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Things That Last

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I inherited this set of pots and pans from my Grandmother (yea, they have lids, too – actually there are a few more pieces). 

About a year and a half ago it was frightfully cold outside.   I had heard that when it is really cold outside you can throw boiling water into the air and it freezes so fast it makes snow.  Well, we decided to try it.  We boiled some water in one of those pots, ran outside and swung the pot, making the water fly into the air.  The only problem is, the pot handle broke off and the pan went flying!  We were so shocked that the pot broke, I don’t know if we made snow.

broken handle

I was really sad that my pot handle had broken.  I like these pots and pans a lot; and they had belonged to my grandmother!  I don’t know how old they are.  If I had to guess, I would say they were made in the sixties or seventies.  I Googled the brand and was soooooo excited to find out that I could order replacement parts!  I ordered the new pot handle and now the pot is as good as new!  YEA!!!!

Seal-O-Matic

Ok, so about a year later, I was putting another one of these pots in the cabinet and accidentally dropped it.  You guessed it, the handle broke!  Well this time, I counted up how many pots still had old handles and ordered enough to replace them all.  I haven’t actually replaced them all yet.  I figured I would just wait until they break to do that.  But when they break – I’m ready! 

I love those old pots.  I love that they remind me of my grandmother every time I use them.  I love the way the cook.  I love that they have lasted all these years. And I love they I can still get handles to replace the ones that break.

I love things that last!

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A New Creative Endeavor

I promised to say more about a new creative endeavor in my life, so here goes!

In January I started doing internet research on painting silk.  I don’t know how or why that came to me, but it did.  As I started reading about dying silk, the idea of painting with dyes on silk became more and more fascinating.  I love the feel of silk, I love the luminescence of silk and and I love the idea that beautiful colors and patterns can be painted on silk.

About this same time I started looking at blogs.  Much of my reading and research about silk painting came from blogs.  I was completely inspired by silk artists who were willing to share so much of themselves, their passion, their processes and their art with complete strangers.

By February I decided to give it a try.  I ordered a bunch of stuff from Dharma Trading Company and a couple of books from Amazon (this one and this one).  I was so excited to open the box when it came but as I took the supplies out of the box, I became completely intimidated.

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It took a while before I could bring myself to put that first brush stroke on the silk.  Once I did and I saw the way the dye magically fanned out through the fabric, I was hooked!

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Promises To Do Better

Okay, its been a while since I’ve blogged. 

When I started this, I was going to try to keep it up and blog nearly every day.  With all the other things going on from day to day, I just don’t seem to have the energy at the end of the day and not enough time at the beginning of the day to compose a few thoughts.  I am going to try to do better.  I don’t promise to post every day but I do hope to do it more than once a week.

Another thing I have promised myself that I would try to do on a regular basis is a new creative endeavor.  I haven’t had much luck in keeping up with that either.  More on that later.

I will say the last few weeks have been busy ones.  My son graduated from high school so there was the big senior-class graduation party planning, announcements to get out, college preparations and summer plans to make.  See, I have excuses. 

I’m hoping now that summer is well underway I will have more time for some of the things I want to do.

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Don’t you just love quick get aways with friends

Sometimes it is nice to just get away.  Tonight I’m in Dallas on a shopping trip with some dear friends.  I’ve been going on this shopping trip with them each year for about twenty years.  We started when our kids we’re little.  We would buy kids clothes a year in advance. We knew all the best places to go and we would buy them super cheap since they would be on clearance this time of year. We always had the best dressed kiddos!

Now we shop for ourselves but the trip is really about getting away and enjoying each other’s company.  I am so thankful for old friends. I am thankful that I am able to escape the daily stuff and emerse myself  in the fellowship of good friends.

I hope you get away every once in a while, whether it is a trip, lunch with a friend, a walk with your dog or some other escape.  Sometimes it is the best way to put things in perspective.

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From Where Do You Draw Your Inspiration?

Is it a news story on the t.v. or in the paper? A YouTube video? A story in a sermon or on the radio? An uplifting blog? There are certainly a lot of places to find inspiration.

I’m lucky. I just need to look across the room. I have a wonderful family. My husband is a wonderful, compassionate man and has the courage of his convictions. I have two amazing sons. The oldest is an Eagle Scout and is wise way beyond his years. He is kind and compassionate and loving. The youngest is faithful and talented and full of energy. They are all amazing in their own ways.

I would like to tell you about my youngest son today. Once he decides to do something there is no stopping him. Last May he told us that he felt called to run for charity. Many people would sign up for a marathon that was raising money for a cause. No, he felt like he was supposed to run about 30 miles and he was supposed to do it alone. Now, he is athletic but he is not a marathoner. In fact the most he had run at one time before he decided to run this was maybe 5 miles. And he only had three and a half weeks to train!

Well, to make a long story short: he ran the 30 miles in just over 5 hours and he raised more than $3,500 for Heifer International. In the process, he served as an inspiration to many people.

The start – a very foggy morning

A few weeks after this amazing feat, he announced that he wanted to raise money for the American Cancer Society. He had met the brother of a friend who had cancer. He witnessed how cancer was devastating a family. This time he was going to bike across the state of Oklahoma during his Thanksgiving break. He had to earn enough money to buy a bike, then modify it to make it suitable for the ride. He contacted friends, radio stations, tv stations and newspapers. He talked to his church and his school. All of this to raise money and awareness for the American Cancer Society.

Kansas border

During the ride he spent five days from dawn until dusk riding in extreme cold, rain, fog, high winds all while enduring painful joints. He says it best in this interview with a television reporter.

SEE THE STORY HERE

He has been an inspiration to many who have met him. To date he has raised nearly $5,500. If you feel inspired to donate to this cause, you may go to the ACS website and donate in his name.

Yes, I am very fortunate to be blessed with a very inspirational family. They make the world a better place to live every day.

 

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Do you ever have one of those days?

I hate to admit it but there are some days when I am my own worst enemy.  Today was one of them.  I REALLY need to be productive.  I have lots of things I need to do and lots of things I want to do, but today I got almost nothing done.  The reason?  I psyched myself into believing this was going to be a bad day.  You know what?  It was a bad day – go figure.

Well, tomorrow WILL be a better day and I’m got to get tons done!

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You know how sometimes we get stressed…?

Sometimes I get so absorbed in all the little things I feel must be done right now that I forget to appreciate the many blessings around me.  Right now we are trying to get taxes done, figure out FAFSA for the first time, apply for scholarships, get ready for a big scholarship interview, help with high school senior events and church stuff.  It is important for me to remember that I have a wonderful family, a warm bed to sleep in and food to eat.  That is so much more than many people in the world. I am truly blessed.

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What do I do all day?

If you read the “About Rainbows in Waterfalls” page, you know that by the end of the day, I usually can’t remember what the heck I did all day.  Today, tried to remember every detail of my day.  It is currently about 5:30pm and this is what I did today:

  • Got up (I’m not a morning person)
  • Made peanut butter toast and chocolate milk for son’s breakfast
  • Made peanut butter toast and chocolate milk for my breakfast
  • Checked email and Facebook
  • Texted my friend Penny to see if we could work on a project we were planning
  • Took a shower, got dressed, put on make up
  • Made telephone calls about scholarships
  • Swept the little mud crumbs (from the dog’s feet) off the kitchen floor
  • Talked to Penny on the phone about lunch, her mother being sick, working on our project, and how our mail is getting lost more and more often and it is costing us in late fees
  • Started 2 loads of laundry
  • Dried one load of laundry and put it on the sofa with yesterday’s unfolded laundry
  • (Now there is one load of laundry in the washing machine and another in the dryer and about three loads on the sofa – shameful)
  • My son came home for lunch – we discussed the fact that he was home early, that they were on the assembly schedule and, therefore, he was late to school today – (shameful)
  • Son said he needed a hair cut (it was about 11:35 and I was supposed to go to lunch about noon) I asked if I could cut it tomorrow. He told me they were taking pictures of the senior soccer players at 2:15 today.
  • Texted Penny & told her I might not be able to go to lunch because I had to do an emergency hair cut
  • Cut his hair

    Bath House Chart

    Penny’s Project

  • Had a long lunch with Penny & her mom, said hi to three other friends at the Pink House
  • Went to Penny’s house to look at scrapbook paper for the project
  • Went home to work on Penny’s project
  • Swept hair off the floor (2nd time to sweep the kitchen floor today!), put away hair cutting supplies
  • Son came home with a horrible turf burn on his thigh.  Got first aid supplies out including a fan.
  • Made him Pizza rolls for lunch
  • Called Penny to tell her I was ready to put her project together if she could bring her frame.
  • Penny & I worked on her project.  It was awesome!
  • Put away the stuff that Alex left out
  • Now I have been writing on the computer for about 25 minutes

End of day so far!  This really is a one of my typical atypical days.  I guess I really do things.

The rest of the day went like this:

  • Go to grocery store to get Gadoraid and chicken with Duncan (the dog)
  • Make chicken & rice for dinner (We are not eating out tonight!)
  • Eat with Mark, watch an episode or three of “Burn Notice”
  • Look up stuff on my iPad

(Things are much saner when Mark is around)

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What’s in a name?

Why Rainbows in Waterfalls?

Is there any way you can look at a rainbow without feeling a sense of awe?  Sure, we know the scientific explanation for a rainbow.  We may even know the theological explanation for the rainbow.  It is still awe inspiring.  It is beautiful.

A rainbow appeals to all of our senses.  The rainbow appears after a rain so…

  • ž   We’ve been used to a cloud-filled sky and now there is sunlight and color in the sky.
  • ž   The air has been washed of impurities – it smells fresh and clean.
  • ž   We can feel that purity on our skin. Maybe we can feel the sunlight on our skin.
  • ž   Everything sounds more crisp.  Even the birds sound more beautiful after the rain.

A rainbow is kinda the total package.

Waterfalls are much the same.  They are a feast for the senses.

  • ž   The ever-changing shape is amazing to watch.
  • ž   The earthy smell of the water in the air (much different than the smell after a rain)
  • ž   The feeling of the damp air surrounding us
  • ž   The loud roar of the waterfall isolates us from the rest of the world.

So what could be more amazing than a rainbow in a waterfall?  The rainbow just kinda hangs in the air with the backdrop of that roaring waterfall.  The rainbow is so delicate; the waterfall so powerful.

Rainbow in Waterfall, Yellowstone - 2008

So there you have it:   Rainbows in Waterfalls – a feast for the senses – awe inspiring.

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