Facebooking

That how I've spent my morning, facebooking since 6 a.m. Now I'm blogging, don't you like the new action verbs we can do and write about. Sometimes facebook can be a waste of time and other times it comes in handy; to connect with others, share important information and to pray together. This morning I shared a note of encouragement and prayer with my son in college in Colorado, checked the status of the young people in the hospital in Anchorage, two hours away, and chatted on-line. At the bottom of facebook is a place one can chat in real time with others on-line at the same time. It's fun and cheap, as in free. Just this morning and not my normal way to spent the morning I talked with:

son, Theophilus, in college in Colorado

Linden's special "friend", Llewellyn, in college in Colorado

former exchange student turned daughter, Schokolade, studying for finals in Germany

Linden's writing pal, Jhaniel, in college in Hawaii

daughter, Linden, from her bedroom before she came upstairs ( beats shouting)

friend and fellow homeschooler, Annette, in Alaska,but about a hour and a half away

Plus my hubby got in on the act and chatted with Shokolade or the "Little German Train" while I got some coffee for us. Now I'm blogging about facebooking and my spellcheck doesn't recognize these words,but I do. And all done in the the privacy of my living room with me in my jammies and lots of coffee. All in all, a pleasant way to spend half the day, now on to bake bread.

Three lovely young ladies plan to meet for coffee, before making music

That was the plan made on Monday for Tuesday afternoon, but the accident changed that. Instead two are in the hospital with serious injuries, one lost her mother and the third, Linden grieves for her friends. Her and I try to busy ourselves in the kitchen. We cry, and pray, and talk as we bake and cook. Apple,date, and walnut loaf bread, chocolate chip cookies and veggie and chicken noodle soup made and soon comfort us and the pit orchestra for the play Oliver as Linden take the cookies to practice with her. Life and death mix together as a fabric of our lives.

Sorrow, death, and loss

Monday afternoon there was a terrible accident on the highway into town. One person was killed and eight injured, four of them very seriously. Most were young and the others young at heart. Changed in a moment as the driver falls asleep at the wheel; changed, one into the arms of Jesus, but she will be missed by so many here. Others changed for life, health and abilities lost. Only the Lord God can bring beauty from ashes; new life from death, joy from mourning. We look to the Miracle Worker to bring the wondrous changes in a moment and over time. We, by faith, say, the Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the Name of the Lord.

A day in my life ~ Feburary

I'm up just before 8 a.m., the others are sleeping in, I make coffee. While that's brewing on the stove, I read the Bible as it begins to grow light outside. Our Alaska days are slowly getting longer with about 9 hours of daylight, by June the daylight will last almost 21 hours.

Stepping out on the porch, I fill up the bird feeder with fruit, breadcrumbs, and sunflower seeds. Soon I am rewarded with a dozen or so wild birds: black capped chickadees, common red polls, red-breasted nuthatches, one camp robber, and a Stellar blue jay. As I drink my coffee, the cat and I watch the birds; the cat is also fun to watch, as she goes crazy with twitches and her tail swinging wildly.

Hubby and Laura are awake now and so is the sun. Laura and I make breakfast; bacon, toast -baked a few days earlier- and yogurt -made by Laura yesterday- and wild blueberries -picked in the mountains last summer- and lots of hot coffee. We consume a huge pot of coffeee daily. Outside the birds continue eating and troubling the cat. The dogs are put out and fed; they quick scratch on the door, wanting back in where it's warm.

I tidy up the living room, make our bed, and wipe up the kitchen so Laura can bake chocolate chip cookies, read more about that and the rest of her day here. Check it out; she has some great pictures of our local beach at this time of year. I'm sure some of you have never seen ice-packs on the shore before. We go several times in the winter; it's just a different kind of fun, climbing the ice chunks.

Close to noon, the sun makes its only appearance in this overcast day for 2o minutes. Hubby and I quickly jump in the hot tub. The sun shining on the snow is beautiful and the temperature reaches almost 40F. We stay nice and toasty in the 101F hot tub. Only get to soak for one hour, company is coming.

A friend who lives an hour away, close by our standards, visits with us, we talk, drink coffee and eat Laura's cookies (thanks, Laura for leaving us some). Discussion covers kids, colleges, crazy things going on in our government, and how to live simple, how to cut back. Alaska electric and natural gas costs have skyrocketed recently and our area locally produces it. All talk lately with everyone is how to pay the high bills and how to conserve with recent minus 30 temperatures. Trying not to just gripe, we brain storm some ideas; lower in-house temp, I thought I was doing good at 65, my friend has her house set at 60 by day and 55 by night. What a challenge, time to bring out more sweaters and blankets. We've both stopped using our dryers and hang clothes on racks and shower rods, we can't put them out in the winter, clothes freeze and don't dry. Trying to use less electric lights is hard now, but so easy in the summer, none needed then. If anyone out there in blog world has ideas, me and my friends would welcome them.

I'm slowly starting to feel bad, but hubby and I said good-bye to our friend and head out to pick up our natural food co-op order at another friend's house. We stay for a couple of hours visiting and my handy hubby fixes my friend's telephone. Now I knew I was getting sick, came home. I wash the dishes, and when that is done, have some beef broth and fall into bed. I can't tell you what Laura and hubby are eating: I'm out for the night.

A day in my life

Details about how the 14th went will have to wait. Half way through the day I fell sick, by evening Linden, and by Sunday morning hubby. We are a house of sickies. It's the sinus, head cold thing with achy feeling all over, can't think kind of sick. On a better note, it's very quiet and no one is hungry, so I don't have to drag myself into the kitchen and cook, just make cups of wonderful on the throat tea....ahhh...honey and Irish breakfast tea and buttered toast, makes everyone happy. More later, when the fog lifts from the brain and a few more naps.

We're so happy together

My hubby and I celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary today. Where has the time gone? We have been busy raising kids, building our own business, and living one day at a time. Troubles and trials; joys and gladness have marked our marriage. By God's grace our relationship is strong and healthy. I love my honey and he loves me.

First Stitches

My first attempt at casting-on for knitting.

Let there be light

I love candles; they slow me down, they calm and relax me. In their simplistic manner, they are beautiful. They add art and beauty and elegance to my simple dining room table, or when they are hidden about my houseplants. Did I say I love candles?
On my list of learning new skills is candle making. The time will come to try my hand at it, after I gather the needed materials and get the old apartment stove top placed in the old shed. The old shed needs a lot of work, it needs to be mucked-out and put in some kind of order. It looks like a bomb went off in there, when in reality its just been a convenient place to dump things while in a hurry. The whole family is guilty of the disaster out there, but most of its repair will fall on my hubby's shoulders because of the sort of things in the old shed.
I have dreamed of making candles on and off again for years, maybe soon, or maybe not. Until then I will still enjoy beautiful candles. I buy beeswax ones from a organic co-op that I've been a part of for years. Beeswax candles don't drip, they burn slowly and don't bother my sensitive nose: it doesn't get any better than that. So let there be light and there was light. And God said it was good.

Hello!

Happy birthday blog! Created with love by my daughter for a record of trying to live our lives simply. Hello blog-world!