~~Gratitude~~~ SABBATICAL

Winter is back! A bit of snow and an Arctic blast is on its way!  I had been getting "anxious" that winter was going by too quickly!  I was born under the Capricorn Sun and I am a creature of winter.  I NEED winter.  Winter is when I reset my soul before the real flurry of activities begin~~~Spring!  I feel a desire to go inward. I wish to create and finish some art.  I long for some time at my looms weaving my mind quiet.   So I am going to take the next 2 weeks and go into a quieter place.  Not complete silence just muffled.  I want to enjoy the hush that winter snow provides.  I might even sit some moments and do nothing!  

I have an extra blessing in the fact that our television is broken.  We do not intend to replace it right away (I could possibly go with never...we'll see?)  So broken television got me to thinking what else can I do to have more stillness??  I decided to take a 2 week break from blogging.  I love this "place" but I put a lot of energy towards thinking about what I will create here.  I want to think less for just a bit.  BUT, I will be back on February 2!

I am so very grateful for all the folks who take the time to read these tidbits of my life.  It is a wonderful way to keep my family involved in my life, thoughts, & happenings.  Still it amazes me when I check my blogger stats to see folks from all around the world that are tuning into my musings.  

This weeks Stats!

United States	213
United Kingdom	29
Norway	23
Germany	13
Russia	11
Indonesia	3
China	2
Australia	1
Italy	1
Mozambique	1

I will leave you for a bit with some Runa Winter Joy!

~~~PEACE~~~

It is my intention, each Sunday, to share something that fills me with Gratitude. 

I write ~~~Gratitude~~~ with the wavy lines to represent the gratitude ENERGY~~~~~! 

I hope you will join me and share your gratitude moments. 

~~~Amen, Blessed Be, Namaste'~~~

---Shop News---PURPLE

I may have a new disorder called, EOCD, Etsy Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.  I have been a bit crazed these last couple of weeks.  You'd think I would slow down a bit after the holiday hubbub...no, not me.  I am obsessed with the idea of getting 100+ items in each of my 4 shops.  I had "slated" January as a month that I would focus on all my UFO FIBER ART pieces.  But I got excited when I read, according to Etsy, the color of the year is PURPLE...well "orchid" if you want to get fancy.  So I got into a color purple mania.  I love purple!  I go back and forth between Purple & Green being my #1 & #2 colors.  It has been #2 for awhile but I think this year I will give it #1 status again! (Really LOVE Purple & Green together too!)

This morning I did make 100 items in the InJoyGathering shop with this item!

With this  Purple Tendril!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/175978502/valentine-orchid-purple-violet-glass?ref=shop_home_active_2

Yesterday, I went into a sewing frenzy of Garlands for InJoyEcoCutie.  Then I DECIDED it was time to shift...last night at 9:00 PM.  My sewing room looked like a Eco-Felt tornado had hit...time to shift my energy by cleaning up my workspace!

Really too embarrassing to show the disarray up close...but here is a peek through the veil of Garlands. 

A fun night shot of yesterdays sewing!

Awoke this morning with a sense of order.  Starting Monday I do ART! (except for a little bit of photography to get these Garland listed)  But I am proclaiming to the World I need to do ART to reset my Soul!

Clean Floor...I even swept!

The before picture was too scary!

Made some tiny Garlands with Scraps of Scraps ~ Note: the new Clean ironing board cover!

Stuff slated for the attic...don't even ask me about the attic...YIKES!

and

Finally! in celebration of PURPLE and the Wonderful MaineTeam a Treasury!

https://www.etsy.com/treasury/MzQ0Mzg3MTh8MjcyMzAwNjE2Mw/color-of-the-year-maine-style-purple

Finally~Finally A bouquet of flowers "sent" to me by one of my readers ~~ THANKS!

Perfect!!

***Tuesday's Tip***

A rainy day here in Maine.  Ice eating rain! :)  No photos from outside, I didn't want to get my camera wet.  Thought it was high time I shared a recipe!  I made this last night and there is a story, of course.  Technically the recipe is Vegetarian "Beef" Stroganoff but we call it Beef Burger Off.  The inspiration came from the movie Seducing Dr Lewis.  In our family it is hands down the funniest movie we have ever enjoyed.  Even in French with subtitles it was a total crack up!  Here is a YouTube Trailer...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIC5CeiKQEQ

Watching that trailer makes me smile.  The movie is about an Atlantic Canadian Island that needs to get a permanent doctor so they can have a factory built.  So the islanders do everything in there power to get Dr. Lewis to stay.  Including, making him Beef Stroganoff at the local diner even though it isn't on the menu.  After watching the movie my guys wanted me to seduce them with Beef Stroganoff.  Well, since I don't eat or cook beef I came up with a Vegetarian alternative.  It is a mainstay fav in our house.  Let me know what you think!

4 cups of Sliced Portobello Mushrooms  

2 cups of Chopped Onion & 1 Head of Garlic

Saute in a couple of Tablespoons of Olive Oil

Season with a heaping Tablespoon of Vegetarian Beef Broth 

A Tablespoon each of Braggs & Worcester Sauce

Add 2 cups of TVP ~ Textured Vegetable Protein

Saute that for a few minutes 

Then add HOT water to just barely cover the ingredients.

Let that simmer for 20 or 30 minutes

While Burger-off is simmering I heat up water to cook the noodles

Originally, I used sour cream but, one day when we wanted this recipe I had none on hand so I substituted plain yogurt.  We like it better that way and I always have yogurt on hand!

So when the noodles are ready I add 2 cups of plain yogurt

Reheat while stirring so the yogurt won't scorch

This dish may not be pretty but it is delicious!

Especially, paired with a nice green salad!

(homegrown carrots from the cold room & homegrown dried tomatoes)

Serve over noodles and pepper to taste

~Recipe Recap~

4 cups chopped mushrooms

2 cups chopped onions

1 head of garlic chopped

saute in 2 tbsp of olive oil

add

2 cups TVP

1 - 2 tbsp veggie beef broth

1 tbsp Braggs

1 tbsp worcester sauce

saute a few minutes

add HOT water to cover and let simmer

just before serving add 2 cups plain yogurt 

carefully reheat

serve over noodle of your choice

add pepper to taste

~ENJOY~

~~~Gratitude~~~

Today was just barely a respite from winter.  The temps rose just a bit above 40.  So I opened windows!  The fires were all out, time for a good airing of the house.  I believe it makes for a healthier winter.  It definitely feels good, especially after such confining weather.  I am tired of ice!

Today our son went back to college.  His Dad took him so I could stay home cleaning and airing.  I was able to wash and hang out the boyo's bedding on the outside line.  It now smells wonderful and fresh.  Winter outside air is the most delicious! 

I managed a walk to the back field but, it wasn't easy going.  The snow is very patchy each step was a surprise!  Will I sink, will I slip, will I twist my ankle, it was worth it to breath in the warmish wind and see this turquoise sky. 

Grateful for this day of drying & airing.  Grateful the Boyo is back where he belongs at college.  Grateful for a few refreshing hours alone.  Grateful to be living where I live.

Open Windows

Let midnight in
Starlight moonlight and lamplight
Sunlight and mindlight

Let nothing be
Open bone flesh and blood

Let flow life-force
Of earth and water fire and air
Let stone flower and bird be

Before names and labels
Open Mind

Let rise untrammelled
Thought metaphor and word
Happenings of song and silence

Let utterance be
Open Spirit

Of knowledge spread like its sky
Of action transformative like its oceans
Of being like its rooted mountains

Open nothing
Frameless all

That He may enter
Word made Flesh
Be

Emmanuel 

Francisco R. Albano

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/open-windows-3/

It is my intention, each Sunday, to share something that fills me with Gratitude. 

I write ~~~Gratitude~~~ with the wavy lines to represent the gratitude ENERGY~~~~~! 

I hope you will join me and share your gratitude moments. 

~~~Amen, Blessed Be, Namaste'~~~

Loss

I don't how to say this but to just say it....all of my Ducks are gone.  

I went out yesterday around 9:00am to do my duck chores and it was unusually quiet for such a cold morning.  My duck have been "sleeping" in during the cold so I was surprised to find their house empty.  But , they are hardy creatures and I have been noticing signs of the end of their molt and a bit more liveliness.  So I went around to the duck yard, all was quiet and undisturbed.  I started to listen for them, they sometimes travel into the woods along the stream if there is open water.  I was looking in that direction when I saw a body.  It was Pokey, the only duck that I named, because she was always left behind and trying to catch up.  She wasn't long dead, there were no signs of any other ducks.

I have to admit that I haven't been locking them up at night.

This is why...it is an ice skating rink between my house and the ducks.  I have spiky ice walkers for my boots but it is still treacherous.  Years ago I broke my ankle when I slipped on the ice.  It was not a fun time...I had to be on one foot and crutches for 6 weeks and had 2 surgeries.  I am more than extra cautious on ice ever since.  So time to strap on the super spiky snowshoes and take a look around.

All around the Duck house there was very little sign of struggle or attack.  I think the ducks must have been outside.  There were very few feathers, just poor Pokey's body.  I picked her up so I could take her far from the house and leave her in the woods.  I zig-zagged through the woods looking for any signs of struggle or just maybe a duck hiding in some brush.  This icey snow is not conducive to leaving track trails.  I found no more signs.  I admit I started to cry a bit.  The Ducks were more than wonderful egg laying bug eating machines for me.  They were a source of daily joy.  The nearly 5 years that they were with us I never minded any of the chores...I even like cleaning the duck house.  They are just such pleasant smile producing creatures I was always happy to care for them.  

Anyways, my guess as to what happened was 6 coyotes must of came.  The ducks must have been outside when they were attacked and then carried away.  It must have been morning based on Pokey's condition.  So even if I had locked the ducks in it could have happened.  It is a rough winter and many creatures must be struggling.  I do not begrudge the coyotes that saw an opportunity for an easy meal.  I am grateful that the ducks were 5 years old.  They have been slowing down with egg production.  I had been thinking of refreshing the herd but, had not intended to cull my old girls...well because they were my old girls.  I just got the Murray McMurray Catalog this week.  I was devising a plan to experiment with introducing the new ducks to the old....guess I will have to wait another  5 years to give that idea a go.

Day before yesterday I posted this Rumi quote along with this photo on my Facebook

Do Not look Back My Friend
No One Knows How The Worlds Ever Began.
Do Not Fear The Future , Nothing Lasts Forever.
If You Dwell In The Past Or Future
You Will Miss The Moment. ~Rumi 

I am grateful for all my duckie moments.  But I did leave the light on in the duck house just in case last night.  Today I cleaned things up.  Guess the wild turkeys will enjoy the open bag of duck food.  Below are a few links to earlier blogposts about my good ducks.

http://injoyemporium.blogspot.com/2013/03/spring-snowed-maine.html

http://injoyemporium.blogspot.com/2012/12/gratitude_16.html

http://injoyemporium.blogspot.com/2013/03/sprouting-my-wild-oats.html

Pause & See

This is a regular feature I plan to include in my blog.  I try to see something new each day. The art of seeing is essential to any creative work in my humble opinion.  My favorites are the ones that stop me in my tracks!  Like so many folks I have a very busy mind that I struggle to quiet.  But by creating this practice it has given me many opportunities to pause and be with a new wonder.  I love to wonder about wonders.  These little seeings can be just the jolt my creative process needs to get out of a rut.  But mostly they provide a pause which is that moment of peace I need to heal from a frustration. These seeings are grounding for me and bring me to the present.  I will admit to laughing out loud with joy over some of my discoveries, they are a moment of childlike wonder!  

"When you realize how perfect everything is you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky"             ~~~Buddha

This is a photo from last week before some sun shone on the effects off the ice storm.  I must have walked/snowshoed by our old snag several times before I noticed its new two toned appearance.  I was trundling right along and then I stopped, backed up, and came in for a closer look.

The north side was totally covered with ice.  I think it is beautiful...

This old snag has a story.  I view it out my kitchen window, which is the only window on the north side of our house.  20 + years ago we were clearing this spot of land for our house site.  We did have to remove some trees to make way for our house but, we left a stand of a dozen or more Great Pines.  One day we were burning brush, we had a burn permit, but the wind picked up so we put the fire out.  We had just had our driveway put in so we took turns walking up and down the driveway while one us kept watch over the brush fire that seemed to be completely out but, we are cautious sorts.  Presently our excavator man, Clayton, showed up to discuss what was next on the construction agenda.  We both walked a few feet away from the burn site to chat with him...our backs to the fire.

Clayton during the course of our conversation asked if we were burning?  We said yes but we had put out the fire.  He pointed and said I don't think so.  We turned to see flames throughout the dry early spring tinder that lies beneath the big pines.  We all 3 sprung into action. Clayton headed for his excavator to use the big hoe to knock down the fire.  My husband & I started a bucket brigade from our pond that was a meer muck hole down a steep bank (Clayton had drained so it could dry and be dug out in the fall).  Our efforts were futile.  I took off running for the neighbors to call the fire department.

When I got back back the fire was in the big trees.  Clayton was doing his best.  My husband was still splashing the fire with water.  I found a pieces of canvas and started beating down the fire with some success.  Everytime my DH ran by me he would says something to the effect that this is it ~ its all over ~ we're going to burn the hole nieghborhood!  I had no breath for words.  The fire department did arrive and the was fire put out.  We were also saved by the bit of green new spring grass in the field behind the pines.  The ground was wet there.  The fire truck got stuck and Clayton had to pull them out.

We were grateful and sad.  All but one of the great big pines were burned.  One by one they fell down except this snag.  We leave it as a memorial to all those big beauties that fell that day.  We have planted more trees in the same spot that we dug up from our woods.  20+ years later we are enjoying the northern protection these trees give.  Good thing, the wind is picking up and it will be another cold one.