Just 3 Things | #28

This week has found me out of sorts. I've been gimping around for a while. I discovered that somehow I have developed Achilles Tendonitis and I'm not just old, decrepit, and worn out. When I noticed that I had developed a big lump on the back of my ankle, I went to our local Bone and Joint Institute. Honestly, I thought I'd be told that this was just a by-product of aging, learn to live with it, perform some stretches and exercises, and have a nice day. So, when that wasn't the conversation I had with the physician's assistant, I was a bit surprised. Then, when I returned for my follow up visit this past week and had not progressed toward wellness much, he fitted me with a boot. He told me to wear it if I was going to do much walking at all - like more steps than from my bed to the closest bathroom. Boy! I was shocked. I was also sort of depressed, after all, who wants to be told to stay off your feet or to have to wear that uncomfortable, bundle-some, unattractive boot? We all like to loll around from time to time but nobody wants to be forced into inactivity. So, I've been trying to follow instructions and keep my foot propped up, ice my ankle several times per day, and perform the exercises as instructed by the physical therapist I was sent to see. 

- What I've Been Loving -

I've done a bit of house loving this week. Things around here have been tidy for the most part and that always makes loving where we live easier doesn't it? For the past couple of years I've been working to get every space around here organized and I also think that makes a big difference when it comes to house loving. That old saying, "a space for everything and everything in its space" really does ring true to me. When we revamped our primary bathroom, I did a major cleanout and invested in clear storage bins to help me corral the clutter that happens in bathroom vanities and closets. I did the same thing in the kitchen when we revamped it a couple of years ago. As we are 'reclaiming' the basement, I'm trying to apply the same principals. So, this week, while I was trying to give my ankle a rest, it was nice to have a tidy space where I could really feel at peace and not see fifty-eleven-hundred things that needed doing. It is nice to have a bedroom with lots of windows that let in the sunlight and provide pastural views. It is nice to have a comfy chair with a stool to prop my feet upon and a retired lifestyle that allows for self-care.

We really are blessed to have a beautiful place to live. The farm is usually pretty peaceful and we have plenty of privacy and places to decompress and rejuvenate. Yes, there is a lot of responsibility in caring for a farm and all that comes with it but, somehow, most days it seems like a privilege and not a burden. Yes, we still grumble from time to time when limbs are blown from the trees or a fence needs repair, but we generally do look at having the opportunity to care for this place is a blessing. 

So, this week while I was tasked with sitting around and propping my sore ankle up onto an ice pack and not free to putter around or dig in and clean out a space that needs organizing and clearing out, I've really been loving and appreciating our house and the fellow who steps up to help keep it tidy and comfortable.

- What I've Been Reading -

The good thing about forced restfulness is that it provides plenty of time to read! Here's a few books that I've had my nose in:

Upstairs at the White House

The author was chief usher at the White House for nearly three decades. Imagine what he must have seen! He tells some of it in these pages. His experiences range from time with behind the scenes looks during six presidential administrations - from Franklin D. Roosevelt to Richard M. Nixon. I truly enjoyed the inside look and would give it four out of five stars!

The Summer Guests

An unusual group of folks are gathered together in one place when the threat of a hurricane forces the evacuation of people and animals to a farm. Everyone seems to learn what is really important in life during the week of riding out the storm. To me it was sort of a look at how the wealthy might hunker down somewhere with friends when a hurricane threatens. I enjoyed it but it made me wonder what the story might be like for those less fortunate. I'd give it three out of five stars. 

The Forget-Me-Not Libraary

"A detour. A chance encounter. Two women who alter the pages of each other's story." I really enjoyed how the stories unfolded bit by bit throughout the book. It was a light read that I enjoyed enough to give it four out of five stars.

Miss Daisy Celebrates Tennessee

This is one left behind by my mother-in-law. When I pulled it out there were sticky spots on the cover and I had to wipe it down before I could even stand to hold it and read through it! I think that tells just what a wonderful treasure this cookbook is! I remember when Miss Daisy's Tea Room opened in Carter's Court in my hometown back in 1974. It was the perfect place for ladies-who-lunch, you know, those times for meeting for lunch, drinking iced fruit tea, sharing a casserole and salad, and dishing up all the news that is news. Inspiration for this cookbook came after she toured the state and decided to work with her co-authors to relate Tennessee's history through regional recipes, customs, and stories. If I ever wrote a cookbook, this is the kind of book I would hope it turned out to be - one that shares stories and information as well as a guide for really good food. It will take me a while to work through this one again but it will be worth every minute I have my nose between the pages. Of course, it earns a five star rating from me!

An Affair with a House

I go back to this one time and time again and am thankful to have it in my own library of hardback books. I love how Bunny Williams really does describe her pleasures and challenges to creating a country retreat from the world. I think my favorite thing is that she tells that an ancestor gave her the same advice that my grandmother gave me about buying a rug. She said, "Get one to match the dirt outside." I remembered that when we revamped the bedroom and told the guy working on it to get grout that is the color of dirt!  Of course, since it is one I revisit often, I give it a five star rating!

Just sittin' round provides lots of time to have my face in a book!

- What I've Been Working On -

As you can imagine, I haven't been doing a lot of work on much of anything that I usually find time to work on. I don't like wearing the compression boot. So, I have chosen to stay off my feet as much as possible. There are some things that can be done while just sitting around, though. I've been doing a bit more of my volunteer work for the local cemetery. There is a meeting on the horizon for the membership of the Cemetery Association (folks who own a lot or have loved ones buried there). So, I've designed and ordered postcards to send out to members, made address labels and attached those to the postcards, and sent those off via postal service. I've participated in a virtual meeting with the Association Board of Trustees and mapped out an agenda for the membership meeting and handled communication regarding those two meetings. Before volunteering for this group, I had no idea of all the things that go on behind the scenes! 

Who knew there was a guy who met with the guys who install headstones? Who knew there was a guy who filed the association's tax return? Who knew there was a guy who called a tree surgeon when a windstorm blue a tree limb down in a cemetery? Who knew there was a guy who picks up the flowers that get blown around and scattered across the cemetery after a spring storm? Who knew that when someone inherits a cemetery lot from their parents they call a guy to get more information? Who knew that when a high school student wants to do volunteer hours picking up and cleaning up at a cemetery they would need a guy to sign off on their volunteer paperwork so their scholarship could be validated? Those things and more happen behind the scenes so that when passers by look across the field thy see orderliness and when bereaved friends and family show up for a funeral they don't trip over limbs and debris. So, this week I have been doing volunteer secretarial duties and answering the phone for the Cemetery Manager (better known around here as The Mister!)

When I went to physical therapy yesterday the therapist started off our hour by asking me had I been wearing the boot like I should be. Then, she looked absolutely shocked when I quickly responded, "No!" Her face was in such a state that her coworkers and I all immediately laughed. I let her know that I'm not going to lie about it but I would try to do better. As she ran me through my paces during our session and watched me perform the tasks outlined, she chuckled a couple of times, though. I had not been performing one of the exercises correctly and confessed to it. Then, I also told her that another exercise caused me to watch the timer closely because I could really feel it working on me and stretching in ways I had not felt before and she laughed and told me that I was probably one of the most honest patients she had ever worked with. I think it was a pretty good session for both of us! 

I hope your weekend is full of smiles and chuckles and you get the chance to rejuvenate and be ready to face next week with a smile on your face - and I hope any boots you have to wear are for doing a boot scootin' boogie!

Today I noticed...Good Things

Last night as I was scrolling, one of those blurbs of wisdom that often pop up caught my attention and I paused.

I paused and read it again.

Then, I made a mental note.

So, today I'm only looking for good things.

Wise Words | #2

I saw the quote below and smiled and shook my head in agreement. Sometimes we all need that reminder that we are not going to get what we want or need by sitting on our wishes and dreams. 

Sometimes we chase something because we know where it will lead. Other times we chase something and wind up being completely surprised altogether. There is experience and learning in the journey of the chase and sometimes there is also a reward at the end of a particular chase. Generally, there are also consequences as a result of the chase and sometimes that chase does not end up with the reward we desire. 

A few days after seeing the quote above, I saw it posted and there was a follow up. It was also somewhat profound, so I decided to share it as well!

May the choices you make this week lead toward the life you truly dream of!

Just 3 Things | #27

Boy! It's been a week! A cousin of the Mister's came to visit us this week and we all sat around the table chatting for a couple of hours. It was so good to catch up and just 'chew the fat' as they say. We also spent a little time at a ball field watching our youngest grand do her thing. She was a shining star in our opinion. (Of course, they always are, aren't they?) The big thing is that she got the game ball. I don't know if it was because she made a double play or because she was a big hitter but I do know that we were clapping and cheering from the fence and the excitement for us was much like it must have been for her in the photo below where she is holding that game ball!

The Treasured Game Ball

Time spent with family is always something precious. Then, another day this week we went to the insurance office to discuss some updates. There have been changes made in laws and changes in our community regarding property value. So, we spent a couple of hours sorting through all of that. The pesky birds worked through the netting that the Mister has zip-tied to the truck and he had to make some jerry-rigged updates there. I also added some reflective ribbon to the mirrors and radio antenna. We are not giving up the fight!

- What I've Been Reading -

One of the ways I volunteer in an effort to give back to the community in which I live is that I serve as the secretary of the local, non-profit perpetual care cemetery. It started as family cemetery and grew to be a little country cemetery that provided a final resting place for folks who lived nearby. 

The historical marker that is located at the cemetery.

The list of folks on that marker includes a few of the Mister's relatives. So, when his father died, he promised that he would serve on the Cemetery Association and look after what his forefathers had begun. Then, last year, the fellow who had been serving as manager passed away and Mike decided that he was being called to step into the job. Now, a portion of his days will find him answering calls from relatives of loved ones buried there, or calls from folks who are wanting to purchase a final resting place, and sometimes calls for other various reasons. His duties include overseeing that the grass gets shorn, that the grave digger knows where to dig, that monument companies place grave markers in the proper spot, that fallen tree limbs are cleared away, that there are no fire ants setting up residence, and that sort of thing. His job is one of making certain that the landscape there stays presentable and welcoming to those who visit and maintaining a list of owners and 'residents' of the cemetery. 

My volunteer efforts support his works and are to help maintain the documents of those who have purchased ownership, to keep a record of meetings held by the Cemetery Association Board of Trustees, and to record information about those who are buried there. When I volunteered to serve as the secretary and keep the records, I thought it would present tasks that needed to be undertaken sporadically. However, I soon learned that the records were an amalgamation of notebooks and loose papers documenting the information. There were some digital records but far more hard copy records than digital. So, with today's world, I decided to maintain the organization that was begun years ago in regard to the paper documents and to scan and upload a copy that would also live and could be accessed in the cloud. 

This means that I have loads and loads and loads of pages that I have been reading, deciphering, and organizing. The tasks have sort of taken on a life of their own. I have learned an immense amount of information about the folks who are my neighbors and their relatives. The Mister has helped me to make connections and learn more about the history and original homeplaces of people in our community. It has truly been a blessing to me as I navigate and organize all this information. Together, we have learned so much about people, the cemetery, and our community. We have also learned an immense amount about people and their values. So, this past week I have been reading cemetery deeds and certificates of ownership. I've been scouring through spreadsheets and linking uploaded documents. I've been searching online and finding current addresses and contact information. What started as a curiosity about a year and a half ago has become a true pursuit. The spreadsheet that has garnered the most of my attention this week is a mailing list that I am preparing so that I can notify family members and owners of lots that there will be a public meeting for the Cemetery Association Board of Trustees to share all the news about what has been impacting the cemetery in our little town. This has not been leisurely reading to say the least!

- What I've Been Watching -

We've been getting our money's worth out of older series lately and getting our money's worth out of our Amazon Prime membership. Mike found the series Unforgettable last week. Poppy Montgomery plays the role of a NYPD detective who has a special ability to remember everything. I didn't realize it but there really is such a rare condition. This article is an interview with Marilu Henner who is one of the few people who has it. And here I am, I walk into a room and cannot even recall what my reason for going in there might be!

- What I've Been Working On -

I have been working on 'practice projects' with my new sewing machine. I've embroidered a tea towel for myself as I was testing out different hoops that I have to go with the machine. I've learned that placing the item in the hoop is the most difficult and frustrating part of any project. I followed a recommendation to try a magnetic hoop and the machine went wonky on me. I was afraid I had messed something up but when I tried a non magnetic hoop, it worked fine. So, now I'm not sure if the reason the magnetic hoop didn't work is because it is larger than my 5x7" hoop or because of the magnetic-ness of it. I'm debating on trying a smaller size magnetic hoop because that makes keeping things straight, centered, and taught so very much easier. Of course, the hoop is a bit pricey for me to just order it without putting some thought into it. Do I want to spend that much on a hobby? 

I am just enamored with how beautiful the embroidery stitching is with this machine and I love the finished products even with some of the mistakes I'm making when I am nit-picking at my expertise. Now, that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a beautiful piece of hand-stitched work by any means. It just means that I like them both!

I hope we get some rain this weekend even though I have been enjoying these warm, sunny days. Of course, the Mister has said if it rains he wants to go to a cattle sale. Maybe I should hope for sunshine in order to protect our pocketbook...

Organizing Machine Embroidery Supplies

There is nothing I like better than to be organized. Since I knew going in that my new sewing/embroidering hobby and sewing machine would have plenty of accessories and supplies, I was a bit proactive and began looking for ways that other folks had organized their supplies. I also just searched online for different ideas using key terms. Here is where I have landed...for now.

When I got the sewing/embroidery machine, I also grabbed up several spools of pre-wound bobbin thread. They were dropped into a shopping bag and rolled around loose in there for several days. I knew that I would be ordering more of these but I needed a way to keep the ones I already have organized. Plus, I will probably be winding different thread colors onto bobbins for sewing projects where I want the top and bottom threads to be the same. So, I searched, clicked, and added a nice little clear storage box to my virtual shopping cart right away.

Bobbin Spool Box

The first thing I knew that could get out of hand is a thread supply. When I purchased my machine, I also bought a small starter kit of embroidery thread. My initial thought is get just the basics - sort of like a basic box of crayons - primary and simple secondary colors. (I wish my grade school art teachers knew that such a thing had stuck with me!) Those ten spools were just dumped into a plastic bag. I also ordered a starter kit box of different thread colors. The starter kit seems to have all of the colors that are used for projects in the manual and the designs that are pre-programmed into the machine. They came in a nice box and were packed efficiently. However, I knew that I would want to be able to see the colors clearly and read the assigned numbers easily. So, this box would not work as a storage organizer.

 

Embroidery Machine Thread Kit

When I got home and began my first practice project, I knew I had to get something to corral the thread right away! In my search, I had noticed that there were some handy clips that would help prevent the unravelling of the spool and tails of thread trailing around everywhere. So, I added those to my virtual shopping cart. They sort of remind me of slap bracelets that were fun for kids to wrap around their wrists. They are made of silicone and just hug the spool to hold the thread in place.

Thread Spool Huggers

I also knew that I needed an efficient way to store and organize the spools of thread. Each color is assigned a number. So, when following a pre-created design, sewists can simply look for that number of thread in a rack at the store and purchase the exact intended color to create the design as it is shown. I debated on storing my thread by color family at first - shades of reds, shades of blue, etc.. Then, decided to just keep it numerical and follow what the manufacturer had started. I looked at pegged racks that could be hung on the wall but I was afraid that something like that might make my office seem cluttered. So, I landed on clear plastic bins. I knew that this would also help prevent the spools from getting dusty and would make it easy for me to see the different colors and their numbers when searching through my stash. My original crayon box set of ten colors that I brought home are 1000 yard spools. The starter kit of colors has 550 yard spools. The 1000 yard spools are a bit taller and wider than the 550 yard spools.

550 yard spool on the left and 100 yard spool on the right.

I ordered a small stackable storage organizer. There are several different sizes and I decided to just go for a simple three layer bin to give it a try and knew that I could order more when I needed to do so. It works perfectly for the 550 yard spools.

Twenty 550 yard spools

I love the way it keeps all the spools tidy and makes it easy to see the number for each color. I love how it stacks and snaps together and that it has a handle for easy carrying from the closet or shelf to the sewing table. It is just perfect for the 500 yard spools. However, the 1000 yard spools are a bit taller and wider and it doesn't work as well for them. 

Stackable Clear Storage Organizer

Maybe I could use this sort of organizer for the larger yardage spools but it would not be as efficient because I would have to space them out and leave some spaces empty. Plus, that extra wee bit of height made it iffy about snapping the box together tightly. Below is a comparison of how the different size spools fit into the organizer.

Top bin has 1000 yard spools and bottom has 550 yard spools

So, it was accept that the organizer will be a bit less efficient for larger spools or go back to the drawing board to find something that works better. I searched for different options. I finally landed on a double-sided organizer that has adjustable compartments. 

Double-sided storage box

I can remove every other divider and the larger spools fit alright. Notice the three smaller spools in the lower left corner and how much better they fit in the compartments, though. The box is a bit strained when I snap it closed and the spaces are not used as efficiently as with the other size thread spools and the organizer for them. It will work for now, though.

My next organizing task will be to find the perfect way to store the different sized hoops and the stabilizers. 

I'm wondering...

Today I saw a post in social media that made me chuckle.

I don't know if it was the spelling error, the unfortunate wording, or the lack of punctuation that made it most humorous. 

If I was still a classroom teacher, I would post this on the board and ask students to revise it. I would also ask my students to respond as if they had the desired item. I'll bet we would get lots of different revisions and voices expressed for this one!

At this point, I'm wondering if the searcher found the lunchbox that was desired. If so, I'd love to see it. I've never seen a lunchbox that could drink. 

Today I noticed... A Violet Transformation

Earlier this month I posted about the promise of one of my violets. I've been enjoying the blooms for a few days as I sit at my desk and do volunteer work. 

A little over a month ago, I spent some time with another of my violets to repot it. It had produced an offshoot or baby plant that had sort of taken over. The parent plant had developed this woody ort of stem and the leaves were curling up. I was sort of afraid that I was going to lose it. The original plant is one that was a baby produced by a plant that my son and daughter-in-law have. They got it in a dish garden sent to them when my Daddy died. So, I was glad t get a baby from that plant for sentimental reasons. Plus, it has the most beautiful deep bluish purple blooms. Below is a photo of what my plant(s) looked like in late February.

You can see the parent plant on the right and how it was developing that tall stem and the leaves were starting to curl. By mid-March, it looked like the photo below. So, I ordered a couple of flower pots to use as a new home. The pots I ordered were advertised as African Violet self-watering ceramic pots. 

When I began to take the plant(s) out of the pot, the parent plant broke away. So, I wound up leaving the baby in the original pot that my son and daughter-in-law gave me. I just added a little African Violet soil to fill the pot, watered it and set it back in the kitchen in front of a west-facing window. Below is how that looked.

Then, I took what I had left and went to work. I broke the top of the parent plant's woody stem off and planted a piece that was a couple of inches long into the new self-watering pot. The leaves were curled and it looked pretty sad but I had hopes that it would develop a root system and bounce back. Below is a photo of the sad little violet parent in its new pot.

I still had a long piece of that woody stem-like piece and a few leaves. I snapped the leaves off and put them into a glass of water to see if I could propagate a new plant like that. Then, I buried the remainder of the plant in the other self-watering plant filled with some African Violet soil. The photos below shows what I had left

leaves in water on the left and the stem I buried on the right

I've seen no action from the buried piece. It still just looks like a pot of dirt. I think I will wait a couple of weeks before I take action, but I probably will dig it up and throw that piece away. A couple of the leaves in water got all limp and pitiful looking and I tossed them out. The remaining leaves have not developed a root system either and will probably get tossed as well. Today, I noticed that the parent plant in the new self-watering pot seems to have revived. 

similar view of the top of the sad, parent plant that was shown above

side view showing stems and leaves stretched upward

The leaves have uncurled and the stems and leaves seem to be stretched out and reaching for the heavens. It looks like a healthy plant! All I have done is add a bit of water into the bottom of the pot from time to time and left it alone. It is sitting on a table in front of an east-facing window alongside the parent plant of the violet I've had for years (the parent of the first plant shown in this post).

What an amazing transformation! I am so happy to have saved the original plant.