Patrice at Everyday Ruralty is chatting again, number 126, and so is Wendell although I think he’s all about the carrots. I like Patrice’s Chats and she’s a neighbor in northern VA. It’s been said crazy people talk to themselves which I think is hogwash! I talk to myself but, mostly, I talk to God and, when outside in the pastures or barns, I tend to glance up and talk to Him as if He’s standing there, only taller. Do people think I’m crazy? Does it matter? Should I care? (see number 1) Frankly, God is a much better listener than most humans I know and the results are, generally, a lot better as well.
Her questions, my answers and then a farm catch-up.
1. Do you worry about what other people think? Dave used to tell me, “Sandra, I wish you cared, just a little bit, about what people think of you.” And I would reply, “Dave, there are people whom I respect that I care, enormously, what they think of me. The others…not so much.” I spent wasted too much time as a younger woman, being fearful of what people thought of me. As long as I can lay my head on my pillow at night and know I’m straight with God, what difference do it make what others say? One of these days, they’re going to have to stand before the Almighty and account for their wicked words, as are we all.
2. Do you own a sewing machine? Many, p’raps a dozen ranging from a Singer Treadle to a German circa 1860’s hand crank in the casket to Featherweights to Kenmore’s…remember Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland? He was using a hand crank but not sure what model. When Dave and I went to London in 2010, I found the German sewing machine at a charity shop; Dave just looked at me and said, “Yes, we’ll ship it home”. What a great husband!
3. Tell us about someone interesting in your life. My life is too small now to know anyone interesting. When I lived in NYC I met Paul McCartney and some of the SNL crew…that was way back in the day. Gee, come to think of it, I’ve not met anyone interesting in a very long while! In 1997, I was an extra in Country Justice, re-released as Family Justice, starring George C. Scott and filmed here in Tazewell County. Mr. Scott was an outstanding gentleman and lived in Dave’s cousins’ house while he was here filming.
4. Did you watch the Super Bowl? Nope, no television service.
5. What’s the best dinner you had last week? Last week is a foreign country and the borders are now closed. I had pork tenderloin and roasted vegs for supper tonight and am doing good to remember that. Oh, and had a Killians Stout to wash it all down and, while it’s not as good as a Guinness, it’s still acceptable.
We’ve had several days of above freezing temps and it’s both a blessing and a gift! I haven’t had to break ice since Friday and my aching back (and pulled back muscle) is grateful…as are my arms and hands. We’ve had some rain, much need and appreciated, and the ground is soft and muddy. This is the time of year the pastures look like a demo derby has taken place.
Using an umbrella swift and a yarn ball winder, I wound some red wool yarn to knit Mary a hat. Look here to see how it’s done in real time and, if you look closely at my photo, you can see Gypsy who was enormously interested in the entire process; Sadie…not so much.
It’s a peaceful kingdom around here…see the guinea amongst the sheep? The other one has wandered around the back side of the hay bale so s/he can nestle in and get warm. Dave and I always strived to make sure everyone got along; disagreements allowed but not to the point where someone is injured. Most of my week has been boring…thank you, God! Last week about killed me.
I cleaned out the refrigerator and was amazed at how long some of those jars have been hiding in the back. Does that happen to you? Do you have jars of “stuff” that would have qualified as a science project a decade ago? Really, you don’t? Hmmm, I find it strange I’m the only one…
Are you sure?
Now I’m amazed at how much empty space is in my refrigerator!
The phone just rang and…I lied. It was another person asking for Sandra, pretending like we’re best buds, and wanting to sell me a warranty for my car. So, I lied. I told her I’d sold the car…stunned silence…”you sold it”? Silence from me, no need to lie twice, doncha know? (grin) Then, “Thank you very much” and I’m now hoping my contact information is struck from their list. I’ve told them, time and time and time and time again…not interested. This time I just lied. How would you have handled it?
The best thing to happen this week was Kinsley Nicole was born 2/2/14 and is 8 pounds 14 ounces and 20.5 inches long. Proud Daddy Dustin and Mama April are both peacocks and the rest of our family is beaming as well. Dustin is the youngest son of my beloved Sistah, Stephanie, and this baby is the first born in our immediate family since Dustin was born a few decades ago. Kinsley, of English origin, means “King’s Meadow” and Nicole, of French origin, means “people of Victory”. In our family, there are preacher’s of the Gospel on both sides, so this baby has a rich heritage.
Blessings ~ my peaceful kingdom ~ Kinsley Nicole ~ April ~ Dustin ~
Congratulations on the birth of Kinsley Nicole.
No, you aren't the only one. I'm pretty sure there are a few science experiments growing in our fridge, too!
Your supper sounds like it was really yummy. I love roasted veggies.
Have a great week!
thanks for visiting me; I'm so glad you did so I could return the favor! It's probably my age (74 in two days), but Dustin looks like a kid himself! I wonder if I looked like a kid when our first-born was welcomed to the world; I had just turned 20. I don't know why, but I love sheep and goats. Is your header your farm land? It's stunning! I will be back, for sure.
I'm sure I have done the same thing with strangers on the phone, more than once, though I can't remember the specifics now. It's not as though they have any right to know whether your car is sold or not – they are not behaving in good faith as regular humans should behave, but are impersonating machines that want to use you for their own purposes, so I say, whatever it takes to get the machine out of our space…
My children are the most interesting people I know, but I think I would meet some other interesting people if I wasn't such a hermit. I don't imagine "famous" people are any more interesting than the people around us in our daily lives.
I'm getting to that age also where I don't much care what people think of me. I let their opinions control me most of my life.
😉
My fridge is pretty empty. Trying to eat more fresh veggies, etc. so I don't buy a lot of anything with just me to feed.
Have a great week!
Oh you are not the only one with a science project in her refrigerator …… I made a tuna sandwich this week and had to pry the pickle jar off the shelf so I could put some in my tuna. And my freezer looks no better …. my projects to add to my to do list.
Take care ,,,, BTW rain has finally made it's arrival to California, now if it will just keep hanging around for a bit.
Hello sweetheart, I have so much snow, Renee(daughter ) is off to the SnowBowl in Camden 20 minutes away to ski and watch the Natl. Toboggan races. The news is full of people hitting trees and being killed, on ski's. I just bought her ski boots for her birthday. I think I created a monster of worries. Pray she makes it home with only a fun day, no BOO Booo's yvonne
Oh, my Thistle Cove Farm is such a beautiful place!
Thanks so much for stopping by my blog with the GYB party and leaving your nice comments.
I very much enjoyed my visit and will come back often. I have signed up to follow you! Have a blessed day!
You are so right, Thiste! What is better than the dialogue with God? May they say, its crazy, okay, but: who can stop this dialogue? Sometimes I feel his answers, and he ALWAYS is mercyful. You recognize him by being always full of lovingness (because of the merits of his son.My priest confirmed, that this is right. sometimes he speaks by the lips of a friend, a priest, a child or so. Did you also hear this sometimes?
Lovely sheep-photos, good meal, Mrs. Noah! 🙂
I enjoyed the fireside chat (that's what these remind me of). You're always so clear headed while I get muddled about how to respond. Thanks for sharing yourself with us.
Please excuse the brevity. Got a mild flu today and feel really yucky. I did enjoy the post greatly. ~:)
I love your blog post Sandra, I replied until I went to the link and I was to do it on my blog! Here is part of what I wrote..
I love reading your blog Sandra, really 2:25AM? Your life is so very interesting and I learn so much from you and your faith! God Bless You!
Your sheep are fascinating, I had never seen the yarn winder ( after I watch your video, I did not see them put it into a ball, pretty kool! ) until a shop closing close to me which was a bookstore that lured me in and in the back was a huge yarn shop! I never knew it was there. I still can't crochet or knit but I got some yarn and a few books on sale. Maybe one day! I am thinking mixed media always when I get yarns.
Smiles, Cyndi
You have met someone interesting- me! 😉 lol I need to get in the refrigerator and remove science projects. I'm usually pretty good about keeping the fridge free of that, but I may have one or two to deal with.
must be something about February – I also dug into recesses of fridge – egads when DID I put partial container of ricotta back there? barely opened it to check contents before it was thrown OUT. Rid fridge of many condiments (I tend to try out different mustard and salsa – often to my delight but those which don't delight – really awful)
yes I've had a recent attack of concern over the opinions of others – they are people I admire/respect but still – much of it coming from lack of a companion who loves and knows me – I miss the occasional "love ya babe" or pat on posterior and hearty laugh
Many heart-felt congratulations on the new baby in the family. What a blessing and a hope! Sandra, I love your humor. It always makes me giggle. And yes, I excel at growing science projects in the back-o-frig. Once last fall when Julia had difficulty growing a live culture for biology, I finally just said, "Oh, good grief. Let's go get something from the frig." And it was lovely 🙂 Ranch dressing, if I recall correctly.
Hahaha! Your hutzpuh is so refreshing! I have this friend who tried to break herself of lying by kneeling and asking forgiveness as soon as she lied. She explained to everyone that she felt sure she would at the very least be known as the repentant woman. We all got quite a kick out of her plan, and she got quite a reputation as people saw her kneeling at the post ofc, grocery store, sidewalks, and even at church at non-traditional times (snickers could always be heard when she went down!). She was determined, but it all ended when she found out people were referring to her as "that lying woman"! Don't ya' love it!
We're snowed in again… gotta call Lenny to plow us out when the wind lays. The fun just never ends, it seems. Have a good one.
Sara
It does our psyche good to mess with telemarketers every once in a while.
Telemarketers can be so difficult sometimes. I've stopped answering the phone altogether. Come to think of it, I've had barely any calls recently (knock on wood).
I have found some interesting, almost vintage bottles or jars in my fridge. They just kept getting moved around, even during a cleaning, I didn't take a good look at them. We once had a bottle of salad dressing that was 8 years expired!!! I don't know why I didn't throw it out sooner, we obviously had decided we didn't like it.
I am so happy to read things are well on TCFarm :-). We always have things in the fridge we could donate to science…Congratulations on Kinsey Nicole! We've a phone number black listed so that we do not receive these types of calls of this type, I'd of lied.
I did my fridge and the chest freezer the other day and it was a very satisfying feeling. And like you, I found some very strange things hiding down the back that went quickly into the bin. My chest freezer is so tidy i can find anything I want – wonder how long it will stay that way:))
Almost forgot, I know you get that. Fridge oh yes Science experiments , but not as often as before Geoffrey got ill and punched a hole in what he can eats. And caring about what others think? If they have so much time on their hands to do that then I think it should be better spent on what is going on at their little piece of Paradise. Off to bed now.
Love every syllable Sandra. We have a Nicole too Genna Nicole. Kinsley is such an amazing name for what I am sure is an amazing baby! Hooray for your "boring" beginning to the week. After 10 full days in December of hauling water from the house in buckets I know how much one can appreciate the "little" things in life. And in many cases "boring" is just the ticket. Warm toes tonight to you!
Love the shots of your lovely sheep!
pork tenderloin and roasted vegetables.. i bet it tasted as good as it looks in the picture. i prefer a pale ale to a stout. 🙂
I agree the sewing machines sound very fascinating, each had a previous life, maybe more than one, many, many, I would say esp. the German. My driveway looks like a demo derby! Enjoyed your sharing, who can remember what they ate last week, or last night? not me!
Very interesting stuff. Love the chatter about sewing machines. And I like the photo of the peaceful kingdom. The warranty person…I might have done the same or else told them to remove my name from their call list. Which reminds me, I need to put my number on the Do Not Call List, but it doesn't seem to matter to much, do you think?
Sandra,
It's snowing to beat the band. I'm glad about this. As long as I have no place to go and there's heat and food….i'm okay.
Finally accepted winter.
I'm sure that I have grown penicillin in my fridge and always get grossed out when I have to clean the containers when the left overs get this bad. grins.
Clean fridges are a treat.
Have a super week and God Bless,
d
My oldest daughter likes to clean out the science experiments in the fridge for me. Yay!
I do have a sewing machine, and I should use it more.
As for telemarketers, I just tell them to take me off the calling list as required by law (does not work as well for charity donation solicitations).
The photo of Gypsy and Sadie makes me smile! So happy about the birth of Kinsley Nicole. I enjoyed this post very much and learning more about you! In my younger years, I worried so about what people thought…not so much any longer.
Have a good night.
I smiled at the lie . . . good one. Those calks can be relentless whether one is on a "no call" list or not.
George C. Scott would be fun to have staying near by. Paul McCartney . . . you get a wow!
Congrats on the new family member and cleaning out the fridge. I dread the day when I'll have to peek behind all the stuff in mine LOL.
All those sewing machines sound wonderful and your dinner looks delicious! Have a wonderful week 🙂