Big Rocks

I am sure that a lot of you have already seen this in some form or fashion. But this is my blog and I want to put it here because it is very important to me. Also, I think we always could use a little reminder about the important things in life.

Big Rocks

by Unknown Author

An expert in time management was speaking to a group of business students and, to drive home a point, used an illustration those students will never forget. As he stood in front of the group of high-powered overachievers he said, "Okay, time for a quiz" and he pulled out a one-gallon, mason jar and set it on the table in front of him. He also produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.

When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is this jar full?"

Everyone in the class yelled, "Yes."

The time management expert replied, "Really?"

He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. He dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. He then asked the group once more, "Is the jar full?"

By this time the class was on to him. "Probably not," one of them answered.

"Good!" he replied. He reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in the jar and it went into all of the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?"

"No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good." Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?"

One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard you can always fit some more things in it!"

"No," the speaker replied, that's not the point. The truth this illustration teaches us is: If you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all.

What are the 'big rocks' in your life -- time with your loved ones, your faith, your education, your dreams, a worthy cause, teaching or mentoring others? Remember to put these BIG ROCKS in first or you'll never get them in at all." So, tonight, or in the morning, when you are reflecting on this short story, ask yourself this question: What are the 'big rocks' in my life? Then, put those in your jar first. "

Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

For as long as I can remember I have wanted to travel. Perhaps it was just because I wanted to get away from my ummm...abnormal home life (maybe I'll discuss it sometime), or I just new there was more out there. Either way, I knew a long time ago that I needed to see more than just my small world.

In 2003, that dream came true. My husband (then fiance) got the opportunity to go to Germany with work. We decided to take some vacation time and head out early. I was going to Europe!! I will not lie, there were a lot of mixed emotions going on. This was VERY new to me. The furthest from home I had ever been was to North Carolina, yet I was more excited than anything.

I can not begin to explain how unnerving, yet wonderful it is to be in a place where you do not speak the primary language. "Are they talking about me? WHO CARES...I can't understand what they're saying anyway!" Doug speaks fluent German, but I only knew French from high school...not very helpful. Obviously, Doug did most of the talking.

There are several stories to tell about this trip. Like how odd the toilets are, and the day of drinking, eating, vomitting, and porn shops. But I will leave those for another day. Bet you can't wait.

Everything was different. From how the people socialized to how they shopped, and how they interacted with family and friends. I met some absolutely wonderful people. Like this one, who is one of Doug's good friends.

I just loved his accent. I just wanted him to talk dirty to me, but that would be very inappropriate for obvious reasons.

One of the days of our trip, we went to Wertheim. This is the city that Doug was stationed at during part of his military career. It was so great to see something that was a part of his past.

As we came into the town, we got off the train one stop to soon. It was about 1 mile from the correct stop. This wouldn't have been so bad if it hadn't been one mile, uphill (both ways) in the snow, and my bladder wasn't about to rupture. Luckily, we found a glass shop that was open that graciously allowed me to utilize their restroom and a phone to call a cab.

It was an incredible day. I loved hearing all of Doug's stories and seeing his old stomping grounds...and I saw the biggest snowflakes I have ever seen in my life that day! Which isn't saying much considering I live in South Texas, but you had to dodge them for fear of getting a concussion. Then we slid our way UP to the castle (I only fell 15 times) only to find that it was closed. So we slid our way back down.

Here is a picture taken from the steps of the city's castle looking into downtown.


We had lunch, did some shopping and headed back to the train station and waited for the train listening to a group of inebriated Russians (not to offend anyone, but isn't that redundant?) playing cards. Anyway, it was a wonderful trip! I could not have asked for more as my first trip to Europe. But I was glad to get back home to breakfast tacos and Bill Miller's sweet tea...it's the little things!

Should We Fed Ex Some Sunscreen?

I wonder what it would be like to live in this galaxy? Somebody is having a REALLY bad day!!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317232,00.html

Home, Home on the Range...

Just thought I would share another picture of the property:

Our tracks are Track B & C. Wolf is purchasing Track A. The higher hill is on the right side on our piece. There is a visible valley running through the center, and then a lower hill on the left in Track A. We are still waiting on paperwork. There are a few other things we need to fill out before we can send it in to TVLB.

I have so many hopes for this property. Most importantly, I want to sit on the porch of our house with Doug watching the sunset. When I can post that picture, that will be one of those moments. The ones where a dream has come true. Like getting my degree, getting married, going to Europe and Paris. Of course, there are many more to come, but that sunset will be one of them.

I Love Paris...

This is one of my favorite pictures:

I actually took this picture. Believe it or not...with my old, decrepit camera. R.I.P.

It's one of those shots that says so much...and quite frankly it was so spur of the moment, I almost missed it. Not surprising considering the performance of my previous camera.

This picture was taken at the Pierre La Chaise Cemetary in Paris. We were wandering around that day, taking it all in. There was a service happening, and we where doing our best to be respectful. I turned around to see a black cat sitting in front of a crypt. It seemed so fitting to me, a black cat in a cemetary. As I was taking a picture this older gentleman walked up and starting petting the cat. Either he didn't notice or didn't care, but he never even acknowledged me. It was just one of those moments.

As I looked at the picture when we got back to the hotel room, I realized it was one of those pictures with so many questions...

Was he attending the service of a friend, or a loved one? Maybe even someone he didn't even care for?

Was he just taking a walk in the cemetary because that's what he did every day? Did he see the cat every day? Was he visiting someone he knew? Perhaps his wife?

What was the story of his life?

Allow Me To Introduce...

You to..."The Scarf from Hell". Here it is, in all of its glory:



Please, let me explain how it received its name. The yarn was originally purchased at a wonderful little shop in Fredricksburg , TX called Stonehill Spinning. The yarn was gorgeous, soft, and fun. I HAD TO HAVE IT. My original thoughts were to make a 2 inch wide scarf. One skein surely would be enough for that. Right?...I think that the Gods simply chuckled a little at that moment. I started on the scarf with size 10's in garter stitch. A little word of warning, I am a very tight knitter. VERY TIGHT. I usually have to go up two to three needles sizes to get the correct gauge.

Needless to say, as I approached the half-way point on the ball of yarn, my scarf was only 6 inches long. This was a problem. So I took myself back to the yarn store in Fredricksburg to buy another skein. Mind you, Fredricksburg is a two hour drive away, and not a trip that one takes on a regular basis. So, naturally when I got there, the yarn wasn't. So, now what to do. How about a drop stitch scarf? Put some space in there. Brilliant!! So let's frog it (rip it out)...and start over. Long story short...this scarf was knitted and frogged out THREE TIMES!!!! This was for various reasons: 1. Incorrect needle size 2. Drop stitch is not as easy as it looks, especially with a yarn like this.

I was going to love this scarf and marry it and have its babies. After the third time of ripping it out, I wanted to run it through a chipper shredder. I knew at this point the scarf was no longer something that I could even wear. And, in all honesty, if I put it on, it might even attempt to choke me to death just out of spite. Soooo...it's future owner will be my Maria. I know that she will love it and give it the attention that it has come to expect. She may be able to use it as a hanky. Merry Christmas Maria!!

Simple Update...

The craziness continues…there has been so much going on. I know, I know…that’s no excuse for not writing. Let’s see…

Work - Work has been crazy and filling up most of the space in my head. But I am moving on to bigger and better things to worry about. It’s just not worth it.

The Property - Which honestly is making me about two steps shy of crazy. If it’s not one thing, it’s another. I truly feel in my heart that this is the one, and I know that anything that is ever worthwhile is not easy, but COME ON!!! Enough with the tribulation. Geez!! I know that part of the reason I am so frustrated is that I am waiting for this deal to go through before I pursue some other things in my life, but sometimes it’s hard to remember that if I didn’t want it so bad it would happen sooner.

School - And then there is school…the Photoshop class is great! Albeit very reading intensive! I am learning so much!! The Developing Effective Websites class is another story. I am enjoying it in that I am certainly learning A LOT, but it is also frustrating because I am not familiar with a web programming software. So while I am learning the “theories”, the application of them is difficult. My next class will definitely be a Dreamweaver class. Period.

Hunting Season - So far we have enough deer meat to feed a third world country for a year, and we are not even half way through. UGH!

Christmas…um, Hello!?!? Where did the rest of the year go? I must have slept through it. It’s Christmas time already? So we have to deal with that.

…And to top it all off, our garbage disposal bit the dust. Actually, it eroded…but who’s counting?

And We Give Thanks...

Perhaps it’s a little boring to read another post about giving thanks...but its THANKSGIVING…it’s a good thing to do. I don’t have a gratitude journal, so I, unfortunately, don’t always take the time to sit and think about the things I am grateful for now. We are usually too busy thinking about the future to think about what is so good about life now. The thing I am most grateful for is the fact that I am alive. There have been events in my life that have occurred that by all means I should not be…but I am, for whatever reason. I am very thankful that I survived them. Many people have not.

I am also very thankful for all of the people in my life, even the ones that I don’t consider friends or family. They all have a lesson to teach. I may not see their value or see the lesson right away, but I do eventually.

I am even more thankful for the people that I do consider family and friends. They are not large in number, but they are all VERY important. They love me for who I am, even with all of my craziness and faults. I am not perfect…no one is. I’m stubborn and selfish at times. I worry (i.e. obsess) a lot about things that aren’t important. I try to hard to be perfect, and often fall short, despite my efforts. Regardless of that, they still love me. I think that is what makes me love them even more. They all understand better than anyone that no one is perfect, everyone has their faults and everyone makes mistakes sometimes…and it’s okay. Besides, who would want to be surrounded by perfect people all of the time? That would be way too boring. That’s an even bigger lesson for me to learn from them. They are not perfect either, but I love them too. They drive me crazy and irritate me sometimes, but at the end of the day, they have added value to my life, on a regular basis, and made it better because they are in it.

And, of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t give thanks for the three most important people in my life…my Mom, Maria, and Doug. My mom has been my best friend from day one. Has loved me when I thought no one did, and always been there NO MATTER WHAT was going on, or what I did. I have never seen anyone love as unconditionally as she has loved me. Maria, has brought one of the most important gifts in my life…laughter. When it seemed like nothing was funny about the world, she found a way to make me laugh. Her encouragement, and amazingly, her admiration, kept me going through some pretty hard times. And then there is Doug. He is my rock, my voice of reason, when I can’t hear past the crazy voices in my head. He makes me a better person, even when I stumble. He reminds me of the person I want my kids to be. “Don’t follow Mommy’s example, she’s a bubble off center…go see Daddy.” He also encourages me, and that is the greatest gift a person can give. He doesn’t bullshit me, but he does encourage me. I only hope that I do for him all of the things that he does for me.

These people have given me that most important gifts in my life…unconditional love, laughter and encouragement, reason, and honesty. They are my best friends. They love me. Period.

There are a lot of other people (family and friends) that have taught me other lessons about life that I have not forgotten in my heart, but will not mention here. I may mention them in the future. They each have a story to me. They are all important and I am very thankful for each and every one of them.

I Don't Need No Stinkin' Comfort Zone

I created this blog with a purpose. It is to serve as a way to force myself to “journal”, and also to serve as a place to document the process and lifestyle changes that my family is going through while we transition from life in the city to the life in the country that we want to have. The only stumbling block has been that I didn’t want to mention anything about the property we are currently trying to purchase because I did not want to jinx the whole thing. Not that there has been a shortage of things for me to ramble about, but you know…it has felt like I am keeping this dirty little secret. So without further ado, here is a picture of the property we are currently attempting to purchase:

So there it is. Our goal for this place is to make is self-sufficient. All of the things we do on it will generate revenue, will be beneficial to the planet, and support the family. This means a lot of things. I want to grow produce, and raise chickens. My mom wants goats. Doug wants to have deer and cattle, among other revenue generators. This has been quite a learning process for me…being a city girl and all.

As Doug, our neighbor, and I were sitting outside talking yesterday, I really got why I want this. My ultimate goal is to take the things about city living and incorporating into the country and vice versa. This means a lot of things…starting this blog is one of them.

The Wheels on the Bus Go 'Round and 'Round

So I am going back to school…gonna be hot for teacha. Moving on…I have signed up for a Designing Effective Websites and Photoshop for ABSOLUTE Beginners continuing education course. ABSOLUTE beginners as opposed to “Beginners Who Don’t Sit In The Corner Eating Their Hair When They Open Photoshop”. I would be in the first group…who does. I’m gonna get edumacated. WOOHOO!! Y’all beware of my skillz! Okay…I’m gonna stop and go eat my hair. But first...with an update...drum roll please...here is the first picture I have created in Photoshop...I'm tellin' ya....be afraid...be very afraid...

Time Marches On

I want to take a moment to discuss the events of our Veteran’s Day Weekend, since the last year has been spent leading up to this. We go in to Bryan early Thursday morning. We headed straight for the library, hoping to get a chance to meet the President George H.W. Bush. We did…and…in my exceptional brilliance, I turned the camera off, instead of taking a picture, and he was gone. Whisked away, by the spooks. I want to look cool and talk into my sleeve. But that’s another story. Then we wandered around town, checked into our hotel room, visited some friends, had dinner, and then went back to the room.

Friday was spent setting up computers, and waiting for the rest of the family to show up. Saturday was the reopening of the George Bush Memorial Library and Museum. We stood out in the sun for way too long and watched the former president jump out of a plane. After several people talked, and the president spoke, they finally opened up the museum. We went in and walked through. Then we got to the “Voices of the Gulf” section. To sit there and hear Doug’s voice was awesome, and unnerving at the same time. It is quite the dichotomy. On one hand, I am so proud of him to be a part of that. On the other hand, it is quite disturbing to hear the things that he has told me late at night in the privacy of our home being told to anyone who walks in and wants to listen.

Then we got to the memorial. Everything was fine until he saw the first person doing a rubbing of a name. It was one of those moments that there are no words for. And as Murphy’s Law would have it, my decrepit camera couldn’t take a picture of that moment. I guess in a way, it is something that I will just have to keep pictured in my head. I wish that I could share the feeling of what I saw, but I can’t. We left and went back to Bryan , ate, and relaxed. Then we had dinner at the VFW.

Sunday was the day of the parade. We met a lot of people and made a lot of friends. I couldn’t help but tear up when Doug told me about some of the people he met and their stories. This world is really full of a lot of amazing people. Sadly, all we ever hear about are the bad ones, but the good ones are out there, you just have to find them, and be willing to open up and talk to them. Everyone wants to share their story; they’re just trying to find someone to listen. I hope a lot of people listen to Doug’s; it is a pretty amazing story.

The whole weekend was one of those events in your life that really makes you step back and think about what is really important. It’s sad how much stuff is not important but takes up a lot of our time and energy in our lives.

Please, Let Me Explain

As is fairly evident, I did not complete ANYTHING on my to-do list. I am SUCH a failure. Please excuse me while I flog myself. Now, please allow me to espouse my excuses as to why. And they are all excuses. I was planning on sitting down yesterday and working on it during football. However, unforeseen circumstances prevented me from being able to focus on that. Sadly, I let some other things interfere with my personal life, and I apologize. So let me give you a rundown of what I am looking at. I want to change the layout of this space. First, I want to create a banner. As I have stated before Photoshop makes me want to break out in hives. I either need to just bite the bullet and figure it out or take a course. Neither of which makes me happy. Once I get the new banner figured out, I want to change the layout. Probably to the basic white and move some stuff around. See…in theory this stuff is simple. But actually sitting down and doing it is a whole other story.

I had actually somewhat started on the knitting post, but realized that I don’t have anything really great worth sharing, at least not compared to some of the other things out there in the innernets. But then again, it doesn’t have to be great. However, the item I am currently working on is the “Scarf from Hell” and I am just trying to get through it. That’s the one I was going to post about. But I just can’t bring myself to do anything else with it…except try and finish it. Other than that I just have a baby blanket for my niece, that I absolutely fell in love with the first time I saw her, that I will probably never get through. It was supposed to be a birthday present…missed that one. Now, it’s supposed to be a Christmas gift. We’ll see. That’s about it. So there is not much to talk about. I could have discussed items I have already done, which is what I was about to do, when I was so rudely distracted with drama, and the fact that I had to take a nap. In all seriousness, I will have to think about how I am going to do this as far as post layouts, etc.

This leads me to the food post. I was going to post a recipe that I was trying for roasted pumpkin seeds. But by the time I thought about taking pictures, I was done. That sort of defeated the purpose. I also need to figure out how I am going to work out the cooking posts. I really like the way The Pioneer Woman Cooks! posts her recipes with the actions shots. But I am not near the photographer she is. So I don’t know if I should try the action shots, or just post a picture of the finished product along with the recipes, or perhaps a combination of both depending on the difficulty of the recipe.

See the craziness that occupies my brain? How do I keep it all in you ask? Oh yeah…lists.

In The Name of Progress

I don’t have any thoughts organized today. It is way too close to the weekend, and I’m a little scatterbrained trying to finish up the week and get ready for the weekend. By the way, I did get a little list out the other day. WHEW!! I thought my head was about to explode. Now, however, I feel that I need to make another list. I know…I know, your shaking your head. The crazy doesn’t rest. But the items on that list are ongoing items. I need another one for items that can be done now, so that I can feel like I am making progress.

Speaking of progress…I am so proud of me!! I figured out how to add pictures to this blog thing! Pretty soon I’ll be sending it off to college. *Tear*. Seriously, I have even started working on a banner. NEVER thought I would be doing that!! I mean, I am not a technological idiot, but I don’t exactly write code in my sleep either (e.g. my husband). I have no problem with learning something new, but Photoshop makes me want to hide in the corner and eat my hair. I know that I am way behind the curve ball and such because blogs were popular like 5 five years ago...duh! I have always been unfashionable. But learning how to make this thing look like the picture in my head is a pain in my arse, and I am not interested in paying someone else to do it. I am not complaining, simply stating the facts. So…as I ramble on…I am making a list of items I am hoping to accomplish for this thing over the weekend. Maybe, I’ll actually do it, if I lay it out here.

Here goes:
· Complete at least one knitting post w/pictures
· Complete at least one cooking post w/pictures
· Complete new layout & banner

Also, I am on a mission people, and I need your help. Your mission, should you choose to accept it….please tell me if you know of a place where I can find some chickens. Before your imagination runs away with you, I want to find some chickens so that I can take pictures of them. THAT’S ALL!! There is a reason, don’t worry. I haven’t completely lost my mind and want to randomly take pictures of chickens for no reason whatsoever. Although that’s not a bad idea

Okay…please don’t hold my feet to the fire if I don’t get all of them completed (unless I ask), but I will do my best. Please send help if you hear I am in the corner eating my hair.

So Much on My Mind & Jack Frost Nipping at My Nose

I hate it when I have so much on my mind, yet I can not do anything about it. I don’t even have the time to make a list because I am too busy. And y’all…I am a list makin’ fool. I have lists for my lists. I have to tell you, I was absolutely thrilled to my core when I saw my husband make a list. It’s bad. I know it doesn’t make sense. I can’t keep up with a journal, but I can make a list like nobodies business. Go figure.

AND just to give an idea of the level of my crazy…because I am here to prove it, there is so much going through my head that I am afraid to write it down because it will be out of order and crazy on the paper. You see, even my lists have to have a certain amount of order. I know…I need professional help. So, you might say, “Well, why not right it down and reorganize it”. You would be a rational human being. I, on the other hand, would rather fret and chew my finger nails trying to remember all of the things that need to go on my list until I have it in order and can write it down.

All of that craziness being said, I am making it my goal to jot down what I can today, and sit down tonight and create a solid list with a nice cup of spiced up cider...BECAUSE IT’S BELOW 65° OUTSIDE!! Pretty soon it might be snowing…in San Antonio…yeah right!! Good thing people’s brain shut down in this town once the temperature gets below 70°, because it is soooo fun to drive in that traffic. Oh well!! At least there will be cider when I get home and a nice pretty list to look forward to.

My Life as the Benny Hill Theme Song

As it sometimes occurs, I needed to pick up a few things at the store this morning. And by “store”, I mean Wal-Mart, because that is UNFORTUNATELY the only place to get a variety of things. It’s not that I’m lazy, it’s that it’s all there is, and it pisses me off. Stepping off the soapbox, what started as a three item trip...ended up being a little more. And by “little” more, I mean we had to take out a quick second mortgage. In the process, we picked up a magazine called "Hobby Farms". In it there was an article about fainting goats. Holy crap...that is funny. It's sad that it's a genetic disorder, but it's even funnier when you set it to the Benny Hill Theme Song. You don't even have to imagine. Go here. It made me realize that I want my life theme song to be “The Benny Hill Theme Song”. Think about that for a minute…that is HILARIOUS…well, at least it is to me.

The Thinker Continued...

After yesterday’s post about blogging, I started thinking about the blogs that I enjoy reading and why. I thought that I would share them with you:

My absolute favorite and first is Crazy Aunt Purl. I have been reading her blog now for over three years. Perhaps it’s just because she took my blogging virginity, but I have an affinity for her. I have watched her survive her divorce with four cats, learn how to knit, rediscover dating, and write a book about it all.

The second favorite is Confessions of a Pioneer Woman. I live vicariously through her. Since she lives out in the secluded country, and that is where I hope to be someday, I guess I feel I need to get ideas from her on how not to go crazy…even though she already is.

The other two are Dad Gone Mad and Dooce. I like these two because of their humor, mixed with seriousness. It puts it out there and in your face, and you can take it or leave it. They don’t care. That’s what I love about blogs. It’s also the hardest thing for me to get. I have not made this blog public because I guess it would crush my little ego to have some miserable individual comment that I am an idiot. I only have one thing to say: "Hey genius, I know I’m an idiot. Why else would I throw out my personal thoughts on the INTERNET for brilliant people like you to read and comment rudely about?" See…it wouldn’t be pretty. Sadly, I am still working on that whole “sticks and stones” thing.

The Thinker

For some reason, over the past few days, I have had the feeling that I had nothing to write about. This is the exact same thing I go through with journal writing. In all honesty, starting a blog is probably not the best idea I have ever had. My journaling history has been sporadic, at best. I would lose my motivation, and then decide I need to start writing down my feelings. Great! That will help…because it has worked so well in the past. Funny how easily we can lie to ourselves.

I would start a new journal. Usually, I would have to go out and buy a new journal…because I couldn’t allow my new thoughts to be tainted by my previously thought thoughts. Hello all! Welcome to Crazyland, Population: Melissa! For the first few days (read:hours), things were great! I was Zen and writing down all of my thoughts and getting them out of my system, but then I would get lazy. I don’t need to journal? What’s the point? What good is it doing? I know what I am thinking…why do I need to write it down. Now, I’m not feeling calm anymore…and so death comes to my journaling journey….yet again. Please don’t think I am kidding. At last count I have about 16 different journals that are not complete. I do, however, have 1 (ONE) that is about ¾ complete….that was progress people. Notice...was.

What IN THE WORLD makes me think that I should be blogging? I have been thinking about this for a few days…and I think I have figured it out. Accountability. I actually have a lot of things to write about, but for whatever reason I just don’t (possibly also because I am not a very good writer). Well, now, I have an audience, albeit a small one, that may or may not be waiting to see what I have to say…in all of its crazy, poorly written glory!! That’s pretty cool. Now I can get it out there in the open. Obviously, there will be some things I won’t discuss here…but if it’s any consolation, I probably won’t write them in my shiny, new… and empty journal either.

I Thought We'd Be Facing My Good Side

As we approach our four year anniversary, I have been spending a lot of time reflecting on my relationship with my husband, and the man he is. I could probably just write on and on about all of the things he has done, or places he has been, the people he has met, the things he has done for others. But anyone who knows him already knows who he is. To say the least, he is the most accomplished person I know, and there is no one that I am more proud of. I am so ecstatic that I have had the opportunity to spend these moments of my life with him, and I hope to have the opportunity to spend many more with him. I can not even begin to explain the scope of my feelings for him, who he is, and what he stands for, so I will not even try to in this post.

Doug, I Love You!

Old MacDonald Had A Farm

When I was kid…my parents would send me “down to the valley” to visit my grandparents. I enjoyed it…as much as a young kid can enjoy being away from their parents for two weeks…kicking and screaming. My favorite part was going to visit my great grandparents…they had horses…and rabbits. I loved being outside with the animals. No need to have polite conversation, no need to pretend that you, a kid, cared about what the grown-ups were talking about. I spent all day out there. Ever since then, I have wanted to go back. Go back to that space, back to the country.

There is just something about it to me. It makes me so happy, and peaceful. To think of being self sufficient, and, to put it plainly, live the simple life, as Thoreau said, or was it Nichole Richie? Life is too short…to spend it worried about half of the crap that we spend our time worrying about these days. I’m not going to mention all of the things (I couldn’t even begin), but to me it’s the materialism and all the psychological implications that come with “keeping up with the joneses” that drives me crazy. This, of course, is strictly my opinion.

More importantly than all of this…I want chickens y’all!! I want fresh eggs. I want to wake up to the sound of a rooster. Although, at this point, I’m not sure we are going to have any roosters…but it’s the thought. Someone should invent a rooster alarm clock!! If you guys find one…let me know?

My Knitting Intro

So…I knit. Now, when I say knit…don’t get excited. I can knit, purl, and decrease. That’s about it. Now, don’t get me wrong there is a lot you can do with only those stitches. However, I must admit a slight feeling of inadequacy when I see and hear about the other things that people can knit. Honestly, it makes me want to curl up in the corner and eat my hair. In all fairness though, my knitting journey has been a bumpy one.
When I was about 10 years old, my step-great-grandmother taught me how to crochet. I think I remember liking it. Doesn’t matter, I decided about a year and a half ago that I could not possible live another day without knowing how to knit. So…I took my happy little self to, of all places….Wal-Mart, and bought one of those teach-yourself-to knit kits and went home to get this party started. Being left-handed I naturally went to the section for left-handers. Seems logical, right? Um…yeah. So I taught myself how to cast-on and the knit stitch. I knitted an entire scarf. WooHoo!!
Then one day…in a fit of knitting loneliness, I dragged my mom to the new knitting store in town (by the way, my mom bought the same knit kit), to talk to other knitters. I started up a conversation with the store owner and explained to her that what I was doing seemed wrong. She didn’t understand what I was talking about when I tried to explain to her how I knit. Fortunately, I had my most recent scarf with me. I brought it in and demonstrated. “You’re knitting backwards”, she said. She explained that it wasn’t that I was doing it wrong; I was doing everything in a mirror image. She went on to explain that the only way it might be a problem is if I try to knit from a pattern, as everything would be backwards and reverse. Oh, well, what a relief, because I had fully planned to knit nothing but scarves in a mirror garter stitch for the REST OF MY LIFE. ARE YOU KIDDING ME!! I like a challenge just as much as anyone else, but really now.
So, after I stepped off the ledge from the shock of wasting months trying to figure this stuff out, I asked if she could show me the correct way to knit. I didn’t even care if she taught me how to knit right-handed…and she did. Thankfully, I have been knitting correctly for about a year. All of that being said…I get so discouraged when I see some of the wonderful things other knitters create. The most I have ever done are several scarves, a few bracelet purses, started a baby blanket, and I have taught myself to crochet as well (I rock the ten minute coaster – even though it still takes me an hour). Perhaps I don’t knit as often as I should/could. But really, I have quit smoking and still don’t have enough time to knit 20 pairs of socks, 5 hats, 12 scarves and still have dinner on the table by 6pm like some knitters. Guess I’ll have to work on that.

Status Update

So....Over the next few days, I will begin laying out the site, getting up the "About Me" stuff, etc. Currently my intent is for this place to be a mind dump. It is where I will collect little thoughts, interesting quotes, rants, recipes, knitting/crochet/craft projects, updates/plans for our land, and anything else that catches my fancy. Oh yeah...and stuff about chickens!!! (More about that later).

Hi...

I'm new....bear with me. I've spent all day thinking about how to go about this thing... my poor little brain needs a rest.