Bittersweet

It wasn't until I was in the middle of taking some pictures of the bittersweet vine outside of our back yard this morning that I saw the metaphor of the vine to today, election day in the US.

I'm so very grateful for our freedoms I can't put words to it.  So overwhelmingly grateful to be able to vote, to speak  and to live my beliefs.

And, today, there isn't a choice that brings any joy or hope. Bittersweet.

  So, I choose to put my hope in Christ.

As I was thinking about it all again this morning and trying to not despair.  Christ tells me not to despair.  I saw an irony I had not seen before.  The Democratic candidate believes she empowers women with the right to abortion.  But, the truth is, she enslaves them.  Legal abortion (and rampant use of contraceptives) enslaves women to the likes of the men who are like the Republican candidate.  Think about it. 

At the beginning of the Catholic Mass, there is a confession of sins.  A public confession that is meant to tie us all together.  We all come together before our Lord acknowledging we are sinners, but relying on His Mercy.  Together.  This bittersweet jumbled vine makes me think of that.  All of us with this opinion or that opinion.  For the most part, we are all sure hoping for good though.

So, for anyone who wants to stand with me today, jumbled but knowing the sinfulness we live in and are part of....

taken from the Mass:

Lord, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

Happy Grid

Well, November 2nd was a great day!!

Welcome to granddaughter number 3, Edith Mercedes (to be known as Edie)!

I decided to post a grid instead of a parade of photos like last time. :)

It was night time and really hard to get good pictures without a window of sunshine.

My son's friends give him a hard time about all the birthday parties he has to go to...but now we have another double birthday.  She was born on my 17 year old daughter's birthday.  My husband and youngest daughter share a birthday too. :)

I went down to help with the other two girls for a bit.  Our 15 month old granddaughter, grabbed the baby's tiny bottle with newborn formula and just downed it!  She, herself is still taking a bottle of milk twice a day.  She has the most tender heart, so didn't dare take it from her as she was meeting this new sister for the first time.  It was really cute!

Such a special, special time to meet a new little person!!!!  Thank you, God!

Now, I'm back to my barn and garage cleaning (if you follow along on Instagram, you may know that) and tonight, a 35 year class reunion for my husband.  What?!?! 35 years?! Plus, we still need to celebrate our daughter turning 17. 

Of course, earlier this week, there was Halloween with Nancy Drew and Charlotte, the ghost of Thornton Hall. You may remember this post; my girls really love playing Nancy Drew! Two quick stops at the thrift store found us everything we needed for their costumes.

 A full, but wonderful week!!

Garden Notes: Love Lies Bleeding

I planted Amaranth for the first time this year.  The particular variety was Amaranthus Caudatus, Love Lies Bleeding and I will be planting it again!!

How it unfolded this summer:  I planted these from a packet of seeds in a row in the vegetable garden and didn't have the time to record what I was planting.  So...couldn't remember.  When they came up, I decided to put them in my tank garden to fill in some spots.

They had the ugliest leaves while they were growing and I told my husband that I thought I had actually planted Pig Weed.  I almost pulled them out.  Then I googled "plants that look like pig weed" For real.  And got my answer.  

Pig weed is in the Amaranth family.  And, is edible.  Then I read about Love Lies Bleeding and finally remembered that was indeed what I had planted.  So I waited out the ugly leaves and these plants got big!

So, so worth the wait and ugly leaves for the draping blooms I had to put in arrangements!  So, I will plant them again, but this time will leave them on the outskirts of the garden  so I can use them just for cutting.  I've experimented with drying them too.  Draped or hanging down...seems that either can work, depending what you want to do with them when they are dry.

And, that vase was actually a candle in it's former life...a great recycled object!

If you garden, are you planning for next year already? 

Little Wire People

A couple of weeks ago my youngest girls and I stopped at a garage sale where we found these great wire sculptures.  They decided they wanted to buy them with their own money so I agreed.

On our way home, one of them asked me if I could make them dolls to play with the pieces.  At first I was skeptical, asking what she had in mind...soft stuffed dolls?  She told me simple wire ones would be good.

I kind of jumped at this. I enjoy using wire in projects.  And even though they are fairly simple, they became a bit more involved than what I started out thinking I'd make.  

Later in the day, a dog was born too!

And, if you follow along on Instagram, you may know that magnets were added so they could be moved around on an old cookie sheet.  One thing always leads to another it seems....

So that led to a gif. :) 

Here are the past Gifs.

(If it isn't playing, just reload your page)

Yesterday a ballerina was born.  But, she needs a bit of tweaking yet.

On a side note: last night I went with one of my girls to see Ted Kooser and it was a wonderful evening!