Categories: Thursday Thirteen
These Are Some of My Favorite T-Things
I was asked if I would like to participate in a meme by Rose over at World Outside My Window. Technically I was supposed to ask her to assign me a letter of the alphabet and then I was to name ten things that I "love" that begin with that particular letter. I decided to go ahead and use the letter assigned to her, though, since it dovetailed so nicely with my Thursday Thirteen assignment. If anyone wants me to send them a letter, though, feel free to leave a request in the comments section. Here we go!
1. Tea. Hot with sugar and milk.
2. Thermal underwear
3. Tide with bleach. In my humble opinion, the best laundry detergent.
4. Boston Terriers
5. Two-year-olds. I don't think they're terrible at all.
6. Tire swings. Although, I can't really swing on them now that I only wear dresses.
7. Thrift stores
8. Coconut Jam Tarts
9. Watching the movie Tora! Tora! Tora! with my husband on rainy Saturday afternoons.
10. Tulip trees
11. The book To Kill a Mockingbird
12. Turnips & carrots
13. Truth
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Firefly Chapter 3
1. I really can't stand to be cold and I am especially not fond of February through March or indoor places that prefer for it to feel like February when the temperature outside is a perfectly acceptable 75-85 degrees.
2. I adore warm spring days especially when I can find a patch of sun and throw down a blanket in the grass to nap upon.
3. I can't stand to wear anything binding about my waist. I have always found pants and especially jeans horribly uncomfortable.
4. My favorite dresses have pleats at the waist and not gathers. Elasticized waists are out of the question. They don't seem to know their rightful place about my waist.
5. I can't stand hair in my face. My hair tends to fall forward giving me a Cousin It appearance and bangs bother me. I am very content wearing my hair up in a bun.
6. I deal daily in Boston Terrier emissions. Banjo makes up for it, though, as a radiant lap warmer.
7. I spend my days with two girls who are presently competing to see who can sing "la" the longest and the loudest. Clara appears to be winning.
8. I am always hovering between wanting a best friend and wanting to be left alone. A best friend is hard work. A friendship like that requires a large emotional investment (not to mention quite an investment of time). Of course, lacking a best friend often leaves me lonesome. And yet I like being alone. Whatever shall I do?
9. I think that sometimes when one has a family and a church family, one's life is full enough without having a best friend. God fills the gaps. There's no better investment of emotion and time than in Him.
10. Today is the day our Christmas tree is coming down. Before it takes root.
11. Don't poke your eyes out because you had to see another Christmas picture. It's okay. It's coming down. Really.
12. My favorite holiday is Easter even though we don't celebrate it in the church. We prefer to celebrate Christ risen every day of the year and not tie it to one specific day of the year. I still like the idea of a day to celebrate spring, though. After having made it through February and March, I feel much blessed when spring arrives.
13. If I don't get off of here right now, my husband will be very disappointed to see the tree still decorated and standing in our living room and I might have to post another picture of it, so I bid you farewell!
4:40 Update: Ding! Dong! The tree is gone! Yippee!
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Presents vs. Presence
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- Burton Hillis
1. 8 large white bath towels
2. 8 white hand towels
3. 8 white washcloths
4. 4 white king-sized pillow cases
5. 1 warm throw blanket with matching "napping pillow" and "napping socks"
6. 1 leather-bound Thompson's Chain-Reference Bible (KJV)
7. 4 beautiful modest dresses
8. 1 set of Jane Austen novels, Sanditon by Jane Austen and "Another Lady", and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
9. 1 good book on learning to crochet, 2 books on crochet stitches and 1 book on knitting techniques
10. 1 set of crochet hooks & dark blue and black yarn
11. The A&E Literary Classics - Romance Collection Megaset (DVDs) which includes Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Victoria & Albert, Tom Jones, Jane Eyre, Lorna Doone, Ivanhoe, and The Scarlet Pimpernel)
12. 1 happy family
13. 1 good nap
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Comfort Paintings
You know how some people talk of "comfort food"? My personal favorite comfort food would have to be a grilled cheese sandwich with a bowl of tomato soup. It reminds me of when I was little. Especially of one winter afternoon when I was four years old and my mother made a fine lunch of it after a snowstorm. My sister and I sat in the warm kitchen at a small table by the window looking out at the brightness of it all.
I think about some paintings in that way. There are some paintings that are quite comforting to me. There is a certain something about these paintings that lifts my spirits. It usually has something to do with the quality of light in a painting or some other intangible element that attracts me to the painting. So, for this week, I give you thirteen comfort paintings.
1. Tade de verano en la playa by Peder Severin Kroyer
2. Carnation, Lily, Lily, Rose by John Singer Sargent
3. Under the Horse Chestnut Tree by Mary Cassatt
4. Afternoon Fun by Edward Henry Potthast
5. Mountainous Landscape Behind Saint-Paul Hospital by Vincent Van Gogh
6. Winter by Maxfield Parrish
7. Chagrin d'Enfant by Emile Friant
8. Twilight by Maxfield Parrish
9. White Birches in the Snow by Maxfield Parrish
10. At the Beach by Edward Henry Potthast
11. Baby Reaching for an Apple by Mary Cassatt
12. Tarde de verano en Skagen, 1892 by Peder Severin Kroyer
13. Tarde de verano en Skagen, 1899 by Peder Severin Kroyer
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My Christmas List
1. 8 large white bath towels
2. 8 white hand towels
3. 8 white washcloths
4. 4 white king-sized pillow cases
5. 1 warm throw blanket (to replace the "binky" Banjo stole from me)
6. 1 case of Dr. Pepper Berries & Cream soda
7. 1 large box of Dots (Hey! Nobody told me they came in wild berry flavor!)
8. 2 rolls of Necco Wafers (You can take a tour of how these candies are made here.)
9. a good book on learning to crochet (so I can learn how to make my own headcoverings)
10. some thin crochet hooks
11. dark blue, chocolate brown, and black baby-weight yarn
12. quiet time with my husband and girls
13. 1 (at least) good nap
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Firefly Chapter 2
1. When I was young, we lived next door to a very old, distinguished-looking, library and my father used to bring home a stack of books as tall as I was each week. Books to read aloud to me. Some of my fondest memories are of sitting curled up in my father's lap while he read all sorts of books to me.
2. My favorite flower is the lily-of-the-valley, but I am also quite fond of lilacs and hydrangeas. When I was growing up in New Hampshire, we had a large lilac bush that was heavenly. It was nearly as tall as our barn which it grew beside. Lily-of-the-valley grew wild in great patches in the shade of the woods.
3. I am in the middle of reading Northanger Abbey. I am taking an extraordinarily long time finishing this book for some reason. My daughter, Lily, has already finished it and is waiting impatiently for me to finish it, too. She doesn't want to give anything away. I need to hurry along with it because I have already committed to reading four other books before the end of January. I have also been contacted by a book publisher to review five more books on my blog. If I thought I needed something to get me back into reading, I certainly have it now.
4. I am actually looking forward to eating fish sticks, macaroni and cheese and green beans for supper tonight.
6. When I was Clara's age, my favorite thing to do during recess was to either finger knit or use a wooden spool with four nails in it that my grandmother made for me to knit long coils with. I also enjoyed playing with the kindergarteners on their playground. I always liked being around young children. The other girls would play soccer, but I was not much of an athlete. Interestingly enough, the girls played what was called "goal" soccer and the boys would play "base" soccer. "Goal" soccer was considered a "girls' game", but it is what we know of as traditional soccer today. "Base" soccer was similar to baseball except the boys used their foot instead of a bat and a soccer ball instead of a baseball.
7. When I was Lily's age, my best friend was "going steady" with a boy for the first time. I always felt as though he disliked me and wouldn't mind getting rid of me entirely. He probably wouldn't have.
8. I know haiku and I am not afraid to use it.
9. When I was little, I believed that the trees made the wind by pushing the air around with their branches.
10. One of the first words I ever read was on the back of a truck parked in a church parking lot next door to my house. (Yes, we had a library to the left of us and a church to the right). I was riding my tricycle around in the parking lot with my dad. The word was "Chevrolet". I told him, "Look! It says "chevrolet"!". Except I said it phonetically.
11. My husband is home! I must go prepare our fish stick feast!
12. My husband wants me to tell you I have beautiful eyes. Can you tell I am running out of ideas? I must be very boring.
13. Ask me something about myself so I have some good TT fodder for next week! (Yeah, I know that wasn't exactly enlightening, but I am running out of ideas.)
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Birthday Presents
My birthday was last week and I just thought I would share what my sweet girls gave me.
Frontier Girls
The girls and I went on a field trip this Tuesday to a "frontier settlement". Here are our thirteen pictures from the year 1725.
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1. Off to do chores! 
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2. Fetching Water 
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3. Hauling Wood 
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4. Home Sweet Home 
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5. Building a Pen 
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6. Pig Pen? 
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7. Playing Quoits 
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8. Bartering 
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9. Caught napping! 
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10. The Desk & Chamber Pot 
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11. Drying Flowers or Herbs 
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12. The "Kitchen" 
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13. The Fireplace 
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Firefly Chapter 1
1. My wardrobe used to consist of blue jeans and various shirts, sweaters and sweatshirts, but I started wearing dresses exclusively about two years ago. I feel more comfortable and more feminine since I have made the change in my wardrobe. When I was growing up, I went to a Catholic school and was required to wear a jumper-style uniform. When I had to attend public school, my mother had me wear dresses. I hated wearing pants. Now I am comfortable once again.
2. During the winter, I wear thick cotton tights with my dresses. I also dress in layers. I won't list any unmentionables, but suffice it to say there are very warm underthings available out there for layering. This actually keeps me warmer than wearing pants. And this is very good for someone who considers herself cold all the time.
3. I am five foot ten inches tall and wear a size twelve shoe. I also weigh twenty pounds more than I did when I got married. Yeah, I was too skinny back then.
4. I have been married for over eighteen years. My husband is very, very handsome and opens the car door for me. One of the things that attracted me to him was that he was probably the first man who knew how to say 'no' to me.
6. I have two good-hearted daughters. They are three years apart and are ordinarily very kind to one another which makes my heart glad. I always thought I would have many more children, but I am entirely content with the two God has blessed me with.
7. I am in my tenth year of homeschooling. And, yes, I am counting from kindergarten, when my eldest was five years old, and not from birth. You can refer to the 'home education' links in the right sidebar for some of the more useful things I have found. I truly feel, though, that you need very little "curriculum" to educate your child properly. I will go so far as to say you really needn't buy any prepared curriculum materials at all.
8. I love to collect old books. Really, really old books. I especially love old books illustrated with beautiful engravings. I like to use the engravings to create graphics for my blog. I just got a new book in the mail today. It is called The Young Folk's Book of The Heavens and was published in 1925. That doesn't make it too terribly old, but it is such an interesting book! Pluto wasn't even discovered yet! It wasn't discovered for another five years. Now we have decided it is not a real planet, after all, and have designated it as #134340, a minor planet. Did I tell you I love old books?
9. I'd like to say I am a photographer, but I merely take pictures.
10. When I was little, I thought I would grow up and be an artist or a writer. I also thought I wanted to work with children, be a veterinarian, and become a nun. I'm glad this life affords me the ability to be a little bit of everything I wanted to be when I was a child.
11. My favorite colors are green, purple, blue, and brown.
12. This coming Tuesday is my birthday!
13. And, finally, just in case you were curious, I am no longer Catholic. I was merely raised Catholic.
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Thursday Thirteen Ed. #65
1. Banjo is our family's ten-month-old, Boston Terrier puppy. His official name is Sebastian's Blue Banjo. It kind of sounds like a Picasso painting doesn't it? Or maybe the name of some really cool, acoustic folk band's newest album. That's what I always thought, anyway.
2. Banjo has been raised on a combination of acoustic folk and classical music. Whenever we have to leave him at home, I try to leave some music on for him so he doesn't feel so lonesome. Personally, I think he prefers M. Ward
3. Banjo is a good napping dog. If I ever need a friend to curl up with and take a little nap, he is always glad to oblige me.
4. I always thought we would teach him really great dog tricks; but, although he knows quite a few, he finds them all quite demeaning as he is such a very bright person.
5. Banjo is well-read. We are currently reading Austen's Northanger Abbey together. He feels we are dawdling, though.
6. Banjo is well-travelled. Not only did he take an eight hour ride home with us when he was about eight weeks old, but he also accompanied me both to and from my parent's house this summer. They live about eight hours away, too. I think he likes riding in the car. As I said earlier, he's a good napping dog.
7. Banjo snores. I mean, he really, really snores. Fortunately, I like snoring. My husband has been at it a long time. I find it soothing.
8. When Banjo grows up, he wants to be a professional, dog toy tester. We have yet to find a toy that he cannot chew through. He actually started eating his crate, so we had to buy him a new one. This one seems a little tougher, but when I hear him trot back to his crate, I keep my ears open.
9. Amazingly enough, Banjo, for all his chewing, has never chewed on anything he wasn't supposed to. Well, except for his crate.
10. Banjo doesn't care if I spend the entire day in my pajamas because I am feeling blue. In fact, he seems to like me even better on those days.
11. Banjo currently has the hiccoughs. Hold your breath, boy!
12. Banjo's mother weighed twelve pounds. His father weighed twenty pounds. Right now Banjo weighs sixteen pounds. I wonder what he will weigh when he is fully grown. I think he is pretty much there, but we shall see.
13. If you don't have a Banjo, I don't suggest you run right out and find one. You might be more suited to a piccolo or, then again, you may find a grand piano or a bassoon is just the thing for you. Or you may find that you are not musically inclined whatsoever. And that is okay, too.
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Thursday Thirteen Ed. #64
2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
4. The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
5. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
6. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
7. Short stories by Leo Tolstoy
8. The Yearling by Marjorie Rawlings
9. My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok
10. The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis
11. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen (I'm in the middle of this one.)
12. My Antonia by Willa Cather (I'm reading this next.)
13. Okay, now you suggest a book!
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Thursday Thirteen Ed. #63
I've decided to do my take on Karen's list of thirteen educational games we enjoy since she so kindly asked what our favorites are.
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2. Rummy Roots 
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3. Dutch Blitz 
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5. Smath 
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6. Backgammon 
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7. Tangoes 
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8. Authors 
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9. Pit 
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10. Quiddler 
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11. Scrabble 
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13. Oregon Trail 
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Thursday Thirteen Ed. #61
1. Over the weekend, we had a new queen-size bed delivered to our home. My husband and I have slept on a king-size mattress for thirteen years.
2. I discovered a strange man in my bed Saturday night. He claims he has been there for a long time.
3. On Monday, I got a really bad sunburn on the back of my neck while visiting our local, pumpkin patch.
4. Even at fourteen and eleven, my girls are not too old to want to go to the pumpkin patch, it seems.
5. You can get lost in a pumpkin patch.
6. I'm the one on the left. Miss A. is on the right.
7. Miss A., who happens to be one of my best friends, is moving far, far away from me.
8. This makes me terribly sad.
9. When I was growing up, my family moved about every two years. As an adult, I have lived in the same town for fourteen years.
10. I can say from experience it is much easier for the person who is moving away than it is for the one who gets left behind.
11. I ate an Arby's chicken salad wrap for dinner tonight.
12. I worked at Arby's when I was in high school and college.
13. This is my first Thursday Thirteen. Somebody, please, say something.
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