Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Francis and I Made Some Spring

Josh and Francis were here for the weekend again. They have been home often since they married and settled in Nebraska. Of course, we enjoy each visit from our global children.

This time Francis was telling me about a spring door-swag she had made. Just coffee filters and some doodads and she was all set. Glue and wire, too.

 Francis says she cheated and used colored tissue paper for her pink flowers instead of a dyed coffee filter. It worked nicely. She had left over wedding burlap just for such things. A bit of ivy and a brainstorm. Her flowers are not hangydowny like mine are. I think hers is much better/nicer than is mine. But we won't need to argue about that, ok?



 
See what I mean? I colored coffee filters with colored chalk to get the color I wanted. You can hardly see it, but there's a lighter yellow flower in there, kind of underneath the two you can see. My burlap came from the real deal coffee bean bags we had at work. and the little wooden heart Thai pendants are from Lisl.

   Although I have projects: sewing and cleaning up to my ears around here, I stopped my ears to them and wasted a whole morning playing with this thing. I wasn't going to hang it the place of the old stale Christmas wreath because it isn't perfect. But today  I have changed my mind.
   Everyone needs a break day to create now and then. Such a good feeling. I recommend it.
    Sewing is calling, but first I am going to go take a walk with Kristine. :)

Friday, March 13, 2015

Signs of Spring at the Stonehouse

 ~ Elv just called to say that they have to shut down now. Which being interpreted is: their woods machines are cutting in too much, the frost being gone, and they  have to move out. No more logging today for sure. They'll load the machines onto trucks and move to  spring stumpage.
    Every work day is an iffy-ness of whether or not they can "go".  Besides this, if we don't soon get rain; the fire danger will "go through the roof". Such is spring breakup.
~ I want to go canoeing, soon. Anybody?
~I'm missing Elv. He has been logging almost around the clock. No time for coffee or talk. No brains for anything but logging. Sitting with our feet in the lake is a far off memory... the stuff of fantasy. I put this picture here to remind me that summer really is coming and we'll pull off Highway  61 one of these days and do this again. I'm sure.


~ There's mud and water and dirty snow and a leaf pack all over the lawn fit to cause depression.
~ We cleaned the cars. Oh my! They were so bad! Inside and out!
~ We've had two cook-outs. We had only the patio for our space due to snow banks and mud, but we made it. Fire and grilling and all. Wonderful!
~ The clothes line is full of drying, sweet smelling blankets.

Spring Is Here!

Monday, March 9, 2015

Family Collage

A day at home and a new wall word to play with! Yes! The piano wall needed some help. I have been too preoccupied with other more important things. This morning it suddenly became most important to clean up this house...and the red wax that got dumped several weeks ago on a precious doily now stuck to the piano itself. I wonder how to get that stuff out of the crochet work.
Never mind. Back to getting it off the piano. That little scraper they gave you at the last Pampered Chef party works perfectly. It took the wax off completely without fear of scratching the finish.

 We had a wall word come in at work that I couldn't resist bringing home. Here's a plug for Northwood Outdoor's gift shop. We have many new items and will be getting them on the shelves for you. Come in for wall words, framed art, rustic gifts/decor, and much more. If you're looking for just the right gift for a friend or yourself, we would love to help you find it. Located on Highway 27 in town right by the Sub-way store.
     Okay, back to the wall project. I have framed pictures of each of the married children and the currently outdated family picture. And my wall word. Putting that together on the piano wall was easy. Plus the dried roses.

      Outdated! That's the key word here, children. Send me a new file of your updated family picture and I'll print it and refill these frames. And I'm noticing that we need to get a new one of Amy and Brad each, as well. There's nothing like a new wall word for reminding us.
 


Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Unpacking


  

I am unpacking my suitcase today for the second time in a month having visited family in Michigan twice. I'm tired and slow today but feeling richly blest with wonderful memories of eternity-real events. I hope to unpack some of these things here so that we can remember and savor later.


 A funeral in our family is a reunion as well as saying Good-bye to a loved one. This particular funeral was extra special in many ways. Dave's life story of redemption: a sinner saved by grace, married children walking with the Lord, and grandchildren who will do that, as well. The neighbors bore witness to his life of commitment to family and quality work.
Dave cut a lot of ice with his neighbors and friends and children. And I have to say I was blown away by the generosity and love these folks shared with us, just because we are Dave's family.

     


     

These three ladies are sisters; you can tell that. When I grow up, I hope to be just like them. Such laughter and love and care they share with all of us. I'm a disciple.

The Oldies





 It's fun being with the cousins. Everyone has his story and gray hair and maybe even a few grandchildren. But we are NOT  the oldies, if you ask the oldies. And we like to hear that. At least for two days we felt like the nieces and nephews in the younger sense. It is a great feelin'.
I took this picture of my brother making breakfast for us on Sunday morning.
"That's a sick picture." He declared when I posted it on family facebook.
I think it's a great picture. Don't you? He is my brother. He is also a dad and husband to a lovely family out in Idaho. And he is a preacher in the Bonner's Ferry Mennonite church.  He does a great job wearing all those hats.
How about a little bragging on you, Daytan! Deal with it. You  have it coming!




And here's another Praise The Lord in our lives. These two wonderful peoples were there, too. And told us some of their story.
I guess that is probably the best thing I learned this weekend. Everyone has a story and often it is packed with redemption and forgiveness, making all the difference about eternity in our hearts.
Live your story so that the rest of us get to see a clear picture of God's grace. That is what family is supposed to be all about anyway, isn't it?!

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