Rainy Days n Tuesday

 Remember the song by the Carpenters "Rainy days and Mondays?

Well, the mood doesn't really fit my day because I'm not down nor wear a frown but 

it is a beeeautiful, cold rainy day!  Brrr rabbit cold!  In the 40's!  Some of you may 

be snickerin... and I know I've turned into a pansy but I'm sure my tomatoes are flat out shivering. 

I wish I wouldn't  have said tomatoes.  

I mean... it's supposed to rain all week and my garden is mud and ... 

weeds.  Grass is growing up in all the rows and it is going to take a heap 

of work to turn things around.  I'm trying to put it outta my  head.  Nothin 

I can do about it now unless weeding in the rain is an option and ...think

I'll just pass on that.  Chores are all done, and laundry is going so I've been catching up on 

bible study and reading.  

Last night I finished 1 maccabees and it was hard reading for me.  

I dunno... although I read it completely, not too much was retained.   So now I'm in 2 Macca and planning how to also go about studying the saints.  I'm starting with St Fiacre.  He was a Catholic priest, abbot, (I had to look up abbot coz I didn't know what that was) - he was a hermit and gardener.  I already love him!!!!  I think I need a statue of him in my garden.  

 I've  added my goodreads shelf on this sidebar and ask if you are a member,  ... or have any recommendations to please add me to your friends list there.  I have very very few friends on goodreads; it's practically sad! Hardly any of my  friends read anything like I do.  One of you followers  once shared with me about Henri Nouwen awhile back when I was struggling with an advent study.  Anyways... your encouragement really helped...  Thankyou!  

 Right now, I have three new books coming from Amazon! 

One is Microshifts, and another called: Stories of the Saints, and last... Getting Started With Latin.  Someone out there probably choked a little reading the last one.  Even Myguy did when I told him the title.  A look of almost horror?  I believe he actually gasped.  Oh well... yes Latin!  I don't know how it's going to go but... it has really good reviews... and I want to learn some Latin.   It's really beautiful to hear read outloud I think.  Maybe I should check out audiobooks on that?  Yall can just laugh..  I'll be out driving the tractor and lawn mower learning some Latin  :)   

Change of subject... 

As I did my lessons, WOODY entertained me. 

This is one of the many charms of staying at home: birdwatching! 

Today I've had many visitors.  Cowbirds, cardinals, jays, rosy finches, a painted bunting and indigo bunting, grosbeak, and others that I don't know what they are yet.  

 My cellphone is not doing a very good job through the window so 

I finally grabbed my other camera.  I hope I can get some better photos today.  

I love watching them... but they aren't as fond of me.  Someone ought to tell them 

just who feeds them?  

 Not going to the store as much has left me out of bread and "my" milk.  I really dislike

going to the store these days.  

Myguy and I don't exactly eat the same.  I drink fatfree milk, he drinks full fat everything!  lol 

We are like that with most things.  He's chocolate... I'm vanilla.  

 I did dip into his full fat milk for my coffee though.  

And since we are out of bread,... decided it was time to make some.  

  

If any of you are bread bakers ... I double dawg dare you to just try  this recipe.  

Oven 350

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 1/2 cups unbleached flour

2 cups water

1 egg (I use 2 because my hens are bantys) 

1/4 cup safflower oil

1/2 cup honey

2 Big heapin tablespoons molasses 

1 Tablespoon yeast

dash salt 

Butter bread round bowls or loaf pan whatever you have 

Let rise 45 minutes and bake 35 minutes

Take out and slather tops with butter... REAL butter .. full fat... don't put any of that artificial stuff on there!

 There are not good clear directions on the recipe card so thought I'd share how I do it..

works for me anyways.  

I put the two cups of very warm water in a fruit jar and add all of the honey - the whole

half cup and stir it... then add the yeast and give it a quick stir. 

Then don't get busy doing something else too long or 

she'll try to climb right  out of the jar.  

I add  all the rest of the ingredients in my mixing bowl and then pour this sweet yeasty water in and 

combine it.  I'll just warn you straight up that this is not near enough flour.  Because what comes out is this: 

 Super sticky dough.  I put a lot of flour down first... the unbleached

and then 

 add whole wheat flour to start working it into a nice 

 big doughball.  

From there I grab a serrated knife and make a cross dividing it into four.  

Then I pop them into the buttered doughbowls and cover with a towel to rise.

Here a chick there a chick everywhere a chick chick... 

(That's a mamas day present from my lil chicklet Blakelea )

35 minutes later they come out of the oven like this.  

Wish you could smell it!  

While things had to sit in bowls and rise, I finished a little sketch for 

a journal card... This will go in my traveler's notebook to document 

life in public wearing a mask.  It's really weird to be out and about and see everyone 

in masks isn't it?  It's like another world.  As I sat at my table, waiting for paint 

splatters to dry, I happened to look up at the bookshelf. 

 This is where I keep some treasures.  

 Found myself staring at this one... Out of doors in the holyland.  

I might have shared it here long ago but for some reason I never read it 

Picking it up felt like opening a present... 

I don't know why I never read it through? 

Maybe the timing is just "now." 

Funny how a book written in 1908 can feel so 

timely for an olde gal in 2020.  

For such a time as this?  

I sign off to eat my slab of fresh peanut butter TOAST with 

bananas on top.  

Have a wonderful day! 

Lea   <*))))><

St Patrick's Day

Hey there friends,

It's been so long since I've written.  Sorta feels like I'm just

 typing into the wild blue yonder.  

So yall have something green on?

Can't say as I do.  No cabbage or green jello or any of that jazz on 

tonight's menu either.  

What an olde fuddyduddy huh?  

It feels sooo good however- especially  with these  shots of Spring upon us.

This week it's been up in the 80's at times but

here we are now looking at a weekend with a possible freeze in the forecast.

As of yesterday the Wisteria was close to leafing out; I hadn't checked it yet today.

The peonies... my "Mommas" peonies no less; are up and growin like weeds.

So there we go once again; that big fat dilemma.

Do I get my panties in a wad and do my level best to covering  everything

with old sheets, tarps, buckets, flower pots... milk jugs... ---yall know how it is!!!

Who else out there dotes and coddles her  beloved peonies?  

 I can't just "let" these succumb to frost.  I have to 

at least try to bundle them up and keep them warm.  

It's what any good PeonyMomma surely does???  

So I'll be tuning in to channel 5 to  see if  olde Garrett our weather man says, " bring those plants inside..."

If he does; .... well then  pots and buckets and tents of sheets  

will attest that indeed this gardener "tried."  

 Looking across the board I know alot of you have also been having

extra warm days.  Perhaps you too have been cleaning up your gardens and old sheds?

This door on our greenhouse has had peeling paint for over a year now so finally

got the gumption to scrape it off and give it a fresh coat of bark brown.  

Then set about cleaning the whole place.  Every winter it's quite a catch all,

so it felt really good to get some junk tossed,  and then spent hours with a shop vac suckin up 

mouse droppings,  dead bugs, leaves and mud dobber nests. 

 At the end of one day out there, I walked inside and 

the sunlight was shining through one window in the greenhouse 

right onto this Jesus painting again.  I've seen it happen a couple times

before but when you're standing there "seeing" it... well;

it's just pretty awesome.  

 Getting everything spruced up out here gave me  new inspiration to spend time

writing and painting in the greenhouse. 

 It's so peaceful to watch the birds at the feeders and birdbath 

and sketch or take pictures of visitors.  

 Got some  planning and daydreaming done too  in this  new Sparrow.  

Leather traveler's notebooks have  become a new passion of mine and 

this one is a big A5 size to jot down all my garden ideas and plantings. 

You can only have 15 characters stamped into the leather so had to leave off 

the "shabby." lol    

 One of my inserts is on favorite quotes.  

This is actually in a different book than the oldepottingshed book but

thought I'd share it in case one of you might be inspired to share one of 

your own favorite quotes here.  Feel free to share in the comments if you do!!

 Thought I'd share some more evidence that Spring is really here.

This is my Momma's redbud tree in all her glory.  

It's so beautiful and I often think of her planting that tree with her own hands.  

 Her pear tree is chock full as well.  

Sure hope the cold snap doesn't hurt it.  

 The last couple years a mockingbird has nested in these branches.

I saw one flying around when I took  photos and I wonder if she's the same one?

I'll be watching to see if I spot a new nest.  

The three donks are starting to shed their winter coats.  

There are little piles of grey hair under their favorite cedar branch rubs.  

 The green grass is really coming on now.  In fact;....

Last night; Myguy bought a new push mower since our  last one was 

on it's last leg.  

This afternoon I mowed  all around the potting shed and our fenced  dog yard.

Smelled so good.    

It's hard to hold off planting though.

I've learned the hard way in the past and well;

it's  still just too early. 

So for now; ... patience grows instead.  

Thanks for stopping by the shed ... your time and friendship is dear to me.  

Happy St. Patty's day!  

Leaon Mary

True

Hey friends,

I was flipping through my little sketch book and thought I'd share

my word this week.  "True"  

It's pretty cool how after you pick your word for the year... it pops up in so many ways.  

My favorite is where it's written in   Phil 4:8 -- and that verse seems to show up often! 

I've been seeing "true"  in graphics, on stickers, and hear it spoken many times in a day.

-Often in lyrics of a song too.  

It's delightful I think when they just jump out at ya.  

I hope if you too have picked a word for the year or maybe one picked you somehow;

that you're hearing it or seeing it often and it's

becoming more meaningful  than you even imagined it could.    

I leave yall with a new scripture picture from my devo this morning.

Psalm 25:4-5

It's written on a gelli print 

from an old ledger I use for art.  

Have a beautiful day,

Love,  leaon mary

What Breaks My Heart, Recent Planner Discovery and Inside My Hobonichi

 Hello friends,

Sunday a sermon I heard asked

"What breaks your heart?"  

The Pastor said, if you want to become a better person 

do something to make the world a better place.  

And what really really grabbed me was when he said, 

Do something to make "someone's" world a better place.  

That's what my friend and Mentor Cora has done for me.

She's been  a  true friend and invested so much into  my life... doing the very 

thing the Pastor spoke of.  

She's allowed God to use her to make  my world

 a better place.  

This is the bible that she gifted to me a few years ago now.

It has meant so much to me... as does she.

Many of you know her cancer came back and 

I would ask you to please keep her in your prayers.  

I know it would mean alot to her...

and me too.  

Thankyou...   

 Onto this little discovery.

Decided I just had to share it with you because it's such a good deal.

It's called the Planner Addict Box.  

If you subscribe, one will come to you like clockwork

every month.  

 This is how it looks when you open it.

It feels like your birthday every month!

They're always packaged beautifully and with absolute care.

 This is the contents of this months box.  

A cool pen that says Dream Big, 

project life cards... a cute tag... awesome stamps by Heidi swapp, 

sheets of planner stickers, washi, a cute aqua planner tassel... 

it's a great deal and the sub box is only fifteen bucks.  

Alot of times there's even a teabag inside.  

I look so forward to it every month.  

 Lastly, thought I'd share my 2016 start in 

my hobonichi.  

I take it to bed with me every night and this year the book I bought is smaller.  

It's the Planner book -- I purchased the weeks book as well but my daily sketches go in this one. 

I like that this is smaller.  For me; .. it's less overwhelming because I can just focus

on one thing to add for each day.   

On Jan 1st, I sketched the deer skull in our living room and 

added my one word:

TRUE... 

On the 2nd, I did a quick sketch of my vanilla making.  

Vanilla beans and the bottle of bourbon. lol 

Then yesterday I shared with yall 

that I saw an owl in the woods.  

So he went on the next page.  

Tonight I hope to sketch the highlight  today.  

I was walking into the coop with a bucket of scratch grain and 

one of our  Mille fleur banty hens flew at me and landed right on my arm and went 

to eating out of the bucket as I entered the doorway!  

She's never ever done that before!  It was soooo cute.  

I stood there for so long and let her eat perched on my arm!

Kinda felt like Snow white or something. 

Alright time to sign off

and go haul two vehicles tonight to the shop.

Myguy said he's purdy sure Taco Johns is in our future.

He speaks my love language.

Thanks for stoppin by,

Love Leaon Mary

A Peek Inside My Sketchbook

Thought I'd share a few pics of my nightly ritual of recording days.

  This is my Hobonichi and it's a  "cousin" size.

They sent this pen along with it and it reminds me of a coleto or the old fashioned

Bic multicolor pens.  I don't use this pen in the book; instead a Lamy or Twsbi fountain pen with 

permanent ink .  So here we go.... don't laugh; and no critics allowed; aww scratch that

you can laugh. 

Laughter is good medicine :)  

Here you will find  nothing to be exact at all... stick people are even allowed.  

I love stick people.  :)  

There are no rules in this book, 

it's messy and chock full of life.

Flipping through the pages of the year, I'm finding these  little pictures spark 

so many memories. So here we go.... 

This one was of Addie running up ahead of me on one of our daily walks.  

We have paths cut across our pasture and I can just glance at this and see my lil Addie Doo. 

 This one still makes me laugh out loud when I see it.

Aspen had an appt at the vet to get her stitches out after getting spayed.  

When I went inside, the lobby was full of people and dogs.  They were so busy that day.

Teresa; who works there said, "Lea bring her around to the rug and just roll her over." 

So right there in front of God and everybody... poor AspenRose laid spread eagle on the floor

while Teresa clipped her stitches.  She did really good inspite of having all those other strange dogs and cats watching.  

 Here she is again... 

I'd just taken her swimming in our pond.  She loves

the water.   

 Baked the fam chocolate chip cookies this day.

 This page reminds me to check my boots 

before putting them on because I think I got 

bitten on the foot.  

 This page reminds me of the very first zinnias,

and the coneflower that opened up at the base of the bottle tree.

It was green like that.  

On this day I was puttering in the potting shed.

Ophelia the cat was snoozing under my desk, 

and the sunflowers were bowing heavy with seed.  

 Here I cleaned the commodes at the shop.

 And here the coneflowers were prickly. 

 I drove to Diamond city on this day and 

found my Dad unable to walk. 

 Had to call 911 and 

just seeing this sketch brings back the feelings 

of following the ambulance carrying him to the hospital.  

 A blue jay feather was found.

 My waterlily bloomed 

and I discovered the dressform in the potting shed

was full of wasp nests!!!!

 Picked the first yeller squash and fried it up right.

 This was a day our son was in the hospital and

we watched monster fish with him on the tv. 

Saw a fox on the side of the hwy driving home,

and thanked God driving past the big cross

that's off the side of the interstate.  

 Went fishing with 

Myguy.

 The orange butterfly weed bloomed in the pasture

and we had rabbits everywhere.  

 Here I remember getting off the lawn mower to move a frog.  

And dragonflies were at the waters edge.  

 This one CRACKS me up.  

So, I had driven to Russellville and was pulling into Hobby Lobby.

Belks is just before it, and I was driving right in front of it.  

There was this old lady standing straight across from Belks 

right at the edge of the parking lot full of cars.  One other car was in front of me

and I was looking up ahead but had noticed this woman standing out there.

So then it's my turn and I stop.  She was standing right there and looking at the store

like she was wanting to cross and after all there is a pedestrian crossing there.  

It's the law to stop and let pedestrians cross right?  

So I'm stopped, and I'm stopped and looking at her then I motion  ever so sweetly 

yall and SMILE ... waiting for her to cross... and yall...

she had herself a FIT.  She was spittin mad... STOMPED her foot like a two year old,

motioned at me very meanly... and I couldn't hear her but I'm pretty sure she was spewin something awful.  I guess  she was just standing there and not wanting to cross and who knows how many people had stopped and motioned for her to cross but whatever... she unloaded on me.  Right there.  

I remember as I went by... throwing my hands up in the air at her palms up, and mouthed 

"I'm SORRY" to her as I passed.  I wanted to just pull over and give her a hug but she would have probably kicked my butt!  -- so...  I drove on and found my parking spot at Hobby Lobby and just sat there a minute... Her ridiculous lashout was unbelievable.  It even shook me up!   It was like road rage standing still.

For the longest time I couldn't shake it off and kept thinking about her.  So then I prayed for her. 

Anyways the little sketch is ugly... but so was that moment!  So I dare share it here.  

 Shew I can breathe easier again.  

This is my straw hat that hangs on the door in the greenhouse.

 And my faithful olde lawnmower.

 This was the day I made my fabric midori.

I know the colors got jacked up but it's okay.

 On this day I put a new windchime on the shepherds hook at my Mommas grave.

It has a dragonfly like this on it and I was journaling how the last one I put on with a dragonfly;

someone stole it.  A ceramic rooster  my uncle once left on her grave; also up and walked off.

Pretty sad huh? 

So far, so good with this windchime...

no one has bothered it.    

 On this day I mucked out the barn.

  

 This is a picture of my new little gal I'm sponsoring through Compassion.

Her name is Pinky.

I just glued her photo on the page then journaled about her.

Also how I'm hoping to grow my hair out and not color it anymore.

Don't know if I'll beable to stand it or not, but I figure if I can; 

what I save on hair color and hair cuts ... will pay her sponsorship.  

Obviously I'll pay for it either way but... it's something I would like to do.  

So in a couple years I'm hoping yall will see me with one long grey braid.  

:)

Maybe even sketched in this book. lol  

 On this day I got out my pruning shears and cleaned out my prayer closet.

It had morning glory vines all over it.  

This is me in my red overalls sitting against the back side of it.  

 I tore up Myguy's Nissan here.  

Trent asked me to pull him in another vehicle here at the shop, and I think he set me up!

The bumper was in bad shape already, and he knows better than to hook something up to the bumper.  I just about tore it off... and when I got out, I was like "Oh mygosh!!!"  Trent said, "It's alright I've been tellin Dad we need a different one anyways and no one will do anything about it." ha

Well... I'll just say right now it has a brand new one made by Star Fab on it today. lol

 Here's another one of lil Miss Addie panting her head off after a walk.

She was wearing her blue bandana that day.

 We had fried spam samiches  and tomato soup for supper one night.

 On this day, I reached up in the cupboard to get a mixing bowl down and it 

had a brown recluse in it!!!  

So thankful it didn't get me.  

 Here our donks got trimmed.  

With all the rain their feet grew out so fast and looked like 

they were growing slippers.  Spirit hates getting his feet

trimmed and always has to get drugged.  

He's a pain in the butt for our wonderful farrier.  

 Looky here; donks again.

They got wormed here.

 Oh and this was the day I took the picture on my sidebar of Violet

sitting on her rump roast.  lol

 I remember this day... 

Trent and Rae came over and we watched cage fighting all 

cuddled up on the couch.  The guys fighting had weird names

and so we were calling them Hairdo and Eyebrows... 

... in love of course.  

 Myguy gets so mad at me when I weed eat and push mow til I get overheated.

I get a serious chewin out when I stay out too long and turn red as a beet.  

It happened on this day.  

:)  

(he loves me )

Had a wren visitor on this day.  

A friend told me they like to find junk to nest in and we had 

one up on our back porch snooping around.  I'd once seen a picture of a wren nesting

in a can so I painted a can for it to sit on.  

So see how quick little sketches and journaling can be a fun way to 

record sweet, not so sweet, and even downright ugly moments of life?  

I love looking through my book now.  It's packed full of life.  

I've already ordered next years book.  

These photos here are not of the whole pages; ... mostly, just little snippits and sometimes I have 

a hard time filling up a full page in this A 5 size.  So the next one is a little smaller and

it's the English version so I'll beable to read the quotes and things.   

Love my hobonichi,  and sketching life is something I'm  enjoying immensely.

 Decided to share more of it with you here in case any of you are kicking around giving it a try.  

Thanks for spending time with me today.

Love, Leaon Mary