Long Time, No Blog: a Daybook

Hello.

I've missed you.

I miss writing, and I miss words, and I miss the faithful handful who respond and make me feel like I have something to say.

So today I am diving back in as though someone cares--because the someone who cares is me.

It's a Friday day-book--just because.

Listening to...the No Other Name album by Hillsong.  Does the Lord give you theme songs?  He does that to me all the time.  This album is the background music for this season.

Eating...brussel sprouts!  (Like, for the first time ever.  Brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, roasted at 425* for about half an hour.  I'm a believer.)

Checking...things off my packed fall schedule; one class down, just three papers left in the other, and I'll be about 1/6 of the way through this Masters.

Sneezing...ah...because it's time for my annual head cold--choo. 

Missing...a regular exercise schedule, teaching women's Bible study, my college girl

Untying...the knot in my stomach over this school year.  Knowing why would not bring me peace.  Jesus brings me peace, so I'll take it.   By faith, not by sight.

Stunned by...sapphire blue skies, leaves crowning trees like rubies and citrine and topaz. 

Say hello if you will!

Following,

Ginger

Taking a Walk

It's spring break here at the 'House, 

and all God's children said, "Amen!"

So even though the weather hasn't been particularly spring-like, 

this morning the sun was winning,

and the light and the green were calling,

and I took my walk in defiance of wind and pollen.

Want to come along?

I love this little stream that feeds the neighborhood pond.

Yellow dandelions polka-dot the road...

...while the dogwoods above are just beginning to bloom.

When I was a little girl, I picked these tiny violets by the handful, filling old vanilla bottles with their sweet, fragrant blossoms.

This calf never would come near enough for a clear close-up, but he posed nicely while I tried to figure out the zoom on my phone camera.

Another lap around and we'll have done two miles.  

Meanwhile,Big Red is braving the wind to plant phlox on our steep hillside.

I'm dashing off to the dentist (and tomorrow to another appointment, and the next day to another...poor planning on my part!)

Thanks for visiting!

Following,

Ginger

Daybook of a Used-to-be Blogger

Helloooo out there!

Anyone still around?

Since it's Friday afternoon,

and right this moment I have time and inclination (a necessary combination),

I present this week in verbs:

Listening: to birdsong, the humming refrigerator--the sounds of an otherwise empty house

Preparing: to celebrate 20 years with my honey, for state testing in a few weeks, to put together this summer's Bible study

Watching: clouds roll in, laundry pile up

Pondering: a friend's birthday gift, the book of John, how to get groceries into my house without actually venturing to the grocery store

Searching Google for: Reader's Workshop materials for middle school, kelly green ankle pants (which appear to be only part of my fantasy wardrobe), recipes that don't require a grocery run

Losing: my voice, patience during 3rd period today, half of every pair of socks I own

Pinning: classroom ideas for next year, Easter tables, pictures of Scotland

Needing: a nap, some prayers answered, perpective

What's on your verb list?

Following,

Ginger

This and That

Doing a lot of this

Eating a lot of that:

Enjoying a lot of this:

Anticipating the return of that (plus freezing temperatures along with the clouds):

Using this (like, every day):

Overwhelmed with that:

Needing a lot more of this:

That's all I can manage today!

Following,

Ginger

Seeing

Sometimes focus

is a matter of seeing what's in front of you.

Following,

Ginger

Hello, Monday: Summer Speeding By So Fast It's Already Tuesday

Somebody throw on the brakes, will ya?

 

This super-short summer (seriously, nearly a month shorter than last year courtesy a change in the school calendar) is whizzing by at break-neck speed.

In fact, I meant to post this yesterday, but I got sidelined by a back pain flare-up and never got my blogging mojo.  

Today, I'm counting on prayer and Motrin to keep the pain at bay and let me get some projects done.

Today's shout-outs:

Hello, blooms!  I'm excited you're arriving one by one!

This zinnia is "volunteer" from last year.

It has NINE buds on it.

Hello, homemade laundry detergent--whole post about you coming soon!

Hello, lemon thyme (and rosemary-'cause rosemary makes lots of things better) bread; recipe coming soon.

Hello, basil and blackberries and buds on the squash plants. 

The freezer's empty from last year's crop and it's time for some replacements!

Hello, spray paint. 

 

 I'm nervous about using you today because of the clouds forming, but I'm looking forward to putting you to work on my porch.

Hello, laundry room redo.  Long overdue.  Somebody help me pick out fabric.

Hello, fun mail!  Watch for the big reveal soon!

Hello, No Other Gods Bible Study.  Wow.  You're timely. 

 What's on tap on your Monday Tuesday?

Be blessed, 

 Ginger

Summer Spruce Up Linky: Planted

On this gorgeous summer day, I'm linking up at Better with Age to show off some of Big Red's gardening guru-ness. (guruosity? I make up words for alliterative purposes.)  

Big Red is on a mission to find unique planters.    I have to guard things I don't want filled with flowers, or he will drill holes in them and stuff them full of geraniums.  

Today's tour: the deck.  After a cool, wet May, we didn't get our bedding plants started before school was out, so things still look a bit sparse.  In a few weeks, they'll be lush and gorgeous.

 This washtub was my grandmother's.

  

Instead of dirty socks, now it holds dragonwing begonias and some sort of unidentified trailing greenery. 

The deluxe-version double washtub came with our house. 

 It holds perennial, bad-to-the-bone purple veronica, vinca, verbena, coleus, and petunias.  

Big Red used his mad bargaining skilz to acquire this wooden barrel. 

 (Purple flower: haven't got a clue.)

Gerber daisies love this spot of our house.  The concrete planters were on my grandmother's steps.

 This old bucket held everything from snap beans to bubbly car-washing water when I was growing up.  It's dented because, ahem, we have a 16-year old driver around our house. 

I'm blessed to have a husband with a green thumb!  It's a pleasure to look out the window or come up the driveway to a yard full of special objects and beautiful blooms.  

Garden designer: Big Red

Garden producer: God 

Be blessed today,

Ginger

May in Memos

Attn: School Board

Re: calendar

Whoever decided to have a month of school after testing does not teach.  Just sayin'.

Signed,

A Tired Teacher

Attn: Blogger

Re: Font Sizes

I can't get happy.  Every font I like is either microscopic or gigantic.  Apparently, "normal" is for people without bifocals and "large" is for kindergarteners.  Please remedy.  

Thanks,

A Bifocal-ed Blogger

P.S.   While you're at it, could you write a few posts for me?  Thanks.

Attn: Waistline

Re: Size

Pls. ignore dessert helpings.  Sugar needed to survive next few days.  Thks.

Signed,

Distracted Dieter

Attn: Weather

Re: Rain

Go away.  Come again another day.

Thanks,

A Soggy  Seed Sower

Attn: Katniss the Kitten

Re: Advice

Don't bite the hand that feeds you.

Thks,

The Mgt.

Attn: Slow Cooker

Re: Supper Every Night

We are BFFs.

Attn: Bloggy Friends

Re: Apology (With apologies to William Carlos Williams)

I have read your posts.

I liked them

And you probably expected me to say so.

Forgive me;

May is busy,

and my children have kidnapped the computer.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Thursday Morning: Spring Break

The weatherman declares that spring is on the way in a day or two, but today winter wins.  It's blustery and gray and wet, and I am savoring my quiet house.

My morning in a collage:

1. I love this room. The color (Cowslip 3 by Laura Ashley) makes me happy; it cheers a gloomy day and glows in the sun.  The Mrs/Mr pillows were a wedding gift gone wrong; I was afraid to share them, but the imperfection doesn't bother us. 

2. Studying 1John at the kitchen table, coffee and Kari Jobe at the ready.

3. Made a coffee cake.  Half has weight-watchers friendly blackberries; the other side has teenager friendly chocolate chips.  Their mama loves them, even if they pretend they don't know this most days.

4. Stood out in the rain to get this shot of blooms I planted yesterday before the clouds came.  Pansies tell me winter will end.  I like that about them.  

Not pictured: laundry.

Not pictured: the piles of winter clothes on the bed, soon to be sorted into keep/give away/wishful thinking stacks.  

Not pictured: ungraded papers. 

 This is spring break, after all.

Be blessed, 

Ginger

Vanishing Act

For my next trick, I decided to vanish from Blog Land...and reappear in a few weeks!
First there was Getting-Ready-for-Retreat Week.
Next came Retreat Weekend. (Fabulous.)
Then there was Post-Retreat-Recovery, still on-going.
I'm skipping small group tonight to try to get my game face on.  It's Wednesday, and I'm hanging by a thread.
And no snow day today, dang it.
(It poured snow as we arrived at school and melted before afternoon.  Rats.)
So...as I scramble around my house propping my eyelids up with toothpicks and cleaning the kitchen table, let's pretend we're at Starbucks (virtual calories = nothing nonfat or sugar-free, and throw in a scone or a brownie or a cranberry bliss bar if you like) and you're doing the talking. 

F is for February

F is for February

...and blogger Fail (lots of school assignments due, and one computer)

...and Valentines Day fail (sickness=no time or energy for special treats, though we did take the girls out for supper),

...and fickle weather (a few minutes ago it was raining while the sun shone; snow forecasted tomorrow) 

...and fresh flowers on the mantel,

...and more flowers from Big Red ( I heart hydrangeas AND my husband),

...and reFreshing winter breaks (time for rest and regrouping).

How's your February?

Migraine Ramblings

Today I am home with no car. That means that, even if I wanted to, I can't go anywhere because my only choice is the truck with a faulty fuel injector. This is actually good news, because today is a migraine day. Not the full-fledged tomahawk headache (that was yesterday), but the I'm-okay-as-long-as-I-don't-move-too-fast headache. Bleck.

Which means I'm boring. Sorry.

I wanted to do some sort of funny, clever post after a few days of deep thoughts. Deep thoughts are impossible today; they hurt. Unfortunately, clever hurts today, too. Since brain mush is the best I can do, today I serve you the infamous 10 Random Things post:

1. I reread books. The Mitford series by Jan Karon is my all-time favorite reread. I go through them about once a year. If you haven't read them, you must. It's important.

2. I have also reread Mary Stewart's Merlin Trilogy and Rosemunde Pilcher's fluffy but sweet books numerous times. Very British.

3. Favorite wickedly funny book: Dorthy Cannell's The Thin Woman, and the rest of the Ellie Haskell series. Very British. Very corny. You are my friend if you like these. (And what is not to like about books with titles like Bridesmaids Revisited and The Importance of Being Ernestine ?)

4. On that note, I love corny jokes. Recently I spotted this bumper sticker: "Support bacteria. It's the only culture we've got left." I laughed. DD#1 rolled her eyes.

5. Just thinking about laughing made my head hurt.

6. My bucket list: 1) Learn to take pictures like King Au (Have you seen his work in Life Beautiful? It will make you salivate.) 2) Visit the British Isles 3) Go to Australia 4) Learn to play the cello...and the banjo.)

7. Chocolate chip cookies are the BEST dessert ever. Umm. Raspberries and good French roast coffee complete me.

8. My husband is my favorite person in the whole wide world. I really love him, and I really, really like him. A lot.

9. Turning 40 brought great confidence and freedom. It's a good life season.

10. If you are still reading this, I like you a lot, too.

Have a great weekend!
Ginger