The Iron Diva

Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Last Train to Tuscaloosa: The Weekly Digest and Weekly Hodgepodge

Getting outside....

Update on the sunflower. The original bloom has faded, but new ones kept popping up. So for a little while longer I got to see these smiling friends on my morning walk. The last time I went back, all the friends were gone. I'm assuming that after the flowers were spent and no new ones bloomed, the grounds keepers took up the plant. That's sad; they should have left it so the birds could have the seeds, but oh well.

The lavender is still thriving.

Caught this magpie (I think) on a limb during a walk.

Favorite quote(s) of the week...

Who am I? They often tell me
I step out from my cell
calm and cheerful and poised,
like a squire from his manor.

Who am I? They often tell me
I speak with my guards
freely, friendly and clear,
as though I were the one in charge.

Who am I? They also tell me
I bear days of calamity
serenely, smiling and proud,
like one accustomed to victory.

Am I really what others say of me?
Or am I only what I know of myself?
Restless, yearning, sick, like a caged bird,
struggling for life breath, as if I were being strangled,
starving for colors, for flowers, for birdsong,
thirsting for kind words, human closeness,
shaking with rage at power lust and pettiest insult,
tossed about, waiting for great things to happen,
helplessly fearing for friends so far away,
too tired and empty to pray, to think, to work,
weary and ready to take my leave of it all?

Who am I? This one or the other?
Am I this one today and tomorrow another?
Am I both at once? Before others a hypocrite
and in my own eyes a pitiful, whimpering weakling?
Or is what remains in me like a defeated army,
Fleeing in disarray from victory already won?

Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions of mine.
Whoever I am, thou knowest me; O God, I am thine! - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

George MacDonald, Diary of an Old Soul, p. 194.

"Where you tend a rose, my lad, a thistle cannot grow." Narrator, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, Chapter 27.

I'm thinking about...

Join the fun!

Come on over to

From This Side of the Pond

for the Hodgepodge link-up!

From Volume 670

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL? On a scale of 1-10 how much of a fan are you? (10 is never miss a game and 1 is I'm just here for the snacks). Who's your team? If you're playing along today, but live outside the US feel free to sub your feelings about futbol for the more American sport of football.

I'd say my level of fandom is around 8.5-9.0/10. I really enjoy college football, but I've also lived in Broncos country for nearly 10 years. Each fall I look forward to cheering for the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!) and my alma mater Jacksonville State University (Fear the Beak!). The benefit for rooting for JSU is that even if the team sucks, the Marching Southerners always win halftime.

The first few years I lived in Colorado, I had no interest in the Broncos at all. The coaches and team had downright nasty attitudes. One player even said in a press conference that playing for the Broncos was something he had to "put up with" until he could move on to a better team. After that, I ignored the team until a few years ago: apparently they fired or traded several people and the overall attitude improved. I also think seeing names I recognized like Pat Surtain III and Jerry Jeudy, who both played for the Tide, helped pique my interest. So I'm still not as deep into the NFL as I am college ball, but I'm slowly becoming a fan.

BTW--for my fellow Tide fans: Yes, I know that Bo Nix played for "them" (Auburn), but he plays for "us" (the Broncos) now, so hush! 😊

What's something you currently have a game plan for managing?

My fabric scraps. Because I don't yet have the space or budget for a large fabric stash I try to "get all the goody" out of my leftovers without getting bored with seeing them over and over. After I finish a quilt or quilt top (and know for sure I'm done), I cut the leftovers into three sizes: 9.50-inch squares, 5-inch squares, and 2.50-inch strips. Anything smaller than that I'm fine with tossing. Maybe in the future I can learn to make pet beds for the humane society and stuff them with the pieces too small to use, but not now.

I can make several types of scrap quilts out of those sizes when I have enough of them. Last time, I also cut 3.50-inch squares and made 9-patch blocks (I had a lot of leftover white fabric) and paired them with leftover 9.50 inch squares (see photo).

My scrap system also gives me the chance to practice my cutting and to learn new techniques without the fear that I'm wasting fabric.

From Volume 671

Have you ever taken a trip by train? If so where did you go and what did you think of the experience? If not do you have any desire to do so? Where would you like to go? (You might find inspiration here-The Best Train Trips in The World).

Several years ago I took a train trip from Denver to Grand Junction, Colorado for work. I didn't feel well, so the trip wasn't as fun as it could have been, but it was still pleasant. I wouldn't mind another train trip; I'm just not sure of the destination yet.

Are birthdays a big deal in your house? Is your own birthday a big deal in some way? Elaborate.

This is going to sound incredibly selfish and probably childish, but I'm happy when my birthday is a big deal to those I love. Now, big deal doesn't mean that it has to be expensive or extravagant. My birthday is right around Memorial Day, so I celebrate by taking the whole week off (this year two weeks) to relax and play.

Would I like a party? Sure. In 2027 I will turn 55 so I figure that's an important enough milestone. I've been debating on whether it's tacky--or even practical--to throw myself a party. Yes, it's my birthday, but I want the party to be a way to honor anyone who attends. Like a child, I want to give away fun party bags or something like that.

I'm not hard to please...or entertain, apparently.

What I've read since my last digest...

Unspoken Sermons: Series 1 by George MacDonald ✮✮✮1/2 (Category: My Inklings Summer).
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett ✮✮✮✮ (Category: Kiddie Lit).

I'm currently reading...

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle
Unspoken Sermons: Series 2 by George MacDonald

My current "crock pot" reads (slow and steady reads that will take a while):

Diary of an Old Soul by George MacDonald
The Mind of the Maker by Dorothy L. Sayers
The Courage to Create by Rollo May

Recent blog posts...

My previous digest, "Leaning In Without Falling Over" is here.
My latest book review (revisited) of The Turquoise Table by Kristin Schell is here.
Government Cheese: The Weekly Hodgepodge is here.
Five Minute Friday: "Lazy." is here.
My "2026 Baby Got Stacks" reading challenge is here. (Updated regularly).
My "26 for 2026" challenge is here. (Updated regularly)
My "26 for 2026" art challenge is here. (Updated regularly).

From the Workshop...

See my latest Monday Mess Making post "Create This Book - 01" here.

I am thankful for...

All who read my blogs.
Beautiful cooler weather.
Ice packs.
Text reminders about appointments even though they annoy me sometimes.
Door stops.
The correction of a dangerous traffic situation. A confusing two-way stop was converted to a four-way stop. There have been several accidents and near misses at that intersection.
Indoor plumbing.
Parks.
Gift cards.
Paper napkins that work in a pinch.

Sunday, August 23, 2026

Leaning In Without Falling Over: The Weekly Digest

Getting outside....

On my morning walk, I found among the flowers by the Green Mountain Estates sign a lone sunflower.

A couple of days later I saw that she has a friend.

I think in the end, there will be many sunflower friends from that one plant. I'll keep checking on it.

I saw these Anthurium (Flamingo flowers) in the vestibule of a nearby business building.

Outside of the same building were more pretty flowers to enjoy.

A Cool Experience....

This weekend, I perused the annual yard sale at the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum. There was an overabundance of fabric but nothing that complemented any of my current projects. However, they have a fun contest called "Honor the Maker." Along with the fabric, books, etc. are unfinished projects. The contest works like this: a quilter chooses an unfinished project, finishes it however he/she chooses, and photographs it for entrance into the contest. Top prize gets a free membership to the museum. We have until May to finish, so I'll start after Christmas. What called to me was a set of 12 Dresden plate appliques. I've not tried applique yet, so these little beauties will give me a fun challenge for the new year. I'll update the progress on my craft blog.

Favorite quote(s) of the week...

Nondiscipleship costs abiding peace, a life penetrated throughout by love, faith that sees everything in the light of God's overriding governance for good, hopefulness that stands firm in the most discouraging of circumstances, power to do what is right and withstand the forces of evil. In short, it costs exactly that abundance of life Jesus said he came to bring (John 10:10). - Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines, p. 263.

Xcel - Your electric bill is trending higher this billing cycle.
Me - Have you paid attention to the weather? It's 86,000 degrees outside
Xcel - Your highest usage is between 12-6 pm.
Me - Really? You mean during the hottest part of the day? Look, unless you're showing up with an iced coffee and a significant Amazon gift card to compensate for the higher bill that you're more worried about that I am, leave me alone! - Auntie's musings

Sugar sweetens green fruit and in ripe fruit corrects whatever is crude and unwholesome. Now devotion is true spiritual sugar for it removes bitterness from discipline and everything harmful from our consolation. Francis de Sales, Quoted in Devotional Classics (Edited by Foster & Smith), p. 29.

I'm thinking about...

Leaning in vs. giving in: As some of you are aware, I am in a weird season right now. After getting a great report from my doctor last year, everything is pretty much at a stand still. I'm glad to still be in this good place, but the needle isn't moving and I'm not at the end of the course. At first, I thought it was mental: grief over my friend Chris dying suddenly the day before Thanksgiving (she was the leader of the weight loss accountability group I'm in) mixed with SAD. I'd been having a few mild symptoms of perimenopause for more than a year, but nothing too serious. However, things suddenly got more intense. I experienced months of bone-crushing pain, mixed with exhaustion, mixed with having perpetual marshmallow brain. My workout schedule went to crap since it was all I could do to get up, put on clothes, and walk the few paces to my home office and work. I was frustrated and tried to talk to my mentor about it, who pretty much said I was "making the choice" to be lazy.

Apparently he didn't ready my blog post. And no, he doesn't get a pass for being male; he's old enough to know better.

For the past couple of weeks, my energy has returned, I've been taking walks to get my workout mojo cranked back up, and my mind has been clear. But will it last? Are the symptoms cyclical, or are they in different phases until "SHE" goes on permanent vacation?

Sorry to the fellas who read my blog, but this is important.

I don't really have an exemplar for this. I truly believe that my mom was just ornery enough to simply will herself well through menopause.

I will talk to my physician during my annual check up next month. Because of my body's weird reactions to things, I need a solution other than hormone replacement therapy. Who knows what that will do to me. My question for those who've already made it to the end of the tunnel is: how do you handle the swift changes? Do you lean in and fight it tooth and nail, or do you just give in, take a sick day (or three), and go to bed?