Computers, Coffee, Chai, and "Caps"

This is what my friend Catie and I do when we find ourselves in the possession of neat old hats.

 

We wore them to the library, too. :-)

‘Whenever you wear your hat, your day will be special.’ – Margo Nickel

"The right hat may also enliven our imagination of the past....an old-fashioned cloche, a picture hat, or a toque trimmed with a pouf of polka-dotted veiling is just enough to make us feel as if we were living in another, romantic age." ~ Unknown

"Saying you don't look good in a hat is like saying you don't look good in shoes!" ~ Unknown

"If a woman rebels against high heeled shoes, she should take care to do it in a very smart hat." ~ George Bernard Shaw

March is here!

Happy March!  

Redbud trees are blossoming, seeds are sprouting, projects are rushing along, and babies are growing. Look at this little guy, born around Thanksgiving last year! See his manly eyebrows, his strong grip, and that fierce intimidating stare! 

  

My little friend Isaac and me.  (Isn't he a cute little man?)

Upcoming Book Reviews: 

God's Smuggler - Brother Andrew

Dragons in the Valley - Donita K. Paul

Jane Austen - Peter Leithart

Ah, September. You're here!

September 1st... just saying it thrills me to the bone, for many reasons.  It heralds more fall coming on.  It holds some friends' birthdays.  And, it means in precisely two months, my favorite writing challenge of the year shall begin.

Yep.  National Novel Writing Month, also known as NaNoWriMo.  The 50,000-words-in-a-month challenge.  Click the picture above to see the website and learn more about the madness.

I wrote down a few character ideas tonight, just for fun, and already I want to know what happens with the happy plumber's family and the hardworking, silent young man who lives in their guest house.  They live in the same little town as the Thistlebanes (for those of you who know that family).

I have absolutely no idea of plot yet.  

I do think I have decided to give Melod and Co. a break this year.  I want to venture once again into the weird and wonderful small-town minds, to experience what we call "everyday" happenings, which are so entirely mysterious and unplumbed that we usually don't see them.

Like when we go outside at night to get something from the car, and we forget that there's an upside-down hole right there above us, light-years deep, nothing between us and it but air and clouds and atmosphere, and that only because of a few laws of physics and gravity am I not falling headlong into outer space.

Um, yes.... Probably time to stop writing for tonight.

But I am getting cautiously excited about the approach of the 1st of November.  Time slips by fast, and I have plenty to get in order before frantic noveling ensues!

In other news, AWANA started tonight (hurrah!), and on my way to and from it I experienced an earnest West Texas dust storm, the musty smell of rain in the desert, warm sprinkles of rain, grand rumbles of thunder, and a huge full rainbow. :-)

Rambles from a borrowed basement

Here I am, sitting on the floor of a lovely homeschooling family's basement, where Sarah and Catie (sisters of the groom) and I are staying.  Another young lady (Courtney) is over practicing violin duets with Sarah for the wedding.  They're both great musicians.  Ah, I love homemade music :-). 

In midst of listening to Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring, I was over on the YLCF, reading some excellent reposted articles for single ladies on love and trusting God.  Excellent stuff, about beauty, expectations vs. ideals, patience, and God's perfect faithfulness to give us the "no"s that will actually turn out to our greater joy. 

Good stuff.  I am so weak, but He is strong.

The fact of the matter is that the only way to true peace with regard to our future mate is by way of an age-old path called surrender. In fact, it’s the only way to true peace about anything. And the more comfortable we are with that idea, I believe, the happier we are in this life. We sometimes think of surrender as a last resort, an arms-folded acceptance of an unpleasant situation, rather than the gateway to all the delights our Father’s blessing and joy. 
~ Lanier ~

Surrender.  Not mournful, but eagerly expecting good things from  my Father.  That's what I need and am praying for. 

In other news, my brother Sam (the best man... in many ways, thinks this adoring sister ;-) ) drove down last night from Iowa- hurrah!  Dear quiet Sam, friends with jolly Aaron since they were nine years old.  I still haven't seen him yet - he's hanging out with the bride's family, and Joy and Aaron (or "Jaron," as the about-to-become-one-person is being affectionately called, hehe!)  It's funny seeing the confused wildness that happens even with a small wedding, with friends coming from all over, and families galore, and pennies pinched and rehearsal dinners hand-decorated....

"The brisket in the borrowed freezer needs to come out to thaw!"

"Don't forget the black pants!"

(playing with kids at the park) "Wait, Ethan, you probably shouldn't be eating sand."

"Ellie, you like gnawing that lotion bottle, don't you?"

"Emmie, how did you manage to fall down again?" 

"Can you add something to the lists for Wal-Mart and Sam's?"

It hasn't been all stress, though.  Not with these folks. :-)  Earlier we three "big girls" did have time to play with the littles in water.  It was an amazing fountain at the park, designed flat and slanting into drains, so it barely holds water. But it shoots out these sporadic streams of water, so the adventure is to run through and try to not get wet...  A few of us didn't dodge in time, but then, getting splashed is fun too. ;-)

Farmington is lovely.  It's a pretty little edge-of-the-mountains sort of town, with enough hills to be pretty but not block the huge sky.We listened to the new Andrew Peterson CD about five times driving up from Albuquerque, across the rolling hills, and last night in the pouring rain as we drove around town running errands.

This is a very odd post.  But ah well.  :-)  I think we're about to head off to the next thing soon, so I should wrap this up.  Dress rehearsal this afternoon, then the rehearsal dinner, then tomorrow the two giddiest people in the world will share their first kiss and head off to their secret honeymoon destination "somewhere in Colorado."

They're about to go dancing in the minefield, and sailing in the storm.  :-)  May the Lord bless their new family with greater things than they can imagine.

(picture added August 24, 2010)

Just Because...

Boundless Summer Challenge - Task 9

Today's assignment was to perform a random act of service and kindness for someone.  

I offered free babysitting to a young mom.  She's been sick lately, and I offered to give her a break by playing with her little boy.  And/or, if she and her husband want to go on a date night later, I could watch him then. She hasn't got back to me yet, but I said I would keep bugging her so she knows I'm serious. ;-) 

I've been wanting to do this more, since it's something I as a single have time for, and it's a way to bless and encourage married people. :-)  It's also a way I can get a glimpse into their life, and perhaps appreciate more the trials (and joys!) of taking care of a child, something they do every day!  AND, it's a good reminder that these folks are my family, and I want them to be able to rely on me now and then as I will definitely need to rely on them!    

That's it!  I'm only sorry I didn't do more today! I suppose I'm allowed to do them later, not for the Challenge, right? ;-)  Some of the ideas, like paying for someone's meal or coffee anonymously, sounded like too much fun!

Literary tag

If I have ever been tagged before, I have not noticed.  Until now.  Thanks, Merriette! :-)  This is very rare, you know, but I'll do it for you and my own amusement.

1 - What is your favorite book?
The Lord of the Rings.  I know, big surprise. 

2 - Who is your favorite character in that book and why?
Samwise Gamgee, closely followed by Frodo (or vice versa, depending on when you ask me).  Sam is humble, down-to-earth, not especially clever or good with a sword or handsome or dashing or well-spoken, but he feels things deeply even when he can't say why.  He knows that he's part of a Grand Story.  He's also a hero in the highest sense of the word - faithful to the end, persistent and persevering and sacrificial, who carries his friend Frodo up Mount Doom.  He reminds me of Jesus, who is even more faithful and persistent than a hobbit, and who carried our sins and sorrows up a Hill when we could not.  And after the Evil was destroyed and it was finished, then came the waking, and finding that everything sad was coming untrue.

:-)  Oh, and Sam is a gardener, a cook, and a wellspring of hilarious phrases from the Gaffer.  How could I not like him best?

3 - If you could spend a day as a character in the book who would it be and why?
Rosie Cotton.  Because she gets to live in the Shire, marry Samwise, and have lots of cute hobbit children. ;-)  Only a day would be too short to do all that, though, so I'm ignoring that part, muhaha.

4 - Would you rather read Pride and Prejudice or Little Women?
I've read both, and P&P would probably be a quicker read, but at the moment I'd pick Little Women.  We're about to watch it for my "Young Ladies Film Society" (i.e. movie night for girls from church), and I'd like to be able to notice the big things they added/changed in the film.

5 - Where is your favorite place to read a good book?
I've had many.  Once it was the tree in my grandparents' back yard, which alas, is now gone.   Often on my bed, in the car, by a cozy fire, or at the kitchen table with a plate of something yummy.  These days, it's mostly on the couch.  With a mug of tea or coffee, ideally, and sometimes a bit of chocolate.

I shall not tag, but if you want to answer the same questions, of course you're quite free too.

Lovely Wednesday night to you all!  I think I shall go refresh my coffee now, and read my current book - Dug Down Deep, by Joshua Harris, which I did end up buying and which has been quite refreshing and good.

Study, Random, and a Goose Egg

When was the last time I challenged myself to find out if a long-held belief or way of doing things was actually Scriptural?

When was the last time I dove into some serious Bible study, taking notes, making lots of observations, seeing what is there instead of what I want to see?

When was the last time I was able to flip open a Bible and humbly explain a concept or principle, without fear of having taken anything out of context or of making it say what it didn't?

Too long ago, that's when.

Well, I plan on doing some deep digging in the following days.  I might even post some of my findings here as part of the process.  And hopefully at the end I'll be able to explain with Scripture, clear thinking, and personal conviction why I believe some of the "odd" things I do. :-)  And if my views change in the process, so much the better!  What better to change me than Scripture?  

In other news, I've been:

• spending time with my dear dad, who visited this weekend - I love you Daddy!
• lunch at my grandparents after church
• good conversations with my friend Erik :-)
• drinking some lovely white and herbal tea I got for Christmas
• writing book reviews 
• learning to write press releases 
• picking early flowers from our garden and putting them in a teacup
• eating chocolate 
• cooking 
• watching Arsenic and Old Lace with two sweet friends (I hope I didn't scar them for life, hehe!)
• admiring my brother Zach's muscles (he's getting ready for the Marines)
• listening to barbershop quartets while my mom cuts Bob's hair
• thinking about the blessing of children, homeschooling, and media discernment
• helping my mom carry little seedlings inside every night, and outside in the morning
• taking my Puppy to AWANA for Stuffed Animal Night
• listening to Adventures in Odyssey
• fiddling with piano and irish whistle
• not wanting to buy anything else from China
• pondering the amazing beginning of the sentence "But God..."
• walking with a mom, her little girl, and their dog
• drinking in wisdom from an elder
• chatting with my Thinkling friends on Google chat
• getting on Blogger too often without actually posting anything ;-)
• looking at my goose egg I painted and scribbled on 
• taking too many pictures with my webcam

Well, I don't have anything else to say, and it's getting late, so adios from the West Texas hobbit hole!

"Can you do the Battle Song?"

I am currently drinking Earl Grey tea, reading Hope for Relationships stuff, hearing about the possible snow and ice tomorrow, and listening to the Narnia soundtrack.  And thinking of Samantha, who loved to come into my room while I was staying with her family in college, leap onto the bed, and beg to hear "the Battle song."

Marvelously good times. Don't you love it how certain songs can remind you so strongly of dear places and people and special times?

Little Pretties

 I thought I'd pop in at my blog for a few minutes.  Greetings from my desk on a beautiful Saturday afternoon!  Doesn't this cup of garden flora look delicious?  It smells like a whole field of wildflowers and honey.  Mmm....

And don't candles make you feel studious and excited?  I love how they brighten up any little corner.  They're almost like cats on the hearth, a dog at your feet, or the perfect background music.  Why in the world does a little fire enchant us so? 

 

Here's Little Dorrit the Desk, and the lower edge of a hat quilt that was handmade by my great grandmother.  

Alright, as you can see, my desk is so pretty and cozy that I must get back to work at it. Goodbye for now! 

Beware Talking Coffee Containers

I'm already enjoying my new shiny NaNoWriMo travel mug. It's a lovely satiny brown, with a cheery blue NaNoWriMo logo on the side and the word "AUTHOR" beneath proudly proclaiming my fondness and ability of madly writing a novel in a month.

But last night as I rubbed its smooth metallic interior, and listened to the pleasant swooshing sound made by thwopping the lid on and off, I practically heard it talk. It was sneakily suggesting it could be My Precious, and it would make me very happy, and no one else must touch my shiny new present, oh no they must not...

Rather creepy, let me tell you, to almost hear inanimate objects say things like that.

I think letting other people use it might be a good way to combat its scheme to possess me. Here's another way - I can tell on it (er, really on myself) to God:

Lord, loosen in me the hold of visible things;
Help me to walk by faith and not by sight;
I would, through thickest veils and coverings,
See into the chambers of the living light.
Lord, in the land of things that swell and seem,
Help me to walk by the other light supreme,
Which shows thy facts behind man's vaguely hinting dream.

~George MacDonald, Diary of an Old Soul ~

I have a feeling things are talking to me more often than I realize, and too often, I am obeying their commands like a witless slave.

But though we can't see beyond the Veil yet, we can choose to trust God that there just may be far superior coffee containers there. And perhaps (but this is too wild!), just perhaps our attention will be so captured by such amazing and delightful Beings (One in particular), that we won't be thinking of coffee at all.

So how can I use my travel mug for God's glory? How can I be a faithful steward of this temporary thing that is either my tool... or my master? These are questions I ask myself, when at the back of my mind I know the answer:

"Stop writing this weird blog post, Rael, and get after the work set before you today, before the coffee is old and molding in that nice new mug of yours!"

"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." ~Matthew 6:19-21~

Writing, Reading, and the North Wind

Last night I did something very frivolous. I ordered the NaNoWriMo travel mug, all for myself. *guilty grin* I had considered it before, but it seemed wasteful. But last night, I just did it. So there. I am not under a law to never buy nice liquid-holding containers. Well, but wouldn't a NaNoWriMo T-shirt be better, I pondered? It sounded more excusable. But I decided - Nope. A mug will be far more useful to me, and more fun. This is an amazing mug. I plan to make it pay its own way over many, many years of supplying me with warm caffeinated fluids.

Today I wrote for work most of the morning and a little into the afternoon. Then I did some dishes and a tinsy bit of housework while listening to Adventures in Odyssey, and then I settled myself on the floor with pages of story spread out, reviewing story bits I barely remembered and trying to make sense of a decent plot out of it all. Not there yet! This is one reason I so regret not finishing my first NaNoWriMo story. Once you loose the flow and forget where you were going, it's immensely difficult to pick it back up and finish the thing. At least for me. Especially when I tried a while back...meaning I now have at least three different versions to sort through. It could take a while.

Then the rest of this evening, while eating some amazing vegetable soup made by my lovely Mother, I have been swept away in Worlds Unseen, a fantasy novel by a young lady named Rachel Starr Thomson. She is a bit older than I am and still lives happily at home with her family. She has become a very inspiring example to me of the both dependence on family and of the energetic productivity a young lady can thrive in, instead of just sitting around waiting for life to start at marriage or diving off on her own lonely career. I have grown to respect and admire Rachel over the years, first through her thoughtful posts on Boundless, but also on her own blog, which I link to in my sidebar.

Rachel's book, Worlds Unseen, is amazing, and the first book is free to download. Beware, though. If you like well-writen fantasy from a Biblical worldview, it will suck you in! I already know I will be buying the second book (and possibly a hard copy of the first).

The air has been still and warm most of today and this evening as we all waited for the predicted cold front. No wind, no wind... But a few minutes ago, I heard it. The trees rushed as the North Wind came sweeping through branches and fences, proclaiming in wild and familiar voice the coming of cold. It was a thrill to recognize it's coming. I forget... How I forget!

More writing tomorrow, hopefully of both work and fun, and perhaps I'll finish the marvelous story about Maggie and her assorted friends, and the strange and wonderful and frightening world she lives in.

Oh, and tomorrow...er, today (I need to go to bed!) is exciting for another reason, too. Can you guess? Find out in my next post! Here's a clue: it has to do with a two literary characters who share something.

Hullo from a Hobbit

Hush! The Black Riders might have followed me here, and could be outside!

Whew! They're gone now. Who am I? I come in peace, friend. Do I smell coffee in this fine dwelling?

The ceiling might not be rounded, but you can't fool me. It's a hobbit hole in disguise. And I do smell coffee!

What's this about writing? Coffee is only for writers, is it? Well, I suppose I can help you. Uncle Bilbo taught me my letters. Would you like that in Elvish or Common Tongue?

Aha! Thank you for the delicious home brew! And it comes in pints!! I think I'll live here, if you don't mind. I'll call it Whit's End, after the young Whit fellow who dwells here. Like Bag End, named after the Bagginses. I don't know what Adventures in Odyssey is, either, so stop giving me silly looks. Whit's End is a perfectly fine name for your - our - house.

Goodbye for now!

~Elanor Baggins ~


(note from Rael: This hobbit lass came to visit a few years ago and decided to stay. She'll go on adventures now and then, and suddenly shows up when least expected. Quite a character, and she threatens to clean out our refrigerator when she's here! Looks remarkably like me, she does, though she's much more hairy on the feet...)

"short" post turned long and rambly

pretending to be a farmer's wife

I've been feeding our friend's animals (cats, dog, chickens, guinea, and lamb) and watering their plants again this week. The Attack Rooster has thus far kept his distance. Perhaps because I now enter the coop armed with a sturdy stick. Perhaps he's only waiting until the last day, when I'm least on guard. Perhaps he's sharpening the spurs on his legs so as to be quite prepared to make a deep puncture, and collecting plenty of little bacteria and evil dirty things with which to infect the said wound.

I've told him I forgive him for last time, though, and for being a roosterly rooster. We'll see if he believes me.

Other than the threat of infection, tending to "the farm" has been fairly pleasant, as always. I love how dirty I usually get, how wild my hair and how mud-streaked my feet, just from watering a few plants and feeding a few animals! It's quite humorous. But of course, where there is dirt, I must get some on myself. Not that the animals mind.

one last adventure of the summer

The very day I finish my animal-feeding job, I will be departing my fair little town in the midst of Nowhere to go to the Renewing the Family Camp! Our good friends the Grubens invited me to go with them, and I am quite honored and excited. Not only to spend time with my dear old friends, but to meet and fellowship with other God-loving families of similar convictions. And I believe two young ladies who inspire me greatly through their writing and documentary will be there...

Who else might be there? I have this nagging feeling that one or more lovely people whose blogs I read might show up, and that I will not make the connection until the camp is over. Meeting folks in real life can be so different from the online world, though... perhaps it would be better if you keep an illusion of my grace, elegance, and eloquence ...;-)

After the family camp, I'll probably stay with the Grubens for a week or so until we contrive a way to get me back home. They have just moved, so I hope I can help with organizing, cleaning, or another of the millions of tasks that go along with moves. And I'm sure we'll find time for a bit of coffee, craziness, and cloak-wearing as well.

dreaming and dilligence

In other news, I've been taking too many naps, watching too many movies with Whit and the Mother, eating too much bread (loaf, biscotti, scones, cookies), reading Little Dorrit, and writing for my job. I need to be more diligent, though, because I'm a bit behind on the last one. Ideally I would write an even two hours a day, but lately I end up doing it all near the end of the week. Starting next month I'm going up to 20 hours a week, which means I can't do that anymore. Not sure what needs to go, besides constantly checking Facebook. Getting up early consistently would help. So would not having a temporary job of watering zuchini and feeding a lamb who insists he's constantly starving.

But isn't it funny how sometimes the busier you are, the more you end up getting accomplished? I was lately encouraged by this post by the Botkin sisters. My head is often off in the blue building castles in the clouds and not getting anywhere useful, so it was challenging to hear them encourage young ladies at home to work on marketable skills. I'd like to think I could have a thriving, easy home business making bread, but really this writing job which the elders at church have given me is much more productive and useful. I pray I can go after it will all the excitement and diligence I can, so I'll have more time to give my family and friends and to do the things I really want to (like reading good books, making bread, and writing my own stories)

So much for my "quick" update post! I don't even have pictures in this one. Ah well. Back to work now. And I hear some fresh homemade fig bars came out of the oven too! So farewell!

Itchy Noveling Fingers

This past week I finished my intense six weeks of Next Step classes at church, and now I am trying to catch up on housey things and get back into a decent writing schedule. Writing for work, mainly. Once I get that down somewhat, I'll be freer to write purely for fun.

(Bella, our black cat, says "Mrooaaw" from her upside-down posture on the floor, by the way. She looks so cute and plump when she lies on her back, with all four paws in the air, and her little spot of white fluff prominently displayed on her large tummy.)

I want to send out a quick shout-out to fellow writers! Do you know what month that starts with N is coming up rather quickly? Do you want to go on a fabulous and crazy adventure with me? Do you smell the fall in the air, and feel the chill wind blowing you inside to mugs of hot stuff and worlds of imagination?

NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, will soon be here! Visit the official website for more about the marvelous madness, of which I partook last year. Muhahaha.

My little desk has a new spot to live, and she and I are getting on nicely. I haven't worked with her in a long time because of a bad location, but now her nooks and little drawers are fairly organized, her flat surface fairly clear, and she's been helping me immensely to get back into a good writerly routine.

What is a good desk name? My friend Catie would know, as she names everything from geraniums to cars to computers. Hmmm... Perhaps Little Dorrit. Always helpful, never complaining. Yes, I think that suits her. ;-) I shall try to post a picture of Little Dorrit at some point in the future.

Time for more writing and a mug of coffee! And please do think about joining me for NaNoWriMo in November. I'll mention it again well before then to remind you. You don't know what you're missing if you refuse!

Classes... Crazines... Is there a connection? ;-)

Greetings, Folks! Happy Independence Day! Yesterday we celebrated the 4th with our church out on the Triple L ranch, so today has been nice and quiet. Aside from the glorious thunder and pounding rain, haha! Lovely. I've been catching up on work, listening to Mr Eben's talks,

sipping Twining's Spiced Tea from a lovely tea cup,

enjoying candlelight and thunder and rain,

and knitting furiously on a scarf that's been unfinished far too long. I seriously need to branch out into hats or blankets, or at least do some patterned scarves. But hey, it's fluffy and mindless work. Just what I need sometimes.

So, that's my silly picture post, complete with weird hair and Woot! shirt. The camera on my laptop is too much fun! Have a grand day, and remember the freedoms our fathers died for!

Monday Mumblings

April is speeding by, and soon May will arrive, filled with graduations, the beginning of summer breaks, a brother's birthday, a good friend's wedding, travel, and another opportunity to take care of our friends' critters!

In the meantime it is Monday afternoon, and I'm afraid I feel rather lazy and mindless. I want to build a habit of posting here regularly, but at the moment have nothing stunning to say.

Let's see. I just came back from helping with the last day of Good News Club for the school year. I was telling the kids about Corrie Ten Boom, who has an amazing story of courage, forgiveness, and the faithfulness of God.

In a few days the lady who heads up our Club has organized a spaghetti dinner for the kids and their families. That should be exciting. I think quite a few of the kids are either Christians already or at least go to church some. But this is a great opportunity to share the gospel with their families, in the likely chance that there are some unsaved among them. Our church is generously providing space to have the dinner (and I think food as well), which is a blessing!

We might have stuffed pita bread for supper tonight. Dough is rising, but my creativity feels quite low at the moment. But God is still good. :-) Have a blessed day!

Mysterious Characters

Surrounded by the aura of candlelight, two figures poured diligently over manuscripts of wisdom and adventure.


"He's one of them Rangers. Dangerous folk they are, wanderin' the Wild. What 'is right name is I've never 'eard, but around 'ere, 'es known as Strider... Or was it Bob?"


Greetings from Lady Rael and Sir Robert! Won't you join us in our literary journey? There's plenty of tea to refresh you before you must travel on!

A brief list of today's doings

Today, Rael did the following:

-made bread, cinnamon rolls, chicken stock, and chicken salad
-ran an errand for Zach and retrieved Whit from MCA
-washed lot dishes
-tinkered on the piano a tad (which is more than she usually does)
-discussed the myth of preditory pricing, and how the government owes people green bubble gum
-inspected seedlings sprouting outside
-dumped compost
-anticipated the P&P-watching night
-listened to Mossflower
-washed more dishes
-laughed in pity when The Old Clunker (my old laptop which needs a better name) died on her twice in three minutes
-read a few promising parts of my novel
-laughed when the Mother brought home left-over food consisting largely of...chicken salad
-amused herself by lazily posting a list instead of a well-crafted series of sentences and paragraphs
-had so much fun writing in third person, she decided to leave before the Gollum-speech catches up to her, precious