Who Can Resist?

Who can resist hanging over the "picket fence" with Snoopy?

Who can resist allowing a butterfly to land on one's head? 

(I wish it were true.)

Who can resist admiring daisies stretching forth in surprise? 🌻

Who can resist opening one's heart to Snoopy's smile and soft paws?

"Comfort your worries" is my favorite phrase this Sunday morning.

No intensive worries but always those "what ifs" and "should we dos?"

I shall pray! 

            I shall listen for His message. 

                                            I shall lean on His Wisdom.

Thank you, Jesus, for supporting and allowing me to wander and wish,

muse and make mistakes, seek and solve as time moves through our lives.

Not very poetic this morning am I. Just a few simple words with a few simple

thoughts that I am sure everyone ponders. I am learning that my uniqueness carries with it similarities to many older women, retired, searching for the next activity and/or

trying to fit into the days and weeks commitments already on the calendar.

Have a wonderful Sunday. 💟

Today We trek to a new farmers market with the bookmobile.

This Land

 

This Land is My Land

I place the new herbs

into respective pots

no plan yet for their

designated spots

no more flowering 

plants from the store

plenty to water now

as I walk out the door

this morning the bird

feeders need fresh food

this morning the geranium

isn’t looking too good

I’m not sure this gardening

occupies my need

to be outdoors feel the dirt

I’d rather have a good read

but I feel content

and reassured

the physical labor 

‘tis good to be lured

outdoors fresh air

movement abounds

I go I do listening

for nature’s sounds

rewarding my ears

rewarding my plans

I’m blessed to have

this backyard - my land.

This Land Was Made For You and Me

              *           *         * 

(Woody Guthrie, 1940)

jconnor 05/14/2026

             

Mother's Day 2026

(stock photo of larger Casita - our Freedom is single axle)

We finally took the little Casita for its first camp-out this past weekend. It has been waiting patiently under the carport for months.

I celebrated Mother's Day with one son, one daughter, one granddaughter, one son-in-law at the campsite and had a delightful time.

Inks Lake State Park here in Texas is about two hours from our home. It is a large park with many sites and quite a variety.  We drove around the park picking out several favorite spots for another visit. Of course planning ahead many weeks will help getting a preferred site on the water.

This was a shake-down trip for our 17' Freedom Casita. It is small, neat, tidy and, yes, sometimes a tight fit for two of us plus one lovely dog. I don't regret buying it, but there will be times when we pull into a motel for an evening or two. This I predict as we travel along America's backroads.

Gifts were given to me and I felt honored. I have not heard from all my children and this has me nervous and sad this morning. I wonder if I ever forgot to wish my mother "Happy Mother's Day" in all the frenzy of raising children, trying to be everything for everyone. 

As you can surmise, I am reflecting this morning on how one Hallmark holiday can create such emotions in one mother. I am quite sure there are others who have been "put on the back burner" for various reasons. 

I will be fine. I hope you will be too.

Thanks for listening,

A Mom💔

Tapestry Weaving Challenge

                                     The Weave Every Day in June Challenge

Weaving is Meditation. 

"It has the capability to calm you, to focus your energy, to feel the power of making something beautiful. 

Developing a regular weaving practice, whether you're brand new to weaving or have been doing it for years, can be deeply beneficial in so many ways."

"For the month of June, we are challenging you to weave every single day. Maybe you only have five minutes a day, maybe you have an hour or two, but the goal is simply to find time to weave. Learn more and sign up here:" 

https://mirrixlooms.com/.../mirri.../weave-every-day-in-june

* * *

I signed up and am contemplating ordering the gorgeous thread package being offered for 20% discount - around $46 + the shipping.

I thought that tapestry was not my go-to for weaving, but I want to implement the techniques in my Saori. Since we're traveling in June I can take my small loom and weave every day somewhere for a period of time. I have a Saffron loom pictured below:

I think it successfully survived the flood and has all its parts. It is a nice loom and will serve the purpose. I also reordered Rebecca Mezoff's book and will use it consistently.

Rebecca also offers a short tapestry class that I may sign up for again. I am not sure regarding that experience. I don't need both and most certainly do not need spending any more money until I get a grip on my activities and expenditures.

Tapestry weaving is difficult. However, I don't need to create such masterful art works. I can begin simply and review the basics. I don't recall if I have blogged about my experiences with the American Tapestry Alliance classes. My teacher was wonderful and patient. My weaving not so wonderful. That was when I decided to punt the tapestry, but now that I have finished several Saori weavings I want to incorporate more needle techniques, so this experience with Mirrix will be good. And who knows? I may be a winner of the grand $200 prize so yes, I will keep a log.

I will blog about my progress. 😊

Musical Autobiography I

 

Journal Reflection #2

A Musical Autobiography Part One

Beginning my journey into harp therapy includes reflective journaling which is a delight for me to do. 

I have never written a musical autobiography, yet music has been a contribution to my sanity I believe. It never crossed my mind to write about my musical experiences other than one essay about Mrs. Barnes.

I shall use the questions that Bedside Harp provided in their introductory packet.

This reflection will be several entries.

1. What is my first musical memory? My mother played piano and sang with a beautiful alto voice. I have a very distinct memory being in Grandpa Hoffner’s church pretending I could read the hymnbook and “singing” along with the congregation. Or perhaps I was humming and wishing I could read the words. 

I wonder if I made up words and was “sshhhed” for disturbing the sanctity. 

Nowadays in church I sing loudly and am surprised when I can still hit the high E.

Love those old hymns.

2. Did you get to play an instrument, take dance lessons, etc.? Yes, I was able to take piano lessons from the age of seven or eight onward. I walked down the block to Mrs. Barnes’ home weekly for a thirty minute lesson with change totaling less than a dollar.

I took my lesson in her sunroom on her small Wurlitzer piano that had a Solovox attached. The machine intrigued me and I got to try it just a few times.

When recitals loomed we were allowed to rehearse on her baby grand in the living room where the eventual recital would be held. She also had a large floor-standing marimba in the sunroom. I believe her daughter played that instrument. I never knew the daughter as she was probably a teenager or older. For many years I had my original spiral notebooks with her flowery writing and specific assignments. My curriculum was John W Schaum and I progressed through every book. My lessons with Mrs. Barnes ended at some point in junior high when I tried Mrs. Aschenbrenner’s methodology. There were also some organ lessons from Mrs. A as she was our church organist. 

3. What feedback did I receive from teachers and family members? I do not recall receiving feedback although I am quite certain my parents enjoyed my piano practicing, thirty minutes daily. Later I wondered why I never majored in piano performance in college. I was never led to pursue that path probably because I did not have the fortitude nor the abilities required for such a commitment. I just wasn’t at the top of the game, so to speak. However, I have advanced and continued lessons in my adult life for many years. 

   
   

   (to be continued)

Bookmobile Day!

It's Bookmobile Day! JamaJoan's Bookmobile to be exact. We travel five plus miles to downtown Kerrville for the Hill Country Farmer's Market and give away children's books. It is a Little Free Library on wheels. My original plan was to travel to rural areas but alas, that has not occurred yet.

My inspiration was The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Richardson. I have yet to read The Giver of Stars.

From the internet: The most popular books about the Kentucky horseback librarians ("Pack Horse Library Project" of the 1930s) are The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson and The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes. These historical fiction novels highlight women delivering books to remote Appalachian areas during the Great Depression. 

Several years ago we brought a vintage travel trailer back to Texas from Spokane, Washington. 

Hubby cleverly created a bookmobile interior with shelving, a very pleasant paint job and new laminate flooring.

It has served us well and photos will be posted as soon as I can figure out where they are on the computer or if they still exist. Then the chore of uploading, etc. has to be relearned. 

It seems so much of my life is learning, relearning and remembering. Is that aging or just too much on the brain from being a lifelong learner?

Back to the bookmobile:

We have a surplus of books in the garage taking up quite a bit of space. Donations came flowing in following the flood and loss of all previous book donations plus the special ones I had shelved in my home.

But the trailer survived after a miraculous cleaning by volunteer women from a Houston church. 

We are blessed continually as we relive the gifts of time and physical effort the volunteers gave us.

When we go to the market we set baskets of books outside the trailer and on pleasant days we sit outside. Folks are invited to go inside and also are invited to take several books. We enjoy the social several hours and then journey back home, happily exhausted. 

Today the weather is going to be lovely and as soon as it warms up, we'll be settled in chairs outdoors.

Come and visit!