family + sun + water = good times

we drove straight south, for hours. away from the calendar, the schedules, the telephone ringing, appointments, chores, and work. the trip was uneventful, save one flat tire on the boat trailer and one forgotten cooler of food in the kitchen. the tire was changed quickly thanks to the spare and the tools that mark threw in at the last minute. and the food would be replaced at the walmart as we neared our destination. we turned off the highway and meandered into countryside and then woods. the woods got thicker until we reached paradise! the woods cleared into shimmering water...

a view of the resort from the water

S is up and skiing!


the captain

S and B hangin' on!

C at the helm

everyday gift: the hum of the boat, splashing water, sweet laughter

iowa sheep and wool festival

a few weeks ago B and i took another mother-daughter road trip. it was a wonderful weekend adventure at the iowa sheep and wool festival. (i would like to take a moment here and say what a blessing it is to have a daughter! we have the best time together, sharing so many interests, having heart to heart talks, and laughing a lot, too. i am so thankful for our special relationship!) okay, back to the regularly scheduled blog post... B took a beginning spinning class and was able to learn how to use the wheel she got for christmas. her wheel is a beautiful louet s15 that has been stained green and decorated with a fern motif.

hurray! success on the spinning wheel!

B spinning on a drop spindle


carding fuchsia wool

B and i in the bleachers watching the sheep dogs herd their little flocks through the course...

i also took a class and learned a few techniques to spin specialty yarns using mohair. it was rather difficult and i'm not sure if was very successful, but it helped me to break out of my "spinning comfort zone".

left to right: spinning directly from mohair locks, a loopy yarn, spinning onto a core thread

i wanted to try some new fibers so i bought this beautiful silk/merino blend.

this is a wool/angora blend.

i am spinning it now and looking for some kind of cowl/hood/mobius pattern to use with the yarn. do you have a favorite?

everyday gift: a weekend with my girl

visiting rocky ridge farm

last weekend we took a very delightful trip to Laura Ingalls Wilder Days in mansfield missouri. it was such a blessing in so many ways. B really enjoyed dressing the part of young laura ingalls and i had fun sewing the prairie dress (except when i couldn't find the directions for the bonnet and had to make it up as i went along, and when the pleats on the pantaloons didn't come out right, and the pattern made a simple dress waaaaay more complicated than need be...other than that, i really enjoyed getting back to the sewing machine). ;o) but i digress...

...while B was busy imagining the life of a 9 year old girl in a covered wagon, i was so pleased to learn more about the woman/farmer/wife/author she became. i have been enjoying two new books that i purchased at the gift shop: On the Way Home: The Diary of a Trip from South Dakota to Mansfield, Missouri, in 1894 and Laura Ingalls Wilder: Farm Journalist. both of these books reveal the true character of a woman who faced and overcame many hardships. a woman whose determination and courage are the epitome of the american pioneering spirit.

barefoot country girl!

B as laura ingalls

"The Little House Books are stories of long ago...the way we live and your schools are much different now. So many changes have made living and learning easier. But the real things haven't changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful: to be happy with simple pleasures and to be cheerful and have courage when things go wrong."

~Laura Ingalls Wilder

standing before the judges. she was very brave!

and to this mama's eye, she was the cutest prairie girl around! *smile*

making friends with one of the other "lauras"

B made friends with a girl just her age at the contest and it was a highlight of the trip! together they played, chatted, and twirled their dresses while they waited through the long procession of laura and almanzo look-alikes. they had decided to become pen pals, but sadly, she slipped away with her grandpa afterwards before addresses could be exchanged.

B in her prairie dress, apron, bonnet, and pantaloons. however, she ditched the stockings and shoes and went barefoot for the look alike contest.

B and grammy waiting for the play to begin in the outdoor theater

the ingalls family portrayed by the ozark moutain players

in the presentation of "Laura's Memories"

we visited the grave site of almanzo and laura ingalls wilder.

stepping back in time

i loved this little window

B sitting on the porch of the rock house

the three of us, my mom, B and i, standing in front of the rock house,

it was a really special time for just the girls to be together.

i know we will treasure the memories of this trip!

rocky ridge farm, mansfield, missouri

"When I look around the farm now and see the smooth, green, rolling meadows and pastures, the good fields of corn and wheat and oats; when I see the orchard and strawberry field like huge bouquets in the spring or full of fruit later in the season; when I see the grape vines hanging full of lucious grapes, I can hardly bring back to mind the rough, rocky, brushy, ugly place that we first called Rocky Ridge Farm. The name given it then serves to remind us of the battles we have fought and won and gives a touch of sentiment and an added value to the place.

"In conclusion, I am going to quote from a little gift book which my wife sent out to a few friends last Christmas:

'Just come and visit Rocky Ridge,

Please grant us our request,

We'll give you all a jolly time-

Welome the coming; speed the parting guest.' "

A.J. Wilder, July 22, 1911

everyday gift: celebrating an american treasure, laura ingalls wilder

saturday with my american girl

after reading the book, The Saturdays, B began dreaming of her very own saturday to go and do something really special. she wanted to see the american girl place in chicago. after all, she has been doing extra chores and saving her money for the kit doll ever since seeing the movie this summer. she was about half way to her goal of $90. she dumped her kleenex box out to count her savings: 2 $10's, 2 5's, 11 $1's, 28 quarters, 2 dimes, and 8 pennies = $48.28. i was amazed. i didn't think it was realistic that she could make it that far! i would have let her go further, but i wanted us to make this special trip before the christmas rush, so i gave a donation toward her goal, and loaned her the remainder. she will fold clothes at 50¢ a load, vacuum the living room, and clean the guest bathroom in the weeks to come to pay for her debt.

B and kirsten, buckled up and ready for the trip

B and kirsten outside of the american girl place, water tower place, chicago



oh. my. look at all those red bags!





beautiful glass elevators in water tower place.
oh, the funny feeling in your tummy as you fly up to the seventh floor!

we had pasta for lunch at the california pizza oven

(thanks, mom!)

chicago's old water tower

pigeons everywhere!

seeing horses made the trip complete for B!

horses and carriages lined up

we had a fabulous time! i really cherish these specials times we can have, "just the girls". B's expression was priceless as she shopped and gazed at the beautiful displays for each of the historical dolls. and the store clerk's expression was also priceless when B pulled out her purse and dumped her money on the counter to pay! ;o)

everyday gift: my american girl and her dolls

one-room school house circa 1908

last week i was one of the drivers for the field trip S's class took to a living history school house. i was so glad for the chance to go and B got the bonus of coming along as well. aside from the cold dreary weather, it was a really fun day. the kids each took on a character, an actual person who lived and breathed and went to school in a one room school house in the early 1900's. they read biographies of their character and played the part for the day, even dressing as they might have dressed, well, as close as our modern day closets would allow. it was a wonderful experience.

the school house is set in lovely rural iowa, complete with a winding stream and cows grazing next to a corn field.

a fire was blazing in the stove and we welcomed its warmth!

children at attention as the school master spoke...notice the freshly cut switch on his desk? fortunately, he didn't need to use it! :o)

mr. crow, the school master talks with his pupils

"elmer miller" prepares for a day of school

sweet girls!

the school master played the part so well, he was warm and witty with the kids, but still very stern as a proper school master should be.

everyday gift: living history lessons

a step back in time

after the field trip to the living history school house, S's teacher, mrs. m treated the class to ice cream cones at the Wilton Candy Kitchen which was like stepping back in time. they still serve homemade ice cream and make their own turtle candies. the owners were so gracious as they served our bunch their cones. it was the perfect ending to a really fun day.

S's 5th grade class at the Wilton Candy Kitchen




even as we ate our treats, the locals stopped in to say hello, a little surprised by the crowd, "oh, i see you're busy, i'll be back in a while, save me a scoop, will ya?"

i do long for simpler times, when you could get a cone for a nickel, girls wore braids and calico dresses, and you'd take a spin on the stools at the soda fountain...

everyday gift: hand dipped ice cream cones