Friday, October 10, 2014

More October Bliss

 I've been just the right amount of busy lately.  We've had our family around, friends here, I've been to school to help in the library, and I've met friends for lunch.  I like it.  
The neighborhood is looking very fall-ish with flowers hanging on until the first freeze. The roses look dazzling next to the falling leaves and twiggy branches.  The vibrant roses here were in a garden with nothing else.  Survivors.

 I've been wearing posies.  My friend Heather from Blackberry Rambles sells these cozy brooches in her Etsy shop.  Pop over! She's a pastor's wife, a mother of four, and a Scottish fan/enthusiast.  She home schools and Susan Branch featured her Beatrix Potter unit a year or so ago. That's how I "met" Heather.  She's really a star.  Her blog is on my blog roll.

I asked the UPS driver if she loved this time of year, driving around in her truck, along tree-lined streets and down winding roads.  She looked at me a bit funny, probably because she's always rushed and tired from climbing in and out of the big brown truck.  Yikes.



 Thank you for your concern about wiggle-puss James!  He's taking the bottle and eating his baby food!  Cheers!

 This time of year I lean closer to some of my beloved literature.  Beatrix (I really like reading ABOUT her) and The Wind in the Willows.  Remember when we sent the book and the three (Ratty, Mole, and Mr. Toad) around the world?  Wasn't that fun?  Badger is in the envelope on top, waiting for his turn.  Mags and I decided that a home tour around the world, blessing friends with warm thoughts of home, would be a good reason to launch Badger out into the world of blog.  Would you want to host him?  Take photos of him by your brooms and brushes?  Allow him to help you polish your brasses or rearrange your copper pots?  Let me know.

 Have you read the shoe books?  I re-read them often.  I put my little toe shoes and my beat up tappers next to them.  My toe dancing stint was short lived.  I'll never forget how fun it was to drive to Seattle with a friend(and our mothers), try on our slippers stuffed with lamb's wool, and purchase our magic shoes.  We tried to be real ballerinas, but our feet hurt.  I'm so glad I still have my tiny satin reminders.

 I'm really not festooning the house with autumn garb.  I do have a few seasonal features sitting around.  I found the owl glassware at the grocery store.  Hoot!

 Coffee and tea taste even better this time of year.  Kelli gave me this lovely beaker (I learned that word from Hyacinth Bucket). 

 There have been some Octobers in my life as a homemaker when I have gained a few pounds due to my love of "fun-size" Halloween candy.  I have given up Snickers bars forever because I now believe I cannot eat nuts, but Milky Ways are delicious and so are Reese's Peanut Butter Cups!  I'm not quite the pig I used to be, so that's progress.
 Today I decided to recklessly buy Clementines.  It's almost the holiday season.  They might be good just now.  Guess what? THEY ARE!
My friend Mouse from Fat Dormouse Getting Thinner sent me a Rumer Godden book for my birthday!  It's a children's book titled The Diddakoi.  I've read a few pages. Yes.  Delicious.  Thank you, Mouse!
My friend MK painted the card. Nice, huh?

I'm trying very hard to be more faithful to those I love, the ones God has placed in my heart.  I used to be rather careless about returning phone calls, writing thank you notes, and initiating get-togethers when it was obviously my turn.  I excused myself, thinking that having four kids, a busy husband, and a lean toward disorganization made it HARDER for me than other people.  Hmmm.  When I was teaching, I was tired and overstimulated at the end of the day.  I used my reserves to spend time with family, but I didn't have the verve to initiate with friends.  Many of my friends forgave me for this.  I'm grateful.  Now, I feel compelled to respond quickly to emails, texts, letters, gifts, and any sort of favor I might have with other humans.  Even if other people don't respond on a regular basis, if I feel like they might be one of my peeps, I'm going to generously initiate when I can.  I'm not going to grow bitter if I'm doing all the work.  I love them.  I'm going to act on it.  What do you think?

I have two new pairs of stretchy waistband pants because I believe very firmly what our Kelli said she found to be true.  If our pants are tight around the waist, we tend to be grouchy.  Yoga pants (baggy ones) and baggy knit pants of other sorts are real friends.  Ha! This really is the season of comfort and I realize it's nice to dress a little formally sometimes if it means that others might feel honored and respected.  I'm willing to do that for them.  Even so, stretchy pant days are very good days. Just saying.
Thank you for reading this far, you sweetie pie you!
God be with you.

20 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

when it turns to colder weather, i live in sweats. :)

love your autumn colors! poor UPS driver just misses the beauty...

Kezzie said...

Awww, I love this post! The Wind in the Willows sounds a great idea! I love the Noel Streatfield books too! I've slowly acquired more and more of them over the years- I like the Gemma and sisters one too as well as A Vicarage Family which is my favourite! White Boots is fab too!x

Gumbo Lily said...

I'm glad Sweet Baby James is gobbling his food and milk. I like chocolate too, but I can't eat very much of it. I'm preferring dark chocolate now, but I'm taking a break from it for a while. Poor UPS driver, wouldn't it be more fun to enjoy the fall colors than just hurry scurry everywhere?

Julia said...

Lots of great books on your shelf and lots of pretty fall colors to delight in.

Wearing stretching pants is especially good to wear for Thanksgiving dinner. The waist band always expands some,lol.

Hugs,
JB

Farm Girl said...

I always love your heart. I love what you see and I love what you think about. It always prompts me to think deeper.
I think sometimes I am a very just the top layer kind of thinker. I always like it when you challenge me to go deeper. What a lovely fall day. I am so glad you had a nice week. I wish you lots of blessings this weekend. Yay for James! I am so glad the bottle and food is working. Hugs from me to you!

Lisa Richards said...

I hope you planted an idea in the UPS lady's heart. To try to enjoy the drive. It probably takes a lot of concentration just to find all of those addresses!
Before I forget, please put me on the list to host Badger!! Woo hoo!
You've whetted my appetite for all things BP! Perhaps I'll look through some books and/or watch Miss Potter. :)
I look forward to visiting Heather's blog. Maybe I'll find something in her Etsy shop. We bloggers need to support each other, after all.
I think back when you worked and had a family to care for you were probably justified in not doing a lot of outside activities with friends. There's just so much energy to go around. I'm glad you now have more time for that sort of thing. Enjoy! (Don't wear yourself out!) :)
I have a bag of fun-size Snickers just in case I have some Halloweeners. They're rare at my house.
Yay stretchy pants!! :D

Thistle Cove Farm said...

The right amount of busy sounds like a happy place...good for you, Karen! If the 3 Amigos want to visit here, I'd love to have them visit. Maybe I could send Zeb Kitten (formerly known as Tigger...that just wasn't his name) to the next folks, eh?
Just kidding!
I do understand what you mean about keeping up with friends but I also know from experience, if it's a one way street, it becomes old quickly. I mean, why put your time into people when they don't seem to care? There are so many people who will respond because they want or need that human touch.
I keep up with people who keep up with me; if they don't want to, I heed their hint and move away. If they come back at some time in the future, that's good but at this, my sunset stage of life, it has to be a 2 way street.

happyone said...

What a fun newsy, happy and lovely post. : ) I enjoyed it all.
I tend not to wear sweets because then I'll eat too much. My jeans keep me from over eating. : )

GretchenJoanna said...

Pom Pom, it sounds like it really IS your turn now, to be the initiator of get-togethers, the writer of notes, etc., whereas in the past it was more your season to receive the blessings of those people who were more "on top of it." Knowing you, it probably wasn't laziness on your part. I'm happy that God has given you this season. <3

Nancy McCarroll said...

Love hearing about your days. James is smiling! The leaves are pretty. Can't believe you still haveo your dancing shoes. You are a keeper, too. In more ways than one.

Attic Clutter said...

HI POM
love the pretty Fall colors..
the flower sweater pins are
the cutest !!
I remember how we wore the silk roses and other flowers on our blouse when we were young..
so pretty, I see them in the stores I should buy some (:)
Hugs,Patty

Tessa~ Here there be musing said...

One good thing about having lived with GERD symptoms, is that no tight clothing is "allowed".

So, even though I have gone Gluten Free and Dairy Free, and have "kicked" most of my GERD issues, "to the curb"... I still stick with the view, that tight clothing is not, not, not good for me! ,-)

Tessa~
"Here there be musing" blog

Tessa~ Here there be musing said...

This is an example of a quite perfect blogging entry!

Lovely all 'round... Pretty photos... Happy words... Jolly all round, say I!!!!

Thank you!

Tessa~
"Here there be musing" blog

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

I am going to use your own words. "I like it" about this post. From the season of fall, the books and even responding back to friends in a timely manner. As we attended a funeral today many of our comments where, "we kept saying let's get together and it didn't happen"...yet each knew that life for everyone was full, yet we missed our time with our friend.

Kit said...

Such a great post! Love you're ideas on comfy pants. My thoughts exactly. That gies for bras too...LOL Is that dear little baby wearing a Denver Broncos shirt? Yay! Kit

Amy at love made my home said...

It is looking beautifully autumnal in your area isn't it. I love Wind in the Willows, all AA Milne in fact, Beatrix Potter and Noel Streatfield (the shoe books). They are all wonderful reads as a child and as an adult! I am sure that you will love your friends always and that they will love you too, that is what real friends do isn't it. xx

Anonymous said...

Aww hi toadstool sister, lovely,lovely warm post,I did enjoy :) I m with you on the stretchy pants ,tight waistbands make me so grouchy ,I try to avoid them at all costs! And have done for a long while :) I haven't yet read the shoe stories,are they the ones that Meg Ryan refers to in the film You've got mail? (One of my favourite films,I just love her little book store) I must look them up. Love Your Autumn pictures. Hope you have a great week lovely.Xxxxxx

M.K. said...

Okay, you Pom-Pom you!! You made me giggle all the way through this post. ESPECIALLY about the grouchy tight pants! (But, yes it is true!) I have many stretchy, elastic waist pants, and I love them. My favorite pair are old, ugly, vaguely pink, and are now saggy, almost below my belly :) TMI, I know!

Please, yes, PLEASE, send Badger on his way! I would LOVE to host him here in Oriental and show him the rounds.

Today I am totally rearranging my den, and am hoping to give my children's books a place of more prominence, and make the den more hospitable so I will want to go there. we'll see. I miss my children's books.

As I scrolled and read this post, It jerked my eyes awake to see my own artwork in a photo - haha! just funny :) Glad you like it. We're hoping for a beach trip this week. I want to see the ocean in October with no one around.

Regarding your ideas about being quick to respond to friends -- I have always had the very same problem. It's not that I don't love them. It's not that I don't want to be in contact. It's just that initiating that contact (or ... even initiating the response!) is hard for me. Why? I excused myself for years with "I'm an introvert. It's hard for me." Bleh. Bad excuse. I'm trying to be better. Letter-writing is very hard for me. So are phone calls. I can honestly say there's a little bit inside of me that is afraid to make the phone call. And after I do, I'm glad I did. What craziness is that? :)

Heather LeFebvre said...

OH!!!! How do we sign up for Badger??!! That sounds like SO much fun!!! LOVE the fall photos - especially the yellow with the gray sky. I think I need to be more careful driving because I'm going to have an accident if I don't stop looking at these leaves!!!!! Trying to find the balance of keeping in touch with people and my family too....very hard.

Leslie said...

I really appreciate your thoughts on initiating and cultivating your friendships. You are a in a sweet season of life and I like seeing how you are filling your days. Hugs from Texas, Long Lost Leslie

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