May day............

Do you remember making May day baskets when you were young??

I was just reading a blog that reminded me of that. I think I might do it next year. This year I have no supplies to put in the baskets.

Mayday is also a day celebrated by the communists.

It is also a day steeped in lots of pagan traditions, as are most of our Christian holidays and celebrations.

Happy May day to everyone.

April Blanket

This is my last blanket for April.

It's a smaller blanket, more like a lovey type of blanket.

This one would be a Granny square pattern.

It is made of 100% cotton, 8 ply. It's similar to using 2 strands of cotton--the 4 ply stuff. I had some leftover in a skein and decided to just use it and make a small blanket.

At Seventeen............

Remember this song? By Janis Ian??

I do. I remember seeing it on Saturday Night Live in 1975.

It's a very sad song to me.

I never was a part of any group in school, however, I had friends from all groups. It was weird but that's pretty much how my life has been.

Anyway, this song always brings back a lot of memories.

Wikipedia has some history of the song and Janis Ian. Worth reading.
Wiki link

At Seventeen by Janis Ian

I learned the truth at seventeen
That love was meant for beauty queens
And high school girls with clear skinned smiles
Who married young and then retired
The valentines I never knew
The Friday night charades of youth
Were spent on one more beautiful
At seventeen I learned the truth...

And those of us with ravaged faces
Lacking in the social graces
Desperately remained at home
Inventing lovers on the phone
Who called to say "come dance with me"
And murmured vague obscenities
It isn't all it seems at seventeen...

A brown eyed girl in hand me downs
Whose name I never could pronounce
Said: "Pity please the ones who serve
They only get what they deserve"
The rich relationed hometown queen
Marries into what she needs
With a guarantee of company
And haven for the elderly...

So remember those who win the game
Lose the love they sought to gain
In debitures of quality and dubious integrity
Their small-town eyes will gape at you
In dull surprise when payment due
Exceeds accounts received at seventeen...

To those of us who knew the pain
Of valentines that never came
And those whose names were never called
When choosing sides for basketball
It was long ago and far away
the world was younger than today
when dreams were all they gave for free
to ugly duckling girls like me...

We all play the game, and when we dare
We cheat ourselves at solitaire
Inventing lovers on the phone
Repenting other lives unknown
That call and say: "Come on, dance with me"
And murmur vague obscenities
At ugly girls like me, at seventeen...

My dogs

These are my dogs. The one in front and the one on the right are my boys. Otis and Louie. They are brothers born seven months apart.

The one in the back left is Sophie. She is one of the dogs we inherited from my aunt.

They are all short haired, short legged Jack Russells and they are all six years old this year!! Otis and Louie were just puppies when I got them and I chose Louie a week after he was born.

Sophie I knew since she was a puppy also and I have had her for almost 4 years now.

They are good dogs and relatively mild for JRT's!!

April Blankets

This is my most recent blanket. The color is called Boston Rose and the yarn is Homespun by Lion brand.

It is for a little girl I know. I hope she likes it!

Sunday Song

He is Exalted by Twila Paris

He is exalted

He is exalted, the King is exalted on High
I will praise You
He is exalted, forever exalted
And I will praise His name

He is the Lord
Forever His truth shall reign
Heaven and Earth
Rejoice in His holy name
He is exalted, the King is exalted on high

He is exalted, the King is exalted on High
I will praise Him
He is exalted, forever exalted
And I will praise His name

He is the Lord
Forever His truth shall reign
Heaven and Earth
Rejoice in His holy name
He is exalted, the King is exalted on high

He is the Lord
Forever His truth shall reign
Heaven and Earth
Rejoice in His holy name
He is exalted, the King is exalted on high
He is exalted, the King is exalted on high

©
MOUNTAIN SPRING MUSIC© STRAIGHTWAY MUSIC
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1 Chronicles 16:31
31 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad;
And let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns.”

Exodus 15:18
18 “The LORD shall reign forever and ever.”

Compost Pile

This is my compost pile today. It's bigger and dirt-ier. It smells so earthy too. It is composting well so far and it is being used and added to all the time.





This is my compost pile in August of 2006.

compost

SNOW!!!???

Today we woke up to a dusting of snow. I am so thankful that all it is is a dusting!!

My son wanted to go out and play in the snow!! There wasn't even enough for that.

I drove about an hour to my mom's this morning and it flurried the whole way there and the whole way home.

I am ready for some nice weather again. Hopefully soon because it feel like winter today.

It is currently 36 degrees. Brrrrr.

Come, now is the time

This is another favorite song of mine.

Come, now is the time

Come, now is the time to worship
Come, now is the time to give your heart
Come, just as you are to worship
Come, just as you are before your God
Come

One day every tongue will confess You are God
One day every knee will bow
Still, the greatest treasure remains for those
Who gladly choose You now

© 1998 Vineyard Songs
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Romans 14:11

11 For it is written:
“ As I live, says the LORD,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.”

Philipians 2:9-11

9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

My friend in need.......pt 2

http://pj-countryroads.blogspot.com/2008/04/my-friendin-need.html

Earlier in the month, in the above post I asked you all to pray for my friend in need.

I heard from her on the phone and all is well, Thank God! HIS Mercy endures forever!!

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Psalm 118:24
24 This is the day the LORD has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Neil Young

This song is old and brings back lots of memories. I had a friend copy the album onto a cassette tape from an album!.
This was one of my favorites.

Sugar Mountain

Oh, to live on Sugar Mountain
With the barkers and the colored balloons,
You can't be twenty on Sugar Mountain
Though you're thinking that
you're leaving there too soon,
You're leaving there too soon.

It's so noisy at the fair
But all your friends are there
And the candy floss you had
And your mother and your dad.

Oh, to live on Sugar Mountain
With the barkers and the colored balloons,
You can't be twenty on Sugar Mountain
Though you're thinking that
you're leaving there too soon,
You're leaving there too soon.

There's a girl just down the aisle,
Oh, to turn and see her smile.
You can hear the words she wrote
As you read the hidden note.

Oh, to live on Sugar Mountain
With the barkers and the colored balloons,
You can't be twenty on Sugar Mountain
Though you're thinking that
you're leaving there too soon,
You're leaving there too soon.

Now you're underneath the stairs
And you're givin' back some glares
To the people who you met
And it's your first cigarette.

Oh, to live on Sugar Mountain
With the barkers and the colored balloons,
You can't be twenty on Sugar Mountain
Though you're thinking that
you're leaving there too soon,
You're leaving there too soon.

Now you say you're leavin' home
'Cause you want to be alone.
Ain't it funny how you feel
When you're findin' out it's real?

Oh, to live on Sugar Mountain
With the barkers and the colored balloons,
You can't be twenty on Sugar Mountain
Though you're thinking that
you're leaving there too soon,
You're leaving there too soon.
Oh, to live on Sugar Mountain
with the barkers and the colored balloons,
You can't be twenty on Sugar Mountain
Though you're thinking that
you're leaving there too soon,
You're leaving there too soon.

Thankful Thursday

Today it is raining but we have had a few days of glorious weather. My compost pile is doing well and my husband and son used some of the dirt for the garden!! Now that it is thawed out I need to turn it over.

Today I am thankful for:
*Spring
*bleach
*Dh's days off work!!
*no cooking nights!!
*Apples!

Spring really is here. Finally.
Bleach because it is a good and inexpensive cleaner and sanitizer.
Dh has a WEEK off work!
No cooking tonight because if we eat at Culvers they give a percentage of it to the Private school DS will be attending!
Apples--I have been trying to eat at least one apple a day. I really like apples and my son is starting to become more interested in them too. the grocery gives a free apple to children and he chews on that while we are grocery shopping.
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Psalm 150
Let All Things Praise the LORD
1 Praise the LORD!
Praise God in His sanctuary;
Praise Him in His mighty firmament!

2 Praise Him for His mighty acts;
Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!

3 Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;
Praise Him with the lute and harp!

4 Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!

5 Praise Him with loud cymbals;
Praise Him with clashing cymbals!

6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD!

CSA

CSA=Community Supported Agriculture. It's a good thing!!

I just called this morning to put in my order for a half share.

I will receive yummy organic veggies from June through October, twice a month, with the opportunity to order herbs, fresh eggs and other produce and fruits.

This is exciting because I don't have a big enough garden to be able to plant a huge variety of veggies, and this will give us the opportunity to try some new vegetables as well!

A new book was purchased, thanks to Nicole. It's called The Victory Garden Cookbook and it has every vegetable in it and every way to cook it!!

For those of you who are interested in this, you can go to this link http://www.localharvest.org/ and just put your state in the search and see what comes up!

April Blankets

This month I have been working on these preemie afghans. They measure about 20x22, except for the last two on the right, which are smaller. That dark one is not black--it is a deep purple!

I had some leftover skeins of yarn and came across this project on my crochet board and decided it was time to use up those leftover skeins.


I've done this twice before, where I have made preemie and micro preemie afghans.

The first time was about 6 yrs ago when I made a bunch of them to bring to the hospital where I had my preemie baby (my daughter) many many years ago.

The second time is when an acquaintance of mine had her baby born to early to survive. We were due around the same time. It always touched my heart and opened my eyes to Incompetent Cervix issues that women have.

I made many tiny blankets to send to the hospital where her dear daughter was born.

So, this is just something I felt like doing for many reasons and it cleared up my stock of scrap yarn!!

The Pope

I watched the coverage of the Pope on his visit here. I also watched the Mass he had on Sunday. I have never seen a Catholic mass before in my life.
And, in the past I have found this pope just slightly creepy. Not anymore.

I realize you can't really get to know someone just by watching them on TV, but he is no longer that creepy pope to me. I learned a lot about him since the news people continually talk about him.

One thing I learned is he has a soft spot for the USA. I believe it stems back to his forced participation in Hitlers Nazi youth and Army. Of course the pope did not agree with Hitler and was happy when the US interceded in Germany at the end of the war.

I also really enjoyed the Mass. It was beautiful and I thought the Pope's message is one that could have been heard in any church on a Sunday!
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1 Timothy 2:5
5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus

Galatians 3:28
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 13:13
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Sunday song

Firm foundation

Jesus, you're my firm foundation
I know I can stand secure
Jesus, you're my firm foundation
I put my hope in your holy word
I put my hope in your holy word

I have a living hope
I have a future
God has a plan for me
Of this I'm sure, of this I'm sure

Your word is faithful
Mighty in power
God will deliver me
Of this I'm sure, of this I'm sure
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Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Some quotes for today

You have your way. I have my way. As for the right way, the correct way, and the only way, it does not exist.
- Friedrich Nietzsche

If a profound gulf separates my neighbor's belief from mine, there is always the golden bridge of tolerance.
- Anonymous

Be patient with your enemies and forgiving of your friends.
- Afghan Proverb

Love is blind; friendship closes its eyes.
- Anonymous

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.
- Leo Buscaglia

You can never be happy at the expense of the happiness of others.
- Chinese Proverb

May you live all the days of your life.
- Jonathan Swift

Never look down on anybody unless you're helping them up.
- The Reverend Jesse Jackson, American civil rights leader

Never live in the past but always learn from it.
- Anonymous

Wise men speak because they have something to say, fools because they have to say something.
–Plato

The only difference between saints and sinners is that every saint has a past while every sinner has a future.
- Oscar Wilde, author

*We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.
-Nelson Mandela * We share a birthday!!

Anyone can become angry - that is easy. But to be angry with the right person, to the right degree, at the right time, for the right purpose, and in the right way; this is not easy.
-Aristotle

By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.
-Confucius

People in your life

God determines who walks into your life. It is up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go.
~~ Author Unknown ~~


People will forget what you said,
People will forget what you did,
But people will never forget how you made them feel
~Anon~

Thankful Thursday

Today is another beautiful spring day--finally! I am thankful for that. ETA--it actually has not been a beautiful spring day. Rainy and overcast, but the weekend is supposed to be warm and sunny.
I am also thankful for:
*My husband--he is a wonderful daddy and provider for us
*my children--they bring me joy and make me laugh
*a new Goodwill store in my town
*my mom



James 4:17
17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Amazing Grace

A week or so ago there was a discussion about this song on a message board I visit.
Then this past Sunday we sang it at church!!
WIkipedia has a bit of the songs history.

In her novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe includes an extra, final verse which may have been taken from another hymn:

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’ve first begun.

This additional verse is credited by some to John P. Rees (1828-1900) and became firmly established as part of the hymn from the early twentienth century, appearing in many hymnals.

And here's the song:
"Amazing Grace"

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That sav’d a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev’d;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ’d!

Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis’d good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call’d me here below,
Will be forever mine.

John New­ton, Ol­ney Hymns (Lon­don: W. Ol­i­ver, 1779)
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2 Corinthians 12:9

9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

John 1:16

16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

Acts 20:24,32

24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
32 “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.