Marriage Secrets

I don't know the secret to marriage. I am probably not very good at it compared to my parents. They have been married forever and I don't remember ever seeing them have a blow out. When I was younger age 4-10 my parents did competitive trail riding. They would take their horses my brother and I and compete in a 50 mile trail ride and me and my brother would get to explore amazing places. When I was 10 this is all I could think about. I was now old enough to compete in the junior division and it was all I wanted to do. As I got into it more, my mom competed less. I didn't understand. We had 3 horses. I remember asking my mom one time why she wasn't going to compete this weekend. I was early teens now and she said she didn't really enjoy it that much. It was such a shock. They were a team. She was so happy doing it. She told me she did it for Dad so they could have a hobby together. I think that is one of the smartest marriage tips I ever heard and I wasn't even at an age I thought I would use it.

That is why I have a picture of a fish today. My husband likes to fish and we have a fishing boat and more fishing poles than I have knitting needles. He is at a time in his life that he feels guilty fishing, that he should be working, but sometimes I encourage him to get away. If you knew me before you would be surprised to hear about me fishing. I did it in the pond growing up, so I am not a total NEWBIE. And I have my own conditions that make it more enjoyable for me and make me wine less. I don't tell him this. Just like my mom. I take my knitting and a small battery operated light, a pillow, book and I have my own fishing pole and it is Pink.

He likes to catfish so that is night fishing in strange places. Saturday night we drove an hour and a half to Warsaw and fished by the dam. All night. Except I have a pillow, so I throw my line out, knit a little and go to sleep. I woke up around 5am and it was beautiful and quiet and my husband was sleeping restlessly. So I gave him my spot, oh yeah, I also pack a collapsible camping mat and my down sleeping bag. So he moved into my spot I covered him up with the soft sleeping bag and he slept on. I sat in the chair and watched the cranes and the fish flipping. There were so many that I couldn't stand that we hadn't had a bite the night before and the lake was going crazy now. There is one more thing that I bring that makes it better. I fish with worms. He doesn't think they will catch much, but that isn't my goal. I can put worms on my hook by myself and not bother him when he is in the heat of it. So I put my worm on and cast my beautiful pink fishing pole. Every time I cast it I would get nibbles and have to put another worm on. It was fun. Then I caught one. That woke him up, kinda. So to show my commitment to this marriage I even took the baby catfish off the hook by myself so he wouldn't have to get up. My first time. And this cute little guy swam off happily. Thanks mom.

In the Bag

I worked today, hard! Almost as hard as I worked yesterday in 96 degree heat. So, when we were finished trimming trees I snuck off. I took a shower first because, like I said, I worked HARD. So I earned this bag of yummy yarn. I worked that hard. My favorite yarn shop is closing on Saturday so I had to go one more time. It is bittersweet. I love the deal I got on this soft, beautiful, collection of colors and textures, but this is where I learned to knit. These are the women I knit with and knit and drank wine with. I don't even have projects for this yarn, but like Julie said when she was ringing it up; you never want to be caught without sock yarn. Oh, and the picture of the baby is her realizing that there is an outside world and I was in it and she was not.

Sensitive or Red Flag

When I met my husband he had a couple of very curious things. Well, beyond being a single dad of 3 girls in a small town with mom nowhere in sight. He couldn't do ponytails or iron, and when I came over from work in a skirt and high heels, they would sink in his yard and he would push things off the chairs for me to sit down. He owned a huge pressure cooker for canning. I'm talking 40 quart jars. I know! and a very cool commercial type dehydrator. He had me at....little girls, but the pressure cooker was a very cool surprise.

The picture; his climbing helmet with a brim from a gardening hat because the sun in Louisiana was so hot while trimming live oaks. His Sensitive Side. Ahhhhh

Lilac

I am in housecleaning mode and since I am a granola girl who prefers to go organic I mixed up some carpet freshener in a mason jar and sprinkled it on. It consists of; 1 box baking soda, a handful of dried lavender flowers and a handful of dried peppermint, then a tsp full of grapefruit essential oil. I shook it up and sprinkled it on my carpet. It is sitting there and I am in bliss. My house isn't completely clean, but from where I sit at my computer screen in the parlor, it sure smells like it is Perfectly Clean!

So, since I am soothed by the lavender and we just did a roll call for the KC Etsy Team, let me share some of my fellow artisans purple pride.

Round Ball Style Handmade Felted Wool Beads in Bright Fuschia
By; Shalana of the Funky Felter


Heart of Inara Serenity Necklace
By; Thyme2dream


Flower Sparkle Hair Pin Vinyl Barrette in regal purple
By Annebvinyl


Bird of Love Incense Burner
By; Glazedearth



Purple Dragon - ACEO Original Watercolor - Cute Dragon By Allison Stein



Purple Birdies Tote Bag
By; AuntJune

Sun Off and On

It is Sunday on JC weekend (joint custody) so John and I have just been doing stuff around the house but now we are about to go stir crazy. So, this morning we went out to pick Elder Flowers. I have a bunch in the dehydrator right now and we found that the gooseberries are looking good. Now he is checking the weather map to see if we can fish anywhere and miss the rain. I'll let you know tomorrow how that goes and what I find on this little adventure, and how my dried elder flowers turn out. The history behind the Elder tree is very interesting and it has many uses. I guess this little post is just a preview of what's to come. Just wanted to say hello.

My Secret has Been Exposed

They found out. I take my daughter to her Orthodontist appointment and drop her off. I know not mother of the year material, but I have a good reason. A better reason than the garage sales down the street. The orthodontist office makes me nauseous. So, when it was time to explain something by the nurse, Caitlyn admitted that I wasn't there, then the Dr. asked why she proceeds to tell them; The Orthodontist makes her nauseous. The doctor and the nurse reply; "We make your mom Nauseous?" But I showed back up before she was done and got all the instructions. After I get the rundown of how I am supposed to twist her expander 18 more times. My least favorite thing on this Earth to do. They asked me why they make me nauseous. I told them it wasn't personal and it wasn't them, there is just something about the smell of the office and it brings old braces memories back. It immediately makes my face hurt and my stomach sick and I get dizzy. Really, I'm not that kind of girl that faints. I trim trees 70 feet above ground in ice storms with high winds, but something about the ortho that gets me.

So, I had to admit to hitting the garage sales in the neighborhood. Look what I got; 4 gorgeous scarves. The ladies at the nurses office are walking down there on lunch. Please don't mind my home office in the background. I had to put the red polka dot one on as soon as I got home!

Lemon Morning

I have been enjoying my garden and planting herbs and learning what to do with them. So far I have made essential oils and put them in fun vintage glass bottles, used them as scents and made a wonderful lip balm. As I read more about aromatherapy and its benefits I have found a few easy ways to incorporate it into my life. This morning I started with Lemon Oil. Lemon has bactericidal and antiseptic properties and is used to fight infectious diseases. It also treats oily skin, sore throat, wrinkles.... the list goes on and on. And get this; it has recently been shown by scientists in France that it may be effective in the prevention of breast and other types of cancer. Lemon oil is found in the peel of the lemon, you know it, the burst of oil and flavor that comes out if you were to order a twist in your cocktail. Even more amazing, this little wonder oil was sitting in my fridge this morning. So, I cut the end off, the part that is mostly peel, and squeezed it in a big glass of water. Yummy!

Since I'm in a bright lemony mood now I wanted to share some gorgeous Etsy items I found with this theme. Please soak it in and click on the links below the pictures to visit their beautiful shops full of handmade goodness.


Handmade Bag by Bayanhippo


Hand Felted Baby Blanket by olofsdaughters


Hand Printed Organic Tea Towel by madderroot


Hand Made Hair Pins by binageyer