We FINALLY have snow! I am happy, happy, happy. Cold and dark without snow is M.I.S.E.R.A.B.L.E! Even though I’ve been playing Christmas music nearly constant for way-longer-than-I-should-have-at-this-point [thank you Pandora – I’m not tired of hearing my same few CDs over & over]. As I mentioned in my last post, this Alaskan was really struggling with the dark. and the cold. and the wind. BUT snow has come.

::: {Insert: Notice the connection?} Dark is miserable. scary. overwhelming. yet when the light comes – everything looks different. Life on our own [darkness] is miserable. scary. overwhelming. when the light of Christ is in us – everything IS different. He gives us purpose on this earth. Our purpose = to bring Him glory. :::

It has been snowing for about 24 hours and it’s still coming :-D!!!!

It’s white.

It’s gorgeous.

It’s comforting. relaxing.

{Sigh}.

It’s been so long since we’ve had snow & we’ve been anxiously waiting so winter could ‘start’; Vince even enjoyed shoveling a path big enough for us to “get a run for it before becoming a snow submersible”. :-D! {Translation = the car is much smaller than the van…}

It’s beginning to look like a gorgeous winter and at Christmastime too! Christmas celebrations this year are simple. The best kind. I’m so excited!

ps: my camera works 😀

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Oh, my heart is happy, happy, happy.  I am in a location I very dearly love.  I have both kids here with me.  AND I have had communication with both of my brothers today – one I got to see & hug and one was via several emails.  {sigh}  From Sept-May my brother, Matt, lives 2 miles up the road from us….it has been over a month since I’ve seen him.  He kept working out of town this winter, so I’ve seen him probably 10 times (other than in passing at church) since January – pathetic!  (however, we get his cute little girlie once or twice a week…)  So, he flew down here today bringing a potential work crew to see about framing up the new cabin.  We got to see him for a couple hours before they had to head back.

Would you like to see my view when I work here?  Good, here is my view from sitting on the couch.  Also, I am sleeping on the couch (100% by choice) so I can enjoy this view to its fullest.  I love, Love, LOVE waking up during the night/early morning and seeing the mountains with the sun coming over them.  I soak it up.  I love waking up and just knowing this is my view — it really does satisfy my core.

Can you even believe this?!  It makes me so, so happy.  Even when I spend hours on the computer here – this is what I get to look up and see.  To my right are two windows just about six inches shorter than the one straight ahead that opens.  The two on the right don’t open.  This is basically the whole room – it is 16×16; and two of the four walls are basically windows.  Totally my kinds of room!  The metal ladder will not be the permanent access to the loft above, but it is what we use for right now.  See that “pole” on the left side?  That is actually a tree, it goes through the floor and the roots are still in the ground under the cabin.  I will show you more pictures of that tree later – but for today, that is all you’ll see.  ‘Cuz I’m still gushing over my view…can not get enough of it!

When I stand at the tree, in the center of the room – this is what I see.  I NEVER get tired of this view – it just really sets everything right for me.

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When I just signed in I realized I didn’t actually post last week, but it was one of the things I “did” in my sleep….*sigh*  For me, one of the signs of not enough rest and too much stress is that I start to have a hard time separating real life from everything I think of in my sleep.

I currently have several posts rambling around in my head.  Last week was INSANE – I had an unexpected job come up that had to be done right then (when I had actually expected those days to be used planning our trip).  Plus my son had his first youth group trip – he left on Friday afternoon, then Friday night & Saturday was a women’s conference, and Sunday morning we left, picking up Vince on the way.

I’m super excited to now be here — but it is no small process.  We are talking pack – load everything into boat on trailer – six+ hour drive – park truck/trailer – 30 min+ boat ride – unload stuff from boat onto shore – wait on shore while dad hiked up the hill to get the Kubota & trailer – load as much as possible onto trailer – then hike quarter of a mile UP – pull plywood from windows & doors – unload things from trailer – get power on – start unpacking while guys go for second load – while getting water tank filled – when trying to put food in frig it was moldy and standing water, find a spray bottle & vinegar, to clean out frig first – get freezer turned on – find toilet paper so we can go to the bathroom – okay, now we’re starving (it’s 10:30pm!) – back to work, where are the sleeping bags, pillows, etc.  ….  So, when you figure we left at 12:15pm that put us going to bed at 12:46am … it’s funny no matter how we do it, it always seems to be a 12 hour process to get from home to cabin.  This time we were with dad & everything was already loaded into boat because it was the first trip down this year – other times while we may not need to pull plywood off, fill the water tank, or clean out the frig – we have another load/unload process in there.

Anyway, all of that is to say WE’RE HERE!  I even brought plants down and have them all planted.  I anticipate lots of playing with the camera, blogging, writing, reading, note writing, and software learning….and all with a view!  Rain or shine.

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So, once I got the labels done – I printed it on a sheet of labels I had and used about 18″ of contact paper, also something I have on hand…so, essentially free :-D, my kind of project!

I simply put the label on my containers, then so I could wipe them off and re-name if wanted, I covered them with a piece of contact paper.

  

I didn’t know some of my flours need to be refrigerated, so I did a little rearranging there too.  I believe with the labels my Gluten Free stuff is less likely to get contaminated.  My family just doesn’t get it, not to be mean, but just not thinking about it.  I’m hoping with the red containers and ‘GF’ written on containers that are needing to stay Gluten Free it helps them stop and think before using.  For twelve years mom’s pantry has been my go-to if I ran out, and my pantry has been her go-to…that is a hard habit to break.   I’m not even trying to break it, just re-train.  I’m hoping with the shelves labeled my kids will be better about helping keep the pantry clean.

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Here are the rules set by Lisa-Jo at The Gypsy Mama:
1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.
2. Link back to The Gypsy Mama.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments.  Seriously.  That is, like, the rule.  And the fun.  And the heart of this community.

So today the word is Path

I happen to like this thought.  A path to me conjures up a road with trees growing overhead – like a tunnel.  Then several years back I went to our family’s new property for the first time – there was a path there that was my the perfect image of what I imagined to be wonderful.  


This path is used by 4-wheelers and gators.  We are on an island, there aren’t vehicles.  We walk.  We have traveled this road many a time.  


Last week we were on our first walk to the isthmus and at the end of the path is a horse pasture — horses are big, pretty, and scary.  I always dread the gate being shut.  As we walked closer we saw there was a new path – around the horse pasture.  Yea!  So, our walk on this path now does not require any adrenaline – except for the knowledge there is a bear (or maybe two) on the island right now.


At the end of the path is the joy of exploring the isthmus – tide in or out, it’s always beautiful.

Wow – that was short!  I didn’t get to tell you about the tide pools we enjoy, or the random red rock on a beach of pebbles.  I actually already had the collage made up about our walk to the isthmus — remember my mention of a new addiction the other day?  Ya, so not only was this fun – but I already had a picture ready to go.

I am linking this up to The Gypsy Mama.  You should do this too – if you do, please comment and let me know.  I’d love to read yours too.

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As I mentioned on facebook earlier today – raindrops are dropping on our head….in the 10 days, we have seen one day with the sun.  We only see the mountains around us about half the time it has been so cloudy/rainy/breezy/foggy, and chilly.  But – I LOVE BEING HERE, the view, and the lifestyle promoted when here.  Everything slows down (or comes to a stop). 

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Look at those extremes of our Creator’s creation!

Obviously the mountain is big (behind the rainbow is a trail you can climb in about 30 min); the rainbow is untouchable; and then the tiny white flowers growing out of the rocks.  The white flowers are about the size of my pinky fingernail.


Our Creator God made these things for His good pleasure and our enjoyment.  Right now I am reading The Pleasures of God by John Piper – it is very good.  I can only comprehend small amounts of pages at a time, but it is so worth the slow read.


{don’t know what’s up with the funky spacing on this post – but between that & slow internet…}

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Are you cleaning out closets but have some favorite clothes you don’t want to really get rid of? (I admit, I have piles of clothes that are just good material and pretty…for that perfect something, some day.)

Last fall while in the cleanout process of my son’s clothes I came across several t-shirts that were his favorite and he hadn’t wanted to tell me they were too small because he didn’t want me to get rid of them. When he finally decided to ‘fess up he said, “Can’t you make them into something to put on the blog?” I had to smile – he didn’t want them to go away and the most enticing thing he could think of was to associate it with the blog.

So, we came up with t-shirt pillows for his bed. He is a “nester” when he sleeps; he creates a nest of blankets and pillows every night before going to sleep :-).

All I did was sew across the bottom and the bottom of each sleeve*. Leave the neck open for stuffing. I had him use poly-fil stuffing and stuff them to the thickness he wanted; then I stitched the neck closed. *Because I had matching colors of thread for each shirt I did not turn them inside out to sew. I just did a stretch stitch at the bottom over the previous seam.

This was one of those projects that took so little time and effort (maybe two hours for all four?), yet made my boy so happy. It is several months later and he still has them on his bed :-). He often brings this project up to other people too, telling them what I did. How fun is that?! I scored as a mom!!! 🙂

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Anyway, so we’d done the rounds looking for legos, skis, “butterfly” shirts (shirts with big floppy sleeves-I remember them as angel sleeves), and jeans, so we were walking the perimeter of the store to the checkout.  We, of course, detoured past the craft stuff (I left it all there) and into housewares – I was just glancing over the dishes to see if anything jumped out at me.  Let me take you on a short bunny trail: my mom has a thing for purses, mine is for tote bags; my mom has a thing for bowls (all sizes, and no more than 2 the same-drives me nuts!), yet mine is for plates.  Not big plates, but saucer size and salad plate size (they stack, no matter the size).  We don’t use dinner plates, except for serving.  Back to Value Village in the housewares… I see these plates, a batch of two with a rubber band.  They’re saucer size, don’t have a cup indent, and have beautiful flowers on them.  I LOVE flowers, real flowers, pretty much all of them; but when it comes to photos/items pained floral I’m picky.

Okay, I’m taking you on another bunny trail:  My dad’s mom loved flowers as much as I do.    This love of flowers has been ingrained in me since before remembering meeting my grandma (at age 7).  It is a tangible connection I have even now with my grandma.  I loved my grandma dearly, she passed away eight years ago now.  I know she is in Heaven with a new, well, healed body, but I’m selfish and I still miss her.  When I see certain batches of flowers, or a certain kind of painting, or type of tea cup/mug, maybe the way the sun shines through a window onto a batch of flowers – those memories of being a child from 7-14 years of age coming rushing over me, it is as if it were yesterday.  Those are the years our family lived in northern Wisonsin, living near my grandparents.  It is the way I remember her, so many, many years ago (20+ years).  I greatly loved my grandma and I still miss her.  

I picked them up to discover they were sitting on another batch of two with a rubber band, salad plate size – really, my two favorite sizes?  My breathe caught, they were so pretty!  And, there were two of each – one for Christine & I; or for a treat with a friend & I (just need to find teacup/mug)…depending on what the situation is at the moment.  All four plates looked unused, no scratch marks, and still very evenly shiny. (By the way, I left the two dinner plates that matched there :-D)

I decided I really wanted them, but I wouldn’t pay more than $5-7 per set – and if they were $5, then I was only going to get one size.  In other words I wasn’t going to pay more than $5 for plates I didn’t need, I just really wanted them :-D.   All the other plates I thought were interesting were $5.99/$6.99 for a single plate, I took a deep breath before checking the price, and guess what?!  The two little ones, $.99; the two bigger ones, $1.29 — that made $2.28 for all four!  That is my kind of deal!!  I was so stoked, it wasn’t even a debate in my mind.  (not even taking the four and leaving the two bigger ones)  My kids saw my face and agreed, “just get them mom”.  My mind was SCREAMING, “God, you are so funny!  Not only did you let me get ALL of them (when I don’t need them) – You gave them all to me at less than half of what I was willing to pay for one!”

My kitchen walls are dark brown/red, and the other accent/decor is khaki/burlapy/vintage mini roses/tea cups/etc.  Not dainty, more rustic.  Our other plates are an avocadoy green, dark brown/red, and off white, our bowls are off white — so it really does all go together.  Once summer comes I can take pictures in my kitchen, but until then they really don’t turn out.

I know they are just stuff, but when I see them it is the “ache/catch/thought” that causes me to take a long, slow, deep breath and just say “Thank You, Heavenly Father.  Thank You for giving me a grandma who made You her focus, taught me, and loved me so dearly.*  Thank You for all of your provisions”.  A lot of my reaction is due to the painting on these plates, they remind me of my grandma.  He IS in the little things!  I know plates are so insignificant in the grand scheme of life, yet He knew it would make me so happy.  Their coloring totally goes in my kitchen with my other colors and pottery.

{fast forward several hours} – I’ve taken my kids to see The Lorax, we’ve gone to get groceries, and now we’re home making pizza for our Friday night pizza night.  This whole time, I feel just a bit giddy, like a dork who can’t quit thinking of the good deal God gave me today.  So, I’m washing dishes and while washing the new plates, I turn it over to wash the bottom side – guess what, they’re Cheri Blum!  It shocked me –  Cheri Blum is the only artist who I’ve ever consistently seen a picture/painting and it catches my breath; I even had checks of hers once, it was the only time I ever paid full price to re-order the same checks.  I had no idea!

*I don’t in any way mean my parents didn’t, but grandma understood me.  I got my creativeness from her, she & I were very similar in many ways – physically and mentally.

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Today I skipped out on all the need/want/have-to-do’s on all my lists.  I went to visit with dear friends and meet a new baby.  It was WONDERFUL!  To top it off, the sun was bright and warm.  I of course had my “real coat” with me, but I only wore a long sleeve shirt with a down vest.  I felt so light.  I was seriously relishing how warm it was and how maybe spring would come sooner {as long as I don’t look at the __ feet of snow on the ground, in piles EVERYwhere}; after all it was so warm {I would have guessed high-30s/mid-40s}.  Then I saw a thermometer.  At that point I questioned my sanity.  It was 19*.  Yes, that is above zero and not a negative number – but seriously?!  19* is still a LONG ways from melting.

I needed a break from the computer and when I’m home I don’t see the sun in my apartment.  So, since I was out, my children were with my mom, and the sun was shining – I drove.  I didn’t do my normal start at point A, and do errands in a line and end without back-tracking.  I kind of lost the ability to care, the sun was in my eyes and it was “warm”.  In the end, I checked in with mom – all was fine at home, but she & a friend were getting to sew.  I was almost tempted to go home and sew.  In the end, I got a coffee, went to the highest parking lot in town, and parked.  I sat in my car, looking at this view, with warm sun in my face and my eyeballs were very happy.  I had planned to read some stuff I needed to get through, but instead got to catch up with a friend from out of state.  {the wonders of cell phones :-)….}

We are blessed to live in Alaska.  In spring I do wonder why I choose to be here – but look at that view!  I could have turned in pretty much any direction and the view was the same – fresh, crisp, white snow on mountains, glistening to the point of hurting your eyes.  Alaska is home, even though I have heart ties in Wisconsin where I spent several childhood years (so I have a strong all things farm pull),  I have lived most of my life here.  While I’d love to see/shop at some of the wonderful places I see posted about {antiques, fabric, home decor, etc.}; I’d really miss Alaska.  I do really wish we had spring though.  😀

Just so you know – I’m not totally a pessimist….
— Snow storm on April 26, 2008 … Alaska in April
— Snow in April, 2009 … April Fool’s or not?
— Not trusting warm in mid-March, 2010 … SPRING! (maybe, but probably not)
Uh, huh…I’m just finally learning.  Enjoy it in the moment, but don’t depend on it staying :-D.  Yes, I am thick skulled and slow to get this — but this is the last three years’ records….so, I still wish we had spring and think in the future I just need to plan to go see spring elsewhere.  I can see the flowers, smell the flower, and feel the warm sun; then come back and be content to wait until Memorial Day weekend to do my planting :-D.

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