A brightened day

I have been reminded of a simple pleasure of life...receiving a package or envelope from a friend.  As a child, I eagerly awaited letters from my friends I had moved away from...but time passed and we drifted apart.  Letter have been a thing of the past.  But through Flickr and Instagram I have connected with some old-fashioned pen pals.  

I am trying to get better about writing to those who mean the most to me (I have sent out a few but still working on everyone else).  I never have anything interesting to say, it seems so it's easy to not write.  With Facebook, emails, phones, texts (none of which I am good at using) letters seem less about keeping in touch and more about an old-fashioned simple pleasure.  So, family and friends, know I have a goal of writing to each of you at least once this year...even though I have nothing interesting to pass along.  Hopefully it will brighten your day as it has mine!

Spring?

There is no time to really blog but just wanted to post a few little surprises I found on Saturday when I went to dump some things in the compost bin.  

Christmas drawing

There was no money for Christmas this year so I wanted to draw a portrait.  I scoured my files and found this one.  But it's from when he was still wearing glasses so I decided to leave them off in the drawing.  I printed it off in black and white to make it easier to see the shadows and highlights.   

It was the quickest portrait I've ever done.  I worked on it on three separate days, that's it!  I finished roughing in both faces and the hands before calling it a night.

 The next day, I had jury duty so I took it with me and worked on smoothing out the shading and started filling in the black of the shirts.

I finished it the day before Christmas Eve which was the last chance I would have had to work on it.  Whew!  I bought the frame at Goodwill some months back.  I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it, but I loved it and it went to good use.  

I messed up on Adam's right eye.  I tried to fix it several times but it just wasn't having any of it.  Seems I always mess up an eye on these portraits.  He said he couldn't see it, even after I pointed it out.  But the rest of the face, I like.

And for me, I think it turned out well too.  But for some reason, I put this dark shadow under my hin, on my neck.  I have no idea why I put it there. :o\

 I am pretty proud of the hands.  I find hands even harder than faces.  I still need work on eyes and hair to make it look more professional.. Perhaps that will come with time.    Anyway, for now, I am happy with this one. :o)

Laundry

It was time to do laundry but I was out of detergent.  Time to make some more.  

To make it, I mix 1 1/2 cups of washing soda, 1 1/2 cups of Borax and 1 grated soap.  I've been using Dr. Brommer's lavender soap. 

 The best thing I ever discovered for laundry was a wash board.  I can't believe these things ever went out of use.  They make removing stains easier than I have ever found.  This shirt below had a black streak of grease from one edge of the sleeve to the other.  10-15 minutes of soaping and scrubbing and the stain was gone as if it never happened.

Before:

After:

A cake

 Work has been pretty rough lately.  Our new area manager is the kind of guy who watches security footage to find something wrong so he can write you up...and fire you if he doesn't like you.  Which is exactly what he did to my supervisor I have had for the entire almost 10 years I have worked for this company.  We got a new building manager a few months ago and he was really fighting for us, finally getting supplies we had been lacking but the area manager refused to get us.  The area manager didn't want to hear anything the building manager had to say and would yell at him to shut up and do what he says because he's the boss.  So the building manager is gone now. :o(  Things look bleak at the building now.  I don't know why I haven't been written up yet.  I am sure it will happen though.  So for the building manager's last day, I made this cake.

The flags I actually made for Adam's birthday cake for his party with his friends.  That was supposed to be yesterday but things didn't work out so there was no cake...but I have the flags and bunting for future birthday parties.  

This is bad lighting, but here they are.

Winter warmth

Some years ago, I tried making a coat for Jack but it fit so horribly, even though I used a pattern, that I gave up.  I used the same pattern and made one for the dogs.  It fit just as horribly.  So I drafted my own pattern, slowly, as I went along.  They are identical except that Gretel's covers her chest and stomach but Hansel's only covers his chest.  Can't cover a male dogs stomach and keep a clean coat.  I had to patch Hansel's right away after he gnawed on it.  Then the next day, he destroyed his.  *SIGH*  A waste of a weekend day!  Gretel still has hers but he takes it off of her.  Grrr!  He is such a menace.  But I still think they are really cute coats.  

busy, busy

I have neglected my little blog.  It wasn't on purpose.  I have just gotten to a point in my life where I have so much on my plate that something had to give...and relaxing computer related things (like this blog) just does't happen these days like I would like it to.  

Like every other adult, I lead a busy life.  But being busy means something different to me now than it used to.  When I was single, I was busy because I worked a full time job and I biked when I wasn't working. After I got Bear, I was busy with a home to maintain, a husband, taking care of a puppy, cooking meals, working, biking and scrapbooking.  In those days, I was busy, but if I worked hard, I could get to the end of my to do list and relax.  These days...busy takes on a whole new level for me.  No matter how hard or for how long I work, I will never, ever get to the end of my to do list.  

I have all kinds of things vying for my time, like...

Cooking two meals every night.  One for Adam, one for me (with my food restrictions we can't eat the same foods)...plus feeding the dogs.

Since my switch to veganism, I direct my experiments more towards other homesteading endeavors...but even without including animals in there, there is still plenty of other items to experiment with and learn about.  

Biking is a luxury not afforded to me much now that I have 6 dogs...but I can still dream...and hop on the bike when the stars align for me.

Speaking of having 6 dogs, here they are.  They are a handful, to say the least. They must be fed twice a day, the yard has to be mucked at least 3 times a week, if not daily, they all require love and attention, and walks.  Plus the puppies won't even go to the bathroom without someone standing in the yard.  Some need trims regularly, baths...and the house needs extra cleaning because there are so many tracking dirt in.  

I also have church callings I participate in (this cake was for a Scout pack meeting).

Just because it's winter, doesn't mean the garden is asleep.  I have lettuce, collards and carrots still out there. It is certainly less work than a summer garden but it does take some maintenance...and going out and picking the collards for the morning smoothie is sometimes freezing, especially when there's ice on the leaves.

I also like to craft.  I have so many projects lined up...mostly things I want to do for others...but there's plenty for me in there too.   

Lately, this Christmas present was stealing some of my time.  It's all finished now but i have no pictures of it finished yet.  Adam really liked it.  

I enjoy the sesonal changes and like to take a little time to enjoy those.

Some times nature presents wonders to you when you least expect them, like on this foggy Christmas Eve night.  And when it does, I just have to take the time to enjoy it...and run for my camera. ;o)   

Sunrises and sunsets are my weakness and I would waste all kinds of time watching them...so I guess it's good I don't live somewhere I get to really see them.  

Doing favors for friends...

This list is not at all inclusive of the activities that fill my days...(cleaning and Gospel related things are high on that list).... oh, and if you didn't notice, I take pictures of everything....which takes time in and of itself.  Adam is always volunteering to help someone or other and I feel guilty that I am not helping...so I often tag along and do what I can.  

Just think...if I got everything I wanted when I wanted them, I would have even more on my plate and I wouldn't know how to cope.  As much as I want what I want now, I am thankful that we have to wait for some things...some times anyway. ;o)

I am thankful though, for time...not the 24 hours in a day kind of time but the kind of passing of time that allows us to learn, to adapt and to stretch.  If I had went from being single, biking hours every day on January 1st then on Jan 2nd I was married with all of my responsibilities I have now, I think my brain and/or my heart may have exploded from the stress.  No, I have had time to grow into my current role....and I think it's trying to teach me patience and endurance...maybe someday I'll get it.