God's in his heaven...

Our beautiful 2025 calendar arrived in the mail today! Up it went, since we don't need to be reminded of tomorrow's simple schedule.

Today I have been steeped in wrapping up business for the year and preparing for the next. Each year I make improvements to systems, but in the end there are always many snarls to be worked out. Sigh (and a few held-back tears). 

"God's in His heaven- All's right with the world" (Robert Browning). On to a more restful evening.

Warm and Safe

This is what happens when our numerous house plants need protection from the breeze that entered the French doors of the family room along with a new fireplace insert that must be installed on one of the coldest days of the winter thus far. Notice the jar of kefir also being coddled.

Annual Dominos Extravaganza

The Annual Dominos Train Game Extravaganza has begun. 

Two evenings and six games down. More nights of friendly competition to come.

Christmas 2024

Abundant eating.

Always Jesus. "Glory to God in the highest..."

Perpetual motion, hilarity, and teaching moments.

Snowshoeing.

Making Art, the snowman.

Crafting orange pomanders.

Snuggling with Grandpa and delighting in kitties.

Rejoicing

We rejoice that Hannah's increasing strength meant she was able to cut our Christmas tree this year.

We rejoice that Dad and Mom were spared in a car accident last month, even though it meant that Dad was not able to cut down our Christmas tree while his ribs recover from seat belt injury.

We rejoice that our Savior was born.

"Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

- Luke 2:10-11 -

Making Festive

 

Christmas came in a hurry this year, but I managed to make a few spaces festive.

December Birthdays

A one year old.

A thirty-nine year old.

And a three year old.

There can never be too much joy over life. Nor can there be too much cake.

Blue Snowdrops?

We don't know the name of these flowers, (Do they make blue snowdrops?), but they surprise and delight us early each spring. A few bulbs dug from my grandmother's garden before her last home was sold, planted in a bed of our own, and now slowly multiplying into a little plot of beauty.

Hidden Beauty

Our landscape is rather dull on the whole this month. Until you look up close.

Growing in Grace

These roses have grown in grace with age. That's how I'd like to grow.

Winter Flowers

Isn't it nice that God preserves some flowers for us to enjoy all winter long?

Refreshments

Sometimes when many tasks are pressing, a just-because project hits the spot. Not as an escape, but for low calorie refreshment.

Treasures Mined

Have you ever worked so hard for something that it becomes much more precious than had it just been handed to you? The toil and maybe a pint or two of blood, sweat, and tears makes the end result more special to you, don't you think?

That is the way it is with the verses I have chosen for my stickers. Each piece of Scripture was extracted from reading the Word through days, no, years of brain fog and deep need. The verses were scribbled down into notebooks, poignant truths that touched my heart in the midst of the storm.

My hope is that these treasures mined from the depths will extend their glittering beauty and worth into your life as well.

(Find my stickers here.)

Powers equal to your tasks

"Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks!"

- John Flynn -

missionary to the Australian Outback

Stages of Life

We relish tulips in all stages of life.

In the Shop

If you love watercolors, inspiring Bible verses, and stickers, you may want to check out my Etsy shop.

February showers bring...?

After Christmas

After Christmas comes winter. At least that is how it goes most years. And while the snow is daily melting into puddles outdoors, I am keeping the spirit of the season in my decor.

For Christmas I decorated my dresser with festive antique glass balls and fresh greens. (Greens went to the resting place of all good, cut branches a couple weeks ago.)

Today the balls departed and were replaced by a sparce wintery scene with hints of spring.

The shelf above my bed keeps all its wintery evergreens with the omission of Christmas's opulent fresh greenery. Because it was no longer fresh.

Balm

Even as chronic illness lessens in ferocity, the remaining daily impact is wearing.

What balm there is in little things, like sunshine on skin, reading outdoors in January, quietly talking with the Father on a slow walk...

...and an evening of creating greeting cards out of scraps.

All is Well

All is well in the world of a cat when the sun shines, the temperatures are above 0° F, and she can sit atop one of her people.

A Family Tradition

My family is not the avid game playing type, though one or two would be if they had willing opponents. Yet every Christmas season we pull out our set of double fifteen dominos for comfortable round upon round of "dominos train." (Does it have another name? After so many years of calling it this, the original and true name may have been lost.)

We have spread the game out well this year. Tonight should show who the winner will be. Mom and I are vying for that spot at present, but you never know what could happen in a game that requires little strategy and rests mostly upon the draw.

Hoods

A hood for Evangeline...

...and another for when she grows.

From the Archives

Come along for an early-October adventure!

We set out on our bikes from home...

...and peddled over two miles of gravel roads to Direwood.

Mom drove the van out and helped us pick gallons of wild rose hips.

They were gorgeously vibrant with a pleasantly sweet fragrance.

We saw corn being harvested...

...and made our way back home.

Hand Made Gifts

Baby gift for Issac

Booties for many babies to come

Christmas sweater for Issac

(knit by me, gifted by Mom and Dad)

Christmas sweater for Joseph

(same gifting arrangement as Issac's; Hannah knit Evangeline's sweet grey and coral sweater)

Watercolor for Jeannie, our generous neighbor-friend