Apples and Bikes

Today was my first day of school this year. Rephrase. Today was my first day back at work this year. This school year. Help us all.

It's true what is said - the best apples are
at the top of the tree

When I got home, I first stopped at the West Side Market. Here - learn more about them and then go there yourself! I got spaghetti squash, grapes, and O'Henry peaches. The amount of joy in my heart is huge.

I got home and didn't want to sit inside, especially because I'd been working all day and wanted the be outside. Note. I am outside now writing this with my feet in the dirt and heart in the sky with happiness.

But, I didn't want to sit around. That's not entertaining or taking joy in the earth that the Lord has made. One of my favorite Scriptures says the following -->

"The heavens declare the glory of God;
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
2 Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge.
3 They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
4 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world." 

All the love and happiness.

That's Psalm 19:1-4. It goes on, speaking beautifully about the world the Lord has made. Every part shows the beauty that He has made to show us His glory. 

(if you want to read more, here - read this)

I went outside. I took my bike.

Note. I saved up ALL summer for a bike. Side jobs only, nothing that comes from my teaching job. I wanted to have something economical (more so, environmental) that I could ride to the store. Sometimes walking a mile with a watermelon in the 100 degree heat is a bit too much. So, bike. I got a bike. I'm so excited. 

But. Continuation. I rode around the park. About a week ago I discovered an apple tree on the side of the park. Today, I went to it. I tried the apples to make sure that they were edible (otherwise it would be pointless to pick them). THEN. I picked them! Not too many because, to be honest, they were too high. I need tall friends. Well, tall friends to help me pick apples. I have tall friends.

Until next time, Mr. Tree.

I tried to climb the tree, only to come to the sad realization that apple trees seem to grow out and not only up...and a branch whacked me in the eye. 

Anyways, I picked lots of apples! I'm excited. Thrilled, really. I'm going to dehydrate them and take them to school as a snack. It'll be wonderful and healthy and (...) free.

Go outside (and take joy in the Lord!). Ride a bike. Find a fruit tree.

Peace.

Today

Today begins a process.
Today we start looking more intentionally at clothes.
Today we get rid of things.

Here we begin. This works.
It made me feel joyful and it's modest.
AND. I can teach in it. Here. We. Go.

Today we decide what is necessary and what is not.
Today is the day we begin to try on all the clothes and see if they are needed.
Today we see if all the clothes fit.
Today we get rid of the things that don't fit.
Today we contemplate the necessity.
Today we begin to get rid of things.
Again.
Still.

I think that's why starting towards being minimal is a long process when you believe in using things before throwing them out.

It's continual.

And long.

Peace.

Oh, and let's be honest - this won't just be today. It'll be a long while.

I Did A Thing/Fire Starters

Today, I did a thing. Not necessarily a big thing, just a thing. I officially opened an Etsy shop. That's nuts. I think it's because of my excessive amount of fire starters that I just want to do something with them...(y'all, this didn't last very long. I can't stand having to monitor a shop when I don't understand it).

So, speaking of fire starters, I'd think it'd be cool if I explained those to you. I got the idea from a small shop in town that sold little odds and ends. Fire starters were one of those. I studied it for a bit and got the basic concept - put together wax and other flammable things.

So, that's what I've been doing. For the past two/three/seventeen years or so, I've been making fire starters!

So, how to do it? Well, first, you kind of have to get all the random things together. Random flammable things. Some of these can be found around the house, some are found at garage sales (...wax...).

So, take a muffin tin (that you hope to never use again) and put in cupcake liners. You maybe wouldn't have to do this, but I think it makes life easier.


After that, put the flammable objects in! So, take fabric (cut into pieces), broken up pieces of wood (popsicle sticks...), crayons broken in half, dryer sheets that have been used, lint, and other things of the sort and fill the liner. This part gets weird because it starts to seem like everything is flying out of the liner, but really, it's just the right amount.

Then comes the part where you may have to wait. I like candles and a lot of the time they are put in glass containers. This means that when you finish getting the wax out, you can recycle the glass! When it gets down to the part where you can't light the wick anymore, you can put it on a candle warmer/put it in the oven to melt the wax.

When all the wax is melted, you then CAREFULLY dump a lot in each muffin tin hole cupcake liner thing. This is the part that takes a long time. That's why, sometimes, I get old candles at garage sales because it makes life easier (and I don't have to be so intentional about burning candles all the time to use them up...).

Then, you're done! Sometimes you have to use lots and lots of wax on the fire starters. So, patience is key.

Oh, and the point of a fire starter? Light it when making a bonfire or even a fire in the fire place. It keeps the fire going because the wax very slowly melts, causing the fire not to go out. It's magical, really.

That is all.

I'm not sure if that made sense.

Oh well.

Oh, life note: this is also a really good way to reuse old socks that gets holes in them or some random fabric that has no purpose. That's another reason I like making these.

Peace.

Flower Progression

I don't know how much this idea has been put across, but I really REALLY appreciate plants and see a lot of beauty in them. Like, a lot. They make my heart sing. I wanted to share with you the progression of the flowers we planted last spring - from the beginning until now! 

Here we go.

Now, just a note, also. This is the pot that I planted with all the extra seeds. Life note? Don't put all the extra seeds in one pot. It gets to be a bit crazy.

Baby sprout! Do you see it? It's in the top left
of the plant (this was day two).

More sprouts! They're going towards the sun (day three).

They just kept coming up! This was day five. I love how
they go towards the sunlight. 

I took a break from picture taking for
about four days (weekend and then Mondays...).
Can you believe it? I cannot believe how quickly flowers grow!

Last week of school - Mr. Plant and I came home. I
know he looks peaceful, but he definitely spilled all over
 when I turned the corner. That wasn't the best time ever.

Mid-summer. There's a lot of plants here. I actually had to separate
Mr. Plant into two pots, mainly because there was FAR TOO MANY
 flowers in one pot. I wanted to give room for the roots to
take in all the nutrients they needed.

Today. The joyful day! The flowers have bloomed!
I have accomplished the Lord's work of cultivating
 land and bringing beauty. Thank you, Jesus, for making
flowers.

Zinnia Victory

This past spring at school, we planted flowers to talk about general plant jazz, how plants grow, and photosynthesis. We started from seed. Seed. I didn't put together how long that could take to grow a flower.

VICTORY. 

Be still, my heart.

I have officially had two zinnias bloom. Well, I had a different flower bloom, but it slowly died after that., so it doesn't count. I officially have two flowers. They're a beautiful deep pink and weirdly-more-orange-than-salmon colored. And they're lovely.

I feel a small sense of victory in my heart because I grew something.

I helped keep life going.

I planted and cultivated something that brings oxygen into the air and takes in carbon dioxide.

I planted something that brings beauty.

My heart is full.

I can't wait for more flowers to bloom.

Peace.

How Thrifty

Today, Yingjie and I went to the thrift stores around town. We found lots of dresses and earrings! It was a blast. 

At the current moment in time, I wish we had taken a picture together to commemorate the time together. I guess it's all memories now. Haha. LOL. All the funnies. 

Here's my new dress I got today. Isn't it lovely?
Featured in the back: my messy apartment.

But, we went to Salvation Army and Rockstar and Rogers. It was a beautiful time. I'm a big fan of thrifting because it uses things that have already been in use and also can help out local businesses. Local businesses are cool because they help out the town. Town is cool because it gives people places to live and work. People are cool because they're made in God's image. God is cool because all the reasons.

Also. Another great part of thrifting? Most everything has already been washed, so you don't have to worry about clothing shrinking after you get them! You can simply put them on and know how they're going to fit right away. 

Anyways, things are usually less expensive when you get them second-hand, but they work just as well. PLUS. Another benefit of shopping second-hand is this: usually, there's only one of the clothing article that you want in the store. Therefore, you're much more unique because of your one-of-a-kind clothing. 

Go thrifting. Save some money. Support local business. Make memories.

Peace.

Oh, also, I went hammocking today. That's not a real word, but it was real fun.

A French Press Box

Today, I decided to organize all my bathroom jazz. Well, not all. Just the hair jazz (which is half of it) and then the random things that accumulate in the bathroom. Like three pens. Or two rubber bands. Or two rings (I'm wearing those now).

Side note. My rings are quite lovely. One is a feather. When I got it, though, I thought it was a leaf. It took me about a week of wearing it to discover it was a feather. My other ring is a silver duplicate of the one ring of power. The one ring to rule them all. No idea what I'm talking about? Here. Watch this.

The Fellowship of the Ring is by far my favorite movie. That's another story. A beautiful, long, lovely story.

But, ANYWAYS.

Isn't it lovely? And useful!

When I was organizing, I realized my contacts were all over the place. Like, all over. No wonder I can't find them in the morning quickly - they're spread out all over! So, what did I do?

Well, I thought about buying something. But, then, I thought that I didn't want to spend money. Contemplation started and I wondered how I could organize...

I THOUGHT OF IT. Today, in the mail, I got a replacer beaker for my French press. Last week, I was cleaning the kitchen, knocked my French press on the ground, and broke the beaker. I awkwardly stared at the broken glass on the ground for a good minute and then decided I should probably pick it up. So, then I did. Of course, with sadness in my heart because then there was going to be a lack of coffee...

That's another story. I got the replacement today. I had a box. For my classroom, I made lots of organizational things out of cardboard and duct tape because I didn't want to buy anything. So, what did I do? 

Cut the box in half. Covered it in duct tape (and washi tape). Then, I put all my contacts in it! Wow. I am so excited. It fits perfectly in my restroom and makes it so I can find the contacts in the morning to see! 

Look at my using the Three R's - reduce (I'm reducing waste), reuse (I reused the box), and recycle (I recycled the rest of the box I didn't use). How environmental! How sustainable to the earth.

Peace.

PS - thanks for tracking with all the trains of thought.
PPS - go save the earth and some money. Make your own things.
PPPS - now I'm listening to the entire extended LOTR on YouTube. This is bomb.