Waiting

 

Hello, Dear Friends, I hope that you are keeping the faith 

as this tumultuous world swirls all around us. 

I have been in a state of suspended animation 

as I wait for spring, 

while war and rumors of war keep me awake at night.

Life is so precious, and we must be grateful for every single day

and the freedoms we so easily take for granted. 

I can't begin to understand mankind's 

inhumanity, but I do know that 

there are much greater forces

that transcend the cruelties of this world. 

Paul the Apostle in 1 Corinthians 13:

"So faith, hope, love remain, 

These three, but the greatest of these is love." 

xx

Speaking of love...

I am very fortunate in that regard at this point in my life. 

xx

My little grandsons created the bookmark with

thumbprint hearts.

I also received a sweet pipe-cleaner bracelet with beads, 

and pink cookies and treats. 

xoxo

Roses, card and chocolates were from my Dearest.  

He also surprised me with this very retro-style

radio/CD player and a whole set of 

60's love songs.

xx

Doowop, Doowop! 

Now I can listen to music while in the kitchen!

Our song, 'My Girl', by The Temptations is 

one of them. 

xx

The dogs look out on a very cold day. 

I am pet sitting for my daughter's dog, 'Lovey'. 

Isn't she cute? She has made herself at home 

and is quite bossy. 

Kai loves her to pieces. 

They sleep together, bark at nothing together, 

and race around chasing each other,  

stealing toys and bones. 

They've been a good distraction to some of the

vicarious trauma I am feeling right now 

due to world events.  

. 

They are pure innocence and love.

Well, maybe not completely innocent :) 

The hutch across from the daybed. 

I found this twiggy wreath when I was at the craft store

the other day. 

The colors in the wreath and this sweet painting 

complement each other. 

My grandson, Ethan's painting of a tree fort

that he wants his grandpa to build. 

xx 

I've been feeling like I need warm, happy colors 

around me these days. 

Little Lovey likes to park herself on the daybed

and mess up the cover :)

You can see the pet door. We had to put a paver brick

in front of it on both sides so she could jump in and out. 

That's the trouble with having short little legs. 

I should know :) I am 5' 3" in heels. 

I found an old advertisement in a magazine 

with a sweet graphic to match the colors in 

my poppy painting. 

Another cute graphic that complements my tea towel collection.

I love the 'Birdie' cereal. 

Grandson, Gavin's drawing of the house 

(floating away, attached to balloons), in the movie, 'Up'. 

He has included the old man and the little dog, too. 

xx

Both of the grandboy's artworks were sweetly mailed to us. 

The hallway off the kitchen, with the library on the right.

(View from the laundry room)

Ramblin' Man has redone the little powder room here. 

 He repainted, (Dutch Boy, 'Peace')

replaced the plumbing fixtures, 

(Toilet and sink)

and hung a glass shelf over the sink.

xx 

Vintage photos of our little town at the end of the hallway. 

My own artwork in the making. 

I am making some progress. 

It's going very slowly, but I work on it 

a little every day. 

It's like painting a 1000-piece jig-saw puzzle! 

I have been using my lighted magnifying lamp that 

I usually use for sewing and embroidery. 

It really helps! 

I've been doing a lot of baking. Old favorites 

like banana bread, apple crisp, and here, oatmeal-raisin cookies. 

I love the graphics on these ingredients. 

Advertising art is a favorite of mine, as you can tell. 

Pretty little helpers. 

Love, laugh and lick the spoon. 

I baked these for the Mr. They are his favorite. 

My baking sheet magnet board that  

I keep on the front of my white refrigerator. 

A little note he left me before leaving for work,

years ago. I keep it with my recipe. 

He sometimes left early in the morning before 

I was awake. I would pack his lunch the night before. 

He worked long hours as a Regional Sales and Distribution Manager

for a local potato chip and salty snacks company. 

He oversaw 9 managers, and nearly 200 distributors 

in seven states after rising up through the ranks,

beginning as a distribution driver. 

He traveled a lot, hence the nickname, 

"Ramblin' Man".

I enjoy having him home finally, now that he is retired. 

He still 'rambles', but now in a different way. 

He loves to 'ramble on' about things. 

And I love to listen. 

xoxo

Broccoli cheese soup and home-made bread. 

I've been making lots of soups lately, too. 

Chicken-rice, minestrone, beef stew. 

Just plain and simple comfort food. 

I've also restarted work on the crochet sweater 

that I started last year. I just have one sleeve and 

the yolk to finish. 

The beautiful canvas and leather bag that 

my son and wife gave me for Mother's Day last year. 

xx

All of these little projects help me to manage my anxiety

when the world seems so out of control. 

I wish that I could talk to my grandparents and great-grandparents

who went through so many difficulties and who survived

World Wars, the Spanish Flu of 1918, The Great Depression. 

My Mother's side were immigrants from Scotland

during WWI, and Ireland during famine. 

My Father's side have been here 

as far back as the founding colonies during

the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. 

Wouldn't it be wonderful to hear their stories? 

We would learn what real courage and resilience was.  

Hopefully, our own grandchildren and great-grandchildren 

will be here to wonder about the same things. 

I've been waking up at the break of dawn the last few days

to put the hummingbird feeders out at first light. 

It's been very cold at night, and I take them in to prevent them from freezing.

 

One benefit to waking up so early is that I see some beautiful sunrises. 

But on this morning, the planet Venus and the crescent moon were there to greet me! 

Another morning I had the crescent moon right over Mt. Rainier at sunrise. 

One morning we had a dusting of snow.  

Old Man Winter is not quite done with us yet. 

So, I wait...

For spring. 

For the pandemic to end. 

For peace.  

"For He will command His angels concerning you to guard

you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up,

lest you strike your foot against a stone."

-Psalm 91:11-12

"See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you

along the way and to bring you to the 

place I have prepared."

-Exodus 23:20

xx

Archangel Michael is historically associated with protecting

humanity from the forces of darkness. 

He carries the sword of divine justice. 

He symbolizes courage, strength and protection. 

I pray that Michael watches over the brave people of Ukraine,

especially the little children, the elderly, the soldiers, 

and all of the victims of the senseless wars in this troubled world. 

xoxo

 

Cabin Fever, Kitchen Cheer, and New Plans

Hello, Dear Friends, I hope that you are starting the new year 

with a fresh perspective and a renewed sense of purpose! 

Easier said than done in the midst of a long, cold

winter, especially here in the north woods. 

The snow is certainly magical and enchanting to look at, 

but a little too cold and slippery for me!

xoxo

I have a serious case of cabin fever, 

but I am content to stay inside and watch from the windows

for now. 

xx

Can you see Kai? He loves smashing his face right into the snow.

I think he has a bit of cabin fever, too!

He is free to come in and out as he pleases through

his pet door, but he prefers 'out' when the sun is shining.   

He loves the snow. 

You might guess that he would...his breed is 'American Eskimo'.

My 'Old Boy', Whitey-Bear, loves the snow, too, 

but prefers hanging out by the fire these days.

My little grandsons' doggy chair looks on. 

xx

It has been stormy for days, with rain, then snow, then wind, 

and sometimes all three in one day. 

But today.....there are glorious patches of sunshine and 

for the first time in many days, Mt. Rainier 

is emerging from the clouds. 

I've kept myself busy putting away the last of the Christmas 

decorations, and tidying up. 

Everything looks so bare without all the holiday decorations, 

so I found some treasures that were packed away, to fill in the gaps.

I love going through the boxes.
It's always a nice surprise.
Lots of little memories. 

I wanted touches of red 

 to add some cheer during these dark winter days. 

I found a few enamelware pieces with red trim. 

A couple of vintage red-rimmed saucepans with no chips, 

and some random lids came out to play. 

And my red timer. 

My 1961 Hotpoint stove timer still works, too. 

It's nice to have two. 

These canisters are not vintage, but look like they might be. 

 I found them in my 

local craft store a couple of years ago, 

along with the enamel sign. 

I had to have it :)

My Mom had this saying in her kitchen when I was young. 

I found the 'Mom's Diner' sign a couple of years ago

 at Seattle's Pike Street Market.

We had spent the day at a Mariner's vs. Red Sox game 

with my son and his wife; their treat. 

Afterwards we went to 'The Market'. 

It was a wonderful day.

You can see my post about it Here.  

Open 24 hours.

Always open. 

Once upon a time my kitchen was quite a busy place 

with four children, assorted friends, neighbors, relatives

and pets coming and going. 

Now it is just The Mr. and I, most 

of the time, but we do enjoy the peace and quiet. 

xx

Between the two of us, we still use a lot of dishes, though! 

Mostly coffee, tea and cocoa mugs at this time of year.

I have a thing for pretty tea-towels, 

and my local craft store sells them 

in all colors.

 I really love these red gingham towels.

Let's peek inside my 1930's 'Kitchen Queen' Hoover cabinet. 

Some happy little things. 

Memories of flea-market trips

and special gifts. 

Everything I need for blueberry pancakes,

  lemon/berry loaves,

and strawberry shortcakes.

With juice or tea. 

My daughter painted the 'mimosa' glass,

but the juice glasses are vintage. 

It's the start of a new collection......

Isn't everything? 

A photo of Ramblin' Man's dear Mom, whipping up 

her 'famous' spaghetti sauce, at my stove, in this kitchen.

My niece sent this special photo to us, with the recipe on the back - 

a sweet reminder of a loved one now gone, 

a wonderful visit and a lovely time in our lives. 

I had fun putting together the pillows and linens 

for the 1920 day-bed. Vintage gingham sheets, tea towels, crochet and 

a bit of fur and Sherpa were all sewn into curtains and pillows by me over the 

last few years. I gathered them from storage and other areas 

of the house. 

The quilt was my Mom's.

 She made me promise to take her favorite little companion, her kitty-cat, 

 Ling-Ling, when she was gone. Ling-Ling would only sleep on this quilt for many 

months when I first brought her here. She (and I) desperately missed my 

Mom and this quilt had her comforting scent - talcum and lilacs. 

Ling-Ling was our special little guest for 6 years 

and now I like to think that they are reunited once again. 

I have a small collection of flea-market paintings 

that I like to rotate. This one has all the right colors

and cheerful tone. 

This was my dear Mom-in-law's sewing kit. 

xoxo

Most of the time it stays upstairs in my sewing room.

 It reminds me of her and also, how much 

I love to sew, and that I need to make time to do it. 

My new cookie jar says it all. 

The tongs that fit on the top

are stamped, 'Guilt Free'. 

This was a sweet gift from my son

and his wife. 

Now I need to fill it up. 

Oatmeal-Raisin are the Mr.'s favorite. 

Icicles illuminated with the last of the day's light, 

leaving ghosts on the camera lens. 

Homemade Broccoli Cheese Soup and Irish Soda Bread

 are the perfect cure for Cabin Fever.  

A simple meal for a cold winter night

after a busy and fun day of decorating.

It's back to business tomorrow, the business of everyday life

and all the happiness and sadness each day can bring. 

I do have something special to tell you, though! 

Ramblin' Man has announced his retirement, 

and he's 'coming home to me'. 

xx

He still has a few more weeks to go, but 

we have been very busy getting ready for our 

'lifestyle change' and have been squaring things up. 

I am very proud of all his many achievements, drive,

determination, and dedication to his family. 

Now he deserves to relax and enjoy all that he has accomplished. 

Of course, he would never do that.....relax? 

Never. He has insatiable energy and many wonderful plans

for our home, gardens, travel and family time. 

We're looking forward to this brand-new excellent adventure. 

I hope you will come along. 

xoxo