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Grandmother Poems and Grandfather Poems: Poems and Things To Do With Grandchildren

Grandmother Poems and Grandfather Poems: Poems and Things To Do With Grandchildren

Sometimes life gives you some time to just go..........hummmmmmmmm

To everything there is a season. 

 Today I had a conversation with a young friend of mine. She was sharing how there were people in her life that were always "letting her down". She was trying to process if it was time to just let those people go. She told me she didn't want to burn bridges ..but I just told her...you don't have to burn anything..but you CAN walk to the other side.

As she and I chatted, I thought about a lot of the feeling I have been having about my own 'friends'. It is always hard, when you have a close, connected relationship with another person and you end up feeling 'let down'. One of those people you talk to most everyday. One of those people you can share anything with and they can share anything with you. Then after years of being in each others lives something seems to change and the phone calls stop happening and the distance starts to creep in.

Sometimes it can be an event that causes things like this to happen. But there are also times that nothing really 'happens'...but that person just seems to be GONE from you. 

I have been around a long time and much longer than my young friend. But I must admit, that those times in my life when this has happened to me has been some of my lowest times of my life. 

I have always taken time to look at myself...see if I am just too honest or too depressing and bring that other person down with me..therefore they run away. I have always tried to get these people to talk to me about what might have happened...how I make them feel or how 'they' are feeling. 

If it has been how they do feel about me and how I effect them and this has been the case, no one has ever shared that is how they have felt. Most often they have shared, their life has become filled with a new job, doing new and busy things with their kids, connecting with a new husband..and the list goes on. 

At any rate, I don't know really why we lose friends that have seemed so close to us...but after having it happen to me in my life...I can only think it is just part of life.

To everything there is a season.

Two steps forward......three steps back?

There are lots of times you hear two steps forward and three steps back. I always thought it was so discouraging...to think that no matter how are we try we are always behind!!

I love to do things with my hands...and knitting has a given me the chance to 'make things' with my hands. 

But I must admit, that very often, I start a pattern or pick up a yarn that I just 'don't like'! So I find myself taking the project apart. And putting the pattern aside [or just throwing it away] and putting the yarn back in my 'stash' for another day.

The past few weeks or maybe for over a month, I have been doing this a lot. I started a vest pattern using sock yarn. I spend hours on it getting the body part of it done. I held it up to myself [since I was looking for a project I could finish for ME] and just didn't like the way it laid or the way the colors of the yarn was 'patterning' up. SO...I torn the whole thing apart...wound up the yarn and put the yarn away.

I found a 'sweater pattern' on line that also uses sock yarn...so last night...I grabbed the sock yarn from the torn apart vest pattern and started knitting away on the new sweater pattern.

I must admit, I really don't know if I will like it when it is done, or if I will again, get to a point where I can see I don't like the pattern or something and again tear it apart! 

BUT that two steps forward and three steps back...well....sometimes it is all about the process...even if you don't get 'steps' ahead by others standards...we do LEARN during the process...we do make good use of the time but seeing what we do and don't like. 

I am heading for my knitting needles now...going to pick up the sweater that is is only a collar and about an inch of 'shoulders' and start knitting away.

I can take my two steps ahead how I see to do it...and it is my choice to NOT do the three steps behind part! :)

 

Today was one of those..............

Today was one of the cabin fever kind of days...seems I could not focus on much at hand...did do a wee bit of knitting and that was it.

I had several people post this poor snowman photo on Facebook or send it in emails. He is tired of his winter life as you can see.

Not sure I am ready to hang myself...not that much cabin fever yet! But I am getting tired of not being able to drive on the nasty roads and having cold hands and feet!

I guess, it still goes back to finding creative things for me to do. I started to knit cup warmers. And as neat as they are...I was looking at the one finished one I had last done last night and thought....yep...I have lost my mind. I am knitting cup warmers and thinking they look 'cool'! This is why women back in the day would go nuts on making Christmas towels by the dozen or empty the stash of homemade wine before the spring thaw.

At any rate.....I am moving my feet [have to keep them warm some how!] and keep reading more ideas of things to make with my hands [have to keep them warm too!] this month.

I did get my 'free' sweater pattern. It uses sock yarn and is in adult sizes. So I will go put that on needles...watch some more mindless TV and keep feeling bad from sad Mr. Snowman that is tired of the winter!

It is just one of those things...you go into a little second hand shop and just walk around...keeping your mind open to all the little treasures that you might find. After Molly and Cyler were dropped off that DTW in January [after their holiday visit in Ohio for Christmas] I did just that...stop at the little shop that is outside Monroe, right off an exit. They have lots of vendors in the 'mall' and on the very last look around, in the very last booth...I found my plaster Virgin Mary.

I knew as soon as I saw her...she might be able to be mine. And when I checked out the price...$8 was right up my alley! :) So I added her to my newest stash [I found a lidded dish that matched my china set as well] and walked to the check out.

Now, on these LONG winter nights...with snow surrounding me...and my knitting needles [or quilt] in front of me...I can sit on my little love seat and look at my Madonna and watch her soft face 'glow' in the candle light. She was meant to be mine...meant to give me a little peace in the middle of this long winter!

I was not able to blog for a few days....Chloe's computer died..and so I gave her my laptop to use in BG. The old clunker one Keith uses has a total messed up keyboard so there was no way I could even type!

So I got the old K12 computer up and running...and here I go...blogging away again! I really did miss it...blogging seems to be a new way journal for me! :)

I have been staying busy with my quilt I am making for Huxley. It is going to be a great size for her to lay on on the floor. It is going to be bigger than most baby quilts would have to be. But that is going to be good in the long run....since she is starting to try to crawl around and this will give her more 'space' to do that and still be on the blanket!

I did get the topper done and layered with two layers of the cotton batting. And got it in the quilting hoop. I then started to knot it and was using pearl cotton. I don't mind it on the big panel..but I am thinking that maybe I need to use yarn instead. THIS IS WHAT ALWAYS TAKES ME SO LONG TO FINISH ANYTHING...THINKING THINKING AND THINKING SOME MORE!!!! But I always think, if I don't like it in the end...why do it at all. I know it isn't always about the end product, it is also about the process..but when you ALWAYS stand back and look at the end product and say YUCK! then I just think I MUST pay attention to the end product.

I think with the knotting of this quilt, it is the idea that since it is all in flannels..the pearl cotton just isn't 'fuzzy enough or soft enough to 'fit in'! I wish I was able to get to Monroe to Crafts 2000. I think they have 'crewel' wool and that is what I think I need. HUMMMM But I will probably just use the sock yarn I have or the left over from the Dr. Who scarf! At least I am going to try that and see if I like how it looks with yarn!

Well, here is the final 'pattern'. I am done thinking and only the color of the binding is possibly up for grabs.

I did get a yellow, an orange and an off white to 'try'.

I like the orange the best with the backing color. But we shall see!

Heading to the sewing machine NOW. Going to hang the corkboard and then start finishing the final patches.

I have tons of projects laid out in there...and will put some of that away too...less to 'think' about...less to 'see' right now!

FOCUS!!

Today's thoughts

I keep thinking that as human beings we need to create, feel we are here for some reason and keep moving through life 'doing' things that we can stand back and look at and say....I did that!

I have been reading other peoples blogs..and seems that everyone has lots they do ...keep their feet moving..but feel they are not getting anything "DONE". I read one knitters blog and she listed all the projects she had on needles. She was trying to get one project done and 'really' trying to not start another project until she was 'caught' up.

I guess I have to try to follow the same...I am NOT going to really start working on my wool ideas until I have Huxley's quilt finished. Even though I read how others have worked on quilts for YEARS and this one has only been 'thought' about since March '09..when I bought the first piece of flannel in Amish country...I do want to finish it NOW and not start anything else until it is finished.

I have altered the pattern 'again' and think I have it how I want it now. Going with my own color choices now and trying to LOVE it just the way it is. :)

Part of the process for the creative mind, or should I say MY creative mind, is putting things in my mist that are feel good things. Plants, my funky things I find here and there that I have been putting in my art studio...all that makes it fun. Makes something to look forward to when I find that 'little' thing that is just right to LOOK at when I am 'thinking'.

I am on my way.

Saving Ms Spider Plant

There are times we make big mistakes...like sitting plant some where 'out of the way' when you are getting ready for the holiday...and forgetting about it!

Well...I did that in November, with a spider plant that I had babied all summer and it had gone from tiny to a nice plant full of new baby life.

But when we were getting ready for Thanksgiving..and I know that Christmas was to follow, I set the spider plant on the back porch on a little stool. I had moved the kitty litter box out there to get out of the kitchen and so in a way the plant was now kind of hidden.

Most of the plants on the back porch are cactus or other succulents so they don't get lots of winter water. It has always my habit, to keep those plants back there and try to keep as much heat as possible on them for the winter...and then pop them outside as soon as the summer hits!

WELL........I went to straighten up out there..and there was my poor spider plant ..all the babies were dead but a few...and the mother plant was mostly brown and dry.

I took the poor sad fellow to the box where I have all my compose items...I thought, you will just need to go in the 'pile' and I will find a new plant like you ...you are totally lost!

After a few days, I took a look at the plant again...and took it to the sink, trimmed all I could...and soaked it. I know how it can be when neglect is just too much. And I even talked to her, and told her I was sorry and I would try to give her a chance to live again.

Well, I have kept her by the kitchen sink and today...I found a new growth coming out of the base of the plant. She had been looking greener and starting to grow, but didn't think it would start to push out a new growth this quickly.

So I have kept her alive...she is growing...I hope she can make it to spring and I have promised to help her! :)

Well...I am making a red
scarf for myself..and as you can see, Cheerio loves to sit on it, sleep on it... She does this when I leave the sofa or even as I am trying to knit!

She is just a cutie!

Making Dirt

Ok...I will admit it, I look at other people's photos on Facebook! I was looking around the other night, and saw a photo of a young man that was putting what looked like the final touches to covering the ceiling of his room with playing cards. I should post it, but it was just really cool.

I know what some people would say...."Why?" would you spend time putting playing cards all over ...completely covered with playing cards. I guess, as I think about it...well, why NOT!? At least it is something to do, a way to spend time and then one would be able to stand back and look at this cool thing he finished.

Spending time doing something productive or what we feel is productive is really a good thing! It keeps our minds busy...it is a way to not get bored and in the end be able to stand back and say I did that.

Well, I have started a project like that too...not playing cards on my ceilings but I bought a 'paper shredder'! And I am going to try to 'make dirt' from composting cardboard and newspapers, junk mail and other things from the house this winter.

I have been saving stuff during the week and then ever 4-5 days I have been shredding.

I have an outdoor compost bin and so I have been putting a little pile of shredded stuff in the bin this past few weeks.

I don't know how long it will take to really MAKE dirt. But I know it is a good thing to do and not burn all the paper we usually do!

I will keep an eye on the progress of my dirt...and I will keep you all posted!

Here is a picture of my newest Ebay find...the blue lamp on the left. I just won it tonight for 99 cents. I thought it would work perfectly on the little 70's style tile top table I found at the Salvo in Ann Arbor.

I found a lamp shade company called Deadly Nightshades that make retro shades like the pink one I posted on ther right.

The shade of course will be the big price. I would order it in while with black lacing and either some black swirl or tiny splashes I will have to do myself.

The thing is, when we were at a thrift shop on Friday night, I found two other retro lamps that I think it will be a great addition to our family room. I might drive there tomorrow and see if they are still there....it would be a GREAT find if they are still available.

It sure helps the winter pass and keeps my creative juices flowing.

I am hoping to make it a habit of blogging. I find it like a journal but by adding my photos I am able to share some of my 'creations', my furry friends and some of my family pictures too.

I think having the creative out let for me, is a very important part of my inter being. Even though I don't' have lots of money to spend on tons of fancy art stuff. I can find clearance yarn and make wonderful one of a kind scarves or I can take an old tray, add tons of used wine corks and make the coolest 'dream' board ever.

Blogging will help me share...I am really looking forward to it!

FINALLY

It took me awhile to get back into this blog sight...but my photo feature is working again! YEA!