Water, is taught by thirst

I've loved this poem from the time I first read it (I think it helped that half the page featured Juncos hopping in the snow). Enjoy!

Water, is taught by thirst

By Emily Dickinson

Water, is taught by thirst.
Land -- by the Oceans passed.
Transport -- by throe --
Peace -- by its battles told --
Love, by Memorial Mold --
Birds, by the Snow.

Hearts in a Window

     Valentine's Day is such a happy holiday!  Flower Patch Farmgirl has a tutorial for making these pretty transparent hearts, and even though Valentine's Day is several weeks away, I made them a couple days ago.  They really brighten up our kitchen, and make it look so festive.
     Basically, you shave crayons with a pencil sharpener, take the shavings and iron them between two sheets of wax paper, then cut out hearts, punch a hole in them, and hang them up!
     If you want yours to looks like hers and be different colors, make separate batches of each colors (so you have red, orange, pink and purple sheets of melted crayons and wax paper).  I put all my colors on one sheet of wax paper, and even though they were in different groups they all blended into one bright mix.

Nordic Mittens

     A family friend from Minnesota showed me how to make these.  The pattern was an original of her Grandmother's, and looks nicely Norwegian.  It's very similar to a honeycomb pattern, and makes me want to make snowballs and drink cocoa!

January, Thus Far

     Christmas break and this first part of January have been very fun. Well, excepting the walking pneumonia and sinus infection that accompanied them.  Those were not fun.  In fact, they were almost miserable.  But I digress.

     Over Christmas break I read several of Gene Stratton Porter's books.  If you have not read Freckles, please make every effort to do so.  I'm not quite as fond of her books The Harvester and Laddie, but they are still wonderfully good.  

     

     I would make a final update of the list, but that will have to wait.  It's not finished...

     

     Classes started again on Monday, and of the four I am taking, I definitely like two.  I haven't decided about the others.  One of the professors said something to the effect of, "People have this belief that university professors are left-wing, radical liberals out to brainwash our students.  And we are!"  I guess we'll see.

     How has your new year been so far?

Green. Definitely Green. (and EDIT)

I want to try this, and  I think I will for breakfast tomorrow, less the kale, seeing how we don't have any on hand.  Ever.  Is it good?

"Kale, Spinach and Pear Smoothie Per Joy the Baker (The photo is hers as well)

1 heaping cup spinach leaves

1 heaping cup chopped kale leaves

1/2 pear

1 frozen banana

1 1/2 cups cold almond milk (or soy milk or orange juice)

1 tablespoon honey

Remove kale leaves from their rough center stalk and coarsely chop.  In a blender, combine kale spinach and almond milk.  Blend until no big kale bits remain.  Stop blender and add banana honey and pear.  Blend until smooth.  Enjoy immediately."

EDIT:  This is really very good!  I made it with regular milk, all spinach, and apple instead of pear (though pear would have been good).  By the way, if you ever try to freeze a banana for a recipe, do yourself a favor and peel it first.  Frozen bananas do not peel well.  If you don't peel it, your only hope is to rinse it under hot water for a while and scrape off the thawed, now mushy peel.  Trust me, I know.

Bird Song

Spring's Arrival

A German Folk Poem

All the birds have come again,

Hear the happy chorus!

Robin, bluebird, on the wing,

Thrush and wren this message bring.

   Spring will soon come marching in,

   Come with joyous singing.

~~~

     I admit it, Spring is pretty far off at this point, and the birds have not all come again.  Be that as it may, I am currently listening to a guide to bird songs, so when they do come, I will be ready.  I am not an auditory learner, so the listening (and repeat, repeat, repeat) is slow going, but very enjoyable.  It's also applicable - I heard a downy woodpecker the other day, and was actually able to tell what it was!  Knowledge of bird songs is like knowledge of French;  without it, the sounds just run together and sound pretty, without having any meaning.  Once you learn about it, the sounds separate and their individual purpose (or producer) become plain.  So cool!

Happy New Year!

     Happy New Year!  I actually stayed up past midnight time. Minutes into 2001, I stood out on the front porch with Dad and watched a storm come in.  It was strange, thinking about how an entire year was over - gone.  It made me happy and sad.  It made me want to make this year count, and be worthwhile.  I've been thinking about these questions, asked by a man named Don Whitney:

1. What's one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?

2. What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?

3. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?

4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?

5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?

6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?

7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?

8. What's the most important way you will, by God's grace, try to make this year different from last year?

9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?

10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?