A Play Day.....I felted !

I wanted to play !

You know, make mud pies, or design sand castles.

Ignore, drown out, and escape those "adult issues" requiring a thoughtful decision making process.

Not for a life time, not even necessarily for a week or even the whole day......merely for a few hours.

Had to be a hands on activity...creative...there had to be an end product !

Cooking maybe?

That requires concentration. Nope !

Scrapbooking? Again...requires concentration.

I wanted to do something with my hands and let my mind entertain me....wander around and explore hidden places....and surprise me !

I can't paint or draw....and my spinning wheel is broken.

But I have wool...lots of wool !

Wool I had dyed years ago in Surprise Valley.

Wool that I recently bought in Surprise Valley !

Found my felting books and brushed up on various projects and techniques.

Didn't want to spend the time to felt a pair of boots......and good gracious it's way too hot to even try these on !

I would create a flat piece of felted "art" . I had everything I needed !

Wool

Soap (old fashioned Fels Naptha),

a bamboo mat for rolling the wool,

a sink,

unlimited hot and cold water,

and lots of towels for slop and mess !

Several hours later, sporting shriveled fingers, and a very happy mind, I spread out my "felted art" to dry !

Infuse your life with Play Days !!

Happy Infusions,

Kate

Parental Alert: FREE HEALTHCARE...Send your kids outside !!

What I heard on the news seemed doubtful. My mind whirled with questions: Why? How could this happen? Who doesn't know sunshine is good for you ?

Reports have surfaced implying 7 out of 10 children in the USA are not getting enough Vitamin D. High blood pressure, low calcium levels and possibly heart disease are a few of the health issues concerning doctors.

Seven out of ten is an incredible number of children lacking in something that is FREE --------SUNSHINE! Vitamin D is naturally produced by humans when exposed to sunlight. A report from Reuters suggests that most children could benefit from a little more sunshine and without sunscreen for at least 15-2o minutes a day.

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE5736

H320090804

What's happened to children being outdoors? My mother informed us on a daily basis that playing OUTSIDE was good for us. (I never imagined that she might want a little peace and quiet). We had each other and all our neighborhood friends and outside was where we wanted to be anyway ! Our children spent hours outside and of course, on the ranch, they had to work outdoors summer and winter. I am grateful that our grandchildren happily absorb many rays of health giving sunshine.

I live in a lovely neighborhood and am aware there are children here. I don't hear them everyday. Maybe they are outside when they are someplace else. If this neighborhood is any indication though, there is truth in those reports !

I sure hope parents start sending their children outside more...after all...it's good for them and it's FREE HEALTHCARE !

Happy Sunshine Infusions,

Kate

Sleepless in Redding

Last night I called for sleep.

I shouted, whispered, pleaded and it remained....

Elusive.

I wondered why it wouldn't come.

I read.

I watched a Turner Classic Movie.

I stared at Twitter.

I checked Facebook .

I willed to dream.

I chased thoughts down steep, winding paths only to become lost in a piney forest.

I swam in murky doziness.

I conversed with Moose and Max. The dogs.

I prayed.

I greeted Saturday, August 1st with a groan.

Perhaps, a cup of strong tea....a potion of promise.

A Band-Aid for today.