Learning the Old Ways

Have you ever thought about

just spending a week in history?

Or even a day for that matter?

Over the past several years, I have had a garden,

canned , made soap and lotion,

learned to spin - well...sorta,

tanned hides, and used a loom.
Some of these things were "once 'round",
but I tried them out and learned something.

Growing up on a ranch and living out of town,

we did plenty of make do or do without

which is a saying that seems to have come back into fashion.

I've put up hay,

had my arm up the south end of various critters,

fed, fattened, and butchered others,

made feeders with nothing more than scrap wood,

a few previously used nails and a skill saw. 

(no trip to the hardware store, YouTube, or lumber yard)

However,

there was/is something missing.
And so I digress~

Growing up,

we always looked forward to Grammy's 

home-canned green olives.

(Good Italian family!)

Grammy is my only grandparent left - 95yrs. young.

In talking with her a while back,

I asked her how she made her olives.

Her reply...

"Well, I just do it how Grandma did it."

Meaning her mother, my great-gma.

Of course she did.

My aunt still has the giant crocks she used for curing them.

That knowledge wasn't passed down,

because along came a generation or two

of those who found it easier to buy a can of olives and such things.
As Grammy told me the process, I took notes.

I don't think I am alone

in wanting to restore and preserve the knowledge

not only of the 'how-to'

but also the why and to what end.

Grammy said when she picked olives,

she was very careful with them and

set them in the bucket or they would bruise.

If you just drop them in you would

end up with brown spots on your olives.

That's what I'm talking about.

Those little details of life

that had meaning and reason

that were passed from one generation

to the next seamlessly without even realizing it.

I have a tendency to love talking with

let's say 'well-aged' folks.

My mom says even when I was little 

and other kids shyed away from the old,

I was right there.

Maybe this is part of the reason.

There's something I connect to,

a wisdom I crave,

and a knowledge I may never realize.

I am in a continual state of learning.

Bless my dear husband.

He is so patient as I try out a garden idea,

bring home an antique tool of some sort,

and share tid-bits of facts like

"If you pick green beans with the dew still on,
 they will get rust spots."

We found that out the first year we planted them - 

now we know why.

It would have been so much easier to

learn that from someone

before

we picked them in the early morning dew.
Multiple generations of a family used to live together or
at least within close proximity to one another (generally speaking.)
We are so distant now - in so many ways.

I'm not certain if there is a real point to all this,

or if it's just the sharing of a feeling,

but if it keeps you from picking green beans in the morning, or

encourages you to call and visit your grandma or grandpa

well then,
that is enough.
If you are a g-ma or g-pa, please share.
We need you.

PS Thanks Grams:)

Enough Time

It seems so amazing that every person we know 

can be busy all the time.

It's just how it is.

There's no time for this and no time for that.

The number one reason for not doing any given task is,

"I don't have enough time."

"There's not enough time" is a cliche in its own right.

I would like to share a little phrase that has helped me tremendously.

We always seem to have one or two larger projects and

several smaller projects going on around here.

When life throws a monkey wrench in the works,

it can get a little interesting, exciting, let's be honest - chaotic.

I know we are no different than many others as far as this goes.

It can get more than a little overwhelming for someone (me)

who likes order.

The phrase I learned?

"I have just enough time to. . . "

That's it.

It turns your brain around.

The brain is amazing.

It will jump ahead and fill in the blank.

So if you are thinking, "I don't have time to. . .,"

your brain will barrage you with the never-ending list of huge tasks

that take long hours to complete.

Likewise, if you say, "I have just enough time to. . .,"

your brain will also fill in the blank.

I have just enough time to  - get the coffee ready for morning,

just enough time to fold the towels,

just enough time to read my daily devotional,

just enough time to bring in some wood for later.

Whatever it is, it helps.

It's one more thing done or moment spent in a valuable way.

All those little 2-3 minute tasks make a huge difference

in the functionality of the home.

                             

And one more thing about it~

I typically work well off a list, but sometimes 

the bigger efforts are difficult to break down into a doable sequence.

This little phrase seems to help in that area as well.

I have just enough time to - measure that board,

time to gather the tools/supplies, etc

Good job brain!

(I need to encourage the poor little thing so it won't quit on me.)

Maybe give it a try and see what you think.

Gift Idea for Next to Nothing

I guess sometimes I get a little

Hmmmm...

not sure what word to use,

but let's just say not very merry

when I hear children wanting lists of

very big expensive items for Christmas.

The sad part is that often times

they don't know about some

smaller items that can bring

possibly even more fun

if the grown-ups would spend time

teaching them how to enjoy simple things.

So,

all that said,

over the next month-ish

I will be posting some very

inexpensive gift ideas

for young and young at heart.

Today's Featured Toy~

Wooden Pick-up Sticks

There are only a few items needed

to make these:

25 Wooden Skewers

Food Coloring with a smidgen of Vinegar

(blue, green, yellow, & red,)

Black Permanent Marker

These are the longer ones, but I found them at

the thrift store for 89 cents.  Pick-up sticks

are only about 7 inches long so I just used

a pair of angle cutters to shorten these.

At the store, there are shorter ones available.

If you think the points are a little too sharp,

just use a pair of fingernail clippers to nip the ends.

Then, with just enough vinegar to make enough dye

to cover the sticks,

mix several drops of food coloring and vinegar

and roll sticks in it.

You should have 6 of each color.

I did this on a long serving plate,

then set them on news paper to dry.

I didn't use gloves so my fingers looked like Easter eggs,

but after doing up some dishes,

you can hardly tell:)

The last one is the pointer.

Using the permanent marker, color it black.

I used a rubber-band then

tied them with red jute and a little points tag.

Believe it or not,

until just a couple years ago,

Mr. LB had never played pick-up sticks.

The kids and I taught him how.

He was pretty good at it.

We talked, laughed, and tormented for over an hour.

Family time is a real gift. 

In case you too have never played:

Keep the black stick out (this is the pick up stick.)

Hold the others together &

let them fall in 'a pile' on a table or flat surface.

Usually, the youngest player starts & play

moves to the left.

The player uses the black stick to try to pick-up

another stick without moving any others in the pile

(so only the targeted stick should move.)

If any other sticks move, play goes to the next person.

If the stick is moved away from the others successfully,

then that player gets another turn.

When all the sticks are picked up,

add up the points as follows:

Yellow 10

Red 25

Green 40

Blue 50

The player with the most point wins.

Until next time,

Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches

Simpler Times

The other evening as my husband and I were sitting in the living room, I commented, "I so like our picture."  This was in reference to a large picture we purchased at a yard sale this summer that now hangs on our main wall in the living room.  It is from the 1700's and has sheep, a wagon, thatched roofs, etc.  His response was, "Me too.  It reminds me of a simpler time."  Those words have stayed with me.  Autumn is usually my favorite time of year and for some reason, this year my heart feels a little heavy.  There are always a multitude of factors of course, but I have been thinking about a simpler time.  I finished my Civil War table runner this morning.  I showed you the beginnings here a very long time ago.  Well, I sat this morning and finished it.  I hand quilted it with two strands of quilting thread.  This was the project I would tote around and more than once, my mom asked, "Do you always use two strands?"  "Nope."  I also made the stitches bigger, which was a bit of a task for me.  My natural gauge is much smaller.

Here is a little better shot of it.  I enjoyed making it even though I did several other projects while this one was in the works.  I have been in the 'finish it all up mode' for the past few days.  - Better take advantage of it as I'm sure it won't stick around long, and I will want to start something new.-  I will probably be putting it in my etsy shop.  Just finished it, so it may or may not get in there today.  The real question is, "Do you know what that is it's draped over?"

It's a pie caddy.  I like to play with lumber and power tools as well as fabric and scissors:)  I made one for my mom, and she keeps part of her rolling pin collection in it until she needs it.  I made one for myself and love it.  Our neighbors have a pie party every December for the neighborhood.  It works great.  The handle makes it easy to hang onto - so no spills.  I put this one in my etsy shop, and it has had no views.  It may be that nobody is interested, or it may be that they just don't know what it is.  The only other one I have ever seen was an antique - for way back when they used to have pie socials - you know, a simpler time.  I also made a batch of apple butter.  The apples from one tree in particular are smaller, but are sooo delicious.  I watch that tree year around.  Does anybody think about things like that any more?  We were without power this morning, and I just relished in the peace.  Peace, a sound we don't hear much about.  I am finding myself reaching back in time and connecting with the past and with nature.  The leaves falling, the smell of apple butter simmering in the crock pot, and the quiet of needle and thread;  it touches my heart and lifts it up just a little.  The chipmunks are scampering to and fro and chattering up a storm, and it makes me smile.  I am surrounded by blessings and am thankful for each and every one from the caterpillar crawling up the tree to the roof over our heads, and especially for those who came before me and made apple butter, carried a pie caddy, and worked a needle.  They inspire me.

Until next time,

Nimble Fingers and Even Stitches