Vie à la campagne
Inspiration and Creation."Conditions for creativity are to be puzzled; to concentrate; to accept conflict and tension; to be born everyday; to feel a sense of self."---Erich FrommI'm working on a rolling needle holder for my knitting needles. I chose the one from the blog Alexandra Knits it has multiple pocks for different sized needles, double points and circulars. It's versatile and the design is simple. However, it's been YEARS since I've done any serious sewing. I recently purchased a new Brother sewing machine. It's divine! I've fiddled with it, played with all the stitches it can do, learned how to use the automatic threading feature and loaded a few bobbins. It's so smooth and easy to use compared to my 60 year old Kenmore. Don't get me wrong, I love my in cabinet Kenmore, but it's a chugger. I may take it in for an overhaul yet. I also dragged out my Baby-Lock serger, cleaned it up and oiled it. I had to look through the user manual for a refresher. Wow, I also found the original receipt from 1987, when my parents bought it for my 25th birthday. Pulling out my supplies that have been nestled in the antique tiger oak buffet, that has kept everything safe and secure all these year and through 3 moves, my mind drifted to those days and nights slouched over my machines piecing together projects. I was never good at sewing, mostly due to my impatient desire for the finished project. That has always been my downfall. Impatience. The willingness to allow mistakes to remain if it meant being that much closer to finished. The years have mellowed me, I guess. Yesterday I actually, not only ripped out a seam I had just completed, but re-cut 2 pieces when I noticed how crooked they had turned out. Working with silky acetate material can be a challenge when cutting. I had chosen this project to improve my rotary cutting wheel skills which wasn't the wisest choice of material. Another thing I was able to do that I was not able to accomplish 20 years ago, when my back got sore and I felt myself getting frustrated, I quietly and resolutely put everything away, cleaned up my working area and walked away to do something else. Never before would I have done that, I would have just charged through the project, crooked lines be darned. It was a new feeling, a good feeling. I wasn't angry, like I would have been so many years ago, I wasn't frustrated, sweating and hurting. I simply thought to myself, "well, I think I've worked on this long enough, I want this to turn out nice, so I think I'll go do something else for a while." I enjoyed my dinner and when I thought about going back to the project, I waved the thought away with, "Nah, I need a break, I'll pick it back up tomorrow." Which I will likely do after this post. There's a glow inside me now. It's not just knowing that my youth wasn't such a waste as I've thought over the last 10 years. It's learning that being older comes with wisdom that I didn't have then. It's feeling the warmth of creativity and inspiration, this time without the harried frustration. I've learned something else over the last week. I'm happiest and most content when I'm being creative. I spend a lot of my time working, taking care of our homestead and, of all things, playing "World of Warcraft". I enjoy all those things. But when knitting, spinning, sewing, beading and other crafty creative things, that's when I bask in a glowing sense of self. The proper way to eat a birthday cakeLet me tell you of a story about a little boy who turned one year old on Thursday. He really enjoyed his birthday cake ..... really!!!! Let me show you the story of how it went.
All gone!!! Happy Birthday Sweetie Pie! July 4thI do hope each and every one of you out there have a safe and happy 4th of July. Remember to thank God for the freedom that we share and the ability to do what we like, go where we'd like, and to live and love like we want. Sometimes we take these things for granted, I know I tend to. Have a great day!They Had to GoNormally when I raise something here it stays for good. But today I said good-bye to my 3 ducks. It wasn't an easy decision, but one that's been begging to be made for about a year now. I had to let my ego take a backseat and admit my failure and strong dislike for these 3 ducks.Last year, my male duck (pekin cross) started brutalizing my call ducks. He even killed a few, he's like many ducks, in the way that he insists on mating with ANY water fowl. Nevermind that he out weighed the calls 3 times over or that he was trying to mate with the males as well, that didn't matter to him. I separated the 3 standard ducks by tossing them in with the chickens. They did just fine there, too. Unfortunately, I lost the last of the call ducks during the winter to a very wiley possum. That finally stopped, I envisioned the giant rat crossing the highway a mile away or trying to take on one of the many dogs that wander the area, either way, the killing stopped. Nobody has bothered my dominiques, the big ducks or any of my other birds for many months now. Then the Cottonpatch came. Within two weeks that stupid duck started brutalizing one of my geese. That was the last straw. Still I hung on, thinking that Alfred would finally punk him out and he'd stop bothering Matilda. I didn't care anymore that I had hatched these ducks from eggs in the incubator and raised them to adulthood, but I wasn't willing to part with them yet. Then Monday I left the pen spittin' mad. I had fallen so hard for my geese, that seeing Matilda's head with a bald patch and a few sores and the dominant male duck chasing her around without mercy put me into a tailspin. That was IT!!! I was done. I had worked around these 3 ducks long enough. They had to go, they'd done nothing but make me angry for a year now. My patchies, dominiques, and turkeys are my priorities. NOT 3 mutt ducks. Tuesday morning before work I put the 3 onto Freecycle. Today, they went to their new home, one with no call ducks, no geese and another female duck. The dominant male will be VERY happy and I'm sure the other male and the female will enjoy having another friend. When I got home from dropping them off, I swear I saw Matilda smile and laugh. She knows she rules. Gracie and Alfred are happy too I'm sure since that darn duck chased them around as well. Through my escapades with ducks over the last several years, I have learned...I prefer Muscovies. They're the only duck I'll ever have again. No matter how blasted cute they are as ducklings, if they're not a Muscovy, I'm not bringing them home or incubating their eggs. If I feel so justified, why do I feel like such a failure? A Morning WalkMorning WalkAmidst the dew of early dawn, I took a morning walk. And along with me, I took a Friend, For I felt a need to talk. I unburdened both my heart and soul, And spoke many things: Of plans gone wrong, of failure's pain, And how to live with shattered dreams. My Friend just listened quietly, And uttered not a word. For it was His time to listen, And my time to be heard. His sympathetic ear brought peace, As we walked this earthly sod. And I learned to trust life again, On my morning walk with God. Poet, Barbara Cagle Ray I think I'll take a long morning walk.......Kitty Happy Canada Day!!!!!!!!!!Just wanted to wish all the Canadians a very Happy Canada Day - hope you all have a wonderful day.
Beating the heat with a different kind of popsicleI got this from my Living on a Dime (linked) newsletter today and thought I'd share it. Any way of beating the heat is a good thing. For non-traditional popsicles:
Bike rally and here come da police...Good morning! I hope these long hot days are not slowing you down too much. Here on the homestead things are still moving along, but it sure is hot! We had some baby chicks hatch out and I am glad that the mommas are not sitting on eggs as hot as it is in the henhouse. This week-end we rode up to the city on the motorcycle to the big bike rally they had at Bricktown. It was a long ride in the heat coming home but we sure met a lot of nice people and enjoyed seeing a lot of nice bikes too. I must say I did not expect the thousands of bikes that were there.
Little Miss and I have been going for our 2 mile walk at 8:30-9:00 in the evening. It helps not to have the sun bearing down on us and the dogs are now waiting on us on the porch as they have gotten used to what time we go. Police Son now really is a police son as he got the news that he gets sworn in on Wednesday for the Pauls Valley police dept. and will be badge number 118. YAY ....... this has been a long hard uphill climb for him but he is actually there now! Here he is on interview day.
Here he is trying on his uniform. (he is not crazy about the bulky bullet proof vest!)
Over the week-end my nephew got married. He and his bride (and their precious baby) had a sweet outside ceremony. It was hot but it was well worth it to see them take wedding vows.
Little Miss is so excited that next week she is going to camp! Yep, it is hard to believe as this is the one who goes nowhere without mom. Albeit, it is just a day camp and Cowgirl Cutie will be there as counciler, but she is going everyday without me. She is so excited as she will get to ride horses everyday. (I think I am being traded in for a horse!) We are getting everything ready here for our upcoming river trip. We will leave on the 10th and get back on the 19th if all goes well. Frontier Man is so looking forward to a break. He is working out in this heat everyday and sometimes it is just a struggle to make it through one more day. I pray for his safety and his health and do the best I can to feed him well and make him rest when not at work -that is also a struggle most of the time because he sees so much that needs his attention round here. It is also so nice to get to see family too -hope to see you soon Sunshine!
Thursday is The Littles 1st birthday. I can't imagine him already turning one. The time sure goes by fast and our little ones sure remind of us that as they grow. Happy Birthday Sweetie Pie!!!
Well, today is bread baking day so I better get to it. You all have a great day on your 'steads! Fill in the blanks I wish I would have gotten this in yesterday's inbox, then maybe I would have had a little something to say for my 1000th post, lol. Oh well, moving on. Here is a little survey that if you'd like you can join in with.
Fill in the blanks:
New Christmas Tree GarlandLast night I decided that I was going to start knitting the new Christmas tree garland (the last one that I made was destroyed in the fire) - I figured if I did it up on the knitting machine, I could have it done in no time .... wrong!!!!!! My knitting machine does not like fun fur yarn - glad I didn't wait until the end of November to start this, lol.So, today, I grabbed my needles and yarn, turned on the computer, brought up You Tube and found a great little tutorial on how to knit backwards - I wanted to try this because I'm only using 4 stitches for the garland and if I have to turn my work all the time ... well, let's just say that that will get old really fast, lol. I'm not sure how to add a You Tube video here (I did it once but I've forgotten how - if someone could let me know how to do that, that would be wonderful), so here is the link to the video I watched: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vT-u3MBGFtI I'm really hoping that this garland goes quickly, I have a feeling that it is going to end up being my putter project, though - that's okay, I like having a project that I can just pick up and knit a little bit on, in between other things I need to do around the house.
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