Thanksgiving Surprise

     I had a lovely surprise this Thanksgiving---I went to Lakeland, FL, to visit with my 91-years-young mother.  I was so glad I made the trip, and was none-too-surprised that I went since I am very unfond of flying.
     The trip went smoothly except for an unexpected bout of asthma.  Fortunately I had the inhalers with me so all worked out well in the end.  It was so lovely to spend the Thanksgiving meal with my mother!


This picture was taken when she was 17.  It went into the navy with my Dad during WWII, as well as the Korean War.  I love this picture...

 

 

Thanks, Mom, for a lovely time.  It was so great to see you. xoxoxoxo

Odd Recipe 1

Here is the recipe I've made up for homemade toothpaste.
I love how clean it makes my teeth as well as breath.  The coconut oil is antibacterial and I'm not using anything that will harm my teeth, mouth, or body. Hurrah!

Homemade Toothpaste

Put in a sterile short jar:

1 TB unrefined, virgin coconut oil (that means it will smell like coconuts)
1 TB baking soda
2 TB granulated xylitol
1/4 tsp. peppermint Essential Oil, the kind you can cook with (do NOT USE EXTRACT)

Mix well in jar with sterile spoon.  Put a clean lid on this.
Half pint mason jars work well for this.

I can't understand why some would just stick their toothbrush in the jar to get some of this out-----what about the germs on the brush????
I use mini craft sticks (popsicle sticks) that are cheap and take some out of the jar with a stick.
Do NOT let any water get into this mixture; it will create mold. That is the way it is with any mixtures.  Since this doesn't have water in it, it will keep for a long time.  I've been using mine for about a month, trying to do twice a day. This is cheap, handy, and healthy!

I looked up xylitol before buying it....oddly enough, research shows it's only advantage is it seems to be good for oral health......works for me!

Corner-Turning

     Due to various circumstances in the past few weeks I feel as though I've turned a much-needed corner.
Those who know of my past year will be glad to hear that much of my deep grief and pain have abated; I feel lighter and more hopeful.  I am very grateful for others' prayers and TLC during the murky waters I have just traveled.  I still covet your prayers.

I have been making copper jewelry the past while and have really found it enjoyable.
Dead soft copper (my favorite gauge is 20) works nicely into rings.  Size 18 gauge is harder on my arthritis.  Dead soft starts out very pliable but the more you work with it the harder it is to work with.

Here are some rings I've made.  A ring mandrel helps me size them.
The ring on the left is gauge 20, with two wraps as the band.  The one on the right is gauge 18 with four wraps.  They have been antiqued to a nice patina with LOS (liver of sulfur) which indeed makes the place smell like rotten eggs. Ugh.
There is no "slimy penny" feeling though----probably due to the fact there isn't a ton of diverse DNA on them....ahem.

Liz at makingiteasywithliz.com has scores of YouTube tutorials that are not only helpful but fascinating.  A big shout out to her for her help.  I've posted a link to her shop/site in Blog/Links I Like to Follow. 
She is in Canada which makes her raw products cost prohibitive for me; but her videos are accessible at her site as well as on YouTube.  Thank you again, Liz!

 

 

 

Another pic of various rings once they've been patina-ed...

 

When Thankful is a Choice

It seems so easy to be thankful when life trucks along without potholes, detours, bumps, or random unexpected wildlife (I'm talkin' deer and such, folks).

This has been a hard year for me, relationally, physically, and "heart-ly."  But I've always loved November 1-----the day that marks my favorite month.

The weather is by now certainly changing.  This year I feel colder than most--perhaps it is the ongoing recovery from surgery and all that entailed.

The leaves are gorgeous.  One sad note----when we moved in here ten years ago there were about a dozen trees that gave fantastic shade, one being outside my bedroom window.  I loved to see the leaves dancing by shadow through my blinds.

Last week all those trees were cut down, a necessary evil due to a foolish choice of someone to kill weeds by the trees-----with the wrong pesticide.  For the past four years or so these trees have been non-leaf bearing at the upper half of the trees.
I get furious thinking about it-----I mean, who'd want to kill a TREE?
I believe I know who did it.  He was just trying to do his job but was in over his head regarding husbandry.

I told the manager of the complex that while I am still saddened by the loss of the trees (those years ago), I can see the wisdom of having them cut down.  Everything looks shiny and airy now.  Best of all, the "deadness" is gone.  Yes, I miss the leaves----but not the constant reminder (via dead limbs) of what was once beautiful, green, and lush.
Some things must be cut out, I guess.

And though I don't understand the correlation in my life, I choose to be thankful, for One wiser than I is not finished yet and alone can breathe life into what seems dead.

Here are a few new pics...

Finally caught Faith with her mousie----she really worries that toy at times.

 

 

Knitted and felted (fulled) mice, incomplete, for a friend's son.