One stitch at a time

 

Knitting is a wonderful craft to learn.  My daughter taught me (a lifetime crocheter) about three years ago; but I still consider myself a novice. 

Yes, it's a little intimidating in the beginning, but isn't any new skill when first learning it?  I've crocheted for so long now I don't even remember the difficult part.  I just kept at it and now it's second nature.  I've even taught myself to read 'some' crochet patterns; but I usually do my own thing nine times out of ten.   

In 1995, I was introduced to singing Gregorian Chant in Latin.  (I'd fallen in love with chant a few years before that.)  My first thought:??? What am I even doing?? I hadn't learned to properly pronounce or read Latin -- and I'd never considered myself having a good voice.  But somehow after lessons spanning September into late December, I found myself leading a women's schola, singing the Christmas Midnight Mass! And for almost 30 years, I have led a schola off and on regularly until my thyroid surgery last year. That changed my voice entirely.  I still sing the chant, just not as a leader (or publicly). 😃 You don't want to hear that! 

But let me get back on point.  Knitting has taught me a very good lesson.  It has taught me to be patient with myself.  Learning something new is hard, and mistakes will be made.  It's all part of the process.  But instead of giving up, if you keep trying, the mistakes become part of the learning process.  You learn what not to do while learning what works! And if all else fails, take out the yarn, roll it back up and start again.  No harm done!  That seemed ridiculous to me in the beginning, but I've done it and it taught me something.  It taught me it's ok to begin again.  

Isn't that what we do every day?  We try, sometimes mess up, get frustrated, but if we're smart, we begin again.  

Knitting is a little like prayer as well.  I mean, each row is just a row - one stitch at a time.  It can take a minute to see ANY progress.  Prayer can feel slow and as though nothing is happening.  But one line at a time --- one word at a time, we begin to see or rather feel a change.  The words soften and it feels more like meditation and conversation.  Finally, we begin to see a larger picture and not just the moment.   

..............like our knitting. 

• Giving gratitude for a little cooler day and RAIN!  September is right around the corner.  

Until next time, Pax tecum,

kellie 

An August daybook

 Dearest friends of Terra Dulcis! Greetings - glad to see you here; even if it HAS been a minute.......

I'm going to follow the old tried and true recipe for a day-book entry; what today (this week) looks like; my current project(s); meals I'm planning; prayers I'm praying; hopes I'm hoping.  You get the idea.

OOTD:  blue knee length shorts (it's multiple days of 100 plus here right now), a dark pinkish shirt I got for a dollar at GW just yesterday.  Of course I washed it!  Hair braided off to the side.  

Listening to:  the blessed AC blowing into the room, the clickety clack of the keyboard.  The peace of a quiet day at home.  

Current project(s):  I just finished a knitted blue and grey blanket.  Currently I'm almost done with a lovely pastel piece (knitted) but I'm adding a side border as it isn't as wide as I'd like.  Recently, my niece put some of my work in her online 'shop' and the items were delightfully received by the audience.  That's a confidence booster for sure!  So, slowly I'll try to get some fall/winter items together for her to present.  Since I love to do the craft, I just make items not knowing really where they'll end up eventually.  I'll concentrate on carry-all bags, scarves, beanie hats for the coming season.  And maybe a couple of throws/blankets.  

What's cooking?  We've had chicken and dumplings (rotisserie chicken/premade canned bisquits, etc.) prepared in the crockpot.  But I put the dough in too late, so had to transfer to a pot to 'simmer' the dumplings the rest of the way.  Will I ever learn??  Tonight, grilling burgers and tater tots.  We'll do spaghetti or tacos one night, maybe take out on another, and our standing bean tostada Friday night dinner with fixin's.  As usual I don't pre-plan real well on some nights and fly by the seat of my pants, but the freezer usually comes to my rescue. 

 Reading anything? - Not reading too much this summer.  I'm concentrating on the crochet/knit projects and getting some swimming in before the season ends.  Some of my favorite prayer books stay close, but no reading for summer pleasure as I used to.  Not right now anyway. 

Praying:  Speaking of praying, that's heavy.  Prayers for my husband, my children (their spouses), grands, siblings, our friends who are like family, the sick, the dying, our parish and priest, the state of the world.  Praying for rain, as dry conditions have reached dangerous levels now.  No longer is the landscape covered in green.  It's turning brown and crispy.  Rain isn't even projected in the future forecasts at this point. I know when it does start to rain, summer quickly turns to a wet and cold Autumn, and I'm actually quite fine with that.  

Planning:  Well, I 'hope' to plan to do a little work on this old place before winter hits.  Some of our walls/ceiling in the kitchen need fixed.  But I'm at the mercy of my other half getting this done.  I've harvested some sunflower and other seeds from my plants this week, and am excited to see if they germinate next spring. 

 

I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes which was read this past Sunday.  

By the Grace of God, I am what I am.  

Pax tecum, until next time, be blessed, kellie

 

An Italian Aria

 

Weird name for a post, huh?  I'll explain but bear with me.  I have a story to tell first..............

--Eleven days ago, the patriarch of our family - my 97 year-old father-in-law passed from this world after a brief hospitalization.  

Because we are a Catholic family, and it was right before Holy Week, we weren't allowed to proceed with the funeral until after Easter Sunday.  That being said, we had his wake/rosary service at the funeral home last night.  

Now that wouldn't be such a thing to write an entire post about but again -- bear with me.  

Here we were, family and friends, gathered in the chapel honoring our loved one, his silver casket open and appropriately draped with the American flag.  He was an Army veteran, and proudly so.  He was also a first-generation American citizen; a child of immigrants.  Gregorian chant hymns of the Requiem playing, goes silent as the priest announces the beginning of the rosary.  

We are ready.  The days of waiting have been a little excruciating.  It is the first time for viewing as well. But thoughts of world events had us sitting on edge.  Here we were possibly teetering on the precipice of another world war!  Everyone has their thoughts racing anyway. Strangely enough, there was a quiet peace in that chapel last night.  It's as though for a brief moment time stood still for our rosary and our crazy racing thoughts.  And we were filled with peace, and joy for a blessed long life with our Grandpa, (EVERYONE called him Grandpa) my father-in-law.  I know the world hadn't stopped spinning, but in there for a very brief 30 minutes, it felt like that moment was all there was in the universe. 

His two surviving sons had placed 4 red roses into his arms for Grandpa's four sons, two gone before him (the baby lost at birth represented by Guardian angel).  On each rose, tied with ribbon, are Catholic medals representing the ten grandchildren, one pre-deceased him - it is also a Guardian angel medal.  

The rosary was absolutely beautiful - (If you've never heard of the Scriptural Rosary - check it out!) Emotions were abounding, but respectfully and with dignity.  Then, it is over.  And I realized we were, once again, part of the rotating earth.

This is where the story comes in. And it's sweet, and a little funny.  Isn't that strange that I found it funny?  But doesn't that happen at the most solemn moments in our lives; just a touch of levity right when you need it???

My niece had asked that Ave Maria be played right at the end of the rosary.  The priest announced it.  He even said, "if you know this, please feel free to sing along!".  We waited.  The song began.  Turns out the funeral director played Andrea Bocelli's traditional Ave Maria in Italian.  It was moving! and beautiful!  Then they played the Latin Ave Maria we'd all been expecting.  

Later we all agreed none of us happen to know the Italian operatic version of Ave Maria!  But it was a moment I'll never forget.  Sweet, funny, poignant; and you know what?  Perfectly perfect for that moment.  

Maybe this didn't need to be a post.  And maybe, just maybe this is me processing........

Thank you for sticking with me as I ramble, and please keep Grandpa M. in your prayers (and his family).  These words are just my own, but I hope the others share my sentiments. 

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him.  May his soul, and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.  Amen 

Blessed Octave of Easter, He is Risen as He said, Alleluia.  Indeed He is Risen, Alleluia!

A day to celebrate with gratitude

 

Today, February 2nd, marks two years since my second PE, pulmonary embolism - an event that took me through months of recovery, complications, hospitalization, and two surgeries after finding cancer in my thyroid. ((I know! Weird, right??)) This year, I decided to celebrate it.  After the first PE in October, 2020 I chalked it up to the pandemic 'c' word I'd rather not use.  But a second episode puts things into even more perspective.  

I've also been wanting to make a post of the 'One hundred days of Gratitude' from facebook I did last summer and fall.  What better day to combine both themes and summarize my one-hundred day gratitude list.  So let's jump in!

*Day 1 - August 15     Life! 

* The Holy Roman Catholic Church

*  Our Sunday night dinners

*  Monday morning coffee  

*  Sister night dinners

*  1 year cancer free!

*  Terra Dulcis (our family home)

*  Crochet

*  Family, the family I came from; the family I've made with Tommy

*  The 'cool' front after hot summer days

*  Friends

*  Feeding the birds

*  Baby giggles

*  Porch sittin'

*  Laughing with Tommy

*  Family BBQ

*  End of August  (my least favorite month!)

*  the 'ber' months  (Sept 1st)

*  Crock pot meals

*  blowing bubbles with grandbaby

* our simple country life

*  prayers for Melania

*  Melania's sweet smile

*  This 👉

Holy Cross Church 

* the Holy Name of Jesus

* watching the construction vehicles with grandbaby as they were working on our road

*  Dinner with family

*  in memory of Charlie Kirk and 9/11

*  Tears and prayer

* Gregorian Chant

* Freedom and those who protect it

* Feast days and pot lucks

* No surgery needed (for my son's knee injury)

* Unconditional sisterly love - to be completely accepted and loved just the way I am.

* Latin

* guilt free treat

* No alarm Saturdays

* celebrating Kastl, a grandson turning one.  He spent his first 3 months in the hospital and had heart surgery shortly after birth.  

* Fall -- the most wonderful time of the year

* Rosary with Romus

* Allie Day, our sweet Allie girl, a black Lab, former Marine, gone 4 years .

* pulling into your own driveway

* Lulu, our doxie, sitting by me

* learning we have family coming to visit!

* our Sunday drive to Mass

* Prayers for Melania's surgery

* Sunrise

* Home cooking

* cousin play date             (and my guardian angel Oct 2)

* Lovey's new home (the parakeet)

* I feel blessed to be an Okie, born and bred

* stillness of morning

* edifying sermons

* light through stained glass

* harvest moon

* finishing a project

* Friday

* slow mornings

* organization!  (to me, it combats chaos, which helps with the peace)

* conversations with dear friends

* seeing change as a good thing

* clean sheets

* thrift days with sisters

* lunch with the gals

* movie girls night at home

* Verbum Dei  (the Word of God)

* solid floor beams    (long story, but iykyk)

* getting stuff done

* sisters who are friends; friends who are like sisters

* baby nap time

* cloudy morning

* birthday - another year of life

* all the good wishes from family and friends

* beautiful fall colors

* out of town family arrived

* knitting 

* "Uh-Oh"  Romus's favorite words

* teaching Sophia to knit and purl

* Marine Ball  ooh-rah

* lost keys found  (my friend's)

* Romus's yogurt mustache

* aerial view of Terra Dulcis - this is pretty cool! 

* oldest and youngest grands together

* a boy and his jeep (my husband)

* Framily

* sunset, bonfires and smores

* a Love that makes saying goodbye so hard

* our travelers arriving home safely

* Veterans and active duty - THANK YOU

* Northern Lights visible in Oklahoma

* Parades and flag waving babies

* Quiet evenings at Terra Dulcis

* Back porch sittin  (sunny spot, comfortable chair, coffee, prayer book --- chef's kiss)

* celebrating Romus - Rowdy Romus and his cowboy themed first birthday.  Yee-haw.

* walking through golden leaves

* prayer for a friend who had a stroke  (she's recovered and doing well!)

* evening rosary with Tommy

* the documentary my two sons made together, has been viewed on PBS!

* having enough

* grateful YOU have taken this journey of gratitude with me. 

Happy Candlemas Day! Feb 2nd, the official last day of the Christmas season.  Many blessings to you. 

kellie

 

 Greetings from Terra Dulcis this Thursday afternoon.  The sun is shining, the wind from yesterday (!) has died down, and it's a pleasant but cool day.  

Listening to:  NOTHING!  Even Lovey my parakeet is sitting quietly in his cage, the clock on the wall is ticking but barely noticeable.  And that's quite alright by me at the moment.  Silence is golden.  A wind chime outside in blowing lightly.

(this is one of my favorite scriptures!)

What's happening at Terra Dulcis?   * Az and I are at the last hour of Return of the King which we'll finish tonight.  Next week, we'll start on the Hobbit Trilogy.  We break the movies up since they're so long.  LOTR is coming for back in theaters for limited time, but I don't think I can do that!  Each movie is around 3 hours long. 

*Still purging stuff but it has slowed down a bit.  There's an outbuilding I can't get into at the moment, but it'll happen! 

*Laundry done and put away, I'm going to make a little lunch and maybe knit a while.  

Praying for:  *every day the news just gets worse.......

*Getting lined up for Lenten practices, as it's just over a month away already.

*Everyone.  Esp. Melania, Rachel, Kastl, Molly. 

*Gratitude for my continued health.

What's cooking? This week I've made pork chops, steak, baked potatoes, bought a rotisserie chicken (thinking of chicken and dumplings?), will probably make a stew at some point on Saturday or Sunday.  ((Temps in the teens expected Sunday morning!!??)  Stew always hits the spot when it's cold.  With cornbread.  Now I'm hungry.....

My Current WIP: Still knitting on the grey/pink combo blanket.  Now, when I say pink, it's more a pinky blush.  Very elegant, very pretty shade with the grey.  It's going to be bigger than I planned!  I have yet to be good at gauging starting stitches at cast-on!  I think for a baby blanket, I should stick with 75 to 80, but I've been second guessing myself and going to 98 to 105.  Oh well.  It is what it is. 

Ok, I'll keep today's fairly short, because it is past lunchtime, and I've got a couple of phone calls to make.  Let me leave you with a really good quote from Bishop Baron I heard the other day:  

"He is King, or He is nothing!" 

Christus est rex in aeternum,

Until next time, kellie

 

New Daybook, new year.

 

Happy New Year! Happy Epiphany-tide! (Yes, that's a thing!) Merry Christmas! (We're in Christmas season until February 2nd!)  Ok, that's a lot of exclamation points..........

Well, it has been a minute.  We were allowing ourselves to observe and enjoy the beautiful season that is Advent and Christmastide.  So, I'll just get right into this first daybook of 2026.

Listening to:  Lovey is chirping the song of his people.  He's enjoying the sunshine pouring into the dining room (after this morning's rain).  Not complaining about that rain though.  December had zero I believe, so we're due.  The 'thingy' on the wall says we got .54 of an inch.  Now I hear Lulu barking at something as well.  Dryer going. 

What I've been up to:  Since the New Year, I've embarked on a task that might take me through the springtime at least, if not into summer.  

1.  I've started thinning out my house of clutter.  Yes!  I've already taken two large loads to donation.  

2.  Some of the stuff is from our move - gasp! - 4 years ago into the small century-old+ farmhouse on our property.  Stuff that at the time was easier to just box up and store.  Easier, because I was not in the mindset to 'let go'.  We had just moved from our 4-bedroom house that was home since 1993, so I was letting go already. 

3.  There are still outbuildings to go through, but I'm now ready to let go of a lot, and I mean a LOT!  I realize now that stuff is like emotional baggage.  I don't need the stuff to keep the memories.  Not everything will go, but what I keep will be sorted, properly contained and marked so I can find it when I need it.  I never did find my regular Advent wreath and one of my favorite Nativities from last year, but I bet I find it when I start digging.  I had to improvise, and was pretty pleased actually with the end result.

This week:  Otherwise, here at Terra Dulcis: 

*Alexander (my youngest) and I have watched Lord of the Rings, Fellowship of the Ring; and plan to start the second film in the Trilogy tonight.  I like to rewatch both trilogies every couple of years or so.  LOTR/Hobbit geek, guilty as charged.  

*Celebrated a great-nephew on Sunday who turned 13 at my brother in law's.  

*Enjoyed a thrift day with all my sisters yesterday.  We went to 4 different places and had a quick lunch.  I didn't go overboard and bring back in a lot of stuff.  😁 But I did find a really pretty white throw for a couple of bucks that after washing, got put onto the bed. 

*Got the tree down and everything put away - just in time before the rain!  

((I have to admit, as much as I love the tree and decorations, I'm always glad to have stuff back to normal.))

 What's cooking:  We had Mexican take out while watching the movie.  That was so relaxing just sitting with tv trays and enjoying the film and each other.  We don't eat in the living room often, so it felt special for a change. Last night I cooked burgers and fries.  Tonight, pizza and salad.  I don't remember Tuesday.  

Looking forward:  Sunday is our pot-luck at church, 2nd Sunday of the month.  It's always a pleasant meal chatting with friends, old and new.  I have yet to decide what to take for the meal. 

Current project:  At the moment I'm really into knitting, and I'm working on a pretty cream/white, pink and grey combo.  

There is always a project in the basket by my mama-bear chair. 

Praying/pondering:  

*For all my family, friends, and benefactors, living and deceased.  Praying for the sick and those who are in danger of dying an unprepared death each day.  For the souls in Purgatory.  Please say a prayer for Lyman E. who passed away yesterday.  He's my sister in law's only remaining sibling.  And for his family, grieving the loss of a father and brother. 

*For our troubled world.

*For a blessed 2026.

*In thanksgiving for all we have and have been given.

I think it's time to bid farewell, as my dryer has stopped!  In closing I'll leave you with this lovely thought from Tolkien himself. 

(photo from facebook)

Peace and blessings to you until next time, kellie

 

A SATURDAY daybook

A Saturday daybook~

It's been a few weeks since I last checked in.  Let's just get right into........

Gratitude:  Spending almost two weeks with our two oldest grands visiting us from California.  Their flights were right in the middle of the limited flight schedules, and after having to stay one more day (😀) they arrived home safely last Sunday night. 

Speaking of gratitude, I have ONE WEEK left of my "100 days of Gratitude" posts on Facebook.  I plan to make that a post here as soon as it's over.  

Listening to: Nothing at the moment, but I've spent a good part of today out on the back porch listening to the birds and the rustling leaves blowing in the breeze.  It's a magnificent day here at Terra Dulcis and I want to be outdoors as much as possible before the rain and cold temps move in, probably next week.  

Here at Terra Dulcis: We've started having bonfires with the Solo Stove we received two Christmas's ago.  Right after it was gifted to us, well.....that's when stuff hit the fan and I was in no position to enjoy it.  But we're making up for that now and plan to make it a regular thing.  Last night was absolutely perfect for it.  Although it was only the two of us, I served him a bowl of spaghetti next to the fire, and we recited the rosary together.  The stars were beautiful; and it is already a sweet memory. 

What's cooking?: We've been invited out to dinner tonight, so no cooking.  As a general rule we have tacos, spaghetti, chili, occasional take out on a weekly basis.  Yesterday, I had 3 bananas that were screaming banana muffins.  They turned out great and were so delicious. (Don't worry -- I shared some with my neighbors.)  I'm still trying to eat more health consciously and one of my absolute favorite dishes is the taco bowl with roasted sweet potatoes, cottage cheese and avocados.  Oh, and I've learned I really like the hot honey.  My grand-daughter made me avocado toast when she was here.  That's a new breakfast treat for me. 

OOTD:  I have to include this today, because this week, I bought a pair of jeans in size 16.  I haven't been a size 16 in over 30 years!  They feel like they were made just for me.  One thing I'm learning is just because something fits, doesn't mean you should wear it.  I've been trying on my older blouses and donated about a half dozen just yesterday. I don't want the big and baggie look any more. 

Pondering: Wow! How quickly 2025 has passed.  Seems like yesterday it was the 4th of July.  Or Valentine's Day.  Or New Years.  Actually, Y2K!  Pondering Scripture, always a wonderful thing to ponder.  I've started reading the Psalms a little each day.

Praying for: all the sick; anyone who is in danger of dying an unprepared death this very day; all those who have asked for my prayers.  For travelers, for the unborn.  The poor suffering souls in Purgatory, and all my family friends and benefactors both living and dead.  Praying that the upcoming Advent season will be efficacious and beneficial to myself and loved ones.  Will begin the St. Andrew Christmas Novena on November 30.  Praying for a young man I've known his whole life who became engaged this past week.  

Misc. stuff around here:  Will be celebrating our youngest grand's first birthday tomorrow.  He will be one on Tuesday.  He keeps both Tommy and I laughing most days as he gets to spend weekdays with Grammi and G-Papa.

We had a great time at the Marine Corps Ball earlier this month.  Our grand-daughter got to attend with us, and she was thrilled to be part of the party.  What a special evening with family and friends. 

I'll close with this meditation, and I hope you have a blessed week ahead.  Until next time,   kellie

"Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins; save us from the fires of hell.  Lead all souls to heaven, especially those who have most need of Thy mercy. Amen."