Flash Floods and Hail and Tornadoes, Oh My!

It didn't take us very long to figure out that a 75-degree forecast in winter is NOT a happy thing in Nashville.  Today it's supposed to get up to 79.  Wonderfully warm winter days are usually the opening act for Severe Weather, a 'group' that makes a lot of noise and can potentially wreak havoc in your neighborhood.

I don't think we realized that we lived in 'tornado alley' until our first spring here.  We heard a loud siren and wondered if we were under attack.  We had to call some friends to find out that it was the tornado warning siren.  I think Howard did a quick google search to find out that we should hide in a small, windowless, first floor, interior room.  We ended up in the powder room - that's what they call the guest bathroom around here.  It was a better choice than the closet or the laundry room.  In the bathroom there's one built in seat and room for a folding chair, there's water, and there are other important facilities.  Go here for more information on tornado safety.

We're much better prepared this year thanks to Howard, who very carefully keeps track of severe weather.  He got a Twitter account JUST so he could follow this guy.  He also bought a weather radio to wake us up in the middle of the night if necessary.  I hope he doesn't turn into one of those tornado chaser guys.

Operation Smile

In January 2011, I got to sew some little kid hospital gowns at an event at church called Operation Smile.  (Sure wish I had taken some pictures.)  What I thought was a service project organized by the church turned out to be an event coordinated by a couple of women from the Brentwood Women's Club (BWC).  Because one of the organizers happened to be a church member, she got permission to use the church building and recruited lots of women from church to help sew.  I was still pretty new to the area and hardly knew anyone.  I remember lugging my sewing machine into the gym feeling a little shy and awkward.

Around May of last year, I joined the BWC after visiting a few more of their meetings.  I started to meet (and continue to meet) lots of amazing women.  About that same time I was called to serve in the Stake Relief Society at church, which meant I got to (and continue to) meet even more amazing women.  (Not more amazing than the BWC women, just there are more of them.  Get it?)

Fast forward to a few weeks ago in January.  I got to sew little kid hospital gowns again. (Still wishing I had taken some pictures.  I just never learn!)  I lugged my sewing machine into the gym with anticipation, knowing that I would be sewing with lots of friends this time.

Today at our monthly BWC meeting, the soon-to-be president approached me and asked if I would be willing to head up Operation Smile next year.  I think I agreed to it.  I didn't realize that my two BWC mentors/advisers, Linda and Liz, were grooming me for the task.  Yikes! 

At our meeting today Linda and Liz showed us the dolls that were sewn and stuffed at last month's event.  Aren't they cute?  And the dolls too, right?

These dolls go to the Operation Smile patients who are children born with cleft palates.  They draw their face on one side of the head before their surgery and after the surgery, they draw their new face on the other side of the head.

Liz reported the final tally of stuff sewn during the 4-hour event (over 210 service hours): 95 dolls, 50 gowns, and 43 smile bags to hold the doll, gown, and other goodies for each patient.

It's a Party - Thistle Farms Style

Last Tuesday these two amazing women came to my house to host my first (definitely not my last) Thistle Farms Home Party.  It's ironic that I would have a party like this because: (1) I don't want my friends to feel like they have to buy something when they come to my house, and (2) I don't spend money on body and bath products.  (I'm a buy-the-cheapest-lotion-at-Target kinda gal.)

But, this was not just any old home party.  As it says on their website, it's like 'Tupperware with a conscience'.  Here's what makes it different:

• The women at Magdalene House MADE these products with their bare gloved hands!
• The profits go directly to the women who made them and also benefit their partners in Africa.  (For those of you who don't already know, I've dreamed of going to Africa since I was five years old!)
• The women learn all kinds of valuable job skills while making and selling these products.
• They earn money while working at Thistle Farms, and it mentions on their website that any money they save will be matched!
• The women tell their stories of addiction and recovery, which is healing to them and uplifting to those who listen.
• You 'donate' to a great cause and you get some cool stuff in return.
• The hostess gets to pick one free thing.
• An extra bonus for the hostess - it motivates you to clean your house and remove from your dining room the disassembled half-painted table that's been there for months!

Having one of these home parties is a win-win situation!  To schedule one, just email Carole.

Note:  These thistle farmers gave me permission to take and post this picture.

Thistle Farms - Part Two

A couple of weeks ago I took my visiting teachers to Thistle Farms.  Thistle Farms is a social enterprise, where the residents of Magdalene House make and sell natural bath and body products to help fund Magdalene House.  (I took this product picture in my house - more about that another day.)

You 'get to' wear this very fashionable head ware when you tour the room where they make the bath and body products.  I'm not much of a bath and body product kind of gal - those are the stores that I NEVER go into at the mall.  I have to say, though, that I really like their products.  The lotion is thick and creamy, but doesn't leave your hands feeling greasy after applying it.

 

The first time I toured Thistle Farms I got goosebumps about everything that goes on there.  In addition to making bath and body products, they make paper!  I went crazy over the paper making room.  At first they used their handmade paper to make boxes for their lavender healing oils.  In addition to the boxes, they now use their paper to make cards, journals and bookmarks.  They even sell sheets of their handmade paper for all you scrappers and card makers out there!

Here's a thistle farmer showing off a journal.  I spent the morning with her, sewing signatures (groups of pages) into the journal covers.

These are the materials used to make the journals - copier paper for the signatures and hemp cord to sew the signatures into the journal covers.  The journals were for a special order and are not available online yet.

This thistle farmer spent the morning packaging up sheets of thistle paper to be sold to you.

Here are the bookmarks.  There are step-by-step directions on how to paint a thistle onto the bookmarks.  

You don't have to be a professional sewer or bookbinder or paper maker or painter to volunteer at Thistle Farms.  Everyone there is learning and growing together.  Contact me if you want to go sometime.  I'd be more than happy thrilled to take you!

Note:  All the thistle farmers (residents and volunteers) gave me their permission to post their photos.

Thistle Farms - Part One

Back in September of 2011 I taught a Spanish lesson.  I was a little rusty - it had been awhile.  I didn't teach middle school kids this time.  I taught about a dozen thistle farmers.  Right now you're thinking, "What!?  What in the world is a thistle farmer?"  You'll get an idea if you read about Jennifer below.

Click here to read about more thistle farmers.

Anyway, the thistle farmers didn't know what I was there to teach and eagerly asked, "What are you going to teach us today?" You should've seen the disappointment and the eye-rolling when I announced "Spanish". When I asked if anyone knew Spanish, most of them responded with the sentiment, "We don't need no stinkin' Spanish."

But, one lone thistle farmer started rattling off things like lavase las manos (wash your hands), lava las sábanas (wash the sheets), dame una toalla (give me a towel). We all know that learning language in context works much better than in a classroom. It turns out that she once had a Spanish speaking cellmate and she acquired some 'cell' Spanish.

Anyway, despite their reluctance, I forged on and promised them that we would have fun and that they would be able to read a short story in Spanish by the end of the hour. I kept my promise. By the end of class most of them were laughing and most were able to read a silly short story about a búfalo - see, you can read Spanish too.

Why am I writing about this now? I started writing it the day after I taught the lesson but never finished it.  Since then, Thistle Farms and the women there have become part of my life.  I thought some introductions were in order.