this world is going to pass away. If I should take the time to write, I am feeling impressed that it should be uplifting, enlightening, encouraging, inspiring, leading my reader to God. But I'm not sure how to do that. So I'm thinking about it and praying about it while I take a break from blogging. There have been several things I could have written about this week, but I didn't feel they are not worthy of the time it would take away from other things. I'll let you know when I know when I am more clear about how God would desire for me to spend my time.

Thank you to my faithful readers for their patience and prayers.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth Joy

Birthday Tea for my Friends

My friend Julie and I set up a birthday tea for our two friends, Sandy and Sunny. Linda came to join us too. We choose a fall theme, and I really enjoyed it. Each person got to choose from an assortment of teas. We served fall fruits, melon balls made by Emily Rose, grapes and fresh plums from the tree. We also had raisin sunflower balls made by a nearby bakery, Snikerdoodles from the store, and coconut date balls made by Emily Rose. Everything was gluten and dairy free and delicious. Everyone enjoyed the party so much. I hope we can find a reason to have another one soon.

Sew Crafty Friday - apron and bag

This was a busy week, but I still fit in some sewing, because two of my dear friends were having a birthday, and I wanted to give them something special.


Sandy decorates her kitchen with strawberries, so I wanted to make her a strawberry apron. I copied an apron that I have and came up with this pretty apron. I was happy with how the red bias tape accented the center panel and the pockets, which I made deeper and roomier then the ones in the original apron. It only took one yard of fabric.


Sunny loves her kitties. One of her kitties was recently laid to rest due disease. It was very heartbreaking to see him sick. I wanted to make her a special kitty bag. I have been reading a blog by Tiny Happy, who makes wonderful hand crafted items. I got the idea for the design of the bag from her.
I lined the inside of the bag with another fabric and sewed in a deep pocket to hold treasures.

If you have been sewing or crafting this week, be sure to include some photos in your blog. Then go to Shereen's blog and include your name on the list of those who are participating in Sew Crafty Friday this week.

Kayaking

This week has been going so fast. I haven't had time to stop and write about it. Since I wrote last, we have spend a weekend up at a church camp with my husband's co-workers. It was a time of refreshment in the lovely fall weather. There was heartfelt singing. Various faculty members shared the touching testimonies of God in their life during worship services. The afternoons were free for us to enjoy as we pleased. A friend and I sat out on the lawn and had a wonderful talk in the sunshine. My husband took the children over to the canoe dock. There were some little Kayaks there. Forest jumped in one and took off paddling as naturally as if he had done it all his life. My husband was a little worried, that I might not like him going off into the lake by himself, so he called me on the radio so I could come over and see what was going on. For some reason I wasn't worried though when I saw how he was handling his little boat. He had on a life jacket, and he can swim now. He was by the shore when I got there, and I called to him, expected him to want me to see what he was doing, but he didn't give me more then a glance, he was so absorbed in his new found skill. I am really proud of my big boy.On Sunday morning after breakfast and loading up the car, we took the kids back out to the lake for one more paddle. I had never kayaked before, but thought that if Forest could do it, so could I. So I squeezed myself into one of the little boats since I'm not that much bigger then some kids and gave it a try. Oh may, it was fun and not scary at all! I really enjoyed my time on the water. I did get all wet from the dripping paddle, so I think that next time I might wear some rain pants so I can stay dry. Emily Rose finally came out when she saw Mama having fun, but I think she still likes horseback riding better.

Sew Crafty Friday - Alaska Quilt

I am so excited to show you the quilt I've been working on for three years! I started on it just after we made a six week trip to Alaska, so I call it my Alaska quilt. It is a wall quilt size, maybe around 3 by 4 feet. I got the original pattern and some of the fabrics at a garage sale. I chose a few other fabrics and put it all together, using some iron on stuff to hold on the appliqués. Then I blanket stitched around each applique. The part that took me so long was hand quilting the whole thing. I don't have much time at home to hand quilt. I've taken it with me all kinds of places. I sit and quilt while the kids are at swimming lessons or other kinds of places I have to wait for them. I've quilted on long car trips. It was really fun to finish the quilting and trim off the extra batting and backing. I can't believe I've really accomplished this much. Now all I have to do is cut some binding and stitch it on. And that won't take me too long, once I've chosen some fabric for it. Many family members have wanted it, but I think it is going to get a place of honor on my newly painted walls, where the color fits in perfectly.



You can see more of what people have done for Sew Crafty Friday at http://w8ng4him.blogspot.com/. It's fun. Maybe next week you can show what you have been working on.

Would I buy this today?

We have a terrible time at our house getting rid of unneeded items that take up space and clutter up the house. Both my husband and I are descendants of keepers. If we didn't have a determination to live differently, we too would be piled under with items that we wouldn't be able to find when we finally needed it someday. To help stem the tide of clutter, we had a garage sale yesterday. It was a lot of work, but it gave me the motivation to sort through some cupboards and figure out what we didn't really need. I didn't have enough time to clean everything as completely as I would have liked, but quite a few boxes and bags made it out of the house.

The sale went well. Many customers came by and went away with something they could use. All the while though I wondered what I would do with the things they didn't buy. I was concerned that the remains would make their way back to the house.

I was tired when things were done, but knew I'd better get things cleaned up right away. I started putting things in boxes wondering if I should keep items or not. Then the perfect question came to mind to help me. If I were shopping at a garage sale myself and saw this item (and I didn't have one already), would I buy it today? I was so excited because I could say no on almost every item. It helped me to know that I did not need those items! I felt freed. And I think this simple question is going to help me de-clutter even more around the house.

Almost everything left from the sale is going to be donated to a second hand store, where the right person will be sure to find it, although they will have to pay much more then they would have had to pay at my garage sale.

A Pleasant and Comfortable Place

"The glow of the sunset was shining through the front door of the cabin. There was Ma in her brown calico dress and blue apron, busy at her spinning wheel. Jim was sitting on a a log stool at her feet while Ma taught him his A B C's. Sally, on another stool, was busy with her patchwork and singing softly as she worked."

"That morning Tom had been too much excited to notice what a pleasant and comfortable place the cabin really was. There was a big room and a little room, with a door in the wall between. The rest of the wall was taken up with the great fireplace made of cobblestones plastered together." Taken from Singing Wheels - The Alice and Jerry Books. 1950 edition, page 83 - 84

This morning I started reading in this book as it was lying by my place at the breakfast table. I remember these books being around when I was a kid, and must have read some of them, because I was thrilled when I found this copy at a garage sale. It is a reader, but it is written like a chapter book about a boy’s adventures on the frontier.

Something special struck me about this story though, as I was reading the description of their home and what they were doing. Scenes like the one written above warm my heart and make me long for simpler days. Then I looked at the picture that went with the story and wanted to be there. What is it about stories like this that are so wonderful? I looked closely at the picture, then saw how uncomfortable their chairs might be, how plain the walls, how cold the floor. The house was not up to modern comfort levels, yet it sounded so wonderful.

They had so little but they seemed to appreciate it, and they also seemed to really enjoy being together. Maybe that is the difference. Maybe it is all in how I think about something. I wonder if there are some “pleasant and comfortable” things about my own home that I am just not noticing. Maybe I spend too much time thinking about what is not quite right and overlooking all the things that are wonderful. Maybe like the boy Tom in the story I’m just too “excited” or busy every morning to see the beautiful story of our life. I wonder how an Emily Rose and Forest storybook would read, if I took the time to write it. Maybe there are things of beauty closer then I realize, if I would just open my eyes.

“The warm evening light poured through the blinds into the tidy living room. Mama was wearing a comfortable brown skirt and her pretty red, white and blue apron while busily typing an entry for her blog. Emily Rose sat beside her searching online for better instructions on how to build a three wheeled cart, with the parts she already has. Forest was looking at a picture book about animals, while Father tried to find bugs in his software program. Quiet music played softly in the background. Everyone was happy to be home, and happy to be together.”

“Earlier that day Mama was too consumed with her morning responsibilities to notice what a pleasant and comfortable place her home really was. There was padded seats for everyone, colorfully painted walls, pictures and photographs and pretty shelves with lovely things upon which to rest the eyes. There was a 100 year old piano with keys that still made lovely music if you cared to sit on it’s bench. Quilts and soft fleece blankets graced the arms of the couch…” - The Story of Emily Rose and Forest, a book not yet written

How would your story read? Of course, I didn't write about the whining that happened about cleaning up the kitchen, or the mess of dirt and shoes by the front door, or the kid's frustrated outbursts during school. The writer of the Alice and Jerry Books didn't either. But I think she is on to something. Sure we are a real family. So were the families living in cabins on the frontier of America. Books about them often leave out the harder realities of living without any conveniences. But they do write about the joys of living then, the special times, the funny stories, the things that make life worth living. And those are the things I want to think about, the things that make home "a pleasant and comfortable place to be."

First Day of School 2007

We started our school year yesterday with pictures by the schoolhouse door.Emily Rose is in 5th grade this year. She was reluctant to start, but confessed later in the evening that school was fun after all. She is so good with words, reading them, spelling them and using them.

Forest is in 2nd grade. It is clear he has progressed so much since the beginning of last year. He learned enough last year and matured so much over the summer that we can really take off now and learn and do lots of things. His mind is hungry for more information, and we are going to try to fill it. I think he is going to thrive in science and history.

My kids are so much fun. They made me promise to take a funny picture of them too if I took pictures of them by themselves. It is a blessing to be able to able to work with them and teach them every day. My prayer for them is that they will grow as Jesus did, "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man."

Rising Golden Light

Last week the sun rose in the east with golden light playing among the clouds.

Two days later the moon rose in almost the same place filled with a brilliant golden glow.

"But for you
who revere my name,
the Sun of Righteousness
will rise
with healing in its wings.
And you will
go out and leap
like calves released from the stall."
Malachi 4:2

"Submit to God and be at peace with Him;
in this way prosperity will come to you.
Accept instruction from His mouth
and lay up His words in your heart.
If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored;
If you remove wickedness far from your tent
and assign your nuggets to the dust,
your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines,
then the Almighty will be your gold,
and the choicest silver for you."
Job 23:21-25

Remodeling Assignments

I have been busy the last few days with no time to blog. Last week I remodeled our main bathroom in the house. It is a tiny one, but it has taken a lot of work. I put in new flooring, and repainted. I've ordered a new light and have a curtain to make before I am done. I'll tell you more about it when it is closer to being completely finished.

I've also been working making lesson plans for my 5th grader. I am going to try having her assignments listed on the computer, which she can check off when she is finished. I found some free software at www.macupdate.com for Macs which looks like it is going to work real well. It is called Schoolhouse 2. It looks like it was made for high school or college students to record their assignments. But I think it is going to work really well for us too. I would like it to be able to have more then one students assignments on there, but at the moment, I don't need my son's assignments as carefully recorded. My daughter can check a box when the assignment is finished and it will line it out for her. There are numerous different ways to view an assignment. I can add a grade if I wish. I think it is going to be fun. I've just finished typing in her assignments for the next 1 - 2 months. I am hoping this will free me up to give my 2nd grade son some more focused attention with his schoolwork. We will be starting school tomorrow.

Horses

When we went to Grammy and Poppy's house to get peaches, the fun was not just limited to stuffing peaches in freezer bags. Grammy has horses. Emily Rose got to go out for a trail ride behind Grammy on her beautiful horse Chief. Grammy didn't realize that Grandma Faith had been teaching Emily a few things about horses too.


So when they got back to the corral, Emily got to show Grammy what she could do. She rode Chief around in the fenced area for quite a while and did a real good job. Next time we are at Grammy's Emily will get some more lessons.

Forest wanted to go out looking for little critters, so Poppy took him for a hike. They found two live rattlesnakes they named Timmy and Jimmy. They found the skin that Timmy had recently crawled out of, so that came home with us, and Timmy stayed at his home. They found a mama cricket full of eggs, along with other things that I don't recall.

Grammy and Poppy have a young horse named Bucky that they have been working with. He was ready to have a person sit on his back for the first time. Since Forest is the lightest kid available, he got to have the first try. Poppy stayed with him the whole time, and Bucky did really well. They gave him a treat, and practiced getting on and off several times. Then Emily Rose got a turn. Bucky did so well. It is clear that he is going to be an excellent horse.

A Good Vantage Point

This beautiful bird came and landed on my husband's amateur radio tower last week. I think it is an osprey. (Tell me if I'm wrong.) I've never seen one here before. He must have been on his way to somewhere and found the tower to be a good vantage point. There are no fish to catch here, but there are lots of mice and other rodents.

Looking at these pictures, I think my husband must have climbed the tower a ways to get such good photos of this fine bird in the evening light. It is a long ways up there. Do you see the bird on the lowest vertical beam of the antenna?

Sew Crafty Friday - Berry Cute Apron

I didn't think I would have time to sew today, but it turned out that I did. My daughter's favorite overalls started to have some irreparable mechanical difficulties. So I cut off the bib, and sewed on a skirt and ties to make it into an apron for her. It didn't take too long, and turned out real cute. The fabric is of strawberries, blueberries, blossoms and butterflies. It came out of my stash. My husband says if I were to make an under dress in a coordinating color, it would work as a real nice pinafore.

We are going to make some bags out of the legs of the overalls and a little purse out of the back pockets. I love the idea of remaking old clothes. I have remade a couple large skirts from the second hand store into smaller ones that fit me. But I've never made one clothing item into so many interesting new things before. It is so neat when things don't go to waste.

Rosemary Potatoes

Do you have any Rosemary growing in your garden? Have you wondered what to do with it. I picked some recently and the smell was so delicious I knew I had to make some Rosemary Potatoes. We have learned it is delicious even with no free oil added.

It is really easy to make. No exact proportions are needed.

Cut up some potatoes into a baking dish. I like to use the thin skinned type of potatoes such as Yukon Golds or Red Potatoes. It is fun to use those tiny little boiling potatoes that come in a bag, but they are very expensive, and don't taste any better. So I stick with regular sized potatoes cut into cubes. Cut some onion into large chunks and scatter it on top of the potatoes. Use a lot (unless you don't like onions) because it give such a nice flavor. Get a head of garlic, separate the cloves, and them smash each one with a large chef knife. This firm action smashes them just a little bit to release flavor, and loosen the skin. The skin comes off easily now. Scatter the garlic cloves over the potatoes. Lay 3 - 4 sprigs of rosemary on top. Pour in just enough water to cover the bottom of the dish. The put on the lid or cover with foil. My 9 x 13 inch dish full of potatoes took 1 hour to bake at 400 degrees.

When the potatoes are soft, lovely smells with be wafting through the house drawing in your hungry family. Serve the potatoes with a pitcher of cashew gravy , then you don't need any margarine or butter. Complete the meal with a huge Romaine and Vegetable salad, and a bowl of barely cooked (frozen) green peas. Yum!

Dry Falls

It was a gorgeous summer morning when we drove past Dry Falls, Washington last week. It is a really interesting place believed to be formed when a huge amount of ice melted, water backed up behind an ice dam, and then when the dam broke, water flowed forcefully everywhere, including through this dry falls and canyon.

There were people in canoes and kayaks down in the water. I'm not sure how they got there. They looked like tiny dots from up at the view point. Maybe we will have to try doing that sometime.

The New Look

Sorry it has taken me so long to get pictures of my newly painted walls up for you to see. I am really happy with it for the most part. There is one section that I may change to the lightest color. And I still have all the trim by the front door to paint, including a stair railing. Then I should paint down the stairs and in the downstairs hall. But that might have to wait until the weather gets a little colder. Right now there are so many things to do that are desperately needing my attention. The before picture for the wall is here.

After I painted my walls and got things back together, my friend called me to come get peaches from her trees. She worked with me and by yesterday afternoon there were 98 new quart bags of tree ripened peaches in my freezer. I am so happy because that means we can have peaches at least twice a week in our smoothies. And they will be sweet and worth eating, since they were picked ripe.


In this picture you can see the brown wall, one of the peach walls, and a touch of the purple in the kitchen. The shades on the windows are a gray and beige mixture. So I would like to make some new valences to hide them just a bit. They are in good condition, and I just can't justify buying new ones. It would be too expensive, because I would need them for three large windows and two sliding patio doors.

Cormorant Condo

Near Lopez Island in the San Juan Islands, WA

These lovely red condos come with a fresh sea breeze and a view worth living for. They come with the music of the wind and waves and the call of sea birds flying by. The current flowing by moves an apparatus underneath which makes some chimes ring to warn fog bound ships of the condo's location. There are eight units available, each with private access and landing pad. The demand is high, so send in your application right away so that you can fly on in the next time there is a unit available.

Fresh Cucumber Tomato Salad

Here is another recipe that I'm making with the produce from my garden. Cucumber salad is delicious all through the year, but is best when the tomatoes and cucumbers are straight out of the garden. It is a nice cooling side for a spicy curry.

Fresh Cucumber Tomato Salad

2 - 3 cucumbers, diced or sliced
3 - 4 tomatoes, chopped or wedged
1 medium sweet onion diced
the juice from one fresh lime (or lemon)*
1 tsp. salt

Mix. Taste. Add more lime or salt if needed. Serve right away.

*Fresh lime or lemon juice is so much more delicious then the preserved stuff in a bottle. Really. Do a taste test. They are not the same thing. And the fresh juice doesn't have added chemicals.

Super Squash Curry

Did you know that my favorite food is Thai food? Because the weather in Thailand is hot, I often think of curry when the weather gets hot. I lived there long enough to really get it into my system. I've got Thai basil growing in my garden and it is just begging to be made into something delicious. My favorite use of Thai basil is in Squash Curry. You have just got to try it. And if you don't have any Thai basil, don't worry. It tastes fantastic without it.

Super Squash Curry

1 can coconut milk
1 can water
1 - 3 tsp of Thai Kitchen green or red curry paste (I used 3 tsp. green paste and don't think it's too spicy) *
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 - 2 onions, peeled in large chucks
1/2 large red pepper (optional but adds nice taste and color)
1 - 2 cups frozen green peas (optional, but I miss them if I don't have any)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (important)
1 - 2 handfuls of leaves of Thai basil (optional)
1 - 2 tsp. salt to taste

Cooked Rice.**

Pour about half of the can of coconut milk into a soup pan on medium high. If part of the coconut milk is solid, use the solid half. Add 1 - 3 tsp of curry paste and stir until it is bubbly and smells really good. Add the onions and the squash, the remaining coconut milk and about a can full of water. Use the coconut milk can to measure. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the squash is tender. It might take around 20 minutes, depending on how big your chunks are. As soon as it is soft add any of the remaining ingredients that you have

*A note about the curry paste. Any Thai curry paste will do, but not all curry pastes are equal. I have tried quite a few. Most will do if you don't care about what is in the curry paste. Read the label. Many have shrimp or some other sea creature which I have no desire to eat. Some add MSG, but call it "spices." I was about to give up buying curry paste and just make my own. It isn't hard to make. But then I found the Thai Kitchen brand. It is vegan and gluten free and delicious! You can find it in heath minded stores such as Wild Oats, Whole Foods, and Huckleberries. My favorite is the green curry paste which has a few spices found in Indian foods. The red is very good too. I use the red in potato curries quite often.

**I really like Jasmine rice, but because of it's low nutrition content, I have switched to brown rice. My favorite is organic short brown rice. I really think that the organic rice tastes better, and the short brown rice cooks up tender and soft, easy to eat.

Bean Pesto

The Basil in my yard is growing fast. It is time to eat it every day if possible. Here is one of my favorite recipes for basil. It is dairy free, and doesn't contain pine nuts. It is a delicious addition to Raw Spaghetti. My recipe is here. And Raw Spaghetti is a great way to use all the big zucchinis growing in your garden.

Bean Pesto

1 1/2 cups (1 can) great northern beans, rinsed well and drained
1 cup fresh basil
1-2 cloves garlic
2 tsp. nutritional yeast
1 tsp. fresh lemon or lime juice
2 Tbsp. raw pumpkin seeds
salt to taste (optional)

Blend and serve.

What Kind of Flower are You?

A blogging friend told me about this flower quiz and I gave it a try. Which flower are you? It is fun to see if they are right.

You Are A Lily

You are a nurturer and all around natural therapist. People see you as their rock. And they are able to depend on you. You are a soothing influence. You can make people feel better with a few words. Your caring has more of an impact than even you realize.

What Flower Are You?

Garden Produce

Yesterday while I was painting the garden was growing produce. I knew it needed picked yesterday, but didn't know just how badly it did. There is still painting to do today, but I made the garden number one on the to do list. I was excited to pick so many of the large tomatoes because that means I can start freezing them. We ate every peach off of the peach tree without freezing one, so I bought four boxes to freeze. They should be ready tomorrow. My to do list is getting long.
Emily Rose came out with the camera and caught me picking basil. I wasn't going to show it to you, but decided that you might like to see my successful tomato picking garb. I wear long pants and a long sleeve shirt that my husband doesn't like to wear, buttoned to the the top, and at the sleeves. Garden gloves would cover my hands, but I can't feel the tomatoes very well through the thickness. Usually I go without gloves, and then itch for quite a while afterward.

Today I grabbed a pair of the vinyl gloves that I use to protect my hands when painting. Success! They were perfect for picking tomatoes. I could feel the tomatoes, and yet, when I was all done, I wasn't itching anywhere! I'm going to keep a box of those gloves by my garden shoes from now on.

Focus on the Lamb

Sunset at Rosario, WA

I have been thinking much about worship with my children lately. It seems there is precious little time to teach them about Jesus. Soon they will be grown. I've let so many chances to pass when I could have led my children in worship. I get so busy doing things and thinking about things. And when I do make time for worship, the question of what to do or say weighs heavy. It seems there are so many books, songs, and activities you can do on a spiritual topics. What should I choose? Am I choosing the best?

I shared my thoughts with a respected friend who has college age children. Her experience, wisdom and living walk with Jesus means so much to me. She was able to simplify things in such a meaningful way.

She reminded me of the Hebrew system of worship when they were out in the desert with Moses. Morning and evening they would gather, and the whole focus was on the Lamb.

And isn't that the way it should be? Morning and evening coming together to thank the Lamb of God, Jesus, for dying for our sins?

Enter His gates with thanksgiving
and His courts with praise;
give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For the Lord is good and His love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations."

Psalm 100:4-5

New Couches, New Colors

When I wrote about our old couch this morning, I intended to photograph the new couches and include them in my post. But then I accidentally pushed the publish button before I intended to. Then I found my camera batteries ran out just when I needed them and no new ones were in the charger. The pictures are a little delayed, but here they are.
Here is the couch I bought a couple years ago. It has been moved into the spot held by the old couch and looks very lovely there.

And here are the new/used couches I just brought home this week. (Can you believe that they wanted to sell them after just one year? There is nothing wrong with them. They decided that they would rather have leather.) They are in our family room, which is connected to the kitchen, making one big airy room. Some of you may remember my purple kitchen. When I stand at the sink, which is in an island, with the purple wall behind me, this is what I see. You can see the purple wall on my old blog here.

The reason I'm telling you about this is I bought paint today so I can update the room. The white walls have been there ever since we moved to this house. I've been hoping for time to put some color on them. I feel a little daring, and I hope I'm not making a mistake. But I do know if I don't like it, that I tried, and I can go choose a better color. My friend reminded me this morning that it is just paint.


I am hoping to put the warm cinnamon brown/burnt Sienna color on the wall you see behind the new couches, and on the small wall you don't see, to the right. The peachy color will go on the wall to the left which includes the wall with the grape table cloth and curtains in my other blog. The lightest color will go on the ceiling, and the next to lightest color will go on some other white walls in the hall etc. I'll try to remember to photograph it when I'm finished. I can't wait to see if I like it. I hope it won't be too shocking for friends who prefer safe pale colors.

Out with the Old! In with the New!

I think we could have won the ugliest couch contest with this fine piece of furniture. But it is too late now, because it has gone out the door and will never be allowed in the house again. This is how it looked when my husband bought long before we were married. And this is how it looked when we got married. Because it was the only couch we owned between us, it stayed. It did have some nice features about it. It was long enough for my husband to stretch out on a take a nap. It did give a comfortable nap. It was also a couch I did not worry about at all. I let the kids play on it, eat on it, roll on it and drag the cushions around to make forts.


After a while I was ready for a new couch though my husband wasn't. So we compromised, and I bought a slip cover and some pillows. That helped tremendously! My eyes could rest too. We kept the couch another 5 or 6 years. We moved to a bigger house. I did buy another couch because we had a living room and family room now. But the old couch stayed. It was still loved by my husband.

It may have left sooner, but I had another problem. I find furniture stores so overwhelming. There are so many things to choose from, but they don't usually have something that I like, at least at the price I am willing to pay. I have gathered my courage numerous times, gone to the furniture store, and then went back home, not one step closer to figuring out what I wanted.

Then I bought a recliner at a garage sale. I came to love the chair. So did my husband. Sometimes we would try to sit in it together. We have even tried to add the two kids to the pile for story time togetherness. It was at those moments that I came to long for a double reclining love seat. But I knew they were way too expensive. Then at the first of July we visited friends. I sat in their new reclining love seat, and knew it was just what I wanted, down to the fabric and color. I dreaded going shopping, but finally knew what I was going to be searching for.

Last Friday I checked the classified ads in the paper and found what I thought I was looking for. The lady let me come over to see, and it was. I didn't even have to go to a furniture store. She had two double reclining pieces. One love seat size and the other was couch size. They are beige in color with microfiber suede fabric. And they were only one year old from a non-smoking home without pets. They are so comfortable and look so nice! And now all four of us can snuggle up for story time, and the grown ups get to have their feet up too.

Perfect Peaches

Back on March 30, 2007 I posted a picture of our peach tree. You can see it here at my former blog site. I was concerned that a frost that night might keep us from an abundant harvest. Well, instead of a decreased harvest, we have had our best harvest ever! The Red Haven Peaches are sweet and wonderful, straight off the tree, with no pesticides sprayed on them! I don't think there are any better peaches around. I'm really thankful for our little tree and look forward to when we have enough trees producing to freeze our own peaches too.

Garden Richness

The rest of the garden is doing well, though nothing compares to the tomatoes. I've got two kinds of basil, Italian basil (front right), and Thai basil (front left), a second crop of broccoli (right), kale (left) and leeks in the far back.
The cabbage is looking lovely and growing large. Beside it are some potatoes, and stevia. There are eggplants and several kinds of peppers in another bed.


In this abundant bed there are two kinds of cucumbers in the front and New Zealand spinach that self seeds from year to year in the back.