Bye-bye April...here's your hat, what's your hurry?

It seems April just got here but considering the events thereof, I'm happy to see her leave. Oh, it started out just fine...April Fool, Easter and full moon...a triple if ever there was one. As to remembering much...it's like the ole feller said when asked about a fairly recent event, "Well, that's a foreign country and the borders are now closed."

Yeah. April.

Now there were good things in April...my birthday for which I was gifted with Medicare. It hardly seems I'm old enough to drive and the government kicks me to the curb, deny's (is that correct?!) me the "privilege" of paying $1,100+ a month for insurance and says, "Uncle will care for you now." Whoa! That's enough to put the fear of God into an atheist! Beloved Sistah had an April birthday as did friends (Marti, Sharon, Chris, Millie, Mary, Mat). If you'd like to know what happened on your birthday, click here; as to what happened on my birthday...not much and that's fine with me.

The Powhatan Fiber Festival was this past Saturday and I had a lovely time! It's been a very long time since I've been to a fiber festival and this little festival was fine, fine, fine. I didn't purchase much (don't need much) but the yellow felted woolen slippers managed to come home with me and will be used as studio footies.

Dyeing 2 Spin's Becky Blake did an indigo dyeing demonstration and won me over. She has home workshops and I've already sent an e-mail stating my desire to enroll.

I've done a lot of dyeing but never indigo and it's fascinating stuff! When the yarn comes out of the jar, it's greenish yellowish but the longer the yarn is exposed to air, the bluer it turns.

Ain't God grand!

So many beautiful

and sweet things.

But the BEST, by far, was the studio...it's closer to being finished! Joe (Cabins and More in Tazewell, VA) did the inside work using R-13 insulation covered with roofing paper which was covered with my rough cut hemlock. He said I should be able to heat it with a candle this winter (grin).

There's enough wood left to do another building...if I build a farm stay cottage, will you come?

The studio isn't nearly finished...I need to vacuum the sawdust and dirt then find a roll of vinyl flooring to put down but I'm closer than I was. In my head, I'm already designing the space...ceiling fans, chandelier, a kitchen cabinet area (with a smallish fridge, microwave, electric kettle...shop at Sandra's!), a hospital bedside potty (brand new at a thrift store) with mosquito netting to make a "room"), a corner cabinet for bits, bobs and beading, a beautiful brown leather sofa (thrift store), areas for spinning wheels, rug looms, small quilt frame, a beautiful wool rug for underfoot, window air conditioner, propane gas fireplace, center table for cutting, piecing, etc., it's going to be glorious!

It's difficult to see but one of the Inkspots is stalking one of the Canada Geese. Inky is just right of mid-center studio and the Canada Geese is ahead, just in front of porch center. I never lack for amusement and since moving here, always take time to stop and enjoy the animals, scenery and simply being here. There's a lot to be said for simply being.

Other happenings in April ~ Thistle Cove Cottage was sold and I'm refocused on Thistle Cove Studio. Yes, it was rather sad but that season of life has past, it's time to move forward.

A lot of time and energy has been gladly given to my Mom; she was T-boned in a car wreck and has fractures on hip, pelvis and a chipped ankle bone. She has a long recovery ahead but she's tough and has already begun physical therapy with an aim toward beating the doctor's prognosis. Maxine, my friend of longest standing, had surgery today to remove a cancerous brain tumor. As soon as she's able, she'll begin chemo and radiation so please keep both women in your prayers. Max and I have known each other for close to 50 years and throughout it all it's been a friendship of mutual respect and unconditional love. When necessary, we agree to disagree and have given each other room to grow. We know things on each other I'm sorry God knows but I'm also deliriously happy God forgives then forgets!

That's my April; it's been chock full and I've reached the end tired but with enough energy to continue. Bless God for the gifts of His strength, patience, love, mercy and grace...always grace.

Ponder this ~ "In Essentials Unity, In Non-Essentials Liberty, In All Things Charity"
~ Rupertus Meldenius ~ (in the past, this quote has been attributed to Augustine of Hippo but it's rightfully Rupertus Meldenius, a Lutheran monk of the 17th century; click here for back story).

I Had a Field Hand's Breakfast

For no reason other than I wanted to...eggs, biscuits, home made sausage, home churned butter, blueberry jam and milk. Ever now and agin, as my ole Aunt Bonnie used to say, I have a sixteen year old boy help me around the farm and he recently brought me a two pound package of home made sausage. I haven't had home made sausage in a few years because we haven't killed hogs here for a long while so it was/is a real treat. I churned ten pounds of butter last summer so still have a few packages to spread on biscuits and keep a few bags of blueberries in the freezer so I can make jam every few months. The eggs are farmed raised; buy them from a local woman so breakfast was a treaty feast!

That was a honking big breakfast to support nothing much so I started looking through my photos and came upon some hand spun, hand knitted yarn. My studio sported some kool aid dyed roving that I crazy spun into lumpy, bumpy, twisty yarn which sat around for a long while because I couldn't make up my mind what I should make.

Then I noticed my tea pot needed comfort so I knitted a little cozy for it.

The yarn is 100% wool so tea is kept hot which allows me time to drink the three cups thereabouts contained therein. 

All this took place summer's end and the cozy has gotten its fair share of use.  At one time I had a farm business called Appalachian Wool Works and sold fleeces, rovings, yarn, woolens, etc. I figure I've got enough fleece left for a few wool blankets and throws to be made and that'll be the end of that farm business. When it's all said and done, I'll let you see photos...it takes months from start to finish but it's well worth it.

I bought a three inch memory foam mattress topper and, along with my wool blanket, I sink dangerously close to comatose on a nightly basis. That field hand breakfast supplied me with enough calories to do a week's worth of work but what I've gotten done today couldn't get me arrested. For the past few weeks, I've been working like somebody owned me and today I didn't. Sometimes lazing around is good for what ails me.

Ponder this ~ "Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you." St. Augustine of Hippo

A Brief Spring Interlude, Followed By Winter, Giveaway

For the past week, or so, weather on the farm has been spring like...meaning warmish temps, sunny days...a kind of make hay while the sun shines weather. Although it's too early for hay making, you get the point.

This weekend snow flurries are expected and I am reminded that whatever weather we get for Spring Equinox is generally what we'll have for possibly the next six weeks or thereabouts. Sunday is the Equinox with high temps in the low 40's and low temps in the high 20's. This weather pattern is for the entire northeast and I'm praying it doesn't turn into a no'easter. Some of our worst winter storms have been in March and April but the oil tank is full, enough wood on the back porch to carry me well through a week, the propane tank half full, the generator at the ready and I'm making white bean and sausage soup so it's all fine.

Temps today are supposed to be in the low 60's and sunny...thank the good Lord...while temps tomorrow are in the high 50's and sunny...thank the good Lord! As Mark Twain said, "A lot of people complain about the weather but nobody does anything about it." What could anyone do other than be prepared? I know I've got a couple of good days so will work outside and when days aren't so nice, will work inside. This is not what constitutes a Big Deal in my life.

Changing the subject...let's talk potty. If you're on a septic system, you need ROEBIC Septic System Cleaner. It has "special bacteria" to "correct systems that are overworked and sluggish" and was recommended years and years ago by a gent retired from the septic tank business. I simply pour the contents into the toilet bowl, leave overnight and flush in the morning and every now and again, I'll add some brewer's yeast as well.

This next product has the ever so cute name of POO-Pourri and is meant to be used in the bathroom prior to what might prove to be a odoriferous occasion. It has a strong over-scent of ginger which I find pleasant, certainly more pleasant than the "other".

Changing the subject...if you're on Facebook, please, would you consider "liking" Thistle Cove Farm? There are two FB pages for TCF...I got confused...but the "real" page has a photo of the hay field and house. Some of you know the farm sold last year but at closing, financing fell through and I kept the farm. I stated on the TCF FB page, the farm is back on the market and since Monday morning the page has had more than 900 views and more than a dozen shares! I keep saying God will sell our farm when He's ready for the next stewards to take over. I always keep in mind "wait is a verb", so do what I can do while I wait, and, just like heaven, I'm ready to go but I'm not homesick. If you'd rather not, that's fine too...no problem.

There's also a FB page for Thistle Cove Cottage; the little condo I bought after Dave's death. I bought it as both bolt hole and rental income and am getting closer to actually using it on holiday. Thus far, I've been too busy sprucing it up and renting but, hopefully, this is the year that will change.

Changing the subject...a few weeks ago, I talked about planners and now I want to talk about another 3-ring notebook, journal and Bible. Daddy has read his Bible through fifty (50!) times; every year for 50 years he begins with Genesis on Jan 1 and by Sept 15, he's read five chapters every morning. This year he's taking a break and not reading the Bible through but reading some of his favorite bits here and there. Mom reads three chapters every morning and in a year finishes the entire Bible. For a number of years I've read five chapters almost every morning; rarely do I miss and if I'm away from the farm, I take either my Kindle with KJV or a New Testament with me. Way back whenever, I started at Genesis and kept reading...when I finish the last verse of Revelation, I turn back to Genesis and begin again.

The blessings journal was begun in 2013 and is where blessings, prayers, hardships, answers to prayers, etc. are documented. While I'm not as faithful to do this daily, I do it frequently enough I'm able to have a partial diary.

The prayer journal has been an ongoing affair...since the mid 1990's, perhaps earlier...it's a bit scattererd. The sections are PRAY: Praise, Rebuke (forgiveness), Appeal (make your appeals know to God), Yield (to the whisper of His Holy Spirit) and each section has blank paper to jot down more of...whatever needs jotting down. The last section is blog ideas...way more than I'll ever have time to use!

In addition to prayer notebook, it's a journal notebook, answered prayer listing and a place to keep names of those remembered in prayer. Chances are, your name is on my list...but I won't show you so you'll just have to trust me. I don't get all hung up on knowing exactly how to prayer for you and because most of you blog, I know some ways to lift you in prayer. For everyone else, God knows.

My well worn Spurgeon is also read every morning; he gets my mind prepared to receive the Bible yet to be read.

May 30th entry is "Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards" from Song of Solomon 2:15. My sideline note says, "During daylight hours, the sun is always shining, although sometimes behind clouds." Such little comments require me to see with new eyes and strengthen my faith.

Someone once asked me, "I tell God what I want, otherwise how does He Know?" Well, dear one, that theology is weak, very weak indeed. God knows because He is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent and knew you, and everything about you, before He separated light and darkness. IOW, before the beginning of time as we think we know it.

A few weeks ago, I thumbed through my red notebook and read past entries. The above from May 10, 1998, Mother's Day is Holding on to Our Hope : Hope Stealers are criticism, circumstances, bad counsel, self-doubt while Hope Promoters include prayer, faith, perseverance and the spirit of sacrifice. The best...Hope Rewards because God never gives us less than His best for us...according to His will.

It's a very good thing to re-read as it allows me to see my faith journey; how I've changed, grown, matured as a Christian and as a woman. Of course it was the Holy Spirit leading Dave to ask (only five days before his unexpected, sudden death), "How do I make peace with God?" but I think the years of seeing me, every morning, reading my Bible and praying, writing in my journal, recording prayers and answers to prayers, helped lead him to ask.

A dear blogger friend asked me if I would tell her what I told Dave; here it is:

"I believe Dave had a small heart attack on Sunday morning; at the time, I had no clue but looking back and reflecting on events, that's what I now believe. He had 33 radiation treatments straight through his heart to attack the cancer in his lower left lung. His heart was already weakened from decades of cigarette smoking and the radiation not only didn't kill, or even stop, the cancer, it further weakened his heart. The next morning, Monday, at 10, Dave called me to his side and said, "I need to talk to you; I need to know how to make my peace with God." My response was, "Dave, your question makes God so very happy. He and Jesus have already done all the work so you can spend eternity in heaven with Them. God sent Jesus to bring you Home and Jesus said, "To return Home, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Honey, it's not about religion; it's about relationship...the relationship between you and Jesus. Do you believe God sent Jesus to die for your sins? Just tell God you believe and want to spend eternity in Heaven with Him and His Son. God is delighted to hear from you; He's been waiting a long time. Just tell Him."

Dave said, "Okay, please leave me alone for a little while." I went upstairs, about 2 hours later I came downstairs and looked at Dave. He smiled at me, "Everything is just fine; I've made my peace."

Augustine of Hippo said, "our hearts are restless until we find our rest in Him." Dave was a good, decent, kind, honorable man and it was difficult for him to understand we are all sinners. He didn't do "bad" things...not the way people think of "bad". Because we're all sinners, God cannot look at us unless we are shadowed by the holiness of His Son Jesus Christ. Those bad decisions first made by Eve and Adam in the Garden of Eden and, down through time, by each and every one of us set us apart from God. But God loves us so very much, He allows us to make bad decisions...much like a parent allows their child to make bad decisions even when those same decisions will lead to disastrous results. God, the ultimate Parent, is there to pick up the pieces, to hear our repentance, to heal us with love through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Like so many, Dave was hung up on religion and Jesus isn't about religion at all. Religion is man-made; dare I say Satan made to deflect the true focus which is Jesus Christ. I don't think Jesus cares about religion but in order to go to Heaven, we must go through Jesus.  He died for us, He descended into Hell, He was separated from the perfect, good, holy Father God. Jesus paid such a price because of love...incomprehensible LOVE! We cannot stand before a holy God stained as we are with sin...lying, cheating, stealing, gossip and so on. Some find it difficult to believe...again, that's Satan at work, deflecting the true focus from Jesus but to believe is a small act of will. "Jesus, I believe." It doesn't take a theology degree or a preacher or priest or bishop or any religious authority figure. It takes the faith of a child...a child looking at their parent and saying, "Yes, Father, I believe You love me and I accept Your Son." 

As shell shocked as I've been these last four years, two things have gotten me this far...one - Dave made his peace with God and is in Heaven and, two - God loves me and has been with me every breath."

These things I believe with all my heart, soul and mind. 

If you'd like to win the black Bible holder, please leave a comment regarding something on this post and a way to contact you. Next Thursday, noonish, a name will be randomly drawn. The Bible verse is Joshua 1:8 "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your  mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." 

Ponder this ~ "Where one man reads the Bible, a hundred read you and me." ~ Dwight L. Moody ~