Happy Birthday Alice May

Alice May

Born: December 28th 1925~

This is my mom at age 17, when she didn't shake or forget things. When she had energy and didn't need anyone to take care of her. When her body didn't hurt and she could sleep through the night.

Her birthday was Monday, she is now 84 years old. She has lived through the Depression, a few wars and some hard times. She was a rock through it all. She has always been a kind and loving mother to her six children and THE MOST awesome Grandmother! Autumn's favorite person in the whole world!

She lost my dad, one of my brothers and all but one of her 8 siblings.

She lives with us in a mother's-in-law apartment in the back of our house. I had to take her for her monthly blood test today, it was very cold and very hard on her. I worry all the time she'll slip and fall. She has before and it's so scary!

It's kind of strange how life is just like the seasons of the year.

Spring, when we are young and starting to sprout.

Summer, when we are strong and are in full bloom.

Autumn, when things are slowing down and changing colors.

Winter, when all is white and it's time to rest.

I know I'm in the season of Autumn at this moment in time. Slowing down and changing colors.

My mom, she's in winter...

I love this photo of her. Happy Birthday Mom and to many,many more!

~*~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~*~

Update on the layoff: We've made it through Christmas without the layoff, but starting next week my husband will be working 3 day weeks... which is much better than a layoff, but still is going to challenge our budget for sure! There is work at MSU coming up in the spring, we'll just hunker down until then. All is good.

A well needed break...

I'm taking a little break from this blog. Too many irons in the fire right now.
I will still be posting on our other blog The Purple Squirrel Homeschool, which is a journal of our homeschool and family stuff. Please feel free to pop in there and keep in touch.
This blog was pretty much made for me... stuff I like. But right now I need to focus all my energy on the family and keep the boat afloat. Oh yes, the link to the homeschool blog can be found on my sidebar. Hope to see you there and peace to all!

Throw us a bone!

Yay! A small glimmer of hope. My husband didn't get laid off as of yet. We are thinking there is maybe 3 weeks of work for him still. So it should be just before Christmas is my guess. Oh, Happy Holidays! Right now, we are grateful for each day of work... one day at a time.

This is Applejack, our dried apple head we made before Halloween.

He's about one inch big now. But he's still smiling!

A Bump in the road...

There's a bump in the road for our family... more like a hill really. My husband is getting laid off on Friday. He's a Union electrician. We've hung in this long and are thankful for that.

My mind is reeling right now, knowing unemployment checks will barely make the house payment let alone pay all the other bills and feed us. I've already cancelled all the extras that we're used too. My husband is quitting the bowling team and we will tighten our belts as best we can. Shop at the discount food stores...blech. Use the library for free entertainment.

I can't help thinking about winter (higher utility bills) and the Holidays fast approaching. Well that is just something I must not worry about now.

You know, we do live in the state with the highest unemployment rate... it really sucks here!

I just have to keep calm and upbeat for my kid's sake right now. I'll think of this as an adventure, a journey, part of life. What really p's me off is how hard I've always worked at paying bills on time and having good credit... I can see that all going down the toilet fast.

Oh well, we'll just keep on keeping on. Hopefully the internet will stay turned on... if I disappear you'll know why:)

Thanksgiving woes...

For the past few years we've been on a journey of seeking the truth. Being homeschoolers we have all the time we need to research the truth. Sometimes not an easy task to do! No more public school history B.S. for us! In doing so, we've learned many things about the beginning of this country, the true meaning of the holidays. It's getting harder and harder to just go with the traditional flow of things.

My husband being half Ojibiwa Indian and our children quarter blood. We have a hard time embracing a traditional Thanksgiving. Every time I hear the story of the pilgrims and the Natives happily sharing a Thanksgiving meal together I have to cringe. (no hard feelings toward anyone with bloodlines running way back to the first white settlers, it's all good.)
We celebrate a bit different. We do have the turkey with the trimmings...as it's my favorite meal of the year. And yes, I know there wasn't a smidgen of turkey on that first Thanksgiving table!
We celebrate it as a Ghost/Harvest Supper, honoring our past loved ones and being thankful for what the Great Father has been so gracious to give us during the past year.

Oh, did you know that November (gashkadino-giizis/freezing moon) is Native American month and November 27th is National Native American Day? I think we'll have our Ghost Supper on the 27th. which is a Friday.
Well, I wanted to give you a few links to the Native American Month proclamation from the President for 2009 and some posts on our homeschool blog from last year... but for some strange reason, (a blogger gremlin or a grumpy pilgrim spirit, I'm assuming.) I cannot link or paste anything on this post. Weird!

Thrifty Finds and a Gift of Ribbons

My grandmother had the most fabulous collection of Salt and Pepper shakers. I loved to look at them when I visited her and sometimes I'd helped dust them.

I have such fond memories of standing in front of the book case looking at all of the whimsical shakers.

I want to have a fun collection for my future grandchildren. So I thought I'd get started now.

Here's the start of my collection of shakers that I found on our trip to Ohio, but first I have to show you this that I also picked up...

Isn't this the cutest darn squirrel vase ever?!!!

Squirrel Salt and Pepper Shakers: of course~

Squirrel with walnut and Tennis playing squirrels.

Coffee pots shakers and a Cat on a rocker with fireplace shakers.

All of these shakers were $1.50 a pair!

My daughter Autumn gave me these lovely ribbons yesterday. I love them all! Thanks Sweetie:)

Happy 18th Birthday!

Happy Birthday Caleb!

He's going to his sister's Day of the Dead party this evening.

Have fun!!!

Love, Mom xoxoxo

Boo!

We're back home...

We are back home from our trip to the Hocking Hills, Ohio area. I can't even describe the beauty we saw. It's really a spiritual experience to see the caves and waterfalls.

We also went to the 103rd. annual Circleville Pumpkin Show. So many people!!! I wasn't into it after spending time in nature at the caves and waterfalls.

I did love the pyramid of pumpkins.

The King Pumpkin weighing in at 1,636 pounds!

This house was in Circleville. I've have never seen weeds growing out of a chimney before!

Kind of spooky looking.

I have some thrifty finds to show you... but another day. We have a full day of homeschool classes today. I've posted some photos on the Purple Squirrel Homeschool blog of the caves and waterfall, if you'd like to see them. The link is on my side bar. Have a great day!

Oh Yes, To Brad:

Happy Anniversary Dear!!!

XOXOXOXOXO

We're hitting the road

We're off to the cabin in the woods for our annual Birthday trip,

see you next week. Have a great weekend everyone!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Welcome Mrs. B's Haunted Blog Tour Guest

Hello everyone and welcome to my blog!

My name is Anet, a homeschooling mom of three (two in college, one still homeschooling) and I just adore vintage Halloween, especially witches! I am so connected to the earth during the fall... (sometimes I feel out of place.) But during the fall I'm in my element! I've even named my daughter Autumn Rose.
Not only am I so pleased to be on the blog tour today. But when Mrs. B asked me, she chose this date which happens to be mine and my son's birthday! Happy Birthday Noah!!! Yes, having a baby on your birthday is some fun!;) So today is loaded with celebrations!

This weekend we are off on our annual birthday trip weekend. Every year we go somewhere different. We've been all over Michigan (which is absolutely stunning this time of year!)
This year we are headed to south/eastern Ohio to the beautiful Hocking Hills area. With waterfalls and caves to explore. We've rented a 1840's cabin and will have our second birthday celebration there.
Please feel free to browse around and to thank you for popping in. I'm posting some Vintage Witches for you! Just right click and save if you'd like.
Happy Halloween Everyone!

THE WITCH
I saw her plucking cowslips,
And marked her where she stood:
She never knew I watched her
While hiding in the wood
Her skirt was brightest crimson,
And black her steeple hat,
Her broomstick lay beside her -
I'm positive of that.
Her chin was sharp and pointed,
Her eyes were - I don't know -
For, when she turned towards me -
I thought it best - to go!
Percy H. Ilott

Double, double, toil and trouble;

Fire, burn; and caldron, bubble.
Fillet of a fenny snake,

In the cauldron boil and bake;

Eye of newt, and toe of frog,

Wool of bat, and tongue of dog,

Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,

Lizard's leg, and howlet's wing,--

For a charm of powerful trouble,

Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
Double, double, toil and trouble;

Fire, burn; and cauldron, bubble.

From the Witches Chant by Shakespeare

Buttered mouse, anyone?

Yes, we had a mouse! We live in a big old house and in the fall sometimes mice think to take residence here, even with three cats in the house.
The cats have been on guard duty at the stove for several days. So my husband bought this sticky mouse trap thing. Of course the mouse became stuck when I was home alone. So here I am trying to unstick the mouse. Boy was he stuck!!! Looking at me with those cute little black eyes and twitchy whiskers. "Help me lady, Please...!"

I call my husband, he says use cooking oil to loosen him free.
I am out of cooking oil , it's early in the morning and I have to be to work in an hour. Ugh!! I spray the poor thing with cooking spray. Now, he's not only stuck from the hip down, he's all greasy. My cats are chomping at the bit to get to him. So I place the unhappy mousey outside of the backdoor. I kept thinking of him all day at work, I was so upset.
When I came home, some outside cat or something had gotten a hold of him and chewed on him. He was at least dead now. I told my husband no more sticky traps!!!

A few days later I hear this horrible noise coming from the kitchen. I had forgot about the second trap by the frig. My cat Harpo leaped over the freezer to get to it and stuck his hind paw in it, now he was running like a mad man through the house with a sticky trap on his foot and the other two cats are running in the opposite directions. Total chaos!
We finally capture Harpo.... still no cooking oil and I know the stupid spray doesn't work. So I think... hmmmm.... I melted some butter and freed the cat with it. Harpo didn't think buttered toes were so bad, he happily licked them clean.
Now, if I'd only have thought to butter the mouse. I'm checking into live traps for mice.

Pretties for my ears!

My husband asked what I'd like for my birthday coming up.... "Oh ,I have the prefect gift for me! " Some beautiful earrings from Penniwigs Etsy.
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7028183
Really the most lovely, gentle on your ears, earbobs! So if you need a gift for someone special you should check out Penniwigs Etsy.
The orange pumpkin shaped ones I won from one of her giveaways. I just adore them. They are beautifully made with vintage beads and findings, all of her earring are!
So, I order a few for my birthday. They arrived today and I immediately put on the blue ones.
I can't wait to wear them all! Thank you Dear Penniwig for the extra sweet surprise too, I just love them!!!!!!!!!!

Caw~ Caw~

Poor Pumpkin Head Witch. She doesn't frighten the crows one bit!

October weekend

This weekend will be one of cleaning up the old homestead... a little fall cleaning.

Those darn pesky cobwebs are everywhere!

Some preparations for winter. (Putting away air conditioners, garden hoses and such.)

Some more knitting, I'm on hat... hmmmm.... gee, I've lost count ! I think number 5.

Maybe cozy up with a little spooky book,

catch up on watching my recorded Ghost Hunter's shows.

Sip a little hot spiced cider and put my feet up with some fuzzy warm socks on.

I hope everyone has a wonderful spooky October weekend!

Pretty as a Picture

My Daughter Autumn's latest photo shoots.

My Great-Niece Boo.

Autumn's Photography website http://autumnluciano.com/default.aspx

Warm, woolly and strange...

I'm a knitting maniac!!!

Here's some photos of hat # 3. A pumpkin colored hat for Noah. He picked the color. My homeschoolin friend Cheryl helped me with the ribbing. Thanks Cheryl!
Hat #2 was a purple wool hat for Caleb's friend's birthday and was wrapped before I had gotten a photo of it. I've already started hat #4.

~This is not my kid... he's still kickin. Although I've thought about shrinking his head a few times:)
Here's a strange conversation I had with Noah once.
Noah: "Mom, how do you shrink a head?"
Me: Ummm.... "I'm not sure, why?"
Noah: "Oh just in case!" as he skips merrily away.

In case of what?!!!
Maybe we should make that a homeschool project. Any volunteers? Muhhaha!!!

~~~~~~

A pail full of handmade Halloween shakers and mask. Just for fun!

The Harvest Moon

A full moon will occur early on Sunday, October 4. It is given the special name of Harvest Moon since it is the full moon closest to the autumn equinox. In years past, farmers depended on the light of the Harvest Moon to gather ripening crops late into the night. Most Harvest Moon's occur in September, but sometimes (like this year) it will occur in October. The next time a Harvest Moon will occur in October is 2017.

October Moon/ Leaves Falling Moon:

Our Ojibiwa Heritage

October's great path of the moon is respect. For us, the new year begins now and not in January. This is a time of sleeping seeds and birds flying south for the winter. Leaves begin to fall; the sun turns pale in the sky. It is the Moon of Putting Away and the Moon of Remembering Old Names. Preparation begins for the coming winter.

We look for signs of whether it will be a hard winter: Do the clouds have long tails? Does the chipmunk work harder, storing food for winter? Does ice have an early voice? What does the raven say? Does the coyote change his song? Do our hearts stir with warning?
Now is the time to learn respect for all living things--even for those who are not your friends. Is there a voice from your past that you didn't pay attention to? Take time to mend broken connections. Find out why someone does not like you; respect that person even so.
Respect starts on the simplest level.

Walk to the mountains where the first snow has already fallen. Notice that the stream has a collar of ice along the edges. Dry leaves move on the wind, sighing. Inside you, something calms down. Turn your face to the sun: For everything in the past, thank you. To the future, yes.
Respect is a matter of equality, even in the worst of times.

Taken from "Dancing Moons" by Nancy Wood

Peeking Out my Windows

Just don't peek in!

Haunting the Homestead

I think the Spirits are restless...

there's an increase in creaking of floor boards when no one is there, voices coming from the attic and a cold spot in front of the fireplace.

I think they've taken the banner that I made a little too serious.

Tomorrow is October 1st!

Did you hear?

Tomorrow is October 1st so... let the spookin begin!
Two wonderful blogs hosting Halloween fun in which I'm participating in.
~~~~~
Domestic Witch's October Blog Party


and Mrs. B's 31 Days of Halloween with super amazing giveaways each day!

I just found out, I'm up first for the giveaways!

So hop on those broom sticks sisters and check it out!