Thrift Store Shopping Saturday

After our wonderful walk on Saturday morning - we headed off to the thrift stores in Burlington. The sun came out just as we were leaving the lake and the day sparkled from the fog that had clung to the bare trees.

The first store we stopped at had a few good things - and here they are.

Some plastic boxes for storage and for projects - I just love plastic boxes. . .

A tiny little vase - for violets - or feathers

The little pottery holder on the right was given to us by a very special friend. The feathers are ones we have collected over a couple of years. Here's a hint for those saving feathers - put them in a zip bag in the freezer for two weeks - it will kill all the mites that will, over time, destroy the feather and those it comes into contact with. We used this method in a museum where I volunteered - for the baskets.

And a Micky Mouse pancake mold - Ben likes pancakes for breakfast on his early days here - he asks for Grammy pancakes - which are homemade instead of the frozen ones. I can't wait until he sees the Micky Mouse.

Then on to the Salvation Army - where I found a few yarn colors that I need for my next plastic canvas project. The patterns are so much nicer now than when it was first a popular craft - more intricate and delicate designs.

And a lovely hydrangea pillow for the living room - so now I have enough throw pillows for the living room. I was slowly changing them and this one completes it for now.

And a christmas throw pillow - this will go in the storage bins until next year - but first I shall attack and remove that fringe - I'm not a fringe kind of gal I guess. I love the bird houses and the garlands and tree. The pillows were on special 50% off - I got both pillows for 3.50. Not bad!!! And they look brand new.

We do a family ornament exchange every Thanksgiving and I found this cute little Tigger ornament for our son - he just loves Tigger.

And then to the last Thrift Store for the day

A darling book - wonderful poems that I know the boys will enjoy - I certainly do.

And a bedtime stories book - Winnie the Pooh - everyone's favorite.

A book about a girl that was touched by a falling crow feather and could fly - a simply delightful andventure.

And a book for Grammy - this is a book about a farm - Seven Gates Farm - the decorating, crafting and gardening that they do there - it is a book to be enjoyed with a cup of tea and a scone on a wintery, blustery day. Enchanting.

Some cookbooks for our daughter who collects - and cooks from - the little cookbooks made by organizations - 4H - granges - churches - schools, etc.

I couldn't resist these two old Betty Crocker cookbooks for her. Notice the 1.00 original price tag on the Outdoor Cookbook - I paid 1.99 for it on Saturday. At one time I had the bisquick cookbook - got it for a wedding present - and she will find lots of fun recipes in here.

Some steak knives to match our silverware - I didn't even know they made steak knives in this pattern . . .

For the boys - a spiral racetrack. This should keep them entertained on Friday when they are both here. Jahn and his family are moving into their new home on Friday and he will spend the day with me while the furniture is loaded and unloaded - and Ben is here on Fridays already so they will have some fun together. This race track has roaring car sound effects - what fun!!!

And a cash register that talks and does all sorts of fun things. I'll have to save up some empty boxes for them to play store with.

That was our trip - fun to dig around in the thrift stores now and then and get some new things to entertain the boys and some new things for our home - new to us anyway. And the total cost of all that we got was 23.18 - not a bad day - and then we went to lunch at our favorite buffet and then took a ride through the foothills on the way home - a delightful day. Have you found some great treasures at the Thrift Stores lately?

Tree spirits - and A Walk at the Lake

We live in a heavily populated area and the parks and lakes are very popular places for walks, picnics, bike riding, walking dogs, boating (no motors allowed), fishing, baseball, hike, horseback rides and playgrounds for the kiddies. We decided yesterday would be a Thrift Store Saturday - visiting our favorite Thrift Stores in the next town south of us - Burlington - but first we wanted to take a walk at our favorite lake. Lake Padden. It is in the middle of town and easily accessible. On summer days the swimming and picnic areas are crammed with people - you almost trip on each other. But on a chilly February morning only the hardiest souls are out there - mostly young people taking their morning run, or familes taking the dogs to the off-leash dog park area.

We set out with our travel mugs filled with piping hot tea (white tea for me, Chamomille for Don), our walking shoes, my walking stick, hats, coats and gloves. The fog was thick as pea soup on the way to the lake and it continued the whole walk.

We started along the paths in the fog - listening to the drips from the branches caused by the thick fog. It was chilly - only about 37 so we walked briskly to keep warm - my trusty walking stick accompanying us.


The trail splits off here - going to the right you proceed up a very steep hill - Don takes that path when I'm not with him - we stayed to the left to one of our favorite places.
Along the way we saw branches dripping with fog - the droplets sometimes dropping on our heads - and
A fallen log with some fabulous fungus on it. They looked like delicate little fans. I'm not an expert on fungi - I just know I love them and take pictures whenever I can.

Almost to our special sacred place - we've been here many times and each time it is just as special - and today proved to be extra special.

As we rounded the last corner - we both stopped still - and then both let out our breath as we saw . . .

The Raven singing. We have been here many time before and we've never seen this Raven before. We could almost hear her song!! A most wonderful tree spirit. We stood in the path for a long time - just looking at the Raven and enjoying the peace of the area.


There was not a breath of wind - but now and then a fern would dip and sway - then another one, far from the first - and this continued the whole time we were there. The fairies were dancing to the Raven's song on the ferns that grew right out of the trees.

The area is criss-crossed with many arching trees - they are bent from the constant moisture and the moss that grows upon them - soft, furry trees.

The Raven is just to the left of this photo.

Just across the path from the Raven

We saw this little pale face on the bottom of a decaying old-growth stump. This area was once covered in giant cedar trees and now and then we come upon a big stump from years gone by.

A small owl-like face appears on this tree, its roots spread out along the pathway. I sometimes see an owl - and then with those two long legs sticking out in front I sometimes see a frog. Changeable tree spirit.


A dragonfly spirit - we often see dragonflies at this lake - and while boating one time two summers ago, several landed on the oars and we got close up views of them. I didn't get a picture that day because moving to get to the camera would scare the dragonfly off - they were the shiniest, bright blue.


On the way out we drove through the fog and these tall trees - the fog was shifting back and forth like a soft curtain among the trees.


Where ever we go, we look for spirits - and this fellow was right next to our deck at a B&B that we stayed at on Silver Lake - about 50 miles from our house. He kept us company the whole time (where was he going to go, anyway?) I love his "hair".


Peeking through the woods - this happy spirit made me smile every time I saw it out the bathroomn window.


There are several spirits in this picture - some proper looking - some sweet. I think it is girls night out and they are attending a fairy dance. Relax your eyes - just let them wander about until they catch the spirits.

This lovely face appeared as we were driving home from the B&B - a guardian of the old fence in the woods.

This is an unusual spirit - showing a face, body, legs and tail - and seeming to fly through the air. One of our favorites from that trip to the B&B.


And sometimes you find something quite unexpected - these prayer flags were strung in the woods far from any house, or driveway. What a nice reminder someone left there.

Some Progress - and lists

I've been having a lot of fun - and some frustration - making the Bunny Easter Basket. I started by cutting two of the main pieces too small and had to go to Michaels and get more plastic canvas. Lucky for me they carry the canvas with the smaller holes.

I've been stitching some every day and I have the four main pieces of the house done. Tonight I cut out the rest of the pieces of the house - the roof, dormers, chimney and fence. The smaller parts will go faster now that they are all cut out.

I didn't get in much stitching today - I spent most of the day working on my list. I had 18 items on it - and got 16 1/2 of them done, so I think that is pretty good progress.

I love lists. I mostly make them to help me to remember things, but they also serve as a reminder that I actually go something done. I use backs of envelope, printer paper that has been printed on one side and I no longer need what was on there, backs of store receipts if it for nothing that I would need to return. I like to recycle paper as many times as possible before it goes to the recycling bin. I will tear a small list off and use the rest of the piece of paper for another list - until the piece is so small there is no room to write anything else. Here is part of my list for today - and wait until you see how I made that list - we are going to have some fun!!!

"Things to do while Ben isn't here"

* Organize BOMs
* Transfer BOMs to fabric
* Turn on fan in shed - gotta get rid of that moisture
* Cut out plastic pieces
* Straighten living room
* Make Iced tea
* Prep packages for mailing
* Photograph items for blog
* Wash candle holders
* Put in new candles
* Dry laundry
* Fold laundry
* Type notes for scrapbook
* Set clock on camera

Now the secret is out about what an exciting life I lead!! :-)



If you like to make lists - here is something fun -tadalists - you can make lists like the one I made for today - and they email it to you to print out. You could use this list making site for lists of places to visit while on vacation, things to pack for vacation, groceries (you can continue adding items once the list is started), chores to do around the yard, guests to invite to your birthday party, presents you want to buy for christmas, there is no end to the things you can list.

Once I make a tadalist and print it out - then I can continue to use that same paper for hand printed lists. I love lists. Big lists, short lists, hard-to-do lists, quick and simple lists - I love lists.

I started making lists early in my life. At first my lists were just scribbles, only meaning something to me - and then I discovered printing!!! I was really in business then. My main list was of names. I wrote down all the names I could think of, or any that I had heard or knew - and then as I met people I would cross off the name. Sometimes I would meet somone whose name was not on my list and I could add that one to the list. I kept that list for years, it was started in second grade.

My brothers and I would make lists together. One time we started a "medical supply" store, using stones, seashells, bits of wood or anything we could gather, and gave each item a medical name. Of course we had to make a list of all the medicines we carried in our store.


Another of my favorite lists was made while visiting friends. I grew up in Alaska and there were few books available to us outside of the correspondence course school books (now they call it home schooling). But our friends had a huge libary, hundreds of books, and a special room with a desk and shelves on all the walls. When we would go to visit them we would travel by boat and stay for about a week at a time. I loved to go into the library and make lists of the books. I wanted to read all of them, but they were not children's books and I was only in third grade, hard reading for someone so young, but I made a list and carried it with me for years - a list of the books I would read when I got older - and I did read some of those books. Once in a while I run across a book and remember it from my list making days - and I will almost always read it, just because it was on my list. I've found some enjoyable books that way.

What kind of lists do you make? Do you cross things off? Do you save your lists? Do your lists chase you around the house and nag you until you get everything done or are they friendly and let you work at your own pace? I love lists!!

Imbolc - Candlemas Day

February 1st is a celebration of Imbolc - of the "returning of the light" - a time to think about our past and our future - a time of clearing out for the new that is coming. In Celtic tradition this is a sacred time when the doors between the worlds are open and magical events can occur.


Though the month of February can be so cold and dreary, small but sturdy signs of new life began to appear: Lambs will be born and soft rain brings new grass. Ravens begin to build their nests and larks are said to sing with a clearer voice.

Today I will plant daffodils - as a sign of the hope for the future.
This is a time for planting, for renewing, for looking to the future.

On February first we honor Brighid, a Celtic goddess, who later becamse the Christian saint - St. Brigid.

On February second we celebrate again - with Candlemas day - the coming of longer days - with candles to light the way and encourage the sun to try harder, and stay around longer each day.

In Shakespeare's time about 400 years ago, the second month of the year was called 'Feverell'. In Isaac Newton's time one hundred years later it had become 'Februeer'. The modern name, February, is only about a hundred years old.

The Romans had a custom of lighting candles on Candlemas Day to frighten away evil spirits of the winter.

It is believed that Candlemas Day predicts the weather for the rest of the winter. The weather proverbs express the idea that a fine bright sunny Candlemas day means that there is more winter to come, whereas a cloudy wet stormy Candlemas day means that the worst of winter is over.

There is also the tradition that if the groundhog sees his shadow on a bright and sunny day, on February 2, he will return to his sleep for another six weeks, leaving us to endure more winter. (This does not hold true with the unkind way that Punxsutawney Phil is brought roughly out into the daylight - this is supposed to mean that the groundhog comes out of his den on his own - a German tradition brought over to Pennsylvania from the old world)

WEATHER PROVERBS

If Candlemas Day be fair and bright
Winter will have another fight.
If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain,
Winter won't come again.

If Candlemas Day be dry and fair,

The half o the winter's to come and mair;
If Candlemas Day be wet and foul,
The half o the winter's gane at Yule.

FARMER'S PROVERB
'A farmer should, on Candlemas Day,
Have half his corn and half his hay.'

'On Candlemas Day if the thorns hang adrop,
You can be sure of a good pea crop.'

BORROWED DAYS

February 12-14 were traditionally said to be 'borrowed' from January. If these days ware stormy, the year would be favoured with good weather: but if fine, the year's weather would be foul. The last three days of March were said to be borrowed from April.

"The Snowdrop, in purest white array, First rears her head on Candlemas day."

The name snowdrop does not mean 'drop' of snow, it means drop as in eardrop - the old word for earring.

Any Christmas decorations not taken down by Twelfth Night (January 5th) should be left up until Candlemas Day and then taken down.

Cakes were traditionally baked and offered to the gods on February 1st and 2nd, for good weather and prosperous growing seasons.

Any reason to bake a pretty cake is a good reason. . .

Yay for cakes!!!

As we light our candles - and think of ways to clear our lives - in whatever way seems right to each of us - may the peace of Imbolc be with us. May our plantings be prosperous, our hearts generous and our ways kindly.

All cakes were baked and decorated by my youngest daughter Lori.