Tuesday, March 20, 2012

My Clothesline

Over the weekend Chuck finished a project that I have been dreaming of for a long time.

A real clothesline... swoon! I had one of those round metal ones and I never liked it. It was hard to hang large items.

Chuck took great care while putting this together.


He used a half lap to make everything nice and secure.

THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES
(Author Unknown)

1. You had to wash the clothes line before hanging any clothes--walk the entire lengths of each line with a damp cloth around the lines.

2. You had to hang the clothes in a certain order, and always hang "whites" with "whites," and hang them first.

3. You never hung a shirt by the shoulders, always by the tail! What would the neighbors think?

4. Wash day on a Monday! Never hang clothes on the Weekend, or Sunday, for Heaven's sake!

5. Hang the sheets and towels on the outside lines so you could hide your "unmentionables" in the middle.

6. It didn't matter if it was sub zero weather....clothes would "freeze-dry."

7. Always gather the clothes pins when taking down dry clothes! Pins left on the lines were "tacky!"

8. If you were efficient, you would line the clothes up so that each item did not need two clothes pins, but shared one of the clothes pins with the next washed item.

9. Clothes off of the line before dinner time, neatly folded in the clothes basket, and ready to be ironed.

10. IRONED? Well, that's a whole other subject!




A CLOTHESLINE POEM
(Author Unknown)

A clothesline was a news forecast
To neighbors passing by,
There were no secrets you could keep
When clothes were hung to dry.

It also was a friendly link
For neighbors always knew,
If company had stopped on by
To spend a night or two.

For then you'd see the "fancy sheets"
And towels upon the line;
You'd see the "company table cloths"
With intricate designs.

The line announced a baby's birth
From folks who lived inside -
As brand new infant clothes were hung,
So carefully with pride!

The ages of the children could
So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed,
You'd know how much they'd grown!

It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe, too,
Haphazardly were strung.

It also said, "Gone on vacation now"
When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, "We're back!" when full lines sagged, with not an inch to spare!

New folks in town were scorned upon
If wash was dingy and gray,
As neighbors carefully raised their brows,
And looked the other way.

But clotheslines now are of the past,
For dryers make work much less.
Now what goes on inside a home
Is anybody's guess!

I really miss that way of life.
It was a friendly sign.
When neighbors knew each other best
by what hung on the line.



I have been putting it to good use. Nothing that comes in a bottle can compare to the smell of good o'sunshine!

I hope you are taking time to enjoy the simple moments!

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Quiet

I am sitting outside on the back porch soaking up this beautiful Sunday afternoon. I am nursing a headache and enjoying the quiet. Megan has gone to my mother-in-law's for the afternoon and Chuck is out in the yard doing a little bit of this and a little bit of that.


The sun is shining and the birds are serenading me with their beautiful song. Every now and then it is nice to have some time where you can actually hear yourself think. Although I will admit that I am missing watching Megan frolic around the yard and the chatter she would be making.

I told Chuck this morning that I feel like I am experiencing springtime in the south because of the warmth we are having. The great thing about is that we are able to get out and do things.

Saturday morning Mike (Chuck's step-dad) came over to help Chuck figure a part of the fence that went around a tree.


Megan loved being near while they were working. Since Daddy and Grandpa were in charge she decided to make mud pies!


Yes, it was messy, but what fun she had! I let her know that mud pies wouldn't be a normal play activity, but sometimes it is nice to let a kid be a kid!

I have always wanted to plant cold weather crops. I never seems to work out because it is usually to wet. The gift of the dry, warm weather has allowed me to work in the garden.


My dad loves tiling so he takes care of that task. He turned the soil Friday evening and we let it set to dry out a little more. He was back on Saturday to til again. Once that was done we did some planting.


First beets and carrots were planted. I added a couple rows of peas. Thne Megan planted broccoli. The remainder of the garden will rest because I am sure a more normal spring will return. Much later the green beans, tomatoes and such will be added.


Last year is the first time I have had a raised bed. I love them!


I planted some leaf lettuce, bib lettuce and cabbage. I am looking forward to trying grilled and roasted cabbage this year. I hear they are wonderful.

I should run. I need to take some more pain reliever and then head over to pick up Megan.

I hope you are taking time to enjoy the simple moments!

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Spring is in the Air...

and I am loving it! The sun has been shinning and the temperatures have been rising all week. Spring cleaning began with the windows getting a good wash inside and out.


I wish I could say that there has been more cleaning happening. It is really hard to deep clean with the boys here and with the warm air and sunshine begging us to be outside.

I did manage to make a trip to the library this week.


I was after gardening books, but it looks like so was everyone else. The selection was slim.

One of the great things about having kids is that you sometimes get to act like one.


It is fun to sometimes forget the list and just play.

We spent an evening picking up sticks and doing a little raking. Next thing I know Chuck says he is going to push over a dead tree. After a lot of pushing...


it is going....


and gone!


This tree had needed to come down for a couple of years. It stated to fall and then got caught up in another tree. It is behind the fence in the wooded area keep getting pushed down the the to do list.

The warmer temps prompted me pull out Megan's warm weather clothes.



Other then her dresses most everything from last year still fits. She is still wearing size 4 shorts and capri's. She seems to grow up and not out. To bad her mother doesn't have that problem!

Eli was a great help getting all the summer clothes pressed and put away.


This has been a great week.


The warm air, sunshine and outside playtime is just what we all needed.

I hope you are taking time to enjoy the simple moments!



Monday, March 12, 2012

On The Road

Saturday morning we hit the road with my parents. We traveled along the river.

Enjoyed a beautiful country view.



Saw signs of spring.


Traveled by some Amish farms.


Did you notice that they have been working the fields?

We went to a small town gas station where you still hear the dink when you drive up to the pump. The attendant then comes out and pumps your gas. Where I live you don't find that kind of service anymore.

We picked up some ground beef from a small store. You know the kind where it ground in the store from fresh beef. Nothing that was ground in a factory far away and shipped in. The butcher even chatted with us.


We took advantage of the great weather to grill some of the beef on Sunday. Delish!

It was a very enjoyable day. Every now and then you just need a day to get away.

I hope you are taking time to enjoy the simple moments!

Friday, March 09, 2012

My Week...

I love when the weather starts to warm up and we are able to spend more time outside.


I am an outside girl and it is great for the kids to be able to run off some energy.

Miss Megan lost her first tooth this week.


Her permanent tooth is well established so there isn't much of a gap. She keeps telling me that she looks weird. I think she looks adorable! :)


A yummy meal ready to go into the oven.

It is always the simple things that change our lives. And these things never happen when you are looking for them to happen ~ Unknown


Rainy days are meant for warm, cozy candlelight and baking...


the old fashioned way (you know, without the use of the kitchen aid.) It can be quite the workout for the old arm. No wonder our grandmothers and great-grandmothers didn't need a gym membership.

Sometimes I wonder why we ever spend money on toys.


A bowl and a spoon or pot and lid occupy this little man better than any toy I have. The marketing is good to make us...me... think that the kids need stuff.

Warmer temperatures mean that I am able to step out in the evening.


Catching a glimpse of the moon makes me happy!

Tomorrow we are taking a road trip with my parents. We are going to chase down some family history and visit a cemetery or two, drive down some country roads and you never know what else we might get into. I am super excited! Do you have some exciting plans for the weekend?

I hope you are taking time to enjoy the simple moments!

Monday, March 05, 2012

Love Comfortheth...

like sunshine after rain. ~ William Shakespear


I love stepping outside after a rain. There is nothing like the clean, fresh scent. I know that many have tried to bottle the scent, but there is nothing like the real thing. Add in a little sunshine to make everything look glistening clean and it is certainly a simple pleasure to be enjoyed!

Spring is my favorite time of year. I enjoy seeing all of the new life.


It always reminds me of my heavenly father and His promise of eternal life.

Megan loves hard boiled eggs. My mom recently bought Megan this egg holder.

Isn't it adorable?! Speaking of eggs... Megan really wants chicks. Over the weekend we went to the farm store and saw some. She keeps asking Daddy if she can please have chicks. He teases her and says chips, sure what kind of chips do you want. She doesn't think it is very funny.

The completion of the fence is the big project for this summer. There would be no time to build a coop. I told her we would talk more about it next year. I will have read up on it and chat with some chicken owners. Just to see how much work and cost is involved. I admit the chicks are cute little things.

Megan made a trip to the dentist today. She has two loose teeth on the bottom and the permanent teeth are already coming in. She had a cleaning and we wanted to make sure the baby teeth were not going to mess up the permanent teeth.
Thankfully not. The dentist said in a week or two the baby teeth should be out then the permanent teeth will naturally pull forward and straighten out. Whew! I wasn't looking forward to having those teeth helped out.

We spent a quiet afternoon and evening at home. There was a lego and train party in the living room.


It resulted in a huge mess, but lots of fun!

Tomorrow I start my early schedule with the boys I watch. It is now time for me to settle down with the good book and then to hit the bed early. Hope your Monday was great!

I hope you are taking time to enjoy the simple moments!

Sunday, March 04, 2012

Thank You...

to everyone that has express concern for our safety. I have been overwhelmed with the concern expressed in comments and e-mails. We are fine. There were storms that went through my area and the worse that we saw was hail.


I wish that I could say the same for all of my fellow Hoosiers. The area south of where I live has been hit hard. Towns are destroyed and many lives have been lost. The story of the toddler girl found in a field had been our story of hope. Sadly this sweet little one joined her parents, older brother and baby sister in heaven today. Just heartbreaking.

This morning Chuck and I were talking and I was saying I wish we could help. Go and pass out water, do some clean up, anything really. Honestly the best thing we can do is pray and offer monetary support. It is going to take a lot of time and money to put the lives of these families and communities back together.

If you felt led to help those in need the best way is to make a donation to the Red Cross.

People can help those affected by disasters like the Midwest tornadoes and storms, as well as countless crises at home and around the world, by making a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief. Consider making a donation today by visiting www.redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Contributions may also be sent to someone's local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. In Indianapolis, the address is:

American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis
441 E. 10th St., Indianapolis, IN 46202-3388


My heart is heavy today with the loss and destruction of Friday's storms. Today I hope that you not only take time to enjoy the simple moments but to tell those near and dear to you how much you love them.