It's Tuesday.



It's Tuesday. So far, so good. Everyone is headed off to start their busy days. I fed them breakfast, packed their lunches, and even included a snack or two. My brain is rather jumbled...some days it's a bit of a challenge to organize my thoughts. Today is one of those days. Soooo....guess what that means? Yep. Bullet-points.

• My house smells like Axe (you know, the men's deodorant) and coffee. It's kind of a weird combo...I know.
• I just realized I was born on a Tuesday. And supposedly "Tuesday's child is full of grace". Um. I must've missed something...I am so not graceful!
• The more I say the word Tuesday, the more I like it.
• There's moisture on the windshield...finally.
• The leaves are falling from the Japanese Maple.
• I'm wearing a sweatshirt.
• Yep, winter is coming.
• I just completed my first online class on Sunday. And then I started my second one yesterday. No breaks. Power through. I like it that way. Oh...and I got an A. :)
• I don't have to purchase books for this next class...hallelujah!
• It helps to write down everything I have to do and then place an empty box next to it so I can check it off when it's done. Thank goodness for back to school 10-cent notebooks.
• I'm obsessed with sending my son off to college. Not that I want to send him off. But I want to be prepared. So I am gathering as much info as I can so that I am ready when the time comes. Because it's coming...whether I'm ready or not. Yes, I know I have over a year...but as we all know, time flies.
• I didn't plant any winter veggies. I'm kind of annoyed. Maybe I'll join the CSA for the winter instead. Or do I still have time to plant? Whaddya think? Maybe at least some kale?
• I have class tonight. I'm not cooking dinner.

Speaking of class...I have some homework to finish! Have a great day!!

Sunday morning...

"'Not called!' did you say? 'Not heard the call,' I think you should say. Put your ear down to the Bible, and hear him bid you go and pull sinners out of the fire of sin. Put your ear down to the burdened, agonized heart of humanity, and listen to its pitiful wail for help. Go stand by the gates of hell, and hear the damned entreat you to go to their father's house and bid their brothers and sisters, and servants and masters not to come there. And then look Christ in the face, whose mercy you have professed to obey, and tell him whether you will join heart and soul and body and circumstances in the march to publish his mercy to the world."

-William Booth

inspiration...

...a photo from a little shop in Sonoma.

Friday? Already? This week sure went by fast. It started off with a stereotypical Monday...hadn't had one of those in a while. It included several very late nights...something that isn't good for me with the fibromyalgia and all. It included a morning of oversleeping...I don't know that my kids have ever been late to school due to oversleeping...ever!? (See? Those late nights...not good.)And it included a bout with the stomach flu...always fun, eh? But in the end...it's looking like we're gonna end it on a good note. Thank goodness!

Anyway...see that photo above? I took it while on a day out with my mom a while back. We were in a neat little shop trying to escape the rain! I loved that burlap curtain/room divider. It was nothing fancy...raw edges, no hems, just a few stitches to make the rod pocket, and there ya go...cool detail. I love it. Someday when I have a home that requires something like this...I'm totally doing it. Not only does it look interesting...but I imagine it's also budget friendly. If you really wanted to make it "sew" easy (ha!) you could hang it from one of those cable thingies with the metal clips from Ikea and not have to sew a rod pocket at all. Just sayin'...

Speaking of inspiration...every once in a while when I need to zone out and take a break from paper writing I click on over to Pinterest. Have you been there? Oh my...so much to see! I can really get lost there. If you want, you can follow me. (Disclaimer: There is some nudity so be careful about the other eyes in the room. I think it's inappropriate. But...to each his own. I just scroll on by...quickly.)

Another source of inspiration, mainly for the home, is a site called Houzz.com. It's broken down into decorating styles...traditional, eclectic, modern, etc. You create an account and then you can file photos you want to save for inspiration.

I've been taking poetry a bit more seriously as of late...thanks to my creative writing class. A friend recommended Poets.org for some inspiration. As with any reading material there's good stuff...and some maybe not so much. Although, that is just my opinion...what I am not drawn to, someone else may be. That's the beauty of creativity I guess...something for everyone.

And as always one of my ultimate favorite places for inspiration....Flickr. The photos that people take astound me daily...

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What's inspiring you lately?



Wedensday in the Word.

wake up...

Ephesians 5:8-14

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said:

   

“Wake up, sleeper,
   rise from the dead,
   and Christ will shine on you.”

(Wake up. This isn't a trial run. It's not a rehearsal. This is life. This is it. Do it well.)

no rhyme or reason.

• my homemade pickles came out pretty good this time...finally. maybe a tad much salt...but now I know for next year.
• writing poetry is fun...who knew?
• sausage and tortellini soup for dinner with cheesy bread...hope the fam likes it!
• phone calls from friends..
• friends becoming grandparents...so weird!
• I'm (unbelievably) on task with my school work...feels good.
• not using my camera enough...I miss it.
• I've been sleeping so much better lately...being busy with school and work is a good thing.
• the summer garden is coming to a close...just harvested a few tomatoes this morning and I think that's about it.
• thinking about planting some winter stuff but feeling kind of overwhelmed about it...not a lot of time, not a lot of experience...but really need to go for it, anyway. I'll be sad in the winter if I don't...I know this from experience (last year).

What's tumbling through your mind today? Are your thoughts as disjointed as mine?!

Wednesday in the Word

Food and Table on Flickr

^{Psalm 136:23-26}

He remembered us in our low estate
   His love endures forever.
And freed us from our enemies.
   His love endures forever. 
He gives food to every creature.
   His love endures forever.

 Give thanks to the God of heaven.
   His love endures forever.

Wednesday in the Word.

“Seek the LORD while he may be found;

call on him while he is near.”

Isaiah 55:6



a prize for one of you...

Hey! Blog reader afkjl!

You got the question right the other day...it IS Calhoun Tubbs from In Living Color! Good job!

I'd like to send you some notecards. Email me your mailing address and I'll get a set out to you soon!

xoxoxox

misty and grey...

I'm pretty sure fall has finally arrived. And I couldn't be happier.

It's sprinkling outside right now...and come to think of it, I think the boys walked in the rain. Oops! (Maybe it wasn't raining when they left?) The flower photo was taken over the summer...it's part of the cut your own bouquet at the farm stand...so pretty. A nice shot of color before we enter into a world of black and white.

My thoughts are pretty fragmented lately. I blame my busy schedule...and this weather...from hot to cool, dry to wet, not a lot of warning...par for the area I live in. But it still takes me a while to acclimate, it seems.

For the first time in a long time I find myself feeling a little sad that summer is over. I made BLT's for dinner last night...sliced up two fresh, juicy, delicious tomatoes from the garden...and realized that it was going to be a long winter without them. Growing your own has a way of changing your mind set. Who knew a garden could be a cure for the blues?

I've been writing poetry for the past week or so...maybe two. I don't consider myself a poet. I am too wordy.. :) But since it was an assignment for creative writing I had to write a poem...and so I did. It wasn't amazing...or wonderful...only slightly poetic. We'll see what the class has to say during workshop/critique time in class...talk about the hot seat! I let Chris read it...he thought it was good. He "got" it. That was nice..

The weird thing about writing poetry is that I'm finding that I actually like it. Writing it, that is. And reading it. Although, admittedly I am a very picky poetry reader. I don't always get it...or feel like trying. It was helpful that my instructor assigned a book of poetry written by an old instructor of mine, Quinton Duvall. His poems are amazing...he had such a gift of being able to use every single word effectively. Not a word went to waste when he wrote...

Another weird thing about writing poetry is that I find myself thinking in poetic phrases...or hearing certain things differently. Like describing the weather...misty and grey...today, those words are a fact. But they could also be used in a poem...or at least I think so. I'll try anyway...and see what comes out. I think that's what I like about this new way of expressing myself...poetry...I start with one thought, and end up somewhere else entirely. Like an adventure... Or therapy.

What do you think? Do you read poetry? Do you write poetry? Do you have a favorite poet to recommend?  Do tell...I'd love to hear your thoughts...

xoxoxo