He's a Little Shy

"Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit either.” 

~Elizabeth Zimmerman

Meet Freddie.

He's hiding because he knows that most people believe dinosaurs are extinct.  

There's no need to cause a stir, right?

It's simple, really.  He's not looking for riches and fame.

He's not in the mood for interviews and paparazzi and magazine covers.

All that Freddie wants is to meet his new friend, Liam and tell him bedtime stories and hang-out well into the nighttime hours.

Freddie and Liam.

Sounds like a crazy duo.

wink

...

I approached this task with a bit of unease, as I had never knitted a "toy" before.  Well, well, well...

Let's just say that I ended up writing my very own pattern, as the internet turned up zilch in the line of stegosaurus finger puppets.

I present, Freddie, a unique, one-of-a-kind, total Cathy creation.

As much as I worried about this little guy, he turned out to be quite the fun, challenging project.

Freddie the Stegosaurus, est. February 2012

An Adventure

"In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous."

~Aristotle

Thanks to insanely warm, unseasonable February weather, Chad-o and I were able to enjoy a hearty hike and fishing adventure over the weekend.  After a little stop at the local diner and grabbing some hot java, we were off, slowly maneuvering the bumpy, twisty turns that lead to Laurel Hill.  

Amazingly, during our entire day, we never encountered a single person.  Not one.  The quiet resonated within my heart, allowing me to spend time with my thoughts, carefully mulling over topics and situations.  The end result, you ask?  

Peace.  Understanding.  Quiet fulfillment.

Perhaps one of my favorite parts about the day was observing Chad-o.  Many times during our hike I would wonder off, perch myself on a far-away, concealed rock or branch and just watch him.  

I'm sure that the idea of watching him sounds silly.  Maybe it even sounds weird.  But, Chad-o, you see, is amazingly precise; his motions deliberate, his movements executed tediously.  

I'm so blessed that he, too, enjoys the simple things in life.

...

Did you ever wonder about the resiliency of nature?  How, through it all, such amazing life flourishes?  In those moments I feel so small and insignificant, yet important and instrumental.  

How's that for being contradictory? 

But, it's true.

I realize the significance life holds and the true miracle that it is.

And in the still quiet of a forest full of life, I whisper words of thanks.

Because, without a doubt, I have been given a blessed life, full of love and grace.

Isn't it the simple things, like this outdoor chapel, which prove the most beautiful?  

What a perfectly wonderful location in which to talk to God.

happy sigh

 And then, in what seemed like the blink of an eye, the sun began its daily retreat, grabbing the clouds and warmth and snuggling in for a sweet slumber.   

As the temperatures dropped and the sun prepared for sleep, we made our way home, having successfully caught 5 rainbow trout and hiked many miles.

Big Puppy Dreams

"The Eskimos had 52 names for snow because it was important to them; there ought to be as many for love."

~ M. Atwood

Quietly, she stared out the window, watching as the snow covered the lawn and decorated the trees.  

"Please, Mama," she begged.  "I want to play in the snow."

"But we're warm and snug in here, CT,"  I replied.  "Look how windy and cold it it out there.  You're sure to freeze your little paws off."

"But, Mama, I really, really want to, and I've been such a good puppy," she sweetly reminded me.  

...

So, her Papa Bear took her on a small snow adventure.

She roamed and frolicked, while he carved her a potty path.

After a few minutes of intense investigation and the pummeling of harsh winds, she made her way back to the door.

"All finished, Mama," she said.  "I'd like to come in and get warm now."

...

So, of course, we made ginger peach green tea, read the newspaper and snuggled in.

..and melted hearts.

On Feeling Better

"My dog winks at me sometimes.  I always wink back in case it's some kind of code."

~Unknown

I swear I can hear her gentle, little voice in my mind.  Honestly, I completely know how it would sound- soft, yet confident, sweet and singsong-y.

Wouldn't it be great if animals could talk? If we, as humans, could find a way to easily communicate- sans tail wags and pouting eyes?

...

 I've knew something was wrong, mother's intuition we'll call it.  Therefore I made an appointment with the vet and off we went for a little check-up.  The whole way there I talked to her, telling what would happen and how the doctor had just the right stuff to make her feel better. She seemed to listen, content with the knowledge that relief awaited.

As it turns out, my little fur-child managed to get herself quite the irritating skin infection.  Poor baby.  

While we work on figuring out what she is allergic to, Charlie finds herself limited to a deliciously satisfying hypo-allergenic kibble diet.  Always the trooper, she adjusted quite well.  Mama, on the other hand, did not.  

Naturally, I felt terrible that her normal potty-time routine of  "potty = Cheerio" was disrupted.  No longer did she get a real reward, but rather a little piece of her food, the same stuff that continually filled her bowl.  "This isn't going to do," I chided myself.

Now it isn't everyday that I fill my food processor with kibble, but a mom's gotta do what a mom's gotta do.  I diligently added just the right amount of water, creating a dough-like consistency, formed a few dozen biscuits, and sent them off into a 350 degree oven.  

While they baked, I showed her the treats and told her how delicious they would taste.  I made a huge deal about the whole event, causing her to wag her tail and softly yip around the kitchen.  

Much to my delight, she loves those little biscuits.  She downright thinks they are tops.

Hence, the lip-licking.

For now, she must rest, allowing her medicine to work and her skin to heal. 

Get well, Little One.  We sure love you and want you free of the sickies.

A 'Me Day' With My Favorite Things

“With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.” 

- Dalai Lama 

Last Saturday I had a little "Me Day" and spent most of the day doing things for myself, in my pajamas, with messy hair, and a bottomless cup of hot coffee, mind you.

  

Throw in some Mod Podge, old glass jars, and a few falling-apart books and the wonderful factor greatly increased.  happy sigh

The thing I enjoyed most about this little craft was that it required me to spend zero dollars.  Hooray for the frugal and re-purposed life. 

You see, I had been stashing away glass jars for quite awhile (with the intent that I would find a genius use for them).  I also found myself a few favorite books (Nancy Drew, Little House on the Prairie, and Anne of Green Gables) that were beyond repair, and then raided my craft closet for the simple garden twine.  

Taa-daa! 

Candles and Books and Glass Jars and Garden Twine= My favorite things