Of Rescued Birds, Taut Strings, and Painted Rocks

I know that you're wondering why I took pictures of my sewing machine, but I wanted to make a point. For a number of months now, I've been struggling with my sewing machine--irregular stitches, clogged up bobbin, etc., etc. I've been using the size spool you see in the first picture. It seemed to be working well. I took the machine in for a cleaning and a repair!! The repairman carefully explained to me that the spool I was using was not compatible with my machine even though it fit correctly and seemed to be working just fine. "Too much tension, too much pressure on the bobbin, etc., etc. Too tight," he told me in broken English. $140 later for cleaning, repair, a new bobbin case, and the simple wire gizmo you see in the other picture, I now have a happy sewing machine and a point well taken. Sometimes in this modern world, even though everything seems to be going all right, fits fine, looks good, our priorities have wound us up too tight! Somewhere and sometime our too tight tension will manifest itself in ways we don't like--tears, illness, poor decisions. We need a wire gizmo like my machine got--a way to release our tension, loosen our taut strings. I know of many wire gizmos for life--Prayer, singing a song, lending a neighbor a hand, a good, deep down in the belly laugh, and an expression of love from someone who cares.

We are once again in Project Mode. Dad is re-doing the deck, which he's thoroughly enjoying--living out his dream but scares the pea wad out of me! I'm painting rocks and little items for the garden. Some of the rocks painted during the reunion were painted with the wrong kind of paint and had already faded and needed a re-paint. Once I got started, I painted some myself and benches that have been sitting around for years, and a bench or two. Look out world. I'm wicked with a paintbrush!! In the past six weeks, we've been to three wedding receptions, a baby shower, two bridal showers, and a 50th anniversary open house, so I've been busy making gifts. The "Warby" sampler is for a darling bride named Sara Lee who is a friend of Marie's and was our Institute student several years ago in The Dalles; the "horse" welcome sample is for Kelsey Torrey--yes Kelsey--who'll be married on Saturday; and the "Warren" sampler is for Mindi Brandt. It's always such a personal fulfillment for me to sit beside your dad in the evenings and stitch SOMETHING.






Another lesson learned this summer!! In our hurry to get Vale to his swimming lesson, we left the front door slightly ajar, and a little hummingbird flew into the house. The frantic bird was pecking at the window when we arrived home. It had amazingly knocked over one of the decorative plates on the dining room window valance. We tried several stratagems which only served to frighten the bird--a towel thrown his way to wrap him in, a blossom to lure him outside, gloved hands to hold him. Finally, Dad caught him and took him outside. There've been times that we've been like the tiny bird--out of our element, frightened and lonely, thinking there was no way out and not realizing that the help I needed was close at hand!! We need to look around us--Help, in many forms, is there. Am adding a wonderful quote I stole from Joe Gunter's blog site--Parting shot...Throughout our lives we will often miss our childhood home. We eventually realize that it is not our childhome home we miss...It is our childhood. Love to you all.....Mom