Our Treasure

Its a beautiful thing

when you can find it

That realization that all will be well

that at the end

of an ugly day-

it will still be alright, because

together

Together

At the end of a not-all-right day

Its still gonna be

Alright.

That is what we have found, he and I-that space and time

where its gonna be alright together.

Oh God, I had no idea!! it was supposed to be like this!

Sweet quiet happiness, I am ready.

remembering.....

A few days ago, i was sleeping in the middle of the day. (Because I work nights, I don't sleep at night very well.) I had a beautiful dream!
I dreamed that I was in a most lovely place on earth-my grandparents front yard. You see, their yard over looks a deep valley and the hills sort of rise out the the mist in the morning, and greet you with a kind of eternal beauty hard to match elsewhere. And in the winter, they have the best view of snow covered bluffs anywhere except perhaps right on the Mississippi.
In my dream, I was running across the yard yelling out "Grandma! Grandma!" and she was standing in her door way smiling at me. As I got closer she said in her sing song way "I have cookies....." I must have been about 10 years old. The grass was so very very green and her smile was so very genuine, as my grandma always is. Her smile was like it is supposed to be.
Then I woke up.
All of a sudden I am 32 again and my grandparents don't live there anymore and my grandma is in the nursing home dying of cancer.

I cried.

wow, a new post!! is it possible?

This awsome old gas stove is going to get a face lift and be the central feature in my new kitchen.

That's me painting the bathroom blue.

Hello friends!! I haven't blogged most of this year, but am going to attempt to re start! So here are quick updates:

-we moved! we live nearby a little town called Greenleafton, in a schoolhouse built in 1926. Its awsome! Its also huge. The boards aren't in front of the house anymore.

-the kids have a new school. Fillmore Central is alot bigger than St Johns (how we miss you all there!) and despite my worrying the kids have done great with the transition.

-Ellie earned straight A's this semester (is anyone who knows her really surprised??!!)

-I work at a local nursing home and work nights and evenings. I really love my job but the hours are sometimes hard to ...what should I say.... be human when not at work and after a night shift?

-The rest of the family is also doing great! I have so much to write and share, look for future posts. love, ruth

Double Story

Ok...so we just have to build another one, and reverse the signs, then all's fair.... harhar

Repost-Lists and Stuff

I have noticed:

A tired child will whine and cannot be pleased until he gets a nap.

I always ask “why”. Guess I never grew out of that stage.

News which is bad news can sometimes be a good thing.

Those who matter most are sometimes the ones on your mind not the ones with the same blood you have.

The ones with the same blood are usually the ones on your mind. If not, it is the ones with the same heart.

You can forget your past, your heritage and your childhood, but you cannot make it as though it wasn’t a part of you. It shows up in little ways if you don’t let it show in bigger ways.

My kids sass back to me the same things I sassed back to my parents. Where do you suppose they picked that up??

Having a little less material goods is satisfying when the soul is prospering. Having more material things just equates to junk when your soul is dying.

If you play a piano out of tune every day, it sounds just fine. Pretty soon you sing out of tune.

A lot of things labeled “wrong” have to be addressed within context to get a clearer picture of why it happened.

Traditions can be a good thing. Maybe there is a connotation to religion, to culture, to pride. There is a beauty in doing the same thing your family has been doing for so many generations.

You can say the right prayer at the right time with the right words. So what. You can say “Oh God!” suddenly when your back is against the wall and it is enough.

Adults are often too uptight. We often transfer that stress to our children who then take it out on us. Go figure!

The people you love sometimes don’t write back to you. You love them anyway.

I had not been home for 570 days but when I did get here, my mind told me exactly which roads to take and my feet knew where I wanted to walk. My bed no longer felt familiar. My old jeans did.

HAVE A GREAT DAY! LOVE, RUTH

A little one line laugh (Thanks Robyn!)

The rooster, you know, was going around the barnyard. He kept bragging about himself you know, crowing about himself all day.
And the hens, you know, got so tired of it. They kept following him around-saying "talk, talk talk TALK talk, talk!"

I remember christmas when I was a kid..... I think I'm still just a kid...

Christmas Now and Then (12-1-09)

Once a laugh, and someone is relating a story; smile and wait for the big finish.
An uncle or two you haven’t seen in while, look a little more weathered but contented
An aunt is writing the recipe down so you can try it at home.
How does Christmas feel?
And we did get there early like we hoped we would
In time to settle in with hot, hot coffee black from the pot
And cookies my mother made; yesterday, last week too. And every year.
How they smell like what she likes and who she is for us all here today! Mother.
The little children are given a little coffee too; two thirds milk, they are so proud to have it.
It will warm them and give them “spunk” for the sledding later.
I think I will give my daughter the sled my father got for Christmas so long ago.
How does Christmas feel?
The tree is not a balsam. It is not a white pine. It is not a scotch.
Cedar trees grow in the fencerows and that is what we have; spicy and sharp. Wide.
It has corn husk angels all around in every color of dye. They have acorn heads.
My hot breath like fog as I plodd thru two feet of soft snow to get it down and home.
Wait! Am I lost in Christmas past? Indeed I am. And it is sweet and welcoming.
How does Christmas feel?
My brothers would chase me around the tree and tease me
Now my brothers will chase my kids and their kids and laugh with me
My packages are wrapped much better than they used to be!
Red globes upon the tree are reflecting something; relating something;
What is the reflection I see today? Is that me?
Just one little tear accompanies the laughter, one little shining tear
Quickly brushed away. It’s secret not to share.
How does Christmas feel?
Mix the dressing, shovel the walks, play the carols, sing out Christmas!
Cold feet tingle, caring hearts gather, kitchen buzzing, cider warming.
Oh, Christmas, The Children Await!

Autumn 2009

Autumn comes and goes and with each passing year
I learn to value life a little deeper, another chapter farther
I can’t reclaim the summer past the onions or tomatoes
But autumn is the harvest time
They are in shiny pretty jars kept safely in the cupboard now.
Autumn cannot be kept nearly so safely.
Soon it will be turning. Tyrant winds and crystal snows arriving soon.
I can’t relive the sweet summer days with laughing children running
Green green grass for soccer, bugs to catch and bother.
But now the grass is brown and great for football, say my children.
Put and extra layer on, the wind is picking up! Go out to play ball little ones.
Your mother wants to sit in the window awhile with a cup of hot tea.
Autumn is so melancoly. Each autumn I am a little older.
Sit and hear the whirr of the corn harvest all around you.
Look and see the spring’s little calves, wooly and strong by now.
All is going on, moving forward, time is not still
And yet I am still; I am sitting still watching time moving on.
Autumn, the narrow, short corner, little rest stop in the path of time.