December ?

Where has the summer gone? And the Autumn? The days fly by and we seem to accomplish less and less. We sat on the patio and enjoyed our yard and the quiet as often as possible. Now we look outside and watch the snowflakes as they drift down! We enjoy the change of seasons, and the cadence it seems to bring to our lives. But each year the fear of icy patches and falls and the chance of broken bones is a greater worry. So we tread carefully!

We have a few colored lights over the gate to our yard and the pinecone wreath is up on the fence. The candles will be lit in our windows tomorrow. We have a few decorations in place and the cards and stamps are laying on the desk. We do little shopping and no baking or goody making, so we are almost done! Hooray! Need to have a few dinner guests and the month will be filled.

The Holidays are bittersweet, with so many memories of family gathrerings and good food and visits. And once we have all become older, not the starry eyed anticipation of our younger years. Life goes on. We purchase ornaments for the little ones in our circle of friends and always a creche scence or two. Several years ago I was given a simple sterling silver pin-a creche scence-it is lovely and I wear it every day of December. Last year I was able to purchase two of them and have passed them on to friends.

If the weather is nice and roads are clear, we plan to slip away for a few days.
So we plot and plan and that is part of the joy of travel, to plan and anticipate.
We have experienced some wonderful trips and enjoyed seeing so much of this wonderful country. We don't get in a hurry and stop at any wide spot in the road thst beckons. And at this stage of our life, not sure how many more trips we will get to make, so makes each one just that much more of a pleasure.

MORE CHOICES

Seems we get so caught up in our busy lives, we seldom take time to really look at and appreciate our bounty. Listen to the talk of diets and exercise, it is evident that very few of our associates have every been truly hungry. Yet they don't acknowledge how abundant their choice of food and drink is. Shopping has become a source of recreation, instead of an exercise of necessity. Our closets are full, our cupboards overflow, our garages are so filled that many times the cars must be parked outside. There are complaints about the price of gas, yet people drive everywhere, even when they could be walking. Most of us could benefit from the exercise and save money as well. One of the current themes is how to get organized and clear the clutter. Perhaps the first step would to be to STOP buying. Educational opportunities are everywhere and affordable. Every possible type of recreation is within reach. Music or sports, whether active or passive participation, it is there within reach. With a bit of planning, we can ensure that our lives and property are as safe as possible. CHOICES! Instead of complaining, perhaps we should be very still and look around us to see what and where our choices have placed us. If we don't like what we see, there is no one to blame but ourselves!

TIME

Time moves on. We make a choice every day, every minute about how we will use OUR time on Earth. On the news last night they spoke of a blood test that will "perhaps" tell you how soon you may die. They ask people if they would take the test. Shouldn't we all live every day as if it is our last. Never to soon to do what you want to do. Never put off making amends for our offenses. Take every opportunity to tell our friends and family how much we love them. Take a walk and enjoy our beautiful area. Talk to a child and see the world fresh and new through their eyes. Visit an elderly friend or an ill neighbor. Never put off to tomorrow what we want to do TODAY. Eat your dessert first. Write a note or a long letter to someone, whether they live across the country or across town. Read a good book. Get down on your knees and say a prayer. Send flowers to someone. Bake bread or cookies and share with others. Sit quietly and just think! Turn off the TV, the cell phone, and walk through your home or yard. Once the moment is past we can never recapture it. Make wise choices of how your time is spent, so you never will say " I wish I had...!" Do it NOW!

MOTHERS DAY

A warm and sunny day in Buffalo. And now at dusk there is thunder, lightning and a fresh Spring rain. The yards are green and the flowers almost grow as we watch. The tulips are blooming. Spring may come after all. We had a nice dinner at our local historic hotel. A day for remembering our Mothers and Grandmothers, all gone on to their reward. And we remember our friends and relatives, who are Mother's to those we cherish. May the good Lord bless us one and all.

Waiting for Spring!

We have just returned from a few days enjoying the sun and warmth of Phoenix and Las Vegas. It is nearly "summer" there-but here it is still windy, damp, and chilly. We had a nice visit with friends and family in AZ. And a change of scene brings a freshness to our point of view. We hope seeing the highways and stores filled with people means that our economy is getting better. We slept a bit later than usual, ate to much good food, and did some shopping and left our donation to the Vegas economy! Now we are home and caught up with mail and house chores. We will share the Holiday dinner with our family at their home, so no cooking for me- Then Monday we will return to work. Perhaps next weekend will be warm and dry and we can do some work in our yard. The grass is turning green and the flowers are coming up! And it is almost May Day! So Spring and Summer can't be far. The mail just came and we have Easter greetings from several , so we will think of them and say a prayer for them, each time we walk past their cards on display.

EASTER

The season for reflections, Spring and Easter, life and death. The cycles of life. We bought hair ribbons and barrettes, and frosted animal crackers for three precious little girls in our town. Gifts from the Easter Bunny! Youngsters give us hope for the future.

A dear friend lost her Mother recently and an acquaintance in our town was buried yesterday. Two friends are having serious health issues. A look in the mirror reminds us of our own destiny. So we try to live in the moment. Enjoy the sunrises and sunsets. Hug and pray for those we cherish. Wear the new piece of clothing. Eat the fattening dessert. Write a note to a friend. Forgive and try to make amends for our own shortfalls. Life truly is short and we should never put off to tomorrow, those things we really want to accomplish.

Ada's TREASURES

My husband's Grandmother made beautiful quilts. Over the years, she gave quilts to her 5 daughters, to her grandchildren and then provided baby quilts for the great grandchildren. These treasures were all hand pieced and hand quilted. A few years after her death, two of her grandsons gathered as many of her quilts as they could find and held a public display. There was a video done at the display and photographs were taken of each entry. Books were made for the 5 daughters and some of the family. One book was given to the Iowa County Historical Society.

After the display was over, one of the baby quilts was sent to the Iowa State Historical Society for possible acceptance for their collection. It had been finished in the early 1960s and was a gift to my husband, her grandson. It was a gift for our son, who was born a few weeks later on 19 January 1965. The quilt featured the "fan" pattern. We used it carefully. The quilt was accepted and a few years later it was one of the items chosen for a HEARTLAND show.

One of Ada's greatgrandsons, Chad was married a few years ago. His grandfather, a woodworker, made a beautiful quilt stand for Chad's home. We sent them one of his Great-great-grandmother's quilts to display on it. In a variation of the log cabin pattern, the 3/4 size quilt had been sewn in the 1950s and had never been used. Now, Chad's brother, P.J. is to be married in the Autumn of 2011. We have located another of Ada's quilts(unused) and it will be passed on to him.

SPRING!

We have had a "real" winter. After many years of rather warm and dry seasons, we have had lots of snow and several sieges of very cold weather. The added moisture should make our grass green and the wildflowers exceptional. Every cloud has a silver lining, if we only search for it. And those who have complained about the weather will voice additional laments when it gets very warm come summer. My husband says "Some people wouldn't be happy if you hung them with a new rope!"

A warm weekend gave us the opportunity to wash windows, inside and out, and to begin the chore of gathering up the leaves that the winter winds have packed in the corners of our yard and patio. No matter how well the yard is cleared in the Autumn, it needs a spring clearing as well. The light rains of the past two days have the grass beginning to turn and the flowers peeking thru. SPRING!!

Inside we are working at clearing and cleaning as well. Need to work quick, as once the days are warm, no one will care to stay inside. Each year we survey our kingdom with an eye to the future. Less is MORE. What was once a treasure may have lost its appeal. And a treasure to us may not to a treasure to those who come after. As we sort, we send packages off to others. Family photos are shared with the appropriate people, as are family "treasures". Fewer things are laid back for "some day". And everything is put to use,nothing is saved to be used for "good"! And still there is way to much! So an unending project.