Life with Gina

This is where I blog now....

2006-07-17T17:17:00.000-07:00

http://360.yahoo.com/my_profile.html;_ylt=AoHztUPh1RrorWcfQuE9KY60AOJ3

2006-07-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

Simple Pleasures

2006-06-09T21:27:00.000-07:00

These were growing in my yard... some call them weeds I call them beautiful. People work their whole lives to make hybred roses ... when nature left to her own devices shows them up every time....

Spring and dancing in the flowers....

2006-03-21T12:46:00.000-08:00

Well it is officially Spring, what does Spring mean to you?

I thought about this for a while, I love this part of the year… things are new and fresh… there is the promise of life all around us.

The crack of the bat and a fresh new season
Little fuzzy yellow chicks
Easter Sunday morning and Easter eggs
The smell of the grass after the first cut of the season
The feel of the sun on my face
The white blossoms on the pear trees
The chirps of the baby birds
The newborn baby calves
Cooking outside
Longer shadows
Bluebonnets and Indian paint brushes
Tulips and Irises
Deep Blue skies and high fluffy clouds

All of these things are a rite of spring to me but…..

Yesterday driving home from the gym, I had the top down on the car and the wind was all around me, the sun was warm, and the music was loud and I haven’t felt that alive in sooo long… THAT is what spring really means to me…. Coming through a long dark, cold, time, and getting into the warm, bright sunlight and feeling ALIVE. Knowing that Spring always follows winter … we just have to wait it out…..

What do you do

2006-03-17T10:31:00.000-08:00

When you have no inspiration? I don't mean just in writing but in life in general. I am tired and frustrated, and at least for today I can't see around it. I try really hard to be an inspiration to others, to write honestly and hopefully. I have lost the inspiration....

For those that are aware of my quilting addiction...

2006-02-25T16:52:00.000-08:00

This is the block I will enter in a local quilt block contest.It is called Rosebud. I don't think I will win as I am still a new quilter compared to many, and I do not design my own, I like the old traditional blocks. I thought I would share with you guys though.

They don't make them like him anymore

2006-02-23T15:28:00.000-08:00

He sits in the chair, his blue eyes still bright and seeking to learn. His hair is white with time. His body is aware of the passing years. This man is beloved. He is my grandpa, he is not mine by blood, he is mine by love. Love is stronger than blood.

This man who has seen so much, and done so much, fascinates me to no end. He saw his father lose his fortune and their lives change dramatically. He saw World War II up close and personal, on the front lines, in demolition. He saw his buddies left on the ground at Leyte. He and his company earned the Presidential Citation Award while there. He was wounded and received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. He steadfastly maintains that he is not a hero, that they men that gave all are the heroes.

He was seen children and grandchildren and even great grandchild grow up. He has seen the world change in some many ways. He is wise and loving, life's disappointments didn't leave him hard. He worked hard and was a valued employee, retiring from the same company after many, many years.

He has seen the passing of his wife and many of his siblings and he knows that they wait for him in Heaven.

He tells his life in his stories that he tells me, and I can not get enough. I have learned a lot through his stories. He and my Grandma were married their whole adult lives and loved each other in a way that left no doubt that they were devoted to each other.

I am richer than love brought him into my life. I love you Grandpa.

I went to the Animal fair...

2006-02-20T06:50:00.000-08:00

I went to the zoo the other day. I love the zoo, I could spend days there. They have a huge aviary that you can go in and the birds are all loose and you can buy food and they will perch on you and eat from your hand. I saw the flamingoes and the rhinos, marveling at God’s design. Animals as beautiful and amazing as they are, are not God’s crowning creation. We are. I do not for one second think that we are descended from animals in any way, but there are things that we do that echo through the animal kingdom.

I spend a long time watching the beautiful lioness above. While they are not in the picture with her, she is the mother of 4 5-month-old cubs… 3 girls and 1 boy. They were completely adorable playing the same games that my cats at home play. At one point one of the cubs ran up behind the lioness and bit her on the leg… she swatted at him and then he chased her tail. It was really sweet.

As more people showed up though she corralled them, protecting them in the only way that she could in her confinement. She was a good mother. I got thinking about how it would be for them in the wilderness that would be their natural home. I thought about how hard it would be to protect them there. There are so many predators there, just waiting to take them, she must be on guard every single second. She would be willing to lure the danger away to protect her young, to ensure that they lived and grew up, even if it meant that she would not survive. That is the way that God made her, and other females. I believe that God made human females that way too.

We are given the heart of the lioness, the fierceness of the lioness with her young, and the innate need to see that our children live to adulthood and to be the best people that they can be. She does all that she does without one second of hesitation, it is born in her.

My daughter is grown now and able to take care of herself, is in fact old enough to have children of her own but yet I would still to this day become the lioness in a heartbeat for her. One day I will watch her as she does the same thing, just as God designed….

Joy comes in the morning...

2006-02-08T11:06:00.000-08:00

She went to bed that night, and all was well in her world. She snuggled down in the sheets and began to relax and breathe deeply. She drifted off to sleep. A few hours later she was jarred awake by the wind, it was so strong that it was rattling the windows. Then the thunder … so loud and right on top of her. She was scared, she snuggled deeper into the covers. The rain began suddenly, hard and heavy with huge drops that beat against the glass and the roof. The lightening would flash and light up her room just enough to show all the shadows, the things that she feared the most.

The storm raged on and on. Finally the fear drove her to the window to look at this tormentor. She could see the wrath of God in dark. God felt so far away, she wondered why he had left her. She felt alone and desolate, she began to cry. She tried to pray, something that had given her strength in the past. She felt that her prayer went no further than the ceiling. Weary and broken she crawled back into bed, pulling her cat with her for a small measure of comfort. She stroked and talked to the cat as the storm finally wore itself out and began to die down. Finally she feel asleep.

She awoke the next morning tired but grateful to have made it through the night. She got dressed for the day and headed for the door. She was afraid to open it for a minute because of the storm she was afraid to see the devastation that had happened. She took a deep breath and opened the door. Debris was scattered across her and a few shingles were gone, but all in all not too bad… Just as she was leaving out of the corner of her eye she saw the two bunnies that call her yard their home… in a soft voice her only in her heart she heard… ...Weeping may endure for a night, but Joy Comes in The Morning.

The sun was shining as she got into her car and headed out to face the day, knowing that she was never really alone….

Glimpses of Heaven

2006-02-07T09:27:00.001-08:00

I will start out by saying that I believe in God, I belive in Heaven and I believe in Hell. I believe that these are things that are based on Faith. However I do believe that God in his wisdom does allow us glimpses of Heaven, and you only have to watch the news to see glimpses of Hell.

I do see glimpses of Heaven ... on most days... and they seem to be the days when I need to remember that this is not my home. I believe that we see Heaven in a new babies face, so fresh and new and untouched by the world. I believe we can see God's power in the Spring thunderstorms ... the thunder and lightening. I believe that for me I can see God in my pets ... the are so peaceful and trusting. I believe that you can hear Heaven in a child's laugh or a Sunday choir, or in the silence of the morning.

The strongest glimpse of Heaven I ever got was last year when my Dad died. He (I believe)saw his mother and father and brother who had all gone before him. He talked to them ... and LOOKED at them. He was reaching up and touching something over his bed... he never really knew what. Now, I know that a lot of people think it is the brain dying, or hallucinations... but I am here to tell you that at least this time it was not. My father's room was a holy room that night. I do believe that there were presences there, you could feel them.

I belive that in our hour of the strongest need God is there. He sends his angels, or he sends you comfort in whatever way he sees fit. Now you can scoff if you want, but I will always believe that that night I saw Heaven... and I KNOW my Daddy did.

What I feed company

2006-02-01T06:48:00.000-08:00

Inspired by Polly's recipe for what she feed those she loves I have decided to copy her.

I feed those I love Gumbo.

Boil a chicken or several chicken breasts. Remove the chicken and keep the broth, remove the chicken from the bones.

You make a roux from oil and flour, cooking it in a big cast iron skillet over med heat until a rich walnut color. Then you add several chopped green onions and cook them in the roux until soft.

With a whisk you add the roux to the boiling broth. Add parsely, cajun seasoning and hot sauce to taste. Add back in the chicken, add some smoked sausage and shrimp and simmer over a low heat for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally.

Serve over rice.

Yumm!

What doesn't kill us

2006-02-01T02:42:00.000-08:00

Puts us in the hospital longer...

LOL I heard that the other day and thought it was amusing, and summed it up pretty well.

Reality

2006-01-27T08:45:00.000-08:00

I am not sure that there is a more final moment than when you look at a new gravestone. You know on one level that the person is gone, but there is something about seeing the name and dates in stone that makes it so very real.

This week I went back to the place were my parents lived and I went out to the cemetery for the first time since I buried my Daddy. I was there for the funeral, I went back before I left and saw the grave covered with flowers. I thought that I had accepted it then.

Yesterday I walked up and saw the granite with his name carved in it and the cold finality of it hit me so hard. That I would never again see him or talk to him this side of heaven. Oh, I talked to him there at his grave, but he isn't there. I am lucky I KNOW where he is and I WILL see him again. However I am here and he is there and I miss him.

I told him all the things that had happened since he died, that I had lost a child and that things in my life were very different. This was for my benefit not his. I believe that he plays with my child and that he knows what is good that happens to me.

I walked around behind the stone to read the back and it has Daddy to Beth, Gina, Jami and Pam and he was a Daddy not just a Father. I am so thankful that he is walking with the Lord now and not in pain here on Earth. I look forward to the time when I can walk with them.

For where your treaures are there your heart will be also....

Showers of Blessings

2006-01-23T13:03:00.000-08:00

Yesterday it RAINED! For hours it was gray and wet and chilly, and it was wonderful! We have waited for months for a nice rain.

Now that one day of rain doesn't fix a year of drought, but it helps. It gives the firefighters a day of rest and a good nights sleep ... heck maybe even two.

So much like our lives we go so long without love or understanding we become dry and hard and unyielding. We shut out those near to us and we suffer. It is much like the weather in that the ridge sets up and no rain can get to us... neither can love, or compassion.

When the ridge finally shifts and we get the lifegiving rain we drink it up, we want to just drown in it. Same with love... we can't get enough.

Thing is same as with the drought... we all need a steady supply of love and compassion to keep us green, and growing.

I hope to be a rain giver to someone today.

Stress relief

2006-01-21T16:21:00.000-08:00

I quilt to relieve stress. This is the second quilt top I have done this month. Did I mention that my sister and her two kids are living with me at the moment?

By the way this is called a Ribbon Quilt.

Drought

2006-01-18T01:15:00.000-08:00

My lawn has cracks 3 inches wide. My grass is crisp and brown, and not because it is January. The wind howls non stop everyday and has for almost 6 weeks. The sky is endlessly blue and there is not a cloud in sight. The temperature is in the mid to upper 70’s.

Today is a carbon copy of the last 6 weeks. Everyday we turn on the 5 o’clock news to see where the wildfires are today. If we see smoke we panic. When we drive down the highway we see large patches of burnt land. Tree and plants are only skeletons now.

Countless people have lost their homes; many people have been hurt. The fire departments are all exhausted and stretched beyond their limits.

We are had been under a burn ban for an entire year and have now been declared a disaster area.

How many more people must pay for carelessness? How many for people must lose all they own because some idiot threw a cigarette butt out the window? How many more people must get burned because someone thinks they are the exception to the burn ban?

Lake Bridgeport is over 11 feet under-level now and there is no possibly for rain in the near future. Last year was one of the driest years on record. We all wonder when it will end, when we will get that drenching rain that we so desperately need.

We pray it will be soon.

OMG this is hysterical!

2006-01-17T19:11:00.000-08:00

Your Stipper Song Is

My Humps by the Black Eyed Peas

"Whatcha gonna do with all that junk
All that junk inside that trunk.
I'ma get get get get you drunk
Get you love drunk off my hump "

You get a lot more than Seven jeans for your humps.

What Song Should You Strip To?

Hey your chocolate is in my peanut butter!

2006-01-16T19:49:00.000-08:00

Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

Very popular, one of you is not enough.

What Kind of Candy Are You?

The fabric of life

2006-01-12T07:53:00.000-08:00

I am a quilter. I love fabrics of all kinds and as most quilters do, I hoard fabric. This we call our stash... sounds like an addiction doesn't it. Well in fact it is in a way. I have a part of my bedroom that looks like a fabric store.

The other day while looking through my fabrics to begin a new quilt, I was revisiting some of my past purchases. I realized that I have some fabrics that I will never use. At the time I bought these fabrics I thought them worthy, either for their beauty or for their color schemes. However now with the passage of time and more experience with quilting under my belt I realize they need to be let go.

As I seperated the good from the not so good I couldn't help but think about the parallel with some other things in my life. I think I need to look back at some of the decisions I made and some of the things that are still in my life. Some things fit in well and make a lovely quilt or life, some do not.

I hope that I have the wisdom to keep what is worthy and let go that which is not.

Ok OK

2006-01-10T18:28:00.000-08:00

So I don't REALLY hate men. However they do make things hard sometimes.

Men always say that they don't understand women, well I am here to tell you that that street goes both ways. Men are a mystery to me too.

Why are the quiet?
Why can't they vocalize their feelings?
Why are they so serious?

There are lots of questions really. I guess that the facination with each other and trying to figure each other out was a part of God's plan to get us together. As least on my part the good Lord knows I HAVE to have an answer for everything and am very persistant until I get it.

Happy New Year!

2005-12-31T21:42:00.000-08:00

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

And surely ye'll be your pint-stowp,
And surely I'll be mine,
And we'll tak a cup o kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou'd the gowans fine,
But we've wander'd monie a weary fit,
Sin auld lang syne.

We twa hae paidl'd in the burn
Frae morning sun till dine,
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin auld lang syne.

And there's a hand my trusty fiere,
And gie's a hand o thine,
And we'll tak a right guid-willie waught,
For auld lang syne

So to all my blogging friends I wish this blessing for you for 2006

Always remember to forget
The things that made you sad.
But never forget to remember
The things that made you glad.
Always remember to forget
The friends that proved untrue.
But never forget to remember
Those that have stuck by you.
Always remember to forget
The troubles that passed away.
But never forget to remember
The blessings that come each day.

Me and Alan Jackson

2005-12-29T07:43:00.000-08:00

Daughter says I should do this and it was fun you all should do it too.

1. Pick a band and answer all the questions using only the band's song titles. I pick Alan Jackson

2. Are you male or female? She got the Rhythm ( I got the blues)

3. Descibe how you feel. Work in Progress

4. Your best piece of advice. You can't have it all

5. Describe your last relationship. I'll go on loving you

6. Describe your last crush. From a distance

7. Say something to someone you have a crush on. Wanted

8. Say something to an ex. Remember when

9. Say something to someone who you have hurt seriously. up to my ears in tears

10. How do you feel right now. Here in the real world

Ok your turn!

Cheers!

2005-12-26T14:51:00.000-08:00

I survived what was for me a very tough Christmas that capped off a very tough year. Today I feel a bit renewed. I do not have the after Christmas depression that some get. I feel that this is the close of a time in my life and the begining of another.

I look to the new year with hope and strength. There are of course things I want to change in the next year. Most of what happened to me last year was unavoidable, things we all have to go through if we live on this planet for very long.

I am not one for resolutions, I think that we set ourselves up to fail. I do think tho that this is the perfect time to feel like we have a clean slate a "do over" if you will. My mental image is of an etch a stetch ... turn it over shake it and start a new.

I hope that the new year makes all my bevy friends feel the same in fact ... here is an etch a sketch for each of you... Polly, Betty, Christie Jo, and you too Bri. Use it and enjoy the new year.

Wishing you

2005-12-24T09:05:00.000-08:00

A Very Merry Christmas!

Ode to the Birthday Boy...

2005-12-15T22:00:00.000-08:00

A dodger fan… bleeds dodger blue
A redsox fan here through and through
They met by chance in a baseball room.

“Icon man” he soon became
smilies and emotes were to blame
For avoiding the topic at hand.

His smile, wit and love of his kids
His struggle to do just what God bids
In her eyes made him a good man.

Tacos and Foster’s are a couple of clues
Jesse Dayton and The Plimpsouls are too
To the things this man holds dear.

Today this man will celebrate
To the bevy a most important date
For the head of the bevy is 46

So to Brian the birthday boy
Wishes for boundless Birthday joy
We hope you see many more.

We hope that you will appreciate (9)
All that we did to commemorate (11)
The Birthday of Big Daddy-O

Happy Birthday BRI!