Looking back at February, ahead to March, and favorite posts from the blogosphere

by Lisa R. Howeler, posted in everyday musings

February was a little bit of a crazy month. Normally it drags on because we are dealing with the winter blahs, but this year it flew by pretty fast because of house showings and then eventually the sale of our house. Now we are knee-deep, somewhat literally, in packing up the house and clearing out, some of which we had already started.

Weather-wise, the temps rose and fell throughout the month, which was wonderful for our sinuses and mood (she said sarcastically). It was like “We’re happy!” “Now we’re sad!” “We’re happy!” “Now we’re sad!” all month long.

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Looking ahead to March, there will be more packing and then the actual moving, with the plan to be in the new house by April 3. There will also be more homeschooling, somehow, in between all the packing and moving. So far, homeschooling is both a blast and completely aggravating. I’ve considered writing a post about homeschooling again, but, sad to say, I had some who looked down their noses at me for doing it so I hate to think they’ll read any posts about the struggles and gloat. I know, very immature of me to worry about what others think, but I’m still working on that.

I wrote a variety of blog posts on a variety of topics (which is why the word “ramblings” is in my blog name.)

I shared a few weekly round-ups:

 

I also shared several chapters of A New Beginning, and you can find the links to all of those HEREor at the top of the page.

I share a couple posts about faith:

I also wrote about:

 

I also enjoyed many posts by a variety of bloggers in February and I thought I would share them with you today in addition to my February review.

I loved all the photos and daily events with Derrick, but I especially loved this one he called The Horse Whisperer. The photos and story behind it were beautiful.

As always, I have to share one of Pete’s stories from Lunch Break Fiction, but this time I also get to share he has a book out. I just purchased it and I am so excited to read it! I loved this post from February entitled Metrics. If you haven’t read Pete’s short stories, you’re really missing out.

I like pretty much every post shared at My Life with Gracie so it’s hard to highlight just one, but I did like when John shared his copy of Doctor Doolittle with Gracie and the other chickens.

Mama’s Empty Nest shared this throwback post written from the perspective of her cat and it was hilarious and sweet.

Melinda Johnson wrote about Facebook Being a Stalker Boyfriend and she’s completely right. You all know my disdain for Facebook.

Bettie, one of my favorite bloggers, shares so many touching posts butthis one was interesting because it gave me the chance to hear her voice and more of her story. What a blessing!

I enjoyed this post by Heather Dawn about waking up on the wrong side of the bed (even with coffee!) because I could relate to it.

I could also relate to Autumn at Autumn Rain about her worry that she’s too late to blog, to write, to . . . well, whatever. And, no, Autumn, we are not too late. It’s never too late.

There is a lot interesting posts to digest at Our Little Red House, so I picked just one about her garden in the month of February. She gets to have a garden in February since she lives in Arizona.

This post from Becoming HIS Tapestry entitled Love Me; You Don’t have to Trust Me, hit home as there have been people in my life I haven’t fully trusted, but who I have loved.  Honestly, it might tip some of your preconceived notions about love right up on their head.

Some difficult, but important posts from the last month included:

This one on Storied Pathwayswhen she wrote about her grandmother, who is in the hospital, and who has meant to much to her. Get some tissues.

The Whole Truth Laid to Rest on A New Life was such a hard read, but just so necessary in a day and age where so many don’t respect life on the simplest, smallest levels. *trigger warning* This is the personal story of a woman who had an abortion years ago and is now facing the pain from that decision. No matter what you believe about the issue, this is her story and she has the right to that story as much as anyone else.

So, how about all of you? Read any good posts in February? Do some exciting things? Share links or stories in the comments and see you at the end of March for my March update (if I remember to do it or even have time with the move and yes, this post was supposed to be done for the end of February. Oops.).

 

Published by Lisa R. Howeler

Welcome to my blog! I am a wife and mom from Pennsylvania who also happens to write. I have been writing for 25 years, fourteen of those for smalltown newspapers in rural Pennsylvania and upstate New York. When I'm not writing about love, faith, and family life in a small town, I'm taking photographs and homeschooling my two children and also writing and publishing fiction. I blog a little bit about a lot of things on my blog Boondock Ramblings at www.lisahoweler.com.

20 thoughts on “Looking back at February, ahead to March, and favorite posts from the blogosphere”

  3. I love Pete’s stories! They’re fantastic!

    And your dog looks *just* like the one I had growing up. We named him Domino because of his one white spot on his chest. How coincidental!

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    1. I love his stories too… well, obviously. We had a dog that looks like the one we have now as a child but she was a border collie, so she was bigger than Zooma is. When we saw this puppy at our friend’s my daughter was three and she skipped around telling everyone we were getting the puppy with the spotted paws! This dog has been such an amazing addition to our family. She’s the sweetest pup.

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  4. Yeah I get that and I would be the same. I put way too much pressure on myself already just to be a good mum every day, I don’t think I could add schooling to the mix. Maybe for high school as the kids do most of it themselves but primary would be too much for me.

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    1. Not that I disagree, but one issue is that we look at homeschooling and try to shove it into the hole of traditional schooling. The issue with that is that homeschooling should be more flexible, giving students a chance to explore subjects more than they could in traditional school. My problem in the beginning was that I was trying to make homeschooling like traditional school – six hours of lessons/classes. But if you think about it, the actual instructional time at a “traditional” school, especially at the primary level, is much less time. A lot of a school day is filled with recess, eating lunches, waiting in a homeroom, and waiting for other students to catch up so that the class can move forward. In homeschooling, we can move as fast or as slow as we need to. And to be honest, primary has been so much easier to teach than high school – letters, numbers, colors … a cinch. Algebra and Chemistry? Lord, help me! Finding a good curriculum is important too. that’s where I get hung up … trying to find the right curriculum.

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      1. Oh true true. I did distance education throughout high school and my mum didn’t really know anything about it so it was all reading and writing for me and the occasional phone call to the school teachers. I didn’t need as much time to complete the work but I had to be completely self motivated which was hard when it came to subjects I didn’t like so much.

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  5. I think your incredibly brave for homeschooling 😁 In theory I’d love to do it but I know I wouldn’t have the patience or energy and I’d end up a mess, so good on you for doing it despite the critics and despite the struggles!

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  6. Dear Lisa,
    Thank you for the kind mention and sweet comments! I’m looking forward to checking in on the other posts you have mentioned too! And I am in the middle of your book about Blanche now, it’s giving me a great break from all the clutter and chaos in our newsfeeds–facebook included! I have some sweet and good connections there, but sometimes I just have to close it down, and step away. I’m so thankful that Jesus stays with us through all of these ups and downs! Praying and blessings for you during this month of transition!

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  7. Love your ramblings so never change that about you. Thank you for the mention, so happy you stop by for visits. I had a chance to visit a couple of posts from your recommendations, all good ones too. I almost clicked on the grandma one but I am not ready for that yet, will read another time hopefully. I still miss my Nana and grandma so I know I would need a box of tissues for that one. Really enjoyed Derrick’s adventures there with the ponies. That white one did look like a unicorn there for awhile. Congratulations on the sale, now the fun part starts ( just tell yourself that and all will work out).

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  9. This was fun to read! I think I started following you sometime around the start of this month, so it was a good moment to look back over that time. I also found some new bloggers to follow, from this post. Thanks!

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So, what do you think? Leave me a comment! I love to meet new people and chat with ones I already know!

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