This is a project I did a while back for my mom as a housewarming gift. An old piece of wood became the inspiration for a welcoming sign. I added a hanger to the back and used a wood burning tool (around 10 bucks at Hobby Lobby or Michael's)to burn the design. At first I was annoyed because the wood grain was rough and so the tool didn't always go exactly the way I wanted it to. But after it was done the roughness of it made it look really good. It was easy and fun especially when the wood caught fire and I had to blow it out! Whew! Good times!

Bird Food

So I always think of good things to write about when I am away from the computer. Then when I get in front of the computer it's like I have temporary amnesia. I cannot think of a darn thing to write. But it has been a little while since I wrote and I need to keep up with it. I have been working on some projects and I plan to post them on here. So be patient.
Our grapes this year are bigger and tastier than last year. They are still small by grape standards but we are pleased that they have increased in size. They are also much sweeter. Last year they were just a wee bit tart (insert pucker lips here). We still have to buy our grapes at the store but I am happy to say that the birds have found our grapes and are eating them up! Cheapest bird food ever. Also my son made a really cool bird house at church camp and we found the perfect place to put it up. It is partially hidden by some bushes which are right outside of a bedroom window. Hopefully the birds will feel it's a good place for a home and we will be able to watch them from the window. Our cat is no longer an issue since she decided to get hit by a car and break her leg. She is now a gimpy kitty and we don't let her out. The birds, lizards and snakes in our yard all breathed a sigh of relief. Actually we think the birds were the ones driving the car! Anyway,I plan to make some bird feeders out of old coke bottles and a bird bath out of some terracotta pots. I am going to have to figure out how to have a nice landscape for the birds without giving them a free for all in our garden. That will require some research.......

Preparations

Lately my visions of the future have not been very positive. There are too many wheels being set into motion and very quickly. I hate to be pessimistic but I am not the only one who is thinking that way. I also think it is interesting how so many people are suddenly interested in simple/frugal living, re-fashioning, re-using, gardening and keeping chickens. It is just too much to be a coincidence. It also seems many of them are believers.
My daughter is named after a woman in the Bible who is described as being "beautiful and intelligent". She was also very prepared. When David was coming with an army of 400 men to kill her husband and all his men she whipped out 200 loaves of bread, 2 bottles of wine, 5 sheep that were ready to be cooked, a bushel of grain that had been cooked, 100 raisin cakes, and 200 cakes of pressed figs to give to David. Wow! Now that is really prepared!
So pondering this I have come to the conclusion that I am not being paranoid or fearful or even pessimistic. The holy spirit is prompting us and saying "better get ready". I know a wonderful christian woman who lives in Missouri and has been preparing for a while now. She has been stockpiling food and supplies and is even getting a windmill put up on her land. She says when she finds a good blanket at a garage sale or thrift store she gets it because she thinks someday someone will need a blanket and she will go to her storage and get them a blanket. I am not as prepared as she is. In fact, I feel a little frustrated that it seems our ability to get prepared is hampered. For one thing we live smack dab in the middle of the city. I am not sure how productive we can make our yard and even if we do are we more vulnerable to theft because we are more obvious? My first instinct is to get the heck out of the city and move way out in the country where we are not so "see"able. But maybe God is putting His thumb over us to keep us right here so that we will be the helpers when he calls on us. I am not sure but either way I feel a great stirring in my heart to get prepared. These things are actually fun and interesting to me anyway. I am bent towards using resources wisely and finding new ways to use something. And I love the thrill of finding a real bargain. It has been taught to me from an early age by my mom and Girl Scouting. I like being crafty and I feel very satisfied when I make something new out of something old. I also like being prepared. Enjoyable as it is I still feel a sense of urgency about it. And I sense that others do as well. Lord help us all to have strength and endurance for the times that lie ahead. Give us discernment that we might make good preparations and be ready for the tasks you have planned for us.
(This photo is from the vegetable garden at Epcot. Just one more reason we should move to Disney World!)