Thursday Treasures #3

 I was in my sewing room last week and looked around at the many things I consider treasures. The room is pretty much mine to do with as I want except for maybe paying bills (yuk). The room itself is a treasure. When I retired Jeff had shelves and cabinets built as a present to me.

Today I am sharing just two things in there. First is a globe. 

The globe is a treasure to me probably because of its age. As Lindsay so aptly put it when we discussed concert tickets stubs... "Mom, when you keep something that long, it becomes a relic." The globe was purchased with S&H green stamps way back around 1967. It has a divided Germany. I have a special love for books, maps, and learning kits. Don't even get me started on SRA kits. Love them! (I am sure someone out there was traumatized by them, but not me.) 

Along with my globe I started thinking about the wonderful learning kit that I had that came with the World Book Encyclopedias. I found this picture of one. Oh my goodness I loved that thing.

Such a nerdy girl I was.  Anyway that globe is just a relic that I love. You may notice it has the old fashioned raised letter label on it. That must have been one of the first things I made with the label maker and I was going for a full length because I typed out my full name which was rare. I go by Sandy and Sandra Renee was usually used together by Mother when I was in trouble which was rare.

You might have also noticed I am just a collector of feathers:)

As I was taking the photo of the globe, I took a picture of the next cubby up which houses my mother's antique roller skates. They have wooden wheels! She used them in her teens on the road and I used them in my teens at our local roller rink. I don't think it ever once occurred to me back then that others weren't not skating on wooden wheels. 

You might also notice two other things... a shoestring missing and a black and white striped knit cap. If I were to look I might find a picture at about age 3 with that cap on my head. I have it for ALMOST 60 years. Now, to that missing shoestring. 

One morning Paul Allen had to go back to get a shoestring. How or why he had lost a shoestring in his shoe I will never figure out or do I even want to know. All I can say is -that is classic Paul Allen. He made it back to the car and off we went. 

Days later, I was dusting and noticed a shoestring missing off the skates. Mind you those skates are from the late 1940s probably and a shoestring from that long ago is now gone. I knew immediately where it went. Immediately. I mentioned classic Paul Allen. I was aggravated then...not so much now. The skates have more a story than even originally. I will let him explain what happened to the shoestring to my grandchildren.

Well that is it for Thursday's Treasures. Two things I have held onto; some would say it is time for them to go, but I am grateful for some shelves to admire them on daily and the memories they evoke.

Stitchville and More

I drifted into my sewing room this weekend to try and clear my sewing counter.

Let's see what got done. First up is one I actually finished last week. The Strawberry House became a pin cushion simply finished. I did fill it with sawdust which BTW I like much better than walnut shells. I find it gives a sturdier finish than walnut shells. I am partial to fiberfill overall, but I had the sawdust and decided to use it.

I tackled the horn book which had been an impulse purchase. I liked how it turned out and I hope to make a little back to school display on the end of my sewing counter towards the end of August. I am not quite ready to put away shells and such.

I also made lots of masks. I lost count but I did many and gave a lot to family and friends. I have a dozen left to give away to the ladies at Jeff's office or other friends who might need a refresher one. I found that I could do about 5 at a time and then I wanted to scream. Don't know why?! So I would do a few and then walk away. 

I finished the black cat. This one was a bit of a disaster. Maybe I should not have tried to do more than one finish in a day. I salvaged it, but it is not a pretty finish. I took a picture to hopefully camouflage my mistakes. I am ok with it since it is just for me and will most likely just be on display in my sewing room.

I stitched an ornament but have not fully finished it. I need a Christmas ornament for a good friend's daughter who is getting married in December. This went so fast that I may do a couple more for gifts. I took the picture at night after completing so it is dark.

I have also worked on my flowers. I am about 2/3s finished with my second one, but will wait to share when I am done.

I didn't get my Thursday Treasure post out last week. I simply just didn't feel like writing, so I didn't force it. I hope to continue this Thursday. 

Other things to note this past week:

We went to eat at a food truck downtown on Sunday for lunch. I loved that they used items that are not plastic. It made me feel better...The utensils were like popsicles and they worked too! Oh and it was tasty too.

The doggies wanting people food too.

I always get nervous when storms are on their way to the Gulf. Can't really relax until they make their way in. Never wish it on anyone. Always pray for them to weaken and move quickly so as not to dump more rain than needed.

My cousin is not doing well with the Covid and I am extremely sad. Just no understanding this ugly thing.

That is all I have for today.

Stitchville

 I have been making more masks and slid a few x/s of cross stitch in there too.

I have been making masks again since I don't see the need for them disappearing anytime soon. A fresh batch seemed necessary. I have a ton cut out and try to make a few a day. Thankful for hoarding fabric. I really didn't think I would ever use it all and here we are with it being needed. Now, I will say that my selections has been whittled down to what my family might call..."Sandy fabric." No more cute leopard prints, just a lot of stuff I thought was cute but not quite sure what I planned to do with it.

 I also did some purging in my cross stitch pattern bin and sorted through and organized all the bits and pieces of leftover linen which really sent me on a wild hare trail of stitching this past week. 

That sorting and purging guided this week's stitching. First up I will tell you that I stopped on my acorns and that is what led to the clean up. I love the pattern, but on closer inspection I am not sure I love it as much as I thought. It was an impulse purchase of which I am doing so much better. 

The acorns are supposed to be whimsical, but I am not sure I like the acorn top color. It calls for a silk I didn't have so I tried to just wing it with stuff I had. It did not work. It is just too monotone. I looked back at the pattern picture and I am pretty sure there is no need to order that silk because it has too much dark in it. I stitched quite a few tops around to see if it would grow on me and it did not. 

The picture on the pattern and the real life colors are not matching up. It will take some time and effort to put it all together in a manner that works for me. So...it got set aside.

Oh and the other no go was that I did it on 40 count hoping it would be small enough for a project I had in mind. It was not. When I do go back to it down the road sometime I will do it on the called for 28 count because I think it will look better larger.

All that led to cleaning out patterns and I really got off track trying to use up a small piece of 40 count linen. I found a black cat the October 2016 issue of Just Cross Stitch magazine. It will be finished into a small pillow with that candy corn fabric. Not sure how just yet, but I know I will use that fabric.

Then I started thinking about school and how I was going to make a little sewing counter display for back to school in September and that led to another quick stitch and another impulse purchase which fortunately wasn't too expensive. I found a very old Just Cross Stitch magazine and did the stitch to place on the wood. 

The hornbook thingie came from an Etsy shop called Homestead Needleworker. 

Now there will be no more buying!!! That is it for me.

That is also it for me on fall stitching or at least I think. I have plenty of smalls and no where to put more, so I think I am just going to ADMIRE everyone else's fall stitching and move onto Christmas and continue with my large pieces.

I am back to work on my flowers. I don't think I shared the book that I am using for the flowers. It is an old state flower book. I plan to do four of them and group them together. They turn out to be about 4 inches or so on 28 count.

I have a few Prairie Schooler Santas that I want to stitch. We will see.

That is it for my stitching this week. I am back to being focused on the projects at hand and no more rabbit trails. 

I know everyone thinks this. ....but blogger is killing me. I can't add labels ...I can't get comments to work which I think is a Mac thing. I have done everything everyone suggested. I am about ready to throw in the towel. Good grief...something fun should not take that much time and be stressful. Are you with me? Maybe that is what Blogger wants.

Oh well, no more whining ---just stitching.

One more thing. Here are my chicken and dumplings from last week. Jeff likes his dumplings thicker. Mother likes hers thinner. I tend to agree, but he is working all day so he gets the nod.

That's it for me today.

Thursday's Treasures #2

 I wasn't sure I was going to get this one out today. I worked so hard yesterday around the house to make up for appointments all day Monday and Tuesday that I was plum worn out this morning. I stitched and watched a lovely video that I am going to share at the end with you.

I have blown off the back decks and washed two loads of laundry so I feel justified to sit and pop out this quick post.

My treasure for today is my grandma's dough bowl. I took a picture of this weekend while in Auburn. I was fortunate enough to have snagged this dough bowl from an aunt a couple of years ago. I know it would be pretty with some stitched smalls in it, but nothing I have stitched thus far seems good enough to go in this treasure. It is filled with acorns and leaves that I can't seem to quit picking up. 

Also in the picture is a butter press from my great grandparents.

After my dad died, my mother and I moved back to the woods that she and my dad had grown up in. My dad was typical of his generation in the rural south. They answered a call of military service but also sought out a better life. He would have made a career of the military had he not passed. 

We built a house about 200 yards from my maternal grandparents and my grandfather, known as PaPa (pronounced paw paw). There were some scrubby woods indicative of area (that was very far south past the big trees) between the road and the pasture area. I always refer to the area I grew up in as "the piney woods" of south Alabama. He made me a trail that I walked daily to their house.

I was the second oldest grandchild, first girl, and a victim of sad circumstances so they took me under their wing and had a huge impact on my life. Much so ---that would be another story.

The story today revolves around the dough bowl that Grandma used daily- morning and evening most days to make biscuits, cobblers, and dumplings. By the way, I am the only grandchild that refers to her as Grandma. The others call her MawMaw which she always wrote on their birthday cards like this..."MoMo." Not really sure how she came up with that since it was not the sound of the word but it was how she spelled it. She was quite smart and well read so I don't particularly know how she decided on that spelling. I was in Germany when I came of age to talk and my dad's family used the terms Grandma and Granddaddy but his parents died before I was born. He taught me those terms, but somehow I fell in with PaPa, but kept grandma.

She never forgot to write Grandma on the many handwritten notes and cards I have from her. I am still the only one of many many grandkids that used Grandma.

Back to the bowl...She made the absolute best biscuits on the planet. No one ever topped her and I still long for them. I could go in and find a leftover one on a plate...though it was cold, it was divine.

I went almost daily in the evenings after she returned from work at the Vanity Fair in Monroeville to stand beside her and watch her make biscuits. I absolutely never remember a day when she didn't welcome me with a smile. I know she had to be tired, but she greeted me with come on and help me make biscuits. I always got to make the last bit of dough into a baby biscuit.

She had flour in the bowl and kept it covered with a flour sack. She added a little lard and buttermilk in a teacup  to the valley she had made in the flour and worked it in with her hands, then slowly worked in that flour in to make a perfect dough. She kneaded it in the bowl and then would turn around to the sink to wash her hands. She would return to pinch off a little bit and roll in her hands to make absolute perfect biscuits.

I have decided she had magic fingers. I worked for years to make them like hers. Mom has good ones, but not quite as good. My aunts have good ones but not quite as good. 

Just recently I decided I simply must figure it out. IT had to be in proportions and motions. I am getting closer. Jeff has been raving and asked what am I doing different. I think it just takes time and practice.

Also the right kind of flour. In the south, that would be White Lily self rising flour. It is lighter and makes a better biscuit. The other flours have their purposes that White Lily doesn't actually perform well such as yeast rolls, but friends a southern biscuit must be made with White Lily.

The bowl sits at Auburn because I really don't have anywhere to put it, but I would find a place if I didn't have the Auburn house because it speaks to me every time I look at it. Grandma was a blessing and strong example of what a woman should be.

That is the story of my dough bowl.

Now, for the video I watched today. I thought it was a nice view. It uses some of my favorite children's books and has some great lessons for women of all ages and all walks of life.

I still have ironing and more housework and today on tap for supper is chicken and dumplings. I think I have that figured out as well. I made them about three weeks ago and Jeff and Paul Allen raved. Even my mom said they were excellent. She never tells me my things are excellent. She seems to be a bit jealous when I do well cooking in her older age. I keep trying to tell her I know how to bake because of her, but she doesn't seem to like it if my cake is better than hers. I have one that I have mastered and it is way better and one she still has me on. Good grief....she is a character.

Rolling in the dough (the floury kind not the green kind),

Sandy

A Little Stitching and More

 I have a finished stitch, a fully finished stitch, and  and two new starts.

The finished stitch is The Strawberry House by Scarlett House. I had been holding onto this pattern a long time, so I chose August to whip it out. I did choose to leave off some items. I didn't put the birds or the dog (can you believe I left off a dog?) I decided I just wanted a simpler finish. I did add my initials and the year. Somehow as crazy as this year is I thought it needed to be marked down. I grew up with the quote..."This too shall pass." I believe all this bad stuff will, and we will be stronger. I decided being that it is about to be a big year for me in a big birthday sort of way next month that the idea just worked for me. 

That little blob to the right is the scissor fob pattern that was way too close to the pin keep pattern and is in the process of being ripped out. Does anyone else hate to rip out on 40 count?

I plan to fill it with some sawdust, so it will have a different kind of feel than the usual little pillows. I am not going to put a border on and may really use it as a pin keep. Someone asked if I would do the scissor fob. Right now the answer is no, but I am putting it back in case I change my mind. 

I fully finished my September word play. I chose some Dick and Jane fabric for the back and a simple finish. I hope to set up a little back to school display in the corner of my sewing counter to go with it. I need to shop the stash for a little charm to go in the corner. 

Changing the topic...I have always called this room the sewing room, but I think work room is probably more fitting so I may start referring to it as such. 

I have two new starts.... a day time and a night time stitch.

Day time is on the above 40 count. I am doing some acorns in the round. I love the finished product on the cover of the pattern and that could be a possible finish, but if it turns out to be a good size I plan to put it on the top of a small jewelry box that was my mom's as a teen. I have had it since I was a teen and think it could use a cute stitch on top. We will see.

The night time stitch is another of the four planned flowers that I am doing. This one will be a camellia.

Two more thoughts to close out the post. 

I have a plant that was purchased by Lindsay's former boss. I may have mentioned it before, but she bought them for all the girls in the office at Christmas to see who could keep it alive the longest. The plant got dropped off at my house since Lindsay was on her way to Atlanta and not going directly to her house. I sort of took it and babied it and then a real tragedy happened in this lady's life. I decided that I would pray for her and her family every time I watered it because this incident was one that was going to be a part of their lives for many years to come. Today I was watering and praying on it and just noticed how much new growth was on it and how far it had come. It was a tiny little plant when Lindsay brought it in to the house. 

It is such a good way to pray for someone who needs that ongoing prayer. I guess is like the 12 stones gathered to remind the Israelites how much God had done for them. IT struck me that I maybe needed to associate more items to remind me to pray for particular people.

The last thought is a funny. A commenter on my previous post made me realize that I had written exactly what she thought in her comment but not what I meant. There is no hole in my beautiful green cabinet but there was an open space on top left by where the ugly cable box had been sitting. Oh my! I must be more careful with my words and maybe proof my work!!!

A Weekend in the Books

 Jeff and I skipped away to Auburn this weekend. It was a very slow weekend and as always much needed.  We picked up food to go and mostly stayed in. It was hot, but I did manage to sit in my favorite little porch area and...

just relax and pay attention to trees that look different than in Florida even though it is just a few hours north.

We did cut the cable in Auburn, so I was tasked with setting up Chromecast on the TV. It seems like one person in most couples is the tech person and that is me which is extremely scary. I mean if I am your tech person you are in sad shape!!! I have really lost lots of skills since retiring. I am very grateful for Youtube videos.

The cable box left a whole on the top of the cabinet and a good hole. A quick book and a plate made for a much better look than a cable box ---not to mention no cords running around the wall to the mantle.

I did hang my cardinal and I wish you could see in person what you can't see on this picture. They look wonderful together on this wall. 

Tucker's name is back from the frame shop. 

And meanwhile back in Destin, someone got his first haircut.

He looks like a big boy. Can we slow down time??? ---well maybe, speed up to being past this doggone virus but slow down time with the good stuff?

He did great in daycare this week. I went to see him on Thursday because I couldn't stand it any longer. He was happy to see me I think and I was more than happy to see him. He did well though and I think he really liked it. All answers to lots of prayers.

Thursday Treasures #1

This post will make three posts in one week. That will probably not happen on a continuing basis, but I felt like I was a bit behind in sharing so it warranted two posts this week to update and not overwhelm a reader with one gigantic post. 

I would like to ask readers to pray for my cousin that I mentioned yesterday. He has been taken to Pensacola and of course no one is allowed to be with him. He was experiencing breathing difficulties so his wife got him to the local hospital and he was transported on to Pensacola. I am glad for that because they will be much more equipped to handle the Covid situation. 

After reading a couple of Pam's treasure posts, I thought I would share too. Now, I have no idea if I will keep this up. Time will tell. I do write a blog for my children and those are longer more detailed versions for them. 

I will make this one a shorter one. I am not known for shorter words posts though:)

A Cup of Ambition

My treasure today is a small green teacup given to me for 8th grade graduation. The gift was from a lovely little couple who lived in my neighborhood. Why is it so special that I would hold onto it so very long?

It has to do more with the association of feelings with meeting this elderly retired couple and dog who moved into my neighborhood as a middle schooler. 

We had moved to the small town of Brewton, AL which is about 20 miles from the country where both my parents were born and raised and that I lived after my dad died. It was a good move for me. It gave me many more opportunities than I would have had living in the rural area.

My mom remarried and the move came along with that. Here I was in those awkward middle school years...

• new person in my life (that I learned to love and am glad that he was in my mom's life all those years)
• new home / new school
• braces
• new friends (I had basically been in a classroom with the same kids from 1st to 5th and cousins for friends)
• shag haircut (I had naturally curly hair...shag haircut looked like a poodle cut and my favorite "boy" friend in the neighborhood was honest and told me so)

There was lots of good, but it was coupled with lots of changes and those awkward years.

In moves this sweet little couple and a Lemony type dog. Have I mentioned I have loved dogs since birth? I mean really loved them. My mother is not a dog person. I didn't have one until I married. I have only been without a dog for about 2 months since.

This sweet little dog of theirs became my bud. I went daily to brush, pet and visit with him. This sweet little couple also had retired out of the Army and their home was filled with treasures from their travels and a love for history. They didn't have family close by, so I was happy to look at their travel treasures, listen to their stories, and I couldn't help but wonder what life would have been like had Dad not died. Would we have been much like them with travels in the Army?

Anyway, knowing them just sort of set my mind on things I wanted in life. I didn't especially love 7th grade with braces and a poodle cut when straight as a board was in style. I spent much time thinking about what I did want in life. I have always been a thinker. 

So, after 8th grade graduation we moved to a neighborhood a couple of streets away and they moved too. I associated that cup with the idea of being ambitious.

I have always called it my cup of ambition. It was ALWAYS on my dresser until spring 2003 when we moved in our current home. It moved to the dining room treasure cabinet, but when I was writing the post for my kids several months ago I moved it to the side table in the dining room. 

My cup of ambition is a treasure I don't plan to get rid of  because of the ideas I associated with that time in my life. I have been so blessed and some of those thoughts that came in those awkward years were good thoughts that gave me the umpth to be studious.

That is my Thursday Treasure....a cup of ambition.

So, you can see from this series of pictures that the boy was right. I did learn a valuable lesson from this haircut. I only have two other horror stories with hair both of which have taught me that I have a good luck and I should stick with it. A nice above shoulders bob!!!

First up is what I looked like when I started sixth grade and moved to Brewton.

Next up, is the beginning of seventh grade ... braces on so no open smile.

And then someone decided that a shag haircut was the thing to do. You don't do that when your hair is wavy like above. I was an unhappy camper for a long months growing it out!!!

Some Stitching and a Pie

The trip I mentioned in my last post got canceled. I had a cousin test positive for the virus, so we postponed going. He had been at my aunt's house where we were planning to stop and eat lunch. We will just wait and go in the fall to check on the cemeteries as it will be cooler by then anyway. 

Now for some stitching...

I have been stitching on two things. One, I can only stitch on during the day due the linen. This particular 40 count linen is very tightly woven and I just can't seem to stitch at night without mistakes so it is daytime stitching only. I do hope to finish it in August.

You may notice in the above picture a pot to the way right. That is NOT supposed to be there. It is pictured on the pattern right next to the pattern part I wanted to stitch. After I had completely stitched that pot it dawned on me that was for the scissor fob. It was printed close to all fit on one sheet of paper. 

Most of my mistakes have been just getting in the wrong hole with the close weave and small count. ARghh...

I started some flowers from an oldie book, and my plan is do four of them for a grouping. I haven't decided if I will stitch words underneath or not. I am thinking- yes, so that they look more like botanical prints. I will wait until I am finished with them and then try it on one. 

My first one is Florida' state flower the orange blossom. It has gone much quicker than I thought. I thought these would take me a long time. With that said, I have taken a chill pill on speed. I have really decided I don't want to rush so much on anything especially stitching. I want to fully enjoy it. I am also reading again.

Let's talk about reading. I am not sure what has happened to my attention span. I feel like a child in elementary school at the beginning of a school year who has to be taught to have stamina after a summer of no reading. It is not about lack of interesting books either. I have lots of good books piled up on my nightstand. I have started a new one. I really like it and am interested in it and yet I find my mind wandering to what I need to do. I am over it. I will build my stamina and read again and love it. Less TV...less computer...less distractions and lots more focus!

Anyone else finding themselves there or is just me?

I will share what I am reading when I finish:)

Baking

My husband loves Key Lime pie. He says it is a summer pie. My mother-in-law gave me this recipe which is a postcard bought in the Keys from a trip way back in the 1980s. It is the only Key Lime pie I have ever made. It sounds like a lemon icebox pie, but with this one you beat stiffly one egg white and fold it into the mixture.

My husband doesn't like meringue....what is a pie without meringue is what I say???!!!!!!!!! So, no meringue on this one. I do however pop in the oven for the time it would take to brown a lovely meringue. I estimate that to be about 5-7 minutes.

I use fresh limes, not necessarily "KEY limes." It usually takes about 4 to get a 1/2 cup of juice.

What does one eat for a tasty snack when she tries to avoid gluten? Well, I have a very tasty treat to share.

I absolutely love these maple buckwheat flakes from Arrowhead Mills. They are amazing with oat milk or almond milk and sliced bananas. I am quite addicted to them. The other day I thought---"Why not add them to my coconut milk ice cream since I didn't have a cone and I love cones?" I found a winner! It takes my sweets craving and chocolate craving away in one bowl. I have to buy the flakes from Thrive Market online since I can't find them here, but I am sure if you have a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's close by, you could find them.

Pamela at Closed Doors Open Windows did a post on treasures the other day that has inspired me to share some treasures. I have been thinking about it and I think I will do one on Thursdays and call it Thursday's Treasures. We will seen how long it lasts! If the creeks don't rise, I will be back tomorrow for a green teacup treasure.

Tucker did well on his first two days. I miss him so much and will probably drop out to visit this evening or at least tomorrow evening. Don't think I can wait much longer. I know how blessed I am to live close.

Until next time,

Sandy

Hello August

The tagline for my blog is ...a blog about decorating, stitching, baking, gardening, family, and walking a faith filled life. Truthfully, I just changed stitching from sewing and baking from cooking as I do more of the former rather than the latter. I have not been a great blogger and for good reason. I have had the absolute treasure of keeping my grandson since January of 2019. It has been tough as I am not getting younger, but one of the greatest gifts.

I have treasured every single day and might have been tearful last night as I laid down and thought about how I wouldn't have him with me today. He is off to daycare and I have spent most of this day in prayer for him and my daughter. 

When he has settled into a new routine and I know more about his scheduled day I will go and get him at least for an afternoon or morning once a week just because I want to and Lindsay says I can.

With all that said, August will still be a bit busy for me because I am trading one type of caregiving for another with Mother. I do hope to find some balance in the next few weeks and get back to blogging and figure out all the kinks with the new blogger and the comments or lack of comments coming to email, etc., etc., etc.

For today, I thought I would talk about the faith journey and some quotes that passed by me and caused me to think. Then if the creeks don't rise I will share some new cross stitching and other items in my tagline on a more regular basis. 

I tuned in yesterday to not only my church's message, but the children's portion as well.  I didn't attend in person as cases are rising, Jeff's bother had a leaking refrigerator and Jeff had to go see about him and various other life interruptions happened. Those life interruptions are part of life.

The children's portion was on Esther and the story of how she saved her people. Many have heard and read the story of Esther and the verses from Esther Chapter 4...

13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews.14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

I suppose this verse and the kids' message was still on my mind when I came across a blogpost later in the day.  I have read Coffee Tea Books and Me for years and for some reason I have never entered it into my blogs on the sidebar. That is another thing I desperately need to update. I want to share just a small portion of the post, but it is definitely worth reading and you will find it here. It is entitled Homesick.

Just a small excerpt... 

Recently I have been thinking about how everything going on in the world has been affecting me and those I love.  Being an optimist, I have found it unsettling to be concerned about the future my children and grandchildren will inherit.  I have to remind myself that they were born for such a time as this... and so was I.

We can understand such Truths and still find ourselves unsettled.  Spooked not unlike the deer running from and to the safety of the forest.  We know God is at work in all things but how is this all going to unfold in the months and years before us?

She said what has been in my head so why try to recreate words.  I hope that I am indeed ready to be a shining example of someone who realizes I was born in 1960 for such a time as this. 

I also saw a wonderful message today that talked about great revivals coming out of great hardships. The message said that in 1966 the cover of Time magazine had the cover ---Is God dead? By the cover of 1971, it changed to The Jesus Revolution.

I could go on and on with more thoughts that I am going to use at our Zoom small group meeting this Wednesday, but I have some other thoughts floating around in the old noggin, so I don't want my post to become too long.

I saw this quote in a book as I was cleaning out some stuff the other day. 

"Nobody knows anything about America who doesn't not know its little towns." --- Dorothy Thompson.

Oh,  how I love that! It made me pause and think that if we really think about it.

 There is so much good still in the small towns of America. Sin has not left and will not leave. There will always be bad, but I want more of the good. I am choosing to concentrate on the good and pray for that revival!

Another quote came from Instagram. I can't give credit, but it had me thinking too.

"August is like the  Sunday of summer." or something like that. 

If August is like the  Sunday of summer then September in Florida or along my part of Florida would be the Sunday evening of summer. Summer doesn't leave us when September rolls around. It lingers. The light changes and you seen signs of autumn but not temperature wise.

I have the pleasure of enjoying August more in this season of life. I can embrace more summer and not be in a hurry for it to end. I sincerely hope that there will be some beach walks in the mornings of August for me. Saltwater and sand are soothing salve for my soul. There is no place that I feel His presence more than strolling along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico.

AND speaking of the Gulf of Mexico, was that not the most spectacular thing watching the Space X drop right near our home in Pensacola?!!!  It was surreal hearing Pensacola over and over as I watched the NASA TV portion although it was all over the local news here. IT took me back to my childhood. I was completely immersed and I also fully took in the Perseverance and Ingenuity launch last week. Yep, this space nerd is in heaven with all this space news. 

Our family is hoping Pensacola wins the bid for the new home of the Space Force. I mean I can't even imagine how cool that would be!!!??? I mean...Blue Angels and Space Force. Be still my heart!

Gardening News

I will close this very long post for a quick picture of some of flowers and a few notes about that.

All planted at different times...some big, some smaller, some lopsided.

This is what happens when you avoid shopping for flowers and try to make every thing last until forever. You get flowers that are quite pretty but all different sizes and not in the least bit uniform which kind of messes with this very symmetrical loving girl. I am embracing the idea of green and white is alright for summer, and from the road all you notice is the pretty.

Mother and I are headed up "to home"  (south Alabama) tomorrow to check on the cemetery and so forth. 

If you made it thus far I won't post tomorrow, but maybe Wednesday with some pretty stitching.

Until then,

Sandy

 “Now my soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But this is the very reason I came! ---John 12:27