Lenten Discipline - Let's take a Walk....

Lent is not my favorite liturgical season... in fact... it's there at the bottom. I don't know why I don't like it - it's just never been my favorite season. Most of the time in this part of the world - all the flowers are in bloom and nary a one can be placed at the altar. (Right now the azaleas are about 3 weeks ahead of schedule and blooming here - dogwoods are holding tight).

Somewhere in Blogville, I saw a blog devoted to walking a marathon's worth in one month. Doable for us sloth type folks and at the end of the month you can be proud you have put in at least 26 miles. Well in my walk today, I had the AHA moment... 40 miles in 40 days... well... in light of the last few weeks with my blood pressure being up and my cholesterol following suit, I thought.. this is it. I will walk through Lent for me... for my family... and friends.. and if anyone would like to join me, you can take this graphic and upload it to your blog and join me in the journey. Wonder how many miles we can log.

For starters, I walked around my odd shaped block which is sort of shaped like a narrow leaf - it's 9/10 of a mile - which makes oh so wish it was an even mile to make it easy.

Let me know if you are going to join me in the walk and I will link you to the side as the 40 milers. Starts Ash Wednesday officially.

Google, Olympics, and Knitting Olympics

This is just a quick thought - but with over 4000 participants in the Knitting Olympics through the blog world, I think it would be very appropriate for Google to "Google Doodle" a logo with knitting needles as part of their Olympic doodling. I could think of where the yarn and needles would go...can't you???? Wonder if someone could create one?

Your thoughts and comments and perhaps a creation would be cool...huh?

Welcome to the world Sophia Elizabeth

Welcome to the world Sophia Elizabeth -- 21 inches long and 6 lbs 7 oz at birth (trying to do this from memory) .

Her Mom and Mimi sent this picture with the blanket knitted for her. Does she look peaceful and happy, not to mention BEAUTIFUL????

Please leave a note to welcome her to our world - by a simple welcome or a prayer!

Rewind, erase and go forward please

Some weeks it would be nice to rewind and start over and I think this would be one of them.

I have been monitoring my blood pressure for a few weeks - it's been high enough that I wanted to keep tabs on it. Well, Tuesday was a stressful day at work, and without going into details, the result was that I felt somehow that my blood pressure was high - well it was, and high enough that the school nurse said, call your doctor, don't drive, etc.

So the end result after the doctor's visit is I am now on a beta blocker and diuretic and will get some blood work done.

Is school stressful??? Well, you bet it is. Most days I think I have the best job in the world, but there are days that give me a reality check that not all in the world is right and I don't live in utopia. I see the impact that our society has on our kids, whether it be television, music, or their environment. For many, school is their safe haven and hopefully we can offer them not only a valuable education, but also the tools and skills to make it in today's world. I also hope we can offer to be role models to those students, especially to those that have to endure situations we have never been a part of in our sheltered lives.

So, as I knit, and as I sing, and as I sit in my warm home, make me ever so mindful that there are many children right at my back door that will never have the creature comforts of a safe home and family.

I do not solely blame my high blood pressure on stress. I would be lying and fooling myself if I did. Most days I let the stress run off my back like water does on a duck's back. Tuesday was not one of them - Wednesday was a day of rest and a day to adjust to the medication. Hopefully this weekend will allow some more rest and time to sit back.
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However, I would be remiss if I did not celebrate with my friend whose children have blessed her with the births of two granddaughters in a two day period. Welcome to the world, Abigail and Sophia!!

Knitting update to come!

Very cold in the Deep South and Bird droppings

I realize that for some of you, our cold weather is when you pull out your shorts and sleeveless shirts, but for us in the deep south, we are not used to weather where the thermometer does not reach 50 degrees. Today I was able to do something that I don't think I have done before - go to the grocery store BEFORE church, buying items that are required to go in the refrigerator or freezer, leave it out in the car, and go get some lunch and THEN go home to put the items away. For some of you, you may think this is an ordinary sort of thing, but down south, one does not do that. After grocery shopping with items requiring refrigeration, go STRAIGHT HOME.

Well, feeling quite smart with all of this, I went out to the van after church - parked under the big oak tree. I kid you not, there was bird poop droppings EVERYWHERE on the car - and not only my van, but all the other vehicles in the vicinity of the tree. On my half of the windshield, I counted 28 droppings -- now I don't normally go around counting such a thing, but I was conveying the information to my son on the phone to make my point as to how bad it was. I have determined 2 things.

• What in the world did those birds eat to create the voluminous amounts of the stuff (sorry no picture - camera was at home getting battery recharged)
• the birds could not possibly be of our church tradition, but had to be of another denomination to do such a thing

I do not generally dwell on such matters, but I had to go to the super duper car wash and get a deluxe wash and it still didn't remove it all.

ON a more positive note, I have a pot of chili on, started a fire and getting ready to knit.
By the way - that's a sky watcher photo at the top of the posting - last night on the way to Tallahassee, with the car moving, I captured this photo. Would have had more of the sky there, but the telephone lines were in the picture.

Blanket in Rehab

Naomi asked in the comment section: Now where is the one you are knitting with all the different pretty colors?

Well, Naomi, here is part of it. I am starting over again. It was too wide. It didn't seem to be right. Plus, I was supposed to crochet something on the outside of the knitted part and I just couldn't seem to get it right. So I am placing the blanket in rehabilitation. It's even been blessed - can't you tell?

My plan is to make it less wide and make the stripes smaller. I just think it will work better that way. IN addition, I am going to KNIT a border while I am knitting it. That way, when it is done, IT IS DONE. No more of this "add a crocheted border to it." This one will be pure unadulterated knitting on it. The baby may make it before the blanket is complete, but she will definitely get it before she outgrows it.

Silent Poetry Reading and Saying Goodnight to God

WHAT: A Bloggers (Silent) Poetry Reading
WHEN: Anytime February 2, 2006
WHERE: Your blog
WHY: To celebrate the Feast of Bridgid, aka Groundhog Day (It's also Candlemas)

originated from http://goldpoppy.blogspot.com/2006/01/youre-invited.html

I picked this - it was the first piece of poetry I had to memorize and recite in front of a class in Jr. High English Class. First time I remember experiencing cotton mouth I was so nervous. However, I love the poem.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

For a poem whose recitation caused such anxiety, I still have an affection for it.


I write this as I sit in a hotel from Savannah - Diocesan Convention. A most lovely compline service - a feast for the ears and soul in a most lovely Christ Church Savannah.

May God grant you a safe night's end and a peaceful rest. Amen.

See more "Saying Good Night to God."