Starting out the New Year with a whimper, some tears and a Bang.

6 Jan

starting out the new year with a whimper, some tears and a Bang

I have officially lost my mind. Apparently being on strong pain killers and playing video games the past few days does that to a person . I am, by nature,  a disorganized, laid-back procrastinator. To mess with that though, I went and made a ‘life planner’. To help with growing this little blog of mine and with my writing. To help (hopefully) with cleaning and starting up menu planning.  I also put in a ‘grocery price list’ to start tracking our grocery costs and help me find out where the best prices are for things. I am hoping it helps save some money in the food department! I love the idea of being organized, so maybe this will be the beginning of good things.  Once I get it all together, I’ll share it with all of you!

first put-together of the planner!

first put-together of the planner!

With the beginning of the new year, and a possibly-over-positive outlook on how I’ll be feeling, I have filled up my calendar with blog and writing commitments. A six month series to a first draft for my historical novel i’ve been working on ; a creative group on google plus is starting up again ; a couple of book reviews; a possible collaberation with my brother on a novel,  and I’m pretty sure there’s a few other things. Also planned a craft party with a few friends later this month that I still need to decide what I’m going to make! I’m contemplating these projects:  winter cheeks stick , hair gel or a chapstick holder. But I am really leaning toward these storage boxes, where you cover cardboard boxes with burlap! I’m wanting to make some small ones for our closet – for my collection of scarves and possibly for my sweaters as well. Of course, if I do that one, I’d better start saving some boxes!

For the first time ever (I’m completely free…. you were thinking it, I just helped),I made almond milk this morning!! It was so easy and fun and I’m loving the fact that there are no chemical garbely-gooks in it!! Once I have played with the recipe and gotten it just so, you can look for it here on the blog! I do want to invest in a nut bag though, using cheesecloth worked but I had to be careful that i didn’t drop bits of the pulp back in the milk. Which reminds me of another reason I am loving this, and that is that there is absolutely no waste – you can use the pulp as well! As almond meal, or grind it up (once you’ve dehydrated it, of course!) for almond flour.

starting out the new year

Another project I’m looking forward to has something to do with this :

starting off the new year

That’s right – circular knitting needles. I am going to knit me some slipper socks! I have never used circular ones, and am at the lowest level of beginner in knitting, so I am hopeful that they are a good first-project to do. If not and if any of you wonderful readers are experienced knitters, do you have any suggestions for me? I would be so grateful to hear them!

My last post I mentioned that I have some new plans and series coming to SGL. One of them will be starting very soon – as soon as I’ve gotten my schedule figured out and the first post written – and that is focused on the virtues that I want to cultivate in my own life and to encourage all of you to grow in as well! The Lord has been urging me gently to start this series and I feel that I am finally ready. I also want to start a monthly short story sharing – or parts of my novel I’m writing because I am super excited about it! I hope that’s enough info to wet your appetite and bring you back!

Thanks for stopping by,

Laura Starr

*quick note, i do not normally play video games that much but with recovering from the holidays and traveling and now these blasted debilitating migraines, I’ve found they are good to take my mind off the pain and keep me on the couch =) just so you don’t think i’m always playing video games!

starting off the new year

** I had to share this photo of my dog and her friend that came over to play…errrr, sleep. Aren’t they cute? Two old girls just chillin’

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Book Review – Dec. 2014 and Happy New Year!

31 Dec

this honestly is probably the most pathetic book review i’ve ever done, and probably ever will do! What with being on vacation for the last two weeks and sleeping the first two weeks of the month, I have only read half of one book.

GASP.

I know, I’ll wait a second for you to recover from the shock of that. . . . . . .

Okay, while I waited for you, I researched where the closest public library is to our house! 10 minutes away, I can handle that. Let the checking-out begin!

~Louisa May Alcott : Her Life, Letters and Journals – Edited by Ednah Dow Cheney  -Originally published in 1889 by a family friend, this book gives an intimate picture of one of America’s most beloved authors. Through commentary, surviving letters and journals, it shows how Alcott ‘fully and faithfully performed whatever duties circumstances laid upon her’.   Like I said above, I am only halfway through and love it love it. I have decided that every woman – young or old – should read about this persevering woman.

I am excited to start a new marriage study with a group online, this time around we are going through The Happy Wives Club. (which means, I have got to get it soon!!!)

As almost everyone else, I am thinking about the new year and what I would like to accomplish in it. No, this is not a list of goals that I am going to write out, feel good about planning such lofty things, and then promptly forget about it. I am talking about things that I have been saying I want to do once we got a little more settled here in our new home.   To help me accomplish some of them,over the holiday break, my OH bought me an office chair so I can write and blog without stressing my hip out! I am very excited to set up my little ‘office area’ with an inspiration board and whatever else finds its way there. I am planning on some new series here on SGL and hope by years’ end to be self-hosted.

So please, if you have anything you’d like me to start writing about – let me know and we’ll see what happens! For right now though, Happy New Year and I’ve got to get ready for an impromptu party with some friends tonight.

God Bless,

Laura Starr

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A Glimpse

11 Dec

A Glimpseshe glimpsed it but for a moment.

the flash and glimmer dazzled her

and met her eyes with an eagerness that took her breath away.

She moved not an inch, afraid that any motion

would send it off forever.

But as she stared at it, the world faded away

the worries, the woes,

the hopes, the dreams.

it all ceased to exist for that brief moment

of complete happiness.

Her eyes shone and reflected its’ light back to it

The bent of her back straightened, denying the years of hard labor.

The wrinkles in her face, the tremor in her hands were lent a beauty because of it

and for that moment, she was happy.

But as it faded, and her smile dimmed along with the light in her eyes,

but she thought perhaps, just perhaps, that it all was worth it for that one,

brief, wonderful moment.

For now she could carry on to the end of her days

with that glimpse ever before her.

~what is your ‘glimpse’ that makes the trials easier? Your child’s laughter or smiles? Your husbands arms open to you? Your faith? I’d love to hear them. 

*both poem and photo are created by me =)*

A quick update before Christmas!!!

9 Dec
I really enjoyed sharing what’s going on in my life with this little ‘form’ a few months ago so I decided to do it again! There are several links to go check stuff out so have fun!
Oh, and fair warning, Chanukah starts on the 16th (7 days away) and Christmas is in 15 days
photo courtesy of unsplash

photo courtesy of unsplash

  • making: my dog happy by giving her a bone – myself happy by getting the kitchen mostly cleaned… and getting a short story planned in my head
  • cooking:.contemplating some sort of soup using up the leftover turkey… perhaps crockpot chicken tortilla soup (obviously subbing out the chicken)
  • drinking: candy cane green tea
  • reading: The Inheritance by Louisa May Alcott ; lots of blogs and tons of emails
  • wanting: to try out my samples of Jamberry Nails!
  • crafting: a few christmas presents
  • wishing: the pain to go away and i didn’t have to deal with figuring out what to do next ; that i had a hair dryer so i could try my nail samples!
  • enjoying: my OH being home and that my hair is finally long enough to put up in a bun with just a hairtie!
  • waiting: for some yummy food to magically appear in my fridge
  • liking:  hanging out with awesome friends, planning to-do’s when we are back in Bend
  •  wondering:  why i can’t seem to get enough of wasting time on pinterest
  • loving: sequin dresses, the fact i’m home in a week and the groups i’m involved in online
  • hoping: my new plan for getting my health back actually works
  • smelling: the bone i gave my dog so she’ll stop chewing on her hot spots *gag*
  • needing: a hug from my mom and dad, the pain to go away and a white christmas
 
  • wearing: rolled up jeans (because all jeans are apparently made for women 5foot 10in now) and a plaid flannel shirt
 
 
  • noticing:  i’m so blessed by my OH
 
  • thinking: im hungry…again…for the 3rd time today and it’s only 1:30pm
 
  • bookmarking:  chanukah decorations and recipes – i just created a board on pinterest, check it out here
 
  • thanking: my heavenly Father for sustaining me through my chronic pain – my family and friends for supporting me and my dog for taking naps ‘with’ me
 
  • giggling:  OH made gluten-dairy-chocolate-regular sugar-free brownies last night and they are yuummmmyyy
 
  • feeling: tired. hungry. excited.

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Book Review in November

30 Nov
photo courtesy of stock vault

      photo courtesy of stock vault

Good morning friends! For once, I am up before my OH, with steaming oatmeal and apple cider in front of me. The problem with being up ‘early’ is that before noon I will be asleep on the couch. All well, when I’m hungry, I’m hungry. Aside from trying to eat us out of house and home, I have been able to finish some christmas presents that I am so excited about! They turned out so cute and it has been so fun. OH and I were able to go home for the weekend before Thanksgiving and had a wonderful time with family – both sides were awesome enough to celebrate a few day early. The food was fantastic, the company even more so. I got hugs from 7 pairs of little arms, and snuggled one very cute 3 month old. I even offered to take her home, but OH and her mom said no. (those fun- suckers). Despite my body trying to make me miserable, I was still able to enjoy the few days home. And then, once back here in our new city, I  prepped food for another Thanksgiving meal, only this one was at our synagogue. It turned out to be a small group, but this was my first year going and it was such a good, relaxing time. I was able to dance for a few minutes, but poor-80-year-old-body-that-i-have couldn’t take any more so i ended up knitting =)

Here’s a side note – our brand new, never been used hammer has disappeared… if any of you see it, can you let me know? I’m finally ready to start hanging pictures on the walls (the bare-stark-whiteness-is getting to me) and it has taken itself off on its’ own grand adventure.

I fear that once again this book review is going to be sadly lacking but I am hoping that December’s will be back up to par for all of you. We have plans of turning an empty corner of our living room into a reading nook, and I figure that is where I will be curled up several hours each week.

And, as usual, on to the book review! (don’t be overwhelmed by how long  short it is now, okay?

  • Perelandra (aka Voyage to Venus) by C.S. Lewis – Elwin Ransom is home from his previous adventure from Mars, and receives a new mission from the angelic ruler of Mars, Oyarsa. Ransom calls Lewis (the narrator) to his home to help him get there. – now, i realize that is a super basic explanation of the book. but, the reason is, is that I started to read it when I realized it was a second book in a series. So, I stopped reading it, although I had quickly gotten sucked in. The way C.S. Lewis draws you into his worlds is extraordinary.
  • The Inheritance by Louisa May Alcott –  Edith Adelon is a poor, orphaned Italian girl who is taken in by an English famly to be governess to their daughter. But her purity, goodness, humility and beauty place her in some of their hearts as dear as could be. She catches the eye of two completely different men – Lord Percy and Lord Arlington. But there is one that hates her for her beauty, Lady Ida, who wants Lord Percy for herself. In her hatred, she plots to get rid of Edith. –and you’ll have to read it for yourself. It is Alcott’s first novel, written before she was 20 years old, and it does tend to read that way. But really, it is a great, classic novel. It was made into a movie which is very good but, as usual, they changed quite a bit of the story. Taken as two separate stories, I enjoy them both.

And that’s about it. Sadly, not much reading has happened. I simply must find the library in this new city of mine so that I can start reading in earnest again!

Have you read either of these classics? Do share! If not, what are your favorite classic novels or authors? 

What to get the Chronic Pain Sufferer in your life

20 Nov

what to get the chronic pain sufferer in your life

It is ironic that I decided to write this today. I have spent all day on the couch, in severe pain. I even called my doctor asking for a prescription pain killer – which is completely unlike me. But, the idea for this came a few weeks ago when I was seeing all sorts of gift guides for the gardener, the at-home-chef, the beer lover, the crafter, etc etc. I decided what we needed was a gift guide for the chroni pain-er. hehe. just going with the flow of wording there, folks.

Some of these ideas can get pretty expensive, but I wanted to add them as well, because they really are great! I hope this gives your Christmas shopping list a bit of help! I am seeing some fantastic gift basket combinations while reading this list. Of course, these would be great for birthdays or ‘just because’ gifts as well.

calming essential oils

lavendar scented candles

eye pillows – i have so many of these and they are great!

bottle of excedrin (or their preferred pain killer)

gift certificates for the chiropractor or a massage

music (itunes, cds etc)

hoodie pillow

offers of help to go grocery shopping or do laundry

freezer meals

tea

comfy pajamas

book to read

cozy blanket

neck pillow – i have this specific one, and love it

Please tell me if you have any items to add to this list! I’d love to include more ideas!

Treasured Memories

17 Nov

I woke up this morning with two completely unrelated thoughts. The first was trying to figure out why, in my dream, my OH was trying to make me iron clothes when I was sick (for those of you that don’t know, I only iron maybe twice a year….and that’s only when necessary).

Treasured Memories

And the other thought was that I miss my grandparents and great aunt so much that it almost hurts. They have all three been gone for several years, but at every new bend in the road that I walk, I find I miss them more. I miss my Auntie Opal with her gentle smile and comforting presence. I miss my grandma with her laugh and wealth of knowledge. I miss my grandpa with his twinkling eyes and helping hands. So easily I can see them each as they were when I was young and visiting them in Antelope Or, or at the property that my parents’ now own. Sadly, I don’t remember doing much with my Auntie Opal, other than just simply spending time with her – meals, quiet evenings listening to my uncle’s Elvis records and always being content to be near her. I remember going to my grandma’s house for a meal one time, and that was when I learned I didn’t like buttermilk. But I drank it – for her. I remember washing dishes and planting flowers with my grandpa. I remember how much he loved my grandma – his pet name for her, the way his eyes lit up when he teased her. They were a match, he and her.

My heart aches that my OH will never meet any of them.  He will never know how truly special each one of them were. Words won’t fully describe how each will live on in my heart, and how I cherish the memories I have.

I love you, Grandpa, Grandma and Auntie Opal.

(And Dad and Aunt M, if you read this, I’m sorry if I made you cry.)

~Laura

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Book Review Oct 2014

28 Oct

What with packing-cleaning-eating-sleeping-doctor appointments-meeting with friends, I am not going to be able to do a full book review with you this month! I will list them out for you and you can check them out for yourselves!

A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers (not going to finish, didn’t like it enough to)

Libby’s Story by Judy Baer (still haven’t finished)

Castles: Maidens Meet Their Knights by  Tracie Peterson  (loved!)

Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne  (loved!!!)

The Whitney Chronicles by Judy Baer  (love love)

Our house is pretty bare right now, and it’s only a few days until we load up the uhaul truck! I am excited, nervous, ready and kind of scared. This is the biggest move I’ve done – ever, so it’s a little hard on the nerves! But it will be so nice to have my OH home every evening, have a synagogue to be a part of, have a nice house and yard and to start a new adventure. I am not sure when I’ll get back on here – it will be a week or so I imagine.

But for today and until then, I leave you with these  deep words courtesy of Dutch Bros (and my mom’s cup) Book Review Oct 2014

Any favorites or new books you’ve found that just have to be shared??? 

don’t forget – you can find me on goodreads!!! 

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Children’s Book Lineup

23 Oct

While going through some boxes a few weeks ago, I ran across a children’s story that I started writing years and years ago. While the characters are a little unimaginative – a frog and mouse are friends – I still like the idea and feel like I could take these two friends through so many different adventures and create a fun and wonderful world for kids to explore.

20141023_104909

I’ve always liked the idea of writing children’s books – I LOVE checking out this genre whenever I go into a bookstore. I inspect the flow of words, the artistry, the pictures themselves (do they tell the story without the words??) , is it a fun and engaging story for even the adult who is reading it to enjoy? When I find one that hits all of these marks for me, I get excited and have to show whoever I’m with (my mom gets it a bit more, my OH doesn’t quite understand the importance of it, heh).

So, I thought I would share some of my favorite children’s stories with you all today. I actually have started missing reading these regularly ( i worked with kids for about 10 years, so i read A LOT)

Pumpkin Soup by Helen Cooper – three friends- cat, squirrel and duck live in the woods and make their soup the same way everyday. but one day, duck wants to stir the soup instead of adding the salt and a terrible fight ensues. When duck leaves in a huff, his friends begin to worry about him.

Delicious by Helen Cooper – the three friends have another problem – there are no ripe pumpkins in their garden! So cat and squirrel make other soups to try and make duck happy, but all he wants is pumpkin soup. can his friends get him to try, and like something else? (Me and the little guy I nannyed years ago took to quoting part of this book, it is that wonderful)

A Pipkin of Pepper by Helen Cooper– you didn’t really think I was past these books by helen cooper did you??? Once again, the three friends have a soup problem, they are out of salt! They travel to the city to buy some but duck gets into trouble when he stays at the pepper shop too long and gets left behind. What follows is a delightful tale of cat and squirrel searching for him and finding him. i love the way they get back home too.

Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel  – classics right here folks.  In 5 delightful short stories, we see the wonderful friendship of frog and toad as they go through sickness, losing a button, funny swimming suits and no mail in the mailbox. The pictures in these are simple but i adore their style. (yes, I own a ‘vintage’ copy!)

Corduroy by Don Freeman –  please tell me you already know this story! this has been a favorite for years. Poor Corduroy wants a person all his own and just when it looks like a little girl is going to buy him off the department store shelf, he has lost a button! That night, he goes in search of it, only to be dissuaded by the night guard! The happy outcome of this story is so sweet. I also love the other books in this set. (yes, I own this one as well!)

Laura’s Star by Kaus Baumgart – laura is lonely one night and wishes for a friend. when she sees a star fall, she hurries outside and finds it lying hurt on the sidewalk. she bandages it and tells it all her secrets. but when she wakes in the morning, it is gone.  i mean, really, how can you go wrong with a storyline like this?? plus, my middle name is Starr, so it was a perfect gift from a friend. =)

and this last one is a suggestion from my OH –

Benjamin’s Balloon by Alan Baker – Benjamin blows up a balloon and so begins a traveling adventure that causes him a certain amount of worry. i want to read it now, don’t you??

There you are, folks, a completely-unplanned list of some of my favorite picture books.

What are some of your favorite children’s books? Are any of you also slightly obsessive about this genre?

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Social Media Overstimulation

13 Oct

Social Media OverstimulationI’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. But it wasn’t until I watched the video below that I decided to actually talk about it here on SGL . I am on some sort of technology a lot lately – whether it’s my ‘smart’ phone, laptop or tv – and I’m not too fond of that! I know that a lot of it is because of my health, with having so little ability to get out and do things, the lure of internet is strong.

But I want to fight back a bit against it. I want to pick up my crocheting again. I want to write more (which, I realize is still on the laptop, but it’s not surfing through pinterest….) I want to write letters to my friends. I want to start that challah bread cover I have plans for. I want to learn calligraphy. I could even get adventurous and pick up the guitar I own. Once we move, I can start piano again too (- currently it resides in my parents’ house).

To put it simply – I want to be present in my own life. I want to go toward the goals I have!

I am not saying I’m going to cut myself off completely from all the things I do online, after all I’ve got this blog and that requires not only writing each post but then the promotion that takes an awful lot of time each week. I am also a part of a writing group and contemplating joining another creative group. I enjoy these groups that encourage me to create, to work on my craft and push me toward the goal of creating an income for myself.

Some of you might have seen this video already, but I encourage you to watch it anyway. I have seen others like this, but I enjoy this one as it rhymes and that makes me happy, always. (why do you think I love Dr. Seuss?? )

can we auto-correct humanity?

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