The "build your own bird" project

This is a collection of pheasant wings, given to me by a friend at church who's an (obviously) avid hunter.

They're coated in Borax powder, as this seems to be the way one would preserve them (according to Google).

I once saw a wreath made from wings, and it was so beauitful. You could really see the pattern of the feathers, and the way the colors changed in the light.

So, I'm hoping to make one for myself, and one for the hunter's wife. We'll see ... I'm a tad bit paranoid about getting them preserved enough so as to not smell bad later!

Google seems to indicate that they need to sit in the Borax for 60 days, so look for an update on this project in a couple months. (Or not ... if things start to smell bad around here, and it heads for the dumpster in the dark of night!) :)

Makes me smile every year ...

Coffee break time ...

I love reading memes, but I rarely do them. I found this one on Trixie's blog -- it's all about what we've done. My items are in bold. Put yours in the comments if it appeals to you!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii (really want to do this!)
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland (Does DisneyWorld count? How different could they be?)
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo (unfortunately for all involved)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea (Lake Michigan? How different could it be?)
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (crafts, yes ... art? nope)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning (never been more miserable in my life)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (gym days in school!)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been inside an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing (not yet, but I really want to!)
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

One of those rambling, full of miscellany updates

Quite a few things rolling around in my head ... but none of them enough for a post ... so I'll combine them. Assuming that only those who know me actually READ this, there might be something in here of interest. :)

I've just finished reading In the Land of Invented Languages. It's a study of different attempts people have made to create a language "from scratch."

While it's not written from a Judeo-Christian perspective, I found it interesting to read from that perspective. The Bible talks about why we have different languages. (in short ... mankind had gotten too big for their britches, and were, as a whole, acting in direct disobedience to God. He thwarted their plans by confusing their languages, so they couldn't collaborate as easily).

In the Land of Invented Languages talked about the way our language ties in with our philosophy of life, and culture. It also lists one after another how people's attempts to create a "logical" language have failed. Interestingly enough, the one invented language that HAS gained a tiny bit of ground (including a handful of "native speakers" who grew up in households where it was their first language) is Esperanto. And that's one of the few invented languages that carried with it its own cultural bias and philosophy (the peace/love/mother earth thing).

Well ... anyway ... that wasn't as well formulated as I'd like ... but you get what you pay for on this here 'ole blog. :)

I've been reading through the Bible this year with Robert Murray M'Cheyne's reading plan. I'm a couple weeks behind already, but not letting that deter me. Fortunately there's no grade hanging on whether I finish on time or not. :)

I guess that's it -- I'd best be getting myself to work.

A video that touched my heart this morning

I thought it might bless you also:



I've been working on getting some painting done - maybe pictures later today.

God provides paint!

I've been thinking of painting my living room, and have had some big splotches of color on the walls for a week or two, trying to decide on a color. The lightest color on the paint chip is the one I picked.

Today I was at Home Depot, and looked at their mis-tint shelf. There were these gallons of paint, in the finish I wanted, in an almost-exact match to the color I chose!

So ... 3 gallons of paint at $5 each instead of trying to stretch two gallons far enough at $25 each! :)

God spoils me sometimes!

One of those Minor Annoyances

However, my gizzard is grinding a bit ... so I decided to vent a bit to the blogging world. :)

There is a group of people who need to be buzzed into the building at random times Thursday afternoons from 1-4, and Fridays from 8-noon and 1-3.

So, during those hours, I try to stay close to my desk, so I'm available to them.

By the time the end of one of those time periods comes, I'm chomping at the bit ... wanting to get things done elsewhere in the building, run errands, etc.

So today ... after doing my 1-4 stint trying to stay within earshot of the door-buzzer, I started tackling the "do elsewhere in the building" pile that had accumulated.

I was met in the building by an irritated man, who had tried to get in, and found the door un-attended, and come around and through the other door to seek me out.

"I am available to open that door until 4:00," says I, "I'm sorry I missed you."

"I was at that door at 3:59" he says, glaring at me ...

Oh. Of course. How silly of me ... I should have synchronized my clock to yours before I attempted to plan my day.

Yikes!

Saw this on Ken Wiest's facebook this morning ....

I am an introvert and Jesus still loves me. It feels so liberating to say that I am an introvert and a Christian. Some people will have trouble with that, but they just need to leave behind their Victorian era views of Christian personality and understand that this is the way that God made me and I'm proud of my introvertedness.
Michael Bird.

A bit of heavy industry hiding out at the antique show ...

Clamp-lamps

A couple lamps made from chains.
My favorites ... they're made out of some kind of part with a gear on one end, and the prettiest blown-glass shades.

A few pictures from the antique show today

There was an antique show in Grand Rapids today, and I went to look. Didn't buy a thing, but pictures are free! So many pretty things to look at, so I thought I'd share.


A funny-looking vase - strange colors and shapes ... can't decide whether I liked it or not, but it was sure different!

Pretty colors all jumbled together in a tool box.

Who knew there were this many old canes in the world?

More pretties ....

I have a couple pins made of these tiny, tiny mosaics. I found a whole tray of them for sale, and was able to ask about them. They're made in Italy. So pretty!










I found this same table at our local thrift store for $6, and have plants on it. Fun to see it in higher-class company. :)






Just thought the colors of this hat, and the cup & saucer were pretty together.



Something about a big basket of thimbles is happy-making, isn't it?

A few more pretties from the antique show today

These are the most amazing doorknobs ... they cost more than $100 each ... but pictures were free. :)














REALLY big, heavy candlesticks ... so sparkly!

More sparkles - pretty bottles all in a row!

Merry Christmas all!

Please take a moment and just enjoy this carol:

I am so in love with this idea, I can't begin to say ...

Airport sleep pods ... a tiny little box where you can be ALL BY YOURSELF while you wait for your connecting flight. It has wireless internet, and ... quiet ... and did I mention you get to be all by yourself, and it would be QUIET?

I know ... I'm the biggest hermit in the world ... but I would pay PLENTY for this!

Difference in Perspectives between car dealers and mechanics

Dealer: You need to have your rear brakes fixed within a month or so
Mechanic: You need to check your brakes again in 8-10,000 miles.

Dealer: You need the 30,000 mile service - change spark plugs, etc. etc.
Mechanic: Pulled the plugs, and they look fine.

Dealer: $700+ for rear brakes and the standard 30,000 mile service package
Mechanic: $40 for having a look at it

I don't believe the dealer is dishonest - they're just going by the book. But I am certainly thankful for honest local mechanics who are free from "the book"!

A few Thanksgiving Pictures

The first picture is my sister-in-law making an announcement. Can you guess what it was? :)

Then we have a demonstration of the powerful influence of the turkey ... 3/4 of the available grandparents appear to have succumbed to unconsciousness.

Happy Thanksgiving

Please vote for Nikki!

A lady from church has been chosen to represent the Indianapolis Colts in a promotion sponsored by monster.com and the NFL. She needs to be one of the Top 8 vote-getters.

Go to www.nfl-monster.com and vote for her. You can click on the Colts logo to find her quickly!! She needs your votes daily! Second, please spread the word. Ask your friends and family to vote for her too!!

Rationed Health Care

60 Minutes is discussing how much money it costs to keep elderly people alive, and debating whether it's worth it. They'd describing it as "waste".

Why do I watch this show? It just angers me to no end. I'm so sick of their political agenda.

Oh, here we go ... now they're getting to their real point. "We need socialized medicine."

grrrr!

A Different Idea for Christmas this Year

If we are an American, we likely have everything we need, WANT, or have ever thought about wanting.

So, if you have anyone on your Christmas list for whom you have no ideas ... here's an idea to consider!

The Heifer Project gives you an opportunity to use what you would spend on a gift to completely change the life of a family in a third world country. You can choose different projects. It's such a neat idea.

And for those who, like me, sometimes feel a bit suspicious of charities. I researched them on Ministry Watch, and their review is here.

Just something to think about!

Heckling the Neighbors

Recently, our condo building's manager came to speak with me.

There had been complaints, you see.

"What," you may ask, "could they have possibly been complaining about regarding Miss-Conservative-with-no-discernible-life?"

Let me enlighten you ...

My balcony is open on two sides, and the third side is a brick wall, that is part of the building.

A few years ago, I put a mirror on that wall, with curtains on either side, so it would look like a window. Like this:



Well ... you see ... this apparently had become a problem. Because, you see ... the curtains? They were BLOWING OVER THE RAILING.

No, really. They were! And this was a serious problem. (please don't ask me why this was a serious problem. I don't know.)

This was serious enough that someone felt compelled to approach the management about their concerns.

So, a sheepish building-manager asked me if I would please contain my rebellious curtains, so as not to distress too-much-time-on-her-hands woman. :)

I took down the curtains ... and I pondered what best to do ...

Following is what I chose, and what I put up last night:

What do you think? They are very long, and tied down at the bottom, so as to contain the offensive curtain-blowing. :)

I am a bad woman. I am a bad, passive-aggressive woman. (Though, for the record, the original passive-aggressive move was made by picky-condo-person who went to the management, rather than speaking to me directly.

Don't know how long I'll be able to stand these curtains. They aren't violating any association rules (nor were the original set!). They are so loud, it's almost difficult to sleep. :) But I thought ... for a little while ... I'd let them stay.

Conversation in the lunch line today

Cashier: "Do you want to donate 50 cents to save a child's life today?"

Me: "No thanks, not today."

Yikes. SO not liking the way that reflects on my character!

A tesstimony that blessed me this morning

I have appreciated Paul Washer's preaching, but this is the first time I heard his testimony.

Paul Washer's Story from I'll Be Honest on Vimeo.

Considering selling my library

Just thinking "what ifs" today.

I have a 900 volume library. It appears that many of these books are available for the Barnes & Noble e-reader. Some free ... some $3-10 range.

If I started transferring these books to the reader, and selling the hard copies, I could gain an enormous amount of space in my world, and all-the-time access to my books.

I like the pretty covers, that's true ... but I'm thinking I like less-stuff-to-dust even more.

Pondering ...

Amazon Kindle vs. Barnes & Noble Nook

I'm considering getting myself either an e-reader, or a new laptop for Christmas this year. (My computer is still working, but starting to get awfully slow for what I'm asking of it.)

In comparing the Amazon Kindle and Barnes & Noble Nook, I'm torn. So I decided to post the positives of each, and see if anyone else had any ideas!

Kindle:
Biggest pro is that it will read the book aloud to you. This is mighty nice. You could be reading something, and hop in your car, and turn on the audio, so you could keep reading while you drove.
Seems to have internet access included - has a rudimentary web browser, so you can use it to go online whereever.

Nook:
S/D slot, so you can add more books, and replaceable battery
You can read samples of the books before you buy them.
Reads multiple types of files, whereas the Kindle only reads what you get from Amazon
You can loan books to others, if you know their email address.

I've checked, and a lot of the old books I love - Stepping Heavenward, Paula the Waldensian, Mrs. Howard Taylor biographies, etc., are available, and are FREE.

The idea of getting books cheaper, and having virtually no storage space required ... this is a real interest for me!

Pondering ....

Preserving Leading Zeros when Merging from Excel to Word

I interrupt this blog with the solution to a problem that's been dogging my steps for years. I figured that if it's been causing me problems; it's been causing others problems too.

To preserve leading zeros:

Choose "special / zip code" cell format in Excel. This will keep the leading zeros while still in the spreadsheet. (If you have more than 5 digits, you may need to alter this format ... but you get the idea.)

Then, on the Word side ... (these instructions assume your document is already created. If it has not been, then make the changes to the Options before creating it, and you're good to go.)

Open the Word doc you want to merge

Choose button at upper left corner, and pick "Word Options"

Click on "Advanced"

Scroll down to "General"

Check the box that says "Confirm file format conversion on open"

Choose "OK"

Now, link your merge document to some random spreadsheet (to break the connection to the old spreadsheet.)

Save document and re-open.

Answer yes, or OK to whatever questions to get back into the document.

Re-link it to the original spreadsheet. Choose "Excel spreadsheet" when it asks for confirmation of the type of document.

Merge.

Leading zeroes will be there.

Happy, happy me. (Since this year's offering envelopes start with "00". :)

Addendum: This only works for me if I open the spreadsheet manually prior to merging. However, I'm running Windows on a Mac inside Parallels, so this may be a Mac-related weirdness. But if you have trouble, try opening the spreadsheet before merging.

the wonderful magic box

The offices at the church where I work are notoriously hard to heat & cool. The building has been added on to in phases over the last 30 years, and so it's a bit ... well ... finicky.

But this wonderful box has appeared this week.

It's a portable thermostat. If you have possession of the box, your office comes to whatever temperature you set.

Of course, possession of the box is going to be a hotly-contested prize. But ... right now ... I have it, and it's LOVELY in here. :)

Anyone care to join me?

I want to try reading through the Bible in 2010 using Robert Murray M'Cheyne's reading plan. I'm going to start today, so as to leave myself a few skip days!

A couple of Facebook friends have said they want to join in.

I downloaded the schedule here: http://www.mountzion.org/text/DailyBibleReading.pdf

If you've never read the Bible through, why not join us!

Thanks Mom!

Mom has been working on this beauitful flannel quilt for me, and while I got to pick out some of the fabric, I never got to see it until today. I just love it! It's all the colors I like best, and such a pretty design!

 

 

I've decided that I just might start making my bed again (a habit I've gradually forfeited due to early morning alarm clocks), just because it's too pretty not to see in all its glory!

A couple sweet pictures of the adorable nieces

 

 

Apple Salad

I made up this recipe last night for our church's potluck (based on a similar one I found online.)

I quite liked it!!

6 large apples, cut into bite-sized pieces (not peeled, just cored)
1 lb. sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
2 cups walnuts, roasted (bake at 350 for 10 minutes)

6 T walnut oil
4 T apple cider vinegar
4 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt

mix last four ingredients together, and stir in cheese, let that sit while the walnuts roast and you cut up the apples. Mix it all together.

I loved it!

Noticing the cabbages

I spent an afternoon at Meijer Gardens yesterday, and was thinking of just how intricate and lovely these ornamental cabbages are.

Really ... cabbages ... it's amazing really. :)

Take a little time to notice the cabbages today! (or whatever ordinary loveliness happens to be in your path.

If you want to see the rest of the pictures from yesterday's wandering, email me, and I'll send you the link.

An interesting reminder from 1948

change & cheese

I have been listening to Who Moved My Cheese while I did housework this morning.

As someone who dislikes change (and "dislike" would be a mild term), it was quite a good book for me to think about!

While it was written with a business-person in mind, it had a lot to say to other areas also. It was an encouragement to me to look at the changes God throws my way as opportunities, rather than grin-and-bear-it challenges.

He is so good to not leave His children to their own devices, but gives opportunities to stretch and grow and change. I want to be open to them when they come my way! It's easier to me to hold on to what's familiar ... whether or not I'm particularly good at it, or even particularly LIKE it. I want to be more open to new ideas and opportunities, and more willing to let the old slip away when necessary.

Give yourselve six minutes to smile at this video. :)

what an awesome day ...

Honesty with God in the morning, that carried into a day-long conversation ... some delightful gun-practice ... sitting quietly at Meijer Gardens, listening to the rain on the greenhouse roof, and birds flitting around in the leaves overhead. Then dinner with a good friend and a rousing game of Tetris.

Just about perfect, actually.

Except getting home and discovering I had a smear of gunpowder on my forehead. :) I knew some of the brass hit my forehead ... just never thought to check and see if they left any residue behind.

Maybe they'll think I'm Catholic, and practicing ahead of time for Ash Wednesday? :)

Promises Kept

There has been a lot of sadness lately, in my life, and the lives of others ... marriages and friendships and ministries not proving to be what they promised to be. Failures every-ole-where, including in my own life.

This world is chaos. Has anyone noticed? In the grander scheme of politics and world events, and in the lesser scheme of "I can't consistently make my bed before leaving the house in the morning."

I've been focusing a lot lately on how messed up it all is, on how messed up I am.

This morning, I was thinking of two words that make the greatest-possible difference ...

"But God"

People are unfaithful, and unreliable (including me), but God ...

Finances are uncertain, but God ...

My life might be a disaster, but God ...

He keeps His promises. Always.

Always.

We've had some good preaching in Genesis and James, and I was thinking of how that related.

Last night, we talked about how Joseph, when he was in prison, continued to believe in what God had showed him through a dream years ago when he was just a boy. He didn't lose faith that God would bring it to pass, such that he told his fellow prisoners that "with God is is the interpretation of dreams." His circumstances didn't cause him to doubt what God had showed him back when the sun shone, and he was the apple of his father's eye. What was true then was also true in prison.

And when he told the story of what brought him to prison, he chose to leave out what would, to me, be the most significant fact. He didn't say "my brothers are at the root of what brought me here." Wouldn't the failure of those I loved best be at the foundation of my thoughts as I mouldered away in the dark? He chose to trust God, and not to be bitter.

All of the James messages have been such a blessing, and today I was re-thinking some of the ones at the beginning of the book. In chapter 1, it says to "count it all joy" when we "fall into various trials."

First of all, how many of my problems are entirely of my own making? Do those count as "trials"? Or simply "I'm an idiot" situations? It says "fall into" ... to me that phrase seems to include things that I've brought on myself, yes? We're said to "fall into" sin, and that certainly is of my own choosing.

So, when I recognize the mess I've gotten myself into, can I "count it all joy" because "the testing of your faith worketh patience"?

I can count it joy, in that I can give it to God. He will accept whatever mess I've created, and meet with me in it, and "give wisdom liberally and reproaches not."

What a wonder that is. How many others would be willing to take whatever convoluted situation we hand them, and say, "let's work through this" as opposed to, "how, exactly, could you have been such a moron?"

He keeps His promises.

"All things work together for the good of them that love God, who are called according to His purposes."

He keeps His promises.

Let the one who asks for wisdom, ask in faith, not doubting.

He keeps His promises.

I saw a rainbow this morning, the sign that, thousands of years ago, God promised never to destroy the world with a flood again.

No matter how we fail Him ... and we do ... all of us. He keeps His promise. And the signs of His past faithfulness are EVERYWHERE, quietly reminding us of His goodness, His love, His mercy.

Thankful, humbled, today, and ... hopeful.

He keeps His promises. Always.

Flowers

Sunnyslope Floral, with whom we do business at work, always does such a nice job for us.

And occasionally they surprise me with flowers ... like they did this week!

What's funny was the questions from people coming up to my desk afterwards.

"Where did the flowers come from?"

"From the flower shop."

"I mean ... who gave them to you?"

"The flower shop."

:)

Fun with Guns

My cousin and her husband had a few folks over today to shoot and for a delicious lunch after. It was such a treat! I really love the chance to learn from folks who enjoy their subject and are good teachers, and there was a lot of that opportunity with these folks!

The lady in the pink had taken the same introductory class at Silver Bullet that I took last year. She was considering buying a gun, and so she had the chance to try all different kinds today. Jeff & Maria did this for me last year - got out all manner of handguns so I could get a feel for the different types. It was a great help!

My cousin Maria, looking incredibly intense about the position of these particular buckets.

Maria's husband Jeff (with the beard) and their friends. (whose names I won't use, since I'm not sure how comfy they are with the internet!

A Meijer Gardens visit today

Bonnie and I went out to wander around the Meijer Gardens today. It was a beautiful sunny day, but not too warm. We saw a little snake crossing the path, looking as if he was having quite a hard time of it. Bonnie gave him a hand across ... which was impressive (from a distance). :) Loved these turtles sunning themselves!

 

 

 

 

Jenny Jeep

Many blessings to be thankful for, all of which resulted in the new addition of Jenny-the-Jeep to my world.

I had a bunch of errands to run today, and really enjoyed getting to spend some time with my new addition. She's a 2007, with 23,000 miles.