10 Things Right Now

Ali Edwards almost always inspires me - so here's my take on a prompt she used this week.

10 Things in my life right now:

1.  I have many tomatoes sitting in boxes, waiting to be made into salsa and spaghetti sauce.  Not sure when that's going to happen!

2.  There are still potatoes to dig.  Bob's exuberance in planting this spring is not matched by his availability for digging this fall!

3.  Squash has made its appearance in cookies, pies, soups, and pasta sauces this fall - all good ways to use this prolific vegetable.  The colour it adds to food is positively beautiful!

4.  I am so enjoying my confirmation class students at church.  They are curious, cooperative, eager and fun to be around.  I am amazed at how God is working with us each week - it's amazing what He does with all of us when we open ourselves up to Him.

5.  Winter could stay away until December 20th for my part.

6.  I love when our granddaughters come to visit and head straight to my scrapbook room to create.  Their creations hang on our fridge until they are replaced on the next visit.

7.  This Caramel Apple Upside-Down Cornmeal Cake is on my must-bake list this week.

8.  My niece reminded me this week that Christmas is 2 months away and then someone said that was 9 more Fridays - and I felt panicked!

9.  Our chickens are gone and I miss them.  I wish winter wasn't so cold and long so that we could keep some laying hens around.

10.  We are thinking about a trip to the East Coast to visit a certain special family in the not too distant future.  

11.  Just because -
I miss blogging.  I need to do something to change that!

Right Now

Over at I Love It All, Monica shared a Right Now post and it was a reminder of how much I like that kind of 'snapshot' into my here and now.

feeling

excited that we get to hang out with my family tomorrow, doing some quadding - happy that I'm actually posting on the blog again!

on the to do list

bake a batch of oatmeal coconut raisin cookies to take along.

my guilty pleasure
raspberries with brown sugar and cream - just finished a dish of them!

favorites

tv shows: Amazing Race Canada - Calgary last week, Yellowknife next week.

dreaming about

all the great meals we are going to have this winter as I restock the freezer with produce from our garden and a rhubarb saskatoon crisp, on tap for this weekend.

grateful for

warm weather and sunshine - and for 37 years together as we celebrated our anniversary this week ❤

Thanks for the inspiration, M!

Summer Sun Setting As the Storm Rolls Over

Missing In Action

The last 3 weeks have been crazy busy with subbing as school ended, birthday celebrations, gardening, then planning for and now teaching summer school.  This poor neglected blog has definitely been put on the back burner but tonight I was inspired to pop in and let you know that I'm actually still alive :))

The lovely Kelle Hampton posted this little snippet tonight and I've lifted her idea to share with you.  

What I'm listening to: CBC news as I travel 35 minutes to work and back every day
What I'm reading: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (to both Language Arts classes at school), The Book Whisperer by Donalynn Miller and writing samples
Something I splurged on: new wedge sandals
Something that was free: lunch made by a teacher friend and dessert from another colleague - such lovely treats!
Something I'm looking forward to: the wedding of a good friend this weekend


And with that, I'm back to typing quiz questions as there are only 2 days of classes left.  Back soon, I promise!

Blast from the Past - Beauty

- in sunsets

- in pots of purple and orange pansies

- in the sounds of birds outside the window

- in the taste of fresh herbs

- in the smell of petunias blooming

- in the feel of spring rain showers

- in the freedom of racing quads

- in the friskiness of growing calves

- in the lush growth of grasses in the field

- in the emergence of tiny plants through the soil

- in the busy buzz of bees feeding in flowers

- in the warm sunshine of early morning

- IN EVERY DAY!!

(from the summer of 2009)

Right Now

Right now, I am...

:: drinking water - I haven't been getting enough lately.

:: hearing the Casting Crowns Christmas CD - my favourite again this year.

:: nursing dry skin, especially on my heels.

:: reminding myself that it's all about people and experiences.

:: thinking about gifts for those hard-to-buy ones.

:: doing lots of cooking, baking and cleaning.

:: keeping the baking I have done hidden. 

:: loving Advent devotions and candles.

:: wanting to get a tree but it's still too early for a real tree.

:: plotting the making of a photobook.

:: feeling peaceful and serene after an evening program at church. 

:: preparing a bag to stay overnight with the grandkids tomorrow.

:: looking forward to a visit down south next week and babysitting our granddaughter for the very first time. 

:: stitching the binding on a table runner that was started this summer - oh, my!

:: looking forward to mailing Christmas cards and getting lots in our mailbox too.

:: enjoying Christmas traditions, old and new.

:: loving the excitement and anticipation of this season.

:: hoping for good health and safe travels for all we love this month.  

:: wishing the very same for you. 

:: thanking Soule Mama for this very good blog post idea!

Right Now

Right now, I am...

:: waiting for the jars to finish washing so I can fill them with tomatoes

:: guessing that Bob's parents will soon be out of their house and moved into their new residence

:: wondering how the adjustment will go for them

:: loving that 3 of our kids and some of the grandchildren could be around yesterday

:: anticipating frost one of these nights

:: reeling with the number of squash my garden produced this summer!

:: listening/remembering how Peyton cooed and talked as she rolled around last night

:: downloading nothing - my computer is having issues - I hope it doesn't decide to die!

:: counting the jars of canning on my shelves - I need to use a third shelf this year!

:: hoping for long sunny days so that harvest can continue

:: believing His love is all I need everyday

:: confirming that we are so blessed with this abundance of food!

:: making a batch of tomato salsa

:: thinking that a day or two of subbing would be nice this week

:: doing lots of carrying of squash from the garden

:: deciding to dig some potatoes this week

:: getting ready to make sauerkraut tomorrow morning

:: wanting to be finished with all this preserving already!

:: hearing the geese honk as they gather on the dugout

:: leaving the long days of summer behind!

Right Now

Right now, I am...

:: waiting for a great supper idea to materialize!

:: guessing that the grandchildren will have enough chocolate eggs to last for a few days :)

:: wondering how I am going to find time to do all the sewing that I want to before spring forces me outside.

:: loving the memories of Easters and birthdays past.

:: anticipating  having a new element in my oven after baking 3 batches of buns on the weekend at 275 degrees!

:: reeling with the thought of transplanting more tomatoes - I've already done more than a hundred!

:: listening to Easter praise music including Casting Crowns.

:: downloading Facetime so we can chat with Samuel and Melinda.

:: counting 6 days until Maelle's first birthday!

:: hoping that there are no more days of terrible driving in wet, heavy snow.

:: believing that I am truly blessed by my family and friends.

:: confirming that nights are still well below zero around these parts.

:: making plans to get our taxes prepared.

:: thinking that I've been very blessed to get more days of subbing this week.

:: doing some letter writing this week.

:: deciding when it would be best to book a visit to New Brunswick.

:: getting excited about seeing leaves on trees again.

:: wanting to sew!

:: hearing the Easter songs that the grade ones and twos sang and danced to today.  They are still echoing in my head!

:: leaving school still thinking (and worrying!) about the grade 3 - 4 music assembly that I have tomorrow morning.

Right Now

Right now, I am...

:: listening to the evening news on TV

:: eating brownies that I found hidden in the deep freeze :)

:: feeling a bit worried about how to set up the photo display for the 90th birthday party this weekend.

:: working on my 30 Days of Lists mini-album.

:: loving the hugs, kisses and smiles that I got from Meadow, Blake and Maëlle when I stopped by unexpectedly after school.

:: appreciating the longer hours of daylight and the sunshine.

:: dreaming about the two new babes that will join our family this spring.

:: plotting a trip to see my sister next week.

:: enjoying a cup of ginger lemon tea.

:: thinking I should start some spinach and lettuce using the winter sowing method from Kevin Lee Jacobs.

:: planning on sleeping in tomorrow since I'm only subbing in the afternon. 

:: sewing a few surprise things for the new babes.

:: looking forward to reading book 2, The Plains of Passage by Jean Auel, as soon as I finish the next book club read (only 80 pages to go).

:: treasuring the smooth days in junior high that I've had this week.

:: feeling happy and thankful that our son and daughter-in-law are celebrating their 3rd anniversary today.

Right Now

November 20, 2011


right now, I am ...

:: marveling that it's the last week of the church year before Advent begins

:: revisiting the conversations we had around the supper table tonight

:: plotting how I can get all the sewing done for Christmas that I'm dreaming about

:: finishing the last piece of a delicious chocolate angel food cake that my friend sent home.

:: stopping to think about how I can share what God has blessed us with

:: wondering what pictures I need to print for a little scrapbook project

:: casting around for a few more Christmas gift ideas

:: listening to Hymns by Out of Eden

:: queing more bags and boxes for the second hand store

:: feeling that it was a busy weekend but the week ahead is calmer

:: loving the fresh white snow that's covered everything 

:: hoping the temperature moderates a whole lot this week - it was minus 28 degrees Celsius at 8 pm last night

:: wanting to be finished one of my worst things to do ever!

:: thinking about the Christmas cookies I want to start baking

:: reminding myself that Christmas is about people and memories

:: making notes on the calendar for December committments

:: planning to enjoy every day of the month ahead

(prompted by Amanda at SouleMama)

Right Now

Right Now, I am ...

moving plants in and out of the greenhouse and the garage, trying to keep them safe from cold temperatures

appreciating the last of the 2010 frozen apple pies, baking now

planning birthday celebrations - this is the busiest month for family birthdays - 2 grandchildren, a daughter (and another one in early July), a daughter-in-law, a son-in-law, a sister and 2 brothers

falling behind on housework

anticipating the second game in the Stanley Cup playoffs - Go, Vancouver, Go!

laughing with Meadow on the phone

feeling creative and quite happy that some projects are being finished

enjoying a quiet day inside, sewing, baking and reading

remembering to pray for Melinda, Tyler and Samuel who have arrived at their new apartment

hoping our plants survived the snow and freezing temperatures last night - the growing season here gets shorter every year!

zinnia in my pot

Thanks to Heather and Amanda Soule for this post idea and inspiration!