The Front Porch Swing

[Beekissed]

I started getting grey in my mid thirties and so started adding subtle lighter shades in with foiling to cover the grey and that worked really well until the grey started taking over...too much and too often to keep from looking like a tri-colored skunk head.

Then I met a lady in her 50s that had the most beautiful white hair and her face was still tan and young and so I wanted to be released from this ritual too. Everyone thought I was too young to "let myself go" but nothing sounded more freeing to me than letting go of trying to be different than what I am. I had no man to impress and happen to think that silver hair is very pretty...especially in the sunlight. Men get to do it and they look handsome, but women aren't allowed to do it or they get accused of "letting yourself go".

My kids fought me on it, the people I worked with fought me on it and my siblings fought me on it....don't know why but, suddenly, everyone thought they owned my hair! My sisters actually got mad about it! I saw an old friend of mine this past year and the first thing she blurted out was, "They run out of box color at the store?" and I pointedly glanced at her head and replied, "Apparently not!".

Some days I think it makes me look old and tired and sometimes I think I love it more than I ever have loved my hair at any other color. It's healthier and saves me money, time and effort. My kids finally admitted they think it is pretty. My mother and siblings still feel like I need color, as do others. For me it's honest and the new normal for me at this stage in my life...this is me! (... it's me, it's me, O Lord, standin' in the need of prayer!

)

 

[perchie.girl]

I was the middle of 5 girls, and my dad's favorite. He worked so hard not to show it, but I always wanted to go with him for fishing, cutting firewood, hunting, etc. anything outdoors! I think the older two were kinda relieved to not have to go with. I never really hung out with other girls, lots of girl cousins and neighbors and not a lot of boys around - the few there were in the neighborhood were quite a bit older. And I never did girly things, my favorite Christmas was the one I got a train set. One of my favorite toys was a little set of cars - not really cars, it was 2 pickups, a horse trailer, two horses and 2 cows, and about 4 sections of tiny plastic fence. I think as a result of this, most of my good friends were male since they could relate to my hunting tales. I still do not understand females very well; curling my hair, painting my nails, makeup or fussing about clothes just ain't high on my list. So not too surprising that I ended up in a male dominated field, but I have learned to sit back and get to know my co-workers individually and let them find out that I kinda fit in and if that doesn't work, I am pushy enough to make my way into the group. Maybe never totally "one of the guys" but accepted enough to be comfortably included in most things. Even gone to Hooters with the gang a time or two

That was me to a T.... work wise.... I was an only child. Dad turned away from the whole farming thing .... his dad was a share cropper. I lived off his stories about the life. My outdoorsy stuff was with horses....

deb

 

[ocap]

You mean like how the rocks have similar cracks. How the Ravens will dance on the wind playing skill games with their brothers and sisters. The humming birds defending their territory with the fierceness of an attacking sewing needle.... And how the bird of Paradise Mesquite shoots its seeds as far as fifteen feet when the bean pods open.

Or a Male California quail stands watch while his flock forages and all their mutterings.... They used to line up on the fence and wait for me to come out to feed the chickens.... Scolding me if I was late or lingered. Or how each chicken has a different voice and you can tell your favorites instantly.

Right now the Bullfrogs will be out of their holes in the dirt madly looking for a mate.... I have no idea where they lay their eggs but there are always coin purse sized bullfrogs out when it rains. The Black tailed Jack Rabbits, Cottontails, and Bush Bunnies will be looking for nibbly stuff too.
Jack Rabbits can be as big as 6 lbs.

Bush Rabbit is smaller than a cottontail,

cottontail

Or how there are woody herbs on my land that can treat respiratory illness, body aches and pains, help you loose weight, Keep you awake if you need it..... Help with coughs, belly aches.... Or are simply stunning in their shape form or function....

Or how seeds of the Storks Bill after the first dry out will screw themselves into the ground

these are excellent forage for horses, cows, rabbits, goats sheep.... So are the plants.

deb

I seem to recall the Walt Disney's "Living Desert" where the film crew did a slow motion of those seeds screwing themselves into the soil, anyone else remember that scene?

 

[wyoDreamer]

I have been trying to find a good hairdresser for 7 years - ever since we moved here. Every one of them seems to trained for the 15 minute haircut and my hair is just too thick to not have it layered properly - like those good ole 80's styles - hee hee.
Hopefully, I will have better luck once we move back to WI.

Bee, it seems your day is going better. Good luck with your haircut!

I am thankful for the strong spiritual support I can find here on the Front Porch. It does my soul good to see the support everyone shows each other! I will admit that my faith in God is lacking, but I am finding my way back to him, ever so slowly. And you folks here are helping me so much. Thank you all!

 

[Beekissed]

I'm so very glad! There's no safer nor peaceful place to be right now in this world than close to the Lamb.

I have thick, wavy hair too, so the properly layered cut is the only one that works for me...if they get it wrong it will poof out in odd places. My hair doesn't grow long, it grows bigger.

 

[enola]

Same here Bee! Very good description of how my hair is......

BIGGER!

 

[wyoDreamer]

I am going grey also, but I am lucky to be a natural strawberry blonde. The grey is blending in nicely. 3 of my sisters are into the dye mindset. I try to do a chamomile tea rinse once a week to keep a brightness to my hair. Going to try shampoo free to see if I can get some moisture back into my hair as it is so dry and flyaway right now.

 

[ocap]

I am thankful for the strong spiritual support I can find here on the Front Porch. It does my soul good to see the support everyone shows each other! I will admit that my faith in God is lacking, but I am finding my way back to him, ever so slowly. And you folks here are helping me so much. Thank you all!

So many Christians fail to show God's irresistible love, Bee does a great job along with so many others on this porch.

Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.

Doubts are alright but please continue to seek answers to those doubts, I spent ten years finding some of the answers.....still looking for others and given up on some when the answer turns out to not be necessary. For me it is like putting Jesus on trial and trying to find out what is "reasonable doubt" and "conviction". The books in my signature below have some of the answers to my questions.

John

 

[Searsmom]

I'm so very glad! There's no safer nor peaceful place to be right now in this world than close to the Lamb.

I have thick, wavy hair too, so the properly layered cut is the only one that works for me...if they get it wrong it will poof out in odd places. My hair doesn't grow long, it grows bigger.

Same here Bee! Very good description of how my hair is......

BIGGER!

That's too funny. Since I whacked mine, I look like a triangle! Tried thinning it, but it just makes another wispy triangle on top of this one.

 

[Triple Willow]

I started getting grey in my mid thirties and so started adding subtle lighter shades in with foiling to cover the grey and that worked really well until the grey started taking over...too much and too often to keep from looking like a tri-colored skunk head.    Then I met a lady in her 50s that had the most beautiful white hair and her face was still tan and young and so I wanted to be released from this ritual too.  Everyone thought I was too young to "let myself go" but nothing sounded more freeing to me than letting go of trying to be different than what I am.  I had no man to impress and happen to think that silver hair is very pretty...especially in the sunlight.  Men get to do it and they look handsome, but women aren't allowed to do it or they get accused of "letting yourself go". 

My kids fought me on it, the people I worked with fought me on it and my siblings fought me on it....don't know why but, suddenly, everyone thought they owned my hair!  My sisters actually got mad about it!  I saw an old friend of mine this past year and the first thing she blurted out was, "They run out of box color at the store?" and I pointedly glanced at her head and replied, "Apparently not!".

Some days I think it makes me look old and tired and sometimes I think I love it more than I ever have loved my hair at any other color.  It's healthier and saves me money, time and effort.  My kids finally admitted they think it is pretty.  My mother and siblings still feel like I need color, as do others.  For me it's honest and the new normal for me at this stage in my life...this is me! (... it's me, it's me, O Lord, standin' in the need of prayer! ) 

You go girl!!!!!!!!