tiny treasures...

Has someone ever surprised you with a tiny treasure?  A gift that simply takes your breath away with not only it's simplicity, but the generosity? 

Yesterday Hubs and I were doing our weekend running, with my wonky vision lately, I get a bit anxious running errands and such.  I know it's an irrational fear, but I'm good with my knight in shining armor escorting me on the weekends.  One of the stops was down outside of Arnold at Your Quilt Shop, it's my favorite shop locally.  They seem to enjoy the same types of fabrics that I do, making it so easy.  Not to mention that I simply LOVE the folks that are there.  Owners and customers alike. 

I had purchased a bunch of fabric and a pattern last weekend, but we were in a rush and they were super busy and close to closing.  As I wasn't starting the quilt anytime soon, I decided to simply come back for it later. 

My joy in this shop is immense, thankfully, I live no where close or I would be going back to work to feed my addiction.  It isn't just the fabric or the stuff they sell, although they definitely make my styles.  The people are incredible.  No one is a stranger, everyone is welcome.  Heck the ladies in the back room are usually giving Hubs snacks and keeping him entertained while I shop. 

Yesterday, during a wandering conversation with the owner, she asked if we liked fresh tomatoes, I mean who doesn't?  Then we started talking about gardening and the next thing I knew she handed me a bean pod.  Not just any bean pod.  But one from her garden.  One that has a lineage.  

Oh it's just a mild mannered unassuming red bean.  But it is from a line that has nourished her husbands family since before the great depression.  It comes from a line that fed them during those dark times.  I am so stupid excited about this little bean pod.  It's unbelievable. 

Hubs and I spent time yesterday plotting where those precious seeds would be planted next spring.  He's building me a raised box, one that will have an open bottom, and it will have a trellis for them to grow up onto, as high as they would like. I plan to cherish them, to grow as many as possible, to carry on the story. 

She also mentioned that the Roma is one of the meatiest that she has ever encountered and suggested I save those seeds as well.  You definitely know that is going to happen.  Honestly, my tomatoes have been a disappointment on many levels this year.  I will be making a spaghetti dish with the few that were actually not mushy inside.  The critters have enjoyed all of the "failures", it's just so disappointing, but there is always next season. 

Hopefully the roma's I grow next year will be from this wonderful gift I was given. 

I know it seems tiny, some might even feel it is silly.  To me?  It feels like a gift I can never repay.  Her hubby has started tending bees and we were able to buy a jar of their spring honey.  OH MY!  I actually had to make some yogurt last night, I cannot wait to enjoy that for breakfast on my freshly made yogurt.  It is the most beautiful flavor, she was explaining that it's because it was gathered before the bees started feasting on clover and the like.  It's from the first flowers of spring.  

The treasures that you cannot buy in a grocery store or even from a seed store.  

I am "patiently" waiting for the yogurt to cool so I can strain it and get it ready for breakfasts.  I will share a jar with my friend and my youngest grand - she loves it drizzled with honey and sprinkled with fruit and granola. I figured while I waited I would also work on a few of the things I've been putting off.  There is a big pot of broccoli cheddar soup on the stove right now, I will jar up some for a meal this week, but the rest is heading to the freeze dryer.  I think I'm also going to make a batch of sloppy joe's and a batch of what my Hubs call's Marty's beans (it's a recipe from her and he loves them!).  I'm also going to try my hand at making Chicken Mulligatawny soup.  We had some recently, and we have no idea how we have never had it before. Some of each will be put in the fridge for easy meals this week, some of which will be freeze dried, for camping, traveling, when I don't feel like cooking... 

In the midst of it all, I am going to take advantage of this beautiful weather and get my scroll saw out and cut out the hippo that my sister ordered and she is waiting, very patiently, for.  Now that the weather has broken and it's pleasant I have so much that I want to do.  That I finally have the energy to do. The heat drains me, the coolness makes me want to do all the things. 

The soup is done. Time to start the beans, they need to bake for a bit, so I need to get on it.  

I hope that someone blesses you with a tiny treasure, that you can experience the joy that comes with it.  I can't be the only silly one on this planet! Or maybe you get the blessing of sharing a tiny treasure with someone else?

much love, b

Dragon Time...

There is quite a storm brewing.  The winds are pushing heavy clouds full of fury and moisture our direction.  I'm not sad.  We truly need the rains, despite the snowy winter, it actually pushed us into drought conditions.  The ground is parched, grasses are struggling, the spring plants are struggling to make their debut.  

I kind of feel like I've got a bit of a storm brewing myself.  I've been struggling to break bad habits that I have fallen into, I'm not doing so great.  Everywhere I turn I have half finished projects.  I have household tasks that need completed, yet I find myself struggling to stay on task. 

I've always been that way.  I get hyper focused on something for a window of time and then squirrel... I'm off on another quest. For example, I have wanted to start a sour dough again, the health benefits beckon me, yet, I know me... it will die, because I cannot stay focused. 

I stay hyper focused on my pups and Hubs health, and let my own just slide off into the abyss.  Until I get sick or have a moment when my body reminds me that I am also only human and the same rules apply to me. 

Yep, it's what it looks like...
why? Because we could...

She stole it from Beau 

I try desperately to ignore my social media accounts, I can lose days once I pause for a moment.  I find that it is sucking my time and my life. I pop in to look for learning opportunities on foods, gardens, quilting, crochet, knitting, canning... okay you get the idea right... before I know it, I've lost a full day looking at other folks magic and wondering why I didn't get my own magic made. 

I'm trying. 

Yesterday, I went up to sew, I'm still working on Hubs quilt. Although, I have managed to acquire 6 more projects I have decided to complete this year, on top of the ones I want to finish for myself (see what I mean).  I just sat there smiling.  My sewing table was still cluttered with the remains of the Dragon's visit this weekend. 

She is so unbelievably creative, her mind is always full of ideas and plans.  We spent time in my sewing studio, she wanted to learn to use the sewing machine.  And learn she did.  She's only 8, it was the first time she got brave enough to try and in less than 30 minutes she managed to sew an almost perfect 1/4" seam.  She'd dug through the scrap bucket and discovered some fabric that made her smile, the first one she did was with plain muslin fabric, she wanted to be sure she knew what she was doing before using the cute fox fabric.  We didn't have much time, we were heading to MADE to glaze her pottery bowls that she had made last month, back when she was only 7, but she was determined.  

She made the cutest little pillow and was ready for more.  Gramma promised after MADE we'd do a bit more before she headed home.  When will I learn?  MADE is never a short stay, we easily spend 3 or 4 hours there, and the storm that blew through guaranteed she would have lots of time as none of us wanted to go out into that windy, rainy mess!

So even though we planned to have her home relatively early, we didn't. Because no trip to MADE is complete without a stop by her favorite ice cream shop for a flight of mini ice cream cones.  Upon arriving home, we simply had to sew the bigger pillow.  Barbie would be so disappointed if we didn't come home with it. 

You know how it ended of course.  We sat and she sewed.  

I cherish those moments.  I love that inquisitive always learning mind of hers.  I love sharing the things that I fill my days with, the skills that I get to pass on. I cherish it all!

We also had the chance to spend Sunday morning exploring the Endangered Wolf Center with her Brownie troop.  The night before while she and I were putting all of her patches on her vest I pulled out my old (I'm fairly certain it now qualifies as an antique) brownie uniform.  To put it mildly, she couldn't believe that Gramma was ever a little girl and she was unbelievably thankful that the uniform was no longer a dress. As we walked together looking a the sights and sounds that surrounded us, dealing with the occasional drizzles of rain, we plotted our gardens.  

She was less impressed with the center than I expected. That probably has more to do with the fact that over spring break she was at a wild life rescue and had actually held and pet several of the wolves that we were now only seeing behind massive fences and/or glass.  This girl experiences so many things, no wonder school bores her a bit. 

Instead of ohhing and ahhing over the various wolf families, she was more concerned with whether she should plant pumpkins or watermelons in her garden patch this year, and which ones she was going to plant in my garden.  I am fairly certain I am going to be the grower of her watermelon patch this year.

The things a cutie can sweet talk
Gramps into

what a collection of 3D printed critters

either she is a tall 8 year old,
or I am a short gramma...
probably both

Gramps and I cherish the days we get to steal her away.  We love spending hours on end lost in her world.  We end up a bit tired, keeping up with an energetic 8 year old is a lot when you aren't used to it.  She worked at the craft show with me on Saturday night and asked if she could create some things for the next show.  

She also tried desperately to talk me into buying a 3D printer so that she could make things with it.  She didn't quite understand that Gramma's brain does not grasp that kind of technology, as she gently assured me that she could figure it out and would make it work.  

Dragon time is some of the greatest time in the world.  It fills me with hope for the future, joy in small things and fills my life with so many blessings.  

She is one of the reasons that I am trying to finally get my world together.  There is so much to share with her while she is still young and thirsty to learn.  When she arrives, electronics get slid away, the old school things come of out hiding.  The hands on world takes over. 

That is completely my happy place. Speaking of happy places, I have things on the to do list that I need to accomplish, I am trying very hard to reorganize my life, to stop being scattered and overwhelmed.  So... time to get with it... I have lots on items on my list that need to be finished before the next Dragon day arrives. 

love and peace... and if you are in the paths of the storms... stay safe!

B