The Heaps

I try to keep the heaps at bay.

Heaps of what? 

You know—heaps of STUFF.

Mail, socks, hairpins, 

books, pillows, paperclips, 

lists, receipts, more books,

laundry, bubble wrap, dishes.

It's what piles up around here, probably like it does at your house.

But I don't mind controlled heaps of stuff. 

This collection of  important stuff is contained an old fruit basket on my desk. 

The white china bird with the broken-and-glued-back tail feels like a friend, 

and the photos of me and my sweetie laughing helps me prioritize. 

How do you tame your heaps of stuff?

( Further study on controlling clutter here. )

Ink Trails

As I thumbed through my old address book today, I realized 
I have new information to add.

 Two of my sons now have their own mailboxes, the perfect accessory for their new lives.

It's too bad that Millenials keep their personal information on digital devices, so easily edited and updated. 

The history inside the cover of an "old-school" address book is, to me, priceless. 

There's something magical about the decades-long ink trails of life scrawled 

across its lined and lettered pages—

the house numbers and street names ignite destination-tethered memories:

3905 Gilbert Avenue, where the train track was only a block away. 

2305 Memorial Parkway, where we honeymooned to the blast of the Friday-night football cannon. 

208 Eastern Avenue, where my brother started his family and first cousins learned to play.

285 Collins Road, where my grandparents' farm was the heaven-on-earth we longed to visit. 

514 Hallam Avenue, where I found friendship around a table of open Bibles.

I'm thankful to have these touchstones of smeared ink that remind me to remember; 

grateful the street names and house numbers weren't simply deleted and forgotten. 

The perfect housewarming gift for my sons might be ... address books. 

Get a Bucket

I'm not sure we'll have any of this in 2016. 

The rain is pouring, drenching the ground and creating standing pools of water in our backyard.

Years ago we learned to be grateful to live on top of a tall Kentucky ridge-- 

so we don't worry about flash floods, at least not in our immediate area.

But there is a flood of another sort slowly building in our basement. 

SIDE NOTES:

* I got a call this evening, the kind that chills the blood and makes a heart flop in place for at least a single minute. "Mom, I had an accident..." 

One of my guys had an accident in a busy intersection, at high traffic time, in heavy rain. Even strong young men can get sobby when they've been spun into a ditch or knocked into the wrong lane of traffic. 

And my third son is just beginning his driving experiences - YEESH.

** Today an old friend responded this way when asked, "What are you doing?" 

"I'm sitting here in the dark." 

She's in an assisted living facility now and is mostly blind. 

Light of the World, shine on my friend, your daughter, and illuminate her darkness. Fill it with 

Yourself and show her more beautiful sights in her inner man than she's ever seen with her 

outer man, as it decays day-by-day. Give her an understanding of why she's still here 

and not there with You, and give her the strength to fan the flames of Your gifts.

Awesome Idea

We got this awesome idea last spring. It happens EVERY spring around here. 

The awesome ideas flow like tap water! Funds for financing awesome ideas don't. Most of 

the time, we remember this before we actually begin work on an awesome idea.

Awesome Idea: Build a deck behind the living room. 

We staked out the deck, making it plenty spacious, and discussed

railing options. Metal? Wood? Painted wood? Vinyl?

Did we want a roof? A partial roof? Pergola-style? Awning?

We planned to build it ourselves, we have lots of 'manpower', after all.

*To get a ballpark idea for actual cost of materials, we called for a couple of estimates.* 

In the time it took to get someone out to do an estimate, we dug the bed for this 

rock walkway. The walkway would edge right next to the deck and finally 

complete a rock path around the entire house. With the bed dug, we began the 

puzzling work (!) of placing rocks.

The first estimate came in and we laughed out loud. 

The guy must be crazy or not need this job - at all! What?! No way!

By the time the second estimate came along, we were finished placing and leveling the 

rocks and all that was left to be done was filling and top dressing. 

The second estimate was almost double the first. 

AND we found out that one of our vehicles would need to be replaced. 

Oh! Did you hear that nasty scraping sound?  

That was the Awesome Idea moving to the crowded back burner. 

We did end up with a really nice rock walkway made of native Kentucky stone. 

Now you can run all the way around our house and never have to get in the wet grass or mud.

Go ahead - run around! 

But don't try to stop for a rest on the deck ...

Hymn Candle

Inexpensive pillar candles can be easily transformed

 into something unique and meaningful.

- Pick up an old hymnbook from a yardsale or library discard box. Carefully pull your 

favorite song*  from the book and trim the edges with a paper trimmer.

Please squash any guilt you might have about taking a page from a book that was going to be 

discarded anyway. You will be using the page, displaying it for thoughtful consideration. 

Isn't that better than tossing it on the trash heap to decay next to dirty diapers?

- Scrub whatever sticker it came with until the glass is completely clean.

- Wrap the trimmed page around the pillar candle and secure with glue or scrapbooking adhesive tape.

- Embellish the candle with a long strand of raffia or ribbon. Add extra charm with

an old key, a small seashell, or vintage button.

Make a bunch and have a bright bank of lit hymn candles.

*

Take one to a new neighbor with a plate of cookies.

*

Use a holiday hymn to create a glowing centerpiece on your celebration table.

However you use your hymn candle, you'll be putting the gospel on display.

---------------------------------

I remember this song from Sunday nights services in the Methodist church we attended when I was 

elementary age. My heart was so tender toward Jesus right at that time, and the

 Holy Spirit dropped this hymn right down into the center of my soul. 

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There's a light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.

For your further investigation - go here, check this out, and make time for this.

January Pleasures

Well, my camera is still broken. It's sad but true. I thought we'd rush that thing to the

camera ER and just hand over cash to make it all better. 

But January, just after Christmas, has always been a 

time of roosting. Staying home with chili and some free football as entertainment.

Did I mention free? Fixing the camera is unlikely to be free, or even near free.

And so I've been surprised to find what you can do with a mostly busted 

(yes, I'm using the word BUSTED) camera.

Even if only one-third of the viewfinder displays an image, 

and even if that image is upside down! 

 I am relieved to able to share a few January pleasures.

An after Christmas present found in Madison, Indiana, at a fun nature store called Cultivate.

This small birdfeeder attaches to the window - I should be able to spy on the birds 

UP CLOSE.  They just love that! Getting gawked at while eating - they must be used to it.

Sprouting things in January - doesn't everyone do it? 

I wanted to find out if some of the seeds I collected from the garden in November

would actually sprout before I sold them in the spring. On the right are shasta daisy sprouts

sharing space with ....  

Dang if I can remember things anymore! The most common knowledge just flies right

away and refuses to come back! It'll come to me if I stop trying - probably by the end of this post.

On the left are some pieces of a summer annual that seemed to nice to freeze. 

Since the leaves are succulent, they can just be cut and stuck into soil, and go right on blooming. 

How sweet is a lesson in character is that?

 Lastly, WE CLEANED THE ATTIC!

(snapdragons. and there you go - BAM! the thing you forgot plows you right in the face!)

We've lived here for eighteen years, friends, and we have only stuffed the attic --- never cleaned it.

But better late than never, right? Now I know what is in every box, tote and bag up there! I feel rich with knowledge! Powerful! And the joy of finding things thought long lost - well, let's just say it was a good time. 

Like a yardsale that I didn't have to go anywhere to attend and where everything was free.

I don't even remember where this blue bottle was found, but I love it all over again.

Now to get all that creepy white crud out of it.

The perfect project for a January day.

Be Gone

It's time for each bauble to find its box.

I don't mind the tree making its exit, since its shedding like a mangy dog, 

flinging needles dangerously close to the eye,

and Husband says its been a fire hazard for about two weeks already.

That tree must have been cut in .... September?

And all the Christmas what-nots  -  I'm so glad to see them go!

It's time for snowflakes to appear inside!

Happy New Year! 

May 2013 be the year in which you move more steadily forward instead of backward;

the year that finds you receiving as well as giving;

the year you find yourself finally more often thankful than desirous.

And if you find yourself making resolutions, even though you say you don't -

join me in keeping these things in mind:

throwing off 

and 

springing forth, 

fresh mornings 

and 

new creations

Find these things, which are worthy of some January pondering, here.

Sharing the View

I guess I'm a nosy sort.

OK, I am. 

But do you ever wonder what other people see every day outside their windows?

My window views are very, very familiar to me. Window gazing, especially in these months, can be a

 major distraction from the list of things I SHOULD be doing. (Those annoying SHOULDS!)

In the spirit of sharing, then, here is the window view from our tiny downstairs half-bath.

It looks out into the greenhouse, and when I say tiny, I'm talking about 16" x 30". The window, that is. The bathroom itself is 3' x 5'. It's a great reminder to keep my weight under control.

Pros:

* You have someplace convenient (the sink) to rest your head, if you need to, while 'using' the facilities.

* Clean-up time can be less than 5 minutes.

* It's easy to open the window, reach out there, grab a shovel, and scare away thieving raccoons.

(Husband is saying right now, "Easy for you, since you'd coaching from the bed while I do that!"   Sorry, MWH!)

* As stated before, major weight deterrent.

Cons:

* No laying in the floor, in case of stomach virus. (sorry - yuk!)

* Very difficult to paint.

* Not much room for privacy when wedging self into jeans that may be a teensy bit too tight. 

Which links back to a pro ...

* Odds are much, much greater that your phone will drop into the toilet in such a small space.

ANYway --- all that is a big long side note!

What I really wanted you to see is the stained glass hummingbird hanging out there! Found him at a sale this summer, and got him for a dime. A dime!His sunlit colors against frosted greenhouse glass are causing me to spend even more time window-gazing!

Deer Hunting

Can you find the deer in this photo?

I was actually trying to get a morning photo of those beautiful leaves
 ( = delaying treadmill as long as possible) 
when the deer moved and I could see it, right there in the viewfinder!

It went on to run crazily across the yard, almost jump the fence into our backyard, slow traffic on a blind curve, thrill a busload of schoolchildren ("A Deer!") and finally cross the road into a field and safety.
That deer leads an exciting life!

An Occasional Beating

This is pretty much the only sort of stair tread runner that I find attractive.

Although I think it's also the kind you have to roll up 

and take outside for an occasional good beating.

And that might be therapeutic, actually...

Down the Drain

When in my cozy shower, my mind writes away. 

As scalding hot water fills the room with clouds of steam, pieces of thought and reflection assemble themselves, as I look on, it almost seems, and I'm pleased by what they turn out to be. I think to myself, "I'll run downstairs and write that down real quick..."

 Then I don't. 

It seems like the paragraphs, sentences and phrases rush right down the drain! 

I grab a towel and wipe my face, and my mind, too. 

Once I pull the shower curtain open, all those fragile passages have vanished. 

I would say, completely gone, but phrases or words linger to tease me.

What was it now ... ?

"something about siblings growing up the same but turning out different"

"something about eating responsibly"

"something about husbands and garbage cans"

"traffic accidents I've almost caused"

"people jumping in my car"

"people my car has bumped"

"cake - yum"

(cake seems to be everywhere these days)

I've often thought about keeping a notebook in there. Once I actually did it, but the pen and notebook were quickly requisitioned by other scavenging family members.

I can't tell you how many blog posts have washed down the drain in the last six weeks.

SIDE NOTE: 

WHO could have any valuable thought in a shower like this?

Other than, 

"EEEK!"

"Where's my towel?"

"What was that sound?"

"What was I thinking - no door?"

Truthful Rudeness

I'm not good with houseplants, since they require watering. That is asking a little too much, I think! But every year, I drag a few plants in from the outside - those I can't stand to watch go down in the first killing frost. They might go in the greenhouse for a little while, but eventually they die a lingering and miserably slow death indoors. Where lots of folks are around to give sympathy - 

"Ooohhh!" and "Ooooo-oouucchh!"

I used to keep a huge Boston fern in the right front window of our home. 

If you thought I might be able to name the direction the window faces, you don't know me very well. That would be cool, though - "In the northwest facing window..." 

It did cast LOTS of leaves though, due to that nagging water issue. 

And I understand that one is supposed to mist an indoor fern - hahahahaha. 

 The Cable Guy was here one day, a few years back, and I had to move 

the giant fern for him. Of course it dropped about 35,621 leaves at that immediate point. He laughed at my Oh Shoot! comment, and said that HIS wife would never put up with this sort of mess in her house. 

Really! Really? Really.

Well, that big dose of truthful rudeness just sort of pointed out the obvious to me. And suddenly, I was happy to get rid of it! 

That big Boston went on the Freecycle list and someone rushed over,  delighted to get it for herself. What a relief!

This tiny one is much more manageable, and I haven't been sorry that it came indoors even one time! I love its verdant green-ness in contrast to the bleak outside views.

But I have been watering it. 

So far, so good! 

It is only January, though.

Smiling Ray

Living in an old home does have a few perks. Not as many as I once thought, but still, a few.

In every room, of different depths - sills! 

I try to keep my windowsills from getting all cluttered up, but it is a constant task to un-decorate because things just land there.  And stay. 

Cups, plates, footballs, keys, mail, more cups, more plates...

And there's so many things that need a spot for display!

No matter how I try to de-clutter, I can't seem to talk myself out of these items. 

Especially that Smiling Stingray photo. 

It is - it's smiling! 

And sometimes during the day I just need a smile aimed in my direction.

Screaming on Sunday

Sunday morning.

Taking the towel off my hair, turning on the light...

(screaming)

FYI - don't try to use a bottle of mousse to smash a spider this size.

You'll only break its leg.

Also, big spiders won't wash down the drain.

I have to add on that I've also found a spider in the washer this week. Hovering just at the top of the agitator, breathing heavily after surviving a normal wash at warm/cold temperature. FYI2 - don't try to use a box of dryer sheets to smash a spider in the washer. You'll only have to wash the clothes again - this time at extra heavy agitation, hot/hot water with an extra HOT rinse --- even if it happens to be a load of darks. I think it DID wash down the drain this time...

Is this spider abundance an insect conspiracy - an attack against me personally, the Spider Fearer? Can they smell fear? Or might these extra spidery visits in my home be due to SPRAYING AGAINST SPIDERS IN THE FALL SO THERE WOULD BE LESS OF THEM THIS SPRING? Did we pick up the wrong product at Lowes?

Spider Attractant, maybe??? Hmmmmmmmm

It's A Crowd

Right outside my back door - don't you love screen doors that slam?
(I love to watch old reruns of the Waltons, with their slamming screen doors ... )

They were already living under this window when we moved here in 1994.

I've shared and shared them, but they never diminish.
And they smell amazingly PURPLE!

Basement Shoes

Right now, our basement is awash with ground water. I can't whine that it's flooded, out of respect for the many who need waders to navigate their basement. No, it's only wet with various deep puddles. You can't make it to the washer/dryer/clean laundry in flip-flops, though. You have to have full shoes on. Over the weeks, the wet, endlessly wet weeks, MWH's old mowing shoes have become the designated wading shoes. They sit on the bottom step, so you only need to slide your (wisely socked) feet in and slog around.

*If you happen to tiptoe in natural disgust, the insides of the shoes will let water in ... so man-up, and no tiptoeing allowed.

The Shoes at the Bottom of the Basement Stairs are my friend and my enemy at the same time. We became more intimate this morning than I had ever intended, though, when I had to put them on with bare feet. You might think this is no big deal --- unless you have seen our basement. It's more along the lines of ... dungeon. I've encountered many scary creatures down there: the legendary ginormous spider, the basement beetle, the occasional bird, and (I vow) the leavings of a snake. Not to mention the Grey People who leave their own evidence behind occasionally. Oh and let's not forget the 'wood beetles' that find their way in seasonally.

**What is a wood beetle? Ask your husband, since this seems to be a man term for tropical-sized-brown-crunchy-insect that looks suspiciously like a nuclear roach.

Thankfully, this morning, there were only my feet in the Shoes! No crickets, wood beetles, no spiders, and no snake poop. I imagined maybe a toad though, since one hopped across my living room floor the other day... and if I was a toad, those shoes would look like the perfect cozy napping spot! We're hoping for the sun to show around here soon, but it would take a Red Sea type wind to blow the basement dry anytime soon.