Beauty of Creation

Craft Shows

They are unique.

It is community.

Every show is different but
with comforting similarities.

Today I am at a Resort's Fall Fest.

This year I have chosen to do just
two craft shows.

It is just too much work.
Almost like setting up a store
each time.

But, I love the atmosphere and cannot
seem to stop going.

The vendors come in with an eye to each
other's booth, checking out the competition
before opening up to complete friendliness.

Of course, we are all intent on getting our
wares shown in their best light in only an
hour's time. So this could be an explanation...

However, without fail, as the day nears noon
the vendors begin to become friendly. There
is chatting...and offers to "cover" for someone
as they take their breaks.

It is community.

We are in it together.

If the day is going well much laughter is
heard.

A hard, low sales day will bring grumbles and
complaints against the organizers. This makes
me shudder because sometimes things just happen.

Sometimes it is no one's fault.

I love the customers. Watching them
come and go. I know who will buy almost
before they reach the table. There is
something about the way their face lights
up when they see the candles.

There is a flicker of interest.
They come and some have to touch.
Others are afraid to.
We encourage touching.
It is like a little dance of
acquaintance.
Sniffing, of the candles, is also highly encouraged.
When one touches and sniffs it is
hard to walk away. One of those
candles will demand to be taken home.
They just do.

Well,
I am almost packed and ready to go.

There is a shelter to build when we get there
to keep the sun off the candles...this has me
nerved up. I am not good with these things and
really hope there is enough time to do this and
get a very nice display in order.

I found some Coke-a-Cola pillows to add to the display
featuring our Cola candles. I have wanted to have
something to attract attention to them, because when
people smell them...they want them.


My business partner, Beverly, will join me for the day.
She is all but done with the business after moving
into a Retirement Community, but I twisted her arm
into coming today...for old time's sake.

We will have a great time.

The weather is perfect and I am excited to
get moving on this day.

Blessings!

Becky K.

Books!

When we returned home from vacation I was so
happy to find a little package all for me
in our mailbox. Brenda, from Coffee Tea Books and Me,
had drawn my name for her book giveaway.

The book and CD are Sally Clarkson's materials
about educating our children and doing it in
a way that builds up their mind, body and spirit.
In fact the CD set is called, Educating the Wholehearted
Child. The book is more for the Mom and building her
up...it is called The Mom Walk, Keeping in step with
God's Heart for Motherhood.

While I have heard some of the material on the CD,
it has been a while and I am anxious to revisit it
at this new stage of homeschooling...
and I know this book will bless my heart for I know
just enough about Sally Clarkson to know that she
is genuine and forthright. I love people like that!

Thank you, Brenda!!!!
You have blessed me.
I hope you are feeling much better now.

While I am on the subject of books...
I did some reading while we were in the mountain
cabin, much to my children's frustration. Can you
imagine that they begrudged me this time? Even when
we did all of those other things together. Oh well,
I ignored them just enough to read two books and begin
a third.



I read Terri Blackstock's Evidence of Mercy. I loved this book.
Not because it had much, if any, educational value but because it
was truly entertaining. I haven't been doing a lot of reading
for pleasure lately, other than the book club and it was just fun
to read a good story. I finished this in an afternoon and evening.

The plot is that of a young female attorney who is having to make
some life changes after the death of her father. One of these changes
is selling her private airplane. The man who is interested in purchasing
the plane is a rich brat. Together they survive a plane crash and begin
a journey of anger, hurt, healing and forgiveness.

There is a person determined to get rid of the heroine of the story and
other subplots that were interesting and really held my attention.



Then I read These Tangled Threads by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller.
This was a little harder to get into because it is the third book in a
series. I have not read the first two books. It is doable, I just had
to get up to speed on who the characters were and the back story. I have long been a fan of historical fiction so this is a typical read for me.

The setting is historical New England in 1833 during the time of the Industrial Revolution. The main characters are young women who work in the mills. There are many issues dealt with including mill life, the struggles between American Businessmen and the conflicts with their counterparts in England, Slavery and Women's Rights. I found this book to be entertaining and educational. A reminder of the rich history of my nation.



Finally, a little bit of mystery from Agatha Christie. What catches me and holds my attention in her writing is the attention to the personality and human character of the suspect pool and all around. Granted you can only do so many murder mystery plots before it begins to get stale...but there is enough there to hold my interest if I am in a mountain cabin and I have read all of the other books available. No, really, they are fun.

Well, I must be running....
Hope you have a wonderful day.

Blessings,
Becky K.

We are Sooooo Back!

O.k.
I guess I should explain that
heading...

We did have fun...
and it was lovely.

We did lots of things and
still ran out of things to do
and ended up looking at each other
with bored expressions on our faces.

I think it would have been fine if we were
the type to go to bed at dark-thirty.


But Uno is not as fun with five people as it
usually is with 10.




We really missed our usual
group. I guess they will be happy to know that.

Eating is not as much fun when there aren't as
many around...

Pit was still Crazy

and Chelsea and I creamed
Jonathan at Scrabble...not really fair as she and
I love reading, spelling and other word games.

Chelsea and I knitted one side of a potholder.
This was a real accomplishment since I haven't
knitted since I was her age and she never had.
We would take turns. It was fun. She is working
on the other side now and then she will crochet them
together.



Mikey and Warren rode the dirt bikes once per day.
They were doing everything in their power to not
get shot by an arrow, accidentally or otherwise.

Many hunters were out.

They were serious.

So, the rides were late afternoon after most
hunters were in for the day.




We made S'mores by the fire


that the boys would make daily. They gathered the wood, chopped it, stacked it and then burned it. I loved these s'mores the best ever because we made them in the daylight. The marshmallows were toasted to perfection and they weren't too gooey.
You can appreciate that when you can see what you are doing. I always wonder what all ends up in a S'more in the dark.

I tried to take a picture of one for you...but it did not turn out...so you'll have to take my word for it! YUM!




We took a trip to Coudersport for the express
purpose of getting online. Warren needed to see
if he had won an eBay auction and I needed my e-mail
fix. I did not respond unless it was time critical.
Only one was and that was regarding the Book Club!
Sure glad I got that one! There is a sweet cafe
with wi-fi and we got our money's worth, some pie,
fries and milkshakes. Our waitress must have been
chuckling at our poor family huddled around the
computer!

While we were there I got a picture of this house.
I cannot decide if it makes me want to buy it and restore
it...or run...fast and far. Can't you just see it all
fixed up, though???? Sigh...


Other days we just "had" to ride down to Wharton for some ice cream cones.
It is tradition!
These cones are two scoops, large scoops for $1.50.
It is Perry's Ice Cream and it is simply "The Best!"
You may argue...but only until you try it...then you
will know too!
The other part of this tradition is that you have to take
the truck. Grandpa Gene used to take the kids and they
loved it! We missed him boatloads this trip!
Grandpa Gene, these pics are for you...It is so hard to
comprehend that you aren't ever going to do that again!



Chelsea actually got into the water. This year she was the only one.

Jonathan got close

...but it was like ice!
I guess the boys are growing up...in fact Mikey had his
16th birthday while we were there. He did not want cake
but wanted Oreos instead so we dipped Oreos in milk together in
honor of this big birthday. Too funny! He just shook
his head as if to say..."How in the world did I come to
be born into this family!"


Check out some shots I took in the yard around our cabin.
Just little things, but so pretty.






















Well, there are more pictures. I guess the deciding factor in whether I post them or not will relate to exciting things happening here...or not. I am going to be busy over the next few days with co-op and candles. I have a show on Saturday and many fundraiser orders expected. So...if I am scarce until Sunday or Monday...you'll understand...won't you?

Thanks!

I have missed being here and I cannot wait to get around to chat with Ya'll.

Becky K.

Bit of a Break

Today is going to be very, very
busy. Jonathan and Chelsea both
work this morning...then there is
Homeschool Co-op this afternoon.

I am helping a sweet girl kick off
her Candle Fundraiser today. She
did our first ever fundraiser about
two years ago and did very well so
I am grateful that she has chosen to
come back.

We are preparing to go into the mountains
for a few days. So we are shopping for food,
preparing dishes to freeze and take up with
us, packing and generally getting ready to
go and relax. I'm not sure if we will actually
leave Friday or Saturday but whenever we get
going it will be a two vehicle trip since the
guys in our family are taking dirt bikes. That
means we have to borrow Warren's Mom's truck.

Normally we go to the mountains with the Moms and
Pastor Mike. This year it is just our immediate
family. That will seem very strange but might
just be a good thing given the stress and work
load we have been under for the past year.

We will certainly miss our usual co-horts though!

I look forward to snapping many pictures,
reading a lot, and spending time just being quiet.
I'll be sitting by this stream...
aware that bears often come this way.



Sometimes we hang a hammock back in this quiet spot.


We are hoping that this time the trees will have turned to
glorious shades of red, yellow and orange. It is later
than we are used to going up, so I don't think the kids
will spend much time in the stream. It is cold in the
heat of July! I can only imagine what it would feel like
now...but we will make up for that with s'mores around the
campfire, the dirt bikes, games and perhaps a trip over to the
Little Grand Canyon...maybe. Maybe not. I love that there is
nothing we have to do. No agenda!

When we return, there will be co-op, candles, church
and many other responsibilities just waiting...so it
is my hope to just "be" while we are away.

So, if I don't post again until next week...
have a wonderful week. I will be anxious
to get back here and visit with everyone.

You know how addicting blogging can be...sigh.

Blessings,

Becky K.

A Great Place to Visit

I should have known I would want
to take the camera. However, I
was not prepared for the beauty
that was in store for us as we
headed out to a Field Trip with
our Homeschool Co-op yesterday.
So, I hope you enjoy the pictures
I found on their web site.
You will find this web site at
www.conestogahouse.org.

We went to The Conestoga House and Gardens
on Marietta Pike in Lancaster.

If you are planning a vacation in Lancaster
next summer this would be a beautiful stop.




The gardens are free on Wednesday afternoons,
May to September.



This once private home has been donated to
serve as a non-profit history and horticulture
resource by the Steinman Family. They happen
to own our local newspaper as well as other
businesses in the State of Pennsylvania.




What was so intriguing to me was to learn that
the man in charge has been there for 38 years
and he was our tour guide. The passion with
which he described the intentional design and
the historical significance of the property was
so neat to see. I can only imagine that after
nearly forty years he would be either very proud
of his work or just counting the days until retirement.

It was neat to get to ask him what he recommends for
Mikey, who longs to get into horticulture. Amazingly,
his advice is exactly the track we are on...Longwood
Gardens Internship or job! That was really cool!

He explained neat tricks to getting your plants ready to
be put out. I did not realize the extent of shock our plants
go through when we bring them home from the nursery and
transplant them. They also are easily sunburned when
placed out on a sunny day with no protection. This garden
uses a light cheesecloth to cover the plants after they are
put out until the next cloudy day when they uncover them.

Conestoga Gardens also pre-plants all of their planters
and window boxes a month or more before putting them
out so they are growing and vibrant immediately.
I would not have thought to do that.


Just some little tips that were shared that will change the
way I treat my poor little plants.



There is a lime kiln on this property which totally fascinated the
younger children in our group. At the bottom of this hole, containing
the furnace was a plastic skeleton. It turns out that Edgar Allan Poe's nephew, and
namesake, once visited this house and wrote a story about a murder which
involved someone being tossed down the lime kiln.


Once again, I highly recommend this as a stop you will
enjoy if you visit Lancaster, PA.

Blessings on your Day!

Becky K.