Time to myself

I spent the day all by myself today for just a few hours at the Fredrik Meijer Gardens.

Getting crafty in a whole new way…

I spent the day testing the skills I learned in my photography class this week…

All the pretties…

Just added to the Farm Store!

Remember me…

 

Today is the 5 year anniversary of the day we lost our son and were forced to live the rest of our lives without him. I hope you will take a moment to read the following excerpt of his journal, which we found after his death.

The War
How I see it.....
Todd Louis Peck II, February 2005
My intention in this journal is to record as best as possible the spiritual warfare surrounding my recent relapse of cancer so that I may later remember the lessons learned and perhaps share them with others. In fact, sharing the lessons is actually the bigger of my two reasons. My greatest hope is that through my fight and this record of it, others will be equipped and encouraged to take the fight to the Enemy. I believe that all of life is a war fought over the souls of each individual and everything that happens in life somehow fits into this war, whether we know it or not. So when hardships and trials come they ought to be viewed as Enemy attacks and dealt with accordingly.
In war, the purpose of any attack is, of course, to gain some sort of advantage that will in some way bring you nearer ultimate victory. Rather, that sought after advantage is the destruction of some threat which the other has or the gaining of a position that leaves you a better position to threaten the other. The point is always to somehow harm the other's overall position in the great scheme of things.
Thus, this relapse of cancer that God allowed was and is inteneded by the Enemy to somehow gain him something. That something, in this case, is porobably to neutralize what the Enemy's high command perceives as a danger to their war efforts.
That threat may or may not be me (thought I like ot flatter myself that it is) but the fact is that, for whatever reason, I seem to have been chosen as the main point of attack. I therefore, as a soldier in the King's Army, have responsibility to stand and fight to make sure that the Enemy gains not an inch. For it is my (and every soldier's) duty to even turn this attack to the advantage of the Cause and the glory of the King.
This whole thing reasches far beyond me, however. It reaches into my family and into my church and community. I am just on fect of what is a large and complex battle being fought in this small theater of operation called West Michigan. The full extent of this larger fight I will not ever be able to fully comprehend this side of Heaven. Nor will I likely ever understand the extent to which my own standing or falling will influence the larger picture but I will stand!
Indeed, I am resolved to not just stand, but advance! I may be a small part of a huge batle but I will press my influence to its limits for the sake of the Cause.
Lord, have mercy if I should be cut down (i.e. if I allow the Enemy to get the better of me) fo rthe greater the effort, the greater the defeat in the case of failure. But by the grace of God, I shall not fail! As He wills, so may it be. Amen.

The dreaD PIRATE PENELOPE

 

a new colorway for the phatfiber july box.   whatcha think?

Stop the world!

I want to craft…I mean really how can one enjoy life if all one does is drive one’s stupid car?

I have been incredibly busy BUT I did manage a few things:

Here is the beginning of the quilt I have been yammering about….I do have some more bits added so I owe you a new picture.  When I have time….really

My first attempt at rebatching soap.  I kinda like it!   Normally I do the old fashioned lye soap (that was I sell in the Farm Store and I am completely sold out) but I thought I would try something new and a bit faster.  I need to get the soap restocked in the store.  Don’t worry I won't sell this ugly thing to you!

and I finally got my drop spindle full!

Happiness in a box :)

I received the most lovely swap package in the mail on Saturday!

phatfiber sneak peek….

Scallywags!

 

and I haven’t decided what to name this one….

any suggestions?

The Farm Girl Fiber Festival!

I spent the past Memorial Day weekend as a vendor at The Farm Girl Fiber Festival and boy was it a blast!  

I bought this:

and this:

the hubby bought me this:

(those are authentic farm wife toes complete with the farmer’s tan!)

and I won this:

Now I am off to the vet.  This little guy

landed on the African Grey’s cage and lost a foot for his efforts.  He is doing just fine but tore off his bandage…