On the day I spy the first colored leaf, my mood starts to change as this October-birthday girl's thoughts turn to cooler temperatures and emblazoned branches. This was the view up our driveway last Fall. It will look a little different this year. If you happen to be a new visitor here, you don't know that, after living for over a decade in the big, historic home we renovated in the city, my Renaissance Man and I and moved to the farm to build our Finally Farmhouse. This year, at the top of that soon-to-be-Autumn-bedecked hill, sit our temporary living quarters. Autumn decorating is interesting at My Place this year! Honestly? I was just about to put the ... Keep Reading...
By
SUPPORT: Five Minute Friday
When I first saw the almost century-old house, there was a significant sag in its porch roof. We bought the house—and began a renovation. The house was built with two support columns on each side of the front door. But when we found the ol' gal, between those two columns, the porch roof sagged. It didn’t have to be that way. Underneath the porch, each side had three brick support columns. You see, the house was properly designed to stand straight and tall, but at some point in the building process, someone decided to leave off the two upper support columns. The visible ones that would have supported the roof. I suspect that "someone" was simply living in the moment, ... Keep Reading...
By
THE ILLUSIVE FARMHOUSE: The adventure continues
Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that 9 months after selling the big, beautiful historic house we renovated in town we'd still be waiting to start building our Finally Farmhouse. It's true. September begins month #10. Never could I have foreseen the health, work, and home-building challenges we have dealt with this so far this year. But even in the midst of all the "stuff", we're trusting it's for the best in the end. OK, I'll admit to a few days of frustration and wanting to "get on with it", but only a few. Mostly, Renaissance Man and I look at each other as we sit side-by-side in our little fifth wheel, and wonder ... Keep Reading...
By
NEIGHBOR: Five Minute Friday
How appropriate that the word-prompt of the week for Five Minute Friday is NEIGHBOR. This native Texan watched humbled and proud of fellow Texans embracing the needs of neighbors during—and in the aftermath of— the monster storm that was Hurricane Harvey. I've felt very far away here in Tennessee, connected only by technology, prayers, and a donation to the Red Cross. (Thank you so very much to all of you who have already made donations of any kind or amount. If you haven't yet, please help. Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast—rebuilding of lives—is going to take a very long time.) I live in a small, rural town in East Tennessee—smack dab in the middle of Appalachia. The scenery is beautiful. The four distinct seasons are ... Keep Reading...
By
GUIDE: Five Minute Friday
Five Minute Friday is a weekly opportunity for this writer to "push" herself, writing five minutes on a single word-prompt. It's always interesting to see where different people's minds take them when challenged by the same word. Check out the link-up sometime. Vision It's a topic that's been on my mind a lot lately. Specifically, vision as it relates to seeing with the eyes. When things "go dark" for someone, they initially require assistance; someone to guide them. Someone they can trust. START When life is dark, the path unclear, it does no good to look too far into the distance. I might just get tripped up on whatever lies at my feet. I need first to ... Keep Reading...
By
SPEAK: Five Minute Friday
This post comes to you from the once-four-year-old flower girl who chatted her way down the aisle with the handsome ring bearer—totally forgetting to drop the rose petals. The same little girl who, as a first grader, received her very first report card: all As—except for a B in conduct. Talks too much. She also received very clear instructions from her parents that that would never happen again! If you have a suspicion that (five decades later) the now grown woman has had a lifelong love-hate relationship with her mouth, you would be correct. So when I saw the word prompt for today’s Five Minute Friday—SPEAK—my mind virtually exploded in a million different directions. When I sit down to free-write for ... Keep Reading...
By
PLACE: Five Minute Friday
It's Friday! Happy weekend to all. :-) Once again I'm participating in Five Minute Friday—a free-writing exercise to see where the mind takes me . . . and then linking it up with other courageous souls. You'd think this week's word would take me in a different direction, considering the name of this blog. But it didn't. START For some reason, when I think of “placing” something, it comes with a sense of intentionality, gentleness, perhaps even reverence. Place a ring on a bride’s (or groom’s) finger Place a kiss on the forehead of a sleeping baby. Place a blanket over a squirming toddler. Place a bulb in the garden—with hope of beauty in the ... Keep Reading...
By
Seriously, God . . . WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?
It was an unexpected question—and one for which I had no immediate answer. Interestingly, the question referred to my quiet time with God. When you're not in "agenda" / get-things-done mode, how does the conversation go? Hmmm . . . You mean when I'm not asking God for something—or checking off a list of praises? When I'm *trying* to be still . . . but my mind is anything but? How does the conversation go THEN? If I'm not talking, am I listening? And if God's not saying anything, what am I doing? And then it came to mind . . . ... Keep Reading...
By
TRY: Five Minute Friday
Friday again? So soon? Yep, the weekend is here again . . . and it's time for another 5-minute, free-writing exercise to share at Five Minute Friday. This one challenged me. START What’s tugging on your heart today? What are you thinking you should —could—do but aren’t doing? What’s the next step you could take in your faith journey but are hesitant? What are you afraid of? ... Keep Reading...
By
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: Meals for Stressful Times
Two men stood chatting at the nursery window, one a stranger admiring our friend's new grandson. As they spoke, the father of the baby walked up and said, We have two more just like him in the NICU. That's right. Triplets. Sixty little fingers and toes! All boys. 💙 💙 💙 ... Keep Reading...
By
INSPIRE: Five Minute Friday
Sometimes inspiration is a problem for me. There's simply too much of it! I've been known to create entire tablescapes based on no more than a combination of colors—or a single flower. Sometimes it's a one-off phrase or quote that becomes a blog post. in·spire inˈspī(ə)r/ verb fill (someone) with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative breathe in (air); inhale Perhaps because I'm so easily inspired myself, it comes naturally for me to (at least attempt to) creatively inspire others. That first, most common, definition of "inspire" is a no-brainer. But the second one? Seems easy, yes? Not always. I had to work on that one this week. ... Keep Reading...
By
COLLECT: Five Minute Friday
Five Minute Friday. Time to free-write again to develop better writing discipline. The word prompt for today is COLLECT. Here goes . . . FIVE MINUTES ... Keep Reading...
