Goodbye :: Hello

Rhythm of life...

come and go...come and go...

ebb and flow.

(Lines from a song I wrote...with God and Solomon...

that I will have to share sometime...)

That rhythm can be felt with a walk in the garden.

Goodbye...crocuses, tulips and daffodils...

Until next year, lilacs and forsythia.

Dear, sweet friends.

Changes with time...

new and old...new and old...

ebb and flow.

Hello annuals...dusty miller, impatiens,and vinca.

strange-leafed coleus... in weathered clay pots.

Ridin' the wave...

high and low...high and low...

ebb and flow.

Hello Late Spring perennials...

Under the sun...

hot and cold...hot and cold...

ebb and flow.

The fragrant peony.

Blossoming shrubs. Hello...you... your name escapes me... Delores? Bridal Veil Spirea. Hello, hostas.

Relinquishing power...

have and hold...letting go...

ebb and flow.

Milkweed...

welcoming the monarch.

Chives in bloom...delightful and edible!

Knowing true peace...

to believe God's control...

ebb and flow.

For everything a season...

everything a purpose...

under heaven.

Love Wins :: A Five Star Review

Love Wins

by

Rob Bell

A book that is getting a lot of hoopla.

Heaven and Hell

are apparently hot topics.

Is this the best book ever written on the subject?

No.

Does Rob Bell answer all the BIG QUESTIONS?

No.

Did I agree with everything that I read?

No.

Did I disagree with everything?

No.

Why the 5-Star Rating?

Any book that compels me to open

My Bible...

take notes, and question my understanding...

and thereby, in essence, fine-tune my own faith and beliefs...

deserves a Five Star Review.

It is no longer a question

of whether Rob Bell is

right or wrong...

it is a matter of personal growth.

Through delving and exploring The Word.

Take it one step further.

Broaden the scope to all who hear about, or

actually read the book.

Ultimately, it gets people talking about

God.

I remember feeling this same way

after reading The Da Vinci Code.

Suddenly it was cool to discuss God and beliefs

with friends while out to dinner.

A vivid picture of friends engaged, drinking margaritas,

in an unlikely conversation

about...

God.

I gave that one a five star rating as well.

The Concordance...A Bible Dictionary...

Different Versions...NRSV...NIV...King James...

All were opened and explored.

When it comes down to it

my knowledge and understanding is a drop...

any man's knowledge and understanding is a drop...

in the ocean that is God.

Read it.

Then we'll talk!

Crochet Mama :: My Gift To You

The Summer Beanie

A Hat Lovers Summertime Alternative

100% Cotton...100% Cute

Imagine my surprise when I opened a trendy

athletic catalogue that featured

a VERY similar style.

Coincidence...I don't think so!

One major difference...

the price.

There's $26...

Mine...

And It's Made In America!

I can do one better...

I am going to share the pattern with you.

My free gift to you.

So you too can create your version of

"The Anna Hat"

OR my preferred name

"The Jenny Beanie"

Go grab yourself some cotton/combo

yarn (the combo works best

for memory) in coordinating colors.

And Let's Get Busy!

Chain 5. Join with a slip stitch (SS) to form ring.

Row One: Double Crochet (DC) 15 into circle. Join with a SS

Row 2: Chain 3. 2DC in each stitch around. Join with a SS at top of chain 3.

Row 3: DC in same stitch as SS. *1 DC in next, 2 DC* around.

Join with a SS to top of chain 3.

Row 4: Chain 3. DC in same stitch as SS *1 DC in next 2 stitches

2 DC in 3rd stitch * around. Join with SS.

(60 stitches around)

Row 5: Chain 3. 1 DC in each stitch around.

Continue until piece measures 15 Rows Total

Or to your personalized length.

Add stripes or other decorative touches

by switching colors where needed.

Darn All Ends.

If you have any questions...

feel free to contact me.

If you'd rather purchase one from me...

feel free to contact me.

Happy Hooking!

Back Asswards

Last Summer

in lieu of a vacation

we decided to get an above ground pool...

which in and of itself is rather funny

since we aren't annual travellers to begin with.

We had the perfect spot for it...

right in our backyard

off the deck.

Installed...filled...solar covered...waited for warmth.

I don't know if you're aware

but apparently in order for a solar cover

to work properly

it requires sun.

Our backyard is primarily shaded.

The pool never got over 75 degrees...one word...

brrrrrr.

It hurt to do it.

I tried to get up, shower, and go to church...

before I had to witness it.

But they arrived early!

Some may think I'm weird

(others know it for a fact)

but to think I was destroying a critters habitat...

well...suffice it to say I didn't get much sleep the night before...

just thinking about it.

The tree stump you see on the left

came from a silver maple

that we were told needed to come down

before it dropped on our house.

Unfortunately, it was one of the anchors for our

hammock and zip-line.

We left it at about 8 feet so it could still do its job.

When I noticed one of the workers

and his young son

digging through the innards

of the gutted tree

I came down to see what they had found.

Bait.

Jeremiah told me he was going

fishing at his uncles and he thought these

would help him catch the big one!

Best of luck to you, Jeremiah.

Later, Rudy called me outside

because Joey had something to show me.

Joe likes all things dangerous.

Height means nothing to him...never has...

which freaks a mom out!

I told him he should go to tree trimming school.

We were told to cap-off that stump to prevent rotting.

Rudy is going to build a big bird hotel...

the least we can do since we destroyed many homes

in our quest for sun.

We...well, Rudy and the boys

(I needed to go to church...badly)

took care of the clean-up and saved a couple hundred

bucks by doing so.

They are going to split that pile

and sell it roadside

as campfire wood.

With grounds just north of us

they might make a few dollars.

I'm thinking they should go into the bait selling business, too!

Well...

We wanted it

and now we've got it!

A sunny backyard oasis.

With a pool that is up to 74 degrees.

I'm positive that one of my newest projects

will involve creating a shading system

for the deck.

Kids swimming... for me...

toe dipping temperatures.

What a relief...

when I woke this morning I opened the window to birds chirping a little forgiveness song.

Amen.

Road Trip :: Indy

Destination

Noblesville, Indiana

Purpose

To visit with my sister Mary and her family

Accomplices

Mom, Joe, and James

Mode of Transport

A four-door diesel Jetta

(Thanks, Dad...one tank got us

there and back...with a 1/4 to spare!)

Our Beautiful Accommodations

The Kulczak Home!

Fresh and Clean for our Arrival The kitchen table with fresh-cut roses

With a sign above the door...

Temperance.

Referring to our hometown in Michigan...

(not an ordinance thank goodness!)

Mary's reminder to her husband, Ed

that her heart's desire lies in MI.

Even with a view like this!

Unpacked...Settled In...Time To Get Busy...

Her boys hung-out with mine...

The Women

Main Street Shopping.

The Highlights

The boys met up with us when their stomach's started growling. Rosie's Place A place for breakfast and lunch. Recommended! We filled their belly's and ours... re-energized for one more stop.

A "must-see" with every trip.

For the fun and funky.

Our True Reason For The Trip

John Ryan's High School Graduation.

My Favorite Pictures

Commemorating the Event

A Mom Fussing

For That Perfect Picture.

Congratulations, John...

We Love You.

One More Day...

One More Town With Quaint Shops.

Zionsville, Indiana.

The old buildings and romantic alleys

captured my imagination.

Wrought Iron Gates...

James took over as photographer.

Another Favorite

James and Sam Arm-in-arm.

Last Night Means Game Night.

Tripoly...

Michigan Rummy...

Thanks (Ed and Rosebud, Luke, John, and Sam!) For The Memories.

Now Hurry Home.

Final Stretch :: Making Plans

Memorial Day Weekend has come and gone.

June has arrived and my thoughts

turn to summer.

We are on the final stretch of our

official homeschool calendar.

I say official because now is the time

to fully embrace and explore our interests.

AKA: Summer Enrichment

(But don't tell my boys that!)

In no particular order,

I hope to...

Speak Italian.

When I was in Italy...it felt like home.

(I may be a blue-eyed blond,

but there must be a recessive Italian gene)

It only makes sense to

learn my native language!

I'm envisioning Italian nights...bella sera...

with Italian meals...italiano...

a little romance...romantico...

with a "non inglese" policy.

Dreaming Big.

During the homeschool year I read so often with the kids,

that I have little time for my personal

book list.

I have stacks around the house (all year long)

that I call my summer reading.

To read

during those long evenings at home...

while vacationing up north...sunbathing on a sandy beach...

whenever I feel like it!

(said in a nana-nana-boo-boo way!)

I'm going to read...and read...

and read some more!

The library is a favorite hang-out during the summer,

where I participate in the

adult summer reading program.

I was actually the BIG winner of last year's drawing...

A basket filled with gardening goodies.

Wish me luck this year...

better yet, join me!

Next up...

Playing my guitar...writing music...

while I'm at it...

maybe even writing that novel

I've been toying with.

Don't laugh!

A little known fact about myself...

I have a completed manuscript on disc.

At the moment it is sitting on a shelf collecting dust...but...

it is finished!

I just never got to that "get it published" stage.

I am open to the idea...in case an agent or

other publishing professional is reading this post.

Like I said...

Dreaming Big.

Back to The List:

Then again... I don't like calling it a list

because I enjoy a schedule free...easy-breezy summer...

Or at least the illusion of such.

Getting that bike out of my living room and

onto the pavement!

I always feel wild and free on my

Specialized Dolce!

Watching my garden grow.

Nothing is more satisfying than picking

fresh veggies from your own garden

and using the produce to feed those you love!

That's amore!

Creating new items for

Old Maid New...and maybe even for myself...

my home...my family...

the world!

Which brings me to my final "hope to do" listing

for today anyway...

Finally opening that ETSY site I've--

up to this point--only talked about.

Etsy, for those who are not familiar,

is an online store where crafters and artists can sell

all things handmade.

That's ETSY...and you will be the first

(well, right after my family)

to hear about my Grand Opening...the

Hanging of my Shingle...

The Selling of my Wares to the World!

So ends the short dream list...

Above All...

!