For Today - December 11, 2009 - Friday

Outside My Window . . .it is cold, but not nearly as cold as recent days.

I am hearing. . . it's pretty silent here. The soft gentle breathing of Shiloh & the heater purring.

I Am Wearing. . . fleece from top to bottom.

I Am Thinking. . . . that today is going to be an extra special day: one way or the other.

I am wondering . . . why some people carry on about being best friends with you & then they never call, text or email? I think this is what is referred to as a "fair weather friend". :(

I Am Grateful. . . to see A & D & Kevin today! Yippee!

From the kitchen . . . Hot chocolate, tomato soup & grilled cheese sandwich.

I am going . . . to continue packing. The walls are looking pretty bare. All the photos from the "Hall of Frames" are packed away. The cozy cabin doesn't have any hallways (except out on the porch) so I'll not have room for all those family photos. I think I'm going to just scrapbook them. I'm not at all fond of formal portraits, I much prefer informal, natural light pix. Yep - I think I'll just scrapbook them.

I am reading . . . "Beautiful by Design: Stunning Blueprints for Harmonious Gardens" by Tara Dillard

I am hoping . . . to continue packing & tidy the house. It's looking rather messy.

Around the house . . . it's beginning to look rather barren with pictures, art & treasures slowly disappearing into packing boxes.


One of my favorite things . . . tearable strapping tape! I CANNOT manage the pro tape & pro tape dispenser. I guess you can say I need strapping tape for dummies!

Something you may not know about me . . . I have boxes & boxes of bird nests packed up & ready to go! I love the intricate architecture!

About Today Photo: Hubby admiring a small section of the 10' x 4' hall of frames! A

For Today - December 9, 2009 - Wednesday

Outside My Window . . .it is windy & cold & sunny! Yay!!!!! Perfect December weather!

I am hearing. . . birds fussing about the wild roses being gone & Rachael Ray on TV.

I Am Wearing. . . black turtleneck, black fleece vest & red fleece pants. Toasty warm am I!

I Am Thinking. . . . That I'll end up packing the entire house by myself. Hubby will be stuck with the storage shed out back. I have much to do.

I am wondering . . . when youngest son will be here. He's offered to come & help us paint, clean up, dig up & transplant, move to the little red cabin in the woods!

I Am Grateful. . . to have such a full, rich life. Nothing boring about it! Oh - others may think it's boring but I have a husband who is true; children who love me; friends who are always there for me; hobbies that challenge me; & roses that are still blooming!

From the kitchen . . . Hot chocolate. The stuff that is 1 point per cup - - - not the dark chocolate that is 3 points a cup. Just not worth it!

I am going . . . to continue packing, doing laundry, & peek in on Rachel Ray every now and again.

I am reading . . . colourmehappy.blogspot.com & Tara Dillard's book Garden Paths and Stepping Stones

I am hoping . . . to finish packing the dining room. It has lots & lots & lots of stuff in there. Remember: 4 tables, china hutch, armoire, floor to ceiling bookcase, gun cabinet & storage bench. Oh - a little green chest. Never mind - - - I don't think I'll finish today after all!

Around the house . . . like my daughter says of her place: the smell of boxes & tape. And hot chocolate & roses.

One of my favorite things . . . A cold sun shiny day!

Something you may not know about me . . . I buy books faster than I resell them on eBay! Remember, I live in a small town & the library usually doesn't have what I want! :(

About Today's Photo...Original Christmas art displayed on the town square.

For Today - December 8, 2009 - Tuesday

Outside My Window . . .
I know it is wet And the sun is not sunny.
But we can have lots of good fun that is funny!

"I know some good games we could play,"
Said the cat.
"I know some new tricks,"
Said the Cat in the Hat.

"A lot of good tricks
I will show them to you.
Your mother
Will not mind at all if I do."

And the local weatherman's FB update is: Good Tue AM! Fog/Drizzle around the area this morning, followed by a 70% chance of rain and a few t-storms. Slight risk for severe wx today south of a line from Palestine to Jacksonville to Center. Hi: 55. 30% showers to...night. Low: 37. Sunny Wed and cooler with highs in the mid 40's. Have a great day!"

Have a great day????

I am hearing. . . the heater humming & the birds raising a ruckus because it's drizzling & their monster wild roses are no longer here to provide cover. :(

I Am Wearing. . . warm clothes!

I Am Thinking. . . . I need to get out in this crummy weather & hunt down some small boxes! Books & glassware make for a very heavy box!!!

I am wondering . . . why I'm updating this blog instead of packing! There's really so much to be done.

I Am Grateful. . . to have gotten a good night's sleep! I went to bed around 10-10:30 & slept until 6:30! I don't think I got up in the middle of the night. If I did, I slept through it! Yay!

From the kitchen . . . Sausage kolaches.

I am going . . . going into town to get boxes. Continue packing; sorting through our files. We gave our 4 drawer file cabinet to our son-in-law who is using it in his office. We had files in 2 of the drawers, a quilting project in one of the drawers & mainly obsolete software in the 4th!

I am reading . . . not much of anything. I need to be working, not reading!

I am hoping . . . to stay warm & to stay focused.

Around the house . . . need I say it? Boxes & more boxes!

One of my favorite things . . . New things. I like change. I like new starts.

Something you may not know about me . . . I didn't really get dressed yesterday! I stayed inside & packed & listened to Christmas music & packed some more. Hubby came home for lunch. And then I went back to packing & never did get completely dressed! It was nice.

About Today's Photo...This is one of my favorite Christmas tree ornaments! One year the kids painted ornaments. AME's is gorgeous! Maybe she'll pot a pic of it at daeorourlives.blogspot.com Her's looks like a young Elizabeth Taylor! KMS' - - - not so much! But it still makes me smile every time I look at it. My mother's counted x-stitch ornaments & this one are definitely my favorites!

For Today - December 7, 2009 - Monday

Outside My Window . . . Oh - it's dreary & cloudy & cold & not at all pleasant to be out & about! Lantanas, which were blooming profusely a few days ago, are not all frost bitten. So is the Butterfly Milkweed. The greenhouse is totally dismantled & the songbirds which used to fill the monster roses are a bit discombobulated. There were a few fighting for who was going to perch on the two water spigots that are still standing above ground. :(

I am hearing. . . the heater running & the tea kettle whistling! BRB!

I Am Wearing. . . it's shameful to admit, but I'm still in my flannel pajamas with a white turtleneck shirt beneath! When there is no sun, I'm get chilled & can't seem to get warm!

I Am Thinking. . . . about serving the cats & dog in cut glass bowls! I'm sorting through my stuff & I have an inordinate amount of serving dishes. Since the cats (have I written about them yet?) & dog will need to eat out of something - - - why not a heavy, pretty cut glass bowl?

My girlhood friend, Brenda, served her cats out of the prettiest little dishes. At the time I thought she was a bit eccentric & over indulgent. But now I know what she knew 20 years ago: If you have it - - - use it!

Why should I water houseplants with a cracked Tupperware pitcher when I have a gorgeous silver one hidden away? Why store (and serve) apple juice out of a plastic bottle when I have a fabulous old decanter? Same for bath salts!

It's one thing to display these lovely items when there's room to do so. But the new dogtrot in the woods will not have near the amount of space. So out of the house with the broken & plastic & ugly, & out of the cupboards come the pretty & delightful! As one of my Facebook Friends said, "the critters will think they're in tall cotton"!

I am wondering . . . if I should get dressed and go to Good Samaritan to hunt for boxes? I got some wonderful (read "not ginormous")ones last week. Most of the ones we have are too large for china & books!

I Am Grateful. . . that someone named Elizabeth brought my mom some popcorn & a candy cane. It made mama so happy that she just called me to tell me so! Such a small thing, but the workers at the assisted living facility know she likes popcorn & someone went out of their way to pop some & bring it to her! It made my mama smile & laugh. It really is the little things. . . .

From the kitchen . . . Hot chocolate!

I am going . . . to maybe get dressed & continue packing the dining room. You need to know there's 4 dining room tables in there (never used more than 3 at a time); a china hutch, an armoire, floor to ceiling bookcase, gun cabinet (filled with scrap-booking stuff, don't you know) & a built in bench with storage. I think that room may have the most "stuff" in it of any other room. Except maybe the laundry/storage/library/pantry room!

I am reading . . . http://cozylittlehouse.blogspot.com/ & http://thehappyhomebody.blogspot.com/, seeing as how I've read EVERYTHING at Tara Dillard's blog!

I am hoping . . . to make really good progress in the dining room.

Around the house . . . the remains of the bouquet I picked last week before the frost, boxes, and boxes, and more boxes!

One of my favorite things . . . Planning my gardens!

Something you may not know about me . . . even though I'm Czech/German I don't like nor drink beer!

About Today's Photo...I'm finally able to post a pic of the flowers picked last week before the freeze!

For Today - December 5, 2009 - Saturday

Outside My Window . . . Sunny & frigid! It is gloriously sunny & cold --- without a cloud in the sky & not even a tiny breeze. Oh - & we never did get snow. Not even one, tiny fragile flake. It was much ado about nothing, as old Willie once said!

I am hearing. . . birds in what's left of the Tax roses! Hubby started taking down the greenhouse last Saturday & pulled up all the rose bushes on the north side of the structure, leaving all the ones on the south side. I guess they've gotten used to the new arrangement, because the wrens & goldfinches, etc. are chirping up a storm!

I Am Wearing. . . black fleece pants & a red turtleneck underneath a black v-neck shirt. Both long-sleeved! The mail man said I looked nice!

I Am Thinking. . . that Shiloh is a cold weather kind of guy! He still much prefers being indoors, but he spends more time outside now that the cold weather has arrived!

I am wondering . . . if I gave away my Alexandra Stoddard books or are they packed away? Since we want the view from indoors to be the focal point of the rooms, I've been advised to treat the windows themselves like art. And Tara suggested I read Stoddard's book, "Living Beautifully" to get a vision for making the windows themselves "art". I know I once had the book - - - plus several others of hers. But did I take it to the thrift store or did I pack it? I'm sure hoping I packed it!

I Am Gratefull. . . for hubby taking me out to eat last night. We went to "The Iron Horse Mercantile", which had all-you-can-eat fried catfish & shrimp buffet. I'm also grateful we don't go every Friday night!

Saw a sign that we're considering for the porch of the little red cabin in the woods, "Step down off your high horse or leave". It makes me smile! Although I'm not too big a fan of "word" plaques. Especially in the garden & porches!

From the kitchen . . . Good Sam "stuff" & my "stuff" & boxes and bouquets & Earl Gray Tea.

I am going . . . to clean that kitchen & pack. Or dream about landscaping.

I am reading . . . Still more from Tara Dillard.

I am hoping . . . to refrain from digging through packed book boxes in the hopes of finding Stoddard's book!

Around the house . . . The sweet scent of spicy, old-fashioned roses! And green polyfill. Shiloh has chewed up his dog bed, pulling out the stuffing!

One of my favorite things . . . Planning & dreaming & day dreaming & planning!

Something you may not know about me . . . I'm pretty neanderthal when it comes to designing blogs! DD (of http://daeofourlives.blogspot.com/) updated my blog for me! Isn't it pretty?

About Today's Photo...I was going to post a photo of the bouquet, but the computer keeps malfunctioning when I try - - - so no photo today :(

For Today - December 4, 2009 - Friday

Outside My Window . . . Brrrr - it's cold! And they're predicting snow, starting about noon today! I am excited since I know it won't stay around very long! Neither will the cold - - - it won't last long. Not at all like our miserably hot, humid, stifling, summers!

And there's dozens upon dozens of rosebuds! I guess I should bring them in? I'm pretty sure they won't blossom once they're exposed to ice!

I am hearing. . . the central heater humming & geese flying over the lake.

I Am Thinking. . . I've been way too negligent about taking photos the last several months. And to remedy that, I snapped away yesterday! Of course I should be packing - - - but what is more important? A girl has to keep her priorities in order!

I am wondering . . . What the little red cabin looks like throughout the day. "Windows with good light" was at the top of my list while house hunting! Second was that it have 2 toilets! Everything else was negotiable!

I Am Grateful. . . for all the bouquets I picked yesterday, in anticipation of a freeze!


From the kitchen . . . Bouquets of several different types of roses, pink yarrow, nandina berries & Black Eyed Susans!

I am going . . . to go into town; take more pix; & pack. Oh - and fold a load of whites.


I am reading . . . everything I can get my hands on by Tara Dillard!

I am hoping . . . it snows so I can practice snow photography!

Around the house . . . The sweet scent of spicy, old-fashioned roses!

One of my favorite things . . . My flower gardens.

Something you may not know about me . . . My camera is usually on the tripod, ready for me to snap away!

About Today's Photo...This morning's view from my living room. Yes - - - I am very much going to miss it!

For Today - December 3, 2009 - Thursday

Outside My Window. . . it is very cold & bright & sunny! The rose bushes are loaded with flowers & buds. I think I'll pick a bouquet today so they don't get knocked back by the freeze they predicting for early Saturday morning.

The ones that are blooming are all the heirloom roses: Erfurt, Belinda's Dream, Crimson Cascade, Climbing Old Blush, Ballerina, Mutabulis & others are blooming beautiful!

I am hearing. . . silence. All is quite, except for my tapping on the keyboard.

I am thinking . . . I live in a most wonderful small, rural community. I volunteered yesterday at Good Samaritan, where we handed out grocery sacks & boxes of food to 67 families, totally 186 people. And we'll do it again & again until we close for Christmas. Our community gives of their time, money, resources & energy. We never, no never, ever had to turn away someone because there was nothing to give them. I could not feed 186 people all by myself. But I can help feed them with all the others who volunteer. So can you ;)

I am wondering . . . if the closing on the house will actually occur on 12/11/09 or if there will be some type of hiccup?

I Am Grateful. . . that God's fingerprints are all over this little red cabin in the woods!

I wish I knew how to link to past posts of mine because the story continues on! Remember that darling white house with black shutters I was so enamored with? I'll have to go back & discover exactly when I blogged about it. Anyway - after many visits to the house & conversations with the homeowners we settled on a price & we were pretty much ready to proceed! We were ready to proceed, that is, until we got a phone call from the husband who said they were divorcing & his wife & children would be staying in the house. Well guess what!? While I was at Good Sam yesterday, the hubby left a message on my cell phone saying they've reconciled & they were once again selling the house!!!!

Normally I don't think God really cares which house a person chooses to live in, as long as they can afford it & aren't caught up in "the pride of life". I heard a radio preacher put it like this: It's like baking oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip, & snicker-doodle cookies & telling your child he can have one. We don't sit back & say, "He better pick the chocolate chip. If he chooses the snicker-doodle, I'm gonna' be so mad at him"! We don't have a preference . . . we just want to bless the kiddos with homemade cookies! He said it's the same about lots of choices we make in life. As long as it's affordable, safe & in good running condition, God maybe really doesn't care if we drive a Chevy or a Ford!

But in the case of the house we'll be moving into, I think He did have a preference! Everything about the white house with black shutters seemed to be God ordained from how we found it, to the next door neighbors, to the lot size, out buildings, fishing pond, etc.! Everything! And then the day the air conditioning man was suppose to come, the husband called Murray & told him they were divorcing, etc. Oh - I must add here that we prayed mightily that if it was not the best for us, that God would slam shut the door! And boy, did He! This was followed by requesting He also slam the door shut on my heart. . . . which He also did!

And the following Saturday I got up & found the little red cabin in the woods! And we are convinced, without a doubt, that this is the house God wants us in! We don't know why. . . but I'm sure we'll continue to see His hand in this decision. Life is so exciting when you're looking for evidence of HIM being involved in your life!

From the kitchen . . . Hot oatmeal + walnuts + apples = yummy, filling breakfast!

I am going . . . to call mom, do some more packing & sweep floors.

I am wearing . . . black fleece pants with a white turtleneck & underneath them all, CuddlDuds!

I am reading . . . LANDSCAPE DESIGN Decorating Styling; VANISHING THRESHOLD: Home Garden Life. Otherwise known as http://taradillard.blogspot.com/ I love the blurring of the indoors with the outdoors.

I am hoping . . . my sore throat goes away completely.

Around the house . . . It's gonna' be the same, day after day: piles & boxes!

One of my favorite things . . . Our Korean Sweetheart tree & our Japanese maple. Have been going over & over in my mind where to plant them at the house. I want to see them from either the porch. Or the living room. Or the kitchen. :)

Something you may not know about me . . . I haven't drank coffee in forever! I've completely converted to hot tea instead!

About Today's Photo...Since we won't be decorating for Christmas (we'll be packing instead) I thought I'd start adding photos from Christmases past. This is hubby & me last year.