Ahhh! I can almost smell the deliciousness by just reading your instructions! I’m definitely pulling out the stops and heading right to the store to stock up on all the ingredients – what a great, healthy Valentine alternative. I’m thinking a little ‘chocolate granola’? Thanks for your lovely sharing!

Paula, that sounds so delicious and just the thing to read and look at on this early cold morning! I think I’ll stop at the store and get some ingredients to make your "hug in a bowl" for tomorrow morning. It goes along with my endeavor to eat healthier this year and avoid a lot of digestion problems that I have been having. God bless you and thank you allowing us to share cooking with you via the web!

We were just talking about our craving for granola. Thank you so much…we shall try this recipe today. Blessings to you.

Several people have written me to mention the lack of chocolate chips in this recipe. To which I say, *Why didn’t I think of that?!!* Any other great missing ingredients??

YUMMO….Thanks for the "No Rules" recipe.

Thanks Paula, looks and sounds very yummy! Have wanted to make my own, but thought it was more complicated to make. Since seeing your receipe, I’m definitely going to make it, nothing tastes better than real home cooked food.
Cheers

Granola bars — great idea! I wish I knew…will have to hunt a recipe down or maybe experiment…probably a little more honey and/or oil to make it stickier??

Hi Paula, I have read your articles in Woman’s Day and just came over the Mary Jane’s Farm and was glad to see you on here. Good reminder to slow down. I get together with two other girl friends every year and do a girl’s trip. They really are good for the soul.
Thanks for sharing your beautiful sister in law with us. She’s amazing. I enjoyed seeing the pictures of you and your girls. So pretty – all of you.
♥ Joy

I think you have hit the nail on the head. We don’t NEED all that stuff and stress in our lives. The older I get the wiser I get…(hehehe)…not necessarily in the brains department but in the ‘do what is necessary and ditch the rest’ way. Just don’t wait as long as I did to find that out!
Enjoy your day!

I just wanted to tell you that I always find your thoughts and comments the closest to my heart! Today I actually ‘allowed’ myself to stay in bed and read a Jan Karon book, the eighth in the series. These are my most favorite books of all time, comforting, loving, always setting my mind at ease. This is my second time reading the series and I am still struck with the fact that they are so pertinent with my life and it’s travels. A good way for me to drift off to sleep or unplug from the anxieties of daily life.
Spring is coming and soon I will be LOST in my garden…
I loved seeing the smiling females in your family.

Your comments yesterday came as a real blessing to me. Am in the middle of a hugh family crisis (over which I have no control) and awakened this morning with that heavy feeling hanging over me…I’m printing off your 10 ways to post on the refrig to remind me of the ways in which I can be proactive as well as the many blessings God continues to provide.

Right on Paula, this is what I always say, attitude is a choice we make all the time.
Thanks so much for sharing your sister in law. And don’t forget that you too have a lot of juggling to do and do it well. I am working on getting in the "zen zone" with calming myself – not everything needs to be done today, and I don’t need to be back at work until tomorrow morning, so I still have plenty of time to do what I Really need to do and leave the rest.
Thanks again for a timely reminder.
Love and hugs
Denise x

Paula I really do like your suggestions on staying calm. I have a best friend from high school and when ever either one of us has something going on that is stressful, we will just call each other and before we hang up, we are usually laughing. It seems to be the best medicine. Also, going to prayer is a must. Knowing that the Lord is always right there waiting for me to ask for his help. Then I just fix myself a bubble bath and then snuggle up with a good book. And yes I agree that with age, you realize what is really important and taking care of yourself is certainly very important. I live by the Serenity Prayer! It’s the only way for me to get through all life hands you.

Wow! This article has hit home! I am a "farmgirl" of the 50’s & 60’s! I so love the calmness, peacefulness and values of those days gone by. These past months I have been soul-searcing as I lost my job and doing just what this article discusses and it’s working! Stepping back, taking in all that God has given us and enjoying every minute of His creation! It is the "zen" I’ve needed. I love your sister-in-laws "more zen in ’10" for it’s what I’ve been doing as well…am now sharing this with my family: to step back and as the old saying goes: "stop and smell the roses".for life is too short to be so stressed. Would have loved to have realized this 20 years ago! Thanks for making my day!

I must admit, I was a Little Joe girl but I was a little young in the 60s. I was only two in 1964 so I probably watched the reruns in the 70s and thought they were happening right now! Great song of Pernell’s.

That was such a sweet and tender tribute. Thanks Paula

I love the show Bonanza! All of the guys were great.
However, after the show was in reruns and the actors were going on to other things, I was able to see Pernell Roberts in a play in Austin, Texas – and of all things, part of the same cast as Dawn Wells (Mary Ann of Gilligan’s Island).

I was raised infront of weatern shows and movies but Bonanza is still a fav. I love Barbara Stanwick and I have to say I favored Hoss. I didn’t know Pernell Roberts was involved in Civil Rights…very interesting.

hi Paula,yes,I read that in the Sunday paper,so sad.I almost cryed.We watched the show religiously in our home."Hoss" is my momma,s third cousin,she even had a split in her teeth just like his.All of her brothers kinda have that look,and all the men cousins too.So,we watched every week…My grama had that record alumb of Pernell Roberts also.Bonanza was a big part of our lives.All of the men were handsome,I did,nt really have a favorite.Little Joe kind of stole the spotlight from Roberts,and I think that hurt him…He will be missed.blessed be,Carol Branum,Lamar Mo.themofarmersdaughter@blogspot.com

Gorgeous tribute, so true born in the 70’s and no tv until 17 well, I missed all this so will have to go and watch them no – they’re on dvd i believe.
loved the humour too.
keep on keeping on.
Cheers Paula.

OHHHHHH! Hadn’t heard that Pernell had passed on. He was a great actor, and YES! I was hooked, too! yes, I was. he was so handsome, and so mature and so intelligent!

I think we’re about evenly split on our favorite Cartwright….

Paula, As a young girl I was a die hard Joe girl. Now that I’m 61 I find myself favoring Pa.,of course having a Hop Sing around woulden’t be bad either!

Pernell grew up in Waycross next door to my grandmother. Her memory of him was the bad little boy who tore up her flowers. Although I was a Joe girl, I must say I would pick Adam today. I guess pretty faces don’t mean as much as they used to now that I am 50 plus. Loved your take on things.

Thanks for the sweet remembrances of Pernell. My tribute to him is at http://circlemending.blogspot.com/2010/01/memorial-for-my-friend-pernell-roberts.html

Best wishes, Jean

Paula,
Your book touched me when it first came out and I learned then that you were an Adam girl. I wrote you then and commented on my own Adam crush. It brings a smile to my face to be remembering that again now. Thanks again for sharing his loss. Now I feel old!

I am a Hoss girl, and an Adam girl….I loved the gentleness and bear like quality of Hoss, and the quiet,manly man of Adam. It was danger to fall in love with any of the Cartwrights, for surely something would befall either the lady or the relationship.

I was born in the mid-eighties, but I got into Bonanza when they started airing on MeTV. I am totally an Adam girl! Strong, intelligent, and beautiful…"sigh".

Edward Cullen, eat your heart out! 🙂

Paula!

I used to make these potholders…although I never thought to make a quilt out of them! After makeing probably 150 of them, my mother just…quietly…stopped replenishing my fabric loops. Of course, my parents continued to feed my creativity with every art and candle making supply I could ever wish for. It’s amazing how something as insignificant as a potholder can bring so many great memories to the surface. THANK YOU for reminding me of how thrilled my mom and grandmothers pretended to be when they got potholder after potholder! Last, I am so sorry for the loss of your father. You were so very lucky to have him as long as you did. I lost mine when he was only 62 – eleven years ago. It feels like yesterday, and for over a year I woke up needing to talk to him, not immediatley remembering that he was no longer here. Luckily, I had a supportive husband and two beautiful daughters…and it became clear to me that I had to move forward. You will too. Over time, losing my dad, while difficult to bear, became less raw and painful. I know how much he loved me….and he knew how much I loved him. For now, that has to be enough. Thank God I still have my Mom! I hope the day comes that your father’s passing will not be the first thing you remember when you wake up. Just treasure the great things he taught you and the impact he had on your life. You and your sibling(s), after all, are a continuation of his life. What more could a parent ask for?

I use to love those looms! I gave one to my granddaughter when she was ten. It’s funny you bring this up today…I have just started a book on opening up to creativity…so the two go hand-in-hand as some of the advice is the same. Thanks for the blog!

Seeing those potholders brought back so many memories of summer afternoons many years ago. My twin sister and I along with a few friends would sit for hours making all color combinations of potholders. The quilt is a good idea, wish we would have thought of that!
Marilyn

Life also is like the weaving. Don’t stagnate yourself by doing the same routine day in and day out; even the smallest alteration to your typical day is fresh and invigorating. Be spontaneous, fearless, encouraged to step out and do the one thing that you have been thinking of for so long. I did, and my life is weaving new moments!!

Only time will tell…I lost my mom in December. Toward the end I likened us to layers of an onion. Any problems, distractions, issues, had been peeled away and we were down to our most basic selves. Mother and daughter and hearts full of love..In other times of my life I would not have been able to devote this gift of time. Now I find that I am gravitating to certain items of mom’s that remind me of all of the moments that we shared as a family. Anything that gives us comfort is deserved!
I love your collection and the ability to appreciate and seak out that which gives you pleasure. You deserve it, as do I! This is a year for refilling!

Change is often difficult and sometimes we are in such pain we don’t realize until much later what we have accomplished, much like childbirth. I have often said that things happen for a reason and even if we don’t understand it at the time, be patient and the end results are often better than we imagined they could be! I love the idea of pouring out the old and refilling with the new. It may leave an empty spot for awhile but anyone who has ever cleared off a shelf or a cupboard drawer, knows they don’t stay empty long and soon your life will fill up as well. It’s up to you what you refill with! :o)

Blessings to you in this time of change. Wishing you peace until you can look backwards and see how all was meant to be.

Jen

What a crummy, hard bunch of things to live through! I’m so sorry for your losses and your changes. It must be hard to breath deeply some mornings…

I think that when life throws us so many curveballs and changes in one year, we tend to gravitate toward the things that have lasted, especially those crafted and touched by our beloveds. They remind us of the relationships (daughters and great grandmothers) that mean so much to us, and even the things that weren’t originally FROM our family remind us of the women who have likely been through things like those challenging us now, before. A way to tap in to the Sisterhood, focusing on beauty and function instead of loss and change. There is a verse in the bible about focusing our minds on what is good and pure and peaceful… I used to think that advice to be "pollyanna" but the older I get, the more I see the value in the instruction. And pitchers and teapots (I have a collection too!) are items that fit those criteria!

I hope that 2010 brings dawn…

I am so sorry to read of your difficult year. I can relate somewhat. The past 15 months have been very difficult for our family. Betrayals, psycologists, sky high bills, social workers, job lose, adult children problems, heartache, missing granchildren, the list goes on and on….

I collect teapots and you have just inspired me to reach into the hutch and pull out a couple and use them and enjoy them.

Praying 2009 is a better year for you and your family.

..thankyou for your insite and wisdom. My prayer is for God to fill your teapot with much more to pour out to new readers everywhere. I’m going to copy this for my friend Joan who is retiring this year from being the librarian at a local elementary school. She’s poured out alot of fun and love for books to her students throughout the years, and I pray that her teapot would be filled with a wonderful and exciting life ahead of her, filled to the brim..love ya Joan, from your library helper, Jen

A few years ago (1999 to be exact, does that tell you I remember the pain?)when I thought "What am I going to do now?" and circumstances were so tough in my life that I thought I would grieve myself to death, I received a new revelation of how to view my life and situation. This may be not-so-big to some but it was to me. I didn’t choose my circumstances, but I could choose to enjoy different aspects of what was happening, and looking for an adventure in solving some part of it. It was either grieve myself to death or learn to see how to enjoy life in this. It was a light bulb moment and I literally said out loud, "I’m going to enjoy it," this special time given to me. And now I can say—I have. Many times other situations have come and I still refer back to that time in my thought life and remember, "Enjoy life today" and "what good is in this situation now" or "what is possible to change or solve," then do like Carol said in her comments, sing. Have a blessed uplifting thought life and day today!!

Bless your heart. You have certainly had many transitions of change. I am a tea drinker..the kind you steep…daily. It is where I can shut out the chaos of the world and just be still. I have a collection of teapots and teacups and so I use a different one each day and some are part of the decoration of my house. I will certainly be praying for you. May this year bring you many blessings.

Hi! Until reading your blog and everyone’s comments I thought I was the only one who started steeping pots of tea for comfort (Usually I’m a coffee drinker!) You know, when you get an icky diagnosis or some other bad situation that just leaves you kind of "shell shocked", what is it about a hot "cuppa" and a warm puppy that somehow helps…..

Hi, Paula and fellow would-be farm girls:

I share your love of the simpler things of life that soothe
us and provide therapy, especially when life gets complicated and we seek to retreat and console or renew our minds and hearts. I cook and bake, I write, I paint and crochet, I putter in the garden and always have plants at my windows and fresh flowers in a vase in my kitchen, a way I treat myself.

I share your sorrow about the loss of your parents. I lost my dad 12 years ago and my mother just a year and a half ago and I find myself doing many of the things they loved doing, remembering them as I continue traditions they instilled in me. I wrap myself in Mom’s afghan often, imagining her little arms around me as I cuddled next to her just two years ago telling her, "I’m still your little girl, Mom."

As this Christmas without her was especially hard for me, she was often on my mind, and then I started finding dimes in odd places like friends of mine claimed they found shiney pennies. I guess the one that really got my attention was one I found inside one of my socks as I pulled it out of the drier! That’s just one little way she’s let me know she is still with me.

One of the things Mom loved to do is drink coffee or tea from a bone china cup, so I got in a habit of it, and I just began a collection of them…ones with lovely rose patterns on them. As yet, I’ve only found one pitcher, but no teapots as yet, but I will add one to my small collection soon. It is indeed a treat and a comfort to sip from china and remember the good times.

Now, along with sipping my morning tea or coffee, I browse through my new subscription of Farm Girl Magazine, and it renews the farm girl in me, reminding me of simpler times when I was little, and looking forward, hopefully to more of those when I am able to retire.

Blessings and warm hugs to you and yours,

Bonnie

Oh Paula, I forgot to tell you in my earlier email that I have a "lady teapot" too! I inherited it from my mother in law after she passed away. We had a very difficult relationship, but when I see this pot I try to remember the good things about her. This pot is pretty expensive in the antique store, which makes it all the more precious to me. I haven’t used her for tea yet, she just adorns my cottage home, but she reminds me that life is not always a bed of roses, it has many thorns too, but what a beautiful fragrance we receive when we take time to smell those beautiful petals!

Hi paula,thinking of you today also,Monday,Jan.18,2010,Remember the words to the song…rain drops on roses,and snow covered kisses,snowflakes that fall on my nose and eyelashes,silver white winters that turn into spring,these are a few of my favorite things,when the bow breaks,when the birds sing,when I am feeling low,I simply remember my favorite things,and then I don,t feel so sad….In 1965 my great aunt Florance thought we were too country and took me to to Springfield mo.in her bright yellow caddy, to stay with her in her victorian mansion,she was very ritch,I felt just like "Pollyanna’ in the movie by "Walt Disney",all of the crystal prizims in her home,She took me to a fancy store in Springfield named "Herrs" and purchased me all new clothes,I remember beiing thrilled at "storebought" clothing,Aunt was determined to teach me manners and culture,and I helped her polish her real,not plated silverware,I was totally fasinated,We went to see the movie "The Sound of Music"with Julie Andrews.It was so neat to see at the movie theater,because the mountians were as large as life.We sat in the balcony of the large antique theater located in old down town Springfield, and it felt just like I was actually on top of the mountian….When I returned home,our farm is on a hill,so I spent many hours rideing my bike down the gravel road and down the big hill,singing songs from the "Sound of Music"…She is confident…ect.He is 16 going on 17 ect…Rent the movie today,even if you have seen it a hundred times before,it is always refreshing…blessed be,Carol branum,lamar Mo.themofarmersdaughter@blogspot.com

"The wildflowers bloom in the valleys," was a comfort to me several years ago when I was experiencing a "year". Well, here I am at AARP-age 66, having another year, except that with age comes the joy of recognizing angels among us. Friends deliver homemade soup, call to see if I am still kicking, make and have blessed a prayer shawl, gift me with a pretty box for my new little nest, after "himself" had divorce papers served the day before our anniversary. (My sister thinks it’s the best gift I’ve ever received!) No more tip-toeing around in the dark so that "himself" won’t be disturbed as I dress to go out to work while he sleeps in the crack of …Yes, I’m still a little mad, but soon get glad as I turn my new little nest into a feminine girly place all my own. Thanks for letting me share, and blessings to you. Judith

Can you use spray glue. Pinecones and other outdoor finds sprayed with glue and sprinkled with glitter and a pretty ribbon. You can make anything you want even if you aren’t crafty. There are recipes for cookie ornaments also. You can do it!

I love that you admitted to not being crafty! I love all the Farmgirl stuff, but I am not wildly talented at making things. Nevertheless I do knit scarves for everyone I know (I only know 2 stitches and they look like a 5 year old made them)- I am also VERY good at printer paper snowflakes and I can glue buttons on anything! I can also roll beeswax into candles, and do a variety of crafts that any 3 or 4 year old can master (having been a Montessori teacher for a long time!). Oddly enough I have a reputation as being the person who makes things! Faking it works too I guess!

Thankyou for sharing your tree decos. with all of us. I love to craft and have done it for many years. I enjoy seeking out unique and easy crafts to make as gifts for the people I love my family and friends. Merry christmas

Hey, I read a lot of blogs on a daily basis and for the most part, people lack substance but, I just wanted to make a quick comment to say GREAT blog!…..I"ll be checking in on a regularly now….Keep up the good work! 🙂

surface encounters macomb mi

Dear Paula, Your daughter is a total doll!! What a beauty.

I was torn between being a die-hard outdoorsy tomboy and a sometimes dollgirl. My favorite doll was my Thumbelina who looked very real and she moved.

Very odd that later in life I became a professional dollmaker and pattern designer. One of my historic dolls made her way to Rockefeller Center at Christmastime.

I too love anything Tasha Tudor…I noticed your book.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas. Happy Holidays from Wyoming!
Shery Jespersen

hi,love your blog,your daughter is cute also.I also love dolls.I have a Poor Pittiful Pearl,1960,Originally she had a bar or Ivory soap in her apron,a scrub brush and a small bottle of Ivory dish Liquid.Time has not been good to her,and she is damaged,but I still love her the most.I will post a picture of her today on my blog…themofarmersdaughter@blogspot.com….merry christmas,carol branum,lamar mo.

My twin sister and I are doll lovers and collectors. We received a Ginny doll with all the accessories one christmas. We played with them for endless hours with our two best friends until they moved away. We still collect dolls. We usully give them as gifts to each other for Christmas and our birthday. Hope you receive a doll for Christmas from Santa Claus!
Wishing yuo and yours a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Marilyn

I love your blog!!
I really enjoy the Tasha Tudor books. I received my
first very own this past Christmas.

Your daughter is quite lovely and is lucky to have
a Mom that enjoys dolls.

Terrific forum. I hadn’t noticed sfgblog.maryjanesfarm.org before in my searches. Wonderful work!
I am a noobie here and I’m sorry if this is not the right place for this post.
You rock! gourmet food

Yes, sorry to admit. I’m a farmgirl with an artificial tree. Here in Florida where the temps are in the 80’s we learned our lesson long ago about live trees. There were more needles on the floor than the tree. We get live trees shippd from NC and TN early. Right after Thanksgiving. They are beautiful when purchased but then. I dream of the day I can go out in the snow and get a real beautiful smelling tree like my sister. My farm days are on hold for now. I admit to being envious of Mary Jane and other true farm girls. Merry Christmas to all

Hello, my name is Diane and I have an artificial Christmas tree. With 2 severly asthmatic children I have no choice. So, we put up 4 trees. The one in the bay window is decorated with all bird ornaments with a nest on top. the one in the family room is a tall skinny Alpine tree set in a basket and decorated with mostly hand made or country ornaments and a garland made from little fabric yo-yo’s. Each of the children have a small tree in their bedroom. Rachel(5) has a pink tree with sparkly-glittery ornaments, Luke (9) has a small green tree decorated with airplanes and helicopters. We don’t have the great smell of a real tree, but we do get to keep them up for several weeks.

I used to put up my tree on the 15th, because my sons b’day is the 12th of December.
love poinsettias, but only red. I remember when I was young, my mom would go into the forest and cut down a cedar on Christmas eve morning. We had so much fun decorating it and it scented the whole house, she would also put running cedar over pictures, in windows and anywhere else there was an empty spot. Your article took me back to some fond memories. We have an artificial tree now.
I may for old times sake go out in the backyard and cut my cedar down.

Betsy

I admit also, that we have an artificial tree. I am an empty nester,now.When our children were younger, we always went to a tree farm and tramped all over it looking for the perfect or almost perfect tree. Somehow it always leaned to one side or for it was fuller on one side, but once it was decorated it looked wonderful. Thanks for making me remember that!!

I, too, live in Florida and have an artificial tree. I always put mine up the Friday after Thanksgiving and keep it till the day after Christmas when I clean the house, put everything back in its place and spend time reading. We use to buy the real ones but again they make such a mess by Christmas. You can hear the needles and ornaments falling off the tree the closer to Christmas you get.
I, too, love this time of year and would love to be somewhere where you could take a sleigh ride thru the snow. Someday!!!

Well I’m surprised but you all make some good cases for artificial … it sounds like we all agree about the principle of the smells & general look of things, tho! How do you make gingerbread ornaments??

We use an artificial tree, always have, my mother had allergies and now my boys have them. Yes we may miss the smell, but isn’t that what they make candles for? I like to think of all the trees I may be saving. The ones that aren’t killed for just a few weeks pleasures. Does anyone sell a live tree in a ball that can then be planted in the spring?

I use artificial tree, because when I was 3, we had a real tree catch on fire, luckly my Dad and Mom was still awake and my dad dragged it out in time. And also my sister in law is allergic to pine trees.

This year I am planning on getting a real tree. My children are grown but will be home for Christmas. We haven’t had a tree for a couple of years as my husband and children work in a shipping store. This is their busy time of the year.
We lost all our original ornaments several years ago so using my father-in-laws little tree was at least a pleasant memory of family.
Now I have several ornaments again because a girlfriend and I have exchanged for a few years. So this year I want to see them up on a tree.
My only other problem is I am a messy so have major work before the tree comes in.
Thanks for the encouragement.

To the person who was wondering about saving a tree – Christmas trees are generally grown specifically for the holiday on farms and new ones are planted immediately following.

What a great article! And yes, i took up knitting late in life and am having a ball! My suggestion is to start with big needles and make small projects (hats, scarves)…love that instant gratification :)! MJF Hugs, Di

I never thought that I would end up thinking this….I really want to learn to knit! I grew up also around ladies that could knit with their eyes closed and every new baby had the sweetest sweater set to keep warm in. My Aunt even has angora rabbits and cashmere goats. Yes, She spins , dyes, then knits the most gorgeous hats. That’s is what I would like to do long term, but for now, my 11 daughter might just teach me!
Heather

I came into knitting late. My grandmother taught me to sew, crochet and many other handicrafts. Unfortunately she developed severe arthritis in her hands before she could teach me to knit. I let it ride for many years then decided out of the blue to teach myself, I wasn’t very successful. So again I put it aside. Then when I became a living history interpreter, I met a lovely older lady who had the patience and the kindness to show me how. Now when I knit I have lots of wonderful memories to associate with knitting. I think learning later gave me a true appreciation of the art.

Learn to crochet and knit! Then decide if you want to do only one. Personally, I do both, but I prefer to crochet. I am the world’s slowest knitter!

What wonderful things your mother made! I am so glad that yu treasure them.

What a fantastic article! Your mom was a knitting whiz! I started knitting a few years ago but haven’t gotten into really complicated items yet….but knitting….like quilting on baby quilts and things….is so soothing….who needs nerve pills when you can sit quietly and knit or sew a while! Thanks again for a great article and great photos!

My grandmother taught me to knit as a teen. I am not very good, would do better with someone to help. I taught my daughter to knit. She only knits with BIG needles. It goes fast. She does nothing complicated. We heard of a store that has a knitting class that is more like a group. They sit around and knit each helping those who want to learn a next step. We hope to get there after the holidays (busiest time of the year).
Go ahead and start to learn. Use big needles make a scarf, or use regular size needles and make a washcloth. You will be proud of your accomplishment.
One more thought take your daughter and this learning adventure. Maybe this will be her hidden talent.
Happy Thanksgiving, Laurel

I taught myself how to knit five years ago and I love it! (so do my kids!)
The nice thing about learning to knit now is that you have the internet at your fingertips! All you have to do is run a search for video tutorials on whatever technique you want to learn or practice and there it is at your fingertips! (I suggest Knity.com for a starting point)
I took on socks for the first time and I am loving it
Good Luck!

I would encourage all those who want to learn to knit to ask at your local private yarn shop about lessons. Once you know how to knit and purl, you can join a Knitting Guild or Club in your area. They promote a love of knitting with social gatherings (called meetings) usually with a featured guest speaker or demonstration, charitable projects for nursing homes, women’s shelters, hats for premies and chemo patients etc… Most groups have 15-30 members and meet once a month. Friendships are abundant.

Paula,
I am very sorry for your loss. I am a Hoosier at heart having grew up there as a child, although I have lived in Michigan for the last 30 years. My children’s great-grandparents were from the U.P. and my 2nd husbands family are from the Charlevoix area. Enjoy your memories they will always be there for you.

I am sorry for your loss.
Gentle hugs and healing prayers,
Sue

This was wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing the essence of this dear man. I know that I will think about this for a long time. What a gift he was to your whole family. I really appreciate what you wrote about state of mind – that’s something to keep in my heart. Thanks again. Bonnie

Paula, I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I hope you can take comfort in your loving memories of your father.
Sincerely,
Marilyn and Family

What a beautiful tribute to your wonderful dad. Reading it made me think of my own father who passed away 8 years ago. We were both very lucky to have been given the gift of such special men in our lives. I’m very sorry for your loss. Sincerely, Susan

What a wonderful tribute to your father! He sounds like a real treasure, and I know you will miss him deeply. He reminds me of many of the men that lived in my little town where I grew up. They are the cornerstones that built this great country… that were part of their communities… that raised good families. How blessed you are to have the gift of those precious memories! Thank you for sharing him with us.

I’m in tears after reading this. First let me say that I’m so very sorry for your loss. I am truly happy, though, to know that there are other Dads out there with the same spirit as my Dad. We are lucky girls to have been blessed with such wonderful fathers.
Like your dad, I left the small town life as soon as I was 18. Now, being a mom and living in suburbia, I long for that lifestyle.
I just keep telling myself – someday.
Hang in there. As my little girl likes to say, "I’m hugging you with my heart."

I’ve only just starting catching up on my Farmgirl blog. Thanks so much for sharing the wonderful father that he was. I know what you are going through. I lost my father 15 yrs ago – although it doesn’t seem that long ago, in a tree felling accident. I miss him dearly but remind myself of having the gift of his life in mine.
Much love, hugs and prayers go out to you and your family. It is so wonderful to realise that we each carry a legacy of our parents into our own lives.
Take care and allow yourself to grieve it does you good as well as your family.
love Dee xx

I’m so sorry to hear about you losing your dad and enjoyed your wonderful memories you shared. My dad has been gone 5 yrs. this 17 of January. Yet it seems like just yesterday at times. But mom and I have come to talking about the great things he did and the fun we had with him. Keep those’s memories with you and share them. Daddy’s are special people. My heart and prayer’s are with you at this time. Brenda