A House Becomes a Home

A couple of months ago, I found an empty shell of a dollhouse at a yard sale for the bargain price of $3.00. Since then, I've had endless pleasure furnishing its four simple rooms, making tiny touches to personalize it and create a miniature, one-of-a kind world.

After scouring local antique shops and craft stores for furnishings, I turned to eBay, where I discovered an endless supply of miniatures at affordable prices - anything you could possibly dream of to furnish a pint-sized abode.

Since starting this new hobby, I've learned that dollhouse furnishings come in various scale sizes. The pieces I collect for this house are 1/12 scale, where one inch is roughly equal to one foot.

The bedroom, study, kitchen, and living room, have come a long way since I started. What began as empty rooms with four bare walls are now turning into colorfully decorated spaces. I've found ways to make this tiny house uniquely our own - two cats that are look-alikes for our Jasper and Pacey sit about in miniature, a tiny cowboy hat, Kevin's trademark, rests on a coat rack in the living room, and miniaturized versions of our wedding photographs sit atop the study shelves. Wall hangings reflect our personal collections. There's an old world map over the fireplace and a butterfly collection over the sofa. Like any home, there's a list of to-do projects - the walls need painting, floors refinishing, and cabinets stained, but, unlike real-life, these projects can comfortably wait for any time I feel like getting to them.

Who could have guessed such a project would be so fun? I can add to, embellish, and rearrange my little rooms at whim. And...if ever we are graced with grandchildren, we already have ways and means to keep them amused for hours :)

That Peaceful Feeling

We all have our own ways of centering ... of feeling at one with ourselves and the world. I find that peaceful feeling comes to me in some of the simplest ways. Sitting outside on the front porch rocker and gently swaying back and forth is a prime example. I am so thankful Kevin created a little haven on the front porch of the cabin to relax and unwind in this way.

Thinking back on a more stressful time in life when I was living alone, getting over pneumonia, and the electricity went out on a bitter cold night, I remember being enveloped with peace by simply lighting some tea candles and putting them in small glass holders of amber, forest green, and burgundy colors. I placed the candles on my bedroom window sill and the gentle glow of the flames and the colors cast on the sill by the holders was mesmerizing. Gazing at them, I forgot about my troubles, at least temporarily, and felt warmed by the gentle glowing lights.

When we experience hard times, I think it's important to slow ourselves down, mentally step back from whatever is bothering us, and do something to put our minds at ease and engage our senses. Baking chocolate chip cookies and savoring the scent as it wafts through your kitchen, going outdoors and gazing upwards at puffy white clouds drifting across a span of blue sky, sitting quietly and petting your cat or dog ... something that shifts the focus away from the problem on to something pleasant or even awe inspiring.

As I get older, and during this period of feeling ill at ease due to kidney failure, I find myself naturally gravitating to these kinds of activities and feeling calm and relaxed. I share these thoughts because I think we all would be better off, if, on a regular basis, we took the time to take little "time outs" from long days and busy schedules to allow ourselves our own unique means of experiencing that peaceful feeling.

Cat Nap

"Oh, it's nice to get up in the mornin'

But it's nicer to lie in bed!"

Amen!!!

HAPPY Halloween!!!

Plugging Along

Last week we received some great news. After her test results came in, it was determined that, so far, my daughter is a perfect match for me as a potential kidney donor. Her blood type and all 6 antigens are identical to mine. She still has some tests to get through to see if all is well for her to be able to donate her kidney...but the first major question was finally answered and the green light results gave us all a boost.

This week has been a practice of patience. Over and over, I've had to call and remind doctors offices to fax medical results to Johns Hopkins Hospital. I even had difficulty getting a necessary doctor's appointment scheduled with my internist, because, in the receptionist's words, "my case was getting too complicated." I finally called my physician's nurse directly, and she scheduled my appointment for today. My doctor, who I've known for years, and I shared a laugh over the fact that if his receptionist told all his patients that they couldn't make appointments with him because their medical issues were "getting too complicated," it kind of defeated his purpose in being there. I'm not so sure his approach with his receptionist, after speaking with me, will be as light hearted and fun.

While at the doctor's office, I got a pneumonia vaccination and was referred on to a cardiologist. I need a variety of cardiac tests to assure that my heart is strong enough to withstand surgery and the receipt of a new kidney. Also scheduled is a CT abdominal scan that will provide closer examination of the cysts on my kidneys to rule out the possibility of malignancies. The surgery can not go forward if the cysts are cancerous.

I have never enjoyed going to the doctor or getting medical tests, I don't know of too many people who do, but after all I've already been through in that regard this year alone, I'm getting used to it and used to waiting lengthy periods for simple tests. I'm finding that I'm taking things in stride better than I thought I would at the beginning of this process on the road to getting a new kidney. The road may be long, but I just keep plugging along. It's stop and go and sometimes bumpy, but encouraging news like we received from my daughter last week helps make the ride a lot easier. We hope the road ahead will offer up a lot more green lights!

True Grit

Bush Honeysuckle

My topic for pondering and discussion today is determination. Going with the flow, even when the waters are rough. Making the best of a bad situation...and maybe even finding something pretty good about your new circumstances.

The inspiration for today's blog came in the form of a most curious insect - a walking stick. Few creatures have been better named. The walking stick looks exactly like it's name - it's a living, mobile twig!

Walking Stick Posing for the Camera

Today, I was doing a bit of garden clean-up. My cone flowers needed to be trimmed back and the plastic trellis in front of them stored for the winter. As I lifted the trellis from its spot in front of the cone flowers, I found the above pictured walking stick clinging to the back side. I had upset his refuge and hiding place and felt compelled to find another place to drop him off since the trellis was going into the shed - no place for a walking stick of the insect type.

The fragile looking walking stick teetered nervously on my hand, but waited until I found a small oak tree to scurry off. I was thinking I should try to get a photo of this stick-like camouflage expert, but had other garden chores to tend to at the time. The walking stick accepted his new perch with little fuss. I was sure by the time I was finished with my outdoor activities he would be long gone.

Two hours later, I returned to the little oak tree and there he was! Not only was the walking stick still amongst the oak leaves, he willingly posed for photo after photo, until I was satisfied that I had gotten at least one shot that would show off his best attributes. He'd had quite a day - being discovered by a giant human and being transported to a new location by said human...and then, after having found the new digs not so bad and starting to unwind, being rediscovered and photographed in them - definitely displaying true grit, going with the flow, and making the best of what had to have been quite an unsettling experience! I guess we all could pick up some pointers from such a brave, adaptable little dude!

I just love quotes. The quote that follows seemed a very fitting end to this blog. It made me chuckle, too. It was written by a gentleman by the name of Robert W. Service. I have no idea who he is or was, but I would imagine this guy knew a thing or two about determination, too :)

It's the plugging away that will win you the day

So don't be a piker old pard!

Just draw on your grit; it's so easy to quit -

It's the keeping your chin up that's hard.

Chestnut Oaks

This Day

"Your daily life is your temple and your religion." - Kahlil Gibran


I thought I would start this blog off with the simple, but profound words of Kahil Gibran, one of my favorite philosophers. This day for me started as remotely as can be from anything resembling a temple or religion in my book. I was feeling so nauseus and uncomfortable that I decided to scrap my planned agenda and rework it in a more gentle fashion. I started with a nap with the cats...yes...I got up and then took a nap! Now, for the cats, this was the absolute pinnacle of ways to start the day. They just love to huddle in bed with me, the longer, the better. So, it was nice to see I was making my furry companions so happy.

The extra rest helped me, too. After some chicken noodle soup and soda crackers for lunch, I had enough get up and go to get outside and stack the wood Kevin chopped over the weekend. We're getting a good head start on our wood pile!

That little bit of exercise energized me further to take a walk through the woods. With camera in hand , I set out. After making a circuit around the cabin, taking in the beauty of the colorful, autumn leaves, I headed over to the lot next door, tresspassing into our neighbor's yard which affords a great view of the farm across the street from us. The farm valley below and mountains beyond is so scenic!

In the open field of my lookout, there is a patch of vibrantly colored "Butter and Eggs" flowers. They've been flowering since early summer.

The natural beauty all around me elevated my day from ho-hum to heavenly. As I slowly retraced my steps to our cabin, I felt renewed, happy, and at peace. This day was a good day afterall.

Home Sweet Home