Time

Remember I posted this little sweater last year? I apologize for not taking the time to link the post. Time has a way of slipping right past me these days. 

Anyway, I said I would never make another one. I'm not a fan of intarsia knitting. However, the sweater has been well received and worn a lot and now that I've been away from the pattern for awhile I'm going to make another one in a bigger size.

I'll fuss later when I'm dealing with umpteen bobbins of yarn but I must say the end result is worth every stitch and time.

Add on requests for more booties and sweaters for upcoming fall and there's not enough time in the day. I must admit I do appreciate the requests. It means my knitting is not in vain.

The sewn hats were a bust. They're not as forgiving as handknits and only 2 of the 3 boys' hats fit. I have no idea if the girls' hats fit. In any event, I'm not going to take the time to fiddle with more sewn hats, I'm sticking with the knitting.
Tick-tock, tick-tock....time is counting down to next Christmas ;)

It's a fine thread

I had the urge to cast on another project. I have been once again smitten with the Girasole but didn't have enough yarn in the stash (imagine that one). I was hoping to hit the stash hard with an afghan project. I admit to placing an order for the yarn to knit the afghan but that just wasn't enough.

I could not get Girasole outta my mind so I dug in the stash and found oodles of laceweight and I cast on. It will grow up to be a shawl.

So I'm quite proud that I'm hitting the stash but let's face it, 2 skeins of lace weight yarn aren't even going to make a dent in the stash *sigh*

It's a fine thread in life...

It's a zoo

Recently I returned to social media and smacking my head on the computer asking myself why? Why? WHY? 

Then I got to thinking about it long and hard. In reality people are like animals in a zoo. They're caged behind their zoo (computer) just as zoo animals are caged. They roar, baaaa, snort, laugh etc to voice their opinions/thoughts and they know (unless it's family) no matter how much they voice themselves no one can actually get out of their cage to touch them. (family has its' own little dynamics...eyeroll) After some thought and a few chuckles I'm going to label a few of the social media zoo.

There are the elephants, they stomp thru the posts and rarely say anything but when they do they're heard LOUD and CLEAR.

I won't even address the donkey ;)

The chimpanzees 'play'. They post the funny quips and rarely take anything seriously and at times can be very annoying.

The lions and tigers lay peacefully until something gets their 'nanny goat' then they attack with all fours. BEWARE! 

The hyenas are just....well....laughing fools and if they post anything, one is usually sitting there wondering why? and then moves on shaking their head.

The kangaroos are moms. They post their children, their habits, food etc and only rile when someone says something about their 'joeys.'

The flamingo cautiously stands back and says nothing. It struggles with social media but is concerned if it didn't join it would be missing something.

The sheep are quiet. Once in a while they baaaa something. Unfortunately they are easily led astray and have a tendency to flip-flop. While at first their comments/posts seen coherent, it doesn't take long to realize they lack common sense. They quickly retreat if a lion/tiger/elephant appears.

The giraffe has many friends. Some are close but the rest are nothing but a source for him to 'stalk' their posts. It has a tendency to 'report' to others (usually the drama llamas who are it's closest friends). 

Then, last but not least....there are the llamas who are nothing but drama. They are easily riled and they seek immediate attention/revenge by 'spitting' posts/comments then turn their back to chuckle because they know they have intentionally hurt their intended victim. They're not to be trusted.

I often wonder, how did Noah deal with all those animals on the 'big boat'.

Whew! Lent has truly opened my eyes to people and social media. I have seen enough drama of family/friends/politics etc on social media to last a lifetime. I've watched families breakdown, friends part etc and it's truly sad that a typed post/comment can do so much damage (yes, some of it is intentional and for that, there is no excuse). This is a serious problem with social media, there is no voice or facial expression behind the words. Expressions and voices actually convey more meaningful messages whereas words on 'paper' can be misinterperted (same goes for text messages). One must ponder for a second before typing/posting/commenting...Would this hurt one of my facebook friend's feelings? Is this something I would say to a person's face? I'm outspoken so yes in fact, anything I post/comment would be said outloud in person. *shrug* It's who I am ;).

On the other hand, I have enjoyed meeting new friends and they have lightened my mood by a simple caring message/post/comment. I have also enjoyed a lot of laughs and it's definitely been a source of information for me to research (I'm not a sheep ;) )

Ultimately it is nothing but a web site designed by the owner to make millions based on advertising and log-ins. Like the hyena, he has the last laugh. 

Happy Happy Day

Yesterday was my MIL's birthday.  A wonderful loving and caring mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who turned the age of 88 yrs.

I have been truly blessed to have a mother-in-law in my life who not only accepted me into the family but also my sons and later our daughters when I married her son. She is a strong Christian woman who tells the truth whether one likes it or not, something her son aka DH inherited ;). Neither one would or could tell a lie.
Happy Birthday and God Bless JM, I know it's been a good one.

It's a Beautiful Morning

Just like the song, It's a Beautiful Morning by the Rascals, it truly is a beautiful sight in Appalachia this morning. Clothes are on the line and chores are almost complete.

Every day is a new day and we are grabbing them by the shirt tails. DH and I were discussing this morning how we thought every year could not possibly surpass the next but I 'gotta tell ya', our lives are complete. It has finally dawned on us that we are free to do whatever we choose. No worries of sitters etc. We did our stint...lol

 I cannot take credit for this beauty. Our oldest daughter crocheted this shawl. Her first time using a small hook and fingering weight. She announced she wants to knit socks. I'm so proud of her, I could burst at the seams.
See, here in Appalachia one learns to make anything and everything from scratch or with what is on hand. I must say our kids benefit from their Appalachian roots even if they try to ignore them because they're playing 'city life'. Interesting isn't it? The city folks bust their britches to live the country life and the country folks bust their britches trying to survive in the city.

I digress. 

All of our children (with the exception of one) was born with the creative gene. I remember my grandmother and great-grandmother embroidering beautiful quilts, pillowcases and crocheting intricate doilies. They gardened, canned, cooked wild game, baked, sewed, crocheted and knitted. All of those skills were needed to survive and they  were passed onto many of us. Unfortunately in this neck of the woods those skills are taken for granted and a few uppity folks (mainly a few I know from the city) posh those skills and we're still referred to as 'hicks'. Gotta say, I'd rather be a redneck hick than a city slicker.....lol...cos if Life takes a bad turn, we know how to survive and for that we are grateful and blessed.

I'm off to enjoy a cup of coffee and a beautiful day.

Clean up, clean up

Major renovation around here has forced me to clean up my living room knitting 'corner'....ahem...correction...corner meaning half of the living room area. I'm hanging my head in knitting shame. I counted 22 UFO's (for the non-knitting readers that translates to unfinished objects). Time to 'git er done'. 

First up I finished a pair of booties. The problem is when I finish something I believe that's a green light to start more projects. 

 I found this crochet shawl in cobweb laceweight yarn...yes, cobweb lace (eyeroll here). What was I thinking?

 Unfortunately I lack organization skills and failed to have most of the patterns with the UFO's. That required 3 hours of trying to dechipher the pattern. Somehow, someway I can (most of the time) figure it out, visualize the pattern and connect the two. Don't ask me how because if someone asked me anything other than knitting, I wouldn't have a clue.

Scrapbooking is next up to be organized. Recent events grabbed the family's attention on family photography and we made a vow to change it. There will be pictures of every family event and more. Easter was the start of the new and improved family photo sessions. Unfortunately my scrapbook supplies are every bit as 'organized' as my knitting.
This could get interesting...lol

Some things never change...

Hope everyone had a nice Easter, I know we did. Great family time and we're stuffed with ham, potatoes, pickled eggs, beets, salad and chocolate....lots and lots of chocolate. 

After a full day of church, laughter, food and fun we came home to this: an entire box of nails shredded on 'his' loveseat. All nails are accounted for but I have to wonder why? What on earth inspired Mr. Bettis to carry a box of nails from the kitchen to the living room and then shred the box? Is it because the Bunny failed to leave a basket? Or did he think he was helping his owner finish the renovation?

                                         Why Mr. B, why?  Inquiring minds wanna know

Some things never change and you can bet Mr. Bettis is one of those things.....*sigh*

Peace of Life

The past 2 1/2 months have been busy, sad and reflective. We have lost a family member and it's been a rough time here. A best friend of the hubby who also married my sister passed from this earthly life and was laid to rest on Good Friday. Gone too soon, we will never forget he was a wonderful friend, Navy veteran, husband, father and brother-in-law of 30 years. I want to thank each and every friend, our church family and those of our immediate family who have been there every step of the past difficult few months with their concerns, phone calls, heartfelt prayers, hugs and visits. We appreciate your love and support more than you know.

It's tough moving on but we will pull up our Appalachian bootstraps and overcome. DH and I have made conscious and deliberate decisions concerning our Life in the past few weeks. Everything will be given careful thought; every action, word, grudge etc will be weighed on the scale of: will it matter at the end of the day of Life. I encourage everyone to do the same. 

Life is much too short to be drawn into unproductive drama. 

The past 40 days of hiatus from social media for Lent has been enlightening for me. I have changed and the past few weeks' worth of blog posting has revealed some of that change. 

We will move on and spend the rest of our days enjoying our life together. At the end of the day, ultimately it is "just us" and for that we are blessed.

Life....realizing to forgive and forget is the most important rule of a peaceful life.

Tree of Life

It's been a tough winter in more ways than one. I am most grateful for the prayers and support of my friends. Without you (and you know who you are), the unsuspected card that Life threw our way would've been much more difficult. My heart is breaking for my family but joyful for the many blessings that have been bestowed. 

May each and every one of you be blessed.

Life...like branches of a tree, we may grow in different directions yet our roots remain the same

Stylin' and Profilin'

Hats. I adore hats. Big hats, little hats, vintage hats make me giddy. They're a classy accessory and yes it's important to find the hat that 'fits' y-o-u in style, size, color and fabric. I had a great-great Aunt Lee who was a hat maker. She owned a little store downtown and sold her wares along with some beautiful silk scarves and embroidered hankies. I vaguely recall going into town with my grandparents on a Saturday afternoon and visiting the store (I was about 5 yrs old). Thin boxes were stacked with hankies and scarves and my Aunt Lee would playfully put hats on me and then hold a round stand mirror to see the new accessory. 

 Nothing says class like a man in a hat. I do wish society would return to a classier dress style than the no-style- wear-what-you-want (including pjs) of today. Makes me cringe.

Previously thought for boys only, I saw a young girl sporting this same style and I liked it so my sewing machine was put to work. It's important to protect kids' (and adult) faces from the summer sun. I hope these fit the bill (hat bill, that is ;) ). They're certainly fun for the hat maker

                        Another little hat for a girl. A traditional summer style for anyone.

 The hats were shipped and yes, I used tracking considering our pony express postal service. They are to arrive by the weekend but a birdie informant has tweeted (I'm not referring to social media) the recipients are not home nor will they be home to receive them. Oh well....they'll either be forwarded or someone else will be sportin' these hats.
I say whoever receives them, wear them in style :D

Love Bears All Things

A visit with family yesterday reminded me of my favorite verse, Love Bears All Things (1 Cor. 13:7). 

Our nephew had a heart felt visit with my husband and I know the man-to-man talk was good for both of them. 

I will shush now and let the bears speak for themselves.

Bear-Bear and Just Bear here; We belong to Chem-girl and have been her life long companions since she was 6 months old (whew! That's a long time). We have enjoyed many tea parties, bicycle rides, suffered thru surgeries (foot and nose) of our own and of course her own surgeries and sickness. Every year our girl's mom would knit brand new sweaters for us to sport on Christmas Day. To see her delight every Christmas morning when she spotted us under the tree was priceless. We live at her homeplace because she fears we will be lost in her new home but we'll always be by her side in bear spirit.

 Hi, I'm Edward Bruin with my pal, Little Blue. The author of this blog created us. I'm a replica of what she perceives her husband to be, a brute with a gentle heart walking in the woods caring for creatures large and small. I was given to a little girl family member and although my creator is uncertain of my where-abouts, I can assure her I'm on bear duty.

Hello, I'm Little Blue and I was born a few years ago from a vision of my creator. I'm only 2 1/2 inches tall and humans always ask if I can move. Of course I can move, I'm fully jointed. I reside with my creator and I watch as she knits and sews for others. 

It's me here, I have been contemplating returning to my bear making. They bring peace and joy to me and if I only make them for myself, they're worth every stitch. 

Please Please Don't Eat the Daisies

Daisies are my favorite flower. They seem to smile :).

One of my favorite movies and actresses, Doris Day. I much prefer older movies for various reasons; less violence, profanity etc than the newer movies of today.  I Love Lucy (literally) is one of my all time favorite tv shows and when I want a laugh the old movies/shows never fail.

In honor of the movie I'm casting on for this sweater. Made of fingering weight yarn, it will be perfect for all seasons. I seem to have a case of knitting startitis and I'm going to blame the weather....lol. 

The reviews for this sweater are very positive and when knitters say they are going to knit another one then I know it needs to be added to my library. 

A beautiful, warm Sunday, a day to reflect and enjoy.

Search and seizure

A previously owned book came up missing in action. I have a pair of gloves in progress and no amount of searching produced the lost book. Turned to the internet for a search and seizure and I found it. I am so glad to have this book in my collection once again. 

Dug in the stash for 2 comlimentary colors and found these two. They will grow up to become a hooded sweater for someone small to wear in the fall. Toying with the idea of lining it with flannel but I'll wait until it's finished to make the decision.

A beautiful day here in the mountains and the hubby and I are going to enjoy every moment. The clothesline is busy, baking has commenced and Oldies music on the radio. Oldies music as in, 40's, 50's, 60's and early 70's. We're all over the place with music. Hubby likes old country while I prefer a litte Classical now and again.  A great Appalachian Mountain Saturday :).
Hope your weekend  is good.

Circle of Life

Forgive the picture quality. A lot going on here in the mountains and I'm very limited on time and space to get decent pictures. 

I needed a project that not only gave me quick results but was mindless and peaceful. I chose a crochet aghan pattern, grabbed yarn and hooked on. Love the colors and it will look gorgeous in my new living room. I'm calling this one the Circle of Life due to recent events in this neck of the woods. It pertains to absolutely everything going on in our Life right now and it's certainly fitting in more ways than one. 

Hopefully the afghan and the living room will be finished at the same time (or close to). It will take awhile for both to be done so we'll see just how long it takes me to finish this project ;).

 I refrained from stating the hubby is on vacation. It's day 7 and he's still surviving....lol. We have not had a vacation since 2005. Every single one has been spent with medical issues. This one isn't much different except it's a family member other than ourselves. We chose to remain nearby as we're needed for errands, cleaning, cooking and support when called and after all, it is family.
So we put our 'off'' time to good use and started major renovation. It's a slow go but a productive one.

In Dec 2013 we planned a get-away for the upcoming summer and we're looking forward to the first real vacation since summer 2005. Unfortunately there's yet another medical issue looming so here's hoping the issue resolves itself and we won't need to scrap it once again. Although we would do so in a heartbeat in order to be there for family. 

Eggstra, eggstra

The Special Day is fast approaching when eggs take the head seat at the breakfast/dinner table and a symbolism of new life. 

Brown eggs are the best for eating but not so for dyeing.I like fluffy scrambled eggs for breakfast. Sunny side up were my fave as a kid but I no longer care for them. I have a kid who called them 'eye-ball' eggs and if that didn't turn one from eating them, I don't know what would. I have no use for soft boiled eggs and haven't a clue how to make them (nor am I interested) but a good hard boiled egg sandwich can't be beat. I swoon over a delicious quiche.

Found these egg cozies on etsy and thought they were adorable. I know of one person who would love them (Chem-girl) so I may need to whip up one or two just for her Easter box mailing.

                                     She loves deviled eggs but they won't make the mail trip. My MIL makes the best deviled eggs and they look just like this picture.

 Pickled eggs are my favorite and my grandmother always had good tasting pickled eggs from her homegrown beets that she canned.

I have made peanut butter eggs for decades and this year is no different. I no longer need as many for my immediate family (this one is on a diet, that one lives too far away etc) but it won't stop me from making them and giving a few away. Chem-girl could be so lucky to find one in her Easter box since she can't make or receive deviled eggs.

Last but not least, I, the hubby (and probably DD#1 and SIL) will be dyeing eggs. If you know

 me, you know I absolutely love color and that love certainly isn't confined to just yarn, fabric or clothing. I enjoy dyeing yarn and anything else for that matter. These eggs were dyed wiith natural dyes. I doubt I will dye with naturals this year but I plan to fuss with it for the next. 

We have some great family videos of holiday fun with our kids. One of them was the year of our 3 yr old DD #1 and our then 8 yr old son who loudly announced during the taping, "eeewwww.....she's drinking the dye". I have no idea how this kid stomached drinking dye with vinegar but couldn't down a tablespoon of cherry flavored cough syrup when needed. Kids! 

What is your favorite egg?

Hats off

Hats off to my hubby who has worked tirelessly from sun-up to nightfall on major renovation. We've been without a kitchen for almost a week. The coffee maker is on the antique cookstove and the microwave is up and running on a living room stand. Dear hubby proudly announced he was going to hook up the stove however there is no running water, sink or countertop (eyeroll).  Yes, he truly believes a working stove without the rest of the kitchen could possibly lead to a homecooked meal. Silly.

Hats off to our DD #1 and SIL who have graciously and generously cooked dinner for us every night. Otherwise hubby would've survived on PBJ's or bologna sandwiches ;) 

Hats off to the sewing machine. A wee Dr. Seuss hat for summer and a bunny flat for play . I wanted the crinkly sound that is in so many of the infant toys. Found a seafood market bag that was perfect so cut out a piece and sewed it into the body.

Another wee hat that I have dubbed Indiana Jones. Love this style and can't wait to get pics of this one on the recipient.

Sidenote: Many of you read my blog and respond/comment by private email. Please feel free to leave comments in the comment section. I will respond to your comments privately :D 

Spammers need not bother

Apple Pie Ponderings

 This post will be an assortment of ponderings, musings and humor so please read on and smile with me. The past year has brought many changes for me. So here goes a few things I've pondered, conclusions from those ponderings and some chuckles.

1) I have without a doubt the best hubby in the world. That said, he occasionally gets on my one nerve  and makes me laugh, sometimes at the same time ;) 

2) My daughters know me well....my sons? not so much (although the poor things think they know me, God bless their wee hearts)

3) I'm outspoken and could care less. Recently I've learned to smile ever-so-sweetly and keep the trap shut. Makes people wonder what's really going thru my mind ;)

4) We raised our kids to be strong people and if you are one of their spouses, you married an offspring of us. The stubborn, strong-willed, outspoken, no-nonsense, pull up the Appalachian bootstraps personality didn't just happen. It was born, bred and nurtured into their little souls and as the saying goes in this neck of the woods..."you ain't never gonna change it" ;)

5) Lapcat-a creature who upon an unknown signal from an open laptop immediately jumps on the keyboard

6) We do not coddle....I repeat...we do not coddle anyone over the age of adolescence or 14 yrs whichever comes first (please refer to ponder # 3 & 4)

7) We're simple folks. Material gifts are nice and well received but the best gift is Time.

8) Anger, grudges, resentment, retailiation, revenge etc rarely affects the intended victim, including me. They always destroy from within. Just when I believe I'm the intended victim, ponder #4 kicks in ;) )

8) Mr. Bettis will forever bark at nothing

9) My hobbies keep my hands busy. As my great-grandmother always said, "idle hands are the work of the devil." They also help shrug off #8. 

10)  Smile. It not only makes people wonder what you've been up to but I hear it keeps one young

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,The courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the difference.

My cup of tea

Tasseography is the reading of tea leaves for the future. I don't believe the future can be predicted. Sometimes a person's behavior can be predicted but the future as a whole cannot.

I'm a coffee drinker and occasionally I enjoy a nice hot cup of tea to forget my troubles (if in fact I have any). My favorite is Good Earth who produces a perfect blend of Sweet & Spicy.  Twinings also produces some fine tea.

 A cup of tea socks pattern caught my knitting needles' attention so I dyed yarn in a nice tea blend and cast on. Other knitted projects have consumed my needles but it's time to dig this WIP out of the basket and finish them for next winter.

 I'm a simple person. I learned early on, money doesn't buy happiness. Parties, running here there and everywhere, extended vacations (longer than a week, particularly with family) and reunions are not my cup of tea. I'm still contemplating whether or not to attend my high school reunion this summer. Tried having dinners and parties but the 'excuses' and no shows just weren't worth the effort. Not to mention the left over food to be eaten...lol
Knitting, sewing, scrapping, spending time with a few family members/friends are my simple cup of tea :D

Life...reading tea leaves, to forgive and forget is Divine

Ch-ch-changes

Sunday, a beautiful day. Warmer weather and sprouts of green. Buds on the trees and daffodils trying to peek out from old man winter.

I whipped up this hat just in time for Easter. Changed the pattern to suit what I had in my visual mind. 

A lot of change going on in the mountains. Some good, some challenging and some that will take a while to adjust. In the meantime I'm shaking the dust from my shoes and enjoying those who are willing to walk Life's path with me :D

Life...realizing change is more than a ch-ching of an open wallet

Lemons...

Life has been a challenge in the past year with a few eye opening moments and I've learned a few more lessons along the way (as my grandmother says). 

Walking away from it all is my best course of action. Add in an ever so-snarky-sweet smile, a chuckle under my breath, telling/saying very little or nothing at all and my life is much more pleasant.

Cotton candy is so very sweet and makes me smile. This wool took a nice dye bath in the dye pot, spun to a worsted weight and navajo plied. It's time to knit this ever so sweet color.

Mr. B has been very busy lately, running in and out in the somewhat nice weather. He's shedding enough to create another dog and thinks brushing is the next best thing to stealing a chicken leg.

 Little Gypsy Jo hides anytime she sees the brush appear. She also joins Mr. B in his outside barking activities. The red squirrel has returned along with the birds and the possum. *sigh* gonna be a looooong spring.

Life....when it hands out lemons, I do my best to practice what my father taught me, "do unto others as you would have them do unto you" (not always easy and of course I'm human and slip but definitely one that mulls in my mind before I act). 

Style....a lost art

A recent trip to purchase clothing soon resulted in walking from the stores empty handed and disappointed. There is no style. "Style" has become a whatever feels good, wear it mess disguised under freedom of choice and 'art'. Sorry folks, but that doesn't cut the mustard. It's time to step out in style.

I love this hat combined with a denim shirt for an updated casual look.

 Goodreads suggested this book and it is on my list. An excerpt from the book: "As a glance down any street in America quickly reveals, American women have forgotten how to dress. We chase fads, choose inappropriate materials and unattractive cuts, and waste energy tottering in heels when we could be moving gracefully. Quite simply, we lack the fashion know-how we need to dress professionally and flatteringly."

It's not just professional dress in question nor is it confined to just women. Men are equally guilty of a no class style. Visit any store/market and you will see pants hanging down to the knee caps, sloppy t-shirts,  sweatpants and my biggest pet peeve: pajamas. Seriously? Come on folks, look in the mirror, have some self-esteem and pride.. One doesn't need to have a closet full of clothing or spend mega bucks on wearables. A few choice mix and match pieces give many options. Accessories add to the style: hats, wraps, scarves etc. and if you knit or crochet, you've got that one  'in the bag'.
So pull up the pants, put the pjs under your bedpillow and wear a 'frock' that exhibits esteem, pride and dignity. It will make you feel good just looking in the mirror.

Life...knowing what you wear does in fact give first impressions.

It is what it is....

 I can't explain right now but I'm contemplating the things in Life that make me smile:

My mountains

Pets (yes, that includes Mr. Bettis)

Books

Sisters (including those of you who I consider to be 'sisters' in my Life)

Childhood memories

Winter

Coffee

Building a snowman

Warm Chocolate Chip cookies

The warmth of the sun on my cheek

Young children and babies

Friends

Fall

Dandelions

Dance

Theater

Knitting

Spinning

Lilacs

Pictures

Life....it is what it is

What makes you smile?

We don't talk anymore

Remember this? I do. A device with which to hear the voice of a friend or family member. Great technology. Then it evolved to the high-techy stuff of today where people have their heads buried in cell phones waiting for the next 'ding' of their social media drama or text. 

Don't get me wrong, I think the cell phone is a wonderful device when it's not used for social media and texting when one is visiting others. I refuse to upgrade my phone to the 'smart' phone. I do not need internet service when I leave the house. When I leave home, the computer is left behind, sitting quietly and peacefully on the table (it needs to rest ;) )

I miss the old phones. You had no idea who was calling, there were no tele-marketers, and the ring wasn't a bird chirping or an undetectable song.

On the flip side, the cell phone is available for emergencies at all times. For reasons I cannot explain we are on call right now and need to be available at a moment's notice so I am grateful for the cell phone. That said, I challenge everyone to put down the cell phone and interact with people one on one....we don't talk anymore.

And as anyone knows, a knitter can talk and knit at the same time :D. 

The Clothesline

It's official. Spring has arrived :D. For the first time in 6 months I will be hanging clothes on the clothesline. Woot-woot! The sun is a natural bleach and it certainly saves on the dryer bill.

It may not sound like a big deal but in my little Appalachia world, it is. I enjoy hanging laundry outside. It's a moment to spend outside with the warm sunshine on my face. While raising the kids, personal time was a minimum so hanging laundry out was a moment of peace for me. 

The fresh laundry smell is addicting and there's nothing like bedsheets hung outside. 

 Vintage aprons, clothespins, feedsacks, doilies and buttons are a 'thing' of mine. Can't get enough. Major renovation going on here and I'm going to do this window treatment in my kitchen. I've always said I belong in another century/decade.

When I was little my dad put up a wee clothesline beside my mom's and I had a little pink laundry basket with pink plastic clothespins. Mom would wash my doll clothes and I would head to the clothesline with her and hang up my doll's clothes so they could dry. I would then plunk down in the lush green grass and watch them dry....lol. 

Off track a bit. I was raised on a farm and my cousins lived 'next door'. We didn't have computers and our 2 station tv was by antennae therefore very limited. We played outdoors (after chores) from sun up to sun down. We laid on the grass and counted the clouds, looking for shapes and at night watching and counting the stars. Picked blackberries for our grandmother so she could bake a pie. Whittled wood with my grandather (native American roots) and learned the importance of nature.

A packed picnic lunch of PBJ's or cheese and ketchup sandwiches under the ole willow tree was an everday occurance.

A soaking summer rainstorm was a source to cool off. We climbed trees, rode bikes, rolled down the hill, did somersaults, headstands etc....all without a helmet and we survived. We had an imagination (something kids of today lack). Play bow and arrows, headdresses and cap gun holsters were dispersed and we played cowboys and Indians. We had a Radio Flyer wagon and it became a covered wagon, lumber wagon (when we built the treehouse), hauled toys under the ole willow tree and converted to a hearse when a beloved pet passed as we carried our little Bibles to the 'graveyard'.

My husband and I have mentioned how you never see kids playing outside anymore and that is a sad state of affairs for kids today. It has suddenly become necessary for parents to 'entertain' children by running to every activity available vs quality time at home using the imagination and getting much needed fresh air. 

Time spent with family last weekend and everyone agreed (cousins too) that we had the best childhood.

Life...knowing money and stuff are not necessary to build strong foundations