Autumn Show N' Tell Time!

"Ah Autumn...I love you my favorite season, my cozy friend who returns loyally each & every year." 
 
Me in my pjs and polka-dot rubber boots in that glorious morning sun...out feedin' my chickens.
 I got the sun in the morning...

  
...and the moon at night...
 My going out-outfit.  Jem, our girls and I were attending an elegant banquet this eve.

I do tell Jem on the way to midtown...
I'm just as happy if not more happy at home with a cotton skirt and my keds (wannabe keds) tennies..

Even though I'm just as happy if not more in my cottons and tennies, there are times when we have to dress up for an occasion which leads me to...

  Show N' Tell Time!

The above is my dress-up outfit for fall and autumn. I just go-to it, I don't think about it.  This outfit doesn't cost an arm or leg, doesn't break the bank.  I love, love, love beating the system!  Jem is a Realtor, broker, we own our own Real Estate company so that equates to no perks, plenty of bills and commission-only for boss man. I am a stay at home mom, a homeschool mom to boot being quite skilled in saving moneys.  It is truly an art to do so and I quite enjoy it!  

I can make a dollar stretch longer then this southern girl can make a vowel howl!  *slaps knee laughing*

The above outfit is a stretch black velvet skirt I made with a matching black velvet top.
The skirt is made with my favorite (say it with me gals) ...Simplicity #4881.




This pattern is a must for me to keep safe in my pattern treasures!  It has 3 length options, and it is flattering.  This pattern option has 2 pieces to it and the skirt only requires 2 yards for the longest length.  I used black stretch velvet on sale.  I found a simple sleeveless top pattern and added flutter sleeves.  You don't have to use difficult patterns, you can go easy-breezy using fancy-schmancy fabric found on sale of course. The patterns are from Hobby Lobby on sale for a dollar or so.

The lace hosiery?  Marianna picked this pair up for me at Dollar General for $5.00.

The Laura Petrie feminine ballet flats were found at good ol' Walmart for $5.00 a couple of years ago.  These are the little flats that hang up, these are made of a black voile type material.  I have a pair of Dr. Scholl's insoles also from Walmart I like to put in less expensive shoes and it works wonderfully for me.

The scarf is from Coldwater Creek, a gift from Jem last Christmas as we were shopping one delightful Christmasie eve.  I have quite a collection of scarves and I can make different outfits with my scarves.  Do you know the French women will wear an outfit several days in a row but change the scarf for a different look?

My jewelry, simple pearls dahlin...simple pearls.  Fakes or real they work.

Trust me, this outfit is a wonder.  I wore the same top and skirt last year belted with a silver belt carrying a black cardigan with pearl buttons along with my customary pearl necklace at the same banquet sitting next to Attorney General's Greg Abbott's inlaws. (the sweetest people in the world by the way).  This year the governor was there, so trust me, I wear this outfit with confidence.  It works, it's classic, and it didn't break the bank!  No muss, no fuss, no wasted time, no gas wasted and no missing bandwidth from shopping stress on my brain.

K.I.S.S.  =   Keep it simple sweetie!   ~The late Dr. Raymond and Dorothy Moore, pioneers of the modern homeschool movement. 

Ah Autumn...

Nothing Like a Gal in Her Skirt

Skirts work for feeding chickens....

  

Skirts work for retrieving scared little kitties up in a tree...




Skirts work.  They are comfie and feminine. 

The skirt Marianna is wearing in the chicken shot is also the Simplicity #4881. I hope you too will enjoy this pattern, and it will ease you into a simple no muss no fuss kinda life. : )  It has helped me greatly in my wardrobe!

  One day in the near future I will try to sew up some 40s style feminine overalls very much like these.  We shall see what we shall see!

  Today I'm making veggie pizza for supper.  I've blogged for the fun of it, listened to the instrumental theme from Pride and Prejudice this morning...Listening to Rush now...Reading?  The Street of the City (1942) by Grace Livingston Hill  and  Lessons from Lucy about Loving God.  I may be working on a knit top later....washing clothes, I love the rhythms of home, prayers a-going forth for all.  Many things in the background. Our parents in their 80s are always a concern.  Talk about the sandwich generation!  Wow.  It's a good thing I know the Lord and can talk with Him.  There are days when I'm puttering along and then I get news for a brand new worry, the day then turns into one of those turny-twisty kind of days.  I'm such a worry-wart.  Shame on me.  

  I just had a wonderful phone call from Michelle on witnessing to a young lady at a restaurant.  Michelle had an extra Bible in the car and they will be meeting for lunch in the future.  So. Neat. What opened up this convo?  Michelle had kindly responded to the young lady that she didn't drink when the young lady asked, because she was a Christian.  The young lady was so sweet, and very apologetic that she mentioned drinking (a breath of fresh air!) and shared she was earnestly interested in Christianity.  Oh so many traveling here on earth, may they understand it's a relationship, a personal relationship with our Lord not just another religion. People are hungry for truth, oh that we may be a good witness to them in humility.  When I was in highschool, I would watch people and sooo many times I would be secretly disappointed in their witness.  Yes, I was watching.

We are so thankful for God's divine appointments.  It renews our strength.

"Christians who are set apart are not necessarily eloquent, confident or brilliant; rather they believe God's promises."

I hope you all are and have been having a nice decent kind of week.

Let me know how you are too if you like!  God bless you all!   Amelia

A Little Fall Party... Sweetest Memories Ever!

*Revised in parts* Every year since our daughters were old enough to appreciate the seasons we have had a little fall party.  Would you like to come too?  Come on in...Sit a spell!
 
One of my favorite sights in the whole world...our daughters flurrying around in the kitchen preparing, creating - creating that atmosphere in a home.  Life.  Lea, Michelle, Marianna and Rebecca our four daughters. Gifts! 


Michelle getting shots of her fall table.  She had made a trip with Jem to the 99cent store and picked up some decoration goodies!  Jem and our daughters love going to the 99 cent store and picking up fresh produce, boxed organic vegetable broth etc.   Great place to pick things up. 

 

Aren't these cute finds from the 99cent store?


 Look at these tiny beaded pumpkins, are they not adorable? They came together in one package. More 99 cent store finds, as well as the sparkly leaf sprinkles and table cloth.



This was so delicious, this is a pumpkin dip Rebecca made, it has white beans in it instead of dairy.  She comes up with some of the most creative recipes ever!  The girls made a beautiful butternut squash soup, rosemary potatoes and pumpkin rolls and I made a nice pot of collards. Mm-mm...so good and so colorful!

We enjoy the above background music for fall, it is such a sweet instrumental cd. Very fall-ish...Parts sound like little autumn leaves sprinkling down.  Very wholesome, cheerful, relaxing music.

Out front our chicks were having their own party! I just love seeing our chickens free-ranging on the property.  We have chickens for their eggs, so wonderful.  Remember "little" Sweetie?  That's he on the left, the darker rooster next to the white one. He's a robust little Banty rooster! That little guy is a miracle chick!  God answers prayers!  The white rooster's name is "Elvis".  So we have a "Sweetie" and an "Elvis". : )


The Harvest Moon last week through the rain speckled window...

The same moon shines over me and you! : )

Praying for our country.  True healthcare takes care of the defenseless and our unborn.

Pray for Marianna, she most likely will be standing up for Sen. Ted Cruz today in one of her classes.  She's already taken a a wee little hit for Sen. Cruz a couple of weeks ago.  This particular prof. in her class is a love of sorts, a sweet man but surrounded by the wrong people.  He respects Marianna because he sees her sincere love for the Lord, Life, he sees we love animals too, why can't we?  As Christians we should.  Don't let factions make you think you must pick one side and leave the other.  Of course our first and foremost care is for the unborn.  

Edit: 4pm Marianna called on the way home and today was a sweet, uneventful day.  Praise the Lord for uneventful - sweet days!  Pray for that professor too, I'm thinking the Lord has some things cooking as the professor watches Mar in class and sees her testimony for the Lord through compassion and hardwork.  It's so wonderful to have bridges to cross to others whether it's a common love for animals or whatever God has!

We teach our daughters to speak out when necessary, with discretion and thoughtful wisdom covered with prayers, saturated with love, but by all means speak up when possible.

To sit and not say anything is just an awful thing.  Just an awful thing.  I see it with so many factions, homeschool moms, churches etc.  Speak up in a nice way of course.  Wouldn't you want someone to speak for you?

As my old pastor said...If you dont' say anything?  You might as well be on the other side.

  We recently attended a prolife banquet and we were so grieved to hear the ghost-speechwriter once again making jokes about animals losing their lives for dinners and door prizes. My heart sank... When people say these things they lose so much of my respect and it hurts my heart.  What is worse is the men having to say these things wouldn't normally say these things at all...it's written for them.  We are horrified to hear many times...pro-death people's lack of discretion but it is "okay" for pro-life to make fun of suffering animals?  There is no godly logic in that at all not to mention being unmerciful, tactless and exhibiting bad taste.  What the heart must look like to intentionally, verbally make fun of suffering animals! Those kinds of  tactless and cold remarks have always, always disturbed me greatly. What a shame for people to politicize convictions.  I do think most people respect a good healthy conviction from the Lord though so thank the Lord for that. It's nice to be nice and it's kind to be kind, it's merciful to be merciful, it's courageous to be courageous.  

I was happy to receive my vegan plate at this elegant banquet as I'm sure more then several others were too.  It said multitudes!  As we meandered out after the banquet ended, I saw a young Franciscan monk also in attendance and I whispered to my husband... I'm with him!  *smile*  I have a personal conviction from the Lord to go back to Gensis 1:29, I so enjoy eating with a clean conscious.  I do enjoy a nice healthy egg from our free roaming happy chickens along with my delicious seeds, nuts, fruits and veggies.  And...That's the way I roll.  : )  Praise the Lord!  Let's think and use our hearts and noggins.  Right is right and wrong is wrong.  Please check into institutionalized factory farming. I don't think Christ would approve.

Edit.Sunday.9.29  Following quote from an article from the Christian Vegetarian Society:

"Only depraved people deliberately harm animals, and don’t want to know the truth about what is happening to them on factory farms, in slaughterhouses, and in laboratories."
That may sound harsh but do you know I've encountered people, one who literally put her hands over her ears?   This could also go for the same asinine attitudes some may have towards our most precious unborn babies too.  The Christian Vegetarian Society is also Prolife.  


  On another bunny trail...

So many times, women especially, remind me of a bunch of chickens in their flocks, pecking, picking, ignoring.  Do you ever wonder if these women ever grew up into adults?  Perhaps we can call them kidults?  Unfortunately our family have seen some wee little factions here and there and are so disappointed at the insecurities so many women seem to have for some reason.  My husband shakes his head...He tells me..."It's a shame the way they behave."

Thank you so much to those sweet sisters who left comments on my last post.  You are a blessing to me and your comments make me smile, warm my heart....they many times will make my day!  Big huggeroos coming your way!

"There are worse things in this life then harsh words being tossed your way..."   ~Senator Ted Cruz

Thank you Senator Cruz for speaking out. My Italian grandparents would be proud of your testimony. Our family is proud.  Thank you for standing up for what is right.


As my old pastor said...If you dont' say anything?  You might as well be on the other side.


Y'all take care now,    ~Amelia 
Michelle took this of me this past weekend, we finally went to go visit my Dad.  A tiring trip but I'm glad we were able to go.  Such a blessing to go and such a blessing to get home safe and sound. : )  God is good.  Many concerns but I just talk to the good Lord about them.

"Sit down, Jesus, and have a cup of coffee with us.  I can see you right here in my kitchen.  The eye of faith sees better than the natural eye."  ~Lena     From the book, Lena by Margaret Jensen

The Precious Holy Part of a Pattern

"Whether we are poets or parents or teachers or artists or gardeners, we must start where we are and use what we have.  In the process of creation and relationship, what seems mundane and trivial may show itself to be holy, precious, part of a pattern."   ~Luci Shaw

Oh wow...a great stormy day out today.  Grace and I took off for the road to Smalltown, gloryland.
We had a great conversation in the car....Grace tells me she asks a friend, a friend who has dissed her a bit because of a busy schedule...

Can I pray for you about anything? 
...Grace proceeds to tell me "I just wanted to do the right thing."   I smile hugely in my mother's heart to the Lord as I count these moments as Gifts.

"Love is the divine vitality that everywhere produces and restores life.  To each and every one of us, it gives the power of working miracles if we will."    ~Lydia Marie Child

Oh yes....Oh YES oh yes!   This is going to be so fun in the little store today...and it was.  It reminded me of Christmas time at the store...dark skies....even some loud and low rumblings of thunder for that drama I so love.... Yes.  A Gift.  Memories for my Joy account.  Praise the Lord Jesus.

I was telling Jem on datenight...  

When I go to the store it's kind of like an easter egg hunt of sorts...I look for people I can smile at, talk a minute to...make their day...be a Gift.

Grace and I listened to this song on the way to the store:

What a rush!   Steven Curtis Chapman.  If this song doesn't touch one's heart, not quite sure what will.

I thought I would start my close here with a tshirt Janie was recently wearing... A  Gift.

So many Gifts to be thankful for!

  I gave-away a bag of clothing today, every time I go into smalltown I try to carry a give away bag of nice clothes and books, patterns etc.  Today's bag included two blouses that I yanked out of my closet Sunday morning.  Two black and white blouses.  One is too big, even belted.  One has black lace trim, just not me.  Bye pretty blouses, I release you to bless some one else now. : )  A sewing pattern went off too as I tried a run on it and the fabric ended up in the garbage.  That is so not like me to throw away a work in progress but it was just that bad. 

  Praying for the Church in America.  Lately?  I'm noticing some factions coming out even stronger in what has been clearly arrogance and a hate for what should be fellow Christian denominations, Jem says they seem to think they have the whole package themselves exclusively.  My daughter was at a function where one of the main speakers was sitting at a table with many.  This man who should know better and you may know who he is in the homeschool world was warning other young people to stay away from another function because the people putting it on were heretics!  We know people behind that event and they are NOT heretics!  This really needs to stop and to say we are disappointed in this speaker is an understatement.  Are we following pet doctrine and theology of fallable man or the Lord Jesus?  My husband asks if it is motivated by love?   Are man's opinions and books more important than God's precious Word?

I hope you-all have had a week of Gifts from the Lord!

"Does your soul need to be rejuvenated?  The greatest source for this comes from reaching out  to meet others' needs.  Show someone how much you really care by going for a walk together, talking, listening, or just holding their hand."

People are all around.  Just all around.  I want to be intentional to see, really see and notice the faces and what they are telling me... Let's lead them out of the ashes.  Let's tell them about our ashes too.  In doing so let's...

 Add to the Beauty....I want to add to the Beauty... I want to shine with the Light that's burning up inside.  Redemption comes in strange places.

Love,  Amelia the Smalltown Waterfront Girl and now the Last Child in the Woods

A Piece of Earth Giving Life

"Showing kindness to others is one of the nicest things we can do for ourselves."  ~Janette Oke

He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.   ~Proverbs 11:25

"Be content with who you are, and don't put on airs.  God's strong hand is on you; He'll promote you at the right time.  Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you."   1 Peter 5:6-7



The Nursing Home. Our best friends in the whole wide world.  This is a wonderful shot of my sweet Buddy, a dear friend, an angel, with two of our daughters, Michelle and Rebecca. He can't speak very much because he has a speech impediment, has no movement in his arm, can only see out of one eye and has little hearing.  He. is. my. buddy.  The BEST.

We go the nursing home to share Love and Life and receive so much more back.  This is where it's at.

A precious friend, she's been there in the same physical position, it seems almost paralyzed in the same position in her reclined wheelchair for years, I wasn't sure if she comprehended...I notice she makes small gulping noises when I speak to her. I sing Jesus Loves Me to her and she squeezes my hand...It dons on me...She understands so very well!...I whisper to her:

You have so much life in you...You want to talk sooo bad...

Her beautiful turquoise eyes look up to me.  Tears well up in her eyes... I looked in her eyes with awe as tears well up in mine. Maybe my tears spoke to her too...

I think...Oh God! This Precious Saint does comprehend!  She has been comprehending for years when I've visited her! She does have so much life in her, oh this poor angel...
Please pray for my sweet friend, I will call her Angel.  Her tears spoke so much...just. so. much.


 I've seen and sang to, prayed with sweet Angel for years and never realized.  Now I do realize.  When we see people, we don't know sometimes what their lives could tell us do we?   
...Let's find out. 

I sometimes think of this song by Jars of Clay in these instances, how could I not?  If you could see the faces and situations...
 
And the following is no different...I thought once again of that song... 

The other night Jem and I were eating out at a salad place, such a sweet little place with nice lighting, a very homie place in uptown.   I see a darling little hostess, she quietly passes our table carrying plates.  I tell Jem in a hushed voice, she reminds me so much of our Rebecca, this precious young lady stood out to me like you would not believe, she intrigued me.  Her fair skin, her darling retro red lips, a simple blonde ponytail.  She looked like she should be in a European cafe in France or something, it's a look certain people have you know...

Jem and I finished our cozy dinner and I headed to the customary lady's room.  Aha...I run into the lovely girl in the corridor.

I say with a big toothy grin, (my mom says our big gigantic toothy grins come compliments of the Trapolino family, my Great Grandma) Italiana trivia there. ; )

I love your red lipstick!

She quietly pulls her lipstick tube out of her apron and shows me her brand...She also pulls out a clear mascara of the same brand...She was so darling, just so eager to share with me and I. loved. it.

She sweetly shares that she is part Italian and part German ...just like me and our girls...Does God know what He is doing or what?

We talk and she was so adorable...She just chatted in a most shy but comfortable way with me, my heart was melting.  I tell her how much she reminds us of our youngest daughter...  She tells me she is adopted.  I say with watered eye...and slight smile, eyes trying so hard  to convey love and care...tilted head as telling a sweet secret, a sweet encouragement as a mother would tell her own daughter.

Your mother gave you life...

 She smiles and tears overflow...We share.  She shares it's her adopted mother who she is sooo much and miraculously alike, their love for holiday season decorating, cut crystal and all kinds of wonderful things.  She tells me she doesn't like her real mother much because she and her brother were something of an afterthought...  

I tell her our oldest daughter counsels young ladies at a prolife clinic to choose Life and how wonderful it would be if she could share sometimes...  I tell this precious girl that ...

God is going to use you so much in your Life...

Beautiful precious, tears ensue once again and I just cannot tell you the wonderful feeling it was...It's the best thing on earth I tell you.  Being aware of God's Children and listening for that Still Small Voice, being Jesus with skin on. 

Being Life, bringing forth Life. Receiving Life.

I love that so much that the Holy Spirit can work in such BEAUTIFUL WAYS!

Jem was on the phone with our girls over in the booth taking their Whole Foods "order",  He had noticed the beautiful girl and I had been in heavy conversation with tears involved...He tells the girls and I'm sure he has them praying.

When we get home our daughters were so interested to hear about the beautiful girl...Rebecca smiled as I share...

She was so sweet and so European looking ...Just. Like. You.  

Those words were definitely encouragement for Rebecca's journey in Life as well...God's hand goes on and on and on.....into ....    Eternity...

This song resonates within my soul this morning as I hear Li Li listening to this several times in her room upstairs...   

 What am I but a piece of earth, a wayward child .....giving Life...


I'll close with some shots from our sweet day...We gave Life and we received Life.



Our Buddy and Michelle.


 My sweet friend, Betty and one of her boys.  Betty is such a blessing, she was an optometrist and left to be home as a wife and mother, a fellow homeschool mom. : )


This is beautiful Carolyn with her baby.  She has several babies, she likes to roll them in her walker with her books, she is soooo adorable.  The nurse says...What
are you doin'?  Carolyn says...I'm rocking my baby. The nurse: What is your baby's name?  Carolyn: She's just my Baby....  Carolyn was from a farm family and tells of plowing with horse and wagon, she would fall asleep as the horse plodded along, so....the horse would skip a row as Carolyn's hands loosened her handling of the reigns... Her daddy would see the row skip over, and say..."Sister...did you go to sleep?"  Her mother would put a white pillow over the roof from an upstairs window to let her daddy know when to come in from the fields for supper.

Precious Mr. Maxwell, he asked me to take his photo, he said he needed a newer one, he wanted one of him smiling. : )  sooooo darling.

  This is Ibena.. so...sweet. She is from an old farm family too and has the best attitude ever.  She is 100 years old!  I'm not sure she was feeling so great bless her heart and she wasn't smiling as much as usual.  She tells me in her precious Czech accent illustrating with her sweet little hands... Some days are good and some days are bad...we just have to go on ya know?  She smiles so sweet when she talks... Precious.  Her Christ-like attitude is such an example to all.

Tinkerbell. We call this cutie, Tinkerbell, her name says it all. : )

 Our nursing home day, such a sweet time.
 




 

Give Life, Receive Life....It's a Gift.  Slow down...Take the long way home...

Have you given that Life this week or month?  Please share here! : )  Thanks to my sweet friends who left such precious, precious comments on my last blog. I treasure and ponder each one, sometimes those tears of Life eek out as I read each one... 

Love, Amelia  

Gifts

Eating lunch with a friend.  Trying to do a decent day's work.  Hearing the rain patter against the window.  There is no event so commonplace but that God is present within it, always hiddenly, always leaving you room to recognize Him or not recognize Him, but all the more fascinatingly because of that, all the more compellingly and hauntingly.   ~Frederick Buechner

So great.  Such a Gift.  Becs and I took a drive to meet sweet friends.  Jem tells me my glasses look like they are taking over my face! : D
 
We listened to this on the way:
Show You Love by Jars of Clay

Me and my sweet friend, Margie. We had so much fun. She is such a kindred spirit. : )

  This is Margie's daughter, Elsie with our youngest, Becs. They are so cute together....So darling.

Nothing like sister-in-Christ fellowship. Nothing like it.  It's not very often we are blessed to meet such sweethearts on this earth.  A Gift.

Becs and I went to Hobby Lobby afterwards where we had so much fun looking at art supplies and such...So. Fun. These are precious times.  Such special Gifts.

We're still really missing our little duck, Daisy. She was just soooo human-like it was amazing. Do you know that little darling would nap next to my bed on a little blanket?  She would run to the front door with the little doglets when someone was at the door, her little webbed feet runing so cute...Kind of pigeon-toed....Such a precious little thing... A sweet Gift even for a short time. God's little creature...We miss her so.

When we arrived home yesterday, I was greeted by Marianna, she cooked dinner so that was very nice indeed.  What a sweet Gift.  We listened to this:

I think this music is beautiful...I never tire of it.  Ever.  It reminds me of so many things....just so many things in life. The real things in life....A Gift.

Today I'm missing my dad, I think I need to call him:

I need to visit my dad, it's difficult, he lives several hours away and it's so hard getting schedules together and so forth.  Pray for me about that would you?  It can be difficult and weighs heavy at times.  He's 83 now, he can't drive more than a block away from his home... he has macular degeneration.

Lea talked with him over the phone and he tells her how when he was on city counsel years ago he had had quite enough of another city councilman as he sat listening to the man (falsely) pridefully bragging on himself at a meeting. My dad took a book, probably the rule book! ... and threw it in such a manner that it slid across the floor, my dad promptly publicly challenged the bragging man.   Not a fake bone.  Such a Gift...

Reading and loving this book as well as enjoying the dvd, I fell in love with the book Marianna had given me for my birthday, it's like a personal retreat for me...I just had to treat myself to the dvd also with my Christmas money: 

  You can watch the trailers Here:   Ann Voskamp One Thousand Gifts   and a series Here with Ann herself. Ann Voskamp is such a Gift within herself.  I do believe she is a kindred spirit indeed. You can also see some neat things here on her blog. 
I do hope all is well with you and yours.  And for all my sweet blogging friends who left such sweet, precious comments about Daisy, I so appreciated and still cherish each one.  Gifts. Love, Amelia

  

One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are