21 Reasons I Haven't Been Blogging Lately

• Who can find a virtuous woman, her price is far above rubies

I really think that should read "Who CAN find a virtuous woman?", 'cause this Virtuous Woman has been A.W.O.L. I've had blogger's block.

Here are my reasons excuses:

1. I haven't been couponing


2. I haven't been thrifting


3. I haven't been crafting


4. I haven't been decorating


5. I haven't been cooking


6. I haven't been cleaning


7. I've been busy


8. I've been bored


9. I've been tired


10. I've been lazy


11. I don't have high speed internet any more


12. I've been procrastinating


13. I've been disorganized


14. I've gained weight


15. I'm home alone most of the time, so who wants to read about that?


16. My house is too messy to take pictures


17. Even when I take pictures, it takes too long to download, edit, and upload them to the blog


18. I need to get my act together before I can blog


19. I've been overwhelmed/underwhelmed/just plain "whelmed"


20. No one reads this blog anyway.


21. etc--I could go on, but I'm sure you get the picture!

Not to seem to angst-y, but I do think we worry too much about trying to craft the "perfect" post, with the perfect pictures, on the perfect subject.

Several bloggers that I followed have quit blogging completely, and I wondered for a while if that was what I should do, but after much thought, I don't think I'm to that place right now.

I just need to get over myself and jump right back in, so that's exactly what I'm doing!

Are you ready? Here we go!

Until next time...

Raised Bed Number Two--Ready and Waiting

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies


• ...with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard

My honey had an unexpected weekend home last week, so we took advantage of the time and the mild weather to put together a second raised garden bed--just in time for spring planting.

The outside is made of two-by-somethings--(maybe 2 x 10's?) put together with some kind of metal bracket thingies on the inside corners. (Can you handle all of this technical talk? My husband did that part!) The frame is laid directly on the ground, then a layer of newspapers (or cardboard if you have it) is put inside to cover and eventually kill the grass. If you use newspaper, try to make it at least three sheets thick. Wet it down, then just add your dirt right on top. We used bags of garden soil from a building center. Garden soil is cheaper than topsoil or potting soil, and worked well for me this past fall. Of course you don't have to use "bought" dirt, but since we are starting from scratch and don't have compost or anything yet, bought is what we did to get us started. Once the bed is full, use a garden rake to smooth it out, then wet it down pretty well so that it won't blow away. Out frame is eight feet by four feet by about 10 inches deep, and we used 18 cubit feet of dirt.

Can you see our older bed in the background? We made it and planted it for the first time this past fall. It was perfect for me--since I am home alone most of the time, I didn't have to do any tilling, had no problem with weeds, didn't have to do anything heavy duty or beyond my abilities. It looks dead and drab from this perspective, but even now it's still full of life...

The Swiss chard was looking brown and bedraggled, but I cut it back to right above ground level the same day we harvested the carrots not long ago, and it looks like it's coming back nicely. These are the onions I planted in the fall, which didn't seem to do much, but they are actually still alive and growing. I planted seeds instead of "sets", so maybe that's why it's been such slow going. I cleared out the leaves from around them, and plan to leave them alone and see what happens. Hidden among the leaves next to the chard are these blackberry vines my mom and I ordered this winter. I stuck them in and empty spot in the garden bed to "heel in"--they're coming along nicely, but I'm not quite ready to stick them out on their own, so I'll probably leave them where they are for another year before transplanting them, just like these.... ....I know they look like sticks, but they are actually blueberry bushes that haven't grown up yet! They'll probably stay where they are until next year, as well. Meanwhile, I'm browsing the seed catalogs for inspiration. trying to decide what to plant in my new bed, as well as the empty spots in the old one. I'll keep you posted! This post is linked to: Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Daydreamer

Frugal Gardening 101 at Amy's Finer Things Until next time....

Spring Has Sprung--At My House, Anyway!

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies
• She worketh willingly with her hands
• She maketh herself (and her home) coverings of tapestry

I know it's still February, but I'm tired of the cold and dreariness and teasing days of warmth and then cool and dreary all over again--so I've decided that at my house, spring is here! I pulled out this thrifty wreath that I made last year with refurbished grapevine wreath and frou-frou I bought at the Dollar Tree and hung it on my door.

If you want to see the how-to play-by-play, see this Dollar Store Decorating--Thrifty Spring Wreath post from last year.

I'm feeling a little inspired already, who knows, I may tackle cleaning the patio furniture next!

This post is linked to:

Making a Home at Linda's Lunacy

Get Your Craft On at Today's Creative Blog

Show Me How at It's a Blog Party

Until next time...

Climbing Outside of the (Comfort) Zone

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies
• She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness

Last week I read an interesting, timely post over at the Praise and Coffee blog, Feeling left out of the cool girl circles.

Interesting, because of the content, and timely, because there was this women's ministry conference coming up that I really wanted to attend, but I couldn't find anyone who had the time/money/desire to go with me. And who in the world wanted to go to one of these things alone? I mean, half the point is the fun you have when a bunch of fine, upstanding, responsible women get off on a jaunt together and maybe let their hair down a little. Or a lot.

I've always come back from these little retreats refreshed, renewed, and rejuvenated. But not alone.

I waffled back and forth for a couple of days--in reality, closer to a week. Or two. And then two days ahead of time, I decided to just do it. I didn't even have time to pre-register, I just made my hotel reservation and went straight to the really important things--I ran to my closet to see what I was going to wear. Then I rushed to town and had my nails done and bought a new pair shoes. Because who could go to a women's conference with unkempt nails, or shoes? Oh, and I cut my hair, too. Because really, you need your hair to look it's best, too, right?

What was I doing? Trying my best to look as though I might fit into the cool girl circle. Those ladies might feel sorry for me for being alone, but they certainly wouldn't feel sorry for me for having unkempt hair or nails--or accessories.

When I drove up to the church where the meetings were going to take place, I took a deep breath, and walked in and up to the registration table. When the lady at the table found out I there alone, she immediately invited me go to lunch later--with the cool girls--I was certain of it! Was it my hair? My nails? My cool purse, or new shoes? No. It was just a lovely Christian lady extending a hand of love, acceptance, and friendship.

I have to say, ladies, (and any gentlemen who read this, too), that I believe I had a divine appointment at that conference. The teaching was good, the testimonies were riveting, the fellowship was great, the praise and worship awesome---but I believe with all of my heart that the Lord knew just what I needed, and it had nothing to do with the cool girls.

It had to do with time spent with Him, pursuing the things that I believe He wants me to pursue; making some connections that I believe He brought about; and trusting Him to take me where I need to go, when I need to go there--even if I go alone in the flesh, I'm never alone in the Spirit.

How often do we allow fear--of the unknown, of whatever--to hold us back from the things we should be doing, and the place we should be going?

Thanks, Lord, for giving me the courage to climb outside of my comfort zone--I needed that.

This post is linked to:

Making Your Home Sing Monday at Mom's The Word--because what makes me sing makes my home sing, too!

Until next time...

Everything's Coming Up Carrots

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies
• with her hands she planteth a vineyard (or other things!)

Look at what we harvested this weekend from the vestiges of my neglected garden! With all of the cold we've had, including ice and several hard freezes, I hadn't even been out there to check on things in quite some time until this past weekend. We've had some gloriously warm and sunny days, hubby was outside washing his truck, and I was sitting on the porch watching him, when he reached and pulled a baby carrot and ate it. Then we both started pulling, and lo and behold...

This is about half of what we picked--we ended up with a gallon bag 1/2 to 2/3 full!

So far all we've done is eat them raw, but they are delicious, and visions of my spring garden beds are dancing in my head!

This post is linked to:
Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage


Until next time...

Sometimes We Need a Fresh Perspective

• Who can find a virtuous woman? her price is far above rubies
• ...she openeth her mouth with wisdom...

As you may have noticed from the length between posts this month, I've had a bit of "bloggers block", both here and on my food blog.

Almost every day I've thought, "I need to do a blog post today." But I haven't. No real reason, I just--haven't.

Couldn't think of anything worth while to say. Had too much to say to put into one post. My house is too messy to take pictures. I haven't cooked anything new, done anything new, bought anything new, gone anyplace new--nothing new, nothing to blog about.

But it's my party, and I'll blog if I want to--even about nothing new.

Although, now that I'm blogging, there are some new things going on in my life, and I have had to change up my routine, and I have gone to some different (for me) places...but for some reason, they just didn't feel blog-worthy at the time!

So, what has been going on for me...

I went to a regional minister's business meeting in Shreveport a couple of weeks ago, and heard one the best seminar speakers I've ever heard at one of these things--Pastor Thomas Moore from Bonifay, Florida spoke for two sessions, and I could have listened to 10 more--his message was inspirational and practical and relevant, all at the same time.

Last night I heard Rabbi Dale Cohen speak on the parable of the prodigal son from a first century Jewish perspective--and I will never look at that passage of scripture the same way again! What depths of meaning there are in the Word that we miss if we never dip below the surface!

I read a good book recently--10 Things Every Minister Should Know, by Ronnie Floyd. Although I would rename it, "10 Things Every Christian Should Know". It's short and to the point, but there's a lot of excellent information there about setting priorities and "ordering our days"--something we virtuous women know a lot about!

I had dinner with a friend recently, one that helps me cut the chase when I waffle back and forth on things and get too caught up in emotions and "what if's" and self-doubt--she is always my champion, but also realistic with me about my gifts and abilities.

And there's more, but I'll save some of it for another time. Meanwhile,

it's time for this virtuous woman to get off the computer for now and go have a new adventure--or maybe just do some laundry, but you get the idea.

Until next time...

If At First You Don't Succeed--Blogging Through the Bible in 90 Days

You may remember that last year I participated in the Bible-in-90-Days challenge, sponsored by Amy at Mom's Toolbox. Unfortunately I didn't complete the challenge, much to my disappointment.

Why not? Some of it was life, some of it was myself. I never forgot how blessed I was by what I did read, and what a great sense of accomplishment I felt as I checked off each day's reading on my Bible-in-90-Days bookmark. And even though I've read most, if not all of the Bible before, I've never read it straight through cover-to-cover, nor that quickly so as to retain a sense of the overall whole like I did when I read along with the Bible-in-90-Days program.

So, I'm giving it another go.

I had a restless night last night, and ended up getting up about 4:00 a.m. this morning, so I wouldn't wake my husband with all of my tossing and turning. Wrapping up in my flannel housecoat, I grabbed my current "reading" Bible, a Holman Christian Standard, and settled onto the sofa in our front bedroom--it's the office/library/reading/whatever room--and opened to Genesis 1:1.

"In the beginning...", what promise that holds!

We're in a new year, and a new decade--who knows how everything will turn out? I'm looking forward to finding out.

And meanwhile, back to Genesis...

Until next time...