Friday, February 26, 2016

Hidden Treasure?

"I kept a journal for years and years." That's what I've said to myself for years and years. But in the more recent past I've been asking myself, "If I kept a journal for years and years, where are they? Surely I wouldn't have thrown them away!" I had almost decided that, as is so often the case, my memory is a liar and I just like to think that I'd been writing for years and years.

About two weeks ago, a box in the corner of Weldon's closet caught my eye. What's in that big box? It's behind my carry-on and my little duffle bag, and that's my shoulder massage thingie on top of it. Hmmm. Three days ago I dragged it into my sewing room; two days ago I opened it up.

French books and a year of Reader's Digest in French; a few old photo albums; some commemorative magazines, including a National Geographic from May 1951; paraphernalia from my high school graduation, certificates of various achievements, papers I wrote during my two years at North Central Bible College; a little stack of greeting cards; a book in which I had written down quite a few of the songs I wrote way back when; AND thirteen journals!
I really did keep a journal for years and years! They span, approximately, the years from 1979 to 1994. In flipping through them, I see that, in my usual fashion, not every year is complete; but that's still a whole lot of reading ahead of me. I have no idea what I'll find. Will it be painful? Will it be like hidden treasure that puts a smile on my face? I'm hoping my memory cells will be jolted into actually remembering a few things.

I'm excited. I'm kind of scared. These books represent a couple of my previous lifetimes. But, hey! They're my lifetimes! I'm going to take a slow stroll down memory lane.
  

Thursday, February 18, 2016

The Inconclusive Muse

Since retiring from milking cows, I'm not so involved with the daily goings-on of the farm, and I've been feeling like the title of my blog isn't as appropriate as it used to be. However, I still live on a farm and I still muse. Here's a definition of "muse" that is very me: to turn something over in the mind meditatively and often inconclusively. It's that last word that nails it. I can think and ponder and roll things around in my head for hours, and never come to any definite conclusion. So ... Farm Muse it is.

And where have my thoughts taken me lately? Well, I've realized how blessed I am to have such a wonderfully varied life. I can't believe all the "new stuff" I've been getting into. I attend the new youth service at our church on Wednesday nights, I recently went to a "pajama party," and I've taken up coloring. Weldon was a little concerned that I might be entering my second childhood, but I'm thinking a second childhood isn't such a bad thing.

We went to a birthday party this month. Ahhh. Family. Fun. Festivities.
I said goodbye to the piano I never played ...
and sang hello to a new autoharp. I didn't feel guilty about buying it, because I used money I had earned from my book sales. When the autoharp arrived, I realized I would need a pitch pipe to tune it. Drat! Then (don't ask me how my mind even went there), I found an online pitch pipe. Yes, I did. All by myself. And it works! And I tuned my autoharp. And I'm playing it. Yes, I am!
This month I pondered the life of this troubled man ...
and I wondered if my daughter had a subliminal message in mind when she sent me this beautiful shirt. In both cases, my thoughts were inconclusive.
Valentine's Day has come and gone. Hearts and chocolate and love. It's a nice holiday—especially nice for Hallmark. And Build-A-Bear! Who knew?
We're just 18 days into February, but I've had enough of winter. We haven't had much snow but, when we add all the rain and sleet into the slushy mix, it's too much. Come on, Spring (says the Minnesotan who has seen 40° below zero)! The kitties agree with me.
Now you're privy to some of my musings and have taken a glimpse into my world. It's pretty neat, isn't it? You should come visit sometime.