Wednesday, December 26, 2012

After Thoughts

Snow storm here in on our little acres in the countryside of NW Ohio... The Christmas gifts have been opened and families have returned to their own homes with wonderful thoughts lingering this day.. A few wrinkles ironed out... Home-made kettle of beef and noodle soup simmering on the stove top for enjoyment soon... made from left over beef from the party.. Snow starting to make fields and trees feel it's chill as it collects as it is sifting through the winds..Tom and I leisurely enjoyed a couple cups of coffee as we sat by the fireplace and chatted.. in our jammies...
     I have thoughts if letting my Christmas decorations remain until after New Years Day.. then start the process of carefully packing for another years storage.. This morning I was looking on Pinterest for patterns and inspiration for some Valentines decorations to create to replace the ornaments of Christmas as they disappear.. As winter intensifies I seem to become aware the days sometimes become endless... and everything becomes more frozen ... and we search out toasty spots... Today the sweetness of spring seems along way off... and the tendency to burn candles that bring a calmness and lovely flickering as they burn and spread the wonderful scent.. The nesting instinct has definitely started... as I peer from my large picture window  to have a vision of a complete windy whiteout.. Hope you also are at peace and enjoying your day...

Monday, December 24, 2012

Peace and Joy Wished for All



Just a short post to wish all a Merry Christmas filled with peaceful moments and filled with much joy... We have had 2 lovely gatherings to date... Saturday night with Toms family 65 were in attendance...  and yesterday Tom's children and grandchildren and their mother, husband and great grandfather ... it was a very nice time and today we have mass... home for a movie in the evening and tomorrow we have Christmas day with my children their dad and some of his family... it has been a season of enjoyment and thanksgiving.... so appreciated.....

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Enjoying The Moments

Good morning from a very rainy day here in NW Ohio... I wanted to post a short note this morning stating I did remove a post I wrote yesterday ... not that I feel any differently but have decided to try to limit my personal thoughts as much as possible on further posts.... My battle with cancer this summer and fall certainly have left me with thankfulness for the gift of life however....
      The above pics were taken from pinterest and I think they are so sweet all in pink... Hope our days this week are peaceful and filled with joy.....

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Searching For Understanding

Although I do not wish to post negative on my blog and be swallowed up with sadness and create it for others as I continue to search for understanding as the joy of the birth at Christmas has been deeply saddened with the loss of beautiful small children and dedicated people... Surely darkens the holiday season as we must continue our journey and experience a peace and happiness with our loved ones, while in our hearts we well know there will be many families that will not feel any of this peace... I know not if one will ever heal from this happening.. Seems it takes a tragic event to make us really look at another with a sincere heart.. Last night Tom and I took one of the grandsons and his friend to the Tinora guys basketball game and I watched their every move although they were plenty old enough to care for themselves, I just felt the strong need to protect... Many little beautiful children were running up and down the stands and you wanted them to be safe... and feel loved.. We must however climb above this event that has happened in Connecticut and live a "quality" life of respect and kindness.
    I sincerely have been enjoying the weeks of making ready for the holiday... Have not allowed myself to get stressed over decorating or over spending on gifts... Love the sparkle of Christmas ... This coming Saturday is the Moser Christmas gathering of about 70.. I have a few things to accomplish yet but all is under control... 
     It seems my battle with cancer this summer and fall has made me realize even more there are just many things we cannot control... Actually has brought a larger amount of calmness to my thoughts and reactions to events. and made me more aware to the simple but thoroughly wonderful offerings if we take advantage of them.. Tomorrow for lunch I have been invited to a friends , Kay's, home for a Christmas lunch and gathering with other ladies... I always enjoy the company and lovely decorating...
    Today I just wanted to share some words and thoughts as many times just writing ones feelings down is a release for me.... I am off to enjoy my simple day and check on pecan pie in oven and prepare T-bone steak... baked potato... salad.. peas.. and of course the pie for supper enjoyment... followed up with a 2012 Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel at 8... surrounded with the warmth of my surroundings of holiday decorations and twinkling lights...Yes... I am very blessed and extremely Thankful.....

Monday, December 10, 2012

When You Wish Upon A Star.....

When you wish upon a star.... Makes no difference who you are... Anything your heart desires... will come to you....

      Do you believe that making a wish upon a star your wish will come true? Do you know it in your heart? I so remember hearing and singing this song in my childhood and caught myself thinking and humming it as I was folding stars from aged book pages... The lovely tune written for Walt Disney's 1040's adaption of "PINOCCHIO"... Many artists such as Linda Ronstadt, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Neil Diamond, Julie Andrews, just to name a few have added their versions over the years...
      Today I wish I had a magical wand to make my family and friends wishes all come true but more realistically I will say a prayer for... Comfort on a difficult day, Smiles to appear when sadness intrudes, Rainbows to follow the clouds, and Sunsets to warm the hearts...
PS.. I love making jars filled with snow and glitter... I have folded around 60 stars from old book pages thus far to scatter around on the tables for the Moser Christmas and to be placed in between the centerpieces... Nearly all the decoration for my home as well as for the gathering have been created by re-purpose in some way, mainly using aged book pages...

Thursday, December 6, 2012

A Peaceful Journey

A very pleasant evening was spent in my home last night enjoying cards, conversation, and refreshments of this holiday season. Treats not normally kept on a everyday basis were enjoyed..
       Now the time has come for me to concentrate on finalizing purchasing for the Moser Family Gathering of approximately 70...
      After posting I am going to try thr Origami Star that a lovely post and illustrations was viewed on http://lillablanka.blogspot.com beautiful pics and full directions and can be translated to English with translator... I had viewed this a couple years ago and didn't follow through with it ... but I have old books and song book pages in the craft supplies just waiting to be created into something ... Will post some pics if I am successful later..
     Tonight we are off to Defiance college to watch a guy man that played for Tinora High School play a game at college level... and stop at Frickers and partake of some chicken... before the game.
     Many of our friends will be preparing to leave for long stays in Florida, in fact the two couple that were here last evening will be also... Tom and I have decided once again this year to stay behind and enjoy the comforts of home that we pay the utilities and maintenance on... We find we are very content attending the high school sporting events and leaving early and maybe having a small sandwich out when we attend games held out of town.. Tom and I feel we can have our golf membership and trail fees and buy all our chemicals for our in ground pool all summer and into the fall for what we would spend on vacation and it seems to work for the lifestyle we enjoy in the summer and fall months.. I may be a bit of a handful as I am a home body and feel very blessed to have and sleep and have a warm shelter each and every day and night... These of course are just my feelings and are not what everyone desires. I am just so very content to be counting  my many blessings and truly and sincerely having the feelings of  always wanting the extras.. So many little extras are offered in everyday life that we may just let slip right on by us.. My desire and goal is not to let them slip by and take every opportunity to let the offerings bring peace and warmth to me...
    Wisdom has surely developed with age and what I thought was once so important was found it wasn't at all.  I certainly know the most important gift in life is your health and be ever so thankful every single moment for it...
     Hoping all of you are looking forward to the next couple weeks to be a peaceful journey and not allow yourself to fall into being stressed... Take the time to enjoy what the season ... for what really matters...ENJOY...

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Emotions At The Holidays

Last evening I attended a Ladies Christmas Party at the Defiance Elks with my sister-in-law, Judy.  As always it did not disappoint... Tables were lovely, luscious array of food and entertainment by a select group of young group of choir members from the Tinora choir.. the men waited on the ladies with food and drink and the meal was catered...was very relaxing and very much enjoyed..
    Today in NW Ohio it is rainy and mild with a colder front forecast to move in later today.  Tom and I plan on traveling to Delta tonight to attend a Tinora Guys basketball game and have supper out on the way there.. Tomorrow evening we invited a couple other couple for the evening to enjoy conversation, cards and refreshments..
     My emotions this year are very strong and the desire of just spending peaceful minutes enjoying little moments..I know I should count every single moment that brings a smile to my face with the traveling through a  major heart attack a couple years ago and my latest fight with this terrible disease we call cancer very recently..
     I stopped in a small little town called Pettisille at a floral and gift shoppe called Weeping willow and shared conversation with a friend that owns the shop and enjoyed the time spent viewing her inventory for Christmas decorating... I purchased a couple sprays of silk crystals as I enjoy them all year long adding them in different ways..for all season.. Love enter mixing with Christmas and being able to use all year..With the holiday season upon us putting up the decorations makes the house seem just right, enjoying the beautiful surroundings and adding the spice to our life just as we add the spice to our ginger breads and ciders as the extra we  so desire, making it all so enchanting...

Friday, November 30, 2012

Enjoying The Moments

Sunshine and warmer temps today in NW Ohio.. Lovely day to think of planning for special events that will happen from now till the magical hoiday of Christmas arrives..
     Yesterday Tom and I traveled to Toledo for a appointment with the surgeon that preformed my surgery for cancer 3 months ago... After my exam I was told the comforting words that everything was normal at this time... I will be required to see him and be examined every three months for a year.....
     This coming Wednesday we will be having 2 other couples over to play cards.. share conversation and refreshments with...  I will need to plan the refreshment within the next couple days... Then comes the finalizing for the Moser { Tom's side of the family} which will consist of close to 70 people... With Tom coming from a family of 10 children the size of the group is way too many for our size home so we rent a hall in Archbold in the park.... As hosts this year we will provide the meat... provisions and set the hall and add the table decorations... Each member then brings a covered dish... I send announcements of the date and time and ask they to bring a certain dish of kind so we have a nice variety... Everyone helps with the cleanup so it does go quite smoothly... I have the centerpieces about completed and will finish them and the purchasing of needed items next week....
     I have most of my Christmas completed... Had plans on creating a few more paper altered art items but will see how it goes next week as I seem to have lost focus the last couple days... Just have the desire to CHILL today after the appointment yesterday even though I tried to stay calm it was hard to do when I was made to sit on the exam table with my bottom hanging out for one hour and fifteen minutes waiting for the doctor to come in the room.. He said he was running BEHIND as my BEHIND was freezing... So today it's taking it a bit easier and relaxing the body and mind... Tonight we will be traveling to Miller City to watch the first game of the basketball season for the Tinora Boys...
     I have been enjoying several Christmas movies, mainly shows on the Hallmark channel.. Nothing can brighten a night like a great movie and a roaring fire that adds beauty to the twinkling lights and decorations.. Just a perfect way to start the months of winter rich in beauty itself.. A lovely lighted Christmas snowy village sit on a glittery snowy cotton blanket when viewing it takes you to moments of relaxing... Vintage objects displays in glass of Christmas is also very lovely to the eye.. I am not afraid of excess when it comes to Christmas decorating.. all with just a touch of feminine... Many lovely dishes of candy and special treats not maybe normally found in everyday will be found sitting around for ourself and others that may visit to enjoy... While in Toledo today.. for anyone who lives close knows when you stop at Anderson's many arrays of bulk and special treats can be found there... We felt like we needed a few of those special treats and it consisted of things like sesame seed mix... cashews... bridge mix... wrapped candies.. hard candies...chocolate covered cherries... cookie assortment... ect... when we checked out with the cashier just the goodies was 70.00... Tom and I just looked at each other and smiled... yikes... maybe we should have eaten first....
   OK, I must get this posted and quit the gibbering and work on the laundry I have in the washer... Wishing you all a peaceful weekend and a whole big handful of  everyday blessings there for the taking... ENJOY!!

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Tuesday Musings

The sun is shinning this afternoon making it deceiving that it is warm but it is in fact somewhat nippy and close to freezing for the temp... I have been viewing from my large front picture window deer hunters as they travel the roads and walk the local fields and woods around our home...
     I am not too active today as I seem to be in a recovery period from the Thanksgiving holiday... which was very pleasant.... Yesterday Tom and I traveled into Defiance as I wanted to purchase a couple gifts for my kids and one for my granddaughter... {We started out going to BOB EVANS for breakfast and thanks to Sandi posting on her Face book about getting coupons for free meals and breakfast if you go on their Internet site and sign up for free coupons, we ate a nice breakfast meal on them... if you buy one you use the coupon for the second one free of equal value... or less of course..They email these coupons to you every week or so.. it is worth the time of you enjoy dining at Bob Evans...}
     Tom knew I had been wanting a different printer for a couple years now as mine was getting older and used quite a bit  ... so he asked if I would like to go to Office Max and look around for one... I have a Apple Ipad Mini that should be arriving any day now and have been reading about the technology that is available for all these neat things ... While reading I knew to be able to print from the new Ipad mini it would require the Air print tech .... in the printer... I understand our Ipad that we use now is not equipped to use with the wireless printer... He did purchase a HP all in one wireless printer and yesterday afternoon and evening and again this morning I got it set up and was learning how to use it...Pretty neat....
   We are going to the Tinora Girls basketball first home game this evening and tomorrow is going to be house cleaning day as I normally clean on Thursdays for the weekend but this Thursday I will be going to see the surgeon that preformed my surgery for cancer for my three month check up...  I don't really know what to expect at the office call but I know I will be glad when it is over... We will travel to Toledo for the appointment... Otherwise once I have this completed I will have to  think of the coming holiday... The following week we plan on having the 2 couples over that we play cards with for some holiday cheer and some game playing... Then I must get working on finishing my list for we are the hosts for Tom's family Christmas and that is about 70 people...and takes some purchasing and planning... I have started the table decorations but do not have them 100 percent completed... The holiday of Christmas is arriving and I have been enjoying all the Hallmark Christmas movies on their channel and Lifetime... To my delight they have several new movies for this year but I watch the old ones also... Lucky { my puppy} usually cuddles up on my lap and we watch them together... I rather love those peaceful moments and hours of relaxing and enjoying ....
     I have been enjoying the post of which many of my favorite bloggers have been posting some of their creations and home decorations... wow..  some of them have just blown me away they are so lovely.... Keep those posts coming as I love to sit in the mornings and read and view the posts...

Friday, November 23, 2012

Every Home Tells A Story

Every home tells a story.. especially at the different holidays... Remember when we looked forward to going over the river and through the woods to Grandma's house we go? What made this so special and terribly exciting was special thoughts and loving extra work was added to make us feel so loved..
    When no effort is placed ... it's reflection comes back to everyone.. when a home is filled with luscious aromas and is twinkling from room to room, it's " The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year"... just like the song of the past.. Our homes was filled with these moments yesterday as we shared with our families... and our tummies delighted with all the goodies.. Humm.. left overs today..  Always give without remembering and receive without forgetting....and remember..."No man was ever honored for what he received.. He was honored for what he Gave"  Calvin Coolidge

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

The Ideal Thanksgiving Is Sharing

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In 1621 the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is still acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days of Thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn't till 1863 in the midst of the Civil War, that president Lincoln proclaimed a National holiday of Thanksgiving Day to be held each November... Thanksgiving is always the fourth Thursday of November.
   The ideal Thanksgiving is sharing our warmth and comfort with family. A warm and inviting day filled with family and tables of wonderful harvest of nourishment... a tradition desired by all.
     As we are about to celebrate our FAT AMERICAN DAY as some may call it let us not forget the main reason... to offer THANKS for our families and the nourishment we are able to share... when we can give thanks we need to do it with cheerfulness.. remembering whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly and whoever sows generously will also reap generously...

Father we thank you for this opportunity to give and share. We thank you for those who have an offering to give today as well as those whom have a desire to give, but are not able to. We pray a blessing over each giver.. In Jesus name. Amen

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

The Legend Of The Poinsettia



I wanted to share some pics this morning on steps for making crepe paper poinsettias that I used in budget decorating this year.... It was back to grade school time creating these... So simple but they turn out quite lovely.... I used thin wire to cluster together and tie and finished off with a set of rhinestone antique buttons... The ones on the mirror I just used some old beads from a vintage necklace and placed them on a thin wire.... When the poinsettia is clustered I oh so gently take my finger nail and run down the center to make a vein and it will make your poinsettia petal turn down and look very realistic... My decorating has been done so very much in .. no dollars spent this year..................................................................................................................

 In Mexico, it is a old custom to take a flower to church on Christmas Eve.... in honor of the Christ Child. According to legend, long ago in a small mountain village in Mexico, there lived a boy named Mario. Each year Mario watched the villagers walk to the church Christmas Eve carrying bundles of fresh flowers... Mario could not afford to buy fresh flowers, so he would look in the fields for wildflowers that might have survived the cold winter up on the mountains. One Christmas eve, as he was walking, searching for wildflowers, a voice called out to him, "Mario, pick up the weeds growing where you kneel and take them to the Christ Child." Mario answered " I cannot take these weeds to the Baby Jesus" The voice gently replied " The simplest gift, when given with love, will be the most beautiful to him." Mario listened to the voice and placed the green weeds around the manger, as other children teased him... But to every one's astonishment the weeds turned into a beautiful red flower with bright green leaves... Mario could not believe his eyes... it was the most beautiful flower he had ever seen... The other villagers who witnessed the miracle knelt before the manger... Mario understood what the angelic voice was trying to tell him.. He then knew the most important gift for the Christ Child was the gift of LOVE. The plant was brought from Mexico to America in 1836 by Dr. Joel Poinsett, the first American minister to Mexico... It was introduced to him by Mexicans who called it the "Flower of the holy night" The plant was cultivated in the 1890's by Albert Ecke in California. The city of Ventura, California is called the "Poinsettia City " today the poinsettia plant is still considered a Christmas symbol and brought into homes in early December... There beauty remains throughout the holiday season....
The poinsettia plant itself is very lovely and over the years has become available in many varieties and colors. I believe the meaning behind the plant is really important thought to carry with us during the holiday season... Again re-enforcing our need to not be caught up on all the holiday pressures and remember those gentle words.... " The Simplest gifts when given with love, will be the most beautiful to him"......
" Don't despair if you are short of cash. Be creative, looking back, you will discover that the Christmases when you had the least money were the ones that left you with the best memories"

Friday, November 16, 2012

Peace and Goodwill

mi9.com
Peace and goodwill in each loving home. Beauty and magic so surely your own. Sweet Christmas angels-moments of Love, part of the wonder God sends from above...  Garnett Ann Schultz
 
     In everyday living and especially at the holiday season I have a sparkle obsession.. I love the glimmer and shimmer and command embellishment that has this on display.. Seems I always have glitter or mica hanging on me during this time as I work with it in decorating... My puppy even has some yesterday... I think he had his nose in the Christmas village.... I sprinkle this in most all my vignettes and have generous amount for cleanup after the first of the year... Love visiting shoppes and homes during this season of special decorating and preparation... I will also be visiting my favorite blogs as they share their mantels and doors draped in the finest greenery and offer spiced beverages to toast the season..
    Baking even seems to prove to be more pleasurable when enveloped with burning candles of lovely scents and soft music to the ear in the background playing our favorite holiday words...
      Every November awakens me to decorate and baking and desires to enjoy the special moments.
    Unless you allow yourself this time of pleasure you tend to become overwhelmed and is the gifts that the season can bring...The day of Thanksgiving is drawing very near... Take time.. make your list... and shop early so you may enjoy some sit down time as you prepare nourishment for yourself and your loved ones...

Thursday, November 15, 2012

The True Measure

" NOT WHAT WE SAY ABOUT OUR BLESSINGS, BUT HOW WE USE THEM, IS THE TRUE MEASURE OF OUR THANKSGIVING"

Place A Peppermint Twist On Your Holiday







The story of the candy cane maker....
There once was a candy maker who wanted to make a candy cane because he knew he would include a lot of signs and symbols to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.
He began with a stick of pure white hard candy. He used white as a symbol of the solid rock on which the church was founded.
He bent over the top of the candy cane to make it look like a symbol like a Shepard's staff. He remembered that Jesus calls himself " The Good Shepard". The candy maker remembered too that the first people who come to worship Jesus at the manger after he was born was the shepards. Then the candy maker looked at his candy cane and thought it looked a little plain. "It needs some color" he said." Something red" he thought. First he put on 3 thin red stripes. You see, he remembered Jesus went through terrible torture before he died and was whipped across the back.. The candy maker decided the red stripes of the cane would remind everyone that Jesus shed his blood for us and he died on the cross on Good Friday.
The candy maker was doing well with his candy cane. He had a lot of signs of Jesus in there but he wasn't satisfied. He began to pray.. " Dear Jesus, help me to make my candy cane show the true meaning of Christmas. Then the candy slipped from his hands and landed up side down on the floor. When he looked, he noticed that the candy cane was no longer a cane but it was the letter "J" for Jesus. Jesus is really what Christmas is all about...
We have a candy company not too many miles from us called Spangler Candy Co. in Bryan, Ohio, since 1906 that make candy canes and Dum Dum Pops and other candies... They have been making candy canes since before I was born... Chances are the candy canes you purchase for your holiday may be just made by this company... On their fact sheet they manufacture 2.7 million candy canes a day... { 1.5 million in Bryan and 1.2 million in their factory on Juarez, Mexico. Now that's a lot of candy canes.....
Pictures from...http://www.goodhousekeeping.com