Reflecting

Several items on the needles are awaiting my attention. My feather and fan throw. My chocolate brown short sleeve sweater. The worldghan for J. My Wobbly tote. Probably others, as well. And all I want to do is work on HMB ghans to offer comfort to grieving families. Ever since Mother's passing, I feel drawn to making ghans for HMB. Perhaps the Lord is leading me through my grief. The Spirit is working in me to feel connected to Mother by offering prayers for others. It helps.


Moses answered the people, Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. ---Exodus 14:13-14

HMB

Here is the Heartmade Blessings (See button in side bar) ghan that I sent to the parents of a 29 year old soldier who died on January 06, 2005, with six of his fellow soldiers when an improvised explosive device (IED) struck their Bradley fighting vehicle in Baghdad. He was assigned to Louisiana Army National Guard, Lafayette, LA. May God bless and comfort his family.

The tags on the squares list the name and email of each person in HMB who contributed squares and prayers for this family.

Here's a closer look at the border.

A fascinating history of Long Island beginning with the indigenous population and continuing to the artists' colony that it became is the compelling subject of Hamptons Bohemia by Helen A. Harrison and Constance Ayers Denne. The romance of this work seems to be filtered to allow only the quaint, simple beauty to shine through. It's a lovely, pleasant read.

Anticipate the good so that you may enjoy it. ---Ethiopian proverb

Emotions Are Not Words

I always look forward to my "puffies" arriving in the mail. A puffie is usually a manilla envelope with one or two 12-inch crocheted squares for me to add a border and include in an Operation Purple Heart afghan to send to the survivors of a soldier who has perished. (See Heartmade Blessings button in the side panel.)

Yesterday a box arrived from an HMB contributor. Wow!! A whole box of squares instead of one or two! I'll be able to complete a ghan today, I thought. As I tore into the package, I saw pink and yellow. Oh no I thought, the square maker must have gotten the addresses switched because squares for me are purple and white. I would just email her and ask her where to send it.

Then, I pulled out the contents and saw the letter. The ghan had arrived at the correct address. It is a beautiful, gorgeous, delicate floral ghan made by the wonderful HMB angels for me in memory of my precious mother. I went from confusion to tears in an instant. I spread it out and looked at each amazing square, at every tag with the name and location of each contributor, and I cried.

To everyone at HMB, thank you for the beautiful memorial to my beautiful mother. I am deeply blessed by your care and your talent. I never realized the feelings one experiences when receiving a ghan from HMB. Now I know. It moves me to want to make more and more ghans to bless others. God bless each of you.

The picture below shows the tote bag that can be used for the ghan.

Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings. ---Psalm 17:8

Blooms in my Rooms

The grass is attempting to be green--kinda around the edges. The forsythia is a bunch of sticks and the lilac is showing no purple! I do, however, have blooms in my rooms!

~~ Azaleas in the Dining Room ~~

~~ Easter Lilies in the Living Room ~~

~~ A Floral Assortment in my Office ~~

I'm still keeping an eye on the grass, though!

If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. --- Psalm 139:10

Wobbly Tote !

A trip to the library brightened my day! Recuperating from pneumonia and bronchitis is taking some extended time, but I felt strong enough to go out today. Praise God! Although walking around our small library was tiring, it was a supreme morale booster! Here's my stack of books. I sat on the deck and started The Memoir Club by Laura Kalpakian this afternoon.



What does one do in 80 degree weather?? Knit with wool, of course!! I have been wobbling along on my Wobbly KAL. ((See the button on the side bar.) All strands lead to.....

The WONDERFUL WOBBLY!

This is one side--which side is yet to be determined--of the tote which will be felted. I think I'm making it for one of my sisters. Hmmm...We'll see!

I just finished reading a disturbing book, The Liar's Club, by Mary Karr. Her memoir of her painful East Texas childhood is written in precise language that is harsh, vulgar, searing yet delivered with wit and irony. This grisly story is quite unusual.

One kind word can warm three winter months. ---Japanese Proverb

Heartmade Blessings

Here is a comfort ghan I assembled for Heartmade Blessings. (See side bar.) The tags bear the names of the many who contributed to this ghan. I mailed it to the widow of an Army 1st Sgt. who was 30 years old. He was killed 12-28-05 when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near his Humvee during combat patrol operations south of Asadabad, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 321st Civil Affairs Brigade, Army Reserve, San Antonio, TX. May the Lord bless and comfort his grieving family.

I always enjoy selecting a border to use on each comfort ghan that I assemble.

Each comfort ghan is sent in a tote bag made by other members of the group.

Lord, teach us to pray. --- Luke 11:1

W --> SE

With all the intriguing views of cities and the wonders of nature posted online, I now offer the reality check of my experience while driving in a southeasterly direction. These are the harsh facts, people.

A gripping panorama as seen from a hotel room in Salina, Kansas. Be still my heart!

Things improve in Fort Smith, Arkansas, where spring adds glorious color!

Zooming past Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. Having already done the tour in years gone by, I just snapped a quickie as we drove by the property.

~~The House Where Elvis Lived ~~

Tiny beauties in Hoover, Alabama

And when I am lifted up on the cross, I will draw everyone to myself. ---John 12:32

cough - cough

Still battling pneumonia and bronchitis here. Hope to be posting again soon.
:)

Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint. --- Mark Twain

Maximum Dog!

My Max!

Max in the Wild!

A rare sight! Max in the water!

Max is our eight-year-old, AKC male Boxer. He's been a part of our family since he was eight weeks old. Love him to pieces!!

Dogs---They always come and wreck a perfectly bad mood. ---Unknown

A Room With a View

Peeking between the curtains, I see...

The bags of bird seed are definitely worth the investment!


I am blessed.




Good Grief by Lolly Winston--Very witty, clever writer who realistically conveys thought processes--at least, to my way of thinking. For example, " 'You can break the rules now,' Dr. Rupert said during our last session, encouraging me to do something entirely different for Thanksgiving. 'The big rule is broken:Your loved one died.' But I'm pretty sure he meant fly to Hawaii or eat roast beef instead of turkey. I don't think he meant break all of my dishes, and I don't think I should leave the house anymore." page 55

Be still and know that I am God. ----Ps46:10

Lookin' Back at Me Tree

This is the sort of thing that I think is hilarious and causes my husband to slowly shake his head! Open the draperies in the morning, and have a backyard tree looking back at me---love it! It always makes me smile, and cackle, and drool.....No really, just smile!

Listening looks easy, but it's not simple. Every head is a world. ---Cuban Proverb

With angels on her shoulders...

The Lord has called His sweetest angel home

My mother

--o--