Easter Eggs...

      A longtime tradition in our family was to have an egg tree for Easter. Years ago my father would take us out and help us pick the best branch for the tree. We would bring it into the house, find an old coffee can, fill it with clay to hold the branch firm.  The eggs took some time to prepare - my mom would wash the eggs, then using a large needle she would poke a hole at each end of the egg. Then we each take a turn - first shaking the egg, then blowing through one end so the yok would come out the other end. Once the egg yok was removed we washed each egg and let them drain til they were dry. It was not always an easy task blowing the yok out.  And then what to do with all that scrabble egg yoks?? Then the fun began - my mom, brothers, sisters and I sat around the kitchen table and began decorating the eggs. I remember how proud we were of these eggs and how much fun it was to decorate the branch.  As years past and my siblings  and I have grown-up, we carried this tradition into our own homes.  We each have an Easter Egg tree - now decorated with our own eggs that our families made. Each year we would save the eggs from years before - showing a history of our special times in decorating our eggs.  Looking through my collection of Easter Eggs - I see dated eggs going back 31 years! Wow! And to think they haven't broken over time.

Eggs are given on Easter Sunday as a direct representation of  Jesus' resurrection and life beginning anew.  The symbolism also indicates as the bird emerges from its shell, so did Jesus from his tomb.

We didn't realize we were making Memories...
                                   we just knew we were having fun!

This is a picture of a basket filled with some of the Easter Eggs I made. They are blown out eggs wrapped in Embroidery thread. The process involved spreading tacky glue on egg shell and then carefully wrapping thread around the egg. Multi color thread results in the stripes once wrapped around the egg. This beautiful glass basket was a gift from my step-daughter. It remains in my dining room and is used for displaying some of my favorite things - such as my seasonal rag balls and for Easter - beautiful Easter Eggs.
                                                         

Memory of a First Pet...

     When my son was young I brought home a baby rabbit for him as a "First Pet".  This was no ordinary rabbit - he was raised by a special women who did Pet Therapy for Developmentally Disablied Adults. The Mother Rabbit was famous throughout the Day Program I supervised for several years.  I remember the day Marsha came into my office with a litter of small bunnies for me to choose one for my son. Along with the rabbit - I received wonderful guidelines how we should raise the rabbit to accept people handling him and how to train him.  We went out and bought a beautiful cage, bedding, food, and a litter box. We named the rabbit "Snowball" because of his beautiful white fur.  Oh what a wonderful pet he was. My son taught him to use the litter box, how to walk outside with a pet harness and sit in a basket to be carried throughout the house. He became part of the family - as most pets do.  As Snowball grew - you could see the love that my son had for him.  It was wonderful to see the development of my son's ability to be responsible, caring and joyful while raising his pet rabbit!  Often when you walked by my son's room - you would see Snowball sitting in his basket watching things going on around him. Only occassionaly did he chew a few things that were a not on his food list!  Snowball was a great first time pet!  Although Snowball is no longer with us, to this day there are pictures of my son and his rabbit throughout our house.  We were so thankful for Marsha's suggestions and her help in making this a wonderful experience with lasting memories!
"A parent's job is to encourage kids to develop joy of life and great urge to follow their dreams." R. Pausch

      

The Fun Side of Easter...

     For those of us who take part in this very special celebration within our religious faith - there  is also a fun side to it.  I made a visit to the Niagara Candy Factory Outlet today to pick up some very Delicious chocolate candy.  It is such a treat to go to the factory's store - it smells so good, they give out samples and it is so much fun to look at a whole store of chocolate!!! I feel like a little kid walking through this store - thinking to myself - who would buy such BIG chocolate bunnies - and who could eat that much chocolate!! While shopping I entered to win a 36 inch bunny - wouldn't that be fun!!!!!  Even though my son is a young adult - he always looks forward to having an Easter Basket.  Starting at the age of 2 years old and each year after - for the past 16 years I made up a basket for him to enjoy.  I continue to avoid all candy - just enough to enjoy a little - and then a few fun items that can be used as a reminder how thankful we are to have him in our lives.

     I believe that there is a very large Bunny living in our back yard. I noticed his tracks this past week and was able to take picture of them. Maybe he is the Easter Bunny - busy getting ready to fill special baskets for all the wonderful children in the neighborhood!

     Easter Baskets, egg hunts, memory of our childhood Easter bonnets and a new dress, Easter Mass and the beautiful spring flowers - all remind me of Gratitude.

      "Gratitude is the memory of the heart." J. Baptiste

Garden of Life...

       We are all thinking of the first offical day of Spring with it only being 5 days away!  At present it is snowing here in Buffalo, NY.  As I look out I see the green tops of Spring flowers just above the cold ground - serving as nature's reminder it is truly almost Spring!  One of our neighbors left for Florida for 6 weeks. She commented that she misses seeing the spring flowers come up.  So one day earlier this week I was driving past her house and noticed a small yellow flower in bloom in one of her flower beds.  I went home and got my IPad and took this picture so I could show her this beautiful flower when she returns home.

 

One of best part of Spring is thinking about your garden.

 

A good friend sent me this verse on how to plant your Garden of Life...

 

First, you come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses...

For the Garden of your Daily Living...

Plant three rows of Peas:

1. Peace of mind, 2. Peace of heart and 3. Peace of soul

Plant four rows of Squash:

1.Squash gossip, 2. Squash indifference, 3. Squash grumbling 4. Squash selfishness

Plant four rows of Lettuce:

1. Lettuce be faithful, 2. Lettuce be kind, 3. Lettuce be patient and

4. Lettuce really love one another

No garden is without turnips:

1. Turnip for meetings, 2. turnip for service and

3. Turnip to help one another

To conclude our garden we must have Thyme:

1. thyme for each other, 2. Thyme for family and

3. Thyme for friends

Water freely with Patience and Cultivate with love.

There is much fruit in you garden because you reap what you sow.

 

I used this verse for several years at my desk at work and found it a helpful reminder of the important things in life.

 

 

 

 

 

Rag Balls

One of my favorite crafts is making rag balls. I learned this craft from my sister in law Robin. A couple years ago when I was visiting I saw a unique box filled with colorful rag balls in the middle of her dining room table. I complimented Robin on the display. A short while after this she gave me a bag filled with rag balls for me to use in my own house. I went home and placed them in an antique bowl.
I often wonder what I like about these rag balls I have them all around my house in a variety of containers - glass baskets, boxes my son made, and a large pickle jar. Each container has a special memory or story - whether where I purchased it or who gave it to me. The bowl I used for my first batch from Robin was from a short road trip in Niagara County with my mom and sisters. We stopped at a small antique shop that we all wanted to stop at, just for fun. When I saw the bowl I knew I had to buy it - although a little expensive. I brought it home - where it sat til I received the rag balls. The bowl reminds me of a special day - spending time with family. Well the balls just make me happy! I guess I also find it relaxing to make them and then enjoy their color around the house.

I found a short story on my e reader " A Ball Made of Rags" by CE Wills. I decided to read it because of my interest in rags balls. It is apparently A true story told by a third person about meeting a man in a grave yard. Story goes like this... A man was sitting at a grave site where there was a rag ball on the grave stone. The man was crying. He explained that he was sad because
he had missed out talking with his grandmother before she passed away. When he was little his grandmother was poor but took time to make a ball out of rags for him to play with. He missed her very much - remembering all she did for him when he was young. The rag ball represents his love for his grandmother.

A Joyful Harvest...

      My mom's birthday is in March. She is soon to be 81! Yesterday I drove down to the Finger Lakes and spent the afternoon with her, just for fun, visited and went out to an early dinner. I know we will getting together for her birthday - but it is always fun to have extra time together.
      Last year we had a "special" birthday celebration at the Belhurst Castle in Geneva,NY.  It was so nice to have everyone come together in her honor.  The Belhurst Castle has a wonderful Sunday Brunch, which we all enjoyed. Some of the decorations included family picture collages that my son put together, a money tree, flower arrangement, favors and homemade Carrot Cake Cupcakes/individually boxed for everyone to take home.
      In honor of my mom and this special day I read the following...
                    A Joyful Harvest
 Our family home was like a greenhouse... our mother was the gardener.
                     Her children are her plants.
        Like a good gardener, mom prepared the home soil with
        encouragement, compassion, and good home cooking so
           that each of her plants would grow strong and true.
          She nourished her plants' bodies, souls and spirits,
     always considering the needs of each individual tender seedling,
              knowing that one plant may need extra love,
             another extra patience, and another laughter.
    She guarded her plants jealouly, praying always for their protection
      from dangerous friendships, poor choices, and other weeds that
                  threatened to choke life from them.
 As time passed-despite her faithfulness, she could not control their growth.
    some flourished with little effort, while others needed more attention.
  As she labored to care for her plants-she often became weary and worn.
In her greenhouse she sweated and cried over them, praying that her hard work
      would water them with wisdom, good health and much happiness.
    As the years have passed-the mother gardener developed much wisdom.
However, her vines have been pruned and her seedlings have been transplanted...
                       now growing on their own.
                Today...as the mother gardener rests...
           and enjoys the sunshine in her quiet greenhouse...
       she reflects on one lost seedling...remembering her beauty -
   then... looks around to all her plants, sees how strong they have grown,
       with their own greenhouses and nourishing their own seedlings...

feeling proud... she celebrates her Joyful Harvest!

Modified by CKlas

 

 

 

Klassy "Bucket List"

As I begin writing I start out with an idea I created - a "Bucket List" for Winter,Spring, Summer & Fall. It was a 4 page booklet I designed - with a page for each season. Each page offered a place to list what you would like to do for the season - "Fun List
" and a place to list what you accomplished - "(Get It)Done List".   This Bucket List has a cover with the following poem:

    Album of The Heart

         By L. Duncan

As the year draws to an end

we grow close again,

turning pages of our lives,

pausing now and then

to recall a magical time

Or a special place.
Springtime sunlight leaps at us
from a smiling face.
Summer laughter rings anew,
mixed with autumn tears.
Seasons blend and mesh and blur,
with the flying years.
Guard the album of the heart.
There the memories are...
gentle as the drifting snow
Holy as the star.

I have completed one thing on my Bucket List  - trying something new!

Winter wishing everyday

Of long time passing

Under gray.

Spring time comes up fast

And free like a song of fantasy.

Summer riding up on high with the

Warmth of Springs good bye.

Autumn falls with browns and golds

That seem to enter in your soul.

By D. Green

Bookmarker

I love to read.  I received an e-reader two years ago - and it has been so much fun to use. I love carrying around over 100 books!!!  I am old fashion by nature - and still enjoy a hardcover book - sometimes finding one while shopping, in the used book nook at our village library and recently - while browsing through an antique mall. I found an old book that I used for several crafts - finding special quotes and verses that I attached to something I made. When choosing a book for myself - I like to select one that is not so popular but sparked an interest.  Reading is relaxing for me.


When I retired - I made a bookmark for each of my staff and several "special" support staff - I think about 40 in all.  I hoped it would remind them how I appreciated their hard work and support throughout my employment while sharing a part of myself.  Each bookmark had special craft paper( flowers for the women and something alittle more neutral for the men) with the staff's initial and a special quote on the back. Then I laminated them.  After two years - I wonder if those I have not spoken to are remembering me  or even using those lovely bookmarks? 

Here is the quote I used:

"Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers." C. Eliot.

Introduction

I would like to share with you some of the quotes, stories and events that have touched my heart. Many of the quotes were created by others - where  I used them within my own life. These have important meaning and remain within my heart.  Many of the stories and events are from my own life.  All important to me.  In reading through my Blog you will view some things important only for a moment while others will touch your heart and create interest for you to use during your own important event, and hopefully you may want to share with someone who would enjoy it as well. Thank you for reading my blog.

To your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect. O.Arnold