1. On Wednesday, I was happily preparing for yesterday’s co-op.
2. Including 10 pounds of mashed potatoes, all ready for a study of Idaho.
3. Some time during the day The Carpenter called home saying his stomach was hurting. 
4. Co-op preparation continued, but with a faint question mark hovering around in my mind.  Stomach pain?  Bad stomach pain?
5. Another phone call.  Stomach pain is worse.
6. Late Wednesday evening I know that I’ll either: a) enjoy a well-prepared-for co-op come Thursday, or b) head out in the dark night to the ER.
7. We chose the ER.
8. At around 6 a.m. Thursday morning The Carpenter was being wheeled into the OR with an acute appendicitis.

So I’ve been holding down the fort (thank goodness for my boys) and visiting Thomas as much as possible, sketching and dreaming of spring while he sleeps, recovering.

I won’t share gory details, but let’s just say we were at the 24-hour mark from the onset of pain, where you might see rupture or gangrene and, in the surgeon’s words, getting Thomas’s appendix out was “a challenge.”

Taking one day at a time.  I think I always need help with this.  Why is it so easy to drag around the past, like a ball and chain?  Or to live in fear over the future?  I don’t know, but I want to just take one day at a time and be content. 

Saturday and Sunday were beautiful days here!  Temps in the 50s and 60s, bright sun.  The birds were singing a come-on-spring chorus and I loved it!  I stole outside for a few minutes on Saturday morning to sit in the sun and read.  The steps get so warm, it’s a favorite spot. 

I’m realizing more and more, when you get a sunny moment you must take it!

Yesterday was rainy, rainy, and gray.  Today, while there is no rain falling, it is gray outside again.  I am trying really hard to be of the optimistic opinion, however, that this only means more flowers come spring.

My day today is full, for 19 years ago today I was giving birth to that little fella you see sitting in the sink.

Joseph was our second son, and today he turns 19!  Where did the years go?  Anyway, I asked him what he wanted to eat tonight, and I’m talkin’ a meal and dessert. 

“Pizza?  Homemade?  But can you make about six of them so I can eat all I want? 

Of course.

“And cheese cake?”

Why sure.

“Uhhhh.  Fudge?”

At this point The Carpenter got into a huddle with Joseph and noted that mom could make a perfectly-chocolate chocolate cake, so Joseph compromised. 

I suppose I’ll be grocery shopping this morning and cooking this afternoon. 

I hope you have a wonderful Tuesday.

Life’s treasures are really the sweet, simple things.  Like a little girl’s face when she finds what she’s been looking for for months, with fingers crossed, hoping and wishing for a typewriter. 

Goodwill.  19.00.  Owner’s manual and extra ribbons included.  Works like a dream.

It’s things like her daddy’s face when he read the birthday card she hand made, of course using the typewriter to type in the messages before decorating it.

Life is all about these things.  Smiles.  Relationships.  Doing for others.  Making do and waiting for just the right things.  It’s not easy as the world spins faster and faster on to the next new thing.

Proverbs 31 has been good for me lately, to help me focus on my homelife.

Imagine our delight today when we received in the mail a package from my friend Diane, addressed to Lynn and Michaela. 

And now, crackling in the doll house, is a nice warm fire in our new doll house fireplace.  And that’s not all.  We also received a handful of little, old-fashioned, miniature toys.   See them on the mantel and around the fireplace?

I noticed as I put these little treasures in the doll house (yes, I was playing dolls this afternoon) just how very much this doll house life mirrors my own.  Why, just look at mom stretched out on the perfectly clean couch in her perfectly clean living room, not a care in the world.

And right across the room sits hubby, reading to his wife from something lovely.   A fishing or hunting magazine?  My, no, not here.  Why, he reads to her from a cookbook or a decorating book or the newest homeschool magazine.

And what is that next to hubby?  Oh, yes, that’s the cake he baked, so that when mother decides to get up off the couch she can instantly have a bit of something to quell her sweet tooth. 

Doesn’t she look relaxed?  That could so easily be me.  I mean, that virtually is me!

Tee hee.  Tee hee.  (Everytime I write that I’m taken back to good ol’ Archie comic books).

Actually, Diane, we love these little treasures, and it was a fun relief for me to lose myself in doll house ease for awhile and just play.  Thank you.    Michaela will enjoy them always!  We just love the sound the fireplace makes.   

Tomorrow we’ll be participating in an art and music show with our homeschool group, where Michaela will be showing a couple of her art pieces.  We’ll also be hearing music performances from some very talented students.  I’ll be sure and take pictures!

It’s been about a month ago that I found this book, The Quiltmaker’s Gift, at the thrift store.

Placed in a large stack of yet-to-be-read books, I actually forgot that I had it, until last week.  I’m surprised at myself over this, because as soon as I saw it I was in love with the illustrations and couldn’t wait to read the story. 

It also made me think of my sister, who is an amazing quilter.  I mean.  I’m always telling her that she should sell her quilts, and she says she likes to make them for people she loves and give them away.  It’s really something. 

Imagine my surprise, then, when Michaela and I began to read this story and found it to be about a beautiful, talented quiltmaker who will not sell her quilts.  She will only give them to the poor.  The quiltmaker is a lovely woman.  Her face is soft and gentle, but she is obviously a very strong woman.  It was a fabulous story and I thought of my sister through every word.   Which brings me to something I’ve been wanting to show you.

At Christmastime, I received a large box marked to “The Wilsons.”  The beautiful heart-covered quilt was in it.  From my sister.  Just look!

Some of the fabric has little paper dolls on it.  And the hearts!  How does she do it?  I cannot imagine.  She and I are so much alike, and yet we are so different.  She can do this.  I cannot.  It has always been like we walk to the same beat, but on two different paths.  However far apart we are, we are always close together.  I look at the squares and appreciate every single stitch.

So many memories…

By the way, the website to The Quiltmaker’s Gift was given in the book and is supposed to have games, stories of compassion, etc.  Michaela will be looking at it for school today.

On a final note, my little old man pin found a name.  Algernon.  Thank you, Audrey!  It’s the perfect name.  And into the shop this weekend went Old Man Mushroom and his baby.

It’s a work day for me today and I must get busy!  Have a lovely Monday.

I never know what to say about how I feel on Thursday evenings.  I don’t know if I’m winding down after three straight days off work, or winding up to work for two straight days.  I guess it always depends on how the week went.

This afternoon was actually warm enough to go to the park and play for an hour.  Michaela and a friend wanted to just get outside and run, I think.  It was fun watching them on the swings and, believe me, these two always have plenty of ideas going on in their minds about adventures and what not, so I doubt they were just swinging without there being some fantastic imagined  scenario clouding the swingset.

I sat on a bench, reading mesmerized by the most current issue of Victoria magazine.  (Hey, I noticed on their website that they are offering a trial issue right now.)  I could sit and look at the pictures in this issue over and over and over again.  I know, ’cause that’s what I’ve been doing.  On the way out the door to the park, I reached for a magazine.  I almost grabbed something I hadn’t looked at recently, and then I said, “Nah, I’ll just look at that Victoria again.”  I had prepared a thermos of piping hot Guayaki Mate Chocolatte tea and I was wrapped in a warm shawl, so I was fine on that park bench for an hour.  Yes indeed.

Once I got home, I fixed a quick supper — breakfast casserole with venison sausage, some black-eyed peas that had been simmering all afternoon, and a big pot of noodles with cheese.  It was one of those thrown-together meals that turned out yummy after all.  Then I worked on some pins and a couple of other new things for my Etsy shop, which I am having way too much fun with, by the way.

Well, I better wrap things up and go to bed.  I better wind down.  Or I better wind up.  Whichever thing it is that I’m trying to do.

I probably won’t post in the morning, as I’ll be at my desk all day, then tomorrow night is karate night, so Fridays are crazy busy, but I’m thankful to be able to enjoy a crazy-busy day.

One of the things I have so much enjoyed about blogging is making real friends on line.  I have met so many kindred spirits and (not naming any names) even found a twin out there floating around.   It has been really fun to start corresponding with these friends in real life, so I’d like to say that blogging — being the modern wonder-of-a-way to communicate that it is — does not preclude the old-fashioned art of letter writing and package mailing.  To the contrary, it sometimes brings it about!

Michaela, keeping up with my blog nearly as much as I do myself, was very excited when she checked the mail yesterday and found there a package from our friend Carrie.  We opened it together and found two of the most unusual and beautifully framed floral prints!  (Carrie, I see what you mean about these possibly ending up in the greenhouse!)  I love them!

The way they are made is so very old-fashioned and they fit in perfectly in my little area where I work on my pins.  I’m not sure the pictures do them justice.  Well, they don’t.   I think the light of the flash takes away from the prints, but perhaps you can still appreciate their loveliness.

I tried to get close enough for you to see the how the frames are made and their rusty sort of patina which makes them so charming.  Carrie, thank you so much!

I actually am on the owing side of this letter fun with more than one friend right now.  I am slower than I should be, but letters are in the works even now to more than one of you dear friends. 

It’s very cold here this morning.  I’ve been out to feed the bunnies, bringing their water containers in to thaw and be refilled.  The bunnies seem so thirsty in this weather.  

I’m wrapped in a new bright red shawl I purchased on sale over the holidays.  This time of the year is the perfect time to get wraps and shawls for half off or more.

We have much to do for school today, very similar to Monday’s schedule.  That’s sort of the way it goes around here.  Yesterday was busy for Michaela and myself as we cleaned the house and did lots of cooking for a couple of guests we had last night.  It was a wonderful meal and we enjoyed getting to see a couple of family members that we couldn’t get up with during the busy Christmas season.  It was nice to have a New Year’s meal together after everything had settled down.

Okay, I’m rambling now.  I hope you have a warm and cozy Wednesday.  Enjoy this day.

Today has been filled with merry thoughts, mostly due to the kindess of others and the simple joy found in nature. 

I was admiring again today some exquisite little gifts from Marqueta and her girls.  You’ll notice the finely detailed card from Bennet Manor, to our very own dolls.  Oh how the dolls love getting such ladylike and special packages!

And, honestly, I cannot quit looking at the little acorn and felted pincushion Marqueta sent.  I took it outside just so you can see how very nature-inspired this pin cushion is.  For just a moment I pretended that my garden gnome was a tiny magical tailor who had worn himself out making holiday clothes for the ball held deep in fairy forest each year.  He lay down to nap but stayed close to his prized pin cushion.

The picture is a bit blurry, but I thought you’d want to see Michaela’s gingerbread house, complete with PlayMobil snowman and santa out front. 

I realize there is no paucity of colors in my clothing choice for today, but you only live once.  And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.

Walking Annie this afternoon, I spied pretty orangey-pink rosehips.

And a cedar from which to take a small bough to add to my potpourri.

I keep a large zip-loc bag of potpourri in my blanket cupboard.  It scents the blankets, but I also take from it to make sachets and to simmer on the old stoves in the house, so I add to it constantly – whatever I can find.  Its scent changes over time, but it always has an earthy, nature-y scent.  I love it.  Some rosemary goes into the basket to be dried and added to the potpourri.

Annie is supposed to walk beside me.  She pulls me.

The camellia is in bloom.  I love having something so bright and so pretty in the garden this time of  year.  Camellia, you help me hang on. 

Hmmm.  I cannot decide.  Does my sock really set off the color of the bright green moss?  Or does the moss really just make my socks?  Uh…

Back inside, I can smell the sagebrush from my Idaho friend.  I love it so much.  Marqueta filled a pretty sachet with sagebrush, which is (or was) a type of Artemesia, something I never knew until I met Marqueta.

I hope your heart is filled with merry thoughts today.

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!

But have you met the little birds that surround me while I type?  Oh maybe you glanced at them when we undertook the office redo, but I thought you might like to see them again.

I realize the little bluebird is blurry, but she really likes to be hidden anyway, in a mass of green and camouflaged by a butterfly finger-painting project a neighborhood girl gave to me.

A trio of gifted birds have alighted high up in the office, two on painted-white brick columns and one on a framed Marjolein Bastin artwork.

My children all love this hand-carved bird with what appears to be Japanese writing carved into the base.  He was rescued from Goodwill and set to watch over the nearby birdhouse.

A ceramic pomander bird-occupied cage filled with lavender from the garden.

Another pomander ~ a white ceramic dove.

Love is…a heavy cast iron bird.

One of my favorites is the large bluejay, because the carpenter bought it for me on our last vacation to Tweetsie Railroad.

And very humbly last, but certainly not least, is this little formed-from-clay sweetheart of a bird, sitting in a string-and-glue nest, fashioned by Daniel’s little hands when he was only 6 years old.  He has a chipped beak, but to say he’s not my favorite would be a travesty.

Things like collected birds are just tokens of days spent with friends and sweethearts, and of times gone by.  It’s the memories these tokens elicit that are the real treasures. 

We all only have today.  Enjoy…