Our local newspaper is counting down to the fair on the front page by the masthead. Like I need any more reminders that these 50,000,000 4-H projects need to be ALL THE WAY DONE and handed in between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m on Tuesday, July 31, 2012?! A-l-m-o-s-t. T-h-e-r-e. Our children will have their projects completed. S-o-o-n. Repeating this like a mantra and remembering to breathe. ~ Janean
July 28, 2012
We had some more rain this evening followed by the biggest, brightest, most beautiful rainbow I’ve ever seen stretch across several houses that face my own backyard. I looked for a rainbow such as this all last summer. A sign from God that He keeps His promises. The significance of seeing a rainbow today, tonight, after a brief rainstorm, is that the printed copies of my oldest son’s book arrived today. The one he wrote for 4-H. The one that honors his father and the fight he’s been fighting for over a year now. The title is, “On May 25”. It’s a beaut of a little book that also honors the Lord as my twelve year old shares his heart, faith, belief in the power of prayer and the comfort that comes from the prayers of many for our family during this difficult time. My heart was already dancing, soaring and flying. This rainbow, a double rainbow, was an unexpected gift. SO BIG! SO BEAUTIFUL! Praying this new type of chemotherapy works. Praying for complete healing from stage four cancer. Praying to weather this storm with my family of four intact for many years to come. Thank you, God, for the reminder that You are there. Always. From the dark of night to the glow of sunrise, until the sun sets once more, and sometimes, the most special of times, You are in the translucent glow of a rainbow in a perfectly formed half circle.
~ Janean
July 26, 2012
Dear Queen Anne,
I love your lace.
I always have.
Since childhood.
When I’d tuck a stem behind my ear and the delicate blooms would tickle my face.
I picked a dozen and wove the long stems into a crown, oblivious to the minute white petals in my hair long after the crown was gone.
I chose the prettiest blooms and presented them to my grandma in a great big bunch.
Flowers, flowers everywhere in her multilayered gardens, but the only one I was allowed to pick was your lace, Queen Anne.
Time passes.
That young girl, once so carefree, grew into a woman with a family of her own.
But I’m still me.
In the light of early morning, walking my sweet pup on a new path, I spied a familiar flower.
For I never could call it a weed, with a name as lovely as, “Queen Anne’s Lace.”
Hello my friend.
Thank you for waking up my memories, of those childhood days long gone.
My grandma is gone now too.
Smiling down from heaven as I snapped off a single bloom and kept on walking.
Heading home.
Puppy slowing down, pulling less, heeling more.
I know full well it’s against the rules to pick flowers in a public park, as they are there for everyone to enjoy.
I rationalized no one would miss one weed…
Even though in my heart I didn’t think it so.
Thank you for the beautiful, pure white, intricate blooms of your lace, Queen Anne.
I’ll be walking that way again and a flower may or may not follow me home again…
(Depending a bit on who is reading.)
Love,
Janean
July 21, 2012
My high tech equipment, for turning giant squid arms (8) and tentacles (2) right side out, is a very versatile wooden spoon. “So far so good,” is the verdict from The Pattern Testing Department. ~ Janean
My oldest son thought it was hilarious when I said this morning, “I have a Giant Squid arm on my shoulder.” Mostly he’s just glad I’m sewing another aquatic animal, to test our most recent newspaper pattern, for his 4-H project due in approximately two weeks time. ~ Janean
I welcomed the sight, sound and feel of the pouring rain yesterday evening. Yes, feel, because OF COURSE The Dog had to “go”, so I donned my peacock rain boots, red rain jacket with the hood, didn’t bother with an umbrella, and out we went. How I love the too sparse this year rain.
~ Janean
today I am thankful
for volunteer sunflowers
and the first colorful bloom
amidst the varying shades of green
in my former garden
gone to weed this year
for if it weren’t for these marvelous sunflowers
offering the first bloom of summer
like a gift
to soothe my aching heart
it’d just be a jumble of weeds
forevermore
July 14, 2012
I’ve been building a mountain
in shades of gray
with a dab of brown too
numerous pieces of paper
held together with glue
these are the scraps
in pieces and bits
they aren’t recycled yet
I may still need them
mountain building takes time
and more patience
than I knew I had
I can see the finished artwork clearly
in my mind
until then
it’s considered
a work in progress
sorta like the woman
using scissors, paper and glue
to build the mountain
July 2, 2012
NOTE TO SELF: When the nine month old puppy is out of sight and quiet for too long DO NOT assume he is napping. Because when you ask your children, “Where’s Blue?” he may come trotting from around the corner, carrying a piece of couch upholstery in his mouth, grinning his wolf-like grin. So, I doused the couch in green apple spray and pushed it up against the bay window, shutting down his favorite hangout/barking spot in the center of the window. This is when I’m thankful the couch is from 1999. I think my usually sweet and charming pup has officially entered The Teenage Years. Lord help me!!!! Now he’s sprawled out ready for a morning nap. Grrrrrr That’s me growlin’, not the dog…maybe I need a morning nap too. ~ Janean
AND the fridge picked today to leak again from under the chocolate drawer – are you freakin’ kidding me?! ~ Janean
June 30, 2012
Turquoise Tangles 