The kids took a walk down memory lane

"I always knew looking back on my tears would bring me laughter, but I never knew looking back on my laughter would make me cry." ~ Cat Stevens

I use to save almost everything the kids did.  A pile would form of their school report cards, things they drew, doctor reports from their yearly physicals, all their cards, stories they wrote, concert pamphlets etc.  Then I started boxes for each of them.  Occasionally, when it got out of hand, I would go through them and toss some of their “works of art”.

Yesterday in a cleaning/clear out frenzy I pulled the boxes out into the livingroom to greet the kids when they got home from school.  Their mission, should they wish to accept it (that was not a question) was to go through and decide what they wanted to keep.

 #2 daughter is a senior this year.  Senior…girl…already emotional = tears. So she is going through her box, several times breaking into tears reading cards from people no longer with us and then laughing…moments of doing both at the same time!  In the bottom of the box were her Valentine’s Day cards from preschool!  What a hoot as some of the character’s are not even identifiable by most of today’s preschool….Furby, Pikachu and Blue’s Clues. 

There was her thumb print on a Mother’s Day card .  It has changed a little since then.  

An invitation to tea  on April 16th when they studied the Titantic and each student played a role of one of the passangers.   

She never did make that tea party.

In the primary grades they were required to keep a journal and reading it brings back a ton of memories.  This was her post on February 10, 2003 when she was in 2^nd grade.  

"Today I went to the Doctors to get my heart looked at.  I had a hole in my heart and I had to take pills before I went to the Dentist.  But today they said the holes went away and I don't have to go bake (back) for years."

#2 son who is a junior wrote when he was in first grade that his favorite foods were meat and stuffing

…nothing has changed, they still are!  I am constantly yelling at him to eat a vegetable, followed by "more than one (insert vegetable)" since he thinks eating one kernel of corn is acceptable.   

While acting the part of a reporter for his one teacher he was given the topic of Groundhog’s Day…”Phil Gone Made!” was his title.   

I was a little offended by his kindergarten drawing of yours truly

 

(Yikes!!!!) until I saw his representation of a fish 

(Double Yikes!!!!!!!)  It looks more like an amoeba.   

 He was Alfred Hogg on the Titantic a lookout and was off duty when they hit the iceberg.  

 As part of the exercise he was to write what happened on the Titantic and after he was rescued…"he rowed a life boat, he was rescued and went on to tell his story to whoever would listen." My son is a man of few words! 

 He said he couldn’t believe that his handwriting had not improved in all these years.  Sadly in today’s electronic world reports have to be typed so it is not necessary.  Now cursive is no longer going to be taught and electronic signatures are becoming the norm.  I can look at old recipes and pick out my mother’s, aunts, neighbors and grandmother’s handwriting….makes it more personal than a typed sheet.  Advancing isn't always for the best.

 We even found some stuff that has to be put in the #1’s boxes.  A picture from 20 years ago that was in the Washington Post of #1 daughter feeding goats at a Park Service farm when we lived in Maryland 

and some drawings that #1 son did. 

I also found something of mine.  The Ohio Vocational Interest Survey from December, 1980 while I was a junior.  

 Says I have a 96% rank in “Care for Peop –An”  which means Care for People or Animal defined as “Routine work related to the day-to-day needs of people or animals.  Includes working in a nursing home, hospital, pet store, zoo or animal laboratory.”  AKA a mom on a farm so they got that right!!!

All in all it was a great night, random laughter while reading something someone wrote about them, looking at something they drew and pictures of friends that moved away.  A couple of tears and even a birthday check for #2 son that we never cashed.  Oddly enough #2 son saved more of his things than #2 daughter.  Hopefully we won’t see him on an future episode of hoarders.

Wet Spring?

Fog in January brings a wet spring.~ Weather folklore

Two  weeks into January and we have had several days of fog making traveling interesting! 

 Some days the sun has a hard time cutting through  it until close to noon.  

 If we don’t have fog we have hoarfrost, putting a confectionary sugar coating on everything.   

Each holds it's own beauty. Will it bring a wet spring, only time will tell.

I have been keeping myself busy.  #1 daughter had pinned a pattern for a “bapron”… ½ bib ½ apron.  Using some material and bias tape that I had on hand I made one up to see how easy it was.  

 The bias tape was too wide for my liking so I did another….

but forgot to change the white thread to brown.  Sewing is not my forte but I got four done.

I crocheted this hat 

from some old handspun.  I made another in brown  homespun too because it is so easy and cute.

I finished #2 grandchild’s afghan.   

This is a picture before I got the boarder on.  Only 79 more days till his/her arrival!  I crocheted some tiny flowers 

 

to see how I liked them.  If grandchild is a girl I would like to make a handkerchief into a bonnet with crochet edge and maybe the flowers.  They use it as a bonnet while a baby and then it is put away and when the time comes, some threads are snipped and it is to be carried as a handkerchief or wrap around their bouquet on their wedding day. I originally wanted to tat but I haven’t been back for more lessons.

I even spun up 8 oz of wool that

I got at Rhinebeck and plied it while watching the sheep to shawl  (and repeat broadcasting because someone’s jammer jaw kids came home during the original broadcast!) 

I even found time to mess around making a suncatcher of sorts  I had made #1 daughter one with snowflakes for Xmas 2011 and she decided she wants seasonal ones now.  The three little rectangles hanging down say live, love, laugh.  Hopes she likes it as I have moved on to shamrocks now!

I was walking the pasture on Sunday and found these… 

 coyote tracks.  There are three coyotes that we know of on the mountain  and I was hoping they would stay back there and not come looking for a free meal.  The fox was also yipping away the other night behind the house. 

Another thing I discovered was this… 

an eagles nest.  I knew there was one on the mountain but didn’t realize I could see it from the pasture. 

So between the endless cooking, cleaning, laundry and a detour for jury duty (they settled out of court before trial) I have been keeping busy.

Now to find time to go through the seeds and see what I need. 

2013

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day." ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

When December 21 came, Old Man Winter knew he was free and clear to come pay us a visit.   His long fingers dipped down from the North bringing us a white Christmas.  It was only a dusting but was worth crowing about!

Then as if to let everyone know it was not a fluke he blew down a little more snow and ice for us!  It was wonderful!

Then it got windy as he decided to blow the stink off of 2012 and bring in 2013 crisp and clear.   

The day after the man left for work and the kids for school…peace and quiet reigned once more on ye ole home front.  For three days I had several hours to myself to reflect, take down the tree, clean (and have it stay so for a short time) and catch up on laundry.

And now that the holidays are over I can show some things I made as gifts.  Decorations for A and #1 daughter, they had already received their gift so this was just something for them to have under the tree and open on Christmas day.

Then there was a beard and an owl hat for Baby O.   

There was also a fish hat for #2 daughter, socks for A and an ear warmer for #1 daughter.  I even found time for a pair of mittens for myself from some old homespun thick and thin!

It was exhausting leading up to the holiday's but awesome in the end.   

Baby O who in no way shape or form got spoiled got a sled last year for Christmas but down in Philly they didn’t get much opportunity to use it so #1 and Sir T brought it up with them when they heard white Christmas.  Come to find out Baby O likes to pull the sled more than ride in it…independent little cuss!  He got a pair of mittens too and he is not impressed with them.  Yanked those off lickity split.

So a new year and a new book, some future chapters are already known such as #1 daughter and Sir T having a baby in April, #1 son and A getting married in June, #2 daughter graduating in June and #2 son possibly leaving for basic training in June.  The rest is yet to be discovered.   

So far a new page in January's chapter was homemade pierogies…a little time consuming but delicious!  

 Way better than store bought so I have to wait until everyone goes to work or school to make up a ton to freeze for later use.

In fiber I am looking forward to the PA Farm Show Sheep to Shawl this week.  I am crocheting the tiramisu baby blanket for #2 grandchild and I have a bunch of stuff on my Pinterest fiber arts board calling my name.  It looks like the book of 2013 is going to be a rather full one.