daffodils and rocks

February 22 – Happy 280th birthday President George Washington ! ! ! ! !

This morning I went out and about in the yard and decided to bring in the empty plastic gallon plant holder things to use for my self-watering container I hope to make this spring. In one I found these extra daffodil bulbs I never got around to putting in the ground. I try to divide some of the older ones every year, because they get rather compacted. Here they are blooming – the daffodil – the symbol of hope. Now I have my theme for my next set of rocks to paint. I always love that daffodils are the symbol of hope. I tried to put some in the ground, but it’s been raining so the ground is rather gummy. The rest I just scattered on the ground and put some dirt over them. We will see what happens later on. I know a friend of my son’s said her dad dug up some daffodils and dumped them in the ditch at the end of their driveway against the rest of their wishes. Now every Spring beautiful daffodils bloom there. He gives us beauty for ashes.

Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Here are pictures of the last bunch of rocks I painted – just like to remember them if I give them away or maybe even sell them later at the market.

One last thing – I put the greenhouse shelf thing in the living room in front of the window yesterday so that all the seedlings will go there when they finally start growing.

what to do with almonds

reluctant hippie family re almonds

health benefits of soaking almonds much the same info as link above

homemade spiced almond butter

Saturday at home

I spent the day doing laundry, knitting and planting bunches and bunches of seeds – tomatoes, marigolds, lettuce, basil, oragano. Now it will be fun to see it all grow.

dear dog waiting for something to happen.

Some of the seeds planted – there are bunches more.

another week

another week under way and happy Valentines Day!
a day to treasure
a day to seek
a day to work
a day to contemplate
dear daughter back to work after 2 days off.
now the count is 4 weeks and 4 days
and she will be off into the wild blue yonder.

this picture is of the area in KS I grew up in.
I’ve been studying metaphors. I didn’t really remember what they were
but it came up in the Divine Plumbline class I am reviewing since I took
the class a year ago. I am attempting to teach it to the assisted living
group we visit each Sunday. One man didn’t understand how the Bible used
the word “heart” so much. In my research I’ve found that the ancient
Hebrews viewed the heart a bit differently than we do today.
This info is from David Steinberg www.houseofdavid.ca

Biblical Hebrew sees the heart as the total personality, the inner self – what it means to be human plus the intellect and rational thought. Also memory, emotions, desire, will, determination and courage.

here’s my picture

snow today

Yesterday we served coffee and cocoa to the homeless again. Two men were turned away from the shelters for one reason or another and they are the 2 men who got the sleeping bags I brought; I hope they kept them warm in the out-of-doors!

Snowed today and I shoveled driveway for 40 minutes. Maybe it will melt off before I need to do it again. It is pretty and nice to have at least 1 snow this winter.

I like collecting saucers – here are a couple of them. I especially like the one with leaves I got for 29 cents last week.

tgif – thank God it’s friday

Yay – another week almost finished. – 5 more weeks until dear daughter is on her way – to her destination – happy for her. I drove (or rode) with her to work – she works 7-4 today – didn’t want to be w/out a car all day. I want to mail my stocking hats and blanket to Cure International – the DJ from k-love will be leaving in 2 weeks so want to get them there in time – otherwise – Cure Intl. will make good use of them there later or some other place.

I came home and finished this “ugly quilt” Took about 2 hours – less if I wouldn’t have made the bag. There was extra because one sheet was king sized. I didn’t sew the comforter to the 2 sheets I sewed together; that way, if necessary there will be a sleep sheet for the warmer weather.
The 2 sheets

The comforter

sewed up and comforter inside

rolled up

bagged

photo of my rock work table

some rocks I’m finishing up. I think the shoe rock is my fav.

Now I need to make a cabbage/tofu salad because I have both ingredients. Found a recipe from epicurious.com and modified it quite a bit into the following recipe.

Tofu and Cabbage Salad with Almond Dressing

Salad
1 T. olive oil
1 lb. tofu, 1/2 inch strips lengthwise
1 medium head cabbage, chopped (about 2 1/2 c.)
cucumbers, broccoli or cauliflower or similar veggie
2/3 c. ch. green onions or leeks

Almond Dressing
1/2 c. plain yogurt
1/4 c. almond butter
1/2 tsp. Braggs Liquid Aminos

Saute tofu in heated oil 4 minutes on each side.
Combine veggies in a bowl.
Mix dressing ingredients with 2 T. water.
Pour 3/4 dressing over vegetables and toss.
Top salad with tofu strips and drizzle on remainder of dressing.

I packaged up the hats and blanket for CURE and also have one to mail to Knit for Kids that’s been sitting around too long.

finished the salad – love the small cast iron skillet – 1st time to use it.

sure is windy today – at least the sun is out in full force : )

rocks again

Yesterday I sent off a couple of rocks to my son and his girlfriend. Her b-day is coming up and his is in March, plus Valentines day – so a gift is in order. She gets the lady bug magnet and he of course gets the dog, whose expression reminds me of dear son : )
You can notice the boxes I made out of wallpaper sample sheets I’ve had for probably over a decade. These will work well for the rocks ! !

I finished a few other rocks and want to finish the rest (about 9 or 10) before I put the mess away to work on starting seedlings.

p.s. I am so very addicted to the computer and that thing called fb today. I baked this sourdough bread using the longer method of 12-16 hours on the counter, then form it the way you want it and refrigerate it 8-12 hours, then bake at 430 F. 20 minutes with a pan of water on lower rack, then at 400 F. for 15 minutes. Then take bread out of pan and put in oven 5-10 minutes. It turns out delish, actuallyl.

One more thing today before sleep time. I’m finishing up this bunch of rocks. Here is the back of the igloo rock. I like this colorful bear!

I may as well post the front also:

garden time

soon instead of just dreaming I will be needing to plant some seeds indoors for transplant later.

Tim’s square foot gardening looks very helpful.

dear daughter will be with us about 5 more weeks plus 2 days. here is a pic of her and friends last April in Azerbaijan when she was teaching English there. Now she will be going to CO to a Biblical Studies school – am so happy for her – I know she will do superduper in this new life chapter – !!!

new rocks in the works

Yesterday we went to the assisted living for our weekly service there and twas great. We served Communion too.

Later we met fellow homeless workers at Taco bell for a bit before we went to the park where the homeless hang out. It had been raining so the sleeping bag/blanket I made last week was gladly received by a man who needed something dry. The bag was needed by another lady, so that worked out well. We served hot cocoa and coffee. Our friends served their homemade burritos. We were there about 2 hours. They are wonderful and grateful people – always fun to chat with (both the people we work with and the homeless, although some have apts. nearby they live in).

Here are some rocks I’ve been working on the last few days. I think I’ll make some boxes for them.

I read Proverbs 6 for the Proverb of the day and loved these verses, as I always do when I read them.

Rocks I finished up today: (I also vacuumed and cleaned kitchen floor, did laundry and cooked spaghetti, asparagus and a big salad)

One more thing before the lovely day ends. I finished this dog rock for our son’s b-day present (in March). I think he’ll like it. Both sides:

new bunch of rocks

39 more rocks from a creek bed and the dentist parking lot (the light ones)

twill be fun : )