{Not} Living Vicariously

"springing" forward

While I love being in Daylight Savings Time . . . I do not like how we get here! And every year it gets worse. I don't stay up late, especially not on "school" nights. So losing that hour of sleep shouldn't be as hard as it is. But boy is it ever. This year has been particularly rough and it is only now . . . a week later . . . that I'm starting to feel like my body is in tune with what the clock has to say.

Now while I love getting that extra hour of sleep (notice for me it is definitely sleep!) in the Fall, I'm not sure it is worth it. I think I'd be perfectly content to stay in DST year round. Anyone want to join me?

Word Clouds

I'm sure most of you know about word clouds and the ease with which you can create them via Wordle. However, for those of you who have not played around with this website, let me show you one of our pieces up on the wall.

 
This would be the lyrics to one of our favorite songs and everytime I look at this, a smile comes to me. If you haven't played around with Wordle yet, have fun and let me see your creations.

Forty to accomplish before I'm forty - Part 4

And I'm done now . . . at least with choosing my forty.

33. Make gelato.
34. Get a hot stone massage.
35. De-clutter the office.
36. Get a craft corner set up.
37. Learn to use my miter saw.
38. Weed my book boxes.
39. Start a joint travel map.
40. See Rock City.

Now to remind you of the complete list . . .

1. Find geocaches in the eight states that border TN. We've already accomplished Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, and Kentucky. That just leaves Missouri, North Carolina, and Virginia . . .
2. Eat meatless 1+ times a week (preferably 2+ times regularly).
3. Take a ride in a hot air balloon.
4. Learn to make Granny's divinity.
5. Take a train trip somewhere.
6. Make my own cheese.
7. Hike one hundred miles.
8. Eat from my garden.
9. Camp out at least overnight.
10. Find a church home.
11. Organize garage.
12. Refresh the blog(s).
13. Find a cooking software I like.
14. Build a bigger back deck.
15. Find a place to swim again.
16. Go berry picking.
17. Add flex and strength to my cardio.
18. Get a new camera.
19. Plant wildflowers.
20. Put up a bat house.
21. Take Aaron to Clingman’s Dome.
22. Visit Fall Creek Falls.
23. Take Lindy to the ocean.
24. Take a class in something.
25. Try five new foods.
26. Take a random road trip with no destination in mind.
27. Discover a new restaurant.
28. Make a margherita pizza from homemade dough, with homemade cheese and homemade sauce, and use fresh basil from our garden.
29. Climb a tree.
30. Visit the Nashville Zoo.
31. Go canoeing.
32. Plant a weeping willow.
33. Make gelato.
34. Get a hot stone massage.
35. De-clutter the office.
36. Get a craft corner set up.
37. Learn to use my miter saw.
38. Weed my book boxes.
39. Start a joint travel map.
40. See Rock City.

Garden beds update

The raised beds Aaron built have had some additions to them. We have added (and I use the term "we" loosely, he did most of the work) layers of manure and today we went and bought seeds. Plus he is hoping to build his cold frame in the next couple of days so we can get those seeds planted. We are hoping for lots of squash, tomatoes, okra, basil, oregano, peppers, beans, peas, etc. Plus I'm pestering him for some berries while I wait for our fruit trees to continue to mature. We definitely won't be growing all our own food - but I do hope we get to enjoy lots of produce from our own garden this year!

He is having so much fun with this, and I'm having a great time watching him.

Another picture finally hung

For a wedding gift we received this lovely frame with caligraphy writing on the mat from a dear family at church. It has sat empty for way too long . . . and I finally printed a photo and hung it on the wall.

 
The girl who gave it to us happens to be going through stage 4 cancer right now and yet her spirit and faith remain at such high levels she continues to be an inspiration to me in my walk with God. And my heart continues to pray to God that she has more time on Earth with her husband and sons. Although if He decides to take her home, she will be ready. Because that is just who she is. I am a better person for having known her.

God bless you Sara!

Forty to accomplish before I'm forty - Part 3

I've been busy thinking this past week.

10. Find a church home.
11. Organize garage.
12. Refresh the blog(s).
13. Find a cooking software I like.
14. Build a bigger back deck.
15. Find a place to swim again.
16. Go berry picking.
17. Add flex and strength to my cardio.
18. Get a new camera.
19. Plant wildflowers.
20. Put up a bat house.
21. Take Aaron to Clingman’s Dome.
22. Visit Fall Creek Falls.
23. Take Lindy to the ocean.
24. Take a class in something.
25. Try five new foods.
26. Take a random road trip with no destination in mind.
27. Discover a new restaurant.
28. Make a margherita pizza from homemade dough, with homemade cheese and homemade sauce, and use fresh basil from our garden.
29. Climb a tree.
30. Visit the Nashville Zoo.
31. Go canoeing.
32. Plant a weeping willow.
33. See Rock City.

And to refresh your memory from previous entries . . .

1. Find geocaches in the eight states that border TN. We've already accomplished Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, and Kentucky. That just leaves Missouri, North Carolina, and Virginia . . .
2. Eat meatless 1+ times a week (preferably 2+ times regularly).
3. Take a ride in a hot air balloon.
4. Learn to make Granny's divinity.
5. Take a train trip somewhere.
6. Make my own cheese.
7. Hike one hundred miles.
8. Eat from my garden.
9. Camp out at least overnight.

To be continued . . .