By Lynn, on November 3rd, 2011%
My dear sweet readers, you might be glad to know that I have come down off of my soapbox. (Ahem.) I’ll try not to call anybody Dude, or do any YELLING in this post. However, I will likely continue to jump and dance around the apartment Rose Cottage, and pick on my children. They were both so tired of hearing me say in a gruffy voice this morning, “Yo mama’s got the swaaaaaag goin on,” that they both cried out, “MAMA!!!!” before we left for school. And it was not a “rootin’ for you” kind of mama, but a “mama we’ve had quite enough!” So I have calmed down, for the moment.
I just had to show you my latest denim skirt find from G.W. Boutique. The belt buckle sold me. Well, that, and also that it is long and fits great and is in excellent shape and goes with just about everything.
Boy do I look like my daddy.
But I digress.
Well, so what. I mean…let’s just do this. (You can click to enlarge, but you gotta prolly hit the back button to come back.)
So, yeah, but I love it. He was a good dad. For sure. Oh, he was not without his faults, but are any of us?
And now I have a son who wears my dad’s dog tags and reminds me so much of my dad. My dad would have loved this boy! Well, he would have loved all of my children. And, sadly, he never really knew them at all.
I named the picture above, “driving around smiling.” That’s what I am trying to do! Life is just too short to frown. I am trying my best to make this my creed. And I have so much to be joyful over!
Enjoy this day! It won’t be back!
By Lynn, on October 24th, 2011%
So I did promise to do Part 2 of my trip to The Scrap Exchange. Here goes!
First, my friend Mr. Mannequin.
Isn’t he glorious in his new headgear? I mean, I’d hang out with him. I can’t imagine that we’d get anything but positive feedback. My favorite thing about him is that he keeps one eye on me and one eye out for the waiter. Can you imagine all that Mr. Mannequin and I would have to discuss over dinner since he LIVES at The Scrap Exchange??
Now, for some treasures. I did end up tearing myself away from Mr. Mannequin to shop a bit.
They have a HUGE bin of all sorts of papers. Since I like to make and decorate my own creative journals, these sorts of papers are perfect for cutting up and pasting.
And can anyone say lightweight WHITE TIGHTS? Yeah. For 20 cents a pair, or something in that range. I think I found five good pairs! Woo hoo. Cannot beat that!
Now onto the fabric, which I intend to use to make a funky skirt to wear with my cowboy boots this winter.
And…
One thing that jumped out at me was this really cool clock decanter which I will use to keep change in, and then when it is full it means it is TIME for John and Michaela and me to do something FUN. How about that?
There we are, just a few of the amazingly cool things I found at The Scrap Exchange!
Outside with my treasures. I am standing in front of a green truck (that is not mine, but you know what they say about positive thinking), because I think I want a truck. Or something like that. Not that I do not totally appreciate my van, but I think people born under the Thrifting Star, better known as the Standing and Staring Constellation, need a truck!!!
One more thing to share. And it’s really fun! When I got to the register, the cashier asked me my name, to which I said Lynn, of course. (I started to say Sandra Lynn the Big Fat Hen, but that meant a long story from first grade about my favorite teacher in the world, so I just said Lynn.) She asked me if I had a blog. I said, yes. As it turns out, I was recognized! How cool is that! It was Ruth Warren who does marketing for The Scrap Exchange. Ruth, once again, it was a pleasure to put your face with your name! See you soon!
Enjoy this day!
By Lynn, on October 10th, 2011%
Oh, my Dear Readers, I received the sweetest gift in my mailbox on Saturday! My dear friend Marqueta from Sweete Felicity painted something special, just for me!
Marqueta, I love it! Michaela and I have looked at it and looked at it. It is just perfect! I love all the detail! The little bun-bun! The birds! The blue morning glories! The arbor and the definition! It is my garden. Thank you so, so much!
It is true that I left something of my heart in the Wild Little Garden, but that garden gave to me and gave to me and gave to me, without measure, on days when tears were falling. Sometimes I think that garden and this blog kept me sane. Spiritually, of course, there was grace and mercy that can only come from one place, but naturally speaking, this garden did so much for my well being.
Just wanted to share this friendship offering with everyone. Love you, Marqueta!
Enjoy this day!
By Lynn, on September 28th, 2011%
I feel like toast. Where have I been? Sigh. My life is a dust cloud and I am like Pig Pen sometimes. Remember that Peanuts character?
Extra cool shirt for $1.29.
I go along surrounded by particles of all that life throws at me, but inside the little dust cloud I am happy. I just feel like toast that I have been AWOL so long and my dear readers must wonder what in the world, as my blog goes up in crumb-y flames.
Blue shirt 3 dollars, very fine brown skirt 3 dollars.
So I am taking you through the dust cloud today, if you will come with me. I had intended about three days’ worth of posts, but alas it’s all coming at you at once. And last to first. How’s that for the story of my life? Or worse, how about jumbled up with no beginning or end? 
Obviously you can tell I have been maintaining my sanity by way of thrift store trips. Several times I wanted to tell you of my great finds, but free time has been scarce.
I started out on a trip last week, a trip meant for quiet and examination of my life and reflection.
It was wonderful, but the travel was slowed by driving rains. A 3-hour drive became a 5-hour drive.
We had a glorious time and made it back home Sunday night, much later than I expected, but I was so glad to have had safe travel.
Monday morning arrived, with plans for me to work 8 hours, get laundry in place, do a blog post (humph) and just get order again. But…
By about 9 a.m. I could see we’d be getting to a doctor, if not an emergency room.
My son John, who is extremely fit and loves lifting weights developed a sudden severe headache doing something he has done for years. The coach called. The school nurse called. His BP was going up. His pulse was going up. His eyes were hurting. He felt nauseated.
I took him to our family doctor, who was kind enough to see him within 5-10 minutes. Family history? Both my dad and my grandfather died with cerebral aneurysm and/or stroke. The bottom line is that we could be dealing with something devastating, so John was sent to Duke by ambulance.
CT scan. Lumbar puncture.
Sitting and waiting. Watching Sponge Bob Square Pants and laughing with John. That boy! The nurse asked him if there was a history of alcohol or drugs and he said, “Not unless you count my good looks as a drug.” Needless to say, she walked right through that open door to flirt with John during the entire visit. Could that be why she brought him pudding, two turkey sandwiches, graham crackers and two drinks while he was resting after the lumbar puncture?
All was clear. I am so thankful! We arrived home in the evening. Home. You hear that? The apartment is home now. For sure.
I have had occasion several times to be in The Wild Little Garden. The pull on my heart strings is nearly gone. It seems far away. I remember the peace there, but I have peace now in my new life. Goodbye creatures. Goodbye Wild Little Garden. Thank you for 23 years. Yes. 23 years.
It is obvious, I suppose, that I’ve been back to the thrift store. Right? I bought this little dress this morning. It’s SO beautiful. Two layers. Floral and netting. And look at the delicate net-y ruffles around the bottom. 3 dollars. Yeah.
I am happy. I feel loved. I am content. Hate to be bombarding you with so many I’s, but if a person is lost, they cannot really help anyone else. I realize now that this blog has been a tremendous outlet for me through the years. Maybe I will never even know what it was for me to have someone to talk to.
xoxo
Enjoy this day. It won’t be back, ever again.
By Lynn, on August 24th, 2011%
Dear Friends,
I sort of took off without saying anything. Okay, I DID take off without saying anything, but I always feel funny announcing to the world that I am leaving to go somewhere, and I also get so busy trying to work enough hours before I leave and taking care of things, I do not always have time to say goodbye.
Thank you for all the comments about the frugal fashion show! 
Once again, my sister and I had a vacation together in Yorktown. I love that place!
Michaela and I set out together last Thursday, just the two of us! I love that girl time with her!
Getting to Yorktown is quite the drive for us. The excitement of being there becomes real when we hit either the James River Bridge or the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel Bridge.
We rolled our windows down and listened to the sounds and felt the warm air on our faces! Michaela was the photo-journalist on this trip, since of course I was driving.
The tunnel at the end of the bridge! Michaela shut her eyes and told me to let her know when we were safely out! It is a bit daunting to know you are driving under water.
One of my favorite things about going to Virginia is seeing Belle, my sister’s golden retriever. She is a sweetheart of a dog! She gives hugs and will just put all 75 pounds of herself in your lap. She’s a big baby!
One of the cutest things is how Belle carries her own leash on her walks. Of course if she gets too curious, say getting into things she should not, my sister will take the leash.
Belle sure wanted to go with us when we left for a day of fun.
Our first day there, the girls spent the day at Water Country USA. They had fun, fun! But they were so exhausted by the end of the day. We forced fluids on them that night, knowing they were bordering on dehydration.
But fear not! You know they rebounded enough to spend the entire next day at Busch Gardens where they rode every scary ride, including the Griffon and the newly opened Mach Tower. Whoa.
My sister and I spent some of our time doing something much more relaxing than roller coaster rides. She took me to the huge Yankee Candle store. Huge!
The Christmas area was really amazing! The ceiling, which looked like a night sky, had snow falling from it every four minutes!
Is there anything better than spending time with someone you love? I think not.
My sister and I also went to the Jamestown Settlement, where we toured three ships: The Susan Constant, The Destiny, and The Godspeed. Beautiful, beautiful replica ships! It was humid and there was not much in the way of a breeze, but the guide seemed comfortable in her clothing. I guess it is what you are used to!
The Destiny and The Godspeed.
The Susan Constant. (I love that name.)
Sisters. At Jamestown Settlement.
This picture does not do this beautiful food any justice! We went to the best seafood restaurant, Harpoon Larry’s, which is referred to as a “dive,” but oh my they are known for their food! There was a line waiting to be seated but it was worth it. Steamed shrimp, blackened tuna, sweet potato fries, and the dipping sauces were out of this world. (This is making me hungry.)
As is our custom, we did go down to the water at Yorktown, where the Victory Center is.
There is something about an American flag blowing in the wind, and especially here where we became our own country, finally, that strikes a cord deep in the American heart.
We enjoyed eating Ben and Jerry’s ice cream while walking in the sand and just taking in the beauty of the lights’ reflection and the feel of the breeze off the water.
As much as it felt good to get away, it was sort of hard getting back into a routine. I don’t like myself for feeling that way, but life had been so stressful for so long before I moved here to the apartment, and after awhile a person can train herself to believe that she deserves that kind of stress. It felt immensely good to just get away and rest and not work and not worry about cooking or anything. My sister was the perfect companion too, and I needed her steady demeanor to help me talk through some things. It was just sort of hard coming back to face the responsibility of work, bills, cooking, etc. But I am thankful, so thankful, to have had safe travel and to have the apartment and my job to come back to!
I hope you enjoyed the pictures! Even if it was hard, it really is good to be back.
Enjoy this day.
By Lynn, on August 1st, 2011%
I remember some of what my grandmother said. That sweet, sweet Jewel. My Grandma Jewel. And now that she is gone, I wish I had listened so much more closely. Where were my paper and pen?
I remember the stories of having really only two dresses. One for every day and one for Sunday. I remember the Sunday walks. I remember the work in the fields, picking corn and wiping the dripping sweat from their faces. I remember that her daddy prayed before every meal. I remember a lot that she said. But now that she’s gone, I want more. Isn’t that the way we are?
So stop and listen, if you are fortunate enough to still have voices of your family’s past able to talk to you.
She is in the front, second from left, with her short, dark hair parted to the side, and she is cuddled up to the only one of these siblings left alive. Those two were close, right up until my grandmother left us just three years ago. (Can it really be three years?)
There were 13 children in the family, but as was the norm back then, they lost several, and they were boys. My grandmother was born in 1917, high risk times even then, but some of her siblings were born much earlier. I am sure the sorrow tempered people and kept their feet on the ground. My grandmother was one of the “babies” of the family.
This morning I was flipping through a magazing my mother gave me. (Mom, I am sorry the corner is torn. Someone carelessly put it into the bookshelf. And I love you!) Look at the date. 1927. My grandmother would have been 10. Think of it! Younger than Michaela. I wonder if my great-grandmother looked at these sorts of things. I imagine sewing for 10 or more children would indicate a yes. Or maybe she was so skilled by this point that she did not need needle craft magazines.
Look at this ad! A coupon in every package!!
Yesterday afternoon I worked on some more brooch pins. I am not sure my grandmother would want to be on a pin, but she would perhaps be flattered to know how beautiful we all thought she was, right up to the last.
Love doing these things. Gotta run. Thinking good thoughts today. Of people I love. Of people past and present who got under my skin and into my heart and make me who I am and who I want to be.
Enjoy this day.
By Lynn, on July 28th, 2011%
Oh, be still my heart, today is my day off and I had the opportunity to go by Goodwill today and take a quick glance. I was not disappointed! There on a shelf, underneath some other things, was this:
It is heavy. It has lots of crazing going on. But no chips! Oh, look at the roses!
I tell you what I’d been wanting one of these for. It’s to put some various toiletries on that are cluttering up my bathroom vanity.
It’s perfect. Ahhh, I am so happy. Doesn’t take much, you know.
On a totally different note, I am happy to be getting back into the swing of karate. I have taken probably a year’s break (doesn’t seem that long), and I am rusty. But my son, Joseph, who we call Big Joe, came over to help me with my katas.
I love the gritty edit of these photos. Don’t ask me why. They were gonna be that way anyway because they are just stills from a movie I did while we did a kata. (Helps to see your weaknesses if you video the whole thing.)
From just taking the stills, I desaturated them and added a glow. Reminds me of old news-style magazine photos from the 60s.
Katas are almost like dances, each one a succession of moves that progress in difficulty and skill as you move through the belts.
They are beautiful to watch.
So tonight I am hoping to go back to class, for the first time in awhile.
Joseph is a good teacher and is really sweet to come over and help me out. He is such a good son. He’s always been respectful, kind, and a joy to me, and that’s quite a reputation for a young man.
Intimidating? Would be if the class were not so much like family.
Of course at the end of your kata, you bow (rei) to show respect.
Enjoy this day!
By Lynn, on July 13th, 2011%
My poor, old computer is a clearing house for images! What with a blog and several websites, years of homeschooling and just a love of photography itself, it seems I never can get my picture files down to a reasonable number (oh, say below 9,000 or so).
In looking through photos this morning, it occurred to me to see, what was I doing at this time a year ago? So I looked back. To July 2010.
Oh the heat! This day was sweltering. It might have been unbearable, but one of my favorite people in the whole world, a little boy from co-op, came and sat with me. He told me stories and asked me questions. With the adventurous spirit that all little boys have, he presented to me horrifying scenarios and asked me what I would do if they happened. Like, what if a spider got bigger than the whole world? No, bigger than the universe!! And it was standing here looking at us??
You know. Things like that. Then, in little boy fashion, we talked of things that he could do to save the day. It was a sweet day.
Hmmmm. How about 2009?
On this very day, July 13 in 2009, I would have been off work and in the garden. I do remember the day even. The heat. The garden plans. I don’t remember details as much as just the general mood. I love that apron. The phlox was in bloom. The creatures were abundant.
Okay. So what about three years ago? What about 2008? I looked.
Garden. Again. I remember admiring these bright blue delphiniums. I do remember details of the days surrounding this photo. I remember the neighbor girls coming over and putting flowers in their hair and dancing like little Hawaiian dancers. I remember.
Do I dare look back another year? To 2007?
Let’s!
Oh, I remember this! I was working at Whole Foods, one of my favorite jobs of all time. Okay. Well. My favorite job of all time. And if I could make the money there that I make at home, well off I’d go. Anyway, we had to wear our hair semi-covered, and I always would take my Whole Foods bandana and cover my hair in the front and wrap it around to the back and tie it, with my hair bunched up on top. I like this style even with regular bandanas. I am so glad I looked! I must go pull out my ribbons and scarves today and see what I can come up with.
Hmm. Do we go back to 2006? Will you go with me?
Awwww. Yeah, I am glad I looked at this. Joseph, doing math. Or maybe not. I remember this day. I guess his brain was overtired and he just needed to shut his eyes. I know that feeling many days.
One more year. Will you go with me to 2005? I promise, only one more year, for there are no older pictures than 2005 on this computer. Let’s go.
My daddy’s funeral. Six years ago this month. Can it be? You’ll notice the military looking jeep in the back with the flags. And this is a military cemetary. Taps was played on a solemn bugle. I miss my dad even now. But I am still glad I looked. I need to remember him this month. And actually, my son John asked me the other day, on a particularly tearful day, “What would your dad say to you right now?” That really put me to thinking. He did have some things he always said to me. One was “keep the faith.”
(I sure am glad I have this blog, so that I can ramble when I need to.)
I am thinking that my point in all of this is that we all only have today. Looking back over my yesterdays, I could never have predicted that I would be where I am right now. I am glad I was living in the day, with joy and hope (and yes even with sadness) and just knowing that I needed to be grateful for that day. And I dare not look at tomorrow! Today is where I need to be. Just in today. Doing what I can today. Being joyful today. Being kind today. A good mother today. Just today. That is what I want to focus on.
And what do I look like today? Well, I am glad you asked.
Because this is me today. If anyone had told me a year ago, or two years ago, or six years ago that I’d be making clay bunnies and working on a book about them, I’d have said, “Really?” I would have been excited about that, but maybe not the circumstances around it. It has been a road of having and giving away. Of wanting and not having. Of having more than I deserve. The paradox of all of that!
Life is hard to understand sometimes.
So, yeah, that is me up there in that fat blue chair, handing out advice and telling stories to my baby bun-buns. Living in the moment. Mrs. Bun-Bun. That’s me.
I was in the old garden yesterday. The phlox is blooming.
I was glad to just stand still there. I’d like to say I had an epiphany moment and then floated out of the garden on a cloud, but in the jungle that it’s become, the mosquitoes started biting my ankles in the 100-degree humidity that is North Carolina, so I just split.
On that note, I will go. Today is a work day. I need to be productive and get some things in the shop today. I do have joy, in spite of everything! My children make me laugh. I am surrounded by things and people I love. I have food. And I am taking copious notes of how my next garden shall be.
Enjoy this day.
By Lynn, on July 8th, 2011%
My Dear Friends,
What would I do without you? I appreciate your visits so much. The real friendships that have blossomed from what started out as just a little comment, on your blog or mine, have meant so much to me.
Now, my home address may scream APARTMENT, but we all know it is really a cottage. Rose Cottage. And there is no reason why that should not be the case. No reason why people should not feel they have come to a cottage.
So yesterday, after a visit to The Scrap Exchange, I came home and assembled this wreath for our cottage door.
And while my cottage does not have a garden all around — not a real cottage garden, anyway — I like to think that I am surrounded by the blossoms of old, new, and yet to be friendships. A true garden indeed!
This morning I had to fly out from my little cottage nest and run some errands, and while I was out I picked up the newest issue of Victoria magazine. I love that magazine! Be still my heart! But this month, I especially wanted to see the name of my dear friend, Marqueta, in the Reader to Reader section. She spoke of a major influence or two in her life, and spoke it so very beautifully!
In turn, Marqueta is influencing other lives. She has influenced my life. And I know that this little blog, no matter how humble, has the power to influence others. It is just so, that what we write and how we live speaks to others — for good or for ill.
I was just writing to a friend this morning, and actually have been thinking about it lately, how we influence others. There is a world of negative influence on line, but isn’t it wonderful to be a part of a positive influence on line? I love that! It might seem contrary to think that we’ use something as modern as the internet to rejoice about modest and old-fashioned things, but that’s what is happening. Young wives and mothers are looking for the ways to run their home. We want them to stumble across something worthwhile!
As I go about my day, I think of the things I have read and seen. And oh, yes, there are cobwebs in my life, but at the end of the day, I love how we share the beautiful, positive things with each other, occasionally peppered with keeping it real.
Enjoy this day.
PS –Just reminding you that if you are in a midlife-crisis-I-need-another-baby, a beagle is a marvelous little creature. (Be prepared to be busy.)
By Lynn, on July 4th, 2011%
Ahhh, my little brooch pins. I do enjoy making them. I get so lost in the process, but feel there is so little time to truly work on them!
I did, however, finally get some pins made and into the shop on Saturday evening late. I do have to work all day today, but I am hopeful that I can get a few more finished up and into the shop today.
While looking through photos on Saturday, I came across some old photographs of my grandmother. She was born a Comer, but her mother had been a McNeill (Betsy Rosanna McNeill), and that branch of McNeills can be traced back across North Carolina’s history to the 1700s when the first McNeill we know of came over, he having been born in the late 1600s. It is quite the interesting story.
Anyway, my grandmother ended up on a couple of pins.
And this one…
I miss my grandmother so much. I think sometimes I’d like to put my arms around her again and make 100% totally without-a-doubt sure that she knew how much I loved her.
I hope you all have an excellent 4th of July!! I will be working, but I am enjoying my surroundings: a quiet, clean and bright apartment, with lots of vintage and Victorian effects. I have food. I have water. I have much to be thankful for.
Enjoy this day!
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About Lynn
I am the mother of four delightful children: a 23-year-old son, a 20-year-old son, a 17-year-old son, and a bright and bubbly 13-year-old daughter. I share an apartment home with my 17-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter. My little home on the internet is called Rose Cottage because of my love for gardening, roses, and all things romantic and Victorian. Welcome.
I'm a North Carolina girl and I love sharing North Carolina links and information. I do medical transcription from home. My hobbies include making sweet little dolls from clay who are named and have their own stories to tell. I also make old-fashioned brooches. These are for sale in my Etsy shop.
For 13 years continuously, I homeschooled some or all of our four children, but the time came that our homeschool had to be closed. It was the end of a beautiful chapter in my life. I will always be a strong supporter of homeschooling and I will continue to review books and maintain my homeschool website, The Healthy Homeschool. The Players
Lil Ol' Me
Son Daniel, 23
Son, Big Joe, 20
Son, John, 17
Daughter, Michaela, 13
Annie Fatso Beagle
My Symphony
To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never. In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony.
William Henry Channing
1810-1884
What You Do Sow a thought, reap an action.
Sow an action, reap a habit.
Sow a habit, reap a character.
Sow a character, reap a destiny.
Contact Me 
I would  for you to leave a comment, but you can also e-mail me at lynn AT thehealthyhomeschool.com
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