Lord's Day, March 29, 2020

 Thanks  be to God!

Read Psalm 136

Hi friends,

Aren't we living in a surreal time! We are very blessed to have a large backyard for the kids to play in and are also able to get out for walks when the weather permits.

 A little like a ghost town!

 Somehow I was not eager to buy the 'hand breaded' chicken tenders.

When we do fuel up, we wear nitrile gloves, pump the gas, pay at the pump, throw the gloves away in their bin, and leave. We are very cautious. I can't believe how many people are still mingling with their friends.

 Now We Are Six!

Someone has a birthday today! It was a party of 5: her mom, brother, and Grandpa and I were the party. She was the one who got all the candles.

 Since I didn't have any wrapping paper with me, I hid all the little gifts in the card catalog.

Reading 'The Cat in the Hat' to Gramma's bears, tiger, and German Shepherds.

I don't know how much you're watching the news, but our only news channel is Sky News out of London. The whole coronavirus issue looks pretty grim. I suspect that we'll all be social distancing for a few months yet at least.

The photo I took (above) of Sky News weather:  I'm always trying to figure out the temperature in Farenheit, but Mr. C. found this easy formula for roughly converting Celsius to Farenheit. But roughly is better than struggling and not coming close. Now I can actually have an idea of what's happening around the world temperature wise.  

That reminds me. Remember that the circumference of a circle is Diameter x Pi? and that the diameter of a circle is Circumference /Pi?  Why didn't our teachers tell us it was 3, rather than 3.14.??? I mean, really. How easy is it to figure it with the number 3, and how difficult to try to come up with an exact answer (in your head) with the 3.14!  Good grief. Life is less complicated than we thought!

Our church is holding online live Matins and Compline devotions on M, T, Th, F, and Lenten Vespers services on Wednesday evenings. And they broadcast the Sunday morning worship service on WSAU.com radio at 9 AM. Especially in this time of not being able to attend church, it is wonderful to feel connected for worship.

Home Church
Watching videos from Zion from our living room sofa
minus the sparkles

I hope you are all doing well. I'm hoping to join in the Wednesday Hodgepodge this week. I've always loved being part of that. We'll see if I get there this week.

I'd be very interested in knowing what's happening in your neck of the woods. So far, there's one case of the corona virus in Marathon County, and I think that most people here are practicing social distancing. Our daughter in Madison loves social distancing. She says it suits her just fine. LOL

But not everyone feels that way:

God bless you all.

Stay home.

Join me on Instagram: @cranberrymorning

Another Gift From God

Another gift from God.Onions.

Good Lord's Day afternoon. Although we, like everyone else, are self isolating, I've found it very helpful to look for normal things, daily blessings we often don't recognize as the gifts that they are. I made our makeshift bed this morning, tidied up the room, folded clothes, and even brushed my teeth and got dressed, although I had no plans to go anywhere or see anyone except Mr. C.

After that, I lit candles and listened via radio to our church service out of Zion Lutheran Church in Wausau. If you didn't have a chance to attend an online worship service, here's the one from Zion:  Click on the Play button under 'Listen to the Fourth Sunday in Lent Worship Service.' You won't be sorry. Later this afternoon I will read the sermon that the pastor of our other church, First Lutheran in Rice Lake, sent to us as an email attachment. What a blessing they both are! 

In case you're not aware of the fact, we've been living between Dallas and Wausau since August of last year. It all came to a screeching halt when it appeared that everyone was asked to shelter in place. We had just returned to Dallas from Wausau, and now here we are, out in the country with gorgeous views and a lovely screen porch and fresh paint and new carpet. But almost all of our food, our bed, and all our good stuff is in Wausau. We do have some remaining canned goods, a few, and lots of rice, beans, and oatmeal that should get us through another 18 months, if it should come to that.

GF oatmeal cookies

There's just something about baking that is so comforting. I'm hoping that eating the baked goods won't be as comforting, or I'll be in big trouble by the time this is over.



Salmon from 2012.

It was DELICIOUS



GF Fettuccini with Salmon and basil pesto.Ooooh, was that delicious!

Equinox.Beautiful skies above Fifth Avenue.Thank you, God, for your incredible generosity in creation. ***

Things we can do during this self isolation:

1. Look for beauty. It's there, everywhere.

2. Do something normal. Make your bed. Brush your teeth. Get dressed! Bake something.

3. Praise God in the midst of adversity. Do it again and again and again.

4. Pray for others. If you're able to access this post and read it, you're in a lot better shape than thousands of others. Pray for them.

5.  Pray for the health care providers. They are working long hours without the normal supplies they so desperately need.

6.  Pray for your bishops and pastors who are giving us spiritual guidance at this time and reminding us that God is still God, and that we can trust Him in all things.

7.  Wash your hands.

8.  Stay home.



  

Join me on Instagram: @cranberrymorning

P.S.  I heard from Joyce, that she's planning to revive the Wednesday Hodgepodge! Check back here on Wednesday to see what's happening.

God bless you. 

Wednesday Wanderings

 This time I didn't ask permission to post her photo.
I mean really, it could be any little girl, right?
Or any little boy with long hair, right?
And she's checking out the backyard, watching
Mr. Chippy, who is probably confused by the new snow.
He loves to scamper along the stream-bed rocks.

 My coffee tables, besides the tool chest,
are antique boxes that I've collected over the years.
They're sturdy and work well.
When it gets a bit warmer out,
we'll have lunches in the gazebo!

 The city snow had become dirty,
so it was actually nice to see a fresh layer and
frost on the front yard trees.
I can hardly believe that I'm having welcoming thoughts about snow.

 Her last words to me before she left for school this morning:
'Don't mess with my ant city, Gramma.'
Like I had plans to do so??
Yesterday, before there was the new snow,
there was no snow in this area of the yard and she
built an 'ant city.'
When the weather gets warmer, I hope they appreciate the little bridges.

 We don't get very far with putting all the books away.
We need them to be accessible!

Left: books about Italy
Middle: children's books
Right: The Liturgical Year, my mom's Bible, and
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
(and view toward the foyer of the Wausau house)

Have a wonderful Wednesday, everyone.

Join me on Instagram:

@cranberrymorning

Judy

More Wausau House Photos

 Antique accordion from our oldest son years ago
Antique Wisconsin license plate
Photo of Woodside School, where I attended in grades 1 and 2
Photo of the Blueberry train, given to me by my friend Deb
Large photo I took of a building in York, UK

Good morning from Wausau, WI !!

When you enter the front door of the Wausau house, you step into a large open foyer with an open stairway to the second story (our daughter's 3 bedrooms and bathroom), or you can walk to the left (our daughter's large kitchen, laundry, family room with window seat, den)

OR you can turn right into our living room, which by some stroke of fleeting brilliance, I claimed back in March of 2019. I wanted it to be a Common Room, but needed a place to put the oak library table and chairs and the hutch (not to mention the portion of a gazillion books which moved with us). 

 The library table is a great place to play games, work on art projects, and put together jigsaw puzzles with the grandkids. I store games and puzzles in the bottom part of the hutch. BTW, the hutch was originally built into the farmhouse in Dallas, but shortly after we moved there (more than 33 years ago), we took out the hutch, took it to someone who would strip all the paint off it, and placed it in our new kitchen.

Remember it here at the farmhouse? (above)


Well now it's in the Common Room at the Wausau house (below).

 Notice the books on Italy, which our other daughter asked me to look through and see where we should visit this fall, where we had tentative plans to visit, especially northern Italy. With the whole country in lockdown because of the COVID-19 virus, we'll probably be staying right here.

 The old sewing machine drawers were
from an Amish friend near Westby, WI

The old trunk came from Norway in the 1880s. It was in one of the outbuildings on the farm when we bought it a few decades ago. No one in the family wanted it. I've always loved it. When the light is just right, you can see that it was shipped to Monona, then Menomonie. When you open the lid, which is hinged in the middle, you see a drawer in the inside top. It was a tool chest, I guess. I use it to store warm, fuzzy blankets to use on chilly evenings.

Looking out the windows toward the large backyard woods.
This is where I have my morning coffee and devotions.
 It's also a great place to spend the time before the grandkids head off to school, for they often come in here and catch us up on the latest.

 View to the south and a couple houseplants that didn't do too well this winter.
My Christmas cactus was doing great until I put a galvanized pan under it to use as a plant tray. I've never had trouble raising my succulents, but I'm convinced that the pan poisoned my poor little plant. I feel so guilty.

P.S. The carpet is not pink, but kind of tan. The sofa and loveseat are both tan/gold/brown. We're all going to get a lot of use out of this room.

***

Don't forget to stop in at my Etsy Shop
and stock up on natural, vegan soap.
Eight bars for only $20. 
Check it out!

***

And something I found on Instagram this morning:

Have a beautiful Tuesday. I'm thanking God for the many blessings in my life.

Thanks for stopping in today!

Join me on Instagram: @cranberrymorning

Judy

Amish Quilts and Front Porch and Huge Natural Vegan Soap Sale

Last Saturday was a perfect day to wash my handmade Amish quilts (1970s vintage) and hang them over the front porch railing to dry. And today is even better, but I'm caught up on blanket washing. P.S. I only hung them face out for the photo. Usually, to protect the colors, that side is not allowed to see the sunlight. Just in case you were worried. :-)

And yes, I will miss this front porch and its views. It was the best thing we ever did to our farmhouse, which we are working to get on the market May 1.

 Don't miss out!

Now is the time to stock up on HomemadeSoapnSuch natural vegan soap bars. 

8 bars for only $20.

Nine orders are being shipped this morning.

Thanks to all who purchased my soaps thus far!

Don't miss out on this incredible deal.

While inventory allows.

Mystery Grab Bag Sale

8 bars, no cello bags, no labels,

Just great clean and fragrant moisturizing bars of natural vegan soap.

I will choose soaps, but will not duplicate any more than absolutely necessary.

At my Etsy Shop 

OR

If you don't have an Etsy account, but have a PayPal account

and wish to get in on this sale,

you can send

$27.50 (inlcudes shipping and handling) directly to 

judymasrud@gmail.com (via PayPal)

and I will fulfill your order.

Thanks!

More farmhouse reno photos and Wausau house photos coming soon!

Have a great Monday, everyone, as we all try to adjust to Daylight Savings Time. Ugh.

 Join me on Instagram:

@cranberrymorning

Judy

SALE SALE SALE 8 Natural Vegan Soap Bars for ONLY $20!!

RIDICULOUSLY REDUCED PRICE on natural vegan soaps. Mystery Grab Bag
8 bars (each bar appx. 4.5 oz) for $20.

ONLY AT MY ETSY SHOP

HomemadeSoapnSuch.Etsy.com

Beautiful, naked bars of soap, no labels or cello bags, just beautifully handcrafted, beautifully fragranced and moisturizing soap bars made with all natural base oils, essential oils and/or quality fragrance oils, only natural colorants, and botanicals. Never any animal products used.

Since this is a Mystery Grab Bag offer, I will select the soaps but will try not to duplicate more often than absolutely necessary. I do have 22 different types of soap.  As is evident, I have many more types than are pictured in the collage above.

Although my Homemade SoapnSuch natural vegan soaps have been highly recommended by those with sensitive skin, should you have a specific allergy, please notify me in 'note to seller' and I will try to avoid those allergens for you.

EIGHT BARS, packaged in a padded USPS Priority Mailer,

Shipped only to USA addresses.

Hurry, order now, for supply is limited.

Visit my Etsy shop now. Link above.

Thank you!

P.S. No other discounts or free bars apply to this drastically-reduced sale price.