For Today - November 24, 2010 - Wednesday

Outside My Window. . . It is cool & breezy & the leaves of autumn are falling & swirling & piling up on the ground.  It s perfect.

I Am Thinking. . . I have never been this content in any home, at least not the day before Thanksgiving.  You see, the other house had flowers.  Lots of flowers.  Oh how I have mourned not having any perennials or roses at this house.  Something was blooming almost year round.  But usually nothing on Thanksgiving Day.  Why?  Because we most often had a frost w/in the Thanksgiving week & the beautiful gardens turned to mush.  They usually looked just horrible. 

But that's not a problem here because there are very blessed few flowers!  Just a scraggly lantana & ruellia.  I'm not certain if the azaleas & hydrangeas we planted survived the summer.  They sure don't look like they have!  NOTE TO SELF: Never do any landscaping until you've been in a place for at least one year!

The point being is that there is no fear of the flowers being ruined at Thanksgiving.

There is something better at this house than autumn flowers.  Oh yes - I've bought some mums & pansies - but the real stars of the show are the trees!  Sweet gums, winged oak,  sassafras & I don't know all what else!

I may miss the flowers again next summer . . . . but not at all this autumn.  The trees are enough.  They are more than enough.  They are beautiful.

I Am Grateful. . . that I took the time to go on a short walk this morning.  I had my clippers with me just in case the Yaupon Holly was still holding on to its bright red berries as I wanted to bring some more into the house to use in a table arrangement along w/some branches of colorful leaves.

As I said earlier the air was crisp & cool & breezy.  The side road next to our house is covered w/colorful leaves.  Covered!  Instead of a wintry day blanket of snow it's a blanket of leaves!  An old red pickup truck came by, kicking up the leaves behind it just like you see in a car commercial!

I was so enjoying the falling leaves & the breeze & the birds singing when  spied the holly & yes!, the red berries are still covering it!  I impulsively threw my arms out into the air & spun around!  Yes!  Like a child I spun around w/glee! 

And then it hit me . . . I haven't felt that sort of freedom since I was a little girl.  I ran to the holly w/my arms outstretched like a kid pretending to be an airplane!  Like seeing an old friend!

And I was overwhelmed with such contentment.  And joy.

Now don't get me wrong. . . . I am most often very contented: sleeping on my husband's chest; spending time w/my children & grandchildren; having God reveal something to me through His word.  Contentment is a regular part of my life.  But there are lots of ways to experience contentment.

At the old house I experienced it outdoors with my flowers & today I experienced it outdoors w/the trees & berries & leaves!  And the birds chirping!  It was like Disney movie, except so much better!  It was real!

Ah - I've been glowing ever since!  It's a very nice day.

From The Kitchen . . . pumpkin seeds roasting; & all the ingredients to make pecan tarts & broccoli/rice casserole.  Oh!  And 4 loaves of Maxine's fabulous sourdough bread!

I Am Creating. . . .an abundant life.  An abundant life filled with love.

I Am Going. . . . .to get off the computer & more progress on my to-do list.

I Am Reading . . . my to-do list! ;)

I Am Hoping . . . . to hold on to this sublime feeling.

I Am Hearing . . . the wind through the trees.  A car passing by.  And those acorns hitting the roof!

Around The House . . .Busy-ness.  The busy-ness of getting ready for a holiday.  Since Thanksgiving is my all-time favorite holiday I don't mind it at all!

I Am Wearing. . . Capris, lightweight denim shirt & walking shoes.

I Am Thinking . . .if I make it through my list I must go out & take picture this evening.  Before I know it all the leaves will be off the trees!

I Am Wondering . . . about nothing.  Not really.  All of life is wonder-ful.  So either I'm wondering about nothing.  Or else about everything!

One Of My Favorite Things. . .Sublime contentment!

Something You May Not Know About Me. . . My given middle name is Mae.

About Today's Photo. . .Isn't this a crazy way to make a to-do list?  Does yours look so "mappy"? 

I am happy to say that a great many of the jobs have been checked off the list!

For Today - November 17, 2010 - Wednesday

Please pray for the family of of Michael Loua.   A former student at Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary in Jacksonville, TX and dedicated missionary, Michael chose the service of his Lord over the things of this world. Sunday, November 14, he paid the ultimate price for spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Pray that God will raise up others to take his place.

He leaves behind a wife, 8 months pregnant, & 3 children.  Please pray for them & all involved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM7CslYfNGk

For Today - November 16, 2010 - Tuesday

Outside My Window. . . Cool!  Sunny!  Crisp leaves!  Lots of little acorns!

I Am Thinking. . . .I know how to make inexpensive meals.  For instance, when I bake potatoes, I bake extra & store in the refrigerator (not in the foil, though.  My friend told me not to).  Then when I need a quick meal I dice them, toss into iron skillet with a bit of heated olive oil or butter, add some minced onion & there you have it: homemade hash-browns!  Poach a couple of eggs & there you have it: an easy, peasy breakfast or as it will be tonight: breakfast for dinner!

I Am Grateful. . . that yesterday was a very lazy day for me.  The last several weeks have been go, go, go & it was nice to have a lazy day.

From The Kitchen . . . A teapot on the stove.  I love my  hot tea! 

I Am Creating. . . .a neat house . . . didn't do it yesterday.

I Am Going. . . . .to get mama & then we'll both get our hair cut.  I'm in the process of growing it out. . . . I can't stand it on my neck in the summer & keep it short. . . . in the winter I can't stand cold air on my neck & need it longer.  So. . . . it's at that awkward stage.

I Am Reading . . .Chemistry of Essential Oils Made Simple: God's Love Manifest in Molecules by Dr. David Stewart.

I Am Hoping . . . . to speed through the household chores.

I Am Hearing . . . clocks ticking & the Eden Pure humming, the washing machine spinning & acorns & branches falling on the metal roof.  I don't worry about it, though.  The metal is tough & the walls are even tougher.  I think I've mentioned that the walls appear to be petrified.  For real.  Isn't that something?

Around The House . . .A bed to make, dishes to put away & dog hair to eliminate!

I Am Wearing. . . Oh.  You don't want to know.  Really.  You don't.

I Am Thinking . . .today might be a good day to take pix of the beautiful foliage.

I Am Wondering . . . if I should take pix or clean house!

One Of My Favorite Things. . .Cool, crisp, sunny days.

Something You May Not Know About Me. . . I used to love lots of color.  The other house had red walls, gold walls & gray walls.  This house has more neutral walls.  And I've removed most of the colored dishes from the open upper kitchen cabinets & replaced them with white ironstone.  There is still plenty of color - - - don't get me wrong!  Not at all minimalist or completely neutral.  I's just now I'd rather see the light & its effect on neutral surfaces.  Light & shadows are taking a more important role than color. 

About Today's Photo. . .There's nothing like the fragrance of fresh towels. . . . . Here - take a deep breath!

For Today - November 15, 2010 - Monday

Outside My Window. . . Cool, damp & cloudy. The lighting has been horrible for the last 3 days, with the sun peeking out very infrequently. Even though the autumn foliage is the best it has been in years. . . . I haven't taken any shots yet. I'm waiting for the sun & camera to have to have a convergence! :)

I Am Thinking. . . .My mama is happiest going to the doctor every 2 or 3 months. . . apparently just to have him tell her she's doing fine. She's 89 & gets around on her own, so I guess it's a plan that works for her!

I Am Grateful. . . for a very blessed Sunday. Yesterday was son-in-law's birthday. My daughter made his favorite, White Chili & a scrumptious cake! Friends were there to celebrate & we ate, David opened presents, we halfheartedly watched football & played a rousing game of Uno!

From The Kitchen . . . A couple of leftover baked potatoes, a pan of cornbread, some chili brought home from my daughter's. Supper is going to be easy tonight!

I Am Creating. . . .a plan for this week that includes a trip to mama's doctor.

I Am Going. . . . .to hang shutters, sweep/vacuum & do a bit of laundry.

I Am Reading . . .Chemistry of Essential Oils Made Simple: God's Love Manifest in Molecules by Dr. David Stewart.

I Am Hoping . . . . To edit a few photos.

I Am Hearing . . . clocks ticking & the Eden Pure humming.

Around The House . . .A tiny bit of tidying up. . . . main culprit being dog hairs!

I Am Wearing. . . Oh. My. Now you must remember - one of my most favorite things is to be able to stay home & not get dressed, etc. So - at 10:38 I'm still in quite a get-up. Plaid flannel sleep pants, a black turtleneck, gray sweatshirt, hot pink leg warmers (but you can't see them unless I pull up the pant legs!) & big & thick house socks! I am a sight! But I'm toasty warm & oh-so-very-comfortable!

I Am Thinking . . . I really want a pistol. And Concealed Handgun classes.

I Am Wondering . . . why, even though mama's test came back negative for an UTI, her doctor wrote her a prescription for an antibiotic? This really frustrates & irritates me. Antibiotics are wonderful life saving drugs when not misused!

One Of My Favorite Things. . .Apparently staying home & looking completely tacky!

Something You May Not Know About Me. . . I am a huge Big Bang Theory fan. Those boys make me laugh!

About Today's Photo. . . Amanda & A# with the delicious Heat Bar Cake! I've tried adding some more pix, but blogger will post them only on their side, even though I've saved them right-side-up. If anyone can tell me how to correct this, I'll post them.

2010 11 14 018, originally uploaded by Vera*Smith.

For Today - November 10, 2010 - Wednesday

Outside My Window. . . bright sunshine, & very moderate temps, with a predicted high of 75 degrees. And those acorns are still falling from the trees, onto the metal roof.

I Am Thinking. . . .I've done a lot of blogging these last two days!

I Am Grateful. . . for a very blessed evening last night. Daughter & hubby, & Christy & hubby, both who need to update their blogs, came over for a lasagna dinner, which was followed up with me giving the girls Raindrop massages.

From The Kitchen . . . Leftover lasagna, and lots of organic fruit & veggies.

I Am Creating. . . .my November & December schedule/calendar. It fills up so fast!

I Am Going. . . . .to wash massage linens and towels.

I Am Reading . . This will stay the same for quite a long while . . . Chemistry of Essential Oils Made Simple: God's Love Manifest in Molecules by Dr. David Stewart. And "Healing, God's Forgotten Gift" for tomorrow's Bible study

I Am Hoping . . . . Mama's doctor will just write her a script for antibiotics.

I Am Hearing . . . two clocks ticking. . .

Around The House . . .The aroma of last night's massages.

I Am Wearing. . . That poor, pitiful chenille robe. It really now qualifies as a rag!

I Am Thinking . . . I need to continue on w/the laundry.

I Am Wondering . . . when her doctor will call?

One Of My Favorite Things. . .Autumn. Especially when it feels like autumn. But 75 is definitely much better than 95 or 105 degrees!

Something You May Not Know About Me. . I have NO family photos in our bedroom except for hubby & me.

About Today's Photo. ..

I don't drink coffee. It's tea for me: Earl Grey, Lemon Ginger, Jasmine. . . . always tea. . . . haven't drank coffee for months & months.

For Today - November 9, 2010 - Monday

SIMPLE WOMAN'S DAYBOOK

Outside My Window. . . bright sunshine, & very moderate temps.  

Acorns falling onto the tin roof.  Oh my!  What wonderful noise!

I Am Thinking. . . .I am glad I'm through with today's errands: dry cleaning dropped off; loaf of bread bought to make garlic bread tonight; my bank deposit; Good Sam's bank deposit; Good Sam board meeting; Post Office visit; & picked up pattern flier from Rachel on way home; stopped by by the CPA's office AND made several phone calls.

I Am Grateful. . . for a very productive morning.

From The Kitchen . . . All the fixins' for a lasagna dinner tonight to celebrate Tim's birthday (since I wasn't here Friday when they all celebrated) & to celebrate his new position at one of the Baptist churches in our town.

I Am Creating. . . .order in my house.  I was out of town this past weekend, did lots of computer work yesterday, & want to catch up today.

I Am Going. . . . .finish laundry, tidy house, vacuum/sweep floors & make fabulous lasagna!

I Am Reading . . . Chemistry of Essential Oils Made Simple: God's Love Manifest in Molecules by Dr. David Stewart.  It is AMAZING! 

I Am Hoping . . . . to make quick progress w/the house!

I Am Hearing . . . acorns falling on the metal roof, a clock ticking & some type of heavy machinery.

Around The House . . .Lots of fresh produce.  Dog hair.  And an unmade bed.

I Am Wearing. . . Khaki cargo pants; turquoise 3/4 sleeve, V-neck t-shirt; brown suede-like jacket; wondrful scarf I bough ages ago from a thrift store: made in Italy...beautiful colors & soft as can be.

I Am Thinking . . I need to start browning veggies & ground beef for the lasagna sauce. 

I Am Wondering . . . if I have water.  Some of the noise I'm hearing is coming from across the street where there was a Water Dept truck.

One Of My Favorite Things. . .The house all opened up. . . . fresh air. . . . a breeze. . . . birds chirping. . . cattle mooing. . . . It's the best

Something You May Not Know About Me. . .I almost never set down my glasses where they can be stepped on or sat upon!  

About Today's Photo. . .An updated, albeit blurry, photo of me!

For Today - November 1, 2010 - Monday

SIMPLE WOMAN'S DAYBOOK

Outside My Window. . .it is warm & muggy & foggy.

I Am Thinking. . . .I am the luckiest most blessed woman I know!

I Am Grateful. . . for a safe trip yesterday & the chance to visit w/both my hubby & sweetest of all daughters while on the road.

From The Kitchen . . . Cinnamon Toast. And dishes that need to be washed!

I Am Creating. . . . a life that I love, love, love!

I Am Going. . . . .to make a bank deposit, stop by Good Samaritan & take a check to John, to buy cases of oil to hand out to our clients.

I Am Reading . . . the bright pink booklet, explaining how to work the polls.

I Am Hoping . . . . to get the house into shape & start on my Project Display. I ended up not working on it at all this past weekend as hubby & I were asked to walk in a parade & toss poison candy to the children.

I Am Hearing . . . acorns falling on the metal roof & the washing machine spinning.

Around The House . . . Stuff. . . . just ordinary weekend stuff to be put away & tidy up. Nothing remarkably messy. . . .

I Am Wearing. . . Oh - you're not going to believe this! Turquoise 3/4 sleeved v-neck T, walking shoes AND red plaid flannel pajama pants! Yep - you heard right! I am SO stylin' this morning!

Hubby, daughter & I made a quick day-trip yesterday & I ended up spending the night @ DD's house. I didn't have pajamas w/me so I borrowed the plaid pajama pants. We had to hit the road very early this morning & I didn't feel like putting my khakis back on, so she drove me home in this outrageous combo!

I Am Thinking . . that the load of whites is probably ready to go into the dryer.

I Am Wondering . . . how productive today will be. I'm not a big fan of cloudy weather. Not when I need to get things done.

One Of My Favorite Things. . .A clean kitchen. And I was happy to bless my daughter & wash, dry & put away all her dishes & have her start her week w/a relatively clean kitchen.

Something You May Not Know About Me. . .When it's hubby, daughter & myself traveling. . . . I let my daughter ride in the front with my husband. I use the excuse of her bad back. . . . but really it's because they don't get to spend as much time together as she & I do, & I know they especially enjoy the time together in the front!

About Today's Photo. . . Sweetest & youngest granddaughter in the prairie costume I made her. Isn't she adorable? This fantastic photo was taken by my son (on his cell phone, no less!) - edited by me.

For Today - October 30, 2010 - Saturday

Outside My Window. . .It's chilly & the sun has almost completely set.  Bright yellow mums are watered.  A few of the brightly colored leaves & acorns are swept from the sidewalk.  The rug has been shaken out & is back down in front of the door.

I Am Hearing . . . the football game that my hubby is watching in the next room.

I Am Wearing. . . white jeans, red turtleneck, black fleece vest & walking shoes.

I Am Thinking . . that I need to go wash dishes & tidy the kitchen before making supper!

I Am Wondering . . . how much I will get done tonight.  There is *stuff* on the dining room table.  *Stuff* I need to work on a project.  I was *suppose* to work on that project today, but instead I walked in a parade w/my hubby throwing out candy to the kidlets & then visited w/my daughter for longer than I intended.  But my hubby wasn't going to be home & her hubby was gone, so it was just us two girls & we had a great, great visit.

I Am Grateful. . . for a fun & low-key kind of day.

From The Kitchen . . . Since we had Mexican food for lunch, supper is going to be meager: Chicken Soup.

I Am Reading . . . The bright pink booklet, explaining how to work the polls.

I Am Hoping. . .to get ideas for my project so I can work on them Monday morning. 

Around The House . . .  Really nothing much except a project in progress & a few dishes to wash.

One Of My Favorite Things. . .Hearing my hubby relaxing in the next room. 

Something You May Not Know About Me. . .I once was an Election Judge. . . . maybe you didn't know that.

About Today's Photo. . . Me. . . . this is about as *costumed* as I get!  :)

For Today - October 29, 2010 - Friday

Outside My Window. . .Chilly willy outside! Very cool. . . almost cold. . . . but it's suppose to get up to 70 so I'm a-okay. Still lots of acorns & Sweet-gum balls on the ground. . . .And bright yellow mums near the porch! Yay for sun-shiny, yellow mums!

I Am Hearing . . . a car in the distance, crows caw-ing, & a clock ticking.

I Am Wearing. . . the softest blue plaid knit sleep pants & a sweat shirt!

I Am Thinking . . we're not getting new flooring any time soon in the dining room.

I Am Wondering . . .What we're doing this weekend.

I Am Grateful. . . for my health.

From The Kitchen . . . Old-fashioned oatmeal w/chopped organic apples & cinnamon & Lemon - Ginger tea.

I Am Reading . . . Nothing much at all.

I Am Hoping. . .to take my sewing machine to the repair shop. The man on the phone said they can fix anything that sews. Mine is a Swiss made Elna hubby bought for me about 36 years ago. We paid $1200 for it in 1974 & according to an inflation calculator it would be worth $5162.42 in 2009. Since it's had only one tune-up in all these years, I think I'm gonna' keep it!!!!

Around The House . . .It's cool & the house is clean & the dining/computer/sitting room is full of morning sunlight! Anyone want to come over to have their pix taken? It's the perfect time of day for natural light photography!

One Of My Favorite Things. . .Crunchy leaves.

Something You May Not Know About Me. . .Hmmm? Have I told you I hate dusting & dusty furniture doesn't really bother me. I think it probably should bother me. . . .but it really doesn't. Clutter drives me batty & I'm usually pretty good about putting things back where they belong. But dust? It's a-okay w/me! Shameful, I know.

About Today's Photo. . . The little cabin is on a corner, surrounded by cattle, pastures & woods. This was seen on the little side road while walking the dog yesterday. . .

For Today - October 26, 2010 - Tuesday

Outside My Window. . .It's cool, damp & breezy w/a chance of rain this morning. Last chance for this week.

Lots of acorns & Sweet-gum balls on the ground. . . .

I Am Hearing . . . the wind blowing, crickets chirping & Shiloh snoring.

I Am Wearing. . . the softest blue plaid knit sleep pants & a T-shirt

I Am Thinking . . that as much as I want new flooring in the dining room, it's a bit of an undertaking to have it done by Thanksgiving. Hubby will do the job himself. . . . he's just that kind of guy. . . and more than capable. . . . but a lot to do before Thanksgiving.

I Am Wondering . . .if we'll be able to do a controlled burn this weekend, as planned. I need to call the Fire Station today & find out if they think it's safe enough. I'm guessing the answer will be "no".

I Am Grateful. . . that the house is clean.

From The Kitchen . . . organic banana & pear. Planning to have a super protein drink for breakfast 'cause I'm not really hungry for anything else. And it's still warm enough for smoothies. I don't care for them during cold weather, so might as well enjoy while I can!

I Am Reading . . . current issue of Texas Monthly.

I Am Hoping. . .to buy some pumpkins and mums!

Around The House . . .Clean sheets with that wonderful clean smell! Freshly swept & vacuumed floors. Tidiness abounds!

One Of My Favorite Things. . .is a house that doesn't need much work done to it.

Something You May Not Know About Me. . .I am usually reading several books at one time. And I don't read fiction. I used to. But now I find it much more interesting to read up about photography or Essential Oils or gardening or. . . . .

About Today's Photo. . . Grandson & Anolis Carolinensis @ Texas Fresh Water Fisheries.

For Today - October 25, 2010 - Monday

Outside My Window. . .It is cool, damp, & breezy & branches & twigs are down. . . but that's not really new. East TX had horrible weather over the weekend & we drove through some if it: trees down across the highway & a transformer *blew* as we drove by. But we are safe. The house is safe. And it appears we got enough rain to settle the dust. . . . but that's all. No significant rainfall at all for us. Bummer! And with it being so breezy today, I'm guessing everything will be dry & brittle before long.

I Am Hearing . . The wind blowing through the trees & a couple of birds chittering away. Acorns, gumballs, & pine cones landing on the metal roof. Yep - it sounds like the little cabin is under attack! ;)

I Am Wearing. . . a red 3/4 sleeved, v-necked T & khaki pants.

I Am Thinking . . I want to go back to bed. I've been up since 3AM; it's cloudy outside & it seems like a nice thing to do.

I Am Wondering . . .about nothing. . . . really. Nothing at all. Some days are like that . . . .

I Am Grateful. . . that I went to church yesterday & even though I worked the nursery & didn't get to hear the sermon, it's been reported that my son-in-law gave a wonderful message. I *did* get to hear Amanda & Christiy sing a duet, but missed their solos. I wish I could have heard them both, especially this one Amanda sang. . . . it's a new one for me. She wants it sung at her funeral.

From The Kitchen . . . Leftover Jambalaya & leftovers from Applebees. We went out into that horrible weather on Saturday! Saw the movie, Red, & ate at Applebees. It's been years since I've eaten there. . . I didn't much care for it. Blech! But the movie was a lot of fun & made me laugh. A lot! And plenty of action for the men, too!

I Am Reading . . Still - nada!

I Am Hoping. . .to catch up on rest? I don't know. No real plans for today.

Around The House . . .oh - I should probably wash the sheets. . . . .

One Of My Favorite Things. . .is a house that doesn't need much work done to it.

Something You May Not Know About Me. . .I started wearing contact lenses when I was 13. They were big, round & hard.

About Today's Photo...

For Today - October 25, 2010 - Monday

Outside My Window. . .It is cool, damp, & breezy & branches & twigs are down. . . but that's not really new. East TX had horrible weather over the weekend & we drove through some if it: trees down across the highway & a transformer *blew* as we drove by. But we are safe. The house is safe. And it appears we got enough rain to settle the dust. . . . but that's all. No significant rainfall at all for us. Bummer! And with it being so breezy today, I'm guessing everything will be dry & brittle before long.

I Am Hearing . . The wind blowing through the trees & a couple of birds chittering away. Acorns, gumballs, & pine cones landing on the metal roof. Yep - it sounds like the little cabin is under attack! ;)

I Am Wearing. . . a red 3/4 sleeved, v-necked T & khaki pants.

I Am Thinking . . I want to go back to bed. I've been up since 3AM; it's cloudy outside & it seems like a nice thing to do.

I Am Wondering . . .about nothing. . . . really. Nothing at all. Some days are like that . . . .

I Am Grateful. . . that I went to church yesterday & even though I worked the nursery & didn't get to hear the sermon, it's been reported that my son-in-law gave a wonderful message. I *did* get to hear Amanda & Christiy sing a duet, but missed their solos. I wish I could have heard them both, especially this one Amanda sang. . . . it's a new one for me. She wants it sung at her funeral.

From The Kitchen . . . Leftover Jambalaya & leftovers from Applebees. We went out into that horrible weather on Saturday! Saw the movie, Red, & ate at Applebees. It's been years since I've eaten there. . . I didn't much care for it. Blech! But the movie was a lot of fun & made me laugh. A lot! And plenty of action for the men, too!

I Am Reading . . Still - nada!

I Am Hoping. . .to catch up on rest? I don't know. No real plans for today.

Around The House . . .oh - I should probably wash the sheets. . . . .

One Of My Favorite Things. . .is a house that doesn't need much work done to it.

Something You May Not Know About Me. . .I started wearing contact lenses when I was 13. They were big, round & hard.

About Today's Photo...Autumn in east TX

For Today - October 23, 2010 - Saturday

Outside My Window. . It is clear & cool & breezy. But the weatherman says to prepare for some storms. I'm looking forward to that - - - we so desperately need the rain.

I Am Hearing . . Cicadas doing their thing & a crow. And as suddenly as they start, they fall silent. And I hear nothing. No thing. Maybe a storm is heading this way after all? Usually we hear the birds.

Now I hear the wind.

And the cicadas are starting back up again!

And acorns, gum balls, & pine cones are falling on the metal roof of this cozy little cabin.

It's just that kind of a day!

I Am Wearing...a pink nightgown. Yep - it's almost 4 PM & I'm still in my gown although I've been up since 6:30.

No shoes either, although I have been productive: made a triple batch of jambalaya, washed 3 loads of clothes, edited some photos & updated my other blog, The Cozy Little Cabin, . All-in-all a lazy kind of day.

I Am Thinking . . I need to mend mama's coat & take my 35+ year old Elna sewing machine for a tuneup!

I Am Wondering . . .why, oh why, mama cannot understand that it's not her cell phone - but *operator error*. Maybe we should just get her a land-line & be done w/it!

I Am Grateful. . . that I saw my daughter-in-law & two youngest grandchildren yesterday. And oh-so-grateful we all caught some catfish! Grandson caught 6 or 7 of them himself! And he learned how to get catfish off the hook w/o injuring himself! Yee haw!

And I'm very grateful that the Prairie dress & pinafore perfectly fit granddaughter! It looked so very long, hanging up. . . . but the length is perfect. I think she's grown a great deal since July when I saw her last.

From The Kitchen . . . A triple batch of Jambalaya! And fresh organic pears, bananas, lettuce, spinach, peppers, etc.

I Am Reading . . Nothing at the moment. A rarity, I know!

I Am Hoping. . .to get mama's coat mended.

Around The House . . .Hubby snoozing on the couch. A load of whites waiting to be folded. The windows are open & the smell of autumn is in the air & in the house. In other words: perfection!

One Of My Favorite Things. . .is a lazy day.

Something You May Not Know About Me. . .For a short while I was a midwife's assistant.

About Today's Photo...Lotuses from yesterday's trip to Texas Fresh Water Fisheries

For Today - October 18, 2010 - Monday

Outside My Window. . It is cloudy & cool w/a predicted high of 85. In October. Yeah - what's up w/that?

I Am Hearing . . .Dogs panting. I have my dog & my daughter's two. We just came in from the porch. Apparently lounging around outside wore them out!

I Am Wearing...black velour pants &red v-neck, 3/4 sleeve T & bare feet.

I Am Thinking . . I need to finish decorating the porch & put out some bird seed. Also need to fold a load of jeans.

I Am Wondering . . .if mom's cell phone miseries are now over . . . . she has a new number. . . . hopefully the nuisance calls will cease. At least for a while.

I Am Grateful. . . that my hubby dealt w/the cell phone issue. I've done it every other time & was in no mood to mess w/it again. He handled it. Thank you, Honey. I owe you!

From The Kitchen . . . Soapy water w/morning dishes waiting to be washed.

I Am Reading . . .Max Lucado from When God Whispers Your Name.

"It is quiet, It is early. My coffee is hot. The sky is still black, the world is still asleep. The day is coming. In a few moments the day will arrive. It will roar down the track with the rising sun. The stillness of the dawn will be exchanged for the noise of the day. The calm solitude will be replaced by the pounding pace of the human race.

The refuge of the early morning will be invaded by decisions to be made and deadlines to be met. For the next twelve hours I will be exposed to the days demands. It is now that I must make a choice. Because of Calvary, I am free to choose.... And so I choose…

I choose Love…No occasion justifies hatred; no injustice warrants bitterness. I choose love. Today I will love God and what God loves.

I choose Joy…I will invite my God to be the God of circumstance. I will refuse the temptation to be cynical, the tool of the lazy thinker. I will refuse to see people as anything less than human beings, created by God. I will refuse to see any problem as anything less than an opportunity to see God.

I choose Peace…I will live forgiven. I will forgive so that I may live.

I choose Patience…I will overlook the inconveniences of the world. Instead of cursing the one who takes my place, I’ll invite him to do so. Rather than complain that the wait is too long, I will thank God for a moment to pray. Instead of clinching my fist at new assignments, I will face them with joy and courage.

I choose Kindness…I will be kind to the poor, for they are alone. Kind to the rich, for they are afraid. And kind to the unkind, for such is how God has treated me.

I choose Goodness…I will go without a dollar before I take a dishonest one. I will be overlooked before I will boast. I will confess before I will accuse, I choose goodness.

I choose Faithfulness…Today I will keep my promises. My debtors will not regret their trust. My associates will not question my word. My husband will not question my love. And my children will not fear their Mother will not come home.

I choose Gentleness…Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice may it only be in praise. If I clench my fist, may it only be in prayer. If I make a demand, may it only be of myself.

I choose Self-Control…I am a spiritual being. After this body is dead, my spirit will soar. I refuse to let what will rot, rule the eternal. I choose self-control. I will be drunk only by joy. I will be impassioned only by my faith. I will be influenced only by God. I will be taught only by Christ. I choose self-control.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To these I commit my day. If I succeed, I will give thanks. If I fail, I will seek His grace. And then, when the day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest."

I Am Hoping. . .to finish decorating the porch! Glory! How nice it will be to have the whole thing livable!

Around The House . . .3 dogs. Need I say more?

One Of My Favorite Things. . .is a homey home.

Something You May Not Know About Me. . .I have not put out very much birdseed since we've moved here. I used to put out pounds per week. Now we have lots of trees. And lots of squirrels. I am not fond of rodents of any variety. They eat birdseed. While enjoying the newly rearranged porch this morning, the Titmice, Chickadees & Cardinals came to accuse me. Accusing me of lying to them. While at the old house I told them about our move, 2 miles as the crow flies &amp that I'd continue feeding them if they followed me here. They know that's not true. They know I lie.

I need to do as my brother did & buy one of those funky squirrel feeders that are off balance &amp as a result the squirrels flip off - flying through the air. I might as well get some enjoyment - right?

About Today's Photo...This photo is from Tara Dillard's blog. I love, love this structure. . . which is in Douglasville, Georgia. Supposedly built from a lot of *found* materials, it is perfect...just perfect! Don't you love the metal culvert over the doorway? I so want this conservatory!

I almost covet it. Except..except....except for our dreaded mosquitoes. And snakes. And what is to keep mice from setting up house in the bed? Or the dresser drawers? Not to mention having to drag everything into the house when rains come. But. . . . . if I lived in Eden - this is the shelter I'd want!

For Today - October 17, 2010 - Sunday

Outside My Window. . It is sunny & cool w/out a cloud in t he sky & lots & lots of crunchy leaves.

I Am Hearing . . .Birds & traffic

I Am Wearing...black velour pants & eggplant colored v-neck, 3/4 sleeve T, walking shoes & a soft Italian made scarf around my neck. I bought it for pennies from the thrift store about a dozen years ago. I still love it.

I Am Thinking . . I need to finish cleaning off the porch.

I Am Wondering . . .if Kevin will really go visit Norway this winter!

I Am Grateful. . . that 5 drops of Young Living lavender on a piece of bread got rid of all my allergy symptoms: watery eyes, running nose, sneezing, sore throat & "blah" feeling. All symptoms gone in less than an hour!

From The Kitchen . . . Homemade chicken noodle soup.

I Am Reading . . am not currently reading anything. Yeah - I know - there must be a crack in the matrix! :)

I Am Hoping. . .to finish clearing off porch, wash some laundry, & tidy guest room.

Around The House . . Heritage photos waiting to go into upper cupboard; floors crying out to be swept/vacuumed & an ironing board set up in the dining room, waiting for me to continue sewing grand daughter's pinafore.

One Of My Favorite Things. . .is a day like today!

Something You May Not Know About Me. . .I keep a crock-pot in my bedroom. I've recently started giving massages & one of the last things is to put a hot, damp towel on the person's back. It's easier for me to prepare ahead of time & keep it warm in the crock-pot. So - - - when I'm looking for it this Thanksgiving - please remind me to look in my bedroom!

About Today's Photo...I miss our chickens.

For Today - October 4, 2010, Monday

Outside My Window. . It is sunny & cool w/out a cloud in t he sky & lots & lots of crunchy leaves.

I Am Hearing . . .Birds & a clock ticking.

I Am Wearing...black velour pants & red v-neck, 3/4 sleeve T.

I Am Thinking . . I need to go walking as soon as I'm finished w/lunch.

I Am Wondering . . .if I have enough paint to finish painting frames. I have a photo shoot tomorrow & we will possibly have frame the student council! ;)

I Am Grateful. . . for Kwabena coming over last evening to encourage me & pray with me. What a wonderful surprise! What a guy!

From The Kitchen . . . Pot roast w/carrots & potatoes in the oven.

I Am Reading . . Feng Shui God's Way by Janet McBride

I Am Hoping. . .that hubby wears the strip to keep him from snoring. I didn't get much sleep last night!

Around The House . . .a quilt waiting to be folded & some stuff in the bedroom to put away. Oh yeah - & I guess it's time to sort through the cold-weather clothing.

One Of My Favorite Things. . .is a day like today!

Something You May Not Know About Me. . . My two favorite salad dressing: olive oil w/salt & pepper. And, are you ready for this one? Carlson's lemon-flavored cod liver oil + a few drops of YL lemon oil + salt + pepper. Yep - those are my most favoritist!

About Today's Photo...I seldom get headaches, but this one (a couple of months ago) was a doozy!

For Today - September 30, 2010 - Thursday

Outside My Window. . .It's cool, but not as cool as it has been.

I Am Hearing . . .Birds chirping, cars. For not having any neighbors we sure do hear lots of road noise, which is my least favorite thing about this cozy little cabin. And the chain link fence. Horrible things. I don't have neighbors. . .I don't need a chain link fence. I can't wait until the whole thing is removed.

I Am Wearing...white capris & blue chambray shirt. And sock.

I Am Thinking . . I really should get a lot done today since I got about 7 hours sleep. Yay for me!

I Am Wondering . . .if my couch, which is listed on craiglist, is gonna' sell. I've had one inquiry! That's good! Right?

I Am Grateful. . . for that good night's sleep.

From The Kitchen . . . Old-fashioned oatmeal w/a cut up apple & lots of antioxidant cinnamon! Tulsi eta: Lemon/Ginger! Yummy!

I Am Reading . . God's Forgotten Gift . I am viewing the DVD's and plan to invite some ladies for an 8 week Bible study.

I Am Hoping. . .The person who inquired about the couch, which did get posted to craigslist, will buy it!

Around The House . . .Those floors still need sweeping & vacuuming. I spent most of yesterday editing theater photos.

One Of My Favorites. . .A good night's sleep. I feel good most of the time. . . . but it's really nice to wake up feeling super, duper great, with a whole lot of energy!

Something You May Not Know About Me. . . I do not keep a bathroom rug down at all times. . . I only put one down when taking bath/shower. It creeps me out to think of nasty, dirty, who knows where they've been shoes on my bathroom rug. And then I'm suppose to step on it barefoot getting in/out of the tub? Creeps me out. It really does. I have all sort of imaginings. . . . men standing at public urinal, then visiting my bathroom & standing on my rug. Uh - NO - it ain't gonna' happen.

About Today's Photo...Scene from Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory produced at our local civic theater.

Today - September 28, 2010 - Tuesday

Outside My Window. . .It is cool. . . . oh so cool outside. Cool & crisp. Currently 55 with a predicted high of 83. Perfect weather for walking & working outside without working up a sweat! Yay!

I Am Hearing . . .Chickadees fussing in the trees & a few cars on the road. I also hear leaves crunching outside the open windows. . .squirrels running around.

I Am Wearing...a blue denim shirt & that worn out chenille robe.

I Am Thinking . . that most Christians don't really care about the lost.

I Am Wondering . . .how the 3 teenage boys from Sunday are doing.

I Am Grateful. . . people who walk their talk.

From The Kitchen . . . Oatmeal dishes are washed. . .drying in the drainer, waiting for me to put away.

I Am Reading . . .Oils Of The Bible by Dr. David Stewart

I Am Hoping. . .To get our couch listed on Craigslist & organize Young Living paperwork.

Around The House . . .Prairie dress for youngest grand daughter hanging on armoire. Bed waiting to be made. Floors needing sweeping & vacuuming.

One Of My Favorites. . .I've said it once & I'll say it again - - - people who are real. . . who walk their talk.

Something You May Not Know About Me. . . I do not like long fingernails! I filed them down pretty short.

About Today's Photo. .One sign of autumn arriving in east TX

For Today - August 25, 2010 - Wednesday

Outside My Window. . .It is sunny and thankfully not as hot as yesterday. The weatherman says he thinks the triple digit temps are a thing of the past! Yay!

I Am Hearing . . .A/C humming.

I Am Wearing...a blue chambray nightshirt

I Am Thinking . . .I'd rather be praying & editing photos.

I Am Wondering . . .How my grandson is doing at college.

I Am Grateful. . . for a hubby who loves me just as I am.

From The Kitchen . . . Dishes in the dish drainer, waiting to be put away. I had a yummy breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast, jam & Earl Gray tea.

I Am Reading . . .everything by Debra Raybern. . . .

I Am Hoping. . . to finish tidying house.

Around The House . . . Even smaller bits of messes than yesterday! .

One Of My Favorites. . . Friends!

Something You May Not Know About Me. . . For the first time in my life I have fingernails that do not easily peel & tear!

About Today's Photo. .A happy little guy at the pool on Sunday .. . .

For Today - August 24, 2010 - Tuesday

Outside My Window. . .It is sunny. And hot, hot, hot.

I Am Hearing . . .A/C humming & a car just drove by.

I Am Thinking . . .Within the past 4 years the number of people being serviced by the east Texas Food Bank has increased by 90%. 90%.

Don't forget to donate & volunteer at YOUR local food bank. They need you.

I Am Wondering . . .How to go about utilizing the etsy account I set up some time ago. I would like to offer some of my photos for sale . . . .

I Am Grateful. . . for being contacted by KBJS to furnish them w/photos for their website.

From The Kitchen . . . The need for me to tidy up. Dearest friend Debby was here for 10 days & we played & organized, but there is now a need to sweep & mop. . . . you know . . . all those not-so-fun things that need to be done.

I Am Reading . . .everything by Debra Raybern. . . .

I Am Hoping. . . to tidy house.

Around The House . . . Little bits of messes. . . . nothing that a couple of hours can't take care of. . . . maybe even less.

One Of My Favorites. . . Family, photography, friends, organized drawers!

Something You May Not Know About Me. . . have a new photography website . . . .

About Today's Photo. . .From the new website & hopefully will be able to soon offer as greeting cards.