Blessed Mardi Gras!

Drunken orgies and gaudy, sexual, out of control paraders are not 'Fat Tuesday' or 'Shrove Tuesday' traditions. (I couldn't even find a typical 'Mardi Gras' image clean enough to put on this blog!) It has always been a day for using up the rich and decadent foods given up during Lent, which starts with Ash Wednesday (tomorrow).

On Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, Catholics have parties, rich foods like pancakes, and cakes in general. They might have a pancake or cake party with dancing, but everything ends at midnight when they pray an Our Father for a Holy Lent, then call it a night.

Liz made a really delicious King Cake and took it to work today - it was devoured!

It looked like this.

We eat really well during Lent, lots of healthy soups and breads, very little fattening or unhealthy food. Meat usually once a day. Very good for cleaning out the system. 

During Lent you also give up an item that you love or an item of convenience you've grown too attached to - you might carpool instead of drive to work, give up Lattes or cigarettes or sodas. And you work hard to practice a virtue - see right hand column above. 

In fact, many Catholics take the time during Lent for daily spiritual reading - like the Church's history or a life of a saint,  a virtue, etc. 

Catholics love Lent - everyone thinks we suffer, but it helps harden our ability to control ourselves, and for 40 days at least, we hopefully improve in many ways. Besides that, every Sunday is a Feast Day, and you can't fast/abstain on a Feast Day!

The spiritual preparation of Lent makes the Resurrection, or Easter, much more meaningful.

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There it goes!

The snow is melting almost as fast as it dumps on us, which is ok here! Otherwise we have ice on ice. Now the temperature is warming up - 45 is warm right? 

Here's Liz stuck on the driveway in a snow storm - yesterday!

Bob's tractor got a workout last night!

This probably looks familiar to Mom!

This too! From yesterday.

Today, just before the big melting 'heatwave'!

Our cozy fireplace saw some action!

I have been sewing a little this week. I almost have the 'Hope' block done. And I found a good small teapot design for Mom's Anniversaries of the Heart block, but I'll change the colors!

I keep trying to rotate this, but it keeps popping back, so upside down it is!

x o x

And It Snowed Again!

 Let's see how long this lasts!

 

This is getting boring! 

Last week Liz got her own first car: a Subaru CrossTrek. Great for our snowy winters. Liz loves her job at the P.D. - 

and her new car.

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Winter Poem

Live in each season as it passes;
Breath the air,
Drink the drink,
Taste the fruit,
& resign yourself to the
Influences of each.
- Henry David Thoreau

Starting From Square One…Again!

Every time I go into Spine Team Spokane I learn something new about my conditions.  I am lucky enough to have about 5 separate problems with my ligaments, nerves, tendons, etc. They have all 'ganged' up on me and made my life a 'living hell'. 

However, I am acutely aware that things could be worse, and I should 'count my blessings'. And I do - I could probably count my blessings more often though!

Here's the latest laundry list of my conditions, and of course, although none of them can be treated by surgery and require more  work, at least two have been almost eliminated already through splinting and exercises:

Left neck pain/stiffness due to fall 34 years ago - almost gone due to exercises! I went to chiropractors for years because of this pain.

Right shoulder impingement, shoulder bursitis and tendonitis causing lots of nerve symptoms all over, including loss of fine motor hand\arm skills, vertigo, ear pains, stuffed up nose, slurred speech that comes and goes, back large muscle spasms, and on and on. Had a shot to reduce inflammation and help healing, and also to help me do exercises better. So far, pain is greatly reduced but other symptoms are not - yet!

Left  middle finger, 'trigger finger'- look up if you want, but almost all gone. This was very painful.

Right hip causing aching, pain and numb toes of both feet that worsens when standing. This coming Friday they will give my hip a 'numbness diagnostic shot'. I am praying this works. I've had this since before kids were born. Between this condition and the vertigo - caused by that nerve being pinched - I have a hard time walking.

Vertigo caused by a pinched shoulder nerve. I am doing exercises every day for this, but because the nerve is pinched the exercises only help the vertigo for a couple hours. This won't resolve until the shoulder swelling goes down and frees up the nerves.

I'm really happy about the neck pain being gone! Wow, after all of these years. So, I'm still trying to eliminate what's left (!) and in the meantime, I am sewing and decorating - but slowly for me. 

My new cookie mold - thanks to Mom - and in honor of the Little Sheep flock!

XOX

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

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.

The 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 and dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

And miles to go before I sleep.

Robert Frost

I love this Poem. Such a good picture! I have been using the same poetry book, a reprint from 1957, popular with homeschoolers titled,  Favorite Poems Old and New, Selected for Boys and girls by Helen Ferris.

Poetry is a great imagination builder, and really fun to read with young children.  This anthology at around 600 pages, and full of classic poems from all over the world, is kind of expensive, but it's proven to be worth it! Most of this blog's poems come from this book.

xox

How Cold Is It?

It's freezing ice cold! Very dry and single digits.

We're making tea to warm up and trying to stay healthy!

Inside!

Downstairs where the  heater is!

More downstairs....

The front yard through the window downstairs.

Icicles in the patio through the mud room window - I am not braving the weather by going outside!

There's always Hope! Little Flock Sheep and Virtues block I'm working on.

Curtains - almost done - I made for my sewing room downstairs.

Awake, O, north wind;
And come, thou south;
Blow upon my garden.
-Bible quote

Yesterday's snow on the birdhouse through our bedroom window.

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