Monday, June 20, 2011

Unniversary, Year 2

Well, happy Unniversary, Cowboy! It's been a year since we were supposed to be married.

What has happened in that time, now that I think about it:

1. The Cowboy went to Alaska, and, after a fantastic number of trials and tribulations, he's doing... ...okay. Environmental conditions are favorable, but the housing conditions are not so much. We will see what happens. We take it day by day and deal with each thing that comes up. The weather, however, is much nicer than it is down here, by normal standards. Not by my standards, because I think it's obvious to you that I prefer a wet, raining climate. But Southern Alaska is warm and sunny this time of year. And, I am told, beautiful. Thousands of my dear fir trees. Hills and valleys. More trees.
2. I was given a (small-scale) publishing proposal and that novel is almost finished. To my utter surprise, the man who is heading up this endeavor wrote to me last night with a proposal on the NEXT book. This time a fantasy for children with lots of pictures. The best part? It requires me to create some elf costumes and procure elf ears. This is because I will be the elf in all the pictures. It all began with me earning the nickname of "The Elven Princess of the Woodlands" last week and the publisher/director had some free time to cook up a "Cora Special" story.

So as the year is reaching the halfway point, the Cowboy and I still have places to go and things to do.

Unfortunately, the places do not yet include a wedding yet.

Friday, May 27, 2011

How Does Your Garden Grow?

"Jennifer Juniper, lilacs in her hair..."



Tangled.



"Are you taking pictures of that squirrel?"



"A whole bushel of apples..."


"Where rust doth destroy"


The dandy-lion. One of the many wonders of nature that amazes me no end.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

The Four Seasons by Cora

The Four Seasons.

Each year I watch my favorite tree. It's a yellow plum tree that grows by our driveway. The flowers are the most beautiful you've ever seen and smell like a warm spring day. This year it gave me a picture of a woman's life.

Spring is where life begins. A tiny bud forms on the tree - the woman as a baby. She grows until she bursts into the beautiful, delicate flower of a young woman. All through this growth, the flower experiences trials like frosts, storms, and strong winds. Each trial brings strength to will and limb, preparing her to bear the weight of Summer.

Ah, Summer for the tree. The Summer of life. This is where the flower's petals - a woman's youth - transforms into fruit, be it children or otherwise. She covers these seeds with her love and her own flesh. She shades them under her leaves. She feeds them, and they grow. The pain she experiences in this time of life is when an insect or bird comes and attacks her shield on what she holds dear. But she does not give up! Each hole pecked in her precious fruit she covers over with a sweet syrup that hardens into a stronger shield. In such a way, the woman must cover wounds with sweet forgiveness and become yet stronger. She gives of herself for the sake of her precious seed. Then at the proper time comes the Autumn of the woman's life.

Leaves begin to turn as Autumn arrives for my plum tree, and with it the loss of the fruit on the tree. Children grow up and leave to start new lives and families. The woman hopes she has protected them so that they would survive. They are surrounded by their mother's love and care, giving them the power to grow on their own. She hopes they will grow straight and tall like she is. She fears her own future and what might happen if she had failed her seed in some way. She watches over them and hopes and prays. Some of her fruit fell to the ground before its time. She mourns their loss. But even as these trials face her, she does not give up. She dresses herself with brightness of the turning leaves and all who see her marvel at her beauty, less innocent than the flowers of Spring or the fullness of Summer. She is more fragile now, but strength remains. Now is the time to take on new responsibilities to fulfill before the Winter comes.

Winter steals upon the tree, cold and bitter. The snow falls, and with it the leaves. The woman's hair turns to the white of the falling snow. She knows she has little time remaining in this world, but she bears that knowledge with honor. This is the season of wisdom, and she has much experiences gained by the frosts of youth - a child's lost teddy bear; a best friend lost; a young, broken heart. She has brought her seed through the trials of summer as outsiders and at times her family attack her goal. She knows the loss felt when the children leave and even chores like laundry seem a heart-wrenching reminder as the sweet children's clothing is packed away for grandchildren. She has seen these things. She has wept these tears. But she knows this is not a season given to her for sadness! No, for the winter is when the woman shields the snow from the seeds sleeping about her feet and teaches them her wisdom. She shares all that she knows about the seasons of life and prepares them just as her mother and grandmother did before.

***

Spring comes, and a tiny bud forms on the branch of my yellow plum tree...

Monday, April 11, 2011

Dozy dotes and liddle lamzy divey...

...A kiddley divey too, wooden shoe?

At every sunny chance I get, I take my goats out of the barn and let them "nom" freely on all the grass surrounding the barn. Saves Dad from having to mow. :) But since they're free to go wherever, I stay with them and watch over them. Much like David the shepherd in Scripture. I find myself thinking of him often while I'm sitting there in the grass watching my goats. Spending days at a time with the flocks of sheep must have been long and lonely, and a lonely heart with the right perspective turns to YHVH/God rather than depression.

I also find myself watching the goats and wondering if we'd be healthier if we didn't cook everything we eat. I mean, here are creatures that are probably FAR more healthy than your average human, and they don't cook the stuffin' out of everything. So I just have to wonder if maybe it would behoove us (a little pun there) to re-think what and how we eat. "But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee" What should we be learning from the beasts in our care?

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Dreamin' 'Bout Babies

All last week I was dreaming about babies. And then, finally, on this fine Sunday afternoon...

There appeared Gimli, the small goatlet who hogs all the food.


And Aragorn. Epic and kingly.


They are so cute and doing so well. :)

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Oh, Yeah, And I Tat

In case anyone was interested in seeing a gen-u-ine tatted item, here is a bookmark for your viewing pleasure!




It has been tatted (erm, tatting is making lace out of a series of knots, formed with either a needle or a shuttle) out of sewing thread. That means this cross is about 3 1/2" from the top (just above the picture) to the end of the tassel (off the bottom of the picture). I would measure it, but I gave it to a friend of mine.

So now you know what tatting is, if you didn't before! It doesn't mean I make marks on skin with ink... although I can do that, too. On rabbit ears, though, not people skin.

I kept it near my favorite Scripture passage for several years. Anyone want to guess what Scripture it is?

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

On Headcoverings And Such

The following items are highly debated around Christian circles:

Skirts for women
Headcoverings for women
Torah Observancy
Baptism
And bazillions of other things

I'll spell out my take on it here. *ahem*

Nothing but the blood of Messiah/Christ will get you into Heaven, so if you understand why He was crucified for you and accept His salvation, you WILL hang out with me in Heaven one day. The other things are unnecessary for salvation from the fires of hell, but the lifestyle parts are good ideas to incorporate into your life. Why? Because He (YHVH/God) likes it. He wouldn't have said to do something if He didn't like it. But they will not save you.

Baptism exists as a public symbol of acceptance of salvation. Just like a wedding is a public symbol of marriage. A marriage happens when a man and woman commit to each other for the rest of their mortal lives. Weddings are irrelevant to marriage. Salvation is between a man/woman/child and YHVH/God. Baptism is irrelevant to salvation. They are nice symbols, though.

The person whose life could only be described as an abomination that accepts the Lord as they breathe their last breath alone in that hospital room is just as saved as someone who accepted Him at the age of 10, was baptized, and lived a righteous life.

So there ya go. Good ideas, but they are not a path to salvation. More like a path after salvation.