Strawberry Sunday

I love etsy (which is a good thing, since I sell there!). Anyhow, you never know the wonderful things that you will find when you look around. I've been inspired by all of my bloggy friends' strawberry crops and decided to see what cool strawberry items I could find on etsy.

1. Strawberry Field Medium Frame purse, Toon Design, $12.00
2. Teasel and Lace Strawberry Floral Throw Pillow Cover, ModDiva, on sale for $15.95
3. Strawberry Blank Note Cards, smith letterpress, $26.00
4. Fraise Vintaj Drop Earrings, Sea Shore Glass, $15.00
5. Vintage Plaid Strawberry Blouse, Size Medium, Lynn's Rags, $14.00
6. Turquoise and red round ring, Baronika Handcrafted Artisan Jewelry, $21.00

1. Peasant Dress, Size 2T, For The Love of Smocking, $24.00
2. Strawberry Gummy Bear Necklace, Baby Loves Pink, $15.00
3. Strawberry Fields Shirred Smocked Jumper, sizes 12m - 8 years, Spoiled Cotton, $49.00
4. Red and Blue Strawberry Dishtowels, Curry Kay Designs, $17.00
5. The Modern Baby Quilt, Strawberry Fields, Second Sanctuary, $225.00
6. Fruit Art Strawberry, LaBerge: Fine Art prints, limited editions, and originals, $17.50

I hope you enjoy my strawberry finds as much as I've enjoyed sharing with you. Remember to support artisan made pieces. In a faltering economy, many people are looking to their wares as income makers. And what could be better than having that one-of-a-kind, where did you get that piece?

99 Things - What Have you Done?

I found this list on Somebody Heal Me by Diana E Lee. Diana is a chronic migraine sufferer and her blog is about updates in migraine treatment, study, etc. Then there was this cool list. I SO had to do it!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visted Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone Rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Effel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone Whale Watching

63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Save a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Publish a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stanger at midnight on NYE
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Gotten a tatoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swan in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Wow! 47 things! I guess I've lived a pretty rich life in my short time here on earth! How many have you done?

Photos from Beauty In Everything and We Heart It

Honor Flight

I am covered from head to toe in poison ivy. I am so freakin' itchy that I want to claw my skin off. The man that originally owned this house filled the backyard with poison ivy Intentionally(!) to keep kids from cutting throught the backyard. Intentionally! And ever since then, it's been impossible to get rid of. The back of our house is covered in Boston ivy that needs to be trimmed down before it reaches the roof. The poison ivy blends in with the Boston ivy, and whammo - Mama's one big welt. (FYI - Ben Gay works FANTASTICALLY on poison ivy).

In other news, I am excited to tell you that my grandpa has been selected to take his Honor Flight to the WWII Veterans Memorial. I am so happy about this! For those of you that are unfamiliar with Honor Flight, it's primary mission is to send WWII veterans free of charge to Washington, DC to see the Memorial before they are unable to go. Tours, busses, food, etc, is all provided free of charge. Last year, my grandfather was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame for his work in the USO during the war and his work as a high school band leader, community musician, and conductor after the war. This feels like the next wonderful thing to do to honor him.

Honor Flight is always in need of donations. If you have the money to donate, you can go here to support the cause.

My grandpa's flight is June 12th. Hopefully my dad will take lots of photos that I can share with you when they come back. In the meantime, please pray for the men and women who have served our country in all conflicts and who are currently serving and keep the good people of honor flight in your thoughts. This is a beautiful thing that they are doing.

Photo from We Heart It

A Lesson in Anger

I did not have a good day the last two days. Not the type of days that you want to be sharing your soul on the internet. My husband and I were fighting constantly. Screaming, bitter, angry fights with tears on my end and lots of door slamming on his. And I have to say that it started over a little thing and blew up into something else entirely. Not fun at all.

I let the sun go down twice on my anger. In Ephesians it says never to do that. And boy oh boy, did the devil gain his foothold. You should have heard the thoughts going through my head and the curses hurled at my husband (on second thought, it's better that you didn't). We've never had a period where we fought for days; we've always made it a point to put it to bed before we go to bed. But I wasn't willing to let this one go before HE GOT MY POINT!

There's a reason why the word of God is there for us to refer to. The advice in it is spot on. Not only did I dream of fighting with Tim, but I woke up angry and shaky. Which made everything he said to me just hit that raw nerve Just So. Let the screaming begin again.

Hopefully we (I) will have learned from this. I don't ever want to repeat the feelings and anger of the last few days. I think that a lot of what came up was stuff that had been stewing for a while, but still, Never go to bed on angry thoughts. God knew what he was talking about. And bless Paul for writing it all down.

My lovely husband has returned with a dryer! It needs some work - but it will dry clothes! Yay! So the anger saga has ended, and on with life.

Photos from Beauty In Everything and We Heart It

Photos For Sale!

Well, I've taken the big leap of faith and posted 17 of my photographs in my etsy store, Howard Knits. I've even placed a groovy button in the sidebar that links to my shop. It has a picture of my grandfather in it, since that's who I named the shop after.

So please check out my shop and let me know what you think. I'll be adding more photos as the days go on - I just ran out of time today!

Photos: Dublin Cemetary

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Dublin Cemetary (in Ohio) is a historical cemetary with headstones dating back to when the area was founded in the early 1800's. In the oldest parts of the cemetary headstones are made of limestone and are organized by lettered markers in the ground. The cemetary is also full of flowers and blooming trees. It is a beautiful, peaceful place.


A Depth of Field photo for You Capture

Just Some Random Stuff

Well, kids, I'm having a bit of writer's block today, so I'll catch you up on a few bits.

* Am delighted to have been added to the blog list on High Calling Blogs. Their mission is to encourage faith in both daily life and work life. Their blog is fantastic and features amazing articles. Check it out!

* The whole Tribe went to the dentist today. It was Will's first trip and he was not at all impressed, though I do have to day that he was good and let the dentist examine his teeth. He also serenaded the hygienist with a song about a dog who was going bye.

* Took Kendall to the pet store for supplies for her new hedgehog. Yep, we have a hedgehog in the house. It's a skittish thing, and makes a funny, mechanical purring noise when it's upset. And it bit me when I tried to get it out of Kendall's pant leg. But it's really cute.

* Collin got lots of money for his birthday and treated us all to pizza tonight - I didn't have to cook! I made some awesome shish kabobs and roasted potatoes for his birthday and I was going to serve those left overs, but I guess that's for dinner tomorrow night.

* Wanted to get lots of gardening done this weekend, but had a killer migraine yesterday. Spent the entire day in a haze of Imitrex and caffeine.

* Must get lots of laundry done this week. We are still using clothes lines and this week is supposed to be sunny and in the 80's. Have a mountain of laundry from all of the rain we've been having.

* Hmmm - besides the hedge hog, things have been pretty quiet and boring around here. Hope to get my creative mojo back so I can regale you with fabulous writing tomorrow!

These Make Me Happy

My list of happiness is up to 101 items now. SO I have Saturday blog posts for a while now! Enjoy.

Figuring out that new knitting stitch

The house wren's song

Peonies - beautiful, boofy, and smell like heaven



Swallowtail butterflies

Summer cookouts

Hummingbirds (I saw one feeding on my false indigo yesterday)

Cicada song



Earl Grey and Lady Grey Tea, no lemon, no sugar, no cream (I'm a purist)

Holding hands with my hunny

Buttery popcorn



Eating a peach straight off of the tree

Bear hugs

Soft breezes



Kissing like teenagers (highly recommended!)

Fresh apple cider

People watching



Hot enough to make my skin pink bubble baths

Slow summer strolls

Quiet moments

Dancing like a goofball

Enough

I will never get the house clean enough.
I will never be thin enough.
I don't spend enough time with my children.
I don't show my husband that I love him enough.
I don't cook enough nutritious meals.
I don't do enough for my church.
I don't bake enough.
I don't do enough to support my children's schools.
I don't dust the house enough.
I'm not sexy enough.
I'm not smart enough.
I'm not good enough at my job.

Do you see yourself in these words? I find it interesting that even though we have crazy, non-stop lifestyles, jobs, either in or out of the house, and that the expectations of who we are supposed to be are so high, that we still have this "I have to be June/Ward Cleaver or I will not be good enough for anyone" attitude.

As if to add insult to injury, if you are a Christian, you know that really, as far as God as concerned, we really can never be enough if we compare ourselves to Him. How does one measure up to an omniscient God? How does one follow all of the rules, do everything to the perfection He requires, and make it all good in His sight?

The beauty of our relationship with Christ is that even though, in a heavenly sense, we will never be enough, it doesn't matter. Through Christ's sacrifice, we were granted mercy and grace. It's incredible, really. We were made in the image of the perfect God, and yet we can relax in our dash toward perfection. We can be Mary in a Martha world. Relax in Christ. Stop fussing. Take a breath and stop the march toward being enough.

So the next time you find yourself in a tizzy (as I'm sure I will be tomorrow preparing for my 12-year-old's birthday party) remember that the quest toward enough is really a fool hearty goal. We are, have been, and will always be enough for God because we are His children. Relax in Christ, and let him be your enough.