Giveaway at Crafty in the Med

 

Go to Crafty in the Med to enter to win this fantastic book or some yarn. Must be entered by 5 Jan 13.

Merry Christmas!

What A Sad Day ...

Prayers for those affected by the murders of those children and adults in Newtown, Connecticut and those in the murders at the mall in Portland, Oregon. I believe the end times, no matter how many years or decades that may be, are here.

Enjoying the day ...

It was such a wonderfully nice day outside today. The sunny skies were clear blue.  Low humidity.  Temperature approximately 77 degrees.

I enjoyed the sites God provided. I'm so thankful for Him and his love for me.

I saw a few deer enjoying an evening snack ...

 

As I was watching them, suddenly a bunny came running from a nearby rock ... I have no idea what his problem was.  Maybe just getting a little exercise? haha



 

The bluebirds love their evening baths. They come every day between 5:00 and 5:20 PM. There are about a dozen bluebirds, some cardinals, a downy woodpecker and wrens that come to bathe.

 

This little fellow had a wonderful time splashing in the water.

 

I hope you enjoy your day and the Creator provides you with what makes you happy.

Changes ...

The weather is changing ... I can feel the turning of the season. The mornings are foggy ...

 

I grew grape tomatoes this year instead of the "normal" size tomatoes. I thought the plants stayed small and compact ... I was wrong. Three plants have over-taken an 8' x 6' area and literally I have picked hundreds of grape-sized tomatoes. I love them in salads, soups and other dishes. I've filled small bags with 20-30 in each and have frozen them. I think they'll do fine. I've frozen other fruits and vegetables from what other gardeners have given me.

 

 

They're so pretty and just as flavorful ...

 

 

 

After picking and freezing today's produce ... I went out to water some flowers. Just as I tilted the pitcher to pour water on the ground around a huge chrysanthemum I noticed this baby ...

 

 

I've seen this little cutie hopping around my yard for a while. It's the only baby I've seen. I wish there was something I could do to make certain it stays safe but I don't know what to do. Samson won't hurt it. There are, however, bobcats and foxes and coyotes out there ...

Holden Shawlette

I've been knitting my first shawlette. The pattern is Holden Shawlette posted at Ravelry. It's not a difficult pattern at all but it does take concentration when the stitch count is important but that's only a few rows.  I have a pet peeve when someone writes patterns. I don't understand why, instead of someone copying/pasting the actual row directions, the pattern author puts "Same as Row 2".  If you don't edit the pattern yourself, you'll have to do a lot of scrolling or sifting through papers to find rows 2, 6 and 7 on a regular basis for this pattern. I'm using Patons Kroy Socks FX called Calla Lily Colors. Pictures will follow soon!

Meanwhile, I got to dog sit for Miss Honey ... she's a sweetie.

Things I see ...

Mister ... Part II

My little feline friend has conquered the dreaded diagnosis! It was a frustrating and expensive road but we got through it. haha

After two months of twice daily glipizide, specially formulated diabetic food and once daily Atopica: the diabetes has reversed itself. Hallelujah! I think the worst part of the whole scenario was taking him to the vet for glucose testing. It just broke my heart. Drawing blood from his lower leg was extremely painful for him and stressful for us both.

Now, he is on Atopica every other day for the rest of his life. It's not difficult to give him that pill. I wrap it in a tiny bit of American cheese and he gobbles it right down. That's how I give meds to Samson, too. You may not find many groceries in my house but you will always find American cheese. :-)

I live alone. To be honest, I am almost always alone. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I'd be where I am today. Never. I would not be able to get through the day if it weren't for my pets. Sounds a little coo-coo? I agree. But it's the unfortunate, painful truth. If you pray, please pray for me.

Romans 11:33 (NLT)

³³ Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways.

Mister

My tabby, Mister, hasn't been feeling well. He's been trance-like, lethargic, drinking copious amounts of water ... begging for my ice cream and vanilla yogurt ...

He's taken steroid (depo) shots every three to four months for the past five years for a skin condition. Oozing, open sores develop down his spine without the shots. Unfortunately, these shots can cause diabetes.

I took him to the vet on Thursday. He had to stay there all day for various testings. When I picked him up, he was wide-eyed scared. He is a shy kitty. He doesn't like leaving the house, actually. Sugar level in animals are gauged the same way as in humans. His level should be 120. It was 430! Treatment is much as it is for humans, as well. I have to give him glipizide 5mg twice daily. Fortunately, I can crush the pill and put it in one tablespoon of vanilla yogurt to get it down him. Otherwise, he would not get his medication. He was feral and still has a little of the "wild" in him. He doesn't like to be held or have a pill shoved down his throat. :-) I also had to get him a prescription dry food. He loves it ... which is another plus.

So, each morning, I give him his medicated yogurt. After about 30 minutes, I separate the two cats. I give Miss Cleo her food and give Mister his prescription food. Miss Cleo is the dominant cat. She wants to eat whatever Mister has so that is why I separate them. I have to do this twice a day. It's not quite so time-consuming in the evening as in the morning. I have a Quaker parrot and a dog to feed and water in addition to the two cats. Then I have to feed myself as well. ha I usually get my first cup of coffee about an hour after I been up.

Because the diabetes is suspected to be caused by the depo shots, the vet thinks I'll only have to treat Mister for this disease for two to three months. That's about how long it will take for the depo to completely leave his body. I pray that is the case. There's no way I can afford the medication for more than two to three months. The specialty food is more than I can handle! But I love my little feline companion and will do what I can for him.

Granny's Lilac Bush

My granny planted this lilac bush 60-plus years ago. When I moved back to Plum Hollow in 2004 it was covered with some type of white mold and mildew and almost dead. I asked my uncle, who'd already decided it had to go, to not cut it down. I wanted to at least get a few cuttings from it. The first thing I did was cut out all the diseased branches. After that, I regularly watered it and gave it generous helpings of fertilizer. It responded well and by summer's end, it had doubled in size. Each year, I've marveled at how it has progressed and bloomed. This year, it has produced beyond anything I could imagine. Not only is it 10'-12' high and 7' +/- wide, it has 100-plus blossoms and fills the air with sweetness. I wish I'd gotten photos earlier but I had no batteries for my camera. I got batteries and something has happened that the camera won't work! My plan was to borrow a camera to get some good shots. Since there is a freeze warning for tonight, I decided to go ahead and use my iPhone. It has been terribly windy today, as you can tell in the photos. They're not the best, but I want to share them anyway.

Easter

This song says it all ...

Good Friday

Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)

⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday is the Thursday of Holy Week. Maundy Thursday gets its name from the commandment that Jesus gave us to love one another. The word “maundy” is Latin meaning “commandment.”

It observes two events of Jesus' last week on earth: washing the feet of His disciples to show His humility

1 It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.

2 The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.

3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;  

4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.

5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.  

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"  

7 Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

8 "No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

9 "Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"  

10 Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you."

11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. 

 

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them.  

13 "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am.

         

14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.

         

15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. (Luke 13:1-15)

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and sharing the Last Supper with them in the upper room on the night before His death.

7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.

8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover."

9 "Where do you want us to prepare for it?" they asked.  

10 He replied, "As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters,

11 and say to the owner of the house, 'The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?'

12 He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there."

13 They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.  

14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table.

15 And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.

16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."

17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you.

18 For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."

19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."

20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table.

22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him." (Luke 22:7-22)

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Jesus Christ gave his life willingly for all of us. If you do not know him as your Savior, you have no idea what you're missing. Life as a Christian is not a bed of roses. It is not sorrow-free. It is not anger-free. It is not easy. It is, however, a security of life that I cannot imagine being without. I've been through more in the past 30 years than most people can imagine in a lifetime. God has given me a strength to get up every day and look forward to a new one. And no matter what happens in that day ... I have eternal life.

Little Lucy

Little Lucy is a precious third cousin of mine. She's very sweet, smart and knows what she wants ... at the age of three. haha Her daddy is a military man. He was recently injured and is in Walter Reed.  He is expected to make a great recovery but it's still a stressful time for them all. Please keep them in your prayers.

Little Lucy is also quite the performer. She loves to dance and wear princess dresses and fancy dance costumes. I came across the perfect book for her: Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet. I love sending her books. I crocheted a bookmark I thought was fitting. It looks like pastel shells. I hope she likes it.

Queen Anne's Lace Scarf

This is my first blog post using blogger. I have another blog called From My Left Hand. I've used it for a while but I've always wanted to use blogger. It just took a bit for me to get here. :-) The title for the other blog refers to the crafts I make and I'm left-handed.


Here's a little something I'm working on right now. I got a hankerin' to crochet. A friend's 4-year-old daughter loves to wear neck scarves. I've knitted several for her and she wears them when it's 0 degrees and when it's 90 degrees. haha I found a crochet pattern called Queen Anne's Lace Scarf and a skein of lilac J&P Coats LusterSheen that I've had for many years. I'll have the recipient model it but for now Miss Cleo will model it. She doesn't mind as long as I don't wake her to get the shot.