waffle summer

Posted on June 29, 2015 by Shanda

This is fun.

I love making breakfast for the children. The best thing about summer vacation is that the extra time we have makes it possible to do so. I’ve been making waffles.

I suppose it has something to do with the moment a few weeks back when my Mom and I were organizing my pantry and we discovered that one of the boys had put my waffle maker back with waffle stuck all over it. It was shocking. I remembered the day years ago that Rich bought me that wonderful waffle maker from Williams and Sonoma. I was so proud of it, but had forgotten how much I enjoyed it. I immediately felt like nurturing my waffle maker again. As soon as I had extra time again (days later), I took it outside and cleaned the crumbs out of it. The dog was by my side, eating them out of the grass. Waffle makers have the potential to be the filthiest appliance in the house if they aren’t perfectly cleaned after each use. Even the cord itself was coated in old batter. (I blame the boy who used it last.)

Of course once it was clean again I immediately wanted to use it.

This morning I made cornmeal waffles from a Bed and Breakfast cookbook. Before I mixed them up, I thinly sliced 2 quarts of strawberries into a fiesta bowl and sugared them. The kids could put strawberries on their waffles, maple syrup, or both.

Cornmeal Waffles
2 large eggs
1 3/4 cup milk
1 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
6 Tablespoons melted butter

In a large bowl beat the eggs and add the milk. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients and store into the egg mixture. Gradually add the melted butter. Spoon into a greased hot waffle iron, and bake.

Notes: I use one of those silicone pastry brushes to grease my waffle maker. Also, I added extra flour to this recipe because I like waffle batter to be thick.

When I made them, only Caleb, Seth, and Sarah were awake. So all the rest are waiting in a 200 degree oven, waiting for the big kids to wake up and eat them. Last week we had someone spending the night with the boys and he was so amazed that I had made waffles from scratch that he took a picture of the recipe.

(star wars and elsa)

I have something to say to you that has nothing to do with waffles!

God is Sovereign, is in perfect control of all things.
Jesus had harsh words for hypocrites.
Self-righteousness is a terrible attitude and scares people.
Strange and Unusual Joy is a mark of a Christian.
A key to a content life is purposefully living the one God gave you and enjoying each part of it.
Continuous study and learning…having a curiosity about life and living….is another way to grow in grace.
If you believe in the blessedness of marriage, put extra time and effort into your own.
At some point in the very near future all the children of God will experience the best happy ending in History….and I just cannot wait!!!!

“The LORD your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

thirsty?

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Shanda

I’ve been pondering my hydrangea bush. I counted 25 blooms on it this morning as I leaned over the porch railing.

This summer is the first time it has bloomed…..in years.

It bugged me a great deal to see it year after year, all green with none of those big puffy flowers that are so beautiful. I did a little research about hydrangeas this spring and guess what the solution was?

Water. Lots and lots of water. Therefore, I’ve been watering this plant religiously day after day.

It just simply needed water.

As a believer, I can’t help but compare this plant and it’s need for water in order to bloom to my soul and how much I need Jesus, Water from the Rock. I also need His Word, the Bible. I need church services, I need prayer, I need spiritual songs, I need to praise and worship, I need to meditate. Another way to say “need” is to say “thirst”. I thirst for these things…..and as I drink deep they satisfy my soul.

Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled.

If I neglect these spiritual disciplines, I won’t flourish and grow. I’ll still be alive, but I’ll be stagnant. I’ll still be HIS, because nothing can ever take me from His strong hand, but life will lose some of it’s beauty, it’s peace, it’s abundance if I’m not drinking long and deep from the streams of living water. I thank God for the thirst He gives me that causes me run to him.

Let but your heart become a valley low,
And God will rain on it till it will overflow.

“I will send down showers” Ezekiel 34:26

“He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.” Isaiah 49:10

*****

Sarah and I discovered the first Tiger Lily blooms this morning.

My cat followed me around as I weeded. I had to pick him up out of the zinnias.

My children are on summer vacation. Now is the time when I remember how content I felt when we homeschooled them years ago. There is nothing like the feeling of a child wanting waffles for breakfast and saying yes because you have all the time in the world…….

Grace wants to be like Beatrix Potter. She came downstairs for breakfast with these things in her hands….sketch book, drawing pencils, her latest paperback, and a horse (her model for the drawings)….I encouraged her to try to be HERSELF and not a copy of an original. “I don’t know how.” I can so relate. We live in a world that is full of information and great ideas, it’s hard to even know who we are in the midst of so many people. Well, we do have similarities, but God made us unique and different, too. The little something he gave to Beatrix Potter is apparently within my daughter, too. We’ll see what she does with it.

Speaking of growing, Sarah is steadying gaining new marks on her growth line. I do need to wash this wall a little though.

Conversation during Waffle-Making:

David, chewing on waffle: “I wonder if we’ll ever get a new baby.”
Me: making waffles with my back toward him: “Um.No, the baby factory is closed. The baby factory is tired.”
David, finding my answer unsatisfactory: “Hmmf. Just think of all the babies that will never be born because YOU do not have the COURAGE to have them.”

*****

Look up today, you who are dried and withered plants. Open your leaves and flowers and receive God’s heavenly watering. Charles H. Spurgeon

before pinterest

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Shanda

Dear Friends,

Yesterday Sarah fell in the stream.

It was such a glorious, dare I say, WARM morning that the 8 of us went outside; the dog, the four cats, the rabbit, Sarah, and I. Sarah played by the rabbit cage with her little toy animals, a bowl of water for a lake, and a piece of wood to be the land.

I set up a lawn chair with my bag of outside goodies; old magazines, scissors, glue, pens, books, camera, coffee, sunglasses, and a blanket in case of chilly winds. A feeling of contentment was all around us but soon Sarah wanted to make mud pies instead and I readily agreed.

In order to make mud pies she went away down the hill to her sandbox and trucked water back and forth from the pond, to the sand. Every once in a while I would look up from my book and watch her. She was so cute with her short blond hair flying behind her as she ran, so busy, so carefree. She ran up to me once or twice to show me how dirty she was getting.

Time went by. Eventually, I stopped reading my book and listened. I thought I heard something. I thought it was music and started to read again. The music got louder. I thought Sarah was in the garage, singing. The music got even louder and only then did I realize it was the distressed sort of “singing”, it was screaming and crying, actually.

If a child has the energy and will to cry really loud then I do not worry, but the children have a talent of getting me to run. I couldn’t see her at all so I was able to use my amazing imagination to convince myself she was broken and/or bleeding. I couldn’t get to the stream fast enough.

I knew she was fine as soon as I saw her, and laughed. She was standing in the rushing waters on a huge rock, wet from waist to toe. She was frozen in terror. I picked my way down the bank cursing the ticks to offer her my motherly hands. I got her safely up the bank and she stopped sobbing. I thought it would be funny to *not say a word* to see what her first remark would be after her adventure.

We walked hand in hand while she sniffled and finally gave up this remark, “sniffle sniffle, well, I AM glad I washed my feet. My feet and my hands. sniffle sniffle”

You can’t help but admire a thankful heart. By the time we got to the porch she was talking about how much she liked “jumping in the stream” and wanted to put on a lifejacket and sunscreen and go swimming. (the answer was no–too cold–go change your clothes)

I had to get a bug from my coffee.

“April is a chancy month here. Bitter knife-cold, oven-warm. Rainy. Sunny. But always the feeling of spring, the definite excitement of things growing. Such a wonderful month, promise of richness to come, restoring faith in the good bounty of Nature. A bouquet of violets to you, my dear.” ~ Gladys Taber to her friend Barbara, in Stillmeadow and Sugarbridge

The twentieth time reading an LM Montgomery book is just as good as the first. When I was a teenager I was very protective of my paperbacks and used to reinforce the corners and binding with tape. However, the best loved books ended up looking similar to this copy of Anne’s House of Dreams. This book is extra special because it’s the only one I accidentally dropped into a bowl of leftover chicken soup after an late night excessive indulgence of reading, and there it stayed until morning. Every time I pull it from the shelf I think of chicken soup. I still grieve.

Anne’s House of Dreams begins at Green Gables in the midst of wedding preparations. Anne and Gilbert are married in the garden and move away to Four Winds Harbor, near Glen St. Mary, a town by the shores. They live in a darling house, which Anne declares is their House of Dreams. LM Montogomery was so clever in creating unique and delightful characters and in no time at all the reader meets the captivating Captain Jim, Leslie Moore, and Cornelia Bryant. Every page is a delight.

I’ve been in a “feathering the nest” mood this week, hence Anne’s House of Dreams on my reading list, and have been working on completely finishing up my own personal scrapbook of home inspiration. I spend more time on Pinterest these days than looking at magazines, but way back many years ago BEFORE PINTEREST when I was a young thing with no internet, I absolutely delighted in pouring over magazines with a pair of scissors dreaming of what I could do in my home. I’ve been working on this scrapbook for over 10 years……going back to it the last few days was like visiting an old friend.

I love the country mix and match eclectic look, with browns and yellows. And books everywhere.

Everything about this kitchen is perfection. I love the railing behind the stovepipe for towels, the color of the walls, the little cupboards and shelves, red floor.

“The walls of this house must be sorter soaked with laughing and good times.” Anne’s House of Dreams pg. 38

flowers, chair with lovely pillows, quilt, kitchen sink, baskets, plants, painting, dishes

“Anne looked about her with bright, appreciative eyes as she followed Mrs. Doctor Dave upstairs. She liked the appearance of her new home very much. It seemed to have the atmosphere of Green Gables and the flavor of her old traditions.”

Another room that I love everything about….wicker side chair, all the pillows, the blue ship painting, no curtains on the windows, flowers……the colors…..

This is my Home and House board on Pinterest: click HERE. It’s much easier to pin photos online now and…… I have let my Country Living magazine subscription lapse. But I hope I never stop taking the time now and then to sit “the old fashioned way” with scissors, glue, a scrapbook, and a handful of dreams á la Anne Shirley Blythe.

inside/outside good to be home

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Shanda

flower for a thank you

asking for a belly rub

cookies one and two

impromptu cookie jar

so happy to find a screen cover @ Pier One Imports 13 dollars

lily’s dress

really great soup recipe

He shall sit up on the arm of the couch in a sunbeam.

He shall sleep & stretch under the coffee table….not doing a great job of hiding from us.

poetry comes to life: “her early leaf’s a flower, but only for an hour” Robert Frost

moss growing on a fallen tree

blue sandwiching green

I shall sit in the woods and watch the hens scratch with purpose.

Back inside: nature bits gathered from the woods.

W H I T E T U R K E Y C H I L I

1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
2 cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped up fine
1 lb ground turkey
salt and pepper to taste
1 can cannelloni beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 16 ounce jar salsa (your choice)
1 15 ounce can tomatoes with garlic and onion (or add extra seasonings if you only have plain)

In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until translucent, add turkey and brown, salting and peppering to taste. Add the rest of the ingredients and heat till bubbly and completely heated through.

I triple this for my family, so we can enjoy leftovers. I use mild salsa, the guys pass around the Franks Red Hot.

This recipe is from a cookbook that has literally changed my life, Saving Dinner, by Leanne Ely. It contains recipes for delicious main dishes for each week (6 days) of the year WITH the complete shopping list (!!!!). It is organized by season. All the recipes are as healthy as can be with typically a fish, beef, chicken, slow cooker recipe, meatless, casserole. Each recipe includes side dish recommendations and nutritional content. I don’t use the cookbook every week, but I’ve used it a lot over the last couple of years, (all spring this year so far except the 2 flu weeks). This week I am making Chicken Parmesan with steamed broccoli, Mexican Lasagna with a salad, Beef and Spinach Pitas with baby carrots, Chicken Broccoli Soup with a salad and rolls, Halibut Piccata with steamed broccoli, sweet potatoes, and baked potatoes, and lastly, Greens and Beans with a side of brown rice. Buy it! 🙂

scandinavian blondies on the first day of spring

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Shanda

(music)

Scandinavian Blondies

4 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon almond or lemon extract
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup sliced almonds (optional) (I used slivered because it was what I had)
Preheat the oven to 325. Lightly grease a 9 by 13 pan.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the eggs well, until light colored and thick.
Add the sugar and salt, continuing to beat until shiny and pale yellow.
Add the extract, melted butter, and 1 cup flour, mixing it in gently.
Mix in the remaining 1 cup flour.
Pour batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the nuts.
Bake the bars for 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges are pulling away from the sides of the pan and they’re a very light gold color. Remove from the oven and cool before cutting into squares.

As we waited for them to cool, we read a few library books……

Then, we went into the kitchen to cut into the cookies. They had baked nicely into a soft, cake like bar, and the smell of almond was like aromatherapy. Unfortunately Sarah wasn’t partial to them. But her Dad and I liked them very much. (the other children are at school, so I don’t know what they think of them quite yet) I especially liked the almonds on top. Because they weren’t mixed into the batter they stayed nice and crisp, as a nutty nut should be.

This recipe is from the King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion cookbook, page 191. (doubled) ******

Happy first day of Spring!

The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month. ~Henry Van Dyke

Snow is in the forecast!

first batch of kombucha

Posted on March 19, 2015 by Shanda

I am almost certain that the first time I heard of Kombucha was from Eyes of Wonder’s blog.

*********

A few months ago I was at the bookstore with Grace and I randomly found a book in the cookbook section titled Delicious Probiotic Drinks. I sat down with my daughter across the table writing, to browse through it, and liked it so much that I went home and ordered it through amazon. When it came in the mail I once again enjoyed looking through it several more times and felt determined to try to make Kombucha. (the book also contains directions to make kefir, ginger beer, and other naturally fermented drinks)

My friend Hannah-Banana makes it, which made the process seem much more doable. She has the experience and was a much needed inspiration.

I do sometimes make plans to make something (like soap) and never get around to it. I hoped that this wouldn’t be the case with the probiotic drinks. Eventually, after the cookbook had collected some dust, I bit the bullet so to speak, and went on Amazon to order the things I needed to make my first batch. “I want to do this, I’m going to do this, and it may as well be NOW.”

My bag of starter (SCOBY) came on Ethan’s birthday. So I set it aside on the counter (oh no, will I EVER get around to it??).

I felt that I simply must just take the plunge, so using the print out that came with the SCOBY, and my valuable book, I nervously sterilized my equipment and made my first batch on a Friday night. (the 6th of March, day AFTER the birthday).

In a nutshell, what you do to make the drink is to brew a tea solution with one cup of sugar, then add the SCOBY, put cloth over the top and let it sit for a week or more to ferment.

“The probiotics and yeast (the scoby) eat the sugar, which ferments the beverage and results in a drink that is acidic, probiotic-rich, and mildly alcoholic.” ~Julia Mueller

My gallon jar of tea and SCOBY was placed in my closet. It needed to be in a warm, dark, quiet place and after thinking it through I felt that my closet was the best room in the house for such things.

Over a week went by and I started texting Hannah through Facebook (she should live next door, but she lives in Alaska) about when my Kombucha should be done, did I do it right? Should I have used soap to scrub my jar? Should I have used tap water for the tea? She could sense my anxiety and told me not to stress, all would be well.

Indeed, the print-out did encourage saying a blessing over your beverage and sending it nothing but good vibes…..so I took a deep breath to release the stress, checked my jar, took a few pictures to send to Hannah, and she agreed that it really did look as though it was thriving. The SCOBY was growing.

Seeing the new scoby forming filled me with pride.

I put it back in the closet for three more days, when I decided to be brave and try a sip.

I’ve had Kombucha from Target before so I knew what to expect….and my taste-test tasted great!

On Monday night, with Grace sitting at the counter making me laugh, I chopped up a fresh pineapple and bottled the drink for it’s second fermentation.

I took the scoby off the top of the jar with my hands and put it in a glass pitcher with 2 cups of the tea (to use for the next batch), and then poured the rest into the plastic pitcher.

Then I poured the tea out of the plastic pitcher through a funnel into the bottles, in which I had added a few tablespoons of pineapple.

I ended up with six bottles to put back in the closet to ferment. I opened up the first one last night and it was delicious. Um, the kids don’t seem to like it though. Rich had to work very late last night so he has to try it later on today. He’s had the Target Kombucha and I sure hope he thinks our home-brew is just as good, if not better.

Did I mention that it is fizzy like soda? But it’s healthy! Low carb! Pro-biotic! Mildly achoholic! Pretty exciting stuff but you do have to have a taste for it. I’ll let you try when you come visit me, dear local friends. 🙂

I have another gallon of it brewing in my closet and it should be done by Monday. I told Grace that Monday night bottling will have to be our new tradition. It was fun to have her company in the kitchen. Next time I will try a different flavor, too.

Every batch will be blessed.

beautiful God, beautiful home

Posted on February 19, 2015 by Shanda

“….there are three dimensions of the Christian life that the Scriptures are concerned about–the good, the true, and the beautiful. Yet we tend to cut off the third from the other two…rarely do we find a focus on the beautiful…..”

“….the Scriptures speak about the beauty of God. His Word tells us that all things beautiful find their source and foundation in the character of God Himself. So, God is ultimately the norm of the good, the norm of the true, and the norm of the beautiful.”

“Ever since the people of God have existed in community, art has been a significant concern. When we go to the Old Testament, for example, we see there that the first people filled with the Holy Ghost were the artisans and craftsman that God selected to prepare the objects for the tabernacle.”

“…….God saw art and what it communicates as being important enough to include in His tabernacle—to include the beautiful where people would meet to worship Him. Beauty is important to God because He is beautiful, and so what is beautiful must be of importance to His people as well. Christian artists should be encouraged to create beautiful art, and Christian people should be encouraged to appreciate the beautiful alongside the true and the good, for the Lord Himself is beautiful.”

“Our Beautiful God”, article in Tabletalk magazine by R.C. Sproul

****

Although I am not an artist, I have an hungry eye for beauty. I suppose this is the reason I like carrying my camera around in capturing some of the loveliness in the world around me.

As I wrote in the last post, I have lost a ring that is precious to me. It haven’t been found yet, but in looking for it I have done a lot of cleaning in rather neglected corners of my home.

I have been forced to take the time to thoughtfully clean and dust and rearrange the things we have in our home, and as a result, it has been a surprising blessing in losing my ring that my eyes have been opened to the beauty of home-life again.

There is so much beauty in ordinary life. A well made bed, children playing games, toys lying about, animals curled up in surprising locations, food lovingly prepared, candles lit, pretty dishes, quiet music playing, blankets ready to be snuggled in, piles of books, the children’s school papers and art, clean floors, the smell of fresh laundry, and the glow of sunlight through a clean window.

Indeed, just give me one clean and washed counter and I’ll be happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“We must have beauty around us to make us good.” M.E.W. Sherwood

I made myself lunch yesterday. It was broccoli and red pepper stir fried with a minced clove of garlic and sliced mushrooms. After the vegetables were done, I removed them from the skillet and scrambled two eggs. Topped with shredded parmesan and pepper.

Yesterday’s supper. It was well received by all except Caleb and Seth.

For dessert, a frozen fruit salad. 3 cups fresh whipped cream and a 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (folded together gently). Add 14 oz drained crushed pineapple, 2 cups sliced strawberries, and 3 sliced bananas. Freeze until firm. Very much like homemade ice cream, with no churning.

Art by David; painted on silk at school. It looks so pretty propped up in the window.

A game of Memory right before the bus came this morning. Caleb won.

Beautiful snow sprinkles and a beautiful smile.

This morning’s sun, coming up over the trees wan and cloud covered.

Jacob’s art ~ calligraphy

Tree painting by Jacob, wooden shelf made by Ethan, candlelight, old books, and football trophies.

More paintings by Jacob.

I pinned the crocheted doily on the basket with straight pins…I think it looks so pretty.

Valentine roses.

Tips from Alexandra Stoddard on creating a Beautiful Home:

* Every day can be a memorable celebration. Use your favorite dishes, napkins, and accessories to brighten up daily mealtimes.

*Always have something growing in your rooms, even if it is a modest basket arrangement of flowers from the garden.

*Clean windows are like a cloudless day.

*If you’re short on closet space, use a beautiful pine armoire, which also adds height and a focal point to the room.

* Because we spend more than a third of our lives in bed, collect a wardrobe for your bed: Invest in a variety of different sets of sheets, pillow shams, and blanket covers and an assortment of colorful patterned baby pillows and neck rolls. (I bought linen sheets this winter and Rich said they were the best thing I’ve ever purchased besides his wedding ring.)

*Seek freshness and lightness

*Make every room a living room.

(from the book, Creating a Beautiful Home)

“It never occurred to me until I had this house to take a vacation and stay home.” Bill Robinson

“The homeliest tasks get beautiful if loving hands do them.” Louisa May Alcott

How about you? Do you have any special tips or ideas in beautifying the surroundings you live in? (from your own experience, a book, or someone you admire?)

a song of snow and sea

Posted on February 5, 2015 by Shanda

(music)

The Lord is my strength and shield.

I trust Him with all my heart,

He helps me and my heart is filled with joy.

I burst out with songs of thanksgiving.

Psalm 28:7

The children woke this morning to the news of a two hour delay, but none of us would have been surprised or disappointed if there was a full snow day. It has been snowing nonstop since we got out of bed and nature has added even more fluffy inches to what was already accumulated earlier this week.

“Oh, it doesn’t show signs of stopping”

I opened the door to take a picture of the older children who stood outside for almost 10 minutes waiting for the bus. I smiled to hear their talking and laughing. Then, when they saw me, “What is mom doing?” they casually asked one another, huddled in a tight sibling group. “Mom, my hands are freezing!” he wanted me to know, all with fun and smiles.

They have all safely left for school and it is now 10:30. I really should get dressed soon……….

She found me.

“Mom, what are you doing in my room?!?!?”
“Taking pictures out your window!”

I think it’s safe to say that it will be a while before I make any attempts to get outside into the woods with my camera. It is enough for now, and quite fun, to lean out doors and windows, photographing the beauty. I love snowy days and the cozy feeling inside the home when it’s coming down so steadily, beautiful, white, and fresh.

Considering the endless topic of books, despite (or, because of) the weather, my current longing is for books featuring the seaside. I asked my 15 year old daughter Grace if she had any suggestions and we both jumped up off the couch and started exploring the bookshelves together, searching for our favorites, with hearts of gratitude for a home library gathered up over the last 19 years.

Books for Snowy Days, about the Sea, to Read by the Fire

Along the Shore, short stories by L.M. Montgomery
The Boat Who Wouldn’t Float, by Farley Mowat
Li Lun, Lad of Courage, by Carolyn Treffinger
The Lighthouse Keeper’s Wife, by Connie Small
Master and Commander, by Patrick O’Brian
The Light on the Island, by Helen Glidden
Burt Dow, Deep Water Man , by Robert McCloskey

“The spell of the sea and the wind surged into her heart and filled it with wild happiness and measureless content. ” ~Along the Shore

*****

****

The North wind doth blow

and we shall have snow

and what will poor Robin do then, poor thing?

I saw a Robin fly into one of the bushes by the house and ran to get my zoom lens. The pictures are pretty terrible because I shot through glass AND screen, but it was a lovely sight to see. The Robin’s feathers were fluffed and he kept trying to perch on various thin branches, losing his balance, which caused his wings to fly out in order to steady himself. The Robin reached for berries as I wondered if he was getting enough to eat. He seemed to sense my question and turned around to show me under his tail feathers (see above, last picture). “I have enough to eat but my behind is caked with snow.” After the initial shock of seeing a bird butt, I sent through the air my silent sympathies and best wishes.

grace the amazing corn bag maker

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Shanda

“I will love you forever and a day.”

Grace sat in front of the sewing machine last night and whipped up the remainder of her corn-bags to give as holiday gifts to her friends in Madrigals at school.

She sure knows how to get things done, this girl of ours. To begin with, she went through all my fabric and carefully chose just the right piece of material for each person, cut them out, ironed them, and put them in a neat stack by the machine.

When she ran out of corn she wouldn’t let up until I drove her back to Agway to buy more. We came home with a 50 pound bag of it. (anyone want a corn bag?)

She did everything herself, except, sadly, remedy the sewing machine problems. The first problem was the foot fell off (gruesomely). Then, she called me to come retrieve the bobbin thread four separate times (kept getting itself lost). As much I I hated leaving my book, I was honestly pretty happy that I was (only) called five times. She had the machine going as fast as she could and she completed about 15 last night, in a final rush to get the project completed.

When she was done I took a couple pictures of her beautiful work. I’ve made corn bags before, but not this many at once. Mama was impressed.

As soon as I took the picture she jumped up, put them all in bag, laughingly realized it was so heavy that Jacob would have to help her get them to school in the morning, and took them into the living room to sit with us and chat while she labeled them with tape and a sharpie.

HOW TO MAKE A CORN-BAG

“do feel
a little
crafty
at least
twice a day”
~dottie angel

{this moment}

Posted on December 5, 2014 by Shanda

{this moment} ~ A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.