The Sound of Quiet~

First, I have to tell you that I love that I get to share this with you.

In one of my last post, there were 3 short words that seem to have resonated

in our home recently.

"Quiet the Noise."

I should first admit that I am probably a bit hypersensitive.

I have good ears, a good sniffer, good eyes though do have 

wear readers now which I'm not thrilled about.

At our house up the mountain, 

I could tell when the well pump kicked on just by the "sound"

and could feel the pressure in the house.

Yea, I know it sounds odd.

Guess I'm just odd, what can I say.

(The Rosemary is blooming.)

Anyhoo. . . 

I seem to be on a continual mission to nix the noise,

visual, audio, all of it.

We recently had the son of some friends come and stay with us

for a couple nights.

He is 28 and claimed that he was a night-owl

preferring to go to bed late.

(We had warned him that we were early-risers).

After the first night,

I asked if he slept alright.

He said, "Yea, really good actually."

He had evidently gone up about 20 minutes after I had

when Hubby went to take a shower.

He slept about 10 hours each night!

It was really pretty funny.

He was shadowing Hubby at work to get a sense of what we do.

He's wanting to go into the field and had questions.

He got to smith a steak turner and was thrilled.

It's busy and loud at work (metal-fabrication).

Then when we go home,

it's quiet, no TV, not a lot of "stuff" clanking or beeping about.

It was fun to see him unwind

and probably odd for him to feel.

What it told me though, is I'm on the right track.

We don't realize how screens and background noise and even odors

effect and stress us.

We need the silence sometimes.

For us, it was more sound in our home than usual.

It was another body, another shower, drink of water and

the sounds one makes simply by being

and of course we chatted :-)

I've been telling Hubby for ages that if he wakes in the middle of the night

which he does often, not to read on his phone.

He finally said the other morning as we were drinking coffee,

"I think the screen does something in the brain to keep us awake."

He has the blue-light blocker, but could still tell the difference.

He said he read in the hunting synopsis

and then was able to go back to sleep.

(Can you see me slapping my forehead?)

Actually, I am grateful he figured it out.

I am very aware of how certain things affect me,

but trying to explain to others who can't relate

because they've never felt the peace that happens

when it's quiet can be perplexing.

We obviously have screens, but we try to keep it reasonable.

 It was wonderful to see that it's not just us "old-folks."

And it makes me think how much better off children

could be if certain things were put in check.

I will say, it feels as good to get rid of audial clutter

as it does to get rid of visual clutter.

I'm not finished with either of course~

that would be too good :-)

But I keep plugging away.

Every bit of clutter sent on its way or noise quieted

allows for a little deeper breath and peace of mind.

The other thing that becomes noticeable is what remains.

The sounds of a bird chattering or the wind chime hanging by the back stoop.

Gentle sounds remain and sing to ones soul.

For me, it was an accident.

I started by wanting to lower our power bill 

so went through each room and unplugged everything.

As an item was needed, I would plug it in.

I was surprised at how few things got plugged back in

and how much quieter the house felt.

The little charging lights or vibrations create a sort of "noise".

Again, it's an ongoing process.

We seem to go through phases,

but I know now to look for things to unplug. 

If you're feeling overly stressed,

maybe begin by unplugging and listening for the quiet.

The quiet we hear penetrates and brings quiet to us inside.

I wish for each of you that peace.

 

A Different Kind of Shopping

For the record, I don't like shopping.
Searching for ways to give my money to others
is not my idea of a good time.

There are however, a few things I am always shopping for.
I keep a short list of items I need or would like.
This isn't like the milk and eggs list, but it is similar.
There's just no store that carries the items I'd like to purchase.
Before I get to the items on my list, 
I have to take you down a different path for just a moment.
As far as the milk and eggs above, I've sourced them locally
along with most other items one would usually purchase from the grocer.
I'm not saying I never need a grocer, 
but my dependency is lessening all the time.
I still like coffee, olives, Worcestershire sauce and a few other items 
which are not local or if we want a produce item that is not in season.
If something happened to the supply chain,
we would live (okay, maybe not so happily without coffee, but...).

Honestly, of all the things, raw organic/non-gmo milk was one of the most difficult to source simply due to state laws rather than supply.

It's unfortunate that wholesome foods can be so difficult to find.

I know others who think I'm a bit silly for this, but so be it.
We are healthy, and I accredit it in a large part to this effort.

Now on to the fun list.

There are a few things which probably seem odd to some folks,

but one of the things that I've been on the hunt for for at least a few years now

is a cobbler machine (pictured above).

This machine can stitch leather and has a narrow foot base

so it can reach in shoes.

My regular sewing Singers are all "ladies," but this one is a fellow.

I named him Sidney Singer.

My sewing machines have names because I can't just say "the Singer."

I'm pretty specific in my wants, but I have my reasons.

I wanted an old machine and a Singer.

Old machines have all metal parts.

Even in the best newer machines, there are plastic parts.

Sidney was born in 1906.

The other thing particular to Singer is that there are parts schematics available.

They were made to work and be repairable.

The schematics identify each part down to the size of spring.

And, because Singer is still in business, some of the parts are still available.

All of his mechanical parts are in working order though there are a few issues.

As is, he has neither the knob to be hand-crank, a motor to be electric, 

or the original treadle to be foot powered.

There was a single bobbin that came with him.

His bobbin winder is missing.

He was absolutely filthy!

This was in addition to a bucket of soapy water!

The first thing I did was take the soap and water to him on the outside.

I also had a scraper to get some of the crud off.

Then I worked on "his joints."

Someone had gobbed a bunch of 5 in 1 grease in it.

On the positive side, I guess it helped prevent rust,

but there was so much dirt and grit in there, I didn't want to turn the wheel.

I got him all cleaned up.

I ordered a set of bobbins which have already arrived.

I found the proper bobbin winder and am waiting for that.

I have a knob to add to his wheel so he can have hand-crank.

And now that I have him cleaned up,

I will call the local sewing machine repair shop that has taken care

of my other machines and ask about a motor for him.

I don't mind that he doesn't have the treadle at the moment.

He is on a smaller stand that came with him.

It does have the cast iron legs that are part of a regular treadle.

I've been working on a slipper pattern and am excited to work on that.

Once I have him in a solid functional state, I will order leather.

I want to be sure of what leather I am getting

and get the correct weight for what I will be doing.

Leather's not the cheapest of materials so it has to be right.

I am pretty excited (an understatement)

but have been patient in my search 

so need to be patient in readying him for work as well.

As I said above, I looked for a few years before finding him.

There have been other things that have taken a while,

and those things are among my most cherished items.

(That sounds weird.  I don't worship them, but am content with them.)

I think part of it is that if you're willing to wait,

you don't end up settling for something lesser than what you want.

A few examples:

Our travel trailer is a 1968 Aristocrat Land Commander.

My cauldron.

Concrete double sink.

A butter churn.

I know these things aren't exactly on par with diamonds,

but they make me far happier than jewels.

So with this oddball list, what could possibly be left on my list?

Well, a few more oddities of course.

Yet to find:

A cider press (like this one)

An old (not new repro) cast iron single sink with double drain board.

And yep, there's a reason for the old part - the shape of the basin is different.

A stove-top, corning, avocado green, percolator coffee pot.

McCall apron pattern 1105

and a few other smaller things.

We live in an age of instant gratification.

That avocado green coffee pot has been on my list for almost a decade.

You can bet whenever I do find one, I will relish every cup of coffee

I drink from that pot.

It's the same with Sidney.

Hubby has laughed at me (kindly) when my bobbins arrived, and

when I got him cleaned up & tension adjusted, 

then stitched a little scrap of leather.

I'm sure he will get to laugh again when my bobbin winder arrives.

He laughs but is coming up with projects for me to make for him - Ha!

I told him my slippers are first.

I'd be curious if anyone else keeps a list like this.

I guess it's my form of shopping.

I don't mind waiting - none of these items are life threatening.

They are just items that make life either easier or more enjoyable.

As long as I don't find them, I just figure I'm saving money by not buying them.

It's okay if you think I'm a bit silly~ so be it.

 

The Little Everyday Things

 Hello Friendly Folk~

It is apparent that I'm not the only one struggling

to write when our world as it is seems to be in tumbles.

Over the past several weeks, I've started two different posts

but just couldn't finish them.

Blogland has been pretty quiet.

I hope people are finding home and heart.

Christmas was a new experience for so many this year.

When reflected upon,

may it be that kindness is chosen over the many alternatives.

It's been pretty quite at our home also.

We've been fortunate that we've been busy at work.

It's been a crazy, hectic, chaotic year, but we have work

and we are grateful for that.

It's only been the in past few weeks that we've been able

to have our winter evenings.

I love winter evenings~

Though, since the time change I've not slept through the night

more than a handful of nights.

(Things on my mind, I s'pose.)

So my evening activities usually end about 7:30-8PM 

when my eyes begin to water and tell me to go to bed.

We do wake about 4-4:30 so I guess that's eight hours.

I've been able to do a little stitching (finally!) and reading.

If you ever run across a copy of Della T Lutes "The Country Kitchen,"

snatch it up.  It is one of the funniest books I've read in some time.

She does share methods about the foods they prepared and ate,

but she has a knack for telling of the accounts in such a way

that has humored both Mr. LB and me.

When you laugh out loud while reading a book,

you know it's funny.

And right next to my book and glasses is a big hoop

with the quilt I'm quilting on.

This is the one on the hoop.

I told myself I had to quilt 2 quilts before I could start another. 

Did I listen to me?

Nooooo. . . 

Go ahead and roll your eyes at me.

I know.  Bad, bad, me.

I couldn't help myself.

Those Singers are like sea nymphs calling, luring me to stitch. 

I have yet to sew a whole quilt on Birdy.

I don't think you've met Birdy yet.

Here, let me introduce you.

She is a 1940 Singer Featherweight - my youngest Singer.

That's how she got her name.

Isn't she beautiful?

She was a gift from Hubby, and I love her.

(And him too by the way:-).

And go ahead and listen to that.

You can't hear anything can you?

That's one of the things I love about her.

She is soooo quiet and stitches like a dream.

I've only made a few blocks,

but I can't express how much good it did my soul.

I'm replicating a vintage pattern.

I kinda do my own thing so I have measurements like

2 1/8" x a generous 3 3/4".

It really doesn't matter as long as it's consistent.

It's just like cooking "a skosh more" or "just a smidgeon."

Heehee~

The Christmas decorations are gathered and ready to go back into the tote.

The tree will soon be out of the house.

I didn't do a ton this year.

More and more, I am finding that less really is more.

Not just in decorations, but in general.

Before Christmas, I finally went through a box of photos

from my friends who passed in '15 & '16.

I got all that I'm keeping into a very thick album,

sent some to their one living relative, those I thought she might want.

And the rest went into the burn pile.

There were lots of pictures of flowers etc. among the family pictures

so going through them took time.

I think we all have these projects.

I have a tote out in the garage that is full of photos

from when the kids were little.

Once the tree is out of the house, and I haul the Christmas tote out,

I will bring it in and begin going through them.

For some reason, I am feeling the need to get down to those things

that matter in the long run.

I still have a constant donation box though these days

it's slower to fill than it once was.

I still like to call it "editing."

I think I've mentioned that long ago when we were considering down-sizing.

I'm not sure we will ever go much smaller,

but I sure don't mind an empty shelf here or there.

And open space is refreshing.

Speaking of refreshing,

it's about that time~

A fresh new year.

Have you chosen a word of the year yet?

I've done this for several years now.

My 2020 word was "Grace."

God somehow knows what we need, doesn't He?

My word for 2021 is going to be "Flourish."

We don't know what lies ahead, 

but I hope whatever the year brings that I might find a way to flourish.

And for the new year, 

I'd like to wish every one of you a year filled to the brim with blessings.

Until next time~

An Explanation and A Little Excitement

I had this post nearly ready when life happened.

Thank you all for your patience, prayers, and kindness 

while our family dealt with my dad being sent to another city 

where he underwent two major surgeries in 5 days.

He was in the hospital for 17 days (? I think)

and was allowed only 1 visit from my mom 1 day before his second surgery.

He had never spent the night in a hospital in his life.

He has been healthy all his life.

This was so difficult for all of us who should have been there with him.

He was scared and knew nobody or nothing around him

and wasn't even allowed to have his shaving kit.

I just got to go get him and bring him home today.  

One of the first things Mom did was take the clippers to him

so he can shave later.

We are so relieved to have him home.

Again thank you.

And now the real post.

As many of you are aware, 

we moved about a year and a half ago.

It doesn't seem like it's been that long.

I s'pose that means I'm getting old.

Source

About the time of our move, I put my Etsy shoppe on vacation mode.

A few months after moving, we had a huge yard sale.

We down-sized by about 40%.

I know I've shared that before,

but in doing so, I parted with a lot of vintage items.

I've spent a good part of my 29 years on this earth

(wink wink, gasp, cough - heehee)

attracting vintage items into my life.

Parting with some items has been difficult for me.

That probably sounds silly to some of you.

Anyways, we hope to one day downsize a little more.

Not quite as drastically as another 40%,

but continue to part with the excess.

Hubby and I each have our own areas of collectorism.

Yep, had to make up another word just for y'all.

It seems a little easier for me to part with things little by little.

Source

Also, I finally have my sewing all in one room

which makes knowing what I have and have to do a bit more manageable.

Oh the UFOs I have discovered!

(un-finished objects) 

Up the mountain, I had shelves in the house

and totes on big shelves out in the shop, 

so I was constantly looking for things.

I am working to decrease my stash and have made some progress.

It's slow, but moving in the right direction.

Source

(It's all up to God.)

And the last piece to all of this is: I have a goal.

And like so many lofty goals, it requires an investment.

I have recently begun a "Happy" fund.

It's really a savings.

I am saving to try to reach my goal - yay!

With that, I have decided to reopen my Etsy shoppe.

I am trying to figure out the best place for picture taking

at the new place and am not quite satisfied with the quality

(or lack there of) of photos I've taken.

As I get at least acceptable photos and appropriate packaging for mailing,

I am listing items both vintage and made by me.

I can't believe how the availability of normal mailing supplies

has been altered in recent months - nutty!

I've already made a couple sales - Wahoo!

And I have several listings in draft waiting for pictures

which haven't happened in the past 2 weeks.

Hopefully, things are calming down now

and I will be adding a couple quilts, bonnets, and vintage items

in the next few days.

If you would like to doddle on over and take a peek,

I am ever grateful.

If you have any questions about any of the items,

please feel free to contact me.

I don't mind questions at all and will do my best 

to answer them quickly and accurately.

So that's my "Little Excitement."

It's a fun outlet for me.

In the upcoming weeks, I am hoping to share

"A Big Excitement."

Well, at least for li'l ol' me.

And lastly, the photos above are of an old ghost town not far

from where I grew up.

Pantry Stocking on a Budget

Right out the gate, I will ask your forgiveness 

as I might get a little overzealous about the pantry.

I think a well stocked pantry is a thing of beauty.

(My Pantry)

We've all seen or at very least heard about

the recent "shortages" in stores due to panic shopping.

We had no such panic at our house,

but there might have been a little grumpiness 

when I couldn't find a bag of spuds,

not realizing that folks were going nuts.

I told hubby, it was actually a sad state.

Most people eat out and are away from home most of the day.

Home has become little more than a parking spot

and place to shower and sleep.

Upon hearing the news that they might have to stay home

for two straight weeks,

with no knowledge of what would be required,

they went shopping.

I've heard of some folks buying things based on expiration date,

some buying what was left on the shelf,

some filling a cart, and so forth.

None of these are sensible ways to stock a pantry.

There are a number of ways to sensibly go about it,

and I will offer some of those methods here.

Take as much or as little of the information as you like.

The very first thing to know is what you need.

Make a list of the things you use.

I find it helpful to categorize the items:

food, hygiene, pet supplies, auto, etc.
This is much like the departments in a store,
but it will be within your own home.

(Source) 
(I wouldn't be able to handle the disarray of this one;-))

Next, is to know about how much of each given item you need.

Yes, here is where the mountains of TP in the garage

makes the perfect example.

I understand not wanting to run out so in some ways

I don't blame the folks who "stocked up."

But the other side of that coin is "C'mon. Really?"

If you don't know how much of a product you use,

simply date it when you open or purchase it.

When you use the last of it, you will know that you use that amount

of that product in the time that has lapsed since opening it.
For things like canned goods, just date and number.
6/1/20 1/6 on the first can of the 6 cans of green beans purchased,
date and 2/6 on the second can, 3/6 on the third...
At the end of the week or month, you will know how many cans
were used in that time period.
Simply multiply that times 52 if weeks or 12 if months.
I know we go through about 40 jars of green beans per year
so I can plan accordingly.  

I try to have an idea of how much I use by year.

Some things are seasonal so really only get used a few months

out of the year, but I've found that "per year" works for me.

This also enables me to look for those items towards the end of the season

when they are more apt to be on sale.

(Source)

The next piece of information necessary is a price.

This is something that can change of course,

but having a general idea of what is reasonable

will aid in budgeting.

And the final 2 pieces are:

 how much of each is already in the pantry?

and

what is my budget amount per month?

That last question is one that many might not know.

Much like how much TP is used in a week or month,

some folks don't track their spending.

Now is always a great time to start.

If you don't know how much you spend each month,

choose an amount you think is reasonable for your household.

Don't get too stuck on it at the moment.

There won't be a test, and you won't be graded.

It's almost as though folks don't want to try,

because they don't want to fail.

Learning is not failing~

it's a series of trials and errors and figuring out what works best

in any given situation.

What's best for me probably isn't best for you

and vice-versa.

Go easy on yourself and be okay with it being

a work in progress.

It's fun to see how it develops.

(Source)  Wow!

With the above knowledge,

we can begin to really put it together.

As you begin to look at what you have and what you need,
you will begin to see patterns.
You will make realizations.
And you will know what you need.
But for starters, if you've never stocked a pantry
and have a minimal supply,
the first thing to do is make a shopping list
for one week.
Try to think of what you will need for each day.
Consider what you have on hand
and what additional items will be needed.
Just as an example, let's use a budget of $500/mo.
That makes it $125 per week for groceries.
When you go shopping, if you only spend $100,
you have $25 left.
With that $25, you can begin "stocking up."
If there is a sale on something you use often,
you can purchase extra of those things.
If there is no great sale,
you might choose to buy an extra of a couple of the items
you are already buying,
or you might choose to keep it for the next week
and watch for sales.
One other thing to keep in mind is that 
most items are cheaper when purchased in bulk.
If you don't spend all of your weekly funds,
you might look into purchasing a larger quantity
of often used items.
By doing so, over time and without a shock to the budget,
you will create a store of items you use.
A bulk example:
We actually purchase a whole grass fed beef each year.
We pay roughly $3/lb. (varies slightly by year.)
That's a reasonable price for hamburger, but we get steaks
and roasts and all for that same price.
That is a considerable savings over store prices.

(My Pantry - pints two high)
Once your store is created, you will want to make sure 
you rotate things to keep the oldest up front.
In my pantry, I have foods stored 3 deep which makes it 
pretty easy to pull the oldest to the front and put fresh behind.
My shelves are 11.5" deep and 10" space between them.
This also works nicely to stack cans (or pint jars) two high.
I don't like to stack things more than 2 high 
with the exception of tomato sauce.
I am just clumsy enough to cause an avalanche.
This is another area that requires pantries to be personal.
We each have a different space to use for storage within our homes.
The space I have now, I actually love
due to the fact that it's better than what I've had in the past.
But it is also behind the refrigerator, so it can be warm in there.
That's not ideal since I can't keep things like spuds or squash
or other fresh veggies in there, but I am still appreciative of the space.

You will find the same method for such items as
oil, filters, and fluids for the car, or
laundry supplies, deodorant, and toothpaste for hygiene.
Just start with your "auto" budget per month
or your hygiene budget per month.

It doesn't happen all at once.
It's something that takes a little time to do wisely,
but you will have the peace of mind knowing you'll be okay
if something unforeseen presents itself.
If there is something I've completely missed,
or if you have a question,
give me a jingle - down in the comments.
If you have a tip that you find helpful,
go ahead and let us know in the comments.
I actually like when y'all offer input -
makes it all so much friendlier:-)

Also, I am working on a post in response to the questions posed
in this post.
 I've not forgotten, just need to have things in order
so that they can actually be of some help - hopefully:-)

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.