PANIC SETTING IN?

Well as I awake to this snowy freezing tundra this morning I am trying to beat down the panic building inside my brain.  * CHRISTMAS IS COMING *

As I readied myself for bed last night, I started to ponder the upcoming Christmas Party I am having in a week for my Crochet Club friends...........I need a generic gift for each of six girls, I need some kind of games to play AND prizes, not to mention the house isn't finished being decorated for the Holidays.

Well, I searched the Internet for games and game prizes and was happy to find some prize ideas.
Then on to games-hmmmm, not enjoying this event at the past parties, it will be hard for me to
come up with something that I think will be appropriately fun! LOL  6 prizes-translates to 6 games.

Then for the generic gift I found a photo of a picture template, (you know the ones with the inspirational words), that someone from Stampin Up had done and thought "Okay, I can make that up and give each girl a framed gift".  Down to the computer and My Digital Studio program I went.
FINALLY at 1:30 am I decided to 'SAVE' and go to bed.  Of course, by that time I was so hyped up I don't know when I zonked out. 

OK, that is my state of mind for the day.  I'm off to decorate some more and take a
cuppa French Vanilla frothed cream in my coffee!  YUMMO

NOVEMBER NIGHT

By

Adelaide Crapsey

      Listen-

      With faint dry sound,                                                       

       Like steps of passing ghosts,

       The leaves, frost-crisped,

        Break free from the tree

        And fall

 

 

A cloudy start to this cold November day!  This poem and picture I borrowed from another blogger and pinterest remind me of the transition of the seasons.  Such a late Fall this year.  Here it is the 9th of November and there are still leaves on the trees - usually by this time they are bare.  We did have our first snowfall on Tues/Wed..........just a dusting, but enough to make the roads slippery and to make us aware of what is to come!!!

 

The men are off to their deer hunting grounds this morning......brr, and good luck to them.  DH, son Steve, b-i-l John, and nephew Tony round out the group.  I don't quite understand the embracing of heading out into the dark at 5a.m. to sit in a deer stand waiting for a deer to wander into your sights,

but that would be a hunter. 

 

I will finish up decorating with a few things for Thanksgiving.  I have been debating just on how much to do as I am to have the Crochet Club Christmas this year and that is major decorating for the event.  So a little Christmas will be scattered in with Thanksgiving LOL!  Trying to think ahead.

 

I had a great week.  I got to go see a play 'Mary T. & Lizzy K.'  My friend Barb had read the book so was excited to see the play.......a story of Mary Todd Lincoln and her dressmaker.  Mary was institutionalized (for 4 months) by her son Robert as she was mentally distraught after the death of her sons' and the assassination of her husband.  Lizzie was a former slave, now free, and in the employ of Mary as her professional seamstress....never paid by Mary for her work.  Four years after Lincoln's assassination, she wrote a book of memoirs including intimate details of life in the White House, in the hope of making money to survive.  Instead of success, her white clientele ostracized her.  She died as a resident of the Natl. Home for Destitute Colored Women and Children.  The play centers around the last day of Lincoln's life, as Mary remembers while in the asylum.  Sad and interesting at the same time. 

 

I got rid of my dehumidifier and Keurig coffee maker - both broken - at the recycling center yesterday.  It cost $12, but such a relief to have them out of the house and able to be recycled and not in a land fill somewhere.  (DH's solution....arghhhh)

 

Enjoying a French Vanilla Latte (caffe frothed with a little Bailey's French Vanilla creamer)

YUMMO.....

 

 

 

This lovely photo from WALLACE GARDENS is of a pumpkin topiary that I would surely love to replicate.  I have tried them before......not nearly as pretty as this, I didn't include the greenery.

It was very fun to top the pumpkins on top of each other, hard though as they didn't seat nicely onto each other.  And then....something ate into the bottom pumpkin overnight!! 

 

Oh well, it was a good idea!!  Here is another picture post that Wallace Gardens had :
 

  

(same topiary, side view)

BEAUTIFUL!!

 

 

 There was a beautiful picture of a log home with BIG pumpkins of different colors set against the side of the house - quite striking - but I am not allowed to copy.  Would love to put them at the side of my house too (GREAT idea) but I am sure the deer, squirrels or other critters would just munch away at them!!

 

I have been so remiss in keeping up with my blogging, I don't know how people do it every day -

Pioneer Woman, Susan Branch and Dawn - just to mention a few of my favorites.  I do have much to post about and so little time LOL!!

 

The weather has definitely changed to the low 40's and makes me sad that summer has finally truly come to an end and Fall is swiftly fleeting towards winter.  Hmmm.....

 

Definitely won't be drinking my iced Vanilla Latte's for awhile   :-(

 

 



GARDEN TOUR

 

 

Dear daughter and I went on the Tangletown Garden Tour 2013 yesterday - a summer tour we look forward to every year and don't make always.  It was her birthday wish to go this year and I was able to accommodate her wish!!  We had so much fun, although we had a late start and it was a rainy cool day.

 

House number 5 was probably my favorite.  OMG these people have a garden!!  They even have been featured in a Midwest Magazine article.  They have purchased property from their neighbors as they have put their homes up for sale and added to their yard/gardens.  There is a rose garden, wisteria arbor, rock garden, vegetable garden.....on and on.  There were two artists on site, that put their artwork into the garden as an added feature.
                                                                                

There was even this little shed with a wooden goat on the roof.
                                                    
                                                                              

 

 

It is amazing to see what people do with their yards, filling spaces with such beauty and peacefulness.
I am always inspired, but know the reality for me is difficult as those little deer that I love to watch, eat a lot of what I plant.  It was a lovely day with my lovely daughter. 

xoxo

 

SUMMER

 

My sentiments exactly!!  I LOVE summer!!  It is so wonderful to wake up to sunshine and warmth.

I love the beauty of the color green. I love the sound of the croaking frogs at night. I love the length  of time I can be outside before darkness sets in.  I love bobbing in the warm waters of lakes, rivers, and swimming pools.  (even an ocean this summer)  I love grilled foods.  I love the freedom of the grands with no school.  I love Bayfield-it's warm breezes, blue Lake, fresh berries, and busy-ness of the little town 'come to life'.  I even love the fact that I can go out the front door and go for a walk, without boots, jackets, and pathways free of snow!

 

I love the 'iced' Starbucks latte's too!  I'm off to fetch myself one right now!!

FLEETING YOUTH

"They take their lives so seriously, these young people.  Just appreciate the fact that you can stomp so energetically - I'd dance like a butterfly, bite into crisp green apples and run across hot sand into the surf, and I'd walk, as far as I wanted, wherever I wanted, in big loping, leaping strides, with my head held high and my lungs filling with air........"

This quote from a book I was reading about an old woman reflecting on the attitude of a young character and how if she could relive her life, she might not be so serious.....made me sad to read as I realize that when we are young we don't realize that one day we won't be able to do the things we so take for granted, quite so easily.  All this as sometimes after a walk my feet ache, I
can't run far for knee pain, no dancing anymore like a butterfly........

A Happy Shilouette

 

 

On this snowy northern MN day, I thought I would post a happy looking picture, that makes me think of Spring!!  We probably have a new accumulation of about 12 inches of new fluff and the kiddo's got a Snow Day and are over the top excited, because that hardly ever happens.

 

I have had some busy, busy days since my post in January (I think I was to begin my stay with the older littles for the week).  That time was fabulously fun, and then my sister from Ohio came for a wonderful visit for two weeks.  We had so much fun - project work on the MDS, lunches out, and a
Downton Abbey marathon.  This was a PBS series that is in it's 3rd season and we hadn't come upon it until just now.  So, we watched what we missed and fell in love with the show and it's characters!
We made our normal journey to the General Store, Bachman's ~ spent an afternoon at Como Park Conservatory (she was so kind to allow me to do some things I love to do and don't get the chance to do) followed by a visit to The Bibelot shop and lunch at Muffaletta's (a restaurant I have wanted to go to for YEARS).  Of course, we also found a Starbucks whenever the oportunity would present itself, and sometimes even when it didn't!!  LOL  I miss her!!!

As things usually go, the next week after Cindy left, my long awaited living room furniture arrived!!
YAY it is beautiful and I am over the top excited about it.  I had a guy come and hang the pictures shortly afterwards so all is well and in place.  The next project for that room is to get some kind of window treatment in there, so the fabric on the new chairs won't get too much sun and fade.

I am not sure what all the first few weeks of Febr entailed, but they were busy days and before I knew it, it was time to take care of the littlest littles, while their parents were off to Mexico.  I had a great time with those little guys, and have forgotten how they busily fill they days.  They are 4 and 2 and have great energy.  We had a great Treasure Hunt outside in the snow, played trains (Aunt Amy brought a basket of train tracks and little Thomas engines and trains), put legos together and played all sorts of fun games that only little boys imaginations can bring to mind :-)

DH's wrestling season has come to it's end and now he is looking to making a journey to the Bayfield condo to check on everything (mainly how it is wintering up there).  Then before I know it, I will be in for my Jury Duty assignment.  Phew.....hope that will be the end of the "To Do" list for awhile.
Well, does that ever really come to an end.  I think NOT.

Well, any blogger friends that may be out there....have a great day.
Enjoy a cuppa and take on the day.

SUNDAY - SUNDAY

WELL ANOTHER DAY SPENT TAKING CHRISTMAS DOWN.  I AM TIRED AND GOING TO CALL IT A DAY.  I DID DE-NUDE THE TREE AND GOT ALL THE ORNAMENTS PUT TO REST FOR ANOTHER YEAR'S REST.

I BEGAN A SCARF THAT I WANTED TO MAKE FOR A VALENTINE GIFT AND I AM THINKING THE YARN I PURCHASED IS TOO THICK.  I WANTED IT TO HAVE A LACY LOOK AND IT ISN'T HAPPENING.  GOOD THING I HAVE CLASS TOMORROW SO I CAN PERUSE THE YARN BINS AND GET OPINIONS.

ALSO, WILL BEGIN THE WATCH OF THE GRANDS FOR THE WEEK.  IT SHOULD BE FUN, BUT BUSY I AM SURE!!

I WANTED TO INCLUDE A PICTURE TO THIS POST, BUT I AM NOT ABLE TO ACCESS MY FILES??  OH WELL.....

I STOPPED BY STARBUCKS ON MY WAY HOME AND TRIED THE NEW VANILLA SPICE LATTE....IT WAS OK.  NOT A FAV.

LATER PEEPS.

Saturday

Northwest Photography

This is a picture from a site that I follow on Facebook and also a blog by the same person in Vermont.  I love her pictures and aspire to be able to capture photo's one day as well as she.  This is a link to her blog:

 

WWW.CABINFEVERVERMONT.COM

 

Once you get there you can peruse her different area's of photography also.  So fun and interesting.

 

Well today will be the day of disassembling Christmas!!  It is sad to take it all down ~ it gives the house such a merry feel.  Will just have to find some snowmen to take up the feel of joy LOL.

 

Also, trying very hard to stay healthy.  I am really counting on that flu shot everyone (Dr.s) encouraged me so much to get.  Everyone around me has been ill.....really ill!!  Three pneumonia's ill.  DH gets up this morning and says I really don't feel good today.  I hope I am not getting that s*** !!!  NICE.......I assumed he already had it with his last hospital stay!

Just a note about something that has been on my mind lately:


                                                            SNOWFLAKES

 



Reminds me of a time when my sister Cindy, Amy and I went to a Teahouse while Cindy was visiting.  When we came out to the car it was snowing ~ and on our coats we saw the most perfectly shaped snowflakes ever.  We could actually see every beautiful part of the perfect snoflake, it was amazing.  Of course we tried to take pictures (probably with our phone as we didn't have a camera that I can recall anyway) and of course, they didn't turn out.  This thought process all came about, because, as I left Church on Wednesday morning - there they were again, on my windshield.  Falling from the sky just as perfect as before.  Sometimes, miracles just happen!!

Ok, back to my caffe (French Press brew with Sweet Cream froth) and carrying on with the dismantling of Christmas.  Do check out the NW Photography site....you will enjoy!!

Happy New Year 2013

 

Well, I guess it is time for the Holiday Season to come to a close with this New Year Day Celebration.  I will choose I think to leave the decorations up until January 6th as I am not ready to put them all away yet.  It makes the house look so festive, and I was still putting finishing touches out on December 23rd I believe!!  LOL

 

 

It seemed to be an unusual Season this year for me.  We celebrated Halloween with the littles and then it seemed things went all askew.  Mike ended up in the hospital for 3 days with what turned out to be pneumonia with fluid at the base of his lung (which was extracted).  Then a friend came to spend two weeks here while she took some classes over in Maple Grove (not too far from here).  I did get a few decos out before she came but then things got very busy while she was here.  She ended up having a crisis with her health and that threw me into a mood, as she pleaded with me to take care of her and literally, two weeks before Christmas, I didn't have the time.  I needed to finish up the Christmas boxes for the kiddos (24 little gifts for each day before Christmas) and get them delivered.  Then there was the actual Christmas shopping and wrapping and decorating.  I never did get my Christmas cards out.  We entertained at our home for Christmas Eve (21 people) and then had our kids and their families on Christmas Day......very much fun!!  The Sunday before Xmas I had a flashing going on in the right eye, so got that checked out last Wed.......now I am being watched for a detachment of the retina....hoping it will pass.  AND to top it all off, I got called for Jury Duty starting Jan 22nd.  I put in for a postponement until March and hope it works.  Sister Cindy is coming for a January visit and I don't want to be busy with all of that hoopla.  It will be great to have her here, as Mike will be busy as ever with his wrestling agenda.  I will also have Amy's kiddo's starting on the 8th of January through the 12th.  Busy times!

 

That is life.....just when you think things will slow up a little it all picks up ..... and that is probably good as who wants down time on their hands??

 

Anyway, Happiest of New Year's to all reading this.  (are there any out there?)

 

Hopefully, 2013 will be a great year for all!