Showing posts with label winter. Show all posts

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Narnia

I am beginning to wonder if Maine is under the spell of the White Witch of Narnia, never ending winter? We received another 3 inches of snow last night...ho hum. A grey day with a chill in the air. I, optimistically, put my winter scarves in the laundry pile thinking they wouldn't be needed anymore. I swore I won't put my snowshoes on again until next fall. But after a walk the other day on old snow without snowshoes I "post-holed" and hurt my hip. Runa & I needed our walk so snowshoe we did. Once I got going I did enjoy my time outside.

The duck pond is open. I haven't been able to get a photo of the girls in the water. They are taking very quick dips. The water must be pretty cold still. Even with the fresh snow there are signs of melting. The bench by the pond is looking more like a bench than a slab in the snow. It was a good day to hang out in the sewing room and work on some new ideas. Thread was flying and the day passed well. I have always loved winter and wished it would last longer when it leaves on time. I must be careful for what a wish for or some magical Witch may grant me my desire! ;)

~~~~~~~~~~~My Lively Life~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fiber Art, Weaving, Hand Spun

http://www.etsy.com/shop/injoyemporium

Hand Made Eco and Upcycled Cutie Buntings, Clothes, & Toys

http://www.etsy.com/shop/InJoyEcoCutie

Vintage Collectibles, Buttons, Clothing & MORE!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/injoytreasures

Sea Glass & Copper Wire Ornaments with things I have gathered

http://www.etsy.com/shop/InJoyGatherings

My Blog~~Makings, Musings, & Lifestyle on the Land:

http://injoyemporium.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/injoyemporium

http://instagram.com/injoyemporium

http://www.pinterest.com/injoyemporium

"Be Joyful because it is humanly possible"~~~Wendell Berry

Friday, March 20, 2015

PAUSE & SEE

winter surrender

let go of expectation

sunflowers return

Orah

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. 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 moments of childlike wonder!

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

~~~~~~~~~~~My Lively Life~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fiber Art, Weaving, Hand Spun

http://www.etsy.com/shop/injoyemporium

Hand Made Eco and Upcycled Cutie Buntings, Clothes, & Toys

http://www.etsy.com/shop/InJoyEcoCutie

Vintage Collectibles, Buttons, Clothing & MORE!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/injoytreasures

Sea Glass & Copper Wire Ornaments with things I have gathered

http://www.etsy.com/shop/InJoyGatherings

My Blog~~Makings, Musings, & Lifestyle on the Land:

http://injoyemporium.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/injoyemporium

http://instagram.com/injoyemporium

http://www.pinterest.com/injoyemporium

"Be Joyful because it is humanly possible"~~~Wendell Berry

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Not Great Weather for Ducks!

It is hard to believe that only last May these Ducks came to me. This is their first winter and they must wonder what kind of world they have been hatched into...this world of perpetual winter! It is hard for me to remember what spring warmth felt like. We are on day 3 of howling winds that are keeping temps well below freezing...at times below 0! When folk say that time flies by quickly they certainly have not lived through a winter like this one. Forever is how long last May feels to me...I can only imagine how it feels to my Duckicles!

http://injoyemporium.blogspot.com/2014/05/gratitude_25.html

A week ago we had a moment of thaw and could actually see some ground. This has since been covered by snow. Unfortunately, is was not enough of a thaw to clean out the duckhouse. I usually am able to clean it once a month during the winter but not this year. I am stretching my imagination to find ways to add comfort to my Duckies lives. By now there usually would have been enough of a thaw that they could be foraging the ponds inlet and outlets. I did make a discovery the other day that is adding to their diet. I was in the freezer getting pumpkin out to make pumpkin bread when I came across boxes of grated frozen zucchini. I thought I would make zucchini bread this winter...but then I thought of my ducks! They usually won't eat veggies like chickens, I thought I would give it a try! They love it! Unfortunately, my zucchini supply is not going to last until the thaw....next year I will freeze more with the ducks in mind....maybe grated carrots next? My sweeties are still laying eggs for me! I tell them they can take a break...best ducks ever!

~~~~~~~~~~~My Lively Life~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fiber Art, Weaving, Hand Spun

http://www.etsy.com/shop/injoyemporium

Hand Made Eco and Upcycled Cutie Buntings, Clothes, & Toys

http://www.etsy.com/shop/InJoyEcoCutie

Vintage Collectibles, Buttons, Clothing & MORE!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/injoytreasures

Sea Glass & Copper Wire Ornaments with things I have gathered

http://www.etsy.com/shop/InJoyGatherings

My Blog~~Makings, Musings, & Lifestyle on the Land:

http://injoyemporium.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/injoyemporium

http://instagram.com/injoyemporium

http://www.pinterest.com/injoyemporium

"Be Joyful because it is humanly possible"~~~Wendell Berry

Friday, March 13, 2015

PAUSE & SEE ~ yin & yang

It’s about balance….

The changing seasons of life.

Breath in, breath out.

Expansion>

Contraction<

The circle that slowly goes…

Round,round,round.



It’s about love….

Changing faces/places/spaces.

Who we are and what we give, today.

Is not.

Who we are tomorrow.

We seek.

Shall we find?

Or shall we lose?

Again.



It’s about life….

Choices: made and missed.

Lives with limits.

Far better to be lived,

Fully and finally,

Free.



Are we ever sure?

Can we ever, truly know.

Who we are.

Who we are meant,

to Be.



Yin/Yang, a constant.

As it should be.

As it must be.

Moving life forward.

Relentless….

Coursing through our veins.

Until the last breath that we take.



Connecting, interjecting,dissecting and rejecting.

Meeting of the minds.

Bleeding of the hearts.

Yin/Yang/Love/Life



“Yin/Yang/Love/Life” – © Geraldine H. Hartman 2008

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. 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 moments of childlike wonder!

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

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Today ~ Winter Marches On...

Another day in Winter wondering when it will end land... This is today. A little bit of thawing is happening. A slow thaw is for the best but I do long for the snow to go at this point.

The ducks are enjoying the first ground they have seen in 6 weeks!

I snowshoe each day preferring the old gust shoes to the fancy metal ones. They are quieter on this old spring snow. I am leaving treats for the resident ravens each day. Feels like plodding along through winter. I often for get to look up and just watch the progress of one foot in front of the other. But when I do look up it is beautiful....

My favorite tree to hug ((()))

Nice to see some blue sky today...

The pond inlet flow is starting to work away at winter's grip.

First pussy willows are a welcomed bit of white!

a perfect poem to describe the Now!


			WINTER'S END Dwayne Leon Rankin The snow still covers all the ground, A chilling wind still blows. Still no green or brown is seen, As winter snows still flows. But on the breeze a change is felt, Blowing now on past. Showing forth a hint of thaw, Upon this winter cast. Every day the sun does shine With just a bit more heat. The air seems just a bit more fresh, With every breath more sweet. And even though the snow still lies, Upon the ground to see. Still a trickl'ng can be heard, Of waters flowing free. Every day the level drops, Of all that snow still seen. Bringing hope the ground will soon Be showing us some green. A robin's song is heard nearby, So faint and sweet the sound. Showing now t'is winters end, To all the land around ~~~~~~~~~~~My Lively Life~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Fiber Art, Weaving, Hand Spun http://www.etsy.com/shop/injoyemporium Hand Made Eco and Upcycled Cutie Buntings, Clothes, & Toys http://www.etsy.com/shop/InJoyEcoCutie Vintage Collectibles, Buttons, Clothing & MORE! http://www.etsy.com/shop/injoytreasures Sea Glass & Copper Wire Ornaments with things I have gathered http://www.etsy.com/shop/InJoyGatherings My Blog~~Makings, Musings, & Lifestyle on the Land: http://injoyemporium.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/injoyemporium http://instagram.com/injoyemporium http://www.pinterest.com/injoyemporium "Be Joyful because it is humanly possible"~~~Wendell Berry

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Which came first--- the Cat or the Mouse? (Part 1)

Cats & Mice

I have been hemming & hawing over how to tell this story. Maybe it is a bit of cabin fever or just that the story is a rather long and drawn out tale. We are still very much in the grips of winter. There are signs of spring, though. The sun is a little higher on the horizon, my onions have sprouted on the window sill, and our cat, Vern, is going a bit nuts! (...notice the cat chew marks in the wood...those shims are there to prevent Vern from using my onions as a cat bed!)

I have made strides to alleviate his cabin fever. I found this nice big piece of wool fabric at the thrift shop. I took time away from Etsy sewing to hem it and create a cat tunnel behind the couch for Vernie.

I also sewed up a batch of catnip mice toys I call EcoNips for my Etsy shop. Not sure that helped with Vern's craziness?!? The tale continues to wind...I thought my EcoNip photos needed a something to jazz them up a bit. With cats on my mind I decide to revisit an old puppet pattern. This puppet was inspired by our wonderful old cat, Zippy, and my son's love for the nursery rhyme The Owl & the Pussycat.

Zippy lived to the ripe old age of 16. He was still with us when Vern came to us 3 years ago. He was a wonderful mellow cat. My DH & he had a very special bond the Vern has not quite fulfilled. We still miss him!

This a photo of my son's fun with our mellow boys!

Here are the original Owl and PussyCat (Zippy) Puppets as they look today! They have held up pretty well considering they are around 16 years old. They were my son's toys but, I, also, used them for 5 years of elementary school substitute teaching! They got some real use then!