This is a hummingbird stopping by for a drink.
My husband and I enjoy our home. Coming home feels right, it feels satisfying and comfortable. We would rather spend our money on needs for our home rather than eating a meal out or going on vacation. There is nothing outside our home other than visiting family that appeals to us because our spot, our place we call home is where we want to be.
The first part of my life we moved often. I married at a young age and we moved several times because we were in the military. After leaving the military life we moved many times as we were settling due to job change. During each move my nesting instincts set in and I would make our home just that, a home not just a house or apartment but a home. To some of my family it may have appeared that we lived poorly because we lived simple. Our children can tell you we had a nice home life because we were comfortable in our home. There were always some hungry after school kids stopping by for a snack because we were not just people in a house.
Married life started out without much of anything. We did not have a washing machine, nor sewing machine, we had no furniture or really much of anything except for a few pots and pans, simple dishes and clothing. We rented a small furnished apartment above a large house. Eventually we moved to a small one bedroom furnished house.
I was given an old treadle sewing machine by an elderly lady after she had purchased a new electric machine. I learned to sew on that machine and I just loved it and especially because I was expecting our first baby. It was time to be discharged from the military and we had little space on our tiny trailer and had to make a decision either bring home the baby and baby bed or the treadle machine. So of course we left the treadle.
I hardly ever spoke of that machine until the last several years as I pondered about those days. My husband and I found an old one in a thrift shop this year and it was in pretty bad condition but we took a chance on it and purchased the treadle. We took the machine to singer and in two weeks we had it back and it sews just wonderful!
As far as we can tell with the help of the singer store we have a 1923 singer and I have named it Clara because the name Clara has been scratched into the wood on the front edge of the machine.
She now sits in my small sewing room and little by little as the Grandchildren have been stopping by, each has been able to sit down and sew on the old treadle. Our two Grandsons have actually done very well with learning to use the treadle. Our Granddaughters have not been here since we purchased Clara and two of our nieces will be stopping by for a visit this month. I am looking forward to giving them lessons on how to sew on the treadle.
This is my pin cushion that I named Ruth. She is one of my pin companions in my sewing room.
We have been in the same house for many years now but I realize that life is all about change and I know that anything can happen to displace a family. It is very frequent that we see families that are having to start over due to some type of disaster but literally with a needle and thread we can start making a new home. It may be a quilt made from scraps to wrap around us and call home or embroidery on a piece of cloth that becomes a familiar heirloom. It is not about the structure that which we live but love and personality that takes place in and around the dwelling. It is what we make of the soil that is available to us but never belongs to us but only to our Creator.
This is called Bobbin Lace and I enjoy sitting down with my Bobbin Pillow to make lace for collars or aprons, or touches of fine lace on other homemade items.
There are people that spend a ridiculous amount of money on possessions that will never make them truly happy but lead them to a life of debt. To me things made today seem just dull and repetitious.
Some people are restless because they “think” that they have nothing to do when they come home and fill their time with electronics or drink until they fall asleep. Some take to the streets and just leave and go out and spend money. If they only knew that their dwelling requires attention and there is no need to go out and spend money or buy the latest gadget.
This is a rug that I simply made with a crochet hook and ball of yarn.
If you have a home/apartment, mobile home or other, there is always something to do. When you think about this in a different way you can start to enjoy your home and make changes to reflect your personality. There is always something to maintain, windows to wash, leaves to clear, grass to mow, items to dust, sheets to wash, meals to prepare, dishes to wash. If a garden is no more than a basil plant and thyme on a window ledge it will grow for you if you give it some water and food, occasional pruning and take notice of it's health. We can actually learn to enjoy doing these things if we only change our mindset that this place is my home.
This is a hat that I made to keep the sun off my face.
I have heard many times from people saying, oh I cannot do that, referring to knitting, sewing, repairing or building something. My thought on this is I could not do these things either until I started doing them. In today's world there are instructions everywhere how to do things and that is how I learned. Some things I had to do over and over and over again to get it right. I did not quit until I knew how. I had no idea how to make this hat but I sat down and figured it out.
It does not matter where we live or lay our head to rest. It is up to us to make that place home. We have the power to create a warm and loving home in any type of dwelling and it truly is up to us to do this. I am glad that I am happy with our home as it has saved us from living beyond our means.
Our children and Grandchildren are so very important to me. I want them to come to our home and feel that they belong here and have come home. I also want the children to feel that they are not in a sterile place but a place that has some type of difference. What if we all just went from house to house with hollow sounds and perfectly placed items? I would feel sad.
Many of us have moved many times during our lives and some have stayed in the same place all their lives but there is a way to make wherever we are feel like home and that is by cooking home cooked meals and reflecting our faces with the way our heart feels when that loved one walks in the room. What matters is that we all are together.
My husband really enjoys cheese crackers. We try to eat as little processes foods as we can so I make him homemade cheese crackers. I will post my recipe as soon as I can.
Here is another picture of the cheese crackers.
Some things are not fun to do such as pulling weeds. This day I did not want to be pulling weeds but I did it anyway. I had to start somewhere so I started here.
If you look around you and take notice you can see beautiful things when you are doing something unpleasant.
Such as this beautiful insect that came for a visit.
We all have the power to make a house a home if we simply clear our mind and think that everything I do I will do with purpose.
We do not have to be perfect with what we do, These homemade chicken pot pies made the house smell wonderful and baking an extra one for a friend that has not been well makes it a good day. I will say that our diet is changing and we are limiting foods made with flour and trying to eat more vegetables, fruits and meats but once in awhile we eat an old favorite dish.
We should live our lives with purpose in every single thing we do. Even the simple things are important and if we only take the time, slow ourselves down it can make a difference. Are you really noticing the things that are around you?
May God Bless You, Grandma Donna
