Historic West End Holiday Tour

Every other year the West End Historic District in our town hosts an afternoon of touring local homes. I have always wanted to go into some of these beautiful old homes just to see how they are decorated, and admire the old woodwork and design of the structure. These homes were all built in the early 1900's - 1930's. When my friend asked if I would like to spend a recent Sunday afternoon walking through these beautiful homes, I jumped at the opportunity. It was a nice cool day but at least it wasn't raining...well at least not for the first hour or so. This is when my sweet husband comes to our rescue and chauffers us to the rest of the homes! Now how sweet is that!?!

Saint Paul's Episcopal Church was our last stop. The stained glass windows are beautiful.

It's The Day After Christmas ...

And all thorough the house, I see things that need to be done . . . maybe next year.

For Unto Us A Child Is Born

Merry Christmas to you all!

Christmas Eve ... and the shoppings done

All of the shopping is finished and gifts are wrapped; ready to settle in for a joyous Christmas with my family. Hope Santa Clause is good to you all.

Peace

I took this picture yesterday on my way home from work. I love the evening sky.

Draw neigh to God and He will draw neigh to you.
~ James 4:8

A New Look

I have been toying with the idea of updating my blog layout. Here is my first crack at it...how do you think it looks?

Pink and Blue Christmas?

I love this paper! I found it in a local scrapbook store and I was drawn to the vintage designs. Pink and blue are not the usual Christmas colors but they will be perfect for making cards; which by the way is one of my new hobbies. Maybe I can get creative and make an advent tree with the numbered paper. Christmas is so near and I am still have not sent out our Christmas cards; well the cards and Advent tree are going on the list of "to do's"

Christmas Open House

Welcome to my Christmas Open House! Please come in and enjoy some hot apple cider while we munch on fresh baked Christmas cookies. Let's sit for a bit while we reminisce about this past year; it has went by so fast, hasn't it? While it is fun to decorate and celebrate Christmas lets remember the real reason for it all . . . the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ . . .

May God's blessings be with you all this Christmas Season and as we welcome in 2009!

Getting Ready for Christmas

Christmas is only a few short weeks away, and I am excited about decorating the house. The first thing I put out was this ceramic Santa Clause cup I used as a little girl. Each of us kids had one and my mom used to make homemade hot cocoa and fill our Santa mugs . . . mmmmm sweet memory.

I Miss My Mel

I love this time of year, especially the beautiful fall leaves. When I got home from work yesterday the wind had blown a huge pile right in front of the garage door. As I began to use the leaf blower to move the piles up towards the street, I remembered a picture taken of my sweet little dog Melanie right in that very place. She looked so cute in a scraggly kind of way!

She was the runt of a litter of puppies and I rescued her when she was just about three weeks old. She was born in a box located in a neighbors carport, and I watched her everyday grow weaker as the bigger pups pushed her aside. I decided on the name Melanie, not your average dog name, but she wasn't your average dog. She was an outside dog most of the time, but enjoyed spending cold nights indoors, or finding a warm place at the foot of my sons bed. I took so many pictures of her, she would pose just about anywhere I sat her down and told her to stay. She knew if I had my camera I wasn't going to stop until she sat long enough for a good snap!

Melanie was a wonderful companion for 13 years, full of adventures that could fill a book. Sadly on August 15, 2005 she died from congestive heart failure. I miss her so much, but just talking about her brings a smile everytime.

'Oh you-u-u got that something...'

When you hear an old song does it bring back memories of what you were doing when you heard it the first time or when it was popular? I do this all the time, most of the songs I remember were when I was very young through my teenage years. One very vivid memory is of sitting in my high chair (or at least at the time it was mine, it had been used by my older brother and sister before me) the new Beatles song was playing on the kitchen radio I Want To Hold Your Hand. The year was 1963 and I was three years old. Sitting in the kitchen that morning I was eatting an egg "sunny side up" and got a drop of the bright yellow yoke on the sleeve of my pajamas . . . the two piece blue ones with feet in the bottoms, they snapped together at the waist. I had a yellow pair also, but today it I was wearing the blue.

Oh yeah, I'll tellyou something, I think you'll understand. When I'll say that something I want to hold your hand . . .

I remember sitting in that sunny kitchen and feeling the comfort and warmness of not having a care in the world, sitting in that red high chair just enjoying a breakfast cooked just for me.

. . .I feel happy inside. It's such a feeling that my love I can't hide, I can't hide, I can't hide . . . When I'll feel that something I want to hold your hand, I want to hold your hand, I want to hold your hand.

Ahhh, I loved that trip down memory lane! With all those sweet memories of that chair and of all the children, including my own that have sat in it over the years, I decided to put it back out in my kitchen.

I Love This Time of Year!

I love this time of year when the weather turns crisp and the leaves begin to change. On Saturday I spent some time raking up the leaves gathering below the trees and stopped to pick up a few of the red and oranged tinged ones. Growing up I loved to find the bright red ones and examine the yellows and oranges mixed in. It brought back some good memories.

Halloween is fun, but I am not into the "spooky" part of it, just the fun stuff. I found this pretty "vintage" treat jar at Cracker Barrel of all places! Love it!