Catching Dreams in the Light

As the sun set one evening a couple weeks ago, it breathed magenta fire into the sky.

It was the calm before the storm, however.
The winds began to blow 50 mph and screamed into the velvet darkness.
Sleep was evaded.
Overnight, the temps plummeted 25 degrees.

Old Man Winter made his appearance here in Michigan in royal style.
(much to my chagrin)

"When I admire the wonders of a sunset or the beauty of the moon, my soul expands in the worship of the Creator". 
~Mohandas Gandhi 

The next day, the snow fell.
The temps dropped even further into the single digits.
The furnace wouldn't stop running.

It was a good day to hunker down inside this toasty, tousled, old farmhouse
and catch a few dreams...

making some dream catchers to sell in my booth...

on my new favorite piece of love in the house.
*wink*

I wrapped hoops with strips of vintage linens and pieces of old denim.

Note: Many of you asked about the name and SKU of my prairie table from Menards.
Here it is:  Midwest Manufacturing Workmaster Workbench, SKU #136-7034.

I pulled out my supply of twine, feathers, beads, bits and bobs.

I wove and strung and beaded and tied.

Content.
Happy.
Blessed.

Glancing out once in a while to watch the swirling snowflakes piling up on the windowsill
and collecting on every green branch of the pine trees.
Feeling grateful for a warm house and the joy of working and creating with my hands.

"Aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands." 
~ 1 Thes.4:11 

He has given you gifts, desires, talents, and inclinations.

Pursue them with gratitude and great joy.
They are God's gift to you.
Make them your gift to Him.
Even if no one understands.
If no one is impressed.
He is honored and pleased.*

I added some love and grace to each dream catcher
with a small wooden cross
or a tiny turquoise heart ~

whispering a prayer of peace over each.

I stood there and worked at my rustic prairie table all day long.


Enjoy stillness and quiet.
Appreciate His created beauty.
There is loveliness all around.
Choose to see it, hear it, feel it, smell it, taste it.
Open your eyes to wonder.
Then create.
Make your own kind of beauty.*

As the evening sky began to darken,
I clicked the old switch on the vintage lamp that my sweet husband revamped for me.
This is the lamp that we dug out of a pile of junk in the back of a neighbor's property this past spring.

You can read about it here
(and see what Heaven's Walk looked like with a French-Nordic twist before shabby chicness found a home here).

It was badly rusted and not working,
but The Husband lovingly restored it for me ~
even taking the time to wipe on some linseed oil to bring back its original luster.

The warm light flooded the room
as I heard The Husband stomping his snowy feet inside the back door.

I drew the gauzy curtains against the cold and snow,
and turned to see him enter my studioffice.

A grin crossed his face as he saw me standing at my our little prairie table working,
vintage light filling the warm, cozy room,
seeing how happy I was at that moment.

He turned and smiled at the completed dream catchers
hanging here
and there
and there
around the room.

Leaving the dreams until tomorrow,
we headed to the kitchen for a glass of our homemade FatCat*HappyDog wine
before dinner ~

while the trees creaked and groaned in the icy wind,
and the snow created deep whipped cream drifts around the barn...

Smile, inside and out.
Choose to enjoy each day.
It is a gift.*

~  Blessings  ~

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* written by Susan, High Desert Home blog