I have a very excited little girl in the house this morning. She has been counting down to Halloween for months.
She can't wait to dress up as a black cat
and run thru the neighborhood with Dorothy and Toto and collect a pumpkin full of candy.

Half of the costume is already in place.
Six o'clock can't come soon enough.

I sure hope I can find a bag or two of candy at Walgreens.


I always buy a bag of Butterfingers.
Those are for me.
It wouldn't be Halloween without Butterfingers.

Oddly, our children like the sour candies like Skittles, Smarties, Sweet Tarts and Starburst. I like Butterfingers, Almond Joy's and Kitkats.
The children always share their Tootsie Rolls with their daddy.

The pumpkin still needs to be carved.
I carve the same face every year.

It's tradition!






A COLORFUL HALLOWEEN

Halloween is in the fall,
When summer colors fade.
But there are colors everywhere,
In the Halloween parade.
It's fun to dress on Halloween,
In costumes bold and bright.
An old brown owl, a big black cat,
Or a little ghost in white.
Pumpkins are so fat and round..
A bright orange color, too.
Scoop them out and carve a face.
So they can grin at you.
So have a colorful Halloween
And make October bright.
With all the colors of Halloween:
Black, orange, brown and white.



What a funny seed I found,
I wondered what would grow.
So I planted it in the ground,
And now I know!

Little leaves were first to sprout,
Growing in a line,
Then golden blossoms opened out
Along the vine.

And then something grew and grew and grew!
The biggest ever seen!
And now I have a pumpkin-
Just in time for HALLOWEEN!



Encourage one another,
Donna

Beauty actually
is all around.

Campaign for real beauty

(Thank you for the link Amy.)

Oh. That comparison trap. It is not good.

I was in it very much when I was young.
Every one else was prettier and thinner then me.

But that was wrong and it was not true.

I had been sucked into the comparison trap.






The dialog with my own children has been very open and truthful.


They are beautiful.

First they are beautiful because God created them. They are loved and they are beautiful because of that alone.


Then they are beautiful because of what is in their hearts.
Kindness and thoughtfulness and patience is beautiful.


True beauty blooms from the inside.


And that is a good thing...because outward beauty fades.

That beauty that is on the inside....is the only beauty that lasts.


My once pretty green eyes now have very saggy eyelids.
And well...this body...there is nothing to compare it to on television...except Mrs. Doubtfire, really...

But, I tell ya, I'm not going to knock it.
It is a healthy body....and nearing 50 years old...

"If you don't have your health...."


I am still learning really.

It has been a long trip from comparisonland to acceptance.

I'd say, I'm halfway there.

In my everyday life...I'm happy as a clam. I don't think about it at all.
But faced with any kind of a reunion.
Well, all of those nasty negative thoughts come racing back.


Will our girls fare better?

I think so.
I hope so.

Will knowing that they were created by God, for a purpose, have an impact?
Will knowing that He thinks they are beautiful make a difference?


Please, God.



Encourage one another,
Donna

The seniors after their last game.



Actually, the boys get to play in a National Homeschool
soccer Tournament in Omaha next week.
No girls allowed.


(Emma has been invited to play in the National Homeschool Volleyball Tournament in Omaha...so that should be fun...and she will get to watch the soccer team too!)





A big hug and kind word from the proud dad.


Emma would love to continue to play in college...but we don't know if that will work out. We. shall. see.


********

Katie and I are off to the country today to visit our friends at Fairview Farm; Jean in Wi., Bethany, Farmer Napp, the boys....and the cats.

It's been too long between visits.
I'll take pics :o)
But really....Jean takes the most wonderful pictures of their farm over at her website....take a peek at hers.


********

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

Robert Frost


Enjoy the gold...and the extra hour of sleep :o)

Encourage one another,
Donna

Fine Art Friday

I was surprised to learn Milwaukee had redesigned it's lakeside art museum.
The architect is the man who has been chosen to design the Ground Zero memorial.




It's stunning. No?

We have got to go to see this!!!

Milwaukee Art Museum

Designed by Santiago Calatrava



Friday Five

Friday, October 27, 2006


Appetizer
Create a new candle scent.

Scentless


Soup
Name one way you show affection to others.

I knit them socks :o)


Salad
What is your favorite writing instrument?

A nice, sharp, good quality #2. Calvert or Ticonderoga.


Main Course
If you were given $25 to spend anywhere online, from which site would you buy?

Amazon

Dessert
Are you dressing up for Halloween?

No. I haven't worn a costume in years.
The last costume I can remember wearing was a "50's girl."
I just used what was in my closet.
White shirt with Peter Pan collar.
Twin Set.
Jeans, rolled up at the bottom.
Keds.
High Pony.

I won a bubble gum blowing contest.
Won a huge box of Double Bubble bubble gum.

Had nine cavities the next summer.

It was 1976.



Okay. Gotta go.

Drama here.

Katie was given ONE piece of toast to eat for breakfast. It's been 20 minutes.
She has eaten 1/2. (Not including the crusts)

How can this be so hard?


Happy Friday All!!!

Encourage one another,
Donna

Thank you so much for chirping in and wishing Sue a happy birthday. I had a busy evening and didn't have a chance to call her...I hope she had a nice night with her loved ones.

Why don't you fill us in, in the comments Sue?

Did you get anything special?
Fifty of anything?


**********


Let's talk about handwriting a little today.

I, when I am not dashing off a check, have nice, legible handwriting.
My children have horrid handwriting. I have attributed this to the fact that handwriting in not graded anymore, by teachers or mothers.

I read recently that 70% of the written portion of the ACT was done in printing.

Instead, students are very adept on the keyboard now.

But do you think it is important?
Does the culture think it is important?
Is it alright to have completely dropped the standard?

Katie already writes her name nicer than all three of her big siblings.




Now, I know it's not right to compare. But perhaps shame will work. Naw.
They don't care.

Should I?

Is there really a good reason to care.

How important is pretty handwriting?



Encourage one another,

Donna

My Irish Twin is 50!





My mom had two sets of twins. She had the Irish twins first.
Sue and I are eleven months apart.

Then came The Twins.
Janice and Janet, seven minutes apart.

But it's Sue's big day so I will talk about her.

The first thing I think of when I think of Sue is that she is totally devoted to her family and friends. She works very hard to 'be there'. She is there for her husband in their nightly chats, she helps, organizes, and plans for her boys continually, she is even devoted to their ailing dog.

She has a very big, tender heart. (Which she wears on her sleeve.)
Sue is famous for her crying.

Sue was there for me.

We went to college together for two years.
And when I had my first baby. She came to town to help me.

She is sassy.
Extremely generous.
Has a great eye for beauty and design.
Is really funny.
And very smart.



She's like a harder working, smarter version of me :o)
Yep.
I'm not kidding. And it doesn't bother me at all.
She got the brains.

I came along and rained on her baby parade...

And she survived beautifully despite me.

She is my Irish Twin.
And I love her.

And she is 50 today!!!


Happy Birthday, Sue!

You are loved!


Donna

p.s. In the pictures above. Janice and Janet are in the top picture circa 1970-Wheaton.

Sue and I are in the bottom picture circa 1960-California

One hundred and fifty things.

The object of this list is to highlight the things that you have done.

Feel free to borrow this and complete it on your blog.

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you” and meant it
09. Hugged a tree-------for photo purposes only :o)
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game (and survived the crush afterwards)
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk-------In college.
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales------Maui, 1973.
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe------Switzerland, Austria, Italy, 1978.
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater-----Island of the Blue Dolphins, The Pink Panther, Hayward, Wis. 1960's
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business-----Does a weak attempt at Shaklee count?
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites-----Florence, Italy.
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married-----November 26, 1980
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children - still raising!
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery------I had three moles removed on my face. Terrible experience. Big scar. No drugs. Horrors of horrors.
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds-----If you add it all up.
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse------- I am a closet cowgirl.



119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey-----Oh, you mean me? Do I get any credit for making Emma read them?
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life-----
The first time I went out with Patrick's family, his youngest sister started choking. (We were out to eat at a restaurant.)
I got up and did the Hiemlich maneuver on her. After a few 'squeezes', out popped a tomato wedge. It was very scary. Patrick's mother said I saved Annies life.


My "To Do" list;

Visit Paris
Sing karaoke
Visited all 7 continents
Won money on a T.V. game show (I was born to do this!!!)
Been in a movie (Just let me be an extra. No lines, please. I really can't act.)


What is on your "To Do" list?



Encourage one another,
Donna

As Mother Teresa served the dying and poor in India she spoke words that have great meaning...especially to mothers all over the world.

There is always the danger that we may just do the work for the sake of the work. This is where the respect and the love and the devotion come in - that we do it to God, to Christ, and that's why we try to do it as beautifully as possible.



I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.



It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters.

Her clarity of purpose(the Love of God in action) inspires me.

That special power of loving that belongs to a woman is seen most clearly when she becomes a mother. Motherhood is the gift of God to women. How grateful we must be to God for this wonderful gift that brings such joy to the whole world, women and men alike! Yet we can destroy this gift of motherhood, especially by the evil of abortion, but also be thinking that other things like jobs or positions are
more important than loving, than giving oneself to others. No job, no plans, no possessions, no idea of "freedom" can take the place of love. So anything that destroys God's gift of motherhood destroys His most precious gift to women-- the ability to love as a woman.


Mother Teresa; UN Women's Conference in Beijing

Such beautiful encouragement.


Encourage one another,
Donna

beauty is twice
beauty
and what is good is doubly
good
when it's a matter of two
woolen socks
in winter.

From Ode to My Socks by Pablo Neruda

Birthday socks. Finally finished.
Purdy Sweet.
Just right for Sweet Sue.




This Regia yarn is so thin I think I could use a size zero needle with this pair of Manly socks. These are for hubby dear. If he doesn't want to wear them...I'm sure Matthew or Patrick will take them off his hands :o)


Why am I not knitting the shawl, you ask?

I have used up the two skeins of Shetland (in that pretty Loganberry) and the store doesn't have any more...so I will use that yarn for socks or mittens.

But now I have to send away for 13 skeins of Shetland. It's not terribly expensive, but I just can't seem to get myself to order it. And I'm just not sure the Loganberry is the color for me.

This is me. At my wish-washiest.


And so I knit socks from the stash of yarn I have on hand.

It's a beautiful stash.


Wishing you a peaceful weekend with the ones you love!

Encourage one another,
Donna

Feast One Hundred & Sixteen


Appetizer
What is your favorite beverage?

Soup
How long have you known your very best friend? How did you meet?

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how honest do you think you are?

Main Course
What is your favorite card game?

Dessert
What stresses you out? What calms you down?


************


Grey's Anatomy was all over the place last night.

And I can't decide if it was on purpose. It probably was because the writing is usually clever and homogenized.

Almost all of the main characters are in crisis and confused.
And I feel confused trying to sort it out as I think back on it this morning.


I'll have to go back and listen to the voice over at the end again. That usually ties things together.

But how about that Alex!
(Did you know he was the funny Italian guy in Wedding Planner?)



The girls are off to FLAME any minute...

Katie gets to go to a special pottery place and make a piece of pottery today. She is very excited about this.

Emma's team won last night. Yay!



Thank you for the wonderful advice yesterday.
It has helped me decide how I will approach this with Emma.


**************


Time to brush THE HAIR!


Encourage one another,
Donna

It's grey.
It's cold.

We have a soccer game far, far away today.

Is this Emma's last high school soccer game???

Nope. Next Thursday. Her last high school game. Ever.
That will be a moment to remember.

She may play in college. If that all works out. We'll see.



I had a dream last night that Emma didn't get into Moody Bible College due to her ACT score. She needed two more points.


Why am I dreaming about her scores?


Cause I'm the mom, that's why.

It's my job to do the guiding and a little of the pushing.

I would like her take the test one more time...she has taken it twice and really doesn't want to take it again.

So, how hard do I push?

I'm not so good at letting go entirely and letting the chips fall.

But, it feels like I am not doing my best.

When is it her responsibility, to be responsible?


I really do, ultimately, trust God.
And know she is in good hands.



But, we still have to plan...in order to move forward.

Oh my. It's difficult to walk this line.


These are my 'worrisome years.'



Did your parents push you to get things done, to make a plan?

Were you on your own?

Can you remember that far back? :o)


Encourage one another,
Donna

This last week has been a week of many soccer and volleyball games...and quite a few losses.

Emma was feeling down last night after another close loss on a muddy field.

Here are some encouraging words.

An athlete cannot run with money in his pockets. He must run with hope in his heart and dreams in his head. ~Emil Zatopek

John Wooden: "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation."

President Theodore Roosevelt: "...It is not the critic that counts...The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena... who strives valiantly, who errs and often comes up short again and again...who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat..."

Vince Lombardi: "The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand."


Vince Lombardi: "It's easy to have faith in yourself and discipline when you're a winner, when you're Number 1. What you've got to have is faith and discipline when you are not yet a winner."

John Wooden: "It's what you learn, after you know it all, that counts."

John Wooden's name kept popping up in my search for encouragement.
He was the coach for UCLA's basketball for many years.


Here is his website.






Dare greatly and strive valiantly!

You are in good company!


Encourage one another,
Donna/Mom/Cheerleader

I've been tagged with the weird meme.

List 5 weird things about yourself or your pets.

I looked up the word weird because I wanted to write truly weird things about myself and not just unusual things about myself.
The definition surprised me. The first part of the definition is supernatural, as in eerie or uncanny.


1. Of, relating to, or suggestive of the preternatural or supernatural.
2. Of a strikingly odd or unusual character; strange.
3. Archaic. Of or relating to fate or the Fates.

Now that's just weird.

I will go with the odd, unusual, and strange.



1. Our cat hisses at Katie and I all the time. But then every night she hops on my bed when I'm reading, sits real close, and purrs.

2. My hair is falling out.

3. My once uncanny ability to learn lyrics has gone with the wind.

4. I am an extremely late bloomer. (academically)

5. I love a black comedy. (Harold and Maud, Absolutely Fabulous, Matilda)



Are you weird?

How so?


And about my hair....help!


Encourage one another,
Donna

Wendy has me thinking of hats this morning.

Her post reminded me of a photo I took of Katie last week.



Which reminded me of this book;




Caps For Sale

Caps for sale
Caps for sale
Caps upon my head
Caps for sale
Caps for sale
Yellow, blue and red

and this book;





"R.R. Pottle the Third loved hats."

A Three Hat Day is actually a sweet little love story.

I highly recommend it.




Encourage one another,
Donna

Fun times after the soccer game!

The cold didn't seem to bother the young ones :o)

I sat in the car, which conveniently faced the field, and chatted with friends, knit, and watched the game.

Today is the first ever MAHS Homecoming.
All I need to do is bake rice crispy treats for the bake sale and gooey butter cakes for the big bonfire and party!

I am so thankful for this community!

When we moved here five years ago. I was concerned for Emma. She left such wonderful friends (and me too) up North.

I prayed and asked God to bring her good friends.

I count Emma's friends as answers to that prayer.

I really do.



Encourage one another,
Donnna



Go Tigers.
Go Tigers.
Gooooo Tigers!

Feast One Hundred & Fifteen



Appetizer
Approximately how many hours per week do you spend reading other blogs?

Soup
Your community wants everyone to give one thing to put into a time capsule. What item would you choose to include?

Salad
What is the most interesting tourist attraction you've ever visited?

Main Course
If you could give an award to anyone for anything, who would it be and what would the award be titled?

Dessert
What do you think your favorite color reveals about your personality?




This is my favorite 'tourist attraction' I have ever seen.

The remarkable and beautiful David.

He stands in a gallery all by himself (in Florence, Italy). The wide and dim hallway leading to The David has about eight unfinished statues lining the walls. These are fascinating pieces in themselves because the "people' look like they are emerging from the stone.

But then, you walk forward to a circular room with a high ceiling. And it is bright and David is in the center of the room.



It is stunning.




Back to earth...


Emma has a soccer game today. It is currently 30 degrees outside. And windy. Windchill 21.

Don't you think they should cancel the game?

I do.

I am a big weather whimp.

Is playing sports in this kind of weather a character builder?

I suppose.

But, burr.


And about Grey's Anatomy...

The message from Denny was so touching.
Meredith chose the person she loved.

And George's romance is the most realistic one I've seen on television. Sometimes ya date a few times...and it just doesn't work out. That seems to be what happened.
George and Va Va Va Voom were just not in sync.

And by the way, I was not that dreamy and funny when I was having my appendix out.

Although, my sister Nancy might have a different take on it.

She told me to 'stop pressing that button.' (The morphine)


Happy Friday...the 13th.

Katie: Do we get to play tricks?
Me: No, it's just a day of bad luck.
Katie: No tricks?
Me: No. And we don't believe in bad luck anyway.


Encourage one another,
Donna

Well...that was a little bit scary.

Looking at the blank page was odd. I was finally able to do a test...and the republishing seems to have fixed what ever ailed dear old blogger.




Here is something much more pleasant to look at than an empty blog screen.

It is called Loganberry.

And yes, that is snow.

Of course, the yarn shop does not have 13 skeins of this color...or 13 skeins of any color, for that matter, so I may have to order it from Schoolhouse Press. And you know what that means. Different dyelot. Do over.

But that's okay. I am experimenting with the pattern and wanted to test the color before buying so much yarn.

I do like the color very much. It is rich and pretty and not boring.

The yarn is called Jamieson & Smith.

Shetland Double Knitting yarn. It is a little rough at first feel...but it softens up as it is knit.


***************


I Tivoed Project Runway last night. Anyone watching that one?

I was amazed to see Laura and her five children.
Her designs are my favorites!

But, accusing Jeffery of cheating.

Pretty low.

I'm looking forward to next weeks finale.


Gotta run. We are in the middle of school and Katie is waiting for me to play Enchanted Forest with her.

ttfn

Encourage one another,
Donna

Imagination.

Katie just popped out of the bathroom and said,

"I am making up a televeision show."

It is called Katie's Teeth.

It has a website called: www.katie'steeth.com

ha!



funny kid


She also wonders, "If it bleeds, do you get more money?"

Oh. man.

The answer is no.

Do you have children who have personalities that are entirely different than yours?

Well. I do.
It surprises me.

Still.


You see, Emma is extremely stoic.
I am not.

Yesterday afternoon, Emma left for soccer practice at 3:30.
As soon as practice was over she climbed into the car and headed to volleyball practice. At 8:45 she returned home.

Her dad commented that she looked tired. And she was a little insulted.
I asked if she was tired and she said there was one hard drill at volleyball.
(Some slide, slide, jump type of drill.)

But, no fuss.

My only clue that this had, indeed, been a hard day was when at 10:00 she went up to bed.

(She is a night owl.)

Now, me...

Well...there would have been a running commentary from the time I was getting ready for soccer until the time I was lugging my sore feet up the stairs and climbing into bed with loud groans.



How this silly, chatty mom bore such a stoic girl,
I'll never know.






Encourage one another,
Donna

You absolutely must click on the picture to see the shawl I am planning to make.
Sorry for the sub-standard photo.

The sawtooth border is very pretty! I like how it flaps over to make a sort of collar.



What color should I knit it in?

The Opinionated Knitter by Elizabeth Zimmermann
(author and model of the shawl pictured above)

Most people have and obsession; mine is knitting.
Your hobby may be pie-baking, playing the piano, or potbelly-stove collecting, and you can sympathize with my enthusiasm, having an obsession of your own. Will you forgive my single-mindedness, and my tendency to see knitting in everything?

Carvings and sculpture remind me only of Aran and other textured designs;when I see a beautiful print my first thought is how it would adapt to color pattern knitting...

So please bear with me, and put up with my opinionated, nay, sometimes cantankerous attitude. I feel strongly about knitting...

Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit either.

When I say properly practiced, I mean executed in a relaxed manner, without anxiety, strain, or tension, but with confidence, inventiveness, pleasure, and ultimate pride.

If you hate to knit, why, bless you, don't; follow your secret heart and take up something else. But if you start out knitting with enjoyment, you will probably continue in this pleasant path.

Elizabeth encourages me to wander and learn.

I have always been a pattern follower. Strictly.

(Tell me exactly what yarn to buy and what needles to use and how many inches to knit. I'm comfortable with that. There lies safety. No frogging necessary)

Elizabeth is a 'learn by doing sort of knitter.'

So is my friend Lynn.

With those two for knitting encouragement, I am sure to learn something new...

it's kind of exciting.



I hope I can do so in a relaxed manner :o)


Encourage one another...and as Elizabeth says;

"Knit on, with confidence and hope, through all crises"

Row, Row, Row the boat...

Oh my. Who knew rowing a boat was so hard?

Climbing the side of a cliff. That looks hard.

But gee, I thought everyone had rowed a boat.

Just a little.

But on Amazing Race last night this task brought about tears and fits of anger and more tears.


*************


I think every couple planning a wedding should be forced to row a sampan in rough waters. Then they can settle in for the pre-marital counseling.

Or maybe it would be a great first date. Why waste time?

"Oh, you'd like to date our daughter?
Alright.
There's the sampan, and here are your oars.
Have a nice time, you two!"



*********




Let's see what else happened on the weekend.

It was warm enough for a few more tomatoes to turn red.
Emma was invited to join the girl's volleyball team.
Katie was chosen as one of the five narrators for the Christmas play.
Patrick worked, and then watched
his Packers lose in the last few seconds of the game. :o(
I puttered around, knit socks and a shawl, searched for low air fares, and went shopping with my birthday giftcards :o)


It was quite fine.


Did you see the harvest moon?


Encourage one another,
Donna

October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came -
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.
~George Cooper, "October's Party"






Encourage one another,
Donna

Feast One Hundred & Fourteen



Appetizer
Name a song you know by heart.

Soup
What will you absolutely not do in front of another person?

Salad
How often do you use mouthwash and what kind do you like?

Main Course
Finish this sentence: I am embarrassed when...

Dessert
What was the last food you craved?

Hat-tip


**********

Friday is Flame day. This year I have been able to stay home because Emma is able to drive. But, today I will go along to do my Flame job and help with auditions.
This is the first time I have been on this committee and I think it will be fun and interesting.

I will not be judging my own children, of course. But I actually think I could do that fairly. Really.

Katie will have in-class auditions for the Christmas program.
She has been practicing "Go Tell it on the Mountain" and lines from the 'play'.

She says her lines with great expression. Whether she will be as brave in front of her teacher is anyone's guess.

She says she is happy with whatever she gets to do.
(Katie says lots of girls want to be Mary.)

Well. Of course :o)

I will miss Emma's soccer game tonight due to my commitment, but I can't say I will miss the drive out to Richland center. (60 miles away)


*****

What did you think of Grey's Anatomy last night?
I especially liked the theme: Pain.

Alex: Where does it hurt?
Izzy: Everywhere.


Better run, I don't get to be a lady-of-leisure this morning.

Happy Friday, All!

Encourage one another,
Donna

Thank you for making the first 'Be Nosy Day' a huge success!



Would you all like to answer a few of the questions?



I thought Denise's question was especially good;

"If you could change one aspect of your personality, which would it be?






And from Lindsey;

"Can you play an instrument?"



********

There is one more thing I am very curious about (Something MFS mentioned in the comments a few days ago.)

Melissa said that her father had a method for teeth straightening without braces.

I am dying to know about this method!

Aren't you?


Thank you, again, for playing along with my silly games.


Encourage one another,
Donna

First Offical 'Be Nosy Day'




Ask me a question, any question at all.

I'll answer it in the comments.

I know you'll keep it clean...and polite :o)

I reserve the right to say,

"I'm not tellin'."






Encourage one another,
Donna

(shamelessly stolen from Melodee)

Thanks to some gentle and perfect encouragement I am looking forward to reading Les Miserables.

Texasblu, Jill, Kari, Amy, Mindy and Shery all said it was a wonderful book and Sherry said it as her favorite book of all time!

They didn't tell me I should read it. They just told me how much they loved it.

And it was persuasive.



Think about how this works in all areas of life.

We can not control other people...we can't make them do what we want them to do...

(I know, I've tried and still do from time to time)

I'd love to give my husband and children my faith.

'believe strongly, believe deeply, you were created, you are loved, you are redeemed...'

But actual faith comes from the Holy Spirit.

Not me.

(And who really is more equipped to impart faith? Me or the Holy Spirit?
How could I possibly answer...me?)


So, I continue to walk with God and believe and trust Him and try to obey Him and show His love thru my words and actions...


I may want to tell you that you should love God.

But, I know, better than that, my life must reflect just how much I love Him and how confident I am that He loves me and that He died for me.


The rest is up to the Holy Spirit.

"Could we with ink the ocean fill
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above
would drain the ocean dry,
Nor could the scroll contain the whole
though stretched from sky to sky."

Encourage one another,
Donna

I must admit, I am not going to read Les Miserable. It only took reading the first five pages, twice, to help me realize that I don't want to spend all my time reading it.

I know I should have given it 'fifty pages'...

But you know what they say about 'shoulds'...

Can you recommend a movie version?

:o)


I would like to read The Thirteenth Tale, recommended by so many bloggers.

I am, however, 154 of 204 at our public library.

grrrr...



Emma just finished reading The Scarlet Letter and Exodus.

She loved Exodus.

If you haven't read a book by Leon Uris. Try one. Start with Exodus.

He writes fantastic historical fiction.




Knitting Nell by Julie Jersild Roth


Knitting Nell is a sweet book that Katie and I both enjoyed.

Katie is rather wiggly so when she asks for a second reading. immediately, it is high praise, indeed :o)


What books are you enjoying at your house this Fall?


Encourage one another,
Donna