Been Away

Where have I been this past year!  Same place, same job.  Young adults moving in, moving out, moving about.  Got the son graduated from the junior college and happy he landed a great job; well, great is a subjective  word - I'll leave at decent pay, steady work and a good education in something practical.  The other house-mate, aka the niece, became engaged, I hosted her bridal shower just before Thanksgiving, graduated with her BA, married the next day, Christmas the next week and that brings me up to date just in time for a new year to begin.  Sounds simple enough unless you are living life in the fast lane.

  So - here I am again, house back to being very quite with the exception of the singing dog.  Current goals:  Get some scrap pages of the last year's vacations / events posted and have the niece's scrapbook done, printed and off to her in the next few weeks. Sounds do'able.

Checking In

Feb 14.  Valentine's day.
I've been very busy and basically gotten lazy in posting.

In my lastest preps...
All American Canner arrived - so excited
Many heirloom seeds arrived, tomatoes (way too many varieties) all germinated and stepped up to their baby nusery cups.

I am in love with this site on food storeage and other very excellent news, tips.  Check it out

http://foodstorageandsurvival.com/?p=492

Out with 2010 ~ In with 2011

A new year is almost here... what strange creatures we are that make such a noise about the change in date.  No less, it seems like a good time to make note of some 2010 events.  Today it was 70 degrees... too weird even for Texas.
Tim found his footing and a place to reside other than at my house... but always our home.
Gelica found Texas and decided to stay... became an official resident.
I tried to count every blessing, missing some I'm sure.  For this I pray the Lord remains patient with this very willful, often disobedient child.
As is typical I found myself bored with digital scrapbooking... on a back burner, but I'm sure the urge will return.

End of this particular year found me reviewing how I've looked at what appears to be security.  Often running my everyday vehicle to almost empty of fuel, relying on the weekly shopping to supply the next week's needs.  Indeed, how did a relatively smart gal get to 50 yrs of living only to wake to the fact that nothing is very secure, much less our everydayness of living.

With this and a very appreciative husband that has been waiting on me to catch up... we embark on a very new path of self-reliance.  It became startling clear how very unprepared for anything more than one week away we really are.  But we are very fortunate that we are 'country type' folks.   Many talents have been honed that will be very useful.  Many hobbies coupled with pack-rat mentality means we have many tools, general merchandise on the homestead... if you can call 1 acre such a thing.  Perhaps I will make notes here, but mostly I am much more tuned to what I can pick up and read without anything more than daylight or candles.  I look forward to learning neglected skills... first up - putting my brand spankin' new All American canner to good use with the garden bounty that shamefully go to waste each year. 

Happy New Year - 2011.  I think we are up to the challenge. ~..~ vlm

been awhile

Life has been ubber busy.... too many photos, too little time. LOL ~vlm~

Celebrating birthdays

For some ~ it might take an expensive gift or dinner, a large gathering of folks; maybe a trip to the city for excitement to celebrate a birthday.  For me ~ it just does not get any better than spending a week with my best friend trying to get as lost as possible.  Explore every dirt road, hiking the side of a mountain to stand in awe at huge rock crevices, walking along mountain streams, surrounded in nature the way God intended it to be enjoyed.  Nights cool enough for a camp fire, snuggling in our very fancy tent - ha!  This kind of peace and serenity can't be bought and is only found if you really look for it.... and if you are fortunate to love every minute spent with your mate.
To each his own, for sure, because I wouldn't trade my choice for anything else.  My 52nd birthday, 22nd wedding anniversary spent at Devil's Den State Park, Arkansas.  Our adventures just keeping getting better!