I can certainly empathize with the lack of stick-to-it-tiveness. For most of this year I have felt the need to master something. I have countlessly reviewed subjects, crafts, and on and on and on. Nothing touched my heart; nothing settled my mind.

Frustrated I started pondering the "why": why can’t I settle on something? As I let my mind roll unheeded with the waves coming to shore a thought rested on the sand: life is seasonal. Master living seasonally and you master life. The master is no better than the servant and the servant is no better than the master. Master and servant are equal. Master and servant are one.

I am like the seasons. I change throughout the year only to return again the next year. Without change their is no life. I am mastering life by being one with the seasons.

You go girl! I was going to suggest you read The Prayer of Jabez and Beyond Jabez — but see that you re-read The Dream Giver. I too have similar goals as yours and the border bullies are mighty!

I wish you the very best. You know you can do it. I believe that contentment keeps me from being as ambitious as I once was. And I know that age has diminished my stamina, tho not my interests.

I am currently reading Beyond Jabez and I recommend it to everyone — it causes me to "think" and the "think differently" and I like that.

Best Wishes on all your endeavors. And thanks for taking the time to blog — I enjoy what you share.

Marilyn

Rene,

This statement really got me today:

I have come to the awareness that change is inevitable. It happens with our involvement or without it. We can be leading it, or we can be dragged kicking and screaming behind it. Either way change wins.

We live in Missouri and we just found out that we have to move to Iowa for a job and have been kicking and screaming but you are right "Either way change wins" and we are going.

Thanks for the nice post.

Becky

Becky,

Change can be unsettling for sure. But it can also bring a huge amount of joy. Introducing us to things and people we would never have experienced. My hubby and I moved several times as young marrieds, today I am blessed with friends all over the place… what a rich gift that I would have missed out on had I not given into change. Best wishes.. Keep me updated.

You are soooo right, and while we (me)may at times try to resist change, there is a reason for it….and we all need it to help us grow mentally, physically & spiritually.  After all, if there were no movement of the pond water it would become stagnant. We too need "movement" even if it is just a simple little thing like changing our hair color. (which by the way – I was really good at! lol!)
hugz & farm girl blessings to you.

I heard once that "a rut is a grave with both ends kicked out." And that "insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results." I realized from these sayings that life is change and change is life! The quicker that I can embrace it, the better I will be as a more complete person. It doesn’t mean that sometimes it won’t be difficult. I have found that change also does not mean that you will not re-visit some of the things that you did in the past. This is where I have been lately. I think I’m enjoying it more the second time, maybe because I’m at a different season (age) in my life. Whatever the reason I feel so much more contentment now. Thanks for the thoughts. They seem to pull out what is currently going on in my life into the "light" so that I can more clearly examine and appreciate them. Keep writing! I appreciate it!

There’s a Great photo of you Rene’ on page 60 of the October-November Mary Janes Farm magazine, in it your are described as "Farm Fair Organizer"… The best thing about the photo is your expression of relaxed Happiness.
Your skills at "organizing" are apparently excellent and well known, so when you get these "three things" organized in a way that you are relaxed and Happy with, you will do well at them.
The thing that makes your writing so interesting to read is your ability to convey feelings within your words, because your best writing is from the Heart of what you know. Your feeling comes through in this Bloggie too… a feeling of indecision, which is ok… everyone can relate to that, especially if it involves the "D" word.
Ahhh… diets are like casino gambling… the dieter is the player and their body is the "House", and just like in casinos, the House never loses in the long run. I’ve been on diets and "won" big and flashed my winnings for all to see, but the house never stops playing, and pound by pound I put back all this pounds I won eventually. It wasn’t until I stopped diets and timetables and weigh-ins and just changed my eating lifestyle that I was able to maintain a good weight. I don’t know what is good for anyone else, however I have one piece of advise (ohhh doesn’t everyone) on weight: Positive Focus… take Joy in what you CAN have and don’t even think about what you can’t.
GodSpeed to Y’all Rene’…!
Gary
in Tampa

Thanks for the wise words……and for always reading the blog and the Magazine….. How special!

Rene, I so identify with your sentiments! I am usually to busy doing school work, working, etc. lately to read your blog, but did this time and was pleasantly refreshed. I know what I want to be when I grow up – so am finishing my BA degree at the age of 56! – and the balance I am searching for in my life to quilt, read, do research, go camping with my husband occasionally, do some canning and jelly making, have the grandchildren over to play on the swingset, all…the…things I want to do, and so little time. I just need to remember to stop and breath and tell myself it’s okay, I’m getting there! Thanks for your encouraging words to me today.

~Robin

hi Renee,
Change, Dreams, Light shining, these subjects are very interesting. I ‘did’ notice the photo of U on pg. 60, ‘Farm Fair Organizer’ !!! Nice photo…
I enjoy Bruce Wilkinsons’ bks. I’ll have to find a copy of Dream Giver. Beyond Jabez sounds like another book I want to read. But we have to remember to read the ‘greatest BOOK’ ever written & Inspired by GOD, His Holy Word !!!
THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE is another excellent bk. by Pastor Rick Warren !!! He gets us ‘thinking’ about ‘WHAT’ is really impt. in life !! It is ‘doing’ & BEING what GOD has planned 4 each of us. We are ‘here on earth’ to bring GLORY to GOD, & NOT OURSELVES !! PSALM 139 –So, it’s NOT so impt. what we accomplish here on earth, that gives our life meaning, when it is ‘done’ for ourselves’ BUT WHEN IT IS DONE 4 others, to bring ‘honor & glory’ to GOD, is what will ‘count’, when we leave earth to meet ‘our MAKER’.
I had many times a desire to ‘write a bk.’ also. But in my life, GOD changed that desire,(for now) ……to write in personal journals for each of our kids & grandkids, to leave a ‘LEGACY’ for them. Our families are the people that REALLY MATTER. Like one of the other ladies wrote, I still have lots of IDEAS, but not the ‘stamina’ to accomplish all those anymore. SO, I AM TRYING DAILY to SIMPLIFY my life, which is NOT an easy task. I am by ‘nature’ a DETAIL person, and have a lot of life interests.
May GOD help U to lose some weight, Renee, I also NEED GOD’S HELP 4 that. Motivation gets harder as we get older, for most of us.
Thanks for ‘blogging’ Renee, you are interesting, open & honest, and a caring person !!! ;o)
Toni

hi well here is my advice,for what it is worth,I havent watched tv now for 4 months,at all,I have been too obsessed with my new dreams and goals,that,seems to be helping,I also,have just dropped some,well,not really dropped,but,given up some time with old friends,I just don,t care to go out to the bars with them anymore,I will miss country danceing,but now I do that at squaredanceing,witch is non-alcoloic,and I get to bed before 10,if I went out to a bar with my old friends,I,d get in at 3 in the morning,so,that,is a time waster,just simple changes that I have made has helped me with my goals.think about that,I don,t miss tv at all,believe it or not,I thought I would go into panic,but its been a refreshing change for a while.blessed be,carol branum,themofarmersdaughter@blogspot.com

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh It was so fun to have you come over and join us. We had so much fun that weekend. A blog party is definatley a fantastic idea. It has beeen so much fun meeting the ladies that we all read about, chat about, and leave comments for.
We must do it again. We need to get you and your friends on one of the Junk Junkets so you can spend the day junkin with us or…………we bring a Junk Junket to you!
Timi
http://www.comejunkwithus.com
http://www.agirlnametimi.com

I love, love, love to find towns like that. Sometimes when we are traveling on vacation, we will go through a downtown area like this and stop. It is as you say, like having dessert. It is an unexpected surprise that usually winds up making the vacation complete. The destination is not the reason for the vacation, the beauty and personality of each unique place we visit is the vacation.

Your description of your trip is Brilliant Rene’…
Your writing brings to Life the places and people you write about in a poignant way, which is engaging on a level of common experience, and which photographs cannot do.
I have made similar "trips"… little journeys of discovery… meeting and seeing the most inspiring people things and places. As I was getting caught up in the activity of the moment in those places, I experienced the quality of "presence"… being fully engaged in whatever was at hand, with no other thoughts. Some people refer to this as being "focused"… I just call it being "present", and it is a quality which Animals possess all the time… immersed in the moment.
I have had similar experiences in the classroom of a Brilliant Teacher, but the most memorable ones have been on "trips", and all of them have one thing in common… education/learning is taking place, and it is Exciting.
Thank You for another thought provoking Bloggie, and…
I have a question:
What is "The Palouse" to you…? Now I am well aware that it is a place, but somehow I have the feeling it is much more than that ‘eh…
GodSpeed to Y’all…!
Gary
in Tampa

Oh Gary~ So perceptive. If I could ANY where in the world to live, it would be the Palouse. We lived there for 10 years and many of the friends that were my life line are there. I guess I would say, "I came into my own there." It was on the country roads as a young married women, a young mom, that I "worked out" who I was and who I wanted to be. I still cannot drive into Colfax and see the rolling hills and not weep. I will blog about it Gary…post pictures.. and spend more time explaining my special connection to the land and the people that helped to define me.

What a great trip. We used to live on the Sammamish Plateau and frequently took the back roads through Duvall and other great small towns. Thanks for taking me back if only in my mind. It’s been a while since we’ve been there so I’m sure much has changed. Can’t wait to get back and try The Grange. It sounds wonderful.

oh wowzers! sounds like I need to gather up the girls and make another field trip to go to these wonderful communities…wahooo!
see ya soon.
hugz

oh I love that little town! it has always felt like my ‘hometown’ when I visit … for your next trip, please try the best pie in the world at the Cabbage Patch! Now I’m going to put the Grange on my list!
And I love your cart! I have one for my two mile walk to the grocery store and next time I’m at the fabric store, I’m going to make it a liner – what a great idea.

thanks for taking us on your adventure!

Hi Rene!
So glad to hear of your visit to Snohomish…I love it there too! Joyworks and the Speckled Hen are my 2 favorite stores! Wish I would have known about the blog party, it would have been fun to see you again! Next time, head on up to Lynden too and we’ll give you the royal treatment, Farmgirl style!!
I actually put the bumper sticker you gave me on my car and now my son says he can’t drive it anymore!!!! Yea!!! thanks!

xoxo Holly

Holly~  Hahahahah….You’ll have to tell your boys what I tell mine~ "real men dont mind the farmgirl stickers"… LOL…. I would LOVE to come up to Lynden..sounds fun….

I’m a devoted fan of Mary Jane’s Farm and I just finished reading every word of this post and every comment and I am so impressed. I’m in Minnesota but I have two sisters in Washington state. One in Mount Vernon and one in Port Angeles. We love visiting your beautiful state. The very next time I’m there I will head to Snohomish and visit the charming places you’ve talked about.

Cheryl,

I promise you will love it. Let me know when you’re headed there maybe I can join you for a day of farmgirl shopping.

We are preparing for our own county fair. If I was anywhere close, I would bring some friends and help.

I am certain that you are correct and will just MAKE A DIFFERENCE for your friend.

Good luck, please post pictures of your event this weekend.
While I am submitting, photos, pumpkins, and Hay for our fair. Moving in 3 horses and nutrition and gardening projects for my own kids. I will remind our little town about your efforts.

What I know to be true is a women’s heart and spirit gives to those in need no matter how big or how small. To sit with sick chick’s, give a gentle pull to slipper hooves stuck on their way out to a new world or holding the hand of a dear friend as they slip out of this world. I offer my hands, heart, tears and soul to any in need – two or four legged. Being of service is what we do and for that we are all farmgirls!

I must say, I do envy you. From your Farmgirl community, to your county fair, it all sounds so delicious. I live in Roswell Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, and there is definitely "nothing" farmgirlish here. I love the country, I can sometimes smell it in my mind as I long to be somewhere like you are. But, the hubby’s job is here and I am in school full time to finish my masters and teach. I also love to write, so I am working on that as well. We have seven children, a great Dane named Tux, and a chihuahua named Sydney, both of whom would love the country. We don’t even have a back yard for the children to play in. Sad, isn’t it!

My grandmother used to make quilts and I read your article on quilting. It was fabulous,and made me miss the country even more. I think it is wonderful to have a community like you do. Sometimes when we are in the midst of something, we don’t see what it means to us, or how much we have to be thankful for. Love your farm, you are very lucky to live in a place like that. I wish I could have a little piece of you here.

Good luck with the project and I hope all turns out well.

Leah

God Bless Y’all Rene’…!
The Character of the people in a Community define the Character of the Community and make it a place ya’ can call Home and really feel Good about it. Often, the "little things" make the difference between a Life of Quality and a existence, for after all, Life is a serial collection of those "little things" ‘eh.
Here our Humane Society and SPCA partnered with Meals on Wheels, and meal recipients who have Pets now also get a meal delivered each day for their Pet. That seems like a small thing, but it is a huge thing to those elderly and disabled people who Love their Critters.
I am certain that the efforts of all y’all will make a huge difference to your Friend and Neighbor too.
GodSpeed to Y’all…!
Gary
in Tampa

What a great post I think each of us can look around and find someone in need. I am in the process of saving up some hats, scarves, and gloves to send to a guy who has a program for the homeless in Atlanta who live under the bridges. I may even see about gathering some blankets too. I feel like no matter how small your step maybe to help someone it can go along way, in this day and time. Thanks for such a great post. Blessings, Karen

Wow… That’s amazing. It is awesome that there are people out there who are more than willing to help others in their time of need. I would love to meet people who have this farmgirl spirit in my area, but honestly don’t know how to go about doing it or even where to look.
I think our world would be a much better place if we could go back to the old fashioned values of living and be just as neighborly as we can to everyone we meet.
Thanks for sharing this story. I hope our friend Emily and her little girl are both recovering nicely.

Congratulations on the purchase of your new adventure home! I miss having our Winnabago. It was always packed and ready to hit the trail at a moments notice. I can’t wait to hear about your explorations.

Cool trailer Rene’…!
I’m certain you will Cozy-It-Up inside, and Y’all will have many Swell times in the Great Outdoors.
GodSpeed to Y’all…!
Gary
in Tampa

Oh my yeah for you!!! I would be so excited I do not think I could wait past the next weekend. We had an old vintage pop-up camper when our girls were younger. Afraid it was not in the best of shape when I bought it and no matter how much repair we did it would only hold up for about 4 or 5 more years. But we had great time in that camper. I have been eyeing all the vintage campers in the MaryJanes magazines when I get them and on some other blog sites. I also enjoyed making curtains and cushions for our camper as I am sure you are doing. Loved Roy and Dale when I was growing up also, what an awesome idea for your decor. Have fun!

Having been richly blessed with meeting both Dale and Roy as a young woman I can attest to the fact they were real honest hard working hard playing folks. I enjoyed many days swimming in their pool and laughing with them and learning from them with their true gift in sharing stories. I even played with the dog,"Bullet" I loved that the dog could undo invisible ropes that tied my hands. What a gift their presence was to me in my life from that point on. I loved that they adored one another and made such a lovely couple. I appreciated their ability to give to those less fortunate than they themselves were. You can take the people out of the country but the country (farm girl) is always right there within.

Grace,

Thank you for sharing that with me. How special to know that there is a connection.

I to have acquired a little trailer. Wasn’t road worthy but it’s in our backyard ready for a night’s camping. As Dorthy said, you don’t have to look further than your own backyard for adventure!

That was such a beautiful post! It brought tears to my eyes. I am a quilter and love to make the scrappy ones too! I really think you should dig right in and make that quilt in honor of your dear friend!
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts today. Your words have just truly touched my heart.
Blessings!

"Ditto" to the comment above!! 😀
I SO enjoyed this post.
And, I agree with Sue… DIG IN! :0)
Warmly ~

I loved your post! I never thought of using my mother’s old clothes for a quilt. I lost my mother 2 years ago and kept some of her blouses for good memories. My mother was my bestfriend and to have her around me would be a nice feeling again. Thanks for sharing!!

Loved your Quilt story I don’t quilt but like you I have always loved them but your story of your sweet friend reminded me of my friend as a child she was like a grandma to me from Wisconsin that I loved and my wonderful grandma
that made me a doll quilt that I still have. Thanks for the moment to reflect of my family and friend that I hold dear to my heart.

Sooo very true! I have one that I treasure that my moms friend made for my oldest daughter. It was made out of her husbands jeans. It is the pretties and most cherished of all our quilts. I love the photo of the quilt on the fence and love the quilt shop pic. Great post!

I’ve only subscribed to this site a short time ago, but I relish the notice saying a blog has arrived. I have inherited a set a quilts given to me by my grandmother that were made for her and my grandfather as a wedding present by my grandfather’s grandmother. My grandmother never used them, thinking they were too delicate, but I’ve used them because I think they SHOULD to be used. All those tiny stitches made by a woman who could barely see, but wanted to give a gift of love. Shortly before my grandparents were married, my grandfather’s dearly beloved ‘ganga’ died. Now I feel all these wonderful energies from this woman and my foremothers, and keep them close.

Thank you for your beautiful post on a subject that is so special to me! I am a quilter. I don’t get to do it nearly as much as I would like (between two kids, homeschooling, and just manning the household). I started quilting when I was 32. I was usually the youngest person in the class. I have not made a scrappy quilt yet because we have so many of them that my husbands grandmother made. These also happen to be my kids favorite quilts. The do seem warmer and softer. Grandma Sara had 14 children and every quilt seemed to have outgrown or wore out pajama fabrics, misc clothing. They didn’t have money for fancy cloth and the quilts were for function. Every grandchild received a quilt on the 13th Christmas. I hope to pass that tradition onto my own grandchildren.

For me, quilting is my special time to be reflective; it’s calming when alone, but wonderful in a group. So, I wish HAPPY QUILTING to you!

Thank You~ I admire you for finding the time to do it.. I think I will jump on in and give it a try.. again!

That was the most precious story, thank you for sharing. I have made quilts off and on for about 20 years, nothing spectacular, but there is something about quilts that warms peoples hearts when they recieve one, and knowing you are making one for you and Marie I’m sure will warm your heart and inspire you every step of the way, you may even find when it is done that there are things in there that you know you wouldn’t have normally chose to do, but Marie would have, enjoy the experience 🙂

Hi Rene,
I almost deleted your post without reading it then the picture popped up. Wow, did that get my attention. I LOVE QUILTS, too. But take heart, you are a quilter. To quote myself, from an essay I wrote entitled Quilting Is A State of Mind,(published in the Country Register) "I consider my writing as quilting. Each word, alone, says little. Put together in just the right order, with each word carefully chosen for alliteration as well as definition, I piece together a meaningful story that, hopefully, makes a difference in someone’s life."
I’ll email you the entire essay. I think you’ll enjoy it.
Blessings,
Carol

Thank You Carol, I look forward to reading your essay.

Wow, what a great story. Where did you take the photograph at the top of the post? Is it at Sister’s?
My sister and I are avid quilters and like to do most of our piecing and quilting by hand. Recently, our mom asked us if we would quilt a top that was pieced by our grandma from Mom’s baby dresses. We are excited to make that our winter project.
Hope you jump into your project with both feet

The photo I took at Buggy Barn’s recent quilt show. They are in Reardon WA.

I’m sitting here with happy tears in my eyes. For the past month, I’ve been sleeping with a special quilt of mine. The pieces were put together by my Great Grandma, The back was added by my Grandma, and she let me help pull yarn through to tie the quilt. It’s an odd assortment of new (1960’s & early 70’s) materials and some much older. It’s precious to me. You have such a way with words! I could "see" ladies bent over their quilts, working away with hands of love. Thank you!
Nita Jo

Hi, I have two quilts made by my Aunt. One has pieces of a dress I wore as a child. My sister gave me a quilt made by our grandmother. My sister used it and it became frayed around the edges. I took it and made Teddy bears for my daughter, my sister and myself (mines still a work in progress), I also took a piece and used it as backing for a picture of the Grandmother who made it. Also I have her reading glasses and I put those in with the picture, all in an old oval frame with convex glass. I made quilts for each of my children, just simple 9 patch that are tied. Really enjoy your blogs. Take care.

Hi Rene,
This is my first time responding to your blogs, although I have enjoyed so many of them. The quilt subject just spoke to me. I can identify with treasuring them and enjoying working with someone on them. I belong to a quilting guild and some of my dearest friendships have been born there. I don’t know if you have access to a guild in your area, but if you do, I would encourage you to go to a meeting. Like anything, you will have to decide if it would be a "fit" for you. Some guilds are a little "stuffy" and think everything must be done perfectly. Thank goodness ours is a wonderful encouraging, teaching and nurturing guild. Our motto is "Finished is better than perfect"! As another blogger said, I believe you are already a quilter – a quilter of words. Always wished I could be that! Thanks for your amazing insight into people’s souls.

Wow! That tickeled my heart. I always said if I could afford
to pay someone to help me around the house it would be with my laundry! We have six children and when they were little it just seemed liked unsurrmountable mountains of laundry would always be there! Soo when I would have trouble sleeping I would start telling myself I just needed to get up andgo work on that laundry, beleive it or not but that would put me out like a light. Like you I loved the feeling I got looking into my well organized closets and draws.

Wow Rene, I can relate! I use to hate laundry and then I started hanging my clothes out and now I love it!I think it is being able to go outside and breathe while I am still doing "housework"…now if I could only do the rest of the stuff outside,I would be set!

If you find anyway to enjoy the dishes let me know. I’ve tried everything from rock ‘n roll to classical music.I even tried making the kid do it-forget that, I want the dishes done today. Plus, there was the time I happened to walk in the kitchen and the son had the plates on the floor and the dog was licking them clean! Did he do the dishes we just ate off of? Ewwww!!!

Anywhoo, love your blog. enjoy it alot.Thanks and blessings to you.

I have hung out my clothes for years, but I was wondering if anyone had a good homemade clothes softener mix.

Pat~ I think that there are several over at the farmgirl connection… http://www.maryjanesfarm.org  click on chat with other farmgirls.

I like this one as well.

1 cup glycerin

1 gallon water

Mix together

Ass 1/2 mixture to wash or rince cycle~ hang clothes as normal to dry.

I finally went through my closet and got rid of all my black,and tan clothes! I have felt brighter and much more cheerie! I’ve been wearing so much more color and it really does affect my mood for the better. I figure God gave us all of these wonderful colors so why not use them. Oh our house is an old little farm house painted curry yellow,green trim, eggplant shutters and red doors!! People come in and always say they wished they would have the courage to try more color, hey it’s only paint!!!!!

Point well taken~

I added a little yellow and purple this year… and I have to admit I feel sassy wearing it 🙂

You are so right Rene’…
I betcha’ we all have some "chore" we dislike, and some we enjoy…
I enjoy working with my feral Cats, as I keep a feeding station stocked, and I like tending my Herb and Flower Garden each mornin’…
I dislike laundry perhaps as much as you, so I keep enough "fluff n’ stuff" to go for two weeks. It takes two hours to do laundry properly, whether I have one load or four, and since I can’t control that, I keep the frequency to a minimum. I despise dusting, but hey… I like a clean Home, so it just must be done.
Thank You so very much for your kind inquiry about Midnight Rene’. He is much better, after a very close call with a fever, and he had to stay two days in the Hospital. I am so Happy to have him Home and healthy.
Health, physical and Spiritual are cornerstones, ‘eh… if we lose them, nothing else much matters, even dusting. *WINK*
GodSpeed to Y’all…!
Gary
in Tampa

This is such a powerful conversation. Here is what I do. I have taken on surprizing and delighting all the folks in my family and community, there are over 200 of them, with the completion of those repetitive, daily, often mundane tasks! So I keep my "worship power" or my attention in other words on the benefit of those tasks completed for the entire, farm, household, business, whatever the context might be. I have also learned to make requests of others, not an easy task for me, to keep things in nice shape, clean up after themselves etc. so the kitchen, shed, barn, office…. continues to shine after my work!
Thank you for bringing this topic up for us all.
Terces

It is worth repeating…hanging clothes outside is the best, especially sheets. Moving back to eastern Washington from western Washington was the opportunity to have a clothesline and hanging clothes outside is my favorite chore. Hey, tomorrow is sheet washing day…on a sunny fall day.

How funny! I always felt that there must be little laundry gremlins or something that fed the laundry so that it always seemed to be growing no matter how much wash I did or how regular. But, I do have to admit that clothes lining is the best! Nothing like line dried sheets to snuggle into at night. Incentive to do one other chore weekly, change all the beds! 🙂

I once met an honest washing machine salesman and he said you can use ‘regular’ detergent in the front loaders – just use a lot less. I have been for 5 years with no problems. I use about 1/8 of a cup (I really eyeball it). The special detergent was backed by the manufacturers so they would want us to buy the expen$ive detergents. I will give the homemade stuff a try. Love the clothes line too.

Enjoyed reading through this site, I will send this site to a few of my friends

I can remember when I was young going to the fair and being there all day doing all kinds of things, I too am older so I am not there as long and don’t do even half of what I use to, and the fair food, not a chance. I still love going and watching the grandkids have fun and seeing the different crafts. I think the fair is part of the family experience, I loved it as a child and I loved it as a parent and I absolutely love it as a grandparent.

Rene,
I hear your message. I thought the B-F County Fair was smaller than last year. However, the TCH said that the attendance was the same. I thought the parking lot looked less full. I contribute that to the rising prices and economy though. I did enjoy visiting the booths, though some of my favorites weren’t there. I loved the Farmer’s Market. I also visited the animals also. I love chickens and rabbits. Glad you enjoy it too. Do you go to the fair in Yakima?

Rene: Now that my husband and I are older, we love to go to a few Minnesota county fairs and watch some of the kids in 4-H so we can root for them at our state fair. It’s on right now and is the largest fair in the country.
I don’t go on the rides any more but once awhile as we walk to the dairy barn we’ll catch those crazy new rides. I sure am glad I’m on the ground.
Sometimes I enter quilts my husband enters bonsai )little trees);and our bonsai club does an exhibit, competition and demonstration.
We also talk to people about having a pond at their home or farm while standing in front of the Minn. Watergarden society’s pond.
But my favorite part is working in the educational exhibits called The Moo Booth in the Dairy Barn.
I used to be a 4H leader too.
In other words, we LOVE the fairs, all of them!

Bonnie Ellis

Every year, my sister and I go to our local fair in Woodstock, CT. My family and I don’t agree on what interests us at the fair. But Sis and I can count on each other for a good time, good food and great company….together.

Hey Rene-

Our county fair just ended and we logged approximately 80 hours of attendance over the course of the week! We got discounted week passes for being exhibitors (our first time) and so we were there as much as possible. We took a number of white and red ribbons, and I got a blue ribbon on a skirt I made! Yippee!! So…we also get checks in the mail in a few weeks that will offset the price of our passes. So cool!

I love fair time because it is the only time we run into old school mates and many family members. I got to do so much catching up and spent four hours with a best friend I haven’t seen in 10 years…wonderful! We also worked the 4H food booth and the dairy booth (the kids earned some of their meals and snacks!) and I spent time in the Handmade and Homegrown building, getting to know some neighbors I’d never met before and meeting new crafters…also wonderful!

I’m with you on the carnival rides, however. Didn’t ride a one! But my kids rode a few which was the first time they had done that as we generally avoid that area. $5 a ride is very pricey, however, so they only used tickets that were gifted to them.

We are still recovering from our weeklong diet, and catching up on sleep, but we had a wonderful time and are already working on next year’s exhibits!

Enjoy the rest of your summer and fair days…

Carrie

Very nice site!

Oh, to find a like maiden entrenched in the love of tea and a quiet moment in life. Tea brings to me the same feelings, it gives me time to settle down, savour the morning or the day. Eventho I love the look of a Tea for One, I really believe tea is to be enjoyed with a friend to derive the most benefits. I am so fortunate to belong to a guild of like minded ladies. In fact on Saturday we dressed for A Morning in Paris, 1915 to ride in a restored open touring bus of Yellowstone around Idaho Falls. Visiting the farmers market, the artisians market, the museum with a bicylce exhibit and the Paris room of the local theme hotel. We recieved a posey in a french cart, had cream puffs at the bakery and enjoyed a brunch. What a kick! "Tea" runs through my veins.

Rene,
I have a 17 year old daughter and every year for the past five or so we have hosted a tea party for her friends and their mothers. We generally have it the first week of December, share Christmas stories and exchange gifts. We have a marvelous time just being girls/ladies.
We use my grandmother’s teacup and saucer collection (the only time of year it comes out of the attic) and everyone brings their favorite dainties to snack on.
I encourage everyone to have tea parties. If you don’t have a daughter, borrow one. You will be blessed.

A sign of the times. I have gathered together invitations and a menu. I have the perfect out fit to wear. And I will have a magical tea party, with my sister in law and my great nieces. The key will be they are in another state. We will do it via Skype on the computer. I cant go visit. They are in school. So we will do it the new way.
They are 4 and 7. I know it is not conventional. I think this will be fun. I didnt discover tea parties till I was an adult. To much of a tom boy.

Don’t you adore SKYPE? It is the third best thing to being there ( 1. being there, 2) them being here 3) skype… 🙂

My three year old granddaughter, her little friend and my daughter came to our home last Spring for their very first tea party. It was a delightful and memorable day which I will always cherish. The little girls were dressed in pink party dresses and matching hats. My granddaughter had been waiting several weeks for this tea party. She ran up to the table I had been preparing for two days and exclaimed, "Oh my tea party, my tea party!" Her little friend was wide eyed and speechless. The tea party table was decorated with white lace, pink roses, ribbon and lavender. Per my granddaughter’s request, tea sandwiches, strawberries and tiny cupcakes were served and of course tea or pink lemonade. The crowning touch of the table was  pink and white rose dishes, which belonged to my mother. After the girls completed tea and treats, they went to the end of the table where I had placed a small table of teddy bears and dolls to have their tea party. We moved them to the floor where tea party number two began. My tea pots and tea cups that day were especially enchanting.I can still hear the clanging of cups and the sweet little voice saying "Tea for two!

You have spoken a true word. I believe that a true teacher knows when someone is "learning" from them. The student will "draw" it out of them. Also, there are those students that have the desire to learn taken from them by methods that are not productive, like what I experienced when young. I usually did not like when it was time to go back to school in the Fall, either as a child or when my daughter was young. It seemed that we "learned" so much during the summer, maybe because our classroom was the outdoors through gardening and gathering the harvest, reading books that interested me, swimming, and creative play with the neighbors which taught us how to get along with others. It was such a relaxed time which, for me, was the perfect atmosphere for learning.

Those very things were what we tried to impart as we homeschooled our last two children….we helped nurture in them a desire to learn, taught them what tools were available to assist in that learning, and turned them loose!

Our youngest, our only son, is now in the electrical business with his dad. He is constantly still learning although he graduated homeschooling more than ten years ago!

When his dad suffered two heart attacks two Februarys ago, he was able to step up and run the business with the "tools" he had been equipped with mentally….

I was so much like you in public schools….I had a deep deep deep love for reading and read constantly but I had trouble in high school…one teacher constantly graded my papers with "F’s" saying there’s no way a high school student could write them….but I KNEW she was wrong because I had a good little business going on the side doing everybody else’s homework for them and they all made "A’s" and "B’s"….I know now that was wrong but it was sure funny at the time!!!!

That particular teacher made my life SO MISREABLE in school that when, years later, my mama called me to tell me that the teacher had choked on a bone in a local restaurant and DIED, I could feel no sympathy, only relief…

I would have surely gotten into major trouble without the guidance of Mrs. Pesnell, a science and biology teacher…she kept a stack of inspirational magazines on her desk..and she constantly told me that I could write as well as any of the writers in those periodicals! One of the articles I later wrote and SOLD was about that dear lady and how her gift of Air Mail Stationery (so that me, a little hippie, could write to the love of my life stationed in Vietnam) was such a silent but encouraging gift to me…along with all her other encouragements…

She’s been dead several years but I truly mourned HER…She REALIZED and ACTED ON the fact that all children don’t learn the same ways…

Thank you so much for your thoughts!

This should be required reading for all teachers, both those who are just entering the system and those who’ve been there a while! While I was in school, I could turn in homework, extra assignments & nail an A every time, but in spite of the fact that I was considered a "gifted student", and had an above-average IQ, put a test in front of me & I’d collapse.

My two daughters, both of whom have IQs higher than me, are very different. One of them excels in math, has a very up-front personality, and charges through life like a major tornado (which is why her nickname is chaos). School for her was a breeze, being moved ahead in classes by one year & still graduating from high school a year early. At age 40, she holds down a full-time job at the post office, plus is a manager in a direct sales business, and mother of two teen-age sons. The other daughter is more like her mother … math classes are a constant horror, she has to slowly take things in and work them over in her mind before they take hold, and any assignment is a breeze as long as she can do it her way. She worries herself half to death before finals, and figures by the time she’s finished with college, she’ll be drawing Social Security. In spite of that, she finished up her undergraduate work this past spring while holding down a full time job, and is enrolled at the university to earn her BA in Anthropology. If I’d had the kind of strength & encouragement we gave them, I’d have my BA by now. How I wish my teachers had seen this blog!

Thanks for that. I know that my picking up a book called "They way they learn" when my kids were little, changed the course of my life and theirs. The Author is Cynthia Tobias and she also wrote one called "every child can succeed". To bad they arent required reading.

Hello again Rene, Books by John Holt are excellent insight in teaching. He wrote books about the fact that "learning is as natural as breathing" and how we can nurture and encourage natural abilities in our children. I think these should be "required" reading for college students looking for a teaching degree. He was a "reformer" so he was controversial for the education system. I keep a couple of his books "How Children Learn" and "How Children Fail" as references that I reread from time to time. Reba

I too "went home",knowing that the "old school" had been torn down, except for the gym, where we had walked across the stage to graduate. This left-over has become the town,s Fine Arts Center, and looks the same as it did 44 years ago (and it was old then!) The "old brick building" was new when I was a third grader, and still stands–holding only offices and some disability services now. Nostalgia rained! A total love/hate relationship. Some houses still stood–good memories/not so good memories–it seems we all have those learking in our past. I took a job, teaching in the district for year, before retiring: new building, new people, new memories–a truely awesome experience, and not one that I would ever give up!

I think our men just have to act tough on the exterior. My husband also said "no dogs!". My dad decided different and for my birthday brought me Lucy, she was a big black lab. Dad knew what my husband had said. He drove up to my back door, called me out and said "Happy Birthday!", handed me the lease and got back in his truck and left!! LOL My husband fussed for a few days, then I caught him! He was lovin all over her! Talking baby talk and all! It was heart warming. Now, I bring whatever animal in the house I want! He still acts tough… but, when I catch him in the moments! It is great! : )

Good Bloggie Rene’…
Y’all are giving Cole a wonderful experience by giving him a Doggie. He will have many moments of Joy in his Life, because of his bond with Drake. He will also learn a lot about loyalty, Love and responsibility, but most important…
Cole and Drake will have Fun.
GodSpeed to Y’all…!
Gary
in Tampa

Thanks Gary~ The fun has certainly begun.

Hi and I can’t even read all of these letters as I lost my Old English Sheep dog of 14 yrs last yr to old age and I am still sick over it. I realized that he was getting older and that he couldn’t live forever. Although I never saw the grieving that I did, coming my way. My husband even said that i didn’t grieve over family members that had passed as much as good ol’ Barkley. He grew up with my 5 kids. herded them down the halls of our home trying to help them get out the door each morning as they were headed out to school and when they were all gone for the day there sat Barkley and the Mom until 3 pm when the crazy fun began all over again with the kids return from school. The homework and sports would begin. We used to have an old VW bus that was named Barkley’s bus because that was his car to ride around town in as the family car was off limits to him. Head hanging out the window his tongue wagging in the wind. The kids in other cars pointing and waving at the dog that looked like he was right out of a Disney movie. Lost are the days but never the memories of our family mascot Barkley. 100 lb bundle of frolicking fun and a brother to all who knew him. We miss him and loved everyday.

Oh Rene, that picture of the puppy brought back happy memories for me. I have a chocolate lab that I got at nine weeks of age and she looked just like that! So adorable!

Kristen,

I will try to post more pictures of him.. he is a moose, now.  LOL  But such a cute moose for sure.

Very Interesting!
Thank You!