Family Tapestry

The American melting pot is made up of many nationalities ... blended at times into a homogeneous race of people. I can claim my Irish heritage and look at pictures on line of my grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins from the Emerald Isle. However, my tapestry is woven from all European stock from many countries. The traits of each forefather are evident in my likes, dislikes, mannerisms, skin color, hair color (gray that it be), eye color, and religion. Another thread has been found. This time from Denmark. Great Grandfather Charles Calundan was born in 1864 and was a master craftsman in woodworking. He built grand carved staircases and ornate wood carvings on buildings.. He married my grandmother, Laura in Nebraska. I have been to this area years ago and saw some of the buildings he worked on. His house was still standing at the time. Pieces are coming together; just tonight I spoke with my bio dad and he said a cousin of his is looking for information on this same grandfather. A jigsaw puzzle is about to be pieced together. Stay tuned.

Memorial Day Memories

All In Good Time

A Nathan Story.

One of Nathan's goals this year in his life skills class at school was met yesterday. He has had an aversion to school assemblies, movie theaters, big church, and social gatherings with more than a few people, especially ones that involve sitting in a theater and having the lights go out. We have tried for years to get him in a movie theater ... with no success. The boy LOVES movies btw. Last year his wonderful teacher made arrangements with our local theater for her special needs class to attend a movie. They had the whole theater to themselves and even planned for the lights to stay on and slowly dim ... and keep the entrance open. Nathan sat just outside the theater's back entrance door. A developmental milestone was met this week when he sat outside the doors of a school assembly AND actually went into a movie theater to watch an entire movie with his class. He came home informing us that he wanted to go back (with his girlfriend) to see the movie, "UP" ... (of course he saw a preview for this movie ... he's highly motivated by previews :)
Here's hoping that this will eventually lead up to attending church. Way to go ... Nathan!

Are You A Dead Beat

... credit card holder??? According to the recent news reports, due to a lack of personal self control, issuing credit to not so credit worthy people, banks charging highway robbery late fees, jacking up interest rates with little notice, and the general public (me included) not wanting to spend three hours reading the gobbledygook disclosures issued with said credit cards, the president is enacting new laws to give a break to people that can't or don't pay their bills on time. Also, according to said reports, if you pay your credit card balances off in full each month, you are considered a dead beat card holder. Go figure?? Now the card companies will have to re-coop some of their 'loss' in revenue from the late payers by charging the payers-in-full annual fees for the privilege of using said credit card. Don't know about you, but I fall into the dead beat card holders group. Guess what credit card companies? I have a nice pair of scissors and will cut up your stinkin' card and start using cash. Makes no difference to me.

Whatever Happened To ...

• moral absolutes
• generational families (grandparents, parents, children, grandchildren living in close proximity)
• living within one's means
• saving for a rainy day
• being content with what you have
• courtesy
• intact families
• yes meaning yes ... and no meaning no
• work ethics
• good role models
• intact marriage vows

The demise of our nation:

• spending more than you make
• broken homes
• fatherless children
• drug abuse
• child abuse
• spousal abuse
• lying, cheating
• broken promises
• borrowing, borrowing, borrowing
• feeling entitled to handouts
• big government
• illegal immigration
• keeping up with the Jones

Everything about us is bare and wide open to
the all-seeing eyes of our living God; nothing
can be hidden from him to whom we must
explain all that we have done.

Hebrews 4:13 TLB

A Break In

... the weather. Yesterday was the warmest day since early October, 2008. It reached 80F at my mountain hide-away and gave this old gal a spring to her step. My garden LOVED the heat and I can just imagine all things sprouting in the next day or two! Today, however, is predicted to be in the mid 60'sF with thunder storms throughout the day. Hey, I'll take it as that means I don't have to water the garden or grass today :0)

Good and bad news: Reported by Ann after her dental appointment yesterday! She only had one cavity (I said that's the good news ;) ... the bad news. She needs all four wisdom teeth removed, the dentist is trying to talk her into having lumineers (caps) on her four upper front teeth, and she informed me she wants (not needs) invisiline braces. Of course my reply was ... which part of that is good news? You want to do what to your teeth? And just where are YOU going to get the money to pay for all of this?? We're talking enough money to buy a nice used car folks. I said yes to the tooth filling, yes to the wisdom teeth, NO to the vaneers, and NO to the invisiline braces. If you as a working adult want to do all the extra stuff to your teeth, than you will have to work very hard and pay for it all. I don't care if you are going into the 'tooth business' (dental assistant), you have nice enough teeth as it is. Her reply: "why are you doing this to me?"

Six Uninportant Things About Me

Louise tagged me on this meme:

1. I always wear socks to bed (summer/winter/spring/fall)
2. I always wear sensible shoes ... I own three pairs...one for every day, one for gardening, one for special occasions. The everyday pair is worn 95 % of the time.
3. I always clip my nails short ... don't have the time or care to paint them.
4. I've been a homemaker for 27 years and can make an entire four course meal from whatever is at hand in the fridge or pantry.
5. I prefer monochromatic color schemes with a splash of red
6. my family is genetically programmed to LOVE potatoes ... probably from my Irish heritage

OK ... enough silliness. I'm going to tag Manny, Moe, & Jack to end this nonsense :)

photo art: Carl Larson

Selkirk Loop Trip Pics

I finally uploaded the picture album (here) of our recent trip to British Columbia via the Selkirk Loop. We had a lovely trip and enjoyed many stops along the byway. We were gone only two nights ... being so close to the Canadian border, we only traveled a total of 230 miles during the entire trip. My favorite 'tourist' stop was here ... where hubby bought me one of these ... claiming I could use it as another mode of transportation in an emergency ;). Our first night was spent just outside Sandpoint, Idaho at a small log cabin resort on Lake Pend Oreille. I've grown accustomed to cool weather ... and that we had. But, oh, the scenery was grand. Nathan was right at home in his cozy little sleeping porch bedroom. He enjoyed playing catch with his dad and mom too. For dinner, I had brought along a basket full of dinner and breakfast fixings and was able to cook in a fully equipped kitchen. We then made our way into British Columbia the following morning and enjoyed a scenic drive along the east shore of Kootenay Lake. This is a very long lake with mountains on each side. At one point the road ended and we had to take a ferry boat to cross the lake and continue our trip. We finally made our way to Nelson, BC and spent the night here. This is a lovely historic (former mining) town built on the side of a mountain. There is a slim arm of Kootenay Lake that enhances the beauty of this charming village. Here is a link to a walking tour complete with pics. Nathan enjoyed playing on the beach's playground. The Mr. and I have plans to return again for a little get away some day soon.

The Road Today

... was met with peace and rest. Not one minute in the garden. Two hours on the sofa with a soft blanket covering me. With the gas/wood stove keeping me cozy a nap was in order. It is good to rest once in a while to restore the mind and body. The weather outside was on again off again. Warm sunshine one minute ... and rain, hail, and wind the next. I feared for my tomato plants in the pounding hail. But, after inspection, they seem to have fared for the better. This weekend will be busy enough with planting the rest of the garden. For now, I shall enjoy the view from my window. When one works too much outside, you tend not to notice the landscape view from the inside. It is a grand view today. Green spring growth as luscious as the Emerald Isle. Blue skies dappled with swirling white clouds. Birds flitting here and there enjoying the seeds placed in the feeders. Humming birds have returned and enjoy drinking the nectar we've provided. The hammock sways empty today with a stiff breeze pushing through the pines. In abundance, God has given us provision.

Hugs,

A Question For God

Dear Lord,

I'm confused. I hope you can help me understand something that has been bothering me. Here goes:

Why do some people who defend the rights of pre-born children and approve of forceful/sanctioned methods used against t^^rorists in an attempt to further thwart said people causing hateful/evil destruction against your creation get 'trashed' by the news media and politicians? and ...

Why do some people pamper and cater to t^^rorists yet do everything in their power to have laws passed approving the termination of innocent pre-born life get promoted as a 'side' for the so called more 'enlightened', people?

Spring Fever

... and a lack of computer memory has kept me from posting my British Columbia pictures. I hope to resolve the pc problem soon. My days have been spent in bliss out in the garden planting a nice variety of veggies and flowers. Some from seeds ... some from dividing last year's plants, some from plants I started in March, and some from the nursery. Don't laugh ... but the Mr. bought me a nice wood chipper for Mother's Day ... I kid you not. The salesman wasn't sure that was a keen idea ;) ... but oh, I'm so delighted :) There are endless jobs for me to do outside. Cleaning up the winter's mess, repairing this and that, and plotting down a few garden maps so I know where to rotate crops next year has been keeping me busy. Now, when the wood chipper arrives, we can get to work making wood mulch for the walking trail out back. Winter's cage has been opened and I'm free at last.