change can be beautiful

I realized today that it has been a whole year since I started blogging, having begun in September 2008!

Already it is the end of the first week into another Autumn, and - after rain this morning - today is warm and beautiful. The leaves have been changing colour, as I was pointing out to my little grandson yesterday to draw his attention to the beauty that God has made. He is so teachable at this age, being all of four years old as of June.

Sammy is four as well, born in September. Last week I took him to a professional groomer for the first time. Sam is a Maltese x miniature wire-haired Dachshund. That means he has a medium long coat, long body, longish ears, and short legs. Cute. His 'mama' (my daughter) kept his coat trimmed to a more manageable length, but with her currently being in AB I decided the grooming part of his care is not for me. The groomer had her problems with him, and it took 3 1/2 hours instead of 3 for his first time. I had her shave his coat right down short and I guess he was not happy about this stranger being so intimate! Oh well, he seems to feel a lot better now ... and he looks much more like a dachshund. And still cute, although the images below do not capture that very well.                                                       

                                                                                              
<-- Before              After   -->


     Yes, it's the same dog!
                                           (doesn't like the camera flash)

I have added a few titles to my "Other Blogs I'm Following" list, some of the blogs that I decided I am interested in enough to follow. It would be nice to have more followers of my own, but maybe that will increase once I get things going with my website.

If you 'happened upon' my blog I would love it if you would sign up as a follower and/or leave comments. It is nice to know someone is reading what I write. Comments would make it even better. Thanks!

Thanks for reading, and ... Blessings on your day! :)

moves, machines & missionaries

If you have been visiting my blog for new postings, then I must apologize for the long delay in updating. This will be an abbreviated one just to catch up.

The month of June was busy, the highlight being a wonderful visit with our daughter home from Alberta. It was so nice knowing she was in her old room for a few weeks. The time passed far too quickly, though, and before we were ready she was on her way back to AB. As for her, she was glad to be home in NS, but missed 'home' in AB. It seems that for now she has found a good fit for her life. Since her return there she has a 'boyfriend' - a nice young man who is a bull rider and also has a steady (less dangerous) job.

At the end of July - four days after her 19th birthday - our youngest daughter took her first airplane flight and is now living with her sister in AB for awhile. This pushed my husband and me right into 'empty nesting'. After over 30 years of having children at home it has been a bit of a shock. I still have the 'feeling' of her going to be coming home from work some days. Hard to get used to. Her move has left her little dog, Sammy, in our care. Each evening for the first two weeks he would sit near the door waiting for her to come in. He now seems to have adopted me.

I was late getting the last issue of Valley Sunshine mailed out to my subscribers. Along with other delays, the final one was that my printing equipment quit working properly. I now have the drum being checked over, and I am hoping that the problem can be corrected. Printing the publication on my printers is too costly. If I need a new drum for my machine I may be in real trouble. What I have been using is a now very outdated Gestetner duplicating machine - a Gemini 5170 copier/printer that uses copy printer ink CPT1 and CPMT1 masters. I had to order comparable supplies from a company in the US and if I need a new drum ... not sure where I will find that. I hope I don't have to start shopping for a new machine!

Speaking of shopping, my husband and I have been looking to purchase a new or kindly used car. My! There are so many new styles to choose from now. Have you seen the new Nissan Cube? I like it, odd as it is.

The last thing I will mention in this posting is a missionary family home on furlough. At housegroup this week Patrick Finnerty joined us and gave a very interesting presentation about their mission work in Rwanda. I would love it if you would check them out at http://www.vineyardrwanda.org . The Vineyard church is mainly their support church, but our housegroup - which includes people (myself included) associated with churches other than the Vineyard - is actively and enthusiastically supporting them and their cause however we can. I hope you will check them out at the above mentioned website as they are sincere and wonderful people with a heart for the Rwandan people, even through much personal sacrifice. The Lord has been working through them for the undertaking of a great work there.

Finally, I am trying again to get my own website/business worked out. If you have been interested in that, please don't give up on me. :) I easily get confused with details but once I have it things should go well.

Thanks for reading, and ... Blessings on your day! :)

prayers, pilots & pets

May passed far too quickly, don't you agree? To me it brought a mix of events and emotions.

Are you keeping well? A few weeks ago I was exposed to H1N1, otherwise known as 'swine flu'. One Sunday I felt really blah so stayed home from fellowship just in case, but fortunately I did not come down with the virus.

Our son-in-law got home from Alberta for about three weeks in May, which was wonderful. He keeps busy while home and I do not have our grandson to babysit when his daddy is around.

My web site is not progressing quickly yet - admittedly my fault as I have not been working on it because of other things ... and work on Valley Sunshine took priority because my readers subscribe to it. This issue just sent out on Friday is on Prayer - a very important part of our relationship with God. It is - simply put - conversation with God and touches on all areas of our lives.

2009 marks 100 years of powered flight in Canada. There was a related contest held for school age children, and I am pleased to say that my 12 yr. old nephew (my sister and brother-in-law's son) won in the intermediate photography category. On May 20 we attended the impressive demonstrations, air show and activities at Greenwood Base. During the awards ceremony my nephew received a certificate and other things, which he was very happy about. Following that was the air show and if you have never seen the Snowbirds in action you have got to add that to your "things to do" list! Those pilots are AMAZING! It was exciting, loud, breathtaking, heart stopping and so worth seeing as they demonstrated their skill and teamwork. I loved it! - prayed a lot, too!

After the air show my nephew got the pilots to sign his certificate. He and the other young winners stayed overnight on the Base on May 22nd for a fun time, from which he came away with a bag stuffed full of neat gifts. My husband picked him up at the Base the next morning and we had the pleasure of his company that day because his parents were attending a conference. Not having sons, only daughters, I always find it interesting how boys' interests differ from girls', although now video games and such make it fairly neutral ground.

Our daughter who lives and works in Alberta arrived home last night for a visit of a few weeks with us. SO happy to have her home!

Now for the very sad news -- Late one night last week our beloved, healthy, nine year old dog, Shasta, started having seizures. We took her to the Animal Hospital and even though they did all they could for her, she passed away in the wee hours of May 29. It is a puzzle as to what happened to her. It seemed like poisoning but we cannot find anything that would have harmed her. The veterinarians have not been able to figure it out, except it may have been fungal infection which is usually devastating to dogs. Whatever it was hit her hard and took her quickly.

I am surprised at how much losing her has upset me; it is a great sorrow and tremendous loss to us. Shasta was such a good dog, the offspring of a purebred German Shepherd (her mother), and a husky/wolf (her father), so had personality plus. She was protective, funny, smart, loyal, playful, affectionate, and enjoyed her family (us) so much. She was excellent with our little grandson and motherly with our daughter's miniature breed dog. The two dogs played ball together, and if Sammy would get too rambunctious, Shasta would walk over and put her foot on him until he calmed down. Sammy has been confused by her absence.

Gone are the days of hearing her howl (so much like a wolf), and my being playfully pushed over when I squat down to tie my shoes, and being informed when anyone comes onto or near the property, and seeing her sit for hours patiently waiting for a scolding squirrel to attempt its descent from a tree. Pets play such a huge role in our lives, don't they?

Tonight we bring our beautiful Shasta home from the Animal Hospital where they are keeping her for us and then we will bury her beside the flower garden she liked to snuffle through (and sometimes dig in). My heart is heavy, but I have lots of good memories. She was a happy dog.
Hmmm ... I just realized, my husband will have gooseberries to eat this Summer; Shasta won't be here to pluck them off those thorny bushes before he gets to them.

Do you have any stories to share about what interests you, or anecdotes about your pets? I'd love to read them.

Thanks for reading, and ... blessings on your day. :)

Spring projects

Welcome Spring weather! Warmer days and nights. March winds, April showers .. and mayflowers; love those sweet bouquets of Nova Scotia!

Since I last wrote we have celebrated the meaningful Easter season. On Easter Sunday I attended a combined service, some of the members of four fellowships all together in one church. It is always special to meet with others and worship the Lord together, rejoicing in Who He is and what He has done.

Later my family and a couple of guests met at Dad's for Easter dinner, but we missed two daughters and a son-in-law who had to work or were too far away (in Alberta) to be with us. Even so, there were eleven of us there for a great meal and family togetherness.

In April a second copy of my manuscript for a children's book was rejected. :( I am not sure right now if I should spend time pursuing that dream as my business website is ready to be fully launched, as far as its construction is concerned. My designer had the work done in four weeks, earlier than he had expected! There will be some touch-ups later, and I have yet to load my items on there and get the site ready to my own satisfaction. There is so much to learn, but my designer is patient and willing to help me when I need it, even after all his personal instruction. It is a challenge for me to remember everything. Hopefully, I very soon will have it to the place where I will take down the Under Construction sign and welcome customers and visitors. (Actually, I am already getting visitors even though there is not much there to see as yet.) So, I guess the writing has to wait again, the business takes priority right now.

My husband is going to start building shelves for my business so that I can have better storage for fabric and books and things I will be selling on my web site. He is such a great guy, my husband. :)

Further to the above projects it is soon time for mailing of another issue of Valley Sunshine publication, the Christian newsletter I publish, so that is also on the proverbial drawing board. There is a lot of activity going on in my life, anyway. :)

Do you have any interesting Spring projects on the go? I would enjoy hearing about them.

Thanks for reading, and .. Blessings on your day. :)

rejection & possibilities

Well, it happened yesterday. I returned home after a day consisting of playing train dominoes with my sister and brother-in-law, sitting in a lengthy meeting with my new website designer discussing the possibilities for my new website that is soon to be under construction, chatting with a friend briefly and making conversation with my young soon-to-be-a-teenager nephew, followed by the drive home ... then rushing around to get the house set in order after my being away since the day before ... and making supper for my dear husband and myself ...

then it happened. My husband came in with the mail. My first manuscript copy -- the one I had to send twice because their address in two public places was the incorrect address ... the first copy of my manuscript was returned.

I told my husband .. I am on my way to being published! This is my first return.

One less thing to use brain cells on right now, anyway. Two more publishers to hear back from .. one of them not at all if not interested.

So, ask me if I am having fun yet!

Life is full of ups, downs, sunny days, foggy days, days not worth the time it takes to crawl out of bed, and those days you love to live over and over and over again in your head and heart. I have had all of those in the past two weeks! No wonder I am tired! lol

And how is your day?

(The above is an email I sent a friend & I thought it worked well for here. I am not terribly disappointed about the rejection letter with my returned manuscript. There is still hope for my story and lots more ideas where that one came from.)

So, how is YOUR day?

Thanks for reading .. and Blessings on your day. :)

under construction -- God's timing

I can hardly believe it has already been two weeks since my last posting! During that time Spring has finally taken hold here; although we got more snow it is fast melting away now. Gotta love that! It's quite funny that many people think that all of Canada is covered in snow and ice most of the year, but that is not the case. We may not get a very long summer, but it is beautiful and hot when it comes. But right now I am looking forward with great anticipation to Spring's fragrance of new grass, flowers, sweet warm breezes, and more birds' songs.

If you recall, in past postings I was bemoaning my website woes. Well .. I had been praying for weeks about this, but last week I gave up and in desperation told God I can't figure it out or find anyone to help me, and I don't know what to do. I asked Him to "Please Help me! I need direction!" On Sunday things started falling into place, although I still couldn't see it yet. A friend told me that God had impressed upon him the word 'direction' for me! wow! He prayed for me right there and I knew God was doing something; I experienced His peace. On Wednesday the next step was taken - at housegroup that evening another friend contacted a friend who builds websites. Well!... on Thursday I met with that person and oh my! We are on the way to great new things! I am excited! The original website is gone as I refused to pay the other people another cent when my year of hosting was over yesterday - since they would not fix the errors nor give any help at all. My new design team is on the ball and has it in hand. SO, right now if anyone goes to my site they will see an Under Construction sign, but that doesn't worry me since it will not be there longer than it needs to be. What I will have when it is completed will be far better than what I had. PTL!

I have learned a lot over the past months regarding websites, business ethics, and giving God time. It is that last point that I will explain a little. I had been asking God for help, but always I kept looking for the right person or company to come to my aid. What I needed to do was keep waiting, and through each contact God showed me something more to learn. It has been a rough ride, but it was when I gave up that the Lord put the final pieces into place. As an extra blessing there will be much more 'direction' and guidance for me as this company is very goal oriented. That is so good for me.

God knows just what we need and when, we cannot rush Him. Waiting could be the hardest thing we do but He can see the whole picture whereas we can see only the moment we are in. It is an exciting walk if we allow Him His place in it. :)

Do you have a similar story to relate? I truly would really love to hear it!

Thanks for reading ... and blessings on your day. :)

pursuing dreams

It has been too long since I last posted - in November - and now it is already well into March '09! We recently had more snow and this time more ice too, which resulted in such a beautiful world around us. I just had to show you. Soon Spring will have full sway and there will be new beauty to enjoy.

I mentioned in an October post that a friend was selling me her old Singer treadle sewing machine, and as of very early in January it now belongs to me. I haven't even tried to use it yet, but I am delighted to have it. This machine came with the cabinet, and perhaps I can take a photo later and show you that, too.

Further into my "spiritual walk", I have been going to a church again as of the first Sunday of January. I go where God sends me, which is a nice place to be. :)

In December I sent a box of items to a deployed Canadian soldier in Afghanistan. He will be returning home in April, so I am waiting for information of another soldier in order to send the box I have almost ready to go.

This week I mailed out another issue of Valley Sunshine publication, later than it should be, but it is in the mail and already received by some. Now I am free again to do other things. One of those things is writing children's stories. I have had the interest for years to write children's stories (books) and took a great course of study which covered every angle. I had, several years before that, gone to Acadia U. for an evening class in literature which introduced me to Professor Hilary Thompson. She became someone very special to me, a lady I deeply admired and respected for her talent, courage and view of life. She was very encouraging to me and gave great advice, and we would chat whenever we got the chance. Not long ago Dr. Thompson passed away at the early age of 65, due to cancer. Such a sad loss to so many .... I, for one, will really miss her.

This sharing was to say .. I think Hilary would be so proud of me if she could know that I have come back to writing and have sent off manuscripts with the hope that someone may take a liking to my most recent story and want to publish it. That would be a very exciting event for me!

My website still is not proving out, but one fantastic thing has come from it. A lady sent me an email to ask about an item she saw on there, and it turns out she is an author! We are corresponding now! How about that? (A "God thing" if I ever saw one!) :)

Do you have a dream that you have not pursued yet? What is holding you back? I would love to hear about it. Or, have you had a dream and finally set off to take hold of it and make it happen? I would especially enjoy hearing about that!

All for this time. I hope to hear from you.

Thanks for reading ... and, blessings on your day. :)