Book Snippets

Tanya Dennis wrote about 'book snippets' on her blog so I decided to play along. It's interesting, you

1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages), or whatever book you are currently reading.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people.

If you're reading this, please, consider yourself tagged. One of my current books is Latitude & the Magnetic Earth by Stephen Pumfrey. It's "The True Story of Queen Elizabeth's Most Distinguished Man of Science" and, a trifle wieldy to plow through, ultimately it's quite interesting.

Here are the three sentences:

"Gilbert did not actually think that two magnets made love, but he was convinced that their motions were governed by principles of mutual harmony.

Magnetism moved the whole Earth in harmony with its fellow planets and made sure that lodestones were in peaceful union with the Earth and with each other. Aquinas' scholastic explanation of magnetic 'attractio' had a dominating agent seizing and altering a 'patient' magnet before dragging it away."

Blessings ~ reading for enjoyment, these days, and not because it's assigned ~ Lions Auction tomorrow ~ rain today ~ more fabric for quilting ~ the start and almost finish of a baby hat for a new member of the community ~ the enjoyment of going to bed...early! ~

Daily Diary

One of my writing groups wanted members to write about their day and that got me to thinking. There's no such thing as a "typical" day here at Thistle Cove Farm and today was no exception. The writer's group wants posts limited to 250 words so that meant a LOT of stuff was left out of my "daily diary".

For example, I spent about forty minutes talking to a farmer wannabe who wants to raise Shetland sheep, chickens...essentially he wants to have a small homestead. He seems a nice guy and doesn't mind getting his hands dirty which is necessary in farming. There's a lot of dirty grunt work in farming but, like Dolly said, if you want to see the rainbow, you have to feel the rain. Or words to that effect.

Truth be told, there's a lot of my day that's eaten up in such small increments when strangers call me, wanting information or help. I try to give them a bit of each but there's only so much of me to go around and every time I stop my work, there's no one to help me. So I get further and further behind but when I don't help, there have been some curse me for being "uncaring, unfriendly, etc.". I told one man I'd be happy to send him my rates and his reply was, "Why should I pay you when I can call my extension agent for free?" I figured it was churlish to point out he did, in fact, call me.

Anyhoo...here's my daily dairy as submitted to my writing group.

The day started around 6:30 a.m. ~
*fed dogs/cats, listened to XM preachers
*fought w/my 94 year old MIL to dress, wash hands
*made ham biscuits, coffee for humans
*barn chores - fed horses, sheep, barn cats, checked water & fence lines
*set out minerals/salt
*got out tractor, went to hay lot, retrieved & set out a round bale for stallion
*came back to house, checked on humans, started yeast bread and soup
*checked e-mail, tended to farm & public relations business
*baked bread, shortbread, finished soup; prepared lunch for humans

Afternoon/Evening ~
*took neighbors some bread, shortbread, soup
*worked in studio - art projects completed, ready to be mailed; used
laptop to write a devotional
*started snowing so checked on horses/sheep
*at house, started supper for humans, dogs & cats; made cookies for Dave
*Abbie, the Jack Russell, got into a skunk fight so bathed her, several times *re-thought my devotional along lines of dog, skunk, sin, washing, etc.
*back to fixing supper then got phone call, acquaintance killed himself
(financial/health problems - please pray for the family)
*fought w/MIL to wash hands for supper; everyone ate...finally.
*called a friend to start a prayer chain, find out in the past few days there
have been six suicides in Tazewell
*put phone on no-ring /if it's that bad, the state police will come to my door - ask me how I know/ took some aspirin and headed to bed
*gave the day to God, it's been too much for me, again

Blessings ~ God, bless His holy name ~ praying friends ~ the strength to do the word He has set before me ~ good food and plenty of it ~ this farm, my animals and Dave...without whom I'd lose some focus ~

One World One Heart Fabric/Textile Postcard

Go Figure.

Blogger will now allow me to post a photo of the textile/fabric postcard I'm sending Teresa. Hope you like it Miss T!

One World One Heart Winners!

And a whopping big Happy Valentine's Day to YOU! Well. All Right. Actually, today is Monday, 18 February but on the rightful V-Day, we had a power outage and everything came to an immediate halt. So, I figure anytime a gift is involved, the timing is just right, eh?

Dave picked the winning numbers and they are...TA DAH!

Teresa, Moon Valley Quilter blog, won my textile/fabric postcard. The following "ingredients" were used: felt, metal snowflakes and stars, felt flowers and bird, rickrack and glass beads. The word "hope", on the bird, is something from scrap book materials and "God Bless You" is cut from vellum.

And...there should be a photo of the textile/fabric postcard...Right Here!
Except. Blogger. Will. NOT. Allow. Said. Photo. To Up/Down. Load.

GRRRRRRRRRRR......

Maybe tomorrow. One can only hope.

Ahem. To continue.

The winner of the bookmark, below, is Diana of Adventuring Through Life. Here at Thistle Cove Farm, I raise Shetland, Romney, Merino and crossbred sheep as well as hypoallergenic American Curly horses. The little sheep on this bookmark are fussy cut from flannel material while metal snowflakes and cross, glass beads, plastic heart, the word "JOY", felt flowers and vintage lace are also used. The farm name, Thistle Cove Farm, is sewn on with metal "thread", using plastic and glass beads.
I'm in process of contacting both women but if Blogger is still true to form, so to speak, that won't happen. For whatever reason, it's still "no go" when I try to leave comments on the blogs of others.

The One World One Heart give-aways have been great fun. Best of all, I've visited so many terrific blogs, saw so much wonderful art and craft work and, in general, had a blast net-visiting all over the world. Even more fun has been spreading a bit of warmth in this all too frosty world and I even won from Pamela and Bannas World, and Lilla. Banna, "the 7 year old boss", made a fabulous box that reminds me of the wonderful times when Dave and I lived on the island of Maui. Banna, you are Very Talented and I'm proud and happy to be "your winner"; thank you very much! We're expecting snow tonight so looking at your box brings much warmth and fun thoughts.

Pamela, at Quilts 'n More, said I won a fabric/textile postcard and she's finishing it now so she can drop it in the post.

Lilla, of Just Lilla, said I won some vintage trim which I'll use in textile and fabric postcards. I've just "stumbled upon" textile and fabric postcards and am making them like someone is buying them. What FUN and what a nice little bit of sunshine and happy thoughts when a friend receives one in the morning mail. I've said it before but it bears saying again, this is an all too frosty world and anytime we can spread a bit of cheer, it makes us all the richer.

Teresa and Diana...I'm trying to send you both a comment to let you know you've won on my blog!

Blessings ~ Lisa of One World One Heart ~ Teresa ~ Diana ~ Banna ~ Lilla ~ Pamela ~ and all the rest of the wonderful participants ~ God Bless Us Everyone! ~

Blogger Woes

YIKES! For several days I've been having trouble traversing Blogland. IOW, I simply cannot get to other sites to join in the One World - One Heart agenda. People are coming to my blog by droves but I can't go to theirs. I try to send a message and everything crashes.

Woe, oh woe.

One World - One Heart

Another great idea is Lisa's ONE World-ONE Heart giveaway event to bring world wide bloggers together. Last year the event had almost one hundred participants, every one a winner.

In order to participate you have to give something away, preferably handmade but can be store bought. One World One Heart says the minimum is one gift but you may give more, your choice. In Lisa's words:

"To be a participant in the event all you have to do is offer up something to giveaway. It can be handmade, which is encouraged but not mandatory. You can offer up more than one item so there is more than one winner if you like. The giveaway item(s) are entirely up to you. Once you have determined what your giveaway will be you will must post pictures of whatever it is in a post on your blog. You will then come to this blog and in the comments leave the link to THAT post! NOW THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT: DO NOT leave a link just to your blog....it must be to the actual giveaway post. This enables those going blog to blog to get to it immediately without having to scroll to find it. Also DO NOT leave a link UNTIL that post is up and ready. You need not comment to say "I will be participating" ahead of time. As the giveaway posts are ready and you then leave the link to it here I will add it to the list of participants that will be on the sidebar. You can check as often as you like so you can be sure and visit those on the list throughout the event. ...

THIS YEAR the giveaway date will be Valentines Day - February 14th. On February 1st or as close to that as possible you should post your giveaway. This will give two weeks for people to get to your blog and enter their name. You should end the chance to enter by the evening of the 13th.........there are time differences to consider so keep that in mind. Winners should be announced on your blog on the 14th(or as close to that as possible). I will try to go from blog to blog to see who has announced their winner(s) and will change the color of that blog on the participant list to indicate that. This way when you check the sidebar you will know who has done so. ..."

There are more instructions so please visit Lisa's blog for more information. I'm giving away two gifts - a fabric postcard and bookmark, both handmade with photos posted by tomorrow, Saturday, 2 February.

Lisa, what a grand way to spread a bit of cheer and warmth in this all too frosty world! Kudos to you and many thanks for your great heart!

January has come and gone and about the only thing I've managed to accomplish is taking care of my mother in law. She's moved in with us and at 94+ years old needs total, complete 24/7 care. Even when she's asleep, I sleep fitfully in case she falls out of bed...again. I'm behind on everything - my art and craft work, my paid jobs, my farm work, my life both physically, mental and spiritual. Virtually Everything. But, enough whining, in order to catch up I must start.

I'm taking part in Sharon's Take It Further Challenge and the key concept for January was "the feeling of admiration for another". Although I'm very late in posting, a lot of thought and prep has gone into this project and I determined there were simply too many people...most especially, too many women, to narrow it down to one. So, my art project includes many women in my life, both known personally and those whom I admire from a distance.

With each and every woman, what is to be admired most is they are women after God's own heart. To a one, each is a lover of God and beloved by God who has kept them tenderly close to His heart. Their lives reflect God's love, their acceptance of Christ, His Son and, most importantly, their long and faithful walk of Christian principles.

My work includes both fiber and paper with many emblishments. Centered on the work is an appropriate quote and each woman's name is placed around the quote, throughout the work. I've used some of the colors suggested in the challenge and have included others that have personal meaning; in the next few days, a photo of the piece will be posted on this blog. In the meantime, here's Sharon's information regarding her challenge.

"The key concept for January is a feeling we have all had, the feeling of admiration for another. Ask yourself who do you look up to and admire? Why? What is it you admire about them? This is a the first Take it Further challenge in 2008. Take the idea, develop it into a resolved design during that month and apply it to fiber or paper.As I explained on the Take it Further Challenge page every month there will be two options.

The second option this month is a colour scheme. This means that if you don’t like the concept you can work the colour scheme or if you don’t like the colour scheme you can work with the concept. Or you can work with both.The colour scheme for this month is below. I came up with it by using ColourLovers . If you have not seen this site before and love colour do check it out as there is lots of fun to be had over there."

Blessings ~ the many Christian women God has placed in my path ~ MIL's good physical health ~ the i-net and the delightful folks I've met ~ color ~ the strength to do the work set before me ~ success is getting up...one more time than I fell down ~