Happy New Year!

I apologize for not keeping in touch better/more often.
I find blogging here difficult.
It never seems to work the same way twice. . .(either that or I don't work the same way twice. Which is entirely possible.)

I've been making crochet and learning. 
That's what I call "watching documentarys". 

I thought I'd share three of them with you.

 http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/awakening-dreamer-changing-dream/

This 2012 documentary was made by the Pachamama Alliance, part of whose mission is to bring forth an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling and socially just human presence on this planet. A mission I resonate with. This forum where I watched is world wide. There are some "prickly" types who respond/review. Of those who have reviewed this, it still has a 8.78 rating. I appreciate especially the upbeat and positive message at the end that ensures every ONE can make a difference.


http://www.aseachange.net/

I found this documentary extremely troubling. Frightened as much by the time that has elapsed since it won so many awards in 2010, as by the information it included. Again, made by ONE, for the most part and his quest to understand. It's hard to remember the ocean when you live in the MidWest. Perhaps it's as hard to remember it's so very vital functions, even if you live beside it.

http://storyofstuff.org/movies/story-of-stuff/

This documentary was made in 2007. It almost seems, cosmically speaking, that once this information became "known", or said out loud (AbraCaDaBra. . . I speak what I create), we were delivered a striking economic blow. Perhaps a moment to re-evaluate what is important?

Tomorrow is 2014. Seven years since the story of stuff. How much more "stuff" have we consumed?

If you have food in your refrigerator (let alone a refrigerator), clothes in your closet, a bed to sleep in and a roof over your head, you have MORE than 83 percent of the other humans on this planet. This feels wrong to me. Every mothers child of us deserves shelter and a bowl of soup and a soft place to sleep with a warm blanket and a full belly. It only takes ONE of us to reach out to ONE of us.

I'm encouraged by those ONES who are joining to make these things possible.
And to those ONES who are learning and speaking what they learn/know.
And to those very bright ONES, seeking  working solutions for the problems we face.

How WILL we replace our dependance on fossil fuel?
WILL we take care of the LIFE of this planet?

Shine bright.

I believe.

Thelma and Louise hit the road

Thelma and Louise hit the road, free range women again. 
This time to meet up with Lucky Noodles and take her with us to a house Dear Louise found in Caseyville, IL to meet up with CatHill and MiBeingMi. We packed Louise's car with our stuff. Literally. Packed. (She has the faux toe)
To find the house we were staying in we had to turn right at the giant catsup bottle. Really. It's a historical (and hysterical) momument. At this point, I must apologize for the paucity of "faux toes". I know the better photographers in our company have many more.

The house was wonderful. Very private with a back deck that looked over a small lake. And what a kitchen!!
Louise aka Magnolia Blossom (for anyone who hasn't followed our previous excellent adventures) had put a shout out on the buzz to anyone living in the area if they wanted to meet up.
We met Mel's Cooking Now and her four legged friend Belle. Mel graciously cooked us an Italian dinner Sat. night.
Thursday night and the gangs all here. 

On Friday we visited Soullard Farmers Market. Can you say jello shots? What a place! If I lived nearer I would visit this market frequently.

On Saturday we visited the Missouri Botanical Gardens.  .  . again WOW!! I should have taken more faux toes here but was enthralled and later hot and wanted off my feet. 
Upon returning to the house, we had bloody Mary's in these cute glasses Mi brought and gave to us.

I was really happy to be able to see our lovely CatHill again and "fix" a sweater that didn't turn out quite right.

Spirits were high and I don't think anyone really wanted to leave.
About the pig tails and paisley. . .um. . .yeah, not to mention the boob. . . some things really need to stay in Caseyville. :)

A conversation on the way home.
Thelma: We are just about to pass Foot High Pies.
Louise: I was just thinking we need to do more research. It was on the food network!
Thelma smiles: 
Louise says: I don't think it's open.
Thelma says: There is a car in the lot and the lights are on.
Louise turning off the ramp.
Thelma: What time is it? 7 Days a Week 11-9.
Louise: It's 10.
Thelma: Crap.
Thelma: If we are still doing this when we are 70, maybe we'll slow down enough to be on time for things.
HYSTERICAL LAUGHTER


I love you ladies. Thank you all so very much. Especially my dear Louise.

Living In Gratitude

Oprah started all that "gratitude" stuff back in the ninety's. I took it to heart. It has been a blessing in my life. Especially when I was feeling "down". I've had a lot of feeling down, as probably have most of you. It's my belief that everyone is carrying a burden of some sort. Some you can see, others you cannot. Some are a heavier load than others and on some blessed days, you're even able to forget about your burdens for a bit. Be kind to each other. Smile. It's easy and costs you nothing. It may even help you feel better.

Thank you again, my Unknown friends, for your generosity. It has caused me to spend some time pondering how I should/would like to proceed with my AR blog. Thank you to all of you who responded to my request on the Buzz. 

When I first came to AR, I had been unemployed for just over a year, just starting the second half of my fifth decade on the planet. Still recovering from a divorce, after 21 years of marriage and the shattered  dream of a lifelong partnership, a broken vehicle, a broken oven. . .a "Brokedown Palace", a teenaged son (17) and a daughter (21) just returned home from another state. I learned how to fix my broken oven. . .not so much the vehicle. I've learned to dream new dreams and clean up a broken life. My "Brokedown Palace" is still that. But I love my home, broken she may be, we are trying to help her along.

I am grateful for my home, health, meager retirement funds and possibilities.

I have one comment here about divorce. Divorce is an ugly thing. Don't do it unless it's impacting your health (mental and/or physical) is my advice. It's like dying, only you don't. You will not come out the other side without damage. Recovery is long and hard. But you CAN regain your health, mental, spiritual and physical, and make your own happiness and contentment. 

All my houseplants died except one African violet. She still blooms for me on a regular basis.

Our beloved dog Samhain had to be euthanized in Dec.  2005. My initial reaction to this was I don't want another dog EVER. After crying for two solid weeks, every day, the only solution I could see for my recovery was to find another companion. So, I found my buddy Ripple. I feel that was when I made the turn to getting my life back. And even then, it was a slow process.

In Aug. 2006, I hurt my knee and had to have knee surgery. I'm not a "Dr." type person, but thankfully, medicine can "fix" so many things! Before this surgery, I understand how people  would have been permanently disabled, walking with a cane and in pain for the rest of their lives. I'm grateful for beneficial medical progress. 

I was still beating myself up for not having a job when I came to AR in 2009. With the help of all you wonderful folks, I'm happy to say, I'm over that. 

My friend Ms.Blume asked me to share her feelings with you. When I speak to her of all of your kindnesses to me, she is moved to tears. She wants you to know that through you, to me her hope for humanity is restored.

My whole house was a wreck. My back yard was a thistle garden. I know that sounds bad, but even that had it's "perks". Thistles are really beautiful when they bloom en masse like that and we had the BONUS of a backyard full of yellow finches. They were EVERYWHERE! 

Today, things are much improved. My DS says "Why don't we have any BEFORE pictures of the stuff you've done?" I think to myself, BECAUSE you don't want anyone to SEE any of that. (Although, I do kind of regret not having shots of the thistles and the finches.) 

It's funny, but it's not. It was a testament to sadness and despair and that's NOT what I want my life to be about.

So, I'm going to share some photos of my plants, my front room and my entryway "in progress". I say that tongue in cheek. Everything is "in progress". Which is a GOOD thing :).

I mostly stood in one spot to take all these pictures. A couple of them were taken awhile ago and I decided to include them. To the left of this picture is the wide entryway. We call my room "The Library". This is the south wall.

 This is the west wall, various close ups of certain spots. I think this wall is due for a change. I'm thinking red. Also, the kids don't want the TV cabinet in their room anymore so I will probably take it and slide it under those shelves.

 Crochet pattern bookshelf.

My chair and "table" and current crochet project (a cardigan for my sis for Christmas). 

 This is the NorthWest corner. We heat room by room in the winter so that curtain only hangs there in the winter. My computer room is through there.

 All the plants in the Library are in front of east windows.

Given to me by a friend whose mother picked this up in Mexico after her passing.  

 Long view of what's on top of the North wall shelves.

We have a separate dining nook. This is my personal table in the library. I can listen to cd's or the radio and have my coffee. Although, I frequently have my coffee at the computer. I work the Sunday crossword here. And feed my friends.

 These plants are all in the computer room. Note the PVC budget hanging rod. I did use a stud finder to place the hooks because I didn't want the whole works to come crashing down.

 These sit on an octagon garage sale find table.

These are on an antique ironing board. These are all in a West window.

 These are in the dining nook. Another west window.

 Looking out my kitchen window (also a west window). Notice the paintball target. That's a prayer plant hanging. It leaks when watered so it must hang here until next spring when it can be re potted.

 Wisdom rocks from IndianaPeggy and my after dishwashing hand cream.

 My sparkle ornament. Hangs on the cabinet next to the sink.

My entryway in progress. I'm laying linoleum through the entire downstairs. It's inexpensive, looks ok, and easy to clean. I'm piecing the edges with what I have left. It will never be seen when it's finished. I've become quite good at laying linoleum.  

This is what you get when you have a drool flinger. 

This is the best clean up for drool flinging. 

I have a hard time getting rid of books, but I've decided these must GO! Seriously. I still have piles in my room *the shame of it all*.

What I'm reading now.

Nashville, IN

This will be a mostly pictorial blog and I'm not the best photographer. My feelings won't be hurt if you can't stay the course, LOL!!
Dismal, gray and rainy though the weather may have been, our hearts were light, happy to see each other again, and I had the BEST TIME EVER!!!!
Nashville, IN is located in Brown County, one of the most beautiful places in Indiana. It's an Arts and Crafts community. . .and I mean REAL art! I wish I'd have taken more "outside" pictures and more furniture pictures, but. . .I'm a "foodie", what can I say??

 We ran into a lot of "closed" stores. Apparently they are all about the weekend and we weren't. But this expresses their "laid back" attitude perfectly. Lots of "stuff" is left sitting outside all the time. I suspect there is a low crime rate (the jail was empty).

 This is where we had dinner Monday night. Muddy Boots. The perfect end to a perfectly muddy day. It was good, just not what we expected. We enjoyed a guitar player singing songs from "back in the day" and when MB muttered something about poetry readings and bongos, I struggled with the food in my mouth that I couldn't swallow, nor chew because I couldn't control the explosive laughter that wanted to come out. So I just laughed til I cried.

 They have "stuff" for menfolk too :)

 Not "real" food. Looks good, doesn't it?

 How I feel about our AR Family. :)

 This is what we did that whole rainy afternoon. WE DANCED!!

 Apparently the big dog wanted to go for a ride.

TRANSLATION: You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams. . .  Dr. Seuss. . .he was a genius, you know.

 Those are Keepers. Not real food, but clever storage devices. Too Cute!

 Floor mat in one of the shops.

Creepy Marionette.

 Vermouth Bleu Cheese Stuffed Olives. . . in the Wine Store, of course!

 Cookbooks and recipe holders.

 Cast Iron "words".

 Speaking of Laundry Soap. . .Hogwash!

 The hanging glass orbs are oil lights. . .and the stained glass Irises were gorgeous!

 These water pitchers "glug" when you pour from them.

 Wooden carved Morels.

Painted gourds. The penguins were so creative.

 This Santa sang and danced. . .kinda creepy.

Lunch, just before we left :) So delicious, Reuben, sweet potato fries with brown sugar syrup and broccoli slaw. 

 Lady Sparkle and Magnolia Blossom and our Very Good, Awesome, Delicious, Fun Adventure!!
Thanks Magnolia B.!!!