Succulent Pots

Dear City Mouse,

  Those muffins were amazing, thank you.

I have been working on my dolls, all 11 are nearly finished, then it's onto sets and props. I will soon be sending more photos.

  I have been on a succulent CRAZE.

I recently bought a bunch of mid century vintage vases, and drilled drainage holes in them, to turn them into pots.  I used a ceramic drill bit I purchased at the hardware store.  The trick is to start it at a 45 degree angle, then once you get an indentation, drill straight.  I've also been starting succulents successfully from their leaves alone.

 

  I can't wait to see you all soon.

We love and miss you.

Love, Country Mouse.

 

Vegan Banana Muffins Recipe

Dear Country Mouse,

I want to pass on this recipe that I think might be nice for the cold weather coming up. I already posted in on Wasabi Honey Bee, so sorry if you stopped over there and it is duplicate information. Anyway, it's a vegan banana muffin recipe that I have been making at the truck, and thought maybe all the kids in your world would be excited about. It's a little healthier than some muffin recipes as it has ground walnuts in addition to flour.

VEGAN BANANA MUFFINS

In a large bowl mix:

3 ripe bananas 

1 cup orange juice 

1/2 cup grape seed oil

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 cup ground walnuts

In a separate bowl sift together:

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup white flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

Mix both sets of ingredients together. Pour into an oiled muffin pan and bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes and then rotate the the pan and bake for another 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Anyway, how has everything been going? Have the doll faces you are working on been coming out as you are wanting? I can't wait to see pictures when you are done... hint...hint!

As always, I love you and miss you and send hugs a thousand miles over mountains and hills, rivers and valleys, and—uggg—dust bowl deserts. Hope the rain is on its way and that I see you before too long.

XXOO
City Mouse

P.S. What will we do if Henry and I decide to move out to the wilderness to homestead. Will it be country mouse and field mouse then?

A Much Needed Hug

Dear City Mouse,

   There really are no words for how much I needed that hug.  It really was short but so sweet.  Your pies were also so amazing.  I so miss the days where we were able to spend them crafting, baking

and watching our kids grow together.

  I really need to make an effort to spend more time with Genevieve, among so many of my other wonderful female friends.  The fact that life is moving so fast is really the proof of that.

   I'm working on my little dolls.  I can't wait to show you the others.  

  I love you, and hope you are doing well.

Love, Country Mouse

A real hug... Finally!

Dear Country Mouse,

It was so nice to hug you in person, FINALLY!!!

I really enjoyed the bit of time we had together and wanted to send on these pictures I took of your work:

I was seriously blown away by how detailed and incredible these dolls are. I can't wait to see more!

Anyway, hugs and love,

City Mouse

Russian Ballerina

Dear City Mouse,

   That photo just melted me!  What happened to my babies? I miss those days so much, spending so much time with you, the kids still being young kids.

  I know there were hard things going on, but all I feel is total nostalgia for that era.

I guess it really affirms that I need to live in the moment.  

  I too am so busy, I barely have time to recouperate from one thing, before the other begins.  I have however been carving a bit of time at the expense of chores and housework, to do some art projects.  

  The Ballerina for my book is complete.

She is dedicated to you, as you are her inspiration.  I think it's fitting that she is Fall colored, since the Fall is here now.

The nights are cooling, and there's that magical crisp feeling of anticipation in the air.

   Are you dancing still?  You must have some great ingredients for pies with the changing seasons?  I wish we could pick apples in the canyon at your parents house.  I just miss you so terribly, and I love you so dearly.

  Love, Country Mouse

Pillows for the Dojo, and Happiness.

Dear City Mouse,

I want those muffins!!!!!

 In the midst of my crazy schedule last week I managed to help Alena make these pillows for her Dojo.

They were a very belated gift to honor her Jr. black belt, as is tradition in Aikido.

Alena chose the fabric, and did half the sewing too.

 I was thinking a lot as we made them, about stress, and where I'm at in general.

I was remembering how I used to tell myself, "if only my relationship wasn't such a mess I could he happy.

If only I wasn't so broke and struggling I could be happy. If only my dad weren't dying I could be happy. If only. If only."

I remember how it occurred to me one day, that although these were real struggles, important pieces were missing, and my feelings were valid, what if I never came to a place where all those pieces were present?

Maybe my life would always be a puzzle with a fundamental missing piece?

I know it sounds kind of morbid, and I promise I did count my blessings, however they were counted with a sense of desperation, like I was always throwing myself a life preserver.

It occurred to me there was a real chance I would never find land.

This realization shook me deeply, not because I felt sorry for myself, but because there was a strong chance I would never find true happiness.

Never finding true happiness in life is like never finding love, like never having children, never traveling.

Of course people can be whole without those components, but for me it felt like a true tragedy.

It was at that moment I vowed to let go.

I vowed to stop searching for myself and lose myself. To lose all the fear and need.

Being happy became a choice.

I had found that puzzle piece.

My dad was dying, but I was happy.

I carried this gift around for months.

I felt like a Zen Master.

My dads suffering eventually increased to the point where that Zen became sand slipping between my fingers until it was lost.

My father died. I found myself searching 

again. Luckily, all the while I remembered the trick to it all I had discovered.

I knew that Zen was waiting patiently for me to decide to lose it all again and be happy. I just couldn't make that decision.

I guess I just needed to process so much loss.

Things are ramping up again with the start of school. Two jobs, the constant taxiing of kids all over the county.

I'm missing some fundamental pieces to this puzzle of life. I could easily go crazy.

I feel like I'm ready to be happy.

I remember how. I think I'll stop looking and lose it all.

Love, Country Mouse.

Monster Pillow

Dear City Mouse,

 The rain was a life saver, I can only hope we get the El Niño they are predicting.

I wish we had a serious river like that.

I miss not hoarding water in buckets.

 We went to Rincon Beach a couple weeks ago with Paul, the  water was warm and the weather was lovely.

It made me think of you.

 I haven't been working much on my book, but I have lots of new ideas to set into motion. I have however made a few things to share soon. Most recently I made this Monster pillow for Heather's son Owen. He was pretty happy with it.

 I miss you so very much.

Love, Country Mouse