Clay

Dear Lord

Mold and shape me

Like Clay upon the potters wheel

Strengthen me through fire

So that I may become a

Strong & sturdy

Vessel of Your Love & Joy

Amen

I took this photo at the Open Air Art & Craft show at Okoboji last summer. I have always wished for the opportunity to form clay on a potters wheel. There is just something so wonderful about having your hand covered with God's wonderful clay earth, and creating something beautiful or useful. The gentlemen in the picture actually turned out to be from Norfolk, Ne, not far from where I live. He and his wife travel to different Art & Craft Festivals.

Murphy Bed

I really, really, really would like to get a Murphy Bed to use in our computer room. Whenever the kids are home we never have enough room for them. We have been using the queen air mattresses..which work ok, but are not very convenient. The nice thing about a Murphy bed is that it will fold up into a wall cupboard and be completely out of the way, and look nice too when not in use. I really like this simple version, with side shelf units on each side. It would be perfect.

Bazinga!

I have thinking about "sitting on the dock of the bay" a lot lately. Just plain miss the relaxing atmosphere of that special vacation. There was lots of laughter and silliness...so to refresh the memory...I think the word BAZINGA! covers it all

Sunshine

Sometimes a flower is just a bit of Sunshine in my day!

My DOG

Oh Faithful Friend

You fill my Heart

Memories of you never end

So we will never part.

Every one has that pet that is so special to them. This is a picture of me and my German Shepperd dog in about 1973 -74. I can still remember the night I got him, a gift from someone. He was the cutest , cuddliest, fuzziest puppy I had ever seen. So I named him Fuzz. I remember playing with him, and always saying a silly rhyme to him...and he loved it!

Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear

Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair

Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn't fuzzy wuzzy,

Was HE?

Like I said silly rhymey poem, but both of us loved it.

One of his most favorite places to run and play were in the alfalfa field. I would play hide and seek with him there...and he would ALWAYS find me. He would pounce jump through the field over the tall alfalfa. It was hilarious to watch.

He was also my protector, no one messed with me with Fuzz around.

Good boy FUZZ.

Memories of you still warm my heart, again

Good Dog Fuzz!

Perfection

In today's world everyone seems to think things have to be "perfect". I don't feel that way. There is so much beauty in the world around us, but we need to learn to appreciate what we have, and not worry so much about what we don't have. A simple example of this idea is the picture above that I took a few years ago. Looking at the flower, as a whole it had beautiful color, but close up I can see a few discolored petals, some mishapen parts, but as a whole what a pretty sight. Now if I was looking for 100% perfection I might have passed up this beauty and missed out on such a pretty flower.

I always wish I had the ability like my Mom to look past some of the "rough" edges of people and see the good parts in them.
Every day people face challenges in their lives that make them feel like they are not living the "perfect" life. I beg to differ. The perfect life is meant to present challenges, struggles, and of course wonderful events that create happiness. To appreciate that happiness you must expericence some of the other stuff too.

So keep on looking for those imperfections that are "Perfection", it's what makes life interesting. If we keep looking for only the Perfection in our life, we will miss a lot of wonderful times and moments that are truly PERFECTION! How's that for a mind twister today!

Puppy Charm

I've always thought that there is nothing sweeter in the animal world than a new puppy, at least sweet when it's behaving! We have added a cute little Border Collie to our family. He was born May 24, 2011. We still have not decided on a name for him. Nothing is really feeling right yet. Which is surprising. We've tried a couple names, but just didn't seem right. Chelsee & Lonnie said NO to the name Scoundrel...I thought it was cute, and you know puppies, sooner or later he will be in trouble. He discovered the little squeaky mouse toy for our cat and claimed it for his own. He absolutely loves playing with the squeaky mouse. Tossing, and flipping it and pouncing on it. So much fun to watch him.

We picked a pretty bad time weather wise for getting this little guy. The heat index is expected to be over 100 with the temps in the upper 90's, and very high humidity. So....we kept him in the house with us last night. Today, in and outside to play etc. After church we made a stop at the local Pamida for Puppy Chow, chew toys, and of course a little hard plastic wading pool that was on sale there for some splashy cooling playtime. All set up to have some wonderful fun with this little guy. So, if you have any name suggestions, I'd love to hear them. Hopefully we will come up with one soon. He needs to have his own name.

Simple Thoughts

This picture makes me think of the "glow" that comes from God's creations. All around us there are things of beauty. On my way to work this morning I noticed the beautiful periwinkle blue blowers that bloom in the roadside ditches. Each summer I am waiting for them to bloom. Time to get the camera out and take a walk and gets some nature pics of them. It always amazes me when I see so much beauty that is naturally there. It is not planted, or pruned, or watered except by nature and our Lord. That is pure JOY and Bliss to see.

Here is a favorite quote of mine that I found about 6 months ago. Enjoy.

When you come to the edge of all the light you have known,

and are about to step out into the darkness.

FAITH is knowing one of two things will happen...

There will be something to stand on

or

You will be taught to fly.

I try to remember that when I am struggling with life's circumstances, I will either be guided to stand firm. . . or . . . learn to fly.

Happy 4th

Just a little FYI, my Internet has not been working right for quite some time so I have not been able to post. Finally, it seems like the techs have fixed the issues that were plaguing the tower we received out signal from. So, keeping my fingers crossed, it seems good right now. I realize, that can change again...usually does. haha.

This time of year usually gets me thinking of one of my favorite songs by Lee Greenwood, "God Bless the USA". Very nice sentiment. I remember one of my daughters ( I won't name names...) being very little, sitting on the "potty". I could hear her singing in there, and went to check on her. There she was proudly singing "God Bless The USA" loud as she could, and clapping her little hands onto her legs to make a clapping sound. It was so funny and sweet at the same time.

Now I look back reminiscing and remembering what a wonderful time that was in my life. I was an at home housewife, and mother. I know I was always busy, never bored to be home with my family. I consider myself so lucky to have had that opportunity. I would go back to being an at home wife if I had my choice. I miss that lifestyle. Just seems like there is NEVER enough time to get everything accomplish since I work outside of the home. Farm life is busy. Well, I don't mean to sound complainy...not meaning to at all. Just a fact of life, we live in a faster paced world now.

So for now...I'm PROUD to be an AMERICAN, where at least I know I'm free. Happy 4th everyone.

Grampa Anton Westerman

Grampa....that's what I called him. He was one of my earliest heroes. A very hard working man that loved his family very much. He loved to play cards, mostly sheephead and pitch. He also would play rummey with me and my Gramma, and Gramma didn't like it that sometimes he would help me win. lol

All of us grandkids used to watch him while he was playing cards because he would always rap the table in a certain way that made us jump . (something they did when playing sheephead, to trump or something like that). I lived with my grandparents until I was 4 years old. I remember feeling very loved by them. As I grew older I would go and spend a "summer vacation" with them. I enjoyed the time I spent with them, looking at photos, playing a lot of cards, going on walks, and rock hunts, picking apples and making every imaginable recipe with apples or rhubarb. My grandparents had blackberry bushes, and they were the largest blackberries I had ever seen. Usually I would go pick a nice size bowl of the berries, wash and stem them, then add some sugar to them and serve them up to my Grampa. Well, one day let's just say that the blackberries turned out extra special!!! I prepared the blackberries as usual, but instead of adding 1/2 cup of sugar, I accidentally grabbed the salt container (also a clear glass container) and add 1/2 cup of salt. Grampa's first bite told it all, and so did his German after he sputtered from his "sour" surprise! Grampa never did let me forget that special recipe, but he always re-told the story with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes. "Acck, vhat is in the blackberries", I still hear him saying that to this day! I miss having my Grandparents to go visit, and play cards with, and share memories with, but they are in my heart and mind ready for reminiscing anytime I choose.