A Photo Album Day

Hubby in Wisc. has a chat with a calf about getting
her head stuck in a gate. He was able to get all of
her back on the same side with a little coaxing.

Any guesses what this is? 

Mama Kitty fast asleep 

Winter beauty 

A Baby Sweater Pattern

Yesterday when I weighed in, I was certain that I was going to have to tell you all that I had failed to lose my half a pound, but was surprised to find that I had lost a whole pound! I’m quite sure, however, that I will gain it all back since I made Jacob a belated birthday cake today. Chocolate mint cake-mmmmmm.

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And now----the sweater pattern!

I had the advantage of having a sweater made with this pattern in my hands when I made this sweater the 1st time. The little woman who had made the sweater for my daughter hand copied this for me. I know that each time I make it I puzzle over what she wrote and try to make it “work”. I have done the best I can to decipher it for you; her handwriting is typical of the women of that generation—flowery and beautiful, but also shaky with age. Sometimes little notes were scribbled into the margins, and I tried to get them all to fit into the correct order. I did my best to produce a coherent pattern! Enjoy! Jean

Baby Hooded Sweater

Size 1-2-3
Needles No. 5 & 8
Crochet hook No.00
5 buttons
Gauge 9 st=2”, 6 rows =1” (No. 8)

Cardigan
Neckband: No5 needle. Cast on 54(58-62) st. Work in ribbing of k1p1 for 1”. Change to No8 needles work as follows:

Yoke: Shape raglan
Row 1 (right side): K8. Inc 1 st in next st. Put a marker on needle. K1. Inc 1 st in next st. K4 (5-6). Inc 1 st in next st. Put a marker on needle. K1. Inc 1 st in next st. K 18 (20-22). Inc 1 st in next st. Put a marker on needle. K1. Inc 1 st in next st. K4(5-6). Inc 1 st in next st. Put a marker on needle. K1. Inc 1 st in next st. K8—(8 incs) Turn.

Row 2: Purl (slip markers).

Row 3: *K to within 1 st of marker. Inc 1 st in next st. Sl marker. K1. Inc 1 st in next st. Repeat from * 3 times. K across. Repeat last 2 rows 10 (11-12) times. (Makes a raglan sleeve.)

Next row: Purl—150 (162-174) sts.

Divide Work
K 21 (22-23). Place these sts on a holder (left front). K32 (35-38) (left sleeve): place next 44 (48-52) sts on a holder (back); place next 32 (35-38) st on 3rd holder (right sleeve). Place last 21 (22-23) sts on 4th holder (right front).

Left sleeve:
Cast on 2 sts. P across. Cast on 2 sts. Work in stockinette st. K 1 row; p next. Dec 1 st each side every 8th row 5 times—26 (29-32) sts. Work even until sleeve measures 6 (6-1/2”-7”) from underarm or 1-1/2 in. less cuff. Dec 0 (1-2) sts on last row 26 (28-30) st. Change to No5 needles work ribbing k1 p1 for 1-1/2”. Bind off loosely in ribbing.

Right Sleeve:
With No8 needles cast on 2 sts. K 32 (35-38) sts from sleeve holder cast on 2 sts—36 (39-42). Work same as left sleeve. (Note: I always do both sleeves on same needle using another ball of yarn—Then you’ll be sure they are the same.)

Body:
Sl sts off left front on No8 needle. Join yarn at left underarm. Cast on 4 sts. K across back sts. Cast on 4 sts. K across right front sts 94 (100-106) sts. Work even until piece measures 5-3/4” (6-1/4—6-1/2”) from underarm or 1-1/2” (ribbing allowance) less than desired length. Change to No5 needles. Work in ribbing k1 p1 for 1-1/2”. Bind off loosely in ribbing.

Left Center Band: (Crochet)
From right side work 1 row. Sc on left front edge working 1 sc in each row. Ch 1, turn each row. Work 4 more rows working 1 sc in each sc. End off.

(A note from Jean: I find that I need to make a few less st than one per row or the band is too big.)

Right Center Band:
Work 2 rows sc on right front edge as for left center band. With pins mark position of 5 buttonholes evenly spaced on right center band—first on ½” above lower edge, 5th on ½” below neck edge.

Row 3: (buttonhole row) *sc to within 1 sc of pin. Ch 2 st. Repeat from * 4 times. Finish row. Ch1. Turn.

Row 4: Sc in each sc across row working 2 sc in each buttonhole. Ch 1. Turn.

Row 5: Sc in each sc across. End off.

Hood
No5 needles—cast on 67 (69-71) sts.

Row 1: (right side): P1 *k1p1 repeat from * across.

Row 2: K1 *p1,k1. Repeat from * across.

Repeat last 2 rows for 3” (ribbing). End wrong side. Change to No8 needles. Work in stockinette st until piece measures 7 (7-1/2—8) ins from start.

Shape back: Bind off 10 sts at beg of next 2 rows. Bind off remaining 47 (49-51) sts.

Finishing
Block pieces (not ribbings). Fold hood in half. Weave back seam keeping seam flat. Fold ribbing in half to right side. With ends of hood 1-1/2” from front edge of sweater, sew hood to neck edge, easing in hood. Sew sleeve seams and underarms. Sew on buttons (5).


The Sweater, size 2. I used 4 ply, Worsted Weight. Since I was switching from the American to European style knitting throughout and picking it up sporadically, the stitch was very uneven :-(. Oh, well--it will wear :-).

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Thoughts from my Big Green Chair

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands.”Psalm 90: 17

The footnote of my Concordia Study Bible says, “As you only have been our security in the world, so also make our labors to be effective and enduring—though we are so transient.”

I have no visions of ever appearing in the pages of history. I do, however, hope to make an impact upon my world by raising children of God who will serve Him throughout their lives and by reaching out to others through friendship, sharing God’s work in me. Many are searching for security—and we do not always find that God offers what we think we want. Yet our trust in Him is comforting to us and to those around us. Though we are here on earth as the shadow of a cloud passes over the land, He is, from generation to generation.

Blessings.

Ears is sitting on the roof 

Passing the Baton: Winter to Spring

The moon is nearly full tonight. It is just a slight wobble in the sky, orange and oversized, as it rises above the horizon. I’d like, someday, to visit the stars and planets, to see the beauty of the universe first hand. People always joke about getting to heaven and asking God questions—mine just might be a request to visit the vastness of his realm…

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We have a sick calf today; she's a bit wobbly on her feet and is running a low fever. She is one of the calves that was born only a couple of months ago to one of Bethany’s show heifers, September. Here, we are praying that the calf will respond to a warming box, bottles of milk, and some medicine. The mommy seems to be under the weather, too. Perhaps she has not had enough milk for her baby if she isn’t feeling well. They are in the medical pen. I don’t know if my husband will need to go out and check on them in the night or not.

Soon we will be busy with calving. The weather has been warmer the last few days, and we have noticed that the sun is more powerful. It will not be long before spring is here.


It won't be long now...(This is spring 2004)

Thoughts from my Big Green Chair

"Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God."
Psalm 90: 1-2

“Before the mountains…you are God.” I have always found the verb tense the translators used in this startling. “You are”. This is a present tense. It tells us a state of being that simply exists all the time. If I said, “I walk to school,” you would understand that I have done it in the past, I did it today, and I plan to do it everyday. That is how God is. “You are God” means that he was, is, and will be God. We always teach our children not to shift the tense when they are writing, but I think the writer of this would not have considered it a violation of that rule; rather he has stated his belief in an everlasting God, one who existed before all things began.

Do we have the same belief? Do we trust that what is happening today, happened yesterday, and will happen tomorrow is under the control of the same one who created the perfect orbit of the earth around the sun? or the DNA in our cells? or the symbiotic relationship between trees and fungus root?

We are offered the opportunity to rest in this knowledge and to live at peace.

Blessings.

Thank You, Thank You!

I’m, well—speechless.

You came out to greet my daughter with so many sweet comments! Some were thoughtful given with wisdom; a few of you recalled life on the farm from your own childhood. A couple of children posted who loved the farm animals, and many of you stopped by simply to join in the fun. You are precious! My site meter should have a tongue hanging from it—panting from trying to keep up with the dozens of visitors! I am humbled and amazed. As I said on the TWTM boards, “It has been like throwing an impromptu party and having dozens of friends show up!"

Very simply: Thank you.

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I have accomplished something today. I started knitting a little blue sweater for a friend’s baby—now when was that? Were we going to the CHEA conference in May of 2003 when we visited this little guy just after he was born? (Tell me I’m wrong!) I’d hung up my knitting needles when the hectic pace of children and homeschooling had taken over my life, but I had decided I’d like to pick them up again about the time this little tyke came along. Of course it had to be a blue sweater since all the clothes in Lauree's household had been pink for the last three babies.

I chose a large size, figuring it would give me time enough to make it. Good idea. I finally handed the sweater over to the little brown eyed boy this evening. He’s the cutest little fellow, but it is good that his big sister is hugging him and not me—he’s a little shy of the lady with the camera!


Aren't they sweet!

A woman who’d made the sweater for my first child gave the pattern to me. The pattern starts at the neckline, and the body and sleeves are made in one piece. The placket is crocheted which helps it to keep its shape; the hood is added last. This is a fun pattern to make!

I had a nice time tonight when I went out to deliver the sweater. Last time Lauree came to visit me, I told her I had cookies but failed to get them out. Bad hostess. Lauree had kept back a plate full of cookies so that I could have a treat—she makes them with no milk, just for me! I think I should ask her for the recipe.

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Thoughts from my Big Green Chair

Many years ago I sat upon a swing at a camp for missionaries singing this song.

Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul!
Thank you, Lord, for making me whole!
Thank you, Lord, for giving to me,
Thy great salvation so rich and free.

I remember a woman who had been a missionary telling me that now that I was becoming a teen-ager, I needed to know that I would not always be going to church and worshiping God simply because my parents did, but that I would have to make the decision to do that for myself. She laid before me the challenge of following God into my teen years and beyond. I still remember her name, even if I do not know how to spell it: Kathy Bleizie. I remember a lot of things from that camp because the decisions that were made back then have directed my life.

Be sure to take the time to tell this to your young teens. Someone else will not always take them to church or ask them if they have read their Bibles. Whether we like it or not, some day they are going to have to take that road by themselves.

Blessings.

Spit Fire--as a kitten she earned her name!

Pulling My Thoughts Together

A railroad track once wound its way through our land.

“I need to go to bed earlier so that I can get up earlier, so that I can have more time alone before the family rises, so that I can spend more time planning my day, so that I can pray about it, and so that I know what it is that must get done. I need to get my act together….”

How many times a week (a day?) do I tell myself this? Sigh. I’d bet that I am not the only one thinking these thoughts. This has almost been a mantra for me since the poohs came along.

Each year my children grow older, and, although a different set of demands are placed upon me, I do have more time than I use to have for those long baths and quiet walks. The children can get a meal for themselves when I am busy, and they can put themselves to bed. They help me with the household chores and remember where the car is parked in the Wal-Mart parking lot.

I know that I cannot control my life. If I work harder, I cannot make it all fit together the way it “should”. I also know that I cannot make the schedule so important that the family suffers. It is a balance, is it not? When we have small children, we have to let a lot of the housework slide. We are not Amazon women. As the children grow older, we have a little more time to ourselves—but we also have grown older which means that we do not have the energy to keep up with as much. I understand that the children need to become more independent because we will not always be able or want to keep up with everything they do. We must remember to grow older together.

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Thoughts from My Big Green Chair

We sang “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” tonight at church. We are celebrating the time of the church year that we call Lent. It is a time to reevaluate where we stand with God and to remember how much we need him.

John 15: 14 “You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

Profound.

Blessings.

Now, I’m going to post this picture one more time. Today Bethany came to look at my blog off and on all day long to see if anyone commented on the photo of her standing in the muck with her precious calf, and she did not get a single comment. Today is the day to come out of lurkdom and fill her little comment page. O.K.? :-)


Last year Bethany's cow, Kiss Me, died, leaving a
newborn calf. Yesterday I snapped this picture of Beth
hugging Kiss Me, Too during chore time.

On Hold

Yesterday's waxing moon rising in the east at day's end.
Tonight is full moon. (Click on photo to enlarge)

Some days I feel like I’m on hold. You know—those times when you sit on the phone and no one is on the other end? “Would you hold, please?” At those times, all the things that you need to do or would like to be doing come to mind, and all you can do is listen to the awful music in the back ground. There are days that I feel as though all the things I need to do are sitting out there just beyond my reach. All day long I am called to do tasks that are not on my “to do” list. I listen to an amazing number of stories. I look at pairs of Lord of the Rings action figures to decide which one is more realistic. I’m given comic strips to read, and I am asked to proof articles written for 4-H.

Just as bad are the days I am caught in the web of computer generated operators. “If you know the number of the extension you are calling, you may dial that at any time. If you wish to speak with customer service, please press 2”. In my day-to-day life I have found that my most efficient way of getting my tasks done is to have a sheet of paper with all of them listed. When I am not comparing Lord of the Rings action figures, I can check my list to see what needs to be done. If I did not have this list I would not be able to juggle all my tasks on a daily basis. However, this list is just like the “Press 2” concept. What do I need to do next? Oh, yeah! There are 27 piles of laundry in that little room over there! And when I get done with that, I need to get something out of the freezer so that we can eat supper later today, and, by the way, I really need to go back upstairs and water Fern and brush my teeth… I chafe under the requirements of the day. I much prefer to be a free and easy going person who cleans house when I’m in the mood. I don’t want to punch in the last 4 digits of my husband’s Social Security number! I want to PLAY! I want to grab a book and read for fun and pleasure. I want to play fetch with the cat and I want to watch TV! I’m still a kid at heart—the youngest one who never quite grew out of her spoiled brat stage. I definitely do not like being told what to do and when to do it!

Someone once told me that the tasks that are not on our lists each day are the special tasks that God has given to us—time with children and family, caring for the needs of others in a Christ-like manner. As far as the “to do” list, well, it is always good to force my unstructured spirit into adult responsibility that it wants to shrug off. At 47 I still need to learn and practice discipline—I will never outgrow that!

So I need to be off. I need to grab that roast out of the freezer and toss a load of blue jeans into the washer. I need to brush my teeth and make myself as pleasant to be with as possible for those who have to be around me today—a little make-up, a neat appearance, a smile, and a composed spirit. And if I apply myself to the required tasks this morning, I’ll have a whole hour this afternoon to “play”; at bedtime I’ll curl up with a good book.

Life is good!


Thoughts from my Big Green Chair

Have you ever pondered how you want to be remembered? What stories will our children tell about us? Will our family and friends laugh lovingly at our quirks?

One of my favorite verses comes from I Thessalonians 4:11-12—

“Make it your ambition to lead a quite life, to mind your own business, and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life will win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.”

I’d like that to be what they remember about me. I better get busy…

Good Morning, Friends!

I’m going to leave for you a few pictures to enjoy today. Unfortunately, sitting at my computer is not one of the more pleasant activities lately—I react to dairy products and must have tangled with it somewhere a couple of weeks ago. Tylenol, here I come!

Enjoy.



Out for a walk

A little foot print. Who do you think was in my woods?

Orion (otherwise known as Wannabe or Wishhewas a housecat)

Ruffy

Last night's snow fall came with large flakes

Blessings to you all!

Reporting In...

Yesterday was Saturday, but I did not “check in” to see who had weighed in. Sandy says she has been successful. Anyone else? Today I weighed in right on target.

I’m enjoying walking outside—taking my camera and looking for something beautiful. This week I’ve added something new to my daily routine--stretches. I have a great book called Stretching by Anderson. I do the routine for “People over 50”. (I figure I’m close.) Since doing exercise in the morning before breakfast is said to get the metabolism going so that the body burns more calories, I do these just as I crawl out of bed.

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A morning routine that I have fallen in love with:

---Read my Bible. (In bed, in the Big Green Chair, or by the wood stove.)
---Do my stretches. (Takes less than 10 minutes.)
---Check my email, blog comments, and TWTM boards.
---Dress and water Fern. (Yes, it is supposed to be capitalized. She’s a member of the family, and if I don’t water her when I am upstairs I forget about her, so she’s got to be on the schedule.)
---Feed cats and stoke the stove.

If I do this before the family comes looking for breakfast, the whole day runs more smoothly. Do you have a morning routine that works for you?


Fern on the fern stand my grandfather made

Thoughts from my Big Green Chair

Every Sunday morning we pray a prayer of confession from the Lutheran Book of Worship. I do not know who wrote it or how old it is, but I have many a time found myself using the words throughout the week.

"Most merciful God, we confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us,and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.”

Blessings.

Madison

Eventide

I’m sitting in the Animal Sciences building at the University of Wisconsin-Madison typing on my laptop. It has been a long day already and is not yet done. The family was up early to do the chores and eat a big breakfast. I wanted the poohs to have a solid meal to start the day, so I made them each two poached eggs, hash browns, and we warmed up some of dad’s cinnamon rolls that were waiting for a special occasion in the freezer. Today is the state 4-H meats judging contest in Madison.

We drove, stopped at Culver’s, and drove some more—then through Madison and around the University. All the children piled out of the cars and donned their white coats and hard hats, and checked that they had clipboards and pencils. They were going to spend the day identifying cuts of meats and judging hanging carcasses for pork, beef, and lamb.

I left them there while I tried to find a homeschool bookstore across town that Donna B. had recommended. Before long I was sitting at a little table piled high with chemistry textbooks, Uncle Eric books, and geography and rhetoric books. What could be more fun?

Heading back to the University, I only missed one turn—I was in the wrong lane and couldn’t go straight. I went around the block and made it back just fine, although I think it would have been nice not to be caught in a very narrow street with cars on both sides and traffic coming towards me while a fire truck honked his horn as he came up behind me…I WAS trying to get out of the way—there just wasn’t any out of the way space right there!!! I pulled over in a no-parking space and let the big engine go by, and then prayed that my family was O.K. (do you do that?) and that whatever caused the need for the fire truck to be flying by me wasn’t too serious.

Now I’m here, waiting to hear the results.

I’ll let you know.

Thoughts from my Big Green Chair

It’s 10:30 p.m. I’m going to curl up in bed with my Bible and hope that I can stay awake long enough to read for a few minutes…if not, it will have to wait until tomorrow. He is Faithful.

Bethany 1st place, senior division. JM 2nd, Jacob 14th, junior division. Proud mama; time for bed.

Companions

I walked today. I carried India Ink and Snowflake down the lane so that they would have to walk further than the deck door before they could ask to get in; they’ve decided they do not like winter! I then turned around and walked back to the house through the pine trees along the lane. Snowy decided to follow me; when I was half way up the row of trees, I found that India had followed me as well. India mewed and complained; Snowie bounded around and climbed trees. We walked around the house and they decided they had had enough adventure; they headed towards the deck door while I headed towards the shed. There were no calves inside. I walked past the old wagon and behind the row of trees beside the field.


Walking through the pines

Although Snowflake and Inky had left me, several other cats had joined me. I’m not sure why cats like to take walks with me—I’m always suspicious that their fuzzy little brains think that I’m going to feed them. Some days I’ll walk two hills up the road and back with some fuzz ball mewing a sad song the whole time about not being able to keep up to me. I’ve a soft heart, so I pick them up and carry them as long as they are willing to have the ride. It never takes long before they squirm out of my arms only to continue to complain about the trip. Most days they try to guess where I am going by walking directly in front of me. I side step them and try to keep going while they rush to get in front of me again. I kick the gravel as I walk to make noise that, I hope, will keep them from wanting to walk under my feet. Some times it works.

Well, anyway…today I had several fuzzies following me through the snow and mud along the shorn cornrows. They seemed to want to know where I was going and why I was going there. They climbed on the machinery, crawled under fences, and sharpened their claws on dead wood as they patiently waited for me to show them where to go next. I squeezed through the trees at the end of the fence and wandered around in the barren wood. Down the lot further I could hear birds twittering. I was able to get close enough to see a cardinal and a couple of sparrows, but my companions’ mutual interest seemed to make it difficult to get close enough to get a photo.

I walked across the back yard across snow that had melted into crusty ice. The cats walked daintily across without leaving any paw marks; I crunched through the shallow layers. Inside the house I found India and Snowflake, let in by my daughter, waiting impatiently for their supper.

Life is good.

Blackie was one of the cats who came with me

Thoughts from my Big Green Chair

Psalm 84:12 “O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.”

Do you ever forget to trust in Him? Do you find yourself fretting or complaining about the way the day has passed? Do you rush around certain that you do not have enough time to get your tasks done? Have you ever grumbled about the constant interruptions?

I have. Then I always feel sad when I realize that I have missed the blessing that comes from trusting in Him. Will I ever learn?

Peace.

Five

Did you know that if you live on a farm, there are 5 seasons in the year? We have just entered into Mud Season. The chore boots have to be hosed down before they can be set into the entryway. If you fall down while doing your chores, you get immediate access to the washing machine when you get back to the house. When you walk through the pastures to catch that expectant mama, you better hold onto your boots—last year my son never did get one of them dug out of the muck and it is still there…somewhere.


Little ones in a muddy pasture watching the lady with the camera

The raw winds of March seem to have arrived early. In Wisconsin the cold winter days with below zero weather that is so typical of January slowly warm to 40-degree days with biting winds. Just when the sun begins to melt the snow and the thermometer beckons for us to come outside, we are met with damp winds that cut to the bone. Winter’s last hurrah, perhaps?

Soon it will be flite kying weather! (Yeah, yeah. I know that’s a Spoonerism. I’ve always said flite kying. If I need to say it correctly I have to pause and think it through: k-i-t-e f-l-y-i-n-g.)

Do you ky flites?
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Thoughts from my Big Green Chair

Yesterday I mentioned simplicity. Last night one of the hymns we sang at the Lenten service spoke to me—here is verse four:

Dear Lord and Father of Mankind

Drop thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of thy peace.
----Text by John G. Whittier

Blessings.

Citrus dozing while warming himself by the stove 

On Holiday!

My daughter made Valentine's Day goodies. Mmmmm.

Each year I have a schedule I make for the school year. I sit down and decide when we are going to be traveling and when I think it would be best to take time off. When the school year gets underway, I find that I have to adjust the schedule to fit our needs--like today. I've declared the rest of the week a holiday. No school! I slept in late, and I plan to relax and do catch-up around the house. I'm getting an order together and plan to buy a number of the books we will use next year. I know I will need chemistry, Rainbow Science, and the key and test materials for Land of Fair Play. I have the English grammar books, but I need to buy two sets of math books--and a whole lot more. I'm trying to work my way through options for economics and government classes, and I will need to spend many hours working on literature. I enjoy the process of picking out materials.

Tonight we will have Lenten services. My husband will be filling in for our pastor who is on vacation. I'm sure he'd appreciate a few prayers for that if you think of it.

Thoughts from my Big Green Chair

May I write these thoughts even if I was not sitting in the green chair?

Micah 6:8 "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of You? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."

Someone put these words to music, and at times I find myself humming the tune. Often what God requires can be stated simply: Act justly, love mercy , walk humbly. I have a mixed reaction to such simplicity--at first I become aware of how complex I have made such a simple thing; then I realize how often I fail at justice, mercy and humility.

Simplicity. I think I'll ponder that this week.

Twins!