Giving A Shout Out – “Hey Charlie”

This post is dedicated to my eldest brother whom I love.    We’ve been friends most of our lives.  I say “most”, because he is older. 

One of my favorite memories…when I was born, Charlie wanted to name me Gene Autry after the singing cowboy.   Mom vetoed that idea…later we decided she could have named me Jean Audrey. 

It was good talking to you Christmas day…I wish you and Lee  had been here.

My brother Charlie and his wife Lee.

I miss you every day…and love you more.

Until next time…

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.  Proverbs 18:24

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Happy Fourth Of July

Thank you to the men and women who have secured and continue to ensure the freedom we have enjoyed in the United States of America. That precious freedom is slipping through our hands. Our ancestor’s gift of freedom is in jeopardy of being forfeited and fought for in vain.  The enemy is within.  The solution is simple.

There is no freedom greater than that found in Jesus Christ.

Until next time…

Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.  Romans 8:21

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A Little Making

It’s Saturday morning and after a couple of days of feeling under the weather I woke up determined to get some much-needed things done around the house.  (My kitchen looks like transient bachelors cooked in it while I was feeling unwell and took off without cleaning their mess.)  It only took a few deep breaths to realize that my early morning conviction probably wouldn’t thrive for long.  Just a few deep breaths revealed difficulty breathing and painful lungs when I inhale.  My self-diagnosis is pleurisy.  Bronchitis is probable within the next day or so…spring’s prompting of pollen production has caught up with me.   What a drag!   Still I will endeavor to get our house in order. 

After working in the kitchen for a little while I decided I’d earned a break.  Instead of retreating to the couch I picked up a project in progress and completed it.   Surely that counts toward my goal of getting something done today. 

The project I worked on  this morning is part of a package I need to get together and sent to my nephew’s family.  He is in Iraq serving our country, and they are in Turkey waiting for his return. 

Meet Jeff…he’s a meteorologist in the Air Force.  He helps keep our men and women safe, and our family is proud of him.  

Jeff is married to Laurie…we’re proud of her, too.  She has accepted the calling of a military wife with grace and gives it her all.  They have two beautiful children.

Now that the introductions are over here is my completed project of the day.   On the left is a pillow for Addison featuring one of my favorite pictures of him with his super hero dad.  On the right is a “daddy doll” for Kendyl.  (This will be her second one…someone sent one to her anonymously before her dad deployed.)  Laurie told me ”two heads are better than one” applies to daddy dolls.   Two daddy dolls are better than one. 

I used  a thrifted, desert-camouflage uniform for the back of the pillow and doll.  Each has a pocket for keeping letters and any small treasure their daddy may send them. 

These are small tokens of my love for Jeff and Laurie and the kids and our pride in this precious military family.   The most important thing I do for them is pray for their safety and strength.    It is great comfort knowing each of them is in God’s care.

Even if I get nothing else done I feel like I’ve accomplished something significant today. 

Until next time…

Be a channel for God’s blessings, not a reservoir.  ~ unknown ~

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A Purplishous Day

A week or so ago my DH and I went Kansas to visit our Kansas kids.  We took two of our teen-aged grands with us and actually enjoyed the fifteen hours in a car with them.    That’s a real bonus when you really think about it.

Some time before our trip my son asked if I would make a twirly skirt for his daughter…our Lily.  Of course there was only one option.  Since three-year olds are easily delighted the skirt was a big hit.  I think she wore it three days in a row before we got it away from her to wash.  Lily requested another skirt and was very certain of the colors it should be…pink, purple, blue and yellow.  She will get it!  Here’s Lily modeling her new skirt…

A multi-media craft group I belong to on Yahoo has a challenge going on this week using anything purple.  Yesterday I put together this funky little chicken pincushion for the challenge.  It is made of felted wool from a thrifted sweater. The tail needs some work…After finishing this quirky little chick I decided the tail feathers should have been placed along the top back seam under the comb, but I’m thinking a button will provide the perfect little tail lift.    I can see making more of these just for the fun of it.

That’s all for this time.  I hope you enjoy your Saturday.  Green beans from our garden await my attention…it’s time to can.  I’m thankful for the plenty so I can can. 

Until next time…

Just One

One song can spark a moment
One flower can wake the dream
One tree can start a forest
One bird can herald spring
One smile begins a friendship
One handclasp lifts a soul
One star can guide a ship at sea
One word can frame the goal
One vote can change a nation
One sunbeam lights a room
One candle wipes out darkness
One laugh will conquer gloom
One step must start each journey
One word must start a prayer
One hope will raise our spirits
One touch can show you care
One voice can speak with wisdom
One heart can know what is true
One life can make a difference

~ unknown ~

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Life – Tea on Tuesday

This week’s tea theme is life brought to us by Pat of Ooglebloops.  Check out her second Tea Bag Swap.

When I think of “life” I think of the cycle…the beginning and the end.

Our family has been blessed abundantly with the birth of new, precious life.  My dear husband and I have 8 beautiful grandchildren (and a 9th who has not made his/her appearance) ranging from the ages of 15 to 23 months.  Each one has added a different and special “ingredient” to this time span we call life.

In descending order…grandchildren who’ve added joy and renewed youth to our lives…

All these beautiful grandchildren were blessings from God and my children and children in love.

Family is the nucleus of this life…the glue that binds us to something bigger than ourselves.  Through good times and bad family is family…life is in the blood.

My mother and dad not too long ago…before my dear dad got sick…and life began to wane.  It was their love that started this legacy of life over 60 years ago…

And the end of the cycle here on earth touches all of us at our appointed time…the end of that cycle began for this family when our dear dad died.

Dad’s was a life lived with honor.  Dad passed away on December 16, 2009.  He is greatly missed.

Life is a cycle…a never-ending cycle.  I know there are many belief systems, but my “life” post would not be complete without sharing my hope in life eternal…and hope that I will see my dad again.

Before I close, I’d like to share my Nathalie of An Artist’s Legacy tea bag swap send.  Thank you, Nathalie.  I’m enjoying it greatly. Nathalie’s send was creatively green.  She repurposed a canceled check and made her envelope from a brown paper lunch sack.  The stamp art was whimsical and made me smile.  I’m already enjoying the wonderful teas, and she shared truvia (a Stevia sweetener everyone should know about) with me which was oh so sweet of her.

And to top it off…a handwritten note.

As I compose this Life theme tea Tuesday, I’m sipping delicious Raspberry tea…one of the simple pleasures of this life.

Thank you for visiting.  For more Tea on Tuesday visit these fine blogs…

Kimmie – Home of Tea On Tuesday

Patty

Pat

Dianne

Christen

Chriss

Penny

Jean

Debs

Rosie

Meadow Lark Days

You’ll be glad you did.

Until next time…

When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses.  ~ Joyce Brothers ~

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Dreaming Of My California Grandbabies

See why?

Cool just drips off of them. 

Until next time…

You don’t choose your family.  They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.  ~ Desmond Tutu ~

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Timeless Love (pt 2)

Part 2 of “Timeless Love” is another embroidered baby quilt.  This one was made especially for Matthew, Vicky and Mark’s second son and father of their first grandson Ryan.  The quilt is being used by Ryan when he visits his paternal grandparent’s home. I’ve yet to see more than pictures of Ryan, because they live so far away, but knowing he will sometimes keep snug using the quilt I stitched for his daddy gives me a warm feeling.  That feeling is love.

The backing was another piece of the Levi cast-off.

Until next time…

A bed without a quilt is like a sky without stars.  ~ unknown ~

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Timeless Love (pt 1)

Over twenty-five years ago, my only sister and her husband started their family.  In honor of the birth of their first two children I made baby quilts to show my love for them and their babies.  Recently they became grandparents for the first time, and those quilts resurfaced after years of being carefully stowed away.  When I made them I did not have the foresight to take pictures of them, and my memory of them was vague.  My sister was kind enough to remedy that and sent pictures of each embroidered square and the finished quilts. My stitching was far from perfect, but my heart was in the right place.

Nicholas’ quilt…Vicky (my sister) sent me a piece of the wallpaper used in the nursery, and I sketched the characters.  The backing was a piece of plaid cotton discarded by the factory that made clothing for Levi Strauss.  In the 80′s they took loads of discontinued fabric to the local landfill and it was quickly claimed and repurposed.  (Repurposing is not a new concept at all.)  When the factory found local quilters and sewers salvaged the fabric they began incinerating it instead of sending it to the dump.

Matthew’s quilt coming soon…

Until next time…

Let all your things be done with charity. 1 Corinthians 16:14

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Family Time pt 3

Leader of the choir…our youngest grandboy.

in total awe…

high stepping…my nephews beautiful baby girl.

reminds me of a forrest imp…

Our Lily Belle…youngest granddaughter

grands light up my life…

in a hurry…

o what eyes…

our Rachel…my baby’s baby.  she cut her hair a while back….all by herself. 

Until next time…

Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. Ephesians 5:2

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NCAA College Football Images of the Decade 2000s 2000-2009

My nephew’s amazing shot…”The Hurdle”  (Knowshon Marino)

Daniel Shirey, I are so proud of you!

Until next time…

Nothing during the year is so impressively convincing as the vision Christmas brings of what this world would be if love became the daily practice of human beings. ~ Norman Vincent Peale ~

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