Outdoor Photo Challenge

On Swap-Bot, there was a swap which focused on an outdoor photo challenge. When I signed up, I thought that April was a long way off and I could easily capture all of the items on the list. As it turns out, with having one of the snowiest winters on record, find the majority of items on the list was a challenge. However, I was able to find 10 items (the minimum was 5 items). 

All of the photos were taken in my backyard or in one of the two pastures. Ten days ago, there was a huge snowstorm that dumped eight inches of snow on us. It was the wet, heavy kind. Thankfully, we have many warm days and most of the snow has melted...except the snow in deep or tall piles. So, it has been wonderful to hear the birds and frogs singing, and flowers starting to emerge.

Flying insect other than a butterfly - there's not much flying around now...just boxelder bugs mostly. Saw the first ladybug and the first fly. This fly was basking in the sun on the side of the house.  

Something yellow - last year I was given a native cactus to Minnesota. I didn't even know we had them here. Apparently, the plant dies like this in the winter and then comes back to life in the spring. Sure enough, there are little yellow "buds" (I don't know what they are called on cacti) that are emerging.

An animal track - this is Cooper's track in the snow. I let him in the pasture to run around since most of the snow had melted - except in areas near the pond. This was a track he left in a slushy part of the snow.

A rock at least as big as your hand or bigger - this rock is one of many that creates a border around the butterfly garden in the backyard. A nearby farmer stacked rocks that would surface each spring and were left in a rock pile. This is one of the many "rescued" rocks.

Flowing water +  Water reflection - Cooper is looking through the woven-wire fence at the neighbor's farm. The sun is creating reflections of Cooper, the post, and some of the grasses in the water.

Hole in a tree - one of the trees in the little forested area in the northwest section of our farm had some large holes in it. 

 

Really tall tree - The pine tree closest to our home in the backyard has grown substantially (probably more than double its size) since we moved here in 1995. We had to have some of the lower branches trimmed off since they were touching the house. However, there are still low ones to hang bird feeders and a wren house.

A pine tree or other conifer - when Sophia, Olivia, and a friend (Nessa) came home for Easter break from college, Olivia and Nessa climbed to the top of the pine tree (the lower one near the road since it had more sturdy branches). Sophia made it around eight feet up and that was high enough for her. They got some beautiful pictures and video at the top of the tree.

Catkins/pussy willows - I was surprised they were even emerging since less than a week before it felt like the dead of winter with cold temperatures and snowstorms. The pussy willows remind me of a friend who had cancer who asked to come to over one day to cut some. His oncologist encouraged him to find one joy each day. That particular day - it was bringing a sign of Spring into his home. 

Something red - In about a day or so after the snow melted, the plants started emerging in the garden. I have no idea what these plants will be since I planted a lot of native plants in the Fall. It will be a surprise to see what this garden looks like this year.  

Another red - This is one of many blooms of a new Easter cactus I got this year. Home Depot had a lot of little Easter cactuses full of buds. So, the kitchen is colorful with pink, orange, and red flowers now.

One more red - the crabapples on this tree last all winter and provide the first fruit for early-migrating birds. Yesterday, I noticed a flock of over 30 robins in the tree eating the apples. They were gobbling up the apples - and flitting from one branch to another. There was a feast of fruit for them to enjoy! 

Christmas Decorations 2022

 This year, with both girls in college, I didn't decorate as much for Christmas as I have in the past. That being said, there are things I do enjoy putting up each year. 

One of the things I put on the windows each year is the collection of window stars that I have made throughout the years. These are the stars on the dining room and living room windows. 

 

One of my favorite things is the St. Nicholas Village that I have in the dining room. A couple of the buildings belonged to my parents who had a little village set up in the living room. 

In 2018, we had a fire at our farm. The building where the majority of our bins with Christmas decorations were stored burned to the ground...and with it many of the little buildings that my parents owned. It was very disappointing. However, the following year at Christmas I was thrilled to see that I had transferred a couple of the buildings already to the basement.

So, starting in 2020 I began adding buildings and people to the village. I go to the second-hand store and look for St. Nicholas Christmas Village boxes. This year, I found a ski chalet (far left in the picture below) and a home with Christmas lights (far right in the photo above). 

This year, on September 6th, my step-father-in-law died. Two of the things we inherited were these Santa figurines. I put them on our woodstove (when we don't have fires in it) so we can see them each day.

I put the stockings that I made for each person in our family (on the left) and our dogs (on the right). As I look at the stockings, it seems really bare in comparison to past years when we had many more animals - stockings for 4 family members and 13 pets (4 dogs, 6 cats, 2 horses, and 1 hedgehog). 

Right before Thanksgiving, one of our senior dogs - Scooby - died. He was 15 (almost 16) years old. So, it's hard to see only 3 dog stockings up there.

In the family room, I have a couple of Santas. If I open them up, there are smaller Santas inside them. I don't know where I got there...maybe an antique store?

For our Christmas tree, we were given one which was nice. Normally, we go to a local Christmas tree farm and cut a tree, but it didn't work with both of the girls' schedules when they were home for Thanksgiving. 

So, I put a bunch of lights on the tree (about seven or eight strings of lights) and added a few ornaments. This is one that I got for either Sophia or Olivia when they were younger and received gifts from St. Nicholas on December 6th. 

This is another ornament from Gammelgarden Museum (a historical museum that focuses on the Swedish immigrant experience). I always thought it was a horse. It's not. It's a goat...a Yule goat.

This is one of the ornaments I inherited from my parents when they died. This one features blue jays. There are two other ornaments with birds that are commonly seen here. 

This is one of many ornaments that Sophia, Olivia, and I made when the girls were much younger when I was homeschooling them (in early elementary school age). They were clear ornaments and we put acrylic paint in them that we swirled around. The result was these marbled-looking ornaments. 

In the family room, I have the flag from my dad's burial (he was a Korean War veteran). I put little nativity figurines in front of the flag. My dad, who was a deacon later in his life, would have loved these little figurines.

I have a nativity scene in the living room. Between last year and this year, one of the kings broke (the leg came off). I need to glue on the parts I can, but it won't fix his leg completely. I have had this nativity set since the girls were little - so probably a good 20 years now.

This is the advent wreath that Sophia made last year when we went to St. Croix Falls. There was a church that was offering this free craft using wood from a tree that had fallen down about a month earlier. They provided the (fake) greenery, candles, and decorations. 

Outside, I have lights that are strung on t-posts. For the past couple of years we had smaller lights. However, they were damaged last year by an animal that chewed through the cords - a rabbit...I have no idea. At any rate, it was frustrating to have to toss the lights. I do like these, lights, though. They are colorful and festive, and they are a nice welcome home when I come home in the dark. I also like seeing all the colors reflected on the snow when I wake up in the morning and it is dark outside.

So, that's some of the Christmas decorations around our home this year. Some new...some old...and the majority attached to memories that sustain me throughout the month of December. 

Waymaker - Book Notes

The local library had some new books displayed in its entry including Waymaker - Finding the Way to the Life You've Always Dreamed Of by Ann Voskamp. 

I started reading the first chapter which interested me and then - by the second chapter - I could see that the book was going in a direction that didn't feel like it was the right fit for me. It had a religious focus which wasn't what I was expecting. 

That being said, there were a couple of parts that I found interesting. I just wish the rest of the book would have built upon the concept of finding and creating one's dream life, but in a secular way. 

Here are some highlights: 

- We may think we know what we want, but what we really want is to be known. Heard, Seen. Safe.

- How do you hope to find a way out of all that's going wrong in your one and only life? 

- Life is never made unbearable by the road itself but by the way we bear the road. It's not the hard roads that slay us; what actually slays us is the expectation that this road isn't what we hoped it to be.

That's where I left off...at the end of the first chapter. I wish the book addressed this last quote - especially as it relates to more aspects than love and marriage which seems to be the focus of Waymaker. 

Having gone back to work after homeschooling my daughters for about 18+ years, my job isn't what I was anticipating it to be. In many ways, it is a huge disappointment after having had the opportunity to have the best job in the world - being a mother and homeschool educator to Sophia and Olivia. Nothing...no job...will ever top that one. 

So, my challenge is to figure out how to make this next phase of my life more bearable, to deal with the loss of no longer homeschooling the girls, and to figure out how to identify the positive points of my job each day. This, ultimately, will be a key to getting through each day. Each week. Each month.    

Decorating for Halloween

It's that time of the year again when I pull out the bin of Halloween decorations and add some seasonal items to our home. We used to decorate the home - inside and outside - with lots of items to celebrate the holiday. I've scaled back this year since this is the first year without both girls here (they are both at college), so it is a bittersweet experience. 

Nonetheless, I did decorate our home for Halloween this year. There's a welcome sign on the gate for the holiday.

As I look at some of the Halloween items, they remind me of the girls' experiences in ceramics at the homeschool co-op they attended from Kindergarten through 12th grade. 

I put these jack-o-lanterns on the piano. It seemed fitting since both Sophia and Olivia played the piano from 3rd-12th grades. 

I chose not to put up the Halloween-themed artwork that they did throughout the years. When they move to their first apartment or home, I'll give them the art they created and they can decide what they want to do with it at that point. 

Some of the other Halloween items that we have are from my step-father-in-law who passed away last month. The trio of ghosts was something he gave to us when he went into assisted living (and eventually the connected nursing home) many years ago. I put these in the kitchen so it's the first thing we see when we walk into our home (we live in an 1890 farm home, so the main entry is a mudroom and then the kitchen).

He also gave us this Halloween train when he moved into assisted living. This year it is at the end of our dining room table so we can enjoy seeing it at every meal. 

This year there is a new addition from him - a witch with a black cat. He had that at the nursing home and we just received it when his room needed to be cleaned out after he died. I'm not sure what (if anything) is supposed to go on the platter that the witch is holding.

Also in the box of Halloween items was this string of ghosts that light up. Many of them are playing musical instruments which I love. Music has been and is such an important part of our lives, so it is quite fitting for us. The witch, dressed in white, also is from him when he moved into assisted living many years ago.  

Back in 2018, we had a fire here at our farm that burned our hobby shed where I stored some of our Halloween items. So, I purchased a few replacements - like this Halloween bunting. It is hanging right by our woodstove. It adds some color and festivity to this area.

Also by the woodstove is our Halloween tree. With its purple lights, it has become one of our favorite items. With each passing day, it is getting darker earlier so this adds a pretty glow to the room. 

The final Halloween decorations are window stars that I made. I chose purple, orange, and green. There is no black kite paper, so that color is not an option. 

This is the only window that has the stars on it this year. I could make more to decorate other windows. I have the time now in the evenings. Maybe I could make some extra ones, too, and send Sophia and Olivia a surprise Halloween package at college. 

I have not put up the Halloween lights yet - indoors or outdoors. The first step is to do the last mowing of the season and then put up t-posts before the ground freezes. Once that is done, I can put up the lights outside. Whatever lights are leftover, I use those on the windows inside the home. This is what one of the rooms looked like last year with the lights up.

This is what the string of lights along our driveway looked like last year. I also continued the string along the road for everyone to see as they drove by. 

Maybe this year I'll add some more lights to the other windows in the front of the house. It seems a bit dark in the front compared to the windows on the right side of the house.

Black and White Photos

On Swap-Bot, there is a challenge to create three black-and-white photos. I chose six photos - three from walks that I took with the dogs last week and three miscellaneous shots. The first three photos were taken on my iPhone and the last three photos were taken on my DSLR camera (Nikon D3400 Series).  All the photos were taken in color and converted to black-and-white in post-processing. 

When I look for photos to convert to black-and-white, I am looking for images that either are very simple (e.g., the wooden post with coiled wire pictured below), have a lot of texture (e.g., pictures of the clouds and farm fields), or where the color detracts from the image and/or message (e.g., the image of the flower where the petals are white, the center is yellow, leaves are green, and surrounding flowers are red). 

The first image I created is of a wooden fence post with a large eye screw that has a loop of a thick coiled wire through it. It serves no purpose now - the owners just left this post and wire at the corner of their property. At one time, this fence blocked off an entry point to acreage with thousands of trees planted in it. During the past decade, the owners cut down or moved the trees and now the land is empty. Just grass. No cover or food sources for birds and other wildlife. So, as I looked at the photo in color with the bright and cheerful blue sky, white puffy clouds, and green grass it didn't convey the sense of loss and bleakness of this space that once was filled with life.

The second photo I took was on a warm, sunny day when I was walking the dogs. It was in the afternoon and the sun had come out from behind the clouds. The clouds were illuminated by the sun's rays. It was a beautiful afternoon.

This was another day that I walked the dogs in about the same area in the previous picture. I like this stretch of the walk because it feels so open and immense. The fields were being harvested, so there are different levels in the field. 

The picture below is of a white flower with a yellow center in the shape of a heart. I had to do a double-take when I looked at it because I have never seen a heart-shaped center...they are always round. I've been missing my parents (both have died - my dad in 2012 and my mom in 2015) and my daughters who are now both away at college. Perhaps this was just the thing I needed to see when I looked at this flower on October 8th.

This is a three-foot-tall bronze statue of a girl with a jug by Italian artist Vincenzo Aurisicchio. He lived from 1855 to 1926 and is known for his sculptural artwork. When my step-father-in-law died last month, we inherited this statue that he and my mother-in-law purchased in Italy and shipped back to their home in Minnesota. It is in the back of our car and at a different angle than what is typically seen when the statue is upright.

It's not a piece that I would typically be drawn to because the girl has a blank/sad expression and her jug is broken (that's the way the artist created the piece). I would like to learn more about the piece, but I cannot find anything written about it - just the images of it with the artist's name. So, the artist's concept for it and the story behind it will remain a mystery.

The last image I am sharing is one of a partially-completed caning of a chair. At an arts festival, coordinated by a local folk school, there was a craftsperson who was demonstrating how caning is done. It was interesting watching her work and learning about all the steps she needed to take to create this pattern. 

So, these are my six black-and-white photos. I enjoyed going through my photographs from the past nine days and picking ones that I felt represented things I enjoyed doing and learning, and were representative of life's transitions and changes. 

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning - Book Notes

 A few months ago, a local pastor wrote an article about a book he read - The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning - How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter by Margareta Magnusson. 

The author talked about the importance of keeping an orderly home while still living. She said that hunting for misplaced things is never an effective use of one's time. 

However, the main focus of the book was going through one's home and all the possessions within it - keeping what is necessary and letting everything else go. The goal is to make the job easier for those who will be left behind after you die. There will be substantially fewer things that need to be gone through, saving one's children or other family members time. 

The other take-away from this book is the importance of sharing items while you are still alive. You can choose items that no longer serve a purpose for you and gift them to someone else who may need them. 

Of all the things that will need to be gone through, photos should come last. They don't take up much space and, generally, children don't resent going through photos since they bring back memories - hopefully, good ones.

Other ideas from the book:

- Scan slides and download them onto your computer. Create a USB memory stick for family members who would appreciate the images.

- Take photos and sort them into envelopes for different people. Present them at a family gathering so everyone can take a look at them and reminisce. By doing this, "You do not have to carry the weight of all those memories by yourself, and you are less likely to get stuck in the past." 

- Put in a shoe-size box small things that are important to you and have meaning and good memories of special days and happenings associated with them, but that would not mean anything to anyone else. Label it "Throw Away" - there's no need for anyone to go through the box after you die.

- Keep a small book with all your passwords in it so you can get access to everything you want on your computer. Eventually, this is also for family members to find what they need on your computer.

- Write down the story behind things - like desks, other pieces of furniture, or special dishes. This takes the item from being ordinary to extraordinary.

- Ask yourself, "Will anyone I know be happier if I save this?" If not, then let it go.

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning had many valuable ideas and insights. It is a good reminder that doing this is "so that your children and other loved ones will not have to deal with all your stuff...And if you start early, at say 65, it won't seem like such a huge task." 

The author concluded her book by saying, "One's own pleasure, and the chance to find meaning and memory, is the most important thing. It is a delight to go through things and remember their worth." 

5x5

There is a swap on Swap-Bot that I thought looked intriguing. It's called 5x5 and there are five prompts that each require five answers.

5 people in your life that you think of as heroes

I saw this description on Everyday Heroes that I like: "The Everyday Hero, is the person who smiles at you on an off day. It is the war veteran fighting for freedom and equality for all. As well, it's your friend, parent, or mentor sacrificing for your happiness. The Everyday Hero is within every single human being on this planet, and is expressed by simple, ordinary actions. Heroes do simple acts; of kindness, courage, and love."

1. Sophia - she can make anyone feel listened to and appreciated. She connects with strangers and can always find a compliment to give to others. She is adventuresome and courageous and is navigating living in a foreign country for four months where she does not know the native language there. 

2. Olivia - is passionate about the environment and wildlife, and has and wants to continue to make a positive difference with both. She is a motivated and hard worker, especially with these topics. She has a creative eye for photography and loves to look at things from a different perspective.  

3. Paige - has used his career in radio to inspire others in radio in different markets to help those in need, especially after disasters (natural and man-made). 

He works so hard to provide for his family and wants what is best for everyone.

  

4. Mary - became a widow in her 30s when her husband died unexpectedly the day after Christmas. She raised two sons, both who had the same medical condition that her husband did. She has persevered through so many challenges in the past 18 years, yet still maintains a positive, generous, and compassionate spirit. 

5. Jim - has raised four children on his own after his girlfriend decided that she missed out on her "party years" and wanted to go her own way. He has provided a stable and loving home, ensured that his children have worked hard in school, gave his children countless opportunities for after-school activities and lessons, and more. 

5 books you want to read

I have quite a few books on my bookshelf that I have checked out of the library. The next five that I will be reading include: 

1. Yes Man by Danny Wallace. The description from the back cover says, "Recently single, Danny Wallace was falling into loneliness and isolation. Until one day, when a stranger on a bus advised, 'Say yes more.' At that moment, Wallace vowed to say yes to every offer, invitation, challenge, and chance. For a year. Soon after resolving to be more open to what the universe had to offer, Danny wins $45,000 and becomes a television executive...and a minister. He gives spare change to anyone who asks. Invents things. Travels the globe. Nods a lot. And finds that romance isn't as complicated as it seems."

2. Hurry Spring by Sterling North. This is actually a children's book. However, as the cover insert says, "it is a book for readers of all ages...it has the thoughtful substance to intrigue the adult mind. It also has the swift excitement to entrance the young. From the first clangor of wild geese wedging northward to their Arctic nesting ground, through the arrival of red-winged blackbirds and wood ducks, this poetic and expert narrative brings you the urge and the surge of Spring."

3. The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor. I'm on page 107 out of 192 pages. The short stories are well-written, but a little on the sad side. I needed to take a break from reading them. The description on the back cover says, "In her heralded first novel, Gloria Naylor weaves together the stories of seven women living in Brewster Place, a bleak inner-city sanctuary, creating a powerful, moving portrait of the strengths, struggles, and hopes of black women in America. Vulnerable and resilient, openhanded and openhearted, these women forge their lives in a place that in turn threatens and protects - a common prison and a shared home."

4. Get the Hell out of Debt by Erin Skye Kelly. The author wrote this book "after her own struggle to become consumer-debt free. She was tired of listening to middle-aged men in suits tell her to consolidate and refinance her debt when all that seemed to happen was she'd end up in more of it while they profited from it. When Kelly figured out the two most important tools to money management - and started achieving massive results - other women wanted to join in on the debt-free journey."

5. The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margaret A. Magnusson. This book was mentioned by a pastor of a local church who highly recommended it. The book cover says, "In Sweden there is a kind of decluttering called dostadning, do meaning "death" and stadning meaning "cleaning." This surprisingly invigorating process of clearing out unnecessary belongings can be undertaken at any age or life stage but should be done sooner rather than later, before others have to do it for you." The artist encourages readers "to embrace minimalism" and suggests things to "easily get rid of (unworn clothing, unwanted presents, more plates than you'd ever use)" and which items "to keep (photographs, love letters, a few of your children's art projects." 

5 fragrances that remind you of happy times

1. Apple blossoms combined with freshly-mown grass - the smell of spring each year here at the farm.

  

So many memories of the girls when they were little come back...then playing in the backyard, swinging on the swings, all the animals we've had either roaming or playing in the backyard or pastures...just so many wonderful things to think about.

2. Maja soap and C.O. Bigelow Barber Elixir Blue No. 1620 - the soap is one my mom used to use when I was growing up. I remember it distinctly when she and my dad would go out for the evening. My dad wore Bigelow body spray in his 60s and 70s. I still have the container with some of the cologne in it. Maja is still being made. The only place I can find No. 1620 is on Ebay. 

3. Old Spice - my grandpa on my dad's side used to wear this cologne. He lived in Illinois, so we didn't see him as much as I would have liked to see him. Every time, though, he wore Old Spice. No other colognes. 

4. Home-baked cinnamon rolls, parker house rolls, and caramel rolls - smells that filled the house when my grandma on my mom's side came over to bake. 

She used to be a professional baker, so these rolls were ones we looked forward to having.

5. Wood fires - reminds me of campfires when camping with the girls, roasting hotdogs and marshmallows in my parents' backyard as a child and well into adulthood (early 2010s), fires in our backyard, the woodstove in our home now, and the fireplace in the home growing up.  

5 activities for a rainy day

1. Sewing or quilting. I have plenty of fabric and sewing projects to keep me busy for weeks, if not months.

  

2. Baking or cooking. It's a good excuse to try a new recipe or use some ingredients that I have on hand.

3. Cleaning the house. I might as well spend some time cleaning where I'm going to spending time while it rains.

4. Reading. There's nothing like getting under some blankets, having a hot chocolate, and reading when there's a thunderstorm or just raining heavily.

5. Getting caught up with things that I've wanted to get done indoors. I always have a long list of things I want to get done. If I have a lot of time indoors because of bad weather, I seem to be able to get at least a few things marked off my "to do" list. 

5 jobs you've had or hope to have in the future

1. (Had) Founder/Executive Director/Artist Director of a non-profit organization I founded. At our farm, we offered art and farm camps for kids, and gave them hands-on experiences to see the connection between the arts, nature, and agriculture. We had a great staff of teen camp counselors, talented artist-educators, amazing volunteers, and a restorative justice program. There was nothing like it at the time, and people drove 50+ miles one way just to bring their kids to the day camp. 

2. (Had/Have) Homeschool Educator. I have homeschooled my daughters since 2003 - when Sophia was 2 1/2 years old. Both she and Olivia have always been homeschooled, and it was the most rewarding "job" I've ever had. 

Although I was the teacher/guide, they also introduced me to interests that they had, and we learned a tremendous amount together. 

3. (Hope) Todder to 3 1/2 year old Teacher - When the girls were little, we did the Growing Together program at the Minnesota Waldorf School. They and I loved going to this program. It was calming and in a beautiful location; there were high-quality, natural toys; we enjoyed a healthy snack together; the children and adults all worked to clean up together; and there was time for outdoor play. The mothers also made natural toys and talked about parenting. 

4. (Hope) Work with animals, especially dogs. 

I would like to do something that involves rescuing dogs - whether it is from high-kill shelters or getting senior dogs out of shelters and living out the rest of their days in a type of "senior sanctuary."

5. (Hope) Working with seniors and doing a type of community center/adult daycare type program. There is nothing for seniors in my community and I would like to see some type of educational, artistic/creative, recreational, exercise, and food program for those who are 55+ years old. 

Adults with no cognitive impairment to mild- or mid-level impairment could be involved. Beyond that, it would require a whole other level of staffing, nursing, and services that I wouldn't be ready for handling. It would be out of what I would consider my scope of abilities. It would be ideal, though, to have programs that help those with mid- to late-stages of cognitive impairment.