Proverb 31:17

This proverb is all about strength and being hard working. That certainly was Alice. Some translations talk about strengthening the arms and loins! The equivalent of today's gym workouts? I think even today any farmer's wife will tell you about the early starts – especially dairy farmers, as Alice was in her young life. I know she helped my Grandfather clear the land, because of a family story.

They had my Grandfather's grandmother living with them and even though she didn't speak English only Yiddish or Polish, at the beginning she was able to look after the children. One day Nana heard Bertha screaming and she looked out the window and there was my father wheeling his brother up the steep hill in a pram (My father was 4 and Trevor was 1) She started to call out and to her horror, my dad pushed the pram down the hill till it was hurtling down at a great speed. She recalled that she had never ran so fast and even managed to stop the pram before it hit the bottom where there were rocks and lots of tree stumps. Hours of walking the hills with my granddad paid off! It was decided then that Bertha would retire from child minding and Nana would look after the house and children and Bertha of course! And granddad got one of his brothers to help with the clearing. I think it was from that time that their inside/outside roles were firmly established.

I think that Proverbs 31:17 is one that is necessary for woman with children be it one or four or twelve, she needs to be strong with all that lifting of babies and the juggling of the household. If she starts out weak she certainly will end up strong!

I have used the painting that was in my first tribute – it was digitally manipulated. I haven't painted a separate painting for today's post as I have had the dreaded lurgy (flu) this week. But I managed to drag this painting out and I repainted her face as I was never happy with it. I had overworked it. Now I am pleased with it. She might even go on the wall.

29 Faces

For 29 Faces series I am up to no. 20 Wow! Just a quick pastel that's all I could cope with between the coughing, spluttering and feeling sorry for myself!

I was going to post on Up the Creek which is going well.  As I haven't worked on it at all this week I will post on it next week.

Have a happy PPF day and Sunday Sketches  everyone.

Linking with Paint Party Friday

and Spiritual Sundays
Sunday Sketches