The Time Has Come, the Walrus Said, To Talk of Many Things:

Of shoes and ships--and sealing wax--and cabbages and kings.

Well, maybe not those particular topics, but with apologies to Lewis Carroll, but I have other topics.

Anyone who has been following my blog may have noticed that the postings have slowed down.  And when I do post, it seems like I am forcing myself to find something to post about.  I guess I am just too busy to muse.

And so, I think it is time to...well maybe not pull the plug on Farm Mom's Musing, but make the posts much more sporadic.  Maybe once a month, maybe more, probably less.

 

Or maybe when I have a picture of my Grands that I want to share.

But for now, it has been a grand ride and thanks for those who came along.

Until next time....Farm Mom.

Darn Internet Anyway

When did I get so dependent on the Internet?  

I guess, being home all day, I just use it without thinking.  I don't cruise websites or anything like that.  But my e-mail, e-magazines and e-books need to be delivered somehow to my iPad.  I also follow a lot of blogs, knitting and otherwise that use the wifi to load onto my Feedly newsreader.  I do have a littler tablet that also is on data, but even that mostly uses wifi.  

I had noticed a lot of dropped service back in November and I wrote it off as people doing lots of online shopping.  But it has continued after Christmas and if anything is worse.  Especially in the evening, which is prime blogging time.  All that can explain partly my recent lack of blogging.

I make been in contact with my local internet provider (NCATS) and they have been tweaking at their end.  But now we are waiting for them to make a site visit to see what can be done here.  It was working a bit earlier, so I thought I would try to send out a quick update.

But never fear, my knitting has continued.  Hopefully the Turquoise Sockhead Hat will be delivered today.  And I have divided off the sleeves on the Graceful Harvest cardigan.

 

And last weekend, I had a chance to watch the little ones.  Watching Toy Story with Grammy while sis naps is such hard work.

The Crazy is Over.

What a relief to be done with that. No more ads. No "chummy" phone calls.

Time to relax, breath and carry on.

Four years ago, I was the one saddened and flummoxed. I honestly couldn't believe it had happened again and I was hurt by those who were so happy and gloating.

Because this was a case, for me, of the lesser of two flawed people, I again chose the one who made me feel the most hopeful. I did not now or then choose due to sex or age, but looked at actions and character and positions. I know many disagreed with me. The closeness of the vote make that obvious.

I sincerely apologize if anything I posted on my blog or on Facebook offended anyone. With 2008 in mind, I tried not to share anything, but I did "like" other posts. If the ideas I liked offended you, again I am sorry for that, although I cannot apologize for liking certain things.

I have admit I am moderately happy with the results. A few months ago, I never thought I would be. But life goes on. I can't always have what I want. No one can. My hope now is that we can learn to live with our differences.

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As a side note, working the polls yesterday was exciting even if it was a LONG day. People coming in were smiling. There were many new voters. The only issues were technical and eventually resolved. I look forward to the next time working the polls.

Now, back to knitting.

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Upgrades, Wanted or Not

After my coffee maker headed to the great coffee house in the sky last weekend, I decided I was tired of toast only getting brown on the bottom half of the bread. I am not like my son, wanting barely warm bread to come out of the toaster, I want crispy crunchy brown goodness.

So yesterday, with some cash in hand, I purchased a new toaster oven. This morning my toast was lovely. And the toaster oven should work better for heating up left over French toast from the freezer too.

While I was at the "local discount shopping center", I also perused the carpet cleaner section. Yes, Lizzie Belle, the cute little frou-from cow dog does have accidents. It doesn't help that she won't "go" for anyone but me. Couple that with my farmers/factory workers who (irony alert) are not among the neatest people on the planet and our carpet is a mess. It isn't new, but probably close to 30 years old. It started out brown, and is browner. Especially in spots. So I splurged on a purchase I had been considering for some time.

It doesn't handle full carpets, but works great for spots. Now that the humidity is down (hallelulia!), I can clean the worse areas and it can actually dry. And I can really see a difference.

Lizzie says, "I'm not really that bad."

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I Remember Still

After all these years, I remember still.

 

The shock when I heard that a plane hit the tower.

And it turning to fear when the second plane struck.

The word that the Pentagon was also in flames.

The rumor that still another plane was was missing.

 

After all these years, I remember still.

 

The disbelief, the anger, the tears, the sadness.

The hit in my chest each time I see the replays.

And yet...the love of country that all displayed.

When the nation came together, in support and prayer.

 

After all these years, I remember still.

 

The stories of bravery, of those who helped others escape the towers.

Those who fought back, on Flight 93, though chances were slim.

The support of the nations around the world, their sympathy and prayers

The changes in how we view and others, less open, less trust.

 

After all these years, I remember still.

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In Memory of Those Who Gave All

In my family tree we have quite a few veterans. Probably even some I have not confirmed as having served. The veterans outnumber the fallen, but on this Memorial Day, when we honor the fallen, I would like to mention a couple from my mothers branch of the family tree who did make the ultimate sacrifice during war.

Although he is listed in the letter above as Paul Gilbert, his name was really Paul Davis. After GGrandma Ada Samis Gilbert died, GGrampa Roy married her sister Delia whose husband had died. Her son Paul enlisted as Gilbert instead of Davis, honoring GGrampa but also causing me great difficulty finding military information on him. As you can read, he died during World War II, on October 18, 1944 in Lorraine, France. He has a grave marker with his brother and parents in Michigan. I believe his body was returned after the war and is indeed buried there. I don't know if he was a part of D Day. But I do remember watching a movie about the landing, or perhaps a documentary. My mother mentioned something about wondering if cousin Paul was there. Either way, he was in the thick of battle. And I salute him.

The other member of my family who fell in battle is Gilbert Samis.

Gilbert Samis is a double cousin. His mother Sadie was my GGrampa Roy's sister and his father Frank was the brother of GGreat Grandma Ada, and Delia of course. According to a news clipping he fought in Mexico during the Spanish American War. He came home to help his father run a restaurant, but enlisted in February 1917 once again. He was wounded in battle at Chateau Thierry, France, recovered and returned to action. Sadly, just over a month before the Armistice, he was wounded again at Arogonne Forest in France and died of his wounds on October 28; just two weeks before the war ended, at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. I have always been so saddened by those who died within days of the end of war.

So in memory of these two family members as well as all the others who gave their lives, I give a heartfelt, humble thank you.

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Powerful!

I have been watching a documentary on Turner Classic Movies about the the Europeans film artists who were exiled from Germany and other countries in the thirties as Hitler came to power. It is really moving and I didn't realize a lot of familiar names and faces were among them.

One example...Billy Wilder. I knew he was a great director, and lead many of my favorite films. Not only was he an European exhile, but three quarters of his family died in Auschwitz. It's sad that so many of these actors, directors, composers and musicians were forced from their homes, fleeing for their lives. Most never reaching the status that they held in their homelands.

And then there was Peter Lorre, Marlena Dietrich, Ernst Lubitsch, Bela Lugosi, Felix Bressart, Paul Henried, S.K. Sakhalin and so many more. Those names may not mean much to many people, but to me they are movie gold. And how our classic movies in the US were enriched by their presence.

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And now, on to Casablanca, which featured many of those same exhiles in small background roles.

Now, after that heaviness, here is the promise of May flowers.

My lilac bush has buds just waiting to pop later this month.

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Bullying, Brash, Blustering, Bulldozing Braggart

Just to be clear, this is a political post. Probably even politically incorrect and reflects my honest opinions.. As such, if I decide I am brave enought to share this on Facebook I will probably ignore any and all comments from those who disagree with me.

This political season has certainly been crazy. The person referred to in the title is probably easily recognizable to those who are not his fans. Those who are his fans may be stunned to find out that I am referring to "The Donald."

I admit there are some points he brings up that I can agree with.

But, (and it's a big but), the manner of presentation and behavior and rudeness of the campaign toward his opponents is extremely off putting. It is frankly rather frightening. When I see that rudeness being cheered, I can see my country has changed, but perhaps without the hope promised 8 years ago.

My Bible study group is currently studying the book of Revelations. It was preceded by the book of Daniel last fall. One thing that I have picked up this year and am clinging to, is the knowledge that there is a God in heaven, and He is in control. As I look around the country and the world, I see all manners of frightening things happening. One of the chief of these is the cheapening of lives, all lives: black, white, police, unborn and Christian. Isis is frightening. In short, while there is no way of knowing, it seems like the time is right for the end times.

The only way I can keep calm is knowing that, as I said before, there is a God in heaven. And he is on the throne, in control.

In the meantime, I better research casting a presidential write-in come November.

 

And just to cheer up this gloomy post, here is a snowy Lizzie.

 

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Birth Day Supper

Not my birthday, but the day of the month (a different month) that my birthday falls on. A local restaurant offers, during the month of February, one percent off your meal for each year of whatever your age will be in 2016. (Does that sentence make sense?)

I'm not telling any tales, but Prime Rib! Oh My. Even better with $10 off my meal.

Hubby and I both had a great meal. But mine was cheaper.

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Being Accountable

I thought it would perhaps be a good idea to check in occasionally on my resolutions to help me in at least try to work towards them. Of course I didn't really call them resolutions. More like goals, at least as far as my knitting was concerned. If you want, you can see my original post on these goals dated January 8, in the archives sidebar on the right.

I wanted to work on finishing the most active projects. I did finish knitting the Lilac Cardigan, even though at the time it was dangerously close to being abandoned. The lace was seriously slow going at the time. But it still needs washed and delivered before I can say it is truly done. I also finished the Stonehenge Shawl. And the back of my Navy Tweed vest is up to the arm shaping. Although as I reported recently, it is still stopped in mid-row. The other items I mentioned then haven't been touched. Oops.

The main reason for my lack of action on the other WIPs (Works In Progress) is of course my Bang Out a Freyja. The "Banging It Out" means it is supposed to be the only project I work on. I think before long, I will be reverting to putting something else in rotation. But, on the bright side, the Freyja does help my second goal of knitting one or more cardigans for myself. I did intend making them out of stash, but hey...a sweater is a sweater.

Socks? As I mentioned in the January post I need more socks. And that is more so now. I discovered another pair that needs darning. I started one pair of smocked socks, but....Freyja happened.

So three projects have been finished so far this year, not too bad.

I haven't finished any of my Craftsy classes yet either, but I have been dabbling with them.

There were two other goals that I noted in my Bullet Journal that didn't hit the blog.

The first was to try to blog more often. My exact words were "as close to daily as possible." I think I am doing fairly well with that goal. I deliberately left myself wiggle room.

The other goal is also one I have already taken action on. It was to explore finding a new church. I think that has been accomplished. I feel quite at home at the Catholic parish I am attending now. Classes for membership won't start again until September so I have time to settle in and make a final decision.

If anyone wants to know more about this big jump. I am blogging about it at :

thecontinousjourney.blogspot.com

I will not be posting there daily, but I just wanted a place where I could record the reasons I am making the change. I also hope to simply journal about how the change progresses. Feel free to bookmark the website because I will not always be sharing those posts on Facebook as I do this blog.

And now, just to finish on a cheerful note, here is my favorite small human again.

I love that kid.

 

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The Purple Period of Lent

It seems strange that the color of royalty, regal purple, is also the color used for the quiet, reflective periods of the church year, Advent and Lent. Advent is a time of preparation for the birth of Christ and runs through the four Sunday's before Christmas. Lent is the time before Easter when we prepare our hearts and souls for the events leading up to Good Friday and culminating in the great Resurrection of Easter Sunday.

Of course in Victorian times, in the historical novels, as women left off full mourning for loved ones, they got rid of the black, but started half mourning, in grays and purples. There was some mourning being done. In the same way now, as we view our lives, with our pride and lack of being all we should be, our sinfulness if you will, there is a touch of mourning for what we should be during these times.

This year, as I start my journey exploring my future in the Catholic Church, Lent feels more real and important. I am still learning what is I am to become. But I am trying to throw off some frivolousness this year,

As my Lenten discipline I am turning to my reading: No novels during this period. Poetry is allowed, and non-fiction. (Finishing "Spoon River Anthology," and my Kindle version of the lost "Cleopatra" on my apps. The Emmaeus Road for hard copy book.). I did that in the past, and really felt it did me a lot of good.

In addition this year, I am avoiding reading any of the political blogs I follow. Other blog topics are allowed, and I can watch the news, but no reading commentary until after Easter. That could even help my blood pressure!

May you have a reflective and growth filled Lent.

 

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Changes

This is an old snow picture, from 2009. But you get the idea. This weather has been up and down, warm and cold. Not a decent snowfall yet.

There have been other changes in my life too. After a run of 27 years attending my local church, I decided it was time for a change. The reasons are too varied and too many to discuss here. You are invited to e-mail or message me if you want particulars. Basically I was finding myself at odds with the national, diocesan and local levels of the church. And I was being fed spiritually in places other than my church. The time has come to move on, move forward.

This also involves a change of venue for Knit Nite as well. The new location will be announced as soon as plans are set.

Normally I hate change. But at times it's necessary. And hey, I think a quiz on Facebook said that my word of the year is Change. I guess so.

Wish me luck.

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Stop the Insanity

Once again we see panic all over the news. Another Snowmedegon is descending upon the East coast and the South. Now granted, that area doesn't do snow well. An inch of snow already this afternoon had commuters in a deadlock going home in Washington DC. Relax people! Where you live, it will all be melted in a couple days. Stay home and knit. Or something. It's the weekend, just hunker down and enjoy yourself. (Ok, in their defense, Washington DC is projected to get between one to two feet.)

I think the weather reports and storm warnings have gotten a bit ridiculous recently. Before this weekend's south and east disaster-in-the-making crept into my awareness, I saw a weather advisory for northern Michigan, in the Petoskey and Emmet County area a couple days ago. But it was a warning for 1-3 inches! Really? In Northwest Michigan? That is just normal winter weather for Michigan. And when they build this normal weather as a huge storm, you tend to treat it as crying wolf when a real storm comes. I wish they would save the advisories for the truly bad weather, not normal seasonal weather.

Ok, rant over. So for putting up with my raving lunacy, I will treat you to Little Farmer with his "buddy" Snowflake. He loves the kitty. Snowflake does not reciprocate the feeling.

Nice kitty.

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Reading and Knitting

With all the knitting going on here, you would think that is all I have been doing in my spare time. But that isn't so. I have been doing a fair amount of reading too. And even discovered podcasts!

One of my fiber friends posted something on Facebook around the first of the year with a link to a blog called Modern Mrs. Darcy. It was a list of books. I can't remember if they were must reads, or favorite reads or what. I went to the link and was fascinated by the website. As a result, I signed up for the newsletter and am following the blog. And I started a reading journal. In addition to the knitting, I am tracking my reading.

It is very interesting. I am on the verge of finishing my journey through the Mrs. Marple novels on my Nook and Kindle apps. Just one more after the one I'm on now. I am on the third book in another historical mystery series, the Lady Darby series by Anna Lee Huber, and recently read another e-book in the Hildegarde Withers mystery series. I picked that one based on an old movie I had seen based on the book: The Penguin Pool Mystery. And I have already found another series I want to read, the Maisie Dobbs series.

You would think that would cut back on my knitting time, but actually not. That is why I love e-books. I can prop up my tablet and read merrily along while knitting up a storm.

If you love to read, and write, I do recommend e-books as well as keeping a reading journal. I even broke down and bought a copy for my kindle app of that stupid book I lost back in December. And no, the original book still hasn't turned up.

Oh yes, I started another slipper yesterday, and am over half way through the first one, thanks to reading and knitting.

 

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Zillionaire Fever

The news has been abuzz all week or more with the latest gianormous lottery jackpot. It may be fun to dream, but a billion and a half? What would that do to a person or family? I cannot even think of it.

Of course, I don't have to think of it, seeing as how I didn't buy any tickets. And if I were, I think I would buy for the Michigan lottery, not Power Ball. The Power Ball odds are now so bad, that no one has won (possibly with the exception of tonight) since they rigged the odds to make bigger jackpots in November. Or in other words, they made it harder to win.

So instead, I will dwell on Grammy time with my handsome Little Farmer.

But just in case, I did remind both sons that their cousin is a financial and investment advisor.

 

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The Big Time

My Dish service was upgraded today. (Surprised the sent a man on Sunday, but since he would have been working somewhere, I scheduled for today.) The technician was rather amused by our ten year old receiver and dish. We we first were hooked up, we had a fat old standard television, in our escape from rabbit ears. He could not believe our old style hookup.

Now that he is gone, I am marveling at the vividness of our HD televisions finally getting an HD signal. And now I can dvr programs as well. Big time for sure.

I can hardly wait till February and watching the Daytona 500 in HD.

Now back to knitting with some great television viewing.

And a little picture of my Little Farmer, with his favorite cat. Just because.

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Happy Blogiversary to Me!

Was it only eight years ago when I began this humble blog? Way back in 2007, after seeing so many of my friends writing blogs about their knitting, I bit the bullet and signed in to blogger and started blogging.

Many of those same blogs I followed then have faded away. Others I have discovered and enjoy continue. I follow blogs of knitters in Scotland and Canada. Blogs of multi-taskers in Oklahoma, a weatherman in Grand Rapids, and a few farmers, scattered from Alberta, Canada to Wisconsin, are among those I still enjoy. Not many of those local friends still blog, at least with any regularity.

I miss those blogs I used to read that are no more. There was a knitter and backyard chicken farmer in Austrailia whose blog I particularly loved to read and miss.

Still, I trudge along with my little blathering here, grateful to whoever happens to read them. My readership has possibly increased with my discovering how to share them on Facebook. Nothing like self promotion, huh?

Sometimes it takes real effort to think of something to write, signified by longish pauses here. Other times I have so many ideas, I could post several times a day if I typed them, instead of just composing them in my head.

Blogging has been a great source of discipline. It keeps me on task with my knitting and writing, even if I sometimes need to be reminded by a friend when it has been a while since a post. I love the challenges I sometimes set, like a poem a day for a month, or just posting daily. (November is a lousy time for National Blogging Daily Month, just saying.) I love having a reason to just write, even if I don't get many readers. Or even any readers.

So, to any of you reading this, thanks for the support. And if you start your own blog, let me know. I'd love to follow it.

 

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Bye Week For Cowl

It seems to have been a busy week here in Farmmom land. It took until tonight to FINALLY finish this week's installment of the Lion's Scoreboard Cowl. It has been a rough season for the Lions themselves, and you can see looking at the cowl's edge that the big scoring streaks are all silver.

It almost looks more depressing seeing the blue Lions points against the silver opponents points. At least the team has a bye this week. Maybe they can regroup from their personnel changes and have a blue week after their week off.

Don't hold your breath though. I hear the Bye is favored to win this weekend 14 to 0.

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Kathmandu

When the earth moves under your feet

It isn't always a thing so neat.

Shaking streets and toppling homes.

Such a sad subject for these poems.

In sadness we ask what can we do?

Pray for the people of Kathmandu.

And those thwarted in their mountain quest

Stranded or dying, still on Everest.

Worldwide aid and comfort mobilize.

As the depth of misery is realized.

In sadness we ask what can we do?

Pray for the people of Kathmandu.

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The Final Week of Poems

With patience I plodded, though certainly a mere amateur.

After all, I avoided iambic pentameter.

But with haiku, limerick and plain old rhyme

I must admit poetry month has been a fun time.

After today, just one week more,

Then back to plain prose. Oh what a bore!

This daily posting to my blog is good mental exercise

But I will be glad to give it a rest, poetry-wise.

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