Introducing the Babies Part 2

 

 My youngest daughter, Morgan, is a huge Northanger Abby fan and named her new fur baby after her favorite author, Jane Austen. Baby Jane is a bit of a woodland kitten, so she's a little wild and crazy, but we sure love her.  Her momma, Chattie, is a permanent fixture in the area, and everyone that lives around us knows her by a different name. Chattie is quite a challenge to catch, so until the day we finally can bring an end to her cat calling, she continues to make some of the prettiest babes of the woods who, actually, are a big help with the rodent, snake and rabbit population that comes with country living.  Jane, however, will be a pampered pet who will only get to enjoy all of the scenery from the front porch.

Fun Facts About Calico Cats:

• Cats must have the colors orange, black and white (or muted shades of these colors) to be considered a true calico. 

• Calicoes are almost always female because females have two X chromosomes. One X chromosome will carry the orange color and the other chromosome will carry the black. 

• Male (XY) cats are rarely calico. If they have two X chromosomes (XXY) they could possibly be calico but will most likely be sterile, as well.

• In 2001 calicoes were voted Maryland's state cat!  

• According to our vet- Calicoes tend to be pretty fearless.  Jane isn't startled easily and she walked out of the woods right up to us when we found her, or she found us.

Dash, however, is not impressed with the newbie.  "She can chase my tail all she wants.  I really just want to eat her food." he says.

Introducing the Babies Part 1

Back in 2010 I left things off with a wish.  My wish, was to have a golden retriever of my very own.  Well, it only took about four years for it to come true, but here he is with his soft and cuddly, smooshy, little face.  We had such a hard time naming the little guy.  I know I said that his name would be Mr. Pickles, but we all know that you've got to look in their eyes and watch them a bit before you know what they are forever going to be called.  Sunny was my favorite, mostly because I wanted to sing "You Are My Sunshine" to him while flopping his ears around. We tossed around Watson, due to our current obsession with BBC's Sherlock, and Barnaby was a pretty close third,  but nothing was sticking and feeling natural. He's kind of a military brat, so to speak.  The couple we adopted him from are up north, but all of the information and correspondence through email came via Afghanistan.  His original pop is serving there in the Marine Corps, and because of all the amazing technology we have now days, he was helping his wife find homes for the babies any way he could.  Now, I'm not sure if I've ever relayed this information in past posts, but Mr. D is a "Once a Marine, always a Marine."  When I was telling a friend the story about where he came from, she said, "Well, it's simple then.  He needs a Marine name!"  I think she's  a little partial to the idea anyway seeing how her  husband is retired from the Marine Corps.  To make a long story short, we've decided on the name Gunny for Gunnery Sergeant.  I've got to give a big shout out to my nephew Ian who, by the way, suggested the name Toast.  He will be heading off to Marine Corps boot camp this month.  OORAH!  "Thank You!" to all of our military for their sacrifice and service to our country.  And, "Thank You!" to all of the young men and women who are braving these uncertain times and are boldly volunteering to serve.  Our hearts and prayers go out to you all. 

We're already seeing signs of fall on our Japanese maple.  It could be because of all of the unseasonably cool weather we've had this summer.  I can't complain, though.  It's really been a beautiful summer. 

It's Good to be Back

 

 

 

So much time has passed since my last post.  We're talking years.  It's about time I caught you up on a few things.  We've nested, settled in, rooted ourselves here in our long awaited home.  Perfect, it is not, but home it most definitely is. It's a country living, porch napping, pond rowing, chicken chasing kind of life, now. Two of my children are gearing up to head off to college, and my baby is now a senior. We've been blessed with friendships beyond measure, and are so thankful for each and everyone of them.   Along with all the changes, it's time to nurture an old friend.  The Finicky Frog is reopening her doors.  I'm shaking out the curtains and dusting off the shelves.  Life is good, and it's good to be back!

At Lasts

It's happening!
Sure 'nough it's happening!
We had one final game of volleyball left and we WON! I say "we",
 but really it's Maddie and all the other volley girls.
It's been a good season, and we've made lots of new friends,
but I'm sure glad it's over and ended on such a great note.
  My calendar and all the ink the that was involved will have time to cool down before the next sport. 

 Did I say the NEXT sport?  Lord, Help Me!

Not only did we have the last week for volleyball, but Mr. D had his final 18 hour shift.  It's been a financial blessing, but I'm so happy it's done!!!  All of the hustle and bustle made it feel like October flew by.  

Didn't we have leaves on the trees a few days ago?  

What happened to all the color? 

 I blinked and it's already faded away.

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Found this picture when I was hunting for fall photos.  

"I'll take two golden retrievers with a side of fall please." 

The girls and I have it all planned out.  

We'll get a boy and a girl,  name them 

Miss Penny and Mr. Pickles,

 and live happily ever after. 
Woof! Woof!

With more free time I've been able to put more things in the shop!  I dusted a few cobwebs off the virtual doorway into my Etsy store and added a few more ring pincushions and a new garland.  More items are in production as we speak. 

This little gal didn't have a chance.  

She was sold in just a couple hours.  

THANKS JESS!  

How bout this little fella?  

 Be prepared for a plethora of reds, pinks and cozy primitives.  

The big news in the shop are the fantastical international sales.  I want to give a big shout out to

 France and Ireland 

who will be having little pincushions that were made back home in Indiana, 

in my little shop,

 with my very own hands. 

Mr. D and I have needed a little getaway time, and we took advantage of the lighter schedule to take a little vacation last weekend.  

A weekend without said two finger boy and his minions..."The Girlies"

Love them, we do, but it's always good to have some time away.

We toured around Indy for most of the day on Friday and then headed to Cincinnati where we hit the closest IKEA store. 

 Just give me one of those living rooms and a bowl of Swedish meatballs and I'd be happy as a clam.
 Yep, I do think I could live there quite happily.

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I would love to have this hanging somewhere in my house. 

 It's impractical and I'm sure it's a pain to clean,

 but OOO LA LA, it's pretty!

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This sweet thang, however, did come home with us.  

It's very practical and useful, but ours is in a soft pinky color.  

Perfect for my work area.

We headed home late Saturday night so that we would be able to go to church Sunday morning and take a couple of house tours.  

One complete curveball opportunity that has just popped up is renting space in an old school house and having access to the grounds for chickens and gardens.  

I know it sounds way out there and strange, but we are the unconventional types and we do like a good adventure.

All I can say to that is..."We'll see."

For the love of chocolate...

I've recently discovered that, as I've gotten older, my love of chocolate must carefully be timed out with the rotation of the earth and the cycle of the moon!

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According to how my night went, 

I'm not allowed to eat chocolate 
after 6:00 PM.

(Sun is beginning to set) 

 The result is serious heartburn
 at 2:00 AM! 

(Moon is out)

I then don't get back to sleep 
until 6:00 AM.

(Sun is rising)  

Mr. D comes home from work 
and finds me sleeping in the garden!

(Just kiddin', I was up by 10:00 AM)

Finicky Observation #1!

I went to the grocery store today and discovered something strange about myself.  

I'll buy produce that is unpackaged and that people have touched and manhandled...

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...but I won't buy toilet paper that its packaging has been broken.  

What sense does that make? 

I think I'm afraid someone will poison my hiney!!   

Sometimes I feel like this...

    

...like what I want is right in front of my eyes, and yet, there's always something in the way.

As most of you know, we've recently moved to a new town,

 a few hours from our old town, 

in the same state.  

It'll be coming up on a year in January, and I feel like if I keep saying "recently " it won't seem so strange that I still haven't settled in on the fact that we're here, that this is "THE move", and that it appears that we'll be here for the next several long, indefinite years.

I won't pretend that I have dealt with these recent (there's that word again) changes with any amount of grace.     I've sulked, cried, grumbled and futzed my way into a pit.  A pit that was pulling me deeper into a despair that felt like a warm blanket that I loved to pull over my head, and that usually resulted in me doing just that in my real marshmallow bed.  I've not allowed myself to see past the darkness of this house and realize that it's just a rental and not permanent. 

I have a pattern of moving into a house and then, within months, I begin looking for a new one.  Now, I'm not meaning to make excuses for myself, but there really is a reason for this!  By the time Daryn and I were married 

(19 yrs old...way to young...I digress), 

I had moved more times than I have fingers and toes and I'll let ya know, 

I'm not missing any digits as far as I've checked today.

  It's what I know.  

It's how it has been. 

On top of my childhood history, there is also the fact that we have been through many lay offs, over many years, that have left us with a feeling of instability.  Always being on the ready to sell your home can cause you to begin living as if you don't really have one, and that the one you are in is always being prepared for someone else to enjoy. It's kept me from being at peace with my husband and truly letting him know that I appreciate all of his hard work and diligence. 

My wonderful husband has been putting in some serious overtime lately.  For example, Sunday night he went into work at 11pm to get off work at 6:30pm Monday night.  He keeps me speechless by the things that he sacrifices for our family.  The lack of sleep that this man endures is only a minute part of what he does to keep  this family ticking, and there are just a few things he asks in return.  

(I'm likin' the monkeys today)

"Don't drink my Dr. Pepper, leave me a couple cookies for when I get home, and let me watch my woodworking show on Saturday morning without anyone asking me questions."  He's pretty low maintenance, and yet he somehow finds the grace to lovingly nurture a high maintenance wife who has much more exasperating expectations on how life should be.  

In the last year, a strange new sensation has overtaken the gypsy in me, and she has been replaced with a gardener longing to plant roots, establish a homestead, build a foundation, and become part of a community.

I long for every bit of it even though it's so foreign to me, and all I know of it comes from stories I've heard or seen in the lives of others.  

Mr. D is a root guy. Always has been, and I'm pretty sure always will be.  I'm ready to be a root gal with him and have some little root children.  Okay, so they aren't so little anymore. But, I want to be a bloom where you're planted kind of root gal too.  

Oh gracious sakes, this is the hard part.  

I don't bloom very easily. 

 If you came to my house you would see that we've been here almost a year and I don't have curtains properly hung, there is one picture hanging in this house, and I have half a garage full of boxes that haven't been unpacked.  

All this to say, I need to give Mr. D a break from my obsession about moving, he's got enough going on.

I have to let God lead us to where he wants us to be in His timing.  

You heard it here!! 

 I'm stepping back from trying to get it all figured out.  

God knows the desires of our hearts, but I want His desires to be my desires. 

 It's the only way I'll find peace, and I have to trust that no matter where He plants us, there will be plenty, there will be joy, and it will be exactly what will bring Him glory.

God Bless Ya'll More and More!!