“How can you frighten a man whose hunger is not only in his own cramped stomach but in the wretched bellies of his children? You can’t scare him–he has known a fear beyond every other.” John Steinbeck, Grapes of Wrath Sunshine in a Jar Stock photo Having been raised in farming country by a frugal mother, […]
Category Archives: Cleo Thoughts
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“And just like that, autumn overtook summer with the softest kiss.” -unknown Photo by Martingale Like the bees buzzing in the air, we humans think that warm days will never cease. But the crispness of the breeze signals that a new season will dawn with produce that is ripe to the core. Abundant orchards of […]
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“This kind of work, particularly in the early stages of a difficult cryptanalysis, is perhaps the most excruciating, exasperating, agonizing mental process known to man.” – David Kahn, The Codebreakers. A female code breaker and member of the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) program operated a Naval Security Station cryptanalytic machine to help decode […]
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“The family of God is the choir, and God is their audience.” – Keith Getty On any given Sunday morning, the congregation is filled with people with hearts that are aching. Some face joblessness and debt. Others struggle with pornography or opioid addiction. Alcoholism. Unfaithful spouses. Rebellious children and prodigal youth. Unexpected pregnancy. Medical issues. Lost […]
“Gratitude turns what we have into enough. – Melody Beattie Photo by smorielorrie on flickr with Thimbleberries pattern The proverbial glass is always half full for me. Some say, “Cleo can find the good in even a garbage pile.” That’s true. For an art project in college, I water-colored a pile of overflowing trash cans […]
On Thanksgiving Day, our family will gather around a table laden with the usual dishes: cranberries in Jell-o, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, green beans, oven-warm rolls, sliced turkey and pickled beets. Lots of pickled beets, for everyone from grandpa to preschoolers relishes that tangy taste from home grown and canned pickled beets. This love […]
“My approach to education was determined by the fact that in the most difficult boy I always saw another side. I sensed beneath the rough, defiant, and cynical attitude the yearning for appreciation, understanding, and the willingness to struggle to become an accepted member of society. I felt that the difficult boy-yes, even the young […]
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“Because you have taken hands, touched hearts and opened minds, you will never be forgotten. Love and best wishes.” Dedication on retired teacher’s quilt Phyllis Stephens, Quilt artist Brooklynartscouncil.org Every teacher needs to put this advice into her daily lesson plan book. It is the Three R’s to an educator’s peace of mind. […]
“The best things in life are old, loved and rescued.” – Anonymous madebybarb.com Up-cycled Sweater Quilt The consignment shop where I drift in and out to find bargains has a winter sale which is exceptional. They need to clear out their sweaters to make way for the lightweight tee shirts of a warmer clime. Ribbed […]
My mother married in 1930, just as the Great Depression descended upon our country like locusts on a cornfield. Her life in the Dust Bowl area included a Hooverville, The Black Hand, midwife delivery of my older brother, and feed sack material for hand sewing. While my father worked six days a week, 12 hours […]