Teaming Up

Hi All.

This might not be a super inspirational post,

but my hope is that it might at least be helpful.

And it might help build friendships and community

which by now, you've probably figured out, I'm all for.

Hucklebunny & Ness

I think you're all smart enough to acknowledge that

some things have been a little difficult to come by lately.

Or if you can find said thing, it might be quite expensive.

Something that dawned on me today

that we've been doing is what I call "teaming up."

A couple friends and my mom and I look out for items

we are each looking for.

An example, I couldn't find the 1/2 gallon canning jars

in our town.

My mom (& dad) have to go to another town about 45 min. away

for doctors appointments so she said she would look.

She called me from the store and asked how many I wanted.

They evidently had a stack of them.

I only needed one box - heehee

She hasn't been able to find coconut oil in the larger tub.

When I was at the store yesterday, I saw some.

The price was 80% higher than last time they had it.

(Yes, 80% - almost double.  I did the math.)

I'm going to look one more place for her before purchasing any.

A friend of mine found a large borax for me

rather than those little boxes.

I have found paprika for her.

I realize it sounds a little silly to share your shopping list,

but it seems to be working well for us.

It's pretty easy also.

I usually have a shopping list so write on it

to look for paprika when at a certain place.

I know it's often easier to order online, 

but even when we place orders online,

we call each other or mention if we see each other

I'm placing an order from Xsite.  Do you need anything?

Often times, with a certain amount shipping is free

or at least less if combined.

The other thing that has come about from doing this

is that we let each other know if we find good deals on an item.

I just found a new shipment of whole pork loins for $2.49/lb.

That's a pretty good price for here and for now

so I shared that information.

We can't control everything that is going on around us,

but we can make the best of what we can do

and be kind and helpful to friends and family.

It has also been a bit of a "stress reliever."

I'm not really sure that is the correct term for what I mean,

but it's very healthy interaction and feels good to help someone

as well as having someone smiling while helping me.

The blessing is in the giving so to speak.

And we've each benefited from doing it.

*Note: When it's really hot, we bring Hucklebunny in the house to cool off a little.  She has her laundry basket and is comfy unless Ness sees her.  She will join her in the basket.  It's adorable, but I think Hucklebunny is less than impressed by it.

The Path to Yesterday

I've read that Tasha Tudor

had found the path to yesterday.

I love the imagery of that.

Just image if we could go wandering down a path

and end up in another time.

Sounds a bit fantastic, I know.

Rather like Alice in the Looking Glass and a rabbit hole.

But there's something more to it really.

Source

It's not that far of a stretch once we are ready to see it.

And once we see it,

it's like opening a magic Wardrobe

and stepping inside to another world.

I'm not really throwing books at you:-)

I'm guessing with the mention of each of those tales,

a little spark of excitement and youth

fired up somewhere deep inside you.

As children, the thought of "roller skating" with scrub brushes

on your feet like Pippy scrubbing the floor/deck
 sounded like a brilliant alternative 

to the way we knew of hands and knees scrubbing.

Living in a tree-house or on a ship was a real possibility.

These stories strike a chord with us for a reason.

These adventures are taught to us as children,

but then somewhere along the way

we are told we shouldn't give them any thought.

((( Wham! )))

The door to that Secret Garden slammed closed

and no key to be found.

What is that and how do we not see it coming?

I am as clueless as you on that one.

I can't tell you when it happened,

but I grew up to 'want' certain things that were touted as 

cool or necessary or whatever.

And after school and work and career and dragging on 

and wanting and achieving and wanting more and. . . .

hang on a minute.

What is that?

I don't even like that.

I don't like how I feel.

That's not what I want.

What?  What's wrong with you?

Everybody wants the latest whatever.

It's progress, and progress is good.

What do you mean you don't even like it?

It's sooo cool!

Source

And that's when it clicks - right then.

Nooo. . . not cool.

How did I get here?

How do I go back?

And so we begin looking.

Quietly at first,

until we find a little deer trail,

then a partially overgrown foot path,

then a real way.

And that's it.

The way.

It's the path to yesterday.

And that little bit of excitement that sparked above. . . 

when you remembered~

it comes alive and flares up.

And when you finally see the way,

you want to run like a happy 8 year old

back to where/when you know it was right

or at least better.

At first it's almost like fleeing from something.

But around every turn of the path

is magic and excitement

that feels good and healthy and alive.

And gradually that fleeing sensation subsides

and falls away to a seeking of a different something.

Just like each new page of the storybook,

each day is met with anticipation of possibilities.

It is a wellness.

And then, over time,

there is a peace,

a knowing.

The anxiety of being pulled along in the channel

with all the others is a dull ember

easily squelched.

That's what Tasha had,

the peace and knowing.

Only she didn't let herself be pulled into the channel

in the first place like most of us.

I think that's part of what was so admirable about her.

She was a flawed human like the rest of us,

but she knew the way.

She had found the path to yesterday.

I have a feeling she had also been down a rabbit hole,

beyond a wardrobe and up a tree.

So when that excitement sparks,

maybe don't try to squelch it.

Go ahead and let it flare up and see where it leads.

You just might end up in a fantastic place and time.

Just watch out crossing that channel.

It has a powerful undercurrent.

*~*~*Where Bloggers Create*~*~*

~Where this blogger creates~

I have always wanted to partake in this event

hosted by the lovely and talented

Karen Valentine at

My Desert Cottage.

I will be sharing just a few aspects of this room

since as of late,

life has been happening to me rather

than the other way around.

Needless to say it's a bit (okay, a lot) disheveled.

One other note is that this is the only white room in the house.

Mr. LB and I share:

he ties flies (for fishing) and I stitch.

So here we go~

A place for do-dads

On the opposite wall is my thread rack (& design wall actually.)

I keep bobbins on one row for the thread that is on the next two rows.

We each have a vintage light globe hanging above our work space.

They hang from a chain that is entwined with ivy.

Isn't color just beautiful?

Drop spindles and an old Singer.

Shorter pieces of lace get wound around a wooden clothes peg,

not a new idea, but an effective one.

And I found this little fella at a yard sale last weekend and

figured he would be a good one to keep me company in here.

This weekend we ladies of the family are heading over to

the Oregon Summer Quilt Expo in Redmond, OR and then to

the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.

I will share more on those when I return.

Lastly, Thank You to Karen!

There is so much inspiration and creativity amongst bloggers.

It's always fun to search around and see new ideas.

Until next time,
Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

Christmas Inspiration

Even Mother Nature

is in the mood for Christmas.

She's already decorating.

This was last night looking out our back door.

And this morning out our front door.

It's all dressed in white at a whopping 9 degrees.

I usually don't start decorating until about the middle of December.

That's plenty of time to enjoy it.

The decorations aren't what it's all about.

If you want to feel really fortunate,

you might read 'Foxfire Christmas.'

(I borrowed it from the library.)

I won't ruin it for you,

but it is amazing how ungrateful we are for so much,

myself included.

Until next time,

Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches