Blaze!

Folks, I'm tellin' ya,

what you really don't want t'do

is have a car fire at your camp

the first day of buck!

Just sayin'...

Thankfully, there were a few

firefighters not in the woods...

One was

Our daughter:

A special Thanks

 to the engine driver, JB
--I love this glimpse into
the life of her passion!

sky blue

Week three started out with a hard cast. And no way would Blaze let me choose white.
 I  liked the light blue...like the sweet autumn sky that I'm missing these days.
The cast immediately felt  better then that horrid ol' boot....but oh, the swelling, numbness, burning, and endless pain continued!  More laying around, foot elevated. More close to craziness.
(Don't you dare ask when I plan to get the right foot done! )


Oh, LORD I've had it!
Help me--I can't bear it any longer,
Heal me, my foot is in agony.
My soul is in misery
How long, oh LORD, how long?
Come and rescue me
because of your endless love.
                        my psalm 6 paraphrase



But then there's this:
My big sister and her hubby are on their way here.
now.
with the express purpose of meeting our needs.
We all feel a huge sigh of relief that they will be here just to cheer us up
and help lift the load.


There is nothing like that kind of love and hope for a totally
Blue Sky Feeling.

boot.

I wasn't mentally prepared for the possibility but
week two was so much harder then week one.

worried doggy and boot

I certainly expected pain- swelling- immobility at first
but it never occurred to me that it could only get worse. I was living on Tylenol a short week after  the procedure--hey, this wasn't gonna be so bad!  Came home  from the Dr last Friday with good reports and a second splint/half cast. Unfortunately,
the nurse had been careless and my foot hung at an angle
all weekend. I had constant pain and had to get out the prescription meds.
I couldn't elevate without it pulling on my 17 stitches and if I
let the foot hang down for a bit of relief, it instantly swelled.
Thankfully, I was squeezed into an appointment Monday for a new splint.
As soon as the nurse bent my foot to the correct angle--which I was unable to do myself --and re-wrapped it, the weekend pain was gone.
But, to my dismay--instead of a splint, they smacked on a heavy boot--and I'm far from weight bearing--I could barely drag myself to the bathroom--and pain levels continued to demand more then Tylenol. Ugh. I felt as if an oscillating sander was constantly shoved against my bone. Well, that bone was cut so what did I expect?  Emotionally I spiraled down, down, down.
Blaze reminded me that God could have a purpose...I loved how she prefaced it: "I probably wouldn't like it if you were telling me this..."   She's right about God; I've always believed it.
As it turned out, the boot did keep me completely immobilized--far more healing then my Payne constitution to be redding up the house on crutches.  (Confessions--I've already gotten tangled up in them and went flat out on the floor! I can't let that happen again.)
Evidently, slow and steady wins this race.

May you have patience for your journey and a song along the way,
Zinnia Girl!


p.s. One of my favorite pass-times has been singing through the Red Mennonite Hymnal.   I find it so incredible how some of those songs are filled with richness that reaches the soul with Holy Spirit tenderness, regardless of the centuries between us.

life in the recliner

     Hello, there!  I went into surgery early Friday morning, trusting a happy young Doctor to perform a procedure with a stuffy name which simply means to me that my broken-down, painful foot is fixed so I can go on with my active lifestyle!  Well, the fix isn't complete yet because I'll be on the mend for a while;  6 to 8 weeks on crutches to be exact. 

    The weekend was pretty tough with continual pain and miserable swelling but the turn around came today with a great boost of hope and a refreshed mind--especially now that I can survive without prescription pain meds. In the mean time I gotta keep that foot elevated and iced. So it's life in the recliner for me!

     Mr. Tucker has been my faithful buddy, keeping close to make sure I'm O.K.  He's an adorable bit of a seat hog!

     I felt good enough to read today--a luxury in between naps.

     I am so blessed with good care-givers--my very own first responders are pretty amazing at home, too. Plus, our church has generously arranged meal deliveries.

     One dismal fact remaining: I have to give myself shots for my blood thinner. Oh, I suppose it's mind over matter but what it really feels like, is one of those occasional reminders that something really is "wrong" with me.

Rejoicing in everything that is "Right" --or rather, GOOD!

Zinnia Girl!

p.s. lovin' Psalm 138 this week....

Sweet Shepherd

Long past midnight
I was still awake
My first-responders had dashed out
right at bedtime
Resolutely I waited up; sewing
but fell sound asleep on the couch
ten minutes before they returned
And then off to bed only to lay awake
awake
awake
in a dreadful not-able-to-do-anything-about-it state
mind realing
heading on dangerous tangents
agony of over-exhaustion
taunting and tossing
I scrambled mentally for a safehold

The Lord is my Shepherd
I shall not want...

Have you held a newborn lamb?
Picked it up; little thing, long legs
arm scooped under it's tummy
it rests it's weight on your chest
nibbles your chin

Over and over that line repeated for me
soothing

Sweet Shepherd

I am that lamb
and so I fell asleep.

*   *   *   *

It was a long night in the ER
Daddy worried that they were closing down
shutting up for the night
why was he still there?
The clock loomed above his bed
"Why didn't we start this whole deal earlier?"
Oh, Dad, some things we can't schedule

The next day, in his hospital bed,
his memory is still fuzzy
pneumonia wrecks havoc
on his ancient body
We poked around, spending time
Look--here's a Bible
you want me to read you a Psalm?
His eyes brightened
"Can you say one? Can you say one?"
His voice continued; strong

The Lord is my Sherpherd
I shall not want..

The words mixed up
mind wandered off

Yet the room was charged with
hope
healing

The verse of childhood
a living, breathing
presence

Our Sweet Shepherd

Road Trip

    Hero was sent on a business trip the last week of August.  Much to our excitement, he got permission to take us along. So we headed North on familiar routes to Boston.  More specifically, to a beautiful address on River Street....and my darling big sister.

     We had a lovely time-- mostly tiding up, hiding our stuff and leaving--because they are in the process of selling their house and showed it frequently while we were there. A little crazy, but makes for bonding anyhow! One day we went to visit a sweet mutual friend, enjoyed some time at Buzzards Bay and ate the most amazing fresh fish-n-chips.

 We also spent the afternoon at the Orgill show with Hero;  just to be amazed, and hopefully help inspire his decisions.

.
     

                           Public Transportation is always a favorite of our visits to the city.

   We took a walk through downtown and popped in on our Own Minstrel's place of employment--the Old State House, no less. (See it standing bravely at the end of the street?)   Never have I relished the city like I did this time. Perhaps it's the sense of "one-last-time".

      The last night of our visit, Sis and I sat on the couch chatting over icecream. They have a second cousin boarding with them for a month and as she passed in the hall we invited her to join us. Its invigorating to chat with young people who are full of dreams, new love, fresh hopes! Soon Blaze joined us and it wasn't long before they were exchanging info and friend-ing. And that conversation, my jollies, resulted in a second (shorter) roadtrip and this:

Blaze bought her first car from her grandpa's cousin!  

Just loving how God answers prayers,

Zinnia Girl!

P.S. Photos all from Blaze.

blood, sweat and shower surround

     
      Let's be honest, this was a project I did not want to do!  We are long time DIY kids out of both necessity and love.  But that's the problem; we knew just about how hard this would be.
     So, we called a contractor of trusted reputation....and he came to our house....and he took measurements and he looked at the mess.... obviously he, too, knew what kind of trouble he was getting in for. Though we had some money set aside, we were not prepared for his estimate. Eek!  
     What we were looking at was not a simple cosmetic fix.  One push on the tile and the entire wall wiggled. The floor was constantly wet from a leak that could not be reached.  How long before it would come through the kitchen ceiling we wondered? This was a problem we could not ignore.  As we weren't willing to go into debt, there was only one solution.  Do It Ourselves. 
  So Hero took vacation days (yup, vacation--crazy, huh?) and we plunged in. While he was still at work, Blaze and I ripped out the tile and crumbling dry wall--no turning back now! I cut my knee on a broken tile and squirted blood most impressively--a delightful distraction to my future EMT.

           

When Hero came home from work, he manned the sawsaw and we 
hauled away the rotten boards. gnarly.

  
 The next day involved picking up the previously ordered surround and replacing boards, hanging dry wall, priming. Hundreds of trips up and down the stairs to the garage for tools and strait cuts. And that infuriating measuring tape! 

We were surprised to find that the little narrow room had been there long before the bathroom. 

We always assumed the bathroom was a miscalculated add-on.  However, the shower walls were new-ish and blessedly square!

 

Saturday was a long, challenging day. My dad came over to look at what we were doing which was bittersweet because this is the stuff he used to help us with. And, as life goes on, there was yard to mow and string beans to freeze, lack of sleep from a midnight firecall. And it was hot. Perhaps the hottest week of the summer and we don't have AC upstairs. Sweaty.  Besides that, why is it remodeling projects always take longer then planned? Grumpy.

But at last we were ready--at 10 pm, that is--to install the 5 piece surround. 


AND WE DID IT!  We really did it!


Wait--it says in the instructions that we have to brace the entire thing with 2x4s. Insane!  Every time one cross brace was in place, the next one over fell out!  I was close to losing more then my temper. But at last--2 hours later--we got the whole thing snug.       Nobody bump it!
The next morning, we headed to the bathroom right away and there it was, our amazing handy-work. Tub surround and 2x4s. Oh, and how we laughed! I guess we were just too tired, hot and miserable to notice how crocked every piece was--it's a wonder anything stayed at all. 

It has to sit like that for 24 hours--perfectly timed by Hero to land on the day of rest. Much needed.

But if the bracing drove me crazy, nothing prepared me for the plumbing. Can we just skip Monday?  It was so strait forward and it should have been so easy but it did. not. work. out. AAAGGGhhhh. Finally, painfully, the job was conquered.
But at the end of that day the agony of it was that the vacation was over and it project wasn't finished; walls needed patched and the floor repaired. We took a big breath; those tasks will get done later. The worst is over.

Two weeks have passed. The tub is a pleasure, the agony of the job is being replaced by laughter--aren't we the crazy ones?  Such a lovely clean shower.  "Can you believe it?"  We repeat, "We did it ourselves!"

Thankful for my parent's generosity with their shower 
and Jesus' kindess to all my begging for help,  
Zinnia Girl!


P.S.  There should be tears in the title like the traditional phrase 'cause I hid in the steps and bawled at least once. "Is it really so noble to remain debt free?" And when we used the wrong caulk and the new tub leaked--and worse yet, when I nearly ruined the project with my attempt at the correct silicone caulking--I'm sure the whole neighborhood heard me bawling and muttering. Hero got some advice and by working together, the final caulking was nearly perfect and is leak free!

great aunt for real

The most splendid thing happened to me this week!

It all started with happy anticipation--
my sister was coming to visit from Illinois.

Decidedly, the best part of summer is family.

But didn't she go and surprise me with a fabulous gift?

She stopped in Ohio for her daughter and grand-kids.

(and they had no idea I wrote about being a Great Aunt!)

 Now they are very real--adorable and amazing!

love

love

love

love

My sweet niece, all grown up and a wonderful mama.

We attempted a great-grandparent's photo...someone escaped!

Wagon rides, giant bubbles, baby bunnies and chocolate

icecream.  A tree to swing on and a swing too.

Lightening bugs.

Names that are now sparkling eyes tucked in my  heart.

It's all quiet here again.

Even the sidewalk chalk footprints are gone--

but this day I will never part with.

Hugs,

Zinnia Girl!

P.S.   So disappointed Blaze is missing from this day--

This is her week at camp.

at the cabin

I wish for all of you who are 

weary and stressed,

a day in the woods....

coffee on the deck during an early

morning downpour,

filtered summer heat,

lingering under wise trees,

a good book to read,





a massaging soak in a kid-built whirlpool
"hot tub",





and a long sit by a quiet fire
at the end of the day.

Goodmorning, Sweet Friends!

Did you look at the calendar? 

7-7-17

Know what that is?  A perfect reason to celebrate

the gift of Life.

Satisfy us in the morning 

with your unfailing love, O Lord,

that we may sing for joy 

and be glad all our days.

psalm 90:14

p.s. Softserve icecream on our Main Street porch tonight!

Wish you could join us....

great aunt

I fondly remember my Great Aunt Ida.

She had a way of being kind and accepting that a little girl understood. I have a distinct memory of feeling glad and important those few times we visited.

Missouri was awfully far away back then.

I adore this keepsake of my Aunt Ida and Grandma Golda

My grandma planned to piece quilts for each of her grandchildren and she went at it with all her heart and her tenacious skill of using tiny scraps. However, a paralyzing stroke made it impossible for her to finish the last two. So, when boxes of pieced squares were found in her cupboard, it was Aunt Ida who set out to finish them for the youngest grandchildren in the family. Her quilting was just as fine as grandmas.

My grandma quilt; finished by Aunt Ida

I'm a Great Aunt six times over!  I'm not sure if I always believe it. We've only ever met by cards and occasional pictures. In some ways, distance is still as hard to cross. But when the newest mama dropped some hints that she'd like something sewn by Zinnia Girl, I felt honored and warm and a little like my Great Aunt Ida.  

My REAL baby-doll creation...now in South Carolina.
 Reversible, open-back sundress and ruffled diaper cover!  
(I found this sweet pattern at TieDyeDiva.)
I hope it fits the new-born!
 

Blessings,
                   Zinnia Girl!

p.s.  Do you still have a great aunt?
send her a card, k?

last weekend

    We had a lovely visit with a handful of my family. Jobs kept some from making the trek...our backyard bubble blowers all grown up....but we loved every moment with the ones who were here.




When teenagers can drive.....       
                   

And trains are an hour late....

And self-taught uncle jams with self-taught niece....

then my heart is filled with gratitude;
so much blessing of family.

train

whistle stop station
tucked at the bottom of the ridge
hear the train
long before it's seen
westbound 
slow curve; eager watching
east bound; swift bend
gone
gone too quickly                                                      
gone like the days together
like years
and life
disappear
a few hot tears
memories linger; sweet
trains can't take them
away

sisters 

sweet find

"Oh, how dear!" I cried, as I stood in the thrift shop aisle. I wanted to take her home with me the minute I saw her!  I did hesitate for a few supposedly responsible moments. After all, I am supposed to be simplifying. But she obviously wasn't a mass made factory piece and 80 cents was a reasonable splurge and thrifting with my sister is always a treat..."Stick her in a plant," she urged.

Such a lovely little thing to cheer me at my kitchen sink!

On closer inspection I found the maker's mark: G.R

Of course I had to google that...

As it turns out, there was  a certain Gino Ruggeri from

 20th century Italy who created hand carved statues from his signature mix of resin and alabaster!

No wonder she's so special!

ambition

Between fire calls, Blaze thrives on training.
She was excited to join a neighboring Company for 
some special training they hosted last Saturday.
Especially since their Chief is a woman.
"Don't let those boys push you around," she tells Blaze.
I love that woman!
She's also the only person who turns the camera on my daughter.
That girl of ours is on the backside of hundreds--hundreds--of fire company photos. She's going to be a legacy of documentation.
She already is.

That black bag hanging on her neck? Only an extension of her arm:
her beloved camera.
photo by Chief Di


This week, Blaze is a basketball huddle coach for Mega Sports Day Camp, hosted by our church. She had been shooting hoops at home-- ya'know to freshen up her skills-- maybe catch the kids attention with a sweet swish...
She was assigned six rowdy boys--the 8-10 year olds--
the moment they huddled, one kid exclaimed, 

"Hey! I know you! You are a firefighter."


Forget the basketball, girlie, the
impression has been made!

The nicest way to raise peas

Make friends with an Amish truck farmer
  who calls you after he has
picked a back breaking bushel of peas--
  that he planted
hoed and weeded 
  chased out bunnies
irrigated 
  fought off bugs and birds 
fertilized 
  staked and tied




All that's left for us to do is my favorite part.
Sit on the porch and shell them.
  Let the talk fly
and the silliness
 and a couple of naughty pea-shells.
Every family should have the chance
to sit on a hot summer evening
and bond over a bushel of peas.


Enjoy your day!
 Zinnia Girl!


p.s . Mr Tucker is wild over peas! He will steal them from the bucket. He will risk his life to dodge under the rocking chair for any that drop. When we raised peas in our little garden patch, we wondered why the plants at the edge of the garden never gave any pods...that is, until we caught our dog in the act of picking his own snack!

MAY: Main Street Allsorts

photo by Blaze

Splendid Spring.      Perfect weekend at the cabin. 

     Posing for background and lighting check. 

Violet; sweet soul. 

Only my favorite porch decor year round; Mr. Tucker. 

The girls hit Leg II of their Standing Stone Trail venture. 

Memorial Day proud.  

Dissecting! The heart has it.  Mother's Day gift;  I love it!

Another month comes to a close on Main Street.