Gathering the Moments~August

If the first and lowest operation of pain shatters the illusion that all is well, the second shatters the illusion that what we have, whether good or bad in itself, is our own and enough for us. Everyone has noticed how hard it is to turn our thoughts to God when everything is going well with us. We ‘have all we want’ is a terrible saying when ‘all’ does not include God. We find God an interruption. As St Augustine says somewhere, ‘God wants to give us something, but cannot, because our hands are full—there’s nowhere for Him to put it.’ Or as a friend of mine said, ‘We regard God as an airman regards his parachute; it’s there for emergencies but he hopes he’ll never have to use it.’ Now God, who has made us, knows what we are and that our happiness lies in Him. Yet we will not seek it in Him as long as he leaves us any other resort where it can even plausibly be looked for. While what we call ‘our own life’ remains agreeable we will not surrender it to Him. What then can God do in our interests but make ‘our own life’ less agreeable to us, and take away the plausible source of false happiness?

~C.S. Lewis

The Problem of Pain 

~a beautiful prayer and free graphic~

~Gathering the Moments August Collage~
You can find more Gathering the Moments at Thinking About Home.
August was so quiet that I had time to think and think and think—always dangerous. You probably have anticipated the results of all that thinking. I hope so; I didn't lay down all those crumbs for nothing.☺

As it turns out, I will not be seeing you in September and so I humbly suggest that Note Card Party buttons be removed from sidebars. I offer the party to anyone who has participated in the past and might be interested. As good alternatives, I highly recommend Judith's Mosaic Monday, Donna's Photo Challenge, and Cheryl's Gathering the Moments. 
Not a fan of a long goodbye so will say instead, many blessings to you. Have a beautiful September! (If all goes well, I'll be back sharing Gathering the Moments~September.)

  Sunday comments are always closed

A Few Pictures or Ten

A small nod to autumn...

 ~not framed~

 ~framed~

I've had the vintage housewife graphic for so long that I forgot where it came from; otherwise, I'd give credit. I've always liked her pantry! Anyway, I've obviously edited it using my Distressed app and added the little poem of a few days ago. If it's of interest to anyone, feel free to snag. 

The spider lilies↑ did the best this year. They seem impervious to Japanese Beetles.

Those trees are really leaning, but as John tells me, "They're not ours." Right. But they will fall, if they ever do, on what is.

~soaring~

You can probably guess what is soaring. This reminds me of the time my daughter was patiently explaining to my grands how to tell the difference between eagles and turkey vultures. "Eagles have some white underneath," she said. Just then a seagull went flying past and my grandson said, "Oh look! There goes one now!"
A happy holiday weekend to my countrymen and to my cousins to the North.

At The Lake

There's always a lot going on behind the scenes with any blogger that we can not know about — sometimes troubling things; probably even good things. One of my blogging buddies said that she'd pray for me if I needed it and I thanked her by saying that there is always a need for prayer. ☺ So I'm still experimenting. Yesterday, I experimented by not commenting anywhere (oh, all right, three know better) and I didn't make it to all my favorites. I waited up for Linda to post. Her darling was having some cardiac tests yesterday and I was concerned. This is how it gets for us in Blogdom — whether we think of each other as IRL or URL friends — we do become connected.
I have more to say on the topic, but you'll learn the rest of the story on Sunday.
Today, I have some photos I've been waiting to share of the grands' vacation at the lake. I am told that they had a fabulous time and were allowed some wonderful freedoms like bike riding over the paths without adult supervision — no cars after all. The youngest was heard to say, "This is the best day of my life!"

 ~skipping rocks~

 ~in charge of fly swatting?~

 ~pumping water is an important chore~

~rainbow over Hills Head~

~sunset at the lake~
(All photos were taken by my daughter-in-law.)
I smile to see them there. My mother planned ahead for these moments that she does not get to see. Sigh.

Yes, I made a silly little graphic for closing comments. I have learned that not everyone reads to the end and several have become confused by  comments being closed. This should remedy that. 

Today, I hope to visit you!

Chatted Out

Hmm ~ an experiment of blogging without comments ...are you doing a thesis on (being) anti-social? lol ~Willow

Willow's comment made me laugh. Closing comments is often perceived as being unfriendly.
It was not meant to be. My hope was to drift to a place of having a few days of comments being open and a few days of being closed. That way, I hoped that I might not feel obligated to comment so often. It would only be fair. 

You may remember seeing this. It's a little graphic I created, and offered to anyone else who wanted it, as a way of saying that what I do here, I do without constraints. After a while, I thought it was kind of obnoxious so took it down. Lately, I've been ready to slap it back up as a reminder to myself that I am not on anyone's payroll and answer only to The Lord, John, and myself. Though I am a chatterbox in Blogdom, in real life, I am quiet and reserved. Very. Those who comment all the time are, by Blogdom's definition, stalkers. You'll have to trust me on this because I'm not providing the proof, though I did once upon a year. And that's what I feel like sometimes — a stalker. It's as if I am poking my nose in or sticking my oar into other gals' business.
John says that he can't understand why I would ever want to close comments because that's really what this place is all about — comments and sharing. It certainly is true that the comments left here are the best part of blogging. I love them. It's just that I, myself, am feeling "chatted out." Does any of this make sense?
What to do...what to do... Probably the best thing to do is take a break. This is where it gets tricky because I am "cured" of blogging after just a few days. A few days without blogging and all desire to blog is gone.   Enough of all that. If my head is tired, how's yours? ☺
I warmly welcome your comments today. I still remember the advice Dawn gave me the last time I was this conflicted: Do what makes you feel lovely.  

Hodge Podge Wednesday

1. As August draws to a close, share what's been your favorite weekend of the entire summer?
This has been a quiet summer so all weekends have run together with nothing really to differentiate them. That said, they were pleasant and spent quietly at home. We are in the middle of a recession at our place. ☺

2. Labor Day is marked in the US of A on Monday, September 1st.  What paying job have you held that you've loved the most? Liked the least?
I loved teaching best./ Cleaning toilets was not nearly so much fun.

3. Does the new school year start before or after Labor Day where you live? Before. Today in fact. When do you think it should begin? I think it should start after Labor Day. There is much discussion now about older students having later start times to their school day...your thoughts?   Teens need sleep and they need social outlets. It is not practical for them to be in bed early enough to justify those 7 am classes. I know that there are those who feel that teens should hold after school jobs; sadly, those are taken by my generation now.
4. What's something you've worked at recently that could be deemed a 'labor of love'?
Does the blog count?
~a labor of love...hahahahahaha~

5.Which of the following work idioms can you most relate to right now...'A woman's work is never done.', 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.' 'Many hands make light work.'
A woman's work is never done.
6. Crab or lobster or thanks, but no thanks? Favorite way to have your choice prepared?
Lobster. Please drag it through some mayo and slap it on a grilled roll. Thank you.

7. Albert Einstein is quoted as saying, 'Three rules of work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.' Which of the three do you consider to be the most important? Share one of your own 'rules of work'.
Hmmm...all good. I sure hope that in difficulty lies opportunity.

Work is honorable and builds character.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
My sister took my photo yesterday. It was so bad that I did not recognize myself. Next time I see her, I'll be taking one of her that she won't recognize, even if I have to hide in the bushes to do it. ☺ There's just one way to train folks. LOL! You may find Joyce and participants at Hodge Podge 187. Joyce does a fabulous job creating these questions week after week. Thanks for reading. I'm closing comments today in an experiment.  Let us discuss it tomorrow.
Have a beautiful day...

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My Kitchen

I've been playing all morning with graphics at PicMonkey and with my own editing programs. This poem perfectly reflects my aunt's philosophy and so I have been trying to think of ways to give it to her. I thought of embroidering it, but turns out, I'm too laZy. 
My aunt is a very gracious hostess, but the kitchen is small and it's much easier for her to crash around in there with her hubby than to have extra help. 
And how do you feel about it? Do you enjoy help in your kitchen or do you prefer to go it alone?
Me? I like help in the kitchen because I need all the help I can get. I just wish my kitchen were large enough to accommodate all the extra hands.
I've debated closing comments as an experiment. Too bad I asked you a question and can't. ☺
A happy Tuesday to you.
Love,
Vee

Whistling

Source

Sometimes I wonder what living with lighter colors would be like...  Perhaps lighter and brighter is the way to go. When I saw this photo from Pottery Barn, I admit to a titch of envy. What I have is dark upholstery and trees so near that very little bright sunshine gets through. Now I'll never be able to afford a seaside home, yet a gal can dream.

This morning, a little past nine, John and I were seated together on the big blue sofa when I heard the whistling. "Shhhhhh..." I admonished John because I wanted him to hear it, too.

I usually wake to whistling. 'Tis a fresh little melody that floats over the breeze and through my window. I have determined that it is my neighbor's neighbor who whistles as he tends his garden. I certainly hope that he keeps earlier hours tomorrow morning because I have grown quite dependent upon that alarm.

This led to John's telling me a story about his uncle who in the 1930s was arrested for whistling while delivering papers on his early morning route. Apparently, folks do not appreciate whistling at four in the morning. Well I wouldn't either, but seven is very good. 

Thank you, thank you for all the wonderful recommendations that you've given. (You can stop now. ☺) I'm still trying to get them sorted and will have another post some time this week with the remainder. There are so many beautiful blogs out there and so little time. Say, do you ever allow yourself to visit a blog over and over without commenting? 

Closing with another reading recommendation because my friend Abby at Little Birdie Blessings wrote a terrific post that is quintessentially Maine. What a fun read! The post: The Abigail is Seaworthy. (I also love how she used her husband as blog fodder. There are many of us who do.)

A light, bright week to you with a whistled melody on the breeze!

Bible Gateway App

Running a bit late this morning as I've been outside for a couple of hours enjoying the beautiful morning, having some quiet time, and taking photos. Of course!

~a few of my notes~

I was thinking how the Bible Gateway App has changed my reading and studying Scripture. For one thing, everything is in one handy spot. There's a place for taking notes and highlighting, there are so many translations to read, and there are reference materials as well. In former days, I'd write in notebooks. These are spread all over the place and it's very challenging to find the notes that I want to retrieve. Not so with this new system. 

Currently, we are studying Adam and Eve. I used to wonder about those two, but I think that I will meet them one day. What a cool thought!

~Romans 5:15~

~breakfast~

A beautiful Sunday to you! 

Sunday comments are always off 

Changes

Nanaland ~ Mildred and Diane The Lavender Bouquet ~ Diane (see above) My Irish Cottage Home ~ Betty Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth ~ Abby The Red Feed Sack ~ Kathy My Journal Reflections ~ Pat A Bit About Britain ~ Mary and Pam Love Made My Home ~ Pam (see above) Motherhood and Muffin Tops ~ Karen
These were the new to me blogs that dear readers suggested. If you'd like to read why, check comments in yesterday's post. The new blogs are on the left and the old blogger who suggested it is on the right. Something's wrong with that sentence. 

 Jill suggested *one,* too, but that kind of blog is reserved for those with a certain panache. I have zero panache. Betty suggested her own blog, which I thought was very spunky of her! Thanks, Betty! ☺ Others suggested wonderful blogs that are already on my list. Great minds and all that.
Yesterday's post resonated with most of us since we have all lost favorite bloggers. I still hold out hope that they'll be back. After writing the post, I visited Deborah at The Beautiful Matters where she was discussing the successful ways that people age. One of them was the ability to gather "new" people after loss. I don't really want to gather "new" people, but the fact is that you were new to me once and I'm so glad that I gathered you. 
~~~
It is interesting how little changes can affect mood positively. I made a little change in the corner by my stove. I know. We're talking simple here. This is a photo from 2009 when the former microwave lived there. Not a happy arrangement at all...such a tight corner you see.

  You know, looking at this again, I think my antique stove top may require moving and it's providing some lovely extra storage, too.  John will kill me. Maybe I can keep it for the function of it.
So, where was I? Oh yes, there've been some changes...the vintage white enamel kitchen table is now in my sewing room. The jelly cupboard was painted red.

Those streaks on the walls are why I want to whitewash them. We'll see. I don't move too fast over here.

 ~do not look at dirty grills~

Impressive, say what? ☺ The angled platter turns the perspective back into the room rather than ending it. Right? Don't you think so? Simple changes. 

Well I had to have someplace to stash the cookbooks. Don't look at that either. ☺

Nope. I've got to keep it. I have no place for tea pots, candles or vases. Besides, I do love those sheaves of wheat.
Thank you for reading. Hope that you'll visit a new blog or two!
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Gone

Sometimes she promises to be right back. Sometimes she keeps her promise, yet her posts are further and further apart. Then she's gone. 
Just like that.
I hate when that happens!

As you know, I keep *a separate blog* with links and buttons. More and more, I'm finding those who've moved on to other pursuits leaving their once lovingly tended blogs behind. I deleted five just yesterday. I was clinging too hard, but one has to let go. Right? I must allow others to have their own minds about blogs, life, interests. So I let them go...eventually...and sometimes I keep the tissue box handy. 
So I am looking for a new-to-me blog. Is there one that you have recently found that you love? I'm eager to hear what you think is a great blog that perhaps not too many know about yet. We all love PW, but perhaps a blog not quite that big, not quite that popular.
Say, want to wander in a lovely home garden and see wonderful quilts made for cozy days? You can't go wrong visiting Mia's Country Living. Mia lives in Norway. (She writes in English.) Just a sweet get-away from it all blog for sure.
You're not planning on going anywhere, are you?
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The Receiver

The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain. It's the loneliness of it. Memories need to be shared.

from The Giver by Lois Lowry 

~Water Closet and Hallways...Make what you can of it~ 

☺

Who is that woman stuffing her face with popcorn? My! It does look bad. In my defense, Sis left me holding the bag and the Sierra Mists and anything else I could hang onto.
So we went to see The Giver. It is from the book of the same title by Lois Lowry who so happens to be a part-time resident in these parts. The movie premiered last week in her hometown. My aunt sent me a blurb:

*Friday, August 15th, join us as we welcome Lois Lowry (author of "The Giver") following our 3:30 showing, as she speaks about the writing of the book, her involvement in its transformation to film and to take questions from readers. Don’t miss your chance to hear an amazing award winning author speak about her great work. This event is sponsored by the Bridgton Public Library, Naples Public Library, and Bridgton Books.  (THIS SHOWING IS SOLD OUT.)

The story is a dystopian one about a young boy who becomes the receiver of all memory, both good and bad, from the time before his perfect world banned such knowledge. 

Dystopia

noun
1.
a society characterized by human misery, squalor, oppression, disease and/or overcrowding.

It was interesting to see the changes between the book and the movie. I believe that Lowry has said that she has no qualms about the changes as the book is introspective and not suited for Hollywood without some jazzing. 
While this book is not a Christian book nor written from that perspective, there is much to ponder. You know, the big topics:  free will, rebellion, pain, suffering, peace. Yup. Plenty to think about, even for adults. The book was written for children in elementary school...somewhere around age ten, but don't let that stop you. Some of my favorite books were written for children — Tuck Everlasting, Bridge to Terebithia, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, A Wrinkle in Time and ...
I did find this nifty article on Dystopian Themes in Christian Fiction. My favorite is the last paragraph.
If you're intrigued at all, this is a quick trailer that's pretty good.
Lowry writes an interesting blog that you might find fun to read. I'll let you Google it.
And so that's how we happened to be four days late for the premier. I believe that The Giver is opening in theaters on August 24. It's been awhile since I last went to a movie...War Horse (speaking of children's books made into movies) and prior to that The King's Speech. No, I am not a regular movie goer. Are you?
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A Fun Day

Cousins are a little bit of childhood that can never be lost. ~unknown Yesterday, my sister and I wended our way slowly west toward New Hampshire and for fifteen minutes or so we actually were out of the state. I was tempted to say that it's all we could handle, but since we both love NH, that would not have been true.

We did a little of everything, but the highlight was visiting with Aunt Ess and Uncle Bee and their son, his wife, and three children. We have not seen our cousin for a quarter of a century or so. (I have not seen my aunt and uncle for three years for that matter.) As we were leaving, I told his little girl (seven years old) that I might not see her again until she's 25 or 36 or something. She looked at me so perplexed and said, "But we're coming to visit again next year." We adults chuckled over that.

After a delicious lunch of Sloppy Joes, salad, and watermelon, we played briefly with Pinterest sharing folders and ideas. My  aunt has had some trouble with a very unfriendly gal who leaves her  unkind, hateful messages. Aunt Ess  decided that Pinterest was too unfriendly a place to enjoy and deleted her first account. Then she changed her mind deciding to try again and not allow one person to ruin her fun. I was shocked about her negative Pinterest experience having never had a problem with another pinner.  
Then we took off for NH; then a thrift store, then we landed in Bridgton at the movie theater. If you ever happen to be in Bridgton, Maine, the movie theater is the most interesting place. It's filled with wonderful movie-making memorabilia and it is so charming. I'm waiting on photos so I can share them with you. Anyway, I'll tell you more about that experience tomorrow.

~past Moose Pond on our way to the movie~

After the movie, it was off to a grocery store with a sale on butter ☺, a picnic supper from KFC, and home again, home again jiggety-jig-jig.  
Today, I'll be catching up with you! 
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A Change

~summer's garden 2014~ A collage of my tired old garden having nothing whatever to do with today's post. My sister called yesterday wondering what we might do today for an adventure. Fresh out of local family graves to visit, we have had to move on to something new. Hopefully, it will be something blog worthy. I do worry sometimes that you could grow bored by all the nothing going on at my little haven.

On my walk around the house last night, I found a wee touch of autumn. It looks a lot like some of those wee touches you have already noticed. It certainly feels as if there is a chill change in the air. 

Have fun today and I'll catch you later!

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