I want to make sure at least one of you will not get pinched on St. Patrick’s Day.  I won’t be selling these pins as I think it would be a copyright infringement and I don’t feel right selling someone else’s beautiful art work.   I know some of my pins have old artwork, but I see a difference in something over a century old with no trademark or copyright, and something recent from an artist who is actively illustrating and working.

Anyway, I often find tattered old books at the thrift stores, but cannot stand to see the lovely illustrations get thrown out just because a book is falling apart.  I rescued some Anita Lobel illustrations and made some pins for personal use.  She’s got some of the most adorable art work!!

Michaela and I will gather up the names of the commenters on February 28th and I’ll let Michaela draw a winner.  So leave a comment!  Some lucky person can wear this bit o’ green pin and be sure they don’t get pinched. 

Lynn

Happy New Year’s!

Just a couple of pretty things for you to look at this day.

I hope you have a wonderful 2010! 

My New Year’s Resolutions for this year?  I guess you’d call them phrases or ideas, but it sums up where my thoughts are:

• waste not, want not
• debt free
• train up a child in the way he should go

The weather here today is cold and wet.  I feel very thankful to be in a warm house and able to work on cleaning, doing some after-Christmas sorting, and looking forward to a New Year.

There’s really nothing magical about going from the last day of one year to the first day of the next year, but there is something fun about a clean slate.  About having a day marked on which to start over.  About committing to really observing a change you want to make and having a starting line from which to “stick to it.”

I am thinking as I work through the day, what will my resolutions be?

I continue to work on the brooches that I love wearing and plan to sell.  It’s a wonderful outlet to work with your hands on something pretty.   I know you can’t see each individual pin very well, but you can see a few together and their general design.  Do you like them?  It’s funny how once you start making something, that something evolves and becomes more and more of yourself as you put more and more of your own thoughts and time into it.

Today’s the day for planning your New Year’s resolutions!  Plan something wonderful!

As far as gifts went, I would have to say that this was a major highlight.

By chance, Michaela picked it up first to open it, and once opened, I saw her face full of wonder and thinking, if I received Rebecca’s trunk, then Rebecca should be here as well.  But she could not be sure…

until the tall box was opened and it was indeed Rebecca Rubin!  It was an extravagant gift for sure, but around here these days the baby gets the most and as the older children get older they begin to say things like, “Please don’t get me anything.  Spend what you have on my younger brothers and sister.”  The boys all do get something too, but we really cannot afford to spend much.  Perhaps it would impress you to know that Michaela has even been saving her money to go towards this doll she wanted for Christmas.

The boys enjoyed seeing Miss Priss open this doll that she wanted so very much.  I have to admit, she is absolutely gorgeous and I am really looking forward to reading about her, learning about life in the early 1900s in America, and learning more about Jewish customs and history.

The real highlight of the day, though, was family.  Grandma and Grandpa were here.  Michaela soaked up as much grandparent-y attention as she could.  You gotta get it when you get the chance!

Do you feel stressed?  Too busy?  Like you cannot possibly get everything done this week before all that sand runs through the glass?

Maybe you just need a good old-fashioned hug from a snowman! 

Things here are busy too, but I am going about everything with a song in my heart.  I am trying very diligently to have gratitude over all that we enjoy as Americans and especially as God’s creation.  

As much as I determine not to get too caught up in the rush that so easily happens this time of year, I always find that there are last-minute things to do; there are invitations to go here and there, and we have company coming that we are very much looking forward to and the house must be…perfect? 

No.  Not perfect.  Just cleaned up nicely in honor of our guests.  They’ll hopefully see that we live here and that this is a house full of love.

I’ll be breaking from my blog for a few days while I enjoy my children being free from school, while I bake and savor the daily arrival of beautiful cards from friends and family, and to enjoy visiting all the blogs that I love to visit but don’t have time to every single day.

Enjoy the holiday season!

This week at the thrift store, a box of old ornaments.  Dressed in vintage colors, angels singing.

A snip to remove the old strings, they were arranged into two little holiday vignettes in my craft area.

I find myself inspired.

Lynn

From my home to yours, a little orange and black on this 31st of October, but never anything scary. 

Two black bunnies with shining eyes.

And a bright orange nasturtium in the garden.  Our day has been unseasonably warm (around 80 degrees) with a few raindrops.  It’s nearly bedtime but there’s always time for a bedtime story before we shut our heavy eyes.  We always read our bible verses first and then the current bedtime read-aloud.  Tonight we’re in Psalms and just staring On The Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Happy Saturday Evening,
Lynn

It was a remarkable coincidence.  On July 4, 1826, 50 years to the day after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, two of the signers of the declaration, and both former Presidents of the United States, took their dying breaths.

It is recorded that during the night before his death at Monticello, Jefferson asked, “Is it the fourth?”  He was assured that it was indeed the fourth, to which he murmured, “Ah.”  He died at 12:50 the next afternoon, July 4th, 1826.

Many miles away, in Quincy, Massachusetts, John Adams was dying.  Though Adams and Jefferson had many a lively argument over their fledgling country, their friendship endured and grew.  John Adams’ dying words:  “Thomas Jefferson still survives.”  Adams died at 5:30, July 4th, 1826.

I like to think that our democratic republic will survive, and in that Thomas Jefferson and all the signers of the Declaration will survive.

Our July 4th learning table is set up to be on display for the coming week or so. 

We gathered up many things revolutionary:  biographies of Jefferson, Washington, Franklin, and others; we have a large flag, books about life in the 1700s, a small flag, reproductions of colonial and revolutionary currency, and more.

We’ll keep our table up for at least a week and hopefully learn a little more about our nation’s birth.

I thought these recent pictures from our Yorktown trip would be fitting today.

One Country

One Constitution

One Destiny

Happy Fourth of July!

Lynn

I thought I’d share some old postcards with you, in honor of Memorial Day, and maybe I’ll share a few thoughts too.

It’s overcast here this morning and I would really like to see a bit of sunshine.  My mood tries its very best to mirror what’s going on outside, so if it’s gray and rainy, I tend to feel that way too.  I suppose I’d never make it in England, that beautiful country.  Or Scotland — where my ancestors are from and where I think I belong sometimes.  Or even Washington!  Maybe I better just stay in North Carolina. 

What can I do to cheer up?  I will remember that there are those who are making greater sacrifices than I am today and it belittles their sacrifice for me to mumble over a cloud.  I can put on a happy face.  I can be brave and steady in my place.

I think after I click the button that says “publish” I’ll put on a new dress (a thrift store find, of course), put my hair up, get a fresh cup of hot tea and see just how many lines I can type today.  Sigh, yes, I’m working today.

While I’m working, I’ll think about Prairie Tuesday tomorrow.  It may spill into Wednesday due to other things being scheduled tomorrow as well, but that’s okay!  I already have some fun things in store and it may take more than one day anyway.

Oh, the sad note on the back of this photo:  Lebbaus last picture that he sent home to Mother.

I’ll try to remember others today and think of their struggles.  Even while I’m working, I can have a prayerful heart.  This weekend I’ve been writing letters to people I love.  I’m hoping to mail them out tomorrow when the post office opens again.

I’ll leave you with a smile — this poor man caught between two fires.  How in the world did he get himself into that predicament.  We need to be careful with our affections, sir!

Have a lovely Memorial Day. 

Lynn

The Fallen Soldier

Consider, my friend, the one who has fallen.
For life and its freedoms to him once were calling.
Now silent he sleeps, his destiny sealed.
He laid down his life on life’s battlefield.

In youth something called him to go and to serve.
His place he embraced with his zeal and his nerve.
Whatever the reason, whatever his claim,
the flag that he died for bears our country’s name.

While you have the privilege to go and to do,
to kiss your dear parents, tie your firstborn’s first shoe,
remember the fallen, the one who lies silent.
Remember his losses, get quiet for a moment.

Remember his father, his sisters, his brothers.
Remember his comrades and all of their mothers.
It’s a wrong in this country should the day ever dawn
when a soldier who’s fallen lies sleeping alone.

Stop from your doing, your shopping, your baking.
Stop from your busy life, the plans that you’re making,
and whisper a prayer to the One on the Throne,
for soldiers yet living or whose fighting is done.

Pray for their outcome, their cause and their lives.
Ask mercy from Him who our very life gives.
Remember the brave young soldier, now sleeping.
When he fell, forever still, it was us he was keeping.

Today has been a lovely day.  Beautiful weather.  Easter Sunday.  An afternoon with my mom, one of my favorite people in the whole wide world.

Something about this morning you should know.  I tried this do.

You know I liked it.

But I like anything old-fashioned.  It’s true.  You didn’t know that yet, did you. 

Easter morning hug in the garden.

Last night we wrote secret messages on our eggs with a crayon before placing them in cups of dye.  No peeking until they are fully colored.  Mine said “Mommy loves Michaela.”

Michaela’s said “I heart U Mom.”

Whew.  I’m glad we’re on the same page on THAT one. 

I was thinking about the pictures we took last Easter of Princess of the Universe in the Garden.  I still keep thinking I’ll frame all five of them and hang them as a set somewhere in the house.  Here are a couple of them.

Isn’t she lovely?

I hope your weekend was wonderful.

Lynn