Time to Relax on Tuesday

Emily made sure we had everything we were looking for this Christmas, she even looked under the wrapping paper.  We had plenty of sunshine and peace in our day, no snow for Christmas, but it we had some today, just enough to make us smile.  We will have plenty of time for relaxing with Emily, watching fun movies and having lots of hot chocolate this week. 

Merry Christmas!

This has been one of those totally unexpected weeks.  I didn't expect to get such a good deal on a huge Christmas tree anytime before Christmas, and I did put it off pretty late.  Ok, it's not huge but definitely bigger than the little bitty tree I had last year that Emily kept tackling at every opportunity.  Now she has to jump up to get the ornaments that entice her.  I didn't put any ornmaments on the bottom, didn't really have enough ornaments to cover this tree so my mom gave me some more of her beautiful ornaments that she has made out of old cards, so I thought they would be a good thing to share today.  Emily and I will try not to shed too much (stress!) over the holiday busyness and hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

Luke 2:14
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Thankful Thursday and Shadow Boxing

Emily and I are always thankful for the sunshine, warming our home and our hearts.  It's much nicer to take walks too, since we have been having some very cold, wet weather here (minus yesterday, we had thunderstorms and it was in the 50's?)  Now it's back to cold and cloudy, good Christmas shopping weather, you just have to hang on to your bags, the wind carries you back to your car, if you plan it right.  These photos were taken on a very sunny day, this past weekend, when Emily was enjoying her sunbeam and was making these poses, looking a bit like shadow boxing.  Another simple joy of the week was watching Mary sing Christmas songs for her chorus concert.  Lots to be thankful for this week!

Psalm 20:4
May he grant you your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans!

Silly Photos on Saturday

Some silly photos from going to see Santa's reindeer last weekend...it was so cold that day, and rained a bit too but it was still fun.  It was also a good place to buy a Christmas tree and we saw a few being taken down the path behind Mary, but we had a good laugh when we saw this antler tree, all decorated with glass bottle ornaments.  Something we certainly don't see too often.  These reindeer (in the last photo) all rubbed their antlers on their tree and looked around for something to chew on, and I think maybe that little fence was there to protect that little tree from getting knocked over by them.  When we got too cold, we went inside their gift shop, which was all decorated for Christmas and that was fun too. 

So this past week, I felt like Santa's elf, packing up remote control cars for Santa to deliver for Christmas.  We were each given one to take home for our kids too, but I gave mine to another elf, for his kids, and that made my heart sing for Christmas joy.

Fingerprints on Friday

Visiting Santa's reindeer last weekend lifted my spirit and made me smile.  They have such a gentle look in their eyes, although they don't look nearly as graceful walking around as the usual deer we see around here.  It was very peaceful walking around their ranch, very cold too, but I think these fingerprints of God are waiting for the snow, which may be falling soon enough.

Psalm 42:1
As the deer pants for water, so my soul pants for you, O God.

Macro Monday

Could this be considered too pretty of a veggie to eat?  I discovered this yesterday, thought it must be some kind of magical veggie, isn't lettuce usually grown when it's hot?  The raindrops must have magic in them, certainly felt cold enough for snow though.  If you want to see more macro Monday shots, visit lisaschaos.com.

Totally Distracted on Tuesday

Cold and cloudy here, chance of snow?  Feels like snow and the wind nearly blew me back down my hill on my walk up it this morning...well, more like a slope to most people but I like to say it's a hill since there doesn't seem to be any for miles.   I had to wear my hat and put my hood up with my mittened hands covering my ears and with tears freezing on my face, I finally made it...all the distractions made me forget how cold that wind was getting or that it might snow.  I walked passed a familiar house that usually has a few squirrels looking for a snack but today, you could just tell, these little guys were serious about getting their share.  They were not busy chasing or chattering at each other, all were eating together peacefully.  Then I walked close to a nearby pond and noticed this birdhouse.  I thought that post was different, not the usual.  Then I got close to home again and noticed all the little birds that Emily likes to watch...all huddled together on this truck.  Definitely, a hot chocolate sort of day.

Time for Reflection on Tuesday

Reflection is good for the soul, and although it looks like Emily is deep into her own thoughts, she is actually tracking some little birds.  She was so quiet, sneaking up the couch, staying very low until they moved so close to the window that she had to peer down on them.  Lucky for them, they were outside the window.

We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness.  God is the friend of silence.  See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence; see the stars, the moon, the sun - how they move in silence...We need silence to be able to touch souls.
Mother Teresa

Wordless Wednesday

Twisting Turbines on Tuesday

As I was walking one day, I couldn't believe the sight of these wind turbines that close to the edge of town.  If I had been run over for standing in the middle of the road, taking this photo, I wouldn't have been more surprised.  I have seen these wind turbines coming from the other direction and they really are massive structures, taking over the fields...what used to be actual farm land.  There's supposed to be 94 of these things on that side of town?  There are already at least 250 on another huge stretch of fields going the opposite direction.  This is supposed to be helpful for our energy?  What about all the energy that the land had to offer?  And all those animals rethinking their habitat that just was taken over again, by the stewards of the land?   Who knew the wind could cause so much controversy in a small town?   The big company that keeps putting these wind turbines up claims that it is so helpful.  I think they are helping themselves to some of the richest fields around, and that makes me sad to think these huge turbines will just become part of the man-made landscape, to capture the wind's energy for a while.  These turbines are not even the most efficient style made, so how long will it take for them to be replaced with more efficient models when they decide these are not producing enough energy?  

Fingerprints on Friday

I must admit I haven't been all that faithful to my daily walks, the past few weeks anyway.  I can come up with a million and one excuses...too cold, too dark, not enough time in the day, not enough energy in my step...blah, blah, yea, I know.  God is merciful and gives me every day to get out and breathe, pray and enjoy life.  But the good part about getting out every day is noticing the simple little joys and fingerprints that God puts in front of us to help us get through the day, no matter what time of day it happens to be. God is very compassionate so he listens to my prayers as I walk and lifts my spirit with a few squirrels who notice me passing by, hoping I will bring cookies in my pockets for them.  As I was crunching leaves the other day, I happened to notice a leaf that wasn't a leaf at all...but a beautiful Monarch butterfly.  What a wonderful thing to discover on an ordinary daily walk...you just never know what God puts in front of you.

Psalm 37:3-4
Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Delight yourself in the Lord
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday: Covered Bridge Festival

Fingerprints on Friday

A very colorful week here, with the leaves changing their colors all around and it's a wonder there are any leaves left on their branches with these windy days.  It's fun to walk on these nice sunny days, admire these beautiful fingerprints of God, and crunch the leaves that have fallen...why rake when the wind will carry them away?  I used to think that the leaves changed their colors because of the lack of chlorophyll during the colder weather, but I learned that these leaves actually contain the pigments of the colors they will eventually turn.  Red leaves are really special as this pigment is sensitive to the PH of the sap of the tree, so depending on the acidity and amount of light it receives, will determine if the leaves turn red or purple.  I always wondered about the purple leaves...can purple occur naturally in nature?  Something to think about as I take in all these different colors of the fall that God created with his glorious light, one pigment at a time. 
Psalm 66:1,3
Shout joyfully to God...How awesome are your works.

Wordless Wednesday

Tea for Two on Tuesday

Hot tea solves everything.  Well, that's not entirely true, but hot or iced tea certainly has a soothing, calming, and quenching effect on me.  I'm not a tea expert by any means, but I do like to try new things and there are so many different kinds available...it's just exciting to a tea fanatic like myself.  I do like chamomile tea when I'm feeling a bit on edge or achy, as it calms me down and lets me sleep peacefully.  During the daytime, I usually choose a nice fruity tea or with a touch of mint...peach or raspberry teas are my favorites.  Decaffinated tea is sort of a misnomer, but what I like in the mornings as I try to wake up...love the smell, the steam opens my pores and the hot cup warms my hands.  I went to a tea room with my daughter this weekend and since it was another warm fall day, we decided to have our lunch out on the deck.  She chose a green herbal tea to go with her portebella mushroom sandwich and salad (what's the difference?) and I chose peach tea to go with my fruited turkey sandwich and pasta salad.  We thought they had mixed up our teas but they proved to be correct, even though my tea looked green and hers looked peachy.  Looking at Bonnie's collection of tea cups and saucers was fun, and everything hanging on the walls had to do with tea.  A tea room...maybe I should decorate with tea?

2 Corinthians 9:15
Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift!

Fingerprints on Friday

Psalm 143:8
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.  Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

Wordless Wednesday

Sunny Memories on Saturday

It's one of those days here, when the sun is competing with the big fluffy clouds but we've had some really sunny days this week, all leading up to the first day of fall so I'm feeling rather sunny myself.  And I'm not just saying that because I got some sweet deals at the city wide yard sales this morning, or baked brownies for Bingo, and made extras for us to share with our hot chocolate later.  There are still some roses blooming and looking at their velvety petals always warms my heart and makes me think of wearing my sweaters again this fall.  My favorite one this week was the golden flower that just beamed with the sunshine, telling me fall is on its way, get out your fall colors.  I think it's time.  We had some beautiful sunsets that really brightened the whole sky, even while the clouds were coming and as I was taking in my peaceful moment before going inside, I turned around to see Mary had already taken off her shoes, enjoying the cool air of the evening.