ENERGETIC WEEKEND

My ‘Island of Rest’ was a quiet space of bustling activity – here, in the PNW, we have to ‘make hay while the sun shines’: and that can be a tricky undertaking, as the sunshine in the PNW usually shines through briefly … and behind schedule 😉

I try to make sure all my weekly tasks are completed before Shabbat kicks in Friday evening; and I don’t plan on leaving my personal space (house and property) until Sunday rolls around – this is flexible, as this weekend proved 😊

I am a Messianic Christian, blending my Jewish heritage with my Christian Faith: I bend to the Will of Elohei, rather than to religious observances. Under the Law of Grace, I am not bound by the Shabbat ordinances … but I CHOOSE to incorporate the Shabbat ‘Island of Rest’ observance into my life for the refreshment it brings into my life: while, as a Christian, I have communion with Elohei 24/7/365; the Shabbat 24-hour period of rest is enjoyable, as well a necessary – during this span of time, time kinda stands still … passing in a slow pace, basking in Elohim’s favor, and reflecting on all God’s glory, faithfulness, love, and mercy.

I LIKE setting that 24-hour period of time aside to spend with my Father (Elohim) and my Husband (Yeshua): I am glad Yeshua thought of this ‘Island of Rest’ … taking time to make time for refreshing body, mind, and soul … concept when He had finished with Creation 😉

Friday morning blew in wet and stormy – getting out of the house was not going to happen; so, I did three loads of laundry … went outside to the shed, and pulled the eight metal trellises I use for pea supports in my garden area … and laced bird netting to them in preparation for my Spring garden:

Netting cut to fit trellis.

Securing bottom edge of netting against shifting, & lacing net to trellis.

Fitting top netting to curvature ... and FINISHED :-)

The last load of laundry finished drying as I tied off the last lacing knot on the last trellis 😊

I hauled the net-laced trellises back out to the shed – and walked the basket of laundry to the bedroom, and started folding/putting things away; and then settled in for a relaxing evening of Youtube black-n-white movies while I ate Supper.

After Supper dishes were washed and set to drip-dry, I finished up the preemie baby gowns I had started earlier in the week. Preemie babies have a special place in my heart.

I had a friend in high school who gave birth to a premature baby – that baby was so small, her adoptive father (the man who married my friend), could hold her in the palm of one hand: that little bit of humanity grew up strong and healthy … and is today, a mother, herself.

My youngest brother’s third child was a preemie – Jamie Lee was the size of a Barbie Doll when she was born … she looked so small and fragile in that incubator! Today she is in her thirties, is taller than I am, and weighs more than I do.

So, making these little preemie gowns brought back a lot of memories – and I knitted each one with love to honor the little warriors who will wear them.

Preemie Baby Gown - drawstring hemline; tiny sleeves .

Preemie baby Gown FINISHED.

Preemie Baby Gown FINISHED. Made for a Fall baby; Fall Button trims.

Starting 2 more preemie baby gowns ...

Saturday, the sun showed; so, I decided to get the primroses I had bought Wednesday, into the front garden beds:

Shasta Daisies cleaned up, and Primroses planted; 7 count between the 2 front flowerbeds.

Tete-a-tete Daffodils coming up amongst the Hens-n-Chicks at the base of the ornamental Maple.

The garden beds may not look so spiffy now, but they will look real pretty in a couple weeks when the dormant perennials spring to life in the warming weather. There are Cabbage-leaf Begonias, Shasta Daisies, Delphiniums, Calla Lilies (smaller variety), Carnations (mat type), Daffodils, Crocuses, Alliums (smaller varieties), and creeping Stonecrop sedum already established in each flower bed (I planted all those in 2017 after we bought this house – I brought those transplants from our previous home); the primroses will add early color to each front flower bed before the rest bursts forth with renewed life 😊

Also, when the rains let up, and the sun shines longer than an hour between rainy periods; I plan to tackle the moss issue on the flower bed decorative edges. People have suggested bleach to kill the moss … but I don’t want to damage my flowers. An internet search suggested using soda as a safe and effective moss killer, without damaging my plants: we’ll see – I’ll try that when I am assured the soda powder will have time to work its effects before the inevitable PNW rain showers wash it away.

Today – this Sunday, I am still enjoying my extended hiatus from socializing: either in person, or through social media; I am enjoying the solitude, and the rest from the world’s stressful madness.

CULTIVATING A WINNING MINDSET

It's been quiet in my small corner of the world all of last week, and half of this one. I hope my friends had it as easy 😉

Elsewhere, it's been a bit of a mess, with floodings in various regions, landslides in other regions, and roads literally coming apart & falling into the mighty Columbia River <:-O

Road erosion at Dismal Niche; the ground is so saturated.

So far, the landscape of 2021 doesn't look any better than 2020: and politically we are being gang-raped ... I don't say that flippantly: and YES, I DO KNOW what rape means; that is WHY I used that specific word. It fits >:-P

Let's hope that the next week comes at us a little easier, and a lot less messy.

I'm still being me 😊

Living my days day to day, trying to keep my "attitude" in check (some days, just saying, 'what the hell!' and letting it fly, dealing with the chips as they fall); and ducking my head when I leave the house to avoid all the flying crap (weatherwise, and otherwise).

I had an early morning appointment in town; so, before I came home, I did some shopping at Lowe’s in preparation for my Spring garden area. My ordered seeds still have not arrived, but I can clean up the front flowers beds and get things ready for the seeding of garden boxes when the seeds arrive – so that is what I started doing today 😉

This after noon I cut wire cages down, trimmed overwintered flower pots of old growth and dead foliage – giving the new growth space to come up healthy and strong, for pretty displays; and sprinkled Preen weed-n-feed in everything that is sending out new growth.

I used Bob's Wire Cutters to cut 6 tomato cages down to use in my flower pots.

Lower portion of tomato cage used in the Chrysanthemum pots; the wire support will be hidden as the flowers fill out, and grow upwards.

Tomorrow, I’ll bring the Geranium containers out of storage, and trim/fertilize them, too; so they are looking nice when set out on the front porch in a few weeks.

And Saturday … if the weather is nice like today, I’ll spruce up the front flowerbeds and get these primroses & a pot of daffodils I bought this afternoon, into the front flowerbeds where they will root and naturalize.

I will plant these Primroses Saturday, if the weather is like today. 7 ct.

I'm still not peopling - people are still fear-mongering, with a hateful vengeance; and I don’t want to be sucked into that.

I've been reading, plotting garden plans, working on designs again (while enjoying the occasional old black-n-white movies), and enjoying the peacefulness of solitude.

Currently, I am knitting preemie gowns and hats for the local Crisis Pregnancy Center; these gowns are for true preemies … not 7 to 8 pound full-term babies born a week ahead of schedule (those are not true preemies): the gowns I am working up are for babies 3 to 4 pounds, whose parents cannot afford the overpriced preemie clothing required for their hospitalized babies. Clothing to keep them warm. Clothing that will allow for life-saving tubes to be fed through clothing opening. Clothing that will allow their babies to look like babies that are loved and wanted. Clothing designed with hope, and made with love.

Preemie Drawstring Gown. 

My days, since I pulled back from the communism leaning social mediums … have been relaxing, peacefully played out, and happily productive.

It's been quiet in my small corner of the world.

And my thoughts are focused on a winning mindset 😊

MOD FINGERTIP TOWELS

MOD Fingertip Towel assortment; I made a duplicate set for the spare bathroom, too. Cotton – knit.

Last year, when the covid nonsense first started, and my few ‘still visiting' friends were leery of touching anything anyone else had touched; I got out my knitting needles and whipped up a couple cotton fingertip towels for their use in the bathrooms … when they started visiting again: they were just a basic hand wipe job, with a textured body and a simple crocheted edging. But they worked well, and people liked them 😉

Over the months I did lose some of those friends when the blm anarchist PNW riots/wildfires started – the differences of opinions concerning the rioting did what covid could not. But I gained new friends to fill the void of those who were lured out of my life, and I am planning on small scale entertaining in 2021 😊

It will be a new experience: Bob and I did not entertain much … we were on the road most of the time; and I won’t be entertaining much either, as I still burn up the highways and byways 8 months out of the year, day-tripping/sight-seeing, and visiting friends in other counties – but I will be having friends in house occasionally. So, I am preparing for that eventuality.

This past week, I worked on new fingertip towels to replace the others. The eco-friendly dyes in the cotton yarn does not hold up well after many washings/dryings; and the cotton yarn starts to feel stiff, too – so new towels were in order 😉

Master Bath Fingertip towel assortment in metal basket.

Spare Bath Fingertip towel assortment in rope basket.

My fingertip towel pattern is very simple.

I made 12 towels: 2 EA of various 6 edging designs.

This year, I added a decorative border along each towel end: I like the way they turned out 😉

==MOD FINGERTIP TOWELS

6 skeins Cotton Yarn (1 EA colors of MC choice); scraps of (CC1 & CC2) contrast yarns (1/4 to 1/3 skein) to match MC of choice; #10 knitting needles; Tapestry Needle

Terms used:

K= Knit

P= Purl

sts = stitches

st st = stockinette stitch: k 1 row; p 1 row

g st = garter stitch

RS = right side of work

WS = wrong side of work

MC = Main Color

CC = Contrast Color

EO = End off

Rpt = Repeat

BASIC TOWEL PATTERN (used for all towels): With CC1, CO on 40 sts; EO CC1.

With CC2, work 1 row 1x1 ribbing.

Continue with CC2, and work 3 rows g st; EO CC2.

With CC1, work 9 to 10 rows of a decorative border – a multiple of 2, 4, 6, or 8 sts will space across the towel nicely (always begin with a K row on RS, and a P row on WS).

Continue with CC1, and work 3 rows g st; EO CC1.

With MC, work 42 rows st st; EO MC.

With CC2, work 4 rows g st; EO CC2.

With CC1, work 1 row 1x1 ribbing; then P 1 row. EO CC1.

With tapestry needle, weave in loose ends.

That’s it! Easy-peasy 😉

WEIGHTY SHABBAT

 

I noticed some cracks in the ceiling around the kitchen skylight this morning; the weight of the recent snowfall had made itself felt. Snow had piled up on the skylights before the rain melted it off and away - the wet, icy, 9" weight was heavy - I actually heard the cracking when it happened. But I did not know where the sound originated from until this morning:

Most serious looking crack. Kitchen skylight.

The cracks concerned me.

I don’t like the castle compromised.

I reached for Bob’s phone (which I inherited): snapped a few pictures of the damaged areas … and jetted them off in a text to a friend; who happens to work in the realtor business, and asked her if the cracks were an immediate concern – or could they wait a bit to be attended to?

Bob would have known … but I don’t know; and my friend gave me good information concerning my questions (1) have someone look at the situation – in this case, the original roofers that replaced the roofing tiles when we bought this house in the summer of 2017 (2) contact our homeowner’s policy holder if there is storm damage; insurance will cover the repair expenses if I need to have things repaired.

So, that is what I did.

And the roofing company got back to me speedily 😊

A fella dropped by an hour later to check my humble castle’s roof …

Jason arrived to check roof for snow eight damages; he did a thorough check outside - and inside. No exterior damages; only interior cosmetic damages.

He said everything looked fine on the roof (no leakage issues); and the skylight was secure – it will not collapse onto my head. The skylight itself was not damaged. All the ceiling cracks need is cosmetic plaster patchwork: a noteworthy weighty widowhood learning curve.

I can do that 😊

Not me, personally; but I can hire someone to do that.

I breathed a huge sigh of relief, thanked him, and was settling comfortably into the cushy recliner … when I received a text.

A worrisome text:

So, I reached for the phone again, and called The Dick Hannah Office in Vancouver to inquire about the snafu.

I need the car!

I can’t afford to replace it, if the text message was for real.

The girl on the other end of the air waves checked my vin number against any recalls the Office had received and told me my car was not listed. Then she said, that the Office had “accidentally” mailed out a batch of texts like the one I had received (so it was “the real deal” from the real Office); but it wasn’t accurate: she said she’d been fielding calls all morning from other worried patrons, and was “sorry for any inconvenience”.

INCOVENIENCE????

WHY would the Office DO something like that?

HOW could something like that even happen?

Assured my car was fine, I thanked her, ended the call … and prayed to God nothing else would put a kink in my ‘island of rest’ day.

It’s 8:32 PM here, and everything has gone smoothy since noon. 

I’m gonna kick back, sip a little bit of wine, and let the weight of the day slide off 😊

Shalom!