the weekend

You know... it was a good weekend.  However, the winter blues are still very apparent in my soul... especially when I am alone.  It takes a while for me to accept the change.  I find myself walking around the house aimlessly and finding it hard to settle on what to do.  Luckily, I do get over it when I finally have to.  The snow that we woke up to this morning, early as it may be, may just help.  Once winter is here and I am convinced that spring is not far behind I begin to feel better.  I am simply being honest here.  The winter blues are definitely a real thing.  I would be a complete basket case if we lived any further north than Tennessee.  No thank you.

Never-the-less, I did manage to clean up the basement (with a little sisterly help) and use my dutch oven twice, watch a movie, start several things that I didn't finish and do a hint of Christmas decorating around my kitchen window.

Are you too a winter blues sufferer?  What did you do this weekend?

This chicken made the prettiest presentation.  Pretty good flavor too.

This is the cheapest thing I've done in a while that turned out so pretty.

I got the pine cones from my sister Marty's yard, sprayed them with spray glue 

and sprinkled gold glitter on them.  Then strung them from my herb drying pole

over the kitchen sink which I also draped a strand of white lights from.  

Suspended, they move slightly which makes them sparkle.

I could see them from the couch in the living room.  

I told Shaun that I may just not put the tree up and put the presents in the kitchen sink this year.

He said he was certain his present wouldn't fit in the sink.

I am going for the majorly imperfect Christmas decorating look this year.

A craft I began using my fair pictures from years past.

Didn't finish... did clean it back up though.

I love that picture of me and my head up off holding my jugs of elder flower cordial that I made.

I made the apple bread again.  So delicious.

This morning's dusting.

who knew??

I've been lucky enough to run across a few things lately that I didn't know existed. 

Not that there aren't a million things that I didn't know were around.

But I was pretty impressed by these.

I've been compiling my little list for a few weeks now.

And feel I could keep it going and going and going.

Maybe it will be a new Friday series.

Once a month or something.

I would be happier than a pig in slop for you to share something new with me.

Something I probably didn't know was out there.

Or maybe I did.

Either way.... Talk to me!

Here Goes.

Colored glue sticks!

They seem pretty purposeful in this project found on FreePeopleBlog

I am sure the possibilities are endless for these.

I found them for sale on Amazon.

Apparently these are from the seventies as am I.

I 

I have my own bottle going where drippy candles live.

It feels so Italian restaurant-ish.

I originally saw the pictures on pinterest.

But have found the candles for sale on Amazon.

I hope to find them in my Christmas stocking.

Even if I am the one who put them there.

This yarn holder looks pretty original and cool.

Pretty and perfect for the knitting type.

Of which I am not.

Have never been able to get the actual hang of it.

Or sit still that long.

Found on UncommonGoods.

This song by Waylon Jennings.

It's called Big D from his early album Cedartown Georgia.
I was listening to a classic rock station out of Bowling Green, Ky.
That I found on a foggy morning recently.
I was surprised to hear Waymore that morning.
But very happy at the same time.
I also stumped Shaun with it which is hard to do.
When it comes to Waylon.




My favorite wild orchid.

That is named Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyerapubescens)
It grows naturally at one place that I have found at our creek.
I overwintered one plant that I found lying loose a few years back.
Then replanted it the next spring.
You can buy them on etsy HERE.



The same lovely shop also sells Jack in the Pulpit bulbs.

Which I have never seen in our woods.
But would love to.
Even if I plant them.
You can buy the bulbs HERE
Picture found HERE.


A "Who Knew" from a reader...
"I was recently in Kmart and truly didn't know they had try on rooms."
~Mary Evelyn

Who Knew???

the listening walk

I checked out this book from the library.

It is a terrific read.  I read it to the children at the day care and then we decided first to step out of the porch to see what we could hear.  Then we walked the perimeter of the playground to listen further.  We also took a tablet and pen and wrote down all of the things we could hear in our outside world.  

Mainly, we could hear the interstate.  It happened to be a particularly loud day for it.  But we also heard, as they pointed out, the wind in the trees, feet shuffling, crickets, grass moving, a swing squeaking, laughter, a sea gull and the pond.  Not sure how the last two were heard but I wrote it down anyway.  

It's nice when you actually sit still and take note to all of the things that can be heard.  Things that we hear every day and don't really pay attention.  You hear a lot more than you acknowledge most of the time.

say hello?

Are you one of those people who hides and avoids talking or making eye contact with someone you know or once knew at the store?  Are you a person who pops up excitedly in front of an acquaintance to say hello no matter where you are? Or does it really just depend on who it is that you see?  I saw a lady who works at our bank, who's son my husband has done a lot of work for, and who we've seen at parties who I have also spoke with about keeping their children, at the store Friday and although she didn't see me, I turned and walked the other way even though I had all the time in the world.  I also saw a family at the flea market a couple of months ago of which I follow the blog that the mother writes.  I recognized them right away and the son even looked right at me when my face awed at the sight of them yet I turned and walked the other way.  Why is it hard to say a simple hello sometimes?  Is it really going to take that long to say "how ya doin?"  Probably not.

I wonder how many people see me and turn away.  None I would hope.  I don't think I'm that scary.  When we were attending church I ran into a gal who's husband taught our Sunday school class and with whom I knew for a long time and was even in a wedding with her.  She looked directly at me in the meat department and quickly looked away.  I was shocked.  Would it have killed her to smile?  She didn't have to have a twenty minute conversation with me... a smile would have worked.  I did make her talk to me as I loudly said her name and hello to her after she snubbed me.

So it hurts to be ignored but it doesn't hurt to ignore.  I think it does hurt in a way to ignore.  I have obviously thought about the blog gal for a while and the bank lady since last Friday.  I wish I would have said hello.  Maybe, with the holidays approaching or maybe just the next time, when I see someone I recognize, I am going to try to say a simple hello.  I don't snub every time but when I do that split second decision to run can leave a lasting little scar on my bubble that I find myself living in sometimes.  I guess one never knows how much another person needs to be recognized.  I can throw out a random compliment to a stranger but not a hello to an acquaintance.  Kind of confusing isn't it.  But true at the same time.

pic from pinterest