Golden Oasis

"J" is for.....

JACK!   The Navy Jack that is!!!

May 31, 2002 it was directed that all Navy ships display this flag during the War on Terrorism. There is some interesting history concerning this flag that I believe isn't widely known. This was the first thing that came to mind for the "J" picture. I wasn't exactly sure of it's history, so I thought it would be a good thing to highlight on my blog.

I feel like I'm behind on my projects...I worked on that filet piece with the butterfly motif, but was unhappy with the pattern outcome that I pictured a few days ago. This weekend I changed it, so I'm restarting that piece. It was going to be a shelf liner, but it wanted to be a small wall hanging for my 'powder room'. The choice was to either snip or rip out. I did the former...so I can post the comparison later.

My other project is the 'canteen bag' that will be felted. I've realized my delay is based on my lack of confidence of grabbing the seams of both panels and knitting around. Seems very straightforward, but my mind if tripping over it.

I bought a "Project Planner" notebook from Target. Other than the fact I'm in love with different type notebooks depending on their style....Target has some really cute ones- I end up every time walking out of that store with a cute one! Presently, I use a bird journal (bird on the front and in the corner of every other page) that I purchased from Micheal's. It's sufficient for journal-ling about different projects, but I was thinking this "Project Planner" might help with time frame issues!  We'll see....

Things have been going nonstop lately and my DH is gone all but five days in June, so I feel the need for SIMPLICITY. LIMIT some things, INCREASE some things-just an overall pondering of ALL things. There has been some changes in 'rotations' with my DH time here, so new thoughts on the horizon - 6-7 months earlier than before. A lot of alone time...time to brace, reflect, meditate here in Golden Oasis  ...and perhaps there will be a project explosion....not an implosion as in the past!!!!    (hey, that was pretty good...I just made that up!)

....of course, I must add, I'm having withdrawals....as DH left this morning at a wee hour, I came home (didn't want to leave the truck down there for any extended length of time) I took out the TV guide to plan the evening shows and it hit me...it's over...it's all over....  THERE'S NOTHING ON!  "Apprentice", but that isn't until next week. Time for a trip to the library for some DVDs....yes, I'm el cheapo, but the Mission library (or others -just search online, call and they will send to local library for pick up) usually has a nice collection of new ones. Why pay when you can check out for free???  So, anyone with some suggestions for a lonely wife while hubby is at sea would be appreciated!

Finally, there is a little somethin' I must confess that is eating my time away! I've been trying to run a railroad! Yep, Railroad Tycoon 3! No sand box mode here, I'm doing the scenarios and controlling the balance sheet...or at least staying in good terms with the stockholders!  A little know fact about me is that I love railroads- from the engine to the cute little buildings. I can't believe I'm going to admit this, but I'm in competition with my 9 year old son (10 in a couple of months). Yesterday, he surpassed me at maintaining positive company earnings for his railroad...the only thing I can conclude is that I'm having a rougher time because I've chosen the "Go West" time frame in the US and he had a more modern time in South America.  From geography to history lessons, from learning about stock to budgeting- this is just some GOOD STUFF!!! So there, now you know the truth why I'm not getting my projects completed!

For Our Weekend...

You Are Scooter

Brainy and knowledgable, you are the perfect sidekick. You're always willing to lend a helping hand. In any big event or party, you're the one who keeps things going. "15 seconds to showtime!"

The Muppet Personality Test

But more importantly I leave you with this: Tribute for our Memorial Day

It was designed by a fellow Sailor on our sad year 2001, but this remains every year. Thank you for every man and women who has ever served our country in the past, present, and future!

My husband leaves on Memorial Day (not the observed day) for an on-load and also some more rigorous training his US Navy ship goes through to get ready for the upcoming 6 month cruise in September....I think he'll be home for a total of 5 days in June. So, aside from what you may feel about this war or past ones...this Memorial Day give your love ones an extra hug and remember those that have fought for our freedom.  This is our life...not a political thought, but a way of living- a feeling of Honor, Commitment, and Courage. In four years it will truly be a bittersweet day when he retires from such an establishment.

After all, Sailor's Creed is what we live.

21-Gun Salute

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

 

{Book of Dreams} & {Knit/Crochet the Classics}

First my thoughts and opinions..which I rarely do in my blog!   If TH doesn't win AI then I'll never watch it again!

OK, back to the task at hand- I've been working on my {Book of Dreams}  I'm all over the place with it. Each week we are given a suggested task with numerous wonderful ideas and websites to die for. I still feel about an inch tall in this altered book realm! I'm definitely a novice, but I'm fighting through those thoughts of not being able to get it looking the way I want. I've added some pictures to my Flickr (just click on the one you want to see, but I want to highlight a couple of pages that came out exactly the way I wanted them to :) I want this book to be a mixture of night dreams, day dreams, & future dreams.  I have this reoccurring dream of taking a hike in some beautiful Colorado mountains...just peaceful and then....(just click on pics)

I see a bear....in my dream I'm not afraid that the thing will eat me or anything, but just the PRESENCE of one. Mind you, I am not afraid of bears..my years of exploring deep woods - I'm aware of the danger of coming up on one, but I have no fear of that.

The dream just ends..I carefully walk by...the bear NEVER notices me. I view this bear as a symbol of 'fear'...funny thing whether you are fearful or not...the 'fear' itself could careless whether you are there or not!  It's neat through this altered book process this came to me. So what is the point? Why should we be kept in 'fear' in whatever we deal with in life?

I've also been busy with the {Knit or Crochet the Classics}, again, something that is evolving over time. I'm not happy with the pattern, but then I was thinking instead making a small wall hanging...stay tuned. The book? Well, P&P is definitely a classic..it's funny, even in our forum, some people are surprised of the quietness of conversation about it...but there has been a lot said about the story over the years. Honestly, it's the first for me actually reading it! (love the movies) Being a Dickens fan, I had to adjust to the conversation in it, but it's truly a timeless thing and the different angles I'm enjoying. One item that was discussed in the forum that seemed interesting- the fact that there is no color in the story. Things that make you go hmmm.

J is for...

JOY! 

Decide that joy is the hue you want your heart to be.....Then start making the little and large choices that over time will paint your heart happy.  -Thomas Kinkade

This morning I am besides myself with joy...after 8 long years a dear friend and her family came to visit from the opposite coast this past weekend....we didn't miss a beat! We had so much fun catching up in person...to see our husbands...to see our children....to see ourselves sitting together on the same patio chatting away.....SUCH JOY!!! The closeness we have always felt over the years through pictures, e-mails, letters endured the distance, but to finally be together was just overwhelming joy. For them to make a 'pit stop' to visit us on their journey to see other family just warms my heart and I can not say thank you enough! I'm late on 'showing' my letter, but Joy like this cannot be photographed... if it was, it would be of my heart!

Mother Day Sweetness

I hope all my readers had a wonderful Mother's Day! Mine was fantastic - it started out with french toast in bed. I leisurely read and listened to the house finches serenading me outside my window. I have to say, it was the best tasting breakfast- I love the fact my kids are old enough to really make a nice breakfast. After a while, they requested my present in the main dining room...ok, I'm getting a bit dramatic -you know the room where I have half my projects, bags of used books I've acquired in the past week, crumbs on the table, hair on the floor, a room you have to move stuff off the table to eat dinner...I think you get the picture! Far from the idea of a main dining room, but none the less....this is the point of a lived in house! My dear friend and her family are coming for a visit after 8 years on Friday and I ASSURE you that table will be cleaned off!!!!

ANYWAY, at the dining room table I found a host of cards...one hand made with true thoughts and sentiments inside, a beautiful bookmark made of that colorful 'foam' sheets, and pair of beautiful sterling silver 'Chickadee' earrings, a beautiful colored flower, and a gift that couldn't be wrapped that will be installed this week sometime. Kind of odd-for a mother's day gift, but it's a stereo system with new speakers for my Blazer. It's a 'needed' thing that I would have liked over a candle or something from my husband...my knob is broken and sound fails to come out of half the speakers and there is no CD player (it's a '96).  THEN I went outside and tended to my flowers while hubby washed the truck...that is very relaxing - when we have a chance to just methodically do some detail things while talking about whatever comes to mind and then I did something I rarely do- had a cup of coffee, a book, and sat out front on the porch with my legs in the sun (rest of body in the shade) again at this point birds coming up to the feeder just three feet away! Bliss!

Ok, ok.....I could go on and on...in the end had a wonderful dinner of T-Bones and a great treat at the end! It was so nice that we were all together and just celebrating the reason I am a mother.

CUTE (the main website is awesome as well)! Which I found in the comments from My Little Mochi!

I should know better than getting caught on bloglines- today there was a lot of 'good stuff'!

I will be updating my Flickr with some pictures of my {Book of Dreams}....I'm frustrated with it..not the ideas behind it, but the actual work I do on it- feels like a elementary school project..I have all my ideas behind it, but it all comes out differently. This is part of the growth in a new project I know-ESPECIALLY of a project like this that is very foreign to me. Am I proving to myself that I fight change..I fight when there is too much freedom...or perhaps that this project is bringing up some feelings I haven't dealt with. In the beginning I thought of this to be a positive project, but it's going another direction. I'm letting it go that way... perhaps it needs to....

Now to my original thought for posting today. Please read gently as there is no point to it-just a personal observance that is affecting me at the moment...

Moving Trucks... I'm learning another reason not to live in military housing ever again! A series of conversations with my daughter concerning some personal stuff and then a poem found in my boys notebook....  all centers around the core thing in our family life- 'moving'.  First ,the grass is always greener on the other side. I know there are many that only wish they could have moved as a child. My children do not know anything else BUT....moving. We are talking about a daughter that will be 14 this month and son will be 10 this summer....they are not babies or toddlers with limited memories. Ok, I keep feeling there are things I need to 'say first'-   our commitment to something that is core to us (husband and wife) and I'm thankful for what it will provide as retirement immediately after the date of-I feel for those struggling with civilian companies that you even question will be around by the time a person CAN retire...or if your not let go first. The culture of our working environment very much concerns me in this country as a whole! Days of companies honoring their committed employees are over-not it's just the lining of pockets of the 'big wigs'-can save on paying out retirement bennies-cheaper to hire a new graduate in the guise of 'downsizing' 'cutting costs' 'restructuring'. ANYWAY, I didn't mean to get that serious about this, but... yes, moving is part of our life whether it's easy or not in order for us to fulfill what we need to fulfill....now back down to the emotional level of this all. Moving trucks. Living in a civilian community brings structure ....you are in a community that is diverse. Some stay/some leave, but here?.........everyone will leave at some point. Whether you know the people or not....there is a DAILY if not ONCE A WEEK reminder around every corner!....just putting something 'on paper' for myself. Moving Trucks...should I have waited for 'M' week?

Speaking of letters...who won the "I" contest? Leave a comment if you know!

..now to update my pics with Flickr on my side bar!

...to capture the 'gold' outline just tickled me!

How to Start Monday Morning

Please come along with me on my 'yellow hike' this morning.... I was reading blogs and listening for a great relaxation CD that I found at Michael's for $1.00!  At first, I thought, "Sure! We'll see...."  I must say that are GREAT!! They are at the front dollar bins. I have 'Peaceful Moments' and 'Serenity'.....WELL WORTH YOUR DOLLARS!!!!

Anyway, I was cruising along in Bloglines and Sand Creek Almanac hit the nail on the head for me!! After reading it...I dropped everything, and clipped the leash on Nugget and drove just a little ways to Mission Trails Park.  Best thing I could have done today! What else would I have done for the next hour and half- don't get me wrong...I love reading your blogs, but sometimes I can get caught up in it all and end up not getting anything done. So, for a blissful hour of hiking, silence- other than Nature! Yellow took over since my last visit.  (all clickable for a rush of yellow!)

 

The last picture of the pale white flowers with numerous pod were very interesting..the seeds were safely in the 'blown up' pod that had a tiny hold at the end. The pic of the white flower consisted of tiny white balls..almost too tiny to see! We were serenaded by the Vireos in the bushes and I caught a glimpse of a Red Shouldered Hawk. This is a gloomy day according to San Diego, but to me it was just beautiful. As a responsible dog owner, Nugget was on a leash so we enjoyed glimpses of baby rabbits along our path.  This is exactly the thing I needed for this week!

Lastly, as promised, here is the final picture of the painted lighthouse!

{Book of Dreams} & {Knit/Crochet the Classics}

Where does the time go? I've been quite busy in these last few days and have taken on a couple of projects here in Golden Oasis. First, I'm painting the house!   My bird feeder lighthouse that is!!  A project that has sat on my dining room table for the past three weeks after I had cleaned it!  Of course, I didn't bother to clean off the table because I find myself working on two or three 'projects' at a time. My mind is going and I have to get aboard and go with it!

I've been working at getting a button to my side concerning the {Book of Dreams} altered book projects, but after many hours I couldn't get it to fit and I was stalling as two weeks have gone by and our ArtsyMama has given out so many wonderful ideas for this project! Let me pause for a minute.....I knit, crochet, and quilt...what is the similarities of the three?  In my mind, it's called "exactness"...I like rules, I like knowing where I'm going, I like accurate number of stitches or inches....but THIS!!!!! WHOA! I've dabbled at note cards and a few journal pages, but I've chosen a board book and the thought of "have at it"....has really caused me some paralyzed feelings. On top of that, when there is a new idea of styling pages...I feel I'm so behind and THEN I see the rest of the groups work. (the list of the group and their websites are on the right side of the ArtsyMama's link I just gave you...)   Then I just think of how I pale in comparison...I'm not a jealous person or compare myself to others AT ALL....but I look at their work and just feel at a loss.   O.K.  so what? Ok, I've said it...MOVING ALONG!  I would like to think every Tuesday I will post about my dream book. Right now my thoughts of this project is a mixture of my actual night-time dreams mixed with my real-life type dreams mixed with my childhood dreams....should be very interesting.

I've chosen a children's board book and started ripping! My daughter came around the corner and exclaiming I was a 'book murderer'....I did feel that way! (the image of the shadow stabbing behind of the shower curtain!)

I'm still recovering.

Now, to the {Knit or Crochet the Classics}....something I find to be natural to me. After all I do both, but love the concept of intertwining them. I've chosen a project that I believe is fitting while we read Jane Austin's "Pride and Prejudice" . I plan on making thread crochet shelf lace from a vintage Corticelli Mercerized Cotton pattern that Cathy had given me. I think it's something the daughters waiting for husbands while dreaming of their estates could make something like this! Stay tuned..I'd like to make Wednesday a day to share my Crochet the Classics. Not sure if I'm going to post on the site they have set up for us, but certainly will want to here in my Oasis.