Crochet Candy Corn Garland

So excited to share this with you. 

This little Garland was quick to stitch up and it makes me happy. I hope you enjoy it too!

~~~

Get your H-hook (5.0mm) and any worsted weight yarn. I used cotton (Peaches and Cream is what I used) but I think any worsted would do.

With white yarn, Ch 4, sl st in first chain to make ring, 

Row 1: ch3, 2 dc into ring.

Row 2: Ch 3, turn, 2 dc (in the space between ch3 and 1st dc in row 1), ch 1, 3 dc (in space between 1st and second dc in row 1). Finish off.

Row 4: Switch yarn (orange) slip stitch to beginning stitch. Ch 3, 2 dc in first dc space), 3 dbl in ch 1 space, 2 dc in last dc space.

Row 5: Ch 3. turn, dc in first dc space, *3 dc in next space* 3 times, dc in last space.

Row 6: Ch 3, turn, dc in first dc sp, *3 dc in next space* 3 times, 2 dc in last dc space. Finish off.

Row 7: Switch Yarn to yellow w/ sl st in last stitch. Ch 3, *dc in each space* 4 times, dc in last dc space.

Row 8: Ch 2, hdc in next dc space, 2 hdc ineach space* 4 times, hdc in last space. Finish off.

Make as many candy corns according to your desired garland length.


Banner Chain: 


Chain 10 -12 (+/-), depending on your preference for end-ties. Slip stitch to first stitch on top of candy corn.  Sl st in each stitch across corn. I put 5 chains between each corn. Continue until all corn is added to banner. Chain 10-12 for end tie. Cut off or tuck in any end strings and find a happy place to hang.

Here is a very poor hand drawn pattern, that I hope makes it easier for those of you who (like me) are visual learners! If you cannot see the picture better by clicking on it and downloading, please send me an email and I will happily email you a .pdf file of the picture instead!

If you have any questions please let me know! And if you make one I would LOVE to see it!

Happy Friday!

Five Photo Friday: Feeling 'Think-y'

On this day I got glasses, and learned how to see...

 Choosing color amidst the black-and-white... its not always easy.

A warm kettle, some toast. A bright spot during a tough part of the week.

The blue hat. He's worn it nearly everyday this summer, including in the pool, the ocean, and most places in between.

"Emergency" water, not yet put away... A reminder that storms do pass - in weather, in life .

These bottles will empty... but we won't be left thirsty. 

A Neighborly Cup of Sugar

It's here!

Candy Corn time!

Its finally here.

I've seen it in the store for the last several weeks, but I'm one of those "rule-followers". I don't eat popsicles in winter. I don't listen to Christmas songs until after Thanksgiving. I don't bake pumpkin products in the summer, and I don't eat candy corn until the fall... and when November is over, so is the time for eating candy corn (and its sweet bigger sister, the mallow cream pumpkin.)

You would think after 6 years as a blogger I would tire of writing about this treat in beautiful hues of yellow and orange. But what can I say? I'm inspired each year.

Pictured above is a sneak peek at a quick and easy project I have going. I'm in the process of writing the recipe down for you... fingers crossed, it will be ready for the big reveal tomorrow. So get your yellow, orange and white yarn ready (and a hook, size H, 5.0mm) and get ready to hook up a little something fun for your fall decoration.

If you aren't of the crochet kind, here is a little candy corn love for you: Candy Corn Sugar Cookies

This picture was swiped from Kathy's blog. Link posted above.)

I hope to make these cookies right after I finish this post. The kids and I have a tea date this afternoon with a friend. I thought these might be fun.

Let's see... not a crocheter or a baker?

Well, how about a video on how candy corn is made?

Side note: Do you remember the show Mr Rogers Neighborhood? My favorite part of the show was when Mr. Rogers would talk to the frame on his wall called Picture-Picture. He would show how things were made in real factories... important things like crayons (loved that one!) and how shoes were made. Who knew, that many years later at the click of a mouse and a keyboard, you could see inside a factory any old time you want? 

I've seen a few links flying around the net to other candy corn ideas as well.  I am especially interested in this recipe for Homemade Butterfingers made with melted candy corn. Who'd've thunk? Melted candy corn in recipes? Genius.

All right, its a beautiful day in the neighborhood and I need to get some work done...

I have always wanted to have a neighbor, just like you... 

always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you, 

so lets make the most of this beautiful day. 

SInce we're together, we might as well say... 

will you be mine, won't you be mine. 

Won't you be my neighbor?

(uh, sometimes I worry about myself... that song just whipped out of my mind into the keyboard before I knew what happened. Now I'll be singing it all day. xoxo)

Being a Woman

This weekend The Girl and I continued our conversation about what it is to be a woman.

We talked about fashion and modesty. We talked about how we can be fashion forward, attractive  and yet not reveal too much of the wonder (and power) of the female body.

I took her to a really fun vintage boutique that was awesome... it was chock-full of polyester. I had memory after of memory flood through my mind. After all, I am a child of the 70's.

We identified fashion of the past that was very modest...

And one that was less...

We liked the colors...

We liked the glitz...

We laughed.

It was fun.

But, I'd be remiss if I didn't tell you the Truth that fell in my lap...

As I taught my young daughter, the student was me.

Our first stop of the day was to the art museum with an agenda (look for art with women as the subject) and a few questions in mind:

1.) What does this say about feminine beauty? 

2.) Is this a healthy view of women. 

3.) If you are able to see art from different cultures, how does this society portray women differently from the way ours does today?

We had several different pieces that were great for discussion, but one photograph in particular,
Comilo Jose Vergara's, Girls, Barbies, Harlem, 1970, got my attention.

The picture of African-American girls sitting on the door-steps of  a Harlem neighborhood, their white Barbies lined up in a row. It haunted me all weekend.

No one escapes. I thought to myself. No time. No culture.

Not one wonderful, beautiful, uniquely-made girl escapes this "ideal", if she isn't careful.

Here we are, forty years later, and that tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed, big-busted, small-waisted, have-it-all standard still rules the world.

And no one, not the young black girl in Harlem, not the Latina girl who writes this blog (or any women who reads this post), nor our sweet little girls playing dress up in the vintage boutiques can ever measure up when our measuring stick isn't real. 

It doesn't matter if we are poor, rich, black, white, or all colors in between, we are not immune.

So we must equip ourselves, our daughters, our nieces, our friends, to love that which makes us unique.  Our lovely brown hair, our big blue eyes, the curve of our hips, the shape of our nose... the wrinkles, the gray hair, the stretch marks on our bellies.

We must equip ourselves. Recognize the lies of media and worldly "standard." Must remind ourselves that we will never achieve what they say we can have. To think, and to realize that we really don't want it.

Here is the Truth I want to live and to learn: instead of fighting the air and losing heart, we can choose to love the unique way God created us, that special way he sets us apart from all those plastic dolls standing in a row. Once we recognize it as a gift, instead of a flaw, we are free to move about our lives outwardly focused, not inwardly stuck...

This weekend we talked, The Girl and I, about what it is to be a woman.

I'm still learning too.

Ice Cream for Monkeys

I'm short on blogging time today. Its a government holiday. Which means The Mister is home, so I have to go sip coffee and watch him work in the yard before it begins to rain. Its a tough job, but somebody's got to do it. 

I'm going to post a recipe for Banana Ice Cream that my friend Becky made for me earlier this summer.

I have monkey that lives here who eats a lot of bananas. He just really likes them, but the window between ripe and over-ripe is short. 

If you have some bananas that are going brown, but aren't completely mushy you have the right banana for this ice cream. Of course, I think it would work with any banana at varying ripeness, dependent on your tastes.

Peel and slice your banana and freeze them on a cookie sheet or cake pan covered with butcher paper (wax side up) or plastic wrap (this makes taking the frozen banana off the cookie sheet very easy!)

Freeze slices for 45 minutes - 2 hours. 

After completely frozen, I take the slices and place them in a zip bag until I'm ready to use them.

When ready to make ice cream, place frozen slices in a food processor. 

Pulse until bananas look like little pieces of gravel. 

Scrape down the sides if needed.

Put lid on and keep pulsing. 

I can't tell you exactly when the banana magic will happen, but suddenly (just when you think it isn't gonna happen) they pulse into what looks like soft serve ice cream... its amazing, actually.

My monkey enjoys his ice cream just as it is, so I usually scoop a bit out for him before adding anything else. However,  I occasionally add a small scoop of peanut butter and Nutella. 

Oh, who am I kidding, I ALWAYS add a scoop of peanut butter and Nutella. But one time I pulsed up a scoop of peanut butter and a teaspoon of (unsweetened) cocoa powder, and it was divine.

So go bananas, and make some Monkey Ice Cream next time you need a little something sweet, and you have some brownish bananas on hand.

Happy Labor Day!

Five Photo Friday : Take 2

Look what I found at the store yesterday! Aren't they beautiful in all their orangey goodness?

The Girl helped me pick out a new pair of glasses this week... by trying on glasses too. She told me she liked these frames on her because they "make me look smarticle"... and pretty cute, I might add.

Yesterday the CPQ and I had a little date. When we were finished drinking our coffee she said she'd come to Michael's with me.  I always enjoy a little moral support when shopping for craft supplies so we were off.  At one point we were oohing-and-aahing over bamboo in the yarn isle when I heard faint music in the background: 

Morning just another a day, 

Happy people pass my way. 

Looking in their eyes, 

I see a memory, 

I never realized, 

you made me so happy, 

oh, Mandy!

I had myself a  little moment right there in the craft store... yarn, a good friend and now Barry? Seriously, it couldn't get any better. 

Thank goodness the CPQ was with me. In one short visit, she helped me pick a color for my new cardigan (I only hemmed and hawed for 30 minutes or so) so I could be fashion forward in the months to come. She helped me to decide on the accent notions, and reminded me to do something I NEVER remember to do - check dye lot numbers to be sure they match. That is a good friend!

In other news, my son's feet are no longer small enough to purchase athletic shoes at the normal (read: cheap) places, so we headed off to the sports store for an adult-size 10. These cleats photograph yellow but they are actually bright lime-green.  It was worth the purchase when, in his pitch for me to buy them, he ran around the shoe department to prove they made him run F-A-S-T. 

It worked. I bought them.

For my crafting/crochet readers... I have a secret to tell you. 

I never do the swatch on projects I make. I'm far to impetuous. 

But for the Cardigan I did, and it turned out great. I immediately unravelled the swatch and dived into the project full speed. I proceeded to crochet the first 11 rows, which took me over 5 hours. 

It only took about 3 minutes to unravel it. I had done the yoke corner stitches incorrectly. Instead of doing three treble clusters, I had done three trebles... big mistake. I had to start from row one all over again... 

But as a wise and true (and very British) friend always reminds me - the product isn't worth much if we don't enjoy the journey.

That is wonderful advice. In life and in crochet.

Happy Friday friends! Have a great long weekend!

On This First Day of September

Thursdays during the school-year are my favorite days.

I teach in a co-op on Wednesday afternoons and the preparation from Monday to Wednesday always makes me a little bit busier than usual. It's the same for the kids too, who have to prepare their writing assignments, history timelines, geography maps and get their history literature read to be ready for discussion.

On Thursday morning we all sort of fall in a heap of relief. Another week done!

I love all the "-ber" months. Love them. Here we are, the first day, of the first month, of my favorite time of the year. I love this place of anything exciting, when you are at the beginning and the anticipation of all the good things to come lies open in front of you. Just waiting to be enjoyed... love that.

I'm typing at you this morning between bites of my favorite fall-time breakfast: Oatmeal with Craisens, walnuts and cinnamon. With a side of fresh hot coffee.

The mornings are cool. It's as if a switch was flipped and the world knows its time to slow down. I am certain that pumpkin bread and soups are soon to take their place on the menu once again.

We have taken to having school outside in the mornings.

Even the leaves on a few trees have begun to change.

I just love the weather this time of year.

Today is going to be a fun day. This morning I get to have a cup of coffee with my dear friend the Carpoolqueen. I am certain I see a pumpkin latte in my future. Then I am off to buy some new soccer cleats for The Boy.

There is just something about soccer that makes me happy. Maybe its those years my dad coached my brothers' teams. My mom worked 3-11p shift at the hospital back then so I had to tag along to soccer practices. I would hang out with the other sisters playing on the playground. The air would slowly get cooler as the season went on. I loved it... the practices, the games, the oranges cut into quarters at half-time...

I still love it today... only now I bring my folding chair and a cup of coffee, and maybe something to crochet. I get to sit and chat with the other mom's and enjoy a bit of time outside.

I am pretty sure I love everything that has to do with the fall season... I could write volumes I think.

I'm also going to make myself a new fall crochet project... and today I am buying the yarn: Everyday Cardi. I'm not sure if I should do a fall color, a neutral color, or a bright and sassy color to lift my spirits come January/February when the world turns a little grey and my heart gets homesick for color.

Well, the oatmeal is eaten, and the coffee mug is empty. Thanks for enjoying a moment in the first day of September with me.

xox

The Topless Carpool Mom - and other thoughts on insecurity

In 2005 we moved from Texas to North Carolina and immediately got The Boy registered in a new school.

The night before his first day I had a dream that I showed up bright and early to the carpool line. As I pulled into the parking lot I realized I would need to walk into the building.  But when I looked down to take my seatbelt off, I wasn't wearing a shirt.

It was such a vivid dream that I woke up with heart palpitations and was sweating.  I've laughed about that dream for years now. I guess it doesn't matter how old you are- when you are insecure you are going to have dreams that you show up to school in your underwear.

Co-op starts tomorrow. I had a dream two nights ago that I completely dropped the ball and didn't show up, even though I knew that I was letting down people I care for and love, especially one friend in particular. I spent all of yesterday having to tell myself that that dream wasn't real.

I know why I am having dreams of insecurity. This is a new season for me. We are in a new school year. We are attending a new church. I am meeting new friends. Starting new groups.

I can sum up in three words how I am feeling about this new season in life:  I love it.

Even so, isn't it funny how new things can stir up old insecurity?

I'm convinced that insecurities are just distractions in my focus. They are bright warning lights that lead to dead end spaces. Diversions from the truth set before me.

I found myself fretting over what to wear to church early Sunday morning, and then weeping in the sanctuary with gratitude for the place we have found ourselves in... who cares what I was wearing?

"Be thou my vision..." I sang between catches in my throat. "Thou with me dwelling, and I with thee one."

Riches I heed not, nor mans empty praise,

Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:

Thou and thou only, first in my heart,

High King of heaven, my treasure Thou heart.

Weeping tears of contentment and praying for a vision that isn't set upon myself. That is the cure for insecurity: Gratitude for the gifts given. A heart, mind and vision focused on the One who holds the future. And the security of knowing I don't walk alone.

Even when I show up in my underwear.

Coveting Thy Neighbors Front-Loader

When our dryer went up in smoke last week I was thankful my home hadn't burned down.

Today I have an issue...

When things in my life have ever broken down (or spontaneously combusted, as it may be) my gut-reaction is to replace it. Out with the scorched. In with the new!


I'm slowly learning when things go awry in life (or the laundry room) there is often more than one solution. The best part? In the process of the final solution, you may pick up a skill or two.

Or at least your husband will.

For instance, The Mister could write volumes on how to repair a washing machine when it goes out. Or how to replace a sink. Or fix stucco when your wife backs her car into the side of the house.

He might call it : Fixing the Mess She's Got Herself Into.


I'd call it: Helping him see his Mr. Fix-It potential.

He's handy around the house... especially when I give him the time to figure things out; when I give thought to what might be another (less expensive) solution.

When my dryer set itself on the path of a slow burning inferno I put this lesson practice. I wasn't going to rush to the department store, I was going to let my man handle it! Wasn't that amazing?

Well, no, actually it wasn't.

Enter the front-loader.

This morning, after a laundry-lapse of 84 hours it was time to call on the kindness of our neighbor.

Mrs. E is a wonderful lady who I've written about before. She loves on my kids, is kind to my man, and has generously treated us as family. She gives treats to my dog, cuts fresh flowers from her garden for others to enjoy, and she has the most beautiful front-loading washer and dryer I have ever seen.

This morning I walked across the woods, arms straining to carry a basket full of laundry, with school-girl giddiness. I had been there a couple years back when the delivery truck pulled up Mrs E's driveway and unloaded the precious metal machine duo. I've been eying them ever since.

I'm just gonna spill my guts to you this morning and admit I made a wish right then and there, that my machine would die... so I could get a match-set too.

Before you judge, just remember, that was before I was using my powers of messing-things-up for good.

Honestly, this pearly white, energy-efficient, super-capacity, intelligent-timing, moisture sensing, with 9-cycles and 6- temperature settings might as well be my neighbors ox or donkey.

Have I mentioned how quiet it is? How it practically folds the clothes for you? How I have done four days worth of laundry in less than four hours because of its amazing ability to dry a load of laundry in less than hour?

I want  am enjoying that machine.

The Mister ordered the new parts he's replacing for our old dryer. They should arrive in the mail today or tomorrow.  I'm pretty sure its going to fix our issue.

The question is: Will it fix mine?

Happy Monday!

Five Photos Friday

I will admit, this week has been a strange one. We started with an earthquake, had a laundry fire mid-week and will finish it off with a hurricane. 

There is truly never a dull moment. 

Actually, that's not entirely true. There were a few moments of respite. Let me share them with you....

1. Living with a teenager is an adventure. I spend a lot of time vacillating between great rounds of laughter and frantic moments of prayer. Its all good. I'm thankful for a boy like this one...

 2. I think I might have control issues... and heaven help the woman who might get to the locker room at the gym first. Locker 19 is mine, mine, mine. Just kidding! (Sort of.)

PS: I love my new blue lock... when I purchased it I was so worried that the combo would be too hard to remember. When I opened the packaging the combo was made up of months/dates corresponding to the birthdays of The Mister, The Boy and The Girl. Isn't that cool?

3. I'm getting a little worried about the science curriculum we are using for eighth grade this year. Last week's experiment involved lighting matches, and this week he had to use the stove burner on high heat. (See #1.)

 4. The Girl is a card shark. A serious card shark. She pretty much cleaned us out on Wednesday night. All I can say is: Paw you better buy the Costco-size bag of m&m's... and hide your wallet. 

5. I will admit that sometimes when I step on a Lego with bare feet I say bad words. And I have been known to vacuum up scattered and lonely Lego pieces because my cries for them to be picked-up often go unheard.

However, just between you and me, deep down inside, finding Lego soldiers guarding my deodorant and Smashbox makes me exceedingly happy.

So there it is... the "boring" parts of my exciting week.

Happy Friday! And stay safe out there!

~~~

OH! And one more thing! I have a message for Mary from the pool (should you read my blog). I feel horrible that I have let a sister in a hair crisis down! I cannot for the life of me remember your last name... and I have tried high and low to find you on Facebook with your first and maiden name... even looking at other friends pages to see if they knew you. Please find me and friend me on Facebook, or leave a comment or email here, so I can find you and give you my hair-apists name.xox

Unplugging my Toaster... and Counting My Blessings

Six months ago I pulled a load of towels out of the dryer and it smelled like smoke. I checked every thing out and it looked all right.

And then I forgot about it.

Growing up my dad had three household "rules" that he was fairly serious about:

1. no flame candles in the bedrooms,

2. don't leave the dryer running when you aren't at home,

3. unplug the toaster when you are done, and certainly before you leave the house.

As a kid, I followed along and did my best to remember (if not with a secret eye roll or huff here and there.)

Now I know how very important those rules are...

Yesterday, I threw in a load of laundry into the dryer and ran upstairs to grab some shoes and brush my teeth before taking my son to the doctor. The kids were downstairs finishing up their work and getting ready to go.

Within five minutes I could smell acrid smoke that burned my nose. I ran downstairs to find my dryer was on fire.

When I opened the door a puff of smoke came out and continued to rise from the lint screen.

We unplugged it and took the clothes out, and waited to see if the smoke would stop. It did.

Then we prayed that it wouldn't re-ignite, cuz we had to leave, we couldn't miss the appointment at the orthopedic office.

When The Mister got home he pulled everything apart and this is what he found...

We're pretty sure that this has been a slow-burn, a six-month tinder... a tragedy in the making.

Honestly, I try not to run the dryer while I am out of the house, but occasionally it happens. LIke two weeks ago when I ran the kids to the pool. I left the dryer running because I was only going to be gone for 20 minutes. Never again.

We escaped and I am grateful.

So for now, this is our dryer:

And this...

I know that, "faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see"...but I do believe that every once in awhile we get the opportunity to really see.

Maybe more often than we choose.

Today I don't have to choose. Those wet clothes hanging all over the house are my memory stones.

I've been given the chance to see, and I am grateful.

The LORD is good to all; 

He has compassion on all he has made.

Psalm 145:9

A First for Everything

I am sure that every blogger on the coast is blogging about the same thing today...

Earthquakes and Hurricanes.

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

I was grading math assignments when I thought I heard a large airplane in the distance. I noticed because its very rare to hear an airplane in my neck of the piney woods. The sound grew louder... and somehow, if sound can have feeling, the growing rumble felt oppressive, foreboding. I looked at the dog, who on most days is afraid of her shadow. She was not bothered at all.

Then the cupboards started to rattle and I could feel vibrations through the floor.

I ran to the stairs to find out what in the world those kids were doing that would cause such commotion. Did they have music on that would make all that noise and racket?

By the time I reached the bottom of the stairs they were making their way down.

"Mom, the whole up-stairs is shaking!"

And I knew. I knew something was amiss.

The shaking stopped. Lasted less than a minute...

Its amazing the thoughts you can think in less than a minute.

I'm ashamed to say my first thought was sinister... thoughts of explosions and terror came to my mind. Something, someone was under attack...

The minute is was over, I felt shaken, and began to doubt.  I wondered if I had made it up. Maybe somehow my imagination had conjured something that wasn't quite real. I quickly got on Facebook (after-all thats the first place you should run when you fear you are losing your mind) to see if any of my neighbors had felt it too.

Immediately my friend Heather replied and said she had felt it too.  I felt so relieved. I wasn't crazy! (at least not today.) But I was shocked. Heather is a neighbor in heart, but she lives 25 miles away. Certainly whatever had happened was big. Honestly, I thought it might have been an earthquake, but I figured it highly unlikely. We don't have earthquakes in the East.

But it was.

My first earthquake... in the state of North Carolina.  May it be the last!

Our state was not preparing for an earthquake, but for a hurricane named Irene. Thankfully, us inland peeps should only get some rain and maybe some wind (at least as projected today), but I am making sure we are prepared. I'm making whole-wheat bread today. I bought extra coffee last week. We have three 10-gallon water bottles and enough toilet paper to get us through until next Christmas.

Its all about essentials, my friends.

Talk to me: Where were you during yesterdays earthquake?

You don't live on the East Coast? Well, if you were preparing for a hurricane, what one item would be in your survival kit?

Show and Tell

I got a  new phone a week ago and I was inspired to crochet a cozy that was fun, whimsical... and uncomplicated.  I also wanted it to be a project I could get done in one hour.

You may remember the crocodile I crocheted last month... this cozy was inspired by those loopy stitches that are so very easy, and offer a fun look without a lot of trouble!

Here is the open view. (that is my daughter's bedazzled device... not that I haven't been known to bedazzle and item or two myself)

Here's a side view....

and the back...

When the cozy was finished (and my afternoon plans fell through) I decided to be brave and try to make some hand-warmers. I had been putting off this pattern found in the Nov/Dec '10 issue of Crochet Today because they looked so complicated.

Now I am sorry I didn't make them last winter. They were simple. It took about an hour for each glove. And they are soft and lovely.... maybe a little bit big... but wonderful.

Then I decided to make a Kaleidoscope hexagon (also from Crochet Today, July/August 2011), just for kicks, to see how easy they would stitch up.

This was of course the kiss of death-by-crochet.  I'm in love. This hexagon stitches up BIG. This one is nearly 9-inches across. I see a new blanket in my future... which is sort of funny considering I haven't finished the afghan I put down early this summer, when it got too hot to crochet under all that  yarn....

Hmmm.... I think I may have a new project for the weekend: finish the wavy blanket to make room for the kaleidoscope...

Until then, its business as usual.

Happy Tuesday!

Body Guard or Fraidy Cat (depending on the day)

I'm taking my coffee on the deck this morning.

It's quite dangerous out here, what with all the squirrels noisily chasing through the trees. I can hear crickets chirping, and a crow squawking in the distance... I even hear a big animal off in the forest. Most likely its the buck with big antlers that lives in our woods.

It's a jungle out there.

But I'm not afraid. I've got my guard dog, Kona.



When I sit out here she places herself right at the entrance to our deck, ready to take on all that might come.

Well, almost anything.

Right after I snapped this photo she got up from her perch and ran like a flash to keep me safe me from suspicious three-inch Millipede crawling across the bricks. You should never trust anyone with 1000 short legs.

She sniffed at it and moved it around with her nose.

The suspect was deemed harmless and allowed to go on his way.

She's just doing her job, saving the day.



Occasionally, when things are a little slow, she gets up to check the perimeter. To chase those brown tree-climbing varmints back into there deluxe nests in the sky.

Then she comes back to resume her post for duty.



Just between you and me, my guard-dog is nice, but she's extremely high
-strung and afraid of her shadow. She can make me feel content and crazy within a fraction of a second.

She's the family dog, but likes me the best - following me around from room to room. She sits in the middle of the kitchen when I am cooking and if I don't shut the the door, will follow me into the bathroom. Every. Single. Time.

She is a loyal guard dog who's afraid of my sports-watch and the sound of the fire alarm when I occasionally "overcook" something in the kitchen. She saves me from bugs, but runs away from the deer. She'll crawl in your lap like a puppy is there's thunder.

She's a mess. But she doesn't know it.

This morning she is doing the job she takes with all seriousness: She is keeping me safe from millepedes and squirrels.

Shes my dog... and I love her.

Saying Nothing At All

Today I'm feeling choosing quiet.

I'm a girls-girl. A people-person. A sociable gal.

But sometimes? I let people get me down.

Which isn't right, or even fair... but it's what feels true for me today.

Instead of focusing on a confidence lost, I am going to focus on what I have learned... so I don't make the same mistakes twice. Instead of lashing out with my own thoughts and words, I am going back to my roots; to what my very own mama-hen taught me as a child...

"If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."

You would think I am nearing an age that would render a modicum of maturity-- some control over my people-pleasing ways; Some protection of the heart when those around me fail (and, when I fail others)...

I am learning that age, and security, and love for people cannot ease the sorrow of a trust broken.

But, there is One profound cure... A balm that leads to joy. Encouragement... not from the words of my mouth (or feelings of my heart) but those from the Word of God.

No. I'll say nothing at all. I'll hold tight to what is True...

[Kellie is]... not to please man [or people],

but to please God... 
We know that God is greater than our hearts... and He knows everything.

~1 Thessalonians 2:4~

ESV - my paraphrase; and 
1 John 3:20