The Call: Brewing — Cheryl

Coffee should not be allowed to boil while being made or after making, but should be kept piping hot. This is best accomplished by placing coffee pot on absestos mat or in pan of hot water over a low heat until served. Grounds should be removed as soon as coffee has dripped through, as they absorb aroma. Allow coffee to ripen 5 to 8 minutes before serving to develop a richer, more mellow flavor.

—How to Make Good Coffee, published by Maxwell House, 1937

The Response: Ready to Go — Jessica

Every morning. First thing in the morning.

The Call: Trip to the Mall — Jessica

Today I took four twelve-year-old girls to the mall. It was fun. No, really! It was crazy, but it was fun.

Response: Like Bees — Cheryl

Once Mother’s Day arrives, it’s pretty much a given that our local nursery will be packed with people shopping for items promising to beautify their yards and their lives.

The Call: Bubbling Over — Cheryl

If I had to enumerate my strengths, perseverance would top the list. Thanks, in part, to perseverance: I still attend Mass each week with all six kids; Dennis and I survived years of physical separation while dating to stay together and eventually marry; I’ve been homeschooling for about 13 years now; and I continue to see and capture the simple beauty around me every, single day.

The Response: Damn — Jessica

Remember when I posted that picture of the calendar? And how I was whining about how busy things were? Well, the next two weeks are the culmination and it feels like someone just floored the gas pedal! To make matters worse, my car didn’t pass the safety inspection (thanks to a stupid airbag light that flickers on and off) and now I have fifteen days to fix it and get it re-inspected. Just when I need it the least. Perseverance will be the only thing that will get me through to June 11.

The Call: Old Ivories — Jessica

This is the second time that the $10 garage sale piano that sits in my basement has been featured as my C&R contribution. Score!!

Response: Ivory and Gold — Cheryl

I had my wedding gown custom made of ivory dupioni silk. When I could find Alçenon lace only in white, my seamstress suggested I dye the lace with tea. It worked perfectly.

The Call: Hair in Her Face — Cheryl

One of these days, Stella’s hair will stay put in a ponytail or barrette. Until then, her hair will fall into her face, and she’ll continue to manage just fine.

The Response: The Face — Jessica

The icon is a gift from my father who brought it back from a long-term assignment he had in the Sakhalin Islands of Russia.

The Call: Apple Slices — Jessica

I was at the zoo today when I got Cheryl’s tweet that my original call was a duplicate. Since it was Memorial Day, I thought red would be an easy call — grab a shot of a flag and call it a day. Well, almost. I couldn’t find a single flag at the zoo.

Luckily red is my favorite color and I have lots of kitchen tools that would be cooperative subjects.

Response: Red is for Remembrance — Cheryl

For all those who have died in the service of our country, we pray: Raise them up, O Lord!
For all those who have perished as innocent victims of war, we pray: Raise them up, O Lord!
For all those who have lost their lives as military non-combatants, we pray: Raise them up, O Lord!

—Intercessions for the day from Magnificat

The Call: On the Spool — Cheryl

Yesterday, I dug out Mom’s old Remington Travel-Riter. I’d like to have a working typewriter at hand for art journaling and scrapbooking. Now, I just need to find a new ribbon for it.

The Response: Unfinished Project — Jessica

These blocks are part of an applique wallhanging that I had planned to make. The top left square makes sure I’ll never forget how long it has sat unfinished. The bottom right square is our first house — a cute little blue cape cod. The flowers represent Texas: bluebonnets, indian paintbrush and evening primrose. I use to do a bit of ribbon embroidery.

The Call: Shadows — Jessica

What is the weight of a shadow?

It’s been a long and full day. My son successfully finished his Eagle Scout project and my daughter celebrated her twelfth birthday. In between we had baseball. But the weight of the day is over and it’s nice to sit back and relax finally.

Response: Swarovski on Weight Watchers — Cheryl

If I could get ALL of my artsy stuff on a scale, I wonder how much it would weigh.

The Call: Fern with Raindrops — Cheryl

For weeks, we were teased with gorgeous, sunny days. Now it’s just rain, rain, and rain.

The Response: Stupid Weather — Jessica

Yesterday evening, I sat at the Little League ball park basking in the warm evening sunset. Today, I sat at the same park, wrapped up in a blanket and wishing I had a hat and gloves. Isn’t this Memorial Day weekend? What happened to our warm? Ugh, the weather can be such a tease!

The Call: Touch — Jessica

Danny was nursing and napping on my lap this afternoon. There are a million and one things that I ought to be doing while he naps. But that would involve putting him down on the bed and he is just so comfortable on my lap. And I am so comfortable with him there. The million and one things will have to wait.

Response: Bubbles in the Tub — Cheryl

This evening, Stella asked for bubbles in the tub. I obliged, and she giggled with glee, as she tried to scoop them all up.

The Call: Simply Delicious — Cheryl

I didn’t eat much for lunch, so when teatime rolled around, I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into this Milky Way Simply Caramel bar.

The Response: Dirty Dishes — Jessica

I left the house in a rush this morning after breakfast and didn’t return until dinner time. That’s why I was greeted with a sink full of dirty dishes. How depressing.

The Call: Rubbing Nickels — Jessica

My grandmother was raised in the Great Depression. My father, her oldest son, claims he was too. I, however, did not inherit the frugal gene. I wish I had…but I am way too frivolous with our money.

Response: Lilacs — Cheryl

On our way to church, we pass a house with pots of lilacs in the driveway and a sign that says, “Lilacs $10.” I’ve become too frugal for even that deal, though. Instead, I pruned the heck out of the lilacs out front (the ones that just wouldn’t bloom) last summer, and the results have been worth every penny.

The Call: Creating a Face — Cheryl

There will be time, there will be time
To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet;
There will be time to murder and create, …

from “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” by T.S. Eliot

The Response: Second Verse… — Jessica

I’m Henry the eighth I am
Henry the eighth I am, I am
I got married to the widow next door
She’s been married seven times before
And every one was an Henry (Henry)
She wouldn’t have a Willy or a Sam (no Sam)
I’m her eighth old man, I’m Henry
Henry the eighth I am

—you’re welcome!! : )

The Call: Danny at Eighteen Months — Jessica

It was a splendid afternoon for a portrait session. The sun came out from behind the clouds and we were sitting in a field of buttercups. It may look serene, but there was a hard-played baseball scrimmage going on behind us. Why else would I be sitting in a field on a Sunday afternoon?
Summer is for eating outside. Your picnic can stretch from super simple–grab your sandwich, eat it in the park–to a more drawn-out al fresco party with tons of food and lots of friends, you just need to make sure to take your baskets from Amish Baskets. To make sure the open-air occasion meets your expectations, follow the 11 rules of thumb below.

Bring a Blanket
Don’t wing it, hoping that the ground will be just grassy enough for sitting pretty. You’ll want the largest blanket you can find, one that’ll prevent any moisture from seeping through while covering up dirt patches—and, of course, one that you aren’t planning to throw back on the bed ever again. Or, invest in a waterproof blanket that folds up easily and can become a picnic staple for you. A few inexpensive king-size sheets, which are lighter to lug than quilts, can be an economical way to seat all your friends if you don’t have an ancient blanket in the closet.

Potluck
Yes, you can do your best to craft a full spread all on your own. But why not divide and conquer? Picnics are the most fun when everyone contributes, and you’ll be less stressed if you’re hosting. Assign (or at least discuss) the breakdown of dishes a few days before the event, so that you don’t end up with a million cookies and no main course. And you don’t just have to divvy up food responsibilities. Ask one friend to be in charge of drinks and cups, another to bring a blanket, and a third to grab the plates, napkins, and forks.

Response: Stella at the Youth Ministry Barbecue — Cheryl

It was a splendid day for a picnic with friends, and we certainly enjoyed ourselves.