One of my favorite things in the world is fog. It turns an ordinary street into the gateway to a fairyland. It makes dead trees appear mysterious. It opens up so many possibilities because it hides what is normally in plain sight. Fog gathers around rivers and lakes (I know the scientific explanation but it isn't what I wanted to blog about), and we have one of each of those near our house. So, we get a lot of fog here. And I love it. I just have to remember that I need to leave earlier in the morning, so the kids get to school on time!
Yesterday, in addition to the fog, there were a few other obstacles that made leaving my house a bit of a challenge. We had a fire a few blocks away, and it was a huge, flame-shooting, black cloud-billowing spectacle. I think everyone in the entire town showed up to watch. It took me 10 minutes to detour around the block that was closed off, because the streets were choked with cars. No, not cars that were driving, cars that were parked so people could take pictures and check out the flames. This seemed a bit odd to me- don't you run AWAY from a fire? But yeah, one of the many interesting things about small-town life!
Last night I went to pick up a plant that needed a new home. I pulled out of our driveway, and there was a MOOSE. It trotted away as I slowly drove down the road, but circled back through the yards and I lost track of where it was. But it likes our neighborhood (who wouldn't?) because the kids saw it again this morning.
After I thought about it, though, I began to wonder if maybe I should just stay home.
Gratitude List:
* Good music.
* I have a washer and a dryer that work.
* Email and texts, and how easily I can stay in contact with family and friends.
* There are more pictures on the walls now. Slow and steady, right?
* Another box (fabric this time) is unpacked and sort of organized in my craft room.
* A family that is loving and supportive.
* Visiting grandparents.
* I rearranged my living room. It isn't perfect, but the layout works better than it did before.
* I am blessed in so many ways.
* God answers my prayers.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Lots of knitting
There has been a lot of knitting going on here. I know I have other things to do, and somehow I forget. Or I put them off, thinking I'll get to them later. Also, I got a nook for Christmas, and after I figured out how to transfer my knitting patterns to it, I kind of got lost for awhile.
I found this tree at a craft store over the holidays. I desperately wanted to take it home, but it was a bit fragile. That, plus the 8 hour drive with 2 dogs and 3 kids in the car, decided me against the purchase. I had a better chance of winning the lottery (which I did not enter) than of bringing home that tree intact.
We also added to our menagerie over the holidays. Walker got 2 gerbils, both male (we hope), and has them secured in a nice large cage with all sorts of climbing/running/burrowing places. He named them Hercules and Ladon. Hercules was a Greek hero, you may remember, who was given 12 challenges, or labors. One of those challenges involved taking a golden apple from the garden of the Hesperides. The apple tree was guarded by a never-sleeping, hundred-headed dragon named Ladon. Ladon, depending on which version of the myth you believe, was either overcome or slain by Hercules. So, my myth-loving son named his gerbils after a hero and one of the monsters that hero fought. Is anybody else seeing a problem with this? Oh, and his other choices for names were equally disturbing: Beowulf and Grendel, or Siegfried and Fafner. These pairs are also one hero and a monster that the hero killed. In Siegfried's case, the hero ATE the monster after it was killed. Gerbils can be cannibalistic. I don't really think they need the added encouragment of being named after mortal enemies to fight with each other.
Hyrum got a betta fish. Just one, though, so the chances of it fighting are slim. He named it Fireball, since it is red.
Morgen got a poinsettia plant, to go along with her gecko and crickets. Random: I love Morgen. I vehemently dislike her arguing with me every.single.time I ask her to do something. And the worst part? She is currently working on her science fair project with her dad, and just made a suggestion. He countered it, and she didn't argue with him at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (this is me going crazy- garble arble blaaarrrrrrgh)
Also, I am unpacking/organizing my craft room, which means I have lost: all of my birthday cards, and the workspace I need to make more. I dislike purchasing birthday cards, however, which prevents my sending any type of paper message.
Jared was in Germany for 2 weeks in December. I am always hesitant to post when he is gone, because I'm afraid I'll slip and say he's gone, and having that information out on the interweb makes me a bit paranoid. Anyway, he made it back safely, bringing us candy and treats (enough to fill half of his suitcase), in plenty of time for Christmas.
Gratitude List:
* a warm house.
* hot cocoa and homemade soup with bread- best part of winter, that!
* good music, old favorites and new finds.
* a new yoga class.
* making meditation time for myself.
* wikipedia- I know it isn't the ultimate source of information, but it is a great place to begin.
* chocolate.
* neighbors who clear our driveway, because they claim that staying inside drives them batty.
* my nook.
* 15 years of (mostly) happy marriage to my handsome, sexy, smart, funny husband.
* lots of snow outside.
* getting order from chaos, ever so slowly, in my craft room.
* my family and friends.
* good books, and The Good Book
* my blessed life
* God
I found this tree at a craft store over the holidays. I desperately wanted to take it home, but it was a bit fragile. That, plus the 8 hour drive with 2 dogs and 3 kids in the car, decided me against the purchase. I had a better chance of winning the lottery (which I did not enter) than of bringing home that tree intact.
We also added to our menagerie over the holidays. Walker got 2 gerbils, both male (we hope), and has them secured in a nice large cage with all sorts of climbing/running/burrowing places. He named them Hercules and Ladon. Hercules was a Greek hero, you may remember, who was given 12 challenges, or labors. One of those challenges involved taking a golden apple from the garden of the Hesperides. The apple tree was guarded by a never-sleeping, hundred-headed dragon named Ladon. Ladon, depending on which version of the myth you believe, was either overcome or slain by Hercules. So, my myth-loving son named his gerbils after a hero and one of the monsters that hero fought. Is anybody else seeing a problem with this? Oh, and his other choices for names were equally disturbing: Beowulf and Grendel, or Siegfried and Fafner. These pairs are also one hero and a monster that the hero killed. In Siegfried's case, the hero ATE the monster after it was killed. Gerbils can be cannibalistic. I don't really think they need the added encouragment of being named after mortal enemies to fight with each other.
Hyrum got a betta fish. Just one, though, so the chances of it fighting are slim. He named it Fireball, since it is red.
Morgen got a poinsettia plant, to go along with her gecko and crickets. Random: I love Morgen. I vehemently dislike her arguing with me every.single.time I ask her to do something. And the worst part? She is currently working on her science fair project with her dad, and just made a suggestion. He countered it, and she didn't argue with him at all!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (this is me going crazy- garble arble blaaarrrrrrgh)
Also, I am unpacking/organizing my craft room, which means I have lost: all of my birthday cards, and the workspace I need to make more. I dislike purchasing birthday cards, however, which prevents my sending any type of paper message.
Jared was in Germany for 2 weeks in December. I am always hesitant to post when he is gone, because I'm afraid I'll slip and say he's gone, and having that information out on the interweb makes me a bit paranoid. Anyway, he made it back safely, bringing us candy and treats (enough to fill half of his suitcase), in plenty of time for Christmas.
Gratitude List:
* a warm house.
* hot cocoa and homemade soup with bread- best part of winter, that!
* good music, old favorites and new finds.
* a new yoga class.
* making meditation time for myself.
* wikipedia- I know it isn't the ultimate source of information, but it is a great place to begin.
* chocolate.
* neighbors who clear our driveway, because they claim that staying inside drives them batty.
* my nook.
* 15 years of (mostly) happy marriage to my handsome, sexy, smart, funny husband.
* lots of snow outside.
* getting order from chaos, ever so slowly, in my craft room.
* my family and friends.
* good books, and The Good Book
* my blessed life
* God
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