If...

If I was one of the Swallows swooping about looking for a home in the acres around our house (so many this year!),

I wouldn't go for the new construction these two seem interested in (yes, there are two swallows in this photo, can you spot the second?),

I wouldn't take a second look at the home dangling from the branches,

I'd steer clear of the home downstairs from Mr. Squirrel, for sure!

I wouldn't even want the one surrounded by an orchard of flowers (although it would certainly give me pause),

I'd avoid the ancient home on its last legs, despite the promise of cool barn eaves on hot Summer days.

Nope, I would settle myself and my soon-to-be family near the heart of a gnarly old moss-ridden Alder.

True story.

Little Bunny Rug

Way back in 2008, I was part of the BLESTB selling group on ebay and took part in a Spring-themed exchange. I was the very happy recipient of a package from Lori Rippey, who, knowing that I was interested in trying my hand at rug hooking, not only drew up a sweet little design for me, but also included a bunch of wool to help me get started.

Well, I hopped right in, got that tulip hooked, then set it aside, when I realized that my baby girl was a little too needy and grabby for me to have loose wool worms laying about.

Fast forward to 2009, when I hooked my very first rug as a gift for my Sister in Law. Still a tough go with young kids and no frame to speak of, but I finished it, and enjoyed the challenge.

This Spring, for reasons beyond my understanding, I suddenly remembered that original tulip that I had hooked, and the bunny just waiting to be brought to life, and I had a very strong hankering to get it finished. So I jumped right in, still with no frame, but with determination and a pile of Robin's Egg Blue wool that was just dying to be hung on my kitchen wall.

Oh, it was so much easier this time around! With kids old enough to understand and obey when told to keepoutofMama'sstuff!

Thank you, Lori, for that sweet gift so many years ago, and for never asking along the way if I was ever going to get it hooked. I'm a slow starter sometimes, but now that I have had a taste, I think that there will certainly be more in the way of hooked items appearing in my storyline.

Facing Fears

My sweet little munschkin had her very first dental checkup this week. She has been in that room every six months since she was born, playing with toys in the corner while I (and a few years later her brother) got teeth cleaned.

But this time it was her turn to sit in that big chair. And she was scared.

Doesn't that face just kill you?

Guess what the two Mamas in the room decided would be the best method for the remainder of the visit?

Every so often, I felt a tear drip down onto my chest. But they were silent tears, big old crocodile I'm-battling-my-fears tears.

She was so brave, even giggling once in awhile, when she realized that she had been afraid of some tool for no reason.

And by the time Dr. Jim arrived for a final peek, she handled it like a pro.

A tiny pro, in that big, big chair, with those big, big sunglasses. But a pro, nonetheless.

And for the record... neither her or her brother had any cavities. Hooray for strong teeth!

Smile!

Spotted on my kitchen counter this morning, after my sweet daughter put the spoons in the bowls...

Finding faces in unexpected places makes me happy.

Journaling for 6 Year Olds

Resonating

Good morning Chiclets! Your pattern orders kept me hopping like a bunny all weekend... a huge, resounding THANK YOU! I never know when a particular design is going to strike a chord with the stitching world, and Never Let You Go certainly has. I am honored that you like it as much as you do.

I hope you had a truly lovely Easter Sunday with whomever and wherever you were. After a not-so-great start... literally... our car wouldn't start... we piled up, in our Resurrection Day finery, like a bunch of hill-billies in the cab of our pickup truck, and rumbled off to church.

I love celebrating with my church family on Easter Sunday. It just feels right in my bones, to be together, singing and celebrating on such a meaningful day.

Back we went, stacked like cord-wood into the pickup, for a bouncy and cuddly drive to spend the afternoon with family.

There was BLUE SKY AND SUNSHINE, lots of yummy food, kiddos scampering about searching for Daddy-hid eggs... did I mention that they were scampering about in the sunshine?

Other than a bunch of Oregonians being suddenly inundated with an exuberant bursting-forth of pollen particles, it was a perfectly perfect day.

Family... celebrating... LIFE ETERNAL... sunshine... laughter... talk of tilling and planting and baby chicks... did I mention laughter?  Behold, it was good.

It was like the global and Heavenly celebration of our Redemption was resonating in the very air, wrapping our souls in a warm, boisterous hug.

The absence of our dearly loved one was bittersweet, knowing that he would have enjoyed the day so very much, but also knowing that his celebration was joined with ours, but from a much better Place.

*NEW* Never Let You Go

This sampler spent a very long time in the designing phase. It is a combination of several different motifs charted, then saved for later. Arranged together first one way, then another, until… there! I deemed it ‘just right’.

The verse that hovers in between the angels is from I John 4:18 in the King James Version of the Bible, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”

The phrase in the next section reads:
“I wish I was a little seed I’d grow & grow & grow
I’d twine myself around your heart and never let you go.”

With the exception of the antennae on the butterfly, the entire sampler is worked with cross stitches, using one thread. The Scripture verse (0410 Tarnished Gold), quote, name and date (7092 Otter Creek) are worked over-one, while the rest of the sampler is worked over-two.

Stitch Count: 201 x 228
Model stitched on Northern Cross 35ct. Cream linen which was coffee stained prior to stitching.

Using flosses from The Gentle Art: 0130 Avocado, 0410 Tarnished Gold, 0460 Grecian Gold, 7018 Woodrose, 7019 Pomegranate, 7060 Picnic Basket, 7061 Caramel Corn, 7080 Endive, 7092 Otter Creek

And flosses from Weeks Dye Works: 1108 Honeysuckle, 1127 Skinny Dip, 2199 Tarragon

The frame was thrifted then sized to fit.

This design is now available in my etsy shop, and will be going out to my distributors and the shops on my automatic shipments list soon. If you prefer to bypass etsy and order directly through me, you can send me an email: beth@heartstringsamplery.com

Chicken Tikka Masala

In an effort to totally ignore the sticking snow outside my window this morning (yes, I said sticking snow), I am going to write about food. Spicy, hot, tantalizing food.

Namely, the dish that made my mouth die and go to Heaven last night. I've made it before, and it was really good, but I cut quite a few corners the last time, because I wasn't prepared with the full gauntlet of ingredients. Never again. This stuff is amazing!

It came from my newest favorite cookbook (for the last year), Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. Which, by the way, is well worth the purchase, as it is loaded with really yummy recipes.

I'm not going to plagiarize and write the whole recipe up here, but will send you over to Martha Stewart to get the original recipe, then I'll tell you what I did differently.

1. I used olive oil in place of peanut oil, because that is all I have in my pantry.
2. I omitted the red chile peppers, not because I have anything against them, but because I forgot to buy them. The recipe had plenty of flavor and heat without them, but if you like your Indian food flaming hot, be sure to add them.
3. I made my own Tikka Masala paste, based on Jamie's recipe, omitting the coriander seeds (because I was out), swapping olive oil for peanut oil, doubling the tomato paste, omitting the ginger (my husband isn't a huge fan, and there is already ginger in the main mixture), also omitting the red chile peppers, the coconut, and the almond flour.
4. Instead of measuring out a half cup of the Tikka Masala paste that I just made, I scooped the entire batch into the pot.
5. I made plain brown rice to go with the Masala, and garnished it with Cilantro.
6. I make my own Garam Masala (an Indian spice mixture called for in the Tikka Masala paste), but you may be able to find it pre-made at your grocery market.

I am typing it here, so that in future I can remember my alterations and make it exactly the same way again. It was that good.

If you have never attempted Indian food in your own kitchen, I can't say that I blame you... there are usually a bajillion steps and ingredients, many having strange-sounding names. This recipe is no exception, but honest and true, is easy to make, just a little more time-consuming than your usual week-night fare. But if you give yourself plenty of time and prepare all of your ingredients ahead (including spice mixture and paste), it goes together in a flash.

Oh, and my picture is way better than Martha's. Neener, neener!

Briefly

For the span of one therapeutic day, there was sunshine.

The moss even cast a shadow.

Oregonians stumbled about in a trance, confused... trying to figure out in which time zone they awoke.

Buds in the orchard timidly began to make an appearance.

Should we? Can we? Is it time?

From where I sat, I could see the grass growing.

It was a balm. I can still feel the glow a few rainy days later. But the glow is wearing away now... more sunshine, please?

Spring Break Redux

Nothing extravagant or super-exciting happened on our week off, but there was a fair amount of doings-of-things that are a challenge during a regular school week.

There was catching-up on Doctor's appointments...

Excessive application of temporary tattoos...

Playdates with friends...

A playdate with Cousins...

Which also meant a visit to my Brother...

Which also meant a visit to their Grandma...

Which also meant a visit to my Grandma (its a four-generation household!)...

A trip to Costco...

And another playdate with Cousins...

At 10:00 pm last night, as we were arriving home from the final family gathering, I asked the Kindergartener if he had enjoyed his first ever Spring Break. His response? "I wish I got two and a half weeks for Spring Break instead of just one!"

Why the extra half week? Who knows... but I guess this Mama did a good job of making the time off just as fun as he needed. Happy us.