Tires / Clocks

    Having interesting requests from customers was nothing unusual in our little woodworking business. We used to try to do our best to make the visions they had for special pieces of furniture come true.

    One day several men stopped in. They unloaded a tire from the back of their pickup truck and rolled it into the shop. 

    They proceeded to tell us how this was a special tire. One that had been used on a car at one of the Nascar races and that they would like to have us make a clock with it.

    They explained how they envisioned it and told us what they would be willing to pay for it. 

    The tire they brought along was only the first of what they hoped would be hundreds of clocks we would make for them.

    The opportunity sounded great, but before my parents would commit to this they wanted to think it over.

    The guys agreed, and left, leaving the tire there until they would come back to get their answer.

    I was excited about the prospect. I could see myself helping with this project, and the possibility of making hundreds if not thousands of clocks … well, the math was good.

    Dad and Mom weren’t that excited about it though. Race car tires! What if that would cause their children to become interested in sports or even worse, cars! No amount of money was worth that they decided and told the guys that we would not be making the clocks. 

    I’ve often wondered if they ever did find someone to make clocks for them, and if it was a successful venture.

    Sadly for my parents, turning down that opportunity did not keep their children Amish. Though I do not regret leaving, I do feel bad for the heartache I know they have carried because of our decision.

Raising a Baker

    I should have known she would become our resident bread baker some day. 

    From the time she was a wee little girl, Sharon loved anything to do with yeast doughs, and would always try to help me when ever it was time to bake breads.

    Roles almost seem to be reversed now, as I tiptoe into the kitchen and peek over her shoulder to see what her latest creation will be. 

    At this point I've lost count of the number of different breads, rolls, and related treats that have been produced by her capable hands.

    This afternoon she is doing a side by side comparison of cinnamon rolls. One batch she's using Pioneer Woman's recipe, while the other will be made with a donut recipe that she decided to turn into cinnamon rolls.
    I'm looking forward to seeing how they compare.

~~~~~

    There may be things I wish I could go back and do differently from their childhood years, but one thing I'll never regret is how I always welcomed them to "help" even when it slowed me down. 
    Those few years of inconvenience have paid off way more than I ever realized they would at that time.

Random Bits

     LV whisked me away for a few days. We spent our time hiking, exploring, and enjoying each other's company.

     It was such a time of relaxing and refreshment, and I enjoyed every minute.

     I only took a little over 300 pictures. I'll share some of them later.

~~~~~

     I'm writing again, and loving it. I opened files I had stored away on my computer and read everything and became reinspired to get more books published.

     Stay tuned.

 ~~~~~

      The fall colors have been spectacular this year. Combine that with bright blue skies and puffy white clouds and you really couldn't ask for a more perfect fall.

      This morning that changed and we were greeted with fog, a fast drizzle, and general sogginess.

      It may have affected Steven's mood a bit when he surveyed his math assignment for the day. Division isn't as exciting as it used to be.

      First he calculated how many days are left in the school year, and then how many days until he graduates. It all became a bit overwhelming to him.

      He came up with a solution though. "Mom," he said. "We should become Amish and once I graduate we could leave again."

~~~~~

      I'm trying a new recipe for roasted squash for supper tonight.

      I've never used patty pan squash before, but I'm looking forward to it.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

 1. When is the last time you experienced nostalgia? 

It seems I've been experiencing it a lot lately. Most recently was last evening as Sharon and I were preparing supper and she started singing Blessed Assurance. We sang the entire song together as waves of nostalgia/memories swept over me. It used to be Mahlon's favorite song when he was a little boy and he'd sing it all the time while playing. I can still see him sitting cross-legged on the floor with kittens in his lap petting them and singing them to sleep with this song.

 2. September 29th is National Coffee Day. Do we need this? Ha! So are you a coffee drinker? If so how many cups per day, and tell us how you like it. Is there a recipe you enjoy that calls for coffee as one of the ingredients? 

I wouldn't call myself a coffee drinker, but in the past year I have learned to enjoy iced coffee from Sheetz a few times a month. Their dark chocolate, blackberry flavored one is my favorite. Aside from that, I don't drink any coffee.

I can't think of a recipe I have that uses coffee other than a chocolate cake, but I don't really care for it that much.

 3. Do you find praise or criticism to be more motivating? Explain. 

 Constructive criticism can be helpful, but at the same time praise from someone whose opinion I value is also very motivating.

 4.  What's a television series you keep coming back to and re-watching? 

I'll watch Andy Griffith occasionally. It's been a long time, but we used to enjoy reruns of I Love Lucy and the Dick Van Dyke shows.

 5. As the month of September draws to a close give us three words to describe your mood. 

Happy or maybe I should say joy ... it feels a little deeper than surface happiness.
Fall-sy ... fall always evokes feelings of wanderlust, coziness, anticipation of doing fun crafts, projects, baking, and a happiness that I can't really describe in a single word other than fall-sy.
Content ... can't explain this either, but there's a feeling of deep contentment these past few days.

 6. Insert your own random thought here.

Earlier this month there had been underlying feelings of unease and being unsettled. It took me a little while to figure out what was going on. I took a step back from my online presence and spent more time outdoors. I did a lot of sewing, reading, and baking. Steven and I played a ridiculous amount of games, and I focused on all the little things I enjoy so much.

It finally clicked for me ... it's September. It's two years since my brother passed away. Once I identified the source of those underlying uneasy feelings I was able to deal with it and move on to the three feelings I mentioned above.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

 

1. What's one thing you learned at the ripe old age of whatever age you are now?

I just recently learned that Word has a feature where it will read back what ever you wrote. 

Steven especially loves using it. He's writing short stories, and now instead of asking us to read what he wrote, he will ask us to listen.

2. I read here a list of foods that can help you look younger - extra virgin olive oil, green tea, fatty fish, dark chocolate, vegetables, flaxseeds, pomegranates, avocados, tomatoes, spices, bone broth

How many of the foods listed have you tried? How many do you eat regularly? Your favorite from the list?

I have tried all those foods. The ones I use regularly are olive oil, vegetables, avocado, tomatoes, spices, and fatty fish such as salmon and tuna. I also love sardines, but the rest of the family doesn't, so I rarely ever have them. 

My favorite from the list is probably avocados, I could happily eat them at every meal. I really like vegetables as well.

3. Something you miss from the 'good old days'? When were the good old days anyway?

When were the good old days is a good question. Right now I miss the way things were last year. I miss seeing smiling faces when out and about.

Looking back further there are more things I miss, but I'm unsure if there has been that much of a change, or was I simply more innocent and naive in my Amish bubble?

4. What are two or three of the most rewarding things to be found in growing older?

One of the things I've found that I really like as I grow older, is how things no longer tend to embarrass me like they used to. Happening to send a drumstick flying across the kitchen in front of visitors as I unstick it from a pan is much more funny than embarrassing now.

5. What's your favorite part of your life right now?

My favorite part of life right now is being able to spend quality time with family. It's the best. Ask me again in 10 -20 -30 years from now and I'll probably still answer the same way.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

We find it to be annoying how the paved area in front of our multiple bay garage is often used as a pull over spot for those wishing to check their phones, allow someone to pass, turn around, change a toddler's stinky diaper, switch drivers, and more. This morning a big rig swooped off the road and parked.  His engine idling noisily as he sat there waiting. Maybe his ELD was making him take a 30 minute break?

Rosie Mae needed to leave for work and he was blocking her car. The longer she waited the more courage she got. Finally she announced, "Well, I'm going out to tell him he's got to leave, mush, skedaddle, hit the road, get out of my way."

She marched outside, but he stayed. Apparently she didn't scare him.

Sharon and I watched as she maneuvered her car with care, patience, and admirable skill into the yard and then out onto the road and was on her way.

I'm thinking about buying traffic cones to set along the front of our parking/drive/garage area. Or would that be rude?