my plans for the short term

Books...I am rediscovering books.
Spending far too much on pages of words, but relishing every moment, every dime.

My current book of choice is Visiting Tom by Michael Perry
     (yes, Jani, I am finally reading it).
As this story unfolds within a 10 mile radius of my farm, the words are known. Osseo, Fall Creek, Stockmans, haymows, tree lines.....words in my current vocabulary are sprinkled through this book. Although fairly new memories to me, they are still mine.

Next on my agenda, Team of Rivals.

A cold day, warm quilt & good book...doesn't get much better than this.

What is on your current reading list?

the Adorable award

If I were to present an award to Valentine's Day....it would be the award for Adorable! This celebration is nonstop charm, sweetness & yes, adorable to the nth degree! I love this mini hiatus after the pomp & jubilee of Christmas.

Valentine's Day just makes me smile!

Valentine charm

Sharing some pages from a wonderful antique German children's book.
Pages in color and black &white.
I'm not sure of the age, but know it is very old.

I love the charm & detail in these vintage children's play materials.

Wishing you all a happy Sunday!

here we go...again

In 2006 we began a big undertaking....breathing life back into this 1857 farmhouse. Room by room we traveled on our journey, painting my way into a wrist brace. With the help of Charlie, our Carpenter & Dale, our Electrician.....not to mention roofers, plumbers, heating specialists, floorers & a mason - we toiled.

This winter we begin again - choosing three indoor projects: the upstairs hallway, bathroom and the cold storage over the summer kitchen. We hope to finish one room per month through spring.

There is furniture and my sweet collections displaced into other rooms. Walking through the house in the dark now becomes a "travel at your own risk"!

Dale began Friday readying electrical in the bathroom, Charlie arrives at daybreak to begin work on ceilings.

Here we go again...yea, I think!

"Be brave", she said to herself.

At the end of the day, I stopped by the antique mall where I sell at.....I was in the area for my day job & needed a moment of no drama, stress free. I was going to add a few things to my booth & fluff it a bit. The mall was preparing to close & the owner had just arrived to do a bit of work himself. We both stand on opposite ends of the political & even social landscape but have learned to get along just fine. But today he was loaded for bear....and there I stood, a liberal. He unleashed on me such vitriol. At first I just stood my ground, attempting a rational debate, perhaps even a heated conversation. But he was loaded for bear and assumed I wanted to take away his rifle.

Now, if you know me, really know me....you will know I do stand to the left of center and have very strong opinion on many things. However, I often temper my thoughts, carefully groom what I will say to not offend anyone. I do it every day in my work life, leaving my beliefs generally at the office door....only bringing them forward if coerced to do so.

But today, the gloves came off and I said to myself, "be brave". And the words flowed like a river. And I felt better because I was me, and I stood up for what I believe in. See I am an educator of 33 years, a parent of 25 years...and a strong, independent woman. Yes I love my farm! Yes I love my animals! Yes I love to decorate my home with pieces of the past! And Yes I have an opinion! I am all these things. And, no one, no one can believe that their voice is louder then mine.

When I arrived home tonight, I cried & cried. I have such fear for the bravery of our President. If vitriol is addressed at me, what must he carry on his shoulders. And when I lifted my head I saw two sights.....a bench and a roll of barbed wire. We all have a choice: to sit down and talk through the big issues facing us or to pull out the barbed wire and prepare just to fight. I for one am ready for either......I will be brave.

and we do so with compassion in our heart

Any society, any nation, is judged on the basis of how it treats its weakest members
- the last, the least, the littlest.
Cardinal Roger Mahoney

the most wonderful time of the year

Sure, call me crazy....
Yes, I live in Wisconsin.
Yes, we are in the middle of winter.

But, just around the corner is Valentine's Day.
I adore Valentine's Day!

Then peak out just a tad further......spring.

So time to get out hearts, layer them in Ironstone, add trim & a touch of black.
Checkerboard is a must.....as is crystal. Heart Day cometh!

(P.S. Valentine's Day has arrived in my booth at the Hixton Schoolhouse Antique Mall too)

if you wish

Often, as I walk up to the house from the barn, I look up to the night sky laid out above me. Always I seek certain constellations that have meaning....three stars in a row for the three Wind girls - me & my sisters. And then, just like a child, I search for a wishing star, one that you just know will take your secret wish into its heart. I stand out in the dark and cast out my wish, watching it float up and away.

As I get older, I find I wish for less, and rarely for myself. My wishes have become more focused
- little prayers I send up to that chosen star, send out to the world on the back of a dandelion seed, or say over & over in the quiet of night.

I don't tend to make resolutions.....I go straight for the wish route. And with a pinch of good will & a fair amount of dirt under the nails, I have seen them come true.

like fresh snow

What I appreciate about winter in Wisconsin is that each snow fall provides a blank slate, a new fresh cover, a do-over. Just like fresh snow, a new year is un-marked, without tracks, lovely & clean - all laid out before you. Soon enough tracks will appear like the rabbit & kitty tracks I spy from our upper windows.....paths that meander, paths that move purposely, paths that appear to go no-where in particular, and paths that go home to the barn or covered brush.

As I awoke this morning, I felt blessed to again receive a year. I am thoughtful in this moment where I lay my first track.....because just like fresh snow, it is waiting.

Happy New Year...

once again

I do love this moment...this time of the year.
Wonderful fresh memories of family, stories from friends, a heart full.
This is the final gift given.

And that door waiting to open - again.

It is a new door to a new year.

With anticipation, we wait.

Holiday Sale at Hixton

Wishing you a Merry Christmas & Happy 2013!
Take 25% off your purchases in my booth at the Hixton Schoolhouse Antique Mall in Hixton, Wisconsin through January 5, 2013.

For all the details....hop to the right under "Chapters".

little merry

Sending out holiday wishes thru the snow to you...8 inches so far, drifting to come.
Cozied up with work from home - will be a white Christmas indeed!

Hoping you are at the end of your lists, and ready for time with family.

ho, ho, ho!

Merry Christmas!

words to live by...

We turn during times of tragedy to words of comfort, faith, support.....as an Early Childhood Educator, I often turn to words of one of my heros, Mr. Rogers:

"When I was a little boy, and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me "Look for the helpers.  You will always find people who are helping."  To this day, especially in times of 'disaster', I remember my mother's words and I am always comforted by knowing that there are still so many helpers - so many caring people in the world."

So we look to the helpers:

• Teachers who protected, who read to children while bullets rang out, who decided that their care, their words, would be wings over the children.  These are the wings of angels.
• The faith of a nation, rising with prayer for families grieving unbearable loss.  Reaching out to shattered innocence with compassion.
• A resonating "ENOUGH" rising through our country...calling for control of rights.  We all have a First right to safety....and the safety of our youngest, our weakest.  This trumps all other rights, just does. 

As a parent, in my wish for my son's life, being helpful was on the top.  We need helpers......more then anything else in this world, we need helpers.

upon their wings...

And he will give his angels charge of thee to guard you in all your ways...upon their wings they will lift you up...

Prayers for the children, families, teachers & community.
Our hearts are indeed broken. Such sadness...

holiday time

I often change my mind.

I think that Christmas decor should be just natural - pine cones, fresh evergreen, cranberries threaded just so ~ pure & simple. Then I decide it really is about twinkly lights, glittered stars, tarnished silver & gold ~ that sparkle of the first snow. Then whimsy crosses my mind....sweet snowmen marching across a shelf, a flock of deer & bottle brush trees tucked about ~ magic. But then I travel back to traditional green & red, mottled color, a nod to Santa ~ the Christmas of my childhood.

Yes, I change my mind ~ ~ ~ a lot.

So in the end, I go the Kari-way.....a little of this, a little of that, always with vintage as the root.

See, December to me is just about home...and the joy found there. It is a warm quilt, a comforting couch, a warm place to cozy away in over this winter holiday. It is a sentimental nod to the past, a serene glance to the future and always the reassurance that the present is here, right here.

Happy Holidays!