The Mist and the Fog

I love waking up to a brisk morning in the Autumn..

I love that my nose is always cold…

I love that I’m under two blankets, a hoodie and with hood up and a scarf around my neck in my own living room on a Tuesday morning…

I love that the colors are changing..

I love that mom and I left candles burning all night while we slept…

I love that Chad S. was a generous friend and helped me figure out all of my math last night…

I love that I drank 5 cups of a hot drink to try and warm myself up but instead I just peed a lot while I was still cold…

I love that I was knitting a hat while wearing a scarf and wishing I was wearing gloves as well…

I love that last weekend it was summer and this weekend it is not:)

Good Morning Tuesday, and what a cold and bitter Tuesday you are trying to be….

The Talent of Molly Jones

My dear friend Molly Jones asked me to be the subject for portraits that she’s been photographing. So, seeing as how I’m generally behind the lense myself, I thought it would be really fun:) And it was! I don’t post these pictures to appear self-centered but merely to be proud of Molly’s talent and for once, I feel really blessed by how God created my body. Thanks Lord:)

To see more of Molly’s incredible talent please visit: www.mollyjphotography.blogspot.com

The purpose behind some of these for me was to finally have pure, bare pictures of my tattoos. Each of my tattoos has significant, spiritual meaning to me and as much as they are mostly for me, I do want others to see them and hopefully find inspiration in them.

This is the first verse of Amazing Grace. This hymn will forever be the song that most clearly explains how I feel the Christ has acted in my life. One of my aunts penned this in her handwriting for me and I then had the tattooist copy it onto my shoulder. God’s grace has been overwhelming and infinete in my life…I can never thank Him enough.

These tattoo’s are inked in Arebic. A language I find not only beautiful to listen to but beautiful to look at as well. On the left wrist is the word ‘Abbah’ and on the right wrist is the word ‘Deliverer’. These are my two most favorite names for the wonderful God I serve. He is my Father and my Deliverer.

 

Jesus, Jesus Rest Your Head

Mmmm…the beginning of my favorite season..Madame Autumn.

I’ve heard many a person say what a strange and mild summer we’ve had, most seem to be displeased with such a thing. I, on the other hand, enjoyed the low temperatures immensely. I found myself continuely thanking God for such lovely, enjoyable weather and letting him know I would be pleased if it lasted all the summer long. Here now, in late September, I sit at my desk near my open window and listen to the patter of the rain and enjoy the lovely breeze whisper past my skin. It appears that Madame Autumn has arrived at last and is making her home here for a month or two as usual. She brings with her the vibrant, radiant colors of the season painted on the tree’s and the breath taking show of sunrise and sunset diffused across the eastern and western sky each morning and evening. In some ways, it makes it easier that our daylight hours are becoming fewer by the day, as it means we wait just a little less time to see the colors dance across the sky in the evening.

Its kind of fun to watch the different seasons of wildlife filter through our land. The Robins are long gone and the Cardinals are starting to perch on the tips of the branches. The frogs have finished singing their song and now the crickets are bidding summer farewell with there peppy tune. Lightning bugs and mosquito’s are slowly dying away and the bee’s are droning a deeper drone and flying a slower flight. The leaves of the pumpkin plants gradually brown and fade while the pumpkin gets bigger and turns a brighter orange, standing out in a brilliant shocking contrast to the brown earth around it. Mothers are starting to pull out their favorite baking recipes, soup concoctions and mulled apples cider is found simmering on the stove all around our town. The smells of Autumn are here as well, that earthy campfire smell that nearly everyone loves…the crisp, crunching piles of leaves under the tree’s that are still shedding their bold leaves..the smell of apples and all the individual memories each person has to go along with them. Apple Crisp, Apple Cider, Baked Apples..or for me, my Papa’s Baked Apple Pie made from scratch.

Whatever it is about Madame Autumn that makes you smile, I assure that the time has arrived for her to grace our doorsteps. I hope that each of you find a simple reason to smile when you walk out your door in the mornings. Fresh, crisp Autumn air is one of the best medicines, so get out there, take a hike!

Cheers!

.:kvandeway:.

Sometimes…

I don’t need to use words. The pictures will say enough.

Cheers to a dear and cherished friend, Paige:)

-kvandeway

Henry David Thoreau

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peace River Blooms

And so I live alone, at least for a fair weeks time. As Saturday morning of last week approached I felt gloomier and gloomier knowing it would be the start of a week alone for me. My folks left bright and early, or dim and early rather, Saturday morning for the U.P. home to the Yooper accent:) Strider and Mom were pretty excited to start on the road and I was sure that I would be achingly lonesome with our little cottage and big property all to myself. But something changed when I woke up Saturday morning.

I got out of bed, made my ritualistic cup of morning tea, turned on an episode of Northern Exposure (one of the top 5 best tv series ever created) and grabbed my laptop to return some emails. After a bit I was ready to roll and from that time on I spent the entire weekend outside working on the property. Two good friends spent most of the weekend with me, helping me in the yard working in the cool 60 degree days that gave me so much joy. It was a weekend full of motivation, diggin in the rich soil, cleaning the property of weeds, breathing wonderfuly fresh air and having fruitful conversation. I walked away from this past weekend 100% sure it was the best weekend I had this year.

It may not sound glamorous or fulfilling to you, maybe you work outside in the yard all the time and its become a chore, or maybe you like it to be in the 90’s not the 60’s, but for me…it was a perfect day. The grass was so green, the flowers so delicate and bright and air so crisp and fresh. Over the years, I’ve realized that when I’m closest to nature, I feel closest to God. So being outside until dusk each day, was, like I said, perfect.

I came inside, from visiting my neighbore’s house Saturday evening, to find a few good friends making Taco’s together in my kitchen. It was so fun to come home to that, it definetly promised a great night ahead and that’s just what it delivered. We laughed, ate and fellowshiped together until late into the night. We had a campfire, ate S’mores, visited more and roasted apples until Midnight. The weather was perfect for a campfire, chilly and no wind.

Sunday started with tea, laundry, dishes and then church. Paige came with me to church since she spent the night and we decided to stop at the produce place in Leo to get apples for an apple pie. I whipped together the pie when we got home and we started working together on the yard again. She mowed while I weeded and started on one of my two projects for the day. Soon enough, another good friend, Joshua, came over to help me the rest of the day with a project that was big enough for two. I had a totally great time, he’s such good company. Eventually, quitting time came and we’d accomplished so much! Dinner was great, Paige and I made a stir-fry and the three of us feasted on the pretty delish meal, followed by the pretty delish pie followed by laughter and kicking back.

Needless to say, I am extremely thankful, not only to my wonderful friends but also to my Gracious, Peaceful, Provisional God. This weekend was just what I needed, it was even more than I needed and it filled me up. I felt ready for the rest of this week and I so far, have felt better than I did when I started my week before this. Starting a new schedule can be overwhelming to me at first, so it was nice to go into the second week of new-ness with all that joy bottled up in me:)

God provides, He never fails me, He really loves me and He can be enough, I just have to choose to let Him be enough.

Thank you Father, for a brilliant weekend.

Cheers!

kvandeway