DOmesticities

"Every home was a brick in the great wall of decent living that men erected over and over again as a bulwark against the perpetual flooding in of evil. But women made the bricks, and the durableness of civilization depended upon their quality.”

Elizabeth Goudge
Pilgrim’s Inn


Counting blessings

431 - home



















Joining Ann today

Work that's Kinda like Play

"Have regular hours for work and play; make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life become a beautiful success, in spite of poverty."

Louisa May Alcott, Little Women

Want to walk with me?

Counting Blessings

430 - morning walks on the path to my workplace




"Paths are there for us to follow,
This is gospel I believe
Angels are around us flying,
Truth and mercy to receive
Pictures of uncommon nature,
Painted by a masters hand
Draw me ever on life's journey,
Rendered thus to understand."

Song by Reeltime Travelers





Joining Ann today

Kat in the hat

Congratulations to Kat of the charming blog The Rose Garden. Please let me know me where to send it, dearie.

Thank you everybody for playing along, and for your overwhelming kindness. I wish I could send everyone a prezzie. And I really mean that. xox

Thanks to my daughter Bron for being the unbiased hat-holder-name-picker for this year's drawing.

One More Day!

Sharing with you a vid of my favorite musicians/poets, the Innocence Mission. To me, this song embodies the joys of blogging, connecting people together. Don't forget, tomorrow the winner of the give-away will be revealed!

Now we are two

...well, almost. My blog birthday is technically not until tomorrow. But being only two, my self-control is still developing, and I WANT TO PLAY NOW!!! In true hobbit fashion, it is my pleasure to give you a present on my birthday. And I hope the lucky recipient enjoys these little tokens pictured below.

I wanted these things to represent the spirit of Curious Acorn, and what you'll find when you visit here, and to thank you for the back-and-forths, humor, tears, prayers, and genuine friendships that have sprouted and grown during the last two years.

The little tile shown below comes from one of my favorite haunts - the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Its founder, Henry Mercer, realized that with the advance of the Industrial Revolution, the old ways of making things were being lost. He made it his mission to see that these skills and processes were not forgotten. I like that.

Along with the tile and stand, there is also a small Wyeth painting magnet, a carved squirrel, a vintage tea tin, and a silver acorn.



All you need to do is to leave a comment on this post (lurkers, this includes you, so if you've never commented before, don't be shy now). Deadline is Friday July 22rd at 11:59PM EST. Next week I will pick one name out of a hat, and then this little package will wing its way to you, wherever you are in the world!

More than enough - Amen

"Well," said Jamie, glad enough to change the subject. "What would you say was enough? What would you think would be about the right amount for us to have?"
The little scout thought that over and then announced conclusively: "I'd say that anybody that's got the east acre or the west acre of this place, and a long row of beehives, and lots of fruit trees, and flowers, and flowers, and worlds of flowers, and the sand and the sea, and a little house that yells 'come on in!' clear across the road to you, I'd say that if they had enough to own that and get the bread and butter and the strawberry pop and the hot dogs, I'd say they didn't need another thing on earth--clothes, of course--I forgot about enough clothes to cover 'em up with".

from The Keeper of the Bees, by Gene Stratton-Porter


Counting blessings

418 - dahlias

419 - sody pop

420 - open doors

421 - green tomatoes

422 - bread and butter

423 - bottle gardens

424 - her practicing

425 - vintage tatting

426 - bees in the borage

427 - ...and worlds of flowers

428 - plein aire painting

429 - minding their own beeswax





Joining Ann today

A repost - and a giveaway, or Narnia meets Middle Earth

I've had Narnia on the brain lately. Maybe because last year at this time, I was there. Let's take a quick jump down repost lane...through the wardrobe, of course.

The year the movie Prince Caspian was released was a particularly exhausting time for my husband and I. Both of us were worn to a frazzle, so one day we sought a few hours of respite at the movie theatre. There is a wonderful scene in the film where the Pevensie children are suddenly transported from a dark and dreary underground train station back to the land of light-filled Narnia.

That scene just tore at my heart. It was so gorgeous, so breathtakingly beautiful. I remember tears welling up in my eyes, and silently thinking, "Lord, I wish I could run on that beach".

At the time, I had no idea that this scene had been filmed at Cathedral Cove in New Zealand. Nor did I have any idea that two years later, God was going to answer that secret desire of my heart. Our Father - He's like that. O people, His lovingkindness is better than life!

Being there

Being there

Being there

Now for some party business...

Being of the hobbity sort, I enjoy giving presents on my blog birthday. If you were visiting this little space around this time last year, you'll know what I mean. Next Friday, July 15th, Curious Acorn will be two years old. Save the date, and check in for the details of this year's giveaway.

Heavens to Betsy!

Every Independence Day our church participates in the township 4th of July parade. What fun, dressing up as Betsy Ross and riding on a float, tossing candy to children, waving the royal wave. Thank you Kathy W. and Joy for teaching me the princess wave ("Elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist, touch the locket, blow a kiss").

Well, I'm not sure that royal waving and declarations of independence go hand in hand. Perhaps not in the country where I'm from. But maybe as a citizen in the one where I'm going. Once a king or queen in Narnia...

Happy 4th, everyone.















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