Saturday, August 20, 2011

View from the strip pits...


I took a chance and ran out to the strip pits this evening...I really left it too late to go. By the time I got out there the sun was low behind clouds and the lighting was low. However, my trusted Rav4 and I crawled along at a snail's pace, trying to see something of interest. A car met us not long after we entered the area, and whether due to them, or due to my timing I did not see much at all. Not much was moving...not even birds.

There are areas out there that are bigger than your average mud puddle, but cannot be classified as a pond. They are almost completely dry, so nothing moving in them.

The one above is definitely a strip pit, but I don't think it is too deep because I see moss over a big portion of it if looking from the right angle.

When I got to this view point, I had to take a picture...it was trying to work up to a storm and had that weird cast of light. There was lightning in the distance, and if I had not left my sewing machine plugged in, as well as my netbook....I would probably have stayed out there a while. I have always wanted to be out there during a storm.

Anyway, click on the picture above...it will get bigger and it is such a peaceful view to look at.
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Roger spent a big portion of the day spreading some gravel we had delivered the other day. I had some laundry on the line, which I always throw in the dryer for just a few minutes. In that was a pair of old work shorts of Rogers that had a pocket with a hole in it. I spent time replacing it this afternoon...I had replaced the other one a year or so ago.

I am not quite sure how much sense that made...they are CHEAP shorts from Walmart...so not worth much considering their age. But we fooled around and waited too long to buy any new ones for him...his size was no longer available when we began looking a while back.

This, and some comments a friend made about buying candles and house decorations led me to think about how each of us are. I very seldom buy house decorations...the kind for the individual seasons....with the exception of Christmas. I like the others...I do not know why I don't buy for them. I love walking into her house and seeing what she has set out. It gives a home such a welcoming feel.

I have bought my share of candles...and still buy a few along. I love candles....always have and always will. I don't feel guilty about it.

I don't know if any other women do this, but I used to feel guilty for spending money for things I wanted...and even some things I needed. I have no idea why I was that way. I can remember buying a can opener and feeling guilty and knowing how stupid I was. That was when I was very young and first married.

And no, the guilt didn't develop after I was married, it was there before. A lot of women have tons of clothes and shoes....I have never been one for that. I like to have a few things I like real well, and as long as I have three or four pair of jeans and maybe a pair of khakis, I am good to go. Now, if I didn't have a problem with one of my feet, I might have a garage full of shoes by now....cause I always did love shoes and purses.

I no longer feel guilty spending money on things I want...well, not much anyway. If I feel guilty about anything, it is the amount of fabric I have. But I don't feel guilty for long.

10 comments:

  1. I think the guilt about buying things comes either from being instilled in us by our parents or by experiences of really scraping by during hard times. Either of those will make us evaluate carefully what we are buying and if it is more important to have the money instead.

    My parents went through the Great Depression so we got quite a lot of "instilling" from them about saving and only spending for things we really need. That sometimes makes it hard to buy something just for fun.

    Great post.

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  2. i do love that photo. so still and quiet.

    i know exactly where you're coming from on the spending money thing. even if we have lots, i have a hard time justifying something because it'll be fun or convenient when i can get by with what i have...

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  3. It has a very serene feel to it Rose that suits that time of evening. It's one of my favorite times of day.
    I used to buy all kinds of decorations and I love going to the store and looking but I've kept myself from buying them the last couple of years. I do like the homey feel though when it all changed up for the seasons.
    Absolutely - jeans for me.
    I have more purses than I'll ever need so I have to turn my eyes away when I'm in that section at the store. :)

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  4. A wonderful peaceful picture! I love decorating the inside of the house for the seasons. Especially Easter with the rabbits, eggs and baskets. I do feel guilty for spending money, because we don't have that much, but I love to shop. That has been cut way back lately though since I cannot walk much, so that is one good things from all this!

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  5. Great picture, and a really nice post.

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  6. you are so fortunate to live close to such a wonderful area for wildlife.

    Gill in Canada

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  7. The enlarged version of your strip pit shot does have that peaceful look that harder to see in the small image. I like the lush grasses that surround the area too. Very nice shot. Your comment about clothes, decorations and guilt… must strike a familiar chord with many folk on here. You've obviously come a long way past much of that in the past. Good for you!

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  8. I love the photos you take of your strip pit. You often find wonderful wildlife there too.

    I'm naturally frugal. I don't feel guilty...I just don't like to spend money on things I don't really need.

    OH, but I NEED a camera ;) And a computer. :) So I DO spend money on some things!

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  9. Peaceful shot Rose. I used to feel guilty about spending money on myself...But, when I started working that all changed, now that I'm not working and we're trying to live more simply, I only buy what I really really want and that is fabric and yarn ;0

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  10. I think the reason I don't decorate for each season is sheer laziness. I hate to drag stuff out and have to put it back again and find storage for it when not in use. I use to do more of it, but now I just do Christmas mostly. I feel guilty about spending money, too. I don't think it is an unhealthy attitude. We waste so much money on things we don't need and then have to care for and store. I've gotten to where "stuff" just doesn't matter to me and I would like to get rid of stuff rather than get more. I used to spend the most on books...now it is fabric :-) I need to use more of the fabric I have.

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